The truth about the bowel; The large intestinal road to health.

The large intestine

The large intestine is the last section of the GI tract that receives what's left of the digested food or chyme and absorbs the remaining water, and nutrients after they are broken down by the vast ecosystem that lives on its walls, our microbes. Our microbiome is a balanced ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and yeasts which not only protect everybody surface but also feed and produce vital by-products which the body needs. But upset the balance and we can end up with a poisonous environment, a sluggish or toxin filled bowel can start to build up hard layers, narrowing the tract and absorbing toxins into the bloodstream, resulting in problems in other body parts. What's more, toxin accumulation in the bowel can appear to us as problems in our muscles, limbs, other organs and other illnesses seemingly unrelated.

But how do we know if an illness is actually a bowel problem and how do we cleanse the bowel ridding it of toxins and restore the microbial balance for inner and outer health and peace?

The microbiome

First of all we control the microbiome which exists inside as we control their food source, whatever we eat will feed a certain type of microbes and they will grow and flourish, whatever we don't eat will reduce the microbes that need that food source to survive. Some like to eat fibre from plants and produce fatty acid by-products in the bowel such as butyrate which inhibits inflammation and cancer formation, reducing colon wall damage, strengthening its barrier and improving colon health. These friendly bacteria include Lactobacillus culture which in a healthy bowel should makeup around 85% of the microbiome. However, some microbes, especially those that feed and flourish on fats and proteins and should only make up around 15% of the microbiome, can produce by-products that are harmful to the body such as the toxin phenol, a by-product of protein metabolism which is corrosive to the intestinal lining.

The Cause

The overconsumption of cooked food, acidic foods; animal foods, fat, alcohol, caffeine and chemicals in today's environment and water plus stress and medications often results in toxic build up in the GI tract and body tissues as the liver cannot process it fast enough, as well as a majority of the intestinal microbiome being bad bacteria. This results in acidity in the body, inflammation, ulceration and disease.

Medications unfortunately contain chemicals that good bacteria, and our own tissues as well as the bad bacteria and can also be hard for the liver to process and excrete from the body.

Genetic weaknesses can also increase the chance of damage in the body but without a trigger they are unlikely to be the main cause, and a lifestyle focused on health and healing can decrease the risk of them ever being a problem. Genetic weaknesses are also caused by damage to the body and DNA over time and then passed down to our young, a healthful diet will protect from further weaknesses being passed on.

However, we still have the power to change our environment, diet and health and our body’s respond with transformative healing and renewed health. As much as toxins damage, nourishment can restore.

The chemistry

Only water, some carbohydrates and small amounts of fats and proteins should be left after absorption in the small intestine. The chyme then enters the cecum through the ileocecal valve and starts to travel through the ascending, transverse and descending colon where the faeces is formed by absorbing water and bacterial breakdown of any nutrients, along with some bile and old cells.

Proteins and fats are metabolised by unfriendly bacteria and by-products travel to the liver to be detoxified, fibre feeds the good bacteria and produces helpful by-products. If the small intestine does not digest and absorb efficiently excess nutrients enter the large intestine and feed the bacteria, altering the microbiome.

Reasons for incomplete digestion include insufficient bile production, excess cholesterol can form gallstones and block the bile duct, resulting in unmetabolized fats. Insufficient hydrochloric acid or enzyme production can result in unmetabolized proteins and carbohydrates, as well as digestive issues and incorrect food combining causing the environment for metabolism to be compromised. These issues can all be caused by the foods we eat and the lifestyle and stress we are in.

Dehydration is also a common problem today and causes many issues as cells and mucous membranes become dry and sticky, reducing activity and the smooth movement of matter through the digestive tract, resulting in constipation and excessive pressure on the intestinal walls.

The connection

Symptoms such as gas, bloating, ballooning, IBS, constipation, diarrhea have all become normal parts of our lives today but are all signals that something is not quite right. We are also experiencing high levels of mystery illnesses, heart problems, cancer and bowel disease.

The large intestine's main role is to absorb water from the chyme and during constipation and diarrhea this is not happening, either because water is being excreted or constipation causing blockage and impaction. Dehydration negatively affects all body cells and digestive juices can be reduced resulting in non-metabolized nutrients.

