After food leaves the stomach, it passes through 6.5m (22ft) of small intestine, followed by 1.5m (5ft) of large intestine.
The latter part of the large intestine is also known as the colon or bowel. Together the small and large intestines are collectively known as the intestines. The large intestine is separated from the small intestine by a valve which periodically allows matter through (similar to the valve between the stomach and the small intestine). The large intestine consists of five basic parts, the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon (the colon is basically a large inverted U shape), the sigmoid colon, and the rectum. The anus is merely the aperture at the end of the rectum.
The small intestine is 3-4cm in diameter (1.25-1.5") and the large intestine is 5.5cm in diameter (2.5"). The walls of the intestines are not flat but are made up of individual villi, which in turn are covered with tiny microvilli. This helps to increase the surface area for absorption.
About 80% of all nutrient absorption from food takes place in the small intestine. Only 20% takes place in the stomach and large intestine. The main function of the small intestine is digestion and absorption of nutrients. The main function of the large intestine (colon) is to reabsorb water from the stool and also to prepare the stool for expulsion from the body. Because stools contain products of putrefaction (anaerobic decomposition by micro-organisms), liquids and nutrients that are absorbed through the intestinal villi and into the blood enter the Hepatic Portal System - a circulatory system that connects the GI tract directly to the liver, where toxins can be filtered out, before onward circulation to the rest of the body. This is to prevent toxins from the large intestine and indeed any toxins ingested in general from being absorbed directly into blood and damaging organs such as the brain. The liver is thus fed with both oxygenated (arterial blood at the capillaries) blood and deoxygenated (venous) blood (from the GI tract).
The liver also produces bile using the gallbladder to expel bile into the digestive tract, to the small intestine, in order to aid in the digestion of fats in the small intestine and also a pathway to expel toxins from the body (via the GI tract and stool). This direct circulation of biliary salts from the liver is known as the Enterohepatic circulation.
As food passes through the intestines, it becomes progressively firmer until it becomes the familiar stool in the rectum. The walls of the GI tract excrete mucus, known as mucin, which is alkaline in nature, in order to lubricate and clean the gastro-intestinal and colon lining, to neutralise acid build up in the intestines and to protect against toxins. A healthy colon contains many residual friendly bacteria that weigh up to 2.25kg (5lbs).
The Wikipedia pages below show diagrams and definitions of the intestine, the small intestine and the large intestine (colon) respectively.
The sigmoid colon is the very last part of the colon, between the descending colon and the rectum. It is broadly S-shaped, which is where it's name comes from. By the time stool arrives in this part of the colon, most nutrients have been absorbed back into the blood stream. The sigmoid colon is rather muscular and contracts to create a pressure, squeezing stools into the rectum.
The capillaries in the mucosa lining of the rectum are not part of the Hepatic Portal System (similarly to the capillaries under the tongue in the mouth), thus any toxins present in the stools whilst one is squeezing out the stool through the rectum and out of the anus, are reabsorbed in the main body's blood supply (bypassing the liver). This is why one tends to feel slightly sick just before having a bowel movement. Stool has just moved out of the sigmoid colon into the rectum, where toxins can be reabsorbed into the main blood circulation system. This is why this nauseous sensation disappears once the stools have been expelled. That is partly why passing stools can feel satisfying! The rectum does not possess the benefit of the hepatic portal system. This is why it is important to try to expel stools when they pass into the rectum as soon as possible and not hold them in. The circulatory system in the rectum is not designed for long term or even short term storage of stools, and the body is designed to expel stools pretty much as soon as they arrive in the rectum. In addition, if you do not empty your rectum when it is starting to fill up with stool, then you will experience a great increase in wind - this is the stool telling you it wants to come out!! It is time to 'take the kids to the pool.' Of course, the sensation in the rectum is there so we can control our bowel movements and chose when and where to pass our stools, so we do not go to the toilet whilst in a dangerous situation (hopefully!) or whilst in eating or sleeping areas (translate this into the modern scenario of an anti-social place!)
This property of the rectum is utilised in suppositories, for example EDTA suppositories (e.g. Detoxamin) for chelation therapy. Enemas work via a different principle, they involve the introduction of liquids up the rectum and into the sigmoid colon. Here they are absorbed and travel via the hepatic portal system directly to the liver. Coffee enemas are used for this purpose to stimulate the liver, to speed it up, mainly through direct absorption via the rectum (to the outside of the liver via other organs in the body first) and the rest by absorption through the sigmoid colon and descending colon wall to the inside of the liver (via the hepatic portal system). Enemas are also used to treat the colon of various adverse conditions, but introducing medicinal liquids into the colon directly, without having to ingest them and have them arrived much later, partially or fully digested, e.g. herbal enemas containing soothing herbs and oils for IBD cases (slippery elm, linseed oil, aloe vera etc.)
The bottom of the ascending colon (i.e. the upper part of the colon) is most prone to congestion and stool build up, partly because of gravity and it's shape, which can impede the flow of stools through the colon and also lead to considerable reabsorption of toxins and putrefaction products. In addition, overeating can actually stretch the walls of the colon, meaning that it is larger and will fill up with more stool than before. These issues are examined below. Overeating is a Motivation problem and unwillingness to break previous negative behaviour patterns.
Sometimes one may feel a sharp pain in the anal area which may last for a couple of seconds or up to ten seconds. This is an indication that stool is moving in the colon or rectum and that it is dislodging or grinding against mucoid plaque that lines the lines of these passages. Whilst unpleasant, this is a good indication that something positive is happening (in terms of mucoid plaque removal) but also an indication that mucoid plaque and congestion is present.
'Peristalsis is the rhythmic [wave-like] contraction of smooth muscles to propel contents through the digestive tract...In much of the gastrointestinal tract, smooth muscles contract in sequence to produce a peristaltic wave which forces a ball of food (called a bolus while in the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract and chyme in the stomach) along the gastrointestinal tract. Peristaltic movement is initiated by circular smooth muscles contracting behind the chewed material to prevent it from moving back into the mouth, followed by a contraction of longitudinal smooth muscles which pushes the digested food forward.'
Peristalsis is controlled by the nervous system, and in some individuals, who have Abnormal Spontaneous Brainstem Activations (ASBAs), dysmotility (uncoordinated movement of the muscles in the GI tract) may arise. Of course peristalsis may be assisted with the use of herbs but to what extent this helps with the coordination of muscle movements, BlackSpy is not sure.
Low levels of peristalsis may be evident in those individuals who do not exercise sufficiently. Exercising more, if possible given one's health etc., generally improves peristalsis.
Modern diets are often low in natural fibre and also high in mucus producing foods, such as dairy products, white flour, meat (especially processed meats), eggs, potatoes, beans, rice, grains, fish, peanuts and fats (and low in fresh vegetables and fruit), and food, drink and drugs high in toxins, for instance coffee, alcohol, recreational drugs and pharmaceuticals. When we talk about mucus producing foods, we mean that they tend to stimulate the digestive tract to produce more mucus, rather than mucus in the nasal passages.
However, a large number of people have a very mild immune system reaction to certain food proteins that resemble viruses to the immune system, mainly dairy and wheat, which may well cause nasal congestion as well as adverse immune system activity in the digestive tract. This is a separate topic and is discussed on the Food Allergy and Intolerance page.
