Colon Cleansing: A Bad Idea

Researchers have found that while colon cleansing has been around since ancient times, the health benefits are basically a myth.

An April 22 article on the Live Science website indicated that flushing the colon was one of the worst things a person could do for their health. Research from the past decade supports that very notion. In a published report in The Journal of Family Practice, doctors from Georgetown University School of Medicine, urged people to stop cleansing their colon as a way to improve their health. It is actually causing far more harm than good and could result in serious internal injuries.

Colon cleaning was originally thought to contain waste that poisoned the body. Prior to the 1900s, it was routinely practiced as a way to allegedly remove these toxins and clean the body. It was a procedure – often repeated several times – where the patient’s colon is filled with water, which sometimes included a mix of herbs or other compounds. It is important to note that this is not like an enema, which uses a small amount of water to assist with acute bowel obstructions. Colon cleansing uses a significantly larger amount of water, sometimes up to 60 liters.

In 1919, the American Medical Association condemned the practice and eventually colon cleansing became a thing of the past. However, in recent years with the emergence of alternative medicines in the United States, colon cleansing has made a comeback – accompanied by a flurry of doctor and emergency room visits by very sick people.

Currently marketed as supplements, some colon cleansing systems are endorsed by various celebrities and promise increased energy, weight loss, and a plethora of other health benefits. Home kits are very common as are the newest profession of hydrotherapist, who perform colon irrigation services today.

Although it has become popular once again, colon cleansing is not a supported practice by many physicians and scientific studies have proven its benefits are faulty. Cleansing the colon certainly does remove the toxins from the body, but it also removes good bacteria that help the body function properly. By removing such bacteria, people have succumbed to severe illnesses, including renal failure. Reports in the scientific literature found that colon cleansing could result in these other severe health concerns: electrolyte imbalance, pelvic abscesses, rectal perforations, and colitis. Of course, milder symptoms are also possible such as cramping, abdominal pain, vomiting and soreness to severe concerns such as, and renal failure.

Even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has condoned the practice, issuing several warming letters in regards to meeting certain requirements – especially labeling practices. Colon cleansing products are considered dietary supplements and do not need approval for sale by the FDA, but the labeling must be clear.

The Journal of Family Practices warns of this practice with four key notations:

1. Colon cleansing is not necessary. This is particularly true if the individual suffers from diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Many other issues such as hemorrhoids, kidney disease or heart disease can also exacerbate the side effects of a colon cleanse.

2. Side effects can be deadly. As noted earlier, they include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, kidney insufficiency, pancreatitis, bowel perforation, heart failure, and renal failure.

3. Devices for colon cleansing are not approved by the DFA. This means that they may be inadequately sterilized and contain harmful bacteria.

4. Colon cleansing practitioners do not need to be licensed to practice. They may have gone through training, but not by a scientifically based organization.

If you’re considering a colon cleanse…do you your homework; talk with your doctor. It may not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

Works used to compile this article:

Live Science. (2014). The poop on pooping: 5 misconceptions explained. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/45017-poop-health-misconceptions-truth.html.

Mishori, R., Otubu, A., and Jones, A. A. (2011). The dangers of colon cleansing. The Journal of Family Practice, 60(8), 454-457.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2014). Colon cleansing and warning letters. Retrieved from http://google2.fda.gov/search?as_sitesearch=www.fda.gov/downloads/iceci/enforcementactions&q=colon+cleansing&client=FDAgov&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=FDAgov&sort=date:D:L:d1&getfields=*&filter=1&requiredfields=-archive:Yes&site=FDAgov-Category-WarningLetters&ie=UTF-8&ulang=en&ip=199.73.44.10&access=p&entqr=3&entqrm=0&oe=UTF-8&ud=1

Get Social - Be Healthy!

It’s fairly well-known that as we age, we experience more psychological distress simply from growing older. For example, our families move away, we retire, we downsize our living arrangements, and our friends pass away. Although this is “life” (as some say), it is also a dangerous time causing significant stress that can lead to illness and premature death.

One of the key components of maintaining a stable mental health as we age is through social interactions. The World Health Organization has largely noted that being social is critical to reduce psychological stress. A recent study of 236,490 Australian adults, known as the 45 and Up Study, unveiled some interesting results associated with social interaction. Those who had regular social interactions (phone calls, visits, or group activities) had a reduced risk of psychological distress. Of interest, there was no association between frequency of contact and risk for those ages 85 and older; but for those ages 45-84, frequent contact was important. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in stress risk for women than for men indicating that women have a stronger need for social interaction to maintain solid mental well-being.

This particular study, along with numerous others on the topic, supports the need for social interaction (human to human contact) as we age. How do you maintain social interactions when your family moves away and your friends pass on?

There are numerous ways you can get “social”:

1. Volunteer: Find a charity you love. Local churches have all types of activities for older adults. The Senior Center is another great place to find friends and stay connected.

