Juicing: Healthy detox or diet trap?

What is the theory behind natural colon cleansing?

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 1920s and 1930s. 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.

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.

Some people claim these toxins cause a wide range of symptoms, such as:

Fatigue
Headache
Weight gain
Low energy
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.

Look, when your most credible source is WebMD, and their 'sources' are "some people" and "ancient beliefs", you don't have a statistical leg to stand on, dude. There's a reason they kept dying in their early thirties when people practiced their "ancient beliefs", your colon cleansing included.

Unless you're drinking GoLytely, your colon is going to have some residue. It is the nature of the design. Unless you've been eating rancid roadkill or drinking wastewater, there aren't a whole lot of "toxins" hanging out in your colon. There ARE, however, millions of friendly bacteria offering your their protection and assistance, and every time you decide to "clean" your colon you screw up their happy little paradise and invite other less friendly bacteria to take over. They aren't so interested in helping you.

Now would someone please tell me, yes or no, that juicing involves throwing away the pulp of the fruits and veggies? Because if it does, I can't imagine how dumb it would be to throw away the fiber that would help more than anything to "clean" your colon. Wtfriggityf.

No throwing away of pulp. No worries there.

Secondly, anyone taking a cleanse should absolutely replenish their gut flora by taking a solid probiotic

Thirdly, I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool believer. I'm curious for myself, and more so I'm curious about how it may or may not affect the mucus production in my body. It's an experiment. If it doesn't make any appreciable difference I probably won't continue to do it.

So if you don't throw away the pulp. why don't you just eat the apple or kale or blueberries? What did mashing the heck out of them achieve? What's the point behind this? Did Ninja and Magic Bullet somehow start a bunch of fake studies to convince a bunch of gullible people they must take their fruits and veggies in liquid form?

Question for you: what do doctors prefer folks do before going in for a colonoscopy?

Flush. And before you start jumping on the couch like Tom Cruise, that's for VISIBILITY, not some bogeyman toxins. I've seen colonoscopies, I've helped perform them, I've helped people prep for them. I have it from the Dr's mouth: GoLytely is so that they can SEE what and where they are going. Not to clean out your magic toxic friends.

Ok right. Visibility. So does that mean that there's some gunk up in there that could use being flushed out on occasion? Clearly it means there's something that doesn't get purged through typical bathroom trips yes?

Why do you seem to think your intestinal surface should be squeaky clean after each dump? What exactly do you think your intestines are supposed to look like, that shiny pink velvet-carpet image they put in the anatomy books?

The intestines and colon do a TON of absorption of nutrients (which is why suppositories are a thing). Is it so wild and fantastic to imagine that when these areas are NOT shiny and clean, the elements of the left over fermenting waste materials reabsorb? Is that completely and utterly impossible?

I don't have the answer, thus the experiment.

Question for you: what do doctors prefer folks do before going in for a colonoscopy?

Flush. And before you start jumping on the couch like Tom Cruise, that's for VISIBILITY, not some bogeyman toxins. I've seen colonoscopies, I've helped perform them, I've helped people prep for them. I have it from the Dr's mouth: GoLytely is so that they can SEE what and where they are going. Not to clean out your magic toxic friends.

Ok right. Visibility. So does that mean that there's some gunk up in there that could use being flushed out on occasion? Clearly it means there's something that doesn't get purged through typical bathroom trips yes?

No. Nothing gets built up you know why...your body makes poop DAILY. Mind blowing I know, but yes, this is a daily thing. You body may hold onto this pooh, but it's always on the move towards coming out. So gastro docs want/need a clear view and they have to get your poop out, which your body ironically just made. It's not toxins. There's nothing for poop and toxins to grab on to to hang out like people like to think

If poop creates no residue in your colon, why do you have to wipe?

ETA: this is the grossest convo I think I've ever had.

Question for you: what do doctors prefer folks do before going in for a colonoscopy?

Flush. And before you start jumping on the couch like Tom Cruise, that's for VISIBILITY, not some bogeyman toxins. I've seen colonoscopies, I've helped perform them, I've helped people prep for them. I have it from the Dr's mouth: GoLytely is so that they can SEE what and where they are going. Not to clean out your magic toxic friends.

Ok right. Visibility. So does that mean that there's some gunk up in there that could use being flushed out on occasion? Clearly it means there's something that doesn't get purged through typical bathroom trips yes?

