If you look up “colon cleanse” on the internet you’ll typically get over 22 million search results. That would definitely indicate that it’s a mighty popular subject. It must be indicative of the state of our general health and the fact that so many feel heavy, sluggish and out of sorts. If you think about it, that heavy feeling often seems to be more pronounced somewhere in the lower abdominal area, and so when talk of colon cleansing started to resurface (it was a common practice amongst the ancient Greeks), it made sense that by cleaning up the colon, that heavy, uncomfortable feeling would go away.

The premise behind colon cleansing is that undigested meat and other foods cause mucus buildup in the colon, and this in turn produces toxins that leach into the rest of the body. Having a clogged or unclean colon can result in the body not being able to properly digest and absorb nutrients, and can also inhibit the body’s ability to get rid of waste.

Proponents of colon cleansing believe that it improves health by removing toxins, promoting healthy intestinal bacteria, boosting energy and enhancing the immune system.

According to an article by Dr. Michael Picco, doctors prescribe colon cleansing for certain medical procedures, but most don’t recommend it for detoxification. These doctors believe that the digestive system and bowel naturally eliminate waste material and bacteria.

Dr. Picco goes on to list some serious concerns with colon cleansing including risk of dehydration and increased risk of infection.

While it is certainly true that our natural systems are meant to remove toxins from the body, the sad fact is that we are exposed to such enormous amounts of pollutants on a daily basis that the body simply can’t keep up. In today’s world, helping the body get rid of toxins is vital in order to stay healthy. Cleansing helps remove stored impurities and gives the body the opportunity to restore itself.

However, colon cleansing is not the answer. To safely and holistically cleanse your body, you need nutritional cleansing.

Nutritional cleansing is cleansing at a cellular level. It is systemic and not specific to one organ like the colon. Nutritional cleansing floods the body with nutrients without the useless calories found in a common meal. At the same time the body is also charged with highly alkalizing minerals (the spark plugs of the body) which restore pH balance to a healthy state. When you flood the body with micro and macro nutrients, and the pre and probiotics that are required to maintain healthy intestinal bacterial balance, the body absorbs those nutrients better and restores itself to a state of vitality not found with colon cleansing alone.

Colon cleansing typically provides no valuable nutritional support. No proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins or minerals. Generally, colon cleanses stimulate the rapid elimination of everything in the colon (evacuation of the bowels) without replacing anything the body needs except water, to support itself. The biggest problem with colon cleansing is that it removes the good with the bad. The good being healthy pre and probiotic microbacteria that help facilitate the breakdown of nutrients so they can be absorbed through the walls of the intestine and into the bloodstream. Without this healthy bacteria, nutrients are not easily assimilated and just pass through the body, without being absorbed.

Colon cleansing can also result in an acidic balance in the body as there are no alkalizing minerals present to facilitate the stability of the pH in the digestive tract.

When the body is in perfect pH balance NO disease can exist. Utilizing alkalizing nutritional products (found in nutritional cleanses) will bring the results that we desire for outstanding health and vitality. The pH of the body must be alkaline for the body to have optimal metabolism, energy levels and an energized immune system. Recent studies have shown that if your body is acidic or out of balance, you cannot effectively assimilate vitamins, minerals and food nutrients.

There are some colon cleanse products that do include replenishing essential vitamins, minerals, green foods and necessary probiotics – but if colon cleansing is considered essential because of the many chemicals and toxins in the environment and our food, it makes a lot more sense to do a nutritional cleanse that addresses the whole system since chemicals and toxins affect cells all throughout the body and not just in the colon.

The bottom line is that nutritional cleansing is far superior to colon cleansing in assisting the whole body to remove toxins, become more alkaline and improve overall health.

These tips are called secrets because they are not what you would normally read about to help you strengthen your own digestion. Many people want to sell plant and other kinds of enzymes. While some of these may help, using them for your entire life can prove inconvenient and expensive. Try these secret tips to help your body manufacture more of its own enzymes, which will naturally lead to excellent digestion.

Tip 1 – Don’t overeat. Overeating is a main cause of digestive problems. The body can only digest a certain amount of protein at one time. What isn’t digested gets stored as waste and creates toxins. In addition, your body can only digest a few types of food in one sitting. Too many different types food will require more enzymes than your body can produce at one time. This will lead to digestive problems.

Tip 2 – Always chew your food until it is completely dissolved. This really sounds easier than it is. Most of us eat on the run, only partially chewing our food. This can cause heartburn, stomach upset and bloating, among other things. Paying attention to chewing your food can have numerous health benefits.

Digestion starts in the mouth. In fact, chewing is the first stage of digestion. Most people think if you don’t finish chewing your food, it will just take longer to digest in the stomach. This is not true. If you don’t complete the chewing process – your stomach enzymes cannot do their job. This makes it almost impossible for the intestinal enzymes to break down the food when it finally gets there.

