Colonic Hydrotherapy: A Nutritionist’s Perspective

I have a confession to make. Prior to starting at pH Clinic last year, I actually had never really heard of Colonic Hydrotherapy before. I was even a little wary of it at first. So I did what any good practitioner would do, and I had one for myself to see what the process is like and how it works. Below I share my experience with it all and the reasons why I would recommend it as a Nutritionist.

What is a Colonic and how does it work?

Colon Hydrotherapy is a safe and effective method for cleansing the colon of waste material and rehydrating your system. The procedure is very simple, and involves the colon being flushed with warm filtered water at very low pressure which, when released, brings out with it any loose and impacted debris and toxic material. This is all done through a tube which is inserted into your rectum (but only to about a depth of 5cm!).

There are both open and closed systems used in Colonic Hydrotherapy. The open systems are quite confronting, and involve you being left to your own devices as you are being flushed with water, and when you release it’s usually through a hole in the bed. Not very pleasant I imagine! I personally don’t think I could ever do that.

Thankfully at pH Clinic, we use a closed system device. The great thing about a closed system is that everything that either enters or exits your body, is all enclosed. Your waste matter doesn’t get dumped (excuse the pun) below you, but goes back into the tubing and straight into the sewerage system. So there’s no mess or smell, and is incredibly hygienic from start to finish.

The other good thing about a closed system is that the practitioner is there with you the whole time, which sounds quite intimate but it is oddly quite comforting having someone there to talk you through everything and take the reigns and control the whole thing from start to finish. All you need to do is really just lay there and pretend like it’s not one of the most peculiar situations you’ve gotten yourself into. But in all honesty though, the practitioners are so great at what they do that you almost forget what you’re in there for.

 

The Procedure

At your first visit, your practitioner will show you the device and explain what’s involved. The initial insertion is a little uncomfortable, but it’s definitely not as bad as you’d expect. While you’re on the table, your practitioner will generally chat to you more about your health and get to know you better. You may experience some slight cramping or discomfort in the abdomen if the water hits gas pockets or waste matter, but your practitioner will be there to adjust the water pressure and even give you a little abdominal massage (complete with essential oils!) to help you through it. Once you’ve reached a certain point, you may feel the need to “release” and this can be done through the tube or in a private bathroom – whichever you feel will be the most comfortable for you. Then you’re done!

Why would I recommend a colonic?

As a Nutritionist, I firmly believe that there absolutely a place for Colonic Hydrotherapy in my treatment protocols and here are three major reasons why I would personally refer a client on to get one:

1/ Chronic Constipation

Colonic Hydrotherapy is an absolute godsend those who struggle to pass a bowel movement more than once a week, and suffer with abdominal distention/bloating, pain and cramping, as well as other systemic issues arising from not being able to regularly pass healthy bowel movements. A Colonic will provide much needed hydration to the colon and dry, impacted waste matter and gently flush it out. Unlike laxatives, it isn’t inflammatory, harmful or cause dependency. It’s just a really gentle but effective way to relieve the bowel.

2/ Reduce Toxic Load

For anyone that is going through any detoxification or cleansing protocols, a Colonic is a great way to support the body’s main elimination system and help to reduce any “detox reactions/symptoms” like fatigue, body aches/pains, headaches, nausea and brain fog. These can occur when you force the body to detox, but the toxins then aren’t being expelled from the body quick enough and are left to circulate through the body for longer than they should.

3/ As a “Reset” for the Digestive System

A Colonic is a great way to gently clear out and reset the gut, providing a great foundation for us to work from and build off. Especially if there has been a long history of poor diet and lifestyle. It’s like getting rid of all the old furniture in a house first, before you start renovating and adding new things. It makes the job much easier when you can start fresh with a clean state

BOOK ME IN

Need some help getting your digestive system into healthy working condition? Book in for a Colonic and let one of passionate practitioners help bring back some balance back into your body.

pHClinic Team

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