There's a relatively new movement that seems to be taking hold of the public. It's something called a colon cleanse, a more holistic approach to wellness. While most people will wonder whether a certain brand is simply a scam, you may be surprised to hear that the whole process is actually up for debate.
Considerations
Depending on who you talk to, the whole process of cleansing the colon can be deemed a scam. Many traditional medical professionals will tell you that this practice isn't even remotely necessary to the health and wellbeing of a person and can actually do more harm to the body than good. Yet, the holistic health practitioners believe a "clean" colon is a crucial element to both physical and emotional welfare. While most people will lean more towards conventional medicine's idea of colon cleansing, some will buy into this approach to wellness.
Function
The main reason to cleanse the colon is to rid this bodily organ of any waste or toxins that may be currently trapped inside. When your colon isn't working properly, waste will essentially sit for extended periods of time. But, this waste doesn't simply remain in a state of stasis. It is believed that the toxins found within the waste will eventually be released into the bloodstream, circulating throughout your entire body. Ultimately, it is said that these toxins will begin to affect your health, manifesting in a number of maladies that can impact not just your physical wellness, but your emotional being as well. Though this idea does stand to some reason, the health benefits are extremely debatable.
Features
Most colon cleansing practices will simply require the addition of an herbal supplement into your diet. Typically, these tablets will contain a natural laxative or bowel stimulant (not some miraculous colon cleansing substance) that will take affect anywhere from 6 to 12 hours after ingestion. Once you've started the process, you'll continue to take the supplements anywhere from 7 to 14 days, producing a "regular" bowel movement daily (sometimes more, depending on the brand). Other cleansings will actually require you to change your diet and implement exercise while taking part in their established regimen. While this may seem like a more thorough method, you'll still end up taking some sort of supplement that will induce a bowel movement.
Misconceptions
When you do research on the "best" colon cleansing systems, you'll often see pictures of some pretty awful stuff that is said to have come out of a person's colon. However, if you actually speak to someone who has been through it, you'll rarely (if at all) hear them speak of passing anything that horrifying. Most times, when they have passed something that looks foreign, it usually has come from the supplement itself, making it appear to have this great efficacy that isn't actually there.
Warning
As mentioned before, a colon cleansing (especially a prolonged practice) can actually do more harm to your body than good. Not only is there the potential to create a dependency to the supplement, meaning it must be present in your system to achieve a bowel movement, it may also generate an imbalance in your electrolytes. If this imbalance becomes severe, you may go into cardiac arrest--a fairly grave effect from something so seemingly minor.
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