Choose a topic below to read more information:

What and Why

Waste

Kinds of Waste in the Colon

Information for Clients

Time and Treatment

Success Factors

Common Disorders of the Colon

Contraindications to Colon Hydrotherapy

What and Why

What is the colon?  The colon, or large intestine, is a 5 - 6 foot long coiled (twists and turns) tube that is about 2-1/2 half inches in diameter.  Its functions are the formation and elimination of feces, to absorb water from the remaining food matter passing through it that cannot be digested, plus the absorption of vitamins B and K, and passing the waste from the body.  A way to think about the colon is to think of it as a sewer system.  It is divided into five parts: 1) the cecum, which connects to the ascending colon; 2) it then turns via the hepatic flexure and becomes the transverse colon; 3) it turns again at the splenic flexure and forms the descending colon; 4) turning again in the form of a backward letter “S,” it becomes the sigmoid colon which empties into 5) the rectum and leads to the anal canal.  

What is a colonic?  A colonic  is an internal procedure that nourishes the colon with water and assists the colon in eliminating waste using an obturator and tubing made from medical grade plastic that is attached to FDA registered medical grade equipment.  The tubing remains on the outside of the body and is attached to a disposable tip which is inserted up to about two inches into the anus.  Lubricant is applied to the tip before it goes into the body.  The procedure lasts between 45 – 50 minutes.

What is the purpose of treatment?  Why is it important?  The purpose of the colonic treatment is to hydrate the colon with water and assist the colon in eliminating waste.  It is important to remove the waste because not doing so may cause disease.  Leaving it there creates a more acid environment.  The bowels slowly become congested over time and may cause other symptoms to occur in the body, such as bloating, gas, sluggishness, headaches, stomach cramps, difficulty focusing, and the list goes on.  We have found colon cleansing often eliminates those symptoms almost immediately.  Cleansing the colon is essential for long term health.  Ask yourself - do you empty your garbage? What if you did not empty your garbage?  Would you be able to live in your house?

What kinds of diseases can be caused?  An unhealthy colon may contribute to all diseases.

What are the benefits of the treatment?  We have found over 25 years that, especially when combined with a change in diet, these treatments may prevent or assist in treating disease, as well as gas, bloating, sluggish bowels, or dizziness. Benefits can include an increase in energy & vitality, more vibrant health, clear skin and eyes, and so much more.  You may even look and feel years younger.

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Waste

What kind of waste is in the colon?  The most common forms of waste are feces, mucus, liver bile, gas and acid, depending how much accumulation is in the colon.

How does that waste get there?  The food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the consumer products we use, the thoughts we think and the belief system and conditioning we have lived by.

Why does waste stay in the colon?  Waste can stick or get caught in pockets.  Waste cannot fully move through the coil shape unless you eat enough good fiber and plenty of high water content foods, and have good peristaltic action.  Waste can harden or get trapped.  Too little good oils or fiber can cause constipation and sluggishness in the bowel.

When the liver is sluggish because it is working so hard to detox our system, blood and lymphatics, the waste backs up in the colon and everything slows down.  This also upsets the balance of good and bad bacteria.  Most of us have too much negative bacteria.  This can cause inflammation in the gut.  Symptoms start to appear: heartburn, gas, bloating, sluggishness, constipation, itching, allergies, acid reflux, headaches, and irritability.  If we are eating too much and producing toxins, this also affects this syndrome because we are no longer being nourished.  We are feeding the disease.

We need to have more alkaline based foods such as fruit and vegetables to nourish the cells, the blood, lymph, muscles, tissues, and skin.

It takes 6 weeks to reset the environment.  [Refer to the digestive remedies.]

