Many people are frightened by the thought of giving themselves an enema. There is the thought that enemas may be dangerous or some kind of strange fetish.  Enemas are safe and can greatly assist in detoxification and healing.

What is an enema?

An enema is a process where a fluid (usually water) is put into the rectum and colon via the anus to remove old feces and toxins. The enema will help clear the bowel, induce better functioning of the bowel and provide therapeutic benefits.

Enemas can provide immediate relief for constipation and greatly accelerate detoxification and the healing process.

Different kinds of enemas

A basic enema is purified water but you can add many other things to your enema to get the desired results

Water enema

Use purified water—not tap water – it is best to use water that is around the temperature of the water – retain as long as possible

Coffee enema

Take ¼ cup of organic coffee (not instant coffee or Starbucks) soaked in 2 quarts of purified water overnight- strain – do a warm water enema  first to clear the bowel or colonic before the coffee enema- the coffee will be warm not hot — place the strained two quarts of coffee in the enema bag- try to hold for 12 – 20 minutes then release.

It is not easy to hold the coffee enema for 20 minutes – try elevating the hips and deep breathing.

A coffee enema helps in detoxification of the liver. The caffeine in coffee is directly absorbed into the liver to detoxify it from the toxins.

Since coffee is a stimulant, the enema mixture is absorbed into the body through the hemorrhoidal vein and directly into the liver, therefore speeding up the detoxification process. Coffee enemas are introduced into the colon and draws any compacted matter in this essential part of the intestinal system. When the enema is voided from your system, all the toxins, compounds, and other matter exits the body naturally.

Wheat grass enema

Add 2 -4 ounces of wheat grass juice to your water enema

This is a retention enema – do a water enema first and then do the wheat grass enema and retain it for 12- 20 minutes

Wheat grass implant

After a water enema – use you enema bag to put 2- 4 ounces of wheat grass undiluted into your colon – try and retain as long as possible

Wheatgrass enemas and implants have many benefits including:
- liver cleansing -cleansing the body of toxins – purifying the blood
- cleanses toxins from the lymph system

Urine enema

You will need to collect at least 8 ounces of your own urine.  The urine can then be either implanted into the colon after a water enema or combined with warm purified water.  Try and retain the urine as long as possible.  If you are on heavy medications, I would not recommend any type of urine therapy as you will be reintroducing these medications.

The urine enema is not dangerous or unsanitary and is very cleansing and can help stimulate the immune system.

Herbal tea enemas

Soak 1 tablespoon of herb overnight in a two quarts of water.  You can use a variety of herbs to achieve different results.

Chamomile – relaxation

Plantain – anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial

Pleurisy Root – expectorant – causes sweating

Thyme – antioxidant – anti-bacterial

Hyssop – respiratory

Mint – soothing

Yellow Dock – blood purifier

Mullein – soothing

Echinacea – boost immunity

Dandelion – cleanse liver

Parsley – diuretic

How to give yourself an enema

An enema can be done in the privacy of your own bathroom. To begin, you will need to get an enema bag and hose.  Most of them are 64 ounce bags  or buckets with a 3 – 4 foot hose and a tip for insertion into the anus. At the end of the hose you will need to attach the tip.  These are generally white and 2-3 inches long.  This is the part that enters your rectum.  You will need some lubricant for the tube to allow it to slide in easily.   Any lubricating oil that is edible, like olive oil or flax oil is recommended.  Do not use petroleum jellies they are caustic and can burn the rectal tissue.

To further aid the detoxification process you may want to place a heating pad or a hot water bottle over the liver area.  You can do this for 15 minutes before your enema.  Lie on your back, relax and breathe.

You will be using distilled or filtered water for your enemas as the water in your tap contains harmful chemicals such as chlorine, fluoride and heavy metals.  Distilled water is preferred, because it draws out the toxins. You want the temperature of the water to be about the same temperature as your body (98.6F degrees).  Warm the water up on the stove in a stainless steel pot, checking the temperature of the water with your finger.  When it is too hot for your finger you know it is too hot for your colon.

Fill the bag or bucket with the warm water.  Position the bag or bucket about 3-4 feet high.  On the hose coming out of the bucket you will find a clip to help you stop the flow of water.  Spread a towel on the floor to lie on.  If you are worried about making a mess (and it happens to the best of us) you can put some plastic over the towel.  Make the experience as pleasant as possible.  Turn off the phone, lock the bathroom door, put a do not disturb sign on the bathroom door, light some candles, burn some incense, play some soft music and relax.  This is your time.

To make the enemas easier each step of the process is numbered:

Position yourself, lying on your left side.

Open the clip on the catheter to release air.  Lubricate the catheter tip.

Lubricate your anus.

Slowly, insert the lubricated catheter tip

Take a breath.

Open the clip and allow the water to flow (count 1-2-3).  *Sometimes, it is necessary to adjust the catheter to assure flow.  Then close the clip.

