- There are a lot of tips on the Internet for cleansing the intestines – why is it so popular and can it be trusted?
- Usually they suggest cleansing the intestines with salt water, fasting and drinking freshly squeezed juices, soda, coal, kefir, castor oil, herbs – these tips can not be followed?
- Are there any medical indications for bowel cleansing?
- Can a person independently decide that he needs some kind of bowel cleansing?
- Can a doctor recommend bowel cleansing other than in preparation for research or in connection with surgery?
There are a lot of tips on the Internet for cleansing the intestines – why is it so popular and can it be trusted?
The small and large intestine as parts of the gastrointestinal tract are important organs of our body. The intestine performs a number of important functions in addition to digesting food. The large intestine is the home of a huge number of bacteria, the proper interaction with which helps us to stay healthy. It is believed that if all the crypts (folds of the intestinal mucosa) are straightened, then the surface area will be about 40 m2. It seems to many people that it would be good to keep this surface, like the skin, clean.
However, it would be correct to consider that the gastrointestinal tract should be kept not clean, but well functioning.
Therefore, I advise you not to waste time searching for dubious information about how to cleanse the intestines on countless sites on the Internet, where the text of the articles is not based on an evidence-based scientific basis, but at the slightest alarming signs, find time and visit a specialist.
Usually they suggest cleansing the intestines with salt water, fasting and drinking freshly squeezed juices, soda, coal, kefir, castor oil, herbs – these tips can not be followed?
I don’t see anything wrong with the very fact of eating table salt, freshly squeezed juices, kefir, decoctions of herbs (chamomile, mint, St. John’s wort, Ivan tea). To be frank, I myself love very much, having come home from work, to drink a glass of thermostatic kefir at night. I think it’s pretty good, too.
Here the question is not so much in the products, but in the amount of their use. We are all well aware that we need to consume both cyanides and cobalt (for example, cyanocobalamin – vitamin B12) for life. The amount of consumption of this substance is negligible. The daily physiological need for cyanocobalamin is about 3 mcg. (3 g of this substance is enough to meet the daily requirement of one million adults). This is true. But it is vital. Without it, severe anemia will develop.
It may sound trite, but nutrition should be varied and healthy. Everything, as we were taught from childhood. We must consume sufficient amounts of proteins (including those with essential amino acids), fats and carbohydrates. It should be noted here that today the ideas about the proper amount of calories consumed have changed somewhat in favor of reducing the total calorie content of food. Do not forget about micronutrients, including vitamins.
Are there any medical indications for bowel cleansing?
Indications for bowel cleansing exist, of course. There are situations when a person is forced to clean out the intestinal contents, disturbing the established balance of bacteria (a kind of balance of the parietal microclimate), violating the electrolyte composition of the blood. For example, this may be preparation for a colonoscopy or for a complex operation on the rectum, when a preventive small bowel stoma is planned. Yes. This happens to people. It is also true that most people tolerate it easily, recovering quickly. In such situations, the potential harm from bowel cleansing is disproportionately small compared to a missed serious illness or postoperative complication.
Can a person independently decide that he needs some kind of bowel cleansing?
Can a person feel that something is wrong with his stomach?! Oh sure. It happens. Often the case is limited to functional disorders. Consultation of a gastroenterologist, nutritionist should help. Do not forget about the preventive examination. To paraphrase some of the best medical advice for diagnosing bowel disease, the best 50th birthday present for someone who has “everything”—health, financial, and family well-being—is a “colonoscopy certificate.”
Can a doctor recommend bowel cleansing other than in preparation for research or in connection with surgery?
If we get away from talking about medical indications for colon cleansing, which we have already talked about, then I would focus on the normalization of the so-called evacuation function of the intestine. The chair should be almost daily, and the feces should be non-traumatic. We must consume enough indigestible fiber. In people suffering from constipation, in combination with a diet, it is advisable to use mild laxatives that “acidify” the intestinal environment.
A rational mode of physical activity is an extremely important argument both in improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and in the modern concept of life associated with wellness.
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