Colon Hydrotherapy
What is Colon Hydrotherapy?
Colon hydrotherapy (aka colonics or
colonic irrigation therapy
) is a safe, effective, natural method of removing waste from the large intestine without the use of drugs or supplements.
This safe, gentle infusion of purified, temperature- and pressure-regulated water is designed to cleanse the entire five to six feet of the large intestine from rectum to cecum. Although colonics utilize the same principles as an enema, which only reaches about one foot of the large intestine, colon hydrotherapy has the potential to get the full length of the colon to loosen and soften waste. Colon hydrotherapy assists with hydration and toning of the colon for improved peristalsis and elimination of toxic fecal matter.*
Colon hydrotherapy is basically a bath for your colon. When you cleanse from the inside, the outside will shine.
“All in all, the gut is a terrific place to start helping humans be as healthy, resilient, and robust as we have evolved to be.”
Emily Deans, MD, in Psychology Today
Colon Hydrotherapy at Agasar Family Wellcare at Inner Spa
At Agasar Family WellCare at Inner Spa, we use closed system colon hydrotherapy devices; these are FDA registered. Each of our colonic rooms has an in-room bathroom for privacy and convenience. We only use FDA-registered, disposable, one-time use speculum kits, and take care to work with each client to maintain high safety, quality care and dignity at all times. For best results, we suggest the following preparations for your colon hydrotherapy session:
- Drink ample water, at least 64 oz per day
- Eat whole foods like raw and cooked leafy green vegetables, raw veggie drinks, and fresh fruits
- Try to avoid eating dairy products or red meat
- Avoid carbonated and sugary beverages, as well as alcohol
- Avoid drinking coffee, tea or soda as these can dehydrate
- Stop eating and drinking two hours before your scheduled appointment
We suggest the following guidelines after your colon hydrotherapy session:
- Eat soft-cooked foods, such as broth-based soups, steamed vegetables, lean proteins (chicken and fish); these are easy on the digestive system
- Drink plenty of water
- Add lemon or apple cider vinegar to your water; this can help with alkalizing the body
- Eat fresh fruits and vegetables; salads and raw foods have great enzymes and fiber
- Avoid nuts and icy foods and drinks
- Avoid processed foods and sugar
Each session is geared toward your health goals, and is always provided within the high standards maintained at the center for public safety.
Or call to make an appointment at 215.550.6502
Chiropractic Care and MLS Laser Therapy cannot be booked via the web. All other services – colon hydrotherapy, massage, detox and wellcare services – can be booked by calling the office or online HERE.
What is a Colon Hydrotherapist?
A colon hydrotherapist is someone who assists in guiding a colon hydrotherapy session, staying with you during your session. They are trained in digestive health, and can help you better understand how your digestive system works. Working with a certified colon hydrotherapist ensures that that high standards and professional ethics are maintained for your overall safety.
The International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy (I-ACT) is the premier organization for education and certification for professional colon hydrotherapists. I-ACT certified colon hydrotherapists are well-trained, skilled and specialize in digestive health; they only use FDA-registered colonic equipment with disposable, single-use speculum kits. At Agasar Family WellCare at Inner Spa, we have I-ACT and national board certified colon hydrotherapists who work with you to achieve your health goals, one session at a time.
How Colon Hydrotherapy Works
It’s all about the water! Colon hydrotherapy is a gentle cleansing of the large intestine, the part of the digestive system that is responsible for absorbing water and eliminating waste. FDA-registered devices use triple purified, warm water during the entirety of each session.
The client lies on a table with a drape over them for modesty. The disposable speculum kit is connected to the colonic device, water is introduced to the colon and gently circulates to hydrate the colon lining and soften waste. When slight pressure builds in the colon, the water and waste are released, and as they flow through the view tube, the client can see what is being eliminated. The process is repeated several times during the 40-minute session.
The gut, also known as the microbiome, is a unique eco-system; each person is different even if they are related. As such, the number of sessions differs from person to person. Generally speaking, those just starting with colon hydrotherapy may consider doing a few sessions close together. Because the main goal of colon hydrotherapy is hydration and elimination to cleanse the colon, it is rare that this is achieved in a single session. Results depend on several factors, including the body’s ability to relax, the health condition of the colon, diet and water intake, to name a few. During the first session, the body will experience hydration, sometimes with only little waste material eliminated. Therefore, it may take a few sessions before cleansing is achieved.
