The colon is a repository of waste material in our bodies. It is important to regularly cleanse it to avoid serious diseases. Now there are a number of methods that you can adopt as part of your cleansing regimen. Some are natural and can be as simple as altering eating habits while some involve rather complicated procedures. Here are some of the most popular means by which you can keep your colon clean and healthy:

(1) Colonic Hydrotherapy

In colonic hydrotherapy (also known as colonic irrigation), water will be flushed into your system to cleanse it of harmful, leftover waste. During this procedure, a tube will be inserted into the anus and water will be expelled into the large intestine via this tube. The water will help wash off the compacted waste that have built up inside the colon. More water is used in hydrotherapy than in enemas and it is important that they be administered by an experienced health professional. A lot of people actually shy away from this procedure as it is quite invasive and can be very uncomfortable.

Colonic hydrotherapy can also be quite pricey going up to as much as $100 to get it done. Another drawback to this procedure is that while it helps flush out fecal matter, it doesn't really get rid of the mucus and other toxins that have accumulated in the lining of the intestines. This brings us to the next method.

(2) Oxygen-based Cleansers

An oxygen-based cleanser is more thorough than colonic hydrotherapy in that it is able to effectively dissolve the toxins and other build up that are attached to the intestinal lining. Oxygen-based cleansers are said to be the best option for cleaning out your colon. Not only does it address hard to eliminate waste build-up in the colon, it also cleanses the small intestines. These cleansers contain an ingredient called ozonated magnesium oxide that turns the compacted waste into gas or liquid form. This makes cleansing easier and more thorough. Oxygen-based cleansers are natural and non-toxic so they pose no dangerous side effects to the user. It is also painless and non-invasive which is another reason most people prefer this method.

(3) Enemas

Enemas function in the same way as colonic irrigation in that it is a procedure that requires the flushing out of waste with the use of water, although more water is used in colonic irrigation. Also, enemas are only able to get rid of waste material stored in the rectum and are usually unable to clean the inmost part of the colon. Besides water enemas, people can also opt to go for clay or coffee enemas.

(4) Herbal Treatments

A lot of herbal treatments involve the use of psyllium, a high fiber herb that acts as a sponge and absorbs waste material. This is then flushed out of the colon as psyllium also has laxative properties. Other popular cleansing herbs are dandelion root and cascara sagrada.

(5) Laxatives

Laxatives are effective at emptying the bowels but this treatment provides only temporary relief and does not really address the more serious problems associated with colon blockage.