Health Watch: What’s the Best Colon Cleanse?

by Andrew Meyers, Naturopath

If you want to improve your overall health and restore your body’s natural vitality, then a colon cleanse may be just what the doctor ordered. Researchers believe there are hundreds of toxins in the colon which can lead to heart disease, liver and kidney problems, even cancer. Early symptoms of a toxic colon are constipation, fatigue, headaches and problems with the skin.

A colon cleansing – along with a change in diet and lifestyle – can help to loosen and remove hardened, toxic waste matter in the colon. You can buy colon detox products online or try colon cleanse recipes at home. But which colon cleanse is best for rejuvenating and revitalizing the whole body?

Herbal Colon Cleanse

Doing a herbal colon cleanse helps to stimulate peristalsis, which helps the colon to rid itself of waste and toxins that may have built up over time. By stimulating the colon, constipation and other bowel problems can be alleviated.

Herbal colon cleansing increases the fiber available to your intestines, which allows for easier elimination of hardened fecal matter. Cleansing herbs including psyllium, cascara sagrada, ginger, barberry and senna may be utilized alone or in certain combinations.

Psyllium husks are used in most herbal colon cleansing products. The reason for this is that psyllium is full of fiber and is also indigestible. Psyllium acts as a broom to sweep your intestines of hardened and toxic fecal matter. Be sure to drink plenty of water when taking psyllium, and also don’t forget to take probiotics afterward to replenish intestinal flora.

Oxygen Colon Cleanse

Oxygen colon cleansers differ from herbal colon cleansers products in that they are less invasive. Many people prefer this method of colon cleansing because it uses oxygen to clean the intestines by breaking up impacted fecal matter.

Oxygen colon cleansers usually come in capsule form, and when ingested cause a chemical reaction that releases oxygen into the body. The additional oxygen helps to liquefy the decayed fecal matter in the colon so that it can easily be removed from the body.

Doing an oxygen cleanse will help regulate your bowel movements, and it is considered by many to be the most gentle colon cleanse method. Because the oxygen released affects all parts of the body, it has a beneficial effect on all the body’s organs.

Kidney Cleanse

The kidneys serve as the body’s filtration system. Toxins from medications, pesticides, and other contaminants consumed on a daily basis are removed in the kidneys. The main job of the kidneys is to eliminate potentially harmful substances and ensure that the body remains in good working order.

A kidney cleanse serves to detoxify the kidneys, promote healthier kidney function and helps to prevent kidney stones. Doing a kidney cleanse can also help stabilize blood pressure and improve the function of the bladder and urinary tract.

Kidney cleanse herbs like dandelion, juniper, nettles, parsley and marshmallow root can help the kidneys to better remove waste from the body. Eating certain foods like pumpkin seeds, watermelon, and drinking cranberry or lemon juice is also thought to aid in kidney cleansing.

Parasite Cleanse

The food we eat often contains parasites, and these organisms can remain in your colon even after your food is digested. You need to do a parasite colon cleanse to rid yourself of intestinal parasites like pin worm, hookworm and thread worm.

There are certain herbs that are effective in removing intestinal parasites. Wormwood, Black Walnut Hulls and Cloves help to kill parasites in your colon, and can rid the body of intestinal worms when used together in the proper amounts. Many unexplained health problems magically disappear after doing a parasite cleansing.

Natural Colon Cleanse

A natural colon cleanse involves techniques that perform the same function as colon hydrotherapy, but without the need for an invasive tube placed in the rectum. Rather, a natural colon cleanse is achieved through using oral and herbal supplements that cleanse the colon more slowly and perhaps more safely.

While hydrotherapy is administered via the rectum, a natural colon cleanse encourages a slower cleansing process. This is most often achieved with natural laxatives, including psyllium seeds and magnesium.

Studies suggest these natural colon cleansers are less likely to irritate the gastrointestinal tract than the more invasive colonic. A natural colon cleanse product is intended to encourage regular bowel movements while relieving digestive ailments like gas and constipation.

The modern diet and lifestyle leads many people to overload their bodies with toxins as a result of these eating disorders. The body can’t eliminate all these toxins, so they tend to build up in the colon over time. A colon cleanse can give your body a “fresh start,” and this rejuvenation will lead to renewed energy and a healthy zest for life again.

(published April 17, 2011)