COLON HYDROTHERAPY
Colon Hydrotherapy (also called colonic irrigation or lavage) is a safe and effective method of gently washing the large intestine with purified water. The main purpose of this “irrigation” process, which is combined with abdominal massage, is to break up fecal waste matter that has accumulated over time within the intestines. When this waste matter is eliminated, health and vitality can dramatically improve. The greatest success is realized when Colon Hydrotherapy is done in conjunction with fluids, exercise and a high-fiber diet with very few animal products. If you have constipation or other intestinal disorders, please consider making these other lifestyle changes in order to amplify and reinforce the benefits of Colon Hydrotherapy.
History of Colon Hydrotherapy
Colon hydrotherapy is an ancient method of cleaning the colon dating back to Egyptian medical texts of 1500 B.C. The famous Greek physicians, Galen and Hippocrates, were major proponents of colon cleansing. In these earlier times, people performed an enema in a lake or river using a hollow reed to allow water to flow into the rectum.
Colon Cleansing became a widely accepted method for reversing the onset of illness in the 1890’s, becoming less mainstream as the pharmaceutical industry took over the practice of medicine. With the development of modern colonic irrigation devices and the public’s growing interest in natural healing methods, colon therapy has been making a comeback since the 1980’s and now is one of the most commonly employed methods for support of detoxification.
CCIM’s Colon Hydrotherapy Program
First Appointment
Follow-Up Visits
What does Colon Hydrotherapy Accomplish?
Each session hydrates the intestinal tract while also breaking up the impacted and dehydrated fecal, mucoid, and other waste materials that layer the walls of the intestine. By washing these materials out of the intestines, your body is more capable of disposing of waste products of digestion; also, further buildup of toxic materials is prevented. At the same time, your body’s assimilation of nutrients is enhanced, and liver health and energy levels may dramatically improve.
Colon Hydrotherapy also exercises the muscles in the wall colon to improve peristalsis and effective elimination, thus retraining these muscles to function properly. Finally, colon cleansing can help promote healthy immunity. About 60 percent of the immune system is found in the GI tract, which makes sense, since microbes are most likely to enter the body through the mucus membranes of the GI tract (as well as the lungs). By removing a huge source of toxicity, colon hydrotherapy enables your body to thrive and maintain good health for the indefinite future.
What are the Medicinal Benefits of Colon Hydrotherapy?
The most important benefit for many people is that they feel better and enjoy a better quality of life. After a few sessions, people frequently report feeling “lighter” and having a feeling of well-being in the belly. In addition to relieving digestive discomfort, they also note improvement in many other health problems. Holistically minded physicians often recommend Colon Hydrotherapy as a way to accomplish the following:
Hydrate your body
Rehabilitate the nerves, muscles, glands, circulatory and immune systems that are integral to the GI system
Remove waste from the gut
Reposition and reshape the intestines
Stimulate peristalsis (rhythmic movements of the intestine, to ensure optimal GI health)
Why is the human gut widely referred to as the “root of health and disease”?
Everything you put into your mouth and swallow comes in contact with the walls of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and has the potential to affect GI health. When these substances or their byproducts are toxic, they damage the intestinal tissues, as well as the nerves and glands in and around the GI tract. Toxins can then be absorbed through the walls into the blood and lymph and ultimately to other body cells, tissues and organs.
In addition, many dietary and lifestyle habits can result in a sluggish colon. This means that waste products are not moving smoothly out of the body; the slower movement or “transit time” means that there is more fermentation and putrefaction of undigested food by bacteria and yeast. These microbes produce toxic waste in the form of acids and gasses, which in turn cause inflammation and damage to intestinal tissues. Studies have shown that these toxic substances can promote abnormal brain function, as well as cognitive, mood, and behavioral problems.
Who Benefits from Colon Hydrotherapy?
Most of the people who seek out Colon Hydrotherapy are those who have frequent digestive problems or digestive discomfort.
Signs and symptoms of intestinal distress may include constipation (sluggish bowels), carbohydrate indigestion, diarrhea, gas and bloating, hemorrhoids, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diverticulosis, colitis, intestinal toxemia, parasites, skin conditions such as psoriasis, shingles, and eczema, inability to lose weight, and scar tissue and adhesions from surgery.
