Barney Garcia asked:


The way we lead our lives these days and the kind of food we have, it is no wonder that our colon is burdened with more than it can cope with. With the tendency towards having highly processed food, one of the most critical elements of our diet – fiber is being left out. The result has been in many cases irregular bowel movements, constipation, severe stomach aches etc. to counter such problems many people are seeking an alternative in colon cleansing. And with rising interest from common men, a lot of people has seen this as a business opportunity. Hundreds of new products are being launched each claiming to be the best solution for colon cleansing. Among these products are the colon cleanse herbs and herbal laxatives.

The colon cleanse herbs and the herbal laxatives claim to be harmless and position themselves as alternatives to commercial laxatives. The bone of contention is that whether they are justified in their claims.

It is a fact that most of the popular colon cleanse herbs do contain substances which fall under the category of anthraquinones. These would include cascara sagrada, rhubarb, and senna. That the herbs have laxative effects can be attributed to the presence of the anthraquinone substances. But at the same time they are also source for several other side effects. Here, we provide a list of some of the side effects that you can face after the consumption of a colon cleanse herb or herbal laxatives.

Muscle contractions in the stomach region leading to strong and acute pains. The pain is cramping and gripping in nature.

Balance of electrolyte inside our body getting disturbed due to loss of potassium and body fluids.

Nausea accompanied by diarrhea and occasionally rashes.

If the herbs are used over a period of time then there can be a dark pigmentation of the colon. This is called melanosis coli.

Herbs taken may actually not suit well with any heart medication the individual is taking.

Pregnant or nursing women and children should never use laxatives.

So we can well imagine what kind of risks one is taking in going for a colon cleansing herb. It should not be tried until absolutely necessary. One should also take care to inform his physician about the new herb so that he can prescribe his medications accordingly. So the final word would be, be sure if you really need any herbal laxative.

Barney Garcia asked:


The way we live our lives today and the kind of dietary routine we follow it becomes extremely difficult for our colon to tackle all the waste material that gets deposited into it. Although the colon is made to clean itself without requiring any external help yet we can facilitate the process by using some natural and herbal colon cleansers. This would allow the digestive system to work at its optimal level and our body will be protected from several kinds of diseases.

Using herbal colon cleansers is a relatively safe method but one should not continue with it more than required. Even if someone thinks that the herbs haven’t had their full effect, still no one should have the herbs continuously for more than a week. These are generally very potent substances and results begin to show in less than 6 to 12 hours. But it is because they are so potent that they also have serious side effects and should be discontinued after a short period. If someone is already under medication it would be wise first to consult his physician to know whether he can have the herbs in conjunction with the medicines he already is having. Pregnant women, nursing mothers and children should not be allowed to take the herbs.

One would ask what would be the importance of having their colon cleansed at regular intervals. The answer is it would help you stay away from several ailments like indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, weight loss, body odor, acne, mucus colitis, gas, fatigue, obesity etc. That is a whole lot of problems being solved just by having a clean colon. When the colon gets filled with toxic waste material, all these problems begin cropping up.

So when would you need a colon cleansing? Doctors would tell you that having irregular bowel movements can be normal, and though humans are supposed to have one bowel movement every day it is not uncommon for them to have one in two or even three days. But those who have gone through sever bouts of constipation would tend to disagree. The time for having a colon cleansed is when you feel uncomfortable and notice that your bowel movements have got irregular.

With a clean bowel you will feel rejuvenated, your skin will become clearer and have a glow in it, you will be able to concentrate better on things and your body will be able to better absorb the vitamins and minerals from the food you have.

Barney Garcia asked:


The concept of colon cleansing has suddenly been much discussed and practiced all over the United States. This can be attributed to the steady rise of diseases like colon-rectal cancer and herniated bowel pockets. But, as with any new thing there have been a whole host of people claiming to be experts about that particular field. Since colon cleansing is still not accepted by conventional medicine as a valid medical process, there is this group of alternative medical practitioners who try and outdo each other with their own special remedies. While some of them may have genuine intentions there are quite a few who are anything but quacks.

To induce bowel movements and thereby clean the colon there are some who prescribe various kinds of medical herbs. Touted as alternatives to commercial laxatives there are genuine risks attached to having such herbs. Some of the most popular colon cleanse herbs are cascara sagrada, rhubarb, senna, etc. All these herbs contain substances called anthraquinones. These are the key substances responsible for the laxative effects of the herbs. But they also come with side effects.

We will list a few of the side effects of having such herbs:

-Severe muscle contractions in the abdomen leading to unbearable cramping and gripping pain in the abdominal region

-An electrolyte imbalance in the body because of loss of potassium. There is also a lot of loss of body fluid

-Nausea

-Diarrhea with blood

-Rashes

-If used over a long period of time a condition called the melanosis coli may develop which leads to a dark pigmentation of the colon.

-If someone is under medication for some heart ailment then these herbs can be harmful for the person

-No pregnant woman or nursing mothers should ever take these sort of laxatives. Even children should not use these herbs

-These herbs have been cited as potential causes for liver toxicity, kidney impairment, hepatitis, heightened risk of adenoma or colorectal growths and cancer.

The best option for colon cleansing is to regulate your diet. Increase fiber intake and that would ensure that more roughage goes into your body. Consequently bowel movements should be more regular. Although the results may take time to show, but it is a much safer path.

To induce bowel movements and thereby clean the colon there are some who prescribe various kinds of medical herbs. Touted as alternatives to commercial laxatives there are genuine risks attached to having such herbs. Some of the most popular colon cleanse herbs are cascara sagrada, rhubarb, senna, etc. All these herbs contain substances called anthraquinones. These are the key substances responsible for the laxative effects of the herbs. But they also come with side effects.

If however you have already tried the herbs and are now experiencing the side effects, then you should immediately discontinue taking them.

Barney Garcia asked:


If you have been looking for information about colon cleansing on the internet you would have come across websites that have graphic ads of the quantity of fecal matter that has be expelled by one of their clients after he had come to them seeking help. What the sites promise you is instant healing from all colonic problems. The claims sound miraculous. You might be a bit skeptical about such claims. And there is nothing wrong with that. There are people out there who would try to sell you their natural colon cleansing products, ones you can do without.

To trace the history of colon cleansing we will have to go back to the Egyptian Civilization. The Egyptians believed that the source of all ailments is the food that rots in our colons. Although such a belief had its currency over a millennium, modern science later disproved the theory that the root of all diseases is the colon.

But the colon cleansing method once again gained popularity a few years back when there was a renewed interest in natural medicine. And this interest in colon cleansing intensified with reports of increased problems that are associated with the colon. In fact colon cancer is more widespread in the US than in any other country. The flip side to this interest is that there are many individuals who claim to be experts, take advantage of the relative lack of knowledge in the average man about colon cleansing and use them to make money the easy way by selling them stuff that has hardly anything to do with colon cleansing.

More often than not you would not require colon cleansing. Your colon is equipped to take care of itself and unless and until the situation gets really out of hand your colon will keep on performing its work and there would be not too many risks in that.

The best way to keep your colon clean is to follow a regular balanced diet with enough of fiber in it, preferably insoluble fiber. The fiber in your food acts as roughage and helps you in having regular bowel movements. An adult human being would require 25-30 grams of fiber during a single meal.

There is also the need to drink plenty of water so that the system remains clean.

So be careful of the colon cleansing scams doing the rounds on the internet. If the claims are too god to be true, then most probably they are not.