Your teeth must break down the food into a substance that your stomach and intestinal enzymes can then break down. Add to this the fact that your saliva is full of digestive enzymes. These enzymes start the digestion of starches. One step must be completed before the other steps can work.

There are other benefits of thoroughly chewing your food. People who take time to eat have less risk of heartburn than those who eat too fast. And – studies prove that extended chewing actually strengthens the immune system! So slow down, chew your food and enjoy.

Tip 3 – Relax before eating. This might sound like a new-age thing, but there is scientific evidence that relaxing helps strengthen digestion. Studies in Japan show that the saliva of a relaxed person is thinner and full of enzymes. This makes for stronger digestion.

The same studies show that saliva of a stressed or hurried person is thick and devoid of enzymes. This may be one reason why stress can interfere with digestive health.

Tip 4 – You can strengthen your natural digestion and help your body produce more of its own natural digestive enzymes. How can you do this without taking external enzymes?

Eat according to digestive cycles. Your body has natural, circadian rhythms like the sleeping cycle and hormonal cycle. Digestion is also a rhythm, or cycle, that is stronger at some points of the day than others. Here’s how it works…

The morning is your body’s natural cleansing, or flushing time. This is when your liver is supposed to dump toxins and fat for release. This should stimulate your intestines and colon to work. To work with this part of the cycle, eat fruits which are natural cleansers of the body.

Mid-day is the time when your digestive enzymes peak and are at their strongest. This is the best time to eat raw vegetables which are more difficult for most people to digest. Eating a large, raw vegetable salad with protein will strengthen your natural enzymes over a short period of time. As your body begins to expect your daily salad, it gets more enzymes ready to digest the raw veggies. Be sure to chew your salad well.

Evening is when your natural digestive enzymes are slowing down. To strengthen digestion, start your meal with a small, green salad. This will get your enzymes revving. Then complete your meal with steamed veggies and a protein serving. This is an easier food combination for your body to digest. It will not interfere with your natural enzymes, but work with them.

Tip 5 – Eat yogurt for the good bacteria. Good bacteria must thrive throughout your digestive system. It keeps the bad bacteria and other pathogens in check, which in turn strengthens not only your digestion, but your immune system as well. Be sure to eat yogurt that lists the available probiotics on the label.

It might seem like a difficult cycle when trying to correct poor digestion. You need proteins and raw veggies to add enzymes and to stimulate and create your own enzymes. But it might be difficult to break down these proteins and raw veggies if your digestion is out of whack. Try these simple tips for starters.

If you are taking digestive enzymes and prefer not to, don’t just stop taking them, wean off slowly to ensure balance. The key to any natural healing process is slow, steady and consistent. Working like this can help you take control of your health.

The digestive system consists of numerous organs such as the mouth, stomach, esophagus, large intestine also known as the colon, small intestine, rectum and the anus. These organs are seamed internally by a membrane called mucosa. The mucosa secretes a fluid that aids in the digestion of food. Food particles are broken down and forced along the tract by way of muscles.

Two additional organs within the human body which play a prominent part in digestion are the liver and the pancreas. The digestive fluids which these organs release enter the intestine by means of small ducts. The digestive fluid developed by the liver is held in the gall bladder before arriving at the intestine. Some organs belonging to the circulatory system, in addition to the nervous system, are associated with the digestive functioning of the body.

Why Is Digestion So Important?

The conventional food that we eat cannot be digested in its original form by the body. The food needs to be broken down into smaller and more complex molecules of necessary nutrients by the various organs within the body. It is then absorbed by the blood and carried to the various cells within the body to provide energy. This entire process whereby the food that we eat is converted into energy which can then be utilized by the body is called digestion.

The Whole Process Of Digestion

Digestion is the means by which the food that is consumed gets mixed with digestive fluids released by various organs. It is then broken down into smaller molecules in the course of traveling through the digestive tract. Ideally, it could be said that digestion of the food starts in the mouth where you chew the food and ends in the small intestine.

Peristalsis

The digestive tract comprises of hollow organs whose walls are layered with muscles which gives them their ability to move. These walls, with the aid of the muscles, move the food and fluids that are consumed through to the various organs that constitute the digestive system, so that they become effectively mixed with the digestive fluids and then broken down into finer molecules. This particular muscular action of the walls is known as peristalsis. One may rightly compare this action on a smaller scale to the ocean waves. Such wave like action of the muscular walls enables the food specks and fluid to get distributed throughout the digestive system.

The process of digestion starts in the mouth as we swallow food or drink liquids. That in turn is the only voluntary action in the entire process of digestion. After you swallow, the remaining process is completely involuntary as the nerves then take control of the necessary actions.

The Esophagus

The esophagus is then the next point where the swallowed food goes. This is the organ which connects the throat and the stomach. The esophageal sphincter is a circular like muscle which is positioned at the junction where the esophagus and the stomach meet. Remaining in a closed condition otherwise, it is responsible for allowing food to enter the stomach.

