Archives

by Dr. R. George Christian, Christian Clinic & Research Centre Singh Nagar - India

One of the most important but least understood of our bodily processes is elimination. Most people, even doctors lay little emphasis on it. The lungs, kidneys, skin and the bowels are the key organs that help in removal of body wastes.

The colon is one of the primary organs involved in the body's detoxification and elimination process. Harmful substances such as bacteria, pesticides, food additives, environment pollutants, drugs and chemicals are filtered out by an internal detoxification process and eliminated through our colon ammonia.

A waste of protein, metabolism and bacterial fermentation, food processed in the digestive tract, may be detoxified internally by a healthy elimination system.

The increasing use of chemicals, inorganic fertilizers and pesticides in our agriculture system, has contaminated our water, soil, air and food. Exposure to pesticides and industrial chemicals that have proliferated in our environment may overtax our body's natural capacities to eliminate toxins properly.

The body's firs line of defense is a healthy colon. However, our internal detoxification process can break down from over exposure to environmental pollutants in our air, food, water, poor diet, lack of adequate fibre, excessive alcohol and caffeine, high stress, lack of exercise, over use of antibodies and medications.

When the bodies internal detoxification process breaks down, toxins circulate into the blood stream instead of being eliminated through the colon. This causes illness, digestive ailments and other serious health disorders and produces a state of toxicity. Colon cleansing then becomes the most important steps in detoxification.

Traditional healing systems such as ayurveda and Chinese herbal medicines have always regarded colon cleansing as an integral part of maintaining health. According to traditional eastern medicines, the need for colon cleansing becomes vital because of the commonly visible symptoms such as:

* Fatigue

* Sluggish

* Digestion

* Heart burn

* Bloating

* Constipation

* Skin Disorders

* Sinus

* Congestion

* Joint pains

* Headache

A diet rich in the following food groups will help maintain a healthy colon:

* Wholesome, unprocessed foods

* High fibre foods like Psyllium fibre, Oats, etc

* Fruits and fruit juices

* Quality proteins such as lean meats, fish, beans and legumes

* Complex carbohydrates such as fresh/steamed vegetables and whole grains.

Enemas are important. They help move matter out of the colon faster and aid in the cleansing process and elimination of poisons and toxins from the body. The enema should be given after a regular elimination, so as not to break your body's natural cycle. Many people avoid enemas because they are time consuming and embarrassing. However, an occasional enema is good colon management.

The colon is the root of most health problems mankind is facing today. When the colon is fed with junk foods like hamburgers, french-fries, white flour, synthetic sugars and so on, how can the body ever expect to assimilate any good nutrients. Undoubtedly, the selection of poor foods and improper preparation methods often led to poor colon functioning and result into bowel problems. The colon was meant to be a sewage system, but by neglect and abuse it becomes a stagnant pool. When we let it stagnate, it will inject the poisons of decay, fermentation and putrefaction into the blood.

As a result -

* It will poison the brain and nervous system so that we become mentally depressed and irritable.

* It will poison the heart so that we are weak and listless.

* It will poison the lungs so the breath is foul

* It will poison the digestive organs so that we are distressed and bloated

* It will poison the blood so that skin is sallow and unhealthy

In short every organ and cell in the body is poisoned and we age prematurely. We look and feel old and our joints get stiff and painful. Our eyes get dull and brain gets sluggish. The pleasure of living is gone.

As we begin to change our eating habits and add exercise to our daily living, we can expect improvements taking place in our body. When the quality of food entering the body is higher than that of the tissues, the body begins to discard the lower grade materials to make room for the superior foodstuffs, which the body uses to make a new and healthier tissues.

As a result, the colon in particular and the body as whole starts regenerating and rejuvenates its entire mechanism. During the process of rebuilding, one should experience "healing crisis" occasionally and should see them as an encouraging sign. This is a crucial phase toward health and should not be interfered with.

Based on the above study, we can conclude that colon is indeed an important organ of our body. As it has been said "A healthy body resides in a healthy colon".

(Health Watch of Daily News wish to thank Dr. Christian for the article)

Proper bowel elimination is considered to be once after each full meal with each movement requiring no more than 16 to 24 hours of transit time. After the body has eaten, assimilated and obtained energy from the food eaten, the remaining by product called the fecal matter should be removed from the body within 16 to 24 hours after eating. If this fecal matter is not removed from the body within 24 hours, the toxic build up begins.

Once the toxic build up occurs, there is an invitation for parasites. Parasites are available in most water, raw foods and under-cooked meats and other eatables.

Our food eaten must be promptly processed and excreted before the parasites get an opportunity to multiply. The incubation period for most parasites is 36 hours. If our food processing and elimination takes more than 36 hours there is an immediate threat of parasite invasion.

The colon to remain healthy and efficient needs live and nutritious food and sufficient exercise. The colon should be given a break once a week. Just imagine ourselves working 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The colon affects every cell and tissue of our body. Though its job is the least desired of any organ, its work is the most beneficial of all the organs. Therefore, we must place priority on its care and proper functioning.

A healthy bowel movement should require only 2 minutes to do the elimination job, and must not require any toilet paper.

A good elimination is a firm stool, light in colour (unless you have eaten beets or greens), that floats on the water and has no odor. The colon affects every other area of the body. Foul breath or body odor can result from a fault colon functioning. Did you know that the early Africans made sure that they had a bowel movement before going for hunting? This they did it to make it more difficult for the animals to pick up their body scent.

Follow the following tips for maintaining a healthy colon:

* Chew your food well, so as to let the saliva mix properly with the food.

* Eat the kind of foods that the body can utilize, including lots of raw foods

* Eat to live, not live to eat

* Eat quality foods, not quantities of food.

* Once every week, eat only one food and the juice from that food.

* Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day

* Limit your dairy products, caffeine and alcohol intake.

* Avoid refined sugars, fried foods and foods with chemical additives and preservatives.

* Exercise to make the body supple, active and perspire

* Eat lightly for dinner and drink 1/4 bottle of water. Keep 1/4 stomach empty.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager