Colon Polyps - Colon Health, part 3

Colon polyps are, a most people know, small growths in the lining inside the large intestine. They've gained a lot of attention the last decade or so, due to their relation to colon cancer.

So exactly what is a polyp? As mentioned above, it's a small growth of tissue that can be smooth/flat, saw tooth, or even look like cauliflower. The most common types are hyperplastic (saw tooth) or adenomas (cauliflower looking). The third kind is referred to as polyosis syndrome (osis meaning condition of), or having certain other hereditory conditions that cause raised or flat polyps to occur, and/or become cancerous.

Any type of polyp can become cancerous, especially if the diet is high in certain types of fat (the so called bad fats) and low in fiber. Dehydration, alcoholism, eating disorders, prolonged bouts of constipation or diarrhea, diverticulitis, Chron's, or Celiac's also stress and/or interfer with the colon's ability to function properly. Chronic stress and inflammation are influences as well.

Currently age is considered the biggest factor regarding why polyps become cancerous, mainly due to dietary and life style influences. Research has shown that the risk increases after the age of 40, which is why it's recommended for middle aged adults and seniors to have regular colonoscopies.

Inherited factors do increase the liklihood of a polyp becoming cancerous, especially if you have a "first family member" (immediate relative like parents, siblings, aunt/uncle, etc.) that has had colon cancer. Race/nationality isn't really considered important, however African Americans are slightly more at risk than other groups.

Certain medications can both increase or slow the growth of polyps. (Check with your doctor or go online to find these). Research does indicate aspirin can slow the process of a pre-cancerous polyp from turning into cancer; however, it's not a recommended therapy/treatment, due to the side effects.

Unfortunately any signs or symptoms of having colon polyps usually are so insignificant that most people don't realize they have them until it's too late. Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, narrowing of stool, bowel obstructions, etc., can be attributed to many other things, and doesn't always mean a polyp has become cancerous.

However, if any of these signs or symptoms occur for over a week, or there is blood in the stool, anemia, or unusual abdominal pain, it's highly recommended to be examined. When the colonoscopy (light tube used to examine the inside of the colon) is performed, polyps can not only be looked at, they can also be removed. This can prove to not only be an overall healthy preventative measure, it can also save lives.

Self help things are, of course, being hydrated and eating a well balanced diet that includes plenty of fiber and cruciferous vegetables. (These are cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, etc. They support the immune system, and are natural anti-inflammatories.) Other natural immune boosters and anti- inflammatories are supplements like vitamins C and E, and bioflavinoids like Quercetin or Pycnogenol. Decompressing frequently also helps, as stress increases inflammation even in polyps.

Colon cancer is preventable, and very treatable. Proper medical check ups, a healthy balanced diet, and polyp removal are all very viable ways to protect our colon, and overal health and well being.

Sources: www.wikipedia.org, www.mayoclinic.com, www.emedicine.com, www.emedicine.medscape.com, www.gihealth.com and www.uptodate.com

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure any known or unknown disease.

All rights reserved. All blogs and photos on this site are copyrighted, and may not be stored, retrieved, copied, or sold in any form without express permission.


The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure. Nor is it intended to replace the advice of your primary care provider. No liability is assumed by the owner of this site, the author, or editor for the use or misuse of the information contained herein.

Leaky Gut Syndrome - Colon Health, part 1

This 3 part blog series is dedicated to my Uncle Bill, who had both pre-cancerous and cancerous polyps. The cancer has affected his liver, bladder, and now his pancreas. Thank you for your humor and determination to let everyone know your story before the cancer takes you away. (Colon Health, part 3 will be on polyps.)

Leaky Gut Syndrome (also known as Increased Intestinal Permeability) affect millions of people, many of whom don't recognize it, or realize how it affects their health.

LGS is defined as a disorder where the large intestine/colon wall doesn't have the integrity to keep undigested particles and toxins inside and proccessed/released normally. Instead they escape out into the body, affecting the surrounding tissues and organs, and quickly compromise our overall well being.

Babies have more permabeability (leakage) than older children or adults. This is generally due to the small physical size of babies and how their bodies receive and process nutrients before and after birth.

Contributing factors are inherited tendencies, health of both parents when the child was conceived, health/diet of the mother, and any prescription or over the counter medications taken during the pregnancy. Also, after the baby is born, they may not get the nutrients (even if nursed) needed for continued building/growth and functioning of the digestive tract.

After babies, almost twice as many women as men have LGS. Reasons for this are women tend to naturally have a slightly weaker immune system than men, take more medicines for health related issues (so we don't pass them to our children), and so on. Men, however are now realizing many of their health problems are related to LGS, so much so that even "Men's Health" and "Men 4 Health" have mentioned it in their articles.

The most common causes of LGS are: antibiotics, NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), excess wheat or dairy products, cytotoxic drugs (chemo/cancer treatments), alcohol, over growth of Candida (yeast infections), parasites, infections (including fungal), stress, and lack of water and proper nutrients in the diet. And in some people their Ilocecal Valve (ICV) is also stuck open, producing more LGS and auto-intoxication symptoms. (Auto-intoxication is the next blog in this series on Colon Health.)

Hallmark symptoms of LGS are: inflammation, irritability, tenderness/swelling in the lower right abdomen*, gas, indigestion, constipation, diarrehea, allergies, headaches, and so on. It's also a known fact that the liver of people with LGS works almost twice as hard to filter the toxins that escape out into to the blood stream.

When the liver is overworked, our immune system also goes into overdrive, causing it to attack our body in every place the toxins have lodged, producing inflammation.** This has led many to believe that LGS has a direct bearing on autism, MS, fibromylagia, lupus, chronic fatigue, and even cancer. And many researchers and doctors also feel LGS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chron's Disease, and Celiac Disease are all interrelated.

While some doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatories and other meds for LGS, the most common way to treat it is naturally. This includes being properly hydrated, eating foods high in fiber, and substituting or avoiding foods that contain wheat, dairy, or have a high sugar or alcohol content.

Supplements used to support the colon so the walls can rebuild are: Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's), probiotics (acidophilus), B12, Gamma Oryzanol, Magnesium, Glutathione, and Glutamine. Note: anyone sensative to MSG, maltodextrin or other glutamate deravitives may not want to use Glutamine.

* not to be confused with the appendix (also located in the same area as the ICV), when appendicitis occurs there is also an elevated white blood count & slight fever
** it's now said that inflammation is either the root cause or biggest contributing factor to almost every disorder and/or disease known

Note: many people with LGS are also sensitive to artificial sweetners, such as Nutrasweet (aspartame) and Splendid (sucralose), so be cautious with these, or use a natural plant non sugar sweetner such as Stevia or the new one made from chicory. (Stevia can even be found everywhere from health food stores to Wal-Mart. Both Stevia and chicory sugar is very sweet so start with small amounts, and increase to desired taste.)

Sources: www.wikipedia.org, www.seniormag.com, www.holistichealth.com, www.hmedicine.com, www.webmd.com, www.womentowomen.com, and "Textbook of Natural Medicine", Joe Pizzorno, ND, 2005.

This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure any known or unknown disease.

All rights reserved. All blogs and photos on this site are copyrighted, and may not be stored, retrieved, copied, or sold in any form without express permission.


The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure. Nor is it intended to replace the advice of your primary care provider. No liability is assumed by the owner of this site, the author, or editor for the use or misuse of the information contained herein.