Bacteria in your colon are referred to by many different names - probiotics, good or bad bacteria, beneficial bacteria, micro flora, proflora, friendly flora, and unfriendly bacteria.
It refer to all the bacteria that exist in the small intestine and your colon.
Your colon has both good and bad bacteria.
The good bacteria maintain the health of your colon by keeping the bad bacteria from multiplying and reducing constipation.
Most people have bad bacteria as the dominant condition in their colon.
You can see this by the illnesses that exist throughout the world.
Most people later in their life suffer from diseases that resulted from colon neglect and abuse.
Bad bacteria multiples when you,
* Consume poisons such as pollution, pesticides, food additives such as preservatives, coloring, so on.
* Drink alcohol
* Eat processed foods
* Have excess anxiety
* Lack fiber in your diet
* Use drugs and medication
Good bacteria in your colon consists of hundred of species of bacteria.
The good bacteria are most active in a pH of 5.9 to 6.9- an acidic environment. This makes for a healthy colon.
Your colon serves as a home for the good bacteria, which ferment specific carbohydrates, which in turn keep your colon environment slightly acidic.
The acid environment favors the good bacteria and keeps the bad bacteria and pathogens from multiplying.
The bad bacteria create an alkaline environment and are most active in a pH of 7.1 to 7.9
Again, the good bacteria creates an acidic environment and are most active in a pH of 5.9 to 6.9
Acidophilus and Bifidus are the main good bacteria that exist in your colon.
The ascending colon, on the right side of your abdomen area, has the most bacteria.
The quantity of bacteria becomes less in the transverse colon and lesser in the descending colon. Eventually, little bacteria is found in the sigmoid and rectum.
When good beneficial bacteria is dominant, in your colon, it prevents the spread of disease from various organisms - parasites, bacteria, viruses, fungi.
The good bacteria keep these organisms in the minority, thus preventing them from multiplying, getting into the blood, and into the different body organs.
They do this by their antibiotic like secretions, lactic acid production, and other secretions, which keep their environment acidic.
The good bacteria live and thrive on carbohydrates. When your body has good digestion and little carbohydrates reach your colon, the good bacteria population decreases and the bad bacteria become dominant.
In a healthy colon, there are literally billions of beneficial or "friendly" bacteria.
Under favorable conditions, they multiply at a fast enough rate to keep pace with the large numbers that are lost during elimination.
Bacteria is also referred to as micro-organisms.
When they are located in the intestinal tract, they are referred to as "intestinal flora," "micro-flora", "good bacteria", "friendly/beneficial bacteria" or sometimes just "flora."
These friendly bacteria synthesize many important vitamins in the digestive tract including Vitamin K and some of the B vitamins.
A very important function they perform is helping the colon maintain a proper pH or acid-base balance.
It is necessary for the pH to stay in the correct range in order for other health supporting bacteria to exist. It is also important to keep levels of antagonistic micro-organisms under control.
***Colon is an important organ in the digestive system.
15 things that researchers have said cause colon cancer or contribute to its development.
1. Age
Age is the number one risk factor for colon cancer. Does that mean that age causes colon cancer? Not directly. It's just that by age age 50, one in four people has polyps.
2. Alcohol
Research has indicated that alcohol increases colorectal cancer risk.
3. Diabetes
In general, diabetics are up to 40% more likely to develop colon cancer than people who don't have diabetes.
4. Diet
Diets high in fat and cholesterol (especially from animal sources) have been found to cause colon cancer. Low-fiber diets have also been associated with increased risk, but the research isn't as clear
5. Environment
Research has shown that environment can play a big part in colon cancer development. Where you live, who's around you, your occupation, and even when you work may all influence your risk of developing colon cancer.
6. Ethnicity, Race, and Social Status
Does colorectal cancer afflict everyone equally or are some groups of people more likely to be diagnosed than others? The reasons are varied, but some groups get colorectal cancer more often than others. Ethnicity, race, and social status all play a part.
7. Family Medical History
Most colon cancer occurs in people with no family history of the disease. But, colon cancer can run in the family. Whether you're at increased risk depends on which family member was diagnosed and at what age.
8. Gender
You may have heard that men are more likely to get colorectal cancer than women. You may have heard it the other way around, too. Both statements can be true depending on the context.
9. Genetics
Researchers estimate that about 25% of colon cancer cases have some sort of genetic link.
10. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease, often characterized by conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Chron's disease, increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. In general, the longer a person has had inflammatory bowel disease, the greater his or her chance of developing colorectal cancer.
11. Lack of Exercise
There's no denying that exercise is good for you. Research has shown that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to colon cancer development.
12. Obesity
Nobody likes to have the word obese thrown at them. But, obesity is a medical term that indicates someone exceeds their recommended weight, one step beyond simply being overweight. And the answer to the question is yes, obesity does increase colon cancer risk.
13. Personal Medical History
Your personal medical history can significantly impact your chances of developing colorectal cancer. A medical history that includes polyps, bowel inflammation, or certain cancers is particularly relevant.
14. Polyps
Virtually all colon cancer develops from adenomatous polyps in the colon, generally referred to simply as colon polyps. A personal or family history of polyps puts you at higher risk for colon cancer.
15. Smoking
Long-term cigarette smoking causes colon cancer for two main reasons. First, inhaled or swallowed tobacco smoke transports carcinogens to the colon. Second, tobacco use appears to increase polyp size.
**Notes are extracted.
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