The purpose of this article is to give you a very general understanding of the bowels, how they function, what can go wrong and how to correct and prevent problems.  While I am not a medical doctor I do have extensive experience with helping people regain their health through education and cleansing programs.

          In today's fast paced, fast food society the importance of bowel health is the furthest thing from most people's minds.  Is it that society has placed such a negative tone on the discussion of a natural body process?  In my professional experience I would have to say yes. Most of us have never been shown or taught the importance of bowel health nor did we learn anything about the bowels from our years of schooling.  Some of us may have taken a physiology class and learned of the digestive system but not how to keep them functioning to their best ability.

          Today Colon cancer kills 400% more people than AIDS!  This fact is very alarming.  In fact almost all degenerative diseases have their root in a toxic and sluggish bowel.  Some of the more notable diseases attributed to toxic bowels are Cancer, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, and all Rheumatoid disorders.  The point that should be taken from these facts is that the bowels play a major role in our day-to-day health.

          Did you know that when fecal matter remains in the bowels for more than 18 hours the body starts to reabsorb the toxins!  When this happens one may notice headaches, muscle aches and even lowered resistance to foreign invaders.  According to the Merck Manual, a standard text for diagnosing and treating disease, the cases of diverticulosis (herniated bowel pockets caused by pressure brought on by constipation) and colon polyps (a tumor that arises from the bowel surface and protrudes into the colon), are on the rise.  It is estimated that every person over the age of forty will develop some form of diverticulosis, polyps, colitis, colon cancer, or other degenerative bowel problems.

          It is time for Americans to come to an understanding about how our bowels should function.  Most of us feel that if we have one movement a day we are doing well.  How far from the truth that belief is.  We have been told by our Medical Doctors that one movement a day is normal.  Did you know that most people in third world countries have 3-5 movements daily!  That may seem like a lot, but once you experience this for a few days you will wonder how you ever lived without this freedom.  Most third world country citizens eat more natural and whole living foods unlike the average American diet of junk food and processed foods. For many of us it has taken years to toxify the bowels, and it could take up to year to reestablish the bowels normal health and flora through daily cleansing according to Doctor Bernard Jensen.

          Bowel Physiology-The length of the bowels is about 30 feet from mouth to anus, understanding what goes on in the small intestines and the colon could save your life.  Let us start with the small intestine.  Once food has been passed on from the stomach it enters the small intestine for absorption into the blood stream.  Intake of foods that are polluted with xenobiotics (chemicals and preservatives that irritate the lining of the intestines) have a detrimental effect on the lining of the intestines.  These chemicals over time produce weaknesses in the intestinal permeability, causing the normal passages in the intestines to open more, allowing these xenobiotics to enter the body.  Increased intestinal permeability is also known as Leaky Gut Syndrome.  This condition leads the way to chemical poisoning of the body tissue and body organs.  This condition may also lead to infections from a number of pathogens (parasites, virus, mold, fungus, and bacteria).

          Once parasites, viruses, bacteria, molds, and fungus's have an easy path into the body or become systemic, all hell breaks loose.  These pathogens take up house in any part of the body that has been affected or has been contaminated with chemicals.  Chemicals such as Propylene Glycol and Propyl Alcohol are some of the commonly absorbed chemicals found in shampoos, soaps, deodorants, foods and lotions. The pathogens then follow the trail of these chemicals right to the effected organs or tissue. The pathogens are doing what they do naturally, and that is they feed off the unnatural substances we have absorbed.  This development leads to liver and immune system overload. These chemicals and solvents press the detoxification systems in the body and overload organs responsible for detoxing these chemicals.  Waste products from pathogens also contribute to this burden.  The liver is a primary detoxing organ in the body and is now overworked and behind schedule for removing toxins.  The immune system also becomes overloaded with more pathogens than it can handle. These pathogens settle in organs that have absorbed chemicals like Propyl Alcohol. 

          It is easy to see that the poisoning of the body through xenobiotics, and excitotoxins (e.g. MSG, and hydrogenised vegetable protein) can and does cause most of the degenerative diseases facing mankind today. Under normal circumstances pathogens usually make their home in the intestines and the colon and move through without harming the host, but because of the weakened gut wall these pathogens enter the body and never leave.  They simply take up residence in your body never needing to go anywhere else because all the nutrients they need are present in your toxic body.

Now let us focus on the colon or large intestine.  Once food has moved through the intestines it travels into the ascending colon and is released into the large intestine through the illeocecal valve.  This final 5 feet of the digestive tract is an important part of your health.  The colon has no villi, like the small intestines, but can still absorb water, vitamins, and minerals from intestinal content.  Once all nutrients are absorbed the intestinal contents become fecal matter. 

The appendix and cecum (first part of the ascending colon) is a known breeding ground for parasites.  The ascending colon is the place where your digested food fights an uphill battle against gravity and this area of the colon produces secretions to help stimulate peristalsis (the muscular contractions of the colon that move food and eventually fecal matter along).  Once the fecal matter has moved across the transverse colon and down the descending colon it is ready for removal through the anus.  With a sluggish colon this process takes longer.

