A colonoscopy is a scary-sounding procedure (who wants a scope going up their most private orifice?!), but its one of the best detection tools doctors have for colorectal cancer and bowel diseases. Knowledge is power when it comes to any health procedure, and knowing what to anticipate will make things less worrisome. Here's what to expect before, during, and after a colonoscopy.

For people with no personal or family history of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, colonoscopies dont need to begin until the age of 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). After that first one, you'll need a test every 10 years.

But for those who meet any of the aforementioned qualifications, you may need to start much sooner and be screened more frequently. The American Cancer Society offers an excellent breakdown (with charts!) of when you should get a colonoscopy based on risk factors like a family history of cancer.

The Colon Cancer Alliance recommends that you begin a low-fiber diet the week before your scheduled colonoscopy. In addition to sticking with low-fiber foods, they recommend avoiding fatty foods, fruits and raw vegetables with skins, whole grains, and anything with seeds or nuts, including popcorn. That's because in order for your doctor to successfully view your colon (aka your large intestine), it must be completely emptyand these foods can become caught in your colon for longer than typical waste. Their recommended meal plan includes things like eggs, white bread, turkey or chicken, Greek yogurt, spinach, and melon.

According to Rudolph Bedford, M.D., gastroenterologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California, preparation is the most important part. If you dont do a good job of emptying out your colon, your doctor won't be able to see it clearly, Dr. Bedford tells SELF. That can result in a missed polyp, a longer procedure, or even a need to repeat the procedure.

The day before your procedure, a clear liquid diet must be followed. According to the Mayo Clinic, this includes water, clear sodas, fat-free chicken or beef broth, and coffee or tea without added milk or cream. Some doctors have added restrictions or allowances (like hard candy), so make sure you follow their individual instructions. Dr. Bedford suggests checking the ingredients list on anything you eat the day before, and avoiding any fluids that contain red, blue, or purple food coloring as they can look like blood in your colon during the colonoscopy.

There is no sugar-coating this part: The final step of readying your digestive tract for a colonoscopy is to clear it completely, and this is...unpleasant. Each doctor has their own preferred method, but the end result will be the same: complete emptying of your colon. Some doctors prescribe a large volume of liquid laxative prep, while others recommend over-the-counter pill or powder laxatives. Regardless, you should do this part at home or somewhere youre comfortableyoull be going to the bathroom frequently over the course of several hours, until what you pass is totally clear.

Some helpful prep tips from the Colon Cancer Alliance include chilling the prep solution, using a straw so the liquid goes to the back of your mouth and you avoid too much taste, and following the prep by sucking on a lemon slice or a piece of hard candy.

Some patients will have to finish the rest of their bowel prep that morning, while others will go directly to their appointment. Since you'll be given anesthesia, you'll need to arrange a ride home from the procedure ahead of time. On procedure day, you're not allowed anything by mouth (not even water or gum).

After you arrive at the hospital or surgical center, youll change into a gown and get blood taken. Then youll be taken to a private room for the colonoscopy. Sedation will be administered, so its likely you wont remember any of the actual procedure (phew!). According to the Mayo Clinic, your doctor will insert a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope into your rectum. The scope has a small camera on the end, and images are projected onto a screen while your doctor does the procedure (you'll notice these screens in the room, before the sedation kicks in). He or she will also puff air into your colon so it expands for a better view. Biopsies (samples of tissue) may be taken, and if any polyps are found, your doctor will remove those as well.

You'll be taken to a recovery area while the sedation wears off. As embarrassing as it might sound (no pun intended), youll need to get rid of the air that the doctor shot into your colon. Dont try to hold it in, because that will only cause unnecessary cramping. Honestly, just take advantage of this one-time opportunity to pass gas without judgment. Once the sedation has mostly worn off, a nurse will check on you and send in the doctor.

Once you feel better and are more awake, Dr. Bedford says, your doctor will provide you with a report of what was learned during the procedure. This can include ulceration, inflammation, bleeding, scar tissue, polyps, or irregular tissue. Your doctor will also tell you if biopsies were taken and how long it will take to get a result. The Colon Cancer Alliance provides a great list of questions to ask your health provider after the procedure (you can read it here).

