Colon Health the Natural Way

There is much talk about colon cleansing. Some insist that colon cleansing is a must to detoxify the body. Others say that cleansing the colon can be harmful to the body and that the body naturally cleanses itself.

It is a fact that Americans seem to have turned to eating more processed foods and less of natural raw foods and that the body can process natural raw foods better than it can processed foods that contain chemicals.

It seems reasonable to assume that anything that is natural cannot be harmful or at least it should be less harmful than chemicals when it comes to the human body.

Most of us know that there are two natural things we can do to help our colon stay healthy. One is to drink adequate amounts of water each day and the second is to eat foods high in fiber like raw vegetables and fruits and also whole fiber breads and cereals.

There is a medical industry standard text for the diagnosis and treatment of disease called the Merck Manual and its figures for diverticulitis for those over 45 years of age has the following figures for diverticulitis statistics:

# of cases:

1950 - 10% of those over age 45 diagnosed with diverticulitis

1955 - 15%

1972 - 30%

1987 - almost 50%

As you can see the cases of diverticulitis has increased dramatically since 1950. This may be due in part to the dietary habits of modern day individuals who insist on ingesting microwaved food, hydrogenated fats, deep fried foods, caffeine, sugar, white flour, and aspartame.

Individuals also tend to not drink enough water or eat enough raw vegetables and fruits. When was the last time you ate a raw vegetable or fruit? When was the last time you drank a glass of water?

Foods and Beverages to Avoid if You Want a Healthy Colon:

Avoid:

Foods that contain white flour

Processed foods such as baked goods and pasta

Sugar or food that contains sugar

Excess Protein

Pork

Processed Meats

Milk

Cheeses

Eggs

Soy Productrs

Caffeine

Canola Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Hydrogenated Oils, Margarine, Vegetable Oil or any Oil that does not say that it is cold-pressed.

Butter

Artificial Sweetners especially aspartame (Nutrasweet)

Microwaved food

Normal table salt

Monosodium Glutamate

Artificial Coloring (like that in Gatorade)

Seafood that are garbage eaters like oysters.

All cooked food except for fresh vegetables and grains.

Tap water (except if it is spring water)

To enjoy good colon health make sure that you do nothing to stop the natural process of elimination. This means that when your body says it has to move, then let it move. When you feel the urge to move you bowels do not hold it in. Holding it in will decrease the body’s signaling in the future. Do not take excessive laxatives as you will decrease your natural ability to have a bowel movement. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink a minimum of 8 – 8oz glasses of water each day. Your colon needs water to function properly. Stay away from processed foods and microwaved foods. Exercise daily at least do 2 walks each day of 15 minutes in duration each time. Most people do not get enough exercise and exercise helps circulation which in turn helps digestion.