Educated opinions about "colon cleansing"

[red_mct]

Ok, ladies, I know some of you do a tremendous amount of research on health and others are in the health-related fields. My SO and I were watching TV yesterday and we saw this VERY BAD infomercial for some product for a 7-day colon cleanse. I thought the guy was really irritating but some of the things he said SEEMED to have some grain of truth in them.

Specifically he said that years of eating products with artificial ingredients leave residue (or plaque) in the body (colon) that it would be best to get rid of. My kids were cracking up since he kept saying, "You are what you don't eliminate." LOL

Of course, he was pushing a product which I think is some kind of supplement that you use for fasting and I would never buy such a thing from an infomercial, but I'm wondering as to the basic underlying premise here. Is there any truth to this at all?

Curiously,
Marie

 

[sue320]

RE: Educated opinions about

I will tell you that I did a colon cleanse when things significantly slowed in that area. There's a book called "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" written by a nutritionist and a physician. In it they recommend using ABC colon cleanse with aloe juice as the base. (ABC--Aerobic Bulk Cleanse) Both products can be found at Vitamin Shoppe. If I remember correctly, the aloe juice is a little pricey. You don't have to do the aloe juice but it did help a friend who has IBS. All of that to say this...for me, the colon cleanse really didn't do anything but give me atrocious gas! I normally "go" once a day so I don't know that I had the gunk to cleanse like those that go once a month! I found regularity when I went back to my digestive enzymes after every meal, began drinking more water and started back working out.

MHO is that those that go once a week/once a month probably do have quite a bit of stuff to get out. I mean, you can't eat three meals a day and only produce enough to move once a week/month. It doesn't make sense.

I did some research on this and you can find scary stuff on the "for side" of colon cleanse products and you can find those that say no one needs colon cleansing.

Like I said, jmho.

 

[rjroubi]

RE: Educated opinions about

Marie,
There are so many different opinions on this subject. By nature of the colon's function, I've always felt it should be considered a self cleaning organ (unless there is something radically wrong) so I have never given colon cleansing a second thought. I too have seen the scarey adds sought to sell products, but they just aren't convincing and I don't see the science or need behind them. Some people swear by them.

Here is a much more "unbiased" thread that might help you:
http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=4&topic_id=263030&mode=full

Good luck in your quest for info!
Robin

 

[Netta]

RE: Educated opinions about

I've never had a colonoscopy, but I hear that you have to take some stuff beforehand to clean you out. What is that? I know it leaves you "clean as a whistle". I'm not advocating using this product, just wondering what is used before a colonoscopy.

Jeanette

 

[Miss Lee]

RE: Educated opinions about

>I've never had a colonoscopy, but I hear that you have to
>take some stuff beforehand to clean you out. What is that? I
>know it leaves you "clean as a whistle". I'm not advocating
>using this product, just wondering what is used before a
>colonoscopy.
>
>Jeanette


The product used depends on the preferences of the doctor performing the colonoscopy, but it involves drinking a large volume of some ghastly liquid--LOL! As a nurse, I would not recommend that anyone resort to this for the purpose of "colon cleansing" because it's a very harsh treatment meant to be used for diagnostic or surgical procedures.

I personally have a hard time understanding the need for colon cleansing. If you're eating a diet high in fiber, drinking adequate fluids like water and juices (non-caffeinated beverages), and exercising several days a week, there really shouldn't be a NEED for colon cleansing. Having said this, I know of several nurses who have hopped on the alternative med bandwagon and would tell you to go for it!

Michele

 

[sparrow]

RE: Educated opinions about

File this under TMI but when I had my colonoscopy I had to drink a horrible liquid Fleet enema twelve hours before. I'll spare you the details. Suffice it to say, I would not recommend this for anyone not told to do this by a doctor. It was unreal.

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage

 

[Timber99]

RE: Educated opinions about

I have a girlfriend that does colon cleanses on a rather regular basis (every couple of months). She is all for them & thinks that they are great. During the cleanse, she usually drinks some type of juice that I cannot recall but I know for sure that it is not aloe.

I just don't see it. It would appear to me that part of the body's function is to cleanse the colon naturally. Absent a major issue (or a surgery or medical procedure), the body should not require "assistance." My worry was always that if you perform the body's natrual function for it, will it stop doing it on its own at some point?

BTW: This is totally a gut opinion and not one stemming from education or authority.

 

[rjroubi]

RE: Educated opinions about

>I've never had a colonoscopy, but I hear that you have to
>take some stuff beforehand to clean you out. What is that? I
>know it leaves you "clean as a whistle". I'm not advocating
>using this product, just wondering what is used before a
>colonoscopy.
>

The "nasty stuff" is usually a polyethylene glycol (PEG) and electrolytes solution. It is used to clean the colon (large bowel or lower intestine) before certain tests or surgery of the colon. (It gives the doctor a clear view of the colon during procedures.) It goes under quite a few brand and generic names (ie: Golytely, Nulytely, Trilytely to name just a few). Not that I think anyone would actually "choose" to use it regularly or buy it given the chance... it does require a prescription and a bathroom near-by.

Many times they will also have you take Dulcolax tablets and drink Fleets Phospho soda which are over the counter (so you are truly cleaned out). I should add this does depend on the doctor performing the colonoscopy.

Robin

ETA: In the USA an Rx is required for the Nulytely type products.

 

[vidfan]

RE: Educated opinions about

I was on a cruise last December and I attended several lectures by the spa staff that discussed colon cleansing. I thought the whole thing was hype just to sell their service, but others in the audience were impressed. One point the lecturers emphasized is that internal cleansing will remove medications such as cholesterol-lowering and blood-pressure medications from your body. They said that if you are taking any medications do NOT do an internal cleanse. They also emphasized that every person has different cleansing needs and it can be dangerous to just buy a cleanse in the store and use it without the advice of an appropriate professional.