Embarrassing but much needed....

carrie123

carrie123

Cathlete
Is colon cleansing recommended and if so what product should I get? I'm thinking something called colon cleanser capsules at GNC, but am not sure...I was thinking about Colonix, but I think that's probably a gimmick...

I've asked a few women, including yes, my mom:) but she doesn't know either...I'm so afraid of getting a product that's just a gimmick and wasting money...Exlax doesn't work unless I take 4 maximum strength at once, and I don't think that's very good over time...Prunes, fiber, bran, raisins, ect. Na-Da...

I'd give anything to be well "regular" again...

Thanks

Carrie

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There are many mixed opinions on colon cleansing. The medical pages (Web MD and others) advise against it saying that their are more natural ways to accomplish the same thing. They also state that they can be dangerous. Some people say they are just fine. You're going to get a lot of mixed opinion here. I'd try a natural way first - to see if that helps...

What is your diet like? Are you getting enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables? Are you drinking enough water? When I eat clean (as close to natural as possible - preferably made up of things that grow in the ground or things that eat things that grow in the ground), I find my system straightens itself out in 2-3 weeks. Use Fitday.com or sparkpeople.com to keep track of the foods you eat, and make sure you're getting the fiber you need. And avoid diets like Atkins like the plague. You NEED whole grains and complex carbs.
 
I've taken P&B shakes, Colosan and holistic horizons. Now I just take Metamucil everyday. I highly recommend taking the metamucil. I get the sugar free orange flavored smooth grain kind. It keeps me regular. For me, being regular is huge b/c I've always had problems in that area. I wouldn't take anything in a capsule.
 
I took Metamucil for a long time. But it had started to constipate me. Weird I know, but you might have to try a few things to get some relief as we all are different on the inside....:)
 
You may want to add magnesium asportate to a high fiber diet.I suffered with constipation issues for 20 years. I finally figured it out.
For me the magic combo was 6grams of fish oil(lubricates the intestines& also softens the stool + many many more benefits),
400mg magnesium asportate- http://www.a1supplements.com/detail.aspx?ID=1428&Name=Magnesium-Asportate-400-mg/120-caps

along with a high fiber diet. I get at least 8 servings of fruits and whole veggies, but not lettuce. There is zero fiber in iceberg lettuce!
You could start out taking 600mg of magnesium and then scale back to 400 a day. Also, I wake up and take 1 tsp of natural psyllium powder with a huge glass of water in the morning. You do need to find what works for you. Psyllium husk(metemucil,fiber supplements) can have a constipating effect on some people. Especially if it is not taken with alot of water. So if you do use fiber supplements, DRINK til you float!
 
I ditto most of what the others have said. Have you tried FiberSure? I like it because Metamucil has a tendency to get thick and doesn't taste very good. The FiberSure disappears into whatever you mix it with. Extra bonus, no cramps or gas. Good luck to you!
 
I have heard not so great things about colon cleansing, so I tried an alternative approach. After trying IBS meds, and various stool softeners and such, I finally found what works for me. I take a magnesium supplement in the a.m. and p.m and a flax seed oil supplement. That has helped tremendously and now I can "go" every morning instead of maybe once a week if I was lucky. I also eat a lot of salad, fiber one, and sprinkle benefiber on various foods. Also it helps me to exercise daily and drink plenty of fluids to counterbalance the fiber.
Now, this is an extreme example, but I knew a girl that had weekly colonics because she was always constipated(she had it done more frequently over time because it is counterproductive to the natural process), and her colon weakenend so much from the procedure that she had to have part of it removed. That is scary.
 
Greetings,

I too, was plagued by constipation until I started taking Magnesium supplements.

Magnesium, a gentle laxative, helps to prevent constipation by relaxing you colon walls. It normalizes tension on colon walls allowing for a normal peristaltic action.

Because magnesium attracts water, you bring in more water into you colon by taking magnesium supplements or by eating foods, which are high in magnesium. Water in your colon makes your stools softer and allows your colon to absorb water from your fecal matter if your body needs it. ( Not a great subject to talk about, just a matter of fact)

"Jesse Lynn Hanley. MD" writes:

"Take at bedtime. Begin with 200 mg magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate-you may increase the dosage in 200 mg increments until your bowels move regularly. The dose for magnesium is individual, so begin low and increase the dosage as needed. Reduce the dosage if you experience loose bowels. Unlike irritating laxatives, magnesium does not create laxitive dependency."

If taking hypoglycemic drugs, magnesium may increase absorption of these drugs. It is recommended you consult with your doctor.

If you have severe kidney or heart disease, you need to avoid magnesium and consult with you doctor.

Also, calcium can help. Using calcium and magnesium in the right qualtities can prevent constipation. In your colon, calcium combines with excess bile and decaying fat to form a harmless insoluble soap, which is excreted with your stool. This helps keep your colon clean. Most nutritionists recommend you take 1000-15000mg daily of Calcium.. Because calcium can cause constipation, it is necessary to take 500-1000 mg o magnesium at the same time you take calcium. Avoid taking clacium carbonate, which will reduce the times will have a bowel movement.

The calcium supplement I take is Cal/Mag/Zinc combo that I take early in the day. At bedtime I take 400mg of magnsium alone, which also has a calming effect to make me sleep more soundly.

Also, I make sure I eat an apple later in the day. I feel the pectin in the apple has helped me greatly.

I hope you will find this imformation along with others that have commented will bring you relief. I was miserable for years until I have started this routine.

Good Luck and Good Health

Dianne
 
If your problem is constipation, I suggest adding 1-2 Tbsp of ground flax (fresh ground is best) to your daily diet (1 Tbsp in a smoothie or on oatmeal, for example) and make sure you are getting enough fiber (most people don't). Start each meal with a raw salad or fruit (apples and pears are good, because they contain pectin, a bowel-cleaning fiber).

As for a colon cleanse, the purpose is not just to make one regular. It is to help remove impacted matter from the colon. This is stuff that is slowly baked on at the lovely 98.6 degree temp of our innards, and some say that if you eat anything but a raw food diet, you have some. Norman Walker is big on colon cleansing, and he lived to over 100 years old.

I use something called "Oxypowder" that LauraMax mentioned a while back. It is an oxygen-based cleanse that also provides oxygen to the cells so that other organs can benefit from it.
 
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