Colon Hydrotherapy: A Step by Step Guide

Since spring is a prime time for detoxing, talking about the digestive system seems extremely fitting this time of year.

Gastrointestinal problems are one the most common health complaints challenging our society. These include indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, and constipation, just to name a few. Many live with these discomforts and take pills or other drugstore remedies, never really knowing what more can be done. Some may go to the doctor, and they are either dismissed, given yet another pill or told to take a laxative. Many have never heard of colon hydrotherapy and consider it a new modality. Yet it has been around for centuries, dating back to 1500 B.C. in the Egyptian medical document Ebers Papyrus. Most notably, it was first used by Cleopatra and credited for her porcelain skin.

In modern times, medical professionals like the American surgeon Dr. John Harvey Kellogg have advanced colon hydrotherapy. His experience performing thousands of bowel surgeries led to the conclusion that 90% of the diseases of civilization were due to improper functioning of the colon.

Facts of digestive disorders
· Digestive diseases affect 60-70 million people.
· Digestive disorders account for 50 million visits to physicians’ offices per year.
· 13% of all hospitalizations are for digestive disorders.
· Digestive disorders cost $87-107 billion in direct medical costs and $20 billion in indirect medical costs per year.
(Source: Brenda Watson, N.D., author of “Essential Cleansing for Perfect Health.”)

What is colon hydrotherapy (colonic)?
Once the colon is overrun with old waste, toxins and parasites, a colon hydrotherapy session (colonic) may be needed to return the system to its normal, healthy state. Colon hydrotherapy is a very safe—and often very pleasant—procedure. If more people actually knew how toxic the colon can be, they may be inclined to get a colonic more frequently. During the course of the day, the body can come in contact with all kinds of toxins and unwanted bacteria in addition to normal body waste. If your colon isn’t working a peak performance, these elements can sit stagnant in the system… sometimes for years! Colonics can help bring the balance back to your system and make it a healthy environment. Each colonic session will be roughly the same, and every effort is made to allow the person getting the colonic to remain in a relaxed state for the duration of the session.

What happens during a colonic?
A colonic session is 40-45 minutes in length. Approximately 15 gallons of filtered water are gently infused into the colon using a disposable speculum. The speculum allows for the insertion of filtered water and the removal of waste. The speculum used may vary from therapist to therapist, but they all basically work the same way. As the patient inserts the speculum (with the aid of the therapist) into the rectum about two inches into the rectal canal, a gentle flow of hot and cold water is used to create contractions of the colon muscles. The water breaks down the waste, which then exits the body through the speculum. Gentle massage is applied to the abdomen to help loosen impacted material for a more complete elimination. For personal comfort, most people keep their bodies covered during the session. The use of disposable instruments and tubing is employed to secure total sanitation and hygiene. The waste can be seen in the tube. Over subsequent visits, the entire length of the colon can be cleansed this way. The therapist monitors the water temperature and waste as it exits the body. Often, the therapist can tell a great deal simply by observing the waste—including much about the patient’s bodily health, dietary lifestyle and what may be causing the issue or issues at hand.

How many colonics are recommended?
One colonic, although helpful, is not necessarily enough to effectively cleanse the colon. A comprehensive program with nutritional input, colon management techniques, and a series of five to ten colonics is recommended for a thorough program. The first three colonics should take place over a period of ten days, followed by weekly colonics thereafter. Seasonal maintenance colonics are also recommended. Additionally, a colonic is suggested before a colonoscopy (a medical examination by a gastroenterologist). It is also good to perform before, during and after a long term fast. Working with a therapist on a regular routine can help anyonemove toward a clean, healthy body and lifestyle.

What are the other benefits of colonics?
Colonics tone the muscles of the bowel while removing waste matter from the colon. They recondition colons that have become distorted due to poor eating habits. Colonics also stimulate reflex points, which positively affect other organs.

How do I prepare for a colonic?
To prevent cramping during the session, AVOID ALCOHOL COMPLETELY. To increase chances for success in each session, avoid bread, pasta, coffee and heavy meals. Fruit, vegetables, and grains are good choices to eat. Drink plenty of water, fresh juice and non-caffeinated tea. Also, it is wise to refrain from eating anything two hours prior to the colonic. Your personal therapist can advise you on what to eat following the colonic session.

Where do I go from here?

Miri Eynan

It sounds really strange but my journey began with a dispute over spaghetti and meatballs. I know it sounds weird especially for someone like me who mainly eats raw food nowadays.

