Cleansing
The
Colon

Excerpt from
FASTING TO FREEDOM

There are two types of fiber soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water. In the blood, soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol by binding with low-density lipoproteins. Water-soluble fiber can be found in apples, oranges, oat bran and beans.

Insoluble fiber is the substance in food that cannot be digested or absorbed by the intestine. This category includes pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose and gums. Fiber is found only in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. Eggs, dairy products, and meats do not contain any form of fiber.

Studies found that cultures that have a high fiber diet have a much lower incidence of diverticulosis, which affects 30 million Americans. A weakening in the large intestinal wall caused by the pressure from hard feces produces this disease. The American Journal of Digestive Disorders reported that 85% of diverticulosis sufferers were successfully treated with a high-fiber diet.

Fiber cleans out mucus from the intestinal tract and lowers cholesterol. Fiber decreases the transit time through the intestine. Cancer of the colon can be attributed to a lack of dietary fiber. Animal products do not have any fiber so their passage through the intestine is slow. The proteins ferment and allow harmful bacteria to multiply within the colon. The harmful bacteria secrete carcinogenic waste as a by-product that damages the intestine. Nutritionists recommend a salad with a meal high in meat or dairy products. The fiber in vegetables slows down fermentation and neutralizes some of the toxins in the bowel. It is important to break a fast with fruits and vegetables. Their high fiber content acts like a cleaning sponge within the intestine.

Although fiber is important for a healthy diet and a clean colon, during fasting, fiber slows down the healing process. It causes the digestive system to work. If you eat five pounds of raw carrots rather than drink the juice, your body will have to do the work of extracting nutrients and moving the fiber by peristalsis. Allowing the digestive system to rest is essential in healing. For this reason, juice fasts are more effective in healing when the intestine is empty of fiber. During a juice fast, it is best to use a strainer to filter the pulp from vegetable and fruit juices.

The process of discharging toxic waste is accelerated during a fast, especially during water or restricted juice fasting. Regular bowel movements are disrupted because of lack of fiber. Therefore the toxic waste discharged into the intestine ferments and can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream causing a cleansing crisis or general irritation.

Using The Enema Kit
Enemas are far from being a spiritual experience, yet they can have a beneficial role to play in fasting. The thought of inserting a liter of water into the intestine to flush out waste may seem beyond consideration. But the quickest and most efficient way of removing toxic waste from the intestine is an enema. The lymph glands, which line the intestinal wall, absorb and filter fluid from the feces. Flushing water through the colon causes a healing reflex. Lukewarm water cleanses the lymph attached to the colon, and waste is washed from the system.

At the start of a fast, using the kit can be uncomfortable. By the third time, the water will pass through the intestines without obstruction. To lessen this initial discomfort, live on a raw food diet for a few days before using the kit. Fill the kit full of lukewarm water, preferably filtered, spring or well water. Hang it approximately three feet above the floor. This height will create a comfortable pressure level. Release the clamp and void the first bit of water and air into the toilet. Lubricate the tip of the nozzle. Now lay on your left side and gently insert the nozzle into the rectum.

The release clip controls the water flow. As water moves up the intestinal tract, you may experience slight cramps. If so, press the clip to stop the flow. Relax for a moment and massage the stomach in an upward motion. This massaging also will release hardened mucus in the intestinal folds. As the cramps subside, release the clip again. Make sure that you have close access to a toilet for at least twenty minutes in case there is additional discharge.

Use the kit daily for at least the first three days of fasting. It takes this long to empty the intestine. Afterward, use the kit every second or third day. When the intestine is empty the digestive enzymes are able to cleanse the intestinal walls, especially the hardened deposits in the corners and folds. As fasting continues, more embedded toxins are released. You can fast 40 days on water and still release toxins and impacted feces embedded in your colon. The cleansing process works best when the intestine is empty of food. The body can then easily dump cellular waste into the intestine. An enema is valuable in other situations such as food poisoning, diarrhea, constipation. or sickness.

Do not use chlorinated water. It is harmful to the colon's beneficial bacteria. If tap water is your only alternative, replace the intestinal bacteria after the fast with the replacement technique mentioned later in this chaper. It is preferable to use the enema on water fasts that are longer than three days and juice fasts that are longer than five days.

The more toxic your diet has been or if you are sick, the more you need to use the enema during fasting. Drug residues, food additives, toxic fat, pollutants, food additives, preservatives, flavor enhancers and contaminants are the leftovers of the North American Diet. You want to do everything possible to help their quick exit from your body.