Once your ride has dropped you off safely at home, take it easy for the rest of the day. Youll be hungry and thirsty, and unless your doctor has indicated otherwise, youre free to eat a normal diet. You might still feel bloated or gassy, and the Mayo Clinic recommends taking a short walk to help pass the leftover air in your colon. You may also have a small amount of blood in your first bowel movement post-colonoscopy, especially if your doctor removed polyps or took biopsies. This is totally normal. But if you pass blood clots or get a fever, let your doctor know right away.

Not knowing what to expect during a colonoscopy can make it a whole lot scarier, so if you still have questions, ask your doctor. Being prepared for the procedure will help alleviate most of your worries, and they'll understand that you're nervous. But hey, your colon's health is far too important to neglect.

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7 Things You've Always Wondered About a Colonoscopy Procedure - SELF

The death of a female bodybuilder from Australia who was taking protein supplements has spotlighted concerns over excess protein in a persons diet.

The death of a female bodybuilder in Australia has raised questions about how much protein in a diet is too much.

Meegan Hefford, 25, mother of two, died in June due to complications from a high protein diet along with urea cycle disorder, a rare genetic condition.

Heffords death certificate lists intake of bodybuilding supplements as one of the causes, reports USA Today.

Days before her death, Hefford reported feeling weird, and had been fatigued, according to her mother.

She was later discovered unconscious in her apartment and rushed to the hospital. Even then, it took two more days for doctors to discover that she had urea cycle disorder.

In a functioning urea cycle, excess ammonia in the body is converted to urea and then excreted from the body through urine.

Urea cycle disorder affects only about 1 in 8,000 individuals. It results in the bodys inability to clear ammonia from the blood stream.

Once this buildup of ammonia (referred to as hyperammonemia) reaches the brain, it can cause confusion, dizziness, and slurred speech before leading to coma and, potentially, death.

According to the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation, the condition can occur in both children and adults. Babies are often quickly diagnosed because they may fall ill within the first 48 hours of birth.

However, in children and adults, symptoms may remain undiagnosed if not recognized early on.

The relationship between urea cycle disorder and protein certainly played a role in the death of Meegan Hefford.

When the body metabolizes protein, toxic byproducts such as ammonia are formed. Excess consumption of protein, combined with Heffords rare condition, made for a deadly combination.

There are others at greater risk of health complications if they are eating a high protein diet.

In an editorial this week, Kristin Kirkpatrick MS, RD, LD, a licensed, registered dietitian who is wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, explained that some individuals really do need less protein in their diets.

Individuals with chronic kidney disease, certain liver conditions, and phenylketonuria need to be careful with their protein intake.

On the other hand, athletes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, individuals recovering from surgery, and older adults should all ensure they are taking in a more-than-average amount.

But what does that even mean an average amount of protein?

The problem with current protein guidelines is that unlike other macronutritients (fat and carbohydrate), protein doesnt really have an upper limit for how much a person should consume in a day.

Kirkpatrick does give a simple calculation to get you in the ballpark.

Take your weight in kilograms multiplied by 0.8 (1 kilogram is equal to about 2.2 pounds). So, a 200-pound man should eat at least 75 grams of protein per day.

For the healthy individual, there may not be a need to double or triple daily protein intake, Kirkpatrick told Healthline. Protein can play a positive role in weight loss, but its important not to ignore other macronutrients that contribute to good health and weight, like healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.

She noted that a one-day protein binge probably isnt harmful, but a continual high-protein diet can put extra pressure on the kidneys and potentially increase the risk of some kinds of cancer.

Particularly in the fitness community, protein seems to have a reputation as a healthier macronutrient than carbohydrate and fat.

Its role in preserving and building muscle mass is well-known.

Still, there are healthier ways to consume protein than just chugging shakes or eating steaks.

Kirkpatrick specifies that the type of protein you eat really matters.

