Colon hydrotherapy:
everything you need to know, plus my own experience
Disclaimer: Before reading, I just want to again state that I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am simply sharing with you what I researched, learned and experienced along the way.
What is it?
Colon hydrotherapy — also known as a colonic, colonic irrigation or colon cleansing — works to improve the function of your colon, and can help improve a vast majority of digestive issues. Colon hydrotherapy sessions work to hydrate our system and break up fecal matter and other waste materials that layer the walls of the intestines. Carrying old, dry and/or unwanted fecal matter only increases the chances of getting backed up and reabsorbing toxins back into the body. Colon hydrotherapy is great for detoxification, and it can also help strengthen the colon and digestive system, which helps to promote and increase overall health!
An Emotional Connection
Something I was unaware of and found tremendously interesting, is the emotional connection that we have with our gut. Jennifer, my practitioner who performed my colonic, explained to me that women hold their stress/emotions in their gut, while men tend to hold it in their hearts. Think about your husband, boyfriend, or any male figure in your life — do they have any problems going to the bathroom? Do they complain of any digestive issues? Usually not. I don’t know about your husband/boyfriend/male friends, but my husband has nooo problem going to the bathroom (sorry, Honey.) He goes first thing every morning and numerous times throughout the day, typically after every meal. Is this surprising? Honestly not really, and frankly, I’m pretty jealous. Weird? Nehh. To go like my husband, is normal bowel behavior. Jennifer explained to me that we should be going around 2-3 times a day depending on how many meals we consume, but definitely at the minimum of once per day.
Our stress can easily dictate our digestive health. The more we stress, the more our gut clenches to those emotions, and the harder it is for us to release what our body should be letting go off. Jennifer explained to me that colon hydrotherapy is also a great partner in healing emotional wounds like abuse and/or trauma. She stated that these too are typically carried around in our gut. She stated that she has often experienced seeing other patients come to her and go through a session where they talk about abuse/trauma/a stressful situation that is going on. Jennifer talked them through releasing that energy, and she stated that she sees it release from them through their bowels. They leave feeling like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.
After hearing Jennifer’s words regarding this, and reading more into this on my own, I have consciously tried to make an effort to “go with the flow.” I’ve noticed before that sometimes I start to stress even in the slightest when I become aware that my bowels aren’t moving regularly (i.e. every morning shortly after waking up). Instead of stressing about this, I let it go. When I need to go, I’ll go. It surprised me how much this played a part.
Or, another example, if I eat something that does not agree with me, I typically experience, bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort. Instead of getting frustrated, like I used to, I try to track down what causes the discomfort and make a mental note for next time. I let it go instead of stressing over it. Even this has brought such change to my digestion and bowel movements. I’m learning to trust my body more and understand that it knows what it’s doing.
My Experience — The Procedure
Honestly going into my appointment I was very open-minded. Surprisingly I wasn’t nervous like I initially thought I would be. I think this is partially because I have faced numerous digestion issues that I was wanting this to be the answer and my ‘saving grace’. Although I can’t say that (yet), I can say that I had a positive experience and plan on going back more frequently and regularly to continue on this gut healing journey..
Beginning–
When I arrived for my appointment, I was warmly greeted by the owner and practitioner, Jennifer. Along with many other titles and certifications, Jennifer is a Colon Hydrotherapist who specializes in digestive health. I spoke with her for at least 30-45 minutes before we got started on the actual procedure. She made me feel very comfortable and within the first few minutes of talking with her, I knew I had come to the right place. She was very knowledgeable and extremely aware of her surroundings — personally, environmentally and globally. Prior to the appointment, Jennifer had me fill out some paperwork and a questionnaire which we went over together. She asked about certain foods/drinks that I regularly consume, my exercise regimen, self-care, daily water intake, my overall health, and so on. Once we got to know each other a bit more and she was aware of my situation, we were ready to get started.
We walked into a separate room — THE room — and again she walked me through what was going to happen. In this room was a small bed, similar to a massage table next to the machine/equipment used to perform the colonic. There was a gauge that controlled the pressure connected to a hose that is used to guide the water into the colon and through the intestines. This hose is connected to a water system that dispenses purified water with another hose that comes out of the machine and empties the exiting materials into a large sink.
