By: Al Valente

O.K. now that you’re 50 years or perhaps older, it’s time to have a procedure that nobody like to have…the dreaded colonoscopy. It involves swallowing your pride and allowing strangers to peer into your most private body part. But the procedure has actually become more humane in the last decade… and it most definitely can save your life.

News Anchor, Katie Couric lost her husband, Jay Monahan, to colorectal cancer in 1998. In her efforts to create public awareness about the disease she actually underwent a colonoscopy live on national TV. As Ms. Couric says, “A colonoscopy may not be on the top of your to-do list, but it is a lot more fun than being diagnosed with cancer”.

Unfortunately, colorectal cancer is a stealthy and insidious disease, when it advances, oftentimes totally unknown to the patient, it can be a hard battle to fight. Contrastly, if potential problem areas are detected and treated early, colorectal cancer risk can be virtually eliminated. So, dread it and do it anyway.

Advances in the procedure continue to move forward. As little as 15 years ago, one had to consume a gallon of horrible tasting fluid that tasted like sea water to cleanse the bowel, a tortuous task that could that could feel at home at Abu Ghraib . Today, with so many boomers having the procedure performed, colonoscopies and its precursor cleansing are far more humane and your dignity is far more preserved.

The Incredible Feeling of Emotional Relief When It’s Finally Done

When it comes to your health, ignorance is definitely not bliss. A time bomb can be ticking away in your bowel; it’s best to know if there is and to have the bomb diffused.

Conversely, what you absolutely do not know for certain, can be cause for needless worry. We often hear about the prevalence of colorectal cancer and its morbidity rate and secretly worry we may have it. But, we tend to play ostrich, and merely hope that we don’t have it.

A colonoscopy will unequivocally yield that answer within a week should a biopsy be taken.

When you get that clean bill of health, you have an incredible feeling of relief. It’s similar to the feeling you get when you have all those moles on your body, and you know you did too much sunbathing as a teenager, and suddenly your dermatologist tells you they’re all benign.

The really great news is that the early stage polyps are slow to turn malignant, sometimes they take as long as 10 years. So, when you get that clean bill of health from your doctor, you usually have a 10 year pass before your next procedure.

Colorectal Cancer – It’s Serious

Colorectal cancer is not to be taken lightly. It does not discriminate, except perhaps for age. It affects both men and women of all races. It is most prevalent in people over 50 years of age, which is why screenings should commence at that age.

According to the CDC, it is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S. In 2005, 37% of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer died from it.

But the good news is, if treated early, it can be virtually eliminated before it occurs by removing polyps which could potentially turn cancerous.

Economics of Colonoscopies

Colonoscopies are not cheap. They are generally performed in a hospital. Even though it’s done on an outpatient basis, there is a prep nurse, a doctor that performs the procedure, the staff of nurses assisting her or him, and all those computers and probes.

If you had to pay for the whole thing yourself it could run between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on the medical clinic and location. That’s a tough expense to cough up for a test that most likely will come up negative.

If you do have health insurance, the co-pay can range anywhere from $200 to $500 depending upon your insurer. Again, most likely you’ll get a clean bill of health and you can spread that $500 over 10 years until your next procedure. That’s only $50 a year for a lot of peace of mind.

Alternative Routines

You can discuss other alternative testing procedures with your doctor. The costs will vary. Although a colonoscopy is most favored since they are both diagnosing and removing potentially hazardous polyps. Ff some of these other tests are performed, a colonoscopy may also have to be performed anyway. Here are some alternative measures:

Sigmoid Screening

Think of this a colonoscopy in miniature. A scope is still inserted but only views the lower 1/3 of the colon where generally most problems occur. This is still invasive but scaled down version.

X-Ray

In this procedure, a barium enema is performed and X-rays are taken. The doctor can view the health of your colon from the outside. Polyps and other problem areas can be identified. But, obviously if polyps are found another invasive procedure needs to be performed to remove them.