A sluggish colon usually develops over time.  Some leading factors of sluggish colons are lack of fiber in the diet, leaky gut syndrome in the small intestines, and build up of pockets or layers of old fecal matter.  Over time the colon can develop a false lining called mucoid plaque.  It was reported that when John Wayne died his autopsy revealed 15 pounds of this sludge in his colon!  This sludge has taken many of us years to form but the effects it has on our bodies are deadly. 

You will know when you remove this sludge from your body, it has a smell of rotting that only the experience of seeing and smelling it could bring.  This sludge is a perfect breeding ground for pathogens.  When this sludge is present it sits on the healthy colon and produces irritation of the colon lining.  This sludge also contributes to the re-absorption of toxins that should be leaving the body.

Some Signs of a not so Healthy Colon

• Feet always have offensive odor
• Underarms always have offensive odor
• Continued bad breath
• Uncontrolled or excessive flatulence
• Very fowl smelling stools
• Diagnosis with Colitis
• Diagnosis with Diverticulitis
• Diagnosis with Colon Cancer
• Diagnosis with Crohn's disease
• Constipation
• Altering constipation and diarrhea
• Continual diarrhea
• Continued skin problems & irritations
• Chronic sinus problems

Other contributing factors to bad bowel health are over use of anti-biotics, which destroy good bacteria as well as the bad.  Eating junk foods and processed foods that are filled with chemicals that promote overgrowth of bad bacteria and invite in more parasites and pathogens, total lack of fiber in the diet, eating too much meat, not drinking enough water, lack of stretching and exercise, alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

What is Good Bowel Behavior?

• Movements 3-5 times daily.
• Softly formed stools
• Lack of really offensive smell
• Little or no flatulence
• No feelings of sluggishness or constipation in the bowels

So what can be done to clean up our digestive system?  First, one must start with changing their eating habits.  Try to avoid processed foods and move towards more whole foods such as vegetables and fruits.  These foods are wonderful and if eaten raw or slightly steamed they can provide living enzymes for proper digestion and good microflora for the intestines.  Most of us are to far gone to regain our intestinal health through proper eating alone. 

One should start with herbs that cleanse and scrap the bowels, along with herbs that increase and stimulate peristalsis (the natural movement that pushed food/fecal matter through the intestines).  Psyllium Husk or Psyllium Hulls are a good source of fiber.  Psyllium should only be taken in the powdered form.  This method helps insure proper expansion of the Psyllium once it enters the intestinal tract. Once Psyllium has expanded it works like sandpaper to scrape the lining of the intestines and colon pulling and dislodging old fecal mater. If flatulence develops from use of Psyllium this may be due to Salmonella, Shigella, or E. Coli bacteria present in the intestines.  If this happens taking Fennel, Turmeric or both together may help fight of problems with gas.

Secondly it is important to take herbs that stimulate the peristalic action of the intestines.  Such herbs are Cascara Sagrada, Senna Leaf, Turkey Rhubarb, and Aloe Vera just to name a few.  These herbs work to keep the bowels moving regularly until sludge and toxins are removed and proper health is restored to the intestines. These herbs when used in conjunction with Psyllium are very powerful to move and pull toxins out of the digestive tract. Simply put, these herbs in conjunction work to scrape the colon wall and move fecal matter along.  This action over time (6 months to a year) may help restore proper regularity to the bowels.

Last, one should reestablish proper flora to the bowels.  The correct ratio should be 80% good bacteria to 20% bad bacteria.  Having good bacteria in high numbers helps improve B vitamin production and may help stave off foreign invaders.  Most Americans have a reversed situation going on inside, 20% good bacteria and 80% bad bacteria.  This leads to over growth of harmful bacteria that can then go unchecked and spread into the body. Anti-Biotics may also contribute to unbalanced intestinal flora since Anti-Biotics kill all bacteria not just the bad ones.  Taking or eating foods high in Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium bifidus can help to restore proper flora balance to the intestines.  There are other forms of good bacteria not mentioned here that can and may help. These good bacteria are sometimes referred to as Pro-Biotics.

In conclusion maintaining proper bowel health is critical for stopping and retarding degenerative disease.  Our society has been led astray and our food industry is not doing much to help.  For all degenerative disorders have their root in the intestines and the colon.  The entire digestive system is a miracle of god and it is a shame that we continue to pollute and pollute and pollute this system with poisons.  Is it any wonder that our bodies have developed disease and have led us to the degeneration of our health?  Comparatively putting junk food into our bodies is no worse than smoking a cigarette.  Finally one is left with a choice, do we care for or abuse our magnificent digestive system?

Segments of this article were taken from "Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management" by Bernard Jensen D.C., Ph.D.  Dr Shulze's "Bi-Monthly Newsletter".    William G. Drew Ph.D.  "Leaky Gut Syndrome"