Colon-cleanse teas and kits promise to flush your system. The research behind them is thin. A systematic review in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (Acosta and Cash, 2009) found no methodologically rigorous controlled trials of colonic cleansing that support it for general health, and multiple case reports and case series describing its adverse effects. The authors concluded it cannot be recommended. What the NHS suggests for keeping your bowels regular is plainer: more fibre, enough fluid and moving more. Here's a day built around that, not around a product.
Morning: start with fibre, not coffee alone
If breakfast is usually a coffee and nothing else, that's the easiest meal to fix. UK government guidelines say adult fibre intake should increase to 30g a day, and the NHS says most adults only eat about 20g.
Add 3-4 kurma and a glass of water before the coffee. USDA FoodData Central lists Medjool dates at 6.7g of fibre and 696mg of potassium per 100g, and the NHS counts anything with 6g or more of fibre per 100g as high-fibre. That figure is for Medjool, so other varieties will read a little differently. Useful, not magic. Breakfast is also a sensible time for them, because the NHS says dried fruit is sticky and better eaten as part of a meal than as a between-meal snack, to protect your teeth.
The coffee can stay. The NHS notes that caffeine drinks boost stomach acid and can bring on heartburn in some people, and suggests keeping to 1 or 2 cups a day if you can't do without it.
Midday: the oats-and-date combination
Chop two or three kurma into a bowl of oats soaked overnight in water or milk. Add nothing else if you're in a hurry. The kurma bring enough sweetness that you may not want sugar on top. The NHS calls oats a good source of fibre, and its bloating page names oats as a food high in soluble fibre worth eating if you're constipated. MedlinePlus explains what that kind of fibre does: it attracts water and turns to gel during digestion. This is the simplest fix for people who say they "don't have time" to eat better.
Afternoon: water counts as much as food
Fibre without enough water can backfire. The NHS puts it simply: fibre acts like a sponge, absorbing water, and without fluid it cannot do its job and you'll get constipation. A glass of water with every meal is its suggested habit.
How much in total? The NHS hydration guide gives 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day as a guide, and says you may need more in a hot environment or if you're physically active for long periods. Its easier check is the colour of your pee, which should be a clear pale yellow.
If you've added fibre this week and feel bloated or windy, slow down rather than give up. The NHS advises increasing fibre gradually, and dried fruit is on its list of foods that can make you fart, so keep the kurma to a few a day while you adjust.
Evening: walk it off
A daily walk or run can help you poo more regularly, according to the NHS, and its bloating advice adds that regular exercise improves digestion. There's a small study on walking right after a meal too. In Franke et al., 2008, 10 healthy men ate a 576 kcal meal on several occasions, each followed by 40 ml of a different drink, such as water, espresso or brandy. On one occasion they drank 40 ml of water and then walked slowly (4 km/h) on a treadmill. Walking emptied the stomach faster: half the meal had left in 107 minutes, against 123 minutes with water alone. It had no effect on their indigestion symptoms, though. The study did not set a length, but a 10-15 minute walk after dinner is free and takes no planning. The NHS bloating page also suggests not eating large meals late at night before bed.
Where this site fits
See also Kurma Bam Wholesale. The kurma this site covers are on our home page, other everyday health notes sit under healthy food, and there's a longer read (in Malay) on Kurma Madinah origins, types and how to choose if you want to compare varieties. Questions go through contact us.
The NHS says to see a GP if you have blood in your poo, tummy pain, sudden changes in your bowel habits, weight loss without trying, or constipation that isn't getting better with treatment. No amount of fibre substitutes for that.
This article is general information, not medical advice. The US NCCIH notes that harmful effects of colon cleansing are more likely in people with a history of gastrointestinal disease, colon surgery, severe haemorrhoids, kidney disease or heart disease, and that people with diabetes should talk to their health care providers before making major changes to how they eat.
References
- Acosta RD, Cash BD. Clinical effects of colonic cleansing for general health promotion: a systematic review. Am J Gastroenterol. 2009;104(11):2830-6. PMID 19724266
- NHS. Constipation. nhs.uk
- NHS. How to get more fibre into your diet. nhs.uk
- USDA FoodData Central. Dates, medjool (FDC ID 168191). fdc.nal.usda.gov
- NHS. Good foods to help your digestion. nhs.uk
- NHS. Bloating. nhs.uk
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Soluble vs. insoluble fiber. medlineplus.gov
- NHS. Water, drinks and hydration. nhs.uk
- NHS. Farting (flatulence). nhs.uk
- Franke A, Harder H, Orth AK, Zitzmann S, Singer MV. Postprandial walking but not consumption of alcoholic digestifs or espresso accelerates gastric emptying in healthy volunteers. J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2008;17(1):27-31. PMID 18392240
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. "Detoxes" and "Cleanses": What You Need To Know. nccih.nih.gov