When it comes to colon cleansing, the cascara sagrada herb is second to none. Although the herb is categorized as a laxative, it’s much more than that:  it acts to retrain the colon to have regular bowel movements, like clockwork. Cascara sagrada is the potty trainer for adults who have been constipated for too long!

The herb contains two types of anthraquinones responsible for its effectiveness: free anthraquinones and sugar derivatives called glycosides. The sugar derivatives are vastly different than corn syrup, sugar, maltose and other dietary sugars added to foods. Free anthraquinones stay in the intestines and cause a bowel movement by temporarily irritating the intestinal wall. The sugar derivatives are absorbed from the intestine and circulate through the blood, heading straight for the nerve center in the lower part of the intestine. Once the sugar derivatives reach their destination, they cause the bowel to evacuate its contents.

Many pharmacists who do not understand herbology report mistakenly that cascara sagrada cannot be taken internally for more than 10 days. However, trained herbalists use the herb combined with other ingredients in effective colon cleansers that are used for sometimes up to six weeks to restore colon function. The herb is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an over-the-counter drug, although natural health practitioners do not use it as a drug, but rather to restore colon function.

In one study done in 1991, patients tested a cascara sagrada natural laxative, a senna laxative and a polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution. There was no difference in results. However, knowing that you can get the same results using an herb rather than a chemical, wouldn’t you rather ‘go herbal’?

Tags: best colon cleansers, colon cleansing, effective colon cleansers, natural laxative