Do you still carry the hamburger in your belly that you have eaten 3 months ago ?

PRIVATE MATTER

Man, you surely know that many folks are full of s…  Literally, it’s true.

I was always curious why some men have the belly like they are expecting a baby in 3 months. Like my father-in-law. Don’t laugh, it’s not funny.

THE PROBLEM

Guys, did you know that the folks who do the autopsies found that 90% (!) of the corpses' colons held an average of 5 to 20 pounds of hardened, decayed feces that were coated in layers on the intestine walls. The study by the European medical scientists “…found 62% of adults whom doctors examined had an average of 10-12 pounds of residual fecal matter buildup in their large intestines and rectums.”

The medical examiners reported that many of these swollen colons had stretched to twice their natural size. One autopsy revealed a colon that was 9 inches in diameter with a channel through it no larger than a pencil. (Normal diameter is 2-3 inches.)

I am sorry to raise this topic but, please, stay with me. This information is vital for your health!

Ninety percent is a staggering number of adults (probably including you) who are walking around with a backed-up bowel that holds pounds of old, impacted feces that is swelling their bellies and slowly making them sick. Even if it is 62%, it is scary. It’s scary because the majority of people today are not completely emptying their bowels every day as nature intended.

Is it dangerous for your health? You bet; it is. Over time it will lead to:

• Painful joints and frequent back pain
• Chronically sore and painful muscles (myalgia)
• Mood swings, anger, irritability, memory blank-outs
• Fatigue and low-energy
• Repeated headaches 
• Bad breath, body odor, and stinky feet
• Memory problems
• Poor sleeping

How to recognize if you are having a problem down there? Some hints include sitting on the toilet for long periods and disappointing with your scarce results; days or even weeks without emptying your bowel fully; having the problem with bloating, gas, and the belly sticking out to the degree that you can’t see your Willy.

Why does it happen, man?

Well, when you are young, your body mechanisms are working like a clock, but as you become older, your metabolism is slowing and your internal organs work not so efficiently. The food is processed slower, and, as result, the hamburger you have eaten today may not be processed by your stomach by tomorrow. But since you eat almost the same volume of food every day, you are slowly overwhelming your colon.

As you age, the gastrointestinal tract (GI) begins to slow, and the amount of acid that helps process your food is decreases. The same is true for various enzymes. I have always suspected that when we take various pills and medications (including pain relievers), we negatively affect our GI. The result: some dangerous stuff begins to happen in your digestive tract (read the list above).

The same effect on your GI tract has the processed food, especially with added artificial or even sugar substitutes that are advertised as “natural”. When they are metabolized, normal bacteria in the GI tracts break them down into by-products that irritate the colon and trigger gas, diarrhea, and bloating.

All of the above contributes to the problem of processing the food in your GI tract and leaving waste in your belly.

 Over time, those fecal residues harden on the walls of the intestine, accumulating layer-upon-layer while leaving important vitamins, minerals and nutrients pass through your body undigested or absorbed.

I won’t describe the whole process of poisoning your body with toxins but you got the picture.

The question is: how to help your body get rid of waste effectively?

THE SOLUTIONS

There are a few ways of doing it, and I have used it myself:

• Drink much more water than you usually drink. I am personally not a big fan of drinking plenty of water – I drink only when I am thirsty, and I bet that many of you feel the same. However, I have recognized that I have to change my habit for the sake of my health. Here is a trick: drink a glass of water before you eat anything.
• Have one pill of the probiotic before going to sleep. Click on the link to learn more if you are not familiar with this term. Some publications recommend eating yogurts or kefir that have live cultures but I found that the small pill of probiotic with at least 16 microorganisms (useful bacteria) does a better job. Store them carefully according to the package instructions so that you don’t kill the live, active cultures.
• Eat more food that includes fiber. It’s nothing new here – you can read it everywhere. Raw fruits and veggies in your diet will make a difference. Dietary fiber makes your stool bulky and easy to move. A diet lacking in fiber has the opposite effect. Processed foods usually have a lot of calories and sugar, but very little nutritional value — which is why your digestive system has difficulty getting rid of them.
• If it’s not enough, here is one trick more: use the virgin olive oil as a dressing with your salad. Two tablespoons of oil per serving will work like magic. Very effective!
• If you are mostly sitting during the day, you don’t do a favor to your stomach. If you walk at least 20 min a day, it will help your GI tract work to your benefit.

Now, some remedies that I did not try on my own:

• Use special colon-cleansing substances once in a while as a do-it-yourself treatment to re-establish natural bowel rhythm. The right cleansing can decrease the bowel mass from 42% to 17%. You will feel thinner, lighter, healthier, and more energized. Here is a link to one of those substances (I am not promoting it – just sharing the link).
• Add magnesium to your food intake as it helps to relax the lining of your digestive tract and makes it easier to clear up constipation or eliminate gas. 200mg a day will do the trick.
• In the study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, dandelion extract started working in just one day. You can buy it in liquid or capsule form for very cheap. I usually use Swanson Vitamins company for all my supplements but you may have other preferences.