2. Join a group or club: Meadville and Crawford County has a significant number of organizations that you could join: Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lion’s Club are just a few of them. Any of them would welcome your membership.

3. Sign up for a class: Learn a new language or a new skill. The Crawford County Career and Technical Center offers a plethora of adult evening classes, including Introduction to Computers and Basic Automotive Maintenance. Other organizations offer classes like Sign Language. Or you could become a tutor in your own specialty area for young learners.

4. Sign up for an organized 5K walk: There are numerous ones out there and you might find some walking buddies in the process. For example, the French Creek Recreational Trails group is holding its annual Memorial Day Human Race 5K Run/Walk on Memorial Day. This presents a good opportunity!

5. Get fit: The YMCA has a Silver Sneaker’s program where you can find other seniors your age and workout together.

There are more benefits of regular social interactions than you think. There are a few noted by the University of Rochester Medical Center as well as Grandparents.com:

1. Reduces your risk of cardiovascular problems, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis

2. Slows your risk of memory loss and reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease

3. Lowers blood pressure

4. Reduces risk of mental health issues such as depression

5. Reduces the risk of stroke

6. Boosts your immune system

7. Relieves pain

Works Researched for this Post:

Grandparents.com. (2014). 6 health benefits of being social. Retrieved by http://www.grandparents.com/health-and-wellbeing/health/health-benefits-being-social.

Phongsavan, P., Grunseit, A. C., Bauman, A., Broom, D., Byles, J., Clarke, J., Redman, S. and Nutbeam, D. (2013). Age, gender, social contacts and psychological distress: Findings from the 45 and up study. Journal of Aging Health, 25(6), 921-943. doi: 10.1177/0898264313497510.

University of Rochester Medical Center. (2014). Older adults and the importance of social interaction. Retrieved from http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4513.

Are you an Exercise Addict?

Exercise plays a key role in health maintenance and disease prevention. I’m obviously a huge proponent of exercise considering that I log close to 15 hours of it weekly by participating in some form of physical activity: weight training, swimming, bicycling, running, skiing, and more. Am I addicted? Are you? Maybe.

According to the Substance Use and Misuse journal, there is a significant positive addiction that occurs when someone gleans the benefits of health from good exercise. A positive addiction is fine and healthy; however, research dating back 40 years discovered that exercising too much can lead to physical injury as well as negligence of other responsibilities such as family and work. This is considered a negative addiction similar to drug or alcohol abuse.

Despite the significant body of research on over-exercising, neither the medical nor psychological fields recognize it within any of their stated dysfunctions. The spectrum of dysfunctions runs from compulsive to impulsive disorders. The top four impulsive behaviors are listed as antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, sexual compulsion, and self-destructive behaviors. The top four compulsive behaviors body-dysmorphic disorder, anorexia nervosa, depersonalization disorder, and hypochondria. Recent research believes that exercise addiction falls somewhere between body-dysmorphic disorder and anorexia on the compulsive side of the spectrum.

Both of those disorders are identified by the obsessive and repetitive nature of the actual behaviors. Researchers found that exercise addition has the same characteristics. “This is the obsessive facet of the dysfunction, which is accompanied by increased levels of anxiety before carrying out the behavior and decreasing anxiety, sense of relief, and satisfaction after the fulfillment of the behavior.” And, this is cyclical before and after any form of exercise for the addict.

Furthermore, the prevalence of exercise addiction could also be associated with type of sport or activity. Studies of the late 1990s and early 2000s found that exercise addiction in the negative sense was prevalent in 52% of triathletes, 25% in runners, and 3.2% of ultra-marathoners. The biggest problem in definitively saying these individuals are negatively addicted to their sport and/or the physical relief earned from participating: identifying the difference between addiction and commitment.

A few researchers have found that commitment doesn’t necessarily mean the individual will neglect other duties, yet they could. Addiction often implies that there will be neglect of other responsibilities in favor of satisfying that addiction.

How do you know if you’re addicted or simply enjoying the positive benefits of exercising? The American Running Association has identified a few signs that indicate a potential exercise addiction:

1. Exercising is valued beyond any other aspect of your life: As studies show, neglect of family, work, and other responsibilities is a significant sign of an addiction.

2. Injury, illness, and fatigue are ignored: When the body needs rest, an addict will ignore those cues in favor of working out.

3. Irritability, depression and anxiety are present: These elements occur at a high level when you find you cannot get in your daily workout.

4. “More is Better” is a motto: Addicts believe that the more they workout, the healthier they will be.

5. The line between healthy exercise and addictive exercise is blurred: Addicted individuals cannot tell the difference between beneficial exercise and too much.

6. Poor performance at races or events means more exercise: Addicted individuals do not understand the importance of rest and recovery…exercise is always the answer.

Of course, denial of a problem is common as it is with any addiction. If you have any of these signs, you could have an exercise addition. You are encouraged to consult with your doctor or a counselor on learning about healthy exercise to rid yourself of your addiction.

