There is a reason why bowel health isn’t often mentioned in “polite” company — it’s an unpleasant topic. But whenever you feel too embarrassed to discuss bowel habits, remember this. You won’t die of embarrassment, but you could die of bowel cancer.
Your bowel is responsible for digestion of the food that provides the energy for your body’s functioning. It begins at your mouth and ends at the rectum — with the stomach, small and large intestines, and colon in between.
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Indigestion is the most common complaint and is usually related to your diet. An antacid or acid-reducing drug such as ranitidine will provide relief. If your symptoms continue, a good idea is to keep a food diary so that you may be able to pinpoint the offending foods and avoid them.
When indigestion is prolonged, checking with your doctor will help identify other causes such as a hiatus hernia.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) involves the small intestine and affects about 10 per cent of Canadians. People younger than 50 years of age are more commonly affected, and the symptoms range from constipation, diarrhea and bloating to stress and depression about the disease’s impact on lifestyle.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), on the other hand, usually involves the large intestine and colon, with ulcerative colitis affecting the colon and Crohn’s disease having the potential to affect any part of the intestine. Fewer Canadians, (about 0.01 per cent) are affected by IBD, and older as well as young people are at risk. Obviously, inflammation is the difference here, and anti-inflammatory drugs are treatments of choice.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death due to cancer in Canada, and about 22,000 Canadians are affected each year. The risk factors include older age, a family history, a personal history of polyps (enign bowel growths) and IBD.
Even if you know your history, however, you may dismiss the symptoms because they are very non-specific, such as diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, an unexplained weight loss and bloody stools.
Early detection of colorectal cancer is ideal because treatment can be started immediately and recovery is excellent. A fecal occult blood test looks for small and invisible (i.e. “occult”) quantities of blood in your stool which are the first signs of a cancerous growth in the colon.
Yes, the test is unpleasant, but it is recommended as the initial screening for people 50 years and older. Remember to follow the directions completely, including the dietary restrictions, because you do not want to repeat the test!
A colonoscopy uses fibre optics to look at the bowel surfaces. By contrast, an endoscopy which also uses fibre optics looks at esophageal and stomach surfaces. One or both procedures may be recommended in order to more thoroughly evaluate your bowel health. Preparation for the procedures is important in that a bowel cleansing regime is needed to avoid having food or debris block the view of bowel surfaces.
Ideally, you want to take care of your bowel in order avoid these problems and procedures. A diet high in fibre (i. e. lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and low in processed foods, along with a good fluid intake will help you maintain a healthy bowel.
Canada’s Food Guide is a good place to start. Choose brilliantly coloured fruits and dark leafy vegetables. Calcium, folic acid, and vitamin D seem to improve bowel health, so make sure your diet has good sources of these.
Of course, it also helps to take steps to improve your overall health. Lose weight if you are overweight, maintain an active lifestyle, keep conditions like diabetes under good control, stop smoking if you smoke, and do not overindulge in alcohol.
However, being aware of any changes in your normal bowel habits is your number one preventative measure, because early detection improves outcomes. And remember, normal bowel habits range from three bowel movements a day to one every three days without continued diarrhea, constipation, or blood stools.
Yes, it’s an unpleasant topic, but aim for a healthy bowel.
Marie Berry is a lawyer/pharmacist interested in health care and education.
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How’s your cholesterol knowledge? Did you know that all of us, including people who have no family history of high cholesterol levels, need to have our cholesterol levels checked from time to time. Next issue, we’ll take a look at the various types of cholesterol and how cholesterol can affect your health
