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The Benefits
of Getting Chummy
with Your Colon
                   — by Cynthia Cechota

LET’S FACE IT... the colon has a bad reputation. The late Rodney Dangerfield would say it gets no respect. Bring it up at a dinner party or business luncheon and at best, you won’t be invited back, unless you’re with a group of health nuts. It’s ironic, really, that such an important part of our body is the brunt of so much snickering and so many crude jokes. In reality, the health of our bodies is directly related to the health of our digestive tract, of which the colon is a part. And it is estimated that for one-third to one-half of the U.S. population, the colon is no laughing matter — they suffer from at least one digestive illness that helps keep the medical and pharmaceutical industries in business, second only to the common cold.

In this issue of CR, I’d like to give you an idea of the possible causes of an unhealthy colon, and then offer some natural food suggestions and lifestyle practices to make it healthier. I know firsthand that as a college student and young professional, I abused my colon via bad food in every way possible. On top of this abuse, I was saddled with poor digestive genetics. However, the good news is that my dirty colon, blood, cells, and tissues, are now much cleaner from using the natural foods and methods I describe below.

What Taxes the Colon?

I’d like to say that the obvious culprit in digestive dysfunction is poor dietary habits, which cause physiological stress. However, some people with excellent dietary habits are still prone to digestive dis-ease. A less obvious reason for problems in these nether regions is stress — emotional and mental (do we mean physical??????). Think about it: How many times have you heard bad news and the first thing you have to do is run to the bathroom? The same neural pathways that are in the brain are also in the colon. The joke about your brain being in your bum is, well, true. Other unfortunate causes of bowel problems include genetics and spinal problems — if your spine is not straight, the nervous system is squished, cutting communication off between your brain and your body.

Without sounding like the grim reaper, I must tell you that almost every holistic health practitioner will tell you that DEATH STARTS IN THE COLON. Why? Because your intestines are the gateway to all your cells and tissues via the bloodstream. So if your intestinal tract is compromised, so, too, will be your blood, cells, tissues, organs, brain, i.e., your entire being. That said, I’d like to give you 11 natural food tips on keeping your wonderful colon operating as a clean, healthy, digestive machine. This list is by no means all-inclusive. However, I chose them because they have been effective for my clients and me, they are safe, and are relatively inexpensive. If you think it is too much of a time investment to keep your colon healthy, think of the time invested in doctor visits, hospitalizations, and taking medications, not to mention the financial implications.

Tips for a Healthy Colon

1. White flour and white sugar have no business in your diet, or your colon, nor does high fructose corn syrup, a cheap, harmful sweetener.
2. Eat lacto-fermented products. These contain enzymes to help you digest all other foods, including protein. It also contains three different strains of lactobacilli (good bacteria) that are so important for the health of the intestine, and is extremely high in vitamin C. (Recommended recipe books)
3. Properly soak your whole grains, nuts, and seeds for 12-24 hours for better digestion (for directions, see "How To Soak" Program). This accomplishes two important processes: It releases enzymes necessary for better digestion and neutralizes phytic acid, which is found in the outer layer of the bran of the grain. These enzymes combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc in the intestine and block their absorption. Eventually, a diet high in unsoaked whole grains leads to mineral deficiencies, bone loss, and irritable bowel syndrome.
4. Eat lots of raw garlic, a potent natural antibiotic. I met a man who cured himself of Lyme disease by consuming 7 cloves of raw garlic for 7 days. (Never underestimate the power of garlic!) Garlic also kills Candida albicans, the fungus that overproduces in the digestive tract when our diet is composed of too many simple carbohydrates (white sugar, white flour products). If you find you’re sensitive to raw garlic, incorporate it into each meal so you are eating it with other foods.
5. Drink raw milk products, or don’t drink them at all. Pasteurized milk products tend to line the gut with mucus, preventing proper absorption, as well as, to serve as a harbor for harmful bacteria and yeast. Visit this site for more information on raw milk vs. pasteurized.
6. Eat homemade food from quality ingredients. In other words, avoid processed foods like the plague. You’ll be surprised how your taste buds will change. I was once a junk food junkie, and I can’t even eat canned beans now — neither my taste buds nor my intestines will put up with it.
7. Drink plenty of purified water. Get out of the habit of drinking tap water, which contains chlorine and fluoride, two chemicals that are harmful to our bodies. Chlorine kills good bacteria in the entire digestive tract and fluoride, although touted as a cavity-preventor, is actually a toxic manufacturing by-product.
8. Eat plain, whole milk yogurt several times per week. This is another natural way to supply your colon with lactobacilli.
9. Take Azomite powder daily. This is a product that looks and tastes like sand, but it offers a balanced supply of minerals. One heaping teaspoon per day in a liquid will also help draw the toxins out of your colon on a daily basis. You can purchase it on the Internet. Do not take it in addition to other mineral supplements.
10. Take cod liver oil daily. The benefits of cod liver oil to the entire body are overwhelming; it is crucial to restoring the digestive tract because it is high in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins A and D, which fight inflammation and build immunity. Do not take it along with your other vitamin supplements.
11. Eat the right fats. In this anti-fat world, we are helping to destroy our digestion. The good fats are very necessary in restoring digestive health because many of them are antimicrobial. Contrary to what you might hear from the food industry or your doctor, the best healing fats include: coconut oil, grass-fed, organic butter, and homemade stocks from animal bones.

As a holistic nutritionist, it is my job to help my clients clean up their diets so their digestive tracts and ultimately, their entire bodies, are healthier. But it is also my responsibility to ask a question that may seem unrelated to their health problem: Is there someone whom or something that you haven’t forgiven in the present or past that could be affecting your health? I don’t expect an answer necessarily, but I do ask clients to think about it. It’s a good question for all of us to consider. So, if I would add one more item to the above list to keep your colon healthy, it would be this:

Don’t take anything personally and practice forgiveness.

It’s so easy to say, so difficult to do. But what wonderful goals to work on every day!

© 2004 Cynthia Cechota, M.S. Holistic Nutritionist

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Further reading:
For delicious lactofermented recipes, see Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz

For information on fats, see Know Your Fats by Mary Enig

For information on raw milk, see The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid, The Milk Book by William Campbell Douglass II, and Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

See also Patient Heal Thyself by Jordin Rubin, who healed himself of “incurable” Crohn’s disease and also developed excellent supplements to help others with digestive disorders.

More "Nutrition" articles from the archives:
Summertime Fare: Keeping Your Body Healthy and Energetic, by Cynthia Cechota
The Real Culprits in Heart Disease, by Cynthia Cechota
The Cholesterol-Heart Disease Theory: Myth vs. Fact, by Cynthia Cechota
A Nutritional Perspective on Vegetarianism, by Cynthia Cechota
What They Won't Tell You About Soy, by Cynthia Cechota
Habits of Old Keep You Feeling Young, by Cynthia Cechota

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