Colon Cleansers - - Why I think they are a waste of money

In recent years as consumers have become more health conscious there has been a big increase in colon cleansers. Advertisements often show graphic pictures designed to frighten people into buying. There is no question that keeping the colon healthy is important to overall health, but are you wasting your money by purchasing cleansers?

We are exposed to toxins and free radicals every day, and detoxification is becoming more common for people who want to maintain health or to help them feel better. However I don't think that colon cleansing is an effective means of doing this.

Mucoid plaque is a term coined by a naturopath to describe mucus like material and food residue that coats the intestines. This name was started by a naturopath, however, there is no actual medical condition with this term. Mucus does occur naturally in the digestive system and helps protect the intestines from infection, however, the suggestion that this may form a mucoid plaque is not supported medically.

One of the main ingredients found in colon cleansers is psyllium husk which is also the main component of Metamucil and other laxatives. Psyllium can be bought very inexpensively in health food stores.

Generally the colon can be expected to do its job, if we are living a healthy lifestyle with plenty of fruits and vegetables and fiber in our diets, as well as plenty of water. Regular exercise will help as well.

An effective detoxification should eliminate toxins from the rest of the body and not just the intestines. Colon cleansers only work on the digestive system, and do not have a systemic effect. The goal of regular detox is to cleanse the whole body of toxins that have built up over time.