Working at a health retreat I find myself engaged in conversations about what to eat to be healthy. There's a lot of devotion out there to various systems; vegan, paleo, raw, and so on... In the midst of it I feel obligated to stand for my perspective that we're all different, and we may even be different today than we were yesterday or will be next week. With that in mind I wanted to share here the foods that my colon loves, maybe yours will too!
1. Water
So simple but seriously, it really can change things! Drink a big glass when you get up in the morning. Warm with lemon is the best. It's good to add minerals or electrolytes such as a little lemon. Your colon does well with lots of fluids. A big cup of herb tea counts too.
2. Red grapes
Eat a big bunch of them if your colon needs cleaning! Red grapes also contain powerful antioxidants and strengthen your immune system. The resveratrol in them has numerous health benefits from cardio vascular health to weight loss to protection against cancer and more...
3. Flaxseed tea
This is a drink I discovered living in Costa Rica. Soothing, cleansing and hydrating to the digestive system. Also said to be good for acid reflux and the gall bladder. Simmer flax seeds 10 minutes, 1T. per cup. Make a few cups worth. Let sit for about ½ hour. Strain. It will seem slimy. Some don't like that texture when it's hot. But it's surprisingly tasty when it's cold. Drink a big glass of it.
4. Beets
One of the top foods for detoxing, beets help cleanse your colon and build red blood cells. They strengthen and detox the liver and gall bladder and decrease inflammation. Raw, juiced, or cooked, especially delicious roasted with olive oil. Try roasted beets with brown rice and tahini.
5. Green smoothies
Your whole body will love these, not just your colon. You don't even need a Vitamix if you take off the tough stems. For more on green smoothies, check out our blog...
6. Aloe Vera
Cleans, soothes and heals the bowel. In Costa Rica we can pick it fresh and make an aloe, papaya and pineapple smoothie. In NY we settle for bottled aloe or capsules. Good for many types of inflammation: colon, skin, joints, etc. Be sure to peel and rinse off any yellow sap before taking internally.
"What were the secret forces that sustained me during my long fasts? It was my unshakable faith in God, my simple and frugal lifestyle, and the Aloe whose benefits I discovered upon my arrival in South Africa..." - Mahatma Gandhi
7. Fermented foods
Most important of all! Water kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchee, miso, yogurt and more. The fermentation process produces numerous strains of lactobacillus, probiotic microbes that protect us from invaders, break down food, absorb nutrients and support our immune system.