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First Things First!
Your body is like a car engine – put in quality fuel and service it regularly, and it’ll run for ever. The same goes for your body – feed it with good quality nutrition with the minimum pf processed foods, exercise moderately, keep to a regular sleep pattern and your body will also keep going for much longer if you look after it. The point to remember is that if you clean your colon regularly but never change your dietary habits, you’ll find that you eventually continue to suffer with the same health problems. You’ll also forever be spending lots of money on doing numerous colon cleanses and wonder why you don’t get the results you expect. and you will continue to spend money on cleaning out until you change your lifestyle. To maintain a healthy colon is not the “quick fix” a lot of us want to do nowadays!
You may want to continue to spend money on fixing something that doesn’t take a lot of effort to do but perhaps laziness keeps you from doing the right thing? Hhmm, yes, I know, we’re all human. How many times have I used that exact same phrase when I didn’t want to take responsibility for something? Without sorting this out in your head first, you will never reap the full benefits of what you are trying to achieve. Get your head straight, understand what your goal is in taking action to clean your colon, and then make the necessary changes so they become a way of life.
Straying off the path occasionally doesn’t matter so much, it’s what you do MOST of the time that matters.
There are three important steps to doing a colon cleanse, these being:
- cleaning out the old fecal matter and improving the peristaltic action of the colon
- detoxifying the colon and allowing it to heal and to become more “regular”
- after the cleanse, the colon needs to be rebuilt using probiotics to replenish all the friendly flora and bacteria that usually reside in the gut
So, now that you know where you’re heading and what you need to do, what will be the benefits of doing a long-lasting colon cleanse? Some of the health benefits could be:
And many other benefits too numerous to list here, but I think you get the picture! I have read lots of comments on the internet where some people get brilliant results, and others don’t. You will find your own way, that’s right for you.
Now that you really do want to feel the benefits of a cleaner colon, you need to find a way that will suit you and your lifestyle. Before we continue, I don’t want to hear how you can’t do it because of this reason or that reason; one day when you’re lying in a hospital bed feeling like death warmed up, you’ll think back to the time you read all the information you could about cleaning your colon, and how you found every excuse under the sun as to why you couldn’t do a cleanse, and you’ll realise you had your chance. You allowed yourself to take the easy way out, to do nothing, and now years later, you are paying for that decision, wondering what the doctors will find in your intestinal tract that’s been causing you all these health-related problems.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at the many different ways of getting a cleaner colon.
Probably the most invasive and mechanical way is by having a colonic irrigation or an enema. This is where a tube is fed into your anal passage and liquid is drawn into the colon to hydrate and soften the fecal matter and so make it easier to pass through the intestinal passage; after some massaging of the belly area the fecal matter comes out, having in effect “washed out” that lower intestinal tract of anything that is still there that maybe shouldn’t be there. I’ve had this done as an oil enema in India and I’ve also done it at home using coffee or warm water. Either way, it’s a very intimate treatment if being administered by someone else; and it’s not that easy to do it yourself!
Then there are colon detox programmes using specific herbs which require you to either do a liquid fast or that can be done alongside your usual eating habits. These add fibre like psyllium husks which help to then ease the passage of softer and more slippery faeces through the colon. If you change and improve what you eat or even go onto a liquid detox diet for a few days, there is a much greater chance of getting the success you would expect. Logic says that if you continue to fill up on stodge then it will be difficult to remove what’s already backed up in the intestinal tract as you’re pushing in more on top of already impacted matter that’s not had a chance to get out. The overall goal is to remove the mucoid plaque that has been building up in your colon for a number of years. If you’re not sure what this would look like, there are enough pictures available on the internet!! And the results can be quite shocking as you’ll see.
One tried and tested way but not one that I believe is sustainable over the long term, is the use of laxatives. For those who are constipated, then this is a short term solution to get the bowels moving again. However, no-one I know recommends using laxatives as a long term strategy as these are usually made up of chemicals as well as some herbs, and are stronger than you would usually use due to their composition, having been made for specific short term use. These should be used purely as a last resort to purging what is in your intestines when all else fails so this is not an option for long term colon health.
