Colon Cleansing Diet versus Colon Cleanse Products: Should You Be Buying any Colon Cleanse Weight Loss Products?

Sep 13 by Joanna

There are many colon cleanse weight loss products on the market today that claim that they will help you lose weight and detoxify your body by cleaning your colon of unwanted waste.

Dual Colon Cleanse, Dr. Natura Colonix, Total Body Cleanse, Ultimate Colon Cleanse, Super Colon Cleanse – the very names of these products suggest that they really mean business when they talk about detoxifying your body. These colon cleansers and various detox supplements are touted to have many benefits, including “releasing accumulated toxins in the colon while assisting with overall vital organ health,” “unclogging your colon to stay clean and toxin free,” “improving the assimilation of essential nutrients,” getting rid of parasites living in your intestines,” “enhancing digestion,” “decreasing bloating,” and many others. On top of that, you may wonder about colon hydrotherapy, colon irrigation procedures, or enemas. 

Some sites use the scare tactics and cite the troubling statistics that colon cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, and at least two million Americans suffer colon related diseases including colitis, ileitis, diverticulitis and approximately 100,000 colostomy surgeries are performed each year! Others are showing gory colon cleanse pictures and try to convince us that we may have stuff like that in our colon too.

The question is should you be buying into any of these colon cleanse products scare reviews?

Honestly, I do NOT think so.

But let me tell you – they sound pretty convincing, and the idea of miraculously cleansing my body and losing weight by taking a few pills and some powder for a few weeks seems pretty tempting. I have to admit that a couple of years ago – I bought a few of these detox products, including one of the most popular Dr Natura colonix program. I was even considering having a colonic hydrotherapy done - but fortunately, never got to it.

Were the bowel cleansing programs effective? Well, I’m not sure about all the claims regarding the parasites, but let me just tell you this – I felt terribly bloated from all the (disgusting) psyllium powder I was ingesting. Taking pills was obviously easy – but the question on my mind during the two weeks that I continued the “internal cleansing” was this:

Am I really doing my body (and bowels) any favor by swallowing all these pills of dubious content and origin?

Are they really safe and beneficial, or am I just giving my body some extra work – after all all these have to be digested/eliminated/or whatever…- my body needs to do SOMETHING with all this stuff. And this is just the best case scenario. What if they contained ingredients that were actually hurting my body.

After all “natural” (all these detox program claim to be completely “natural”) doesn’t necessarily mean safe. Besides, we have to keep in mind that the government doesn’t regulate natural colon cleansing products, so their potency, safety, and purity can’t be guaranteed.

On one of the sites promoting these products, I have read the following statement:

“Nothing has changed since Dr. John Harvey Kellogg said a century ago that “90% of diseases are due to improper functioning of the colon.”

***Nothing can be further from the truth!***

Diseases are caused by improper nutrition and living habits, which in turn cause various diseases – including improper functioning of the colon, constipation, bloating, indigestion, etc.

The benefits of cleansing are numerous. One user stated: “The main improvements I have noticed are energy levels, vision, hair, skin, mental attitude, ability to cope with stress situations—generally I’m a much happier and healthier person.”

But what will happen after the cleanse is completed? After all, if that person returns to the unhealthy habits that caused the lowered energy levels, hair, skin, vision and other problems in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better if we could just remove the negative factors that are causing our bodies to deteriorate – instead of using quick fixes of the symptoms?

The question remains:

Is there a better way to make sure your bowels are clean and functioning properly, your digestion is optimal, and you lose excesss weight?

And here is the answer for all of you who are still reading this:

Proper nutrition is the best natural colon cleansing therapy and weight loss program.

Constipation, gas, bloating, and excess weight are caused by eating too much, eating the wrong foods, taking laxatives, and many other dietary and lifestyle mistakes. Colon cleansing products and procedures, such as enemas and colonics, stimulate and irritate the colon, and wear it out even more. Clearly, there are ways to deal with constipation that take into account what actually caused the symptom in the first place, and that focus on removing the cause.