Why is there waste matter in the first place?  How does water help remove it?  Think of the colon as a sewer.  A sewer is where waste matter goes to protect the rest of the city from disease.  Not getting a colonic is like not throwing out the trash and having it smell and rot in the city streets and sewers.  It can affect the rest of the body.  We live in a different world than we did thousands of years ago.  Our environment is now filled with many toxins, which are in our air, products, and food.  Our digestive systems were not meant to process the denatured food that is so prevalent in our western society and in our standard American diet.  Our digestive systems were not meant to digest things like cheeseburgers, pizza, and so much of the boxed or bagged foods.  Most people go through their daily lives not knowing what it is like to feel optimal health because we have been conditioned, through marketing, to believe we need to eat certain foods, like breakfast cereals or Snack Well cookies, or a large amount of animal protein, and that they are good for us.  We do not know what it is like NOT to feel groggy, tired, heavy, bloated or irritated.  Most people are constipated and do not even know it.  What we do not know is why some people have a backed up colon and are skinny - and others with the same problem are obese.  These toxins lead to many diseases, including cancer, and other health problems.  Most food in our food supply was not meant to be digested.  The byproduct of digestion stays in our colon and is not fully excreted or removed.  Sometimes waste matter can get caught in the squishy colon tissue.  A colonic hydrates the colon, softens the colon walls and diminishes the stickiness of some of the waste product that is on the walls.  The water helps soften hard fecal matter in the colon and can help it travel outside through the anus.

What things come out of you in a colonic?  There are many things that can come out of you in a colonic, including feces, mucus, liver bile, acid and gas.  Acid can sometimes feel warm when too much is sitting in your colon or when it is coming out.  Mucus can make the feces stick together.  Liver bile is a byproduct of fat digestion and is necessary, but it can make you feel groggy and tired.  Sometimes you can feel that the abdomen is bloated and gassy.  As the waste-filled water is moving through, it has been described as follows:  “I can feel the connection between my body and my mind.  My mind feels clearer.  I feel lighter when the water passes through.”  Sometimes when waste is coming out, there can be cramping.  You can feel like you are going to have a bowel movement, but the waste is being removed through the tube.  After the colonic, when you sit on the toilet, you may release more waste.  This is all part of the process. 

It is important to try to relax during the colonic.  Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.  You want to get in touch with your mind’s eye.  Your body is doing the releasing as it is stimulated by the colonic procedure.  You want to feel what is happening.  It is OK if you feel like sighing.  Listen to your body as you relax and let go.  You may also feel heat in different parts of your body.  You can decide to talk with the therapist or not.  The colonic is a relaxing, gentle process that is important for vitality.

We help you to relax, breathe, let go, and listen to your body.  The colonic treatment must be gentle; it is like a medical spa type treatment.  Colonics have been used over the centuries.  John Harvey Kellogg made them popular in the 30’s.  At that time, the AMA promoted the use of laxatives instead, thus over the counter laxatives became the standard.

A colonic does not help you lose weight.  That comes from changing the mind. It can be difficult to change your mind if your body is toxic and tired and if your gut is sick.  Go with your intuition.  As you take the bad stuff out, you have to put good stuff back in.  A colonic is going to do you no good if you go back and eat toxic food after the colonic. 

Come in for a colonic and see how you respond to it.  I am sure you will like the therapists and discover what is important about the colonic and want to work on eating healthier foods.  WHEN YOU ARE TOXIC, YOU ARE FEEDING THE DISEASE, NOT NOURISHING YOUR BODY AND SOUL.

Read the “China Study.”  It will change your mind.

