It is very easy to tell if your colon is not functioning at its best: you become constipated and may experience bloating. Ideally, having a daily bowel movement signals a healthy colon. If you are among the people who tend to have two bowel movements a week, this may result in irregularity.
Consider how much food you eat daily and it quickly becomes clear why a daily bowel movement makes sense. There are several ways to cleanse a colon that are not extreme.
Consume a High-Fiber Diet
Elson Haas, MD, author of the "New Detox Diet," recommends eating a high-fiber diet of whole foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains such as oats, quinoa, millet, brown rice, lean proteins, low-fat dairy foods, legumes, nuts and non-saturated fats. Dr. Haas specializes in naturopathic medicine and states in his book that heart-healthy fats such as olive and flax seed oils can help to tone the colon. The soluble and insoluble fiber found in fruits and vegetables will help to move waste through the colon.
Juicing, Herbal Teas
Carrie L’Esperance, author of "The New Seasonal Detox," writes of her experience juicefasting on organic fruit and vegetable juices to cleanse the colon. She recommends drinking freshly extracted juices and also drinking herbal teas such as fennel seed, buckthorn root, senna and cascara sagrada to assist colon cleansing. She emphasizes eating organic produce, as regular foods may have been grown with toxic pesticides.
Ground Flaxseed
Both Dr. Haas and Ms. L’Esperance write about consuming ground flax seed and dried fruits to help cleanse the colon. For example, Dr. Haas writes about adding ground flax seed to cooked grains for breakfast or sprinkled over steamed vegetables. Ms. L’Esperance also writes that flax seed is a good substitute for colon cleansing programs that call for psyllium seed husk. Some people do not tolerate psyllium and experience bloating, whereas consuming ground flax seed does not create this side effect. If you have not previously done a colon detox, consult your physician or other health professional to determine if it is appropriate for you.
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