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Natural Colonic Cleansing

Stress, a poor diet, the environment, drugs and illness can cause toxins to build up in our colons. Many of us abuse our bodies with unhealthy lifestyles, sometimes unknowingly, which can lead to a number of health problems. An important step in detoxifying our bodies is with a colonic (or "colon") cleansing. Colonic cleansing can be done naturally by adhering to a colon cleansing diet and taking certain herbs and supplements.

  1. Who Needs a Colonic Cleanse

    • Our modern diets can cause our colons to be filled with waste material and undigested food, especially meat. This can cause a variety of health issues, including constipation, diarrhea, candida, fatigue and low energy, headaches, weight gain, and even acne. Some people in the health care profession suggest that even if a person feels healthy, an occasional colon-cleansing regimen may be beneficial.

    Mechanical Colonic Cleansing

    • A colon hydrotherapist, using colonic hydrotherapy equipment, can administer a procedure to cleanse the colon with water irrigation. A person can also self-administer an enema or take a laxative, using one of the various products available at pharmacies.

    Colonic Cleansing By Fasting

    • Fasting, either by not eating any food at all or by eating only certain foods, is a natural approach to cleansing. If doing a limited food fast, fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber, may be eaten, as they help keep material moving freely through the bowels. Foods that are high in fiber cling to water in the intestines and keep them hydrated. To prevent any additional toxins from entering the body, all fruits and vegetables eaten should be organically grown, to ensure no chemical pesticides are present.

    Natural Colonic Cleansing Products

    • Health food stores carry products made with natural herbs and supplements, such as psyllium, that cleanse and detoxify. Such products usually run three to eight weeks, depending on the particular product's program. Follow the label's instructions.

    Recommendations For All Cleansing Regimens

    • While undertaking a cleansing program, avoid refined sugar, processed food, caffeine, soda, alcohol, chips, cookies and tobacco. Limit your intake of fatty foods, cheese and red meat. Add yogurt to your cleansing diet along with a probiotic supplement. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria. Lactobacteria and acidophilus, found in yogurt, are probiotics. The cleansing process will remove some beneficial bacteria along with any toxins, which is why it is important to add probiotics to your diet. By consuming yogurt, you will also get additional calcium, which can assist the colon, and yogurt does not have the binding characteristic of milk and cheese products than can cause constipation. A daily multivitamin and mineral supplement, as well as additional vitamin C supplement, should be taken during a colon cleansing. Everyone should already be drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, but it is especially important to drink plenty of water when on a colon cleanse program.

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