Alternative health practitioners advocate doing a colon cleanse occasionally, to help keep the colon functioning effectively and to clear away built-up waste. Some fans of colon cleansing list an enormous array of symptoms, conditions and diseases that the cleansing can prevent or eliminate. While conventional medical practitioners are skeptical, certain benefits are universally agreed-upon by those who advocate colon cleansing.
Types
Colon cleansing can be accomplished by three basic methods. One involves consuming a liquid or powdered supplement with a significant laxative effect. This is the type of cleansing done before a colonoscopy. Another is colonic irrigation, similar to an enema. The third type is a very restrictive dietary change lasting several weeks to several months.
Function
Unclogging the colon is a major benefit of cleansing. Advocates state that persons eating a typical American diet sometimes have several pounds of fecal matter impacted in the colon, causing gastrointestinal distress, constipation, fatigue, bad breath and the potential for development of serious disease.
Detoxification
Detoxification is an advantage resulting from the unclogging process. Once the waste material is removed, there are no toxins being absorbed through the intestinal walls.
Features
A colon cleanse allows the colon to return to a healthy state in which it can eliminate waste material in less than 24 hours and provide at least two normal bowel movements daily.
Additional Advantages
Other advantages of colon cleansing