I often read about celebrities (i.e.: Jennifer Aniston) using colonics as a weight-loss tool. Are they a good way to lose 5 pounds quickly, which you can then keep off with dieting?-- Tiffany Polder
San Francisco, CA
How coincidental! I was planning on publishing a posting on colonics when this question arrived in my Inbox.
I wonder if Tiffany and I were both thinking along the same lines after catching an insepid Vh1 special on celebrity diet secrets where, among other things, they shared that Kate Beckinsale, Ben Affleck, Demi Moore, and Madonna are big fans of colonics (a process where a gallon or so of water is flushed into the intestines via the rectum, which supporters believe helps cleanse and purify internal organs).
I find colonics to be unnecessary and not at all useful for weight-loss purposes.
Much of their reputation stems from the fact that after finishing a colonic procedure, people find they immediately dropped four or five pounds. Guess what? It's all water weight. In other words, once they go home and eat and drink like normal, all that weight is gained right back.
Remember, water weight is not lost, it is just temporarily gone.
It's also important to note that we carry beneficial bacteria in our colon that act as immune barriers to a variety of pathogens. Since a colonic flushes both the good and the bad out, people can be susceptible to a variety of illnesses and infections for a few days until the helpful bacteria re-establishes itself.
Since some of these bacteria are responsible for the production of Vitamin K, it is sometimes advisable to take a Vitamin K supplement after getting a colonic.
Successful weight loss is attributed to adopting healthy habits like portion control and choosing nutrient dense foods, which a colonic does not teach you.
If you are concerned with ridding your body of toxins, eating your recommended amount of fiber, staying hydrated, and cutting back on added sugars and saturated fats will do the trick.
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5 comments:
Why on earth would anyone want to stick a tube up their arse and turn on the tap???
Madness!!
lol philip..
Andy, as a nutritionist, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this new pill called "Alli". Seems to be quite a big thing, being FDA approved and not needing a prescription for it. What do you think?
Its not water weight thats lost its poop. Even if you have a bowel movement every day you most likely still have waste that is stuck to the lining of your colon and all that old waste is toxic. A colonic takes all that old toxic waste out of your body and also reshapes the colon so it works better to get rid of that waste on its own. Dont diss it until you read more about it. There are so many health benefits to getting one. And for people who suffer from constipation or IBS its extremely beneficial. Just today I was on an IBS website and read a ton of positive reviews from people who suffered from IBS for years, tried taking pills, and been in agony until they started using colonics which have helped them get their lives back. People get scared about alternative medicine because we have been trained to think only pills can help. But if you think about it, it makes sense to work from the inside out. Americans eat so much food filled with byproducts and chemicals. What do you think happens when it goes in your body? It doesnt all come out and those harsh ingredients start negatively affecting your body. Haven't you ever noticed the relief people feel after going to the bathroom? Makes sense to me. Do some research and you'll be surprised. Colonics date all the way back to the ancient Egyptians.
I just had my first one last weekend. As a person who suffers from bloating and constipation and has tried everything the doctors said, eating more fruit and veggies, drinking more water, and exercising and still having problems, the colonic helped me feel better than i have in a while. I totally believe in them.
"A colonic takes all that old toxic waste out of your body and also reshapes the colon so it works better to get rid of that waste on its own."
Reshapes the colon? And what shape would that be?
"Dont diss it until you read more about it."
I have read plenty about it (and human physiology) to know they are not necessary.
The best colonic is a high-fiber diet and plenty of fluids.
"And for people who suffer from constipation or IBS its extremely beneficial."
People who suffer from constipation are better off increasing their insoluble fiber intake than going in for colonics.
"People get scared about alternative medicine because we have been trained to think only pills can help."
I don't advocate pills. I advocate balanced nutrition and healthy eating.
"But if you think about it, it makes sense to work from the inside out."
Precisely -- by nourishing your body with the right nutrients, not by flushing out feces through a tube.
"It doesnt all come out and those harsh ingredients start negatively affecting your body. Haven't you ever noticed the relief people feel after going to the bathroom?"
The relief has nothing to do with how healthy or unhealthy your diet is. And, tell me, where exactly do these ingredients stay in the body?
"Colonics date all the way back to the ancient Egyptians."
What does that have to do with their efficacy? Foot binding dates back to ancient China, does that mean we should start doing that, too?
Great post thanks now i can start reschedule my diet.
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