The Colon
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The Colon
Feb 2007
Hi-
I am considering doing some type of body cleansing and am overwhelmed by the mass
amount of products, processes and literature out there. I am thinking about a liver
and or colon cleanse but also hear that they can be to harsh for your body. Anyone
know anything that might make my decision easier? I am hoping, in addition to
cleansing my body for general health reasons, I also want to help alleviate
sugar/food cravings, take off a few pounds and just feel good. I do not do drugs and
don't drink much but just want to rid my body of any toxins that I can. I enjoy
exercise and healthy eating, but feel like I need to take things to the next level if
you know what I mean.
Wanna be Clean
I highly recommend Anne-Louise Gittleman's book ''The One Day
Fast Track De-tox Diet''. It's not actually one day, it's really
11 days. 7 days of preparing for a one day fast, one day of a
particular juice fast, and 3 days coming off the fast.
I do this periodically to ''clean out'' and get back on track.
The book is interesting, fast reading, easy to understand and do-
able. She has recipes, easy to follow meal plans, suggestions
for supplements to take during the 11 days.
I never find it difficult...lots of vegies, some fruits and
protein. She specifies which vegies/fruits are for liver,
kidney, blood etc. You eat certain amounts of portions per day.
No special products (except unsweetened cranberry juice) no
things that are hard on the body.
When I do this I try to plan the fast for a day when I'm not
busy (not working) but out of the house so that I''m not idle at
home where food is available...that works for me.
This is a great detox that will leave you feeling clean and
energized. Good luck
anon
A short fasting diet probably won't hurt you, but please
educate yourself about these "detox" treatments first.
It's a big money-maker for the people who want you to
buy their teas and herbs, and it has no scientific basis, none.
Here's a quote from http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox.html:
"It can be terrifying to believe that one's body is being poisoned by toxins from within. But if this were true, the human race would not have survived, says Vincent F. Cordaro, M.D., an FDA medical officer. "A person who retained wastes and toxins would be very ill and could die if not treated. The whole concept is irrational and unscientific." The detoxification theory can enable con artists to gain great power over their customers by diagnosing and curing "potentially fatal" (but nonexistent) illnesses. "They have to invent the idea of toxins," says Peter Fodor, president of the Lipoplasty Society of North America, "because that gives them something to pretend they can fix."
Practical Mom
Feb 2006
What are people's thoughts/experiences with colon hydrotherapy -
- or high colonics, or whatever the proper term is? I have
mostly regular bowel movements -- and am pretty good about
eating fiberous fruits and vegetables -- but I read once in a
while that the average colon is carrying or impacted with more
matter than is eliminated. Is this true? If so, is it actually
a problem -- that is, does it all move through eventually
anyway? One friend is a devotee of regular colon cleansing;
other friends think it is nonsense. Advice? Thanks!
Wondering
Hi, I had colon hydrotherapy once, several years ago. Exercised fairly
regularly then but did not have a great diet. It was an interesting
experience - I found out just how sluggish my digestive system was. I
never went back because of the cost but I would say try it just once for
yourself and see how you feel. The person I went to was a nurse and I
think that helped me feel better about the process.
Anon
I'm a proponent of research-based decisions about products and services,
and find the ''Quackwatch'' website to be useful, in that the person who
runs it does refer to current research.
For information about colonics, see
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/gastro.html
Karen
I recently had a colonoscopy. To do that, you don't eat for 24 hours
and take a powerful laxative. Then, as they put a little camera through
what seems like miles of your innards, you get to watch on a little tv.
It is ''fascinating''. I can tell you that there is NOTHING COMPACTED
IN THERE. And I eat lots of meat by the way, along with fruits and
vegetables. It was clean as a whistle. I assume that when you are
eating a normal diet, things just move along through your system, as
they should. Save your money and buy some really good vegetables
instead.
Seen it All
hi! I plan on doing the colon detox offered by blessed herbs because,
like you, although I eat a lot of fiber and stuff, I just think we need
to clean out the system. People used to fast periodically for
spiritual/cultural reasons and we don't really do that anymore. I am
waiting for my baby to wean before I do this--but I can let you know how
it goes, if you'd like.
best,l
I have had about five colonics and have to say, while they couldn't be
described as enjoyable, they seemed to be very worthwhile. Part of it
was the emotional component, the level of trust with the practitioner
(meaning, if he or she seems like someone you don't trust, DONT DO IT -
it can be very emotionally intense). I felt so clean and clear
afterward. I keep doing them about once a year. They can diagnose some
things like mild liver stress as well, which I found helpful.
Elizabeth
I've worked in western medicine as a registered nurse for 30 years.
I've always believed strongly in complimentary/alternative medicine and,
since it was related to my nursing specialty, I became certified in
colon hydrotherapy in 1997. I worked at an alternative clinic in the
Bay Area and also traveled to Sydney Australia to intern at a colon
hydrotherapy clinic there that had six tables. As with many alternative
therapies, the science of colonics and detoxification has not caught up
with the evidence. I have seen the effect of cleansing and
detoxification on the body - the eyes and skin get clear, people feel
''better'' in general and their general health often improves - fewer
colds, more energy.
The colon however, while it may be misshapen with narrow areas from
contractions or dilated areas from chronic constipation - does not hold
pounds of waste that never leave. Look at a colonoscopy on an 85 year
old that has only had an oral clean out - it looks like pink and clean
from top to bottom. The pressure of chronic constipation and the
effects of a poor diet can, however, harm the condition of the lining,
the musculature and therefore, the functioning. So what does the
colonic do?
It has a systemic cleansing effect. Putting all that water up there and
washing the colon out definitely ''lightens the load''.
It hydrates (enemas were a way of hydrating people before IV's) but it
does more than that - is it osmosis? I don't know, but colonics would
not be around for all this time if there was nothing to them. A word of
caution: I met a woman who now has a colostomy because her colonic
practitioner pushed the speculum through her colon and dumped a liter of
water into her peritoneal cavity. I haven't heard many horror stories
but that one gave me pause. I am no longer practicing colonics because
there were too many questions, but I would still get one from a trusted
practitioner.
A true butt specialist
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