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

Sep 13 by Joanna

• Tweet
• Sharebar

• Tweet

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!