The Stomach

The stomach then takes control as the food enters it by way of the esophagus. The stomach’s first duty is to store the food and liquid that is swallowed. This is accomplished by the relaxing action of the upper part of the stomach resulting in the storage of a large quantity of food and liquids. Following this stage the food and liquid is combined in with the digestive fluids that are secreted in the stomach by muscular action. This occurs in the lower part of the stomach. The third and final task of the stomach is to gradually release the mixture into the small intestine.

There are certain conditions and or variables which must be taken into consideration when discussing the process of food passing from the stomach into the small intestine, namely the type of food that goes in, the entire process of the peristalsis action of the stomach and small intestine as was discussed earlier. The fact is that fats are retained in the stomach for the longest period of time while on the other hand carbohydrates are digested much sooner. Proteins also take an extended amount of time to digest. The digestive fluids secreted by the pancreas, liver and intestine aid the food to dissolve further and they are gradually mixed thoroughly and absorbed further to continue the digestion process.

In the final stage of the process, the walls of the intestine absorb the nutrients which are then transported to other parts of the body. This is also the point where waste material which consists of undigested food matter, fiber and cells are shed from mucosa which is then transported into the colon. These materials get expelled out of the body by way of bowel movements.

The Part That Digestive Juices Play

The initial process of digestion takes place in the mouth where digestive juices are secreted by the salivary glands. Saliva that is secreted contains an enzyme which has the ability to break up the starch contained in food into smaller molecules.

The stomach is the next place which secretes digestive juices. These juices which are acidic in nature secrete an enzyme responsible for the digestion of protein. This acidic enzyme does not affect the walls and tissues of the stomach because it is protected by the mucosa which is a layer of tissue that lines the walls of the stomach.

It is when the food mixture is passed through to the small intestine from the stomach that digestive juices from the pancreas and liver take over. The Pancreas secretes an enzymes which is powerful enough to break down the proteins, fats and carbohydrates that are found in food. Along with it, the glands that are present in the intestinal walls also secrete necessary enzymes.

The liver is another important organ in this connection that produces bile, another digestive enzyme. Between meal times, the bile is accumulated in the gall bladder. During meal times, the bile reaches the intestine through the bile ducts which then gets combined with the fat in the food and ultimately dissolves it. Only then does it get digested by the pancreatic and intestinal enzymes.

Absorption And Transportation Of Nutrients

The small intestine is responsible for the absorption of the molecules of food, water and minerals which is then passed on to other parts of the body. This process is quite interesting as well. As mentioned previously, the walls of the small intestine are covered with mucosa which contains lots of folds. These folds are covered with small projections called villi, which have minuscule projections called microvilli. These are responsible for the absorption of nutrients. The material gets absorbed by special cells into the blood stream where they are transported to other parts of the body for further action. Another unique thing is that the process differs according to specific nutrients.

Fats

One of the main sources of energy that the body requires comes from fats. Fat directly goes into the intestine and gets dissolved into the watery content found there. Fats are infiltrated by the bile secretions which break it down into minuscule droplets which consist of fatty acids and cholesterol among other things. The fatty acids and cholesterol molecules get combined with the bile acids which shifts them to the mucosa cells. It is in these cells that the molecules join together to become large and then are passed on to the lymphatic vessels adjoining the intestine. The lymphatic vessels are responsible for transporting this fat to the veins of the chest. Fat accumulates in different parts of the body through the blood stream as well.

Fiber

Fiber is something which is indigestible and therefore it passes through the digestive tract without being broken down by enzymes. Fiber essentially comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble, both of which can be found in different types of food. As the name implies, soluble fiber gets dissolved in water to take on a soft, gel like consistency in the intestines while insoluble fiber never changes its form and is treated as waste matter.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a very important source of energy for the body. In fact, it is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that out of the total suggested caloric intake for the body, that approximately 45% to 65% should be attained by carbohydrates which can be found abundantly in potatoes, bread, dried peas and beans, rice, pasta, fruits and vegetables.

Starch and sugar which are found in carbohydrates are broken down by the salivary enzymes, pancreatic juices and the intestinal enzymes. Starch is first broken down into maltose by the function of the salivary enzymes and pancreatic juices. This maltose is further broken down into glucose molecules by the intestinal enzymes and is directly absorbed into the blood stream. Glucose is carried through the blood stream to the liver for storage until it is released as energy when needed for the various activities the body performs.

The sugars that are found in carbohydrates are converted in just one simple step. Sucrose is converted into glucose and fructose which are then absorbed directly into the blood stream through the intestine. Lactose, another type of sugar that is found in milk, is converted by the enzymes found in the intestinal lining into an absorbable form.

Protein

Protein is one item that needs to be broken down by enzymes before it can be put to use in building and repairing tissues within the body. Once swallowed, Protein begins its break down process by enzymes within the secretions of the stomach. Later the pancreatic juices and the enzymes of the intestinal walls take over the process of further breaking down protein into smaller molecules which are more commonly known as amino acids. These amino acids are absorbed into the blood through the intestines and are transported to other parts of the body to aid in the construction and repair of cells. The main sources of proteins are meat, eggs and beans, just to name a few.

