So what is a healthy colon?

1. You should be having at least 2-3 bowel movements per day( one for each meal you consume). Yes, if you have only one or none per day then you are constipated and have a sluggish colon!

2. Bowel movements should be soft, bulky, smooth, unformed(kind of like smooth peanut butter), generally light in colour and easy to pass (if you’re straining and grunting there’s a problem!).

3. If you’re gassy, bloated, have indigestion and heartburn and your abdomen feels uncomfortable then your colon is taking strain and needs a good clean-out!

Why is your colon not functioning properly?

Modern diets usually consist of too much processed, fibreless and nutrient devoid food(eg. white bread, animal protein, processed sugar, dairy, softdrinks, coffee, pastries, refined pasta, fried foods, sugary cereals…you get the idea!) and not enough fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh wholegrains, nuts, seeds, pulses and clean water. Add stress, ignoring nature’s call and lack of exercise and you are on your way to an unhealthy colon!

Why you should be concerned?

An unhealthy and dysfunctional colon leads to many health problems and is generally the root cause of most digestive problems and associated health problems.

Mucoid plaque: this is a layer that builds up on the inside of your colon wall and is formed by mucus-coated, fibreless food sludge. This layer builds up and stops nutrients from being absorbed by the lining in the colon. Eventually there is only a small hole left for the waste matter to pass through! Think of a dirty drain that gets layered with grime and clogged up! This layer is home to pathogenic organisms, bad bacteria and parasites as these feed on this layer that is putrefying in your colon. Nice thought!

Leaky gut syndrome: this when the toxins in your bowel get re-absorbed into your bloodstream because you have old waste lining the colon wall(mucoid plaque). So all the nasty stuff hanging around in the colon starts to circulate through your body. This causes auto-intoxication!

Diverticulosis: this is caused by constipation. Pressure in the bowel from backed up and impacted waste causes the colon to form pockets or sacs and these become filled with old fecal matter that can become infected and start to rot!

Polyps: these are tumours that protrude into the bowel and can become cancerous.

Parasites: a dirty, backed up and unhealthy colon is a breeding ground for worms and parasites that feed off the old waste and deposit their own wastes into your body while stealing nutrients from your body!