Middle-
After explaining the procedure, Jennifer handed me a gown to take into the bathroom and change into. Once I was changed and ready to start, I got up on the table and laid down. I probbbably won’t go into the nitty gritty details of the entire process, as I’m sure you guys can use your imagination, but Jennifer completed the next few steps with getting me step up, and we were ready to begin. [PSA: There is nothing large or scary that is actually inserted into the anus. It is a small piece that is connected to the hose which is inserted only about an inch inside the anus.] She turned the warm water on, and it began to fill my colon/intestines. The feeling is a bit strange at first as you can definitely feel your belly expanding, and it gives you a feeling of being full. Once this occurs, she stops and then releases the water which empties out into the sink. She continues to repeat this process for the remainder of the procedure.
After a few times through, she began to ‘massage’ my stomach to help break up any gas bubbles and to help moves things along. Not to either of our surprises, I was filled with a lot of gas — I knew this and had been experiencing it prior to my appointment. She started slightly below and to the right of my belly button massaging upward to my lower ribs, then massaging straight across to my left lower ribs and then straight down, again slightly below the belly button height.
UP, RIGHT, DOWN. UP, RIGHT, DOWN. UP, RIGHT, DOWN. AND SO ON.
Side note: I continue to use this technique at home all the time when I am experiencing any discomfort. It really does help with gas bubbles, and it alleviates a lot of bloating and flatulence that I’m experiencing. It’s super easy and honestly feels soothing when my stomach is upset. When I am experiencing some gas trapped in my gut and decide to do this, I can often feel/hear the gas bubbles move in the direction that I am massaging – again starting with the intestines and moving it towards the colon to exit – which is also comforting to know that it is working and moving those discomforts (slowly) out. It isn’t always an immediate relief, honestly majority of the time it isn’t instant, but it definitely does work – just give it some time.
Up, right, down. Up, right, down. Up, right, down. And so on.
Again, his moves in the same direction that our intestines to our colon moves to ultimately eliminate waste and toxins. We continued with this for about 30 minutes.
Now, I originally wasn’t going to share many [specific] details from the procedure, as this may be “gross” to some. However, for the ones that are truly interested and who could benefit from my experience, I want to be an open book and truly share my thoughts. If you’re squeamish or easily bothered, consider skipping the next paragraph.
When Jennifer first started, nothing happened right off that bat. I think when a lot of people think about a colonic or know even the slightest information about it, they assume or expect that right when they start or are having the procedure done, that loads (literally) of poop is going to expel from the body. *sigh* if only.. So in reality, that definitely isn’t the case. It is a slow process, and the results are on a case by case basis depending the the individual. For me, it took about 10-15 minutes for anything to happen. The water stayed very clear and then it slowly started to show signs of fecal matter leaving my body. Yes, I could see the hose that showed the color of the water, which frankly was pretty fascinating and interesting. I knew if any was happening, because honestly aside from feeling gas leave the body, I couldn’t actually feel when anything else was leaving — I could only see it in the hose. Towards the end of the session, I passed my first bowel movement. No, this was not an actual solid poop floating through the hose. The hose is very small in diameter, not even an inch in size. The bowel movement and fecal matter that is passed is simply “watered down” and broken up, so it can easily pass through.
Jennifer stated that this first session would be shorter than the rest, as this is the first time the body is experiencing this procedure. She stated that at first the body may not necessarily know what to do as this is completely new and foreign, but over time with continued colon hydrotherapy sessions, it would become more natural for the body to respond to it.
END-
When I finished the colonic, Jennifer “unplugged” me from the tubes/machines and allowed me to step into the restroom. She told me to stay for as long as I needed.. And that I most definitely did. LOL. Here, my body expelled more water and waste that the hydrotherapy session helped break up and prepare for exit (a normal and typical response following hydrotherapy). After feeling safe to leave the porcelain throne, I came out to talk with Jennifer before wrapping up my appointment.
Jennifer left me with some key components to integrate into my daily routine to try and improve not only my digestion, but my overall health and wellbeing – both physically and mentally.
My tasks:
Reducing sugar intake (any source). Keep around/below 30g/day.
- I typically stay away from processed and refined sugars. The sugars I do freely consume are from fruits, honey, coconut sugar and pure maple syrup. I wouldn’t say that I overindulge in fruit, but some days I do have a few servings. Before colon hydrotherapy, I never purposefully limited my fruit intake, as I eat intuitively and do what feels best for my body. I believe a lot of people have a stigma towards eating fruit and that it can cause harm if consuming too much. As this may in fact be the case for some people — it is not the case for everyone, despite what any fad diet may say.
- I will say that since my colon hydrotherapy appointment, I initially reduced my sugar intake which mainly meant cutting back my fruit intake, which essentially came in the form of smoothies that I often make. I did not notice too much of a different digestion wise, but I did notice my face did clear up some. Now, I am not consciously avoiding sugar completely — again, I am eating intuitively and giving my body what it wants.
