Active women chatting on a walk on a pier overseeing the ocean

With its diverse and complex ecosystem, the colon’s home to over 400 species of bacteria. While many of these species are necessary for waste removal and digestion, others can wreak havoc on the gastrointestinal tract if left unchecked.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until one of these pesky microbes flares up before fine-tuning your gastrointestinal tract. That’s because regular colon cleanses and gut health supplements can help to remove harmful toxins to detoxify your body and improve your digestion.

But how do you know when to schedule a colon cleanse? In this guide, we’ll cover signs you need to cleanse your colon.

#1 You Have Stomach Pain and Digestive Problems

Stomach pain and digestive problems are two of the most tell-tale signs you need a colon cleanse. While several factors, including food poisoning and a lack of fiber, can cause gastrointestinal issues, prolonged and severe symptoms may be caused by a build-up of harmful toxins.

In addition to causing general discomfort, these harmful toxins can cause the following:

  • Diarrhea 
  • Cramping
  • Gas and bloating
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation

Regular colon cleansing can help eliminate these harmful toxins before they cause problems. In fact, one study determined that colon cleanses were especially effective at aiding irritable bowel syndrome.1 

#2 You’ve Gained Unexpected Weight

For many people, fluctuations in weight are part of normal bodily cycles. However, if you’ve gained weight for no apparent reason or are more inclined to put on excess weight, gut microbes may be to blame.

The reason may stem from gut microbial efficiency.2 Although all digestive microbes help break down food so that the calories and nutrients may enter your bloodstream, some microbes are better at digesting food.  Therefore, you may want to look for nutritious foods to cleanse your colon. The more microbes in your gut, the more calories your body intakes, which can lead to weight gain.

In addition, gut microbes can cause you to gain weight in the following ways:

  • They can induce inflammation – Some species of gastrointestinal bacteria produce chemicals that promote inflammation. This inflammation can cause weight gain. What’s more, some species can even increase blood sugar and decrease insulin resistance, leading to weight fluctuations. That said, other species of gut bacteria can reduce inflammation and contribute to weight loss.
  • They can make you feel hungry – When we feel hungry or full, our bodies are responding to the production of hormones. Some gut bacteria can affect these appetite-altering hormones, leading to increased feelings of hunger.

  • Although weight gain can be attributed to a number of factors, small organisms living in your colon might be to blame. Regular and natural colon cleanses can help eliminate these inflammation-causing, hunger-inducing bacteria.

    Create your own custom bundle and save up to 20%. Take our quiz!

    #3 You’re Feeling Fatigued Constantly

    Recent studies have shown a correlation between fatigue and the prevalence of certain gut microbes.4 While more work needs to be done in this area, the data indicates that some gut microbes may contribute to all-day sleepiness.

    Possible reasons for the link between fatigue and gut microbes include:

  • A bacterial imbalance – According to one study, patients who exhibit constant fatigue and irritable bowel syndrome often have an altered gut bacterial makeup.5 In addition, these patients’ colons usually exhibit a less diverse bacterial population than the colons of non-fatigued individuals.

  • Digestion problems As stated above, gut microbes impact the way we digest our food. If the bacteria in your colon is working harder to digest your food, your body may feel sluggish as a result of the increased energy expenditure.

  • Detoxification – As a “machine” that runs on homeostasis, your body is attuned to the toxins that enter your digestive tract and will work hard to expel these toxins. If your colon contains many harmful toxins, your body may be working diligently to expel these toxins, thereby increasing feelings of fatigue.

  • Like weight gain, fatigue may be attributed to many sources. That said, if you’re constantly fatigued for no apparent reason, it may be time for a colon cleanse to ward off fatigue-inducing microbes.


    #4 You’re Feeling “Foggy” and Distracted

    A common misbelief is that harmful and unhealthy gut microbes only affect you physically. While it’s true that the most immediate symptoms of harmful bacteria are physical, harmful microbes can also affect you mentally.

    That’s because, as scientists are discovering, gut microbes play a prominent role in brain functioning.6 What’s more, your colon’s bacterial makeup may even play a role in brain-centered diseases such as:

    • Alzheimer’s
    • Autism
    • Depression
    • Chronic aches

    While the link between gut microbes and brain functioning is yet to be fully understood, possible reasons why a connection exists include:

  • Decreased sleep It’s no secret that good sleep is vital for optimal mental functioning. In fact, decreased sleep has been linked to many physical and neurological disorders. If your colon’s constantly fighting harmful toxins, your sleep may be affected, thus leading to increased mental “fog.” In recent years, scientists have discovered that gut microbes do in fact play a role in sleep physiology.7

  • Increased gut workload – As stated above, when your body’s working overtime to expel harmful toxins, you expend a lot of energy. As a result, you may feel sluggish and distracted. 

  • At the very least, harmful toxins in your colon may cause you to feel more distracted in the short term. A regular colon cleanse may be just what you need to get your mind back to normal.

    #5 You’ve Been Smelling Bad

    Given the nature and function of colonic microbes, it stands to reason that harmful gut microbes can influence body odor. However, this link between gut microbes and body odor has only recently gained traction.

