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August 1st, 2011
12:15 AM ET
Colon cleansing: Not so healthy, analysis saysIt has been touted as a natural way to improve your heath and cleanse the soul. But doctors are now finding the procedure known as colon cleansing can cause dangerous side effects. Colon cleansing, technically known as colonic hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation, is a popular treatment, usually performed at spas. It often involves the use of chemicals in the body and in hydrotherapy, the colon is flushed with water through a tube inserted in the rectum. But oral home remedies are also available and have become popular, especially over the Internet. Now researchers from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. say there's no evidence any of these colon cleansing treatments work and, in fact, when used improperly can cause cramping, kidney failure and in some extreme cases, death. "There can be serious consequences for those who engage in colon cleansing whether they have the procedure done at a spa or perform it at home," says the lead author, Dr. Ranit Mishori, a family medicine physician at Georgetown University School of Medicine. "Colon cleansing products in the form of laxatives, teas, powders and capsules... tout benefits that don't exist." Mayo doctor is no fan of cleanses Although colon cleansing has been around for centuries as a way to rid the body of unwanted toxins, the American Medical Association determined in the early 1900s that the procedure was invalid; there was no evidence to show the methods worked. And even though there still remains no solid evidence these products do what they claim, colon cleansing has been making a comeback, mainly because manufacturers claim it also helps people lose weight. "If this method were the key to weight loss, it would be amazing. But there is no evidence that this helps people lose weight,” says Mishori. "Manufacturers don't describe how it works. The statements are a little empty. They say it will enhance your immune system, up your metabolism, give you energy. It’s all pretty vague. Some people swear by it, but it could be a placebo effect. And companies can make these claims, because the federal government doesn't regulate their products." Not expecting miracles, but I love my cleanses According to the report released this week in the Journal of Family Practice, Mishori and her colleagues examined 20 studies published in medical literature over the last 10 years. Investigators noted while these reports showed little evidence of colon cleansing benefits, there were a number of side effects reported following the use of these cleansing methods. Those effects included cramping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte imbalance and renal failure. And in some cases, ingredients in these remedies were toxic. "Some herbal preparations have also been associated with aplastic anemia and liver toxicity," Mishori said. Researchers also noted that many of the "spas" that offer colon cleansing have no trained clinicians and even organizations such as the National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy and others who promote colon cleansing require technicians who perform professional colon cleansing to have little more than a high school diploma. "When you flush your colon out with a hose, it's like giving yourself an enema on steroids. You shouldn't put things up there that really don't belong there," stressed Mishori. "Imagine 60 liters of water going through your colon. The stress it puts on the system, and the hose, if not used correctly, could puncture the organ." As for the home remedies, Mishori says there's no need for them. "We poop and pee for a reason. If you are a healthy person, the body does it for you." When asked what was the best way to cleanse the body, Mishori was quick to respond. "Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly," she stressed, "Get six to eight hours of sleep and see a doctor regularly. But no one wants to do that," she said with exasperation. "But they'll use a hose to flush themselves out! The use of these methods are unhealthy. And what's scary is we only examined the cases that were reported to hospitals and doctors. Imagine all the people who are using these products and methods and have side effects and never go to the hospital. We don't know about them. The numbers could be staggering." soundoff (3,051 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Next »Leave a Reply to Doctor
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The majority of people that I know who do colon cleanses are already eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and exercising on a regular basis. It is an additional step that health conscience people sometimes take. It is not a step usually taken by people who are eating poorly and generally ignoring their health. This article makes me wonder, because there is not concrete evidence cited from any scientific research. It is the opinion of a medical professional, but it is also the opinion of many other medical professionals that cleansing is good for the body. They are stating that there is no evidence of a benefit, but where is the evidence that it is harmful or ineffective? Very poorly written article in my opinion!
Agreed!
If there is no evidence that it is then that means there is no evidence that it isn't. In addition, Physicians are seldom trained in nutrition so I'm confused that the sole opinion of a Physician and the medical opinions of people in the 1900's are being used for this very flimsy article. I do agree that the body knows best but often times due to the intake of toxins and chemicals we are exposed to daily in today's world its ability is impaired.
Did you read the same article? Did you miss the unhealthy side effects – that's called "evidence that it isn't".
You truly believe that something like flushing yourself out with a hose is a good idea? Wow.
You can't disprove a negative. Your entire comment is a logical fallacy. If science, a method shown over and over again to be valid in finding answers, says something is dangerous...guess what? It's dangerous. Then again, perhaps this is survival of the fittest: the smart ones stay alive, the dim-witted ones kill themselves off with renal failure and lighting their homes on fire with ear candles.
Physicians arent trained in nutrition??? Really? I'm pretty sure they get the basic training of what to put in the body to keep it healthy. Also, the articles evidence wasnt based on knowledge of Dr's in the early 1900's. That was one small part of the article to show the practice has been de-bunked and continues to be de-bunked to this day.
They state that there isn't any proof at all that these actually do anything but cause side-effects. Perhaps you should read the entire article.
The "you can't prove a negative" crap is growing tired. It didn't work with the Autism Vaccine idiocy and it certainly doesn't ring true when trying to argue Homeopathic crap like this.
