Your colon is the end of the trail for your digestive system. Food digestion starts in your mouth, continues in the stomach, takes place primarily in the small intestine and ends in the large intestine, or colon. By the time food reaches the colon, it has few recognizable characteristics, but what you eat has an impact on your colon even when it's unrecognizable. Certain foods may increase your risk of developing colon problems. See your doctor if you're having bowel difficulties.
Gas and Diarrhea
Sugar overload, sugar alcohols and lactose can all cause diarrhea in certain people. If you have lactose intolerance, milk sugar that enters the colon isn't broken down. The bacteria normally present in the colon start to ferment the sugar, producing gas and diarrhea. All that gas and loose watery stool causes the colon to contract more than usual to get rid of it, and you end up with abdominal cramps. Sugar alcohols, which also break down incompletely, or eating too much refined sugar, can have the same unpleasant effect on your colon.
Constipation
Some diets can constipate you because they slow the transit of stool through the colon. Processed foods or foods low in fiber are most likely to cause constipation. When you're constipated, the colon dilates to hold the larger-than-normal stool, which can cause abdominal pain and cramping. Constipation can also lead to hemorrhoids or small tears in the anus, the last section of the colon, due to the hardness of the stool and the strain of passing it.
Colon Cancer
Certain foods increase your risk of developing colon cancer. All adults have abnormal cells in their colon that could grow into cancers. According to the website NetDoctor, around 10 percent of the average adult's colon cells have major chromosomal abnormalities. In most cases, these cells undergo apoptosis, or programmed cell death and never grow further. Certain foods such as processed meats and meats prepared at high temperatures appear to increase the risk of the cells developing into tumors. High-fat diets can also increase the risk of colon cancer.
Fiber Benefits
Foods high in fiber have a positive effect on your colon, reducing your risk of developing colon disorders such as diverticulosis, small outpouchings in the lining of the colon, or colon cancer. Fiber helps keep your stools soft, which helps them move through the colon easily and at the right speed: not too fast, as with diarrhea, or too slow, as with constipation. Fiber supplements don't appear to have the same benefit as fiber obtained from foods, the American Cancer Society website explains.