As improper digestion can cause bacterial overgrowth which results in toxic build up in the colon where they not only damage the cell wall causing inflammation but also enter the bloodstream where they are taken to the liver, if the liver is overwhelmed toxins may be stored in the body tissues eventually causing irritation, tissue damage and inflammation. The ileocecal valve can also become dysfunctional over time from straining and damage causing toxic matter to enter the small intestine, this can cause an immune response, fevers and possible infection in the appendix, weakening our defense systems.

As toxins, undigested matter and bacteria build in the colon they are mixed with the secreted mucus and can form a hardened layer, narrowing the colon over time. This can increase constipation and diarrhea and put excessive pressure on the colon walls weakening the muscle tone. Genetic weaknesses in areas of the bowel also increase the risk for damage to occur and ignoring the need to defecate can cause impaction and ballooning of the colon, weakening the muscle walls.

Pressure on the walls of the colon over time can cause spasms, strictures, prolapse and little pockets to form called diverticular making it even more difficult to pass stools. When feces stay in the colon for long periods, toxins get reabsorbed into the blood and damage tissues, this is called autointoxication.

The neural-arc reflex

Connections have been made between the health of the bowel and other problems in other parts of the body. Pioneers in the area such as Dr. Gerson, Dr. Bernard Jensen and Sir W.Arbuthnot Lane, (a physician of the British Royal family), discovered that when parts of the bowel were surgically removed, or when the bowel was cleansed other problems, patients had reduced or disappeared such as arthritis, pain and fever, asthma, thyroid problems, cancers and other degenerative conditions.

Dr. Jensen found that when the fetus is formed the bowel, GI tract and nervous system form first, this lining and network within is then expanded and forms the other organs and limbs etc. thus all being connected by the same membrane. He concluded the area of the bowel that formed the section of the body is connected and an infected bowel will also affect the area of the body it is connected to. This is called the neural-arc reflex and the chart above shows the connections from parts of the bowel to other areas in the body.

Doctors are already familiar with referred pain, which is the pain in one area that is caused by a problem in another area of the body. This is why it can be so difficult to find the problem and treat the cause, and often why the symptoms alone are dealt with and suppressed but the root of the problem continues and is expressed in different ways and problems seem to increase over the years.

The Cleanse

The reverse of toxicity and ill health must first be done with removing the causes such as processed foods and drinks and an influx of health promoting foods must be added into the diet such as organic raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts and seeds. Pure, clean water needs to be increased in the diet and a lifestyle moving toward health, happiness and reduced stress must be made a priority. This can all be done slowly and in steps but the mind must also be treated for negative patterns and traumas to be able to create this new sustainable lifestyle.

This can all be done with the help of a naturopath and doctor and new habits can be formed with small repeated positive actions and reactions. Journaling, yoga, meditation and finding a supportive environment is all helpful.

Changing our diet needs to be done very slowly, for the mind but most importantly for the GI tract, any changes will disrupt the current environment and can cause symptoms such as gas and bloating. Swapping in a few new foods a week is a good way to get used to a new diet.

Digestive enzymes may be needed increase digestion and other supplements can help heal and nourish the body such as kelp capsules for the thyroid, flaxseed and fresh apple and prune juice for the bowel, slippery elm and psyllium husks to help sooth and cleanse the stomach, herbal teas, green juices and herbs and spices all help to alkalise, hydrate, cleanse and detoxify the body.

A bowel cleanse is often necessary to rid the body of toxic build up and allow friendly bacteria to build up forming a restored, healthy environment. A bowel cleanse should be done with the guidance of a naturopath and after speaking with your doctor. Bowel cleanses include Dr. Christopher's 3 day apple juice cleanse followed by a mucusless diet to rid the body of excess mucus and toxins.

It is the weaknesses we inherent, the behaviours we learn that first shape our health but ultimately it is the choices we make that shape us, and over time we build up problems that seem unexpected and confusing, but there is always a cause and once we know the cause we can find the solution. With growth and knowledge comes change and wisdom and we can ultimately choose to hurt or to heal.

Resources:

Dr. Jensen’s Guide To Better Bowel Care, 1999.

Herbalist | Dr. Christophers (drchristopher.com)