The colon forms part of the large intestine in human body. After food has been consumed and the whole digestion process has occurred, the food not needed is passed through the colon. The colon is also responsible for absorbing any leftover water, salts, and vitamins from food that you’ve eaten and turn it into human waste.
An unhealthy colon can cause serious problems to your health it is important to try and take care of it at all times. Following are five tips by Healthline on ways to keep your colon healthy.
Lower your stress levels – Chronic high levels of stress are hard on your whole body, including your gut. A few ways to lower stress may include meditating, walking, getting a massage, spending time with friends or family, diffusing essential oils, limiting alcohol intake, laughing, practicing yoga and spending time with a pet.
Get enough sleep – not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep may have serious impacts on your gut health, which can in turn contribute to more sleep issues. Try to prioritize getting at least 7–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Your doctor may be able to help if you have trouble sleeping.
Eat slowly – chewing your food thoroughly and eating your meals more slowly may lower your chances of developing obesity and diabetes while also helping you make better food choices. This may help you reduce digestive discomfort and maintain a healthy gut.
Stay hydrated – drinking plenty of water may be linked to increased diversity of bacteria in the gut, though the source of the water also matters. One 2022 study also found that people who drank more water had less of a type of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections. Staying hydrated benefits your health overall and can help prevent constipation. It may also be a simple way to promote a healthy gut.
Take a prebiotic or probiotic – while research is ongoing, adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet may help improve your gut health. Prebiotics provide “food” meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are live good bacteria. People who have a severe illness or weakened immune system should not take probiotics. Also, not all probiotic supplements are high quality or beneficial for your health.
It’s best to speak with a healthcare professional when choosing a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to help improve your health. You can shop for a probiotic or prebiotic supplement online.
Also see: Best probiotics for bloating and gas
