Sweep Your Colon Clean:
An Herbal Intestinal Broom
By Susy Parker Goins
This intestinal broom was developed by respected Canadian herbalist, Sylvia LaReverend, aka “Shucky,”.
I make an “intestinal broom” blend which I call “Swamp Muck” for you Yanks (or “Muskeg Delight” for you Canucks) and have been using for years.
In your blender, put equal parts by volume of:
corn silk, dried
flax seeds
plantain leaves, dried
psyllium
These should all be available at a good health food store or herbalist's shop. Keep the blend in a tightly covered jar.
Start out with 1 teaspoon to a glass of water once to three times a day. Increase the amount to a heaping tablespoon per glass, up to three times a day. When you “run clean,” start decreasing the amounts. Do this in the spring and autumn for a good intestinal clean.
Helpful hints
Yes, it looks awful, doesn't it? Don't worry ... It's almost tasteless, and you can use juice instead of water. Once you get used to it, you can use it for its secondary purpose as a great party trick.
Don't jump the gun like some friends of mine did and just dump a heaping tablespoon into a glass of juice. They were fighting for the bathroom all weekend and mad about not listening to my cautions about using too much too soon.
By the way, this is also good for gentle laxative action, but for maintenance, you might want to add a teaspoon of powdered pectin to your fruit juices when no-one's looking. Pectin is great for sucking up toxins from the intestinal walls.
© Susy Parker Goins
An informal student of natural health for years, NFO Bookshelf and Natural Beauty Editor Susy Goins received her certificate in homeopathy from the American College of Health Sciences. The self-proclaimed out-of-the-mainstream mama of three is a writer, belly dancer, actress, costumer and cook and will soon be celebrating 20 years of marriage to her husband.