The Colon Cleanse: A Viable Alternative to Mainstream Colonoscopy Preparation

What is a colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is an examination of the colon using a camera which is inserted into the colon through the anus. It is often a somewhat unpleasant procedure, but it is necessary for the detection of cancerous polyps in the colon, early indicators of more severe colon cancer. Unfortunately, the preparation to undergo a colonoscopy is usually long and somewhat dangerous. The colon must be free of all solid material for the colonoscopy to be useful, and your doctor will often ask you to avoid solid or high-fiber food for a few days leading up to the colonoscopy, and then to take a chemical laxative colonoscopy preparation in the 24 hours leading up to the colonoscopy.



I've heard that there are risks associated with the colonoscopy laxative preparation. Is that true?

Yes. In fact, many people experience dehydration due to the colonoscopy. Less common side effects can include kidney damage, electrolyte abnormality, and even kidney failure in the elderly. Besides the symptoms, the discomfort associated with the fasting and chemical laxative preparation is significant and time-consuming.

How can I make sure my colon is prepared for examination without using laxatives?

Colon hydrotherapy or enemas are great tools to remove all of the solid materials in the colon which make a colonoscopy difficult. Colon cleansing via colonic irrigation and/or enemas simply uses warm water to wash out the solid materials and can be soothing and comfortable, especially compared with a day on laxatives.

Cleanse the colon thoroughly just prior (within 2 hours of) the examination. In order to cleanse the colon thoroughly, you may need either a professional colon hydrotherapy session or a consultation with the staff of the Optimal Health Center to prepare the colon at home with one or two enema series.

Using colon hydrotherapy and/or enemas is useful in cleansing the colon and also helps you avoid the discomfort of diarrhea episodes, the potential upset of electrolyte balance, and the need to undergo a period of fasting.

Consider talking to your doctor about using an enema or colonic in lieu of the normal colonoscopy preparation. It can save you time, money, and much discomfort. You might even ask your doctor to view this YouTube video during your conversation!

Is there any scientific research to support using colon cleansing instead of laxatives for colonoscopy preparation?

Yes, there was a study done involving 690 patients to evaluate the effectiveness of colon hydrotherapy in preparing the large bowel for a colonoscopy. Using colon hydrotherapy to prepare the large bowel for colonoscopy was successful in 98% of cases in this study.

Eat Dandelion Greens

Dandelions assist digestion. Ingesting the leaves increases hydrochloric acid in the stomach, sends messages to the liver to prepare for digestion, increases the appetite, and prepares the liver to break down fats. In part, it is the bitterness of the dandelion greens that cause these actions in the body, so the more bitter the better.

As if improving digestion is not enough, ingesting dandelion helps support the body in many other ways. Dandelion is high in carotenes, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, iron, B vitamins, and protein. Ingesting dandelions also increases circulation and fluid waste elimination in the body without depleting the body of important nutrients. Additionally, the flowers have pain-relieving qualities.

Make sure that the dandelions you use are not from an area where herbicides or other harmful chemicals are sprayed.

Did you know that the sap from the stalk of a dandelion flower is a remedy for eliminating warts? It really works! If you have warts, squeeze stalk juice from a dandelion onto your warts every day until they are gone! My daughter did this with 4 warts on her feet for 3 weeks. The warts left and haven't returned for over 3 years.

Core Support: Detoxification and
Antioxidant Support

Your body produces dangerous free radicals (unstable organic molecules with a single unpaired electron in an outer shell). No matter how healthy a lifestyle you lead or how healthy your diet, normal bodily functions (breathing, metabolism, and physical activity) generate free radicals. Your immune system generates free radicals to help neutralize viruses and bacteria. Free radicals also result from exposure to environmental factors such as cigarette smoke, pollution, radiation, and pesticides.

Unfortunately, free radicals attack your healthy cells and cause them to weaken and become more susceptible to health disorders. Free radicals can also have a profound effect on how you age.

In order to support your body to neutralize free radicals, which in turn scientists claim can extend your lifespan, find ways to fortify your diet with antioxidant-rich food and to keep your detoxification systems functioning optimally. 

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a unit value assigned by researchers to measure the antioxidant value of a given food. Foods with a high ORAC value are beneficial to the body by increasing plasma antioxidant levels. A range of 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day is required for optimal health.

Here is a short list of some foods and their ORAC values:

• 1/2 cup broccoli (cooked) =1,900
• 1 cup kale (raw) =1,770
• 1 cup onion (raw) =1,600
• 1 cup red cabbage (raw) =1,600
• 1/2 cup asparagus (cooked) =1,500
• 1 slice whole-grain/7-grain bread =400
• 1 medium russet potato with skin =1,500
• 1 cup red grapes =1,200
• 1 nectarine =1,100
• 1 banana =1,000

OHN recommends Core Support, which contains a 2,500 ORAC value per 2 scoops. Core Support powder provides a tasty, easy-to-use, and powerful natural antioxidant blend with 15 grams of protein so that it may be used as a meal replacement. These high ORAC vegetable extracts come from:

• broccoli
• broccoli sprout
• tomato
• carrot
• spinach
• kale
• brussel sprout

Core Support also includes N-Acetyl Cysteine, an immediate precursor to glutathione, a potent antioxidant and among the most important detoxification nutrients for the liver.

At the Optimal Health Center, we recommend two scoops of Core Support daily to assist your body to handle its free radical load and to support your body to age gracefully! Core Support is also used as part of a 7-day colon cleanse program.