Many of us are squeamish when it comes to discussing our colon and our body’s rhythms of elimination with our healthcare professional. But, this topic is important! For example, the average American may be carrying as much as 10-25 pounds of impacted fecal matter in their colon. Toxins wedged in the digestive tract are absorbed by the bloodstream, and result in your body having difficulty assimilating the nutrition from the food you eat! Feeling lethargic or suffering from bloating, constipation, and gas? It may be your colon.
While opinions vary, many say that a healthy colon will produce two to three bowel movements per day. Your body’s rhythm may vary, but many find these come shortly after each meal. If you have difficulty eliminating your body’s waste, this is a sign the colon’s function is impacted. The stool your body produces should be light brown, long and large, and should float on top of the water. Of course, this will vary based on what you ate in recent meals, but overall look for these signs of a healthy colon.
Support your colon in the following ways:
1. Up your fiber. We all know fiber is important! Oatmeal for breakfast; cooked and chilled lentils in your lunchtime salad, berries for snacks (the darker the better), and a plate that is three quarters lightly steamed or stir-fried veggies for dinner will get you very close to the goal of 40 grams of fiber (soluble and insoluble combined) a day.
2. Control your diet. Eliminate processed foods, sugar, white flour, alcohol, and caffeine. Also avoid products with additives, colorings, and preservatives. Read the labels of the food you buy! If the ingredients all sound like chemical names, it’s a product best avoided.
3. Drink plenty of water! Start with 8-10 glasses of pure, filtered water each day, most of it in the morning.
4. Move! Exercise! This speeds up bowel action and encourages healthy elimination.
5. Use a supplement, especially if you feel you may be carrying extra weight in your colon. Digestive enzymes after each meal help your body get the most nutrition out of what you eat.
It’s also a good idea to do an occasional cleanse. Discuss what’s right for your health with your healthcare practitioner, and try some of the high-quality supplements offered by Nature's Pure Body Institute.
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