Colon hydrotherapy, colonics, or colon irrigation is an alternative practice involving repeated gentle, gravity fed infusions of filtered, warm water into the colon by a trained colon hydrotherapist. Colon hydrotherapy gradually and gently cleanses, balances, and tones the colon by flushing waste from the large intestine. The objective is to remove fecal material from the colon walls and dilute the bacterial concentration in the colon.
The therapeutic effects of colon hydrotherapy are improved muscle tone which facilitates peristaltic action and enhances the absorption of nutrients while minimizing the absorption of toxic waste material. The cleansing effect of colon hydrotherapy reduces stagnation and subsequent bacterial proliferation in the colon and helps to maintain balance of the intestinal flora in promoting optimal health.
Intestinal cleansing is a therapeutic measure which addresses the cause or source of the problem. Other measures which treat only the symptoms will provide only temporary relief of this problem. Colon hydrotherapy will clean and dilute the toxins in the large intestine resulting in a reduced burden on the liver and other eliminative organs, and an improved immune system. The rejuvenation of organs and immunity allows the body to restore balance to the ecosystem of the gut and improve overall health of the individual.
Colon irrigation has been practiced in various forms by individuals and health care professionals for years and brought many health benefits to its recipients. Enemas are the predecessors to modern day colonic irrigation using state-of-the-art hydrotherapy equipment.
Colon hydrotherapy is practiced as an adjunctive therapy in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
What exactly does colon hydrotherapy accomplish?
Colonics remove fecal matter from the colon walls and dilutes the bacterial toxin concentration in the large intestine/colon. The therapeutic effects of colonic irrigation are improved muscle tone, which facilitates digestive action and enhances the absorption of nutrients while minimizing the absorption of toxic waste material. The cleansing effects of colon hydrotherapy reduce stagnation and bacterial proliferation in the colon and help to maintain a harmonious ecosystem in the gut.
Do I need a colonic?
Answer the following to determine if you have healthy bowel movements:
- Is your elimination easy and not strained, typically taking 30 seconds or less?
- Is the fecal matter roughly the length and texture of a long banana or in an “S” shape?
- Is your fecal matter typically in one piece and not many small pieces?
- Is your fecal matter free of any foul odor?
- Is it light to medium brown in color?
- Does it do all of these without the use of laxatives or stool softeners?
If you answered “No” to even one of the above questions then colon therapy may be of great benefit to you.
Some of the signs of a toxic colon are: coated tongue, fetid breath, sallow complexion, abnormal body odor, dark circles under the eyes, cold hands and feet, brittle nails and hair, sagging posture (pot belly), tension, fatigue, allergies, indigestion, chronic headaches, irritability, nervousness, nausea, depression, asthma, arthritis, and backaches.
What can I expect from colon hydrotherapy?
Colon hydrotherapy is not a cure, but a valuable procedure used to assist the body with the reversal of a wide variety of health conditions, known to stem from improper diet and elimination habits. Colonic irrigation should be considered a preventative and health enhancement alternative rather than treatment for disease.
Will laxatives or enemas accomplish the same result?
Laxatives clear only the most recently digested waste from the colon and leaves behind the impacted waste on the colon walls. They are bulk forming, irritating and stimulating to the colon. They cause an unnatural contraction of the muscles wall instead of promoting the natural peristalsis. Long-term laxative use will hamper the peristaltic activity. Dehydration, electrolyte depletion, and long term damage to the intestinal lining resulting in the loss of bowel muscle and strength can be side effects of laxative use. Enemas are fine to clear out the lower part of the rectum and colon, but miss about four feet of colon.
How is colon hydrotherapy different?
Colon hydrotherapy is a gentle infusion of water in and out of the colon, reaching all five feet, allowing waste to be removed and “soaking” the colon to remove and cleanse old, encrusted matter. As the water cleanses your colon, the muscle will contract and expand, exercising your colon and increasing strength and natural peristaltic movement.
What is auto-intoxification?
When we do not eliminate our waste, toxins circulate in our blood and can create auto-intoxication or self-poisoning. This occurs when the colon walls become weak and undigested food begins to enter the bloodstream. Old accumulated matter in the colon provides a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria. This affects all of our body cells, tissues and organs. This lowers overall performance of our bodily functions and sets the stage for serious health problems.
What are common symptoms of intestinal toxicity?
Fatigue; constipation; excess weight; stomach bloat; gas; bad breath; coated tongue; body odor; skin problem; lower back pain; depression; poor memory; weakened immune system and feeling lethargy.
What is constipation?
Constipation is a major challenge in our society. It is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, resulting in about 2 million annual visits to the doctor. Constipation is so widespread that the average person who is constipated doesn’t even know it.
