Salt Water Flush: Benefits of Colon Cleanse

When it comes to salt water flushes, one of the most common questions I get asked is “What are the benefits?” Unsurprisingly, salt water flushes have several incredible benefits, including some that are a bit uncomfortable. I talked a bit about these benefits, as well as some of the unpleasant (but worth it!) side effects on my blog about my Himalayan salt water cleanse experience. The salt water cleanse completely changed my life, but a word to the wise: it’s not for those with a weak stomach.

If you’re unfamiliar with what a salt water flush is and why it’s done, you can learn everything you need to know in my last blog post. I go into detail about what a salt water cleanse is, where it came from, why it exists, how its done and how it can positively impact your health. Go ahead and skim that article and then come back to learn about the amazing benefits of the salt water cleanse. I’ll wait 😉

Welcome back! To recap for those who read the article (and those who cheated and just scrolled down), the salt water flush gained popularity as an optional step of The Master Cleanse and involves quickly drinking warm salt water on an empty stomach in order to detoxify the body through cleansing the colon. [1]

Although the salt water flush is an intense procedure, it is completely safe and the benefits are well worth it. However, if you have any serious health conditions, you should consult your doctor first. Those who are chronically constipated, experience irregular bowel movements, are looking to lose weight, would like to cleanse their colon and those participating in the master cleanse are all people who could benefit from the salt water cleanse. [2] Here’s why:

You will poop everything out

This is the first thing that someone trying a salt water cleanse for the first time should expect. Sea salt can affect the body in several ways; a large intake of sea salt, such as happens with the salt water flush, is guaranteed to make you poop. When we poop, whether it happens naturally or is induced with a cleanse, we are pushing waste out of our body. However, when we poop naturally, it doesn’t release all of the waste. And we have a lot of dangerous waste, as Doctor Gaia Mather explains:

“Pathogenic bacteria create chemicals toxic to the body’s cells. Certain toxins, such as nitroreductase and azoreductase, increase the risk of colon cancer. Other chemicals are absorbed from the colon into the lymph and blood stream and are carried to other parts of the body, where they affect distant organs: ammonia and phenols are toxic to brain cells; indole is associated with bladder tumors; skatole damages RBCs and the hemoglobin molecule; hydrogen sulphide can increase gut permeability; and histamine is associated with hypotension, arrhythmia, headaches and depression.” [3]

A salt water flush can rid our bodies of all of these sneaky and dangerous toxins, which can in turn alleviate symptoms that we didn’t even realize were from our toxin-filled colons. The salt water flush colon cleanse is able to flush this all out by pooping.

Migraines will dissipate

If you suffer from migraines, my heart goes out to you. For many migraine-sufferers, the intense headaches can happen at any time and are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of on your own. However, many people have found migraine relief using a salt water cleanse. The tricky thing about migraines is that each migraine-sufferer has different symptoms and different causes of their migraines. Some may be triggered by magnesium deficiency, hormonal imbalances, chemicals, food allergies, gut and bowel imbalances…the list goes on. [4]

While not everyone with a migraine can be cured with a colon cleanse, those who are triggered by issues like heavy chemical intake (think sweeteners like aspartame) and bowel imbalances can absolutely find relief with a salt water flush. Because a salt water flush pushes all of the toxins out of our bodies, things like chemicals will be expelled from the body, as well. It is a temporary solution, but one that can relieve painful symptoms like throbbing headaches, nausea and vomiting.

You won’t retain excess fluid in the body

Excess water retention can be extremely dangerous. You may be thinking: Excess water retention? Aren’t our bodies mostly water anyways? I had the same question, but a bit of research enlightened me.

While we are made up of 70% water, excess water retention can occur when extra fluid gets into the circulatory system. There are several things that can cause your body to retain extra fluid, such as problems with your capillaries, your lymph nodes and your kidneys. [5] Most often if our bodies retain too much water, they can fix it themselves. However, in more severe cases, our bodies are unable to fix the problem and we can begin experiencing symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea and loose stools. [6]

The good news is that when our colon is cleansed, all of the waste in our bodies- along with extra water- is released. This is also one of the reasons why many who do a salt water cleanse lose a few pounds- because it was just water weight.

Your skin will be flawless

Flawless skin is something most of us have been dreaming of, but never achieving, since puberty. But now could be your chance to have the skin you’ve always wanted! Did you know that our skin is our largest organ? It helps protect us from disease and injury, but when it’s weak, so are we. The best way to strengthen your skin is to stay hydrated. What you put in your body will affect the outside.

However, if your colon is full of toxins, it can cause facial blemishes because the body is trying to find a way to rid itself from those toxins. [7] No amount of water can combat a toxin-filled colon. A colon cleanse, like the salt water flush, can clear up your skin by flushing all of the toxins and unhealthy bacteria from your system.

You will digest food much easier

The digestive system is both incredibly powerful and incredibly fragile. In fact, most of our digestive systems are triggered by something as innocent as coffee! Here’s how the digestive system works: digestive enzymes break down the food as it enters the body before it passes through the stomach to the small intestine, which separates nutrients from waste. All waste is then filtered through the colon. [8] But this system doesn’t always run so smoothly- it’s not uncommon for the small intestine to become inflamed due to the build-up of toxic waste. This inflammation can cause constipation because the colon is full of toxic waste, too, that it can’t push out. A sea salt cleanse can help to cleanse the colon, release all of the waste, and get your digestive system back on track.

The benefits of a salt water flush are undeniable, but anyone who is thinking of trying this colon-cleansing method should also take note of the possible side effects. Some side effects, like nausea and vomiting, are common and nothing to worry about. However, those with serious health issues like hypertension or inflammatory bowel disease could experience much more dangerous symptoms, such as irregular heartbeat and seizures. [9] If you want to know more about these side effects, you can read my original salt water flush article here.

However, it’s also important to remember that severe side effects are very rare for salt water flushes. They are generally safe and the minor side effects, like nausea, are a small price to pay for the revolutionary benefits. Participants of the salt water cleanse have said that:

“I felt much lighter and better overall. I felt no uneasiness post that. The next few days, I felt lighter and maybe a tad more active than usual.” [10]

If you’re interested in trying a salt water cleanse yourself to experience some of these rewarding benefits, I definitely recommend it. I’ve never experienced anything quite as refreshing and renewing as a salt water colon cleanse. Whether you’re trying to lose a few pounds, improve your digestive health or balance your hormones, the salt water cleanse can be the magic solution you’ve been looking for. But before you start drinking salt water willy-nilly, be sure to educate yourself. As with any alternative health practice, it’s important to get all the facts- good and bad- before you try anything without the supervision of your doctor. And when you do decide to try the salt water cleanse, let me know in the comments about your experience!