Works used for this article:

American Running Association. (n.d.). Know the signs of unhealthy exercise addiction. Retrieved from http://www.active.com/articles/know-the-signs-of-unhealthy-exercise-addiction.

Berczik, K., Szab, A., Griffiths, M., Kurimay, T., Kun, B., Urban, R., & Demetrovics, Z. (2012). Exercise addiction: symptoms, diagnosis, epidemiology, and etiology. Substance Use and Misuse, 47(4), 403-417. doi: 10.3109/10826084.2011.639120

Approach BMI with Caution

As an athlete, I eat well, lift weights, possess a significant amount of lean muscle mass, and have a low body fat percentage. I typically do not participate in health assessments that use Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of health; however, with a financial incentive, I jumped in on one last week.

My experience was worth sharing. I shouldn’t have been, but I was stunned when the nursing staff conducting the analysis blatantly told me I was overweight. Appearance alone, I knew I didn’t look overweight – I’m a size 6/8, have healthy complexion and color. In physical fitness, I have completed six Ironman competitions, teach fitness classes at my local YMCA, and workout/train six days a week. Diet-wise, I daily consume a generous amount of healthy greens, good carbohydrates and lean proteins. Overweight? While I knew that wasn’t the case, I was still stunned by the numbers and the amount of weight (pun intended) that these health professionals placed on that assessment.

Research has shown that BMI is not an accurate measure of health. It only takes into account two variables: weight and height. For those who may not be aware, BMI (a measure of obesity) is calculated by taking your bodyweight and dividing it by your height squared. Adults age 18 and older are considered overweight if they have a BMI of 25-31, and obese if the number is above 32.

Unfortunately, that’s it. That’s a key element in these traditional health assessments. There is nothing else taken into consideration when looking at healthy weight.

In a recent study, an entire New Zealand rugby team was assessed as overweight with four of them being classified as obese. The only measure was the standard BMI calculation. These men play a rough sport, so they have to be fit! Yet health professionals considered the whole team overweight. In addition, a similar report from New Zealand classified almost all athletes and bodybuilders as overweight.

What’s interesting as well is that BMI does not capture stature which includes physical build, bone density, and body fat percentage. Research has found that there are far more factors that should be taken into consideration when assessing health and fitness:

1. Body fat percentage – this captures how much of your body weight is fat. That is the key element that indicates being overweight or obese.

2. Blood pressure – the average BP is 120/80 but most athletes and healthy individuals have even lower blood pressures.

3. Resting heart rate – a lower resting heart rate indicates greater fitness and health

4. Waist measurement – fat that wraps around the middle has been found to be dangerous as it can impede blood flow and other bodily functions.

5. VO2 fitness test – this shows how much oxygen your body is able to utilize during high intensity exercise. The more usable O2, the higher the fitness.

6. pH (potential of hydrogen) – this refers to the acid/alkaline level in your body. Over acidity or over alkalinity can weaken the body. Proper pH balance in the body can actually resist disease. The body comprises 70% water, the rest contains a ratio of acid-alkaline to keep the body functioning properly. (Note: this is not stomach acid; pH refers to acid in the body’s fluids and tissues, not in the stomach as in acid indigestion.)

7. Fasting glucose – this measures the level of sugar in your blood without the presence of food. This assesses whether your body’s insulin and sugar are working effectively.

Although there are better measures of health, almost all health care professionals still rely on the antiquated BMI measurement. Thus, some people who are healthy are wrongly told that they are overweight or obese. The mental health and physical effects of such a pronouncement could be devastating potentially causing depression, eating disorders or other concerns. So, why do we still use it?

BMI is an easy and inexpensive indicator of health risks for most adults (athletes and elderly are two exceptions). More accurate assessments can be expensive. The idea is to look for very high or very low BMIs because they have the greatest risk of health problems. Because it’s simple to determine and cheap, it is the primary health risk indicator used in the medical world.

The CDC notes that BMI measures excess weight, not fat. It doesn’t differentiate between bones, muscles, organs, tissues and body fat. The CDC also admits that this tool should not be used to assess health, but rather as an indicator of potential health problems. Athletes are most likely going to have a high BMI which indicates obesity, but a very low body fat percentage.

People who obtain their BMI should not become overly obsessed with the number, because it is simply an indicator of potential problems, not an indicator of good or poor health. Additional tests and assessments combined are the best methods of determining optimal health – for YOU.

Works Used:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (2012). Understanding Body Mass Index. Retrieved from http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6844.

Matte, M. (2013). What is a realistic BMI for someone athletic? Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/395464-what-is-a-realistic-bmi-for-someone-athletic/.

Natural Health School. (n.d.). pH balance. Lesson 18. Retrieved from http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html.

Woodgate, M. (n.d.). Why BMI should be outlawed! Retrieved from http://www.bodyblueprint.co.nz/article-bmi.html.