Protein comes from a variety of sources, including fish and plants. She cites a 2017 study that concluded plant-based protein sources helped in preventing type 2 diabetes, while red meat sources actually increased that risk.

Quinoa, beans, legumes, seeds, and nuts are all great sources for plant-based proteins.

Its also important to be aware of how processed the protein is that you are consuming.

Kirkpatrick recommends you consume proteins closer to their natural forms rather than in bars, shakes, or veggie burgers.

The more processed your protein (or any food really), the more likely it is to contain hidden sugars and unwanted ingredients.

The bottom line is that when it comes to protein, more is not necessarily better.

Your lifestyle, health, and activity levels should always be taken into consideration when considering altering your diet.

In the world of food, you can have too much of any good thing. Protein included, wrote Kirkpatrick.

Read more:
You Probably Don't Need Extra Protein in Your Diet. Here's Why - Healthline

Like many health trends, the alkaline diet started with a book and soared in popularity when celebrities began to tout its benefits.

The diet began with the book "The pH Miracle," which was published in 2010. Victoria Beckham tweeted a photo of an alkaline diet cookbook in 2013, and celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow have since sung its praises.

If you've heard about the diet and are wondering if its claims (and the celebrity hype) are true, here's everything you need to know before giving it a try:

The basics of the Alkaline Diet

The goal of the Alkaline Diet is avoiding disease and losing weight. The dietclaims that you can do this by eating specific foods that make your body more alkaline, which increases the PH levels in your body, and by avoiding foods that make your body produce acid.

The theory behind the diet is that when your body metabolizes food, you produce byproducts that are either acidic or alkaline.According to Self, eating acidic foods is unhealthy, because it makes your body's pH level too acidic, thus making it more vulnerable to disease.

The pH level measures how acidic or alkaline something is. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 0 being totally acidic, 14 being totally alkaline, and seven being neutral. Your stomach, for example, is very acidic, because stomach acid is needed to break down food, while your blood remains quite constant with a slightly alkaline level (unless you're extremely ill). Meanwhile, the pH of your urine changes constantly, reflecting what you eat.

Peas for a white bean stew with carrots, fennel and peas, boil in a pot in New York, March 6, 2017. White beans are welcome in any season, though this dish is perfect for spring, with its bright green peas. (Karsten Moran/The New York Times)JOHN KARSTEN MORAN/NYT

Which foods are encouraged?

You'd think that because lemons are acidic, they would be avoided under the Alkaline Diet's guidelines. But, according to Self, it's actually considered to be alkaline, since they're broken down into an alkaline substance in our bodies. It all comes down to how foods affect the acidity of your urine.

If you want to follow the diet strictly,U.S. News & World Report says that 80 percent of your foods and beverages should be alkaline-forming and only 20 percent should be acid-forming. Many people are less strict and opt instead for a ratio of 60 percent alkaline-forming to 40 percent acid-forming.

The following foods are encouraged under the Alkaline Diet:

When you get a fresh batch of these rolls, youll wonder why you dont get this kind of bread more often. The perfect mix of yeast, sweetness, puff and steam. (23 N. Park Square, Marietta. 678-224-1599, eatlocaleatbetter.com)Jason Getz

Alkaline diet guidelines discourage consumption of the following foods and beverages:

Many experts (including those inU.S. News & World Report,Healthline andSelf) believe the diet may be able to help you lose weight and improve your health. But that's because you'll be eating more fruits and vegetables and less red meat, sugary snacks and processed foods not because of any claims about acidic or alkaline foods.

There's no evidence that eating acidic or alkaline foods affects your weight or makes you any more or less prone to disease, experts say. Acidic or alkaline foods don't change the pH of your blood, which stays within a very narrow range no matter what you eat. And these foods change the pH of your urine only temporarily.

Most dietitians encourage eatinglean meats, dairy and whole grains, which goes against their exclusion in alkaline diet.

Additionally, many of the experts cited n Healthline and Self, state that, like many restrictive diets, the alkainline diet may be impractical and difficult to follow over the long-term.

