Some believe they could remove food
from their body, and it would do them no harm, but sadly this is not
true.
The misuse of laxatives and enemas can
cause serious, sometimes irreversible, sometimes fatal problems. Many
people can kick the laxative/enema habit, even after long-term
use.
A healthy bowel receives
food residue from the stomach and small intestine. As the bowel fills,
fecal matter stimulates nerve endings, causing muscle contractions that
expel the residue from the body in a bowel movement.
Laxatives and enemas
artificially stimulate nerve endings in the large bowel, which is also
called the colon. The colon is one of the last structures in the
digestive tract. By the time food arrives there, nothing is left but
indigestible fiber and other non-nutritive material.
Laxatives remove lots of
water from the colon as well as food residue. The scales indicate weight
loss after a laxative-induced bowel movement, but it is false weight
loss. The ounces or pounds return as the body rehydrates after liquid
intake consumption. If the person refuses to drink liquids, s/he risks
dehydration which can lead to fainting spells and in some cases death.
Laxatives and enemas
cannot stimulate the small intestine, the part of the GI tract where
food is digested and where nutrients and calories are absorbed. The
small intestine does not even have the kinds of nerves that occur in the
colon and respond to artificial stimulation.
