Natural Colon Cleansing

The number one reason many people will jump into a colon cleanse is because they are having problems with constipation, among others bladder and kidney infections, as well as bad breadth, body odor and nail fungus. Although some of these don’t sound like something that can be fixed by colon cleansing, the fact of the matter is, they can!

Colon cleansing can help to strengthen the body’s defense against parasites, toxins, bacteria and parasites. Our body is able to manage a certain number of toxins and expel them out from the body, but when the body gets steadily bombarded and overloaded, the body may need a little help.

You may have heard of the new buzz word “detox”, “detoxification” or “detox methods”. In reality, although many companies have tried to capitalize on this (can be compared to greenwashing), detoxification can help us live a healthier lifestyle if we help the body out.

Foods to Eat for a Colon Cleansing Diet

Fiber found in vegetables and fruits help facilitate passage out of the digestive system. It reduces our risks of colon cancer and helps prevent constipation. Soluble fiber as well as insoluble fiber is a must in our daily diet. Beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains are highly recommended.

Green Foods: The high chlorophyll content in green foods, soothes and heals the damaged tissue in the digestive tract. Known as the body’s “internal deodorant”, these foods also help the body to obtain more oxygen and draw out toxins. The foods in this category are alfalfa, wheatgrass, barley grass, spirulina, blue-green algae, etc.

High Fiber Diet: having a high fiber diet, that includes high fiber foods such as brown rice, barley, cabbage, beets, carrots, peas, citrus fruits and apples, help cleanse the colon of the harmful toxins.

Fermented Foods: Fermented foods such as yogurt or kefir can replenish friendly bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria have a host of functions that help the digestive system. They synthesize vitamins from food remnants, degrade the toxins, prevent colonization of disease causing micro-organisms, crowd out the less beneficial bacteria, stimulate the immune system and produce short-chain fatty acids, that provide an energy source for cells lining the colon.

Water: We know it but don’t follow it. Water is a universal solvent and is beneficial in flushing out the toxins from the body. Insufficient amount of it causes constipation and toxicity in the bowel and kidneys. The optimal amount varies widely, but usually about 6 to 10 glasses a day is considered an appropriate amount.

Healthy Oils: Certain oils like fish oil, cod liver oil, coconut oil, olive oil and oregano oil are known to be beneficial for the colon health.

Foods You Want to Avoid

The most common reasons for toxic buildup in the colon are meat and refined sugar. Red meat takes much longer to digest than high fiber foods such as grains, fruit and vegetables. This means that it sits in the intestines and colon for longer, putrefying and causing digestive issues. Similarly, refined sugar slackens up the digestive system instead of speeding its movement. Also cut down on the junk and fried foods, such as potato chips, cakes, noodles etc.

By consuming these colon cleansing foods, the body is allowed to work optimally and eliminate waste efficiently. Thus, a body with efficient digestion has more energy, clearer skin, etc. because it can better absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from the food consumed.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Source: Buzzle