“Of all the vital organs, the one that takes the greatest beating from the hands of our modern diet is the colon.”
I was raised on all manner of white flour foods, animal products and only a small handful of overcooked vegetables. I spent a good portion of first thirty years straining in birth-pains, plagued with chronic constipation and hemorrhoids. Something was not working well at all. Untaught, I assumed the blood and pain was normal until I became educated on health.
After a wonderful fast, I changed to an 80% raw diet. The birth-pains I had learned to live with were forever gone. Today, my stools are soft, light, easily passed with almost no effort. The dread of bowl movements I felt, as a child growing up is gone.
Colon care may not constitute great dinner conversation, yet examining most North American kitchen tables covered with overcooked, fibreless foods, it would be in our best interest to bend over and take a closer look. Of all the vital organs, the one that takes the greatest beating from the hands of our modern diet is the colon. Manmade food is not suited for a human colon. A healthy intestine is vital to a healthy body. Eighty-percent of all nutrients from food are absorbed through the intestine. If we eat the way God intended, our colon will remain healthy throughout our life, swept clean by the tiny broom-like fibers in whole foods found in abundance in fruits and vegetables.
Although fiber is important for a healthy diet and a clean colon, during fasting, fiber slows down the healing process and does not allow the digestive system to sleep. If you eat five pounds of raw carrots rather than drink the juice, your body will have to do the work of extracting nutrients and moving the fiber by peristalsis. Allowing the digestive system to rest is essential in healing. For this reason, juice fasts are more effective in healing when the intestine is empty of fiber. During a juice fast, it is best to use a strainer to filter the pulp from vegetable and fruit juices.
The process of discharging toxic waste is accelerated during a fast, especially during water or restricted juice fasting. Regular bowel movements are disrupted because of lack of fiber. Therefore the toxic waste discharged into the intestine ferments and can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream causing a cleansing crisis or general irritation. We are going to discuss a number of ways to avoid this problem.
Breaking a fast with fruits and vegetables is vital, the high fiber content acts like a cleaning sponge within the intestine cleaning out any loosened old fecal matter and accumulated toxins deposited during the fast.
Phyllium Husk and Flaxseeds
For those who are uncomfortable with using the enema kit, (Read: How To Use The Enema Kit) phyllium husk is a great alternative you can use during fasting. Phyllium swells into a soft gel when mixed with water. This gel absorbs toxins and speeds up the transit time of waste through the intestine assisting the reduction of toxic build-up during juice fasting. Phyllium clings to the colon wall, softening and loosening years of impacted waste matter. Phyllium contains a demulcent, which is an agent that soothes and protects the lining of the intestine. It also reduces occasional diarrhea that may occur from fruit juices. The phylum eliminates constipation during the breaking of the fast.
Add two teaspoons of whole phyllium husk (available at health food stores), to a large glass of water. Mix well and drink immediately or you will end up with a glass of gel. A drawback of using phylum is it can slow down the healing process and may trigger digestion, causing hunger. Use phylum only when needed. The enema kit is still the best for assisting healing.
Colon-Cleansing Formulas
These are mixtures of several dietary fibers, both soluble and insoluble. They may include various herbs that have a cleansing effect on the colon. These are superior to phylum husk, but are more expensive and range in prices from $10 to $30.
Laxatives
Fruits and fruit juices have a natural laxative effect, especially to a digestive system accustomed to a high animal diet. The soft fibers have a cleansing effect on the intestine. This laxative effect stops after the colon happily adjusts to the soft fibers. (If fruit juices cause excessive diarrhea during fasting, use phylum or the enema to eliminate the problem.)
Prune juice or senna teas are natural and safe laxatives and are very useful at the beginning of a fast. I have a friend who will not use the enema kit and instead when detoxification hits hard, drinks a mug of senna tea, finding relief within hours. Find senna tea under the name of Laxative tea in better grocery stores and health stores.
If you choose herbal laxatives, never take them for prolonged periods for they can result in dependence and a weakened bowl.
Intestinal Bacteria Replacement
Inside a healthy lower intestine are billions of beneficial intestinal bacteria or microflora. These bacteria are of the acidophilus and bifidus strains and were transferred by breast-feeding into our intestines as newborn infants.
The body uses acidophilus and bifidus in the final stages of digestion reproducing themselves in total harmony with the body. Toxins, especially drugs, can damage or destroy these beneficial bacteria, allowing harmful bacteria to take over producing by-products like ammonia, purines and ethionine, which can cause cancer. Deficiencies of beneficial bacteria are common especially after heavy use of antibiotics, narcotics or after a severe bout of diarrhea. The devitalizing effect caused by harmful bacteria in the intestine is rarely diagnosed. Headaches, skin infections, weakness and constipation can be symptoms of depleted intestinal bacteria.
Fasting can also deplete the beneficial bacteria because of the large quantities of toxins dumped from the lymph glands into the colon and the absence of food that the bacteria thrive on. Using the enema kit also depletes the beneficial bacteria, especially if chlorinated water is used.
To re-establish intestinal bacteria, purchase plain yogurt with the correct lacto-bacteria content such as President’s Choice or Astro's Biobest. Most other brands will not work because the culture is the type found in animals' intestines. Also, Acidophilus and bifidus capsules are available in health food stores. Mix one tablespoon of yogurt or 2 capsules with one-half cup of water. You may add some warm water but do not heat the mixture or use chlorinated water. After blending the mixture, add to the enema kit. Use less water and try to retain within the colon for ten minutes allowing the beneficial bacteria to pass up through the intestine. This procedure will ensure a healthy culture will propagate.
Acidophilus and Bifidus capsules are heavily encapsulated to prevent destruction of the bacteria by stomach acids. On the day before you break the fast, before eating, swallow two capsules with a glass of warm water. Repeat this once a week. It will take four days for the bacteria to reproduce themselves into a healthy culture.
Related Articles: Dietary Fiber Benefits, How To Use The Enema Kit