By Peter Melamed, PhD
People, even doctors, are divided into two categories when it comes to colon hydrotherapy( aka colonic, colon cleanse, colon irrigation, high colonic):
- People like me who believe in body toxicity and enjoy the benefits of whole body cleansing with colon hydrotherapy. Medical practitioners, who are familiar with beneficial actions of the colon hydrotherapy, are prone to recommend this procedure to their patients. We have hundreds well-trained colon hydrotherapists in the S., who know how to help you detox and cleanse your body by using colon irrigation with purify water and soft abdominal massage. A number of American medical doctors endorse colon hydrotherapy as safe and effective way of colonoscopy preparation. Currently, there are different brands of FDA regulated colon hydrotherapy machines with thermostats, manometers, and disposable equipment.
- Second group are people, who do not know much about colon hydrotherapy, have never thought to do colonics, have never seen modern equipment for the procedure and have never talked to people after the procedure to see the results. It has been well known in human psychology, what people do not know, they deny and reject. Colon hydrotherapy pricks the eyes of some conservative specialists because this procedure is against their routine. These doctors and writers scare people with infections, colon perforation, death, etc. They use their medical education, credentials, and authority to suppress the colonics being a safe, non-drug, and efficient healing procedure.
Another reason is money. Colon hydrotherapy was a common clinical procedure until 1940s before medicine in the U.S. started getting pharmaceutical. Colon hydrotherapy and other non-drug modalities were artificially removed from the list of the medical procedures as non-scientific, non-medical procedure. The colon hydrotherapy was eradicated from medical textbooks and researches. Health Insurers did not cover the procedure because there is no medical treatment code for colonics. As a result, colon hydrotherapy was unknown and not interesting to doctors. Moreover, some doctors, who recommended this non-drug treatment to their patients’, were prosecuted 20 years ago.
In Europe, Asia, Australia colon hydrotherapy is recognized by many doctors and laypeople.
Fortunately, the times are changing in the U.S. as well. More and more open-minded doctors and health practitioners recommend colon hydrotherapy (colonic) and other the non-drug treatments.
Let’s look at some myths, which are still used to scare people:
Myth #1. Trauma
There is no documental evidence of the perforation of the colon after colon hydrotherapy in the U.S.
Trained and Certified colon hydrotherapists carefully select the clients to avoid when it is contraindicated (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, severe hemorrhoids, colon cancer or after colon surgery). By contrast, look at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK6945/ and you will see what doctors do not want you to know about complications after colonoscopy.
During the colon hydrotherapy session, a client is always under the supervision of a well-trained therapist. Sophisticated colon hydrotherapy machines have manometers and, therefore, water pressure is regulated. By the way, the pressure in the colon during the procedure is lower than when a constipated person is defecating. Frequent, small portions of purified, filtered water enter and release the body. Volume and pressure are always regulated. Most importantly, clients can communicate with the therapist about how they feel.
Myth #2. Infection
Colon hydrotherapy rooms are sanitized, clean, and pleasant. Everything that is utilized during the session is disposable. Filters that are used in home water purification clean water. There is no bad smell and spills due to the machine design.
Myth #3. Pain during the procedure.
Most of the clients do not notice any pain or discomfort during the procedure. It is perfectly fine to continue the day after the procedure. Experienced colon hydrotherapist applies gentle abdominal massage to promote releasing and softening of the stool. Some people consider colonic as a spa treatment, and they are surprised when they feel cramping sensations. If a client has “normal” one time a week bowel movement, removing the old stuff and fecal matter stones may cause some cramps.
Myth #4. Flushing out of the beneficial intestinal bacteria
The human intestinal tract is a harbor to more than the 400 species of bacteria, yeasts, parasites. Some of these species are considered beneficial to human health. Some of them are opportunistic creatures that live in our intestines without harming us. These microorganisms only grow when they get a chance. At that time, they start behaving as intestinal parasites. They eat and ferment our food, irritate the intestinal walls, and produce a large number of toxins. Overgrowth of the intestinal parasites (worms, bad bacteria, yeast) may cause many problems and not only in the GI track.
Beneficial bacteria, mostly lactobacilli have the following positive effects on the human body.
- They promote proper digestion
- They produce vitamins, enzymes, and other essential substances
- They are part of the human immune system
- They promote normal metabolism
Beneficial bacteria also have life important function; they compete with the opportunistic and harmful, disease-causing microorganisms.
In the United States, it is very hard to find an individual who has a perfect organic diet and has not taken antibiotics, hormones, birth control pills, painkillers, foods with plenty of sugar, sweets, and processed ingredients, sodas, faucet water and alcohol. It is no wonder that millions of Americans suffer from intestinal dysbiosis. In the course of the dysbiosis, friendly intestinal flora is disrupted by any of the factors previously discussed, and without competition, the Candida-yeast and other “unfriendly visitors” take over the gastrointestinal tract.
