Colon Cleanse / Cleansing your System / Colonic Irrigation

[MynameisnotDeja]

Healthy living doesn't require you to be a meat nazi. I'm not going to say that you must avoid meat to have a healthy colon because that is just a flat out lie.



And doing drugs does? 'Cause there are people posting in this forum that do. Do I sense a bias on meat?

Healthy living does NOT require one to be a vegetarian, I absolutely agree with that. I also agree that meat isnt something one would eat with the PURPOSE of having a healthy colon, but meat in moderation probably wont damage ones colon either. Lets keep the thread on topic as a colon health thread not another meat debate thread please.

 

[MynameisnotDeja]

I strongly recommend you to (re)read my statements, and try to answer the questions: What role does meat play in colon health? Should anyone with a healthy colon in mind consume any type of meat?

You guys are having a kinda pointless debate. I dont think he is saying meat has any positive role in overall colon health. Hes just saying meat, in moderation, doesnt harm colon health in any significant way (keep in mind I said moderation, which in my mind would mean eating a significantly higher amount of fiber rich vegetables and other foods than the amount of meat one consumes). Smoking is definately harmful to the body but thats a topic for another thread. As far as smoking being harmful to the colon, I suppose that topic fits in here..Ive definately read a lot of things about smoking increasing the risk of colon cancer..makes sense..since all those toxins end up being processed out through our waste systems...

Summing it up-

1) "Colon cleansing" through fasts or taking fiber supplements and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a very good thing.
2) "colon cleansing" through colonic irrigation is praised by some and doubted by others, for some it seems to help a lot but one should do research on it before getting one because there are risks.
3) A meat free diet is most likely the healthiest diet for ones colon, but the choice to go meat free is an individual one, and some feel healthier with meat in moderation while others feel their best meat free. This is fine, and meat in moderation probably wont do one too much harm, but wont HELP either.
4)Smoking is bad for the entire body, including the colon, and leads to cancer of any kind.

 

[djwhirlpool]

Back to the topic, before it got stinky.

I never really thought about having my colon cleaned, but after reading this stuff, it is something I'm interested in. I would probably only get it, though, if my insurance covered some of it.

For the people that have had it done, does it hurt? It is way uncomfortable?

 

[Gary Gnu]

Since most doctors won't do it (hmmm.... wonder why??) , I doubt your insurance will cover it. Not that it will convince you pro-pseudoscience folks, but there are a host of beneficial bacteria in your colon that help break down and absorb nutrients properly. Colon cleanse destroys them.

A sucker is born everyday. Many get colon cleansing treatments.

 

[DJDannyUhOh]

Since most doctors won't do it (hmmm.... wonder why??) , I doubt your insurance will cover it. Not that it will convince you pro-pseudoscience folks, but there are a host of beneficial bacteria in your colon that help break down and absorb nutrients properly. Colon cleanse destroys them.

A sucker is born everyday. Many get colon cleansing treatments.

Can't anybody independently think anymore? If you get a colon cleanse, you MUST supplement your diet with probiotics, e.g. acidophilus. When I had mine done, I immediately felt the effects, especially with alcohol as it was absorbed much faster than normal and I felt healthier. If you've even been on a strict health kick for about a month, eating healthy foods, drinking tons of water, you get a feeling of more energy and even your mood is affected. It's exactly like that. Colon cleansing isn't something you do often, but it DOES help people with minor fecal impaction due to bad past diets. Fiber alone will not dislodge fecal impaction. And doctors DO cleanse the colon. Ever go for a lower GI endoscopy? You're given a colon cleanse solution a few days beforehand. And the reason why doctors do not do it as a normal procedure is because so much more is higher priority. Even if you went to see an MD or DO for strictly a colon cleanse, guess how much they would charge you? It wouldn't be financially feasible.

A sucker is born everyday. Many get colon cleansing treatments.

