The team began by giving volunteers two grams of either ginger root or a placebo for a period of 28 days. After the test period, scientists measured blood samples for indicators of colon inflammation.

Participants who took ginger root extract experienced a 4 to 6 percent decrease in their levels of inflammation-related bloodborne molecules. Researchers concluded that when taken in appropriate doses, the root may be beneficial for colon health.

"On the basis of these results, it seems that ginger has the potential to decrease [inflammation]," the team wrote. "Ginger also seemed to be tolerable and safe."

Prior studies have shown that ginger root extract may also prevent nausea caused by motion sickness, pregnancy or certain pharmaceuticals, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Taking dietary supplements containing ginger may also contribute to better joint health, although research on this subject is ongoing, the source adds.

Published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the report found that people who eat veggies of the brassica, or mustard plant, group – such as broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts – displayed a reduced tendency to develop proximal colon disease.

Likewise, the general consumption of more fresh fruits and vegetables was linked to a lower risk of distal colon disease, researchers said. While the mechanisms behind this phenomenon are unclear, the study confirms countless prior investigations into the benefits for colon health of eating fresh produce.

People at risk for colon troubles often make changes in their diet, take vitamin supplements containing fiber or avoid processed foods. For optimal colon health, the Mayo Clinic recommends a produce-heavy diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption and the maintenance of a healthy weight.

Now, researchers are saying that there appears to be a quick fix for improving the benefits of wilted, overdone broccoli florets. A study appearing in the British Journal of Nutrition found that mixing broccoli with spicy additions – namely, mustard, horseradish or wasabi – can improve its health-enhancing properties.

Why these particular condiments? The authors stated that each one contains myrosinase, an enzyme that helps the body draw bioactive compounds from seemingly spent florets of broccoli.

This boost may improve colon health, researchers noted.

"It pays to spice it up for added benefits and find ways to make it appealing so you don't mind eating it if you're not a broccoli fan. I add fresh broccoli sprouts to sandwiches and add them as one of my pizza toppings after the pie is out of the oven," lead author Jenna Cramer said.

If broccoli does not please your palate, you may consider taking a multivitamin to at least get a dose of healthy nutrients.

When you can’t properly empty your bowels, you could experience damage to every cell, gland and organ in your body. Even worse, without regular, daily elimination and colon maintenance, your bloodstream and lymph system may become overloaded, and unable to efficiently detoxify.

According to world-renowned British physician Dennis Burkitt, M.D., African tribesmen experienced a rapid bowel transit time of four to six hours compared to 60 to 90 hours for to people eating a traditional Western diet. Burkitt discovered the tribesman consistently experienced:

• Healthier bowels
• Stronger hearts
• Powerful digestive systems
• Regular elimination

What’s their secret for regular and healthy bowel movements? Fiber. According the American Dietetic Association, most Americans consume only 12 to 17 grams (g) of fiber daily but the recommended amount for women is 25 g and for men is 38 g.

Fiber is either soluble or insoluble, and both promote a whistle-clean colon and digestive system. While insoluble fiber moves bulk through your intestines and pushes out toxins with your waste… soluble fiber helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and boost cardiovascular health.

So how can you boost your fiber intake? Try to increase your consumption of fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, beans and whole grains. Also look for quality supplements containing cascara sagrada, senna leaf extract, black walnut bark and slippery elm bark.

If you continue to experience constipation, diarrhea, bloating, embarrassing gas, heartburn and irritable bowels then the importance of regular, clockwork elimination can be the answer to your painful digestive problems.

According to world-renowned British physician Denis Burkitt, M.D., African tribesmen experienced a rapid bowel transit time of four to six hours compared to 60 to 90 hours for people eating a traditional Western diet. Burkitt discovered the tribesman consistently experienced:

• Healthier bowels
• Stronger hearts
• Powerful digestive systems
• Regular elimination

What’s their secret for regular and healthy bowel movements? Fiber. According to the American Dietetic Association, most Americans consume only 12 to 17 grams (g) of fiber daily although the recommended dose is 75 g.

Fiber is either soluble or insoluble, and both promote a whistle-clean colon and digestive system. While insoluble fiber moves bulk through your intestines and pushes out toxins with your waste, soluble fiber helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and boost cardiovascular health.