For that reason, there are no good bacteria to washout from the dirty colon. Every inch of the colon is occupied by Candida-yeast, harmful bacteria, and parasites. When the bad guys take over the walls of the large intestine, they stick to each other producing a biofilm. This biofilm acts as a resisting covering for other microorganisms. You can drink the barrels of “yogurt”, but the good bacteria will not adhere to the walls to make colonies. For this problem, there is only one solution to removing the “bad guys” and let “good guys” take over. Colon hydrotherapy is to the rescue.
The harsh reality is that over the last sixty years, there has been an increase in digestive disorders, especially in the U.S. and other developed countries. This increase cannot be explained solely by genetic factors, so the environmental causes come to the light of scientists and doctors. There are 60 to 70 million people affected by digestive diseases in the U.S [1, 2, 3, 4]. This is an official medical statistic of the number of Americans seeking medical care at doctor offices and hospitals, but this number is only the tip of the iceberg. This statistic does not include people without medical insurance, people who use alternative methods of treatment, or individuals who simply accept their symptoms as “normal” and do not seek medical help.
In spite of army of the gastroenterologists, millions of colonoscopies, billions of dollars on prescription and OTC medications, constipation, diarrhea, GERD, hemorrhoids, IBS, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, colorectal cancer are on the rise. Last year more than 200,000 Americans had their filthy, rotten, diseased colons surgically removed.
Many medical researchers believe that the epidemic of the digestive disorders is closely related with the intestinal dysbiosis (Candida-yeast overgrowth, small intestine bacterial overgrowth-SIBO). Similarly, hundreds of the medical papers reaffirm that improving the balance of the beneficial intestinal bacteria is a practical way to treat gastrointestinal disorders.
Possible Benefits of Colon Hydrotherapy Include
- Cleansing the colon
- Exercising the colon muscle
- Reducing pressure in the intra-abdominal area
- Causing the sensation of lightness and well-being
- Promoting the proper balance of the healthy intestinal flora
- Stimulating peristaltic action of intestines
- Reshaping the colon
- Expelling parasites
- Promoting weight loss
- Decreasing inner toxicity
Nutritionist, lecturer, and author of over 30 books on natural health care, Bernard Jensen, states: “Every tissue in the body is fed by the bloodstream, which is supplied by the bowel. When the bowel is dirty, the blood is dirty, and so are the organs and tissues. It is the bowel that must be cared for first.”
It is a fact that our health is directly related to the colon. The colon should be the first organ of the body that is addressed in any cleansing program. The large intestine problem is the direct and indirect cause of more disability and loss of time from work than any other cause.
An effectively operating colon is the key to vital health and well-being. If our colon isn’t able to perform its essential function of eliminating toxic waste, we will inevitably experience symptoms such as fatigue, allergies, moodiness, weight gain, skin impurity, muscles pain, which all lead to poor quality of life and ultimately death. Over 50% of all cancers may originate from a toxic colon.
There is no condition that can disassociate itself from the colon. The healthier the colon, the healthier all other organs in the body will be. A toxic body is usually the result of a toxic colon.
The toxic colon becomes so full and stretched out; therefore, it can no longer function appropriately. As a result, constipation occurs. Scientists believe that the normal frequency of bowel movements is 2-3 times a day. People are supposed to have one bowel movement after each big meal. Stress, moodiness, poor memory, fatigue, dizziness, bloating, bad breath, daytime sleepiness and skin rashes can be attributed to poisoning of the body due to stool delay and bowel problems. Stretched by stool build-up, the deformed, almost immobile colon presses against the neighboring organs, such as:
- Lungs: causing oxygen deprivation
- Liver: disrupting the normal flow of bile and leading to formation of stones
- Pancreas: squeezing the pancreatic ducts and suppressing elimination of the pancreatic juice
- Blood vessels of the lower abdominal cavity: causing hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and sexual dysfunction
- Intestines: increasing the pressure inside the abdomen, therefore, causing constipation and diverticulosis.
There is a direct connection between self-poisoning of the body and the development of cancer and premature aging.
Are you overweight or underweight? Do you experience gas, bloating, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, low energy, fatigue, depression, headaches, backaches, joint or muscle aches, blurred vision, body odor, bad breath, irritability, confusion, sinus problems, skin blemishes, allergies, difficult periods and PMS, low libido, low self-esteem and low resistance to colds and infections? These are gentle nudges. The little wake-up calls to make you aware of the fact that toxic waste is building up in your body. The continual accumulations of these toxins are in the process now, despite your illusion of “good health,” leading you to develop more serious health issues later.
You can sit and wait hoping that you will never have any serious health problems. Or you can start taking care of yourself now.
References
- National Institutes of Health, S. Department of Health and Human Services. Opportunities and Challenges in Digestive Diseases Research: Recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2009. NIH Publication 08– 6514
- Everhart JE, ed. The Burden of Digestive Diseases in the United States. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2008. NIH Publication 09–6433
- DeFrances CJ, Lucas CA, Buie VC, Golosinskiy A. 2006 National Hospital Discharge Survey. Natl Health Stat Report; 2008: 1-20. [PMID: 18841653]
- Cherry DK, Hing E, Woodwell DA, Rechsteiner EA. National Ambulatory Medical Survey: 2006 Summary. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2008: 1-39. [PMID: 18972720]
