For more than 2,000 years, fasting has been part of almost every culture in the world. A so-called bowel cleanse has always been closely tied to therapeutic fasting. Many people still swear by the well-known bowel emptying before and during fasting.
From the point of view of traditional naturopathy, bowel emptying and fasting make a successful combination. Together, the two methods are still seen as the basis of numerous therapies. Fasting has by now become a fixed part of everyday life for many people.
Bowel emptying, on the other hand, is not as easy to fit into everyday life and is often found unpleasant. In this article we therefore explain what options there are for fasting both with and without a bowel cleanse.
The point of a fasting cleanse
Fasting has long been seen as a helpful way to cleanse body and soul. Throughout human history, people repeatedly had to go without enough solid food because of food shortages. This forced state of hunger, however, is not comparable to modern fasting. Fasting means voluntarily and consciously giving up solid food or selected foods for a set period of time.
The large calorie deficit stimulates certain processes in the body. Fasting can also lead to other physical adaptations, such as cell renewal processes and relief for the digestive tract. There are also indications that fasting can reduce inflammatory processes in the body, which in turn can lead to an improvement in certain symptoms. On top of that, fasting is mental training, because your usual meals are missing for the whole fasting period. With good preparation and, ideally, some first experience of fasting, the typical side effects of fasting can be kept to a minimum.
Fasting with a bowel cleanse - how important is the process?
For a long time, a thorough bowel cleanse was seen as an essential part of any fast, before and during. For many people who fast, the so-called bowel cleanse was also the most unpleasant part of the fasting period. In traditional fasting, emptying the bowel is meant to allow the cleansing from within that is needed. With a fully working digestive system and regular exercise, the cleansing happens on its own, because no residue is left in the bowel. If the gut flora is out of balance, though, a complete emptying and cleansing of the bowel is not possible without extra help.
The reason a bowel cleanse can be necessary is therefore an imbalanced gut flora. This often shows up through signs such as bloating, stomach ache, constipation, irritable bowel, skin conditions or allergies. Triggers for this imbalance in the gut include poor diet, unhealthy eating habits, frequent stress or smoking. Medication and environmental toxins can also lead to an imbalanced gut flora.
For this reason, so-called purging is an essential part of any fast for many people. Besides supporting the gut flora for the fasting process, purging has other benefits, including:
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Balancing the gut flora
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Easing inflammation
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Soothing the intestinal lining
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Eliminating harmful gut bacteria
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Flushing out metabolic waste products
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Activating (with constipation) or calming (with diarrhoea) peristalsis
A bowel cleanse can work on many different levels, helps regulate the body's systems and supports the body's own natural processes. It can have a positive effect on the gut flora in many ways. Last but not least, thoroughly emptying the bowel before starting therapeutic fasting also switches off the feeling of hunger during the cleanse for some people. This is a very welcome side effect of bowel emptying, as it makes the fasting period more comfortable.
Which laxatives are natural and gentle?
So-called gentle laxatives include sauerkraut juice or prune juice, as well as psyllium husk powder. If these gentle laxatives do not help, there are also stronger options. These include castor oil, Epsom salt and Glauber's salt.
An enema syringe should only be used in extreme cases. With an enema syringe you can give yourself an enema at home. This enema stimulates bowel movements and empties the bowel.
There are also plenty of other supportive measures to get your bowel moving. Constipation often comes from sitting around and not moving enough in everyday life. Fibre and daily exercise are the basis of a natural digestive process. To support this process, make sure you get enough exercise during your fasting cleanse too.
It does not need to be a competitive sports session by any means. A long walk, a bit of gymnastics, swimming or cycling are much better choices to treat yourself, strengthen your mind and help your bowel empty regularly.
Is fasting without a bowel cleanse possible?
Regular bowel movements are extremely important during fasting too. A bowel cleanse is not strictly necessary for this if your gut flora is intact. Even so, a gentle cleanse with natural laxative aids such as prune juice, or taking laxatives such as Glauber's salt, can help during fasting. As described above, it can prevent strong hunger and at the same time support reduced bowel activity.
If you do not have regular bowel movements while fasting, unwanted toxins can build up in your body and lead to discomfort. A fasting cleanse is only healthy if the toxins are actually excreted. If you suffer from constipation, though, they pass back into the body through the intestinal lining and can cause discomfort there.
While fasting, you generally take in less fibre from fruit, vegetables and wholegrain cereals, which normally stimulates bowel activity. It is therefore important to build your diet back up gradually after the fast to make sure you get a balanced supply of fibre. So if you do not have regular bowel movements during your fasting cleanse, an enema can be the gentlest and fastest way to empty the bowel.
Scientific doubts about the importance of bowel emptying when fasting
Looking at today's science, though, it becomes clear that the arguments for a thorough bowel cleanse are only partly true. The strong-smelling stool of many fasting people is often cited as proof that a bowel cleanse works, said to come from more toxins being excreted from the gut. In truth, though, the changed smell comes from the body's changed metabolism.
The headaches that fasting people get in the first few days are also given as a reason why a bowel cleanse is necessary. But headaches during fasting often have a completely different cause: during a fasting cleanse, more breakdown products are flushed out of the tissue and enter the circulation.
This increased concentration of, for example, uric acid can be the trigger for headaches. In many cases, though, headaches are also simply side effects of withdrawal, for example from caffeine, sugar or salt.
Conclusion: fasting with or without a bowel cleanse?
When you fast, you consciously go without solid food for a set period of time. This helps give your body a reset and a well-earned break. During this time you also train your awareness, and after fasting you notice a real change: in how you eat, but also in how your body feels.
Thoroughly emptying the bowel before and during fasting is very important and has numerous benefits. A bowel cleanse is therefore perfectly reasonable to support the bowel's emptying process if a complete bowel movement is not possible without extra help. A bowel cleanse can also reduce hunger during fasting and supports bowel activity. So bowel movements should not be ignored during the fasting period either. A special boost for your own elimination processes can be helpful here. There are plenty of natural and easy laxative aids that can make fasting a better experience and support your well-being while you fast. So fasting is possible both with and without a bowel cleanse.
