Keeping your colon healthy is probably one of the best steps you can take toward your overall health and well being. If you find that you're already having problems with constipation or unexplained fatigue, you may want to consider a few more natural herbal treatments.
The following suggestion doesn't fall into the herbal category, but it is a natural therapy which is very popular. It's activated charcoal, a type of carbon made from wood, vegetable and other materials. It resembles a fine black powder and is believed to have a great absorption capacity. And it's this ability that allows it to bind with the unwanted matter and toxins in the colon. You can also find activated charcoal in liquid form.
You might not have heard of this second natural remedy. It's bentonite, a clay that is now available in supplement form. The primary ingredient in this material is hydrated aluminum silicate. Other ingredients found in bentonite include calcium, magnesium and iron. Once the bentonite gets into the system, it begins to absorb water. It stays in the digestive tract where it's thought that it not only binds to the toxins, but renders them harmless in the process. Bentonite then promotes the excretion of these toxins.
An herb traditionally used in Chinese medicine that may help you clean your colon is rhubarb. Not to be confused with the plant your grandfather grew in his backyard, this legendary herb contains powerful compounds associated with laxatives and in fact contain anthraquinones, the same ingredient found in the herb cascara sagrada which stimulates bowel movements.
Rhubarb, though, also contains something called tannins, which are thought to reduce the inflammation in the colon. Because of these tannins, Chinese medicine uses rhubarb to help alleviate diarrhea.
You can find rhubarb in capsules, as liquid extracts and as a dried root. Rhubarb works within six to 12 hours after being ingested.
Psyllium seeds have been popularized recently because of the host of fiber additives on the market today. Psyllium seeds contain a category of fiber called mucilage. Mucilage enters the digestive tract and absorbs water. When it does this, it swells, making the stools in the colon bulkier. This, in turn, triggers contractions of the colon walls. These contractions then lead to bowel movements.
You'll only need one to two teaspoons of ground psyllium seeds mixed with eight ounces of water. Usually taken one to three times per day. When you take this natural remedy, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you don't, you run the risk of obstructing the colon and only making your constipation worse.
