Is Your Colon Healthy? Here Are 9 Ways To Find Out (Plus An Easy Test To Try At Home)

When it comes to achieving head-to-toe health, it’s important not to leave your colon behind (no pun intended).  Shooting for good colon health is never a bad place to start!

More than 70 million Americans struggle with digestive problems, and yet many people are not aware that their colons could be the culprit.1

Constipation, bloating, and mucous in your stools are just a few signs that your digestive system is in distress.  Good health begins in your gut, and a healthy colon is absolutely crucial for a healthy body.

Read on to discover if your colon is healthy (and how to administer an easy test at home).

Let’s start with the basics: What is a healthy colon?

Your colon (also known as your large intestine) is about five feet long and functions like a powerful storage and waste disposal site in your body. To begin, involuntary muscle contractions help push digested material through your colon, where waste is stored until it’s time to be excreted. Once excretion occurs, the colon absorbs any leftover nutrients (i.e. water, electrolytes and vitamins) to be recycled and reused by your body’s system.

To keep the colon operating efficiency, a diet filled with healthy fibers and probiotics is key (i.e. good bacteria and yeast). Getting plenty of rest and lots of water and exercise are recommended.

Sadly, achieving a healthy colon is easier said than done. The standard American diet lacks the proper amount of fermented foods, fiber, water and exercise it needs.

This is why most people in the U.S. experience poor elimination patterns as a result of unhealthy colons. This cycle causes a buildup of waste material on your intestinal walls that creates a harmful environment where toxic pathogens can thrive, leading to irritable bowel syndrome, chronic illness and disease.

The bottom line: if you want to improve the overall health of your body, then you must start by improving the health of your colon.

9 Signs of Good Colon Health: What Should You Look For?

Not sure if your colon passes the test? Read through the checklist below to find out if your colon is in the clear.

Some indicators of a healthy colon:

• Clear skin without blemishes
• Consistent daily elimination
• Mild-smelling breath
• No mucous, partially digested food, or blood visible in your stools
• Time between elimination is 18 to 24 hours
• A large bowel movement in the morning
• A smaller bowel movement in the afternoon
• No trouble expelling stools
• Stools are soft and well-formed (normally in a tube-shape)

The Elimination Test

Besides running through the checklist above every time you go “number two,” you can also monitor your elimination time (how long it takes food to be digested and excreted) to keep tabs on your colon health.

The easiest way to do this is by snacking on a few beets (trust us here!). Their red pigment is so strong that it colors your stools, giving away the exact time it took for your body to process the meal since consumption. Here’s the step-by-step instructions:

1. Prepare at least ½ cup of fresh beets (preferably fermented, to combat candida). Be sure to consume the entire vegetable–not just the juice–since it will travel through your body very quickly.
2. Make note of the specific day and time of consumption.
3. Observe your stools until you notice the bright red pigment from the beets. Ideally, this should appear around 18 to 24 hours after eating the beets.

Learn more about detoxifying your colon and the benefits of cleansing your digestive system in The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates. Your journey to wellness starts now.

How to Achieve Good Colon Health

It’s never too late to start taking care of your colon and reaping the benefits that your body deserves. Along with diet, exercise and water consumption, colon cleansing can be a great way to flush out toxins and hit the ‘restart’ button on your digestive health.

Using natural herbs and water therapies to soothe your inner ecosystem (including the colon) is an integral part of the Body Ecology system of health and healing.

Want to learn more about the secrets to colon health? Pick up The Body Ecology Diet book today to read Donna’s take on the powerful balance between your gut and digestive system to produce a longer, healthier, happier life.

Heal your gut; and heal your whole body!