How can I do a cheap colon cleanse?
I want to do a colon cleanse, but the stuff on the market is way out of my budget. If I just do some psyllium capsules and some pro-biotics (like acidophilus), will that work just as well as the expensive stuff like Evercleanse?
Forget the colon cleanse. Your colon is clean. Detox is an alt med scam and can be dangerous.
TV show, “What’s Good For You” recently tested detox products.
Results:
Weight loss. One member of the detox group dropped out on day four as she was experiencing dizziness, headaches and nausea. In this time she lost almost 3kgs. The two other members of the detox group lasted the week — and lost 2.5kg and 4kg each. Our expert, Associate Professor Katherine Samaras of the Garvan Institute, believes the weight loss will be put straight back on. Plus the diet may have also altered the detoxers’ metabolisms making it more difficult for them to lose weight in the future.
Blood tests. The blood tests showed decreased liver function in all members of the detox group. Their livers were shocked by the strict diet and weren’t functioning very well. The blood tests also showed an increase in triglycerides (the bad blood fats that predict our risk to heart disease) and a decrease in the protective cholesterol.
Conclusion
Within our group of six people the liquid detox diet did not help the body eliminate toxins. In fact, the diet did them more harm than good! The body is fantastically designed to eliminate by-products without needing any assistance at all. If you have overindulged Professor Samaras recommends a light healthy diet for one or two days to let your body recover.
http://health.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=826277
From Skepdic.com:
It’s an irrational concept, yet an intriguing idea, that modern life so fills us with poisons from polluted air and food additives that we need to be periodically “cleaned out” (“detoxified”). Never mind that natural chemicals in our foods are thousands of times more potent than additives, or that most Americans are healthier, live longer, and can choose from the most healthful food supply ever available. — Frances M. Berg, M.S.
Real detoxification of foreign substances takes place in the liver, which modifies their chemical structure so they can be excreted by the kidneys which filter them from the blood into the urine. –Stephen Barrett, M.D.
“Toxin” is classic pseudoscience terminology. –Ben Goldacre, M.D.
“…these detox programs amount to a large quantity of excrement, both literally and figuratively.” –Peter Pressman, M.D.
http://www.skepdic.com/detox.html
Relieving Constipation: the Natural Methods
Popular Methods
When it comes to relieving constipation, we are a society expecting quick fixes. We want it out and now, right? Itâs no surprise we spend about 900 million dollars on laxatives each year. Laxatives, though, should be a last resort for many reasons. Since they are available without a prescription we tend to think of them as safe. Unfortunately, they can become habit-forming quickly and they are harmful to your body in the long-term.
Types of Laxatives:
- Bulk laxatives – This is the best type of laxative to relieve constipation for prolonged use. Though usually taking a few days to start working, they can provide some relief. Remember to drink plenty of water. Bulk laxatives include: psyllium husk (available through health food stores), bran, ispaghula husk, and sterculia.
- Stimulant laxatives – These laxatives aim at increasing bowel contractions but can cause stomach cramps as a side effect. These are taken at night to have a morning bowel movement, as they are supposed to work within 6-12 hours. Senna is an example of a stimulant laxative. Although they work to relieve constipation, experts believe the contractions cause weakening of the digestive muscles which will eventually make the problem worse. Since these laxatives cause contractions, they are not safe for pregnant women. Glycerol suppositories are included in this group. Although they are inserted into the rectum, they still act as a stimulant.
- Osmotic laxatives – These go to work at relieving constipation by helping the bowel retain water and by softening the stool. Epsom salts and Milk of Magnesia are osmotic laxatives.
- Lactulose – This medication comes in crystals or liquid form. A type of sugar that isnât digested by the body, Lactulose acts like a fiber and osmotic laxative combined. This type takes up to 3 days to work and may cause cramping and profuse gas.
There are other medications that act as stool softeners, which basically coat the bowel so water doesnât get absorbed from the stool. Since the body naturally removes water from the colon, it isnât suitable as a long-term solution for relieving constipation.
