CombinedNSP Site Admin
Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Posts: 1406 Location: Cleveland, OH
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Posted: Dec Sat 16, 2006 1:36 pm Post subject: Colon - Black Colored |
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Colon - Black Colored
Has anyone heard of any of the herbs causing the colon to discolor? I've got a client who has taken herbal laxatives for two years along with many other herbs & vitamins. She had been diagnosed with cancer several years ago and has also taken the E-tea for two years. She had a colonoscopy done and her dr. found the discoloration and told her to immediately stop the herbs, especially anything with senna in it. She asked him if anything was wrong with her colon and he said that it just doesn't look good. She is very alarmed. She was feeling great prior to his warning. She has stopped the herbs and now feels horrible. Her back has started hurting again and her bowels are not moving as well. Anyone else have the herbs do this to them?? ~ Thanks in advance. -Nancy
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Cascara Sagrada discolors the colon. As far as I know it is only a dye effect, no harm done. -Georgiana Duncan
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Several years ago, when I went for a routine colonoscopy, the Dr. told me that there was no point in going further with the exam, as the colon showed all black, and I could see on the screen that this was true. He said that as long as I continued to take the herbs (cascara seemed to be the culprit) no tests could be taken to check for colon cancer. I thanked him, and told him that I was doing so well since finding the herbs (suffered from chronic constipation all my life) that I would just take my chances with the herbs, and if I thought I needed further testing later, that I was sure there was another way to test. I have not been back, and trust all is well, as I seem to be getting along alright. I just don't want to have to be without my LBS-II. I know this is just anecdotal, but this doctor did not seem unduly concerned. I read his attitude as being willing to go along with my preference in the matter - something that many do not. I had had a couple of polyps removed several years prior to this "failed" colonoscopy, by a different doctor. Stool samples taken routinely since then show no problems, thank God. Best wishes. -Cathy Williamson
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The guilty party is not Senna. Cascara Sagrada has a tendency to darken the colon wall but does not do any harm to the colon. Research done in England found that people using Cascara Sagrada was not habit forming and the darkness around the colon was not harmful at all. they were some of the healthiest colons they have ever seen. I hope this helps. -Jack Ritchason
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The blackening of the colon is a condition called "Melanosis Coli". It is a medical condition, and is nothing to take lightly. It develops as a result of laxative abuse (please note that the term "laxative abuse" applies to taking more than the recommended dosage, AS WELL AS prolonged use of laxatives...taking them for too long). Stimulating laxatives should never be used for longer than 30 days in succession (that's why CleanStart is labeled for one month's use only). After 30 days, you must take a break.
Laxative herbs like Cascara Sagrada, Burdock, and Turkey Rhubarb are not a solution for regularity. They should be reserved for stubborn days ONLY. A much, much healthier and natural way of regulating the bowels is to liberally indulge in FIBER. Fiber products (such as LOCLO, Psyllium Hulls, Natures's Three, etc.) can be used safely and healthfully every day for the rest of your life! By taking fiber, you can maintain great-feeling regularity, without risking developing Melanosis Coli.
If you have developed Mealnosis Coli, your colon can return to normal if you stop using all stimulant laxatives. Then, when your colon returns to its normal healthy pink color, you can begin taking laxative herbs again in moderation. -Rhea LeMaster
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This isn't necessarily true. If your colon has lost it's muscular integrity, that needs to be restored. You can do slant board exercises and ab exercises along with Dr Jack's Colon Program. This is the six month colon restoration program by Dr. Jack Ritchason. It is very much like the CleanStart/UltimateBuild Programs.
In my particular case, if I used fiber and NO bowel stimulant, I would cease to have bowel movements. I do use fiber, but need LBS II to push it thru. I did, years ago, go to a colon specialist. He was foreign, vs US Medical - which may account for the difference in opinion. He did say he could tell that I had been taking Cascara (in the LBS II), but agreed with the necessity of having a clean colon.
