The cleansing of the colon using copious amounts of water was a common procedure in the era 1930-1950s. The first instance was recorded in 1500 B.C., in the Ebers Papyrus, a medical instruction book. In the fourth and fifth centuries B.C., colon hydrotherapy was used to treat fever, and Galen in the second century A.D. advocated its use.
In recent times, colon hydrotherapy has suffered from a bad reputation, due to the many unskilled and untrained practitioners, but is now enjoying a resurgence. Common sense would seem to indicate that cleanliness is beneficial to the body – why would the colon not benefit? Like a sink drain, if the colon is clogged with waste it will not work efficiently, and we will simply not feel good – we are victims of self-poisoning, with such toxic substances as:
Sugar
According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture reports that the average American eats 150 lbs. of sugar and 566 cans of soft drinks – “liquid candy” equal to “52 teaspoonfuls of added sugars per person per day.” Would you be willing to sit down and eat 52 teaspoons of white sugar – every day? “Why, I’d be sick,” you may reply, and that’s exactly the point.
Junk Food
Americans are now eating more junk foot than they have for decades. Dietary degeneration” begins with the 45 large bags of potato chips we consume each year (an increase of 78% over 1981); 120 servings of french fries (up $130%); 120 pastries or desserts (up 95%); 190 candy bars (up 80%); 150 slices of pizza (up 143%). What are the long-term effects of such a diet? Does anyone know?
The New York Post reported on January 22, 2004, the case of Morgan Spurlock, a filmmaker, who decided to find out by eating all his meals at McDonalds.
“Scores of cheeseburgers, hundreds of fries and dozens of chocolate shakes later, the formerly strapping 6-foot-2 New Yorker – who started out at a healthy 185 pounds – had packed on 25 pounds. But his supersized shape was the least of his problems. Within a few days of beginning his drive-through diet, Spurlock, 33, was vomiting out the window of his car, and doctors who examined him were shocked at how rapidly Spurlock’s entire body deteriorated.
“It was really crazy – my body basically fell apart over the course of 30 days,’ Spurlock told The Post. His liver became toxic, his cholesterol shot up from a low 165 to 230, his libido flagged and he suffered headaches and depression.
Toxins
Junk food, including soft drinks, contains harmful chemicals and additives, and may be infused with excitotoxins, found in monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame (NutraSweettm), cysteine, hydrolyzed protein and aspartic acid. These substances literally blast and excite neurons to death, resulting in brain damage. Our basic well-being arises from the choices we make day-to-day.
Toxins affect every cell in the body. When they build up in the nervous system, we may feel depressed and annoyed. If they back up into the heart we feel weak; if they reach the stomach we feel bloated, and if they reach the lungs we have bad breath. We may look pale and wrinkled or develop rashes and discolorations of the skin. If the glands become infused with toxins we tend to look older than we are. We may also suffer fatigue, lethargy, and decreased or absent sex drive.
Our health depends not only on what we eat, but on how much of it, and on what happens to the body’s waste. Regular cleansing/detoxification of the colon assists in the efficient removal of this waste.
Some signs that you may need a cleansing:
Food intolerance
Constipation
Foul-smelling gas and stools
Congestion, colds, viruses
Intestinal disorders
Unexplained headaches
Migrating aches and pains
Intolerance to fatty foods
Low energy
Lower back pain
Oversleeping
Pain in liver or gall bladder
PMS, breast pain, vaginal infections
A Word About Constipation
Constipation is the most common sign of a toxic colon. This happens when feces become tightly packed together, resulting in infrequent bowel movements with much straining. Portions of the dry, hard feces stick to the colon walls, where they absorb toxins. Parasites live and thrive in this rich breeding ground. Having infrequent bowel movements (every 3-4 days), during which you are forced to strain to produce small, hard pebbles that do not float is to court serious trouble.
Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
Small pouches exist in the colons of many people; each one is a diverticulum, while the condition is called diverticulosis. Of Americans over 40, some 10% have diverticulosis, while of those over 60, half have the condition. Diverticulitis refers to pouches that have become infected or inflamed. Most cases of diverticular disease is caused by low-fiber diets.
The Importance of Fiber
Fiber is critically important in keeping the colon healthy. A high fiber diet creates fast and easy elimination two to three times per day, which is optimal. Fiber softens stools and moves the waste along by relaxing pressure inside the colon. A fiber supplement is indicated in cases of constipation. The supplement works quickly, freeing the fecal matter on the walls of the colon. You may be astounded to see what else comes out. One person reported seeing something the size of their hand – resembling a rubber glove – in the toilet. You may also see (if you are not afraid to look), mucus, pieces that resemble cooked liver, twisted pieces of what looks like rope and parasites.
