Why Cleanse the Bowel ?

Let's start with some facts. The Health of the Digestive System and colon (large intestine) has reached an all time low. Incidence of diseases such as Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis, Constipation and Haemorrhoids are spiralling out of control. In 1996 the number one cancer among men and women was Colon-Rectal Cancer. Other diseases which at first glance appear to have no connection to the bowel have now been related to foundational digestive problems. These problems include Diabetes, Gallstones, Kidney Stones, Heartburn, Gout, Hypertension, Varicose Veins, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Parasites and Candida Albicans overgrowth.

A modern industrialised lifestyle has taken its toll on our digestive and eliminative organs. Refined, processed low fibre foods, animal fats, a lack of exercise and ever increasing levels of stress have all contributed to this current gastro-intestinal crisis.

The frequency at which a healthy person should have a bowel movement has become a massive misconception amongst the public and medical professionals. Some doctors have thought that anywhere between one bowel movement a day and one bowel movement a week was normal. Studies with peoples less affected by industrialisation and all that involves have revealed that it is normal to have one bowel movement for every meal that you have each day.

So if you have three meals a day you should be having three bowel movements without problems. If this is not the case then your digestive system is sluggish. The groups of peoples studied have healthier digestive systems because they eat less processed food, exercise more and have less stress.

The Merck Manual, (the medical industry's standard text for diagnosis and treatment of disease) informs us that colon degeneration is on the rise. The incidence of diverticulosis has increased dramatically over the last 40 years. In 1950 it stated only 10% of adults over the age of 45 had the disease, in 1955 15%, in 1972 30% and in 1987 almost 50%. The latest edition of the manual states that the incidence "increases rapidly" over the age of 40 and that "every person will have many". If they live long enough, every adult will have herniations of the large intestine. That is if they continue in the same habits that create these herniations.

Diverticula are saccular herniations that protrude through the wall of the colon. These "bowel pockets" are almost always asymptomatic (you can't feel them). They are caused by sluggish digestion and constipation. These bowel pockets fill with old faecal matter which can be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream. This can infect the entire body causing all sorts of toxic reactions. A sluggish bowel can retain pounds of old toxic and poisonous waste material. When the colon is overburdened with toxins in a certain area it can begin to spread to other seemingly unrelated areas of the body. For example, through iridology we can often detect links with this and migraines and period problems to name two. The colon can become a breeding ground for parasites, bacteria and viruses. Sluggish digestion can throw your intestinal bacterial balance into chaos, resulting in feelings of bloating, cramping, abdominal pains, heartburn, gas and general tiredness. Also, if your colon is not clean, then you won't be absorbing nutrients from your food as effectively as you could.

Cleaning, toning and stimulating the elimination channels should be the first step in any health programme. Colon cleaning is often the foundation of all the treatments that are suggested when trying to restore the health of an individual through natural means, regardless of the condition.