If you have ever gone days without being able to poop, you might have assumed constipation is to blame and reached for products marketed as “colon cleanses” or detox drinks. These quick-fix solutions promise relief, but many of them contain harsh ingredients that your gut may not respond well to. Instead of helping, they can sometimes leave your digestive system even more irritated. The good news is that there are gentler, natural options you can prepare at home that may support digestion more effectively.
Dr Joseph Salhab, a Florida-based gastroenterologist and health content creator who specialises in digestive, liver, pancreatic, and nutritional health, has shared a DIY natural drink that he says works better than many products marketed as a “colon cleanse.” In an Instagram video posted on March 8, the gastroenterologist explains the drink’s potential gut health benefits and provides a step-by-step guide on how to prepare it at home.
Natural colon cleanse drink
Step 1: Pick a soluble fibre
The first step is picking a soluble fibre from the options recommended by Dr Salhab and adding one tablespoon. He suggests selecting from psyllium husk, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, or hemp seeds.
Step 2: Mix with choice of liquid
The next step is to add eight to 12 ounces of your preferred liquid. The gastroenterologist suggests options such as water, lemon water, or your favourite milk if you are preparing it as a smoothie.
Step 3: Add fruit
Next, add one or two servings of your favourite fruit. Dr Salhab recommends choosing high-fibre, gut-friendly options such as kiwi, berries, apples, pears, dragon fruit, mango, passion fruit, oranges, or watermelon. The fruit can be fresh or in frozen form.
Step 4: Add fresh ginger
For the final step, the gastroenterologist recommends adding a dash of fresh ginger. This not only gives the drink an extra kick of flavour but may also help ease bloating and support healthy stomach emptying. This step is optional.
Dr Salhab instructs, “Blend it together. Drink it every morning. Try it for a week. See how you feel. Change it up if you need to find the right combination. And then if you feel better after a week, keep it going.”
Health benefits
Dr Salhab advises trying this drink daily for seven days to experience the gut health benefits for yourself. He claims it works better than most “colon cleanses” because it nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, improves microbiome diversity, stimulates the digestive tract, helps relieve constipation, and provides antioxidants along with natural digestive enzymes. In contrast, many drinks marketed as “colon cleanses” rely on strong laxatives, which can disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome and potentially leave you feeling worse than before.
The gastroenterologist explains, “If you drink this for the next seven days, it will work better than any advertised ‘colon cleanse’. Often these cleanses are very strong laxatives (or enemas) and can come with their fair share of problems, including electrolyte imbalances, abdominal pain, cramping, dehydrating diarrhea, and disruption of your gut bacteria. Instead, this approach feeds your beneficial gut bacteria, improves gut diversity, stimulates your digestive tract, and loads you up with antioxidants and natural digestive enzymes.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
