Colonic Cleansing:
Taking Care of the Colon with Water Therapy

You may have heard the old expression, “Death begins in the colon.” This expression comes from the belief that the colon needs ongoing maintenance to function properly and protect the body from disease. A major part of colon detox and maintenance is colonic cleansing.

Colonic cleansing is also known by other terms such as colonic, colon hydrotherapy, and colonic irrigation. As these names imply, colonic cleansing is a method of injecting temperate, filtered water into the colon to soften and loosen waste. Waste in the colon is then removed by natural movement of the bowels. During a colonic cleansing session, the process of introducing water into the colon might be repeated a few times.

Historical evidence indicates that colonic cleansing was practiced by the Egyptians as early as 1700 B.C. In more recent times, colonic cleansing gained recognition in the 17th century. By the early 1900’s, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (a founder of the Kellogg cereal empire) said he believed colonic cleansing was beneficial in the treatment of gastrointestinal disease. From that time to today, colonic cleansing has become a modernized procedure and remains a popular alternative therapy to promote colon health.

The typical colonic cleansing session lasts about an hour. Many medical instruments used during a colonic cleansing are disposable, and the entire procedure is completed in a sterile environment. During the session, the patient lies face-up on a table. The therapist inserts a medical instrument called a speculum into the colon. The instrument is connected to a long, disposable plastic hose which leads to the colonic cleansing machine. To carry out the colonic cleansing, warm water is slowly released into the colon. The warm water causes the colon’s muscles to contract and expel softened waste, which is evacuated through the tube. After the colonic cleansing, the patient is able to go into a bathroom to expel any residual waste. A colonic cleansing session may cause some mild abdominal discomfort during and after the procedure.

People say they get a colonic cleansing for a variety of different reasons. Some advocates report that colonic cleansing has enabled them to stop using pain medication; others claim colonic cleansing slows down the aging process. Still more reasons for a colonic cleansing may be to help or prevent chronic constipation, prevent harmful bacteria and yeast from growing in the colon, and to prevent the body from absorbing stagnant toxins from the colon.