I have also come across “fritz sitz baths” recently, that were developed by Louis Ruhne and France Giullain many many years ago, but I have yet to find the information on these that I can read in English! From some information I have read, these are effective over a long period of time like six months or more.
The last option I’ve come across is oxygen-based cleansers. In essence these work by liquefing and flushing out fecal matter from the colon. These work best if they are the type that have been ozonated and stabilised to do a time-release of free mono-atomic oxygen into the intestinal tract and body by creating an inhospitable environment for anaerobic (without oxygen) bacteria and other poisonous matter. Using an oxygen-based cleanser actually feeds the friendly bacteria with oxygen needed to create a stable bowel environment, and will oxidise and clean the whole bowel tract, which in turn can relieve constipation.
Some people make it a new year thing, and clean out after all the Thanksgiving, Xmas and New Year celebrations. Whenever you choose to do it, it’s wise to pick a time when you can rest or take time out as you may experience various symptoms during the detox process (apart from needing to be close to a toilet!) like headaches, aches and pains, lower abdominal pains, light headedness and other “healing crises”. If you experience no such symptoms, and have your usual bowel movements, chances are that not a lot is happening to eliminate the toxic fecal matter. Most people go through one of more of the many different symptoms, the most common being the weird-looking stuff eliminated in the toilet bowl during the many regular bowel movements over and above what you think is usual for you. It’s said that we each should have one bowel movement for each proper meal that we’ve had the day before, yet a lot of people are fortunate if they go once a day! Not everyone will get huge eliminations of weird looking stuff, as it will depend on your health, what you eat and how long fecal matter has been stuck there.
There are many herbs that are commonly found in many of the colon detox formulae that are available on the market. Some of the more common ones are listed below, and some should therefore be a part of the herbal cleanse that you may end up using.
Cascara Sagrada - means “sacred bark” and is widely used as a mild stimulant laxative, acting primarily on the large intestine, and is similar to that of Senna.
Psyllium Husks - these contain a fibre called “mucilage” which absorbs fluid in the gut, by swelling up and adding bulk to your stools thereby helping to remove mucous and toxins from the bowel.
Bentonite Clay – this is a soft volcanic clay mined from various places around the world, which has good absorption properties making it ideal to combine with psyllium husks.
Triphala – an Ayurvedic herb, which means “three fruits” those being Haritaki, Amalaki and Bibhitaki. When made into a formula such as Triphala they are a much more powerful combination. It is a mild and natural laxative good for constipation and IBS. It also helps to regulate the digestive system.
Cape Aloe - it’s related to the Aloe Vera plant, and has the properties of fibre, stimulates peristaltis, relieves inflammation and soothes and cleans like Aloe Vera.
Barberry Root Bark - this herb was originally used by the North American Indians. It increases the bowel function which promotes bile secretions and is effective at loosening obstructions in the intestinal tract.
Ginger Root - this promotes the secretion of gastric juices as well as having a calming effect on the digestive system. It also has anti-inflammatory properties when used to calm an upset stomach.
Fennel – this helps clear mucous and phlegm from the intestinal tract as well as improving digestion and reducing flatulence.
African Bird Pepper - it’s the equivalent of our Cayenne Pepper, and is used to aid digestion and prevent gas as it stimulates digestive juices. it can also help prevent or get rid of infection in that area.
So there we are, a quick run through of the Top Tips for cleansing your colon to consider before embarking on a detox cleanse. You need to think about what your goals are for doing it and which way to go about doing it, as well as when will be a good time to do it as you may need quick access to a toilet! And then you need to check out all the different herbal products assuming you go down the more gentle route, so you know what the main herbs are to look out for as ingredients.
I would love to hear feedback on any products or books that have helped you clean your colon so send them in so I can share your story with others!