Colon Cleansing With High Fiber Foods

The purpose of a colon cleanse is to improve your energy level, concentration and overall health. It accomplishes this by reducing the strain on the liver and helps the bowels excrete compacted fecal matter that is preventing nutrient absorption and holding toxins in the system. You don't need to go on an extreme fasting cleanse to help cleanse the colon. In fact, a high fiber diet can help you get your colon and body working efficiently once again.

Colon Cleanse Theory

• Alternative medicine practitioners are great proponents of a colon cleanse to remove built up toxins in your body. These toxins prevent your body from performing optimally. As a result, you may feel chronically tired, get colds and flu often and find yourself unable to sustain your energy levels through the day.

  A colon cleanse helps to eliminate these toxins and restore your body back to optimal performance and metabolic rate. Medical doctors warn about the practice of extreme cleansing programs such as liquid fasts that starve the body. Research cannot substantiate the claims of these types of fasts and most doctors, such as Michael Picco, MD at the Mayo Clinic agree that a diversified diet that is high in fiber will help the liver and kidneys do what they are designed to do: eliminate waste.

High Fiber Cleanse

• Dietary fiber helps to add bulk to your feces which stimulates the muscle contractions that push feces through the bowels. The bulk helps to scour the edges of the colon and clean out anything that may be compacted along the digestive tract. This helps push stored toxins out and eliminate the problem of nutrient absorption being blocked. Cleansing your colon with fiber means replacing hard-to-digest foods such as proteins for a short time with primarily high-fiber foods. Doing a cleanse for as few as five days can make you feel more alert and energetic. Always consult your doctor prior to starting a cleanse or making any significant dietary changes.

Fiber Foods

• You can find fiber naturally in a lot of different foods. Whole grain foods are foods like 100% whole grain breads, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole grain cereals. Oatmeal and graham crackers are also great sources of grains. Nuts, seeds and legumes are also foods with high fiber contents.

  Fruits and vegetables are another source of fiber you should incorporate into your colon cleanse. They are low calorie, high nutrient and high fiber foods. Eat them raw or steamed to preserve their nutritional value. The vegetables highest in fiber are dark, leafy green vegetables such as spinach and romaine lettuce. Fruits high in fiber include apples, bananas and prunes.