Such diets lead to more mucin being produced in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. The mucus can indeed be cleared away by pancreatic juices (from the pancreas) but mucus-forming foods form such a large proportion of modern, western diets that the pancreatic juices are not effective in clearing it away. As the mucus and food particle solution passes through the intestines, moisture is removed and absorbed back into the blood stream. As more moisture is removed and reabsorbed, the mucus becomes sticky and gluey. In passing, it leaves a coating on the intestinal wall. Layer tends to dry out over time, compacting and hardening. Over the years, layer after layer of gluey faeces builds on the intestinal lining. It gradually forms into a tough, rubbery, black substance (hardened faeces mixture) found in lumps in the corners of the intestinal tract and covering the walls and villi themselves. This is known as 'mucoid plaque', and causes constipation, a reduction in the absorption of nutrients through the intestinal wall, and is a breeding ground for candida, harmful bacteria and parasites.
Toxins are absorbed into the mucoid plaque over time, including biotoxins and heavy metals. The liver relies on the colon being clear in order to effectively eliminate toxins from the body through the digestive tract. The build up of mucoid plaque and congestion in the colon (affecting the normal passage of stool) results in the build up of large amounts of toxins in the digestive tract. Harmful micro-organism activity also produces additional toxins. The body tends to produce more mucin to try to wash away the mucoid plaque, which mixes with the mucoid plaque to exaccerbate the problem. Low fibre diets slow down the movement of food in the GI tract and do not act to remove mucoid plaque and prevent mucoid plaque formation.
A gallery of mucoid plaque can be viewed at the link below.
Please note that some mucoid plaque that one excretes will float in your toilet, partly because of the psyllium husks it contains (Psyllium being used to help remove it). Mucoid plaque tends to thick, dark and rubbery, and hard to penetrate with a set of chop sticks or fork (should one wish to have a go). It is harder than the psyllium that often accompanies it - when removing it of course. It does not tend to come out of its own volition.
Dairy products are most mucus-producing of all foods. After this comes meat, fish and eggs, which are almost as mucus-forming. Soy is the most mucus producing plant-based food. Other pulses and legumes are not quite as mucus-forming. Nuts and are also major mucus producing foods. Next come grains. Millet is the least mucus forming of all grains. Fruits and vegetables are virtually free of mucoid-forming activity, depending on which one is talking about.
Dr Richard Anderson claims to have coined the phrase 'mucoid plaque', with covers a number of different medical terms. He states that acid forming foods are a major contributor to the production of excess mucin, which ties in with the general trend observed above.
Sprouted grains, seeds and beans are closer to vegetables in composition, whilst retaining the protein content (in more complex forms) and are much less mucus-forming. However they are largely composed of water, depending on how large they have grown. As little photosynthesis occurs with sprouts (depending on how long they are left), then their growth is largely water and bean/seed nutrient conversion. So to get the same protein and fibre content, with mung beans, one would need to eat 3 to 4 times the weight of sprouted to get the same protein and fibre content of cooked mung beans. Proper length bean sprouts have up to 10 times less protein than boiled mung beans. This is why if one eats a large portion of bean sprouts, one becomes hungry much quicker than if one had eaten a large portion of mung beans. In general, the longer the sprout is left to grow, the less mucus producing it becomes (and easier to digest it becomes). Please note the comparative data below is based on different serving sizes.
Digestion times in the stomach for various food types can be found below. Soy is close to meat in its digestion time, compared with other pulses and legumes.
It is likely that fermented foods are easier to digest than their non-fermented counterparts, e.g. Tempeh may be easier to digest than soy beans etc. Predigested protein supplements may be easier to digest than their non-predigested counterparts. Soaking nuts, as discussed on the Digestion page, is very important too, as it helps to remove the indigestible compounds and enzyme-inhibitors. Thoroughly soaking, cooking and washing/rinsing beans is also important if one is not sprouting them, to ensure they are as easily digestible as possible.
Other factors that can contribute to mucoid plaque formation or excessive mucus production are overeating or eating large meals, eating without being hungry, improper chewing and inappropriate food combinations. For more information, please see the Digestive Disorders page.
Overeating - If one overeats at mealtimes for many years, the ascending colon may become stretched, and more prone to being clogged up with stool. If you have inadvertently stretched your colon, then you may want to consider eating smaller portions or meals in general or smaller meals more often to avoid this tendency of your colon to clog up. In addition, larger meals may put a strain on the digestive capacity (in terms of enzymes and stomach acid) resulting in more putrefaction in the GI tract, which in turn instigates more mucus production.
Eating without Hunger - eating food when one is not that hungry or when the stomach is not completely empty may result in the previous meal being pushed through into the intestines before it has been fully digested, thus increasing mucus production. It may also simply mix with the new meal and the longer it stays in the stomach the more time it has to putrefy, thus instigating more mucus production later on.
Improper Chewing - swallowing or gulping food without chewing it properly - can result in improper digestion (as there is less surface area) and thus more putrefaction in the GI tract, and more mucus production.
Improper food combinations - inappropriate food combinations may result in inefficient digestion and more putrefaction and thus mucus production. Different food types require different digestive secretions and mixing certain food groups may result in sub-optimal digestive secretions to digest the food at hand.
Mucoid plaque formation and general clogging of the colon may also occur as a result of a lack of peristaltic movement. A lack of Peristalsis may be a result of poor diet, build up of mucoid plaque and a low blood supply and 'qi level' of the small and large intestines.
Some articles below on mucus producing foods, in particular dairy products may be found below. These may however be looking at the effects of commercially produced dairy products rather than organic or grass fed sources.
Faeces is supposed to simply pass through the colon, where moisture is reabsorbed back into the body before eliminating the faeces through the anus. Faeces is not supposed to get stuck around the walls of the colon or build up inside the colon. The liver relies on the colon being clear in order to effectively eliminate toxins from the body through the digestive tract. The build up of mucoid plaque and congestion in the colon results in the build up of large amounts of toxins in the digestive tract.
Autopsies have shown that the average person carries around 3-7kg (7-15lbs) of such mucoid plaque in his intestines. Autopsies have also shown severely encrusted colons to weigh 18kg (40lbs) or more! Sometimes there is so much mucoid plaque that parts of the colon expand from 5.5cm (2.5") to two to four times their diameter in very obese people, leaving a channel of only about a pencil's width in the centre through which faeces can actually pass for elimination through the rectum.
In the UK, bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer, with 35,000-40,000 new cases each year. These statistics come from Cancer Research UK and the BBC from August 2006.
'According to the Merck Manual, one of the most respected medical texts in the world, colon degeneration and disease is on the rise. The incidence of diverticulosis, (herniated sacs protruding through the wall of the colon) has increased dramatically over the past 40 years in America. It states that in 1950, only 10% of American adults had this disease. In 1955, 15%. In 1972, 30%, In 1987, almost 50% and in the latest edition it states that Every American will have diverticulosis if they live long enough.
Diverticulosis is directly caused by constipation, faecal impaction and pressure. These sacs are stuffed with trapped faecal sludge. They become infected and the rotting faeces erodes the surrounding mucousa and blood vessels. This begins bleeding, rupturing and infection, and serious disease.
Colon Cancer actually KILLS 400% more people than AIDS. It also KILLS more men and women in America than Breast and Prostate Cancer.
This year in America 60,000 people will DIE from Colon-Rectal Cancer and an additional 125,000 new cases will be diagnosed.
Up to 50% of Americans have Polyps in their colon. A Polyp is just another name for a tumor. 'Most' Polyps eventually mutate into malignant cancer tumors!'