Gently massage the left side of your abdomen.

Insert the catheter a little deeper and open the clip (count 1-10). Then close the clip.

Again, gently massage the left side of the abdomen, breath and relax.

Open the clip until the bag has emptied or until the feeling of fullness.

Close the clip and continue to breathe and massage your abdomen.

While lying hold for 5 minutes.  If it becomes uncomfortable move to the toilet and release.

Stay on the toilet until the fluid is released (be patient with yourself, it may come in waves).

Remember stay close to home for at least an hour because you never know if you have released all of the fluid and you don’t want to be caught to far away form a toilet.

Modern Colon Hydrotherapy for the most part takes place in a private office setting. It is largely self-regulated through state and national organizations that set a standard of safety and sanitation.

During a session, the client lies on a colonic table, face-up, and is modestly draped. A plastic tube is gently inserted into the rectum about 2 inches. The water flows through the tube gently (it is not pumped or mechanically forced) into the colon.

As the colon fills with warm water there is a feeling of wanting to eliminate, which occurs naturally with no exposure to the material or odor expelled. What you may eliminate, is visible through a sealed – clear viewing tube.

Time frame for a session is approximately 45-50 minutes, and during this time you will receive 10-15 gallons of temperature-controlled, filtered water. The process is relatively painless, however there is a possibility for mild cramping as the feces moves through the colon.

Signs of good elimination are that stools should be brown in color and be the length and width of a banana. To get these stools the colon should be hydrated and peristalsis (the natural wavelike motion of the colon) moving normally. Drink lots of water in addition to your series of colonics.

Lubricate your body on the inside with good oils, including flax, borage, fish and olive. Colon Hydrotherapy improves muscle tone and facilitates peristalsis, which is so beneficial to the sluggish colon. This process provides relief from and prevents chronic constipation.

Benefits

It also helps to eliminate hardened fecal matter thus eliminating bacteria, toxins, gas, mucus, parasites, and cellular debris which allows the colon to perform its natural function of absorption more effectively.

Colon Hydrotherapy is an easy, non-chemical and effective way of preparing for diagnostic studies such as Colonoscopy and Barium Enema and also removes chemical residuals from these procedures.

Cleansing can be a useful therapy in alcohol and drug detoxification because it enhances the elimination of toxins from the blood stream.

A build-up of old, putrefied fecal waste can block proper digestion, nutrient absorption, waste elimination and provides an excellent breeding ground for germs and parasites.

Colon hydrotherapy has helped many people to overcome difficult health problems ands is helping many more to maintain good health in the future. For these people Colon hydrotherapy has proven to be the key to living a healthier, more vibrant life!

Naturopathic doctors teach about the importance of the liver and colon in detoxifying heavy metals and environmental pollutants. Unless we do something specifically to clean out toxins, our bodies accumulate, through-out life, a total toxic burden.

They say that the true purpose of colon hydrotherapy is to stimulate the release of toxic-riden bile. The liver detoxifies everything then either sends the molecules to store in the fat, tissues and organs, or combines it with bile, which is then excreted throught the bile ducts into the intestines. Eventually, the toxic bile will pass out of the body through the stool. However, a percentage (%) of the toxic bile from the intestines goes back to the liver, thereby reabsorbing a percentage (%) of the toxins that the body is trying to UNLOAD. This recirculation is called AUTO-INTOXICATION.

Experts have advised that the benefit of a colonic is to stimulate the release and literally WASH OUT a significantly higher percentage of the bile salts that the body has excreted into the intestines for that day. After the bile salts are removed, the liver has fewer toxins and the body can then dump more toxins from the FAT into the blood stream. According to referring doctors when a client is CHELATING to remove HEAVY METAL TOXICITY, simply drinking more water, or eating better, will not significantly remove the metals and pollutants the way a series of colonics will.

• CLEANSES THE COLON — Toxic material is broken down so it can no longer harm your body or inhibit assimilation and elimination. Once impacted material is removed your colon can begin again to cooperate as it was meant to. In this very real sense a colonic is a rejuvenation treatment.

• IT EXERCISES THE COLON MUSCLES — The build up of toxic debris weakens the colon and impairs its functioning. The gentle filling and emptying of the colon improves peristaltic (muscular contraction) activity by which the colon naturally moves material.

• IT RESHAPES THE COLON — When problem conditions exist in the colon, they tend to alter its shape, which in turn causes more problems. The gentle action of the water coupled with the massage techniques of the colon therapist helps to eliminate bulging pockets of waste and narrowed spastic constrictions finally enabling the colon to resume its natural state.

• IT STIMULATES REFLEX POINTS — According to Dr. Norman Walker, every system and organ of the body is connected to the colon by reflex points. Colon Hydrotherapy stimulates these points, thereby affecting the corresponding body points in a beneficial way.

