Colon detoxification or detox is a very important procedure of removing toxic substances and mucus that have built up in the colon. It assists the body in recovering its natural balance and the functional ratio of bad and good bacteria, which is needed for proper production of necessary enzymes and absorption of nutrients. Proper colon detox can greatly help keep problems such as food intolerance, cellulites and obesity at bay while improving one's complexion, increasing energy and enhancing the immune system.

The colon plays an important role in the body's overall function as it flushes harmful wastes produced by the body. It is the body's sewerage system responsible for keeping the body clean and orderly. Common sense would tell that an improperly kept sewerage system could cause great problems with any home, building, or city. The same is true with the body; an improperly kept colon could cause great problems such as diseases.

A colon with toxic buildup can cause many problems such as malnutrition, food intolerance, and overall ill health. The colon serves a vital function of the body in removing harmful wastes. When the colon does not work well due to imbalanced diet, drugs, stress, chemicals, parasites, plus other harmful substances, it produces mucus to protect itself. This mucus can then combine with the existing sludge of digested food causing buildups in the bowel's walls, making the lumen narrower and therefore hindering the proper absorption of important nutrients.

The gluey layer of mucus and sludge build up causes feces to harden resulting into a venue which is productive for the overproduction of harmful bacteria and organisms. The usual bowel movement and even extreme elimination due to diarrhea does not eliminate this problem. Stools may pass through the colon but dirty residue may still be left along the walls. In such cases of build up, it is important to detoxify the colon so that these harmful substances can be eradicated from the body, preventing further problems to happen.

Aside from cleaning one's inside, a colon detox provides many other advantages that make the procedure worth taking. It helps in the reduction of food intolerance. It may also help reduced cellulite and weight problems. Due to the elimination of bodily wastes, the cleansing effect also reflects in the improvement of the skin's appearance. The reduced presence of harmful bacteria also enhances one's immune system. The main purpose of colon detox, however, is still the elimination of toxins and harmful bacteria in the excretory system.

Colon detox is performed in three major ways: through a diet, through manual cleansing of the colon or by using medication. In general, people are advised to eat plenty of foods that are rich in fiber so that the body can easily eliminate wastes during its regular process. Such is why people are encouraged to lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and seeds for light regular detoxification. Among the highly recommended fruits and vegetables for proper elimination are apples, oranges, grapefruit, carrots, and broccoli among many other fibrous plant-based foods which are known to sweep sludge from the colon to be transported out of the body.

With manual colon cleansing, water, or some other sterile fluid is injected into the colon through a tube inserted into the rectum. The fluid flushes out accumulated wastes out of the body through gentle pressure, making it a more drastic, but immediate method of detoxifying the colon. This procedure is very helpful for people with constipation, when taken occasional. Frequent manual colon detox is said to be harmful because it can weaken the ability of the colon to eliminate naturally, causing a dependency.

The colon can also be detoxified using medication, particularly laxatives. People having trouble eliminating, or those who just want to be able to excrete toxins from their colon, may be prescribed with drugs that cause the immediate excretion of wastes in the colon. There are several medications used for this purpose, some are medical-grade while others are homeopathic remedies using herbs.

Colon detox can prove to be a beneficial procedure for most people as today's lifestyle could hinder the proper elimination of bodily wastes. With colon detox, people can be sure to maintain the balance and well being of their body.