There's a sucker born every minute...

This past week i've had a horrible realization. Many people are sorely misinformed on the subject of health and nutrition. I had the misfortune of talking to four different individuals this week who were taking part in one of the most abhorrent things I can think of - a "cleansing" diet. It blows my mind to even imagine the absurdity of the rationale behind this. I would like to dispel a lot of fallicies that each person cited as a reason for this ridiculous action.

Fallicy #1 - "We are all constipated" - I know what you're thinking - this is a joke, right? No, this was actually one of the reasons given to me by one of these individuals. I laughed so hard that I was afraid I might experience the opposite of their arguement. Seriously? Look, if you are having GI problems, you can treat that typically by adjusting the fiber in your diet. For more serious incidences, you should see a doctor. You do not need to spend a week living off of lemon juice and Cayenne pepper every few weeks to fix this. I'm not joking. Dr. Michael Picco M.D., a Gastroenterologist with the Mayo Clinic (one of the most renowned hospitals in America) states that the standard fiber intake should be 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women age 50 and under and 30 grams for men and 21 grams for women age 51 and older. If you've made these adjustments to your diet and are still experiencing long-term constipation, you should see your doctor as there could be a serious problem.

Fallicy #2 - "Toxins build up in your colon" - This theory is called autointoxication and there's about as much truth to it as there is to O.J.'s innocence. Your body is very adept at removing unnecessary and unusable material. In fact, that is part of your digestive track's job! There are no harmful toxins building up in your colon, poisoning you and making you sick. So-called "experts" say that the build up over time of rotting fecal matter leads to all kinds of illness including cancer. This is so proposterous that it would be funny if people didn't actually believe it. Yes, we as americans eat a lot of unhealthy garbage, but even the junk we eat has nutritional value of some sort. Our bodies break that down, remove it through out the intestines. We are extremely efficient at eliminating waste. If you're having problems with this, again, see your doctor.

Fallicy #3 - "A friend of mine tried it and it worked" - Ok, this is where symantecs comes in. What do you mean it "worked"? Sure, it cleaned you out, but in reality it did nothing to make you healthier in the long run. Regular colon cleansing is harmful. Don't take my word on it, check with your doctor. Do the research, but make sure you get it from the right source. If you're looking for things on the internet, try government sponsered sights such as ACSM, NIH, ACSH and others. Try the going to Mayoclinic.com or other hospital websites and see what the guys who studied for 8+ years after college have to say. I know it might be easier to trust someone you've met, but i'm pretty sure you're better off trusting the professionals.

Fallicy #4 - "I'm much healthier now" - Absolutely not true. If anything, you're worse off, especially if you've been doing it for prolonged periods of time. Fecal matter remains in your colon for a reason. It's the site for water absorption and reabsorption and it's also where a lot of the absorbtion of sodium and other electrolytes takes place. Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance are common problems amongst the so-called "colonically clean". Electrolyte imbalance can lead to all kinds of problems that you don't want to worry about, such as problems with your bones, teeth, eyes, skin, etc. According to Mayoclinic.com, in severe cases you are putting yourself at risk of heart failure. There is no proven long-term or even short-term benefit from cleansing in this fashion.

Now I'm by no means an expert in this field. I have however had more training and schooling on this subject than the average joe, and intend to make a living from it in the future. Don't waste your money and your health! If you don't trust me, you can check all the mentioned sites yourself and do the research. I'd even recommend wikipedia on this, they reference many interesting articles debunking this quackery. Speaking of quackery, check out what quackwatch.com has to say. You'll find that the FDA has issued several warnings against colonic cleansing companies. Don't be suckered by their voodoo ideas about your health.

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