Colonic Cleanse Diet

Some alternative medicine advocates attribute fatigue, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal distress and other health problems to the accumulation of toxins in the intestines. A colon cleansing diet supposedly sweeps dangerous chemicals from your intestinal tract. A typical colon cleanse program may include dietary changes, herbal supplements and colonic irrigation. Many conventional medicine practitioners have reservations about the efficacy and safety of colon cleansing techniques, so consult your doctor before beginning a cleanse.

Features

Unlike many weight loss diets, colon cleanse plans are not intended to be sustainable long-term diet solutions. Rather, a colon cleanse is a short-term diet designed to flush toxins from your intestines. Colon cleanse plans typically last from 10 days to one month. Some cleanse practitioners repeat the cleanse when they begin to feel sluggish, gain weight or experience gastrointestinal distress. Many colon cleanse diets begin with a strict dietary detoxification stage followed by an herbal cleansing stage.

Cleansing Foods

Alternative medicine practitioners believe that pesticides, food additives and preservatives, genetically modified organisms, hormones and fertilizers act as toxins in the body. Thus, the first step in a colon cleanse diet is to eliminate all processed meals, fast foods, caffeine, alcohol and non-organic produce to make your diet toxin-free. Many dieters also forgo meat for the duration of the cleanse because meats often contain hormones or environmental toxins.

A colon cleansing diet centers around fresh fruits and vegetables. Choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables from several color groups provides your body with important vitamins and minerals. While the bulk of your diet should consist of whole, unprocessed produce, whole-grain products are also permissible. Eat quinoa, brown rice, wild rice or amaranth during the colon cleanse to keep your energy level high.

Herbal Supplements

Certain herbal supplements loosen your stool, promoting bowel movements. Frequent bowel movements clear your intestines of accumulated waste that may contain dangerous toxins. Psyllium seed husks mixed with water or clay provide your body with dietary fiber, which loosens stool and cleanses the colon. Another common colon cleansing supplement is bentonite, a type of clay that absorbs intestinal toxins. Other herbal laxatives, such as dandelion, fennel seed or licorice root, may be used to stimulate bowel movements.

Colonic Irrigation

Some cleanse practitioners choose to undergo colonic irrigation in addition to making dietary changes and taking herbal supplements. Colonic irrigation is a medical procedure in which a technician inserts a small tube into the rectum and flushes the intestines with warm water. Fecal matter exits the colon through a different tube, and the procedure is repeated several times. Some colonic irrigation practitioners add herbal supplements or caffeine to the water to further cleanse the colon. The procedure should not cause significant pain, but it may be uncomfortable for some people.

Considerations

Although colon cleansing may sound beneficial for your health, many alternative medicine advocates do not highlight the risks associated with a colon cleansing diet or colonic irrigation. According to Mark Larson, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic, colonic irrigation can cause bowel perforations, weaken intestinal muscles or disrupt normal colon functioning. Because your digestive system naturally flushes waste from your body and neutralizes dangerous toxins, following a colon cleansing diet may be unnecessary. Talk to your doctor about your diet plans before beginning a colon cleanse.