How to Judge (and Promote) Your Colon Health

Scare stories and hype abound in health articles and have for generations. It’s no shame to want to help people, or sell them products and services. Quite the contrary, both sides benefit from good information and good deals. But there are few areas where there is so much that falls only a little bit short of con games, if not outright lunacy.

The best way to protect yourself against scams, and yet still get the health information and goods you need for optimal well being, is to arm yourself by informing yourself. That is nowhere more true than in judging your colon health.

It’s often said that 90% of disease starts in the colon. Unfortunately for those who say it, scientific research doesn’t back up the claim. Yet, it remains true that your digestive system is central to your overall health. Having it work properly is one key to good health.

“No news is good news” is a valid rule of thumb to follow when it comes to judging colon health. Nearly everyone will suffer mild stomach upset, constipation, or diarrhea at some time, particularly as he or she grows older. But if you have no persistent bouts that is one good sign.

But, like any rule of thumb, it’s not a universal law, just a guideline. It helps to have regular checkups that may involve endoscopy, colonoscopy, X-rays, and other investigative techniques, especially if symptoms of digestive disorder last for more than a few days in the absence of a cold. Sometimes that time frame is shorter if you experience rectal bleeding or bloody stool. More than a day of that generally signals something that needs to be looked after. If the amount of blood is substantial, seek attention immediately.

There is a wide range of colon conditions that can lead to other common symptoms – abdominal cramps, diarrhea, excess gas, and others. Just listing colon illnesses could alone fill an article. You can minimize the odds of contracting one through proper care, which will also help you focus on how to judge the results of your efforts.

While the benefits are sometimes overstated (aren’t they usually in health issues, the flip side of scare tactics?), adequate fiber is good for digestive health. Intake of 20-35 grams per day of this material that is actually indigestible does promote intestinal health. People lack the enzyme to break down the polysaccharides in fiber, but gut flora do it pretty well. That may be ironic, but it’s well founded by hundreds of studies from reputable sources reported by the American Cancer Society, the Mayo Clinic, and others.

A proper diet extends well beyond that and contributes to colon health as much as it does to general well being. But, no matter what the latest diet fad may suggest, the amount consumed is still an important component of any plan. Portion control to keep total calories to a level appropriate for your body type and metabolism is vital. No matter the details, energy consumed minus energy used = energy left over that gets stored as fat.

There’s no magic to judging and maintaining good colon health. Eat right, exercise appropriately, and try to keep your stress level moderate or lower. Pay attention to the signs of trouble and seek professional guidance when they persist. Just like your grandmother always told you.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease is one among many digestive disorders in which the lining becomes inflamed. That inflammation produces ulcers (lesions or open sores in the lining) that produce abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is often progressive and leads to even more serious health consequences.

The cause(s) of the disease are not known, but an abnormal immune system response to a bacterium (known as MAP or Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis) is suspected. Despite the lack of a clear cut culprit several risk factors are known. Diet and stress can affect the course and impact of the disease but have been ruled out as causes.

Genetics is near the top of the list, not surprisingly given the immune system response aspect of the disease. Roughly 20% of those with Crohn’s have a parent or close relative similarly afflicted. Those with an affected sibling are 30 times more likely to develop Crohn’s than the general population. Unlike many diseases, Crohn’s tends to occur in younger people, usually between the ages of 20-30.

The intestinal inflammation of the disease produces diarrhea by causing cells to secrete large amounts of salt and water. The colon is unable to absorb all this fluid (part of its natural role in the digestive system). The result is diarrhea.

One effect is swelling of the intestinal tissue and scaring as the ulcers heal. That results in less efficient movement of the chyme (the semi-fluid mass of digested food) through the colon. The effects are felt as cramping and abdominal pain. In more advanced or severe cases nausea and vomiting are common. Bloody stool is common, as well, as moving chyme causes inflamed tissue to rupture, allowing blood to flow into the colon. The ulcers can become enlarged, moving deep into intestinal tissue, worsening the problem.