Cat Scan

This a virtual colonoscopy where 3-D imagery gives your doctor a picture of what’s happening on the inside. Similar to the X-ray, if you’re clean, you’re done, if not, another procedure needs to be performed.

DNA test

Exact Sciences, a Madison Wisconsin company, has developed a non-invasive laboratory-developed stool-based DNA testing service for the detection of colorectal cancer in the average-risk population. The big plus is that it is non-invasive, the downside is that there is no removal of polyps should they be found.

The Day of your Colonoscopy, What You Can Expect

Since a colonoscopy is a visual examination the large intestine which is usually busy doing its job and processing waste, the waste has to be totally removed. A colonoscopy thus requires a clean colon, one that’s totally devoid of stool.

The first thing that has to happen is your food intake is stopped, usually about 36 hours before your procedure.

The Last Supper

Typically, you will have your last supper, your last intake of solid food, the night before your all day fast and cleansing. Obviously, the less food in your system, the less has to be expelled.

Will you be irritable? Maybe, but, you are allowed certain clear liquids.

Many patients find that chicken bullion and ginger ale helps to keep you functioning the first 2/3’s of your fasting day until the cleansing treatment begins. You won’t feel like running a marathon, but you can be surprisingly functional.

It’s often a good time to reflect on how fortunate we are to live in a period and a country of abundant food (too much so given our level of obesity).

You’ll Sleep Through the Whole Experience

The actual colonoscopy procedure is a cake walk because you’re going to sleep through the whole thing. The day of fasting an cleansing that takes place the day before is the hard part.

You’ll have to strip down and put on a Johnny, a nurse will prep you and insert an IV along with a blood pressure cuff and pulse reader.

Then you just lie back and wait to get wheeled off to the procedure room.

For your part, sometime shortly after arriving at the procedure room the nurse will inject a sedative into your IV, and puff, you’re fast asleep. In rare instances, in cases of allergies or other reactions, an anesthesiologist may be on hand to administer special sedatives. And before you know it, you’ll wake up in the recovery room not believing it could be over.

The colonoscope has a tiny camera on the end that will transmit images to a computer screen. Your doctor will actually use a computer screen with the images she or he is looking at. Image of problem areas can be printed off for future reference. They will document any polyps that had to be removed, etc.

While the doctor is in there, he or she will remove any polyps found. The end of the colonoscope has a sort of loop that they can place around the polyp and snip it off and cauterize it to prevent bleeding.

You’re Done

That’s it. You will wake up, and you’ll be good to go for another 10 years. Your doctor may even give you photo prints of your insides, kind of like a star on the forehead.

So, what are you waiting for, discuss having the procedure done with your doctor today.

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Buzz On Fiber

Fiber is a carbohydrate that is not absorbed into the body. It flushes toxins which build up in your colon and contribute to a number of diseases. It’s like a scrub brush that cleans your colon. Toxins from your colon can be released into your blood stream, which circulates throughout your entire body! Fiber also balances absorption of calories and cholesterol and increases the rate of weight loss. Plus, fiber fills you up so you eat less empty calories.

Fiber comes from plant sources and is found in two different forms. Soluble fiber is found in foods oats, beans, peas, apples, and oranges. It becomes a gel when mixed with liquid in the body and is essential to lowering cholesterol and regulating blood sugar. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, green beans, cauliflower and fruit skins. It remains solid when mixed with liquid, and flushes waste from the intestines, as well as balancing the pH in the intestine.

If you are doing all the right things, and still not loosing weight, there is a very high chance that doing an annual colon cleanse will get you over the final hurdle toward loosing weight! Don’t worry, this is not an enema. It’s a combination of fiber and cleansing herbs you take twice a day for two weeks. You can find a convenient colon cleanse package, complete with instructions, at any health food store.

