The Colon - Our Sewer System

Ever have a backed up sewer? Not a pleasant task to clean that up. Our body has a sewer system and all sewer systems need maintenance. The condition of your colon has a lot to do with your health. The colon is the last organ in the digestive system.
 
Generally the colon is about six feet in length and two inches in diameter There are three parts to the colon (See Diagram Below); The Ascending colon, the transverse colon and the descending colon.

Normal Colon & Small Intestine - This is a picture of your large and small intestine in its “normal” state. The large and small intestines are usually about 23 to 26 feet long.	Diseased Colon - This very diseased, twisted, looped, broken and necrotic (death of tissue) type colon is obviously not the picture of health. Which colon do you want to reside in your body?

THE FUNCTION OF THE COLON

The function of the first half of the colon is to reduce the amount of matter by absorbing a part of the water and needed chemicals. This reduces the amount of material in the colon by more than half. The function of the last half of the colon is to transmit and dispose of the waste from the body.

Because the colon has so much waste to dispose of, under normal conditions, it must discharge its contents at least 2 to 3 times a day for health function. Another rule of thumb would be to dispose after each meal. Generally, a meal will leave the stomach and reach the lower part of the small intestine in four to five hours. When lunch is eaten, the vigorous action of the alimentary canal pushes the breakfast into the middle part of the colon. We promote walking after your meals (not a vigorous walk, but a gentle stroll) and this is to get the peristaltic waves pushing your matter to the lower colon for elimination. In a normally functioning colon all matter should be swept clean of the body in 24 hours. Any transit time longer than that would be considered constipation.

Our colons must be kept clean so there is no time for putrefaction to take place. If the colon is not clean the food residue that is kept in the colon over the 24 hour period, absorbs into the blood. As God would have it, He put in other elimination organs to try to do the work that the colon did not do. The liver, lungs, kidneys and skin must then try to eliminate this build up of waste material. This excess burden on these organs makes them overwork because they have to do their normal job and now have to take on extra tasks. This excess strain makes body parts wear out faster and greatly hinders the functions they have to perform. Constipation causes about two million doctor visits a year.

The Hallelujah Lifestyle promotes NO meat or animal products. When meat is a part of your diet the colon is loaded with undigested remnants of flesh foods which flood the system with poisons which will eventually start a disease process in the body. Before that happens we have many warning signs or symptoms:

Distended Stomach, Foul breathe, Gas, Coated tongue, Indigestion, Constant fatigue, Absent-mindedness, Headaches, Insomnia, Premature aging and Digestive issues can all indicate that your “Sewer System” needs attention. Following is an example of a “severe” case of improper colon function or lack of”

This patient was complaining of constipation, along with abdominal pain and shortness of breath. He had not had a bowel movement for one month. His abdomen was extremely distended and without bowel sounds. Part of his colon was removed – a normal colon measurement would be about two inches in diameter. As shown in the picture above, this man’s colon had expanded to a full man’s hand width. This colon was severely impacted, filled with mucus, parasites, fecal matter, hardened flesh foods and was severely dehydrated.

It is estimated that the average person will have 5 – 15 pounds (2 – 7 kilograms) of waste matter impacted on the colon wall, built up over years of eating heavy foods which require mucus secretion to protect the stomach and colon, resulting in an increase of toxins though parasites. Dirty colons attract “critters” to come clean up your mess!

What can we do to help prevent colon problems from occurring?

• Water - Drink ½ of your body weight in ounces everyday – water is the hydrating mechanism to keep things flushed of toxins and clean – Think of your body parts as a sponge. A sponge that has moisture in it moves freely and works well but a dehydrated, parched sponge (or organ) cannot function properly as it has lost its elasticity and pliability. Test your hand skin – are you drinking enough water?

• Fiber - Eat a high fiber diet – especially raw fruits and vegetables – the fiber will help to brush your colon clean. We promote a 85% raw food diet. Your anatomy is made up of live organisms with an amazing degree of resilience, elasticity and buoyancy and must be revitalized with living nutrients and elements. The roughage you eat will broom clean your colon.

