These days, everyone seems to be focused on living healthily and losing weight. Some people even take the route of colon cleansing to achieve this goal, instead of using the old-fashioned way - diet and exercise.

In fact, this year, colon cleansing became the newest craze, especially among celebrities. Thus, on May 19, Flair published an article on Debby Cole, a local colon therapy consultant. She spoke about what her job entails and the benefits of colon cleansing. The article received many reviews, in fact, as recently as last week, readers were still calling for Cole's contact information.

As the article stated, Cole became interested in colon cleansing because it helped her eliminate many illnesses that plagued her. She said that many people are squeamish about the procedure but she makes it as comfortable as possible. Plus, she educates clients about the many benefits of colon cleansing.

What it is

The colon is the large intestine, that is the last six feet of the digestive tract. It is a storage tube for solid waste and its main function is the extraction of water and salts from faeces.

In the article, Cole noted that what affects the colon affects the stomach. "Usually, some people might have a colon problem but they think it's a stomach problem. Many times, the colon suffers in silence. Often, individuals do not recognise that there is a problem until it becomes severe."

Digestive problems

She further stated that sometimes people may have digestive problems, which can result in gas, abdominal pain and constipation. Colon cleansing will help alleviate such conditions, Cole argues.

"Sometimes there is an overload in the stomach. People eat food that is not properly digested. It goes to the colon, stays there, then starts to ferment, depending on what you eat. Carbohydrates will ferment and if it's protein, it will putrefy (decay)."

She points out that food should not be stored in our bodies for more than 48 hours. However, you find that there are people who do not have 'bowel movement' for days. This backs up in the stomach, causing it to become distended (swell or expand). When this happens, you can end up with a megacolon, an abnormal dilatation of the colon. The dilatation is often accompanied by paralysis of the peristaltic movements of the bowel, resulting in chronic constipation.

In more extreme cases, the faeces consolidate into hard masses inside the colon called fecalomas. Cole agrees that one could lose weight by undergoing colon cleansing. In fact, one of her patients lost 10 pounds after his first procedure, she said.

For further information, contact Debby Cole at Shop 7, 71B Molynes Road, telephone: 578-2422.

Using photos from actual experiences, Debby Cole shows what some patients have passed out after colon cleansing. - file photos