How to prepare for a colonoscopy

So, once you reach that certain age *cough* 50 *cough* … there is a smorgasbord of tests waiting for you!

Oh joy. I’m 51.

One of those tests is a colonoscopy, to check for colon health. Colorectal cancer is the #2 killer cancer in the US, so it just makes sense to keep your colon in check! A colonoscopy screening can also check for polyps, inflammation, and other abnormalities, and the doctor has the ability to biopsy anything suspicious along the way, removing any polyps for further testing.

They tell me the preparation is the worst part. Naturally, the colon must be irrigated or flushed out – so the day before the procedure I’m not allowed to eat anything! HELP! Plain black coffee is fine, and I think I can live on that for a day. Chicken broth is also another option. Oh, the pounds I’ll be losing!

Colonoscopy support?

Naturally, I looked to my essential oil toolbox to see if there was anything I could do to support my digestive tract during this procedure, and while there is nothing that will take the place of the prescription prep (Suprep, in my case), I’m secure in the knowledge that I’ve been supporting my digestive system with wellness products, and healthy eating, for a while now. I ain’t scared of no scope! (think “Ghostbusters” …)

I regularly cleanse my digestive tract – about once every 3 months – by using a GI cleansing blend, along with a detoxification complex for 10 days.  After the 10 days, I follow up with a probiotic bland. These are probiotics that put the good bacteria in place of the bad that I have rid my body of with the detoxification blend.

So, what’s in these wonderful products?

GI Cleansing Softgels

I use a proprietary combination of essential oils and caprylic acid, that help support a healthy digestive tract by creating an unfriendly environment for potentially harmful pathogens that can disrupt digestive immunities and cause digestive upset.

This blend is formulated using Oregano, Melaleuca, Lemon, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Thyme essentials oils, which all have antimicrobial properties.

The blend also includes caprylic acid, which has been traditionally used as for its specific health-supporting properties in the gut.

Probiotic

This probiotic blend supplements the probiotics I get every day from drinking kefir! It supports healthy digestive functions and immunities while creating an unfavorable environment for unhealthy bacteria, yeast, and other harmful microorganisms. It also supports the optimal absorption of food nutrients.

We need bacteria in our gut, they help to digest food. But an overgrowth of bad bacteria can result in conditions such as candida overgrowth – which manifests in many different ways ranging from eczema to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and everything in between.

Healthy colonies of friendly microflora prevent the overabundance of pathogenic organisms by competing for nutrients necessary for growth, and by crowding out unfriendly microorganisms as they compete for intestinal surface area. They also produce chemical by-products that create an intestinal environment in which the harmful microorganisms cannot flourish.

My preferred probiotic formula contains six strains of probiotic microorganisms in a unique double-layer vegetable capsule delivering 5 billion CFUs of active probiotic cultures and soluble pre-biotic FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) that encourages culture adhesion and growth. The time-release double-capsule delivery system protects sensitive probiotic cultures from stomach acid.

So, this was my version of the pre-prep colonoscopy prep – and by cleansing on a regular basis, I’ll always be ready.

And here’s a pre-anesthesia tip:

Inhaling Peppermint and Ginger essential oils has been shown to reduce post-anesthetic nausea!

I Love Your Guts image by Hey Paul Studios @ Flickr (CC by 2.0)

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