Natural and Organic Clear Liquid Diet Colonoscopy Test Options

What to eat if you need natural and organic clear liquid diet colonoscopy test options. Includes products that can be found at your local retailer!

colonoscopy time!

Turning thirty was really rough for me. It felt like this milestone was my first big one and I cried for about two weeks. However, I eased into my thirties and I found that they were actually pretty liberating and my favorite years. Watching my family grow and mature, taking on bigger career changes in my professional life and feeling like we are moving forward in life. The 30's are flying by but it's fun and challenging. My body seems to endure more--longer runs, more challenging workouts and steadier paces than it used to. Weekends can finally be spent relaxing!! Parties end earlier than they used to since most of us have kids waking us up by 7 or 8 the next morning. I love being the age that I am. While I'm super young to be having a colonoscopy, I'm glad that I got it because it finally gave me a diagnosis of colitis.

colonoscopy instructions

Most colonoscopy instructions will read something like this, "If you are having a colonoscopy please be sure you’re on CLEAR Liquids the ENTIRE day before your procedure not 24 hours prior. If you have any solid foods the ENTIRE day before you WILL need to be rescheduled. It is imperative to drink a large amount of clear liquids throughout the day to stay well hydrated. DO NOT eat or drink any solid foods, liquids with red dyes, pulp, or dairy products. Liquids you may have: Water, apple juice, white cranberry juice, white grape juice, PowerAde, Gatorade, tea, bouillon, broth, plain jello- (no red), coffee without creamer and any soda pop."

**Note that some colonoscopy instructions will have you avoid red, blue and purple dye prior to your procedure.

Your list might look a little different and your instructions might differ a little bit too but the general rule of thumb is it may not look like there are a whole lot of options for you if you eat organic or natural and have to get a colonoscopy.

Colonoscopy Prep Methods

In addition to consuming a clear liquid diet, you'll also be doing a colonoscopy prep.

The purpose of the prep is to clean out your digestive system so that your doctor can get a clear view of your colon during the procedure. However, the traditional prep methods are far from pleasant. The most common method involves drinking a large amount of a liquid solution that contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) and electrolytes. This solution is often flavored with artificial sweeteners and coloring agents to make it more palatable.

The downsides of traditional colonoscopy prep methods are numerous. For one, the solution is not only unpleasant to taste, but it can also cause bloating, cramps, and diarrhea. Many people find it difficult to drink the required amount of the solution, which can result in incomplete bowel cleansing and the need for a repeat procedure.

Examples of Natural and Organic Colonoscopy Prep Options

If you are going to be trying to do a natural and organic clear liquid diet while going through your prep, you can talk to your doctor about doing a natural or organic colonoscopy prep. Every doctor is different so make sure you talk to them first.

There are several natural and organic colonoscopy prep options available on the market today. One popular option is the OsmoPrep tablet, which contains sodium phosphate and is made from plant-based ingredients. The tablets are easy to swallow and don't require a large amount of liquid to be consumed. Another option is the GoLYTELY prep kit, which contains a combination of polyethylene glycol and electrolytes, but is flavored with natural lemon-lime flavoring and contains no artificial sweeteners or coloring agents.

Other natural and organic colonoscopy prep options include the MiraLAX prep kit, which contains polyethylene glycol but is flavored with natural lemonade flavoring and contains no artificial sweeteners, and the Suprep Bowel Prep Kit, which contains magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate and is also flavored with natural lemon-lime flavoring.

The Importance of Talking to Your Doctor About Natural and Organic Options

It's important to talk to your doctor about natural and organic colonoscopy prep options before making the switch. Your doctor can help you decide which option is best for you based on your individual health needs and medical history. Additionally, some natural and organic options may not be appropriate for certain patients, such as those with kidney problems or heart disease.

Your doctor may also recommend that you stick with the traditional prep method if you have a history of colon polyps or if you are at a higher risk for colon cancer. In these cases, it may be necessary to use a more aggressive prep method to ensure that your colon is thoroughly cleaned out before the procedure.

