What Is a Colon Cleansing Diet?
Colon cleansing diets have become popular in recent years as they claim to clear out the colon and cure constipation. Some people have claimed to lose up to ten pounds of waste that is stored in the colon, which can lead to toxins flowing through the blood. Colon Cleansing Diets claim to rid the body of these toxins and purge the intestines. As a result, people will weigh less and be free of blood-poisoning toxins.
What Is Involved on the Colon Cleansing Diet?
Colon cleansing diets are basically juice or liquid fasts, taken in conjunction with special pills or powders mixed in to the liquid. Most of the contents of the powders are laxatives. Some colon cleansing diets also utilize enemas. This rids the body of wastes.
According to many of these diets, you eat nothing for seven whole days while you cleanse the colon. The makers of these diets claim you won’t be hungry, though, because you’ll be taking an intestinal cleanser made of psyllium seed. This powder attaches itself to the walls of the colon and loosens the waste within it, making it easier to pass.
In addition, people who go on colon cleansing diets also take a number of supplements that are supposed to break down other toxins within the stomach and digestive system.
While on the Colon Cleansing Diet, dieters have ten ounces of water mixed with the intestinal cleansing powder every three hours, or 5 times a day. Fruit juice can be mixed in for flavor. In addition, twice a day dieters also take a product made up of volcanic ash, which is supposed to remove the toxins from the entire digestive tract. Supposedly, the intestinal cleanser swells the stomach and makes you feel full.
Review
The following review of colon cleansing diets is based on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest) based on the following criteria:
Health – 1. This is not a healthy diet. Many doctors believe that cleansing the colon is unnecessary, as the body does it naturally. In addition, frequent use of enemas can damage anal tissue. If people go on colon cleansing diets for constipation relief, most will find it easier and cheaper to eat a diet higher in fiber and drink more fluids.
Cost – 4. Colon cleansing diets are generally considered fad diets. Most of them require dieters to purchase special juices, powders, and supplements, which are expensive.
Ease of Implementation – 4. This diet consists of mixing powders into water and juice. That’s it. For that reason, it’s easy to implement.
Ease of Adherence – 1. Many people will find it difficult to go without solid foods for so long, so it can be difficult to stick with the diet for the entire seven days. In addition, the validity of the claims that the powders make you full is also questioned.
Speed – 3. Because the powders are mostly laxatives, people on this diet will feel “cleansed” as they will be using the bathroom more frequently.
Long-term potential – 1. This is a diet marketed for seven-day use only. It is not recommended for long-term and can be very damaging if followed long-term.
Family Friendly – 1. This diet is not recommended for anyone, especially not children, giving it the lowest rating for “family friendly.”