Some call for an appointment and ask what they
can do to prepare. The key thing is to arrive and not put
any agendas, protocols, conditions between yourself and the
colonic. Bring yourself. Be prepared to receive and to experience.
The
major practice before a colonic is to stop hydrating 2 hours
before the session and eat light if at all. Your abdomen will
be massaged and you will need to urinate less if at all during
the session.
Arrive
on time or early without a rushed manner. You are treating
yourself. You are taking care of yourself. Give yourself the
time and space to appreciate the experience. The intestines
work best when they are relaxed, when the parasympathetic
nervous system is predominant. (Parasympathetics govern life-supporting
organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, spleen,
pancreas and lungs.) Laughing, breathing, exercising, relaxing,
listening to soothing music, being in a supportive loving
environment all help relax the intestinal nervous system.
And if that’s not your situation, come on in anyway!
Our hydrotherapy environment is designed for relaxation and
rest.
If
you are the inquisitive type, are motivated to take some action
before the colonic or desperate to change your lifestyle,
you might want to consider some of the following suggestions.
No pressure. Keep it light.
The
food addicted eating-disordered type might want to pig out
the day or night before the session. Hmmm! That would be a
nice pattern to break. If your thing is overeating and bingeing,
how about eating a melon, papaya, grapes, mangoes or a pineapple
until you are full. Or protein.
Some
of you are using the colonics to begin to break poor and non-life
supportive habits. Good luck. The internal cleansing has more
power than you think in reorganizing you! The water goes directly
into your core, your large intestines. Some consider the core
or intestines to represent the unconscious or subconscious.
Some waste may move from the small to large intestine during
the process for ultimate elimination.
Whenever
I assess via phone that I may have a difficult first cleanse,
I ask the person to prepare for the first session by; drinking
a gallon of fluids daily, making fruits and vegetables 50%
of their diet, taking an enema or laxative the day(s) or night(s)
before if they are particularly constipated or dehydrated.
This is volunteering on your part, it is not required. I explain
that it helps facilitate the colonic and allows you to have
an easier and deeper cleansing. This is also going to be true
of people who return.
I
congratulate you for making health and well being a priority.
I look forward to meeting you soon. When you schedule the
appointment, be aware of questions you might have and bring
them with you. Bring information that may complete your health
profile and assist my understanding of your situation ie blood
tests, x-rays, scans, written reports. Feel free to bring
in your bag of supplements. I can review them with you.
This
is not required just a suggestion for those who are interested.
Please
call if your question cannot wait until the session.
Menstruating
women may receive colon hydrotherapy. It is helpful for PMS
and does not interfere with the woman’s cycle. Women
up to their fifth month of pregnancy may receive colon hydrotherapy.
Follow
any medical guidelines you have been given if you have diabetes
or any other compromising illness. Continue to consult with
your physician for your health concerns.
Optional
Guidelines
Hydration
Water is necessary to sustain fluidity of blood
hence immune system not to mention softening stool. Focus
on consuming one gallon of fluids daily including water, sparkling
water, herb teas, raw and bottled juices.
Avoid
liquids a half-hour before, during, or within one hour after
meals.
Fresh
vegetable juices nourish the body without working the digestive
tract, are high in enzymes and electrolytes. One to 3 ounces
of wheatgrass are available at some local juice bars. Fresh
lemon juice may be added to water. Chamomile, nettles, peppermint,
pau d'arco, red clover and hibiscus are examples of herb teas.
Fruit and vegetable juices may be diluted with water.
Exercise
MOVE! Get moving whatever it takes whether
swimming, walking, cycling, running, dancing, gardening, playing
with children, cleaning, yoga, and tai chi. Walking is excellent.
Rebounding is fabulous for toning the colon and other organs
as well as for stimulation of the lymphatic system. Any form
of exercise that pleases you is important. The movement stimulates
intestinal circulation.
Supplements
Chlorophyll nourishes and oxygenates the body,
builds blood, promotes peristalsis and alkalinizes our over
acidic bodies. The fresh water algae like spirulina, blue
green and chlorella, ocean algae and wheat grass are rich
in chlorophyll.
If
you are not already doing it, add electrolytes to your regime
meaning minerals and trace elements. Many people are already
imbalanced in electrolytes and building a mineral reserve
in your body may be foundational for a better colonic. Chlorophyll
and raw juices count.
Many
people have dysbiosis coming into the colonic or an imbalance
in gut flora. That means more pathogenic bacteria, fungi,
virus and parasites than friendly roam in your gut. One may
begin using probiotics or positive bacteria to implant and
restore floral balance in the colon. Acidophilus, and others
such as bulgaricus and thermophilus are the primary ones.
Rejuvelac
is a fermented drink high in friendly bacteria made from soaked
wheat berries. To prepare, soak 1 cup of wheat berries in
1 quart of water for 24 hours. Drink the water and resoak
the berries for another 24 hours. You may reuse the grain
3 to 5 times. Try millet or barley too.
Diet
Make fruits and vegetables the foundation of
your nutritional pyramid, 50% of your diet, if possible. Fill
in the pyramid with other unprocessed natural foods such as
nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, fowl and meat. Use simple seasonings
such as sea salt, Herbamare, olive oil, lemon juice, raw vinegar
and homemade mayonnaise.
Avoid
cheeses, processed foods, additives, chemicals and preservatives,
white sugar, flour and milk.
Avoid
high concentration of complex carbohydrates such as grain,
flour, soy, and potatoes.
Raw
foods have living enzymes and promote elimination and intestinal
peristalsis. They are not appropriate with symptoms of gas
and bloat. In that case, peel and cook (bake, steam) fruits
and vegetables.
