After the Cleanse diet
Done the cleanse, now what?
To those who are reading this and have finished the colon cleanse – Well Done! You can be proud of yourself! Cleaning out the colon is the first step to optimal colon health just as the first step doctors take when treating a cut in your skin is to clean it. Thereafter the body can more easily heal itself when supplied with the right circumstances and building material. Your body was designed to heal itself!
To achieve the maximum benefits of the colon cleanse and to assist your digestive tract in restoring itself, below are a few pointers.
1. Drink 1.5 – 2 litre water daily
So many people overlook this as it sounds too simple. Believe it or not one of the most common cause of constipation is dehydration! Your bowel needs water to soften the stool and move it out of the body. Your digestion also uses water as the basis of every digestive fluid including saliva, stomach acid, bile and pancreatic secretions. The protective mucous layer that lines your digestive tract is mostly water. Without enough water (and coke does not count!) your digestive tract goes into 'crises mode'. You may experience constipation, indigestion, heartburn and possibly ulcers! We trust you are motivated to drink water now!
The best liquid to drink is pure water (to which you can add a squeeze of lemon or lime for its alkalizing and cleansing properties or some mint for its soothing properties). Herbal teas and diluted fruit and vegetable juices are also beneficial. We recommend that you drink 500 – 750ml water from the time you wake up in the morning up to half an hour before breakfast. The reason for this is threefold. Firstly, you are at your most dehydrated in when you awake in the morning. The water will hydrate and refresh you. Secondly your body goes through many cleansing processes at night. The water will help you flush any toxins out of your body. Lastly, the easiest way to get all your water in is to start early! You also want to try to drink the majority of your water a half hour before meals or two hours after meals.
2. Eat more fibre
We are all familiar with Kelloggs breakfast cereals, but we are less familiar with its founder Dr Kellogg who, through his work, showed a direct correlation between fibre intake and colon health. Rural people on a natural diet eat up to 55g of fibre a day and have a very low incidence of digestive diseases. The average intake on a western diet is less than 15g. Can you see a problem here?
Fibre is the indigestible part of plant products i.e. fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, legumes etc. Although indigestible, fibre plays a crucial role in the digestive process. It absorbs water and bulks up the stool, promoting regular bowel movements. Whilst the colon cleanse will remove the majority of compacted waste material in the gut, fibre further acts as a broom and can further 'sweep' or clean the intestines. Some fibres even act as a lubricant and have a soothing effect on the lining of the digestive tract, reducing inflammation.
Aim for 35g of fibre per day. You can easily obtain 35g on a diet high in fruit and vegetables and/or taking a fibre supplement with meals. There are tables on the internet that indicate the fibre content of certain foods. Popular forms of supplemental fibre include wheat bran, psyllium husks, rice bran, oat bran, pectin, flax seeds, fructo-oligosaccharides, cellulose. Wheat bran and psyllium husks may not suit some people. Experiment until you find the fibre that is right for you.
If your body is not used to a high fibre diet you may experience gas and/or bloating until your body adapts to your new diet. We therefore recommend that you increase your fibre content gradually and remember your water!
3. Exercise
Exercise stimulates peristalsis, the rhythmic contraction of the intestinal muscles that moves food through the gut. A sedentary lifestyle has been shown as a major contributing factor to a sedentary colon! Exercise strengthens and tones your muscles. Strong abdominal muscles are helpfull for the intestinal muscles to push against during peristalsis. Exercise also increases circulation to all parts of the body, including the gut. The deep breathing in exercise actually massages your intestines as your lungs fill up and the diaphragm (one of your breathing muscles) expands. Sometimes a brisk walk/light jog or some abdominal exercises are all that is needed to get your bowels moving.
4. Eat Natural Bowel Promoting Foods
Our grandparents had a wonderfull remedy for constipation – that is prune juice! In addition to prunes, the following foods are great for keeping you regular: apples, dates, bananas, figs, berries, flax seed, grated beetroot, dark leafy greens (high in alkaline minerals and fibre) and ginger (stimulates peristalsis). A diet high in fresh raw foods is excellent for colon health as it is high in fibre and enzymes. You will, however, have to introduce raw foods into your diet gradually for your body to get used to the extra fibre.
All meals should contribute to the bulk, lubrication and moisture of your stool. Refined products, animal products, potatoes and white rice have no fibre. If you are eating these foods combine it with a fresh raw salad/lightly steamed vegetable/brown rice/beans/seeds or a fibre supplement.
5. Good Bacteria
As you have just cleaned out a lot of old fecal matter during the colon cleanse, you have disturbed the habitat of the creatures living there – both the good and the bad ones! It is therefore highly recommended that you take steps to ensure that good bacteria your newly cleansed colon. Good bacteria play a vital role in digestive and overall health, they are known as intestinal flora or probiotics. Probiotics help you digest your food, make certain vitamins, inhibit the growth of bad bacteria, reduce inflammation and assist your immune system.
We recommend that you take a good probiotic supplement for a month or two. Ask your local health shop for a good brand. A general rule of thumb is to use a probiotic that needs to be refrigerated, with the exception of Solgar and Garden of Life whose probiotic supplements that do not need to be refrigerated. Take the supplements in the morning or in the evening at least 2-3 hours after your meal.
Another source of probiotics is lacto-fermented foods. You can include a small portion each day or with a heavy meal. This includes yoghurt, cottage cheese, kefir, sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), fermented soya products such as miso, temph, tamari and natto and sourdough bread. In the South African context you can even try a traditional African dish called 'suur pap'. An additional benefit from eating lacto-fermented foods is that they are high in enzymes, thus helping your body to break down and digest food. The bacteria in these foods, lactobacilli, helps to acidify the gut making proteins and minerals more bioavailable and keeping bad micro-organisms away.
A highly beneficial fibre that also acts as a food, or prebiotic, for the good bacteria is Fructo-Oligosaccharides or FOS. Bananas, barley, Spirulina, garlic and onions are high in FOS. It can also be found in some fibre and probiotic supplements. FOS feeds the good bacteria, assisting its health and multiplication. FOS also helps keep moisture in the gut, promoting regular bowel movements.
To your digestive health,
CleanseYourColon.co.za