Natural Colon Cleanse

What Is a Colon Cleanse?

The colon is a part of the digestive system. It is the longest part of the large intestine. It removes water, electrolytes, and certain nutrients from partially digested food. The remaining solid waste, known as stool, moves through the colon and gets stored in another part of the large intestine called the rectum. From the rectum, it leaves the body through the anus.

Colon cleansing may be done before certain surgical procedures as a part of patient preparation. In addition, colon cleansing at home is practiced by many people and has been advised by many alternative medical practitioners. It is believed that colon cleansing helps detoxify the body and brings digestive health. It is usually done by flushing out the contents of the colon with the help of fluids directed from the bottom. It is a part of hydrotherapy, where water is used to treat various health conditions.

How to Do Natural Colon Cleansing?

Colon cleansing can be done at home using over-the-counter products or by including certain foods. It can also be achieved by doing colon irrigation or enema. Some of the methods that help in achieving colon cleansing are:

• Water: Drinking plenty of water helps improve digestion. In addition, eating fruits that have more water content will also be helpful. This includes tomatoes, watermelon, lettuce, etc. Drinking lukewarm water also improves digestion and helps to clean the colon naturally.

• Fiber-Rich Diet: Fiber is a macronutrient found in fruits, seeds, nuts, vegetables, and more. The fibers swell up, absorbing excess matter in the colon. This helps in relieving constipation and cleanses the colon. Eating fiber is good for gut bacteria.

• Saltwater Flush: Salt water flush can relieve constipation, cleanse the colon, and detoxifies the gut. It includes drinking warm water containing specific quantities of non-iodized salt. Saltwater has laxative properties and causes rapid bowel movements after consumption.

• Juice Fasting: This is a kind of dieting where the person consumes food in the form of juices. Vegetable juices, lemon juice, and apple juice help cleanse the colon. But while juicing the fruits or vegetables, the peel and pulp may get removed. This results in the loss of fibers.

• Smoothies and Juices: Juices and smoothies are popular in cleansing the colon.

• Probiotics: Probiotic supplements or foods rich in probiotics, like pickles, yogurt kimchi, or other fermented foods, introduce good bacteria to the gut. They can also suppress bad bacteria.

• Resistant Starches: Resistant starches are found in potatoes, grains, legumes, or rice. These help in building the gut microflora and cleansing the colon.

What Are the Risks of Colon Cleansing?

The human digestive system's natural mechanism is to digest, absorb, cleanse, and detoxify. Unfortunately, most healthcare practitioners do not support colon cleansing done at home for detoxification or to cure digestive symptoms. In addition, colon cleansing may have the following risks:

• Interference With the Colon's Natural Functioning: The colon absorbs water and stores stool. Colon cleansing leads to an imbalance in the functioning of the colon and impacts health. Colon cleansing interferes with the absorption of water, leading to fluid imbalance. It can lead to more severe problems in people with systemic conditions.

• Causing Indirect Harm to the Body Parts: Colon cleansing can lead to further issues if the person has undergone colon surgery or has pre-existing damages related to the colon. If colon cleansing is done by hydrotherapy, there are chances of getting perforations in the colon. The risk increases if a person does the same with less experience or expertise. Certain herbal preparations used for colon cleansing can cause anemia and liver toxicity.

Some conditions may get worse after colon irrigation, like:

• Diverticulitis (infection or inflammation in the small pouches in the digestive tract).

• Crohn's disease (inflammatory disease affecting the digestive tract lining).

• Ulcerative colitis (inflammations and ulcers in the digestive tract lining).

• Ischemic colitis (reduced blood flow to the part of the large intestine).

• Kidney disease.

• Heart disease.

What Is an Enema?

Colon cleansing and enema are different. In the enema, a liquid will be used to clean the rectum and the lower part of the colon. Enema stimulates the digestive system and brings an impulse to poop. Colonic hydrotherapy aims to clean the entire colon. On the other hand, bowel preparation is a separate procedure to clean up the colon before a colonoscopy or surgery. In this case, some products will be consumed to induce diarrhea, such as drinking a bowel prep solution before surgery.

Why Is It Not Necessary to Carry Out a Colon Cleansing?

The tendency to carry out a colon cleanse is high in patients suffering from digestive problems, especially constipation. But, getting enough exercise and including fibers in the food can cure the problem. Again, if the patient gets severe constipation, priority should be given to consulting a doctor rather than carrying out home-based solutions. Constipation may also be due to underlying medical conditions. Therefore, the doctor may ask to carry out the required tests to diagnose the cause of the illness. For example, a hypothyroid patient may face constipation and other digestive issues. In such cases, a blood test is required to diagnose the altered level of thyroid hormones, and correcting the thyroid problem helps relieve digestive issues.

If the cause for constipation is related to issues like Crohn's disease, where strictures in the colon lead to the blockage of the stool, the doctor will diagnose and may ask to consult a gastroenterologist. Sometimes the doctor will ask to take over-the-counter laxatives or stool softeners. Carrying out pelvic floor exercises will also be helpful.

Conclusion

Having the colon cleansed at home or under some medications is unnecessary to relieve gastric problems. The idea that colon cleansing and hydrotherapy have health benefits has yet to be proven scientifically. In addition, it is an act that disrupts the natural functioning of the colon. Therefore, colon cleansing to lose weight or relieve underlying medical conditions should only be done after getting advice from a medical practitioner. Diagnosing the problems timely and leading a healthy lifestyle can cure most health issues.