What is colon hydrotherapy?

Colon hydrotherapy is a safe, clean, odor-free method of removing waste from the large intestine, without the use of drugs or chemicals. During a forty-five minute session a gentle infusion of pure, filtered and temperature-regulated water is introduced into the colon, loosening and breaking down waste for easy evacuation. When the client feels ready to release, the body pushes the water back out, evacuating waste and stimulating the body’s natural peristalsis while the client lies on the therapy table. There is no suction involved, only a gentle process of filling with water and releasing that water again. While the body is releasing, the colon hydrotherapist will use her hands to work on the abdominal wall, helping to release fecal matter from the walls of the colon. This process of slowly filling with water and releasing that water is repeated several times during a therapeutic session.

How much does a session cost?

Single session Colon hydrotherapy $95

What are the benefits of colon hydrotherapy?

Just as removing dirt from a wound on the outside of your body allows the body to heal that wound, so removing waste from the inside of your body provides the opportunity for overall optimal health.
While health professionals tell us that a healthy person should have three bowel movements a day, one for every meal we eat, the average American has only one bowel movement per day. In other words, every time we eat we should also be eliminating waste if our digestion is functioning properly.
The primary functions of the colon are to absorb fluids, extract the last nutrients out of our food and release and pass out of our bodies the fecal matter and toxins that are harmful. The colon is not meant to store waste inside of our bodies for weeks or months or years.
When ingested substances are allowed to sit, decay and become toxic, it is understandable that these toxins can damage the intestinal walls and surrounding organs, diminish the optimal absorption of nutrients, harm nerves and glands, and enter and poison the blood stream. Toxicity in the body is widely known to lead to all kinds of disease and various symptoms including: headaches, poor circulation, anxiety, depression, skin issues, digestive disorders, auto-immune conditions, arthritis, fatigue, allergies, inflammation, and cancer.
While we absorb the majority of our nutrition through the walls of our small intestine, for many of us those walls are crowded because our colons are backed up with fecal matter. This means that those nutrients are trying to get down a crowded hallway and we are unable to absorb much of the healthy nutrition that we are taking in. Cleaning out the colon makes it possible for the small intestine to shift some of its contents into the colon for elimination and allow for better absorption of nutrition.

How many sessions do you recommend?

I have clients that come as often as weekly or even more than once a week if they are working to address a specific health concern. I also have clients that come monthly, every few months, or just a few times each year based on their personal needs. Many clients come more frequently in the beginning and then find a rhythm for maintenance and a freedom from symptoms they were experiencing before beginning colon hydrotherapy.
For example, I have found that clients who have been struggling with IBS might come weekly for 4-6 weeks and then schedule their appointments for every month or two months after that to keep symptoms at bay. I always encourage clients to find the rhythm that works for them.
It is important to remember that for those that have had long-term digestive issues… or symptoms that have stemmed from digestive issues… those issues were not created overnight. A train that has been heading in the wrong direction for a long time is going to require more than one 45-minute session of colon hydrotherapy to turn it completely around. With patience and intention, I have seen clients reverse their digestive issues using colon hydrotherapy over and over again.
It is always suggested that someone coming in for the first time should consider doing 2 days in a row of colonics. The first day is often about hydration of the colon and acclimating to the therapy and often times people will release more waste on the second day due to both the hydration they took in on the first session as well as what they moved out the first session.
Please also read about our multiple day cleanse packages; the 7-Day Vitratox/Sonne Cleanse and the 3-Day Juice Cleanse.

What is a colon hydrotherapy session like?

Every client is treated with utmost care and respect. I pride myself in making everyone as comfortable as possible during their session. Most of my clients feel immediately positive results after their session, hands on their bellies in awe of how clean and light they feel… and then ask when they can come back!

You will get a brief introduction to the therapy when your appointment begins, giving you an opportunity to know the process, what to expect and to ask any questions you may have before getting started.
The therapy room has a dedicated bathroom for your privacy and comfort before and after the session. You will have a pair of disposable paper shorts for you to wear during your session. You will empty your bladder and put on your shorts and then meet the therapist in the therapy room where you will lay on the table on your left side. You will only be on your left side briefly for the insertion of the speculum and then the therapist will help you to shift onto your back as the therapy is done on your back with your knees up.
The session will begin with the introduction of water into the colon through the clean water hose and then when your body is ready to release, that water will be pushed back out through the waste hose as both are attached to the same speculum. The session will include a series of filling and releasing, based on your body’s needs and comfort. While your body is releasing, the therapist may do some work on the abdominal wall with her hands, helping to release fecal matter from the walls of the colon. All of this is done based on your comfort level and preference.
When the session is finished, the speculum is removed and thrown away along with the hose and the table padding. The table is thoroughly disinfected and the colonic equipment is put through a complete sterilization process between each client. The client will use the restroom to make sure all of the water is evacuated from the colon. When finished the client is offered filtered water and a probiotic capsule.
How long does a session take?

Each session lasts about 45 minutes on the therapy table. However, we allow an hour and 15 minutes for each appointment. This way our clients have plenty of time before the session to become comfortable with the process before they begin, and after the session to use the restroom and feel good about leaving when it’s time to go.

How should I prepare for my session?