Vitamins

Vitamins are also an important supplement that is provided to the body through the foods that we consume. There are two types of Vitamins – Water Soluble Vitamins (i.e., Vitamin C and all the variety of Vitamin B) and Fat Soluble Vitamins (i.e., Vitamin A, D, E, and K). Storage of water soluble vitamins is very limited and as a result the surplus amount gets eliminated through the urine. But fat soluble vitamins get amassed in the liver as well as fatty tissues of the human body.

Water And Salt

The food and drink that we consume combined with the juices that are secreted by the various glands results in a significant amount of water being created during the digestion process. The accumulated water contains a large amount of dissolved salts which is all absorbed by the intestine.

Extrinsic And Intrinsic Nerves

The digestive system is controlled mainly by the action of two types of nerve regulators, Extrinsic and Intrinsic nerves.

Extrinsic, or nerves situated outside the digestive tract, enters the organs of digestion from the spinal cord or brain and releases the chemicals acetylcholine and adrenaline. Acetylcholine has the responsibility of regulating the muscles of the digestive system to move the food more effectively through the digestive tract. This nerve also stimulates the production of digestive juices in the stomach as well as the pancreas. Adrenaline, on the other hand decreases the blood flow to the digestive organs by relaxing the stomach and intestinal muscles which results in the process of digestion coming to a stop.

The intrinsic nerves, which are situated inside the walls of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon, are responsible for regulating the movement of food through these organs according to the need of the digestive system by the production of various related substances.

Thus, the complex task of digestion in the human body is actually a joint effort by the nerves, hormones, blood stream and various organs of the digestive system which work together to absorb and digest nutrients from the food that we eat daily.

Hormone Regulators And The Digestive Process

The cells in the mucosal lining of the stomach as well as the small intestine produce many hormones which are responsible for the proper functioning of the digestive system. When these hormones get absorbed into the blood stream, they are transported to the heart through the arteries and return back to the digestive system. The main function of these hormones is to stimulate the digestive juices for proper functioning of the related organs.

Below are some of the important hormones which are responsible for controlling the process of digestion:

A. Secretin: This hormone is responsible for the stimulation of the stomach to produce the enzyme pepsin that digests proteins as well as the stimulation of the liver in producing bile. It also urges the pancreas to secrete a digestive juice containing bicarbonate that has the main function of neutralizing the acidic contents of the stomach before entering the small intestine.

B. Cholecystokinin(CCK): This is a hormone which stimulates the pancreatic juices responsible for the emptying of the gall bladder. CCK is also in charge of the normal growth of the pancreatic cells

C. Gastrin: This hormone is extremely essential for the normal growth of cells which are situated in the stomach lining, small intestine, and the colon. Gastrin is responsible for the production of an acid which aids in dissolving and digesting certain types of food.

There are few other hormones given below that are responsible for the regulation of the appetite. They are:

A. Peptide YY: When the digestive tract is full after a meal, this hormone is produced in order to stop further appetite cravings.

B. Ghrelin: This is a hormone that is created in the stomach and upper intestine and is responsible for the stimulation of your appetite.

Both Ghrelin and Peptide send signals to the brain to control the amount of food intake to the body. Other hormones such as glucagon’s peptide-1 (GPL-1), oxyntomodulin(+), pancreatic polypeptide, etc. are also considered to serve as appetite regulators.

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Nerves

The digestive system is controlled chiefly due to the action of two types of nerve regulators, Extrinsic and Intrinsic nerves.

Extrinsic or nerves situated outside the digestive tract enters the organs of digestion from the spinal cord or brain and release the chemicals acetylcholine and adrenaline. Acetylcholine has the responsibility of regulating the muscles of the digestive system to push the food more effectively through the digestive tract. This nerve also stimulates the production of digestive juices in the stomach and pancreas. Adrenaline, on the other hand decreases the blood flow to the digestive organs by relaxing the stomach and intestinal muscles which results in the process of digestion coming to a stop.

The intrinsic nerves are situated inside the walls of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon and are responsible for regulating the movement of food through these organs according to the need of the digestive system by the production of various related substances.

Thus, it can be seen that the complex task of digestion in the human body is actually a joint effort by the nerves, hormones, blood stream and various organs of the digestive system which work together to absorb and digest nutrients from the food that we eat daily.

Brief Definitions:

Digestive System: Organs in the body that work in unison for the digestion of food.

Pharynx: A part of the digestive tract system that is located between the mouth and the esophagus.

Esophagus: A part of the digestive tract system that is located between the larynx and the cardia portion of the stomach.

Stomach: A pouch like part of the digestive tract system, where food is stored and mixed together.

Pancreas (tail): A gland connected to the digestive tract system that produces the digestive enzymes.