Natural Methods – Fiber In, Fiber Out
Adding fiber to your diet is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, relatively free of constipation. If you think fiber means just eating more bran, think again. You can also add fiber to your diet via fruits (with the skin), green vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds. Nuts and grains are also important because they are a good source of essential fatty acids (especially flaxseed or flax oil) which are wonderful options to relieve constipation naturally.
Adding fiber to your diet may make you feel like a gas-filled balloon at first. If your body has been used to eating white flour, heavy starches, fatty meats, and other low fiber foods, it may take some time to get used to it. Donât give up after one short week. Remember, it probably took years of eating a low fiber diet to make constipation an issue in your intestines. Give fiber a chance! After 14-21 days of including more fiber in your diet, youâll start to wonder why you didnât make it a priority before.
Forming new habits really means youâre getting rid of the old one. If relieving constipation is your goal, youâll want to stay away from the constipation culprits like: white flour, fried foods, sweets, carbonated drinks, alcohol, refined sugars, and cheese.
Maintain Your Flora
No, weâre not talking about your vegetable garden. Good bacterial flora is essential for proper digestion. In fact, if you took all the bacteria in your digestive system and put them all together youâd have a mass the size and weight of a brick. When we abuse laxatives and enemas, we can create havoc on the good bacteria we need to avoid diarrhea and help relieve constipation.
Eating yogurt with live cultures is one way to maintain your flora population. Be sure to read the label of your yogurt container. It should say it contains âlive and active cultures.â If youâd rather not take their word for it, check the ingredients for Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophius.
Refrain From the Strain
With some people, constipation stems from issues with muscle coordination. They seem to contract the anus muscles when they should be relaxing them. There are certain biofeedback methods available for people who suffer with this problem. The treatment is used on those suffering from severe constipation linked directly to this muscle contraction issue.
Weekly Cleansing
Most of the waste matter produced from the food we eat gets passed out within a 72-hour period. Sometimes, up to 30% of that waste can sit in the colon for a week or more. Since retaining waste is not good for the body or health, a weekly cleansing of the colon will go a long way at relieving constipation. Oxy-Powder® is a safe way to clean out any waste that may be loitering in your colon and using it once a week will help improve bowel function. Remember the following: Avoid chemical laxatives. True, they can work for a while but along with those results come the weakened bowels, potentially unsafe contractions, and other nasty side effects. Add fiber to you diet. Fiber bulks up your stool and helps it retain water, which makes it easier to move along. There are many tasty and nutritious sources of fiber from which you can choose, so donât fear that youâll have to eat twigs or acorns or something. Keep a good quantity of bacteria on hand. Especially while undertaking a thorough colon cleansing program, replenish your flora with healthful and yummy yogurt. Relax and go. Donât strain or try to force out impacted waste. You can end up tearing tissue and hurting yourself in the process. Cleanse naturally. Leave the chemicals in your garage where they belong and try a supplement especially suited for the job, one that just helps clean your colon so it can work its best again. Follow these guidelines to help relieve constipation and you can feel great again!
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The Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/relieving-constipation-the-natural-methods-89966.html
Get Regular With This Constipation Remedy Guide
Finding an effective constipation remedy that will help relieve the pain can seem quite daunting for those who regularly suffer from constipation. Constipation is a condition where a person has difficulty moving their bowels and there are a number of ways in which it can be diagnosed such as a physical examination, colorectal transit study, anorectal function tests, barium enema x-ray, and sigmoidoscopy or through a colonoscopy.
However there are number of constipation remedies around which should hopefully help to improve the situation as well as remove the problem.
A good one to use is to train your bowel. If you can attempt to have a bowel movement at the same time each day (preferably first thing in the morning) as this is when your colon activity is at its highest and you can practice this quite easily.
Ensure that you improve your eating habits but including plenty of high fiber foods (cereals), and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. It is important that if you suffer from constipation you limit the amount of ice cream, cheese, meat and processed foods that you consume.
Drink plenty of water (about 1.5-2 litres each day) and avoid those drinks which can cause dehydration such as coffee and alcohol.
Also take up some form of regular exercise and not only will it help to alleviate the problems associated with constipation it will provide you with other health benefits as well.