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Kinds Of Waste In The Colon

• Feces
• Where does it come from?  The undigested food we eat, our thoughts, the air we breathe.  About two thirds of stool is water, undigested fiber and food.  One third is living and dead bacteria.
• What is the purpose of feces?  To move waste out of the system like a garbage disposal.
• What does the waste look like?  Feces – different shades of brown, sometimes it is black or clay colored, depending on the health of the individual; sometimes there are worms.
• Is it liquid, solid, or a gas?  Solid or liquid, again depending on health and food taken in or if you are on medications. There can be gas bubbles along with the stools.
• How does this waste make me feel short term?  It can make you feel sluggish, irritable and tired. You may have cramps in the belly, or itmay cause headaches, skin eruptions, boils. You can feel depressed, hard to focus or be vital and alive.
• What are the long term effects of having this waste in the body?  Colitis, diverticulitis, bad breath, acne. As the waste backs up in the colon, it affects every part of the body.  The function of the liver slows down and it becomes harder for the body to function.  The brain also becomes slower and our thought process is not as swift as it could be.
• During a colonic, what might I feel when it is coming out of me?  During the colonic you can feel some pressure and it can feel as if you are going to the bathroom.  This feeling may happen intermittently or there may be some cramping, but it is very gentle.
• What should I do during the colonic to make toxins move more easily?  Breathwork and focusing on your body.
• What will I feel like when it is out of me?  Lighter, more energetic and easier to breathe.

 

• Mucus  - Build-up, which can come from flour or dairy products, Candida overgrowth, or inflamation anywhere in the body, affects the function of our entire organ system.
• Where does it come from?  It can come from dairy or wheat. Our bodies make mucus for protection so if there are allergies we produce more mucus.
• What is the purpose of mucus?  A certain amount good for protection.
• What does the waste look like?  White, cloudy; rope or string, may be attached to fecal matter; pasty color is from carbohydrate, worms or Candida.
• Is it liquid, solid or a gas?  Liquid and solid.
• How does this waste make me feel short term?  Blocked, clogged, heavy.
• What are the long term effects of having this waste in the body?  Clogged sinuses or ears, diarrhea, allergies; make feces stick together.
• During a colonic, what might I feel when it is coming out of me?  You may feel a little cramping.  For women, it can feel like menstrual cramps.
• What should I do during the colonic to make this move out more easily?  Breathe.
• What will I feel like when it is out of me?  Less constipation, skin color might come back.

 

• Liver Bile  – I was poisoned by my body.
• Where does it come from?  Produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.
• What is the purpose of liver bile?  Breaks down fats. Composed of bile salts and hormones and toxins.
• What does the waste look like?  Yellow, greenish, light brown, dark, gray - the darker it is, the more acidic it is.
• Is it liquid, solid or a gas?  Liquid.
• How does this waste make me feel short term?  Sluggish, tired, depressed, angry, frenetic energy, unable to sleep.
• What are the long term effects of having this waste in the body?  Bile ferments and turns into alcohol when backed up in the colon from having a sluggish liver; yeast is produced; causes skin rashes, craving for sugars; blood sugar problems.
• During a colonic, what might I feel when it is coming out of me?  You may feel a little nauseous, perhaps, or crampy; you may feel a change in water temperature.
• What will I feel like when it is out of me?  Less sluggishness; clearer mind; calmer, more connected to your body; more vital, alive, interested in life.

 

• Acid
• What does the waste look like?  Tiny bubbles, foam.
• Is it liquid, solid or a gas?  Three-way combo.
• How does this waste make me feel short term?  Joint pain, sluggish, tired and cranky.
• What are the long term effects of having this waste in the body?  Degenerative disease.
• During a colonic, what might I feel when it is coming out of me?  You may feel warmer, maybe queasy.
• What should I do during the colonic to make it easier?  Breathwork.
• What will I feel like when it is out of me?  Calmer, liver returns to a more normal state of well-being.   Anger may dissipate.  Like new.

 

• Gas
• Where does it come from?  Digested food that is not digested naturally.  Mis-combination of foods. Anxiety. Emotional upset. Carbonated foods. Yeast problems.
• What is the purpose of gas?  To release pressure.
• What does the waste look like?  Different sized bubbles.
• Is it liquid, solid or a gas?  Gas.
• How does this waste make me feel short term?  Heavy.
• What are the long term effects of having this waste in the body?  Bloated, lower pain in your back, false sciatica from constipation, disease.
• During a colonic, what might I feel when it is coming out of me?  The same as it feels when going to the bathroom.
• What should I do during the colonic?  Breathe.
• What will I feel like when it is out of me?  Lighter. Happy.

