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Colon Health: The Natural Approach
Exercise.
To keep your colon healthy, you need to exercise regularly.
You've heard it said over and over again that habitual physical
exercise helps to reduce your chances of all types of cancer � even colon
cancer.
But
did you know that regular exercise can help your colon perform better on a
daily basis in a very noticeable way. It's
true. Regular physical activity
can help you avoid constipation.
Other
natural ways to keep your colon health include eating foods high in fiber. On
the whole, a fiber-rich diet helps to eliminate constipation. And
constipation may ultimately lead to even greater health risks.
Eating foods high in fats, such as cheeses, eggs and meats can also
trigger chronic constipation.
Fiber
is that portion of grains and fruits and vegetables that is not digested by
your system. Soluble fiber can
dissolve relatively easily in water and eventually transforms itself into a
soft, gel-like texture in the intestines.
Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, passes through the intestines
nearly unchanged. The bulk and
the soft texture of fiber help to prevent the hard, dry stools associated
with constipation.
The
average American eats between 5 and 14 grams of fiber daily.
This is far less than the 20 to 36 grams recommended by the American
Dietetic Association. As a nation, we eat too much in the way of processed foods
which have no natural fiber.
Don't
ignore that need to go!
Quite frankly, too many of us simply ignore the initial need to go to
the restroom. We get involved
with a project at work, we're busy around the home or we simply
procrastinate. This not only
eventually causes chronic constipation, but leads to continued poor colon
health.
Drink
more! While drinking more water
may not actually cure constipation, many people find that water add bulk to
the stools which makes them a little easier to pass.
If you are bothered with chronic constipation, try drinking liquids
every day. The best liquids are
water and fruit juices. Try to
avoid coffee, tea and soda. The
caffeine content in these just makes your condition worse, acting as
diuretics. The caffeine takes liquid out of your body. Alcohol also acts
as a diuretic.
Don't
touch those laxatives! Initially,
it may seem like the right thing to do, but it may lead to a larger problem.
Some people actually become dependent on laxatives.
The body then grows reliant on these in order to have a bowel
movement.
Consider
an enema.
There may come a time, especially so if you've ignored your health
for any length of time, that you may want to jumpstart your healing and put
yourself on the fast track to health. The
best way to "start anew" in a sense is through an enema.
An
enema flushes much of the old, dry, fecal build up on the walls and pockets
of the colon very quickly. This
allows your system to eliminate the accumulation of toxins fast. If you think you may want to take this route to colon health
� and improve your overall well being � visit your natural health care
practitioner. If he can't help
you, he'll direct you to a professional who can.
Colon
health: An herbal approach
If
you're looking for a natural, herbal approach to good colon health, there
are several herbs that can provide that.
The
first is cascara
sagrada, an herbal laxative that helps to cleanse the colon.
Long used by Native Americans, this herb contains compounds called
anthroquinones, which produce this laxative effect in the body. In fact,
today it's probably the most common of the herbal laxatives
Cascara
sagrada also helps to strengthen the muscle tone of the walls of the colon.
And as your muscle tone grows stronger, your constipation will slowly
begin to fade. This herb also
helps to stimulate bile production in the liver, which also helps to speed
the removal of toxins from your system.
You can find cascara in several forms, including capsules liquid
extracts and as dried bark. If
you choose dried back you can make this into a tea.
Cascara sagrada tea has a natural bitter taste.
An
average serving of cascara sagrada is 300 mg when taken in capsule form.
You'll want to take it in the evening to give it time to stimulate a
bowel movement by the following morning.
This herb usually takes between six to 12 hours to work.
You
shouldn't take this natural plant for more than seven days consecutively.
Nor is this herb intended for use by children.
Chickweed
is another excellent herb for
relieving constipation and helping to clean out the colon.
It works relatively fast and will help move the stools through your
system with several hours. Not only that, but it also helps to strength the stomach
muscles and the bowels themselves which are the first steps toward long-term
relief. It's also noted for
cleansing the system of toxins.
If
you're looking for "an all-purpose herb," look no further than slippery
elm. This herb is not
only a wonderful natural remedy for constipation, but it's also an extremely
effective herbal aid for diarrhea. Slippery
Elm normalizes the stools while it soothes, coats and heals the lining of
your intestines. For the best
effects and to help it move quickly through your system, you'll want to
drink plenty of water when you consume it.
Senna
is another herbal laxative, albeit a strong one.
It works quickly; expect it to work shortly after you've taken it.
It's also acts as a purgative, cleansing the bowels naturally.
Normally, this herb is taken in tea form. It also helps to stimulate peristaltic contractions, which
help to move the fecal matter through your colon.
Many individuals are convinced of the effectiveness of this herb.
We
must, however, add a word of caution about senna.
It makes some folks ill. Some report that they get nauseous when they
take it. But adding some ginger
or cinnamon to the senna when you take it may help alleviate this problem.
Colon Health: More natural
options
Keeping
your colon healthy is probably one of the best steps you can take toward
your overall health and well being. If
you find that you're already having problems with constipation or
unexplained fatigue, you may want to consider a few more natural herbal
treatments.
The
following suggestion doesn't fall into the herbal category, but it is a
natural therapy which is very popular.
It's activated charcoal, a
type of carbon made from wood, vegetable and other materials.
It resembles a fine black powder and is believed to have a great
absorption capacity. And it's
this ability that allows it to bind with the unwanted matter and toxins in
the colon. You can also find
activated charcoal in liquid form.
You
might not have heard of this second natural remedy.
It's bentonite, a clay
that is now available in supplement form.
The primary ingredient in this material is hydrated aluminum
silicate. Other ingredients
found in bentonite include calcium, magnesium and iron.
Once the bentonite gets into the system, it begins to absorb water.
It stays in the digestive tract where it's thought that it not only
binds to the toxins, but renders them harmless in the process.
Bentonite then promotes the excretion of these toxins.
An
herb traditionally used in Chinese medicine that may help you clean
your colon is rhubarb. Not to be confused with the plant your grandfather grew in
his backyard, this legendary herb contains powerful compounds associated
with laxatives and in fact contain anthraquinones, the same ingredient found
in the herb cascara sagrada which stimulates bowel movements.
Rhubarb,
though, also contains something called tannins, which are thought to reduce
the inflammation in the colon. Because
of these tannins, Chinese medicine uses rhubarb to help alleviate diarrhea.
You
can find rhubarb in capsules, as liquid extracts and as a dried root.
Rhubarb works within six to 12 hours after being ingested.
Psyllium
seeds have been popularized
recently because of the host of fiber additives on the market today.
Psyllium seeds contain a category of fiber called mucilage.
Mucilage enters the digestive tract and absorbs water.
When it does this, it swells, making the stools in the colon bulkier.
This, in turn, triggers contractions of the colon walls.
These contractions then lead to bowel movements.
You'll
only need one to two teaspoons of ground psyllium seeds mixed with eight
ounces of water. Usually taken
one to three times per day. When
you take this natural remedy, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout
the day. If you don't, you run
the risk of obstructing the colon and only making your constipation worse.
Note: Some statements in this article may not be
approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and
should not be taken as professional medical advice.
Compleat Mother
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