REJUVENATE YOUR GUTS TO REJUVENATE YOURSELF
Author: Silvan S. Prayogo, Bsc. MSc.
Last updated: 2 January 2008, Wednesday.

Do you have tons of health complaints that you could write them in a book? Your colon could be the smoking gun. Let's look at your digestive system as shown on the right figure. Nutrients from your food are adsorbed by the finger-like projections (villi) in your small intestine. The adsorbed nutrients are carried by blood circulation into your liver to be turned into chemical fuel for cells in your body. The remaining food enters your colon which consists of ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, and anus. Colon functions as your "waste-processing/disposal" organ. It is absent from villi. However, it is rich with bacteria that consume and putrefy left over food to form feces. This process produces vitamin K and several kinds of vitamin B. Unfortunately, foul-smelling toxins are also produced. These toxins are packed in feces to be disposed through anus. Muscles around anus (sphincter) control the release of feces from rectum. Colon also adsorbs excess water from food remains to form a solid feces.

What happens if you delay nature's call to a restroom or if you frequently consume fiber-deficient food that harden your stool? Feces would stay longer in your colon while water adsorption and bacteria putrefaction continue. As a result, your stool become harder and pile up in your guts. Hard stool cannot efficiently be disposed because some would stick onto the walls of your colon. Layers of stubborn stool  may block your colon and eventually leads to constipation. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains that constipation is a condition when you experience intestinal movement to dispose feces less than three times a week. Constipation causes you to feel pain when there is intestinal movements, cram, bloat, and feeling that your intestine is always full (heavy).

Trapped stools disturb bacteria population in your colon. Some bad bacteria thrive in your colon and produce more toxins. Since toxins cannot be expelled, they enter blood circulation and cause health problems (R. Gray, 1991, Pg. 15). This condition is called autointoxication. Symptoms of autointoxication may include back pain, dementia, depression, bloat, sore muscles, stomachache, nausea, bad body and breath odors, diarrhea, insomnia, cataract, tumor, organ failures, wrinkles, changes in face complexion, abscess, itchiness, acnes, urine bladder infection, and so on (B. Jensen, 1999, pg. 37).

Trapped stools may change your colon structure and affect your health as shown in the following diagrams.

Unhealthy and diseased colon may require surgery to prevent serious complication. For example, infected and inflamed diverticula (actue diverticulitis) is usually cured by colostomy. Colostomy is a surgery that removes the unhealthy part of your colon and attach the healthy portion onto the wall of the abdomen as shown on the left figure.

Another problem caused by constipation is hemorrhoid around your anus that makes sitting a trivial thing to do. Hemorrhoid can also be caused by ageing, obesity, pregnancy, anal sex, heredity, sitting too long, or a diet which lacks fiber-containing food. The National Digestive Disease Information Clearing House (www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov, November 2004), explains that hemorrhoid happens when blood vessels around anus or the lower part of rectum are enlarged and inflamed as shown on the right figure (move your mouse over the figure for alternate view).

So what can you do to keep your colon healthy? There are several colon cleansing techniques such as irrigating it with certain liquid or by consuming laxative. As a matter of fact, the Ebers papyrus from the ancient Egypt records that colon irrigation has been practiced since the 14th century BC (Walker, 2000).There are two kinds of well known colon irrigations methods, colon hydrotherapy (colonics) and enema. Colon hydrotherapy is indeed the best colon cleansing method because it uses a machine that periodically and automatically pumps sterile warm water into your colon. The water pressure will peel off stubborn stools that stick on the walls of your colon. Water and feces are then sucked out of your colon into a waste tank. This process is repeated for several cycles that last for about 45 minutes. At the end of the cleansing procedure, a chlorophyll solution is pumped into your colon and left inside for about 10 to 15 minutes before it is expelled. Chlorophyll adsorbs toxins and restore bacteria population balance. The safety of this procedure is well maintained. You would be provided with your own sterile special hose and nozzle for the colon hydrotherapy. Furthermore, the whole process is supervised by a medical doctor and a nurse. You usually would see health improvement after about three times colon hydrotherapy.

The following table compares Colon Hydrotherapy with other colon cleansing methods (i.e. laxative and enema).

Colon Hydrotherapy Colon cleansing is optimal and improvement is visible after three sessions. Facility is designed and equipped for such procedure Special nozzle and hose: very minimal risk of injuring your rectum or anus. Procedure is supervised by a medical doctor. Clean room and the machine uses water that has been sterilized with UV light and filtered to kill and remove dangerous agents (risk of infection is very minimal). Colon Hydrotherapy machine at Griya Mitra

Enema Water does not enter your colon deep and powerful enough. As a result, frequent enema must be performed to be as optimal as colon hydrotherapy. Tedious preparation (see figure on the bottom left of this table). No professional supervision: high risk of injuring your colon and anus because you do not know how much water and how strong the water should enter your colon. Unsuitable facility: procedure is performed in an unclean room and using non-sterile water. High risk of infection.

Laxative Consumption Laxatives irritates your colon so that colon is forced to expel stubborn stools. Bad long term effect because colon loss control, becomes weak and addicted to laxative stimulation (Walker, 1995, pg. 14).

What's the solution for hemorrhoid? Thankfully we have modern medical technology that allows hemorrhoid removal without surgery. The technique is called Barron System Hemorrhoid removal, which uses a device to release a special rubber band from Germany that will bound around the hemorrhoid. The hemorrhoid will fall off by it self without the aid of an operating knife (see diagram on the left).

You need to have a good understanding when deciding the treatment to maintain your health. This article concludes that maintaining a healthy colon is important to slow ageing and avoid health problems. Make colon hydrotherapy as part of your safe and effective anti-ageing program.

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References

• Gray, R. (2000) “The Colon Health Handbook: New Health Through Colon Rejuvination. 12th edition”. Emerald Publishing, Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. Pg. 15
• Jensen, B. (1999) “Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Better Bowel Care”. Avery. New York, U.S.A. Pg. 23, 30, 57-58, 73-74, 76, 113-124, 216-222.
• Medline Plus website: “Colostomy: Reference Summary”. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colostomy/gs129102.pdf. Published by Patient Education Institute. Published: 2005. Viewed: April 2006.
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website: www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov. Published: February 2006. Viewed: March 2006.
• About: A.D.A.M HEALTH CARE CENTER website: “COLOSTOMY”. http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/002942.htm. Viewed: May 2006.
• Mayo Clinic website: “Hemorrhoids”, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hemorrhoids/DS00096. Published: 28 November 2006. Viewed: 1 December 2006.
• Peikin S. R. (1999) “Gastro Intestinal Health”. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, U.S.A. Pg. 18-19, 107-108.
• Texas Children’s Hospital website: “What Is An Ostomy?”. http://www2.texaschildrenshospital.org/internetarticles/uploadedfiles/174.pdf. Viewed: March 2006.
• United Ostomy Association of America website. “Colostomy Guide”. http://www.uoaa.org/ostomy_info/. Published: 2004. Viewed: 3 December 2006.
• Walker, N. W. Revised by Wood H. M. (1995) “Colon Health: The Key To A Vibrant Life”. Norwalk Press. Prescott, Arizona, U.S.A. Pg. 7, 14.
• Walker, M. (2000) “Value of Colon Hydrotherapy Verified By Medical Professionals Prescribing It”. Medical Journalist Report of Innovative Biologics. Pg. 1-6.