Colon Cleansing Herbs - Are They Effective?

Is your colon behaving slowly recently? Then, it's time to cleanse it. Just like the external body parts even internal body organs need to be cleansed from time to time. Colon should be cleansed to free it from all those toxins that have got accumulated in there. Don't worry, you need not gobble handful of pills for this. There are so many colon cleansing herbs accessible in the market that will help you cleanse or detoxify your colon naturally.

Colon cancer is one of the major diseases that are affecting people's health today. One of the symptoms of colon dysfunction in an individual is irregular bowel movements, also known as constipation. Our food habits, our lifestyle, exposure to the severe environmental phenomenon-all these factors has a role to play in the malfunctioning of the colon. Most of the toxins that invade our colon are not foreign agents; they are being produced internally by the free radicals, the fats that got oxidized in our body, body cholesterol, etc.


Toxins form into a thin layer within the colon, known as mucoid tablet. Removal of this plaque is essential to restore the functionality of your colon. Colon cleansing is known by various names like- 'cleansing your bowels' 'intestinal therapy', 'cleansing your intestine' etc. The procedure of cleansing a colon might last from few weeks to few months depending on the severity of the situation. In a colon cleansing therapy, the individual would be known a special diet first. All those foods that aid in cleansing the colon will be fed to the individual. After that, he/she will be administered some supplements which will help in further cleansing.


Fasting also proves beneficial in the initial stages of the cleansing program. During fasting only fresh fruits, their juices, greens and vegetables should be consumed. Drinking lots of water will also help. It keeps your constipation at bay. Several herbs like Cascara Sagrada, seeds of Flax plant, and husk resultant from the Psyllium plant, Senna, Rhubarb, are known to have colon-cleansing effects due to their laxative nature. With an empty stomach one should take pounded flaxseeds mixed in water, two times a day for good results. Food should not be taken immediately after drinking this water. A form of clay by name Betonite is also proved to be effective in colon cleansing programs. Usually, this clay is taken in liquid form along with the flax seeds. If you are already on medication, exercise caution while taking Betonite. It has the reputation of interfering with the functioning of the other medical compounds.

Sagrada's dried bark, liquid extracted from the plant, capsules made out of it are being used for cleansing the colon. Once Cascara Sagrada is consumed, it will start working only after a period of 6 to 7 hrs. On an average, approximately, 300mg of Sagrada should be taken for a proper bowel movement and it should never be taken continuously for more than a week. Sagrada is totally forbidden for growing kids, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Rhubarb herb is often used in Chinese medicines as its root contains tannins. Some people might experience a change in the color of urine after using Rhubarb. Prolonged use of Rhubarb is harmful to individuals; in fact, even otherwise it cannot be administered to all the individuals. People with certain kind of ailments like liver problem, severe anemia should not opt for this herb as there are several side effects to it like abdominal cramps, etc. Leaves and pods of Senna plant are used in making colon cleansing products due to their laxative nature.

Colon cleansing products made out of Senna are available in various forms like powders, capsules, and liquid extracts. Overdose of Senna over a period of time can prove fatal to the individual. Herbs used in making colon cleansing products have special compounds called Anthraquinones that make them extremely useful in bowel cleansing therapy. All these herbs when taken in permitted quantities and by the prescribed methods can prove extremely salubrious to the individuals. In case, you experience any kind of discomfort while using these herbs seeks medical assistance immediately.