However, if you find that are still not having regular bowel movements even if you have made the changes above then you wish to consider using a bulk forming laxative such Psyllium or Methylcellulose and they can be used for a long time without any side effects.
There are also other medications that can be used to remedy constipation such as Hyprosmotics, Lactulose, Polyethylene Glycol, Glycerin and Sorbital as well as salines like Magnesium Hydroxide, Magnesium Citrate and Sodium Phosphate.
However if you have found that neither of the above methods work for you then you may try such medications as Anthraquinones such as Cascara Sagrada, Emollients such as Docusates, Senna and Mineral Oil. There are also stimulants such as Phenolphthalein, Castor Oil or Bisacodyl which may also help to remedy the problems associated with constipation but such medications as these need to be used under strict supervision of a doctor or healthcare worker and only as a short term measure as most of these have some side effects.
People who are using laxatives should discontinue use slowly and after some time the colon will be restored to its normal working balance.
Finally, you should only use enemas or suppositories as an emergency treatment and if all else fails then surgery may be your only alternative.
Your Dog Can Suffer From Constipation Too
It is not only humans that suffer from constipation, but our pets can too! Dog constipation is normally caused due to a lack of exercise and an incorrect diet. In this article we will look at ways that dog constipation can be treated using some home remedies.
As previously mentioned ensuring that your dog’s diet is good and that they are getting sufficient exercise are the most important components for ensuring that your dog’s bowels work correctly. Any dog that is kept in the home should be walked 2 times a day whilst their diet should be correctly maintained.
However if your dog does become constipated a good way of alleviating the problem is to add 1 or 2 teaspoons of bran to it meal. This allows extra moisture to appear in its stools.
Another way that you can treat your dog should it become constipated is by adding Psyllium (Metamucil) to their diet. Just giving them ½ teaspoon each day plus providing them with lots of drinking water will help to alleviate the constipation that they have.
The next option you could try is to add 2 teaspoons of mineral oil to their meals twice a day for a week and this is especially good where there is a large build up of hard stools in your dog.
As you can see there are a number of steps you can take in order to help your dog if they should suffer from constipation but by keeping his food moist (add a little water) will help? Or if your dog is a little more mature then include some raw meat and vegetables into their diet.
Often there are certain signs which will alert you to any potential problems your dog may have and for which you can act on immediately. If your dog has a long coat then sometimes the stools can become entangled in the coat and it is vital you keep your dog properly groomed.
Also dogs have a tendency to eat everything in sight so make sure there are no bones or other materials that they may ingest. Dogs may also suffer from constipation because of a medication that they are on. But there may even be a psychological reason as to why your dog has become constipated (they could be stressed even dogs get stressed to).
Although it has been suggested that dogs of all breeds and no matter what age can be prone to constipation and so there may be some other factors that need to be taken into consideration which may be caused by you as an owner. Do not ever feed your dog from the dinner table as you are contributing to his constipation.
It is important that you do not feed your dog food which contains flour, sugar, rice, dairy or are high in protein as they will on excacerbate the situation. Also included in this would be ice cream, cooks, bread, chocolate or any other foods that we consider to be unhealthy.
Not only can constipation in dogs be caused by lack of fiber or fluids but also by a mega colon (an inflamed colon which prevents your dog from discharging their stools).
The time you should decide to visit your vet if your dog is suffering from constipation is when they have a loss of appetite; begin to pass small amounts of blood and general they look and act very lethargic.
It is important that you are very vigilant to any signs of stress and make your that your dog’s diet and exercise regime is appropriate for them and hopefully this will alleviate or prevent dog constipation in your pet.
Colon Cleanse: Why, How And When?
The colon has an important function in the body. This is to reabsorb the nutrients and water into our bodies and expel toxic matter through bowel movements. When the bowel becomes overwhelmed with toxic build up, problems can surface such as constipation, hemorrhoids and even colon cancer. The most common symptoms of a toxic overload in the body are bad breath, fatigue, allergies, bloating, irritability, depression and infections that occur frequently.
