The colon is part of the large intestine and helps eliminate toxins from the body. When the colon is functioning properly, it eliminates waste anywhere from 6 to 18 hours after every meal, so people with healthy colons have two to three bowel movements per day. Unfortunately, many people don't have colons that are operating effectively and could benefit from eating foods that can clear their colons of debris.
What To Consume
The best foods for the colon are plant-based, natural ones like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and whole grains. These types of foods are high in fiber and help clear debris from the colon. A recommended amount of fiber is 20 to 35 grams daily. To achieve this amount of fiber, people need to eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruits as well as six servings of whole grains each day.
Flax seeds and oats are particularly beneficial as are raw egg yolks because of their high nutritional content. Green foods like alfalfa, wheatgrass, and spirulina are also soothing for the digestive track because of their high chlorophyll content. Grains like rice should be eaten in moderation.
One effective menu prescribes only consuming fruits until noon, which will help with both fiber and hydration. Then when planning lunch, dinner, and snacks, it is helpful to not mix proteins with carbohydrates because they tend to neutralize each other during the process of digestion. Also, do not eat 2 to 3 hours before bedtime because it is very difficult to digest food while you sleep.
As far as drinks go, water and 100% fruit juices are good. It's also important to drink approximately half your body weight in ounces. So if you happen to weigh 160 pounds, then you would need to drink 80 ounces of fluids every day.
Colons can also benefit from a variety of supplements, including vitamin C, probiotics, yeast flakes, healthy oils like fish, cod liver, and olive, as well as fermented foods like kefir.
What To Avoid
Some drinks you should not consume when attempting to cleanse your colon include coffee, black tea, soft drinks, pasteurized milk and alcoholic beverages. Junk and fast foods should also be avoided -- things like chips, candy, cookies, deep-fried foods and ramen noodles.
There are many other things you shouldn't have while attempting to cleanse your colon. Some of these include artificial coloring, flavoring, sweeteners, additives and preservatives. Also avoid processed meats such as hot dogs, lunch meat and bacon. In addition, don't eat cake, white bread, cookies, pies and other highly processed baked goods.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can eliminate some of the most common food allergens like wheat, corn, dairy, soy, peanuts and shellfish.
Digestion Tips
In order to effectively digest the food you eat, you should eat similar types of foods at the same time each day. It's also a good idea to not have iced drinks with your meals since they tend to slow digestion. Instead, consider having hot liquids or room-temperature drinks.
Limiting your portion size is also helpful since eating too much is hard on your digestive tract. Chewing your food thoroughly is another key to helping you effectively digest your food. Try to eat things that are easily digested first like soups and vegetables, then consume things like beans and then meats, since they take longer to digest. Doing some light exercise after eating and not eating too late at night will also aid with the digestive process.
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