Learning About Your Body – Why We Have an Appendix

The ‘Useless’ Appendix and Its Amazing Role

In a general sense, those parts of the immune system and the lymphatic system that are located in the intestinal tract help to detoxify anything harmful that may come along with the food you eat. Through highly sophisticated processes, these systems are able to separate useful nutrients from unusable waste matter. Some potentially harmful waste products or natural food toxins such as plant-antibodies enter the lymphatic ducts for detoxification and elimination. Most of the nutrient elements are passed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream, which carries them to the liver for further processing, distribution and cell metabolism. Other more specific nutrients, though, can only be absorbed through the walls of the large intestine. These nutrients are meant for nourishing and maintaining the nervous system. Any nutrients, minerals, water and waste products that are not removed by the small intestines now enter the ascending colon, just above the appendix.

In traditional Indian and Chinese medicine, the appendix is known to play a vitally important role. It breeds large quantities of friendly, probiotic bacteria and supplies them to the colon and other parts of the gut in order to neutralize any harmful substances. The strategic location of the appendix allows these useful microorganisms to blend with the fluid fecal matter as it begins its passage through the large intestine. More than 400 strands of beneficial bacteria live in the human gastrointestinal tract. By attaching themselves to the lining of the gut, they can elbow out potentially troublesome bacteria, such as Candida Albicans. Balanced populations of the friendly, probiotic bacteria in the gut effectively prevent vaginal and urinary tract infections. They also discourage tumors, particularly cancerous growths in the colon, either by emitting protective chemicals or by inhibiting the production of compounds that nurture cancers. A diminished population of probiotic bacteria, as caused for example by antibiotics, alcohol or junk foods exposes the gastrointestinal lining numerous toxins. This leads to an overstimulated immune system and, thereby, causes asthma, allergies and eczema.

Until very recently, doctors believed that the appendix has no real use or function. In 2005, 321,000 Americans were hospitalized with appendicitis. Removal of the appendix is one of the most commonly performed surgeries. Now, researchers comprised of surgeons and immunologists at Duke University Medical School say the appendix is there to protect the gut, which is not a small job by any means. This worm-shaped organ outgrowth acts like a bacteria factory, cultivating good germs, according to their study, published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology, October 2007.

Apparently, according to the ‘new’ discovery (which Ayurveda has known for 6,000 years), the function of the appendix seems related to the massive amount of bacteria populating the human digestive system. Most of the trillions of bacteria in the human body are beneficial and help digest food. But sometimes the flora of bacteria in the intestines die or are purged or are overtaken by destructive bacteria. Given the high number of congested colons and inflamed appendixes, this is a common phenomenon today. The appendix “acts as a good safe house for bacteria,” said Duke surgery professor Bill Parker, a study co-author. Also, the worm-shaped organ outgrowth acts like a bacteria factory, cultivating the good germs, Parker said. The appendix’s job is to reboot the digestive system.

For all practical purposes, and supported by the cleansing action of the bile from the liver, the appendix’s job is to keep the colon neat and clean. If large quantities of undigested and decomposed foods reach this part of the intestines, congestion occurs. The intestinal congestion is followed by microbial infestation (through destructive bacteria), which can lead to thickening of the protective mucus membrane and ulceration of the intestinal wall. If microbial growth increases further, the appendix may become inflamed and even burst, undermining proper performance of the colon in the future. Removing the appendix can have long-term consequences for colon health and, as explained below, the health of the entire body. In most cases of an inflamed appendix, fasting for a few days and cleaning out the colon (colema, colosan, or colonic irrigation) can save it.

As opposed to the more continuous peristalsis of the small intestines, fecal contents are propelled into the large intestine (now commonly referred to as the ‘colon’) by periodic mass movements. These mass movements occur one to three times per day in this final section of the gastrointestinal tract. Once they have reached the rectum, the fecal matter stretches the nerve endings in the rectal walls and causes a reflex urge for a bowel movement.

The large intestine no longer breaks down food in this stage of digestion. It simply absorbs vitamins that are created by the bacteria inhabiting the colon. The large intestine is essential for absorbing water and compacting the feces.

The whole digestive and eliminative process – from the ingestion of food to the bowel movement – should ideally take approximately 20-24 hours, depending on the types of food eaten and also on the time of day when the food was consumed. However, in the majority of the population, the passage of food through the large intestine alone takes 25 hours or more. This condition is called constipation. I have had numerous patients who reported having a bowel movement only once every 2-5 days. In extreme cases, there was only 1 movement per week or 10 days. On the other hand, many people have bowel movements 3-4 times per day, and in some extreme cases, there may be up to 16 loose evacuations; these individuals cannot keep food in the body longer than 3 to 12 hours. Since most of the ingested food is not digested properly, it decomposes through the help of destructive bacteria. This is so irritating to the intestinal wall, that the body discharges it as fast and as often as possible. Consequently, waste eliminations are far too excessive and frequent.

Having regular bowel movements once or twice a day by itself does not necessarily indicate good digestion either. It’s the quality of the eliminated waste that counts, and the seemingly unimportant appendix makes certain the waste is non-toxic and does not contaminate and harm the intestine.

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This is an excerpt from my book TIMELESS SECRETS OF HEALTH & REJUVENATION