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Information For Clients

Scheduling and Coming in for an Appointment

• Make a list of questions that you may have that have not been answered on the website.  Have that list with you when you call to schedule an appointment.
• Decide when you want to come in for an appointment.
• Call us at 1-917-832-1780 and schedule an appointment with our receptionist.
• Make sure you eat light a couple of days before the appointment.  Focus on fruits and vegetables.  Refrain from eating bread, meat, dairy and sugars.
• On the day of your colonic, you will be asked to fill out some forms.  If you would like to fill them out ahead of time, you can print the forms from the website and bring them with you. Or you can fill them out online and forward the completed forms to us so we can have your folder ready prior to your appointment.

Questions for the Therapist

• What is I-ACT?  The International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy.  http://www.i-act.org
• Are you I-ACT certified?  Yes, all our therapists are I-ACT certified and have gone through additional training here at Healthy Directions Center.
• Do you use body work?  Yes, some form of body work is incorporated into each treatment session.
• How long have you been a therapist?  Experience is key in this business.  All of our therapists are certified and have been working for a number of years, some more than 25 years.
• Have you ever worked with someone with my condition?  We have worked with many conditions.  REMEMBER there are certain conditions that do not allow for colonics.  [See Contraindications]
• What method do you use?  A Closed System...  allowing waste to be discretely transported into the drain line without offensive odor and without comprising the dignity of the individual.  After each therapy session, the unit is thoroughly cleansed and disinfected in preparation for future use.
• Do you have separate, enclosed bathrooms with private rooms?   Yes we do.  Client privacy is a very important part of the treatment process.

Questions for the Office Staff

Do you have a medical doctor on staff?  Yes.  A medical doctor must be on staff, as stated in the bylaws.

Do you have other partners outside the office that you work with?  Yes, we have affiliates in a number of support services and work together with them to help you reach your goal of living a healthy and vital life.

What other experience does the business provide?  Besides Colon Hydrotherapy, we provide a variety of additional services to support a “Healthy You,” including our Hydrotherapy Wet Treatments, 5/5/5 Fresh Juice Fast Program, Ionic Detox Footbaths, Ear Candling, and more.C

Contraindication Questions

What would prevent me from getting a colonic?  See the list below.  You can meet with a doctor and he will do diagnostics on you and write you a prescription. 

Here is a partial list of diseases and health problems that would not be helped by colon therapy:

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Time and Treatment

Time and Treatment  -  BEFORE

How do I prepare for my appointment?  What should I be doing the DAYS BEFORE TREATMENT?

• Assess your current eating lifestyle.  Ask yourself what you are eating and be honest.  Ask yourself if you have a diet that consists of enough fruits and vegetables.
• Eat mostly fruits and vegetables.  Drink plenty of water each day.  The amount of water your body requires will be determined by several factors, but primarily by your weight.  Limit intake of dense foods, namely meats, dairies, refined sugars, carbohydrates, and caffeine.
• Weaning yourself off of dense foods might cause withdrawal effects.  You might feel hunger pains, headaches, irritable or have other discomforts.  Just focus on the fact that you are helping your body when you are eating fruits and vegetables, hydrating it with water and eating other high fiber foods.  We recommend eating things like apples, bananas, salads, etc.
• Fruits and vegetables help break up waste in the colon and help assists with releases.  It is also very healthy for your body to have at least 4 servings of fruit a day and an unlimited amount of vegetables.

What should I do the DAY OF TREATMENT?  How do I prepare the DAY OF TREATMENT?

• Eat mostly fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water.
• Have your paperwork ready.  If you filled out the forms online and sent them to the office, you are all set.  The therapist will go over your paperwork with you when you come in.
• Welcome to our office. You may have a seat in our waiting room, drink some water or tea and relax.
• Make sure you go to the bathroom before your treatment session begins.

Time and Treatment  -  DURING

What do I do just prior to the start of treatment?

• You and the therapist will go over your questionnaire.

