Cleanse Your Colon with These Common Spices
Cleansing the colon is possible with laxative spices that stimulate the intestinal cells.
There are many commercial colon cleansers available for purchase over-the-counter. But, most of them have harmful side effects that may even risk disrupting the electrolyte balance in the body. Instead of cleaning your gut, you may only end up with bad diarrhea and dehydration.
One of the safest and most natural ways of cleansing your colon at home is using the time-tested effectiveness of herbs and spices. Taking them overnight helps facilitate the bulking and removal of waste in the colon. Spices also prevent the buildup of toxins and free radicals that may harm the colon and cause cancer in the long run.
Importance of Cleansing the Colon
Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in both men and women according to the CDC. It happens when there is abnormal cell growth in the colon and rectum. The colon is the large intestine where feces is formed. When the cancerous cells move into the blood, they will damage other body organs or metastasize.
Colon cancer may be due to genetic syndrome or an inflammatory bowel disease. Lifestyle is also a factor that contributes to its increased risk. If you lack physical activity and consume a diet that is short of fiber, you are putting yourself at risk of colon cancer. Smoking and alcohol intake also contribute to the likelihood of this cancer developing.
As people age, cancer cells may also form from the polyps present in the colon. To prevent the polyps from spreading, the colon needs good flushing. It involves lifestyle and diet changes and using natural detox that alkalizes the body and removes wastes and toxins.
Herbal Remedies for Digestive Health
When it comes to digestive problems, traditional healers seek help from bitters. Bitter-tasting herbs regulate the hormones that relate to gut health and improve digestion and motility.
Consuming bitter herbs stimulate the taste buds which enables it to produce more saliva and release more gastric juice.
Insoluble fibers like psyllium husk are also known to improve the function of the colon. They speed up the movement of food to maintain proper bowel movement. Fiber bulks up the stool to make it easier to pass, preventing constipation and healing watery stools.
Another way of helping the colon’s function is taking laxatives to promote the proper movement of wastes. Laxatives stimulate the intestine to hasten gut motility by flushing water, waste and toxins from the colon.
The thing about laxatives is that they can become harmful when used for a long period. Overusing strong laxatives, even herbal ones, will make the intestine lose muscle and nerve response. The intestine can become ineffective in removing body wastes if the intestine gets dilated.
Cleansing the colon with laxative herbs is necessary only when bowel movements do not feel right. And, it should be done no more than once a month.
7 Important Spices for Colon Cleansing
To support gut health, you need safe and subtle cleansing herbs to complement your high-fiber and insoluble-fiber diet. These are herbs widely available everywhere and are considered pantry staples or culinary spices. These are the spices that promote a healthy stomach and help in regular bowel movements.
Ginger
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) is a gut-supportive spice that stimulates the production of gastric juices. This helps encourage proper digestion and prevention of gut-related problems. Ginger is one of the easiest and most effective herbs to consider for any stomach disturbances.
The gingerol found in ginger is the compound most responsible for colon cleansing. Gingerol is an antioxidant that also possesses a strong anti-inflammatory property. It binds with the harmful waste in the colon, soothes any inflammation in the gut, and effectively flushes the toxic waste.
Ginger is best taken as a tea the night before to cleanse the colon overnight. Try it for a relaxing and light morning feeling.
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Turmeric
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a super effective herbal remedy for Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. It has an anti-inflammatory property that is superior to ibuprofen and aspirin. Curcumin also prevents the remission of chronic bowel diseases.
The polyphenols present in turmeric are prized as the wonder drug of life for their ability to treat a wide range of health problems. Moreover, curcumin is an excellent gut cleanser and prevents the formation of damaging free radicals.
Clinical trials on turmeric are focused on its anti-cancer effect, especially in colorectal cancer.
To clean the colon effectively, prepare this turmeric-ginger tisane and consume it before bedtime.
Ingredients: 2 cups plant-based milk, ½ tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper, ½ tsp ginger, finely chopped, ½ tsp cinnamon powder, 1 tbsp honey.
Steps: Heat the milk in a saucepan and add all the ingredients. Serve with honey (optional).
Garlic
Garlic (Allium sativum) is also a pantry staple spice with therapeutic properties that benefits gut health. This powerful and flavorful aromatic spice contains sulfur compounds that aid in promoting health and wellness. The alliin, allicin and ajoene are just a few components of garlic effective in preventing cancer.
Raw garlic not only removes wastes and toxins in the colon but also kills parasites and pathogens in the intestine. Garlic is also inhibitory which prevents the formation and proliferation of cancer cells.