You're one of the gullible people this article refers to. Let me guess, you also fall prey to infomercials and have a cabinet full of vitamins and pills that work "magic."
Physicians certainly are trained in nutrition, and they are trained to evaluate the results of scientific studies. People who post on CNN usually read pop sci articles on nutrition and put too much importance on their friends' recommendations on alternative medicine.
Proof of how the American Education system is failing. Did you even read the article?
Funny. A doctor friend of mine told me he is tired of treating symptoms and would rather provide the cure. But even he admits they are at the mercy of big Pharma and the FDA. Sooo be good little sheeple and take two aspiring and your Metamusil and call us in the morning. Oh wait! Metamusil just might cleanse your colon! Stop!
oisin, Not only is your logic fundamentally flawed, but it is obvious you have not the slightest idea of what science is. I prescribe one course in basic Science plus one basic course in Logic to cure you of this problem.
You all think your soooo intelligent!! Well the fact of the matter is doctors are not taught nutrition throughout school unless the choose to. Big pharma pays way too much for doctors to care about macronutrients which are required for the body to function. hahah its amazing how dumb all of you are, when was the last time your doctor prescribed magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, potassium etc...Cause i know all you americans recieve all these elements from your great diets hahahaha...
To all the people believing 1 Mayo doctor remember that the doctors are making big money on drugs that supposedly help you yet can kill you. Many people have been helped by these procedures. I personally do not believe anything that doctors try to push. We must educate ourselves which is very possible with the internet to what is better for our bodies and not better for the doctors pocketbook.
You're spot on, oisin. And I also noticed they cited research from a century ago. So, no relevant data since then?
"No evidence that it isn't" is hardly a good reason to do something drastic to your innards that has known dangers.
Every year, the morons and gullible idiots latch onto new quack medicine. It's been going on this way for thousands of years. For some of their more "spectacular" results, look up, "snake oil" or "Eben Byers and "Radithor." The only bright spot is that sometimes, Darwin wins, one of them dies and isn't around to breed more gullible, little idiots.
Actually your referencing MICRO-Nutrients PHD......Macro is all the garbage our bodies really don't need and that sir is a fact. Look it up in any Nutrition Uni Text...Fruits, Veg, Nuts, legumes is all our bodies need with the exception of breast milk needed at baby/infant stages....Yes Meat, Red wine, Fish have benefits, but the negatives out weigh the gains....
You flush out the colon and it only stands to reason you flush out all the healthy bacteria that digest your food. And the natural bacteria you have are better than all the yogurts and pills you can take.
No, the "dim-witted ones" will kill themselves with colon cancer after a lifetime of eating toxic meat (animal flesh) (and other food) pumped with chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics, which rots in the colon because it doesn't digest fast enough.... The real reason no one wants to do studies that matter and "the medical establishment" wants to discredit cleansing is because: healing from low-cost natural methods threatens the huge profits of the pharmaceuticals. And who are the top sales agents of the pharmaceuticals? Doctors of the medical establishment. The modern diet today can hardly be said to consist of food. People are eating processed junk so removed from any nutritional value it is hardly recognizable. Those who need colon cleansing the least – vegetarians, vegans, and people eating organic low-animal product diets full of whole foods – probably turn to it most, from an awareness of knowing that we still live in an unnatural world full of chemicals, stress, low sleep, and with waves bombarding us constantly, and knowing we have to assist our body as best we can to maintain its naturally healthy state ....
You're play with words is a load of garbage.. If you had an ounce of reading comprehension you would understand that when they look at the literature of multiple studies comparing people who do cleanse versus those that don't, overall those that cleanse were not any healthier than those that didn't and in fact had complications (i.e. may be worse off). That is evidence to me that it doesn't work. There is not an absence of evidence here as you imply, just evidence that there is an absence of an effect. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Right, and anecdotal stories and ancient Chinese medicine are are solid basis for reasoning. I'll take scientific method over either of those any day. Just because something was found to be ineffective a hundred years ago doesn't mean they weren't right, it probably just means we've known it was bogus for over a century. People want to romanticize the past and be skeptical of the present. I'll stick with empirical evidence when it comes to making decisions on my health.
You just keep shoving a hose up your backside if it makes you feel better about yourself. Let us know what a ruptured colon feels like when it finally happens to you.
Richard, the vast majority of medications being pushed on patients by doctors are nothing more than snake oil. It's amazing how many drugs have been approved for having no more benefits than a placebo, and many, many more side effects than one. Drug companies have a nasty habit of structuring studies to get the results that they want.
At the same time they did not speak about the good effects of colon cleansing either. There are good side effects associated with the procedure. They did not mention anything positive about it. I guess this article was intended to deter people from colon cleansing, not help the business out.
LoL, keep drinking the Kool Aid oisin.
This "study" is totally bogus. There is a huge difference between hydrotherapy and chemically induced colon cleaning. Hydrotherapy is the greatest unrecognized medical therapy there is. It works wonders. The lymph system drains into the colon, so colonics help drain the lymph system. I have gotten colonics yearly for 20 years and at 58 years old, I am stil playing basketball with teenagers.
"If there is no evidence that it is then that means there is no evidence that it isn't." WHAT???!!!
