How To Do A Bowel Cleansing At Home

To prevent constipation and maintain a good intestinal transit, it is advisable to eliminate sweets, fried foods and junk in general and, instead, improve eating habits .

We may have heard someone say on occasion that they want to have a bowel cleanse at home. Generally, after having committed some excess (of alcohol, tobacco, sweets or, simply, food).

Faced with heaviness, swelling and other related discomforts, a person may come to believe that they need to “get rid” of what they feel accumulated in their body to avoid suffering consequences later. So look for ways to get relief quickly.

In addition to relief, it also seeks to achieve a more stylized figure and, thus, avoid any consequences that the excess may cause. The problem is that this cannot be achieved overnight, no matter how much you want to.

Intestinal cleanings pose a health risk

A bowel cleansing ( cleasing , in English) is aimed at eliminating waste. This, in principle, does not sound bad. However, it could pose multiple health risks.

Most of the proposals of this type indicate that it is necessary to adopt a specific diet (for an almost always short period of time) that accelerates intestinal transit. Others go further and combine the diet with enemas. Ultimately, once the person is able to go to the bathroom, their abdominal area would be more deflated (which can give the impression that they have lost some weight).

Now, would it be protected from the excesses committed? No. No cleansing diet of 5, 10 or 15 days can meet the needs of the body properly or protect the health of the person. Therefore, intestinal cleanings are not valid from a medical point of view.  

The problem with detox and related plans is that they do not meet the basic requirements from a nutritional point of view. Diets are restrictive, they are not varied enough or sufficient. They can make the person believe that he will be better by giving him the idea that if he is deflated, “it is fine”, but they are not able to “protect” him from excesses (or their respective consequences).

To maintain good health, the ideal is to avoid excesses. Do not try to compensate with miracle diets or detox plans of any kind.

What would a good bowel cleanse look like?

A good intestinal cleansing would be one that, after an excess, motivates the person to improve their life habits and maintain them in a consistent and constant way (in accordance with the recommendations of health experts). Not only to get rid of excess alcohol, sugar or others, but to always be healthy. 

With regard to diet, to prevent constipation and maintain a good intestinal transit, it would be advisable to eliminate sweets, fried foods and junk in general.

Food not recommended

• White sugar.
• Cereals and refined flours, as well as their derivatives from bakery and pastries: we will replace them with grain and whole wheat flour, with its natural fiber.
• Refined and fried oils: we will choose olive or coconut oils of first cold pressing and we will consume them without frying, raw.
• Red meat and sausages : we can consume white meat, fish, eggs and legumes as main sources of protein.
• Milk and dairy derivatives : the only exception is cottage cheese or fresh cheese, if possible it comes from goat or sheep. We can also have vegetable drinks of oats, rice, millet, spelled, etc.

Good habits that keep you healthy

• Drink water throughout the day.
  • Although food also contributes to hydration, it is necessary to drink at least 3 glasses of water a day.
  • We will know that we are well hydrated when our urine is light in color (never completely transparent).
  • The idea of ​​drinking 2 liters of water a day is a myth. Each person has different needs and, therefore, not everyone necessarily needs to consume 2 liters of water.
• Abandon sedentary lifestyle and maintain an active lifestyle (perform at least 30-40 minutes of continuous exercise).
• Maintain a balanced diet. To achieve this, Dr. Manuel Viso recommends paying attention to the following aspects:
  • Variety of foods (eat a little of everything, fruits, vegetables, cereals, among others, without falling into excesses).
  • Food quality (nutritional value).
  • Amounts (they must always be enough to satisfy the appetite).
  • Balance, in terms of the immediate principles (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals).
  • Suitability for the person (age, state of health, physical activity, etc.).
• Never skip or replace main meals with preparations that may lead to a nutritional deficit (shakes, smoothies, soups, among others) and consult with the nutritionist if you have questions about how to eat a proper diet, or achieve a specific goal , how to lose weight.

• Avoid the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
• Try to maintain a moderate consumption of coffee.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle will not only help us maintain a proper weight or feel better on occasion, but it will help us enjoy long-term well-being and maintain a good quality of life.

Therefore, rather than worrying about doing a bowel cleansing, the most appropriate thing is to pay attention to each of the habits that we carry out daily, since it is proven that they have a great impact on health.