Article summary:
- Get the answer to the question, What is a colon cleanse?
- Find out if you should colon cleanse
- Learn about the health benefits and the different types of cleanses
- See how to choose the best product
- Discover the gentle and natural colon cleanse that has become popular
A colon cleanse aims to clear your digestive system of built-up waste, toxins, and harmful organisms to support a healthy colon and promote better overall health. Your colon, another name for the large intestine, plays a vital role in how you feel, think, and live.
There’s plenty of scientific research showing a connection between your gut and your brain. Researchers call it your gut-brain axis. Around 80% of your immune response takes place in your gut too. Your colon is also responsible for reabsorbing water and electrolytes back into the body.
And if your colon stops working right, your quality of life suffers. For example, you might experience constipation. No one enjoys that feeling.
Conditions like Crohn’s disease can develop. Colon cancer risks increase, especially as we get older.
Colon cleansing seeks to keep your colon and digestive system working right. And when it does, you’ll find you feel better, have more energy, and enjoy life more.
In this article, we’ll look at colon cleansing. We’ll answer the question, “Do you really need a colon cleanse?” You’ll also find the health benefits of a colon cleanse, ways of cleansing, the types of products on the market, and one of the simplest, gentlest, and natural colon cleanses available today.
Do I really need a colon cleanse?
An online search will give you a variety of answers. Some sources will say no, while others say yes.
The truth is that it depends on your situation. Here are a few considerations that may help you decide for yourself.
- A few years ago, archaeologists discovered that our paleolithic ancestors ate around 135 grams of prebiotic (soluble) fiber every day. Soluble fibers like inulin feed the beneficial probiotic bacteria that live in the colon. These bacteria break soluble fiber into short-chain fatty acids, which have been shown to nourish colon cells.
- Today, the American Heart Association recommends 25-35 grams of fiber daily. Now, for us, our paleolithic ancestors lived a long time ago. But the human body and its dietary needs have not changed much in that time. The AHA’s recommendation is around 5x less than our ancestors ate – and that doesn’t include the insoluble fiber.
- Before you go in for a colonoscopy, you fast for around 12 hours. Sometimes your doctor may recommend colonic irrigation or a laxative before the procedure. This is to remove any excess waste in your colon that might prevent the camera from seeing the colon tissue. Would this practice be necessary if excess waste did not remain in the colon?
- Doctors and researchers are finding evidence that treating issues with the digestive system, specifically with the colon, positively impacts mental health issues like anxiety and mood.
Other signs you may need a colon cleanse
If you suffer from frequent constipation, colon cleansing may be necessary to prevent the situation.
Other signs your colon health may be suffering:
- Gas, bloating, and indigestion after you eat.
- No pattern to your bowel movements. Maybe you go once a day, once every couple, or a couple of times a day – what’s regular is unique to you, but you should notice some sort of pattern.
- Stomach upset after you eat
If any of these symptoms are a problem for you, it may be a sign of a buildup of stool that isn’t passing. Uncleared, this stool begins to rot in your gut. It feeds bacteria that release toxins that damage the lining of the colon. These toxins can also lead to die-offs of those beneficial bacteria that contribute to your good health.
And there are other factors to consider:
- Does your diet feature only raw natural food, or do you ever eat processed, refined foods?
- Is your food exposed to pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals?
- Are there other toxins in your environment that might make their way into your system?
Our diets today simply don’t have what we need to support a healthy colon. Regular colon cleansing is essential to protect and promote your gut’s health – and your overall health.
Health benefits of a colon cleanse
Our colons are made to prepare stool, not store it. The large amounts of fiber our ancestors ate would have helped limit any buildup.
Fiber holds water, which helps make stool easier to pass. The fiber also limits the chance our colon pulls too much water from stool, which would cause it to harden and increase the likelihood of deposits to form. In a way, fiber “scrubs” the colon as it passes.
Waste that does not clear fuels the growth of harmful, gram-negative bacteria. These bacteria release toxins that damage colon tissue and kill beneficial probiotic colon bacteria like B. bifidum. These effects can be far-reaching.
The gram-negative bacteria can create an environment for fungi like Candida to thrive. Digestion can suffer as the colon struggles to do its job, leading to indigestion or worse. Your immune system may be weakened as it fights the inflammation created by the toxins.
Longer-term effects can be persistent digestive disorders like irritable bowels. Scientific evidence suggests some of today’s most common health conditions may be linked to poor bowel function, such as chronic fatigue, mental health issues, and more. A lack of fiber may also be connected to colon cancer risk.