FAQ

What is Colon Hydrotherapy?

Colon hydrotherapy is the process of gently filling the colon with warm, filtered water through a small disposable tube called a speculum. When the water is flushed out, it carries with it any material that has built up in the large intestine, including water, waste material, toxins and trapped gasses. This can be quite a relief for most people.

Why should I be concerned about my colon?

The colon has been referred to as the sewer system of the body. It is the place where bodies store the waste material. More then half of the population is suffering from self-induced internal poisoning – AUTO-INTOXICATION. The colon is to some extent filled with old fecal material that is a source of poison to the entire body and mind. Old waste has been known to stay in the colon for weeks, months, even years.

Our bodies are designed to clean out the colon everyday naturally, 2 or 3 times a day, but that is rarely the case for most people because of poor diet, lack of exercise and the stresses of modern civilization.

Is Colon hydrotherapy painful?

Some cramping may occur during the session as the colon contracts to expel waste, but most people actually find the session very pleasant and relaxing. It feels like an internal bath.

Is Colon Hydrotherapy safe?

Colon hydrotherapy, is a safe, effective method of removing waste from the large intestine, without the use of drugs. It is best used in combination with adequate nutrient and fluid intake as well as exercise. Today’s sophisticated technology promotes both the safety and sanitation of this popular cleansing practice. The filtered water used during the session does not enter the small intestine or higher, just the colon. The good bacteria are not completely removed contrary to rumors and myths.

What is a colon hydrotherapy session like?

A session is a comfortable experience for many people. It helps remove toxicity. Techniques utilized allow a small amount of water to flow into the colon gently stimulating the colon’s natural peristaltic action to release softened waste. The inflow of a small amount of water and the release of waste may be repeated several times. The removal of waste should encourage better colon function and elimination.

What should I do to prepare for my session?

Refrain from eating two hours before your scheduled appointment, this may help you to be more comfortable during your session.

Fiber is important for proper digestion, but not all fiber is the same. Plant fiber can be divided into two groups.  Pectin is a water-soluble fiber found in most soft fruits.  Water-soluble fibers are very gentle on the digestive tract.  Most fruit has a high pectin content and is very easy for the body to utilize.  Watermelon it is very fibrous fruit, yet it will almost dissolve in your mouth.

Eating more fruit is a good way for people with sensitive digestion to increase the fiber content in their diet.  I often hear people complain that eating more fruit makes them have to go to the toilet frequently.

Vegetables are a bit more difficult to digest.  Raw cabbage, lettuce, broccoli and carrots are examples of vegetables, which unless thoroughly chewed, often reappear in bowel movements partially digested.  At the microscopic level, the cell wall of most vegetables are hard and require much more time and effort to digest.  The hard cell walls of vegetables are composed of a fiber called cellulose.

Cellulose will not dissolve in water. The human body does not secrete an enzyme to break down cellulose. This can make digesting hard, uncooked vegetables very difficult for many, especially as we get older and do not adequately chew our food.  Cellulose fiber can pass through the gastrointestinal track unchanged.

Cellulose fiber provides the ‘bulking agent’ for the digestive tract that helps facilitate moving food through the intestines to be evacuated as solid waste; hence, the hard vegetable fiber cellulose is often called “nature’s broom.”

These harder fibers also increase the body’s ability to absorb water and produce regular well-formed bowel movements, which may prevent colon cancer and decrease the symptoms associated with other bowel disorders, such as diverticulosis.

Diverticulosis is a common irritative condition in which small, bulging pouches of waste form along the digestive tract. Once these pouches become infected or inflamed into diverticulitis, it can require surgery to resolve.

Dietary fiber can create a feeling of fullness, which can also help in controlling your appetite. This translates into an important missing element in weight control.  Dietary fiber also assists in detoxifying the colon since it binds with some toxic substances before elimination.

Many people find that they digest their vegetables better if they are lightly steamed or blended into a soup consistency.  We recommend that people with weak digestion or poor elimination try these techniques to get things jumpstarted, but this should not be considered a replacement for sitting down to a well-rounded, thoroughly chewed meal.

An average an individual should get 20-35 grams of fiber daily.

Here are some common foods and their fiber content.

