Ten years ago I remember how much I feared the idea of doing a colon cleanse. So much so that I easily put up with the uncomfortable experiences of IBS. (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) I still refused to do a colon cleanse. I thought I was eating healthy, yet I still had terrible IBS. I finally did my first of several colon cleanse and am very thankful that I did. If you are on the fence about doing your first colon cleanse here are just a few of the questions I get from people new to the idea of colon cleansing. Hopefully, these answers will help you decide if a colon cleanse is right for you.



1. How do I know I should do a colon cleanse?

If you are an adult eating the typical American diet you are in need of a colon cleanse. The more meat, processed foods, fried foods, cheese and dairy, sugar, sodas, alcohol, roasted peanuts and coffee you consume the more you are in need of a colon cleanse. If your diet is mainly raw fruits, vegetables, brown rice, lean fish and salads the less likely you are in need of a regular colon cleanse. It is my opinion that a vast majority of Americans over the age of twenty are in need of regular colon cleanses. Some of the obvious indicators that your body needs a colon cleanse are:

* Loss of energy

* Lack of mental focus and poor memory.

* Unexplained headaches

* Bad breath and foul smelling stools

* Constipation

* Skin problems. Acne, rashes etc.

* Irritable Bowel Syndrome

* Weight gain

* Protruding belly

* Strong cravings for sugar or salt.

2. Will I have to be in the bathroom every 15 minutes?

This is a very good question. Since every body is different it is not possible to give an absolute answer. There is a somewhat easy solution for people with this question. Start the first day with half the dose and see how your body responds. Another option is to start in the middle of the day and only do half of the daily dose the first day. Listen to your body. If that is too much cut back on dosage until you are getting results that are manageable. It is also a good idea to start on a Saturday to get an idea if the cleanse is going to interfere with your work. The whole idea of the cleanse is to rid your colon of excess waste and toxins so your goal should be to have three to four bowel movements a day during your cleanse. It also depends on what your are eating during the time of your cleanse. Large amounts of alcohol, coffee or sweets could aggravate your system even more while using the herbal components of the cleanse.

3. What should I eat while on the colon cleanse?

You do not have to starve yourself. One of the ideas of a cleanse is to give the digestive tract time to heal or mend. The less energy the body spends on digestion the more energy it allocates to healing cells and organs. So stay away from high fat content foods, greasy foods, processed and chemical laden foods, high sugar or salt content foods, large amounts of coffee, cheese and dairy, and alcohol. It is a good idea to replenish your system by feeding it good healthy nutrient dense greens or fresh vegetable juices. Eat more fruits and vegetables, brown rice is excellent for fiber and green salads. Use the colon cleanse as an excuse to start some good habits. Eat an apple for a snack versus a candy bar. You should try to avoid red meat. Substitute a smaller amount of fish or lean chicken or turkey (hormone and chemical free if possible.)

4. What can I expect from my first colon cleanse?

What most people say is that they feel lighter. They may lose only two or three actual pounds, but it was toxic sludge that they eliminated from their system. People say they have more energy, have fewer colds, their memory has improved, less gas, skin and hair is improved, bad breath is eliminated, less facial breakouts and they just feel much more alive and less irritable. Some people report losing more than 5-10 pounds during a typical two week colon cleanse, but on the average most people lose two to five pounds. Most people come away from a colon cleanse saying: "Wow! That was really worth the effort!"

5. How often do I need to cleanse.

Most cleansing specialists say you should do a colon cleanse four times a year or with each changing season. In today's busy world that is sometimes difficult to do. I applaud clients who are able to do two or three cleanses every twelve months. Although you will experience real results from your first colon cleanse the average person has a ways to go. Remember, the average adult has years of impacted fecal matter clogging your intestinal walls. It comes away a layer at a time. It took years to accumulate and will not go away overnight. You will feel better after each cleanse you do as long as your diet cooperates with your colon cleansing routine. An occasional diet let down is normal, so don't be hard on yourself!

6. Are there any exercises I can do to help with my colon cleanse?

This is a good question. Any exercise that gets the blood flowing helps to start moving impurities out of the body. Exercises that stimulate the lymph system such as jogging or jumping on a trampoline are especially good. Stretching and any yoga exercises are also good. There is one set of exercises I recommend. They are called the Five Tibetans and are a series of twenty-one Hatha Yoga movements blended into five exercises. They open up pathways in the body and seem to rejuvenate and help heal the body. A complete description of the exercises is listed on my website.