After you do some “housecleaning” on your body, maintain it by increasing the fiber in your daily diet. It is recommended that individuals consume 6-7 servings of fiber each day, which is 20-35 grams of fiber (in the ratio of 75:25 insoluble to soluble fiber.) Sources of fiber include:

• Whole grain cereal, cereal bars or oatmeal
• Whole grain breads, tortillas and baked goods
• Beans and legumes
• Nuts & seeds
• Fresh or dried fruit (try to replace juice with whole fruit)
• Fresh or steamed vegetables
• Fiber supplements (such as Metamucil and Benefiber) taken with plenty of water!

Convenient ways to add fiber into your daily routine:

• Cereal is a quick and inviting breakfast choice that requires no cooking. Cereal manufacturers are catching on to the benefits of fiber and incorporating fiber in their products. Kashi is an excellent brand of products that contain fiber and other wholesome ingredients. They have 17 cereal choices that are all high in fiber!

• Cereal bars can be a quick and convenient way to add fiber, but beware of the ingredients and avoid corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Try a few varieties, as there is a lot of different flavors and textures to choose from. Kashi and Bear Naked are some of my favorite brands, because they are high in fiber, use the best ingredients, and most importantly, they taste surprisingly good!

• Cookies and crackers are not usually considered healthy, but if you find a brand that uses all natural ingredients, are high in fiber and low in sugar, you will be doing yourself a favor to include some (not a lot) into your diet. Again, Kashi is one of my favorite brands of cookies and crackers, for using the best ingredients, and having the best flavor. One of their newest product is Kashi’s Heart to Heart Whole Grain Crackers, which are made with plant sterols and six natural antioxidants and Bear Naked Peak Flax Oats and Honey with blueberries, complete with 18g whole grains and 320mg of Omega 3s.

• While natural fiber is the healthiest choice, fiber supplements can be used to jumpstart your new fiber rich routine. Take fiber supplements with each meal to balance absorption of calories. Two brands I use are Benefiber, which you add to your hot or cold drinks, and Metamucil, which you take with plenty of water!

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Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-12037-SF-Weight-Loss-Examiner~y2009m10d28-The-buzz-on-fiber

Colon Cleanse

First lets look at why we might want to detox our bodies. The human body can sometimes store excess waste and toxins. While rare, there are recorded cases of people with 20 pounds of excess waste. Even a small amount of waste can make a person feel bloated and sluggish. Your doctor might suggest that you use a special procedure for cleaning out the waste.

A colon cleanse targets only your colon thereby allowing you to remove this extra weight from your digestive track. There are different options for administering a colon cleanse that range from a salt water flush to pills and special drinks. Your daily routine is important to consider when doing a colon cleanse. The different variations will work differently but for the most part you can expect to see progress in 1-2 hours from a salt flush or one of the more costly drinks. Pills can take 7-30 days. It is best to use the faster acting treatments when you can be home.

There are other great benefits of doing a clean out. A total body detox can help clear up your complexion, give you more energy, and generally make you feel better. Again with this method there are several options. For the most part they are inexpensive. Check with your doctor. He/she might suggest a water fasting or even a juice fasting body detox. There is also a Master Cleanse which entails cayenne pepper, grade b maple syrup, natural salt, and fresh lemons making it the more expensive choice.

Some forms of colon cleanse and/or body detox require a prescription from your doctor. Others are available over-the-counter. You can find very good products at GNC and health food stores everywhere. Read package directions carefully to be sure you are administering your colon cleanse or body detox correctly. If you have questions, you can contact the store where you purchased your colon cleanse/body detox or phone your family physician.

Whatever the reason for cleaning out, it can produce very invigorating results. Whether it is shedding excess waste or trying to get your bowels regulated, choosing between colon cleanse and body detox does not have to be frightening or confusing. Almost anyone can reap the benefits of these cleaning procedures.

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Source of Article: http://mediachannel.org/intangibletangerine/2009/10/19/epson-salt-colon-cleanse/