We ask that you not eat or drink anything for two hours prior to your session.
Remember that the goal is to get the colon as clean as possible. The softer, more liquid your diet is before your session, the more successful your session will be. Therefore, diet is very important.
We recommend that you avoid the following foods for two up to seven days before your colon hydrotherapy session:
Gluten (bread, pasta, pizza)
Dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream)
Refined sugar
Protein powders
Nuts and butters
Soy products
All processed food
Red meat

Do not drink:
Soda, seltzer, sparkling water
Alcohol
Do:
Eat lots of leafy green salads, hydrating fruits, and vegetables
Drink plenty of pure (not carbonated) water and fresh vegetable juices.
Choose poultry or fish if you want animal protein. Avoid drinking any carbonated beverages (soda, sparkling water, seltzer) as carbonation adds gas to your system which traps fecal matter and can cause cramping during hydrotherapy. It is also wise to avoid alcohol in preparation for your session, as anything that slows down your digestion could affect your ability to have a great session.
It is our experience that many clients do not drink enough water. Dehydration causes hard, dry matter inside the colon making it more difficult to get enough water into the colon for a productive and pleasant experience. Increasing your fresh water intake to 8 glasses or more a day at least for a few days prior to your session can help to give you the best opportunity for a great first colon hydrotherapy session.

What do I do after my session?

For the best results after your colonic, we recommend following these guidelines for up to 72 hours:

Continue to drink plenty of pure water, herbal teas, fresh juices, and liquids that contain electrolytes.
Eat plenty of cooked vegetables, soups, broths, and hydrating fruits.
Practice proper food combining to allow your body to digest food properly and avoid gas.
Create a habit of eating mindfully and putting your utensil down between bites so you can chew slowly. Remember, digestion begins in the mouth.

Will it hurt?

While there may be some discomfort, the process of colon hydrotherapy is not painful. Your hydrotherapist will be carefully monitoring your progress and making sure that the session is as comfortable as possible. Any discomfort that may be experienced is typically brief and relieved as soon as your body releases, and then completely relieved after the session is over.

What can I expect after my session?

While each client’s experience is very individual, in general most feel lighter and better immediately after their session. Depending on how much your body is releasing toxins, you may feel tired. Some clients feel energized and follow up their session by working out.
You may need to continue using the restroom after the session as we will be introducing water into your system that may take awhile to make its way back out. If you feel that you need to pass gas later in the day, it would be best to do so in the restroom as there may be more water and waste that needs to be released. Most clients do not find that they are urgently running to the restroom after the session. Still, if you are planning to run errands, we recommend that you do so in places where the restroom is not a football field’s distance away (i.e. Costco)… just in case.

In the 12 - 24 hours after your session, some of the contents of the small intestine will have an opportunity to shift into the large intestine because we have made some space by removing excess fecal matter. You may feel like things are moving around inside of you after the session and that is because they are. You are feeling the shift of contents from the small intestine to the large.
It is wise to continue to treat your digestive system gently after your session to allow your body to continue to move the contents that have shifted into the colon from the small intestine. Some clients find that they do not have a bowel movement the day after their colonic and this is not necessarily negative. However, it is better if you can keep the flow of waste moving.

For those with a sluggish system (meaning you only have one bowel movement or less per day, or your bowel movements do not feel complete), it is possible that contents from the small intestine can move into the large intestine and sit. As it is better to keep things moving, we recommend that you drink Smooth Move tea or pure Aloe leaf juice/whatever it is you do that you have found helpful to encourage a bowel movement the next day. We also encourage you to consider back to back sessions.

What are “back to backs”?

In one session we are working with your body to remove contents from the large intestine (the colon). Then, in the following 12 - 24 hours after the session, some of the contents of the small intestine will have an opportunity to shift into the large intestine because we have made some space in the colon. Some clients choose to schedule back to back sessions, meaning that they come in once and follow up with another session the very next day. This is because they are trying to address this shift of contents from the small intestine to the large. Clients who prefer “back to backs” do so because they find that the second session is often more productive than the first due to the fact that we have gotten things moving.

Are colonics safe?

Unlike more intrusive rectal procedures such as barium enemas or endoscopic procedures (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, etc.) that physically enter the large intestine and may pose a risk of damage or perforation of the intestinal wall, the speculum used in hydrotherapy is just three inches long and inserted into the rectum only to the point where chances of injury are virtually non-existent. Colonics pose no danger or risk as long as you do not have a health condition that is contraindicated for colon hydrotherapy. Only fresh sterile water is used during a session. Your therapist is extensively trained and certified and our equipment, the HydroSan series by Specialty Health, is the most advanced and safest hydrotherapy device available.

Contraindications:

Cancer of the colon or GI tract
Acute abdominal pain
Recent history of GI bleeding
Congestive heart failure or uncontrolled hypertension

History of seizures

Carcinoma of the rectum or colon Abdominal surgery
Intestinal perforation
Abdominal hernia

Recent colon or rectal surgery

Diverticulitis
Recent heart attack
Vascular Aneurysm

Renal insufficiency Epilepsy or psychoses Cirrhosis
Anal fissures or fistula Pregnancy

Stroke
Severe hemorrhoids

Severe anemia

Crohn’s disease