Including garlic in daily meal preparation helps you reap its cleansing and detoxification benefits. It is also safe when consumed in food amounts. For colon polyps, eating 3 to 4 pieces of crushed garlic lowers the risk of contracting colorectal and other types of cancers.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed or linseed (Linum usitatissimum) is a superfood known for its excellent digestive properties. It is a high-fiber seed with mucilage gum. The mucilage, or gel-forming soluble fiber, binds with the mucus in the digestive tract. It prevents the mucous from drying for a soothing and cleansing effect on the digestive tract.
By protecting the mucous membrane, pathogens cannot proliferate in the colon and prevent abnormal growth of cells. Research studies show that the lignans in flaxseed are colon-cancer protective and curb their proliferation.
If you feel bloated and constipated, give your colon a quick fix. Take a tablespoon of flaxseeds with a glass of water to cleanse and protect your digestive system.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum) is a well-recognized spice in Ayurvedic medicine for preventing constipation and alleviating painful stomach ulcers. It is a gastric stimulant and anti-cancer herb packed with antioxidants and other volatile compounds.
Fenugreek is rich in fiber and gum mucilage that protects and improves digestive functions. It irrigates the cells to facilitate cleansing activities and remove toxic wastes. The husk of fenugreek has a high fiber content which increases the bulk of the food waste. It has non-starchy polysaccharides aiding in smooth digestion and facilitating colon cleansing.
To use it for colon cleansing, soak 1 tsp fenugreek seeds in a cup of water overnight. Strain and drink its water early in the morning once a day. Do not consume fenugreek seeds more than 1 tablespoon a day. Excessive consumption may cause digestive troubles like diarrhea and indigestion.
Cumin
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) is also a valued spice in Ayurvedic medicine. This spice is popularly used in treating colic in children because of its excellent carminative property. It is also a go-to herb against food poisoning as it excellently curbs the growth of microorganisms like E. coli.
Cumin seeds help with digestive issues, especially in relieving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Cumin is beneficial in digestion and in removing toxic waste in the colon. It also prevents tumor growth to lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
Flush your colon with cumin by roasting cumin seeds and grinding them into powder. Take 1 tsp with warm water or mix it with yogurt and consume on an empty stomach.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a nutty seed for garnishing bread, pastries and salads. It also has bioactive compounds that are beneficial in preventing diseases and cleansing the body. Sesame seeds contain lignans like sesamol and sesamin with high antioxidative actions.
Sesame seeds are high in fiber. This facilitates the digestion and proper disposal of waste from the intestine. The seeds also contain phytate, an anticarcinogenic compound that effectively reduces the risk of colon cancer.
To get the prime benefit from sesame, incorporate its seeds as an ingredient in any meal or use sesame oil when cooking. But if you have gout, minimize your intake of sesame as it contains high oxalate which can aggravate the symptoms.
Takeaway
Cleansing the colon and the digestive system with herbs and spices is a safe and simple way of detoxifying the body. A colon cleanse releases toxic wastes and pushes them out of the system. By improving digestion and cleaning the gut, it will yield positive health effects on the body as a whole.
There are many ways to do colon cleansing, mostly by using laxatives that force the bowel out. If you want a gentler way, taking a few of the common spices will help. It is a safe way of cleansing the colon without adverse side effects.
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Thank you.
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Many blessings and good health!
Hi,…So I’m one of those folks who, unfortunately, began taking herbal laxatives in my 30’s after a second bout with Rheumatic fever in a10 year period. Each time I had been sick, antibiotics were prescribed, and after the second illness at age 31 they had me on antibiotics for nearly 11 months! Needless to say, my microbiome was suffering, and by the time I was 32 or 33 my colon wasn’t functioning well enough on it’s own and I started using herbal laxatives. Fast forward about 45 years and I’m doing everything I can to remedy the situation, but still have to rely on those laxatives! Do you have any suggestions of herbs that might help the muscle and nerve functions to ‘wake up’? I’ve had colonoscopies and am in good shape there, thank goodness,…but gut function really needs help.(Am using Megasporebiotic and have been working with diet for years,…just sondering if you’d had luck with any particular herbs when presented with this problem. Thanks so much for your time and wisdom!
Hi, I am not an expert, I am iron deficient and had to take supplements. So, after a surgery I had it never dawned on me what pain meds would do to my stool, already struggling and taking probiotics for Iron deficiency. I graduated to a new level of clogged. After some research I decided to cut out coffee (caffeine) diet coke (artificial sweeteners) and learn to ferment my own food for better gut health. I also make a tonic or juice containing, Fresh Pineapple, cucumber, ginger, cumin, and cyanine. This all helped, I also found Ryze a mushroom coffee substitute! a blend of several mushrooms, which all help with digestion issues!! I have to add some cream to mine but It really helps. and I now love it and don’t miss the coffee. Good luck, I hope you get some relief…