Best Natural Colon Cleanse Diet

What you should doing a natural diet of fresh, mostly RAW and unprocessed fruits, greens, and vegetables. If you have trouble eating lots of leafy greens and other veggies – I know most people do, as they take a lot of chewing – buy yourself a good blender (such as Vitamix or Blendtec) and prepare green smoothies!

Drink a quart of green smoothies at least once a day and I guarantee you will experience all the benefits advertised by the colon cleansers – and your “detox therapy” will be much tastier, too!

If you prefer traditional salads, DO NOT add fatty dressings, croutons, meats, cheeses, and whatnot to your salad. Allowed ingredients are ONLY fresh leafy greens, fruits, and “fruity veggies” such as tomatoe, cucumbers, and other veggies. DO NOT add lots of nuts and seeds, and if you like avocado – add only a little piece – these foods contain too much fat (even though these are GOOD fats, they still should be eaten in moderation). Enjoy the salad with some lemon juice squeezed on top of it or blend some ingredients with a little bit of the dressing and pour it over your greens and veggies. For example, you may blend tomatoes, avocado, cilantro with some lemon juice. You may also add fruits to your salad and your blended dressing to make it sweeter.

Eliminate or limit consumption refined grain products – they are extremely low in fiber. Eliminate or limit consumption of meats and other animal foods – they contain no in fiber.

What about whole grains? Many people increase the consumption of whole grain products to get more fiber into their diets. Of course fiber is absolutely essential for digestive and overall health.

However, the fiber found in grains is not optimal for human health.

About Fiber and Foods High in Fiber

Increasing fiber can help with a wide range of gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diverticular disease, and colorectal cancer. The typical American consumes 10-15 grams a day, but you need closer to 20-35 grams. But what are the best high fiber foods?

There are two categories of fiber, referred to as soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is an essential nutrient found primarily in fruits and to some degree in vegetables. It absorbs water and helps to keep the stool bulky and soft. It functions as a sticky gel-like absorptive medium to keep food moving through the intestines. Insoluble fiber is found primarily in greens.

The insoluble fibers in grains are harsh on our delicate digestive tracts. They literally scrape our insides, and this irritation is what gives bran its reputation for encouraging bowel function. “The body senses an irritant and attempts to expel it as rapidly as possible, along with whatever else is in the colon at the time. Also, as a reaction to the abrasion, the mucous membrane that protects the intestinal wall thickens, which makes the fiber less irritating but also reduces the body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

Reduced absorption, impeded assimilation, adhesion development, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, colon blockages, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and other digestive maladies are often the outcome of consuming insufficient fiber or fiber that is too harsh. The soft, soluble fibers found in fruits and vegetables are necessary for optimum digestive and colon function.” (from 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas N. Graham)

Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?

Why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you trying to lose weight? What type of diet are you following? What are you struggling with? Want to share some weight loss tips and some favorite recipes with other readers?

Thanks!

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Weight Loss Programs: A Few Unconventional and (Often) Controversial Tips For Choosing Best Weight Loss Program

Aug 30 by Joanna

Weight loss programs can now be counted in hundreds, if not thousands. You see them everywhere – in magazines, newspapers, TV advertising, and – of course – on the Internet.

Are you confused about which diet to chose for to lose weight fast? You are certainly not alone.

Low-fat, high-fat; low-carb, high-carb; low-protein and high-protein; etc. The choices are overwhelming!

How do you decide which approach to choose?

How do you know which weight loss program to follow?

Trying to choose between Low Carb diet, High-Protein diets, Low Fat Diet, high Fat diet, Atkins diet, Paleo diet, and dozens or perhaps hundreds different diets can be a true challenge, and a major headache.

In fact, it may be so confusing that some people will just do nothing at all, which is very unfortunate.

So, what is the best weight loss program for you?

If you are confused, the best place to start – in my opinion – is researching first – what is the best type of diet for the human body.