THESE SICK DOCTORS WHO TAKE ORDERS FROM THE FDA DO NOT WANT YOU HEALTHY
And they don't want you to SHOUT, either, which is why you do, I take it?
Physicians don't make any money or receive any "kickbacks" from prescribing drugs any more. That practice was disabled some time ago. Trouble is, prescribing a healthy diet with exercise and common sense is highly unpalatable to most people and the patients all want a miracle cure they can buy over the internet for $29.99. People: if you don't want to pay for drugs to short-cut you back to health, eat well and exercise for free. Stop dumping on physicians who know how to help you and "big pharma" who come up with true 'miracle pills' to get your obese, diabetic, stroky azzez back on track.
Then don't listen to them. You OBVIOUSLY know better than they do, so just keep doin' what you're doin' and let us know how it all works out.
As someone who's had pre-cancerous lesions (small adenomas) and diverticulitis and a couple of colonoscopies, I can tell you that you don't want to get "purged" unless you really have to. If you've ever had that dehydration/electrolyte imbalance headache that comes along with having to prep for a colonoscopy (granted, the prep isn't as bad as it used to be, and the prep is the worst part of the entire colonoscopy procedure, IMO), my guess is you don't want to mess with someone flushing your colon. Yeah, you can maybe eliminate some toxins with the colonic, but you can also risk ruptures (I know I'd be at risk). I think we can all agree that the best thing by far is good diet, reasonable exercise, and drink lots and lots of water.
Freud would have a field day with these folks... There's something "bad" inside me – I must flush it out. Now I feel better until a month or week or day later – then I must get the "bad" flushed out again...
Freud would likely say they have an anal fixation.
...or that they're not "letting go" 😉
Haha. Brilliant post.
'To Er,
Your ignorance is surpassed only by your arrogance. Americans are really fascinating in the level of gullibility. Read this article, http://www.laleva.org/eng/2008/06/exposed_harvard_shrink_gets_rich_labeling_kids_bipolar.html, on a world renowned Harvard psychiatrist who was getting BIG BUCKS from Big Pharma to diagnoze little children with bipolar disorder. I dodn't have the NYT original story handy. But just two weeks ago his censure from Harvard was a slap on the wrist.
In Europe they have passed a ban on selling herbs escept a select few such as Echinacea and others. See BBC article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13215010. Why? Big Pharma. Coming to America soon.
You people have no idea. In the end, when you really look at it, you're all slaves. Not just one group.
"DIAGNOZE"? Ahahhahhhahha! Yeah, you're credible.
One corrupt physician should not be used to represent an entire profession. Should we say "all people who misspell are idiots"? because then you, my dear, would fall into this category also.
Just like to add except is how you spell it not escept....
Good to know that the "Coast To Coast AM" crowd still chime in every now and then.
The real toxic colon cleanser is given to people by doctors before a colonoscopy so they don't have to deal with anything except a clean colon. That stuff is dangerous and choking with salt and chemicals, yet the article says nothing about that and chooses instead to attack herbs which have been used for thousands of years to gently prompt the colon to flush. Anything at all from a steak dinner to exercising to sunbathing can 'cause death' if done to excess and incorrectly, so it's incredibly unprofessional in this article to say colon cleansers can cause death. That they help rid the body of toxics (which would in turn help boost your immune system) is obvious and irrefutable, since our wastes are by nature toxic. Where do they find these article writers?
I agree completely! Well put.
Your kidneys remove toxins, not flushing your colon. Fiber is the best way to scour things out of the colon, not pumping junk in back the other way. Amazing how people will take the advice of corporations who get rich selling these snake oil cures but not doctors who have fifteen years of training in human physiology and don't profit from people taking taking their advice. Until you can prove people who gave themselves enemas thousands of years ago lived longer and healthier lives than people in present day, I am not going to take your advice.
If it is so obvious and irrefutable that they "cleanse the body of toxins" then...where are the studies to prove it? Science is all about proof, double-blind studies using the scientific method; what doctors have done over the span of decades is study this procedure and its effects and found nothing to prove that it is helpful and evidence that shows it can be harmful.
I'm sorry, can you describe the difference between the molecules in medicine and the molecules in herbs? After all, water is a chemical, as is everything else.
It's pretty hard to see the mucosa when there is fecal matter in the bowel. The cleanser isn't given because doctors "don't want to deal with anything", you loon, it's because they need to be able to SEE the lining of the intestinal tract!
Physicians do not advocate that anybody REGULARLY undergo a bowel prep such as would be done prior to a colonoscopy. Therefore comparing an enema to a bowel prep is a specious argument.
Really. How laughable is it that some dimbulb thinks doctors are put off by feces and that's why a colonoscopy is preceded by cleaning the bowels? Morons abound here as always.
Tell me - what was the expected life span of the average person thousands of years ago? Or even hundreds of years ago? 40? 50 at best? What changed between then and now?
I believe the mention of possible death was related to the possibility of renal failure, as pointed out in the article. Calm down.
I could have told you this. It's ironic that the natural/organic/alternative/homeopathy nuts support the procedure when pushing foreign liquids (even water) up there is anything BUT natural.
wow!
I have my doubts when I read things like "there still remains no solid evidence these products do what they claim".
Have these people looked into whether there is any liquid evidence?
LOL!! LOVE IT!