Other groups who are excellent candidates for Colon Hydrotherapy include the following:
1) Individuals who have chronic sinus and respiratory problem
2) People motivated to relieve chronic pain (e.g., abdominal pain, continuous headaches, and migraines, back or shoulder pain, aching joints, gout)
3) Athletes seeking to improve metabolic efficiency
4) People with compromised or disordered immunity (e.g., lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, cancer, chronic fatigue, Epstein-Barre, candida, or other infections)
5) People who are working on emotional issues which they feel may be linked to their digestive problems
6) Patients who are pre- and post-surgery or barium x-ray; and
7) Anyone who is in a period of life-style change or who desires to use the Colon Hydrotherapy for general cleansing, health promotion, or as a preventive measure.
Colon Hydrotherapy
Expedited New Patient- Individuals with a particular interest in only Colon Hydrotherapy as a treatment to support detoxification and prevention of disease may choose the Expedited Colon Therapy Program.
- This type visit is only appropriate for individuals without major health issues or for those with only mild digestive symptoms. This is not the setting in which complex chronic health issues can be addressed.
- Approximately 12-16 sessions are typically recommended for best results.
- Subsequent Colon Hydrotherapy appointments are $120 per session.
How many treatments will I need and how often?
At a minimum, people need several colon hydrotherapy sessions to begin to experience a benefit, and most people will begin to release of older fecal matter only after six sessions. During the intensive phase of detoxification, it is recommended that you undergo a colon hydrotherapy session at least once a week, and twice a week is ideal during the first few weeks.
(Note: Even if you are only able to do one colon therapy session a month, you will begin to see a benefit).
It is preferable not to do colonics on successive days, skipping at least one day in between treatments. For best results, in most cases, the minimum number of recommended treatments is 12, though we may recommend that you undergo up to 16 sessions over a three to four month period. Our experience indicates that if you are able to undergo at least 16 sessions, you are likely to see a major release of toxic matter from the colon, along with major improvements in your overall digestive health.
Preparing for Your Colon Hydrotherapy Session:
Colon Hydrotherapy is very safe; however, there is one side effect, which is that good bacteria is washed out with the bad bacteria. Therefore, you must be taking a probiotic supplement while undergoing Colon Hydrotherapy. Colon Hydrotherapy may be contraindicated for certain medical conditions (e.g., diverticulosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease), depending on the severity of the condition. Disease severity would have to be evaluated by Dr. Pittman before deciding if you’re a candidate for Colon Hydrotherapy. If you have a diagnosis of diverticulitis, severe hemorrhoids, or rectal or intestinal tumors, Colon Hydrotherapy is contraindicated.
What about Food/Drinks?
It is best to eat only a small amount of food at least two hours before undergoing Colon Hydrotherapy; please avoid food within two hours of the treatment. It is best not to have a full stomach when undergoing the treatment. You may drink a small amount of liquid two hours prior to the session; however, try to avoid liquids after that time. Also, it is important that your bowel function is not completely shut down when starting the therapy. So, for those individuals with severe constipation, please start your herbal cleanse and fiber a few days prior to your first treatment to improve response. Remember that you will be in the hands of professionals and that this is a very safe and gentle process.
Vitamins & Supplements:
Most patients will be on individualized supplement regimens that may be modified somewhat to improve the effectiveness of the colonic sessions. Those supplements that are particularly important while undergoing Colon Hydrotherapy include…
Vitamin C:
Magnesium:
Probiotics:
Intestinal Cleansers and Natural Laxatives:
Conclusions
Colon Hydrotherapy is an integral part to a successful total body detoxification program as well as for maintenance of a vibrant and lasting sense of wellness. Many nutritionally oriented physicians require their patients to undergo Colon Hydrotherapy as a requirement for acceptance for treatment.
We agree that this is an integral part of the healing process and strongly recommend that all patients of the Carolina Center undergo a series of treatments. Colon Hydrotherapy is never a treatment that is done just once. For any lasting benefit to be obtained, a series of treatments over several weeks is necessary especially when muscular retraining is am important goal.