Colon and rectal disorders are much more common in America than in Africa or Asia, due to the difference in diets. For example, in parts of Africa, the diet contains seven times more fiber than that of the average Western diet. The colon works best when moderately full, and dietary fiber fills this requirement. Fiber provides no nutrients to the body, but it does promote good health because it is very absorbent. Fiber can absorb many times its weight in water.
Insufficient roughage leads to constipation and diarrhea.
These conditions can also be caused by nervous stress. Intestinal problems common to Western culture may be helped by the addition of fiber to the diet. High-fiber foods include bran, prunes, psyllium seed or hulls and other mucilaginous herbs. Study more about fiber . Another factor in colon health is maintaining a good supply of the beneficial bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, which performs a number of beneficial tasks in the colon.