Duodenum: The start of the small intestine.

Small Intestine: A part of the digestive tract system that is located between the stomach and the large intestine.

Descending Colon: A part of the large intestine by which food continually moves through during the digestion process.

Sigmoid: The final part of the descending colon.

Anus: This is located at the end of the large intestine which is where the body expels the solid waste.

Rectum: It is the last part of the large intestine, located between the sigmoid colon and the anus.

Appendix: The hollow diverticulum that is tied or linked to the caecum.

Cecum: The blind gut shaped or fashioned by the part of the large intestine that is located between the small intestine and the ascending colon.

Ascending Colon: Part of the large intestine where food moves in an upward direction during the digestion process.

Transverse Colon: Part of the large intestine where the food travels in a horizontal direction during the digestion process.

Gallbladder: A small sac or pouch that contains bile.

Liver: A major digestive gland that produces the bile.

Teeth: The organ or instrument located inside your mouth or jaw that is used to cut and break down your food before it enters the digestive tract.

Tongue: The organ that allows you to taste.

If you’re planning a brief detox diet, you’ll want to make sure you eat the foods that increase your chances of success and avoid the foods that will hurt your efforts. Here is a list of the best and worst foods to eat while you’re on the diet.

Best Detox Diet Foods

• Fruit: You can eat any fruit including fresh, frozen, dried or canned in natural fruit juice. This includes apples, bananas, pears, oranges, grapefruit, satsumas, sultanas, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, nectarines, peaches, and melons.
• Fruit juice: Either make homemade fruit juices or smoothies from fresh fruit, or drink ready-made juices. Make sure ready-made juices are labelled as pure or unsweetened.
• Vegetables: Eat any vegetables including fresh, frozen or canned in water (without salt added). This includes carrots, onions, turnip, swede, sprouts, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, corn, peppers, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, salad, tomatoes, and cucumber.
• Beans and lentils: Eat any beans, including those that have been dried or canned in water. This includes red kidney, haricot, cannellini, butter, black eye, pinto, red lentils, green lentils and brown lentils.
• Potatoes: Eat all types
• Brown rice and rice noodles
• Rye crackers and rice cakes
• Fresh fish: Eat any fresh fish including cod, mackerel, salmon, lobster, crab, trout, haddock, tuna, prawns, Dover sole, red mullet, halibut, lemon sole, monkfish, and swordfish. You can eat canned salmon and tuna in water.
• Unsalted nuts: Eat any, including Brazil, peanuts, almonds, cashew, hazel nuts, macadamia, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio, and walnuts
• Unsalted seeds: Eat any, including sunflower and pumpkin.
• Plain popcorn: Eat without sugar or salt
• Live natural yogurt
• Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Garlic, ginger and fresh herbs
• Ground black pepper
• Honey
• Water: Drink at least eight ounces of tap or mineral water a day.
• Herbal or fruit teas

Foods to Avoid During Your Detox

• Red meat, chicken, turkey, and meat products such as sausages, burgers, and pate
• Milk, cheese, eggs, cream
• Butter and margarine
• Any food that contains wheat including bread, croissants, cereals, cakes, pies, pastry, quiche, or battered and breadcrumbed foods
• Salted nuts
• Chocolate, candy, jam and sugar
• Processed foods, and ready-made meals and sauces
• Alcohol
• Coffee and tea
• Sauces, pickles, store-bought salad dressing, and mayonnaise
• Salt
• Carbonated drinks, both sugar and diet

Now that you know the dos and donts of detox diet foods, you’re halfway to success!

Every day, our bodies are exposed to toxic chemicals. Not only are their pollutants in the air around us, there are also toxins in the food we eat and many produced by our own bodies. Many of these toxins are flushed out, but some stick around in the colon, liver, and fat stores of our system. A fast, detox, cleansing diet is designed to remove these toxins.

The requirements of a detox diet can vary. They can last from a week to 10 days. Some require you to stop eating and only drink water. Others allow you calories, but only from certain fruit or vegetable juices, or other liquids that encourage the flushing of toxins. More moderate diets allow you to eat a vegetarian diet and juice, while some of the more drastic diets encourage laxatives and enemas for colon and liver cleansing.

So why would someone want to put themselves through this on an annual or semiannual basis? As I’ve already said, these procedures are believed to remove excess toxins the body can’t get rid of itself. Removing toxins helps prevent or stop their harmful side effects like headaches, nausea, and disease. When the body is clear of toxins, it can function more efficiently. This means you should have more energy and lose weight once the fasting diet is done.

As with any drastic diet plan, there are many people who doubt these claims. While they agree that there are toxins present in the body, they believe the body can get rid of most of these toxins itself. Also, while this method can remove toxins from the digestive tract, they doubt it does anything to remove toxins from the liver and fat stores in the body.

Another debate is whether these treatments are even safe. If done improperly, many colonic treatments can actually damage tissue and should only be done by someone who has been trained.