The History of Colon Hydrotherapy
The value of tissue and body cleansing through colon lavage (irrigation or washing out of an organ) has been practiced for more than three thousand years. As early as 1500 B.C., the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical document, described the many benefits of colon cleansing. In ancient times, the practice of cleansing the colon was administered in a river by using a hollow reed to induce water flow into the rectum.
Centuries later, the benefits of colon lavage continued to prevail. Colon irrigation was commonly used among European populations to assist with maintenance and promotion of overall health. Enemas were frequently used for abatement of fever, anxiety and illness.
READ MORE about the history of colon hydrotherapy
In the early 1900s, improvements in colon hydrotherapy devices allowed for a more complete cleansing of the large intestine. Implementation of these technological advancements brought on times of colonic popularity, and also times of rejection. Unfortunately, advanced colon irrigation was, at times, administered by the unskilled and poorly trained, which proved to be detrimental for the support of the general population and medical profession.
Despite the difficulties in the early 20th century, the value of colon hydrotherapy continued to be recognized by several medical doctors; most noteworthy were James A Wiltsie, M.D., Joseph Waddington, M.D., and John H. Kellogg, M.D. Each of these doctors has significant findings relating to colon cleansing and health.
- In a 1917 edition of the Journal of American Medical Association, Dr. Kellogg reported that in over forty thousand gastrointestinal disease cases, he had used surgery in only twenty cases; the rest were helped as a result of cleansing the bowels, diet and exercise.
- Waddington stated, in his work Scientific Intestinal Irrigation and Adjuvant Therapy, “Abnormal functioning of the intestinal canal is the precursor of much ill-health, especially of chronic disease. Restoration of physiological intestinal elimination is often the important preliminary to eventual restoration of health in general.”
- Wiltsie offers, “Our knowledge of the normal and abnormal physiology of the colon and its pathology and management has not kept pace with that of many organ systems of the body. As long as we continue to assume the colon will take care of itself, it’s just that long that we will remain in complete ignorance of perhaps the most important source of ill health in the whole body.”
Since then, colon hydrotherapy equipment and methods of practice have improved even further. Therapist training is now standardized through accrediting associations, and colonic equipment boasts the added security of regulation from the FDA. People are now rediscovering this natural, safe method to cleanse the colon in a drug-free manner.
About the Colon
The colon has been referred to as the sewer system of the body. It is the place where we store the waste material that most of us would rather not think about, and unfortunately, most of us do not until our health becomes poor or we experience constipation, diarrhea or serious illness.
Most people do not realize that their colon (aka large intestine/bowel) is FIVE to SIX feet long and plays a major role in the outlook of your overall health.* The prolonged storage of waste could result in toxic seepage through the colon wall and into your bloodstream (aka autointoxication). Since every tissue in the body is fed by the bloodstream, a vicious cycle may occur allowing free reign for disease proliferation and the overtaxing of other eliminative organs.
READ MORE about the colon
In addition, colon cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States, staking claim to as many as 134,000 people per year according to the American Cancer Society in 2016. Many believe a precursor to colon cancer is prolonged exposure to accumulated toxins/carcinogens that adhere to the colon wall.*
The American Cancer Society has provided evidence in recent years which suggest that environmental agents, such as insecticides, herbicides, preservatives in food, hormones, antibiotic-fed livestock, and petroleum byproducts may play a greater role in the predisposition to colon cancer.
The common plane is that we live in a fast-paced society that has given way to the standard use of refined, processed, chemically altered foods, over-prescribed and often consequential drug therapies and miniscule time for us to pay attention to the health of our very own bodies. So, why should you be concerned about your colon? Because your body’s power to heal itself is at its best when you learn about treating the cause not just the symptom. The doctors, therapists and staff at Agasar Family WellCare at Inner Spa are here to help guide and support you as you begin to take control of your own wellcare.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. They are not meant to treat, prevent, diagnose or cure any condition. Always consult your healthcare provider.