Chances are, you, like many others, rarely think about your colon, even when experiencing things like bloating, stomach cramps, or other abdominal distresses. Individuals too often consider these discomforts a part of life. Others may avoid talking about colon health because of the perceived “yuck factor.”
But your colon does a lot to support you on a daily basis, and everything from your diet to your stress levels play a role in supporting the microbiome balance that it, in part, depends on.
How Does the Colon Work?
The colon, also known as the large intestine, plays a vital role in nutrient absorption.
After food is consumed, it moves from the stomach to the colon. The colon absorbs water from the digested food and its surroundings, then has muscular contractions which moves waste to the rectum. When your digestive system is functioning optimally, the final step is moving this waste out of the body. Also known as your (hopefully) daily bowel movement.
3 Easy Foods Choices that Support a Happy Colon
Avoiding an unhealthy diet has positive benefits for the entire body, and there are natural food sources that may help support colon health.
- Dark leafy vegetables: A good source of many essential vitamins and minerals, most dark leafy vegetables also contain fibers and water, both of which help support the movement of food through the body.
- Flax seeds: You can try adding flax seeds, preferably ground, to your daily diet to give an extra punch of fiber. These seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may also help support your bowel health.
- Legumes: These low-fat, protein-rich seeds may support good bacteria in the colon. They also contain folate and antioxidants in abundance. Aside from your colon health, legumes may also help to support your immune system.
- Yogurt: It has been suggested that probiotic-rich yogurt may help support your colon health by supporting overall digestion. Be careful with the sugar loaded and artificially sweetened versions of yogurt out there because you may get more of what you don’t want and less of what you do want.
Taking care of your colon health is critical, and incorporating probiotic-rich foods and supplements into your daily diet may help you do just that.
Probiotics: Just How Do They Support Colon Health?
Probiotics refer to the “good” bacteria in our digestive tracts. These microorganisms help support overall digestion, gut health and even immune function. It has been suggested that yogurt and other foods teeming with probiotics may support colon health by helping to maintain the amount of time it takes for food to go through the bowel.
Here are some ideas on how you may be able to incorporate even richer sources of probiotics into your daily routine:
- Add yogurt or kefir to your smoothies
- Consume fermented foods or drinks such as sauerkraut or kombucha
- Take probiotic supplements (like Probulin’s Colon Health Probiotic)
Choosing a Probiotic Supplement
We’d like to think of ourselves as the experts in this arena. We know that when choosing a probiotic supplement, there’s a lot to consider. This is why we designed a couple of different formulas to offer unique support, as needed.
Generally speaking, it’s important to look for a probiotic supplement that also contains prebiotics and an effective delivery system, like MAKTrek 3-D, to help support your gut’s ecosystem. If you’re thinking about adding probiotics to your daily routine, Probulin Digestive Probiotics offers a wide range of products to choose from.
Prior to taking a probiotic supplement you should first consult with your doctor to discuss your individual health needs.
4 Additional Tips On How To Improve Colon Health Naturally
1. Consider a Pescatarian Diet
Despite the rumors, you don’t necessarily have to go vegetarian or vegan to support colon health. A pescatarian diet consists of vegetables and fish. A common nutrient found in pescatarian diets is omega-3 fatty acids, which is another great win.
2. Try to Get Some Physical Activity
Most of us have developed routines to sit on our chairs in front of computer screens for most of the day. This stalemate has affected the ability of our bodies to process foods. As a result, our colon has to overwork when we go to the bathroom.
Try walking or getting physical activity for 30-60 minutes every day.
3. Try to Curb Alcohol Consumption
Consumption of alcohol and other beverages that may be high in sugars stand to compromise the bacterial balance in your digestive tract.
4. Changing Your Bathroom Behavior
Holding bowel movements allows them to release toxins back into the body, so it’s best to find a bathroom as soon as you feel the urge to go.
The way you sit in the bathroom may also have an impact on how efficiently you empty your bowels. This is why many experts recommend squatting to move the bowels.
Whether you are in the camp that rarely considers the many ways you can support your colon health, or in the camp that does so only sometimes, we hope we’ve inspired you to support your colon health more.
If you’d like to learn how probiotics can support colon health, you can explore more on our Colon Support Probiotic page here.