What skill sets are needed to be able to give treatment? 

• Make sure that the colon therapist is I-ACT (International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy) certified.  This means they have training in anatomy and hands on work at various levels.
• Eating lifestyle and life situation will be discussed.
• Discuss with the therapist what you want to achieve from the colonic and/or the entire program available to you.

What happens during the colonic treatment?

• You will be shown to the bathroom.  You will remove all clothing from the waist down.  [You do not need to remove your socks.]  We use towels for coverage.
• Wrap your waist in a towel provided for you.  We prefer to use towels rather than gowns because of the association gowns have with being a sick patient.
• You will get on the table by first lying on your back.  The therapist may feel your abdomen and show you the positions you will be in as you receive the treatment.  To begin the treatment, you will lay on your side with your back facing the therapist.
• There are drape sheets, pillows and towels on the table.  We want to make you as comfortable as possible.  You must let your therapist know if, at any time, you are uncomfortable.
• Breathe and relax.  It is best to focus on your breath, with 4 counts breathing in and 4 counts breathing out.
• The therapist will open a new packet containing a tip, a tube and a lubricant, and will lubricate the tip.
• About tips, tubes and lubricant
• They are new and completely disposable and are individual single-use packets.
• The lubricant that we use is a KY or natural lubricant made from herbs.
• The therapist will ask you if you are ready to have the tip inserted with guidance.
• As it is going in, relax and breathe.  The rectum will guide the tip in.  Nothing is forced.  It should not be a painful experience, but you will feel some pressure.
• The therapist will turn on the water, control the temperature, and start the flow of the water through the tube into your rectum and intestines.

The Machine

How does the treatment machine work?  The treatment machine filters the water and then it has the water go through a tube inside the body and then the colon expels the water out of the body through a tube.

How does this treatment machine affect how the body works differently from another machine?  We are performing the procedure with what is known as the constant flow method and gravity method.  We also use the empty / fill method, as well as body work.

• It is continuous flow, not like a balloon.

What components are used during treatment?

• Gloves, tips, drape sheets, underpads, towels, etc.

Some people have colonics on their side, while some have them while lying on their back.  Some do both, changing throughout the procedure.  Switching position during a colonic helps eliminate waste.

What will it feel like during the procedure?  There may be mild discomfort in the form of cramping.  It may feel like you have to go to the bathroom.  You may feel some pressure.  Just breathe.  Under a certified therapist, you are in good hands.  The therapist will make sure you are comfortable and will remain with you throughout your treatment.

What kinds of releases are there during a colonic?  Refer back to the waste page.

Some people talk during their colonics, some people do not.  Do whatever feels comfortable for you.

There are different techniques on how colonics are given.

Treatment Techniques

What are the different kinds of treatment methods being used by your therapists?

• The closed system – with water being fed through the tube by gravity or with pressure.
• Body work or no body work.  It will depend on the client and the therapist.

Treatment Techniques – Body Work

What is body work?  Body work is when the therapist is using massage techniques on the body.  Through touch, the therapist can gauge what is going on during the procedure and can help the body release better with the help of using pressure points and massage of the back, abdomen, feet and hands.

Why is body work important with a colonic?  It helps to relax the client and aids in the letting go process.

How does body work make for a better release?  By helping the client’s body to relax and let go.

How does treatment make me feel?  You may feel a slight dizziness, lightness of being, stillness of mind, all of these different aspects to it.  Number one - the client should feel – SAFE, SAFE, SAFE!

Time and Treatment  -  AFTER

What do I do AFTER a colonic?

• During the session, there will be a point where your body has had enough.  This is usually between 45 and 50 minutes.
• If you are lying on your back, you will have to go back on your side.
• The therapist will make sure there is no waste in the eliminating water and will then turn off the machine.
• The therapist will then ask you if you are ready before gently removing the tip.
• After a colonic, you might feel dizzy or a little light headed.  This is normal.  Toxins that were once part of your body are now gone, so your body is adjusting to its new state of being.
• When you get off the table, you will have to go to the bathroom.  Going to the bathroom releases water and any other bowel movement still in the bowel before you leave the office.  Remember, this is done in complete privacy.

