It is becoming more and more recognized by holistic doctors, nutritionists, dieticians and other healthcare professionals that being "healthy" in the 21st century requires more than just the maintenance of a proper diet and healthy exercise regimen alone. There now can be seen an equally if not more important necessity for the periodic detoxification of the body. This is attributable, at least partly, to the growing awareness of human toxicity stemming from excessive air pollution, toxic chemicals, pesticides and hormones in our food supply and the ongoing battle with parasitic germs and bacteria in our bodies.



According to sales trends in the cleansing product market, internal body cleansing has become one of the most popular ways for healthy minded consumers to detoxify. Most of us have heard of "cleansing" in a general way as it relates to the cleansing of our body's insides and many have gone so far as to try a "cleansing" program. It just sounds like a healthy and invigorating thing to do, however, cleansing programs have been reviewed at times with great satisfaction by consumers and at times with less than hoped for results. Let me say that those who have experienced less than desired results may not have properly matched the cleansing program's specific attributes with their own desired results. This could be the result of some non-specific marketing by cleansing product companies and hence a "lumping together" of all cleansing products in the market in general.

The fact is that all cleansing products can and should be categorized by the purpose each specific program attempts to serve. Internal cleansing products can be broken down into at least 5 different categories in order to help consumers match their desired benefits with that of the products'. These 5 main categories can be broken down as follows: Colon cleansers, total or whole body cleansers, parasite cleansers, detoxifying foot patches and liver, kidney and gallbladder flushes. If someone is looking to detoxify their entire body and lose some weight in the process he or she should not be looking to do a simple colon cleanse that typically is best used as a natural laxative.

The purpose of this article is to help sort cleansing products into different categories, define what the categories are, how they work and what effect each category of cleanser attempts to bring about in the person taking it.

1.) Colon Cleansers: Bowel-cleansing constipation relief typically found in capsule form taken for a duration of usually 4-10 days. Most colon cleansing products seek to relieve constipation by naturally stimulating the bowels to increase the frequency of bowel movements while having added ingredients that also help cleanse and soothe the bowels. Colon cleansing can also be done periodically for those that seek healthy colon maintenance, which has become a very prominent health goal.

2.) Total or Whole Body Cleansers: Body detoxification programs found in liquid or capsule form typically lasting 1-3 weeks and usually accompanied by special diets, give this type of cleansing program the distinction of causing fat and weight loss. As opposed to a colon cleanse, the frequency of bowel movements is not greatly increased and are better suited for those looking to at least temporarily adopt a more detoxifying lifestyle. Depending on the quality of the program, a total body cleanse typically has the greatest detoxifying effects because it can encompass aspects of each category.

3.) Parasite Cleansing: A very powerful cleanse that uses anti-parasitic herbs to rid the intestines of unhealthy populations of bacteria, fungi and microscopic worms. Parasite cleansing has the desired function of cleaning the villi in the intestine where these microscopic creatures populate thus increasing nutrient absorption and enhancing the immune system. Those that suffer from chronic flu and cold symptoms as well as people who frequently travel internationally are among those that would benefit most from a parasite cleanse program.

4.) Detoxifying Foot Patches: Less invasive much more passive approach to detoxifying the body. These detoxifying patches, which are placed on the bottoms of the feet at bedtime, naturally extract toxins while you sleep. This is the best system for extracting heavy metals and toxic chemicals that can be circulating throughout the body. These patches are also considered effective for the relief of arthritis pain, the enhancement of lymphatic function and the improvement of circulation.

5.)Liver, Kidney and Gallbladder Cleanse: These three organs work together as your bodies waste processing plant and their main job is to break down toxins. These vital organs can often get clogged with fat, hardened bile, toxins and kidney and gall stones making this waste-processing system far less efficient. A liver, kidney and gallbladder flush seeks to liquify and cleanse these blockages out of your system leaving these vital organs to function better on their own.

In conclusion, by better categorizing cleansing products based on their specific attributes, interested consumers can match their desired results with that of the type of cleansing product they choose and have a better overall detoxifying experience.