Parasites
Are you serving as a home base for parasites? Chances are, you are. According to data gathered by the UN, about 1.5 billion people support roundworms, one billion whipworm, 1.3 billion hookworm, and 265 million schistosomes. The incidence of pinworms is over 200 million worldwide. In America and in Canada pinworms are found in 30-80% of children.
Our colons are vulnerable to 100 + types of parasites, from small ones only visible under a microscope to tapeworms several feet long. Nor are parasites restricted to the area of the colon; they can also be found in the muscles and joints, the lungs, liver, brain, blood, the esophagus, the skin and in the eyes.
But how do we get them? From water, soil, poorly cooked meat, dirty fruits and vegetables, from pets and other contaminated people. Along with a fiber supplement, you may want to consider employing herbs such as Black Walnut hulls, garlic, pumpkin seed, false unicorn, grapefruit seed extract and prickly ash bark.
Colonic cleansing has the added benefit of weight loss. Proponents claim that when our colons are dirty, we become fatigued – our energy level drops – to the point that we can’t rid ourselves of fat even with diet and strenuous exercise.
Nutritionist Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald, in her book The Detox Solution, lists these further benefits of a successful detoxification program:
o Prevents illness
o Aids in weight loss
o Better physical appearance
o Emotional well-being
o Increase mental capabilities
o Enhanced digestion
o Eliminates food addictions
o Minimizes the effects of aging
o Promotes spirituality
Risks
According to some experts, there are risks. They say the significance of “regularity” has been inflated over thousands of years, and that the basic concept of autointoxication is simply wrong. “In 1919 and 1922,” reports Stephen Barrett, M.D.,
“…it was clearly demonstrated that symptoms of headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite that accompanied fecal impaction were caused by mechanical distension of the colon rather than by production or absorption of toxins [3,4]. Moreover, direct observation of the colon during surgical procedures or autopsies found no evidence that hardened feces accumulate on the intestinal walls.
Today we know that of the digestive process takes place in the small intestine, from which nutrients are absorbed into the body. The remaining mixture of food and undigested particles then enters the large intestine, which can be compared to a 40-inch-long hollow tube. Its principal functions are to transport food wastes from the small intestine to the rectum for elimination and to absorb minerals and water. Careful observations have shown that the bowel habits of healthy individuals can vary greatly. Although most people have a movement daily, some have several movements each day, while others can go several days or even longer with no adverse effects.”
According to Dr. Barrett, some naturopaths, chiropractors and food faddists believe that “death begins in the colon,” and that up to a staggering 90% of illnesses are caused by improperly functioning colons. They recommend “fasting, cleansing of the intestines, and colonic irrigation.” Fasting, they say “purifies” the body, and “natural laxative products” can clean the intestines.
The process itself is dangerous, according to Dr. Barrett. A rubber tube is passed through the rectum, in some cases, up to 30 inches, and 20 gallons pumped in over a period of time. An ordinary enema uses about a quart of fluid. And remember, a gallon of water weighs seven pounds! That means you’re adding 140 lbs to your body, in a matter of hours! One of these practitioners claims that toxins are behind all disease, and offers a “comprehensive in-depth colon therapy” that costs $985 for in-clinic training or $295 by correspondence. Some alternative practitioners promote plant enzymes, homeopathic cures and other “intestinal cleansers.”
The risk associated with the above remedies lies in the probability of overkill. Why 20 gallons? Prolonged fasting can kill you. Herbs and dietary fiber can be costly. Experts shake their heads over claims that people have shed large accumulations of feces – it is more likely, they say, that this material consists of “casts” formed by the extra fiber. Some laxatives (containing cascara or castor oil) can damage nerve cells in the colon wall, increasing incidents of constipation.
Colonic irrigation is potentially very harmful. The tube may cause cramps and severe pain. The equipment may not be adequately sterilized between treatments, risking the transfer of germs from one person to another. There is a danger of bowel perforation. You may experience heart failure caused by the excessive fluid absorbed into the blood. The California Health Department has recommended that colonic irrigation “by chiropractors, physical therapists or physicians should cease. (It) can do no good, only harm.”
Colon hydrotherapy is used by Mark Groven, a naturopathic physician in Seattle, Washington. He advocates its use for chronic fatigue, sinus problems, asthma, arthritis, and constipation, but cannot point to any research proving it to be at all beneficial. There appears to be none.
It is up to the individual person to decide whether colonics are right for them. Talk it over with your doctor before taking this step.
