How Food Affects The Colon

The thing is, all foods do not affect the body equally. If this were the case, it wouldn't matter what you ate, when you ate it, or how much of it you ate, etc. In reality, the different foods and drinks we consume have a significant impact on our well-being, and on every organ in the body. This definitely includes the colon.

Unfortunately, many people have a less-than-healthy colon, as evidenced in the high rates of colon cancer, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and ulcerative colitis in the U.S. [2] , [3] , [4] and it is not uncommon for people to experience either occasional constipation or outright impaction. [5] , [6] Of course, the average person's diet is one that is relatively poor. And this is where a large part of the battle is won or lost.

The most common sign of an unhealthy colon is chronic constipation. [7] The accumulation of old, hardened feces can stick to the walls of the colon. [8] The passage through which the feces are then forced to travel is then greatly reduced in diameter so the stools become much narrower - even as thin as pencils sometimes. Unfortunately, many people think that it's very common or "natural" to move your bowels only once or twice a week and for them to be thin or like small, black, hard pellets. Just so you know, this is completely false. Your body is meant to eliminate waste on a daily basis, and it shouldn't be that difficult. [9]

In fact, a person with a healthy colon should actually have 2 to 3 bowel movements a day. [10] , [11] Elimination should be fast, complete, and easy. [12] But this doesn't always happen, does it? Diet is very commonly the answer why.

Natural health experts agree that diet is one of the most important factors related to colon health. [13] , [14] , [15] For the healthiest colon, you should eat a diet that includes several servings a day of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. [16] One thing that all of these foods have in common is that they are all prime sources of dietary fiber.

Because your body can't digest it, fiber goes through relatively unchanged. However, it also tends to bulk up and become gelatinous when it comes in contact with water, which means that it does two things: it makes you feel full, and it escorts waste from your body. As you introduce more fiber into your diet, it goes through your colon, sweeping it clean. You'll probably notice more and bigger stools, which is a good thing. It means the fiber is doing its job.

But it's not just getting more dietary fiber that can help optimize colon health. There are a few things worth avoiding, as well. Eating red meat and processed meats significantly raise colon cancer risk and sugar consumption is related to inflammation in the colon. [17] Your best bet, then, is to avoid these things as much as you can while loading up on the foods that we know are good for colon health.