Healthy Colon with Good Digestion and Fiber

Lenora Jean Black              Parkmanor School
                               7037 South Rhodes Avenue
                               Chicago IL 60637
                               (312) 535-3070   

Objective:

This mini-teach lesson is designed for the 6th grade.  Students will be 
introduced to the colon and the relationship it has with the body.  Students 
will learn the process of digestion, the process of the colon, and why fiber is 
necessary for a healthy diet and a healthy colon.  

Materials: 

Activity one, Movement of Fiber:

2 long tubes, 1 cup of water, 1 empty cup, a small bag of high fiber raisin bran 
cereal or honey nut toasted oats.  Students will work in pairs.   

Activity two, Building a Colon:

1 wood stand, 6 or more flexible straws, 1 roll of masking tape.  Students will 
work individually. 

Activity three, Coloring the Colon:

Coloring sheet of the digestive system (As in The Anatomy Coloring Book), 
crayons and markers, sheet with the directions.  Students will work 
individually. 

Activity four, Making a Menu:

Menu sheet will present food listed for 5 days and to be served 3 times a day.  
The menu should state the calories for each food presented.  Fat intake is 
optional.  Students will work individually. 

Strategies:

Activity one, Movement of Fiber:

Each pair of students will take one tube and place the cereal down the tube.
Students will then use a liquid to push the cereal down the tube.  The tube is 
the colon and the cereal is the fiber.  The students will observe how fiber  
moves through the colon. 

Activity two, Building the Colon:

Students will take the straws and join them at the ends.  Students will then 
tape the straws and curve them into a circle, leaving the ends free.  Finally, 
students will label their colon and intestines. 

Activity three, Coloring the Colon:

Students will be presented with a coloring sheet followed by directions. 
Students are to read the directions and complete the assignment. 

Activity  four, Making a Menu:

Students will construct a menu for 15 meals (3 meals a day, for 5 days).  
Students will be presented with a list of foods, their calories and fiber 
content.  They must consider in the menu a healthful daily intake of fiber.  The 
daily calorie intake for an average-sized man is 2500 calories per day; for the 
average-sized woman is 2000 calories per day.   

Here is a list of high fiber foods:

fiber:               calories:      fiber:                   Calories:
asparagus               23          turnip greens               17
bean sprouts            13          broccoli                    39 (1 spear)
green/giant             16          green/beet                  20
kidney                 105          collard                     14
beets                   27          kale                        21
carrots                 17          mustard                      7
mixed vegetables        39          okra                        25
potato                  55          onions                      27
soy beans               77          sweet potatoes             162
squash, zucchini        33          white potatoes             155
tomato                 110          spinach                      6


Background Information:

The colon is a natural breeding ground for bacteria.  The purpose and function 
of this bacteria is to neutralize, dissipate, avoid and prevent a toxic 
condition from developing in the colon.  However, there are two types of 
bacteria: the  healthy, scavenging type know as bacilli coli; and the pathogenic 
or disease-producing kind.  In a proper, clean, healthy environment the healthy 
scavenging bacteria will control the pathogenic kind.  When too much 
fermentation and putrefaction is generated in the colon (due to neglecting to 
keep it as free from feces and waste as possible), the pathogenic bacteria 
proliferate and ailments result.  Such waste, through a high fiber diet, must be 
expelled from the body, and for this purpose your colon is equipped with a very 
efficient system for elimination, but only if your body is in good working 
order. 

Fiber:

Fiber is an effective vehicle to cleanse your colon.  Fiber carries bile and fat 
out of the body.  Without fiber, much of this fat is reabsorbed and recirculated 
through the body.  By helping cleanse fat and debris from the digestive tract, 
gasses are also reduced, allowing for more optimal absorption of important 
nutrients.  A healthy colon also helps the body better absorb oxygen which is 
important for memory and energy levels. 

Finally, presented below is a list of some of the parts of the body that can be 
affected by a blocked colon: 

lungs and bronchia           gall bladder
heart stomach                thyroid
spleen                       nasal catarrh
pancreas                     sinus
kidneys                      eyes
bladder                      ears
prostate                     liver

Some other diseases:

Obesity, hypercholesterolemia, cardiovascular disease, hay fever, mineral 
deficiency, asthma, Parkinson's disease and certain cancers. 

Performance Assessment:

Students will be able to satisfactorily answer the following questions: 

1. What is the process of digestion?

2. What is the process of a colon?

3. What does "movement" mean in reference to digestion?

4. Name 5 ailments that can be linked to a blocked colon?

5. How many hours does it take for food to pass through the digestive system? 

6. Where does digestion begin?

7. What is fiber and why is it important to the digestive system?

8. What is the body's "sewer system."

Conclusion:

Always consider healthy choices in your lifestyle.