Try
Buchler’s broth. Steam for 8 minutes, equal parts zucchini,
green beans, parsley tops (no stems) and celery. Place steamed
vegetables in the blender, add half of the vegetable volume
of broth from steamer and puree. Drink 1- 3 large glasses
daily.
Chew
your food thoroughly!
Avoid
foods you know are hard for you to digest or bring you pain,
gas and bloat.
Fasting
and Cleansing
It is not necessary to fast before a colonic.
If you are familiar with fasting, you know it is a good thing
to do in unison with colonics. If you've never fasted before,
I recommend having a colonic first and learning more about
your body's needs before jumping into a fast.
Some
are already fasting on juices or the master cleanse (lemon
juice, cayenne, maple syrup) and are incorporating the colonic
with their fast.
One
does not have to fast to cleanse. They can be 2 separate processes.
However, one can combine the fast and the herbal cleanse with
potent results.
Some
people like to begin a bowel cleanse before they come in using
various formulas. The most popular is psyllium and bentonite
that when combined pull old fecal, mucoid and parasitic matter
from the intestinal wall. Some formulas combine the psyllium
and bentonite with other herbs and some take the psyllium
and bentonite separately from organ toners, flora, electrolytes
and laxatives.
Some
mix a teaspoon of fiber (ie psyllium) gradually increasing
to a tablespoon in 8 – 16 ounces of water a half hour
before or 2 hours after meals in the morning and evening.
Drink a pint to a quart of water after taking and throughout
the day, aiming for one gallon. For the best cleansing effect,
use for a few days to a week.
Some
combine the bentonite clay water with their fiber drink, one
tablespoon with 2 cups of water in the morning and evening.
This is an adsorbent medium with a negative electrical charge
that bonds with most positive electrically charged toxins
in the intestines. The combination of bentonite, fiber and
extra water will help eliminate toxins.
Castor
Oil packs are used to soothe abdominal tightness, cramping
or pain and to loosen impactions. Rub cold pressed castor
oil onto your abdomen and cover with a piece of wool flannel.
Then wrap a piece of plastic around your waist covering the
flannel, cover again with a shirt or towel and apply a hot
water bottle or a heating pad set on medium for 1 to 2 hours.
This is done minimally 3 days sequentially for best effect.
Castor
is another alternative to loosening hardened bowel material
and provides a rest at the same time. One has to recline while
the pack is on the abdomen and liver (optional.)
Self-help
Techniques
Stress Management. These are various ways you
can relax your intestines. Activities like this keep you preoccupied
and focused on positive behavior.
Abdominal
massage increases peristalsis, loosens impactions and may
move gas. After warm herb tea or a glass of lemon water, massage
from right to left, up, across and down. Chi Nei Tsang is
another form of abdominal massage that includes deep abdominal
breath and circular massage movements.
Skin
Brushing from feet to shoulders detoxifies the skin and stimulates
blood supply. Concentrate on abdominal area, chest, and arches
of feet. Try following skin brushing with a cold shower to
close the pores. Skin brushing is used dry and for lymphatic
circulation with motions going toward the heart.
Hydrotherapy
baths are used to detoxify. Do either an Epsom salt or powdered
ginger bath the evening following a colonic when possible.
For Epsom salt bath use 2 cups, for powdered ginger bath use
4 tablespoons to a half tub of water as hot as you can tolerate.
Bath for 10 to 14 minutes.
Sometimes it’s helpful to use other types of hydrotherapy
to accompany the colonic in order to relax the gut muscles.
Sauna, steam, whirlpool and bathing are all helpful. Remember
you are beginning to focus on you, on your relaxation, on
loosening your intestines, hydrating and nurturing them before
you come in preparation for the colonic session.
For
anyone with constipation or dehydration, taking an enema or
colema the days preceding the colonic is of great help in
facilitating the colonic.
Frequency
of Colonics
Will one colonic completely empty the colon?
‘Magic bullet’ thinking says one colonic will open
the floodgates and I will be home free. If it were that easy,
colon therapists would not exist. It can be very challenging
to have the contents of the colon flow out freely. Sometimes
it takes work, repeated sessions close together to crack the
nut or break the dam not to mention the lifestyle and attitude
changes.
Many
of us have a considerable amount of impacted waste in our
colon accompanied with muscle, nerve, immune and hormone deficit.
Substantial work must be done. The second and subsequent colonics
may release more material as your body tunes into releasing,
muscles become suppler, the area becomes more hydrated and
bacterial/fungal sources of nerve damage are reduced.
Is
it necessary to "take a series" of colonics?
It depends on your objective. One or 2 colonics may be all
that's necessary to recovery from travel, flu, fever, back
or headache, transient constipation or a small fast or cleanse.
However, overcoming lifelong constipation, creating multiple
bowel movements, overcoming illness and achieving vital health
may require regular colonics for some time. It has taken years
to create your current body condition. One has to factor in
body condition, how well you respond, and possible needed
lifestyle and attitude changes.
After
your first colonic, you can discuss with the therapist how
many sessions you might need and how often. Many people benefit
from doing a series of anywhere from 5 to 25 colonics to bring
the body back into balance. One might begin with 1 –
5 in the first week, then going to once a week, once every
two weeks and then longer periods for maintenance depending
on the individual condition.
Keep
an open mind, be open to what you might experience, what you
might learn about yourself and your intestines through this
process.
Three
colon hydrotherapists have contributed their thoughts to this
paper,
Anne Miller www.bodyharmony.com,
Tara Alder www.alderbrooke.com
and Jesse Brown www.wholistic-healing.com.
You may visit their sites for additional information and wisdom.
Sheila
Shea © 2002 All Rights Reserved
