6 Detox Tips for a Colon Cleanse

Colon cleanses are purported to have tons of benefits from weight loss to improved cognition to boosting your immune system, but these benefits are not very well supported by research. What they are recommended for is to ease constipation or to prepare for a colonoscopy. 

The idea behind colon cleansing is to remove any toxins or buildup stuck in your colon, but the reality is that the body is great at cleansing all by itself! That means you won’t find pounds of toxic sludge stuck in your colon like the internet tends to tell us sometimes unless you are severely constipated, which is exactly what a colon cleanse is best for. 

Caring for Your Colon

The best way to improve your digestion is to care for your colon and eat a varied diet, because the digestive system operates best when it has fiber, water, and fermented foods. These elements contribute to the health of your gut microbiome and impact its ability to absorb nutrients and move through the digestive tract. 

Drink More Water 

If you’re dehydrated, your body will do its best to hold on to as much water as it can. Water is essential for so many bodily functions, so ensuring that you’re hydrated isn’t just good for your digestion, but your whole body.

Your large intestine is where most of your body’s water is absorbed, and if you’re dehydrated, your body takes water out of your stool to replenish its stores. This creates a compact stool that is difficult to pass and ultimately causes constipation. You can tell if you’re dehydrated by looking at your urine, if it’s a pale yellow, you’re hydrated. If it’s darker, that’s your body telling you it needs more water, so drink up! 

Eat More Fruit, Veggies, and Fiber

Fiber is an important part of your diet because it is not easily broken down, which gives extra bulk to the stool as it passes through your digestive tract. This keeps your stool from becoming too dense, which causes constipation. Fiber also boosts the absorption of nutrients in your digestive tract, which is another plus. 

Sources of healthy fiber include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. 

Try a Probiotic or a Fermented Food 

Fermented foods and probiotics are a great way to improve the composition of your gut microbiome. Your gut microbiome is made up of thousands of bacterial species that do essential work in your digestive tract, assisting your body in extracting nutrients and breaking down food. This population can be disturbed by things like a poor diet, taking an antibiotic, and even stress. When your gut microbiome is off, toxins from your digestive tract can leak into your blood and cause issues elsewhere. 

What a probiotic does, as well as fermented foods to a lesser degree, is repopulate your gut microbiome with those essential bacteria. Some popular choices for fermented foods are apple cider vinegar, kombucha, yogurt, and pickles, but probiotics tend to work better because the bacteria is encased inside of a pill and protected from the acidic environment of your stomach. 

For a more natural route, we recommend apple cider vinegar that contains the therapeutic ingredient called “the mother”, like the Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar from Dynamic Health. Mix it with a high-quality honey like Beekeeper’s Naturals Superfood Honey for an extra boost and mild laxative effect. 

If you want to try out a probiotic for even more health benefits, we recommend Raw Biotics Colon Care by Garden of Life. It contains 33 different strains of bacteria that have been proven to be part of a normal, happy, and healthy gut microbiome. 

Natural Colon Cleansing 

If improving your digestive health doesn’t fix your constipation problem, you may need to do a cleanse to get things moving again. 

Juice Cleanse

This approach is really just a way of increasing your water and fiber intake and it can be effective for clearing up constipation. What’s better for this purpose, though, is actually smoothies. Juiced fruits and veggies have significantly less fiber in them compared to smoothies, which retain all of the fiber from fruits or veggies since the entire fruit is thrown in the blender.

You can do a juice cleanse just by adding extra smoothies or juices to your diet, or go for a juice fast, where you consume only juices or smoothies for several days. The latter has some risks associated, so we recommend just adding a smoothie or two to your daily routine.

Salt Water Flush 

Some people recommend a salt water flush for constipation, but it’s not well supported with research and may even cause dehydration, nausea, or vomiting. If you think this is a viable option for you, be sure to talk to a doctor beforehand. 

With that said, to do a salt water flush of the colon, mix 1-2 teaspoons of salt (people usually use Himalayan salt or sea salt over table salt) with lukewarm water and drink it slowly over 5 minutes. Do not drink it quickly because that increases the risk of nausea and vomiting. 

Colon Cleanse Supplements

There are some supplement solutions out there that can help your digestion and get things moving when you feel constipated. They tend to include elements like natural laxatives, ingredients to support digestive organ health, and detoxifiers. 

• The Oxy Plus Colon Cleanser by American Neutraceuticals is a simpler formulation with only four main ingredients. This is best for mild or chronic constipation, and can be used regularly without significant negative effects. This supplement relies on Magnesium to draw water into the intestines and Vitamin C as a stool softener. Bioflavonoids and Sodium also provide antioxidant support and may help with your gut health.
• Total Colon Wellness by Bio Nutrition, on the other hand, is best for severe or acute constipation. It is not designed to be used for long-term relief because it has several natural laxatives. It includes a variety of stimulant laxatives (Senna, Cascara, Cape Aloe), detoxifiers (Bentonite Clay), and digestive support ingredients (Milk Thistle, Dandelion). These ingredients stimulate bowel movements, increase water in the intestines, and promote bile flow.

Conclusion

Achieving optimal digestive health starts with a balanced diet rich in fiber, fermented foods, and healthy starches, coupled with proper hydration for regular bowel movements. These habits aid in digestion and also contribute to the health of your whole body.

If dietary changes aren’t enough, natural remedies and supplements can provide effective relief for occasional or persistent constipation with gentle, plant-based support. Be sure to always talk to your doctor first if you plan on adding a new supplement to your routine!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do colon cleanse pills work?

Colon cleanse pills tend to contain natural laxatives, antioxidants, and elements to aid in digestion, which may help reduce constipation. 

How can I reduce constipation at home?

The best way to reduce constipation is with a healthy and varied diet, but colon cleanse pills are another option to try if that doesn’t work for you. 

What should I eat to avoid getting constipated?

Make sure your diet is full of fiber, starches, and fermented foods to maintain optimal digestive health, and stay hydrated!