Colon Body Cleanse

Your colon consists of the large intestine, rectum, and anus and is one of the most important tools your body has to detoxify itself. At about five feet in length, the colon works by absorbing water and nutrients while processing and eliminating the leftover feces for exit out of the body. The colon can be exposed to a variety of health problems ranging from infection to cancer. To lower your risks of these problems, many health experts recommend doing a periodic colon cleansing.

The Idea

• Colon cleansing involves using various methods to clean out each part of the colon. The idea behind this is to cleanse any toxins that may be lingering in the colon, as well as helping remove any excess material in the colon. Some physicians believe that excess material in the colon can absorb toxins from the body, holding them so that they cannot be eliminated. This process is done through a variety of methods, including enemas, hydrotherapy, supplements and oxygen cleaners.

Methods

• There are four main methods of colon cleansing. The first of these is hydrotherapy, otherwise known as colonic irrigation. Colon hydrotherapy involves inserting a tube into the rectum and flushing warm water into the large intestine. The water is then expelled through the anus, along with any fecal matter. Colon hydrotherapy should only be performed by a certified professional. The next method is an enema. An enema is similar to hydrotherapy, except it focuses more directly on cleaning out the rectum. An enema can be done at home without a certified professional. The next method is taking supplements to cleanse the colon. Herbal supplements, such as psyllium or senna, work as natural laxatives forcing the body to relieve the contents of the colon. Another method for colon cleansing is using an oxygen-based cleanser. An oxygen-based cleanser involves creating an oxidation reduction reaction, which in theory melts away any compacted materials inside the colon so that they can be expelled easier by other methods such as hydrotherapy. The oxygen cleanser is taken orally and reacts inside the body using ozonated magnesium oxides to to turn solids in the colon into liquid or gas.

Benefits

• According to the Colon Cleansing Research Center, the colon is the source for many medical problems ranging from bad breath and constipation to depression and fatigue. These professionals believe this is related to the colon becoming impacted with fecal matter. Since much of this fecal matter contains harmful chemicals that need to be eliminated from the body, it is believed that by removing this impaction, many of these medical problems will be relieved. Removing the extra fecal matter can also help to free up the colon to process and expel waste materials more easily and effectively, helping to reduce common digestive problems such as constipation and bloating.

Dangers

• One of the largest dangers of colon cleansing is expelling the helpful bacteria in your colon. According to the Mayo Clinic, the colon includes nearly sixty different kinds of bacteria and flora that help in the digestion process. Colon cleansing does not pick and choose which bacteria or flora it chooses to flush. This means that helpful bacteria inside your colon that helps the digestive process can also be expelled with the harmful bacteria. This could lead to more harmful effects than if you were to not do the colon cleanse in the first place. Colon cleansing dangers are especially present with hydrotherapy and enemas. It is important that you only use sanitary equipment as well as distilled water. If you neglect to do so, you can invite harmful bacteria and infection into your colon that could potentially cause serious infection or other health issues.

Natural Alternatives

• If you are worried about the possible harmful side effects of a colon cleanse, a simple change in diet can go far in improving the function and health of your colon. Increasing your intake of foods high in fiber is one of the simplest ways to avoid even needing a colon cleanse. Fiber helps regulate the digestive system, causing you to have more regular bowel movements. Eating leafy vegetables can also help scrub some of the residual plaque buildup on the walls of the colon. You can also help your colon by reintroducing natural helpful bacteria into your digestive system by eating foods with live cultures such as yogurt. Of course, drinking adequate amounts of water also helps your colon and also helps prevent common colon problems such as constipation.