It was an early morning in 2007 when I ran into an acquaintance who told me she had just found a lump in her breast. She was upset and asked me to keep her in my thoughts and prayers. I gave her a big hug while searching for the right words. My first instinct was offering help so I suggested bringing over spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, which she refused, insisting that everything was under control. I tried again but it made her mad. We were about to say goodbye when she looked at me and said: “When you get back home make sure to do a self breast exam.” I am usually not a judgmental person and my parents raised me better than that but I didn’t get what my spaghetti and meatballs dinner has to do with self breast exam?

To make a long story short, her voice echoed in my head for days before I followed her advice and did a self breast exam, which I am ashamed to admit I’ve never done before. After all. I was young, super healthy, never broke a bone or had a scar, never smoked, never drank, never even took an Advil, (yeah, a nerd, I hear ya), no family history of cancer, and not even eligible for a mammogram. I had 2 young amazing kids to take care of and a professional career as a therapist. Like everyone else who had to deal with a dreading diagnosis, in a split second my life turned upside down. This is how spaghetti and meatballs led me to my healing journey. Ever since then I’m working relentlessly to turn it right side up. That day spaghetti and meatballs also made me believe in guardian angels.

A year filled with excitements kept me busy and went by so fast: biopsy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Everyone knows that treatment’s side effects should not be taken lightly but nothing prepared me for the next phase of putting all the puzzle pieces of my life back together. Apparently, moving on and stepping back into day to day life routine is not as simple as it sounds. I realized I couldn’t just pick up where I had left off. How in the world can I navigate on my own? I had such a poor sense of direction. I had to deal with my own thoughts and my own feelings. Nothing seemed the same, and of course it wasn’t.

I thought my life had changed overnight when I heard the word “canser” for the first time, but I had no idea how my life would truly change later after learning about Kris Carr. I came across her documentary the night it aired for the first time. Talking about perfect timing… I was glued to the screen. She entered my life when I was searching for a rainbow after the storm.

Kris’s DVD and books became my very own bible overnight. I traveled all the way from Richmond to Saint Louis where she gave a talk just to see in my own eyes that she is for real. And yes she was. Way more than real. She is the healthiest person I have ever met in my life.

Slowly but surely I adopted a new way of living. I completely changed the way I eat and as a result the way I think. I read the books she found useful and followed her wisdom. I integrated her suggestions into my own lifestyle. I started to juice 32 oz of green veggies every single day, cut out processed, junk food which I once considered tasty. I switched to a plant base yummy diet. I made sure my body got loads of raw leafy greens. I don’t know if it was the oxygen in my greens or what, but before I knew it I started to breathe again. I also practice yoga a few times a week, meditation twice a day, colonics once a month, dry brushing, and tongue scraping. Reiki, energy work, healing touch, acupuncture, chakra healing, massages, rebounder, liver detox, juice fasting, wheat grass juice, wheat grass enemas, visualization, law of attraction and much more. Kris named it, I’ve done it. I still have a lot to learn and improve but have my whole life ahead of me.

Feeling good is an understatement of how incredible I feel today. I have never felt so amazing and healthy in my entire life. Canser is no longer leading my life. I feel so much in control and uncertainty doesn’t scare me anymore. I’m so empowered by all the choices I have. I live in the moment and take it one step at a time. Or as my kids would say, “Mom does it one Kale at a time”. My healing tool box is now filled and overflowing for every mood, or any occasion. I know what to do when I’m overwhelmed, happy, scared, anxious, or grateful. I’m not saying fear is not part of my life anymore, it comes and goes. The difference is that now I know how to respond to it. I have many options. Besides, I have my own juicer… my greatest protection of all.

It’s not canser that changed my life, CSL did. Kris showed me that everyone encounters some bumps along the road of life. Some rocks are heavier than others. It’s how we decide to turn those rocks and move them out of the way that matters. She showed me that It’s about taking control over things when we have none. I learned how to react and accept obstacles and how to be happy regardless. Her message reminds me every single day that it’s not about the glass being half full or half empty; it’s about refilling the glass no matter what (and it better be with a green juice!).

Battle of the Bulge

This summer, I cooled off with an excursion to a local water park featuring water slides, and a cool wave pool. I grabbed my bathing suit, packed a lunch and headed to Jersey. This day trip meant planning my meals ahead of time, which consisted of two Norwalk pressed green/vegetable juices from the best juice joint in NYC called, ‘Liquidteria,’ packed in a cold storage insulated bag with a cold pack, germinated sunflower seeds, sliced vegetables, and a lemon Lara Bar. Also, my friend made me an awesome coconut shake sweetened with stevia to drink during our car ride to the park. Delicious!