By colon cleansing, you reduce these risks. People who do cleanse regularly claim benefits that include:
- Having more energy
- Improved moods
- Less anxiety
- Sharper thinking (fewer days with “brain fog”)
- A stronger immune system as shown by less illness
- Better digestion, or less indigestion
- Fewer bouts of constipation
- A clear, beautiful complexion
Many people find colon cleansing also helps with weight loss. By keeping the colon clean and removing toxins that interfere with digestion, they improve nutrient absorption, fueling their metabolism to burn fat and lose weight.
Colon cleansing methods
Colon cleanses come in many different forms.
The most natural approach to colon cleansing would be to eat foods with more fiber. Based on the average modern diet, that would be a lot more fiber. Our dietary habits and lifestyles could make that a challenge.
It’s no wonder that so many different methods of colon cleansing are now available. These include:
Colon cleanse supplements
You will find many supplements for colon cleansing online, in natural food stores, and possibly even in the vitamin aisle of your local grocery store. These colon cleanses use a wide variety of active ingredients to cleanse.
Some use herbs like senna and psyllium that stimulate a laxative effect. You need to be careful with these as they can be harsh on some people’s digestive tracts. They can also create an urgency that can be very disruptive.
And herbal laxatives, just like chemical laxatives, can create bowel dependency. Effectively, after enough use, you need the laxative in order to get things moving.
But not all colon cleanse supplements use herbal or chemical laxatives. A popular new colon cleanse features oxygenated magnesium. Oxygen softens hardened stool, breaking it free of the colon lining and making it easier to pass. Oxygen also kills germs, harmful bacteria, and other organisms. The magnesium relaxes the bowel muscles and draws water into the colon, further helping to clear away built-up waste.
Laxatives
You can find plenty of over-the-counter laxatives. There are five types of laxatives:
- Osmotics. These draw water into your colon to make it easier to pass stool. Many feature the chemical polyethylene glycol.
- Bulk formers. This type of laxative often features fiber to hold water and build stool mass to stimulate normal muscle contractions.
- Stool softeners. These laxatives help to add water to your stool to soften it.
- Stimulants. This type of laxatives gets the muscles of your colon working on getting the stool out.
- Rectal suppositories. Inserted into the anus, these aim to stimulate the muscle contractions to push the stool out. These are only needed in severe cases of constipation.
Typically, you wouldn’t want to use a laxative for a colon cleanse as they have the potential for unwanted side effects. As noted above, they can be habit-forming. Other side effects include cramping and a desperate urgency to go. Many people also want to avoid the chemicals used to create their effect.
Juice cleanses
A juice cleanse relies on juiced fruits and vegetables to cleanse the colon. Juices have the benefit of supplying fiber and nutrients that help to detoxify. The drawback can be that the fiber in juices can irritate sensitive bowels.
Herbal teas
You can find many herbal teas that include laxative herbs. But you don’t necessarily have to drink those. If you are simply trying to do a maintenance cleanse, herbs like ginger that support the digestive tract may be adequate.
Colonic Irrigation
Colonic irrigation has become popular. It uses several pulses of water to flush the entire colon. Anyone who chooses this method should confirm with the practitioner regarding the process and cleanliness of the equipment used, as the water is supplied from a tube inserted into your colon.
Enemas
Enemas are different from colonic irrigation. They only aim to cleanse the lower part of the colon instead of the entire colon. You may find a lot of different types of enemas available. As they only provide a partial cleanse, you may find they offer less value than you’re seeking.
How to choose colon cleansing products
A healthy body needs a healthy colon. And since we don’t eat like our ancestors, regular colon cleansing may make sense. But what products should you choose?
If you find yourself in need of a colon cleanse due to a severe issue with constipation, you should seek medical advice and talk to your doctor. The urgency of your situation may require special attention.
For anyone seeking to cleanse for their health, you need to do your research. Before you take any substance – herbal or otherwise, you should know the potential effects of putting it into your body.
You should also choose a product made by a trusted company that follows good manufacturing practices (GMP).
A gentle, natural colon cleanse
Today, you can protect and promote your colon health in many different ways. We recommend the gentle, natural cleanse of oxygenated magnesium for cleansing, detoxing, and occasional constipation, like that in Cleanse Infused Plus. Sure, we may be biased. But its combination of oxygenated magnesium, enzymes, and natural substances that help protect the body against toxins released during a cleanse and offers holistic support for your body.
And unlike laxatives, it is not habit-forming. In fact, if the effect is a little more than you need, you can scale back your dosage with no side effects.
As always, even if a product is safe, you should consider seeking medical advice and talking to your doctor before starting a new regimen, especially if you currently take any medications.
A gentle, yet powerful colon cleanse supplement powered by oxygenated magnesium, premium herbs and enzymes.
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