Most of the time, we can rely on our colon to be a self-cleaning organ. After all, the primary function of the digestive system is to push waste from our bodies. But your colon doesn't exactly evacuate all your waste in one fell swoop or sitting. Even if you’re assuming the proper pooping position with your feet up on a Squatty Potty, some of your fecal matter ends up stuck inside your colon between flushes. This lingering waste may not be ideal if you have constipation or other issues with bowel movements.
Luckily, there are ways around these pooping problems. We’ve compiled six easy ways to detoxify and renew your colon for a better bathroom experience. Implementing these solutions and using a toilet stool to unclog your colon can help you have more effortless and satisfying eliminations.
1. Detox by drinking more water
The easiest way to detoxify your colon is to drink more water. Water helps keep things moving through your digestive system and prevents constipation symptoms. If your body doesn’t get enough water, your colon may begin to pull water from your stool to maintain hydration. If you’re adequately hydrated, your body has a much easier time flushing waste out.
How much water should you drink to help detoxify your gut? Experts say you should aim to drink about half your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you weigh 150 pounds, for example, your goal is to drink 75 ounces of water (a little more than half a gallon or 9 cups) per day.
2. Detox by dieting
Diuretic foods and herbs can help the body expel waste and speed up detoxification. What are some examples of diuretic foods? Good question. Diuretic foods include celery, cucumbers, ginger, lemons, peppers, and parsley. Herbs such as dandelion root and parsley seeds have also been known to help alleviate constipation symptoms and keep you regular.
Doctors also recommend eating a healthy amount of fiber. Fiber keeps the colon healthy by reducing constipation symptoms and fighting diverticulosis, the accumulation of tiny bulging sacs on the wall of the colon. Fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Experts recommend eating about 25 grams of fiber daily to keep things moving properly.
3. Detoxify through exercise
You already know that exercise is good for your overall health. But did you know it can also help detox your colon? Any activity that gets you moving and sweating will help keep your colon functioning properly.
Whether walking around the block, taking a jog, or going for a hike, exercise has been proven to improve circulation and blood flow through your digestive tract, allowing your colon to perform at optimal levels. As long as you keep moving and stay active every day, you’ll be able to have cleaner-feeling stools faster than ever before.
4. Change your pooping posture
How you sit on the toilet can significantly affect how well your colon expels waste. Most toilets are designed for sitting, not squatting. The American toilet design can cause uncomfortable shifting or twisting of your body as you try to get properly aligned over the bowl. Squatting using a toilet stool helps you avoid straining while pooping, so you can move your business out of your colon without much effort on your end.
The squatting position offers several additional health benefits, such as improved blood flow through lower extremities and helping prevent stagnation between organs within our abdominal cavity. Not sure which toilet stool is suitable for you? Use our guide to find the stool that best suits you.
Find the Right Squatty Potty for You
5. Take probiotics to improve gut health
Adding a daily probiotic to your diet can help cleanse your colon and detoxify your gut. Probiotics are good bacteria that live in your gut and help keep it healthy. Probiotic foods or supplements won't only help your digestive system function more effectively, but they've also been shown to boost your immune system and improve brain function.
When it comes to supplements, you might need to shop around until you find the right one that works for your gut composition. If you want to add probiotics to your diet naturally, fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or miso contain natural probiotic bacteria.
6. Look into a colon cleanse
Colonic irrigation, also known as a colonic or colon hydrotherapy, is an alternative medical treatment that involves flushing out your entire large intestine with water.
Proponents of colon cleansing believe that colon cleansing improves health by removing toxins, boosting your energy, and enhancing your immune system. However, there's no concrete medical evidence that colon cleansing produces these effects. In most cases, if you’re maintaining a healthy lifestyle and pooping in the right position, your digestive system and bowel already efficiently eliminate waste material and bacteria from your body without the help of a cleanse.
Check with your medical provider to see if this procedure is right for you.
