 SUBJECT SELECTION: Include inclusionexclusion criteria All participants will be recruited at St. Josephs Hospital. The sample will consist of all patients who are 18 years of age and older and are identified as adults on admission, andor pre-admission for elective laparoscopic colectomy surgery. Inclusion criteria consist of all patients admitted to one surgical unit 3-1 from November 1, 2007 to August 1, 2008 with a non- emergent laparoscopic colectomy. Exclusion criteria consist of all patients with a history of metastatic disease, history of inflammatory bowel disease, abdominal radiation treatment, mint allergy the gum is mint flavored, dentures, nasogastric tube drainage beyond the first postoperative morning, more then one bowel anastomosis during this surgery, conversion to pen colectomy, or admission to an ICI post-operatively. 