An ancient practice from Eastern Medicine, bowel cleansing is fast becoming the next new diet for the Western world. What is bowel cleansing and does it safely cause healthy weight loss?
Bowel Cleansing 101
Keeping things simple, bowel cleansing is equal to Western Medicine's laxative. Practitioners of bowel cleansing will argue that their methods are more effective, natural, and completely unrelated to using laxatives. My point is this: increasing water content in the large colon acts like a "wash" to empty the bowel lumen.
Some Laxatives and "natural" substances used in bowel cleansing both do exactly this..."washing" the colon by trapping water which evacuates undigested food.
Any claims made beyond trapping water simply have not been rigorously studied and represent opinion and theory, at best.
Methods for bowel cleansing are too numerous to cover in this article. The only comment I'll make is about the one commonality found in all of them...non-digestible natural substances.
Fiber like substances can be found to some degree in all bowel cleansing methods. Remaining in the bowel (colon) lumen, they trap water increasing the bowel's water content. This results in increased pressure and tension inside the bowel and results in a large bowel movement consisting of undigested food.
This is what is called "washing" or "cleansing" the bowel.
Bowel Cleansing -- A Healthy New Diet Option?
A healthy weight loss method promotes fat loss while preserving muscle tissue and water content. Weight loss by bowel cleansing results primarily from water loss. This is not a healthy method for losing weight and will cause weight gain soon after the cleansing. I did find a few small studies that showed the opposite results with some bowel cleansing methods. These particular methods do seem to result in healthy weight loss.
Further investigation of this apparent contradiction revealed that the bowel cleansing methods also placed dieters on a high fiber diet.
Diets high in fiber are significantly lower in calories and if gradually implemented will result in healthy weight loss.
Bowel Cleansing -- Is it Safe as a New Diet?
Some bowel cleansing methods are safe but others can be dangerous if abused. Critical electrolytes are also lost in the "washing" or "cleansing" process and if repeated too often can lead to disturbances in your nervous system and heart rhythm. Before you start a new diet, use the new diet Safety Checklist. Make sure it's safe and won't cause you harm.
As far as bowel cleansing is concerned, it's my opinion that you have better options for helping you lose weight.
To Healthy Living!
Michael A. Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website
Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for the Diet Basics website. His articles, RSS Feed, and newsletter, Annals of Diet Basics, are fast becoming the net's best weight loss resource. Check out his newsletter, annals of diet basics, and receive the power to continuously update and improve any diet plan you want to start.
disinfecting cleaning services Arlington Heights ..Have you ever wondered with all the weight loss programs... Read More
Did you know that how and when you eat is... Read More
Want to shed that beer belly? Why not try the... Read More
It's been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat... Read More
Some of you will not like what I'm going to... Read More
Are you working hard in the gym 3 times a... Read More
There's more to gastric bypass than surgery and rapid massive... Read More
Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More
The gastric bypass procedure isn't for everyone, but those who've... Read More
Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More
Life is great, isn't it? Stop and just look around... Read More
With so many diets and fads being offered on the... Read More
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of... Read More
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling... Read More
Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons... Read More
We all know that losing weight and improving your overall... Read More
From personal experience I have myself like all of you... Read More
Dr. Hagglund's Healthy Eating Tips(All wheat products, bananas*, breads, rice,... Read More
Diet drop out, a significant problem for all types of... Read More
Weight loss is so consistent and rapid after gastric bypass... Read More
Many gastric bypass patients report frequent spells of dizziness. In... Read More
"The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise, and of... Read More
Low carb (carbohydrate), high protein diets are the latest ... Read More
We've entered the Twilight Zone when it comes to the... Read More
If you are into herbs and natural cures, you've undoubtedly... Read More
bathroom cleaning service Mundelein ..Since gastric bypass weight loss surgery gives us a second... Read More
You may not like what I'm about to say, but... Read More
Now this is the real American Dream! I'm here to... Read More
My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling... Read More
Many individuals these days, male or female, young or old,... Read More
Finally - you are alone. No one else is around.... Read More
Protein is an essential nutrient necessary for maintaining good health.... Read More
Weight loss is one of the biggest industries in the... Read More
Addicted to Restaurants Are you addicted to restaurants? So are... Read More
Do you want to lose weight? Of course you do,... Read More
Diet tips for losing weight abound. Some are good, some... Read More
As I become acquainted with many of our LivingAfterWLS.com community... Read More
I am not a diet and fitness guru or an... Read More
Low carb diets can be classified as food plans that... Read More
Did you ever think about the fact that losing 2... Read More
Food intolerance is a pharmacological reaction to the consumption of... Read More
There's one thing that most people forget about when it... Read More
Many people have asked me what foods they should eat... Read More
The holidays are now officially over and it's time to... Read More
How to Break Your PlateauToday is a typical morning like... Read More
How would you like to eat all you want and... Read More
Have I become invisible or are people just aiming right... Read More
Have you ever just felt like you were doing everything... Read More
April 14, 2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal... Read More
Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More
Weight Loss |