At this point in time everyone with even the least bit of understanding knows that John Wayne did not have 40 pounds of fecal matter in his colon at the time of his death and that he did not die as a result of this non-existent buildup of feces. Yet the foregoing notwithstanding, the quacks are still out in full force busily citing this Internet hoax that has been making the rounds ever since the Duke waved his last goodbye. For those who are still not convinced, consider the fact that Mr. Wayne was never autopsied, thus it would have been impossible to ascertain just how much fecal matter buildup he had in his colon – if any.

Dieting has become a way of life and not surprisingly, considering the increase in obesity, it has become a multimillion dollar industry that grows every single day. Any product that is so consistently put at the forefront of the consumer's mind is bound to attract some ne'er do wells that for a quick buck are willing to sell any kind of snake oil, no matter what the consequences for the consumer might be. To this end, here is a four step approach to a healthy diet:

Your colon has a job to do. It is suppose to rid your body of waste material, bacteria and it is to absorb water and mineral salts. It also has the job of maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance within the body. When your colon cannot perform its job well because it is clogged with impacted fecal matter toxins form that can cause disease within your body.

Doctors will at times prescribe a colon cleansing to be done just before a procedure like a colonoscopy. There are many persons who will routinely do colon cleansing to rid their body of toxins. When doing colon cleansings it is important to understand your body's natural ability to care for the colon so as not to disturb the delicate balance that happens with the electrolyte balance and the natural balance of bodily fluids. If colon cleansing is done on a long-term basis or if you do excessive cleansing you can cause problems such as anemia, malnutrition or even heart failure. It is important to understand when a colon cleanse is necessary and when it is best to let your body do its own cleansing.

The colon is a muscular organ in your body, located at the end of your small intestine and ending at your anus. This very important organ has three main functions:

1. To concentrate fecal material by absorbing fluid and electrolytes

2. To store and control the flow of fecal material

3. To absorb and aid in the digestion of nutrients extracted from food

The colon works in a very systemic way by organizing how it functions – the right side of the colon absorbs water and electrolytes and the left side stores and evacuates the stool.

Patients who have had to spend time in the hospital because of a surgical procedure know that quite often a liquid diet is indicated for the first couple of days after the procedure. The goal is to provide nutrition to the body without taxing the system. Similarly, the idea to let the anesthetics work their way out of the body before allowing food to enter in is not new either, especially since some patients have presented with an almost violent allergic reaction to such drugs. Yet liquid diets are not only indicated in a hospital after surgery but for short periods of time also during colon cleanses.

If you are a pet lover, you are bound to have fed your dog or cat a little treat here and there that might have adversely affected the animal's regularity. Yet since pets usually are kept on a healthy diet simply by virtue of eating food specifically formulated for them, thoughts of kitty constipation and doggie diarrhea are rare, and such incidences usually point to another more serious health problem. While dogs seem to have little problems with constipation – possibly in part because they are like eating machines who will keep on eating until a bowel movement is produced – cats are more finicky. As a matter of fact, cats are highly susceptible to intestinal problems, but will only display symptoms once the problems have progressed to such an extent that veterinary intervention is necessary.

Yeast infections are annoying and embarrassing. The most well known form comes under the name of Candida albicans, and when you peruse the medicinal aisle of your local well stocked health food market, you will find that several supplements claim to help rid your body of this yeast. As tempting as this offer may sound, beware the use of such supplements since Candida is actually part and parcel of your gut flora, the very bacteria you rely on to keep your intestines healthy, your food digested, and your gut overall too unfriendly for many harmful bacteria to thrive. Seeking to eradicate Candida albicans will upset the always precarious balance of beneficial bacteria in your intestines and thus will create several gastrointestinal problems.

Do you have parasites living in your intestines? Those living in America will usually answer this question with a nervous laugh and a somewhat decided negative, but you can tell that they are not really sure. Indicators that you might have a parasitic infection are easy enough to recognize:

* Even though you might be consuming healthy foods and whole or even organic foods your hair still looks lackluster, your finger nails are brittle, your skin is oily and may suffer from frequent outbreaks, and you may lack energy no matter how healthy you try to live. In short, the nutrients you eat are never properly digested or make it into your system at all.

Considered the unholy trinity of health food stores, colon cleansing, liver detox and fad dieting seem to have struck up an uneasy alliance. All three have several common characteristics:

* Colon cleansing, liver detox and fad dieting rely on supplements that require consistent expenditures to keep the perceived benefits of the process going. If you lost weight with some supplements, you will need to consider using a maintenance dose to keep the weight off, while some supplements that claim to cleanse your colon in 30 days will require you to keep using a daily maintenance dose to keep the colon from once again getting blocked.