It is also questionable whether fasting itself is safe. When your body goes for more than a day or two without food, it switches into “starvation mode”. Your metabolism slows, so weight loss decreases. At this point, you can experience symptoms such as headaches and anemia. You may also suffer from low blood sugar, which has its own set of symptoms.

While your body dips into fat stores, it also eats up muscle tissue. This will slow your further slow your metabolism and prevent you from losing more weight once you start eating again. You may even gain the weight back that you lost while fasting.

If you’re considering going on a detox diet, talk to your doctor first. You may also want to read up on the subject and find a less drastic version of the diet. Switching to an organic, vegetarian diet for a period of time may provide many of the same benefits. There are also products on the market that cleanse your body of toxins without requiring an extended fast.

Due to unhealthy eating, your colon gets clogged with wastes and toxic materials. Eating processed and junk foods make a huge damage to stomach and colon. So you should avoid eating these food stuffs at all cost.

Colon cleansing is very important to eliminate toxins out of the body. The purpose of colon cleansing is to get rid of the toxins that have built up over time. This article will discuss colon cleansing diet to detoxify your entire body system.

Fasting is very beneficial in detoxifying your body. Juice diet is also recommended who want to improve not only digestive system but also the complete body system. It also helps in cleansing colon.

List of foods that are helpful

Below are the type of foods that are helpful in clon cleansing.

1. Foods high in fiber such as vegetables, fruits and grains.
2. Liquids (including water) keeps you hydrated and fluxes toxic matter out.
List of foods that are harmful
Below are the type of foods that are harnful for overall health.
1. You should avoid eating things like fast food, potato chips, cookies and cakes.
2. Noodles and other quick foods are also not to be included in healthy diet.
3. Do not take caffeinated beverages like coffee, black tea and soft drinks.

Benefits of colon cleansing

1. The primary benefits of colon cleansing is that it improves the functioning of the colon and helps in preventing constipation.
2. Other benefits are regular bowel movements, better absorption of nutrients, improved digestion, decreased gas and bloating, healthier skin and hair, weight loss, increase in energy and health overall.

Herbal Dietary Supplement for Colon Cleansing

Herbs are used in cleansing the colon for centuries. Herbs like aloe leaf, cascara sagrada, ginger, senna and cayenne pepper help eliminate impurities from the colon by stimulating bowel movements. Garlic and fennel have purifying action on the colon bacteria, as they help killing harmful bacteria. These two herbs also prevent gas formation. You can buy natural colon cleanser with pure herbs as the ingredients. Herbal colon cleansers are natural and powerful way to detoxify your colon. They also help in improving degestive system and have many other benefits too.

Here is an excellent Natural colon cleanser to remove toxins from colon and cure constipation naturally. Also read Home remedies for constipation at Natural cures website  a health guide to make you and your family.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Detoxification is a naturally occurring process inside the body of every individual. As we go through our daily activities, we tend to take in various kinds of toxins, especially from the food we eat because conventional food items are full of chemical residues that become toxins upon entering the body. Even the normal activities of the body produce toxins as by-products. Toxins are all substances that can cause negative effects on cells and tissues. Several organs and systems of the body work together in flushing out toxins inside the body. The average person however, takes in toxins faster than the body can get rid of them. This means that the level of toxicity will slowly increase. The best natural method of helping the body detoxify itself is the Detox Diet.

The Detox Diet was originally designed for people who are currently in the process of rehabilitation from alcohol and drug abuse. Today, it commonly refers to healthy eating in order to lessen the amount of ingested toxins while at the same time enhancing the detoxification functions of the liver and kidneys. The diet can come in different kinds though it is often short-term. The core of is always to limit or completely stop if possible the consumption of food items that contain harmful chemical residues. The second requirement is that it should consist of meals that have the necessary vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that empower the digestive and excretory systems.

The importance of the Detox Diet has been exemplified after latest researches on foods revealed that the statement that conventional foods contain too little chemical residues to be of harm was false. It has been recently found out that the toxins end up sticking to fat buildups where they slowly accumulate. Since most consumers cannot afford the extra costs of organic consumables, the cleansing diet has become the primary means of fighting toxins. Smoking is the next biggest source of toxins, followed by air pollution. Cigarette smoke and air pollution is everywhere. It is very hard to avoid. So all we have left is to detoxify ourselves.

The Detox Diet is the best weapon an individual can wield in the battle against toxicity. Regular intake of toxins causes toxin buildup inside the body which is also referred to as the body burden. The body burden as the name suggests means that the toxins have accumulated in amounts enough to cause great harm to the body. The toxins disrupt the natural flow of bodily processes, which may lead to hormonal imbalance. They can also cause abnormal generation, repair, and growth of cells which may lead to organ malfunctions. Abnormal cellular development may also lead to malignancy or cancer.

