Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in Personal Wealth, The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on July 18 - 24, 2016.

 

Colon cleansing is commonly used by hospitals to prepare patients for procedures such as a colonoscopy. But it is now increasingly used to rid the body of toxins that have accumulated over the years. 

Michael Wong, a certified colon hydrotherapist at Pure Detox centre, says a lot of problems start in the colon such as high blood pressure, gout and diabetes. Over time, the colon can become congested with stagnant waste, which then forms a crust on the colon lining, he explains. “Instead of absorbing excess water, the colon absorbs toxins from the crust, thus affecting all of the body’s tissues.” 

According to Wong, the practice of colon cleansing is getting more important as our bodies are no longer capable of removing all of the toxins due to factors such as environmental pollution, processed foods and daily stress. Thus, colon cleansing helps ease the body’s burden in removing toxins. 

Colon cleansing — the practice of introducing water into the colon through the rectum — was used as early as 1500 BC by the ancient Egyptians to relieve constipation. Wong says it can also help alleviate conditions such as bloating, sluggish bowel movement, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), low immune system, poor digestion and skin problems. 

Colon cleansing is offered by many health and wellness centres in the country in the form of colon enema and colon hydrotherapy. 

 

Colon enema and colon hydrotherapy 

A colon enema involves using a hose with a small nozzle to slowly infuse water into the colon through the rectum. Once the water has been inserted, the client will need to hold it in for as long as he can while massaging his stomach. It usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to soften up the colon. Afterwards, he can excrete the water and waste normally. The process allows the colon to absorb the water and softens the crust lining. Water also makes it easier to excrete toxins. 

Esther Peh, senior naturopath and nutritional therapist at Spectrum of Life (SOL) Integrative Wellness Centre, says practitioners take the weight of the client and multiply it by 30 to estimate the amount of water to be infused.

“The amount of water used depends on how healthy and strong the colon is. For example, if you weigh about 50kg, we multiply that by 30 and insert 1.5 litres of water into your colon. We also take into account whether you are an outdoorsy person or whether you have to be under the sun most of the time and sweat a lot. If this is the case, we add another 20% to 30% water content to the formula,” she says. 

Peh holds a doctorate in natural health and is a member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy, a Federal Nutrition Therapy Practitioner and a member of the Association of Nutritional Medicine Practitioners Malaysia.

She says different types of water can be infused for different benefits. “For example, if you are suffering from constipation, we normally use warm water infused with lemon because it is alkalising and helps soften up the stool. Since a colon enema gets rid of both good and bad bacteria, after a few sessions, we start using a yogurt enema (yogurt diluted with warm water) to replenish the microflora in the body.” 

There is also coffee enema where a coffee solution is inserted into the rectum to activate enzymes in the lining of the colon. In the 1920s, German scientists found that the caffeine solution could open bile ducts and stimulate the production of bile in the liver of animals that were being tested. 

Coffee enema was made popular by Dr Max Gerson, who pioneered his own nutritional therapy for cancer and other diseases by combining coffee enemas with a special diet, juices and other supplements. 

“The purpose of coffee enema is not to clear out the intestines but to stimulate peristalsis in the gut. It also dilutes the bile and increases bile flow, thereby flushing the toxic bile out of the intestines,” says Wong. 

For this procedure, one litre of coffee is boiled and simmered for 15 minutes before it is inserted into the rectum. Wong says clients need to cleanse their colon beforehand to ensure that they are able to retain the solution in their body. 

“If your colon is not cleansed and is not strong enough, you will only able to hold it in for one minute before discharging it. This is a waste of the coffee. It needs at least 12 minutes to work,” he adds.

Colon hydrotherapy, meanwhile, is the use of special machines designed to gently infuse water. Wong says the machine used at Pure Detox is a medical device that has been FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) approved and registered. It is also used at some hospitals to prepare patients for colonoscopy.

“Hydrotherapy often gets a bad reputation because some machines pump water into the colon. The colon is very flexible but it is able to expand. So, if you are not careful, it can puncture your colon. This machine, on the other hand, is very safe and we always inform our clients that they are able to control and even turn off the water. We highly respect the clients’ modesty so we do not monitor them upfront. But there is a bell which they can use at any time to have us come in and check on them,” says Wong.