Fruits

1 medium orange (3 grams of fiber)

1 medium banana (3 grams)

1 medium apple with skin (3 grams)

1 cup of raspberries (8 grams)

1 medium raw pear with skin (4 grams)

1 cup of raisins (6 grams)

Vegetables

1 cup lettuce (1 gram)

1 medium tomato (2 grams)

1 medium baked potato with skin (3 grams)

1 cup broccoli (4 grams)

1 medium carrot (2 grams)

1 celery stalk (1 gram)

Grains

1 slice white bread (less than one gram)

1 slice whole wheat bread (2 grams)

1 cup brown rice (4 grams)

1 cup white rice (2 grams)

1 cup spaghetti (2 grams)

1 whole-wheat English muffin (4 grams)

1 cup of oat bran cereal (12 grams)

1 cup granola (8 grams)

1 cup corn flakes (1 gram)

Legumes

1 cup of baked beans (12 grams)

1 cup of cooked navy beans (18 grams)

1 cup  of cooked lima beans (12 grams)

1 cup of cooked green peas (8 grams)

1 cup of cooked lentils (8 grams)

Nuts and seeds

1 cup of almonds (10 grams)

1 cup peanuts (16 grams)

1 cup walnuts (18 grams)

1 cup sunflower seeds (8 grams)

While fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds have fiber, animal products contain no fiber.  Animal products tend to pass through the digestive system much more slowly than plant-based foods.  Beef, pork, poultry and fish require a lot of chewing and digestive action to be broken down.  They should be consumed in moderation.

The human body lacks the proper enzymes in the saliva, to kick start animal digestion.  That means the complete chewing of meat is of even greater importance to aid in our ability to extract its nutrients. Dairy products are also free of fiber, and they take a time to move through the digestive tract.  Dairy products have been associated with bowel inflammation and subsequently constipation.

As food leaves the mouth, it travels south, down the throat, through the esophagus on the way to the stomach. The primary function of the esophagus is to carry the mixture of liquids, partially digested foods and saliva from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus moves food downward to the stomach by involuntary contractions of its muscular lining. This muscular contraction is so strong and regular that you can eat while standing on your head and the esphogus will still push food down to your stomach.  This of course is not advised.

Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week, and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. I disagree.  We all know how it feels if you miss a day without a bowel movement. Something is off. You become a bloating, gassy and crampy mess.  If we are not having at least two big soft stools everyday, we are constipated.

A better definition of constipation is a change in bowel habits producing infrequent stools, reduced stool size or hard stools that are difficult to pass.  A gradual onset of constipation would lead me to believe that it would be related to diet and lifestyle.  A sudden onset of constipation could be the result of many things such as a bowel obstruction, a dramatic dietary change or the side effect from a medication.

What causes constipation?

Constipation is generally caused by low-fiber diets, dehydration, lack of exercise and the use of constipating medications.  Other causes could be psychological stress, pregnancy, trauma or a blockage somewhere in the bowel.  Once a person has constipation, the use of stimulant laxatives can actually make the problem worse.  Overuse of laxatives can create a situation where the only time a person has a bowel movement is with the aid of a laxative.

What happens to my colon if I am constipated?

Your colon will begin to stretch and grow to accommodate all the extra waste that you are not eliminating.  As the colon stretches it will loose muscle tone and make the problem worse.  The transverse colon, which is the part of the colon that runs horizontally across your mid section, can begin to sag.

This sagging creates a condition called a prolapsed colon.  The colon falls into the organ below, which will make constipation an even worse problem.

What are the some of the common conditions associated with chronic constipation?

About half of the population has hemorrhoids by age 50. Hemorrhoids are usually caused by straining to have a bowel movement.  Hemorrhoids or varicose veins of the anus and rectum are enlarged, bulging blood vessels around the anus. These can be quite painful and can result in the equally painful surgery.

Rectal bleeding can occur when a hard stool stretches the anal sphincter. This can be quite alarming and usually appears as bright red streaks on the surface of the bowel movement or the toilet paper.

Constipation may also cause a condition called fecal impaction.  Accumulated wastes pack the intestine and rectum so tightly that the normal pushing action of the colon is not enough to expel the stool. Fecal impaction can be a problem particularly for older adults and people with limited mobility. An impaction may have to be removed by the doctor inserting one or two fingers into the anus. Ouch!

Can this be why my stomach is not flat?

Constipation can cause the lower intestinal area to sag or to distend.  Many people find even after they lose weight they still have a pooch.  This can be the result of many things, including a prolapsed or impacted colon.

How much impacted waste can be in my colon?

Impacted waste can accumulate in the colon.  A story in the January 11, 1999 issue of USA Today stated that  “Most people have 5-10 pounds of matter stored in their colon….  According to autopsies, John Wayne had 40 lbs and Elvis had 60 lbs.”

What kind of effect can a clogged colon have on my health?

A congested colon can be related to many health problems such as fatigue, poor digestion, headaches, gas, bloating, hemorrhoids, excess weight and even bad breath.   According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the second leading form of cancer in the U.S after lung cancer.  Now the studies don’t actually look at whether the people who are getting colon cancer were  having sluggish and constipated bowel movements, but having aclean colon could certainly reduce the risk of cancer and disease.

Laxatives can be effective for relief of short-term constipation, however if used for longer periods of time than two weeks, they can start to affect the function of your colon and cause dependency.

Many different types of laxatives are available.

Prescription and over-the-counter laxatives contains drugs that may have side effects and should only be used for short periods.