Many also think smoking is harmless to the body. 8)

 

[Gary Gnu]

Well this is what I am seeing:

From Medline:

Autointoxication is an ancient theory based on the belief that intestinal waste products can poison the body and are a major contributor to many, if not all, diseases. In the 19th century, it was the ruling doctrine of medicine and led "colonic quackery" in various guises. By the turn of the century, it had received some apparent backing from science. When it became clear that the scientific rationale was wrong and colonic irrigation was not merely useless but potentially dangerous, it was exposed as quackery and subsequently went into a decline. Today we are witnessing a resurgence of colonic irrigation based on little less than the old bogus claims and the impressive power of vested interests. Even today's experts on colonic irrigation can only provide theories and anecdotes in its support. It seems, therefore, that ignorance is celebrating a triumph over science.

And then there is this:

NCAHF agrees with the assessment of the California Department of Health Services. Colonics has no real health benefits, but does have a number of serious hazards. Consumers should not use colonics, and should avoid patronizing practitioners who employ this procedure. Practitioners who use colonics are either too ignorant or misguided to be entrusted with delivering health services.

Doctors perform this? Not in my state apparently.

The Infectious Disease Branch of the California Department of Health Services states:

Neither physicians nor chiropractors should be performing colonic irrigations. We are not aware of any scientifically proven health benefit of this procedure, yet we are well aware of its hazards

I guess if I have to choose between established medical studies, and people selling colon cleanse.. I just have to side with the former camp.

But to each their own.

Is there any literature backed by medical data indicating otherwise? I am hearing a lot of claims and not seeing any sources. Always makes me a little skeptical I guess. Not that I don't do trust your opinion.... I just like to see the data with my own eyes.

A sucker is born everyday. Any many start smoking... hehehe... I will sure as hell give that one to ya Don't see what it has to do with colon cleanse, but you are right about that.

 

[djwhirlpool]

Do they have to clean you out when they do a colonoscapy?

 

[DJDannyUhOh]

Yes so they have an easier time maneuvering the scope and so they can see the epithelial wall in more detail. Also, after they pull it out, there's an amazing urge to go. Getting an endoscopy with a full colon wouldn't have a happy ending for all parties in the immediate area.

 

[MynameisnotDeja]

Since most doctors won't do it (hmmm.... wonder why??) , I doubt your insurance will cover it. Not that it will convince you pro-pseudoscience folks, but there are a host of beneficial bacteria in your colon that help break down and absorb nutrients properly. Colon cleanse destroys them.

A sucker is born everyday. Many get colon cleansing treatments.

Well its been mentioned already in this thread that for one undergoing colon cleansing its very important to replace the beneficial bacteria in the digestive track. Its a part of the process.

 

[EsourceR]

Do they have to clean you out when they do a colonoscapy?

yes ...usually by drinking a bowel preparation laxative such as GoLytely

however ...you don't GO LIghtLY ...you crap till there is no more poop

then you are ready for a colonoscopy (through the colon)

endoscopy is when the tube goes down your throat to your stomach

 

[SA]

I am not sure why the sudden dismissal of naturopathic colon cleansing as "snake oil" garbage. Colon cleanses have been around for centuries and are still performed as part of a monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, annual regimen in many countries. My friend, who just returned from Italy, confirmed that his family performs the routine every six months, and has done so for generations. I grew up having to go through a similar "exercise" every six months too.

Colon cleanses are not "snake oil" treatments, they are part of an age old, common sense approach to better health. IMHO, of course.

 

[Gary Gnu]

I am not sure why the sudden dismissal of naturopathic colon cleansing as "snake oil"

It must have something to do with the fact that the medical community agrees.

The 'bleeding' (draining of blood) of patients with various ailments was around for centuries too, it doesnt' change the fact that it is/was hog wash. There are a great number of folk remedies that are praticed all over the world that are nothing more than placebo.

Considering the effort put into posting anacdotal "proof" that colon cleansing is medically benaficial, there is still has not been a single medical journal, or sceintifally backed study posted that indactes the pratice is anything more than putative.

