The colon is one important part of the body that plays a vital role in your health. The colon is responsible for eliminating the body's wastes and it is important to keep it in good condition to ensure its proper function. Among the most important ways to ensure the proper maintenance of the colon is by cleansing it to eliminate toxins and other harmful substances. People are learning the importance of detoxifying the colon and this explains the increasing popularity of colon cleansing products in the market.

Colon cleansing is usually associated with colonic irrigation and other procedures involving the removal of waste buildups in the large intestine. People avail of colonic cleansing for various reasons and the most common of them is the relief of constipation. When constipation becomes rather serious, manual irrigation of the colon is sometimes necessary and such is when colon cleansing becomes handy. People also get colon cleansing in preparation for other procedures that require the total elimination of bodily wastes such as in certain types of surgeries. Other people get their colon cleansed just to ensure that their digestive tract is clean and healthy.

There are many different types of colon cleansing products available in the market but they can be grouped into two major kinds. The first group of colon cleansers consists of substances that are taken orally whether as a dietary supplement or as medication. The second group of colon cleansing products consists of those that involve the manual cleansing of the bowels using direct methods. People attest the effectiveness of either types of colon cleansing products but health practitioners recommend particular products depending on the needs of the patient wanting to have their colon cleansed.

Colon cleansing products that are taken orally are used to help increase the function of the colon in eliminating the bodies waste products. Some products can just be mild helpers that assist in increasing the likelihood of products to be excreted. Among such products are high-fiber supplements such as psyllium husks that act as colon sweepers, helping digestive wastes to be transported out of the body. Similar types of such colon cleansers are concentrated soluble fiber, usually coming from plant sources. These colon cleansing products are useful for maintenance purposes.

Other oral colon cleansing products perform more aggressively than those previously discussed. These are medications that help induce more-than-normal elimination of waste products by the body. The most common example of these products are laxatives, which aid the body in excreting feces almost immediately. Such products are very useful for people having trouble moving bowels due to constipation among other factors. However, a lot of these products may cause side effects such as abdominal pains and discomfort, which is why care should be taken when using them.

More aggressive colon cleansing products are those that involve the direct irrigation of the colon using fluids such as sterilized water or liquid solutions. These types of colon cleansing products do their job by flushing out colonic wastes directly from the large intestine. Large volumes of liquid solution is inserted to the colon through the rectum so that wastes that have built up inside the colon can be flushed out.

Some of these colonic irrigation products can be brought over the counter such as do-it-yourself enemas which can easily be used in the bathroom at home. Such products often come in packages with colonic cleansing solutions and applicators that are used to irrigate the bowels. Others just come as nozzles or attachments that can be used repeatedly. More advanced products require the help of professional therapists that do the procedures in their clinics or bring their equipment to patient's homes. In addition to the introduction of fluids to the bowels, some systems involve mild suction of wastes to assist in their elimination.

Direct colon cleansing products should not be used repeatedly, however. They may weaken the colon, making it reduce its natural function of elimination. This could cause dependency on such products.

Cleansing the colon in whatever means recommended is very important in a person's health. The colon is the body's sewerage system and common sense would tell what problems improperly kept sewerage systems may cause. To know more about colon cleansing products, consult your doctor or your health practitioner.