• Juicing – Juicing supplies the nutrients to the cellular level and although fiber-less helps to hydrate the body and helps to eliminate constipation

• Manage Stress levels – Blood vessels constrict and blood fats increase when we are stressed. One of the biggest problems is that digestion stops! More nutrients are used up and less wastes is moved. Emotional disturbances interrupt your digestive system from working properly.

• Fresh Air – A lack of fresh air and oxygen retards digestion

• Exercise – Helps digestion and promotes intestinal activity and increases oxygen levels in the body

• CHEW, CHEW, CHEW – Chewing your food and mixing it with your digestive juices in your mouth will provide your colon and body with the needed enzymes to break the food down better – thus less work for the colon to do. Undigested food can be very toxic to the body and perceived as foreign invaders making the immune system work harder.

What your BM should NOT look like

• Taking digestive enzymes and Propbiotics especially when eating cooked food, can definitely aid in digesting your foods

• A good fiber product (we use Fiber Cleanse) used in the beginning of your lifestyle change for about 2-3 months can help safely clean out your colon. Then switch to ground flax seed to maintain colon health. One or two tablespoons in water about 20 minutes prior to each meal will help put the needed fiber in your digestive system.

• Avoid caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic – which means it dehydrates your body and colon

Our colon resides in the core of our body and it has a very important function. It’s a cleansing organ and does have needs and requirements for proper functionality. The quality of the food you present to your digestive system will either rebuild your body or increase the degeneration of your body. Considering we only have one body to use while here on earth, we think it is very important to pay attention to the warning signs.

We need to look at the symptoms above as warnings; warnings to take better care of what we are putting into our temples. The Lord wants us to take care of our temples – let’s do everything we can do to have him reside in a healthy, clean environment that is functioning well. A lot of times people just do not associate their ills with their food intake. We go to the doctors wanting to know why we are sick and we want the quick fix. However, once we start taking accountability for our part in our sickness, we are closer to our healing.

Many times we can repair our sewage backup damage depending on the severity of the leak or ill running colon. We want to take care to prevent microbial development in our gut. If left unrecognized or untreated it can cause a serious health problem. If your toilet backed up into your home, just think of the health hazard that would create. Now, can you imagine your sewer system backing up into your body or bloodstream? We must take the time to understand how our body works so we can take measures to clean our internal sewer system.

The untouched subject – More than you want to know but SHOULD KNOW

No one wants to talk about their eliminations! It’s actually quite funny to watch people’s expressions when the subject is brought up. But here at the Plant City Hallelujah Acres Lifestyle Center we discuss at length (literally) just what kind bowel movements we should have. Hold onto your toilet paper – here we go:

• You should be having 2-3 bowel movements a day – it is not normal to only have a BM once or twice a week
• Length – The entire length of your BM should be approximately the size from your finger tips to your elbow (surprised huh?) Usually in 4” to 8” lengths
• Your BM should have “C” and/or “S” curves in it. Think of it as a chocolate Dairy Queen swirl
• It should not splatter like an explosion all over the toilet bowl. It should be solid in nature
• It should not look like a rabbit or parakeet’s droppings – that would suggest constipation
• It should not have a foul odor
• Shoot for a floater! Sinking occurs when the body is acidic. Rapid sinking stools can indicate a person is not eating enough fiber
• If you have trouble eliminating, try a foot stool. Being in this elevated position will allow the body to eliminate more naturally
• It should be soft and a peanut butter consistency
• It should be sausage size
• No straining
• The color of your BM should be a brown or golden brown. Usually dark colors indicate that your feces has been sitting in the colon too long However, if you are drinking carrot juice, your BM will take on a orange-brown color; beets would cause a red-brown color.

It is our wish and desire that you will take heed to this very important subject. Start eliminating properly and you will not believe how much healthier you will feel and be!
Go for the Blue Ribbon!!!

Sources:
Malkmus, Reverend George. The Hallelujah Diet. Shippensburg; Destiny Image Publishers Inc., 2006
Walker, Dr Norman W. Colon Health: The Key to a Vibrant Life. 1979.
Diseases & Disorders: 2nd Edition. Lippincott Williams& Wilkins, 2005