Colon Cleansing: What Science Says

As with any new procedure, the efficacy andmountains of Hungary to live to an extremely old
even the safety of the colon cleansing procedureage. He knew that these people had yogurt in
has been questioned from several quarters. It istheir regular diet. Somehow he came to the
understandable that people have their doubts.conclusion that lactobacilli, the bacteria present in
Colon cleansing is not something which is likethe yogurt actually fights against the harmful
rocket science. In fact, its roots can be tracedbacteria inside their intestine and thus helps them
back 4000 years to the Egyptian civilization whento live longer. In others who don't have yogurt
colon was thought to be the cause of all ailments.regularly the harmful bacteria can thrive and
The idea was pretty much in vogue even duringproduce toxins which shorten our lives.
Restoration England. There has been a renewedJohn Harvey Kellogg's of the cornflakes fame in
interest in colon cleansing in the recent years. Thishis treatments at the Sanitorium in Battle Creek,
is because of the sharp increase in colon-rectoMichigan used the colon cleansing as an important
cancers, especially in the US and other relatedinstrument to cure the Roosevelts, Fords,
ailments. Colon cleansing is supposedly performedChryslers, Rockefellers and other distinguished
to keep the colon completely free of any toxicpeople of the early 20th century.
substances. It is also ensured that the colonHowever, science today nullifies such claims. What
retains its proper shape and size and can functionmedicinal practitioners do accept is that an
at its optimal levels.unhealthy colon can be a cause of certain ailments
Ilya Metchnikoff, won the Nobel Prize for medicinebut in no way it is responsible for all ailments.
in the early years of the 20th century. A highlyThey also argue that a clean colon cannot ensure
respected scientist of his day he was awardedthat you will live long. The community Metchnikoff
the Nobel Prize for his work with white blood cellshad based his theory on looked much older than
and conclusion that they help in fighting infectionsthey actually were. And they were not people
inside our body. As he started to grow old a newwho lived considerably longer than any other
topic entered his mind. how to prolong one's life.community on the face of the earth.
He found a community of people who lived in the