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Are colonics good for me? Should I get them regularly? Are colonics bad? Most people do colonics the wrong way. There is a natural way to do colonics and get rid of harmful waste in your body.
Introduction to colonics
Colonics are sometimes referred to as colon cleansing, colon hydrotherapy, colon irrigation, and colon therapy. The idea behind colonic is that our colon contains feces and toxic waste; therefore, they must be removed. This idea started in ancient Egypt and was adopted in ancient Greece.
What is the difference between a colon irrigation (or hydrotherapy), colon cleansing and enema
Colon irrigation or hydrotherapy involves the irrigation of the colon with liquid such as tap water, saline or coffee using a tube. In this situation, a device is introduced into the colon and then connected to a hydrotherapy unit using a transparent hose (tube). The colon is irrigated with fluid and you can see feces leave the colon through the hose. Sometimes, the person performing the colon hydrotherapy also massage the belly with the hope of facilitating the emptying of stool.
Colon cleansing is a general term for cleaning out the colon. The most appropriate context is bowel prep before colonoscopy. Bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy is an important aspect of colonoscopy because it allows the doctor to see the lining of your colon. The cleaner you are, the more likely polyps can be found and removed.
An enema is the process of introducing a liquid into the rectum for medical purposes. Enemas can be used to clean out the colon or relieve constipation. Examples are tap water enema, fleet enema and mineral oil enema. An enema can also be used to take X-ray of your rectum and colon. Examples are barium enema and gastrografin enema. An enema can also be used to deliver medication to the rectum and colon. Examples are mesalamine enema for ulcerative colitis and sucralfate enema for radiation proctitis.
Are colonics good for you?
No. There are many side effects to regular use of colon irrigation or hydrotherapy. These include infection, perforation (tear in the wall of the colon), water intoxication, loss of electrolytes, heart failure, arrhythmia and cardiac arrest.
Colon hydrotherapy also removes good bacteria from your colon thereby affecting the balance of bacteria in your gut. These can lead to constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, abdominal pains and other symptoms.
There is no evidence yet that colonics work.
How can you do colonics the right way
- Eat foods that are high in fiber. Fibers are good sources of prebiotics. Prebiotics are not live microorganisms. Fibers promote growth of probiotics. They are soluble fermentable fibers that get to our colon undigested. These fibers provide food to the bacteria in the colon and are fermented into short-chain fatty acids.
- Keep yourself well hydrated. Drink adequate amount of water. Fluids keep the colon well lubed and moving.
- Eat diverse food groups and have a balanced diet. The right diet prevents constipation, bloating and can prevent colorectal cancer.
- Exercise. Regular exercise is not only good for your heart, it is good for your colon as well. Regular exercise maintain blood flow and oxygen to your colon.
- See a doctor if you have chronic constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and blood in your stool.
- Take care of your heart and arteries. Anything that can cause the arteries of your heart to clog up can also clog up the arteries to your colon. Blockage of these arteries deprive the colon of necessary nutrients and oxygen.
- Get age-appropriate screening colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for preventing and detecting colon cancer.
Bottom line: Your body gets rid of toxic chemicals through many ways. Many organs like your liver, kidney, skin and colon help get rid of waste and toxic materials. You do not need a colonic to get rid of waste products. Have a healthy lifestyle instead.
Suggested Reading
- 10 reasons to get screened for colorectal cancer.
- How to get a clean colon like Jimmy Kimmel.
- Why people hate colonoscopy and what to do about it.
