Colonic Hydrotherapist Digestive Health & Colon Function Flashcards
7 cards from real CH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Colonic Hydrotherapist Digestive Health & Colon Function flashcards as text
Which layer of the colon wall contains the smooth muscle responsible for peristaltic contractions?
Answer: Muscularis externa
The muscularis externa, composed of inner circular and outer longitudinal muscle layers, generates the contractions that propel contents through the colon.
What is the function of the teniae coli in the large intestine?
Answer: They are three bands of longitudinal muscle that create the haustral folds
The teniae coli are three thickened bands of longitudinal smooth muscle that run along the colon and, by being shorter than the colon, create the pouched haustral structure.
A healthy colon microbiome is best characterized by which of the following?
Answer: High species diversity with balanced symbiotic populations
A healthy gut microbiome is characterized by high microbial diversity, which is associated with greater resilience and better overall GI and immune function.
Which vitamin is synthesized by colonic bacteria and can be absorbed through the colon wall?
Answer: Vitamin K2
Gut bacteria produce vitamin K2 (menaquinone), which can be absorbed through the colonic mucosa and contributes to the body's vitamin K pool.
What is the significance of the enteric nervous system (ENS) in colon function?
Answer: It is a semi-autonomous neural network that regulates GI motility, secretion, and blood flow independently of the central nervous system
The ENS ('second brain') is a complex network of neurons in the gut wall that can regulate digestion independently, though it communicates bidirectionally with the brain via the gut-brain axis.
Which of the following is an absolute contraindication for colonic hydrotherapy?
Answer: Active Crohn's disease with bowel inflammation
Active inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease is an absolute contraindication because water infusion risks perforation or worsening inflammation.
What does the term 'autointoxication' refer to in the historical context of colonic hydrotherapy?
Answer: The theory that retained fecal matter releases toxins that are reabsorbed into the bloodstream
Autointoxication is the 19th–20th century theory that fecal stasis allows harmful toxins to be reabsorbed from the colon into circulation, historically used to justify colon cleansing.