So how can you boost your fiber intake? Try to increase your consumption of fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, beans and whole grains. Also look for quality supplements containing cascara sagrada, senna leaf extract, black walnut bark and slippery elm bark.

The scientists analyzed mice that had been infected with H. pylori and who were also diagnosed with Salmonella poisoning. As a result, the subjects experienced the inflammatory bowel disease known as colitis.

The researchers discovered that H. pylori in the stomach altered the immune system's environment of the lower gastrointestinal tract in the mice. In turn, this reduced the severity of inflammation associated with Salmonella-induced colitis.

Peter Higgins, M.D., lead author of the study, said that "this research demonstrates that having H. pylori in your stomach could have beneficial immune effects in other parts of the body."

The researchers indicate that more studies are needed to examine whether or not H. pylori can help in the prevention of inflammatory bowel diseases. Other gut infections, such as cholera may also benefit from the H. pylori infection, according to the scientists.

There are approximately 76 million foodborne illness cases in the United States each year, including Salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Colitis may occur as a result of Salmonella poisoning and experts suggest that individuals who experience this, and similar inflammatory bowel diseases, should maintain a healthy diet to help reduce their symptoms. 

CD is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes damage to the gastrointestinal system, and is commonly treated with medications. However, as individuals are diagnosed with the illness at an older age, they are more likely to need surgery in order to correct related health problems.

In an effort to determine when the likelihood of surgery could increase, a team of researchers monitored patients aged 16 years and under who had been recently diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). During the trial, the team observed the use of CD-related surgery, and its effectiveness when conducted on patients within 30 days of their diagnoses.

The investigators found that while gender, race and family history didn’t affect surgical risk, IBD patients aged 13 to 16 years were more likely to need surgery. Also, the results of the study showed that the severity of the disease was determined by the patient’s age, resulting in an increased need for surgery.

Of the 169,000 Americans who were hospitalized with inflammatory bowel disease in 2002, approximately 62 percent of these patients were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, according to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC).

Patients who get tested for this disease often undergo a colonoscopy, a diagnostic method that can find the earliest signs of colon cancer. If polyps are found during the screening, doctors can also remove them and help patients avoid an additional procedure.

However, some insurance companies may be able to apply costs to this preventative service if polyps are discovered and removed. If these plans don't cover expenses associated with a colonoscopy procedure, health experts fear that less people will get screened for colon cancer and the mortality rate will increase.

M. Brian Fennerty, president of the ASGE, stated that "we call upon health plans and insurers to fully eliminate the cost burden of colonoscopy colorectal cancer screening by waiving cost-sharing for the screening portion of colonoscopies in the event that they turn therapeutic and a polyp is removed."

In 2009, an estimated 106,100 new cases of colon cancer were diagnosed in the United States, which included approximately 54,090 women and 52,010 men, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reports. 

During a recent study, researchers collected health information from more than 55,400 people aged 50 to 64 over the course of 10 years. None of the participants had ever been diagnosed with any form of cancer.

After a series of follow-ups, a total of 678 people had developed colorectal cancer. The researchers found that if these individuals had monitored the five areas of their health that 13 percent of these cases could have been prevented.

The researchers concluded that these findings reveal "the useful public health message that even modest differences in lifestyle might have a substantial impact on colorectal cancer risk and emphasises the importance of continuing vigorous efforts to convince people to follow the lifestyle recommendations."

Last year, approximately 106,100 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with colon cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

This is because patients who suffer from this disease are at an increased risk of adenomas, or polyps that tend to develop rapidly and can lead to prostate cancer.

During a recent study, researchers conducted colonoscopy procedures on a total of 2,011 men, and examined each individual's medical records for history of polyps or cancer. Of the group, 188 men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and the remaining served as a control group.

The team discovered that adenomas and abnormal polyp growth were prominently found among cancer patients.

In fact, 48 percent of the prostate cancer group had adenomas, while approximately 31 percent of the control group had similar growths. Furthermore, about 16 percent of the cancer group had been diagnosed with advanced adenomas compared to 10 percent of the healthy patients.

The team concluded that upcoming research should focus on whether prostate cancer patients aged 50 years and older could benefit from undergoing earlier colonoscopy procedures.

In 2006, cancer was the second leading cause of death among men in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.