Why do you seem to think your intestinal surface should be squeaky clean after each dump? What exactly do you think your intestines are supposed to look like, that shiny pink velvet-carpet image they put in the anatomy books?

The intestines and colon do a TON of absorption of nutrients (which is why suppositories are a thing). Is it so wild and fantastic to imagine that when these areas are NOT shiny and clean, the elements of the left over fermenting waste materials reabsorb? Is that completely and utterly impossible?

I don't have the answer, thus the experiment.

Question for you: what do doctors prefer folks do before going in for a colonoscopy?

Flush. And before you start jumping on the couch like Tom Cruise, that's for VISIBILITY, not some bogeyman toxins. I've seen colonoscopies, I've helped perform them, I've helped people prep for them. I have it from the Dr's mouth: GoLytely is so that they can SEE what and where they are going. Not to clean out your magic toxic friends.

Ok right. Visibility. So does that mean that there's some gunk up in there that could use being flushed out on occasion? Clearly it means there's something that doesn't get purged through typical bathroom trips yes?

Why do you seem to think your intestinal surface should be squeaky clean after each dump? What exactly do you think your intestines are supposed to look like, that shiny pink velvet-carpet image they put in the anatomy books?

The intestines and colon do a TON of absorption of nutrients (which is why suppositories are a thing). Is it so wild and fantastic to imagine that when these areas are NOT shiny and clean, the elements of the left over fermenting waste materials reabsorb? Is that completely and utterly impossible?

I don't have the answer, thus the experiment.

The body is an amazing thing...it doesn't absorb things it doesn't need. Like if I take a vitamin and a vitamin b pill and my body says oh, we only need 1/2 of that vitamin b pill to reach our goal, it pees the rest of it out. It doesn't reabsorb it. It's amazing how efficient our bodies are.

Just like how when someone becomes a vegetarian, after awhile your body realizes it's making an enzyme that is only used to break down meat, your body then ceases to make that enzyme because it's a waste of energy.

The human body the most efficient thing ever.

Most people who juice frequently don't throw the pulp away - they save it and use it in other recipes (added to soups, baked goods and in homemade veggie or bean burgers etc). Juicing removes fiber and without the fiber the nutrients get into your system quickly (since they don't have fiber slowing digestion down) . It's great for people who have digestive issues, are healing from surgery or not feeling well - they get a high quantity of nutrients with little effort. Smoothies are thicker because they keep the fiber in which keeps you full longer but they can be harder on the digestive system . People who juice or do smoothies tend to prefer one over the other but both have their benefits.

Just stop. Stop. Please. Make it stop.

ETA: And adieu.

Question for you: what do doctors prefer folks do before going in for a colonoscopy?

Flush. And before you start jumping on the couch like Tom Cruise, that's for VISIBILITY, not some bogeyman toxins. I've seen colonoscopies, I've helped perform them, I've helped people prep for them. I have it from the Dr's mouth: GoLytely is so that they can SEE what and where they are going. Not to clean out your magic toxic friends.

Ok right. Visibility. So does that mean that there's some gunk up in there that could use being flushed out on occasion? Clearly it means there's something that doesn't get purged through typical bathroom trips yes?

Why do you seem to think your intestinal surface should be squeaky clean after each dump? What exactly do you think your intestines are supposed to look like, that shiny pink velvet-carpet image they put in the anatomy books?

The intestines and colon do a TON of absorption of nutrients (which is why suppositories are a thing). Is it so wild and fantastic to imagine that when these areas are NOT shiny and clean, the elements of the left over fermenting waste materials reabsorb? Is that completely and utterly impossible?

I don't have the answer, thus the experiment.

The body is an amazing thing...it doesn't absorb things it doesn't need. Like if I take a vitamin and a vitamin b pill and my body says oh, we only need 1/2 of that vitamin b pill to reach our goal, it pees the rest of it out. It doesn't reabsorb it. It's amazing how efficient our bodies are.

Just like how when someone becomes a vegetarian, after awhile your body realizes it's making an enzyme that is only used to break down meat, your body then ceases to make that enzyme because it's a waste of energy.

The human body the most efficient thing ever.

this is patently false. the body absorbs whatever there is to absorb. it's not a choice. what about radiation? what about carcinogens? what about lead poisoning? what on earth are you talking about?