He and his wife Lily Han are certified with the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation and the International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy. They are also registered members of the Malaysian Society for Complementary Medicine. At Pure Detox, Wong takes care of the male clients while Han takes care of the female clients. 

Since colon hydrotherapy is considered more intense than a colon enema, Peh advises those interested in cleansing their colon to start with a colon enema. “If your colon is not strong enough and you are not ready, please try the enema first. Once you are certain that you are ready, then you may move on to hydrotherapy,” she says.

The cleanliness and hygiene of the machine is very important when conducting this therapy. Wong says that after each use, the machine will be cleaned and disinfected with standard hospital cleaning equipment. He adds that there is no offensive odour during the process due to the extractor fan installed in each hydrotherapy room.

 

Before and after the cleanse 

Before any type of colon cleansing, clients will be assessed on whether they are able to undergo the enema or hydrotherapy. Practitioners review the clients’ case history and take note of the type of medications they are on as some of them can cause constipation. Those who are too weak or suffering from flu, cough or fever are advised not to undergo a colon cleanse. 

If the clients’ blood pressure is found to be too high, they may not be able to have a colon cleanse since the procedure may increase their blood pressure. “If their blood pressure is high, we ask them to see a doctor and also suggest ways to lower their blood pressure. Then, when they get better, they can come back to us,” says Wong.

Peh also asks her clients about the condition of their stool. She says it is very important to analyse their digestive patterns. “You are what you eat. Whatever you pass out is also who you are inside the body and determines how healthy you are. If your digestion is good, your stool will have a nice form and sometimes it floats. That is very good because it indicates that you have enough water and fibre. 

“If you see that your stool looks like it is sinking and is black-ish in colour, it means there are a lot of toxins inside and you tend to have quite a lot of undigested food as well. For those who do not have well-formed stool, they are normally either too high in fat or do not have enough enzymes to help them to digest well.”

Peh does “the corn test” for her clients to determine how well their digestion and bowel movements are. “You are not able to digest or absorb the outer layer of a single piece of corn. Therefore, you are able to see the corn when it comes out. Let’s say today, you take and tomorrow, it comes out — that is quite natural. If you see it the day after tomorrow, it means that you may have a ‘traffic jam’ in your digestive system. The longer it takes for you to see it, the worse the ‘traffic jam’ is,” she says. 

There are also some preparations that the practitioners recommend clients undertake before the colon cleanse. Wong says he asks clients to eat clean two days prior to the cleanse for better cleaning and to lessen any side effects. There are three particular foods they need to avoid before the procedure.

“The first is no dairy products because cow’s milk is not too good for human consumption as we cannot digest the enzymes. The second is red meat. It is still important to take protein, so they can have eggs, fish or chicken. They should add lots of fruits and vegetables too. That way, they will not have so much discomfort. The third is simple carbohydrates such as white rice and white bread,” he says.

Peh says there is a misconception that colon cleansing can be very harsh on the body. “If you do not know what to do afterwards, then it is harsh because you do not replenish [what has been lost]. What we do is provide clients with probiotics for them to nourish themselves. Once you nourish your body, it will work wonders. 

“You should already feel the results after the first or second session. You will feel very energetic, you carry out your tasks quicker and your focus is sharper.”

Another misconception, she says, is that colon enema is a weight loss programme. “It removes your toxins and waste, so you may lose some weight or feel lighter. But it does not burn your fat or cause you to lose muscles,” she points out. 

Peh says a colon enema at SOL costs RM120, but discounts are given for three sessions or more. Clients are advised to undergo five sessions to completely clean and detox the colon. Based on the client’s experience after the first session, the practitioner will determine how often the following sessions will be. Normally, clients are advised to undergo one session a week.

Meanwhile, for colon hydrotherapy, Pure Detox charges RM98 for the trial session. If clients are interested, they can take up the complete colon cleansing package priced at RM1,600 for five sessions. In addition to the hydrotherapy, clients get a coffee enema, infrared sauna sessions and organic food supplements.

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