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8 Home Remedies To Cleanse Your Colon Naturally

Most of us forget that colon or the large intestine is an important organ apart from the liver, kidneys and the heart.

The colon constitutes of four parts which include the descending colon, ascending colon, transverse colon, and sigmoid colon. The large intestine is considered an important organ because it helps the body absorb nutrients as the food moves through the small intestine, thereby helping in digesting food. The colon balances the body's pH and electrolytes as well.

Colon

Colon health is a significant part of digestive health and it should be cleansed for optimal digestive wellness. The benefits of cleansing your colon are it helps treat health issues like constipation or irregular bowel movements, lowers the risk of colon cancer, increases energy, improves liver function, boosts immunity, aids in weight loss, etc.

Home Remedies To Cleanse Your Colon Naturally

1. Saltwater or plain water

There is no doubt about the fact that drinking plenty of water aids in regulating your digestion. It also helps the colon in flushing out the toxins. If you are drinking plain water, then consume 6 to 8 glasses of lukewarm water every day.

Saltwater, on the other hand, benefits people who are suffering from constipation and bowel irregularity [1] . Before having breakfast, mix 2 teaspoons of sea salt or Himalayan salt with lukewarm water and drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.

10 Healthy Foods That Cleanse The Colon10 Healthy Foods That Cleanse The Colon

2. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has antioxidant and antibiotic properties that promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria in the colon and helps in cleansing the colon at the same time [2] . Apple cider vinegar contains a bacterium called Acetobacter which aids in the digestion process and proper functioning of your gut.

  • Add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a glass of lukewarm water. Add 2 tbsp of honey and drink it in the morning.
Colon

3. Lemon water

Lemons are rich in vitamin C that speeds up your metabolism and aids in detoxification. It also contains citric acid which helps in the production of digestive juices, thus enabling proper digestion [3] .

4. Raw fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies

Raw fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies contain fibre, nutrients, phytochemicals and natural sugar that help in cleansing your colon [4] . To make most of the fibre and nutrients from the juice, keep the pulp and skin intact while juicing. For example, you could opt for veggies like carrots, beetroot, cucumber, tomato or spinach juice and fruits like kiwi, grape, apple, lemon etc. to cleanse your colon.

Colon

5. Aloe vera juice

The texture of the aloe vera juice is thick which helps in smoothing bowel functions and getting rid of the toxins from the body. The nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants in aloe vera aid in cleansing your colon. This helps in cleansing the colon naturally [5] .

  • Add 200 mg of aloe vera gel in a blender with a cup of water. Blend and drink it in small quantities.

Note: Aloe vera gel is a laxative, so avoid consuming it in excess.

6. Herbal teas

Ginger, cayenne pepper and garlic contain antimicrobial properties and phytochemicals which can suppress the unhealthy bacteria from multiplying in the colon. A study showed the link between herbal tea consumption and lower risk of colon cancer [6] .

  • Drinking ginger, garlic or cayenne pepper tea thrice a day will help in cleansing your colon.
Colon

7. Castor oil

Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid which has detoxifying and laxative effects on your bowel movements. This aids in cleansing your colon by eliminating the unwanted toxins from the body [7] .

  • Mix 1-2 tbsp of castor oil and orange juice in equal amounts. Drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.

8. Green tea

Green tea contains catechins that exhibit antioxidant properties and aid in colon cleansing [8] . Green tea also has a lot of health benefits like improving brain function, reducing the risk of cancer and helping in weight loss.

Colon

Health Risks Of Colon Cleansing

While you are undergoing a colon cleanse, it's advisable to not go overboard as it may lead to cramping and electrolyte imbalances in the body.

  • People who are at risk of high blood pressure should keep their sodium intake low, so avoid saltwater detox.
  • Weakness, irritability, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, fainting, and diarrhoea may occur.

Note: Consult a doctor before doing a natural colon cleanse at home because it doesn't suit everybody.

View Article References
  1. [1] Balaban, D. H. (2009). A light breakfast, a jug of salt water, and bowel.
  2. [2] Johnston, C. S., & Gaas, C. A. (2006). Vinegar: medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect.MedGenMed : Medscape general medicine,8(2), 61.
  3. [3] Kim, M. J., Hwang, J. H., Ko, H. J., Na, H. B., & Kim, J. H. (2015). Lemon detox diet reduced body fat, insulin resistance, and serum hs-CRP level without hematological changes in overweight Korean women.Nutrition research,35(5), 409-420.
  4. [4] Wu, H., Dai, Q., Shrubsole, M. J., Ness, R. M., Schlundt, D., Smalley, W. E., … Zheng, W. (2009). Fruit and vegetable intakes are associated with lower risk of colorectal adenomas.The Journal of nutrition,139(2), 340–344.
  5. [5] Hu, Y., Xu, J., & Hu, Q. (2003). Evaluation of antioxidant potential of Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) extracts.Journal of agricultural and food chemistry,51(26), 7788-7791.
  6. [6] Green, C. J., de Dauwe, P., Boyle, T., Tabatabaei, S. M., Fritschi, L., & Heyworth, J. S. (). Tea, coffee, and milk consumption and colorectal cancer risk.Journal of epidemiology,24(2), 146–153.
  7. [7] Tunaru, S., Althoff, T. F., Nüsing, R. M., Diener, M., & Offermanns, S. (2012). Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,109(23), 9179–9184.
  8. [8] Forester, S. C., & Lambert, J. D. (2011). The role of antioxidant versus pro-oxidant effects of green tea polyphenols in cancer prevention.Molecular nutrition & food research,55(6), 844–854.