How to Clean Out Your Bowels Quickly

You can clean out your bowels quickly (also known as cleaning out your colon, or large intestine) at home by drinking more water and adding certain foods to your diet, such as whole grains and more fruits and veggies.

You may be interested in doing a colon cleanse if you feel bloated or have a constipated feeling. While a colon cleanse may help alleviate your symptoms, there's no scientific evidence supporting its use.

This article discusses the pros and cons of a colon cleanse, how to clean out your colon naturally, and the side effects of cleansing your colon at home.

Why Do a Colon Cleanse?

Proponents of natural colon cleanses say that they offer a host of benefits, such as removing toxins from the body, improving the immune system, aiding with weight loss, easing bloat, and even reducing the risk of colon cancer.

While people may feel better after a natural colon cleanse, no research supports any medical benefits to this practice.

Another type of colon cleanse, called hydrotherapy of the colon or irrigation, is also not supported by science. This type of cleanse is performed by a healthcare provider and sends water into the colon with a device.

This type of cleanse is not used to prepare for a colonoscopy.

How to Clean Your Colon Quickly and Naturally

If you like the idea of "cleansing" your body, and of course, doing so safely, look no further than the produce and bulk food aisles of your local grocery store.

Drinking More Water

Water, plain and simple, will make everything in your body function better, including your digestion and elimination. Don't worry about the old advice that you should drink eight, 8-ounce glasses a day. Instead, use the color of your urine as a guide. If it's pale yellow or straw-colored, you're getting enough water. If it's any darker than this, you likely need to drink more.

Increasing Fiber Intake

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body can't digest but that influences the rate of digestion, the absorption of nutrients, and the movement of waste through the colon (by helping to soften the stool).

Fiber can be found in a variety of foods, including fruits and veggies, oats, lentils, peas, and almonds. Increasing your intake of fiber will help to regulate your bowels and maintain overall colon health.

Taking Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that you eat and that have health benefits, primarily when it comes to digestion. Researchers think that they help to replace "good" bacteria and balance "good" and "bad" bacteria in your body, which keeps digestion running smoothly.

Yogurt and other fermented foods such as kimchi and pickles are good sources of probiotics. You can also buy them as supplements.

Mixing Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey

Because both of these ingredients contain probiotics, mixing them together may aid gut health. People also believe that this concoction can help remove toxins from the body, but there's no scientific evidence to support this.

You can try this mixture by adding 1 tablespoon of raw honey and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a warm glass of water.

Juice and Smoothies

Adding more fruits to your diet in any form, including juice and smoothies, is a good way to stay hydrated, as well as add fiber and other nutrients to your diet that improve gut health. Some fruits, such as bananas and apples, are a good source of probiotics. You can also add yogurt to a smoothie for an extra probiotic boost.

Taken together, these elements can help improve the gut microbiome and regulate your bowel movements.

Doing a Salt Water Flush

It's possible that a salt water flush could help ease symptoms like bloating or constipation. The practice involves mixing 1 or 2 teaspoons of non-iodized salt into 1 liter of water and drinking it over the course of five minutes.

While some people claim this practice is helpful, there's no scientific evidence that it helps digestive health. It may even cause nausea and make you dehydrated. It's best to speak to a healthcare provider before trying it.

What Are the Precautions of a Natural Colon Cleanse?

Doing a natural colon cleanse should be safe for most people, as long as you aren't also fasting or doing them too often.

However, it's best to speak to a healthcare provider before drastically changing your eating patterns or trying new treatments or supplements (including a colon cleanse), especially if you have an underlying condition. For example, people with blood pressure issues may want to avoid saltwater flushes, which increase sodium intake.

Side Effects

Colon cleansing at home comes with some risks, such as:

• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Nausea
• Cramping

Doing an occasional, short colon cleanse may not result in side effects, but the chances of side effects increase the longer or more often you do cleanses. It's best to consult a healthcare provider if you experience any symptoms.

How to Improve Colon Health

The best way to improve colon health is by drinking enough water and eating foods that promote a healthy digestive system. Some strategies include:

• Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, even making them the foundation of your diet
• Making all your grains whole grains, which offer fiber and more nutrients generally
• Eating more ground flaxseed, which improves digestion and elimination by helping move stool out of your system

Summary

You can do a natural colon cleanse by adding more fiber and probiotics to your diet, as well as by trying a saltwater flush or mixing apple cider vinegar with honey. While you may find that the practice helps ease bloating or other digestive issues, there's no scientific support for doing a natural colon cleanse. While safe for most people, the practice does come with side effects, such as nausea or dehydration.

Drinking more water and increasing your consumption of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and ground flaxseed are all science-backed ways of aiding digestive health.