Detoxification, or detox for short, is the removal of toxic substances from the body. In conventional medicine, detoxification can also be achieved artificially by techniques such as dialysis and (in a very limited number of cases) chelation therapy. Detoxification can also refer to the period of withdrawal during which a person’s body returns to homeostasis after long-term use of an addictive substance. There are many forms of detoxification practiced today. Two major practices are alcohol detoxification and drug detoxification.

Alcohol Detoxification

Alcohol detoxification as adult and adolescent addiction treatment commonly involves an abrupt stop of alcohol intake coupled with the substitution of alcohol with cross-tolerant drugs that have similar effects in order to prevent alcohol withdrawal. Detoxification may or may not be necessary depending upon an individual’s age, medical status, and history of alcohol intake. Benzodiazepines are the most common family of drugs used for this.

Benzodiazepines such as chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) or oxazepam (Serax) are the most commonly used drugs used to reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Dosing of the benzodiazepines can be guided by the CIWA-Ar scale. The scale can be made available online.

Drug Detoxification

In the many adult and adolescent addiction treatment for drug addiction, drug detoxification is a collective of interventions directed at controlling acute drug intoxication and drug withdrawal. It refers to the purging of the substance of abuse from a patient’s body who is acutely under the influence or dependent on the substance to which they are addicted to. The process of detoxification aims at lessening the physical effects caused by the additive substances. Detoxification programs do not necessarily treat the other implications of drug addiction – psychological aspects of addiction, social factors, and the often complex behavioral issues that are intermingled with addiction.

Drug detoxification varies depending on the location of treatment, but most detox centers provide treatment to avoid the symptoms of physical withdrawal to alcohol & other drugs. Most also incorporate counseling and therapy during detox to help with the consequences of withdrawal.

In the year 2001 more than six billion pollutants were released into the environment. Over the course of a lifetime, we will be exposed to thousands of foreign compounds from heavy metals and chemical pollutants to pesticides and cigarette smoke to food preservatives and drugs.

How Do Toxins Enter Our Body?

Toxins can enter our body in many ways, through the food we eat, the air we breath, or directly through our skin. When added to the fact that many of us no longer eat the foods required to remove toxins from out bodies, we have a recipe for disaster.

What Can Toxins Do?

There has been a correlation between a number of symptoms and conditions in relation to toxin exposures. Migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia to name a few.

How Can Our Body Remove Toxins?

Healthy Functioning Organs

Detoxification refers to the body’s ability to transfer and eliminate toxins. Toxic compounds are customarily stored as fatty molecules and therefore do not dissolve easily in water. The body therefore has the job of transforming these fat-soluble compounds into water soluble compounds in order for the body to remove them.

The Liver

When the liver is working properly it takes toxins and accumulated wastes that have built up in the blood and helps in their elimination. It breaks down virtually everything toxic to the body, from metabolic wastes, pesticides, drugs and alcohol, to industrial and food processing chemicals. Failure of liver function will usually cause death in twelve to twenty-four hours.

Once the compounds are water-soluble, they can be removed from the body via the kidneys and/or in bile/feces through the intestines. An alkaline environment is a key factor for proper functioning kidneys. This is where nutrition plays an important role.

Unhealthy Functioning Organs

Toxins and poisons formed internally, leak through the unhealthy intestine and to the liver. From there the toxins are not completely detoxified through the unhealthy liver. Toxins are then re-circulated in the blood and may contribute to long-term health issues. The unchanged fat-soluble toxins leave the liver and store themselves in tissues such as brain, nervous system and fat.

Nutritional Support

Detoxification is heavily dependent on nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Here is a list of things that will improve your body’s ability to remove toxins:

• zinc
• probiotics
• vitamins A, B3, B6, B12, C,E
• amino acids (l-cysteine, L-glutamine)
• green tea catechins
• lemon (liver detox)

Toxins

There are six minerals that are considered non-essential toxic minerals:

1. Aluminum
2. Lead
3. Silver
4. Gold
5. Cadmium
6. Mercury

Copper

Although copper is essential for nerve, bone, blood and connective tissue developments, it is only needed in small amounts. Deficiency can be linked with anemia, however, the occurrence is quite rare. An excess of copper intake is more likely and causes such as second hand smoke, meat contamination, insecticides, pasteurized milk, copper kettles and pipes are the cause. Copper is often added to water to fight algae, where as oral contraceptives and smoking deplete zinc which causes an increase in copper in the body.

High levels of copper can lead to schizophrenia, nephritis, and central nervous system damage.

Signs and Symptoms of Toxicity:

• irritability
• eczema
• depression
• violent behavior
• hallucinations
• abdominal pain
• excessive hair loss

Health Recommendations:

• Eliminate soy (copper rich food)
• Increase zinc-rich foods.
• Supplement with zinc, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamins A, C, B-3, 5 & 6

Chloride

Used in disinfectants in our drinking water, chloride is highly linked to cardiovascular problems and cancer. Chloride is also used as a whitener in table salt, flour and sugar, as an ingredient in commercial toothpaste, and as a disinfectant in female sanitary products, as well as in decaffeinated coffee. Chloride can be ingested through drinking water and absorbed thought the skin while bathing or swimming.

