Before talking about colopathy itself, let's examine the organ of the belly affected by this disease and its role in digestion, namely the colon.
The colon
The colon, commonly called "large intestine", corresponds to the part of the digestive tract located between the small intestine and the rectum. It is a part of the digestive system which measures on average 1.5 meters long and 4 cm in diameter.
The main role of the colon is to store the waste products of digestion, to collect the remaining water in the chyme (digested food) and to absorb certain vitamins such as vitamin K.
The colon contains dietary fibers and mineral salts which will serve as food for the good intestinal bacteria (the intestinal flora), which in turn reject nutrients which are used by the cells of the colon. It is therefore a symbiosis between the colon and the good bacteria that participate in the final phase of digestion.
This whole process results in the transformation of the residues of digestion into feces which are evacuated by the rectum and the anus during the stool.
Colopathy: description of the disease
Colopathies represent all the diseases that can affect the colon, with the exception of tumors and cancer.
The case that interests us here is functional colopathy, also called spastic colopathy, irritable bowel syndrome or irritable bowel syndrome.
Colopathy is manifested by the chronic occurrence of digestive symptoms listed below:
abdominal pain
bloating
diarrhea
constipation
anorexia (loss of appetite)
nausea or regurgitation
slow digestion
early satiety
headache
There may be other symptoms that are not necessarily listed here, such as pain that travels throughout the body.
It is a very common condition (it is estimated that 10 to 20% of the world's population is affected), but most people who suffer from it do not know it because it is a relatively unknown disease. Colopathy affects women more than men.
In a case of colopathy, the shape of the digestive tract is normal; the colon shows no visible lesion. Rather, it is its operation that is problematic. This is the reason why the disease cannot be detected during an abdominal ultrasound. The disease thus goes unnoticed and becomes chronic.
The medical examination to detect colopathy is colonoscopy. This consists of inserting a probe into the anus and advancing it into the large intestine to visualize the internal walls.
The causes of colopathy
Although the precise causes of colopathy are not well known by modern medicine, our research has allowed us to identify 3 types of causes:
a) Organic causes
The disease can be triggered by an infection, for example food poisoning (gastroenteritis) or the presence of bad bacteria in the belly. This then causes an imbalance in the intestinal flora which will last over time and maintain symptoms.
As a reminder, the intestinal flora is composed of good and bad bacteria. During a dysbiosis (imbalance of the bacterial ecosystem of the intestine), the bad bacteria are then in greater quantity than the good ones.
b) Dietary causes
In addition to organic causes, there are also dietary causes. Over time, excesses and an unhealthy lifestyle most often due to the industrialization of society, the digestive system supports certain foods less well.
This is often the case with sugar or processed foods. But it could simply be an intolerance to lactose contained in dairy products, which becomes more important with age.
Raw vegetables can also sometimes attack the intestines, which can cause certain symptoms.
c) Psychological causes
Alongside the organic and/or dietary causes, there is also a strong psychological factor. Even if it does not do everything, it is quite often the trigger. This means that in times of fatigue, stress, anxiety or overwork, functional colopathy is more likely to appear than during holidays by the sea (so to speak).
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Now that you have a good understanding of the disease, in tomorrow's newsletter we will reveal tips for preventing colopathy. For people already suffering from the disease, you will find valuable tips and natural remedies to calm the symptoms.
If you suffer from colopathy or chronic gastric disorders, click on the button below to buy our API certified natural treatment.
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