'Diverticulitis is a common digestive disease particularly found in the large intestine. Diverticulitis develops from diverticulosis, which involves the formation of pouches (diverticula) on the outside of the colon. Diverticulitis results if one of these diverticula becomes inflamed.'
NASA research scientists have found traces of mother's milk in adult colons, indicating that many adults carry impacted faecal matter in their colons throughout their entire lives, from early childhood to death. The incidence of mucoid plaque in young children and babies is not doubt a result of modern-child rearing practices, excessive reliance on cow's milk long after a baby actually requires mother's milk and low fibre diets. No other animal consumes milk after early infancy except humans. If humans actually consumed organic, raw milk and not pasturised milk (from anti-biotic fed animals) it would not be so bad.
In most western adults, it is considered normal to grow a larger and larger belly with age. People seem to take this for granted. However, the large majority of the composition of this 'belly' is mucoid plaque which builds up over decades and also excessive gas (produced by undigested food being fermented by good and bad bacteria). The volume and weight and hardened faeces that many people carry around with them 24 hours a day in quite horrific! If you pinch the skin and subcutaneous fat from your belly, what is underneath is hard and should be flat. If it is hard and still compromises the majority of your protroding 'belly', it is highly likely that most of this is mucoid plaque.
One can feel oneself how much tension there is in the intestinal muscles by slowly and gently massaging the intestinal area, either whilst lying on one's back or leaning forwards whilst sat on a chair with one's elbows or forearms resting on one's legs. If it feels uncomfortable, aches or is painful, then this is a likely indicator that there is a considerable amount of mucoid plaque and/or excessive gas (which puts pressure on the intestinal walls) in the small and large intestines. There is a good Shiatsu morning exercise for massaging the intestines and internal organs which a qualified Shiatsu practitioner can show you.
For a totally disgusting slide show, showing pictures of mucoid plaque passed from the colon, click on the link below. If you never see this, it means you are keeping it in your intestinal tract and carrying kilos of it around with you 24 hours a day. If you see it regularly in your toilet, it may be gross, but it means you are actively eliminating it from your body and it is gone forever (hopefully)! It may of course build back up depending on your dietary habits.
The purpose of the above information is not to just shock people, but to educate and motivate. It is not this web site's intention to create in people negative beliefs about modern society, which people can use to feel sorry for themselves whilst they continue to allow their bodies to be abused, but to empower people to positively take control of their health.
This all sounds very horrible! So what can we actually do about it?
As discussed in the section above, Formation of Mucoid Plaque, one can identify the food types that are most contributing to the formation of mucoid plaque. One can therefore avoid those foods that are excessively mucus producing, e.g. soy and milk dairy, and not eat to excess the foods that are moderately mucus producing - whilst maintaining a varied and balanced diet of course. This should automatically increase one's fibre intake, but if one requires more dietary fibre, then one can supplement this as discussed below. Processed beans and grains are also to be avoided. White flour-based foods and processed soy products, e.g. tofu or soy milk, are mucus forming and also contain very little fibre, which makes matters worse.
The bulk of one's food intake should therefore ideally be of vegetables and sprouted seeds and beans, with some fruit, whole grains and beans (and possibly meat and fish). Try to have a sufficient amount of fibre in each meal. This is why some people recommend raw vegan, juicing diets, like Dr Richard Schulze, not that raw food is necessarily always recommended, but that a major focus on vegetables for short periods of time can help limit mucoid plaque formation.
Please note that if one does not change one's diet and give up or limit dairy consumption, then one is unlikely to shift one's mucoid plaque despite all the other tools one uses to do the job. One needs to stop the formation of more mucoid plaque as well as removing the old mucoid plaque.
Smaller Portions, Eat When Hungry, Proper Chewing & Food Combining
As mentioned above, overeating can lead to mucoid plaque build up, particularly in the ascending colon. If one overeats at mealtimes for many years, the ascending colon may become stretched, and more prone to being clogged up with stool. If you have inadvertently stretched your colon, then you may want to consider eating smaller portions or meals in general or smaller meals more often to avoid this tendency of your colon to clog up, as a preventative strategy.
In addition, overeating or eating when not hungry can result in food staying longer in the stomach than it should ideally be, and less efficient digestion, resulting in putrefaction and thus increased mucus production. The same goes for inadequate chewing or inappropriate food combinations that are harder to digest.
The digestive system slows down in the evening, so it is better to eat earlier in the evening or late afternoon than late at night. If necessary, if one becomes very hungry late at night, then one can eat a small snack. Some believe that going to bed on an empty stomach is generally healthy, although those with CFS or related conditions may or may not cope so well with this strategy. If the calories of your evening meal are consumed too late in the evening, they could have been utilised in the early evening when they were really needed. Of course it is not a one-sided issue. The body repairs itself during sleep and it is useful to have necessary vitamins and amino acids available for when one is asleep. The metabolic rate is higher during sleep than the daytime resting metabolic rate. However, digestion and absorption may be impaired, as one does not have the help of gravity to move the food through the small intestine, relying only on peristaltic motion. Thus a big meal at night may result in more mucoid plaque formation than if eaten slightly earlier.
Below are examined a number of fibre sources, from dietary sources to supplemental sources. When it comes to supplemental sources of fibre, most can be taken on an empty stomach or with food. BlackSpy personally has found that non-bulking soluble fibres do not generally remove mucoid plaque but are useful to speed up transit time of food in the GI tract or to relieve constipation. Mucoid plaque removal really requires the use of Psyllium husks, in combination with other fibres, absorbants and herbs.
Non-bulking soluble fibres tend not to cause bloating, although they can result in excessive amounts of water being retained in the digestive tract. Partly soluble fibre such as Grapefruit fibre also tends to cause bloating in many individuals, on account of the Pectin component. All fibre sources are of course plant origin and are all prebiotic, i.e. they help to feed our probiotic bacteria and generate short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as Butyrate which are useful for lowering our colon pH. Fibre can be taken with meals or on an empty stomach. However, if one is using any kind of absorbant then one should take them on an empty stomach, away from meals, as it may absorb the nutrients from the meal irreversibly. Fibre can be taken with meals if the meal is of a low fibre/ruffage value, e.g. meat or processed foods. They will slow down the rate of release, digestion and absorption of nutrients of the food. This is why eating fruit is preferable to drinking fruit juice, as sugar levels spike in the later case. Too much fibre with a meal will however result in it being flushed through the system too quickly to be digested. Undigested pieces of food in the stool may also be a result of unsufficient chewing.
BlackSpy has found that Psyllium mixed with other fibres work best on an empty stomach, taken with an intestinal absorbant such as charcoal or bentonite clay.
Each individual is different so some experimentation may be necessary, to find the right balance between laxative herbs, fibre intake and Magnesium supplementation.
A high fibre diet helps to scrape away mucoid plaque. Fibre is your friend. No matter what a terrible state your intestines are in, you can always remedy the situation and return to full gastro-intestinal health. Most people have never actually experienced this apart from at birth, but then they may have trouble remembering that!
It is generally recommended to consume 25g of fibre per day. Soluble fibre has the added advantage of lowering cholesterol levels.
Consuming sufficient water, regardless of the type of fibre one consumes, as well as sufficient exercise to stimulate movement of food through the intestines and bowels, is also of key importance to ensure healthy bowel movements and prevent the build up of mucoid plaque.
