Cleansed and healthy
Cleansing the colon of accumulated waste and toxins does more than just alleviate digestive ailments like gas, bloating, constipation/diarrhea, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. It also helps combat fatigue, clear up the skin, break down cholesterol, prevent gallstones, eliminate yeast infections, relieve back pain, control blood pressure, clean the blood and even prevent colon cancer. But before spending money on any store-bought cleansing kit, consider the various home remedies for natural cleansing available, many of which you may already have in your kitchen or pantry.
Dietary Fiber
Fiber helps increase the peristaltic motion that moves waste through the intestinal tract and out of the body in the form of regular bowel movements. It also provides much of the bulk that makes those bowel movements healthy. All fruits and vegetables are natural sources of dietary fiber, as are nuts, seeds, beans and whole grains. Insoluble and soluble fiber work together for a healthy natural cleanse, with insoluble fiber helping rid the body of waste sans constipation and soluble fiber helping restore beneficial bacteria to the digestive tract. Oats, flaxseeds, apples, citrus fruits, barley, peas, beets, cabbage and brown rice are all dietary sources of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Psyllium husk is another source of fiber often found in many store-bought cleanses, which you can also purchase alone in most health food stores.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll cleanses the system by healing and soothing digestive tissue, drawing toxins from the body and bringing more oxygen to the gastrointestinal system. Barley, wheatgrass, alfalfa, spirulina and broccoli, as well as spinach, kale, collard greens and other leafy greens are all high in chlorophyll.
Probiotics
In the process of cleansing, beneficial bacteria is released from the system along with the harmful bacteria. Healthy colon function requires at least 80% of the bacteria contained therein be beneficial. Replenish that beneficial bacteria with probiotics, naturally occurring in bananas, onions and garlic.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids don't just cleanse the colon. When taken as a regular part of a daily diet, they aid in digestion so there's less waste and toxins to cleanse in the first place. Omega 3 fatty acids help release bile needed for digestion while contracting the gallbladder to protect it from damage and to lubricate the digestive tract with A and D vitamins. Food sources of omega 3 fatty acids are fish and fish oils, cod liver oil and flax.
Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay acts like a sponge that absorbs toxins from the colon and then carries them through and out of the body. Capable of holding numerous times its weight in toxins, it is a predominant ingredient in many store-bought colon cleanse kits. You can, however, purchase bentonite clay by itself in most health food stores.
Water
Drink more water while cleansing than you ordinarily drink. The body requires greater hydration and lubrication when releasing toxins and waste build up than it does the rest of the time. Toxins released from organs like the liver and kidneys need water to flush them out of the system, lest they absorb elsewhere, further down the gastrointestinal tract. The body needs more water when eating the increased amounts of fiber beneficial for a natural home cleanse as well, in order to form healthy bowel movements and efficiently eliminate them. Water itself is also a natural cleanser, literally washing the digestive tract, the organs, lymph nodes, blood vessels and other bodily systems clean.
Tags: beneficial bacteria, bowel movements, digestive tract, fatty acids, soluble fiber, fiber helping, food stores