 Exam Your Gut if You Are 45 or Older

Now, here is something you should be aware of.  In 2018 the American Cancer Society began recommending that all adults get a colonoscopy exam every 10 years starting from age 45 instead of 50 dues to an uptick in colon cancer in the younger folks.

A colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure in which the inside of the large intestine (colon and rectum) is examined. A colonoscopy is commonly used to evaluate gastrointestinal symptoms, such as rectal and intestinal bleeding, or changes in bowel habits.

Man, don’t ignore it even though that procedure is not the most pleasant. I mean not the procedure itself (since you will be having the sweetest sleep during a procedure) but the preparation for the procedure.

There are two known methods to exam your colon: with a colonoscopy or using an in-home test kit.

1. Cologuard uses a special kind of technology that’s quite innovative. It’s called sDNA (stool DNA) technology and it detects cancer and highest-risk precancers. It makes Cologuard the most accurate, noninvasive colon cancer screening test that you can rely on. Among 10,000 people COLOGUARD found 92% of colon cancers and 42% of high-risk pre-cancers (unverified data).

Both false positives and false negatives do occur. In a clinical study of Cologuard, 13% of people without cancer or precancer tested positive (87% specificity). Any positive should be followed by a diagnostic colonoscopy. Following a negative result, patients should continue participating in a screening program at an interval and with a method appropriate for the individual patient. Cologuard performance when used for repeat testing has not been evaluated or established.

Cologuard is available by prescription only and must be ordered by your healthcare provider. Normally, you should discuss screening with your healthcare provider as part of a regular wellness appointment. Cologuard cannot be purchased over the counter.

2. The colonoscopy is performed by a doctor experienced in the procedure and lasts approximately 30-60 minutes. Medications will be given into your vein to make you feel relaxed and drowsy. You will be asked to lie on your left side on the examining table.

During a colonoscopy, the doctor uses a colonoscopy, a long, flexible, tubular instrument about 1/2-inch in diameter that transmits an image of the lining of the colon so the doctor can examine it for any abnormalities. The colonoscope is inserted through the rectum and advanced to the other end of the large intestine. The scope also blows air into your colon, which expands the colon and helps the doctor see more clearly.

During the colonoscopy, if the doctor sees something that may be abnormal, small amounts of tissue can be removed for analysis (called a biopsy), and abnormal growths, or polyps, can be identified and removed. In many cases, colonoscopy allows accurate diagnosis and treatment without the need for a major operation.

There may be some diet or fluid restrictions before you have a colonoscopy, but this will vary according to your doctor's instructions. Along with the dietary changes, your bowel must be further cleansed in order for colonoscopy to be successful.

For the colonoscopy exam, you will have to drink specialized liquid or tablets (laxatives) to flash your GI tract as much as possible.  And, as I have mentioned already, that procedure is not fun as your bathroom becomes a favorite room for at least several hours.

There was a discussion regarding which method is better: the colonoscopy exam or in-home kit. You have to decide for yourself. I have performed intensive research on “professor Google” as well as asked several doctors who are involved with this matter.

The conclusion was reassuring: the gut doctors insisted that they would do the colonoscopy if they had to do it for themselves. One doctor, in particular, said that the colonoscopy is a “gold standard”. I concur with their advice as I got rid of some nasty polyps 2 times already.

One Trivial Problem That May Be Overlooked

If you are suffering from gut problems like gas bloating and constipation/diarrhea, there is a good chance that you have a gluten allergy or intolerance that is hard to diagnose with a routine doctor’s visit unless you specifically requested testing.

Gluten is a protein most commonly found in wheat-based products. Scientists believe that it is the most common environmental trigger of autoimmune disease in the industrialized world. In fact, they think that ~60% of the population may suffer from some kind of bad reaction to gluten proteins that may cause inflammation anywhere in your body. Yack!

An example of it is when you eat certain food (like serial, bread, or macaroni), and you notice that you have the reaction to it (ex: congestion, headache, or joint pain).

The best test would be avoiding gluten-containing products for a week and then eating something that contains gluten. If you see a negative reaction, you may be gluten-intolerant.

Don’t worry, there are plenty of gluten-free products in the grocery stores these days. Also, check this link for a list of gluten-contained food.

Take care of your guts, man!

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DISCLAIMER: This article is intended to provide information to interested parties. As I have no knowledge of the readers' individual health or medical degree, the club members are expected to complete their own due diligence before following any recommendations mentioned in the article.

Author's Note: Please excuse any typos.  I assure you that I will do my best to correct any errors if they were overlooked.

 

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