![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Hypokalemia is a common clinical problem. Potassium enters the body via oral intake or intravenous infusion, is largely stored in the cells, and then excreted in the. You may think you know your stuff when it comes to pooping and your health, but misconceptions are common. Here's the truth about poop and your health. Gabe Mirkin Show. Listen to more than 200 hours of The Dr. Gabe Mirkin Show on your computer. Browse through the topics below and listen to the archived shows. ![]() According to the Harvard Medical School website, the cost of bowel cleansing products can range. Find out which food and drink can trigger diarrhoea, wind and other digestive problems in this slideshow from BootsWebMD. Natural Colon Cleansing: Is It Necessary? The practice of natural colon cleansing dates back to ancient Greece. In the U. S., cleansing the colon - - the large intestine - - became popular in the 1. But when the theories behind it lost support, it fell out of favor. Recently, though, colon cleansing - - using, for example, teas, enzymes, or colon irrigation - - has experienced resurgence. Is colon cleansing good for you? ![]() The jury is still out. That is because researchers have devoted little study to colon cleansing. For now, here is some information that might help you decide whether colon cleansing is for you. What is natural colon cleansing? There are two main colon- cleansing methods. One involves buying products; the other involves seeing a practitioner to have a colon irrigation. ![]() Colon cleansing with powdered or liquid supplements. You take some supplements used for colon cleansing by mouth. Others you take through the rectum. Either way, the idea is to help the colon to expel its contents. You can find these products on the Internet or in health food stores, supermarkets, or pharmacies. They include: Colon cleansing with colon irrigation (high colonics). ![]() ![]() The first modern colonic machine was invented about 1. Today, colonic hygienists or colon hydrotherapists perform colon irrigations. Colon irrigations work somewhat like an enema. But they involve much more water and none of the odors or discomfort. ![]() While you lie on a table, a low- pressure pump or a gravity- based reservoir flushes several gallons of water through a small tube inserted into your rectum. After the water is in the colon, the therapist may massage your abdomen. Then you release the water like a regular bowel movement; the process flushes out the fluids and waste. The therapist may repeat the process, and a session may last up to an hour. The practitioner may use a variety of water pressures and temperatures and may or may not combine water with enzymes, herbs, coffee, or probiotics. Probiotics are supplements containing beneficial bacteria. What is the theory behind natural colon cleansing? One of the main theories behind colon cleansing is an ancient belief called the theory of autointoxication. This is the belief that undigested meat and other foods cause mucus buildup in the colon. This buildup produces toxins, the theory goes, which enter the blood's circulation, poisoning the body. Continued. Some people claim these toxins cause a wide range of symptoms, such as: On the surface, the idea of toxins being reabsorbed by the body makes some sense. After all, rectal suppositories are used to rapidly administer drugs. Could toxins, too, be quickly entering the bloodstream from the colon? If colon cleansing has any effect, however, it likely has less to do with toxins than with its impact on the nervous system. What's the evidence? Reflexes in the bowel affect the entire nervous system. In fact, a wide range of symptoms caused by constipation can be relieved by enemas. If this is true of enemas, then perhaps colon cleansing has a similar effect. What is the goal of natural colon cleansing? The health claims made by producers of colon cleansing products and colon irrigation practitioners are broad and wide- reaching. Their main goal is to clear the colon of large quantities of stagnant, supposedly toxic waste encrusted on colon walls. Doing so, they claim, will enhance the vitality of the body. Other stated goals include: Colon cleansing has been studied in relation to a few health concerns. These include: Fecal incontinence or bowel leakage. Ostomy (surgical connection between an intestine and the outside of the body) care. Spasm during colonoscopy. Drug withdrawal. Before and during bowel surgeries. In most of these cases, no quality research has been done to tell whether or not a colon cleansing is helpful. Is natural colon cleansing needed? Are bowel movements enough to clear the colon? Or is it true that colon cleansing can be beneficial? This is still unclear. We do know that the body alone can do the following: Natural bacteria in the colon can detoxify food wastes. The liver also neutralizes toxins. Mucus membranes in the colon can keep unwanted substances from reentering the blood and tissues. The colon sheds old cells about every 3 days, preventing a buildup of harmful material. The normal number of bowel movements varies from person to person. Increasing the number of bowel movements doesn't improve weight loss. That's because the body absorbs most calories before they reach the large intestine. Continued. Are there risks associated with natural colon cleansing? Remember that . The government doesn't regulate natural colon cleansing products, so their potency, safety, and purity can't be guaranteed. And, each state has its own rules about whether or not practitioners must be professionally licensed. If you do decide to see a colon- cleansing therapist, choose one who is licensed by a recognized national organization and who follows that organization's standards. It's always a good idea to talk with your primary health provider before starting a new practice such as colon cleansing. Although the risk becomes greater the more often you have a colon