Colon Cleanse

[Queso]

Alright. This is disgusting, but true... so bare with me.

Did you guys know about cleaning your colon?

According to a few people that I know personally, and many sources on the internet (ex: http://www.drnatura.com/ )

We have a lot of disgusting crap built up in our colons.

If you go to that link, you can even see pictures of what comes out of people!

It's so disgusting!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm not posting this to gross you guys out... I'm posting it because I want to see what the scientific community has to say about this.

 

:eek:

[CraigD]

Alright. This is disgusting, but true... so bare with me.

Did you guys know about cleaning your colon?

As someone involved for years with the technical details of preventive medicine, I’m pretty expert in colon cleaning, because it’s necessary before one of the most medically and cost effective early cancer detection procedures, colonoscopy.

 

The wikipedia article seems essentially accurate to me, though omits a few details. As it describes, the colon-cleaning procedure is fairly simple, and doesn’t require any advanced, proprietary therapies of medicines, such as those sold by drnatura.com. The article neglect a couple of relevant details: One, colonoscopy prep doesn’t require 1 to 3 days of low fibre/clear liquid diet – this helps, but if omitted, all that’s necessary is more bowel irrigation (gastric or enema) just before the procedure; Two, the colon must be really clean – endoscopes lack “lense wipers” to clear their fiber optic viewing system, so even a small amount of residual fecal matter can be a big problem, requiring tricky “wiping” maneuvers, or worse, withdrawing the scope, more bowel irrigation, and starting over (often with a very pissed-off MD at the controls). When the patient is prepped properly, the view of his/her colon wall is of a clean, pink surface.

 

The amount of feces removed by bowel irrigation is small – I’m unaware of anyone measuring it, but can’t imagine that it often exceeds a kilogram, and is usually much less. Although there have been documented cases of tens of kilograms of feces being found in the intestines of cadavers during post-mortem necropsy, Drnatura’s claim that “the average person could be lugging around 10 – 20 pounds of impacted fecal matter in his or her intestines”, is not supported by my experience, nor is their claim that after extensive bowl cleaning, “the body is cleansed, it can assimilate nutrients much more efficiently, thus reducing the craving for sweets and fatty foods”. Although patients sometimes report pleasant after-effects of bowel irrigation, many report very unpleasant ones, and a few require special therapies to restore the previous intestinal fauna and flora (beneficial bacterial, etc) removed by the procedure. A small number (less than 1 in 5,000) develop serious, even fatal complications.

 

In short, I don’t think the therapy offered by Drnatura is effective, or supported by scientific medical evidence. Someone experiencing digestive problems would do better, IMHO, to adopt a good diet with plenty of fibre (whole grains and vegetables) and water. (Drnatura also recommends this) Although it would seem to not need mentioning, don’t eat hair, thread, or string – the photos at drnatura.com, which I’m confident are real, look to me to contain such fibers, which can be very difficult to digest, and can lead to medical crises. If these common-sense measures aren’t effective, I think the best thing is to see a physician specializing in digestive medicine.

 

As a general rule, I mistrust expensive health-care therapies sold for high prices that don’t include supervision by someone with medical training.

[Queso]

wow thank you so much!

You are one of the reasons why I love Hypography so much.

 

I mistrust expensive health-care therapies sold for high prices, too. I wouldn't even consider purchasing that stuff, especially after your helpful information.

 

I've been eating WAY healthier lately. I was even going to start a juice fast today until someone told me it isn't 'effective' unless I have a clean colon.

 

I was just worried...

I ate a lot of junk food when I was a kid, and I wouldn't want that to be the source of my demise!!

[Queso]

So...all those disgusting pictures....

 

Are those people just anomalies?

 

Because if THATS inside of me I want it out NOW

[Turtle]

A bit of Freud's anal business perhaps? :doh: At any rate, this hole colon cleansing bit is not new. Big fad in the 1800's with no end of apparatus patented for said procedure. For a humorous peek, see the movie Road to Wellness with Matthew Broderick et al; it probes the involvement of Kellogg.

 

Another procedure that comes from India I believe I encountered in a biographical movie of the cartoonist Robert Crumb. In the film they visit his brother who is in the process of swallowing and er...excreting a long continuous ribbon or tape of fabric. Bob's brother as I recall declined to go out as he was somewhat indisposed to being seen with a ribbon hanging out his mouth.