Did you know that certain foods you may be eating right now are unhealthy for your colon? You did know the connection between what you eat and your colon right? Your colon handles all the waste products (left overs from what you ate).

Sugar:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that most Americans can consume 150 lbs. of sugar in one day. This includes food, soft drinks and added sugar in beverages and on top of food like cereals. That amount of sugar is equal to about 52 teaspoons of sugar per person each day. That is a lot of sugar. That much sugar would make anyone sick, right?

Here is a basic colon cleanse regimen for those who have never done a colon cleanse before or for those who haven't done one in a long time and need a reminder. There are four basic steps to the colon cleanse. The first step is what you do before you do the colon cleansing. The second step is doing the basic cleanse. The third step is what you do during the cleansing. The last step involves what you do after the cleansing is done and for about 2 to 4 weeks afterwards.

Step 1.

Colon cleanses can kill you. Fasting can kill you. As a matter of fact, there is precious little than does not spell the demise for someone in this world. Yet a colon cleanse combined with a fast may indeed threaten to kill you and will do so if you do not heed the warning signs. Unfortunately there are a number of ruthless marketers and manufacturers who will actively seek to persuade you to disregard the warning signs. These individuals will offer lengthy posts on their websites that advise you – erroneously – to ignore symptoms that crop up when fasting during your colon cleanse.

Perhaps it is the approach of the New Year that has you thinking about a system detox or maybe it is the advent of a big birthday that includes a zero behind the first number. The fact that you are thinking about taking better care of your body is good news and you are undoubtedly chomping at the bit to get started. Yet before you rush down to the health food store – perhaps for the first time – and run the risk of filling up your cart with a wide variety of supplements you may or may not need and spend a lot of money on supplements and cleanses that may be counteracting one another, consider what it is that you are trying to accomplish. To this end, you will want to list the conditions that you are currently noticing about yourself and how you want things to change.

If you are ready to purchase a natural colon cleanser via the Internet, you may have noticed that at the bottom of the websites which tout the effects of the various products there is a little link that speaks of affiliate marketing. When you click on it you are invited to go ahead and apply to the manufacturer to become an affiliate marketer and cash in on the worldwide success of the product. Those who are too young to remember the Amway craze that hit the lower middle class of the United States some 20 short years ago will most likely be the first to glance starry-eyed at the implied promises made by manufacturers and fellow affiliates alike when numbers are read off in an almost "nary a care" fashion.

Athletes are thought to get away with a multitude of nutritional sins. After all, what harm will it do to the track star to indulge in a fast food meal deal that will directly make it to your hips and thighs? Yet the reality is very different, and anyone who is an athlete or knows one is well aware that far too many are putting their lives at risk day in and day out with colon cleanses, body cleanses, liver detox regimens, and fad diets that claim to help build muscle and reduce overall body fat.

Colon cleansing supplements are tried and true methods of helping your gastrointestinal tract to flush out built up fecal matter. The average American consumer is known for living on a diet of sugary sodas, fast food, sodium, grease, and empty calories. Since it begins as early as preschool, it is not surprising to see today's obese school children unpack lunch totes which contain food offerings that are about as nutritious and healthy as the containers in which they come. Even those who are health conscious find it hard to eat healthy and nutritious foods, and instead often find that time crunches and simple unavailability of better choices makes them opt for non-organic fruits and vegetables and processed foods rather than raw foods.

Toxins – that's the biggest reason to cleanse your colon. All of us are exposed to environmental toxins from secondary smoke, to air pollution. We also may have used antibiotics or other drugs that can affect our colon. Eating a lot of unnatural (processed) foods, eating too much or eating too many cooked foods can clog the colon too.

The toll on your colon can manifest itself in many ways including ailments such as constipation, ulcerative colitis, and colon cancer.

Secondary health problems associated with a clogged colon are acne, cold/flu symptoms, eczema, brain fog, depression, allergies, candida, constant bloating, shoulder and back pain, a feeling of constant tiredness, and getting sick frequently.

What does a colon cleanse have to do with getting rid of your excessive sweating problem, you might ask? Everything! Sure, the areas where you sweat, probably underneath your arms and perhaps your back, are far removed from your colon and thus it appears unlikely that something as far removed as your colon will somehow affect the way your armpits feel. Yet this is fallacious thinking in that it entirely negates the fact that bodily functions and the internal workings of the human body are intricately interconnected.

It usually gets ignored and when it is thought about, it is in terms of disgusting images. Most folk think of the colon as where the poop comes out and they would be right. That is the major function of the colon to get that matter out of your lower intestine.