Some people try to cheat weight gain by skipping meals or only eating a little fruit for breakfast and lunch, so that they can eat a 'normal' meal for dinner, and not put on any weight. This way of eating is however flawed and not clever, as it generally means that the total fibre intake is relatively low. In addition, it may be putting additional strain on the adrenal glands as there is less blood sugar reserves available during the day. People in general do not consume enough water every day, and so if one skips meals also, the total faeces volume may become very low indeed, and the build up of mucoid plaque all the more likely.
Additional fibre can be added to one's diet, for example ground flax seed (high in Omega 3 oils and lignans) and ground psyllium husks (no nutritional value) - discussed below. Soluble and insoluble fibre such as oatmeal/oatbran and rice bran can also be beneficial and is a good breakfast meal (without the sugar, honey or milk!) Assuming you are not allergic. It can also be mixed with porridge oats.
Be aware that many of the fibre rich foods are often those that are the most mucus producing, so where possible, sprouted forms should be used. They should also be taken in moderation.
Some people swear by psyllium and bentonite drinks, combining the absorption qualities of bentonite clay with the fibre action of psyllium husks. Please see below for a recipe for their preparation. The absorptive and detoxifying properties of Bentonite clay are examined in more detail on the Detoxification page. Others prefer to rely on fibrous vegetables to do the work. Be careful when consuming pure oatbran or psyllium husks as they are forms of soluble fibre that absorb very large quantities of water and may seen to harden and thicken if left in water for any length of time. This is what happens in your intestines if you consume them. So make sure they are diluted down enough when consumed, otherwise they may solidify and cause more colonic build up problems.
Another form of 'fibre' worth considering is found in Diatomaceous Earth. This is a type of fossilised algae, which has a very hard and sharp cylindrical shell. Taking a tablespoon of diatomaceous earth every day can help to mechanically scrape mucoid plaque from the small and large intestine, and has the advantage of being easy to prepare and not causing excessive bloating if taken in excess. It is also a good source of silica and can help to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure levels.
It is clearly helpful to reduce the amount of mucus producing foods you eat and to increase the amount of fresh fruit, vegetables, greens and salads you eat. One must be mindful of one's nutritional requirements and one's digestive efficiency when embarking on a change in one's diet. It is best to consult with a specialist prior to making diet changes.
Bentonite clay is usually taken in conjunction with ground psyllium husks (shown above - dry).
Unground husks are shown in the picture above.
Psyllium husks are a non-digestible source of soluble and insoluble fibre, the major component of which is called mucilage. The psyllium plant (plantago psyllium) originates from the Indian sub-continent. Mucilage absorbs water and swells to several times its original size. In cases of constipation, it acts like a bulk laxative, stretching the large intestine and decreasing the length of time that stool stays in the intestine. In cases of diarrhea, psyllium mucilage absorbs the excess liquid and slow down the movement and delays the emptying of the contents from the gastrointestinal tract. The mucilage also absorbs toxins in the GI tract. Through its various properties and actions, psyllium husks can be used to reduce cholesterol absorption, lessen the frequency of hemorrhoids and hiatal hernias, and reduce constipation and intestinal disease.
Psyllium husks are mixed with water in order to be in a form that they can be consumed in. As psyllium husks absorb a large amount of water, it is imperative that sufficient water is drunk when coming psyllium husk powder. If insufficient water is consumed, the psyllium will tend to form a thick paste or even hard clumps (almost like cement), cause constipation and draw water out of the blood stream. If a person is already constipated, taking psyllium without sufficient water would clearly worsen the condition. Take psyllium husk powder at least one hour before or after eating, preferably two hours. Taking psyllium too close to other supplements or food will lead to inproper absorption.
If you wish to increase the amount of fibre in your diet, then you can take one (heaped) teaspoon (max) of psyllium husks (in one go), on an empty stomach or with a meal. BlackSpy would personally recommend taking it on an empty stomach and waiting 1-2 hours before eating again. Use one pint (quart) of water for every teaspoon of psyllium. Mix vigorously. Alternatively, you may wish to use ground flaxseeds, which are a good source of fibre also, but have the additional benefit of being a good source of lignans and omega 3 fatty acids. Or simply increase the amount of fibrous foods in your diet, depending on what you can tolerate etc, such as oat bran porridge with dessicated coconut (with no milk or sugar), beans, nuts, vegetables, whole grains, fruit etc. The choice is yours.
However you choose to include more fibre into your diet, it may help to take epsom salts to ensure a couple of days of high liquid fluidity in one's colon, in order to soften up the mucoid plaque, after which high fibre foods and psyllium will shift the mucoid plaque much more easily. It is using the same principle as colonic hydrotherapy in the softening of the mucoid plaque in the colon with water.
Organic or regular psyllium husk powder can be purchased. Suppliers of psyllium husk powder can be found on the links page.
It should be noted that if the level of peristalsis is very low in one's digestive tract (i.e. slow movement of food through it), then there may be a tendency for psyllium to stick to the walls of the small and (particularly the) large intestine, and build up, resulting in bloating and congestion. The colon is also designed to absorb moisture from the stool, and as Psyllium is especially prone to bulking up, then stool that accumulates in the colon containing psyllium may have a tendency to dry out, thicken up, and stick to the colon wall, causing bloating. In such cases, one should take herbs concurrently or preceding a programme of psyllium consumption in order to promote a healthy peristalsis, so that this problem does not occur. Please see the Herbs section on the the Inefficient Liver Function page, and also the Herbs page for more information. For the record, BlackSpy has yet to manage to take Psyllium without some degree of additional bloating, and does not recommend it over other sources of soluble fibre mentioned above.
If your goal is intestinal cleansing and the removal of mucoid plaque, then it is probably best to use regular sources of additional concentrated fibre during the day. Whilst some prefer to use Psyllium husks (up to an astronomical 8 teaspoons a day!), others prefer to use other fibre sources that do not bulk up and have a prebiotic function, such as Acacia Fibre, Inulin etc. In this application, it is highly beneficial to take the fibre together with liquid bentonite clay, so that any mucoid plaque that is removed does not retoxify the body, and that any toxins that are released are absorbed by the bentonite clay. If one does take bentonite clay with one's fibre, it is best to take it well away from meals, so as to not interfere with digestion. Information regarding Bentonite Clay can be found on the Detoxification Protocols page. For the rest of this section, we shall examine how to make Psyllium & Bentonite 'shakes' (a.k.a. P&B shakes), but one may well prefer to mix bentonite or even charcoal with other less problematic fibre sources.
The P&B gel passes through the intestines and grinds away at the intestinal wall, scraping away mucoid plaque (a mixture of hardened faeces, toxins, mucus, harmful organisms etc) which is passed out of the body (in long stringy strips in some cases) with your faeces.
If you are taking bentonite clay as an absorbant in a detoxification programme (i.e. mopping up toxins in the intestine and from the blood), then you may as well take it with psyllium husks in the form of P&B shakes and benefit from the mucoid plaque removal as well. In this application you would take the P&B shakes as normal on an empty stomach, but perhaps take 3 a day. There is no reason why you cannot use both chlorella and P&B shakes (although not at the same time), for example, taking chlorella first thing in the morning (perhaps with ground flax seed), taking chlorella before lunch (perhaps with ground flax seed), and then taking a P&B shake between your lunch and dinner. The only issue with taking large amounts of flax seed is that you need to be careful not to take too much Omega 3 oils in relation to Omega 6 oils.
Directions for preparing 'psyllium and bentonite (P&B) shakes' are included below.