Herbal laxatives contain herbs, such as senna and cascara sagrada that directly stimulate the walls of the large intestine, causing them to contract and move the stool. These can be very effective but can cause cramping and should be used only for occasional bouts of constipation as they can also create dependency.  The herbs are not effective at removing hardened fecal matter from the walls of the intestines.

Osmotic laxatives are compounds (such as various magnesium salts, some salts of sodium or potassium and sorbitol) that prevent absorption of water by the intestine, thereby increasing the water in the colon. In other words, they cause diarrhea.  Diarrhea can deplete the body of vital minerals and cause dehydration and fatigue.  These can be very effective but other than relieving constipation, they do nothing to improve the health of the colon.

Bulk laxative agents are non-absorbable, vegetable fibers such as bran and psyllium husks which stimulate bowel action with their bulk. They can be somewhat effective in absorbing old fecal matter.  However these bulking agents can also irritate someone with a sensitive colon and cause gas and bloating. If someone is really constipated, these fibers can actually cause more constipation. It is very important to drink lots of water with these bulk laxatives as they can also absorb water from the colon, which can contribute to more dry stools.

The Stomach

The stomach continues the digestion that originated in the mouth, acting as a holding tank to break down food and then pumping the soupy mix

into the intestines. The stomach’s goal is to turn your solid lunch into a soupy liquid called chyme.  Stomach contractions are important for grinding and mixing ingested food with the gastric secretions. Special cells (parietal cells), located in the glands of the inner lining of the stomach, secrete powerful hydrochloric acid and protein-digesting enzymes that help break down food in the stomach. Once

the food is turned into chyme, it is moved along the digestive tube from the stomach to the small intestines for further processing and absorption.

The Intestines

On anatomy charts the intestinal tract appears to be a big tangled mess, but it is simply  a long tube divided into two sections:  the small bowel or small intestines, and the large bowel, also called the colon or large intestines. It appears to be a big tangles mess because in order to fit inside a person’s body, the small intestines are folded up many times in order to fit as much tubing as possible into a small area of the body.

The surface area of the entire intestinal tract, if you spread it out on the floor, would be about the size of two tennis court. This huge absorptive area gives your body a greater ability to take in nutrition.  If you were to unfold the small intestines and measure its full length, it would be about 15 to 20 feet long! The small intestines are not small at all, making up about 75% of the entire digestive system.

The ability to absorb huge amounts of nutrients in the small intestine is made possible by small finger-like folds called villi. These villi provide more surface area for absorption. The small intestines are the portion of the digestive tract that connects the stomach and the large intestines. About 70-80% of the absorption of nutrients takes place in the small intestines, as they pass through the thin intestinal membranes into the circulatory system and then are transported to hungry tissues throughout the body. The small intestines are the largest hormone-producing organ in the body and are also responsible for controlling thousands of bacteria, viruses, and parasites every day.

The small intestine has three distinct parts with different functions: 1) the duodenum, 2) the jejunum and 3) the ileum.

It is in the duodenum, where the enzymes and secretions from the pancreas, liver, gallbladder0 and the small intestine itself combine to break down nutrients so that they can be absorbed. The pancreas supplies enzymes to digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Intestinal cells also supply some enzymes. The liver produces the bile required for the breakdown of fat, and the gallbladder stores the bile until it is needed for digestion. The duodenum is also a major site for absorbing iron.

The second part of the small intestines called the jejunum is the primary area of absorption for the majority of the nutrients used by the entire body.

The end of the small intestines called the ileum is the most important site for absorption of the vitamin B12, and bile salts from the liver.

After the soupy chyme passes through the small intestines, it goes to the large intestines, also called the colon. The large intestine connects to the small intestines by the cecum. The large intestine is larger in diameter than the small intestine. It begins at the ileocecal junction, where the ileum of the small intestine meets the cecum of the large intestine, and ends at the anus. The large intestine consists of the colon, rectum and anus.

The wall of the large intestine has the same types of tissue that are found in other parts of the digestive tract, but it does not have any villi (fingers). Unlike the small intestine, the large intestine produces no digestive enzymes. Chemical digestion is completed in the small intestine before the chyme reaches the large intestine. The function of the large intestine includes the absorption of water and minerals from the chyme and then pushing the remaining waste out of the body as feces.

The large intestines or colon is anywhere from 5 to 7 feet long and wraps around the small intestines.  The first part of the colon is called the ascending colon and is attached to the small intestines.  There are two bends or flexures in the colon. It climbs up the right side of the abdomen and then bends at the liver.

At this point it is called the transverse colon, as it makes its way across our mid section to the other side of the abdomen.  When it reaches the left side of the abdomen, it makes another sharp bend downward to the rectum and the anus. This downward heading part of the colon is called the descending colon. The waste proceeds down to the rectum area to be collected for elimination through the exit hole called among other names, the anus.