Yeah, that was great!
Good one, Doug
Actually I am a big advocate on this. Some years ago after being "diagnosed" with bi-polar depression I looked into alternative methods and this was one of the only ones that had people singing it's benefits. I tried it and after several flushes all irregular moods stopped. I was back to being normal mentally and never had an issue with it after that. AND for the record I did exercise regularly, eat organically and ate plenty of fruits and veggies everyday way before being told I was bi-polar. I continue to do colonics occasionally and continue to eat well. I think it's one of those "don't mock it til you tried it". And they don't use a power washer on you! It's a very gentle procedure though I am sure unless you go somewhere where the person is certified it could very well screw you up. At least that was MY EXPERIENCE. I am glad I tried that rather than take the medication used for bi-polar.
Then you weren't bi-polar. The disorder is hereditary and cause by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Eating natural will do nothing for that.
Exactly, Len.
If I had to get a hose stuck up me every time I got depressed, I'd get better fast as well! 😉
Placebo effect, coincidence, etc.
This was probably effective for you because your brain is within easy reach of the hose.
OK, Dante, that made me laugh. Best post I've seen here today.
Len, there is absolutely no proof that Bipolar people have any kind of chemical imbalance.
There is. The fact that such people improve when medicated is proof that medication does work.
Dante wins elegant quip of the day.
Since one of the side effects of colon cleansing is an electrolyte imbalance (minerals in the blood that help regulate, among other things, neurological function), K might have gotten bizarrely lucky. What may have been a problem for others, might have "fixed" K. We will never know if occasional use of the useless procedure might help a few outliers. For most of us, it is a "waste" of time and money. Let's not begrudge these few this simple pleasure.
I mean really after all these years the best thing they have come up with is chemo for cancer. We have this great treatment, its really expensive, it will almost kill you in the process, it is guaranteed to make you sick as hell, it is almost guaranteed to give you some other type of cancer in the future. But trust us we need to almost kill you to make you better. I'll be there first thing Monday morning Doc. Mean while there this Dr. in Houston, TX that has a proven and maybe much better way, http://www.burzynskiclinic.com, but he can't get any funding from the federal government for additional research. But our government and some doctor working in Washington for the feds try to steal his patents. They've taken him to court on several occasions unsuccessfully. Best part about his treatment is that it isn't toxic and it has worked on the most invasive types of cancer. Washington is drunk with all the money they take under the table which is easily distinguished by the endless string of lies they tell us through the media on a daily bases. As for a conspiracy theory folks. It isn't a conspiracy is its true.
You forgot the part about the Illuminati and the mind-control beams.
No, it isn't "all true", you gullible twit.
If YOU ever get diagnosed with cancer, I do sincerely hope that you avoid all chemo, surgery and radiation treatments, regardless of how much your oncologist tells you that your survival depends on it. You just keep on shoving hoses up your backside and eating wild apricots and let us know how things go for you.
I would love to see the other video as well, as Mrs. Pelosi is about as bad as it gets when tailkng about the far left. I can't say that I've heard "The Word" myself, but I also don't profess to hear it. (although I do try to live as if I have, but that's a completely different topic)This woman (or succubus depending on your view, lol) truly scares me with the power she wields and the viewpoints she has. Let's hope she is voted out asap.I am curious where you stand in this..... I would have to believe if "The Word" is a real phenomenon, that we would need a soul to "hear" it. This is something you do not think we have, and I am still contemplating. Is this posting just to discredit her, or are you hearing "The Word" as a distant echo trying to reach out to your soul??? lolbtw: What ever happened to separation of church and state.......Even the dems are looking to close that gap now....
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From someone that cleanses regularly, I haven't had a cold in years try 9 years, and people in my work environment stay sick coughing all the time, flu seasons, when everybody is sick, I'm fine. Not even a runny nose. These doctors need to check it out. My blood test are always excellant not suffering from anything problems there and I'm be 50 in a few days.
dude, not having a cold has nothing to do with colon cleansing. Good grief the lack of basic understanding regarding human anatomy, virus transmission, and such is utterly amazing. Even in podunk Alabama I learned better.
I'm glad youre so healthy at 50 ! i am 50 also and pretty healthy. But you and I know... it's not ONE thing that we do that keeps us healthy.... Its an entire lifestyle. You would be just as healthy w/ out your cleansings, I believe.
I wouldnt do a colonic cleansing if the entire world was doing it. The body- if properly fed and treated- doesnt need this
type of insanity. It's the most perfect running machine there is.
So what? I'm 56 and as healthy as can be. And I would never do a colonic or a fast. I'm at a normal weight, my blood pressure is 110 over 70. I get a cold now and then–so what? That's hardly a barometer of good health, you boob.
Mibinohio, ditto. I am also the same age and very healthy. I do not cleanse, just eat well, exercise and try and get as much rest as I can.
Six years ago, I bought a Toyota Camry and ever since that day, I haven't had a single giraffe eat my rose bushes.
Toyota Camrys help keep giraffes away! Spread the word!
Har, Thomas. Cracked me up.
It's just a name not a spammer, but a real person with real information to share. No website or anything else trust me.
If you think keeping garbage locked in your body for days then you are nasty, inside out. Think about it....