When making a 'psyllium and bentonite shake', it is recommended to pre-mix the psyllium husk powder with water first before adding it to the liquid bentonite. Trying to mix dry husks into thicker liquid bentonite is not so easy as mixing them with just water. First take a teaspoon (or less) of psyllium husk powder into a pint (half litre or half quart) glass and add half a pint of cold/room temperature water. Stir vigorously for 10-20 seconds until there are no lumps in the mixture or until the mixture thickens.
When you are first dissolving the psyllium husks, mixture becomes thicker with time so do not take too long to stir it. Make sure you use enough water in relation to the amount of powder you use. If the water volume is too small, it will solidify very quickly and become virtually impossible to dilute back down again. Using hot water will also cause the husks to solidify too quickly.
Pour the mixture into the glass bowl containing one serving of liquid bentonite (i.e. pre-stirred liquid bentonite (pictured below) - not water with bentonite at bottom, but a homogenous mixture).
Mix using a non-metallic spoon, then pour back into the pint glass and drink immediately. Perhaps drink an addition glass of water to ensure that the fibre is fully hydrated in your stomach.
Alternatively you can stir the liquid bentonite in the bowl and pour this liquid bentonite into the pint glass containing the aqueous psyllium mixture and stir in the glass using the non-metallic spoon. The former approach is probably easier in terms of ease of stirring. The finished Psyllium and Bentonite 'shake' is shown below. Drink immediately.
If you are feeling lazy, you can prepare the liquid bentonite in around 5 or 10 minutes. When the dry bentonite clay is sprinkled over the surface of half a pint of water in a glass bowl, it will sink to the bottom after 5 or 10 minutes. When it has all sunk, it can be stirred with a non-metallic spoon, and it is then ready to mix with the psyllium mix as described above. It is of course better to allow the bentonite to settle overnight prior to serving. This 'cheap and nasty' method produces a result isn't quite completely homogenous (but 80% so) and is not really recommended.
P&B shakes work best when combined with other herbs, fibres and absorbants, particularly those high in mucilage, which also helps to loosen mucoid plaque. For example, BlackSpy has found that adding ground sprouted flaxseed works well, as it thickens up the mixture, adds a digestible food source and acts to make the mixture more slippery to avoid bloating. In addition, one can thicken/slime it up with slippery elm bark and marshmallow root powder. One can also add Grapefruit fibre or pectin powder, activated charcoal powder (this does not thicken up the mixture like Bentonite clay) as an additional absorbant, as well as peristalsis stimulating herbs such as Ginger or Peppermint etc. One may need to adjust the relative quantities of all ingredients to avoid it being too thick, i.e. the more ingredients you include, the smaller the quantities of each you use. You can buy ready made fibre/intestinal cleanser formulas from reputable manufacturers that combine many of the above elements, such as Blessed Herbs Colon Cleansing Kit, Jarrow Formulas' Perfect Fiber, Dr Natura's Colonix (which also contains a one size fits all antimicrobial programme), Dr Richard Schulze's Intestinal Formula #1 & #2, Herbal Apothecary (Unyquity) Intestinal Formula (10 Day Colon IF#1), Nature' Secret Ultimate Cleanse, Renew Life's Organic Bowel Cleanse, etc.
Some bloating will occur as the Psyllium is not really digested so will not reduce in volume significantly in the GI tract. If mucoid plaque is loosened or removed, it will likely rehydrate to some extent and add additional volume. Please note that bloating is tiring for the body as a whole, as the intestinal walls will be under pressure continuously - whether this is bloating from bacteria, mucoid plaque, food or P&B shakes. Some bloating is necessary with P&B shakes to create enough pressure to really grind away at the mucoid plaque, but too much can be rather tiring and uncomfortable.
You may wish to add a water soluble microbial herb or extract to the 'shake' to help kill any candida or pathogenic bacteria in the mucoid plaque as it is abraded. One example might be Grapefruit Seed Extract (Citricidal or Citricidex - both thick liquid concentrates). The web site below recommends liquid Caprylic Acid (i.e. an oil/fatty acid) and/or Olive Leaf Extract (OLE). OLE Tinctures are avaiable which may be convenient in this respect. Be sure that the antimicrobial is right for you and isn't just making you more ill and not really eliminating harmful microbes, if they are still present.
You may drink between 1 and 8 drinks a day if you are working to remove mucoid plaque, according to a specialist's recommendations and what your body can tolerate. The amount of psyllium that your body can take in one go, and the number of times per day that your body can accept additional fibre will vary according to the individual. It is best to experiment a little, and find the optimum balance for you. Some people can only take additional fibre twice or maybe three times a day as it is impractical otherwise. Other people do not require so many snacks during the day and are able to consume a larger number of shakes between meals.
One may find, depending on the individual in question and the amount of mucoid plaque formed over various points in time, that one can cope more easily with larger amounts of psyllium per shake in the early phases of one's P&B regime. This may be because the most recently laid down mucoid plaque is much softer and more easily removed, and when one starts to get down to the older mucoid plaque, it is much harder and more rubbery, and will take much longer to dissolve/loosen/scrape off. Thereone one may need to lower the amount of fibre in one's P&B shakes, and possibly increase the amount of other mucilage sources, to gradually soften this mucoid plaque over time, and perhaps also increase one's laxative/peristaltic motion stimulating herbs as well to keep things moving and stop the psyllium causing too much bloating and clogging.
It is often said that one should take P&B shakes on an empty stomach. However, many of us are not used to have empty stomachs during the day and may begin one meal before all of the previous meal has left the stomach (i.e. when we feel we are starting to become quite hungry but are not 'starving' hungry yet. This is not ideal from a digestive perspective. Such a strategy is of course highly flawed when it comes to taking P&B shakes. The more gap you leave between your meals and the P&B shakes the better, as there will be less mixing. Some mixing of psyllium and chyme in the intestines or colon is of course inevitable, but one wants to prevent mixing in the small intestine if at all possible, to ensure maximum nutrient absorption (for energy) and maximal effect of mucoid plaque removal by the P&B shakes. So it is clearly best to take one's P&B shake on a completely empty stomach, and also to take one's next meal when the P&B shake has fully left the stomach, i.e. when the stomach is fully empty again. The larger a P&B shake and the thicker it is, the longer it may take to leave the stomach. This may require considerable self-discipline, and some metabolic types may not fare very well waiting for their stomachs to finally empty each time. If one is food combining also, then one may already be doing this, but taking P&B shakes during the day increase the length of time between meals further, putting potentially additional strain on one's blood sugar levels if this is already a problem. Focussing on more complex carbohydrate sources at meals may help to alleviate this to some extent, as they are metabolised more slowly. Some people may also be taking other supplements, which also need to be taken on an empty stomach, away from P&B shakes, and this may compound things even more, and the amount of waiting for things to leave the stomach may mean one ends up eating dinner too late or can only do a couple or even one P&B shake a day. Clearly one needs to find the optimal routine for oneself and compromise to some extent. However, ensuring P&B shakes do not mix with the ends and beginnings of meals does considerably improve the quality of digestion - and means less undigested food mixed with psyllium in one's stool that would otherwise occur, which is clearly not productive from any perspective.