We arrived at the park and were stopped at the gate. “No Food is Permitted in the Park,” we were told! Caught! Poor shame, my innocent veggie food was condemned. The park offered an array of fake food offerings to choose from consisting of hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, and fried chicken. What’s a health nut to do? Answer: I argued! I declared, “My doctor has me on a special diet and I must eat my own food.” They allowed me to leave our food just outside the park on a picnic table under a large tent. Good enough. Hopefully, the woodchucks would leave my sunflower seeds alone while unattended!

When these situations arise I feel like the world is an insane place and that we have become so disconnected with what should be considered ‘normal’ and ‘natural.’ To me ‘normal’ means taking the best care of myself and eating natural food that comes from the earth. ‘Normal’ would never exist in a deep fryer.

Onward to the fun! Water slides are so cool! I am a fearless water slide warrior! I even went on the tallest water slide in the park! I could feel the cool change in temperature up at the top!

Any entertainment park holds lines of people that wait their turn for a thill ride, and there was plenty of time to observe and contemplate the crowd. Since this was a water park, there was a grand opportunity to get a good view of people in their bathing suits. My personal journey of eating primarily raw food for 20 years, practicing periodic cleansing methods and being a Colon Hydro-therapist has awarded me with some wisdom on the subject of toxicity. By no means am I perfect and prefer not to be so, and would not impose perfection onto anyone. This personal journey toward wellness takes much effort and consciousness to sustain daily. I feel great compassion toward all beings that struggle with weight issues, any physical/emotional dilemmas, ignorance or lack of discipline. All the work that I do is in support to help others overcome these struggles.

Obesity is an epidemic in this country. Over 58 million Americans are overweight. I witnessed an overwhelming amount of overweight people at the park. In particular, many of these people looked very bloated in their mid-section. The cause ranges from over-consumption of food, too much animal protein and refined food, imbalances in the body, lack of food combining principles, and poor food choices. These bellies ranged from a little pouch, to bloated, to pregnant sized gut, to a completely descended colon that is impacted with layers of mucus, waste and toxic gases collecting for years. We are becoming a toxic, weakened, numb, over-stimulated, addicted, medicated, sick society. This water park asked me to keep my veggies outside the park, yet offers these already sick and abused bodies more grease. Is it ‘normal’ to live this way?

There were many families at the park and the number of overweight children present was alarming. How will these children cope with keeping a healthy weight when they only know to live in a heavy body that causes their little hearts, and lungs to work excessively hard to carry around all that excess weight. The digestive system is burdened and overwhelmed. All organs, glands and systems are stressed. The cellular body becomes clogged. Their parents overfeed them with unhealthy food that creates their little arteries to clog at a young age. Their relationship to food begins now and becomes fixed. What will the future bring?
Finally, I saw some young people at the park in their twenties and early thirties. Most were an average weight and physically fit but my discerning Colon Hydro-therapist eye detects a level of toxicity found in the tissue. When the body becomes flabby, fleshy or loose we can guess that the tissue contains toxins, poisons, and gases along with fat. This level of toxicity stored away in the cells is found in our skin and soft tissue. The waste and gases age the body and will make the tissue quality sag.

Excessive fat cells may remain in the body forever. Dieting only works temporarily. Eating healthier and less food is the only solution. Statistics reveal that only 5% of people are successful on diets. A change in lifestyle is key to any long-term success. Looking to have a youthful body and to feel great at any age? It is essential to practice eating a super healthy diet along with periodic cleansing. Yes, you got it. Please include colonics as part of your health program and you’ll be on your way!

Organic Nectars: How It All Started

Lisa Protter, Co-Founder of Organic Nectars

As the Co-Founder of Organic Nectars, the boutique raw, organic food company located just a hop, skip and a jump from Crazy Sexy World HQ here in upstate NY, I’d been feeling really guilty about having fallen off the ‘healthy living’ wagon a while ago. I hadn’t been to a yoga class since who knows when. Hadn’t had a real vacation in years. No time for meditation or quiet reflection. And my diet had gotten so bad that I felt like the world’s biggest hypocrite – talking up our raw, organic, healthy foods by day and stuffing my face with the worst of the worst at night.

Sure, the daily stresses of running a small biz especially in this economy are enough to make a saner person head straight for the McDrive through. But ME?!? I run a raw food company, for Chrissakes! I’ve been studying this stuff for years and know much better than all this. But as it turns out I’m…UM, well, human, and have found that in times of stress I jump right into old familiar patterns of behavior. And with my crazy unsexy schedule these past few years, it’s been a slow fall back to fast food and forgetting to take real care of myself.

