That’s the touted benefits of colonics, a procedure that’s been around since ancient Greece. It involves flushing the large intestine (the colon) with water, coffee, herbal supplements and probiotics to cleanse the pipeline. The process is similar to a colonoscopy, which requires a patient to ingest large amounts of fluid before the procedure to make sure the doctors can see everything in the colon as they search for signs of cancer.
Advocates of colonics make broad claims. They claim that the colon has lots of waste material that accumulates and potentially enters the bloodstream, causing all sorts of maladies.
But medical professionals are generally dubious of the benefits of colonics. They point out that the body already does a highly efficient job of cleaning out waste materials. The mucous in the colon acts as a barrier to waste entering the bloodstream, the liver filters out any toxins and the colon itself sheds its cells every three days, thereby renewing its vigor.
While most colonics won’t carry much risk, medical professionals believe they don’t offer much benefit, either. The risks involved include perforation of the intestinal walls, infections, dehydration and washing away vital bacteria and minerals. It can also play havoc with people suffering from allergies or underlying medical conditions to major organs.