The friendly bacteria that live inside our colon and participate in the digestion of food are fond of plant fibers which are their main food.

The ideal is to eat a little at each meal, "especially fructans, because they are not digested in the upper intestine," says Dr. Didier Chos, president of the European Institute of Dietetics and micronutrition (MEI). These prebiotic fibers reach intact to the colon and help the good bacteria to proliferate.

Artichokes, asparagus, bananas ... The allies of the microbiota

It is found in large quantities in Jerusalem artichokes, artichokes, asparagus, bananas or salsify. The lactofermented foods (sauerkraut, Japanese miso, kefirs, pickles ...) are also preferred, insofar as they are full of lactic acid bacteria that help maintain the diversity of the intestinal flora.

Otherwise, you can consume probiotics in the form of food supplements (capsule or stick). To bet on good products, opt for brands that guarantee a contribution of at least 10 billion bacteria per dose.

The detox of the colon to say stop to inflammations

If too much waste stagnates in the colon, its walls end up being irritated and digestive disorders appear.

To avoid it, we run away from industrial foods that are riddled with additives . Many contain emulsifiers to enhance the creamy texture of products. The reverse of the medal: they disrupt the layer of mucus that protects the digestive wall, according to a study published in 2015 in the journal Nature. Hence increased risks of inflammation and irritable bowel syndrome.

To clean our colon, we prefer fresh homemade dishes. Or we also put on psyllium, a seed whose mucilage lubricates the lining of the intestine, and chlorella, a microscopic algae that captures toxic heavy metals such as mercury. They can be found in organic shops or in pharmacy capsules (Colonpure).

And colon hydrotherapy? This enema very popular is disputed by many doctors because it can damage the mucous membranes and impoverish the intestinal flora. To banish so.

The sedentary lifestyle, the enemy of the colon

The prolonged sitting position imposed by office work, transport and TV nights is to be avoided.

It promotes not only obesity but also colon cancer , according to German researchers at the University of Regensburg. After analyzing 43 studies conducted on the subject, and involving more than 4 million participants, they estimate the increased risk of 8% when one regularly stays buttocks riveted on a chair more than 2 hours in a row.

The best prevention: get up as soon as possible to take a few steps. And avoid spending all his weekends collapsed on his couch.