If you are taking bentonite in conjunction with a general cellular detoxification programme, as is being discussed on this page, then you may wish to just drink it 30 minutes prior to your chelation agent, such as cilantro. This is discussed below. Bentonite clay is so effective that it can actually absorb nutrients and useful minerals from the GI tract, so it is recommended to take your 'psyllium and bentonite shake' between meals, preferably at least 1-2 hours after your last meal (or supplements) and at least 1-2 hours before your next meal (or supplements). There is no reason why you cannot take additional flax seed powder in addition, for example, in the morning with one's breakfast. Find what works best for you.
Introduce additional fibre slowly into your diet and increase the quantity gradually. This includes P&B shakes. When you stop passing mucoid plaque, then you should stop taking additional psyllium husk powder. This may not be so easy to determine, as many people do not pass mucoid plaque each day. Sometimes mucoid plaque is difficult to identify.
If you experience excessive bloating, wind, any abdominal pains (ranging from mild aches to sharp stabbing pains in the colon) or your lower abdomen is swollen and almost pregnant in appearance, then you are either consuming too much fibre on a daily basis or you are consuming too much fibre in a short space of time. Many patients will already be suffering from symptoms such as bloating and wind however. Try to space out your psyllium intake as much as possible throughout the day and always take on an empty stomach. Always consume enough water, usually at least a pint (half a quart) of water per heaped teaspoon of psyllium, in addition to your normal level of water consumption. It is generally recommended not to take psyllium on a continual basis for more than 3 months at a time. If you have not eliminated your mucoid plaque by this time, it would be advisable to stop and try colonic hydrotherapy (which does not use anti-biotics) if you have not already tried this. If you are taking very large doses of psyllium each time, it may well contribute to bloating and over time will tend to actually clog up your colon with hardened psyllium (as the colon extracts water from the faeces), which of course defeats the purpose of taking it in the first place. Any such build up can be removed by properly hydrating the area (e.g. colonic hydrotherapy). This is why smaller amounts more often are preferable to larger amounts fewer times a day. Please note that it is the Psyllium in the P&B shakes which can cause the bloating or abdominal pains if taken in excess, and it has nothing to do with the Bentonite Clay, which can be taken on its own if desired to relieve intestinal build up of heavy metals; or equally taken with other sources of less problematic dietary fibre.
If you are currently supplementing your diet with additional magnesium and your stools are quite loose and soft, and you are engaging in a P&B shake programme, you may not get the full benefit of the shakes as their mechanical grinding action is reduced by the additional water in the stool as a result of the magnesium supplementation. When your required magnesium dosage comes down enough so that your stool starts to firm up a little, then you will gain the maximum benefit from the shakes and may well start passing mucoid plaque again. You cannot achieve maximum results from all different types of treatment all at the same time!
Once you have eliminated your mucoid plaque from the small and large intestine, you may find it optimal to use P&B shakes for a period of time (as long as is required) once or twice a year thereafter to remove any mucoid plaque that accumulates over time. It is generally understand that once you stop passing mucoid plaque, then you should stop with the shakes.
Please note that sufferers of Irritable Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease) should NOT undergo a P&B shake regime, but need to reduce the inflammation in the colon prior to commencing this. Reducing the source of inflammation would include investigating potential sources of food intolerances (a major contributary factor to intestinal inflammation), a heavy metal detoxification programme and killing off any harmful micro-organisms that are present, such as bad bacteria, parasites and/or fungus overgrowth in the intestines, and repopulating the intestines with good bacteria. Techniques to reduce inflammation would include perhaps taking a natural enzyme-based anti-inflammatory, as well as soothing juices such as aloe vera and fermented cabbage juice, and perhaps soothing herbs. Colonic hydrotherapy could potentially help IBD sufferers remove their mucoid plaque from the large intestine (i.e. without the use of additional dietary fibre), which would provide many benefits and most likely help to reduce inflammation also. Please read further on this page for details of heavy metal detoxification, and see the digestive disorders page for more information on these other areas. You should seek advice from a qualified and experienced consultant with respect to identifying the exact problems you have, the best course of treatment, and the best sequence of treatment.
More information on the use of bentonite clay and psyllium husks for mucoid plaque cleansing can be found on the Mucoid Plaque page.
Please bear in mind that it is not necessary to take psyllium husks with bentonite clay if you are not looking to clear the intestines and colon of mucoid plaque, but merely taking the bentonite clay as an absorbant as part of a cellular detoxification programme.
Some web resources on P&B shakes can be found below.
It should be noted that if the level of peristalsis is very low in one's digestive tract (i.e. slow movement of food through it), then there may be a tendency for psyllium to stick to the walls of the small and (particularly the) large intestine, and build up, resulting in bloating and congestion. In such cases, one should take herbs concurrently or preceding a programme of psyllium consumption in order to promote a healthy peristalsis, so that this problem does not occur. Please see the Herbs section on this page, and also the Herbs section on the Digestive Disorders page for more information.
Acacia Fibre (fiber) - seen above - is a type of soluble fibre extracted from the gum of the Acacia tree of Senegal in Africa. It is non-digestible by the human digestive system but its galactose units can be digested by probiotic bacteria, to encourage a healthy gut flora, and is thus considered to be a prebiotic. It also slows fermentation in the digestive tract and decreases gas and bloating. It is sweet in taste. It is considered to be a preferred alternative by many to Psyllium Husks, described below, which tend to bulk up a great deal and clog up the colon if taken in excess, although it is not high in mucilage and not so useful for removing mucoid plaque. Unlike Psyllium Husks, Acacia fibre can be taken with food. Some recommend taking it with food, others with a glass of water (1 tablespoon with 8 fluid ounces of water). 1 to 3 tablespoons daily is considered a maximum dosage, with 1 to 1.5 tablespoons consumed at any one time as a maximum. Acacia Fibre is considered to assist in the treatment for IBS. It is also found as an additive to some dietary supplements, whey protein milkshake powders and fibre supplements.
According to Heather Van Vorous of HelpForIBS.com, the marketer of Heather's Tummy Fiber, founder of Heather's Tummy Care and TV presenter of an IBS friendly cookery show, one should on average 4 to 18 grams (2 teaspoons to 3 tablespoons) per day, starting at a very low dosage and increasing gradually. Maximum daily dosage is 30 grams or 5 tablespoons. If one's digestive tract stabilises at a lower dosage, stay there. Constipation may take weeks to stabilise.
Another vegetable gum fibre source is Guar gum (seen above), the ground endosperm of the bean from the Indian Guar plant. It is often used as a thickener in baking, and is an excellent source of dietary fibre. It is probably not as useful as an intestinal regulator as Acacia gum fibre however.
Inulin is a type of Fructooligosaccharide (FOS), extracted from Jerusalem Artichoke. It is a prebiotic and a soluble fibre. It is not broken down by digestive enzymes and has a low glycemic index. Whilst similar to FOS, inulin contains larger chain molecules which are more capable of reaching the colon. It is beige in colour and is sweet in taste.
One example of an Inulin product is Now Food's Inulin. Another is Xymogen's OptiFiberSCFA which also contains a number of other types of fibre.
Fenugreek Fibre is an extract from the Fenugreek plant, a soluble, taseless fibre, mainly consisting of Galactomannan (with 1:1 ratio of galactose to mannose). Best taken 5-10 minutes before a meal with 8+oz of water (1-2g of Fenugreek fibre), it forms a gel in the stomach which binds to sugar and fat, allowing for slower release of glucose into the bloodstream during the course of digestion, supporting healthy blood sugar levels.
One example of a Fenugreek fibre product is FenuLife by Beyond A Century (BAC). Another is Xymogen's OptiFibrerSCFA, which also contains a number of other fibre sources.