The net result, apart from the pain, is often reduced appetite and unhealthy weight loss. The symptoms lead to a desire not to eat, but the weight loss is exacerbated by less efficient digestion of food. In extreme circumstances such low intake and absorption of calories and nutrients leads to many secondary consequences.

Diagnosis is fairly straightforward. Blood tests check for anemia and during a colonoscopy a physician can see the distinctive signs directly. A biopsy (tissue samples that can be removed during the procedure) are used to confirm the presence of Crohn’s.

A less invasive procedure known as a flexible sigmoidoscopy uses a lighted tube to examine only the lower two feet of the colon and rectum while a colonoscopy involves inserting a tube all the way into the intestine. It takes only a few minutes to complete.

A physician may recommend a barium enema as well. A safe, mildly radioactive barium fluid is introduced into the colon where it provides a contrast dye for an X-ray. The fluid coats the lining of the intestine to create a silhouette of the colon and rectum. In a variation, X-rays can also be taken if the patient ingests the barium fluid.

A more modern diagnostic procedure, known as capsule endoscopy, involves swallowing a tiny camera in the form of a pill, which makes its way down the digestive tract. It takes photos along the way, which the physician examines.

Unfortunately, there is no cure known for Crohn’s disease as yet, but drug therapy to reduce inflammation is a common treatment. Surgery has helped many afflicted by removing ulcerated tissue (sometimes sections of the bowel), reducing symptoms. Unlike ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s infected tissue may occur in spots with healthy tissue in between, not throughout an entire length. That allows for a more targeted repair of affected tissue.

What is Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer affects over 100,000 people per year, according to statistics from the American Cancer Society. Over 40,000 additional new cases of rectal cancer are diagnosed annually. Combined, the two cancers form a group called colorectal cancers.

Like all cancers, the causes are known only incompletely. Many begin as benign clumps of cells called polyps, which resemble small mushrooms in the intestine. Some of them go on to develop into carcinomas. Healthy cells become misshapen and reproduce too rapidly until they form tumors.

In many affected individuals symptoms may be non-existent for quite some time. When they do develop, they’re frequently in the form of changes in bowel movements, such as constipation or diarrhea. That may be accompanied by abdominal pain, or the pain may occur by itself. Persistent gas or cramps are another sign.

Over time, symptoms may worsen to include rectal bleeding (often a side-effect of straining during periods of constipation, but may result from lesions) and bloody stool. Unexplained weight loss can occur, as well as excessive fatigue. Of course, since any of these symptoms can occur with dozens, even hundreds, of other diseases and conditions, only a professional diagnosis can determine whether they’re due to colorectal cancer.

Like most cancers, risk factors are diverse and numerous. Increasing age ups the odds of nearly every form. More than 90% of colon cancers are diagnosed in persons over 50. Certain diseases or conditions, like Crohn’s or colitis, increase the odds of secondary medical problems like colon cancer. Genetics plays a role, with some families more prone to cancer than others. Having diabetes increases the odds of developing colon cancer.

But there are also a great many controllable risk factors.

Diet can affect your chances of developing colon cancer. High fat, low fiber diets are strongly correlated with increased odds of cancer of many types, including colorectal. Whether eating red meat and processed meats increases the odds is still a very uncertain and controversial position and research is ongoing on the subject.

What is known is that individuals in Western Europe and the U.S. are more likely to develop them and the effect is strongly correlated with diet. Exactly what aspect of that diet is the culprit is still unknown, though.

Related to both diet and exercise, obesity ups the odds of colon cancer, as it does with a whole range of diseases. The odds of the cancer being fatal also rise with increasing levels of obesity. High alcohol consumption is both related to that statistic and an independent risk factor, as is heavy smoking.

Fortunately, there are many thorough and relatively low discomfort screening tests for colon cancer. A stool blood test is completely painless, since it’s non-invasive. A colonoscopy may be mildly uncomfortable to some individuals. A barium enema, followed by an X-ray regime can detect polyps or cancerous tumors over a certain size.

Like any cancer, early detection and treatment is both the least painful and offers the best prognosis. See your physician to examine your options.