Page 18 - Community Newspapers 6369

wellness

KEEPING YOUR

COLON

CLEAN

By Patricia Danflous

rink more water. Add A CLEAN, HEALTHY COLON LIFESTYLE INCORPORATES THE
more fiber to your FOLLOWING GUIDELINES:
diet. Eat healthy and
make sure you exercise. ✤ Add high fiber foods to your diet ✤ Exercise. No need to say more
DFollow that advice and to keep food waste moving along – exercise increases the oxygen
your chances for living a long, healthy and out of the digestive system. Oat- flowing through the colon.
life increase ten-fold. meal for breakfast is a good start. ✤ Consider a colon cleanse. With
Those healthy living tenets are ✤ Don’t forget about Vitamin D. the increased emphasis on alter-
particularly relevant for maintaining a Clinical nutritionists report that 15 native medicine, colon flushes are
clean colon and drastically minimizing to 20 minutes of sunshine a day becoming the latest trend in colon
the risk of colorectal cancer. along with vitamin-enriched bread health. Flushes are not for everyone.
The American Society of Colon and cereals as well as fatty fish are Be sure to consult your physician
and Rectal Surgeons explain that good for the colon. before you schedule a flush or try to
the approximately 5 foot long large do one on your own.
intestine, known as the colon, is ✤ Drink up. Set a goal of drinking
an important part of the digestive two-liters of water a day to keep ✤ Don’t wait to call your doctor
system for processing and preparing your body clean on the inside with if you are experiencing abdominal
the body’s waste products for less chance for constipation, bloating pain or consistent rounds of consti-
elimination. Colon problems and gas. pation and diarrhea. Remember, the
range from occasional bloating ✤ Go to the bathroom. Don’t wait majority of colon disorders, includ-
and constipation to gas, irritable until you get home to empty your ing colon cancer, can be prevented
bowel syndrome, colitis, polyps and bowels. You might prefer the privacy or treated with early detection.
colorectal cancers. but holding it in leads to a build-up ✤ Schedule a colonoscopy if you are
Statistics and studies reported of fecal matter and possible toxicity. over 50 or have a family history of
by the American Gastroenterological colon disease.
Association, the American Cancer
Society and the Academy of Nutrition Colorectal cancer is the third
and Dietetics indicate a healthy diet leading cause of cancer-realated
is one of the most significant factors deaths in the U.S
in colon health. A recent study by
the American Cancer Society, for
example, showed that colorectal
cancer patients who followed healthy
diets had a lower mortality risk
including those who improved their Be sure to consult a gastroenterologist or family practitioner about a colon
diets after diagnosis. health plan that is appropriate for you.

18 INSPIRE HEALTH March § April