Chances are, if you’re reading this post then you’re exploring the idea of a cleanse, and want to be able to answer the question, colon cleanse: good or bad?
The popularity of the colon cleanse is climbing to new heights. As the cost of health care skyrockets we’re seeing more and more people taking charge of their health in an effort to prevent disease before it strikes. Here are some compelling reasons why you should incorporate a colon cleanse into your lifestyle.
Colon Cleanse: Good Or Bad? Let’s Look At Diet
Over the past thirty years the overall quality of our diet has declined dramatically. This is largely to do with the fact that more people today are choosing to eat processed foods rather than cooking for themselves (processed foods being junk food snacks, fast food, any type of pre-made food or meal-in-a-box).
These foods are generally very low in nutrition, and high in sugar, sodium, and chemical additives. Because they contain chemicals, and little to no fiber or nutrients, processed foods will gum up your digestive system. Over time you’ll start to notice more occasions where gas, bloating, constipation and other digestive issues become a serious problem.
Digestive problems can in turn lead to weight gain, unexplainable headaches, body aches, moodiness, and trouble sleeping at night. To better understand why these issues come about let’s take a closer look at the colon itself.
The Colon
The colon is the last part of the digestive tract. It’s roughly five feet long and two inches in diameter. The colon is responsible for absorbing any remaining nutrients or water in your food before it’s passed out of the body as waste.
When the colon doesn’t receive the daily fiber it needs, it becomes harder and harder to pass waste. As more matter comes into the body, but doesn’t come out, the body has to store it somewhere. This somewhere ends up being the colon, where fecal matter is compacted against the walls (think of it the same way that cholesterol lines arteries). This is how digestive problems are formed. Once stored there the fecal matter hardens and becomes even more difficult to pass. A normal, healthy bowel movement should occur at least once a day, but for many people, this is unheard of.
Once the walls of the colon are no longer free to absorb nutrients, they start to absorb other things instead: namely, toxins.
Colon Cleanse: Good Or Bad?
Doing a colon cleanse two or three times a year is the best way to combat the digestive and other problems that crop up as the result of a blocked colon. A colon cleanse will effectively scrub out the colon, and aid your body in passing the waste.
Most people will experience some form of weight loss, and nearly everyone who does a colon cleanse will notice their energy increasing. Because the body is no longer absorbing toxins, bad skin clears up, and the other miscellaneous side effects tend to go away.
Staying Clean Afterwards
The trick to keeping your digestive system clean so that only minimal colon cleanses are needed each year, is to tweak two areas of your life: your diet, and your exercise habits.
Frankly put, your body needs the fiber and nutrients available in fresh produce and whole-grain carbs. Adding lean proteins into the mix will also help to keep your weight down.
Exercise is also important because it’s very much needed in order to help the colon evacuate waste from the body. Try combining a cardio workout with a strength-training program for optimal results.
The Answer?
A colon cleanse is a great tool to take advantage of in order to keep your body functioning optimally. Of course, like any tool, it gives you the best results when combined with the proper materials – namely a good diet and exercise.
