A colonic is a method of colon cleansing in which a trained therapist inserts a tube into the rectum and then introduces warm, distilled water. Colonics are often used as a part of a detoxification program, as they help to remove toxins and...
Colonics, or colon hydrotherapy, is the cleaning of the large intestine (colon) with water. Colonics is often used to treat constipation, flatulence and intestinal disorders, as well as body aches and pains, low energy levels, back pain and liver...
With aging, the large intestine or colon may develop small pockets known as diverticulae -- or a single diverticulum, if you develop just one pocket. Doctors call this medical condition diverticulosis. Most people with diverticulosis never develop...
Your colon is very important to you, and keeping your colon healthy may even save your life. The American Cancer Society states that, excluding skin cancers, colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. Other diseases like...
Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS describes a series of symptoms including abdominal cramping and pain, bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea. There is no known cause for IBS. IBS typically effects the large intestine or colon but can also effect...
When the large intestine, or colon, becomes weak because of advancing age, a low-fiber diet or abnormally high pressure in the colon, it may cause diverticula to form in the colon. Diverticula are small pouches that bulge outward and when inflamed...
The organs in the human digestive system begin with the mouth and end at the anus. Each organ has a specific duty in the process of changing food and drink into usable nutrients for the body. Different enzymes work in conjunction with the...
Also referred to as the "large intestine," the colon is the part of the digestive system where mineral salts and water are absorbed into the body. The remaining waste matter (feces) then passes into the rectum and exits the body through the anus....
Diverticulosis is a condition described by the National Institutes of Health as small pouch-like protrusions or pockets that bulge outward along the inside of the large intestine or colon. It is defined by the Mayo Clinic as inflammation or...
Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, affects the colon or large intestine, which is a hollow tube in the digestive system that stores waste materials and runs from the cecum to the rectum. In the U.S. colon cancer claims thousands of...
The longest part of the large intestine is the colon, and these tissues are where colon cancer arises. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are often grouped together, and either one can be referred to as colorectal cancer, according to the National...
Lactose is a type of sugar found in human and cow's milk. The official chemical name for lactose is 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl, D-glucopyranose. This sugar is important to mammals since it serves as primary energy source during infancy. The...
Colon cancer forms in the tissues of the colon, which is the longest part of the large intestine. Colon cancer is staged from stage 0 to stage IV, in order of severity from least to most. Stage III colon cancer means there is cancer in nearby...
Ischemic colitis is a disorder that affects the large intestine (colon), according to the Mayo Clinic. The colon becomes inflamed as blood flow is decreased. The result is colon inflammation and sometimes permanent colon damage. The signs and...
Diverticulitis is a digestive system disease characterized by infection or inflammation of parts of the colon---large intestine---called diverticula. Diverticula are pouches that bulge out of weak locations in the colon walls. These pouches occur...
Gastrointestinal cancer occurs when malignant cancer cells begin to grow and spread within the intestinal tract. The intestinal tract is composed of the small intestine, large intestine, colon, and rectum. The treatment for gastrointestinal cancer...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a disorder that affects your large intestine or colon. Symptoms include bloating, gas, flatulence, abdominal pain and stomach cramping. You may experience either diarrhea or constipation, or both. Maintaining a...
Although some bacteria are harmful, others can be beneficial to our health. One such bacteria is the probiotic Lactobacillius casei, which can be purchased as a supplement or found in several fermented milk products, including some yogurt....
Colon cleansing is the practice of introducing water or some other fluid into the large intestine, or colon, for the purpose of flushing out waste materials. Though there is widespread anecdotal evidence that regular colon cleansing increases...
Gas is a digestive complaint that is normal to experience, but often uncomfortable and embarrassing for many. Gas in the digestive tract is often a result of swallowing air or from breaking down undigested food in the large intestine, or colon. A...
Colon cancer forms in the tissues of the largest part of the large intestine (the colon). Cancers of the colon usually occur in cells that make mucus and are called adenocarcinomas. Rectal cancer forms in the last several inches of the large...
Colon and bowel cancer both cause disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. The bowel is comprised of the small and large intestines, or colon. Though cancer may affect both the large and small intestines, cancer of the colon is much more...
Diverticulitis is a condition that affects the large intestine or colon. Sections of the colon can become weak and push out of place forming pockets called diverticula and this can occur with or without causing symptoms. However, if the pouches...
The longest part of the large intestine is the colon. When cancer forms in these tissues, it is known as colon cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2009, there will be nearly 106,100 new diagnoses of colon cancer in the United...
Vitamin D functions much like a hormone; its main purpose is to maintain adequate blood levels of calcium. Dietary sources of vitamin D include foods such as fatty fish, liver and egg yolk. On exposure to sunlight, your skin also makes the...
When you heard the phrase "intestinal surgery," what do you think of? Do you think of bowel resection? Gastric bypass? Bariatric surgery for weight loss? The intestines are separated into the small intestine and the large intestine (also known as...
The large intestine, or colon, is the end segment of your digestive system before waste is eliminated from the anus. It runs from the small intestine to the rectum and includes the ascending, transverse and descending colon. The primary functions...
Bowel movements are controlled in part by the activity of the large intestine or colon. Food wastes get to the large intestine via the small intestine, and the colon then removes excess water. Sometimes, people have trouble having bowel movements,...
A fiber-rich diet is one of your best defenses against digestive problems like constipation. The occasional discomfort from slow-moving bowels occurs in most people, but constipation is characterized by three bowel movements or less per week. If...
Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammatory conditions of the large intestine and, in some cases, the small intestine. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are examples. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for...
Constipation is the condition of experiencing hard feces which are difficult to pass. Learn remedies and treatment options for constipation in this health video.
