Cleansing for the Colon & Digestive System

This week Gareth Edwards, our Alkaline Diet Expert, Dr Young trained blood analyst and highly qualified nutritionist writes about the numerous health benefits of doing a regular cleanse and how cleansing our colon and digestive system can be a great way to accelerate our body’s move towards alkalinity.

If you often think about giving your body a great boost by doing a detox and cleanse of your digestive system, but do not know where to start, then make sure to read Gareth’s cleansing guide.

Cleansing for the Colon & Digestive System by Gareth Edwards

I remember a friend once telling me that when she had completed a cleansing fast, the first thing she did was to eat a whole box of chocolates. A cleanse or short period of de-tox can be a great way to accelerate your body’s move towards alkalinity. You need to ensure that it provides a solid platform for consistent change that you can sustain.

I actually perform a “mini cleanse” every morning. Starting the day with a glass of water with a scoop of alkaline mineral salts in it, sets me off on an alkaline path and (to be direct) aids elimination. Your liver is working hard to de-toxify your body through the night, so helping it with an alkaline start to the day is advisable. A salad or a green juice for breakfast is a great way to keep the ball rolling. You can follow that with powdered greens and pH drops if you feel yourself getting hungry during the morning.

Making a Shift:

Sometimes however, we may want to do something a bit more sustained than just a morning cleanse. If for example you were experiencing a health challenge, such as arthritis, bronchitis, digestive challenges or low energy a period where you “apply yourself to the task” may be what’s called for.

The starting points for this need to be what you eat, drink and a gentle exercise plan.

Five days where you eat mostly raw, low sugar vegetable foods with healthy oils, sprouted beans and seeds and high quality salt is likely to make a big difference to your overall wellbeing.

Drinking powdered greens dissolved in mineral, filtered or ionised water and / or green vegetable juices will help to support you in shedding stored acids and alkalising your body tissue and fluids. Avoiding animal protein, caffeine alcohol and sugar can take a bit of effort. Have the house stocked with plenty of fresh, ideally organic vegetables, some avocados and nuts and seeds to snack on.

Empty your cupboards of chocolate, fruit juice and sugary breakfast cereals before you start. If it’s not there you won’t eat it!

Have lots of activities you really enjoy lined up, so that you fill your mind with thoughts other than ….. food (and drink)! Gentle, enjoyable, outdoor (grab some scarce, but essential autumn sunshine) exercise, is crucial to help eliminate any residual toxicity or acidity.

Making changes like this can affect your bowel habit and may mean you feel a bit under the weather. That’s ok. If you experience loose bowels, that’s a de-tox! If you get a little blocked up then you can use an alkaline mineral salt supplement to help move things along.

Another Level:

If you are already eating and drinking this way on a consistent daily basis you might want to have a two or three day liquid cleanse. This means that you have (mainly green) vegetable juices, drink powdered greens and make some smoothies with broccoli, lettuce, cucumber, olive oil and soaked ground almonds.

Remember to “eat” your smoothy. They still need digesting. Aim for a minimum of two to three litres of fluid a day. Maintain an intake of mineral salts while doing this.

Clay products can also help draw acids out of your colon and body tissue. If you are going to the toilet regularly then a fibre supplement is not essential. Myco-detox formulas can be helpful, but remember your daily lifestyle and dietary choices will have a huge impact on the growth or decline of toxic life forms in your body.

More!

If you want to cleanse for a longer period I would recommend that you consult a suitably qualified physician to assess your current status and assist during the process.

Top tips:

1. Consult with a pH/nutritionally aware physician before starting if you are taking regular medication.
2. Prepare your fridge and cupboards.
3. See if you can find a partner to share the preparation and keep accountable with.
4. Schedule a cleanse for a period where your social diary is less crowded, (unless all your friends are raw food, alkalisers!).
5. Be sure to maintain your mineral levels when cleansing with pHlavor spray and pHour salts. Sea salt can also be used.
6. Keep a balance. A bowl of salad in the middle of a liquid cleanse is OK!
7. Have some foods and plans ready for when you finish your cleanse. Vegetable soup and some falafel would be better than a box of (organic, dark) chocolate!

Disclaimer: Not intended to diagnose any condition, please seek help of nutritionally aware physician if experiencing health challenges.