8 Things You Need To Know About Your Colon

Ignore aggressive diets that promise to cleanse your colon. To maintain a healthy colon, we must eat an adequate diet, low in fat and rich in fiber.

The colon has very important missions in charge of our digestive system. The main functions of the colon are to extract water, store waste, also  maintain the body’s hydration balance and absorb some important vitamins such as K. Therefore, taking care of our colon is very important to enjoy good health in general. Here are 8 things you need to know about your colon that you shouldn’t take lightly.

1. Alert with irritable bowel

Irritable bowel syndrome is a very common condition, “especially among women,” characterized by diarrhea, abdominal swelling and constipation. These symptoms can last for months, therefore, at the first symptoms do not hesitate to go to a doctor for an examination.

2. Colon and diarrhea

When our colon does not work properly, having problems absorbing food and fluids that enter our body, then we can suffer from diarrhea. To make the walls of the colon work better, it is usually advisable to consume rice, apples, bananas and toasts, which are astringent foods, but always under medical supervision.

3. Also constipation

A malfunction of the colon can also lead to constipation. This is generally due to low bowel activity for several days. However, it is not always due to this, so it is very important to consume a lot of fiber and water in case of constipation, to maintain an optimal level of hydration.

4. Attention to hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are another of the conditions that can be associated with our colon. It is an inflammation of the veins and arteries of the rectum or of some areas near it.  They are extremely annoying and in extreme cases surgery may be necessary. The appearance of hemorrhoids may be due to a failure in the colon, therefore, a professional will determine an examination to find out its causes and possible relationship with the colon.

5. Colon cancer

Colon cancer is one of the diseases that this part of the digestive system can suffer from. Like any other, it is characterized by the appearance of malignant cells with indiscriminate growth. Before any symptoms, the first thing you should do is go to the doctor. This one, surely, will ask you for a fecal occult blood test that will help us to rule out said evil as a cause of your discomfort.

6. Don’t be fooled

In recent years it has become fashionable to undergo colon cleansing treatments or processes. However, you have to be very careful about it. These treatments do not usually work, in addition to being very aggressive with the body.  Before carrying out any intervention on your own, consult the specialist. 

7. What is our colon like?

The colon is approximately 1.5 meters long as well as 6.5 centimeters in diameter. It extends from the middle part of our abdomen to the rectum. Its characteristics and even some functions it performs may vary from one species to another, although in most vertebrates these are more or less the same.

8. Eat healthy foods

To enjoy good health in general and keep not only our colon in excellent condition, but also our body, it is very important to eat an adequate diet, low in fat and rich in fiber. In this way, we will ensure that our colon performs its essential functions in the best possible way.