 "Photo: Kyle Pezoldt")
In today’s world, there are a multitude of behaviors recommend for people to do in order to stay healthy. Over time, these behaviors are put into a daily mental checklist. Did I exercise for 30 minutes today? Did I get enough fiber? How many serving of fruits and vegetables did I have? Was I able to drink enough water? These questions cover the basic topics that are found in school health classes and health sections in magazines.
But has anyone ever told you the importance of your bowel movements? It’s time to get personal with your colon (a.k.a. your large intestine)! Your large intestine is about as long as you are tall, and its circumference is comparable to that of your wrist. The primary functions of your colon are to re-absorb body fluids into the bloodstream and to force the remaining feces out. A healthy person should have 2 to 3 bowel movements a day! Add that to your mental checklist.
Because the colon is constantly reabsorbing fluids from itself and directing it to your bloodstream, this makes drinking water throughout the day even more important. The cleaner the fluid, the cleaner your bloodstream. If your colon is unable to absorb a decent amount of fluid, your blood becomes thicker, and your stools won’t be as loose, making a trip the bathroom an unpleasant experience.
When bowel movements become infrequent and feces start building up, many people use an enema to loosen up the stool and get things flowing again. Today, colon hydrotherapy is becoming more popular when it comes to caring for the large intestine. Instead of using a bag and tap water, a certified colon hydrotherapist will insert a tube into the anus and up to the rectum. Then, purified water moves through the tube and fills up the large intestine. A second tube takes the soiled water and carries it out of the body. This process goes on for about 30 minutes. Beside cleaning out the colon and getting stool moving, people claim other benefits, such as clearer skin. However, physicians are skeptical of the practice because of the lack of evidence showing its health benefits, and possible unpleasant affects, like rectal perforation (a tear in the rectum).
Personally, the idea of having someone stick a tube up my butt doesn’t sound appealing. If you feel the same, then remember to drink lots of fluids throughout the day and begin to observe how many time you visit bathroom.
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