I recently posted on facebook that I was doing a five-day detox using colon cleansing products and juice fasting. I also posted a link to the website of the products I was using. I have always believed in detoxing and periodic colon cleansing. I have had many professional colonics over the years and used colon-cleansing kits twice. I also taught yoga at a detox retreat center in Thailand where I fasted and self-administered colonics for a week, ending it with a liver flush. I have always felt great after a detox and have been inspired to eat healthier and take better care of myself.

I was not expecting the barrage of commentary both positive and negative that ensued after my posting. Perhaps it was the fact that I mentioned cleansing is great for preventing disease and weight loss that triggered the heated debate that followed. Being that I am not a medical expert, I should have left those comments out. However, when I started doing research I realized that this "Detox Debate" is a very hot topic with differing views even within the medical and holistic health communities. It certainly prompted me to question my own beliefs, learn more and post this blog.

It turns out that one of my facebook friends, who contributed to the thread, happens to be a gastroenterologist. I did not know this. His input heated up the debate even more and gave those opposed to detoxing serious medical credibility. His view was that colon cleansing does more harm than good. The people who were pro-detoxing were mainly from the holistic health community. Many had had the experience of fasting and detoxing and had experienced the benefits first hand. The debate was very respectful and educational for all. Many different articles and videos were posted both for and against internal cleansing.

The main argument for detoxing is that our body becomes so toxic through the polluted air we breathe, the water we drink, and much of the food we eat; that our natural self-cleansing process is no longer sufficient to fully eliminate them from our body. It is believed that the average person has 3-6 kilos of impacted fecal matter sitting in their colon making them look and feel bloated and rundown. The body does not fully absorb nutrients from your food when the colon is congested. There are pressure points in the colon that affect the entire body. There are harmful parasites in the colon as well. These toxins cause a host of problems from weight problems, allergies, fatigue, Candida, constipation, depression, disease, etc. Detoxing programs promise the following: Safe weight loss, clearer and more radiant skin, calmer and clearer mind, improved blood circulation, improved energy levels, relief from allergies and Candida, diminished sugar cravings, healthier digestion and improved regularity of bowel movements, brighter eyes etc....

The main arguments for not detoxing are detox kits made up of herbal laxatives and diuretics are unnecessary and have shown to have no proven benefit. Detox regimes do not improve kidney and liver function. There is no scientific evidence to support specific detox diets, programs or supplement kits. There is no such thing as build up of fecal matter in the colon. You could achieve the same results with a pre-colonoscopy cleansing kit from the pharmacy. Fasting and colon cleansing does not aid in long- term weight loss. Long periods of fasting are dangerous to your health, as you are not getting enough nutrients. Fasting slows down metabolic rate, which encourages your body to store fat, making it harder to lose weight.