Colon Cleansing Diets

What is the Function of the Colon?

The colon, also called the large intestine, is part of the digestive system. By the time food reaches the colon, most of the nutrients have already been absorbed, leaving indigestible fiber and water.

The colon absorbs water, electrolytes, and a few vitamins. The length of time taken for food to pass through the colon largely depends on fiber intake. Mucus is secreted to protect the cells lining the colon from physical trauma and bacterial toxins.

How the Digestive System Works

It helps to understand how the rest of the digestive system works.

Mouth

Digestion of food begins in the mouth. Chewing breaks food down into smaller particles so it can be digested.

If people do not chew food thoroughly because they eat quickly or have tooth problems, they increase the burden on the digestive organs. Saliva contains the digestive enzyme amylase, which begins breaking down starchy foods as soon as they enter the mouth.

Stomach

The stomach mechanically mixes food. It also releases substances that chemically break down food, such as hydrochloric acid.

Hydrochloric acid, often called stomach acid, plays a key role in the stomach. It helps digest proteins, fat, vitamins, and minerals, maintains the acidity of the stomach, and helps kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Small Intestine

Enzymes from the pancreas and small intestine are released into the small intestine to digest and absorb carbohydrates, fat, and protein.

The small intestine is the primary organ involved in the absorption of nutrients. Anything that interferes with the secretion of enzymes or bile salts, or disrupts the absorptive walls of the small intestine, such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, chronic antacid use, chronic diarrhea, pancreatic insufficiency, or celiac disease, may result in vitamin deficiencies and fat malabsorption.

What are Signs of a Poorly Functioning Colon?

Constipation, bad breath, body odor, a bulging abdomen, and abdominal bloating can be signs of a poorly functioning colon.

Why is Gentle Colon Cleansing Important When Losing Weight?

When you lose weight, the cholesterol, released toxins from fat cells, and other waste that get dumped by bile into the colon need something to stick to (fiber), or they just get reabsorbed back into the body, defeating the whole purpose.

That's why fiber and water are key elements of The Inside-Out Diet. The Inside-Out Diet consists of three parts:

Step 1 of The Inside-Out Diet: The first week is the most restrictive part of the diet, aimed at eliminating unhealthy cravings, restoring insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance, correcting your metabolism, and cleansing the colon and liver to open the pathways for sustained fat loss. Think of it as spring cleaning for the body—at any time of the year.

Step 2 of The Inside-Out Diet: In the second week, you'll systematically re-introduce certain foods and note your responses. This helps you to determine whether those foods are helping or hampering your weight loss. Many diets unnecessarily restrict foods. With this diet, you’ll find out which foods are particularly problematic for you and only limit those.

You'll be in Step 2 for three weeks, enjoying a wide variety of delicious and satisfying dishes, such as Rosemary Grilled Lamb with Goat Cheese, Roasted Beets, Red Onion, and Warm Watercress.

Step 3 of The Inside-Out Diet: To make sure you don't gain back the weight, I've given you lifelong eating guidelines you can begin after Step 2 is over. I call it “maintain without gain”. It uses what you learned in the program as a foundation for five days a week and allows you to indulge in some of the foods you like (in moderation of course) the other two days. This keeps your metabolism revved so you don't regain any of the weight. And because you're not permanently restricting yourself from any foods, you'll never "mess up."