Water, water, water. At least 120 ounces (1 gallon) per day.
- This one has been huge for me. I don’t consume soda or other sugary beverages, but I still wasn’t drinking as much water as I should’ve been. I’ve now been much more conscious of it, and I feel so much better. A tip that Jennifer gave me was to fill a 3 cup (24 oz) glass up before bed and leave it on my nightstands. In the morning when you’re first getting up and even still half asleep, drink the whole thing — you already have 3 glasses of water down for the day. This for me has also helped wake me up in the mornings and even get my bowels moving (water is essential for a healthy digestive system).
- She also spoke of the “rule” a lot of us hear over and over again. “Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.” Right? Wrong. Jennifer informed me that just by urinating, we can expel as little as 4 glasses of water. This number is even higher when you consider the amount we lose from sweating – depending on activity levels. So if you think about it, that is leaving us with less than half of the recommended amount – which is why Jennifer recommends drinking as close to a gallon as possible. Thus, ensuring that our bodies definitely have the water it needs to properly and optimally function.
Find my JOY and exercise this [at least] weekly, if not more.
- I try to utilize this daily, even if my ‘joy’ means taking a few minutes to walk outside or be by myself and reflect. Other times, my joy involves moving (yoga, cycling, getting outside, etc.) or baking. I love love love to bake, especially healthy delicious treats. Regardless of what I choose to do, it’s a way for me to rejuvenate and take care of myself. Self-love at it’s finest. We all need it. I feel a million times better the more I put into myself as opposed to constantly giving and putting all of my energy into everybody else.
Lastly, I asked Jennifer when I should consider making another appointment. She told me about 2-4 weeks. She stated that it typically takes 3 session — Magic Number 3 is what she called it — to really see a more drastic change. After only working with her for a few hours, I completely trust her, and I’ll be making my next appointment when I can.
So, how did I really feel after the appointment?
Honestly, not a whole lot different physically. I did feel a little lighter, and definitely less gassy/bloated. The bigger change was mentally. I felt more awake, refreshed, and uplifted. I also felt hopeful that this could help alleviate some of my digestion issues. Probably not colon hydrotherapy by itself, but that along with following Jennifer’s recommendations, and just continuing to truly tune into my body and listening to what it needs — is what is going to bring me more answers and hopefully [permanent] solutions.
EDIT: I am writing this part, 3+ months after my first colonic, and I can truly say that my digestion has improved. I honestly believe that getting the colonic kickstarted my road to healing my gut. I became more intuitive, I still keep in mind the things Jennifer taught me, and I continue to listen to my body (which definitely has become easier over time). I stay away from processed foods as much as possible, as this definitely triggers digestive problems for me, and I also continue to avoid refined sugars, dairy and gluten 90% of the time. With that said, I still choose to indulge when I want to — my motto is all about BALANCE. That is how I stay sane and how I can truly live my best life. I still do plan on making my next colonic appointment, however I currently am unable to due to other reasons which I’ll explain at a later time!
Common Questions I Received:
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. I think it really is a beneficially procedure and one that can help a lot of people, seeing that ~75% of Americans are living with digestive issues/symptoms. If you are considering it, I would highly recommend researching places around you before just choosing one. Get to know the practitioner and ensure they are licensed/certified. If something feels off about a place, I wouldn’t suggest following through.
Is it for everyone?
If you have any health concerns and feel that it is necessary, consult with your primary care physician before deciding to go through with the procedure. Individuals diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, and ulcerative colitis are said to not be good candidates for a colonic. Pregnant women are also advised against this. Again, consult with your doctor beforehand if you are unsure or have any questions/concerns.
Is it painful?
Nope! Definitely a weird feeling at first when the tube is initially inserted. It gives you the feeling as if you have to poop but that disappears within 30-60 seconds. It was also a weird/different feeling when the water was entering my body as it gave me the really “full” feeling – a little uncomfortable at times, but that is quickly relieved as the pressure valve is released and the water exits.
How often should you go?
This is something that should be discussed with your practitioner who is performing the colonic. He/She will have a better understanding of your body, especially after the first session once they see how you respond. For me, it was recommended that I come back in 2-4 weeks. Jennifer stated that it typically takes the average newbie about 3 sessions before things really start to move. After that, going 1-3 months is a good timeframe — but again this also depends on an individual basis.
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Please feel free to leave a comment with any questions you may have, or any experiencing you’re willing to share!
xoxo, Alyssa