Get enough fiber in diet to maintain healthy colon

Kevin Byrne, D.O. works in gastroenterology at Lake Regional Health System in Osage Beach.

Question: What is the function of the colon?

Answer: The colon has two main functions: maintain waste from the gastrointestinal tract until it can be expelled at a convenient time and re-absorb approximately one liter of water a day back into the body to preserve fluids.

Q: Why is maintaining a healthy colon so important?

A: If the colon is not healthy, altered function, including constipation, diarrhea or bleeding from the colon, can occur. This leads to abdominal discomfort, anemia or even dehydration.

Q: What are some of the most efficient ways to keep your colon healthy?

A: Eating a balanced diet that is high in fiber is important. A high-fiber diet includes approximately 30 grams of fiber per day. Often, two portions each of fruits and vegetables is required, as well as a fiber supplement, to help reach the 30-gram level. The average American's diet contains only 10 grams to 15 grams of fiber per day. Other ways to keep your colon healthy include taking a multivitamin, specifically one that contains folic acid and selenium. Calcium also is helpful, whether by a diet high in dairy or taking a calcium supplement. Also, an aspirin a day seems to reduce the number of colon polyps and can reduce inflammation in individuals who have no contraindication to being on aspirin.

Q: Do you believe colon cleansing is necessary or beneficial?

A: No. A high-fiber diet is a way to maintain colon health and to remove some of the toxins that are in the foods we eat. Some colon cleansing products can be harsh on the colon and can lead to altered bowel habits. The use of probiotics, where the intestinal flora is re-balanced into a healthier range, would be an appropriate form of cleansing, though.

Q: At what age should a person have a colon exam?

A: The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone age 50 receive a screening colonoscopy, though flexible sigmoidoscopy with barium enema is an alternative. Patients at high risk include those with a first-degree relative with colon cancer, especially if that individual was younger than age 60 at the time of their cancer diagnosis. Also, patients who have a personal history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, especially if they have had longstanding inflammation of the colon, should have early colon screening after 10 years of disease. Patients with hereditary polyposis syndrome also should be screened at an earlier age.

Q:What can these regular exams reveal?

A: These colon exams can reveal colon polyps, which can be precursors to colon cancer. Exams can detect colon cancer before it has had a chance to metastasize, and early detection improves the chance of survival among patients diagnosed with colon cancer. Approximately 160,000 Americans per year get colon cancer; currently, about 52,000 die annually. In 2001, 60,000 Americans died because of colon cancer. Early detection efforts that were started by Medicare in 2001 have shown an 8 percent decrease in colon cancer deaths.

source: news-leader