While the liver and kidneys are your primary detox organs, the colon takes on a secondary detox function through elimination.

Hippocrates said more than 2000 years ago that

“all disease begins in the gut”.

Today the research is showing that your overall health, from immunity, to brain health, to metabolism, does actually depend heavily on the diversity of your gut’s microbiome.

Your intestines (aka your gut, or GI tract) have several systems in place to weed out toxins.

WHAT IS THE GI TRACT ?

The  GI tract is about 7m long, consisting of the small intestine and the colon.

The small intestine takes care of most of the absorption of food nutrients(around 90%), once digested from the stomach.

Once the nutrients have been absorbed, the liquid left over passes through the small intestine and goes to the large intestine, or the colon.

The Colon absorbs the water and the remaining nutrients  (amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, sugars, minerals, etc.) from the ingested food and excretes the toxins & waste materials through faecal matter. 

If the toxins remain trapped in the colon,  they get reabsorbed into the bloodstream and are directed back to the liver.  Malfunctioning GI tract is one of the most common causes of liver overload.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF IT’S WORKING WELL ?

Having trouble going to the bathroom more than a few times a week, or going too many times per day, is considered by most experts to be a sign of abnormal bowel movements.

A well-functioning intestine empties 1-3 times a day. 

If the bowels only empty once every 2 days, this is called constipation and is one of the root causes of disease .

Optimum colon health results in optimum overall health, better skin, a positive mind and an enhanced immune system.

When you do go to the bathroom, it’s ideal to have a poop that is all connected in one long, smooth “S” shape. Poops like this develop when you’re eating enough fiber and drinking plenty of water or other hydrating liquids which lubricates your bowels.

A smooth poop, however, that is thin or broken up into a few smaller poops is not something to be concerned about according to digestive experts, as long as this is “normal” for you and does not cause you any discomfort.

In terms of colour, a normal poop colour should be a medium to dark brown. Sometimes you may have green poop if you consume green foods, such as lots of leafy green vegetables, and this is normal.

Take a look at this chart to see how well your GI tract is working.

Love and light ✨
 
Dejana

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