DETOX or DIE

It's the end of the year and I'm starting to see Weight Watcher's commercials already. The other weight loss programs will soon be airing their commercials. It's great to get the dialog going about weight loss or dieting. However the real topic that needs to be discussed but is not talked about enough is our colon health or detoxification. Detoxification along with a healthier way of eating will significantly improve one's health as well as aid in losing weight.

 

But before getting into all of that, let's look at how digestion works. 

 

When we eat food, digestion begins in the mouth as enzymes in our saliva (spit) begin to breakdown food. Chewed food moves to the stomach where gastric juices further break down food. Within 2-4 hours of you starting your meal, food is ready to enter the small intestines where it will travel for approximately 16 feet as it is further broken down and essential nutrients are absorbed.

After several hours of moving along the small intestines, what is now undigested waste is pushed into the colon (large intestine).

The colon does little absorption in comparison to the small intestines and time of waste material in the colon may last anywhere from 4-12 hours or more depending on the person.

 

The colon (also called the large intestine) is the last part of the digestive system. While the small intestines handle the absorption of most nutrients we use, the leftovers are passed to the colon for final processing and expulsion.

The quicker the waste materials in our colon pass, the less of these harmful materials and toxins enter the body and affect our health.

 

Now we can talk about detoxification.

 

DETOXIFICATION is the process of clearing toxins, excess mucus and congestion from the body.

Many of these toxins come from our diet, drug use, and environmental exposure. Internally fats, especially oxidized fats and cholesterol, free radicals, and other irritating molecules act as toxins.

Detoxification involves dietary and lifestyle changes which reduce intake of toxins and improve elimination. Avoidance of chemicals, from food or other sources, refined food, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and many drugs helps minimize the toxin load.

 

More and more physicians are agreeing - If you don't have a bowel movement every day, you're most likely constipated. This means a good 90% or more of people in the United States are constipated.

What's the big deal of not going to the bathroom every day?

When your food goes through the large intestine, water should be extracted from undigested food. Your body is trying to absorb the liquid. If the walls of the colon are obstructed or the undigested food is not fully processed, the materials can fester in the colon and ferment and rot. Toxins from the fermenting waste may now be absorbed by the body, leading to unwanted health conditions.

It's something to avoid at all costs.

 

There are tons of products on the market that make claims about ridding the body of excess waste and cleansing the colon. However most of these products are harsh and some individuals become dependant on them for them for a regular bowel movement.

 

The next few blog posts will discuss some natural products that we have discovered that are natural and very effective in not only cleansing the colon but removing impurities from the blood as well. Stay tuned.

 

If you found this post informative, please leave a comment. Have fabulous day!

Angela

Health and Wellness Coach