More of the same, it started out this way with ephedra then turned into full out ban. Apparently due to deaths of 3 people over a 2 year period. Though the use of ephedrine is wide they used it as a reason for the ban. If I had a choice between of consuming a whole bottle of aspirin vs ephedrine, I'd go with ephedrine every time. Yet aspirin is readily available over the shelf. Not a colon cleanser my self, just pointing out that they it all starts out with propaganda then leads to bought legislations in the future. Lobbying should be outlawed
Ah, no, they banned ephedrine because people were using it to make crack in their ovens.
Dude ephedrine was banned because people were buying it and making meth. It is still in medications, just they are not OTC as much anymore. And by the way, aspirin is derived from the willow plant it is one of the most natural and time-tested medicines available to us.
They should do an article of lobbying and the inherit dangers of have powerful lobbies within Washington, the list I'd negative side effects would be considerable in size.
This article is BS. And some peoples ignorance to good health is unbelievable. I think they comment just to get a rise out of people I couldn't care less if you don't believe that a healthy clean colon will make you feel better and help with illness. Watch and listen to this doctor as he is doing a colonoscopy http://www.dallascoloncare.com/Colonoscopy%20Video.mov
Show us the statistically significant clinical trial data, conducted by objective researchers outside the "cleansing" industry.
Don't hold your breath, Robert. These morons couldn't find a peer-reviewed study if their lives depended on it.
Why do you have links to colonoscopy videos ready to go?
Eat some fiber and yogurt and be more active. If that doesn't solve your problem you should probably get yourself checked out by a real doctor. Forced cleaning of that area because of a health fad is just a bad idea. If you really are having problems you could perforate your colon if you don't treat it correctly. The recovery from that is uncomfortable in the extreme and puts you at risk for infection even in the best scenario.
Typical New Age quackery promoted by chiropractors, "natural" health charlatans and other wallet raiders who prey upon the gullible.
Concise, to the point and absolutely true. You'll never convince the pro-colon cleansers with an argument like that.
@oisin
.
The burdon of proof is soley on the companies and industry making the claims that this 'remedy' helps. Making a claim for helping the body without any medical proof doesn't mean that it is true until it can be proven un-true. That's actually impossible. You can not disprove something that doesn't exist.
.
If I told you I could fly, is the burdon on you to prove me wrong? Or is the burdon on me to prove myself right? Let's please be smart.
It's "solely" and "burden". Yeah, please do "be smart".
When i got this done on me, i was surprised what showed up.
A submarine, a Porsche, 22 bullets, 2 cows and my mother in law all came out at once.
no Jimmy Hoffa?
I'll bet Michele Bachmann was peeking out of there, too.
Watch out for the AMA, they are big business and will condemn anything that might interfere with their making money, especially if it's something cheap that the patient can do themselves!
Taking some psyllium seed hulls in a glass of water for a few days will do the trick. The person needs to also be sure to drink plenting of water during the day so it doesn't cause constipation. It will gently remove residue in the colon that comes from not eating enough fiber in the diet. That same residue if not dealt with can remain there for years and cause cancer.
Sociopathically greedy AMA! All they want is your money! Don't trust them!
Sounds like a lot better way to clean your colon than poking a hose up your butt.
When analysis or numbers do not conform with the way radical and non-conforming type perceive things – they will debunk whatever information comes out. Survival will be for the ones with common sense!
So... common sense is shoving a hose up your rear and turning it on?
Nice. Tell us how that works out for you.
What about coffee enemas ? I hear they're a hit in foreign countries. I dunno, sticking a Mr. Cofee pot up the six, does not sound enjoyable at all. Especially if it's hot cofee.
I dunno all that caffeine hitting your system directly might make you very alert.
I did a coffee enema a few years back, I was sick and couldn't get my fever down for days. A chiropractor suggested the coffee procedure and within half an hour my fever was gone. He said that all illnesses start in the colon, the caffeine kills the bug.
Cleopatra, you're a bona fide moron.
Eat a balanced diet, lots of fruits and vegetables, lots of food high in fiber and you won't want to be in the bathroom anymore than that. A cleanse sounds like a good idea but it is also good to listen to my grandmother 101 years old, who likes to cleanse with a glass of warm water with fresh lemon juice in it. She calls it her Spring cleaning- YIKES IT WORKS.
Yes, it's true that in the early 1900's the AMA denounced colonics, a tried and true treatment for millennia. Why? Because, as pharmaceuticals rushed in, and all the money that could be made from them, colon cleansing was shoved out and labeled as 'bad' because, hey, there's no money in having someone take responsibility for their own health with simple, inexpensive treatments. Don't believe the AMA, it's all just a big-business scam. Cure for cancer? Detoxify, purify. No money in that, so the charade continues.
Cite your sources for this please.
Bueller ? Bueller ? Bueller ?
Don't hold your breath waiting for these morons to post any credible evidence.
"a tried and true treatment for millennia". Yes, it was a treatment used for millennia by physicians who had no idea what to do about most diseases. So, to make their patients think something was actually being done to help them, liquid enemas, smoke enemas, bleeding, leeching, administration of laxatives (rhubarb was a perennial favorite) and numerous other unpleasant procedures were performed. People believed that the more unpleasant the procedure, the more effective it must be. So they happily paid their bills and, in their ignorance, told their friends how great the doctor was.
