Cleanses...minor freakout.
ElizabethMcCathern
Posts: 114
I was just talking to a friend of mine who said she's planning on getting a colonic, but before that, she's going to do a "cleanse". According to her "doctor" (she sees a homeopathic practitioner) the cleanse flushes out your system and helps to release the toxins. It also "removes the traces of unhealthy chemicals from your body so you don't crave them anymore". She says that the cleanse she was going to do consists of drinking saltwater every morning, various teas and water during the day, and only one meal, which is something raw and organic like a salad or uncooked vegetables. All this to "prepare" her body for a raw food diet.
This sounds SO unhealthy to me....in so many ways.
Is there any merit to anything that she's doing? Or should I tell her that "doctor" is a quack and she needs to run for the hills?
This sounds SO unhealthy to me....in so many ways.
Is there any merit to anything that she's doing? Or should I tell her that "doctor" is a quack and she needs to run for the hills?
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Replies
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Very coflicting info out there on this subject, most the people I know, including myself, who have done them really felt better after so thats my input.0
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Very coflicting info out there on this subject, most the people I know, including myself, who have done them really felt better after so thats my input.
Did you really?
I'd imagine feeling so tired and...i dunno....bloated. LOL
Did you do the saltwater thing or an over-the-counter thing-a-ma-jig?0 -
I do this every few months. Not to lose weight, but it makes me feel better. It also helps my crohns disease.0
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I do this every few months. Not to lose weight, but it makes me feel better. It also helps my crohns disease.
Wow......maybe i misjudged.
It just sounds so extreme....not to mention i'd be worried about not having the energy to work out at all.0 -
I really did, felt lighter and more energetic. I tried the salt water thing and I just couldnt stomache it, plus I try to limit my salt intake so it didn't make sense, but I have done cleanses, and colonics and I do like them and how I feel, maybe twice a year.0
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I've never done salt water, I don't think I could get that down. I feel like I have more energy too. I usually do it for three days.0
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I really did, felt lighter and more energetic. I tried the salt water thing and I just couldnt stomache it, plus I try to limit my salt intake so it didn't make sense, but I have done cleanses, and colonics and I do like them and how I feel, maybe twice a year.
Wow.
Yeah the saltwater thing sounds....well....disgusting. LOL
Maybe it's not so bad. Not for me, but as long as it's not going to completely wreck her health then I suppose I won't worry too much.0 -
Well, I am definitely not a doctor, but I would say I thought that drinking salt water sounds bad. I would think that would dehydtrate you. As for the rest, if it's only for a day or two a diet of raw vegetable and liquids, like teas shouldn't harm her in any way. The drinking of the salt water is what sparks my concern. That just seems wierd to me. I'm glad you're concerned for her and will keep an eye on your friend.0
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I suppose it does feel good to get all the poop out. And done infrequently, on a young, mostly healthy individual probably causes no harm. But done frequently, is not only expensive, but is harmful. Remember, your filter orgrans like kidneys and liver do an amazing job of cleansing and they are on the job 24 hours a day 7 days a week for FREE! The saltwater cleanse has been around for over for half a century (or longer?). It will give you urgent, liquid stools, just like any other powerful laxative. Other than constipation relief, there is really no other benefit in these for you.0
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I don't believe it does any more than a enema, laxative, or eating super healthy and drinking a lot of water. It pushes out poo, It isn't probably going around your body sucking out chemicals, it's probably just flushing you out. That makes you feel lighter and better, i'm sure. The methods to do that are different, and some can be unhealthy-ish. All in all it's a flushing out of the pipes, but with a trendy name.0
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Not sure what to say about it, I've heard good & bad. But if she's drinking a lot of salt it will dehydrate her, and it can increase blood pressure. But if it's a small amount, I would assume it's to ensure a proper electrolyte balance. But I'd ask for a second opinion if my healtcare professional insisted on a salty beverage & a colon cleanse...but I have no experience with it, so I am unsure of it all! :flowerforyou:0
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I don't believe it does any more than a enema, laxative, or eating super healthy and drinking a lot of water. It pushes out poo, It isn't probably going around your body sucking out chemicals, it's probably just flushing you out. That makes you feel lighter and better, i'm sure. The methods to do that are different, and some can be unhealthy-ish. All in all it's a flushing out of the pipes, but with a trendy name.0
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Oh, and another thing. Any time you mess with the natural balance of things you cause some overgrowth of the bad things you won't want. Without the good things there to keep control. That's what antibiotics do, upset the good flora and allow the undesirable things already there to take advantage. So, like rinishing out the vagina with a douche too often, it's just not healthy or necessary in most cases. Unless, say, you need a colonoscopy.... and there is such a thing as water intoxication: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm too much water either down one end or up the other.0
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Cleaning out the pipes?
Well........I guess I see why it makes you feel lighter. haha0 -
I cleanse once or twice a year (colon and for heavy metals); it is important to use supplements. My chiropractor has a great line for cleansing that comes out of California. She goes for homeopathic, but she would kill me if I did the saltwater method!0
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I agree with those that mentioned that the liver, kidneys do a great job of filtering for our bodies. I am always wary of something that is supposed to cleanse me - I mean, doesn't my body do that - as long as I don't fill it with tons of junk and over load it?
I say approach with caution0 -
I tried one of those "safe detox in a box" cleanse kits last March and I ended up in the Emergency Room the next day. I was extremely dehydrated, feeling awful, experiencing vertigo and panic attacks. It really screwed up my body chemistry and all I have to show for it is a couple of thousands of dollars in medical bills!
Since then, I've made a personal commitment to stick with natural/normal solutions, like increasing my fiber and water intake and watching my diet. Avoid the "quick fix" or the "miracle treatments". I'm not a doctor or an expert, so this is only my opinion, but it has been my experience that there are a lot of scams and hoaxes within the alternative medicine community. I believe part of this may be attributed to the fact that many zealous followers are highly suggestible and gullible to snake oil tonics and other financially motivated "cures". It's almost like a cult amongst some, where the power of belief sometimes overrides critical thinking, logic and reason, so I would suggest you do your research and get informed before doing anything unnatural or that just doesn't seem "right" to you. Don't fall for fancy titles or credentials. Use common sense! My question to the doctor would be if drinking salt water is so good for you, why do people stranded at sea go delirious and eventually die drinking it?0 -
It doesn't suck out heavy metals or anything more than your intestines and kidneys are already getting rid of, either. That sort of thinking goes along the same lines that it's really not true the gum you eat stays in your stomach forever, or grapefruit sucks the fat out of your thighs. Someone is making a lot of money out of homeopathic thingies for gullible people with the word "homeopathic". D0
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