    If you’ve noticed that you’ve been smelling malodorous with a bad breath recently, harmful toxins may be to blame. 

    Gut bacteria have been especially linked to smells of ammonia. According to one recent study, certain gut bacteria strains have the ability to form ammonia.8 If enough of these ammonia-forming bacteria strains accumulate, you may end up smelling unpleasant.

    A colon cleanse may be just what you need to smell minty fresh.

    #6 You’ve Experienced Sexual Dysfunction

    One of the common side effects of an accumulation of harmful colon toxins is sexual dysfunction. While this dysfunction may not manifest as an inability to have sex, it may lead to a decreased desire to engage in intercourse.

    Like the link between gut bacteria and weight gain, the relationship between sexual performance and microbes hasn’t been fully understood. However, what is understood is that gut bacterial makeup does influence serotonin production, and the lack of serotonin can impact sexual energy and desire.9

    #7 You’ve Been Having Bad Skin

    One of the most beautiful aspects of the human body is its interconnectedness. When all bodily systems are functioning properly, the entire body usually feels wonderful. However, when one system’s acting up, the symptoms can be felt in other parts of the body. 

    The skin is one such organ that’s impacted greatly by harmful gut toxins.

    Although studies between gut microbes and skin health are still in their nascent stages, there’s growing evidence that gut health and skin health are inextricably linked. In particular, harmful gut toxins have been linked to:

    • Skin inflammation
    • Acne
    • Psoriasis
    • Epidermal diseases

    If you’ve noticed your skin’s less glamorous than usual, it may be time to cleanse your colon. 

    Why Colon Cleanses Are Important

    Now that we’ve discussed the 7 signs you need to cleanse your colon, let’s dive into why routine colon cleanses are important.

    In short, routine colon cleanses can help you in the following ways:

  • Detoxification – One of the important truths about the colon is what’s inside it. Most peoples’ colons contain a lot of waste. As a result, the colon can be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. While some species of bacteria are necessary, other species can pose significant health problems. A colon cleanse is a great way to remove harmful toxins, enabling you to feel great inside and out.

  • Early disease detection – While a colon cleanse isn’t specifically for disease detection, a routine cleanse can help doctors detect colon diseases before they become problems. The colon cleanse is also a great time for doctors to recommend changes to your diet and lifestyle.

  • Put simply, routine colon cleanses can help you live a healthier lifestyle. That said, there are a few things you can do to improve your colon health before your colon cleanse. Experiencing stomach issues? Learn more about the benefits and uses of activated charcoal for stomach bugs.

    In addition to eating a diet full of fiber and taking probiotics, one of the best things you can do is incorporate activated charcoal into your lifestyle. A carbon-based substance that traps harmful toxins through adsorption, using activated charcoal for gas and bloating can help alleviate the symptoms of harmful bacteria. 

    That said, not all activated charcoal’s the same. For the best activated charcoal on the market, try Cymbiotika Activated Charcoal.

    Organic, sugar-free, and wholly plant-based, Cymbiotika Activated Charcoal is made from activated coconut charcoal and is designed to purify your digestive system so that your colon cleanse can go as smoothly as possible.

    Cymbiotika: The Right Way To Cleanse

    Routine colon cleanses are great ways to keep your mind and body in tip-top shape. But don’t wait until there’s a major problem to get a colon cleanse. Instead, colon cleanses are recommended if you’re experiencing one or more of the following:

    • Stomach pain and indigestion
    • Fatigue
    • Brain fog
    • Sexual dysfunction
    • Bad odor 
    • Bad skin
    • Weight gain

    That said, one of the best things you can do before your colon cleanse is activate your digestive system by taking Cymbiotika Activated Charcoal.

    For the best in mental, body, and gut health, there’s only Cymbiotika.


    Sources:

    1. National Library of Medicine. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with a novel colonic irrigation system: a pilot study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27194235/
    2. National Library of Medicine. Role of the gut microbiota in host appetite control: bacterial growth to animal feeding behaviour. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27616451/
    3. Scientific Reports. Potential role of microbiome in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelits (CFS/ME). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86425-6
    4. . National Library of Medicine. Eukaryotes in the gut microbiota in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5784577/
    5. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Gut Microbes and the Brain: Paradigm Shift in Neuroscience. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4228144/
    6. U.S. National Library of Medicine.. Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6779243/
    7. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Microbiota and Malodor—Etiology and Management. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7215946/
    8. Heathline. Could Probiotics Improve Your Sex Life? Unpacking the Gut-Sex Connection. https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sex/probiotics-gut-sex-life
    9. Harvard Health Publishing. Do gut bacteria inhibit weight loss? https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/do-gut-bacteria-inhibit-weight-loss
    10. Nature. Potential role of microbiome in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelits (CFS/ME). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86425-6
    11. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Chapter 95 Microbiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7670/
    12. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Eukaryotes in the gut microbiota in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5784577/
    13. National Library of Medicine. Role of the gut microbiota in host appetite control: bacterial growth to animal feeding behaviour. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27616451/
    14. National Library of Medicine. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with a novel colonic irrigation system: a pilot study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27194235/


















    by Isaac Otero / Dec 15, 2021