In America we currently have an epidemic of colon cancer and diseases of the colon due to several reasons some of which include a poor diet, lack of exercise, dehydration, and emotional stress leading to constipation.
Modern life-style has taken its toll on our digestive and eliminative organs. Commercial foods mostly have an acid pH and acidic foods are addictive which is why most children raised on junk foods do not eat fruits and vegetables, which are fresh, raw and natural. Commercial foods also have a very slow transit time in the colon.
The incidence of colon degeneration such as diverticulosis which are herniated bowel pockets caused by constipation has significantly increased. These bowel pockets, caused by increased pressure in the bowel are filled with stool and can become infected if the rotting feces erode the surrounding mucosa in the colon. Colon polyps have also increased in incidence, as up to 50% of Americans have polyps in their colon. These polyps which protrude into the inside of the colon can eventually transform into cancer.
Health practitioners from around the world have always emphasized the importance of colon health and that having a bowel movement after each meal was desirable. Rotting food and decaying fecal matter can be found in the colon. A clean colon is vital for our health just as a clean drainpipe is essential to clear wastes. Ideally there should be enough moisture in our stools so that the bowel should evacuate easily. A good bowel movement means a fast transit time of the elimination process and fast movement of the toxins out of the body. Simply put it is ideal to have a bowel movement within 20-30 minutes after each major meal.
According to Dr. Richard Schulze, the consistency of your bowel movements should be soft and unformed like peanut butter and light in color. The longer period of time the material remains in the colon, the more moisture is absorbed from it and the drier it becomes. This makes it difficult to have a bowel movement leading to straining and subsequently one develops hemorrhoids. Also, retained fecal matter builds up in the pockets of the colon and small intestine.
Many people's colons are packed with a lifetime of old, hardened feces leading to toxemia or the accumulation of poisons. Dr. Tilden said that diseases were crises of toxemia. One of the colons main functions is to absorb the nutrients our body needs through the walls of the colon. Another complication of a clogged colon is that nutrients cannot be absorbed. Vitamins, minerals and enzymes cannot pass through the hardened walls of the colon. When the accumulation of material from the body is removed, the body will again begin to utilize nutrients from whole foods.
The peristaltic movement is then supposed to push out of the bowel what is left. If the bowel is not working properly and the colon is not cleaned out the residue coats the walls of the colon and those toxins are reabsorbed into the bloodstream.
Often the main cause behind sickness and disease is the retention and reabsorption of this toxic waste. A major benefit of a good cleansing program is that you digest food better, eat less and smaller quantities of food are more satisfying. A pot belly and bloating is another indication of an expanded and inflated colon that is full of fecal matter.
The way in which you have a bowel movement is also very crucial. Most people in the world squat to have a bowel movement, whereas in the western world we have modern toilets, which do not support the proper evacuation of stool. We were intended to squat as with this posture the abdominal wall and bowel are supported as we bear down. We highly recommend the Welles Step to rest your feet on while sitting on the toilet as this simulates squatting and enhances complete bowel evacuation while reducing hemorrhoids or varicose veins.
Dr. Schulze emphasizes the first step in a health program is stimulating, cleansing and toning all of the elimination organs beginning with the bowel. In the process of cleansing old fecal matter, mucus and parasites may be expelled. The need to cleanse and detoxify has never been greater.
Cleansing the bowel is very simple yet powerful and we highly recommend that you do the following. Begin by drinking plenty of water along with fruit and vegetable juices diluted with water and herb teas. The minimum amount of water to consume is 64 ounces a day. Any less than that causes the fecal matter to get too hard and dehydration is one of the major causes of constipation. Eat plenty of healthy live raw foods such as fruits including apples, dates and prunes, vegetables, and salads with a variety of bitter green lettuces and sprouted seeds. Bitter lettuces, vegetables and herbs assist in cleansing out the liver which also becomes toxic due to a congested colon.
Eat other high fiber vegetarian foods such as grains, beans and legumes. Fiber creates a bulky mass to move the bowel contents and supports a population of good bacteria in the colon. Exercise and move your body as this causes the muscular contraction of the bowel or peristaltic waves by walking, dancing, running or yoga for at least one hour a day. Try to take a break mid-day during lunch break by walking and getting some fresh air, remember to keep moving! Next most importantly take steps to minimize stresses in your life and put more time enjoying your life with your loved ones. Now more than ever it is so important to give yourself the gift of time, peace and relaxation. Finally there are herbal colon products which stimulate, cleanse and strengthen the muscles of the colon. Be sure the herbs used in these products are organic and of high quality such as Dr. Richard Schulze's herbal remedies.
Dr. Roopa Chari is a Board Certified Physician in Internal Medicine. She along with her family have opened an Alternative Medical Health Center in San Diego called, "The Chari Center of Health, Inc". She treats patients using herbal remedies, detoxification programs, healthy food programs, and a variety of proven, remarkable mind-body techniques to treat a wide range of medical and psychological conditions. Dr. Chari can be reached at (619) 275-8073 for appointments or please visit their website at www.charicenter.com.