Our journey through the tube is an exercise in self-awareness.  The digestive system is tubular, but is much more than a simple food receptacle.  It is the way we receive the world and all of its nutrients.  It is the doorway to our inner halls and sacred spaces.  It must be kept clear and open for absorbing the gifts of nature.

Are we ready to welcome the power of nature into our homes?

A 5-to-15 Pound Block in the Flow

The tube works best when food is able to flow from the mouth to and out the anus without any problems.  However, most of us have as much as 5 to 15 lbs. of backed-up fecal matter in our bowels at any given time. That is approximately the weight of a bowling ball.

There are even exceptional cases of a condition called toxic mega colon where one can carry as much as 60 lbs. of trapped fecal matter in the intestines.

Waste accumulates in the body because of constipation.  It turns out constipation can be caused by a number of different factors such as: improper diet, dehydration, lack of exercise, stress and even pregnancy.  Some prescription medications or narcotics will also cause constipation.

When waste is not regularly moved out of our bowels, it accumulates and forms blockages.  These accumulations of waste will eventually rot in a process that is called putrification:  a putrid, rotting mass of old food.  Like the rest of the body, the temperature of the intestinal tract is around 98.6ºF.  Any trapped or slow-moving waste is left to percolate in the dark, steamy environment of the bowels.

Imagine, if you are willing, taking a mixture of fruits, vegetables, meats and grains and placing them together in a kitchen blender and blending them until they turn into to a soup. Then take that soup mixture and seal it in a plasticbag and leave it in the dark at 98.6ºF for a week. When you open that bag you will probably be overcome by the smell, and when or if you recover from the odor, you take that soup mixture to a lab, you would find that it is full of mold, bacteria, fungus, yeast and parasites.

When a living being moves toward deterioration, nature works to compost it and return it to the soil.  Nature is nature.  Nature will do the same thing in our bowels, turning fecal matter into compost.  Nature uses bacteria, mold, fungus and parasites to do the job.  Let’s suffice to say that composting is best left done outside the body.

Constipation or slow-moving bowels allow waste to putrefy. This is a contributor to a self-poisoning or auto-intoxification that happens to millions of people every day.  This mass of putrefying waste with unhealthy bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi is often re-absorbed into the tissues of the body and causes inflammation of the intestinal tract.  The body, in an effort to prevent inflammation from damaging the tissues, will secrete mucous.  This thin, clear mucous will coat and help protect the lining of the intestinal tract.

Mucoid Plaque

When the bowel is chronically inflamed, the body will continue to secrete mucous for protection.  Over time, in a constipated state this mucous will begin to harden inside the bowel.  It will mix with the accumulated feces and form a hard rubbery layer called mucoid plaque, which will adhere to the lining of the intestinal tract. When this mucoid plaque becomes attached to the lining of the intestines, it prevents the colon from functioning properly.

The mucoid plaque can form a barrier between the food and your body and can inhibit the absorption of nutrients.  The nutrients that do get absorbed will be contaminated as they must pass through a layer of hardened, rotting feces and mucous before being absorbed. This is not healthy.  Mucoid plaque can also impair colon function, making the colon less able to perform its natural muscular contraction called peristalsis.

Peristalsis is the contraction and relaxation of the intestinal tract.  This squeezing peristaltic action is what moves food along the digestive tract. If this action is weak or inhibited, then food will pass through the bowels much more slowly, which will allow more putrefaction of the waste to occur.

A slow-moving bowel will mean all the food you eat will stay in your intestinal tract longer.  As feces accumulates in the colon, it will also cause the colon to stretch.  An enlarged colon is not a thing of beauty. Outwardly you may notice a pooch in your abdomen.  Many people think it is just fat, but this protrusion will not go away even if you lose weight.  Most of us are not that fat, we are just full of _ _it!.

Is it possible that the key to healing may lay in something as simple as keeping my colon clean and making sure that I have regular bowel movements?

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are excellent sources of fiber. It is also very important to drink lots of liquids to help with the passage of stool in the intestines.

The main dietary factors that may improve constipation are as follows:

• Drink sufficient fluids, at least 8 – 10 glasses per day
• Gradually increase the amount of fiber in your diet
• Consume healthy fat from plant – based sources (avocado, raw nuts, cold pressed olive oil, coconuts

Try including more fresh fruit in your diet:

• Fresh fruit is the easiest to digest
• Fruit smoothies have a lot of fiber
• Add fresh fruit to cereal
• Slice fruit onto desserts such as pies and cakes
• Eat fruits for snacks
• Eat lots of watery fruit such as watermelon and grapes

Try including more fresh vegetables in your diet

• Raw vegetables have a higher quality of fiber than cooked vegetables
• Try and eat a salad before your meals
• Peas, beans and lentils are a good source of fiber
• Add vegetables to stews, casseroles, pasta and soups
• Include vegetables in sandwiches
• Eat vegetables for snacks

Try and include more whole grains in your diet

• Brown rice has more fiber than white rice
• Whole-grain bread and pasta have more fiber than white flour products
• Whole-grain breakfast cereals are a good source of fiber
• Whole-grain muffins, crackers and cookies make good snacks

Try and limit your consumption of these foods

• White bread as it can gum up your digestion
• Cheese has no fiber and causes constipation
• Pasteurized dairy products can cause constipation and inflammation

Is it possible that the key to healing may lay in something as simple as keeping my colon clean and making sure that I have regular bowel movements?

