Want to feel all shiny and new, inside and out? Then you will want to try colon cleansing. Alternatively, maybe not. Colon cleansing is just about what it sounds like: cleaning out your colon. What is your colon? It is the end of your digestive tract and is made up of four structures: the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon, and the sigmoid colon. In non-technical language, consider your colon the last few feet of your intestine. Some call colon cleansing “colon hydrotherapy,” “colonics,” “colon irrigation,” or a plain old “enema.”

Colon cleansing is a simple process. Like the old-fashioned enema, a tube is placed in the anus and water is introduced. When sufficient water is added, the contents of the colon are cleaned out as the water is expelled. Along with the water come feces and various toxins.

There are strong proponents of colon cleansing as the way to better health. The theory is that decomposing feces (yuck!) accumulate in the large intestine and that this “internal compost pile” can be a haven for parasites and toxins. The American Medical Association is not buying it. There exists no hard, scientific evidence of the efficacy or value of colonics. In fact, there is a potential downside. There is documentation of rectal damage due to the insertion of colonic cleansing devices. In addition, if not properly sterilized, colonic nozzles cause infections, tears and other not-so-nice things.

Ancient Egyptians were convinced that food that entered the intestines was not processed correctly sometimes — it just decomposed — not an attractive image. They theorized the unhealthy mess then moved into the bloodstream and worked against good health. The ancient Greeks went further. They developed “The Four Humours” concept — black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. The balance of The Four Humours determined the wellness of the individual. It is not hard to imagine they theorized rotted feces threw the humors out of whack.

As per’th century believers in colon cleaning, this internal imbalance causes “Auto-Intoxication” and the premise that the body cannot clean up after itself. They believed leftover toxins poison the body and need expulsion. Today’s medical community debunks this belief, however. The concept of autointoxication was given a black eye by the Journal of the American Medical Association in’19.

But medical doctors’ opinions have never stopped folks from practicing folk cures and colon cleansing is on the rebound today with the growth of alternative medicines and health therapies. These days, there are thousands of websites endorsing colonic cleansing as well as hundreds of products that extol colonics as the way to good health. Are they mistaken? Who knows? Chiropractors were regarded as quacks for generations but chiropractic care is now covered by many insurance companies. Acupuncture is now quite popular and accepted. In addition, in many communities, you will find the phone book full of Reiki masters, massage therapists, and bioenergetics practitioners. Bottom line, if you want better health and are willing to explore alternative therapies, perhaps you should investigate your colon. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Before beginning any colon cleansing regime, make sure you have all the facts. Be sure to consult with your doctor if you have any additional questions and visit my website for more information: Colon Cleaning