Dangers of Homemade Colon Cleanse

The Colon
Before understanding what a colon cleanse is, it is important to understand the colon and its functions.

The colon is the end portion of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a muscular tube that is approximately 5 to 5 1/2 feet in length and approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. For a more general understanding we can assume that the colon is the portion after the small intestines right upto the rectum.

We all know that for the maintenance of a healthy body the elimination of toxic wastes is very important. This task is carried out by parts of the body which consist of the lungs, kidneys, skin, colon etc. All these body parts will eliminate a specific set of toxins.

The main function of the colon is to absorb water and minerals from the digested food, and the formation and elimination of feces from the body.

What is a Colon Cleanse
A clean colon is very vital to overall health. An unclean colon that does not function as desired will lead to a variety of illness. The lifestyle of many people today helps in maintaining a colon that is unclean and the cause of disease. A diet high in fat, consumption of a lot of sugar and sugar-based foodstuff, eating mostly processed food, drinking very little water, all contribute to the process.

Most of the time one realizes that something is wrong with the colon only when they get constipated. If this is just a one-off happening, it could be neglected, buy when the constipation becomes regular and chronic, there surely is something very wrong in the colon. It is blocked and unable to pass out the digested food. To make matters worse it is pulling out water from the digested food, making it all the more hard and difficult to pass out. This is when most of the people begin searching for ways to help get rid of and normalize the condition.

Very few would try and understand as to why this has happened in the first place. As long as there is something that can improve the situation it is OK with most. A colon cleanse is one such remedy that helps in cleaning and flushing out the colon of all the harmful toxins that have accumulated over a period of time.

Different Types of Colon Cleanse
There are several ways in which a colon cleanse can be performed. Fasting is the most common way to perform a colon cleanse. Total fasting, water fasting, fruit fasting are different methods used during fasting for a colon cleanse. Herbal colon cleanse is another way where a variety of herbs are used to free your colon of toxins and eliminate them. Enemas are another way of a colon cleanse, and is easy to practice at home, but many do not prefer this because it could be a messy affair if not done properly. Homemade colon cleansers are another way and one which is widely used today. Homemade colon cleansers are used a lot in combination to fasting.

Homemade Colon Cleanse Risks
Most of the homemade colon cleanse recipes that you find may have some branded ingredient that you will have to buy separately. This could just be a way of selling the product. These product manufacturers sell you just this ingredient with all other ingredients available easily at home. They drill it into you that a colon cleanse is necessary for everyone to be healthy and keep away from disease. A colon cleanse will not harm anyone, but could be dangerous if not formulated correctly.

There is a tendency of overdoing the colon cleanse at home. Many assume that this is a way of flushing out the toxins sooner. Doing this is not good and could lead to complications. If you are doing an enema yourself at home, make sure to be careful. Use equipment that is sterilized properly, negligence of which could lead to bacterial infection which could get serious in time. Also make sure to be gentle and not cause damage to your intestinal wall. A rupture in your intestinal wall is not the easiest to treat and could be really painful.

Total fasting can have serious problems. When you fast without having anything, your liver is working overtime flushing out all the toxins. These toxins get into the colon and will get absorbed by the body. These toxins are recirculated and reach the liver again, putting an unnecessary load on the liver. A fast with lots of water, or fresh organic juices or raw vegetables will help avoid such a situation as the toxins will be flushed out of the body and not recirculated.

The Best and Natural Way of Avoiding Colon Problems
Have you seriously thought as to why colon problems occur in the first place. It is due to eating junk food filled with fat, refined flour, and almost everything that is unhealthy. Timings to eat hardly exist. We have developed a tendency to live more on aerated drinks. We have stopped eating to live, instead many of us live to eat; eat just about any and everything that comes our way; we do not think twice before gobbling down that dinner consisting of a huge barely cooked beef steak with oil dripping fried potatoes, gulped down with anything but water. How do you suppose this is going to be broken down and get digested? How is it going to pass smoothly through your system?

The solution to most of all colon problems starts and ends with a change in diet. No need to change it drastically, just eat sensibly. No need to abstain from eating meat, just add a lot of fiber to your diet. Fiber helps move your food smoothly from the time it enters your body till it is eliminated. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber. No need to stop eating your favorite burger as long as you don't make this a regular feature in your diet, just make sure that you down it with a fiber rich source and a lot of water (not some aerated drink). Water should be a constant throughout the day. Make sure you have at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. The beneficial effects will show immediately. Whatever you eat, eat slowly and chew properly. Don't just gulp down your food.

Remember: Eating food fast, and eating fast-food are both bad for digestion and your colon. Your system will find it difficult to digest both, food eaten fast, and fast-food. Eat slowly chewing your food properly and as far as possible, and don't make fast-food a habit that you can't do without.