The colon or large intestine is located at the end of the digestive tract, this muscular tube is responsible for extracting food, water and mineral nutrients, before they are disposed of by the body. Its length is 1.5m; Another of its functions is to take digested food from the small intestine and transform it into feces and then be excreted.
The consumption of fiber is very important for the colon as it allows it to retain water in it; in this way the water is used to soften the stool, allowing the muscles to move them towards the rectum with ease. It is important to note that food generally spends more time in the colon than in other part of the digestive tract, of course this will depend on the person's body and the food they eat.
The colon is divided into:
Ascending colon: it is located between the cecum and the hepatic flexure, its length is about 25 cm long.
Transverse Colon: It is located from the abdomen on the right side to the left side. These two ends make up two flexures called the right colic flexure and the left colic flexure.
Descending colon: located on the left side, between the transverse and sigmoid, it is responsible for the storage of food that is then expelled through the rectum.
Sigmoid colon: it is called "sigmoid" because of its appearance, similar to an "s". It is attached to the rectum.
Among the most common diseases that can affect the colon are:
Colitis: is the inflammation of the colon, this can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Its main symptoms are: diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss.
Colon cancer: this type of cancer originates because the colon membrane located within an existing polyp develops from various causes, until it becomes a malignant tumor. These malignant cells are generally located in the middle and longest part of the colon. Its symptoms include: diarrhea (which can sometimes be bloody), abdominal discomfort, weight loss, fatigue.
Irritable bowel is also another condition that affects many people, this occurs when the stomach becomes inflamed, causing the person to not be able to digest food well. The main cause of irritable bowel is poor diet and not eating at the usual time. Its symptoms include: severe abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea and general malaise.