Why?

Because you want a weight loss program that will work for you long term.

You don’t want JUST to lose 10 or 20 pounds and then go back to your old habits – because you will likely gain that weight BACK very quickly.

What you want is to lose 10 or 20 pounds AND KEEP that weight OFF forever, so you stay at that new weight level, or even keep losing weight – if that’s your goal.

So, what’s the optimal diet for the human body – to keep it at ideal weight and health?

Ideal Weight Loss Program Selection Criteria

Here are my criteria that I use to determine whether a diet is optimal or not:

1. Diet that keeps our bodies at their ideal weight AND keeps them in optimal health.

While there are many dieting programs and quick weight-loss solutions out there that may help you lose weight, most of them fail this checkpoint, because they are not good for your body in the long run.

2. Diet that allows you to eat as much as you can and still keep your weight at the optimal level.

You don’t want a diet that will make you count calories or limit the amount of food that you eat, leaving you constantly hungry.

3. Diet that is gentle on your wallet.

There are many programs that require you to purchase expensive meals or supplements regularly.

If you can afford that and if this gives you more motivation to stick with it – fine.

But for many people it’s just not an option. They either cannot afford it or don’t want to be spending money on something they don’t really need. (Because, the truth is – you don’t need all this stuff.)

The truth is weight loss is a huge industry, and lots of people are going to try to convince you to spend money with them.

4. Diet that is good for the environment.

I saved this one for last, even though it’s probably one of the most important ones. You may be thinking…

“What does weight loss and diet have to do with the environment?”

or

“But I don’t care about the environment, I just want to lose weight.”

or
“But I do care about the environment. I recycle. I switched all bulbs in my house to super-economical ones. Plus I hang my laundry out to dry and … (insert here what you did last month for the environment).

Healthy life and healthy body is only possible in an environment that is thriving.

Clean air, water and fertile soil are a prerequisite to healthy human race.

Pollution, deforestation, wasteful water management, destruction of biodiversity, changing climate, overpopulation, soil depletion – these are NOT good things for the Earth and for the humans.

Let’s face it: we are part of the environment, and if we keep destroying it at the rate that we are doing it right now – the consequences will be tragic for the entire human race.

So, you may not care what happens on earth when you are gone, but even in our life time, or in our children’s or grand-children’s lifetime we may see changes on Earth that will make it a difficult place to live for many people.

Choices we make every day – and that includes choices of WHAT WE EAT – influence our future on Earth more than most people realize.

OK, so get to the point already, I want to know what is that ideal diet that is good for my body, wallet and environment?!

I realize that what I’m going to say next is not going to be popular with a lot of people.

In fact, many of you may stop reading right there – because – even though it’s true – it’s not a comfortable subject for many people.

But, here it goes.

Ideal Diet for Healthy Weight Loss

The best diet is the one that consists of MOSTLY or ENTIRELY of fresh fruits, vegetables and greens eaten RAW or lightly steamed or cooked (like in soups, stews). Other foods you can eat include whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. You need to eliminate or drastically reduce the amount of processed foods (especially white flour – so no white-flour pasta or bread, white sugar – no cookies, etc.), animal products (meat, fish, dairy), all kinds of sodas, soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.

I realize that this may not be what you wanted or expected to hear.

This may sound like a diet that ‘s too hard to follow, impractical, or just plain boring. For most people, a meat-centered diet is still the easiest, least-complicated choice.

However, the benefits of eating plant-based diet (or vegetarian diet) are well documented.

I didn’t want to even use that word – vegetarian – because it has become a dirty word for a lot of people. Besides, some of the vegetarian diets that are promoted are not really all that healthy – because it’s not just about eliminating animal products, its also about eliminating or limiting processed foods – and that includes pasta dishes, breads, etc. So keep in mind, that not all vegetarian recipes will work for you – but I will write more about that separately.

Why don’t more people know about this?