The placebo effect has been shown to produce powerfull results. There is no reason to think that personal experience concerning this procedure is any more "proof" of it's actuall medical benefit than a sugar pill guised as morphine stopping pain.

 

[DJDannyUhOh]

You have to understand that complementary and alternative medicine is slow to gain acceptance, especially "spa-like" procedures like colonics that have the stigma of being a merely trendy thing to do. The politics of medicine are set up exactly like the politics of government - what's in power stays in power until a massive enough revolt. Alternative medicine is very slow to gain any type of credibility when there's no significant demand for studies and I doubt you will see colon cleansing attract any sort of in-depth study anytime soon, especially with issues like SARS, Avian flu, and other issues that put alternative and complementary medicine on the back burner. Why do you think when you buy herbs and you see the "this statement has not been evaluated by the FDA" message? There's simply no large scale interest in pushing the issue. The only response to the colon cleanse issue is merely anecdotal and text based. For example, many people will say the colon doesn't need to be cleaned because the outer epithelial wall of the large intestine completely replaces itself and therefore doesn't need to be cleaned. However, this is not the case for impacted stool which putrefies and subsequently the old epithelium becomes part of that impaction. You can't just chalk colonics up to placebos when the surface of the largest absorption organ in the human body is being altered.

 

[Dtergent]

Yay Dj Danny!

Most doctors know diddley squat about really being healthy. All they know is to give you pills. They don't see the dynamic interaction between what you eat, how you live life, and your health.

 

[MynameisnotDeja]

^I absolutely 100% agree. Maybe whether or not colon cleansing was promoted by western medicine would mean a lot more to me if I actually agreed with a lot of the things practicied in western medicine, such as the overuse of medication, treating the symptom instead of the cause, etc. I think western medicine is way ahead when it comes to acute things (broken legs, gunshot wounds, heart attack, etc) but when it comes to preventing illness, we are way behind.

 

[DJDannyUhOh]

I think western medicine is way ahead when it comes to acute things (broken legs, gunshot wounds, heart attack, etc) but when it comes to preventing illness, we are way behind.

Yes, so true! The politics in the bulk of western medicine are set up to "treat" disease rather than "cure" it. Last time we cured something was the in the middle of the last century. Today we focus on how long you can "live" with the disease.

 

[Gary Gnu]

Well, I guess "Healthy living" seems to not include "Science".

What a sad fucking trip.

And some how I thought a moderators job was to "moderate" rather than push agenda.... How exactly did they pick you for this job?

Not a single shred of evidence that this practice does what it says... and you jump on board.

If you ever catch fever, try bleeding yourself for an hour or so. Generations after generations claim it works wonders. Those "doctors" with "medical training" obviously have an agenda....

I am not saying that "they" (Westwern doctors) know everything... but intestinal health has been pretty *well* covered in terms of modern science.

Last time we cured something was the in the middle of the last century

Are you talking like 1950?

Have you seen the cancer survival rate in the last 50 years?

What is your medical training? Are you a doctor?

 

[Dtergent]

Listen, I don't want to be antagonistic here. All I'm suggesting is you keep an open mind about it. The evidence may be "anectodal" to you, but so far, it provides much hope and relief to many people who suffer from chronic or even debilitating illness (or even headaches-- as many of my old relatives tell me! And they still do it these days).

Just because something is traditional, it doesn't mean it doesn't work. I really don't know what to say. I know many people who think the way you do about this, and I don't really bother trying to convince them anyhow. Cheers.

 

[Gary Gnu]

As long as it doesn't keep them from seeking professional medical help I am 100% with ya.

I am not anti-folk, or anti- non western... I just think that it is important to keep an open mind about what those who study the human body for a living, have years of training, and medical studies backing them up... have to say.

 

[DJDannyUhOh]

Colon cleansing is just a speck in integral medicine. Patient quality of life actually improves when doctors integrate traditional healing with modern medicine as long as like you said, it doesn't hinder or replace professional care and it does not have a negative effect on the patient's health. The main problem with many alternative medicines is that for some people they work and for other people they produce no effect and that is what causes such debate.