Colon cleansing goes hand in hand with liver detoxification. That is because, when you cleanse your liver, toxins are released into the colon that need to be immediately removed. According to the science of naturopathy, the digestive tract should be periodically cleansed of mucoid plaque. Mucoid plaque is a sticky mucus that builds up in the digestive tract which eventually hardens. More mucus gets laid on top of it. In time, this, too, hardens. Eventually a thick layer of hardened plaque forms. It gets all mixed up with old feces, in which parasites and other microorganisms live. This can eventually produce autointoxication.
Another problem with mucoid plaque is that it inhibits nutrient absorption, much of which takes place in the intestines. Since nutrients are the building blocks of a healthy body, the more nutrients you can get the better! Because it is also important to eat a low-calorie diet, it makes good sense to periodically purify the body of mucoid plaque, especially if your diet is less than the best.
Foods that produce the most mucus are meat, eggs, dairy products, processed foods, white sugar/high fructose corn syrup products and grain, in particular, wheat.
In short, the common foods most of us eat. Foods that create the least mucus are fresh fruits and vegetables, which are also cleansing to the system, passing through in a relatively short period of time.
There are several foods that have an antimucoid effect that are therefore good to eat on a regular basis. They are:
- Spiralina, which is a dark green plankton that is nutrient dense and very good for you. It will suppress your appetite, and therefore help you lose weight. It is also energizing. It is an aggressive cleansing algae that empties toxins out of the body tissues and into the lymph.
All varieties of grapes, raisins, and grape juice are excellent cleansers that are also anti-mucus. However, grapes are one of the most polluted crops, so it is best to eat only organic. When one is trying to cleanse the body, it’s foolish to add more pollutants by eating polluted food.
- Chives, iceberg lettuce, zucchini, plantain, and olive oil also soften plaque and aid in its release.
Herbs that soften the mucus in the digestive tract so it can be extracted are called deobstruents. A few good ones are:
- lobelia
- plaintain
- yellow dock root
- red clover
- corn silk
- white bryony root
Additional herbs are mentioned at the end of this page. They can either be made into teas or encapsulated as powder. The ones that are hard roots must be simmered in water for fifteen minutes to extract their nutrient and medicinal properties. Otherwise, a simple infusion will do.
To make a great infusion, pour hot water into a mason jar to the very top, add a generous helping of herbs, screw on the cap and let sit overnight. This captures all the madicinal qualities of the herbs. You can then reheat it in the morning or drink it cold throughout the day. Of course, you can also make herb teas the regular way with hot water in a tea cup by using a tea ball, or tea pot, straining out the herbs before you drink it. Fresh, loose herbs are always best as they tend to be the freshest.
A good colon cleansing herb is psyllium husk powder. Psyllium is a natural fiber that absorbs more than ten times its weight in water. Because it is sticky, it expands in your intestines and pulls the softened mucus out in large clumps and strings, but you will generally only see this if you are fasting. There are products on the market that contain both the herbs and the psyllium in combination, which are a good way to remove plaque. Because of its bulking effect, psyllium also improves elimination.
Ground flax seed is another high fiber product. It is also high in omega 3 fatty acids. However, because its fatty acids go rancid quickly, it should be freshly ground in a coffee grinder before it is used in your smoothies or sprinkled on cereal. Both flax seed, psyllium, and psyllium/herbal products can usually be purchased at natural food stores.
Guar Gum, another fiber good for a colon cleanse, is a viscous, soluble fiber, which forms a gel in the digestive tract and has been shown to aid in cholesterol reduction and stabilization of blood sugar levels. When the bile salts and bile acids try to breakdown the gel fiber matrix, they get trapped inside it and are evacuated from the body along with the fiber. This process is known as “bile acid sequestrations.” Since bile is full of toxins that have been removed from the body, it is a good thing when it is not reabsorbed into the bloodstream to be reused, which is what naturally occurs. By breaking down the circulating cholesterol new stores of bile acids and bile salt
s get created. This both lowers serum cholesterol over time and removes additional toxins.
Life Cleanse by Eniva, contains gaur gum, as well as fiber in the form of stabilized rice bran powder, milk thistle seed extract, dandelion root, ginger root and clove bud, all of which cleanse the liver. It is another excellent product for doing a colon cleanse.
Usually a good fiber blend with lots of water will be enough to promote elimination. However, if constipation is a problem for you even after you've tried fiber, the best way to deal with it is by taking additional minerals, particularly magnesium and calcium. Although it is primarily the magnesium that promotes elimination, magnesium and calcium need to be kept in balance. Therefore, if you take one you should also take the other. Eniva makes a great combination of ionic calcium and magnesium that is perfect for the job. Since the liquid Eniva minerals are instantly and almost completely absorbed you don't have to worry about getting the wrong form of mineral or having them be deposited in your joints 
or arteries where poor quality minerals that aren't well absorbed can be found. Also, the Eniva products are very pure, with no additives. However, because they are so well absorbed you will have to experiment a little on the amount you need to take. Too much will give you diarreah. Not enough won't do the job. My suggestion is to start with one ounce twice a day, AM and PM, and then move up or down from there as needed. If you feel you already get plenty of magnesium and calcium from your diet but still have constipation, start with a smaller amount and then work up.
Another great product in the Eniva Line are the Cell Ready Minerals. Besides magnesium and calcium, it includes 12 additional minerals, w
hich really improves your mineral metaoblism over all. If mineral deficiency is causing your constipation, since all Eniva products are instantly absorbable they will make an immediate difference in your life.
Another option is Vibe, which is an Eniva product that has the highest ORAC rating of any other product of its kind on the market. It not only has generous amounts of instantly absorbable calcium and magnesium in it, but numerous other vitamins and minerals as well.
You should continue to cleanse your colon for as long as you are cleansing your liver and removing heavy metals, for they will release toxins into the colon that must be immediately removed.
Depending on how much heavy metals you have in your body, as well as how effective your chelator is, it may take six months to two years or longer to clear heavy metals from the body. Therefore, you may be taking your fiber product and/or your calcium/magnesium blend for quite some time. Since these are natural substances, which many people with constipation take regularly anyway, this is not a problem. Remember to take your fiber with one to two large glasses of water or, preferably grape juice, which is naturally cleansing to both the liver and the colon. This will allow the fiber to expand and aid in the flushing action.
Gastrointestinal cleansing is one of the things you do for health maintenance on a once or twice a year basis.
It is preventative medicine, for when you clean your colon, everything works better. If your liver is also clear of toxins, and the heavy metals and environmental pollutants have been removed, as well, your immune system, digestive system, and elimination system will all function better. It is my belief that cleansing is the bottom line when it comes to healing, and the first line of defense against any degenerative disease, including cancer. Best to do it before your body degenerates. Don't wait until you have disease. Use cleansing as prevention to have the best result.