Because they not widely publicized. There are many interests at stake here. (One example is how the meat industry jumped on Oprah Winfrey back in the 90’s when she questioned meat industry health and safety standards.)

Most of us believe we need our proteins and milk for strong bones – and every day we see commercials everywhere that make sure we don’t forget these so-called “truths”. “So, while for many this will be a revelation, it shouldn’t be: our mothers were conned! The idea that the milk of another species is an appropriate and necessary source of calcium is a serious thinking error that has led to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune disease in epic numbers. Ask yourself why the U.S. consumes more than double the amount of milk and dairy than the #2 milk-drinking country—and yet has the highest rate of osteoporosis (and massive dental decay, despite the best dental-care system) in the world. Clearly drinking milk is not leading to strong bones and teeth.” Source: Green Smoothie Girl site.

Despite our fixation on animal products – meats, diary, and fats – there are countless studies that show that this type of diet causes all kinds of chronic problems for humans, including diabetes, heart disease, and many others.

The fact remains that populations that have eaten only plant-based, unprocessed foods their entire lives do not suffer from obesity, adult onset diabetes, triple bypass heart surgery, or colon cancer.

Are you a person that cares about the environment?

Obviously you are concerned about your weight, and perhaps your health, and – understandably – this should be your highest concern at the moment, especially if you are suffering with weight-related health problems.

However, aside from that – do you also care what result your day-to-day choices have on your environment, the air we all breathe, water we drink, soil, etc.?

If so, you may be surprised to learn that our current food choices detrimentally affect climate change and global warming more so than do all the cars, planes, trucks, buses and trains used worldwide. That’s according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Report.

These food choices I’m talking about are the meat, dairy, and fish that we choose to eat every day. You may not be aware of that but the meat, dairy, and fishing industries are the major contributing force in global depletion – and the eventual loss of our drinking water, air quality, land, biodiversity and other resources. Source United Nations

Animals raised for food are responsible for nearly 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; global transportation, on the other hand accounts for 13 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. In other words what you decide to eat each day creates more global warning than all vehicles used for transportation in the world combined.

Livestock produce huge amounts of these detrimental gases in different ways and nearly every step in raising the billions of animals for food each year results in some form of degradation of our environment. The three primary ways this happens is via greenhouse gas emissions, by pollutions and by changing water cycle processes and oxygen-carbon respiration through vegetation loss.

It takes over 5,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat, while it only takes 10-20 gallons water to produce one pound of vegetables, fruit, soybeans or grain.

And yet one pound of vegetables, fruit, or grains is much healthier for you to eat than one pound of meat.

According to a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate, over 70% of the world’s fish species are either fully exploited or depleted. The dramatic increase of destructive fishing techniques worldwide destroys marine mammals and entire ecosystems.

I understand that these arguments may not convince some of you.

I understand that not all of you are ready to even consider switching to vegetarian diet or even limiting the amount of meat, fish and dairy you consume.

After all, you need to lose weight, and you may be willing to use whatever method works – and often these high-protein diets produce surprisingly fast results for a lot of people.

However, ask yourself these questions: Do you care about your health in the long term, or are you just interested in a quick-fix solution?

Do you care about the consequences of your actions in the larger scheme of things, or you could care less about the future of the environment for our children and grandchildren?

The choice is yours.

Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?

Why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you trying to lose weight? What type of diet are you following? What are you struggling with?

Want to share some weight loss tips with fellow readers? I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks!

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Gluten Intolerance: Can Gluten Be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts and Health?

Aug 17 by Joanna

Gluten is getting a lot of attention these days. We hear about gluten allergies, wheat allergies and health problems that can be associated with gluten.  Gluten-free products are showing up everywhere, and as the demand for gluten-free breads, cookies, cakes, pastas, flours, and other is steadily rising, more and more companies are introducing these products to the market. But many people are still not aware what gluten is and many doctors scoff at the idea that “gluten intolerance” even exist.