Dante, I love your posts! You are spot on. These forums are rife with the gullible and the ignorant.
Turns out puting water up your butt, not some much a good idea...
I've had Crohn's disease for over 10 years. Colon cleaning works if you do the right cleanse. I have found that if you fast for a day with water, to allow the colon to rest it helps. Follow up the next day (or so depending if you fast more than one day) with eating only apples. Apples are a high fiber fruit with lots of nutrients. It is far more gentle on the system than using anything like the stuff they give you before colonoscopy. Anything used through the rectum should be carefully scrutinized as that is not the direction things normally go.
Does your doctor recommend this for someone with Crohn's?
Jason, have you heard about the macaroons (and I think they've gotta be Archway)? If you eat one to two per day, it can really help people w/ IBS and Krohn's. Please refer to: http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2002/05/27/archway-coconut/
DIET high in fiber, lots of fruits and vegetables, you wont want to be in the bathroom any more than that. My 101year old grandmother's advice. Drink a glass of warm water with fresh lemon juice in it a few days a week, she call it her spring cleaning. YIKES, it works.
A lot of needless hate and name calling in these comments – many of you are acting like brats.
The fact of the matter is that doctors, the pharmaceutical industry, and the alternative medicine industry, above all, are all in it for the money and do what they can to exploit the vulnerable. There are plenty of good things to come out of seeing/patronizing all three groups, but one needs to be responsible and informed (which is very easy thanks to the internet).
As someone who suffers from an auto-immune disease, I can tell you first hand of the limitations and contradictions of the mentioned three groups (mds, pharmaceuticals, aternative medicine), especially if you leave it all in their hands to give you the answers. I think colon cleansing could be beneficial to some, but the danger is in irresponsible/compulsive misuse (which could be attributed to both the irresponsible over-marketing by the industry, and by over-zelous individuals who don't take the time to do proper research).
This said, and from somebody who suffers from an auto-immune disease, I can tell you first hand that much advice that MDs dish out can be misinformed, out of context, and for the benefit of pharmaceutical companies (specifically speaking about auto-immune diseases). This article could have informed about the dangers of irresponsible and over-zelous use of alternative medicines, but it comes across as a slanted attack that brings to mind partisan politics.
It's "zealous". Jesus H. Christ.
Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son,
Dude, who cares if I misspelled a word – this isn't a term paper. Get a life.
Yo, Tom Tom. You have 9 comments on this page alone. Wasting time much? Hoo Hoooooo!
Who cares? I do. If you're too stupid, too ignorant, or too lazy to write like an educated adult, your comments are not worth the bandwidth they require. You aren't a doctor and you can't provide any credible sources to back up your claims. Blow me.
@viper: you took the time to count how many posts someone else wrote? Wow. What a wasted life.
Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son,
Seriously, you're a sad and spiteful individual who has nothing to contribute to this forum. Stop trolling and try to contribute for a change – or why don't you just waste your time and grammar and spell check all the posts here and see if it gets you anywhere at the end of the day. Stop acting like a brat because you're only making yourself look stupid.
There goes my pickup line for the ladies at the bar, darn...
Basically what these fools are saying is "we dont want you to do it yourself. Come here so we can charge you or your insurance $8k to do it"
Just go Vegan. You won't have to worry about the Toxins or a colon cleansing. Meat is the reason people have colon problems in first place.
Wrong. I eat fatty meats with every meal and in doing so have managed to rid myself of chronic constipation by eating whole foods instead of the processed crap people shove down their throats. I'm off to have home-made pot roast with carrots, potatoes, onions and tender beef, with whole walnuts for dessert. Have fun eating your salad and hummus.
Can you back that statement up with real evidence. please provide the data.
Meat is not the problem! Processed foods with a ton of chemicals, salt, sugar, and if your vegan bet you still eat all the fast food places with all the crap still in it.
You're an idiot... go preach your BS somewhere else.... You obviously know NOTHING about nutrion required for the HUMAN body... or the history of human nutrition. Peddle it somewhere else.
Your colon is a sewer pipe-you don't routinely flush out your home's sewer pipe.
If the human body, or the body of any other mammal for that matter, "naturally" needed to have its colon rinsed out regularly, evolution would long ago have produced a bodily mechanism to do the job. What is not "natural" is sticking a hose into your rectum and running water or some non-natural solution through it.
It depends on how you do the cleanse and how often. Believe it or not, constipation, caused by a bad diet, is one of the leading causes of many illnesses. Big Pharma wants you hooked on their pills. Europe is crazy for limiting herbs. Many people do not want to think or take responsibility for themselves. This allows the greed machine to lead these sheeple to wherever the best profit is and most control. Ignorance comes in all shapes and sizes. Break free people!!!!
Routine cleanses are not needed for constipation, in fact they tend to cause constipation by creating a dependency on the flushes. The only time you should ever give yourself an enema or take a laxative is for an acute case of constipation, and should be discontinued as soon as you have a bowel movement.
So is stated by the AMA which is very highly regarded? NOT!
I have never seen anything come out of the AMA that wasn't directly a means to enhance and protect doctor's wages.
So, colon cleanses are free? How much are they charging you for their "services"?