Psyllium Husk And Flaxseeds
For those who are uncomfortable with using the enema kit, psyllium husk or flaxseeds are an alternative. You can safely juice fast for extended periods using psyllium husk. The substance is a bulking agent (mucilage). It swells within the intestine to a gel, helping to absorb toxins and speed transit time of waste through the intestine. This reduces the toxic build-up that can occur during juice fasting. Both psyllium and flaxseeds contain a demulcent, which is an agent that soothes and protects the lining of the intestine. It also reduces occasional diarrhea that can be caused by fruit juices. The psyllium eliminates constipation upon breaking the fast. Two or three teaspoons of whole psyllium husk or two teaspoons of flax seeds a day (available at health food stores) as a regular supplement to a diet or while juice fasting can be beneficial. A drawback of using psyllium or flaxseeds during a fast is the mucus-forming effect that slows down the healing process. Using psyllium while on a water fast has a definite sinus-clogging effect. The enema kit is still the best for assisting healing. Using psyllium husk and flaxseeds to help cleanse the colon is a compromise.

Colon-Cleansing Formulas
These are mixtures of several dietary fibers, both soluble and insoluble. They may include various herbs that have a cleansing effect on the colon. These are superior to psyllium husk, but are more expensive and range in prices from $10 to $30.

Intestinal Bacteria
Inside a healthy lower intestine are billions of beneficial intestinal bacteria or microflora. These bacteria are of the bifidus and acidophilus strains and were transferred by breast-feeding into our intestines as newborn infants.

The acidophilus and bifidus are used by the body in the final stages of digestion. They do this work and reproduce themselves in total harmony with the body. Toxins, especially drugs, can damage or destroy these beneficial bacteria, allowing harmful bacteria to take over. Harmful bacteria produce by-products like ammonia, purines and ethionine, which can cause cancer. Deficiencies of beneficial bacteria are common. especially after heavy use of antibiotics, narcotics or after a severe bout of diarrhea. The devitalizing effect caused by harmful bacteria in the intestine is rarely diagnosed. Headaches, skin infections, weakness and constipation can be symptoms of depleted intestinal bacteria.

Laxatives
Fruits and fruit juices have a natural laxative effect. The soft fibers have a cleansing effect on the intestine. This laxative effect stops after the colon happily adjusts to the soft fibers. (If fruit juices cause excessive diarrhea during fasting, use psyllium or the enema to eliminate the problem.)

If used moderately for short periods, laxatives can help remove toxins from the intestine during a fast. Some people feel that the most effective cleansing is in using the enema kit combined with natural laxatives. Others prefer using psyllium and a glass of prune juice or senna tea.

If you choose herbal laxatives, never take them for prolonged periods. Moderate use of natural laxatives, while juice fasting or while on a mucus-less diet is a matter of personal preference.

Intestinal Bacteria Replacement
Fasting depletes the beneficial bacteria because large quantities of toxins are dumped from the lymph glands into the colon. There is little food substance left on which the bacteria can live. Using the enema kit also depletes the beneficial bacteria, especially if chlorinated water is used.

To re-establish intestinal bacteria, purchase plain yogurt with the correct lacto-bacteria content such as President Choice or Astro's Biobest. Most other brands will not work because the culture contained in them is the type found in animals' intestines. You may use acidophilus and bifidus capsules available in health food stores. Mix one tablespoon of yogurt or 2 capsules with one-half cup of water. You may add some warm water but do not heat the mixture or use tap water due to chlorine. After blending the mixture, add it to the enema kit, hanging it high. Try to retain the mixture for ten minutes allowing the beneficial bacteria to pass up through the intestine. This procedure will ensure a healthy culture that will propagate indefinitely without further implants.

Bifidus and acidophilus capsules are heavily encapsulated to prevent destruction of the bacteria by stomach acid. On the day before you break the fast, before eating, swallow two capsules with a glass of warm water. It will take four days for the bacteria to reproduce themselves into a healthy culture.

Having a healthy intestine is vital to a healthy body. Eating over-processed, fiber-less foods has resulted in sickness and disease because of a dysfunctional colon. Eighty-percent of all the nutrients from food are absorbed through the intestine. If we eat the way God intended, our intestine will be healthy and clean. God has designed our food with a healthy intestine in mind.