You are doing more harm than good by NOT taking bowel stimulants if you need them. It must be clean and keep moving. Many commercial "laxatives" are bowel relaxers, rather than bowel stimulants - which is harmful because it is training your bowel to be lazy. Perhaps that is where the problem is. . . LBS-II, taken to keep the muscle working and the bowel continuing to function is a good thing!! Magnesium, taken in large doses for the purpose of letting the bowel move works by relaxing the bowel muscle. (i.e., Milk of Magnesia)
I have noticed that men and children tend to have good functioning bowels if they take fiber and drink their required amount of water or more per day. Also diet has a huge influence on bowel health. It is NECESSARY to eat enough leafy and cruciferous veggies daily and fresh fruit to have a healthy body with good cell integrity, and a properly functioning bowel.
Women, who have given birth, tend to have bowel problems as they age. I think this tends to be from losing muscle tone, the colon, uterus and bladder then tend to prolapse (sag). If you can't reverse this situation, you will need fiber and a bowel stimulant the rest of your life to have healthy BM's. -Georgiana
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I'm afraid it is true that laxatives shouldn't be used for prolonged periods of time. By using laxatives for more than one month (even with Dr. Jack's very popular program), you risk developing Melanosis Coli. You also risk an equally negative side-effect: future constipation.
Stimulant laxatives work by stimulating the Vagus Nerve to move, which is the nerve responsible for innervation of the colon. This causes premature colonic movement, pushing digested material through the colon before your body has time to absorb the remaining water and nutrients from the material. After long periods of use, the Vagus Nerve becomes dependent on this stimulation. It stops working without it. LBSII does NOT "keep the muscle working". It only trains it not to work on its own! If your colon doesn't work by using fiber and water products alone (ie, you have to take laxatives in order to have a bowel movement), then you are among the many people who have used laxative herbs for far too long.
If you have been taking laxative herbs for prolonged periods of time, you are risking serious health complications by continuing. The threat of serious constipation upon quitting is quite daunting to many users, who would rather risk destroying their colons than altering their diets enough to restore natural colonic function. If you have been taking laxatives for a long period of time and want to stop, begin by increasing fiber intake, and gradually decreasing laxative intake. If you are in the habit of taking 4 LBS-II per day, then decrease your intake it 3 per day, then two per day, then one, then none. Do this over a month's time. At the same time, gradually increase your fiber and water intake. The more fiber, the better. If you do this, you can teach your colon to move again, and your blackened colon will eventually return to its normal, healthy, pink color.
Please note that LBS-II and CleanStart and all our other wonderful colon cleanses are 100% safe. They are fabulous for your body. However, they are not meant to be taken for more than one month's time without a rest. We have formulated them to work for the short-term, NOT the long-term. Please, please use our products liberally. Just don't take them habitually. Rather, make everyday fiber use a habit.
If anyone has any questions about laxative use, our products, or any other health question, please feel free to contact me. You can also submit your questions through our company's question email address: questions@natr.com. It's my job to make sure you are using our products in a healthful way by answering your questions about them.
Best wishes,
Rhea LeMaster
NSP Scientist
Health Sciences Dept, R&D
Spanish Fork, UT
I am going to prolong this argument. I STILL disagree, regardless of your scientific opinion. I have been a manager for over 20 years with NSP. . IF you ARE CONSTIPATED (already with a colon that is paralyzed), how can you be risking FUTURE CONSTIPATION? This is what most doctors typically say. Can you honestly say you feel it's better to have NO bowel movements or few pencil movements than a full, "normal" type of BM? I have been the first and foremost promoter of fiber on the forums. . . . teaching about taking one or two tablespoons of psyllium daily, drinking 1/2 to 1 gallon of water daily, eating a high percentage of raw or lightly steamed veggies and fruit daily. . . etc. All the things that promote good bowel transit habits. Yet, if I did not take LBS II, within a couple months I would have very little bowel movement. Then I need Senna (as many as 5) to start moving, then 3 X 3 LBS II. Now I can take 1 or 2 X 2 or 3 to have my BM after each meal. This is because I have a severe prolapsis of the transverse colon. It actually comes to a point at the upper right. I MUST have fiber in order to pass fecal matter, but in spite of my diet and water consumption - I will be constipated if I don't use LBS-II.