Can you back that statement up........Thought not.
I use a soft bottle brush on myself. After very gentle penetration into my anus, I slide it back and forth a couple times. After a cleansing, I boil it before using it to clean kitchen bottles.
You all sound like you are full of crap to me!
Check out CA SB-577 and its loopholes for alternative health practictioners. Unllicensed and all they have to provide their clients is a disclaimer to practice alternative therapies and make excellent compensation to boot off weak-minded people.
Millions of years of mammal evolution you would think the waste disposal system is as good as it can get for if not we wouldnt be here. Problem lies in what is in processed foods. A unrelated subject. Why are people bleaching their anuses? That to me is way strange.
If you want to believe that pumping things into your nether regions has some sort of salutary effect, please feel free to do so. If you want to try to manage your depression without psychoactive chemicals, have at it (though please don't criticize others who choose to treat their mental illness with drugs). If you think a diet of lemon water and cabbage will cleanse out the "toxins"; if you mix green tea into everything you eat; if you take mega-doses of "herbs" in little pills; if your breath always smells like garlic and fish from your supplements; if you eschew "big pharma" in favor of more "natural" remedies–go for it.
Just please could we stop the with the anti-vaccination campaigns? Every connection to autism has been debunked. The scientist who started that rumor admitted he lied for money; he as been stripped of his license. The mercury found in most vaccinations has been combined into a compound that renders it harmless (apparently chemistry isn't the strong suit of the anti-vaccination crowd). I learned all I needed to know about this "movement" when Jenny McCarthy dismissed the scientific evidence against her position by saying that she had "mommy knowledge", which allowed her to magically know exactly what caused her son's autism. And this "mommy knowledge"–despite hundreds of millions of dollars worth of scientific data to the contrary–told her it was those evil big pharma vaccines, and nothing could convince her otherwise.
We've wasted so much money that could have been used trying to find actual autism treatments or cures. We've allowed infectious diseases that were nearly wiped out to come back and kill people, especially children, because in addition to not understanding chemistry, vaccination opponents don't understand the concept of "herd immunity". More people have died from measles in the developed world over the past few years than have for decades. "Faith" is just fine in church. But "faith" when it comes to medicine is a bad, bad, bad idea. Vaccines might make you a little nervous. But you know what what's much worse than being a little nervous? Having your kid get polio. You owe it to your children to protect them, and to not deny them important protections because you're ignorantly clinging to garbage non-science and your "mommy feelings". Do your duty to your children and to everyone else's children: vaccinate them. And remember that the anti-vaccination leader's main credentials aren't medical or scientific degrees, they're Playboy magazine spreads.
Somebody is drinking the Prozac spiked Kool-Aid. Enjoy.
Miro,
Why don't you stick to the subject? I've only seen one comment regarding the HPV vaccine, you make it sound like the whole article and comment section is based on the anti-vaccine subject.
While we're on the subject, why don't you step out of the box and read valuable information regarding vaccines, their possible dangers and diseases they are supposed to prevent. SInce you like to get poked with "harmless mercury," evaluate your overall health, got any arthritis, diabetes, allergies on your plate?
@ timd: "drinking the Kool-Aid" means blindly accepting unproven opinions, for example, persisting in the belief that vaccinations have some sort of connection to conditions when there is no scientific evidence to support this idea, and a great deal to refute it. As for Prozac, the jury is still out, and that's why I said if you're against it then so be it, but it's unfair to criticize people who believed they've been helped by it. It might be the placebo effect, but that's what keeps the "alternative health providers" in business, and if it makes you feel better then it's a good treatment. Isn't it great how with the the inclusion of "drinking the Kool-Aid" into the lexicon you don't actually have to make a cogent case for your position, you can just say, "sounds like you're drinking the Kool-Aid" and that qualifies as a retort? Really saves a lot of time and keystrokes.
@ Cleo 1981: criticism of being off-topic duly noted, though I thought the broader topic of people who make heath care choices based upon the weakest of anecdotal evidence tied it together. But I accept that fair point. As to your other points: I'm much more worried about yellow fever and typhoid than I am about the diseases and disorders that maybe, possibly, some people feel could in some way be connected to vaccines. Quick chemistry lesson: the mercury compound in vaccines is ethylmercury, which quickly leaves the body. It's much safer than methylmercury–that's the one that can build up in your body and cause serious problems. Not the same thing. One molecule can make a huge difference. For example, hexavalent chromium is highly carcinogenic. But wait! Aren't those sweet, shiny rims on your car made of chrome? Are you going to get cancer keeping those babies all shined up for the Saturday night cruise? No, of course not, because your wheels are made from a different chromium compound, as are the many dyes, electroplating, anti-corrosion coatings, and other things that have chrome in them. See, just a little, tiny bit of scientific knowledge makes the world so much more understandable and less scary.
If you could direct me to some "outside the box" important information about vaccines that hasn't been written by discredited doctors, disavowed by the original publication (as happened with the Lancet articles), or is the product of some conspiracy-theorist Playmate's fever dreams, I would be most grateful. I've actually changed my opinion on this subject a couple times because of new literature, so point me to the new stuff if there's anything new and credible out there. "Credible" being the key word.
