Cleanses...minor freakout.

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.

I do this every few months. Not to lose weight, but it makes me feel better. It also helps my crohns disease.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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!

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?