How often should I have a bowel movement?

Some people  think if they go every couple of days they are having a good week.  That is crazy.  You need to be going every day, and depending on how much you eat, you may need to have bowel movement two or three times a day with volume.  By volume I don’t mean a few pebbles, I mean a good healthy one.

If you are only going once every couple of days, then stuff is backing up.  It is like the toilet is clogged in your house and every time you flush, things back up onto the bathroom floor.  If that happened in your house, wouldn’t you clean it up or maybe even try to disinfect the bathroom.

If you are not going to the bathroom regularly, you are sitting in waste and that is not good for your health.  In the other extreme, going to the bathroom four or more times a day could indicate a condition like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or some other inflammatory condition.

An overactive bowel condition could benefit form a gentle non-abrasive colon cleanse.  Too much fiber, bulk laxative or laxative herbs will only irritate the intestinal lining and cause further problems. Fiber sources such as soft fruit and blended or lightly steamed vegetable will also be helpful for this condition.

What should a bowel movement look like?

I know a lot people don’t like to admit that they look at their bowel movements.  There is nothing wrong with looking at it. It is a normal bodily function. Turn around and look at it every time.  It will give you an indication of what is going on internally with your diet and your health.

It should come out in a smooth long flow.  The consistency should be like soft-serve frozen yogurt.  If it is just a few hard pebbles or long and hard like a baseball bat, that could indicate that you are constipated.   Eating more fiber and drinking more water should start the process of regaining proper bowel function.

When you are generally eating a wide spectrum of food, the color of your bowel movement should be a brownish caramel color. Now of course this can vary.  If all you eat are green vegetables, then the bowel movement will be green.  If you drank a lot of carrot juice, it will be a little orange and if you ate a bunch of beets, it will have a red tinge.

What should it smell like?

When I was growing up, my dad would have a couple cups of coffee every morning to get his bowels going.  He would take the morning newspaper or a business magazine into the downstairs bathroom and disappear for 15 or 20 minutes.  When he came out later, no one could use that bathroom for the rest of the morning until the odor reluctantly evaporated.

Bowel movements do smell.  The smell depends to a large degree on your diet. However, if your bowel movements cause people to evacuate the building, then this is a good indication that you are not going to the bathroom frequently enough and that feces are backed up and putrefying in your colon.

How should it feel when it comes out?

If you watch a non-domesticated animal go to the bathroom, you will notice the ease with which they pass their feces.  A cow will walk around feeding while their bowel movements casually fall to the ground behind them.  When passing a bowel movement, there should be very little grimacing, pushing and straining.  The bowel movement should slide out effortlessly.  A high-fiber diet can greatly ease the passage of waste.

How long should it take to have a bowel movement?

For many people the bathroom has become a reading room.  I keep magazines in my bathroom but I never get to read more than a paragraph or two before I have completed my task.  If you are reading books on the toilet, there is a problem. The feces should come out in a flow within a couple of minutes.

How about the clean up?

A wipe or two should clean it up fine. When you wipe, you should not need half a roll of toilet paper. A sloppy clean-up would indicate some changes are in order.

What foods should I eat to maintain good colon health heath?

Your food choice will greatly affect the quality and frequency of your bowel movements and the health of your bowels.  Here are some simple tips to help with your food choices.  These foods are good not only for keeping your digestion moving, they are also good for increasing your overall level of health.

When was the last time you were “regular”?

It is important that we are honest and open when it comes to being regular.  When was the last time you had a really good bowel movement?

Most of us have never really given the subject much consideration.  We get up in the morning, give thanks for another day and head straight for the bathroom to make a deposit.  It is hard to imagine what it is like to not release waste on a daily basis–until it hits home.  Eventually, most of us come face-to-face with subtle, yet important issue at least a few times in our lives.

One day, for reasons beyond anything we can fathom, we get on the porcelain throne and no magic.  It just doesn’t seem to happen.  We get a bit concerned, but with little need for hysterics we go on with our day.  We think about “it” from time-to-time during the day, feel a bit off kilter and moody, but hope it will happen later.  Maybe it will happen after lunch?  Sometimes a bit of coffee is all it takes to get things going.