There may be a few good reasons for colon flushing out there (we had to have it done to our 2 yr old daughter for severe constipation to soften the stool enough with water) but mostly it isn't needed AFAIK. The inner intestinal lining has cells that fall off every 3-4 days so your inner lining is constantly being renewed and falling off so nothing gets "stuck on" or caught up in there for the most part. Any other "toxins" are going to come right out with the next bowel movement! Even if there were all these "toxins", your best approach would be to make sure you aren't eating them to begin with.
There are definitely things to be concerned wiith the colon about that may fit into "alternative" health thinking–for example, there are many types of bacteria in our guts–some good, some bad. It may be a good idea to get tested for these at some point by a good doc who does this testing. Ratios of different bacteria in our guts can affect the rest of our body. These can be altered by diet/supplementation. I suppose a couple of enemas MAY be a good idea with a major imbalance to flush many of the bad bacteria out, but overall I don't think enemas are widely necessary.
Politicians need the procedure on both sides of the table, because they are constipated and full of it. Maybe this will give them more energy to work honestly, and hard just like the rest of us.
I'm amazed at the people in this world and what they will do based on ingorance and conspiracy theory.
If the FDA and the AMA were really worried about losing money becuase of colon cleansing I would think they would come up with there own version and the money would start rolling in. Homeopathy, ricki, colon cleansing, eating grass, sticking pins in your body, chi, etc, etc, etc........DOES NOT WORK, it has been proven over and over these things do not work yet the evidence is ignored. If evolution thought that you needed your six cleaned out the human race would have developed a tube sticking out with a pop off cap.
Popularity of a product, a procedure, a way of life does not prove any product, procedure, way of life works at all. it just proves there are many ignorant people in this world.
The only reason these people feel better after a "cleanse" is due to relief from constipation. Continuing to flush out your colon (ie enemas) & taking laxatives (herbal or otherwise) is sure to completely screw up your digestion for the long term. Thus ensuring that these people have to keep doing these "cleanses" on a regular basis. Dependency, anyone?
Please do not listen to this nonsense. There are probably cleanses out there that may be harmful, so you need to know what you are putting into your body. But for the most part, colon cleansing is the absolute best tool you can use to cleanse your body of toxins and unwanted fecal material. It also clears up skin problems and treats dozens of other health problems. There is no way in hell that you will ever be able to convince me of the contrary, as I have first hand evidence that they DO work. And they work great. What a bunch of bull ish.
THe only 'bullspit' here is on your side, dufus. Colon cleansing has NO proven benefits whatsoever and can cause harm. Until you post anything that proves otherwise, from something that's not some 'woo-woo' site, shut up.
More people die from legal pharma drugs than all illegal drugs combined, but they never advance that kind of information. This article is another example that the medical establishment does not want you to do ANY self-medicating. It is more about money than it is you being healthy. Above, some commentor was bent out of shape because someone suggested that doctors get no education about nutrition. Balderdash, he says! Have you ever looked at the food in the hospital cafeteria? You folks who embrace the death culture full full force, you know nothing different. You think the food in Safeway is all that there is. You think that a 7-11 actually has some food in it! Sugar, salt, grease, and fat. There IS another way that is fou nded in truth not profits.
More baloney. So all "naturopaths" and "natural remedies" are free, are they?
If it was good enough for the astronauts as portrayed in the Right Stuff, then its good enough for the rest of us.....
@myviewtoo " I personally do not believe anything that doctors try to push" sooo you don't believe polio, rubella, tetanus, measles, etc vaccines that doctors push help you? let's be a little more aware of what you say.
I believe the pharmaceutical companies want people to think that all natural remedies are essentially bad or dangerous because they're not regulated by the federal government. I believe that there is a certain amount of intentional misinformation coming from these companies in an effort to protect their profits and impress their investors. Are doctors all horrible spinsters trying to discount natural remedies to protect their profit margin? No I'm not completely stupid, just a little stupid. But I do believe that their are a lot of natural remedies that are beneficial to people. Maybe people should investigate the sources of funding for studies that discredit natural remedies? Would you be surprised to find that major pharmaceutical companies are funding research? I know any educated person knows that if the bills are being paid by big pharma then the researchers are going to go out of their way to discover information that will benefit the big pharmaceutical companies.
The Fukushima nuclear leak was intentionally left uncapped in order to boost cancer rates around the world by order of big pharma. For more in
Whahahhahhhahhahahhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Moron.
Doctors might be right or wrong. When anything done improperly can harm us. Does medicine given by doctors harm us? It can even if use it as directed. Every medicine has side effects. So shall we ban all medicines? If the benefit over weighs the side effect we would go for it.
Same way if the colon cleanse has any benefit we should take it. But does that work? I don't know. We have to take it from people who used it and how much percentage got benefits etc. If doctor's can not find how something is working they would simply say placebo effect. That is not right. If it is working for some people they have to accept it. But at the beginning of the research they already have conclusions and research is only meant for collecting evidence for it. This is not science. This is simply prejudice.
When it comes to placebo affect, Can any doctor tell how it works? Can we say that medicines given by doctors working only because of placebo affect? May be success percentage is more for doctors because over a period of time they developed faith among people So as more faith means more success. Is it that traditional healing had better success before because of people had more faith in olden days on that medicine?
Anything possible?