cleanse, a review of similar procedures, such as enemas and sigmoidoscopies, shows the risk of severe effects is low when colon irrigations are performed by trained personnel using low pressures with the right equipment. In Britain, where practitioners carry out 5,6. However, there are some potential side effects: Be aware, if the therapist adds a substance to the water during colon irrigation, you run the risk of an allergic reaction. Do not use laxatives or colon irrigations long term. They can irritate or upset the balance of your colon's good bacteria and interfere with normal bowel function. Avoid colon irrigations, if you have: Regarding children, there may be an increase risk of mineral imbalances, therefore use caution with children. Follow the guidelines of the IACHC (International Association of Colon Hydrotherapists www. What else can you do to enhance colon health? What you eat - - not what you flush through your colon - - may have the greatest impact on colon health, lowering your risk of colon cancer and enhancing your overall health. Increasing both soluble and insoluble fiber can help with a wide range of gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diverticular disease, and colorectal cancer. The typical American consumes 1. If there are no gluten issues, add sources of both insoluble fiber, such as cereal and whole grains, and soluble fiber, such as bran, fruit, vegetables, and oatmeal. Also, drink plenty of fluids, but drink alcohol in moderation. Avoid tobacco and limit red meat. And, of course, get screened for colon cancer beginning at age 5. Sources. SOURCES: Horne, S. Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy, 2. American Cancer Society: Colon Therapy. All rights reserved. Twenty- Six Ways to Spot Quacks and Vitamin Pushers. Stephen Barrett, M. D. How can quacks and vitamin. Here are 2. 6 signs that should arouse suspicion. When Talking about Nutrients, They Tell Only Part of the. Story. Quacks tell you all the wonderful things that vitamins and. Many claim that their products. They Claim That Most Americans Are Poorly Nourished. This is an appeal to fear that is not only untrue, but ignores. United. States are obesity in the population at large (particularly the. Poor people. can ill afford to waste money on unnecessary vitamin pills. Their. food money should be spent on nourishing food. It is falsely alleged that Americans are so addicted to . In fact, no normal person following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is in any danger of vitamin deficiency. They Recommend . Their pitch resembles. Vitamin pushers will never tell you who doesn't. It can also. include nonessential chemicals that nobody needs to worry. They Say That Most Diseases Are Due to Faulty Diet and Can Be Treated with . Consult your doctor or any recognized. They will tell you that although diet is. Common symptoms. like malaise (feeling poorly), fatigue, lack of pep, aches (including. The persistence of such. It is not a reason to take vitamin pills. They Allege That Modern Processing Methods and Storage Remove all Nutritive Value from Our Food. It is true that food processing can change the nutrient content. But the changes are not so drastic as the quack, who. While. some processing methods destroy some nutrients, others add them. When they say that milling. B- vitamins, they don't bother to tell you that enrichment. When they tell you that cooking destroys vitamins. Any claims that minerals are destroyed. Heat does not destroy. They Claim That Diet Is a Major Factor in Behavior. Food quacks relate diet not only to disease but to behavior. These claims are based on a combination. They Claim That Fluoridation Is Dangerous. Curiously, quacks are not always interested in real deficiencies. The best way to obtain adequate amounts of this important. But quacks. usually oppose water fluoridation, and some advocate water. It seems that when they cannot profit. They Claim That Soil Depletion. Use of Pesticides and . If an essential. nutrient is missing from the soil, a plant simply doesn't grow. Before they can use them, plants. The vitamin content of a food is determined. Fertilizers can influence the levels of. American diet. The pesticide residue of our food supply. In fact, except for their. They Claim You Are in Danger of Being . Quacks want you to think they are out. They hope that if you trust them, you will buy. The fact is that the. Some actually protect our health by preventing spoilage. They Charge That the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). Have Been Set Too Low. The RDAs have been published by the National Research Council. They are defined as. RDAs are too low is obvious: if you believe. They Claim That under Everyday Stress, and in Certain. Diseases, Your Need for Nutrients Is Increased. Many vitamin manufacturers have advertised that . The average American—stressed or not—is not. The increased needs to which. Someone who is really in danger of deficiency due to an. But these promotions are aimed at average Americans. Athletes. get more than enough vitamins when they eat the food needed to. Many vitamin pushers suggest that smokers need vitamin C supplements. In America, cigarette smoking is the. Rather. than seeking false comfort by taking vitamin C, smokers who are. Suggestions. that . They Recommend . They may not tell you they earn their. The very term . All food is health. Did you ever. stop to think that your corner grocery, fruit market, meat market. They are—and they. By the way, have you ever wondered why people who eat lots. Or why so many . They Claim That . Each vitamin is a chain of atoms. With minor exception, molecules. Does it make sense. They Suggest That a Questionnaire Can Be Used to Indicate Whether You Need Dietary Supplements. No questionnaire can do this. A few entrepreneurs have devised. But such. symptoms occur much more frequently in conditions unrelated to. Even when a deficiency actually exists, the tests don't. That