Important Facts About The Colon


"Health Begins In The Colon"

Before beginning a colon cleanse program, I think it is extremely important for you to learn a little bit about what the human colon is and how it functions in your body.

The human colon is an important, yet often overlooked organ of the digestive system. It plays a critical role in helping you maintain a healthy body.

Colon Anatomy

The human colon is a continuous hollow tube that is approximately 5 feet long and 2-3 inches in diameter. Here are the four parts that make up the human colon:

Colon Picture


  • The ascending colon is the portion found on the right side of abdomen, near the liver.

  • The transverse colon is also located near the liver as well as the spleen. This part of the human colon hangs from the stomach, attached by a band of tissue called the greater omentum. The transverse colon is one of only two parts of the human colon that is somewhat mobile.

    The transverse colon is the portion of the human colon that is most likely to develop cancer, because more of the solid wastes are being moved and stored in this area.

  • The descending colon connects the sigmoid colon to the splenic flexure. The majority of people also have a little empty space in the abdominal cavity around the descending colon.

  • The sigmoid colon is found between the descending colon and the rectum. The sigmoid colon has muscular walls able to contract in order to increase the amount of pressure in the colon. This makes it possible for the stool to move to the rectum.

So What Does It Do?

The main function of the human colon is to transport waste material from the small intestine to the rectum. While food is still in the small intestine, all the vital nutrients are removed and used by your body. The waste matter that is leftover is then passed onto the large intestine, which is the first portion of the colon.

In addition to serving as a transport channel, the human colon also absorbs water and sodium from the waste it pushes through to the next stage. What remains after this absorption process is called stool. This stool passes from your colon into the rectum and out through the anus when you have a bowel movement.

The Downside

The various health problems that occur in the human colon take place when impacted fecal matter and toxins are allowed to remain in the intestines for a long period of time...they're not being eliminated properly.

The longer this waste material sits in your colon, the more likely it is that these toxins will be absorbed into your body.

As these toxins remain in your body, you become more susceptible to health problems like irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, diarrhea, weight problems, hemorrhoids, joint pains, vision problems, loss of memory - to name a few.

It is estimated that over 50 million Americans have problems with their digestive tract, making it a very common problem.



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