Signs and Symptoms of Sensitivity:

• allergies
• chronic fatigue
• kidney/bladder disorder
• high blood pressure
• Health Recommendations:
• Drink purified water.
• Supplementation of antioxidants, vitamin C, E, beta carotene, and selenium.

Fluoride

Essential to teeth and bones to prevent osteoporosis, naturally occurring fluoride intake should not exceed 1mg/day. Synthetic fluoride, on the other hand, is a by-product of the aluminum industry and can be found in drinking water and toothpaste. Toxicity is known to cause kidney, bowel, and bladder cancer, and is also known to cause thyroid problems.

Signs and Symptoms of Toxicity:

• teeth discoloration or unevenly stained
• pitting of teeth
• gum disease
• arthritis
• asthma
• calcification of connective tissue
• chronic fatigue
• chronically cold, even in warm temperatures
• hives
• heart palpitations

Health Recommendations:

• Supplement with calcium and magnesium.

I hope you noticed a pattern in relation to vitamins and minerals as the major contributing factor in displacing and eliminating these heavy toxic minerals. Nutritious foods are absolutely vital for optimal health and wellness. Without proper nutrition, our body will become a toxic storage system, loaded with every kind of possible toxic chemical harmful for virtually every organ system in our body. These toxins can easily be excreted out or displaced in our body with proper functioning organs with the help of vitamin and minerals we are responsible for ingesting. Essentially every mineral and vitamin can be ingested in adequate amounts when you consume enough vegetables throughout the day.

Today, with the efficiently of greens drinks and multi-vitamin capsules, makes it is easier than ever to ensure we are taking enough minerals and vitamins to combat toxicity. Other key points to note, is the importance of consumption of whole, natural foods, opposed to commercial products as added preservatives are lethal to health. And lest we forget, drinking purified water. In no way does this mean you must drink bottled water. Instead, install a purified water system in your home or use a purified filter system.

Check List

Consume natural, whole foods.

Drink pure water.

• Eat your fruits and vegetables, 8-10 servings a day.
• Supplement with mineral and vitamins when daily intake is not sufficient through foods.
• Eliminate aluminum-containing cooking utensils
• Add alfalfa to your grocery list.
• DO NOT SMOKE

In order to promote a healthy life, it is best to do a detoxification colon cleanse regularly. The colon is known to be the major body organ that stores all the waste materials and toxins that are harmful to the body. A regular and thorough colon cleansing has numerous health benefits, such as the prevention of digestive disorders including diarrhea and constipation, by improving the colons function and increasing bowel movements.

Colon cleansing is recommended to reduce the risk of colon cancer. It helps eliminate harmful toxins that cause various kinds of diseases to the body. In addition, it helps get rid of heavy metals from the lymphatic system, which will improve the health of the immune system.

Health benefits of colon cleansing:

1. Detoxifying the colon can increase energy levels and improve digestion.
2. It can also effectively clear the complexion.
3. Colon detoxification can help improve mental alertness, circulation and bowel transit period.

When you suffer from constipation, waste materials tend to accumulate in the colon and this will have an effect to the shape as well as the function of the colon. Its shape may stretch in order to accommodate all the waste or the colon may cause pouches, which can be infected by parasites. If this occurs, the digestive organs will suffer from a lot of stress that will eventually upset the rate of nutrient absorption. The waste materials build up toxins that can be absorbed in the blood stream, which will then result to different complications and diseases.

Go Through a Colon Cleansing Diet

You can do this by consuming natural food items in their natural state – go for raw vegetables and fruits or fresh fruit and vegetable juices. It is also recommended to add herbal supplements that should be taken everyday to get all the nutrients that the body needs in order to function properly. You can make natural drinks at home from fresh vegetables and fruits that are both nutritious and healthy. All you need to do is mix the juice with ice and put them in the blender.

Colonic Irrigation

This process is quite complex so it is best to check with your doctor in order to know the best method to do it. Colonic irrigation requires several sessions to thoroughly eliminate harmful toxins from the body. These sessions should be spread out over one month because it is dangerous to do it everyday. Most of the time, 3 or 4 sessions can help get rid of harmful bacteria but the body needs time between session in order to let the protective bacteria develop again.

Make Permanent Healthy Eating Changes

Having a healthy diet and lifestyle is probably the best method to detoxify your colon. It is best to avoid eating food items that are rich in fat. Instead, include more fiber in your diet. Make sure to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and drink lots of fluids.

Detoxification is very important especially if you want to lose weight. This is because of the fact that the process clears all the waste materials that have been accumulated in the large intestines. It eliminates toxins from the body effectively and gets rid of harmful parasites that trigger diseases. It is definitely an effective method to rejuvenate the body for a faster and better absorption and utilization of nutrients.