This condition did not result from USING LBS-II, I was totally dependent upon coffee (strong coffee, 2 to 3 pots per day) before NSP to have BM's. When I quit drinking coffee, I quit having BM's. Although it was not diagnosed, I feel my colon quit having peristalsis at that time.
When I went to the (foreign) colon specialist, he mentioned the color of my colon, but said I should teach people what I know. He did say the color was from the Cascara in the LBS II, but did not in any way indicate it as a degenerating condition. In fact, he said to continue doing what I was doing. My bowels work better now than they did 20 years ago. Unless I eat steak of something of that nature, I do have good BM's with my fiber and diet. . . BUT, I still have to have at least 1 LBS-II twice daily.
So, I really think it is rather harsh to use scare tactics to keep people from using bowel stimulants. I don't think I am the only person to have to rebuild their colon peristalsic action. -Georgiana
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I looked up Melanosis coli in my AMA encyclopedia. The herbs that cause this discoloration are senna, rhubarb, and cascara. It said this condition causes no symptoms and goes away when the herbs are stopped. Probably because they're no longer staining the colon.
According to a Nature's Field article on the laxative herbs, they work by causing a slight irritation to the bowel wall by the chemicals they contain called anthraquinones.
My concern wouldn't be the staining they cause but this action they have over a long period of time.
I use Aloe Vera juice along with Nature's Three. Aloe is also laxative but I don't believe in the same way. It provides a fiber. It relieves inflammation and irritation. It also lubricates the bowels. -Chottsie
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I have read about cascara darkening the colon and have been concerned about my clients on LBS-II for long term use. I am thankful for Dr. Ritchson's information regarding studies due on this. How about long term use of LBS-II? I have a client who takes LBS-II everyday for the last two years. I have tried to ease her into Bowl Build and fiber, She will not drink anything. She has bought a capsule maker and is filling capsules with Nature's Three. 12 caps per day. This is barely one serving of Nature's Three. She is taking the Bowel Build in the am and LBS-II at night. Any info on studies concerning long term use of LBS or cascara? Any other suggestions for this client. Iridology reading reveals prolapsed colon, numerous bowel pockets, maybe polyps, possible iron deposits. She has had a colonic(refuses to have another) She will use the TioHe Cleanse every three months. -Laura Russell
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What about mixing fiber with applesauce or other fruit from the blender. I have in mind blended banana, blueberries, cantaloupe. Any of these fresh fruits blended would not only add fiber, but would stop the "I can't take fiber" feeling in the mouth and throat. Of course all fiber in capsules, or in fruit pulp (fresh or cooked like applesauce) must be accompanied by WATER, pure water. With her list of problems she needs fiber. My husband had a problem taking fiber until we suggested he mix it in very cold, refrigerated water. Now he mixes it and takes it immediately and he gets it down without problems. Sometimes a shaker is better than a spoon in mixing. But for stubborn "I can't drink it" people mixing in fruit pulps seems to help. One client even mixes it into her morning oatmeal! If your client bakes her own bread--with a bread maker it is easy--then she can add the fiber to her bread. Bread makers work out at about 10 slices per loaf, so she would need to calculate how much bread she eats in a day and add accordingly. I have a client who hates to take capsules and I baked bread with the Combination Three in it--about 20 capsules per loaf--and it worked so well she is now taking the capsules! She could note no difference in flavor or texture of the bread and was amazed that this was one way she can take herbs! Fiber in bread is a good solution providing the bread has a good dose of whole grain in it. You can see the fiber if you mix it into white bread--and I don't think white bread is the best of breads. -Marilyn Navarro
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Thanks for the suggestions. She does faithfully drink 90oz (she weighs about 180/6ft tall). She gets the picky eater award. She will not eat vegetables that are cooked ( this is a good thing since she will eat some salads-not daily- and will eat raw carrots at work. She will also eat raw apples. She will not eat fruit that has been blended into any thing. One of those no mixing the foods together.
It's a very frustrating case. I think the bowel has lost most elasticity and is not responding well when fiber is introduced. She says when she takes extra fiber that everything just locks up.
I've had her take freeze dried Aloe Vera (3 3x/day) Slippery Elm, B-Complex, Cal/Mag, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Vari-Gone & Intestinal/Soothe & Build (she has had problems with hemorrhoids and varicose veins).
