It is said that all states of dis-ease begin and end in the colon.

The colon has been coined “the second brain”, however the function of the colon is usually perceived to be a feeling organ, as opposed to a thinking organ. It plays a much more important role in the experiences of our lives than some may think, so it could actually be recognized as the primary brain.

The health of your digestive system is a true measure of how you “feel” even if you “think” you are well. In the early stages of fetal development, the Enteric Nervous System (esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon and the primary brain) start as the same length of embryonic tissue.

This tissue eventually divides and becomes the two aspects we are referring to here: the digestive tract and the brain. These separate by what has come to be known as the vagus nerve, the longest of all the cranial nerves. Over one half of all nerve cells are in the gut and this includes neurons and neurotransmitters exactly like those found in the brain.

Other similarities between the two brains are the release of hormones such as Serotonin which is vital to feelings of well-being.

These two “brains” communicate back and forth with each other via the vagus nerve. For example, feelings of worry or anxiety can be experienced as “butterflies” in the stomach. Difficulty in digesting foods at lunch time can have an effect on your afternoon performance at work resulting in tiredness and troubles with concentration.

The main connection between the two can be seen by looking at how we are affected both psychologically and physically by stress. States of dis-ease such as anxiety, depression, ulcers and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are the symptoms usually caused by the same thing: stress.

So, these states of  dis-ease in your body can be treated in basically two ways: the first and most popular way is the path of conventional medicine. Treat the symptom and hope the pain goes away. Usually, you are treated with prescribed medication often resulting in a host of other symptoms, many of which cause more havoc with the digestive tract.

The second way is to look primarily at the cause: uncover the stresses in life. Though they may not always be possible to avoid, it is possible to change our experience of them and the impact they have on our health.

The first and best way to look at the stress and tension in your life is to remove them altogether: retreat. Take time and space away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind and allow yourself to rest and recuperate.

The next step is to aid the colon in the plight against the level of accumulated stress it is usually holding, first and foremost as physical waste products and toxins. These are held within the tiny pockets of the small intestine and along the intestinal walls.

Undigested debris is retained here and causes fermentation when the digestion process isn’t allowed to operate to its fullest potential due to both internal and external stress.

The nature of a colon cleanse is to rid the body of this excess accumulated debris, collected within the length of the colon, often over many decades. The average size of the human intestine is 26 feet in length. Accumulated debris is held particularly in the first 23 feet of long, windy and cramped crevices in the small intestine.

This accumulated debris is inefficiently digested food sources such as meat, cheese and wheat which have become stuck along the sides of the intestinal tract.  This creates havoc by preventing and blocking the proper absorption of essential nutrients causing a smaller gap for food to move through which can eventually result in chronic constipation, IBS, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis and even Cancer.

Some find colonics useful, however, a colon cleanse which uses a relaxed, non-invasive approach can be more effective. Powerful herbal formulas focus on purging the whole length of the colon from the inside out, an area completely untouched by ordinary, water based, colonics.

Harsh colonics and hydro cleansing use force to cleanse the colon which only activates the large intestine. This can cause tension, holding, discomfort, stress and even panic attacks.

What would you do if someone were spraying you with a force of water? You would likely contract or tense up and you may even feel violated.

Your bowels react in much the same way.

A colon cleanse is about much more than just losing a few pounds—the colon is the seat of health in the body and the first and last area to be affected when it comes to ill health.

A regular healthy bowel is expected to move three times a day, based on the average amount of food we consume in our culture: breakfast, lunch and dinner. For many, however, this isn’t the case and the bowel moving once a day can be considered “regular.”

If we take into account that a meal takes on average 24 to 36 hours to move through the body from start to finish, the average person is literally sitting on three to five compacted meals, held within the length of their colon, at any one time.

As well as ridding the body of waste and excess weight and also cleaning the bowels to prevent dis-ease, a colon cleanse is very much about detoxing the bodies many systems:

> The digestive system: absorbing toxins through the thin lining of the colon wall.

> The respiratory system: clearing the lungs to facilitate a fuller breathing capacity.

> The lymphatic system: encouraging movement to send lymph to the appropriate nodes.

> The cardio-vascular system: cleansing the blood of free radicals to improve circulation.

> The urinary system: filtration, purification and elimination.

> The nervous system: cleaning up the many branches of the Central Nervous System to improve nerve function.

> The endocrine system: allowing an over-worked system to rest and return to normal function.

> The immune system: improving function to fight infection.

A good detox can do all of the above as well as improve the less obvious functions such as relaxing the muscular system, potentially softening hardened growths throughout the skeletal system and improving fertility throughout the reproductive system.

The very nature of detoxing is about letting go—as you let go, you relax. The more you relax and the deeper you drop into a state of well being, the more your body can let go of what it’s been holding on to: toxins held at a cellular level, excess weight, accumulated debris, physical tensions and held emotions.

Periodic cleansing of the colon is vital for optimum health.

Enjoying a colon cleanse and/or a detox experience gives you and your body the opportunity to rest and let go—it is during the process of letting go that the magic happens.

Your body craves health, it has just forgotten how to find it. Remind yourself where to look by becoming quiet enough to hear what your body is saying and love yourself to life!

Holly E. Mullin founded Breathe Detox in 2008; she has been actively involved in holistic therapies & alternative lifestyle since 1995. With a background in body therapies, she has a deep knowledge of the connection between body, heart, mind and spirit. Holly is available for phone or sykpe sessions, where she uses the power of Kinesiology/muscle testing for direct communication with the unconscious mind for optimum results. She facilitates a space of simple yet profound understanding and discovery to enhance your personal journey. Visit her visit her detox retreat for more info.

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 Asst. Ed: Steph Richard/Ed: Bryonie Wise

{Photo: via Kristen on Pinterest}