requires a physical examination. Many responsible nutritionists. But this. is done to make dietary recommendations, such as reducing fat. Supplements are seldom necessary. Be wary, too, of questionnaires purported to determine whether. These questionnaires are. The safest and best way to get nutrients. So even if a diet is deficient. They Say It Is Easy to. Lose Weight. Diet quacks would like you to believe that special pills or. This requires self- discipline: eating less, exercising. There are about 3,5. To lose one pound a week (a safe amount. The most sensible diet for. Most fad diets . But. Unless a dieter develops and maintains better. The term . Although. The cost of various treatment plans runs from a few dollars. The simple truth about . They Promise Quick, Dramatic, Miraculous Results. Often the promises are subtle or couched in . False promises of cure. They don't seem to care. Nor do quacks keep count—while. Quacks will tell you that . But they won't tell you that the . Nor do quacks inform. Megavitamin therapy (also called. They Routinely Sell Vitamins and Other . Practitioners. who sell supplements in their offices invariably recommend them. In addition, such products tend to be substantially. You should also disregard any publication or Web site whose editor. They Use Disclaimers Couched in Pseudomedical Jargon. Instead of promising to cure your disease, some quacks will. Of course, they never. First, since it is impossible. Moreover, if a quack is not a physician, the. Some approaches to . Quacks. may also suggest that fecal material collects on the lining of. The falsity of. this notion is obvious to doctors who perform intestinal surgery. Colonic. irrigation is done by inserting a tube into. Cases of death due to intestinal. They Use Anecdotes and Testimonials to Support Their Claims. We all tend to believe what others tell us about personal experiences. They may not actually have had the. If they did, their recovery most likely would have. X. Most single episodes of. Establishing medical truths requires. As an anonymous commenter to a blog said recently: . During the early 1. Yet analysis showed that it was simply distilled water! Tiredness and other minor aches and pains may respond. For these problems. A placebo is a substance. Vitamins (such as B1. Placebos act by suggestion. Unfortunately, some doctors swallow. Those who share such false beliefs do so because they. Homeopathic. believers make the same error. They Claim That Sugar Is a Deadly Poison. Many vitamin pushers would have us believe that refined (white). Sugar is a factor in the tooth. This, in turn, depends on such factors. They Display Credentials Not Recognized by Responsible Scientists or Educators. The backbone of educational integrity in America is a system. U. S. Secretary of Education or the. Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a nongovernmental. In the health. field, no nonaccredited school can qualify people to give trustworthy advice. Unfortunately, possession of an accredited degree does not. Some schools that teach unscientific methods. Worse yet, a small percentage. Since quacks operate outside of the scientific community, they. We and others we know have secured fancy . Don't assume that. Find. out whether their views are scientifically based. Some quacks are promoted with superlatives like . The. designation . The modern champion of this approach appears to be the late Gregory E. Caplinger, who claimed. Even legitimate credentials can be used to mislead. The American. Medical Association's . Most practicing. physicians meet this educational standard because it is necessary. Accredited hospitals require this. However, most physicians. AMA certificate. Since the. They Offer to Determine Your Body's Nutritional State. Invalid Test or a Questionnaire. Various health- food industry members and unscientific practitioners. If a. hair analysis laboratory recommends supplements, you can be sure. They Diagnose Their Favorite Diseases in Virtually Everyone Who Consults. Some. unscientific practitioners apply one or more of these diagnoses. The common ones include adrenal fatigue, candidiasis hypersensitivity, hypothyroidism, . Others may also profit by selling educational materials promoting these alleged conditions and supplement concoctions claimed to help them. They Claim They Are Being Persecuted by Orthodox Medicine and That Their Work Is Being Suppressed Because It's Controversial. The . Don't fall for such nonsense! Reputable physicians. Moreover, many doctors engaged in prepaid health. Quacks also claim there is a . The gambit . Everyone knows that vitamins. The real question is . Nutrition is a science, not a religion. Patients would flock to. Nobel Prize! And don't forget. Do you believe they would conspire to suppress. And neither will scientists mourn the eventual defeat. They Warn You Not to Trust Your Doctor. Quacks, who want you to trust them, suggest that most doctors. For the same. reason, quacks also claim that doctors are nutrition illiterates. The principles of nutrition are those of. Some medical schools don't teach a separate required course. In addition, many medical. A physician's training, of course, does not end on the day. Physicians can further. Most doctors know what nutrients can and cannot do and. Those who are unable to answer questions. Like all human beings, doctors sometimes make mistakes. However. quacks deliver mistreatment most of the time. They Encourage Patients to Crusade for Their Treatment Methods. A century ago, before scientific methodology was generally. But today, treatments demonstrated as effective are welcomed. Quacks seek political endorsement because they can't. Instead, they may seek to legalize. One. of the surest signs that a treatment doesn't work is a political. For Additional Information. References. Young JH, Mc. Fayden RE. The Koch Cancer Treatment. Journal. of the History of Medicine 5.
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