Gut cleansers or colon cleanses were first created as an ancient Greek practice used to get rid of harmful waste in the body. The term autointoxication was coined because it was believed that toxins would be made from this undigested food and be carried through the bloodstream causing you harm and leading to severe health issues. Even though this ancient theory was disproved, there is a grain of truth to the benefits colon health provides for your overall health.
Modern colon cleanses have come a long way from their ancient Greek creators, you can now do one at home or book an appointment with a hydrotherapist for a professional colon cleanse. There are also alternative ways to keep your colon healthy and working as it should.
This blog will take you through what a colon cleanse is, and what the different types are and provide you with some tips should you want to have one done. We will give you all the information you need to determine whether it is indeed beneficial to our health or not.
What Is a Colon Cleanse?
A colon cleanse is generally done when you are about to have a colonoscopy. A medical procedure that involves inserting a tube into your colon with a tiny camera so that it can be looked at close up. People who have medical conditions like chronic constipation and fecal incontinence would also use this procedure to help them with their bowel movements.
Over the years colon cleansing has become a popular method to detoxify the body. It goes by other names from colonic irrigation to colonic hydrotherapy. It involves flushing the colon with either water or water mixed with other substances to clean out the excess waste sitting in the large intestine. A lot of liquid is used to flush the colon, the maximum is 16 gallons in total.
How Does Colon Cleansing Work?
Colon Cleansing Methods
Using a Hydrotherapists or Colonic Hygienists
This cleanse is also called high colonics and is done using a colon hydrotherapy machine. Probiotics may be used with enzymes and herbs as well as different water pressures and temperatures.
You lay on a table and a small tube is inserted into your rectum. The low gravity-based reservoir or low-pressure pump then gets to work using the water to flush out your colon. It could take an hour as this process is repeated. The toxins are removed with another tube and then the process starts again. The procedure is similar to an enema just involving more liquid.
Some methods involve leaving a small amount of water in the colon for a set period before being flushed out to absorb the toxins. Some hydrotherapists will massage your stomach at this point.
Home Cleanse
You can get kits to use at home to perform the rectal cleanse. Liquid, capsules, or powdered supplements can also be taken orally. The kits and products can be purchased from pharmacies, health food stores, and supermarkets. These generally contain magnesium, enemas, enzymes, non-stimulant and stimulant laxatives, and herbal teas.
Benefits of Colon Cleanses
By getting rid of stagnant waste you are getting rid of toxins that are stagnant in your body. This not only benefits your overall health but also does the following:
Lower Colon Cancer Risk
If the unwanted waste is not released from your body from an unhealthy diet then it collects in the intestine causing harm. A clear colon allows for a healthy gastrointestinal tract and lowers the development of cancerous growths, polyps, and cysts.
Increase Focus and Promote Clearer Thinking
The build-up of waste preventing the adequate absorption of nutrients makes you lose focus and become distracted. A colon cleanse allows for better absorption of food so that we can think clearly.
Improve Digestion
A clean colon can easily process waste and pass it through while being able to absorb nutrients and vitamins more easily. This prevents constipation from a slow digestive system that is clogged with waste and allows the body to get nutrients from the food with ease.
Energy Boost
Once the toxins are released, the body is renewed resulting in a burst of energy, better blood circulation, and better sleep quality.
Promote Weight Loss
Slow-moving food starts sticking to the intestinal walls causing a build-up and slowing down the digestive progress further. The average colon can hold up to eight meals so this build-up just adds more weight onto your body. By clearing out the waste, food can move at a normal pace and this resets your body’s metabolism aiding in weight loss.
Strengthen the Immune System
By digesting food properly and absorbing nutrients, we get all the vitamins we need to keep our bodies strong. In one study, issues in the gastrointestinal system improved after a colon cleanse.
Natural Colon Cleanses
Oral colon cleanses can be done using natural ingredients and can be done at home. There are different types:
Herbal Teas
Cayenne pepper, ginger, and garlic target bad bacteria, and herbs like slippery elm, psyllium, marshmallow root, and aloe vera are natural laxatives that help with constipation relief. Ingesting these herbal teas promotes a clean colon.
Drinking Water
Drinking enough warm water ensures digestion is regulated. Try to also eat foods that have high water content like tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and lettuce.
Juicing
These are quite popular and involve blending up vegetables and fruit. This helps with your fiber intake, and hydration contributing positively towards digestion. The fruit gut health and helps food move through the colon easily. A juice fast is when full meals are replaced with these special juices over a few days.
Saltwater Flush
When you wake up in the morning, before having anything to eat, mix two teaspoons of salt with lukewarm water and drink this as quickly as you can. Repeat this in the evening before going to bed. Stay near bathrooms when you do this cleanse as you will need to use the bathroom multiple times during the day and before bed.
Safe Colon Cleansing Tips
There are risks involved with colon cleanses so we have listed a few tips you can follow:
Do Your Research
When looking for a hydrotherapist make sure they are qualified and part of a professional organization with safety procedures in place. This includes the use of new protective equipment and disposal wear. All machines must also be properly sanitized and be sure you are not allergic to anything that may be added to the water.
The same goes for home kits and oral cleanses. Only use colon cleansing products that are safe and sanitary from a reputable source.
Hydrate
Make sure you drink a lot of liquids before and after the process because none of the liquids being used will be absorbed into your body.
Get Advice
Talk to your medical practitioner in case you run a high risk of getting hurt. This could be the case for people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.
How to Keep Your Colon Healthy
Biologically your bowel and digestive system work to get rid of excess waste in the body. That isn’t to say that the process works as planned all of the time so it is a good idea to make sure your colon is healthy and functioning at its peak.
Avoid Toxins
Quit smoking, alcohol, processed foods, and anything else that could create toxins in your body.
Drink Enough Water
You know you have drunk enough when your urine is clear and don’t feel thirsty during the day. Water moves through the digestive system helping waste move easily. Make sure you drink at least 12 cups of water a day. If you are a very active person then this amount can go up to 16 cups or more.
Take Probiotics
Fermented foods all contain good bacteria to keep your gut microbiome healthy. Foods that contain probiotics are kombucha, apple cider vinegar, pickle juice, sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles all contain natural probiotics that you can take daily or you can take supplements.
Exercise Daily
Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity in a day to keep yourself fit and help food move along your digestive tract more easily.
Eat a Plant-Based Diet
This healthy diet will increase your fiber intake.
Resistant Starches
Green bananas, potatoes, legumes, and rice contain these foods that help gut microflora and clean the colon naturally.
High Fiber
Keeping your colon healthy starts with eating the right food. High-fiber foods assist with gut bacteria, giving a boost to the helpful bacteria. Besides helping you keep you fuller in the day, fiber-rich foods prevent constipation and assist with overactive bowls. Getting plenty of seeds, lentils, fruits, rice, white beans, peas, nuts, and vegetables is essential.
Key Takeaways
Colon cleanses are beneficial for overall health, especially a natural colon cleanse, as they keep the colon healthy and function as it should. You need a healthy colon to digest food well otherwise all the nutrients and vitamins you need can’t be absorbed into your body.
A healthy colon is needed for overall body health and wellbeing so it’s always acceptable to ensure colon health is a top priority. Whether that means you want to use colon irrigation or change your lifestyle the choice is yours. You have all the information you need to make the decision that suits your body’s needs.