How a Clean Colon can Help You Lose Weight

Though not exactly a pretty picture, try to imagine exactly how much percentage of your weight can be accounted for by weeks or probably months worth of old fecal matter building up inside your colon. A healthy colon weighs about a pound but with the above scenario, that number can reach up to ten-fold!

Our colon's main function is to store waste while reabsorbing what little water and electrolytes are left on them until they are eliminated from the body. A healthy colon would need approximately six to eighteen hours after each meal to eliminate waste. So, in a day, we are expected to have at least one, and even up to three bowel movements. Although defecation is, by nature, involuntary, the frequency of which, however, would greatly depend on a number of factors – the food that we eat and the rate of the movement of that food along the gastrointestinal tract.

To create the optimal conditions for our colon, we must provide it with a diet that is high in fiber and low in red meat and processed foods, generous fluid intake, and adequate physical activity. Does this regimen sound familiar to you? The key players for a healthy colon are exactly the same key players for effective weight control and overall health in general. And why shouldn’t it be? The colon is as just much a part of the body as your heart and it is just as important!

We hear the word dietary fiber often but what is it, really, and what does it do inside our colon? Dietary fiber consists of the nondigestible part of carbohydrate that has a beneficial effect on the body. This is divided into two classifications: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and creates a gel-like material that binds with cholesterol and stool, facilitating its passage out of the body. It also contributes to the number of good bacteria that is normally found in the colon. Rich sources would include oats, beans, peas, apples, berries, and bananas. The second type is the insoluble fiber. As its name suggests, it does not dissolve in water, but on contrary, has water-attracting properties resulting in water being absorbed by the stool instead of from the stool. This causes the stool to soften and adds to its bulk or volume, stimulating the smooth muscles of the colon to contract more, thus allowing waste to be removed from the body faster.

In addition to the weight loss we would get by having regular bowel movements, the regimen itself has been proven to be very effective not only on weight control, but also on the fight against almost all the health conditions brought about by society's drastic change of lifestyle. Having a healthy colon is only a mere piece of the puzzle. It is just the start. If you keep steadfast, with discipline and a little luck on the side, you would be well on your way to a brand new, healthier you! Making these lifestyle changes is indeed worth your while.

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