Clear liquid diet options

Most of the items on the list of things you can have are things I can't have. Fruit juice is not something I drink even now. It makes me sick. My clear liquid diet had to look different, and finding products was tough! Thankfully there are some fabulous products on the market. All of the products mentioned here were found at major retailers like Target and Walmart. If you don't have one of those stores close to you, I have provided links as well.

protein

One of the things that a clear liquid diet doesn't include is a whole lot of protein--the food that fuels you through the day. Protein keeps you satisfied and less hungry. You can see our post on high protein clear liquid diet options that gives some great ideas for incorporating protein before your colonoscopy.

• Chicken Bouillon Protein Soup from BariLife that contains 15 grams of protein per serving. That's 10-12 grams more than typical chicken broth.
• Isopure sells some natural clear liquid flavored protein water. Each drink has 20 grams of protein! You can make this same drink for way less money and much easier. If you bought some juice for your procedure you can add some protein powder like Isopure   to make your own inexpensive drinks. Or some Walmarts sell single protein shots you can take.
• natural collagen protein sticks can be poured into a water bottle on the go. You can also mix these into jello, broth, or popsicles.

juice

It is important to drink light colored juices the day before your procedure. This includes apple juice, white grape juice, and white cranberry juice.

The great news is most natural and organic juices include varieties of that. Just make sure your juice doesn't contain a lot of pulp.

jello

Jello is a great item to fill up on. Most health food stores carry plain grass fed gelatin either in bottles or in bulk. There is also natural jello available at local health food and grocery stores. CLICK HERE! I've also included a recipe for jello below.

electrolyte and vitamin juices

It's important to stay hydrated. During the course of the day eating a diet of jello and broth will cause you to feel really drained and tired really quick. To keep your body hydrated and give it some vitamins to help combat that feeling a little more choosing nutrient rich clear liquids is important.

• COCONUT WATER: This is a great option for staying hydrated. Natural varieties like Vita Coco, O.N.E. and Zico are good options and contain more potassium in one serving than a banana.
• KOMBUCHA: Kombucha is another great option for getting some healthy -biotics into your body prior to your colonoscopy. Just be mindful that if you have stomach issues like IBS or colitis, Kombucha may not be recommended. (Got a great visit to the doctor for that one one year and learned it has the opposite effect on my stomach). But prior to that root beer was my favorite flavor! Kombucha is also one that you might want to check with your doctor if you have any questions.

broth

There are a lot of great organic and natural broths on the market. Pacific and Imagine are easily found at major retailers and don't cost much more than the non organic varieties. Look for lower sodium options if you can since you don't want the excess sodium to take away nutrients your body needs (that colon prep drink is just around the corner and it does a great job of that).

BONE MARROW BROTH has become really popular in the past year. Those who use it talk a lot about the health benefits including immune support. Bone marrow broth for colonoscopy preps can be very beneficial to helping your immune system. You will want to try to make this a day or two ahead of when you need it as it will take time. We loved this guide from Plan To Eat which tells you how to make the bone marrow broth. (Just admit the part when you add the vegetables). This guide from Primally Inspired tells you which animal bones to use and how to freeze and store your bone broth.

popsicles

Ice pops? Yum. Not really. But when I walked through the store I was a little disappointed to find that the only true popsicles that would qualify for a clear liquid diet contained dyes. Or were fruit pops that contained real fruit. Bummer. Those are my favorite.

If you are enjoying a summer time colonoscopy some popsicles might help fill you up while keeping you cool. Try pouring some white cranberry, apple juice or white grape juice into popsicle molds and freezing.

soda

Zevia, Hansens and Oogave are some of the more well known natural and organic sodas on the market and are great options. Depending on the store you may or may not be able to find them. Look in the soda aisle or the natural food aisle. Hint: We loved mixing up some of these sodas and making sparkling jello with them.

coffee and tea

There are a number of great coffee and tea products on the market. Celestial Seasonings and Tazo are two teas that you can find pretty easily in any store. Seattle's Best, Fair Trade and even Target's store brand Archer Farms sell organic coffee.

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