 

For my last colonoscopy, I was given the choice to fast 2 days, or spend 1 day fasting plus drinking a pottle of some concotion. I went for the 2 day fast. By the way, they put you under a genreal anesthetic for a colonoscopy, whereas not so for the less invasive flexible sigmoidoscopy during which you may view onscreen the hole show. :doh:

[InfiniteNow]

We have a lot of disgusting crap built up in our colons.

 

I must say Orb, this comment has had me laughing all day. I am relatively certain you did not intend the pun, and that your question here is sincere, but I must thank you for the smiles this has generated. :)

 

That's just where all crap, disgusting or otherwise, is made. :hihi:

[Queso]

Actually I was well aware of that pun! :hihi:

 

I'm curious about those pictures, though.... Is that rare, or do we all have that **** up there???

[Monomer]

I'm curious about those pictures, though.... Is that rare, or do we all have that **** up there???

 

I work in the area of bowel health, and I know that a rat's colon can be full of faeces. Also, people give us faecal samples to analyse and some, particularly males, have brought in a sample that has weighed about 500g.

 

There's another colon cleansing website that I saw some months ago, and can't find at the moment. But there were pictures that showed what had come out of the bowel, and it was mostly green/yellow mucus. It was so disgusting I couldn't eat for the remainder of the day.

[Monomer]

Just found it:

 

HPS health- colon cleansing, detox, weight loss

 

:hihi: I seriously warn you about the pictures though! :)

[Queso]

I want to rid my body of all of that.

 

What do you guys reccommend is the best way to do it?

 

Will a good diet high in fiber do the trick over time...?

 

Or do I need to try plan b... (what is plan b?)

[Monomer]

I've considered a colon cleanse because it could improve my health.

 

There are a few people I know that try to fast for 5 days, just taking in water, and then they slowly reintroduce food over another 5 days. Others I know consume just fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water for a week to clean out their systems.

 

I think a good healthy diet, and lifestyle, would do the trick over time. Cut out the food you know is bad for you, and give the body the food and nutrients it really needs.

[Queso]

Alright then I'm on the right track.

 

Does this guck nasty poison stick forever, though? That's all I'm wondering @ this point.

[Queso]

Also,

I had been planning on fasting Today for about a month.

Last night I found myself not hungry at all, so I went to bed on an empty stomache.

And well, it's almost time for me to go to bed again and I havn't had any food all day.

Drank lots of veggie + fruit juice + water.

Havn't even been hungry...just a bit lethargic.

So I guess I'll keep going for another few days. It's a lot easier than I thought it would be.

[Turtle]

Alright then I'm on the right track.

 

Does this guck nasty poison stick forever, though? That's all I'm wondering @ this point.

 

No. This whole business is a bunch of quackery Orby and people get a charge out of shovin' stuff up their butts. Nothing more, nothing less. :hihi: If you are eating regularly and having regular bowel movements, leave your colon alone. It has several hundred thousand years to perfect itself, thank you very much. If there is a problem, seek a doctors advice.

 

As far as I have found, a 2 or 3 day fast is safe if you drink water or other fluids and it leaves your colon as clean as a whistle. There is however, no evidence I have seen for health benefits from fasting longer than that. :) :camera:

[Queso]

Thank you

O wise one.

[maikeru]

Just found it:

 

HPS health- colon cleansing, detox, weight loss

 

I seriously warn you about the pictures though!

 

<Tears eyes out.> Aaaaaggghh. :hihi:

 

I used to think that the funky things we sometimes found growing in our tissue culture flasks was nasty. Well, I obviously know nothing...

 

Seems the best way to clean out the colon is as others have suggested. Diet high in fiber from fruits and veggies and lots of water. Visit the bathroom for daily cleanse.

[Monomer]

I remembered last night that apparently another great thing for cleaning out your system is to drink freshly squeezed lemon juice, diluted in a glass of water, first thing in the morning.

 

 

<Tears eyes out.> Aaaaaggghh. :)

 

I used to think that the funky things we sometimes found growing in our tissue culture flasks was nasty. Well, I obviously know nothing...

 

Yeah, and I used to think that illeostomy samples were nasty! I think I'll stick to a good diet... :)