Subtitles section Play video
-
Think your colon needs cleansing?
-
Chances are, it doesn't.
-
And you're probably doing more harm than good.
-
Hey guys, Tara here for Dnews - and there's a small but persistent population of people
-
out there who believe that regular colon cleansings are good for your body.
-
Whether it's laxatives, enemas, or an actual colon irrigation - performed by a medical
-
practitioner.
-
The idea, they say, is that “it cleans out all of the toxins that build up on the walls
-
of your colon over time” - preventing symptoms like fatigue, bloating, and even depression
-
or cancer.
-
It's true, there are instances where this kind of procedure is warranted - for example,
-
someone who's about to undergo a colonoscopy.
-
But the vast majority of the people who did it, don't actually need it - and over time,
-
they could be doing more harm than good.
-
The truth is, your body already has mechanisms built in, specifically designed to eliminate
-
harmful substances.
-
Your liver and kidneys are two of those mechanisms.
-
Plus, there just isn't enough research yet on most colon cleanses, to really recommend
-
them to anyone who doesn't have a specific medical need.
-
Not to mention the fact that they have been known to cause some very serious side effects.
-
Certain herbal cleanses, for example, have been linked to liver toxicity and aplastic
-
anemia, which is a rare disorder where your body stops producing enough red blood cells.
-
Other reports have specifically linked colonics to things like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and
-
in more serious cases - kidney problems, heart failure, and life-threatening infections.
-
Any scenario where you're inducing diarrhea - also carries the risk of disrupting your
-
body's electrolyte balance, leading to a number of health problems.
-
And that's especially true for people with kidney disease or heart problems - who ALREADY
-
have trouble maintaining proper fluid balance.
-
The same goes for pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with GI problems - like Crohn's
-
disease or ulcerative colitis - and people with connective tissue disorders or severe
-
hemorrhoids, who run an increased risk of bowel perforation.
-
For the general population, though, who has no known health issues - it's just not a
-
good idea to disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in your gut.
-
It's like taking antibiotics for a common cold - yeah, you might get rid of bad bacteria,
-
but you're also getting rid of good bacteria - which puts you at a higher risk for future
-
infections.
-
Some people also like to claim that colon irrigation is a good method for weight loss
-
- which isn't exactly true.
-
A 2004 study on colonics, found the average weight loss of patients to be around 2.6 lbs,
-
or 1.2 kg.
-
Not really a huge difference.
-
Not to mention that all you're disposing of, is extra water and stool.
-
You're not permanently getting rid of any fat, so all of that weight will come back
-
within a couple week's time.
-
Most doctors say that if you're really interested in cleaning out your colon, the best thing
-
you can do is adjust your diet and make sure to get plenty of exercise.
-
Processed foods, meat, and sugar will only induce build-up, but foods that are rich in
-
fiber - like fruits and vegetables - will pretty much do all of the work for you.
-
I know there's a big debate about this online, so which side are you on?
-
Are you a proponent of regular colon cleansing?
-
And if so, what are you experiences with it?
-
Feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.
-
And as always, thank you guys for watching!