What actually happens is the body absorbs the toxins in the colon and poisons the body. By cleaning the colon regularly, a variety of health-related problems could often be avoided. This type of cleansing is often referred to as detoxification. In order to detoxify your body, reducing the amount of chemicals taken in by the body is a necessity. Reduce the sugars, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco from your diet to help the process along.
Probiotics are also important in the colon cleansing process and will help produce the good bacteria in your intestines that are needed to fight illness and disease in the body.
Colon Cleansing The Natural Way
To cleanse your colon naturally, you will need to begin a cleansing diet, including some natural herbs. Some of the most beneficial herbs to take are psyllium husk, flaxseeds, slippery elm and cascara sagrada.
Other Colon Cleansing Techniques
There are several other ways to clean your colon of toxic build up including colon hydrotherapy, which must be performed by a professional for safety reasons. Colon hydrotherapy will clean the large intestine only. For a full cleansing, an oxygen-based cleanser is also needed. An oxygen-based cleanser application does not require a professional.
Enemas are more commonly associated with the treatment of constipation. Enemas generally only clean the lower colon, so are not always as effective in a complete colon cleanse. Laxatives can be helpful in clearing out the colon, although they do very little in the way of cleansing. Laxatives are also considered to be the most dangerous types of treatments for constipation and cleansing and should not be used regularly.
Colon cleansing is considered to be a very important part of keeping your body healthy and free from disease. Natural supplements, used regularly, will help keep your colon clean and well maintained without the use of harsh chemicals that are likely to add to your toxification problems. Those who are experiencing constipation should make it priority to cleanse their colon, as constipation means that the body is storing the toxic waste, generated by food eaten, in the body for dangerous amounts of time.
If you intend to begin any colon cleansing treatment, especially if you are changing your diet or taking new medications, it is best to consult a health care professional to make sure that the changes will not harm your health.
Colon Cleanse Recipes, Is it Possible to Make My Own?
Searching for colon cleanse recipes can be a bit like hunting for hay in a haystack, theres so many of them around that it can be just a little overwhelming! But while it might be simple enough to find a free colon cleanse recipe using the Internet, theres no guarantee that the homemade cleanser you end up with will be any good, or even match your particular needs. So while it might be eminently possible to make your own effective colon cleanser in the comfort of your own home, it makes sense to exercise some care before you start to purchase the ingredients suggested by a free colon cleaner recipe you stumble across on the internet.
As with any information you find, from any source, remember that it was put together by another mere mortal like yourself. Be sure to check the credentials of the writer of any colon cleanse recipe you find. Many free recipes have been put together by alternative health professionals, while some will simply be the result of the homemade trial and error of a concerned colon owner like yourself. Find out any details you can about the ingredients used in the recipes you find, and make sure they are generally considered safe for human consumption before you put them in your body.
That said, there are a few colon cleanse recipe ingredients that have stood the test of time quite well, and are generally thought to yield good results. These include such natural ingredients as psyllium husks or seeds, which offer the bulk your colon needs to cleanse itself of any build up of waste material, this ingredient is often found in the recipes of store-bought colon cleaners, a testimony to its safety and efficacy.
Probiotics are another frequent ingredient in both homemade and store-bought colon cleanse recipes, as they help to increase the natural occurrence of the good bacteria that live in your digestive system and help it to flourish. The long use of this ingredient should indicate to you that its presence in any free colon cleanse recipe you find is a good thing.
Many free colon cleanse recipes contain an extra ingredient that you will need to purchase from a particular vendor, and here is where you need to exercise some care. While the sellers of reputable products abound, there will always be some recipe purveyors who formulate cleansing programs and diets simply to sell their wares.
Most of these products simply contain the ingredients mentioned previously, along with other herbs that can be purchased at your local health food store, so always try to read the virtual label of any recommended product your find on the Internet before you add it to your cleansing recipe.
Creating your own colon cleansing recipe doesnt have to be a difficult task, and unless you have particular digestive trouble, sticking to a simple plan is best. If you are in any doubt, contact your alternative health practitioner, and never use a free colon cleansing recipe you are unsure of.