Constipation is difficult or infrequent passage of feces or it can refer to the hardness of the stool. Natural approaches recognize a state of constipation can also exist when the bowel movement appears normal in spite of accumulated waste along the colon. So what is normal? If you have a bowel movement once a day or once every two or three days, it may be considered normal, but it is not healthy. Consider for instance, that babies eliminate shortly after each meal. Their new digestive systems have not had the time to develop problems caused by improper diets, environmental toxins and stress. If you are eating three meals a day and are eliminating only once, where are the other two meals?
Can a person lose weight from colonics?
Yes. The Villi, which covers the lining of the small intestine, absorbs and carries fluids and nutrients to the blood which in turn nourish the cells of the body. When the Villi is plaque-coated with old fecal matter it prevents absorption of nutrients essential for nutrient assimilation which in turn helps regulate body weight, metabolism, food cravings, and blood sugar levels.
What are the therapeutic indications for colon hydrotherapy?
Overall health care maintenance; colon cleaning, constipation; diarrhea; Atonic (sluggish) colon, mild/moderate hemorrhoids; intestinal detoxification; bowel training for para/quadriplegics; chronic fatigue syndrome; Candida, following pregnancy; preparation for bowel test; after barium enemas; irritable bowel syndromes; during weight loss/fasting programs; part of drug rehabilitation program; Sigmoidoscopy and Colonoscopy; surgery- pre and post op.
What are the indications under a doctor’s guidance or recommendation?
Acute fecal impactions; colitis; mucous colitis; parasite infestation; nutrient supplementation vie rectum; diverticulosis; diverticulitis; ulcerative colitis; Chron’s disease; hyper/hypothermia; colostomy cleansing; and acute debilitating medical condition.
Are there any absolute contra indications for colon hydrotherapy?
Yes, Cancer of the colon or G. I. tract; Severe cardiac Disease (uncontrolled hypertension or congestive heart failure); Aneurysm; GI Hemorrhage/perforation; severe hemorrhoids, fissures/fistulas; advanced pregnancy; abdominal hernia; recent colon or rectal surgery; Renal Insufficiency and possible history of seizures, epilepsy or psychoses.
What is a hydrotherapy session like?
Most individuals are nervous or scared when they come in but relax once they know how the session will go. Before your initial session you will be invited to sit down, relax, and fill out a short health history questionnaire. We will talk about the information you have provided and the story of your health. After the paperwork, I will bring you to a private room where you can undress from the waist down. Abundant Life Holistic Wellness Center LLC uses the LIBBE open system colon therapy equipment which is an FDA Registered Class II medical device. You will lie down on your back on a contoured therapy table where you will lower yourself onto a sanitized, “single-use”, disposable rectal nozzle and cover yourself with a sheet. The curved rectal nozzle is about the size of a pencil and is lubricated for your comfort. It is self-inserted approximately one and a half – two inches into the anal canal which allows a small amount of water to flow into the colon gently stimulating the colon’s natural peristaltic action to release softened waste. The water is filtered and set to the colon’s internal body temperature for your comfort. It will be gently flowing into your colon the entire session. You will retain the water for as long as is comfortable and then you simply eliminate as you would if sitting on a toilet. It is important to remember not to strain or push so as to avoid causing hemorrhoids. There is no worry about the rectal nozzle falling out; whatever needs to pass will flow around it and down the drain directly underneath you. There is no odor as the device comes complete with a motorized vent apparatus.
By the end of the session, generally people feel cleaner and healthier. You may feel a bit tired. Keeping your goals in mind, your therapist will typically advise you of the schedule of colon cleansing that is best for you. A series of colonics is generally required to bring the body back to a state of optimal health.
How often is colon hydrotherapy necessary?
After your first session, I will be able to assist you based on your goals for cleansing. During the first colon hydrotherapy session the client may cleanse considerable amounts of gas, and recently digested food and waste, before dislodging of the old encrusted feculent matter occurs. It is suggested to have twelve colonics over a ten week period; two the first week (back to back or skip a day—one today, one tomorrow or the next day), two the second week and one per week for eight weeks. Please keep in mind even one colonic is very beneficial to the whole body and you will walk out of the office less toxic then you walked in!
Colon hydrotherapy can be a big step for many people. If you have never experienced colon hydrotherapy or there has been a significant lapse in your sessions I recommend doing two sessions back to back or two sessions within 3-4 days. For example, one on Monday and one on Tuesday. The body is extremely smart. When we cleanse the colon, the body starts cleaning waste out of the tissues and into the bloodstream. The waste heads for the liver, then back to the colon. Furthermore, the first session does a great job of releasing excess fecal matter but more importantly rehydrates the colon, soaks the first layer of “stuff” and when you come back the next day that first layer sluffs off easily and gently. Finally, most people are nervous for their first session and this can tense up the colon. Therefore the second colonic on the second day is necessary to eliminate that waste and prevent absorption.
