know your colon

Know your colon

The food we take in gets broken, digested and all the unwanted products get eliminated. This fantastic system is the digestive system.

In the digestive system we have mouth, food pipe, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. Colon is another name for the large intestine.

So important is the colon system to the body that is formed when the fetes are 3mnths old in the uterus...

The colon is 4 ft. 5 inches in length and 2.5 feet in width.

Ileocecal valve is a small opening at the end of the small intestine which controls the flow of contents from the small intestine to the large intestine. The large intestine begins from here and is divided into 6 parts, on the right side of the body it begins with a climb, so it is called the ascending colon, it then turns horizontal and becomes the transverse colon, from there it becomes the descending colon descending into the sigmoid colon, which is S- shaped hence it is called the sigmoid colon, the Rectum commences here and finally ends in the anus.

This forms the entire sewage system of the body. The food enters the ascending colon in liquid form and its transition to the semisolid form would occur in the transverse colon.

The colon is made of connective tissue, which is motile in the inside and hard outside. This undergoes a contractile movement called the peristalsis which kneads the food. The inner lining of the colon is also rich in micro flora which ferments the digested food. The impulse to defecate occurs when the digested food travels from the sigmoid to the rectum.

Interestingly the food may reach the large intestine in 2hrs after food ingestion but might take nearly 2 days to get expelled. Even if a third of the large intestine were to be excised it would have no impact either on the continence or the quality of the stool.

Since 61% of the nutrient absorption as already occurred here the water soluble nutrients are absorbed. Vitamin K is a major nutrient absorbed in the colon vitamin k is essential for the clotting of blood

The peristaltic movement also pushes the food forward, till it reaches the rectum which can be equated to the refuse storage plant, from where it is expelled out through the anus this expulsion is controlled by the anal-sphincter,

The function of the colon is essentially 3 fold.

• Accepting and store food not accepted by the small intestine.

• Absorbing water and minerals from the small intestine refuse. This absorption of water maintains the electrolyte balance of the body

• To eliminate the solid waste.



This process is assisted by the micro flora of the body. The intestinal micro flora exist in a delicate balance, this balance gets disturbed by irregular, habits and stress resulting constipation, gas and sometimes even Candida infection,

colon detoxification

Colon is the last destination of the food ingested. And digestion is a process that occurs within the body, with the help of enzymes that break down the food and absorb the nutrients required. Colon absorbs water and eliminates waste. Some water soluble vitamins are also absorbed here.

The body cleanses the colon routinely sometimes once a day, but two times a day or once in two days are also considered normal.

Due to erratic eating habit and decreased food fibre sometimes this process has to be induced. It is also called as intestine cleansing. The goal of which is to clean the digestive waste from the colon and reinstate proper colonic health, peristalsis and the natural micro flora of the colon.

If this elimination does not occur properly then a build up of toxins occurs. This results in:

• Brain fog

• Susceptibility to infections, like flu, common cold.

• Skin problems acne,

• Allergies are more pronounced.

• Depression and sometimes even suicidal tendencies.

• Bloating

• Shoulder and back pain.

• Feeling of tiredness, and sickness.



Once colon cleansing is done, the digestive waste along with hardened mucus gets flushed out. This improves the peristaltic movement of the digestive system. The optimal efficiency of stomach, pancreas, intestine liver and gallbladder is achieved. This results in a variety of health benefits like:

Elimination of constipation: proper peristaltic movement would ensure that the digestive waste is eliminated on time, as there is no excess clogging there is any excess re-absorption of water. Which means the bowels are less stressed during movements, it automatically reduces constipation.

Reduction in constipation results in decrease in haemorrhoids (blood polyps) and fissures (cracks occurring due to stressful colon movements).

The converse that is diarrhoea is also controlled when the colonic health is good and regular.

Improvement of digestive function is achieved by regulated muscle movement and kneading.

Once the digestion is efficient automatically the absorption of nutrition is also optimized. Impaired digestive problems like bloating and gas is also eliminated.

Better nutrition intake stimulates an overall better health and immune status.

Individuals tend to suffer less from allergies and constant infections. As sufficient nutrition is available to the cells, the energy quality and uptake is optimized. Resulting in lesser tendency to fatigue. So logically there is increase in ability to concentrate.

Lesser toxic accumulation also means lesser burden on the skin for toxin elimination, so acne and other skin problems reduces.

It is noted that when the digestive system is good, and colon cleansing is regulated, the tendency for comfort eating, and depression also reduces causing a reduction in weight.

When the colon is healthy then syndromes like irritable bowel cancer tendencies are also minimized.

Keeping our own over all emotional and physical health in view colon cleansing is an excellent preventive option. It is not very difficult either, all that one has to do is to reduce junk food, eat more raw vegetables, fruits, and cereal. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. Taking of food at regular intervals, occasional fasting all contributes to maintain good health.