Almost 20 years ago I was introduced to what we call today the “raw food diet” by an amazing woman I was working with. We were producing a nationwide tour for Nintendo and every day she would come to the production office with little baggies of assorted nuts, seeds and dried and fresh fruit and she’d just nibble on them all day long. No “meals,” just all day snacking. And since she was so slim, I wondered why she ate like this – certainly she didn’t need to lose any weight. And I just couldn’t understand how she could have so much energy working 10 hour days with no meat or bread! So one day I asked her about her diet and as she handed me a bag of sunflower seeds, she began to tell me the story of how she’d been diagnosed with cancer almost ten years ago.

Rather than pursue conventional treatment, she was somehow convinced by a nutritionist friend to dramatically change her diet and get rid of refined sugar, dairy, animal protein and begin a series of high colonics, meditation and exercise. Always loving a good BM discussion, I was fascinated with the whole thing and begged her to explain the gross details that would make any normal person squirm. So she went on to tell me all about the “hard black tar” that she eliminated from her colon over the course of about two years. After that, she wound up being cancer free. No medications. No operations. Just lots of fresh fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds every day all day long. No doctors would admit that her regime was the hero; they chalked it up to random luck.

Having lost both my parents to cancer by the time I was in college (both died before their 50th birthday) and after listening to her story, I knew that the “Rolls Royce” treatments being sold by the expensive NYC hospitals were NOT the answer – at least for many. Her inspiring story turned me around completely and real nutrition became a new found passion.

Instantly I began experimenting on myself, changing my diet and beginning my own colonic therapy regime. I felt great! I started to lose the extra pounds I’d gained from being on the road with the Beach Boys (that’s another story); my skin looked amazing; my energy came back. I began to read everything I could find about nutrition and told everyone who would listen to me about the truth of real food. And I began seeking out people with the same passion. And as luck would have it, that’s just around the time I began dating my musician boyfriend, now my life and business partner. An artist, amazing cook and self taught nutritionist with extensive knowledge of every world cuisine and dietary trend on the planet, Steve began making me the most beautiful, colorful, nutritious meals every day. He brought my knowledge to a whole new level and showed me how amazingly delicious, interesting, healthful and fulfilling eating like this could be.

And one post 9/11 Saturday at our upstate NY house, we got into a serious discussion about how so many things we used to find important didn’t seem so anymore. We both wanted a change from the NYC rat race and world of commercial entertainment. It was around that time that Steve renewed his interest in cooking and nutrition and began studying the raw food diet that people were starting to buzz about. He was making the healthiest, most delicious meals using nothing but vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruit and I was hooked again – this time, from a business perspective. Realizing how difficult it was to find truly delicious and healthy food, I thought we could make a difference. So we created Organic Nectars. We introduced agave to the many stores and restaurants in the NY area and began rolling out gourmet raw agave-sweetened yummies like our RAW AGAVE GELATO – last year’s Fancy Food Show winner for Outstanding Diet or Lifestyle Product and our CHOCAGAVE RAW CACAO – runner up for Outstanding Dessert or Dessert Topping. (Shameless plug, I know!)

And while I’ve never worked so hard in all my life, it really is worth it when you get that wildly enthusiastic email from a kid who was just diagnosed with diabetes, thanking you for enabling him to enjoy a sweet healthy pleasure again…Or when that woman comes running up to you at a trade show with tears of joy streaming down her face for having found a truly delicious frozen dessert she can eat without aggravating her lactose intolerance… When you KNOW you’ve got truly healthy, gimmick-free products that people love — that’s worth all the stress and the chance to “rediscover” the beauty of great, simple food!

I’m happy to say that thanks to inspiring friends like Kris Carr-velous, I’m back to a much healthier lifestyle these days, practicing much of what we preach, rediscovering the joys of exercise (when I’m pressed for time I do a quick fast sprint up and down my street), meditation (easily done right at my desk at the beginning or end of the day), occasional fasting, and some of my raw favorites like kale avocado salad (I could eat this every day), fresh citrus juices, and of course our own yummy raw desserts.

A Raw Foodist in Paris

Bonjour! A raw foodist is found in Paris! I recently visited Paris, France for 10 days and had a splendid time. Prior to leaving, I told my veggie friends about my trip and their first reaction was “What will you eat in Paris?” In the land of croissant, cheese and wine how would a veggie gal like me survive? No problem. Never Fear! Donna’s got this one figured out!