After completion of all twelve sessions, most clients return weekly, monthly, or every couple of months for maintenance and prevention purposes as part of their ongoing health regime.
How long does it take to receive a colonic?
The colonic sessions vary according to people’s needs and response. A typical appointment takes 1 hour. The actual cleaning is about 40 min. The first session will be longer due to health history paperwork.
What results can be expected from receiving a colonic?
After a colonic session you may or may not experience immediate results or changes. (Note: Some changes may be experienced or observed over a period of time and series of colonics.)
Some changes may include a sense of cleanliness and lightness, emotional release, drained or tired, relaxed, hungry, stomach may feel gassy or crampy, stomach feeling a little sore, renewed energy and mental alertness, back pain relief plus other benefits — or a feeling of nausea, because of the rapid expelled of toxins. Also many people have experience little or no bowel movement a day, two or sometimes longer. This is due to a complete cleansing and a very slow transit time of fecal matter through the intestinal tract. These are just some of the immediate effects after a colonic session.
Some long term benefits may include: Better skin appearance, continuous boost in energy level, normal and regular bowel movements/transit time, better sleeping pattern, and of course improved functioning of the immune system. After a colonic session you may return to your regular daily routine. A colonic does not impede a person from returning immediately to their day to day activities due to any type of side effects such as diarrhea, leaking or stomach pains.
What should you eat before a Colon Hydrotherapy session?
It is recommended to hydrate yourself and avoid red meat and heavy meals 24 hours before your colonic.
The following suggested diet is not necessary but will help you get the most out of your colonic and be a well-deserved treat for your body. The reason behind the following pre colonic suggested diet is to limit the work of the digestive tract so it can focus on cleansing..
- 2 days before the colonic irrigation eat smaller amounts of food during a meal.
- Eat – soups, light foods. Juice your vegetables, drink juices, tea and water.
- 24 hours before a colonic please avoid red meat, heavy starches, breads or milk products.
- After the colonic irrigation, be gentle with your colon. It is very likely you will get hungry right after the session. Do not eat heavy, greasy foods. Do not consume alcohol because your colon is extra absorbent. It is best to stay with the soups and light food for the next day.
- Juices and tea are great as well as juicing your vegetables. The colon needs 24 hrs to put a new lining on the colon wall that is used for protection. Items with harder edges might scrap the side so you want to avoid them the day of the colonic and for 24hrs after.
- It is also very advantageous to take probiotics after your colonic.
Why is it important to detoxify our bodies?
Everyone can benefit from some internal cleansing. In recent history man has drastically changed the chemistry of the environment in which we live. For example, “in 1989 alone, more then 5 billion pounds of chemical pollutants were released into the environment we eat, breathe, and live in, all in just one year. ” to compound the problem of our toxic environment we have replaced much of the nutritional value of our food with artificial flavorings and preservatives. Food is refined, processed, and low in fiber.
When waste and toxins can be eliminated from the body there is no problem. But when these build up faster than can be eliminated, or when the elimination systems are under active, these toxins accumulate and create the necessary preconditions for disease in the body.
A stressful lifestyle will also contribute to poor digestion, a build up of toxins circulating throughout the blood stream and a “plaque” build up along the colon walls; decreasing the amount of elimination and stretching out the colon. Avoiding these foods and stressors are not always doable. Therefore cleansing and detoxification through colonics and cleanses will promote the immune system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system and the digestive system!
Use of medications and drugs actually increase the risk of losing areas of protective mucosal lining and cause irritation and excess mucus production as a way to protect the intestinal tract. This is contributed to a condition known as leaky gut, a situation where toxins are absorbed into the blood stream.
How does stress affect our immune system?
Stress when it is turned into distress affects every tissue of the body, breaks down the immune system and hinders proper digestion, absorption and elimination. Other factors contributing to this overload are lack of exercise, overeating, not drinking enough purified water and most importantly, ignoring our emotions. There are more serotonin receptor sites along the digestive tract than in the spinal cord and brain combined!
Common symptoms of excess toxins include:
- Constipation
- Excess weight
- Bloating
- Gas
- Headaches
- Chronic sinus problems
- Infections
- Poor memory
- Inability to concentrate
- Insomnia
- Menstrual problems
- Prostate enlargement
- Depression
- Skin eruptions
- Yeast infections
- Fatigue