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You and your Colon
by admin · Filed Under: health
Colon ( lrg. intestines)
Large intestine also sometimes referred to as your second brain.Your body can either flourish because your colon and digestion are healthy or you can have numerous problems because of plaquing in the small and large intestines.Most people will have pounds of built up fecal matter in their colon when they die.
The large intestine is the second to last part of the digestive system the final stage of the alimentary canal is the anus in vertebrate animals. Its function is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food matter, and then to pass useless waste material from the body. This post is primarily about the human gut, though the information about its processes are directly applicable to most mammals.
The large intestine consists of the cecum and colon. It starts in the right iliac region of the pelvis, just at or below the right waist, where it is joined to the bottom end of the small intestine. From here it continues up the abdomen, then across the width of the abdominal cavity, and then it turns down, continuing to its endpoint at the anus.
The large intestine is about (4.9 ft) long, which is about one-fifth of the whole length of the intestinal canal.
The large intestines are divided into 4 parts.the first part is the ascending colon. It runs straight up the right side of the abdominal cavity. About 2 or 3 centimeters from the lower end there is a T-junction where the ileum( the last part of the sm. intestine) enters.At the top right hand side the colon makes a bend to the left,just under the liver.It then crosses the body below the stomach and runs down the left side of the body into the pelvic area, where it continues as the rectum.So you have the ascending colon, the Transverse colon, then the Descending colon into the rectum.
The large intestine takes 32 hours to finish up the remaining processes of the digestive system. Food is not broken down any further in this stage of digestion. The large intestine simply absorbs vitamins that are created by the bacteria inhabiting the colon. It also absorbs water and compacts faeces, and stores faecal matter in the rectum until eliminated through the anus and thus is responsible for passing along solid waste.
The large intestine differs most obviously from the small intestine in being wider. The wall of the large intestine is lined with simple columnar epithelium. Instead of having the evaginations of the small intestine (villi) the large intestine has invaginations (the intestinal glands). While both the small intestine and the large intestine have goblet cells, they are abundant in the large intestine.
The appendix is attached to its posteromedial surface of the large intestine. It contains masses of lymphoid tissue. It is a part of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue which gives the appendix an important role in immunity. Appendicitis is the result of a blockage that traps infectious material in the lumen. The appendix can be removed with no damage or consequence to the patient. The large intestine extends from the ileocecal junction to the anus and is about 1.5m long. On the surface, bands of longitudinal muscle fibers called taeniae coli, each about 5 mm wide, can be identified. There are three bands and they start at the base of the appendix and extend from the cecum to the rectum. Along the sides of the taeniae, tags of peritoneum filled with fat, called epiploic appendages are found. The sacculations, called haustra, are characteristic features of the large intestine, and distinguish it from the small intestine.
The large intestine houses over 700 species of bacteria that perform a variety of functions.
The large intestine absorbs some of the products formed by the bacteria inhabiting this region. Undigested (fiber) are metabolized to short-chain fatty acids by bacteria in the large intestine and absorbed by passive diffusion. The bicarbonate the large intestine secretes helps to neutralise the increased acidity resulting from the formation of these fatty acids.
These bacteria also produce large amounts of vitamins, especially vitamin K and Biotin (a B vitamin), for absorption into the blood. Although this source of vitamins generally provides only a small part of the daily requirement, it makes a significant contribution when dietary vitamin intake is low. An individual who depends on absorption of vitamins formed by bacteria in the large intestine may become vitamin deficient if treated with antibiotics that inhibit other species of bacteria as well as the disease-causing bacteria.
Other bacterial products include gas (flatus), which is a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of the gases hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen sulphide. Bacterial fermentation of undigested polysaccharides produces these. The normal flora is also essential in the development of certain tissues, including the cecum and lymphatics.
They are also involved in the production of cross-reactive antibodies. These are antibodies produced by the immune system against the normal flora, that are also effective against related pathogens, thereby preventing infection or invasion.
The most prevalent bacteria are the bacteroides, which have been implicated in the initiation of colitis and colon cancer. Bifidobacteria are also abundant, and are often described as ‘friendly bacteria’.
A mucus layer protects the large intestine from attacks from colonic commensal bacteria.This mucus layer is called the mucosal barrier.
So to conclude,if your colon is healthy you most likely are going to be free of most ailments and the only way to keep your colon happy and healthy is to cleanse it periodically.A good colon cleanse can go a long way to a better healthier life.
There are numerous colon cleanses out there and I am sure some are very good,but I can only vouch for one at this time,it is a very gentle 1 month cleanse and is very simple to do.It is called (Colonix) by Dr. Natura.
Some people will need to do more than one cleanse in the beginning, I recommend if you can, to see a health care provider for direction before starting any cleanse. As with all the info I pass on to you it is just my opinion on what works for me and I am not licensed to diagnose.
I find that cleansing my body 2-3 times a year works wonders for me.I hope this info helps you in making an informed decision on how to take care of your body and take responsibility for your own health!
To your Health and Wellbeing Paula
