By Sheila Shea

An early introduction to herbs for the gut came in the 1970s in the form of Raw Vegetable Juices by Norman Walker, which outlines giving the gut a rest and feeding in super nutrition in the form of raw juices. The direction of raw juice now is chlorophyll, the green substance we see in spinach, celery and kale, and a reduction of sweet vegetables such as carrot and beet. The chlorophyll-based wheat grass is healing to the gut and liver, not to mention purifying for the blood.

Colon hydrotherapy may be used to add nutrition to the body through the gut. Colon hydrotherapists may get requests to add substances to incoming water into the colon. Additives used are wheat grass, coffee, oregano and the famous anti-cancer formula by the late John Christopher, a famous American herbalist.

Some people use regular castor oil packs, described in Edgar Cayce’s book Palma Christi. It breaks up waste in the gut and liver or wherever a person places the pack on their body.

A great number of people are also using laxatives on a daily basis. The key laxative herbs are senna, cascara, turkey rhubarb and aloe. The first three were originally used in the colonies as a clothing dye. When people take these laxatives on a regular basis, it stains the gut brown-black, a condition called melanosis coli. The condition is harmless, however it shows up in colonoscopies. The downside of overusing laxatives is the depletion of electrolytes, a serious micronutrient loss.

According to a new study, 88 percent of the public has metabolic syndrome. More people are choosing to detox and heal their gut with parasite, liver and bowel cleanses. The major bowel cleansing herbs are psyllium, bentonite and activated charcoal. The major parasite clearing herbs are green hulls of black walnut, wormwood and clove.

Given the epidemic of Lyme disease and mold, people are tested for toxic metals. Herbs that draw out metals are cilantro and chlorella, a fresh water algae cultivated in Korea for thousands of years. The key herb to kill Candida is oregano. However, in order for the Candida to truly calm down, one has to reduce sugars.

For a simple way to soothe the gut, try teas made with peppermint, ginger and chamomile.

Sheila Shea, MA, is a colon hydrotherapist and Director of Intestinal Health Institute, in Tucson. Connect at 520-325-9686 or IntestinalHealthInstitute.com.