An estimated 1 percent of the U.S. population has celiac, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, according to 2003 data published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The only treatment is a lifelong elimination of gluten from the diet, the protein found in common grains such as wheat, barley, spelt and rye.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a type of protein that is found in cereals, especially wheat, barley, spelt and rye. A protein similar to gluten also occurs in oats. All these foods are relatively recent additions – by evolutionary standards – to the human diet, which means that our digestive system did not have enough time to adapt to processing gluten. Therefore, it’s not surprising that problems with gluten tolerance are common (although often undiagnosed), as many people have difficulties digesting it. It is often thought that this disorder is associated with difficulties with maintaining optimum weight.

During our evolution, early humans’ diet consisted mainly of fruit, berries, nuts and large seeds, plus leafy greens, vegetables, roots and the occasional piece of meat. Just about 12,000 years ago grasses were introduced into our diet. Within 10,000 years bread had become known as “the staff of life” in many parts of the world.

Wheat products are everywhere, and we are consuming huge quantities of these foods every single day. Few of us can imagine life without bread, pasta, pizza, cakes and cookies… It is no wonder that if you eat lots of something that you can’t digest properly, it can make you sick. And that is what seems to be happening, although some doctors are still skeptical about the whole intolerance concept. If you look on the the Internet for “gluten intolerance”, “gluten and depression”, “gluten and health”, “gluten and obesity”, you will find numerous articles, news and stories from people who suffer from it.

Possible Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance

Problems with gluten tolerance are more common than most people realize, however it’s often unrecognized or misdiagnosed, as it can manifest itself by a host of seemingly unrelated symptoms.  Gluten intolerance is often associated with IBS, depression, difficulties with your weight, aches and pains in bones and joints, and chronic fatigue. If you suffer from some or all of these problems, perhaps you are gluten intolerant.

Gluten Free Diet: What we should be eating for health & perfect weight

For people suffering from wheat intolerance, the gluten-free diet is no picnic. And it isn’t just difficult and inconvenient; but also expensive. For most people it means studying the labels for gluten that often shows up unexpectedly on the list of ingredients. However, there is a better way.

Despite its popularity, wheat gluten is not an essential nutrient. The easiest – and best – way to get rid of gluten from your diet is to eat only unprocessed foods. All unprocessed food (obviously, with the exception for the grains which contain gluten) is gluten-free. Here is the summary of recommendations for a healthy diet:

• At least 60-80 % of the calories consumed should come from fresh, raw fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens (essential!). The important thing the bulk of your fruits, veggies, and greens should be eaten RAW. Raw foods have a wonderful effect on the body – giving you more energy and supplying essential nutrients in the completely unchanged, unprocessed form – just as nature intended them for us!
• You should be eating plenty of salads (no commercial salad dressings, please!) and fresh fruits to give you energy and satisfy cravings for sweets. Many people dislike greens – in fact I only know few people who eat lots of greens – raw lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, etc. – on a regular basis. My advice is to buy a good blender and start making green smoothies. Green smoothies are simply fruit smoothies with some leafy greens added. They are highly nutritious and help stop cravings for junk foods and sugar.
• In the morning, prepare a quart of green smoothie and drink it during the course of your day. Consuming green juices made with a juice extractor is also a great idea.
• The rest of what you eat during the day should be steamed or slightly cooked vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. The following grains and grain-substitutes can be used: rice, quinoa, buckwheat (more closely related to spinach than wheat), corn, amaranth, soy, millet (a good substitute for couscous), potato and tapioca as well as flour made from them.
• Although unprocessed meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk,are all gluten free, for optimum health it’s recommended to eliminate completely or limit consumption of animal products to once or twice per week.
• Eliminate all processed foods from your diet – this will save you time studying the labels in the supermarket. If you decide to occasionally have them – read the label carefully. Many foods that may on the first glance seem like gluten free, may still have some quantities of wheat added.

Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?

Why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you trying to lose weight? What type of diet are you following? What are you struggling with?

Want to share some weight loss tips with other readers? I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks!

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