You get to work, say the daily “hellos,” drop things off at your locker or your desk and head straight for the coffee dispenser.  Luckily, your good old friend “caffeine” does the trick.  You make a beeline for the office restroom and notice things don’t come out that easily, and in fact, you it find it a bit trying having to sit there for so long. People seem to knock on the locked door, wanting to use the facilities every five minutes when you sit there, waiting for a miracle.

It is a miracle in a sense.  We can abuse our bodies for many years, even unknowingly, and things seem to work. During my young adult life,  I felt invincible for periods of time.  I could drink beer, party all night and get grub from the drive through every day and never have a problem bouncing back.  Then one day the party stops and life takes over, and you get to hear “have a nice day” more often than actually experiencing one.

Little do we realize that our daily choices are the key to determining whether or not we will have a nice day, especially when it comes to feeling regular.  For some of us, the miracle of regularity has not been with us for years.

We eventually get hip to the fact that going to the bathroom infrequently is not enough, even though we have convinced ourselves that it is more convenient to go once a week. Our daily exposure to stress, our toxic world and the modern diet all necessitate the regular attention to our bowels.

I no longer live in a world that is regulated by the cycles of nature and the change of seasons.  I shouldn’t be surprised that I am chronically constipated or backed up.

A tube within a tube

The digestive tract starts with the mouth and ends at the anus. The digestive tract is not that complicated.   The human body is basically a big tube with a feeding hose running down the middle: “a tube within a tube.”

This feeding tube is the digestive system.  We put things in one end, the mouth–and they come out the other end.  These two openings are the only “holes” in the human body that are connected.  We would never think of putting a carrot in one ear and hope that pulp would come out of the other.  The digestive system is unique in that it essentially winds through the center of body, and supplies nutrients to all the organs and tissues.

The inner tube’s job is to extract what it needs from the food we eat before it returns to the outside world, as compost or waste.  Our bodies are designed to consume and eliminate whole food very efficiently.  The basic function of consuming and eliminating food, as a source of nutrients and energy, are vital to our health.

If we are not able to consume enough of the proper food, we eventually develop disease.  Similarly, if we are not able to eliminate waste that is the by-product of the foods we eat, then we develop diseases that are associated with the accumulation of toxins in the bowels.  It can be argued that it is vital that we eat, BUT it is of lasting importance that we eliminate waste and remove blockages on a daily basis.

In ancient Chinese medicine it is said, “the root cause of all disease is the blockage of the flow of energy in the body.”  Most naturopathic doctors agree that disease is often linked to poor digestive function.  It is most important to keep things moving or flowing in an organism that is not much more than a bunch of cells that need energy.

When food, a form of energy that is turned into waste, sits in the digestive system for more than 24 hours, we are certainly putting this age-old wisdom to the test.

This digestive tube starts in the mouth. The mouth, common to popular belief, does have a biological function other than talking and satisfying our cravings. It is an open door between the inner workings of the body and the outside world. We may never experience a more intimate relationship with our surroundings than when we put it inside of ourselves. Digestion commences in the mouth even before we take our first bite.

Before the teeth go to work breaking food down, we respond to the sight and smell of food by salivating.  Saliva acts as a lubricating and emulsion agent.  Saliva contains enzymes, produced by glands in the mouth, to break down starches or carbohydrates. We have these big teeth and powerful jaws: our body expects the mouth to liquefy our food for easy digestion.  Most of us, however, being habituated by a hurried lifestyle, rush through our meals and do not chew our food thoroughly.

Optimally, every bite of food should be chewed 40 times before we swallow.  Food should have a liquid consistency when swallowed.  It should not be swallowed in big chunks that later show up undigested as waste.  How many times have you gazed down in bewilderment at “the” porcelain bowl filled with what looks like last nights cobb salad? This is not an uncommon site for those with poor digestion.

The digestive system breaks food down into smaller, hopefully microscopic, elements so that nutrients can be absorbed.  When the body does not break down food well, the chances are that we are receiving little nutrition.  A body that is not getting the nutrition it needs will continue to increase the desire to eat, and in many cases, drive itself to over eat or “crave” certain foods.

Our Daily Sugar Feast

The average person in America eats 125 pounds of sugar (a simple carbohydrate) a year.  Why do we crave sugar? Is it because we rush through our meals, bypassing the essential digestive step that is important in getting the nutrient content that it may offer?  Or is it because sugar is a highly processed chemical that has become an addictive irritant?

Sugar is processed by separating the sweet part from the fiber.  Most sugars are derived from cane or fruits.  These sweet substances have a high fiber content that is essential for proper digestion of sugar.  Sugar and fiber are almost always found together, even attached to each other in most fruits.  Fiber holds onto sugar and only release it to the body after it has been broken down.  As fiber is slowly digested, it slowly releases well-digested sugar into the blood stream.  This reduces the harsh insulin imbalancing effect of sugars.