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Why this diet praised by Jennifer Aniston could work for you - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Rob Gronkowskis career so far could be defined by his pass-catching talent and inability to stay healthy.

Realizing that hes not getting any younger, the 28-year-old New England tight end is changing his habits in hopes of keeping his body in shape for another brutal NFL season, and that includes altering his eating ways according to ESPNs Mark Reiss.

This is just one part of the new outlook for Gronkowski, as he has made some other notable changes in returning from a third career back surgery. Specifically, hes adopted parts of Tom Bradys diet, while making a full-scale commitment to other physical-based work at Bradys Sports Therapy Center (in addition to his regular load in the teams strength program).

Copying Bradys diet, of course, requires Gronkowski to avoid consuming alcoholic and caffeine-based beverages. That doesnt sound like an easy task for a party-animal like Gronkowski, but thats something hed willingly give up if it meant being 100 percent healthy.

He was healthy enough to experience his first preseason game since 2012, as he took part in 14 snaps during the Pats 27-23 loss to the Houston Texans last Saturday.

Im glad I was out there, he said. It felt good just to get the game speed. You can never get enough reps. You can never get enough practice reps. So it felt great to go out there and get my feet wet and see what its all about again.

Gronkowski hasnt played a complete season since 2011, missing at least a game in each of the succeeding five years. He missed the most time in 2016, when a back injury cost him half the season.

With Martellus Bennett gone, the success of the tight end position for the Patriots mostly rests on the shoulders of Gronkowski, who, when playing is close to unstoppable. The Arizona product had 540 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions on just 25 catches in eight games played last season.

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Patriots news: Rob Gronkowski changes diet, feeling good during preseason games - ClutchPoints

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Padma Lakshmi has gotten used to fluctuations in her weight as part of her job as the host of Bravo's Emmy-nominated "Top Chef," but she has recently discovered that it's not just her who is impacted by her body image.

In an essay for The Hollywood Reporter, Lakshmi, 46, wrote about the weight gain from her job and the effects her constant focus on her dress size for red carpet events has had on her young daughter, Krishna.

Padma Lakshmi has opened up about how her focus on dieting and body image has had some negative effects on her young daughter.

"Recently, I realized my daughter, who is 7, has been listening to me talk about my weight,'' she wrote. "She's noticed, and suddenly she's told me and others in our circle, 'I don't want to eat because I'm watching my figure,' or, 'I weigh too much.' I wasn't thinking anything of the sort when I was 7 or 10 or even 13."

Lakshmi noted how she will only have a taco salad without tortillas or sour cream on family taco night or leftovers of brown rice when they order pizza. Her daughter began to notice and started remarking about her own figure.

"Her comments stopped me dead in my tracks,'' Lakshmi wrote. "Her words scared me. Language matters. We send signals to our daughters every day. And I am her first touchstone of femininity."

Lakshmi's job of tasting food from 15 to 18 contestants every day for "Top Chef" guarantees that her weight will fluctuate between when the show is filming and her time off.

"When filming "Top Chef," I consume about 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day,'' she wrote. "I typically gain anywhere from 10 to 17 pounds every season. Once I get home, what's taken me six weeks to gain takes me 12 weeks to take off."

Part of the show's success involves walking the red carpet at events, where Lakshmi admittedly can get stressed over body image issues.

"It's always a nail-biting extravaganza at fittings, praying that a few pretty dresses that came down the runway on a teenage model who is a size 0 will miraculously fit my 40-something body,'' she wrote. "Getting ready for the Emmys is always fun, and it's truly an honor to be nominated. But at the same time, in spite of my high metabolism, I worry each year that I'm not going to fit into anything nice."

Lakshmi's recent experience with her daughter has changed her thinking going forward.

"So, this year, I've decided my weight will not be my focus,'' she wrote. "If I need a bigger dress, so be it. That one day or any day on the red carpet isn't nearly as important as making sure my daughter doesn't measure her worth by her dress size."

Follow TODAY.com writer Scott Stump on Twitter.

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Padma Lakshmi opens up about the impact her diet has had on her daughter - Today.com