Has anyone been successful with having a client regain elasticity in the bowel? What program did you use and how did the client progress? Did you change the program from time to time? -Laura Russell
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Has anyone been successful with having a client regain elasticity in the bowel? What program did you use and how did the client progress? Did you change the program from time to time?
Dr Jack's bowel cleanse as posted was formulated for exactly that purpose. Many people have restored their peristaltic action. This is a link to that handout. The "prefix" is by me - it's how I have gotten people onto psyllium without them gagging and without them getting blocked up. The alternating programs he spells out do help and are important to this end.
Here is Dr Jack's bowel cleanse. . . . . .
Dr. Jack's Colon Cleanse
Bowel Cleanse Prefix
I feel it very important for people to start this with 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Psyllium and of Bentonite. IF they have a good BM the next am, then increase slightly. IF they do NOT, then take senna and no more psyllium or bentonite until a good bowel movement passes. Increase them both gradually until up to 2 heaping teaspoons or a nice rounded tablespoon of psyllium and 1 ounce of the hydrated bentonite. If a person happens to cramp, it is NOT too much cleansing - it is usually NOT ENOUGH bowel stimulant. I suggest starting with 2 Senna the first time. Adjust from that point as needed. After everything is moving along well and you are up to the full amount of Psyllium switch over to LBS II. I like to start with Whole Leaf Aloe (2 ozs) and then the next bottle use the regular Aloe Juice (4 ozs) and then alternate.
Six Month Colon Rejuvenation Program
To Restore Natural Peristaltic Action
Developed by Dr. Jack Ritchason
This program is designed to restore the natural peristaltic action of the colon. It is done by alternating the two following programs for a period of six months. You change the program every thirty days. Hence, you would follow program one for thirty
days and then do program two for thirty days and then go back to program one, again. After six months you will have spent three months on program one and three months on program two.
Program Number One
Take the following at night before retiring:
Add the following to 4-6 oz of juice, shake well and drink:
6 oz Aloe Vera Juice 1 oz Hydrated Bentonite Clay
1 oz Liquid Chlorophyll 1 Tablespoon of Psyllium Hulls
2-4 capsules of a lower bowel (laxative) herb formula
During the day, take the following:
3 acidophilus capsules each day 1/2 hour before breakfast
1 tablespoons of Colloidal Minerals or Mineral Chi once or twice each day in juice
Program Number Two
Take the following anytime day or night:
1 oz Liquid Chlorophyll 1 oz Aloe Vera Juice
At night before retiring, take the following
1 teaspoon of Psyllium Hulls in 4-6 0zs of juice
2-4 capsules of a lower bowel (laxative) herb formula*
Persons may not wish to take this much of a lower bowel formula as they progress with the program. In fact, they may not need any of the
lower bowel formula by the end of their thirty days.
Comments: With this program you are attempting to have a loose bowel elimination for six months to rebuild and restore the natural muscular action of the colon. The colon is a muscle, but it cannot be exercised in the same manner that you would exercise an arm. You can take a weight and put it in your hand and lift it repeatedly to build up and tone your arm muscle, but you cannot take your colon out of the body to exercise it. Hence, you need to put fiber and other material into the colon that stimulates it to action so that it can be strengthened and toned. One other
benefit of this program is that people can lose weight on it.
This program will slowly clean out the pockets and crevices in the colon and will restore the natural muscular action called peristalsis. We stress we want a loose bowel elimination, but we also want this bowel elimination to be controlled. If the bowel elimination becomes too loose (that is watery or excessively runny) you should back down on the lower bowel formula. If the elimination continues to be too loose you should take a teaspoon of psyllium in a glass of juice in the morning.
This does not replace other colon cleansing programs. This program is specifically designed to restore the natural peristaltic action (or to build it up in the person who has never had it). This program does not eliminate the need for other supplements a person might need to take. Some people have also used anti-parasitic herbs (like black walnut) or combinations. One does not need to have enemas or colonic irrigations with this program, however, a person could use a very high colonic irrigation with a garlic solution if they desired, as this would aid the process.
-Georgiana |
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