Fenugreek is also demulcent, containing mucilage, which may help to dissolve mucoid plaque and sooth the GI Tract.
Grapefruit fibre is extracted from Grapefruit of course. The dietary fibre content is roughly 1/3rd insoluble fibre and 2/3rds soluble fibre, including Pectin. Pectin has been shown to be useful for binding with heavy metals in the GI tract and is a prebiotic. It is bitter to the taste. It is best consumed before meals.
The pectin in Grapefruit Fibre is also demulcent, containing mucilage, which may help to dissolve mucoid plaque and sooth the GI Tract.
back to top Expectorants and Demulcents - Mucilage-containing herbs
A number of herbs and enzymes can be used in addition to the P&B shakes etc to loosen and dissolve mucoid plaque.
Mucilage is a thick gluey substance, that is a polar glycoprotein and exopolysaccharide. It is used in plants to store water and food, and to play a part in seed germination. Mucilage is also used in some flycatcher plants to help trap flies.
Mucilage also has mucolytic or expectorant properties. A mucolytic is an agent that dissolves thick mucus by hydrolysing glycosaminoglycans, lowering the viscosity of mucin-containing body secretions/components, such as mucoid plaque in the intestines or mucus in the lungs. Respiratory relief is the most common application of expectorants, but in this application, we are primarily interested in their ability to loosen and dissolve mucoid plaque. Not all expectorants are high in mucilage, but those that are are 'relaxing expectorants' as described below. One expectorant drug is Guaifenesin, an extract from the Guaiacum genus of plants, that as far as BlackSpy is aware does not contain high levels of mucilage, nor that it is effective with mucoid plaque.
Mucilage has demulcent properties, in that it helps to form a soothing film over mucus membranes, which is why mucilage containing plant extracts are often used in cough remedies. These plant extracts have a moistening action, soothing and cooling action. Dried plant extracts that are demulcent tend to become slimy or gumy when soaked in water, and tend to bulk up. In this context, mucilage can help to sooth any inflammation or irritation of the GI mucus membranes, and aid in the passing of stool or passage of psyllium mixtures.
Glucomannan is a water-soluble polysaccharide, derived from the roots or corm of the Konjac plant. It is considered a form of soluble dietary fibre. It is similar to mucilage globules. It help to loosen and remove fat from the walls of the colon. It is also a prebiotic. It is used for various conditions such as obesity as an appetite suppressant, IBS, constipation, high cholesterol and Type 2 Diabetes. Glucomannan supplements must be taken with sufficient water or they can cause severe side effects. It has been banned from some pharmaceutical products in Australia, probably because some patients were taking their medication without knowing to take sufficient water.
Lecithin or Phosphatidyl Choline can also be supplemented, which may help to emulsify and loosen the mucoid plaque in the GI tract. Phosphatidyl Choline helps to dissolve fatty deposits and cholesterol in the arteries. It is high in polyunsaturated lipids and also helps to clear the cell membranes. Please see the Detox Protocols for more information.
Other oils that may help to soften mucoid plaque are flaxseed oil and olive oil. However, one may argue that taking ground sprouted flaxseed is better, because of the extra fibre and mucilage, and nutritional value.
Diatomaceous Earth is a type of fossilised algae called Diatoms. In the fossilised form are 85% amorphous silica approximately, and their fossilised shells are extremely hard and extremely sharp edged. When ingested with water, they help to scrape mucoid plaque from the small and large intestines as well as slice up any tape worms if present. Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) also has a high mineral content and can be used in remineralisation. The DE is not digested as such, although a small amount of silica and other minerals may be absorbed. The insoluble fraction sipmly passes through the digestive tract, rather like a P&B shake.
The outside of the fossilised diatoms are negatively charged and attract heavy metal ions in the digestive tract. Many sources state that the hard, cylindrical Diatom shells can catch and trap all kinds of harmful microbes including yeasts, protozoa and bad bacteria, although this effect may be secondary and less exaggerated compared with the other properties mentioned above.
DE has advantages over P&B shakes in that it requires the minimum of preparation and will likely not cause bloating like P&B shakes can if too much is taken at once or too many are consumed in one day. A tablespoon of DE is simply placed into a glass of water and stirred. That's it. It is probably best consumed on an empty stomach, although in farming applications it is simply sprinkled on animal feed. Always rinse out your mouth after consumption so as to avoid excessive dental abrasion.
BlackSpy has tried D.E. for a couple of months, and has found that it seems to work best when mixed in with a thick medium, which can give the D.E. some leverage from which to actually scrape the most effectively in the GI tract. When mixed in on its own in water, it does not appear to be so effective as the equivalent amount of fibre mixed in with water. BlackSpy therefore believes that D.E. is best consumed either in a glass of water taken with food, or mixed in with a glass of water/fibre mixture, with or without an absorbant like bentonite or charcoal. If using the latter absorbants with D.E.,it is best consumed on an empty stomach. D.E. does not appear to be as efficient an absorbant or binder of heavy metals as either Bentonite Clay or Charcoal.
Please see the Diatomaceous Earth section of the Bacterial, Yeast and Parasite Overgrowth page for more information.
Proper peristaltic action and a sufficient blood supply to the intestines can be stimulated by various Energetic Treatments and also herbal products. Certain herbs such as peppermint, cinnamon, slippery elm, ginger, fennel seed, gentian root, papaya leaf and rhubarb may assist the intestines by relaxing the walls and encouraging food to pass through more easily. This can assist your body's ability to clear the colon also. Your specialist or shiatsu practitioner should be able to give you guidance on this. Herbs come in the form of additions to detoxification/digestive aid supplements, in digestive aid herbal teas (available in packets of tea bags from your local health food shop or supermarket) and also from specialist herb suppliers such as HerbCare (whose Ojibway Tea is prepared by boiling herbs for 20 minutes.) Herbal capsule products such as Co-Ton A are also available. Whilst such herbs may indeed help, they also have energetic properties (c/f Traditional Chinese Medicine theory) that may imbalance the body if used long term.
Probiotics and Prebiotics play an important role in digestive health, the immune system and removing mucoid plaque. Many prebiotic fibre sources have been discussed above. Probiotic bacteria strains are important to help digest and break down food/chyme/stool, to maintain bowel movements and to absorb toxins from the GI tract. Probiotics and Prebiotics are examined on the Bacterial page.
Papain, the enzyme found in Papaya fruit. Papain helps to digest the proteins in mucoid plaque. One can simply eat fresh Papaya fruit regularly, or take a Papain enzyme supplement. Some digestive enzyme formulas already contain Papain, e.g. DigestMore Ultra.
Raw foods, especially greens and fruits, tend to be highly enzyme-rich. Consuming such foods may potentially assist in mucoid plaque removal. Some will be better suited to mucoid plaque removal than others. One can also consume a 'greens' supplement every day to assist in this regard.
Juice Fasts are essentially an enzymatic therapy to remove mucoid plaque. In constrast with blending, juicing is a way of removing the pulp from vegetables and consuming their nutrient rich juices. 30% of the body's energy goes to digestion, so juice fasting is a way of providing the body with most of the nutrients it normally gets but with less effort, and also flooding it with enzymes (from raw vegetables). Those who eat raw vegan food are consuming fibre with their food and the enzymes are not absorbed as readily. In addition, the volume of vegetables consumed in juices is much larger with a juice fast than can be consumed in a normal vegan raw diet. Basically a juice fast involves drinking vegetable juices around the clock, mainly from green leafy or other green vegetable sources. The juices pass through the GI tract and the enzymes help to loosen the mucoid plaque. Some individuals include wheat grass juice with their juice fast, as well as soy lecithin to ensure some increased intake of protein and fat, as well as organic mineral sources. Critics of juice fasting state that Calcium deficiency can occur with extended juice fasting.