What made this trip very enjoyable was that we rented an apartment. The price was no different then renting a hotel room. We had a fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator that allowed us to make and prepare our own food. This generated a huge savings instead of eating out for every meal.

Any excursion whether a day trip or a vacation needed some thought and planning in advance. So, I packed the essentials needed for any veggie raw foodist needs and wants. First, think Zip Lock Bags. Yes, nothing glamorous. Bringing glass bottles of algae, green power, enzymes and vitamin supplements would be a Big Mistake! Also, think of those nasty x-ray machines at the airport. ZAP! Bring just the amount you will need for your trip. Search for sandwich and snack size ziplock bags. This will be an easy way for you the carry your powers with you in a purse or backpack. Label them if you need to.

What’s for breakfast? My breakfast in NYC is a choice of a green juice, green smoothie or fresh fruit. Go ahead, try and find a green juice in Paris. Dare you! No way, No Luck! So, I packed my Magic Bullet, which is a small, light weight mini blender. This is by far my favorite gadget next to my I-phone. It comes with several different canisters. Some canisters even have a handle to drink out of and include screw-on lids. At home I use the Magic Bullet to make yummy raw salad dressings. While on a vacation use the Magic Bullet to make a morning green smoothie. Make a green smoothie with fruits, leafy sprouts, green leafy vegetables, algae, green power, goji berries and water and blend. If traveling overseas don’t forget to pack a converter!

There is a manual travel juicer I own that uses no electricity that is easy to carry and clean. Contact: Hippocrates Health Institute www.wheatgrassgreenhouse.com to order it. It can juice all vegetables including carrot but all ingredients must be cut into small pieces. A counter top or table is necessary.

After a glorious morning viewing some the world’s greatest art in the numerous Parisian museums this gal is ready for lunch. Unfortunately, Paris is not as salad friendly as NYC. But the Parisians love their veggies and the markets are so amazing. The produce is farmer’s market quality and stamped with no GMO’s! I packed my favorite Tupperware that fits perfectly in my knapsack and a little plastic bottle that can be found in any hiking/camping store. I made a salad in advance and carried it with me till lunchtime and I put olive oil in the little bottle to use as a dressing. I put the little bottle of oil in a ziplock bag just in case of any leaking problems. This salad is not boring! Back in NYC, I prepared several different blends of my favorite seasonings in ziplock bags all ready to be sprinkled on a salad at a moments notice. Some blends included onion powder, garlic powder, caraway seed, fennel seed, black pepper, Celtic salt, curry powder, cayenne powder etc.. Avocados can be found in Paris! I am in heaven! Also, I carry a spork that is part fork and spoon and a swiss army knife that can be found at any hiking/camping store. Make sure to pack the knife in your bag that goes underneath the plane. And don’t forget a cloth napkin. Please save a tree!

Indeed, life is good. We visited Versailles, Rodin Museum, Louvre, Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, and the Pompidou. Such fun! Need a snack? Good idea to pack fresh fruit, raw bars, or raw crackers. Just in case a munchie attack comes on.

I ate in parks, on benches, stairs, cafeterias, and even went to a Chinese restaurant where my friend ordered food and I ate my salad there. I ordered a side of steamed vegetables at the restaurant that sufficed my taking up a seat. Leave a generous tip! Day after day, the French peered onto my gorgeous salad with envy as I watched them eat cheese and bread sandwiches! No match!

By dinnertime I allowed for other options on my plate. In advance, I researched on http://www.happycow.com for any veggie restaurants or natural food stores found in Paris. There are approximately 10 of these restaurants in Paris, France. I visited several that were very accommodating to my vegan diet.

The big question on everyone’s mind is, “Did you drink wine?” I rarely drink alcohol. I occasionally do on holidays, or on special occasions. Yes, I drank a little wine on my trip and believe me one glass of red wine definite relaxes this very busy NYC gal. Wine may have bioflavonoids and some positive aspects on the body, but it is a highly acidic substance, which taxes the liver and assaults the immune system. Find balance with yourself to nurture your body and your emotional side.

After any vacation, this Colon Hydro-therapist is happy to return home for a Colonic! Traveling can interfere with good elimination. Traveling by airplane effects digestion due to change in air pressure that generates gases. Traveling on long train or car trips generates lack of movement that can leave a colon a tad sluggish. Many people go off their healthy eating habits and slack on exercise while on vacation. It is a great idea to schedule a colonic to remove unwanted gases and waste that can linger after a trip. Replenish yourself and feel renewed!

Dear Paris,
Thank you for a wonderful time! Until we meet again!