Land of the lost colons

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Dec, 2004 by Dirk Yow

Psychological Testing for Constipation?

A woman in her late 30s was sitting before me. It was her first appointment and during the session I asked her some of the usual queries to help my evaluation. "Why would you consider coming in for this procedure?" I asked. "I just came back from my third colonoscopy (i.e. this procedure examines the lining of the large intestine, using a flexible endoscope inserted anally) and I was told nothing could be found." She answered nervously as she was talking, her pallor kept changing from gray to white. She also looked to be about 30-40 lbs. overweight. She went on to share "I can't sleep, I have no appetite, I'm dizzy. I was afraid that I had cancer but instead the enterologist referred me for psychological testing!"

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Upon further evaluation I found out that she had only been having about one bowel movement a month (she was told that that was "normal" for her!)

She happened to have a lower GI set of X-rays from her tests so I looked at them. Her colon looked like a pretzel! Again she was told it was "normal."

As stated in the previous columns, (1) the colon is a muscular piece of tubing that, like any other muscle, can lose its tone. As a colon therapist I have been trained to evaluate this in clients who come in to see me.

I have often thought if a person came in with their arm tied in a knot and the specialist couldn't find cancer they would tell the person that it's all in their head!

A Colonic Conspiracy?

This has become the age of technology with cell phones, computers, and instant information. Modern medicine is a part of this. The latest micronutrient, the newest test supplying the most up-to-date information, has all become the standard. I remember on my last trip to Germany, in a clinic, I saw probably the most sophisticated MRI equipment ever made. It could, starting with the skin, look layer by layer through the entire body. I was told that it was a $6 million piece of machinery.

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The dilemma that this seems to have created is that both the health professional and the individual seeking their advice have become overly reliant on these tests as the final word if "something's wrong."

Back to Bowel Basics: The Five Bs

Did you know you have an instrument that you carry around with you that is more accurate and more valuable than any piece of "the latest equipment?" "The human body is called the master machine because it is the most valuable machine in the world.... Failure to regularly eliminate the wastes of the body is one of the most frequent causes of illness.... Exercise, proper food, and good habits are better than drugs to cure constipation." (2) This was written in an elementary school textbook!

Your Colonic Compass (see Figure)

Your bowels (intestines) are the center of your compass. Why? Because as stated in previous articles (1) the rest of your body is dependent on:

1. the correct mechanical and chemical digestion, and its conversion into bodily substance and strength, and

2. eliminating unused waste products on time. (3)

A compass can be defined as an instrument for determining directions. By realizing this you can a) learn to read your Colonic Compass and b) based on readings, reset and balance your Colonic Compass.

Constipation would be chief among the readings to discern that your compass is showing signs of imbalance.

Depending on how acute or chronic (i.e. being irregular for a day versus weeks, months, or even years). To that extent how it may affect your other points of the compass, which are your blood, bones, brain and body.

The Blood

Your colon directly affects both the liver and lymphatic system. (1)

"Around the turn of the century, doctors blamed all sorts of diseases on constipation ... this theory was laid to rest after researchers, using the primitive techniques then available, had failed to identify any toxic substances in the blood of constipated sick people." Using more modern testing however, this view has reversed. Dr. Petrakis, MD, of the University of California writing in the Lancet "... found that women who have 2 or fewer bowel movements per week have four times the risk of breast disease (benign or malignant) as women who have one or more bowel movements per day." (4)

Other blood related symptoms are water retention, gallstones, compromised immune and liver system functions. (5)

The Bones

In November 1882 George J. Cooke, professor of anatomy at Kentucky School of Medicine wrote: "when the processes of digestion and absorption of food are normal it is generally believed that they are completed above the ileocecal valve ... it would seem strange if the large intestine is placed here only to receive and retain for a time, effete and indigestible substances." (6)

In fact evidence now indicates that vitamins, minerals (i.e. calcium), and energy are taken up in nutritionally important amounts across the colonic mucosa. (7)

Constipation can cause mineral mal-absorption as well as inflammations such as arthritis and gout.