Long Term

• A colonic is only as good as what YOU do after the session.
• What you eat, your lifestyle, and your maintenance all play a part in the lasting results.

The goal is also to work with balancing the gut flora.  We have a whole program for this which includes the use of probiotics.  Please ask us for further information to work on the gut.  This, with colonics, can change your life!!!!!

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Success Factors

Define a successful treatment

1. A successful treatment is when the client and therapist are comfortable with each other.
2. They can both be relaxed during the procedure.
3. Waste is released.

Define success

1. Eating well.
2. Having healthy flora.

When should I get the treatment done?  How often should I get a colonic?

1. This depends on your situation.  When you are starting, you can have treatments back-to-back.
2. How often can be determined by your therapist once you have been interviewed and have discussed your goals with your therapist.

How many colonics do I need to feel the benefits?

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Common Disorders of the Colon

We can control and prevent many of the digestive system and colon diseases we endure simply by controlling our diet, getting enough of the right exercises and knowing our family history.  Eating the right foods, taking the proper levels of supplementation*, and preparing your foods appropriately can make a big difference when addressing most of the digestive system and colon diseases we face today.  Working out appropriately, doing the right types of exercise at the proper intervals can also make a tremendous difference in our health.

Sometimes we are prone to what caused problems for our parents and grandparents.  Or are we?  It's important to know your family history because it can help us do more of the things to prevent the ailments they suffered from in their lives.

Here are some of disorders that may be helped by colon hydrotherapy:

• Candida - You can work with this through colonics, diet, and supplements from an alternative doctor.
• Celiac - You need to work with a Nutritionist or a doctor who has knowledge of nutrition, as well as the state of your digestive system.
• Constipation - This is generally helped by colonics and nutrition.
• Diarrhea - Under a doctor’s care. Colonics may be extremely helpful.
• Diverticulosis - Work with your physician. 
• Hemorrhoids - If they were caused by pregnancy and/or childbirth and are not active.
• Bloating, gas, bad breath - Some very common disorders that can be eliminated.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome - What does this mean? Listen clearly to what they tell you for the symptoms and make sure it is written down. Work with your physician.
• Leaky Gut Syndrome - This is more common than people realize and can cause or aggravate numerous symptoms that can lead to autoimmune diseases.
• Parasites - Depending on the situation and symptoms. Some people do not have any symptoms.  Others are plagued by symptoms. Listen and consult with your physician.

* Supplementation – probiotics; digestive enzymes; live enzymes from fresh and raw greens, fruits and vegetables; flax and chia seeds; sources of fiber.

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Contraindications to Colon Hydrotherapy

Contraindications are conditions that make it inadvisable to pursue a respective therapy. If you had or currently have any of the conditions below, a medical release is required prior to treatment.

• Abdominal Hemorrhage
• Abdominal Hernia
• Aneurysms – Blood Clots
• Anorectal Abscess
• Appendicitis
• Bleeding Hemorrhoids
• Carcinoma of the Colon
• Cirrhosis of the Liver
• Colon Cancer
• Colon Disease
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Crohn's Disease
• Cryptitis
• Diverticulitis
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• Inflamed Hernia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (mucous and bleeding)
• Kidney Failure
• Obstruction of the Colon
• Pilonidal Cyst
• Polyps
• Pregnancy
• Recent Colon or Rectal Surgery
• Recent Colon Surgery
• Rectal Bleeding
• Rectal Fissures
• Rectal Fistula
• Rectal Hemorrhoids
• Renal Insufficiency
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Uncontrolled Hypertension
• Use of Recreational Drugs

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Internal Health Specialist and founder of Healthy Directions Center, Beverley Blass welcomes you to your personal path to wellness! Click here to contact us for your first visit to our New York wellness center today!