A juice fast can be combined with P&B shakes and various other anti-mucoid plaque treatments. It is a highly extreme treatment and is not meant to go on for more than a month. Some do it for just one day a week or a few days. BlackSpy is not necessarily recommending this. One should also consider that whilst juices such as wheat grass juice can be consumed on a daily basis in general etc., consuming too much raw food long term may result in a build up of damp energy in susceptible individuals according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. A juice fast is of course a temporary regime, but those who have a large excess of cold or damp energy before they start may not fare so well with juice fasting as others.
Training the abdominal muscles will help to improve peristaltic motion, draw blood to the GI tract and assist in all of your other strategies to remove mucoid plaque. If you are physically able to do stomach/abdominal exercises, without adversely impacting your energy levels, then it will help. The traditional crunch is argued by some to be detrimental to your back and there are alternative exercises that involve keeping a straight back. Stomach exercises are discussed on the posture page here.
A tip for aiding digestion is to avoid any activity that draws blood away from the stomach and intestines for at least one hour and preferably two hours after a meal. This includes heavy exercise and taking a hot bath or shower.
Stress also causes blood to be diverted from the digestive tract - try to be more relaxed and calm within yourself!
In addition, for an impaired digestive system, it is better to avoid large meals and instead eat smaller amounts more often, spreading out one's food intake as much as possible during the day. It is not particularly helpful to starve oneself for hours and then have a heavy meal. Heathly and light snacks can be consumed between meals, for example. Large meals can not only overload the digestive system but cause 'energetic damage' to the body's meridians. Overeating can also result in stretching of the colon, which can result in excessive built up of stool in the ascending colon. It is also psychologically unhealthy and serves to mask/distract attention from underlying issues to do with stress and self-esteem.
Colonic irrigation/hydrotherapy (which use only purified water and no anti-microbial or anti-biotic additives) has also shown to be useful, and can help in removing mucoid plaque in the colon, but is a more 'direct', quick, aggressive, intrusive, energetically destructive and expensive approach. A patient may require between one and three successive visits over a period of a week or two to fully remove the mucoid plaque from the colon. Because of the flushing action, it tends to remove most of the beneficial and harmful bacteria from the colon, and therefore the flora mix present at the time of irrigation will repopulate itself in three days. It is recommended to use a probiotic immediately after the treatment (and all the time in fact!) to help shift the floral balance to a more satifsfactory and beneficial state, for at least 3 days. Colonic hydrotherapy only works on the large intestine (the colon) and not the small intestine, which is separated from the large intestine by a valve. To remove mucoid plaque from the small intestine requires fibre, as discussed above. The temptation with colonic hydrotherapy is to rely on this as a regular treatment rather than address the lack of fibre, the excess of mucus producing foods and other dietary issues that may afflict the person. Colonic hydrotherapy should probably be used as a compliment to a high fibre diet and psyllium and bentonite regime, rather than a replacement for it. A skilled practitioner is able to feel the abdomen and ascertain in which part of the colon (the large intestine) where the mucoid plaque is, and if any parts of the colon are swollen and distended (i.e. clogged up with mucoid plaque). During treatment a light massage may be given to assist elimination. Colonic irrigation, whilst highly effective at removing built up stool from the colon, is also somewhat severe in its nature, and although one may feel elated and freer having removed all this stool, the body may well feel exhausted for several days afterwards. It is often energetically draining on the body. If you are undergoing a heavy detoxification programme, additional monthly or bimonthly visits may be required during the duration of the programme. However, these may excessively deplete the body's energy reserves which are already being depleted by the cellular detoxification programme. Regular colonic hydrotherapy sessions over a number of months may therefore be detrimental to a CFS patient's overall recovery. A person should make an educated choice about whether to use colonic hydrotherapy or not. It is not right for everyone and in many cases should only be used as a last resort. See the toxicity page for more information.
An alternative to colonic irrigation is an enema. This introduces a few litres of liquid into the colon, up to 4-5 litres, which is retained in the colon for 15-20 minutes and then excreted, as opposed to squirting and flushing hundreds of litres of water up one's bottom. It is still tiring but not as tiring as colonic irrigation. One can also use a variety of herbs or other ingredients to include in with the enema liquid, e.g. coffee enemas to stimulate the liver.
Oxygenating supplements are discussed on the Links page and also on the Bacterial page. In the latter case, they are discussed in the context of killing off pathogenic fungal or bacterial infections. However in this context, we are talking about their ability to oxidise and remove mucoid plaque. Examples of such supplements include Oxygen Elements Max, MMS (Sodium Chlorite), Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide, OxyLift, CellFood, Aerobic Oxygen, K07, Colosan, Oxy-Powder etc. A number of individuals have claimed great health benefits with such products, including mucoid plaque removal, and equally a number of others have either noticed nothing or become extremely ill (some are still worse after stopping these supplements). It is widely acknowledged on various health forums that such supplements do oxidise one's own beneficial anaerobic bacteria, and that probiotic supplementation is required to replenish the lost bacteria. The manufacturers themselves deny such claims, and state that they have no adverse effect on probiotic bacteria, making such incorrect statements as all good bacteria being aerobic! Equally the manfacturers' web sites have misleading, vague or incorrect information on them, telling us very little about how they actually work, and using such terms as 'ozone', 'oxygen' and 'oxide' interchangeably, equating the O2 dioxygen molecule to O. radicals and O3 ozone molecules. These companies are heavily criticised by the mainstream medical community yet they do little to defend themselves and explain themselves with any credibility. This is not to say that there is not truth in there, but it is disguised with wishy washy, pseudo-scientific statements and incorrect terminology. BlackSpy is not really recommending such supplements, although it is up to the individual to choose what to use, when and how much.
Of course, those with a severely inflamed intestinal tract (IBD such as Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis) by eliminating harmful organisms, toxins or other factors causing the inflammation first and taking natural anti-inflammatories and non-fibrous high mucilage soothing herbs to sooth the inflammation (i.e. not psyllium husks!), before the real business of removing mucoid plaque can take place. For example, in extreme cases of Crohn's disease, rather than just relying on oral supplementation with aloe vera juice/gel, olive oil, slippery elm tea, marshmallow root tea, ground flaxseed tea (or perhaps flaxseed oil tea) etc, one can actually inject these directly into the rectum and colon using a rectal syringe; as much as will go in, and to be held in as long as is possible; with the patient being suspended upside down during the proceedings. Blood circulation to this area could be further enhanced by regular colonic massages (on the abdomen) and also hydrotherapy (alternate hot and cold showers). Dr Richard Schulze has observed extremely severe cases of Crohn's disease where, for example, a patient is afraid to eat as passing faeces is so painful, and where after a course of rectal syringed herbs, oils and juices as described above, the Crohn's Disease cleared up in three weeks, and the patient was able to return to 3-4 healthy bowel movements a day. These types of issues are examined on this page and also the toxicity page, although these pages are not specifically about IBD per se.
Examples of different types of enemas can be seen at the web sites below. These have not been tried out by BlackSpy so he cannot vouch for their effectiveness.
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