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Colon Cleansing Foods & Herbs

Colon cleansing is believed to rid the gastrointestinal tract of toxins that can lead to health problems such as arthritis, asthma and many other ailments. While there is no scientific support either way for these beliefs, many people view cleansing their system as a logical step toward natural health.

  1. The Facts

    • Think of your colon as your body's sewer system. All of the food you eat builds up there and can be a breeding ground for toxins that will rob you of your health. In order to clear your colon of debris and toxins, you must introduce a diet designed to do so. Foods and herbs that aid in digestion and keep waste moving through the digestive tract in a timely manner will reduce those toxins and presumably lead to a healthier body.

    Fiber

    • Adding fiber to your diet will add weight to your stool, resulting in more regular bowel movements. This will help remove fat and bile from your colon, according to the Illinois Institute of Technology. Foods high in insoluble fiber, in particular, will have this effect, and should be added to the diet gradually. Among the foods high in insoluble fiber are flax seed, potato skins, nuts, wheat and whole grains.

    Green foods

    • Chlorophyll is revered as a healing substance in holistic medicine, and it is present in most green vegetables. Believed to heal damaged tissue in the digestive tract, green foods are an important part of the colon-cleansing process, according to health website Alive.com. Foods that are high in chlorophyll foods include wheatgrass, barley and spirulina.

    Fermented food

    • Bad diet habits and a lack of fiber can lead to a diminished amount of good bacteria in your digestive tract. Adding fermented foods to your regimen will help replace those needed organisms and balance your body's internal chemistry. Yogurt is a fermented food, as are sauerkraut and miso.

    Water and herbs

    • Water is an essential part of our lives, yet we do not typically drink enough of it. This means that the kidneys and colon are not being flushed of toxins regularly. Be sure to drink proper amounts of water each day to minimize this risk. Following the "8x8 Rule" (8 ounces, eight times a day) will likely get you close to the proper hydration level.

      Peppermint leaf, slippery elm bark, wormwood, pumpkin seed and chamomile are among the many herbs that have been suggested to have a positive effect on colon health. For the most part, these herbs relax and soothe the muscles in the colon and allow proper bile flow to help keep bowel movements regular.

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