Integrative Health Blog

Colonics May Provide Relief for Constipation

Posted by admin on Mon, Nov 29, 2010

Updated March 2024

Why am I constipated?

Like everything else related to your body, your constipation is a very individual thing.  In general, you become constipated because your diet does not provide enough fiber since you are not eating enough fresh green, leafy vegetables and fruit; your diet consists of highly processed, sugary, fast foods; you are not drinking enough water (juice, coffee, teas and other liquids don’t count) to keep your colon well hydrated; you do not exercise enough; you are stressed; you are holding onto toxic, negative  emotions (anger, resentment, etc.); you are taking  a prescription drug that is causing your constipation;  or any combination of these situations,  In a nutshell, there is something about your life and your lifestyle that has you “all blocked up.”

Some symptoms of constipation include:

  • hard, compacted stools
  • straining during bowel movements
  • stomach aches that are relieved by bowel movements
  • leaks of wet, diarrhea-like stools
  • abdominal bloating
  • smelly gas
  • sour breath
  • back pain
  • headaches
  • swollen, achy  joints

Here’s the good news!   With lifestyle changes and your diligent efforts to cleanse and repair your colon, improved bowel function is possible.   What is considered normal bowel function?   Simply stated, one meal in and one meal out.  That’s the way your body was created to perform. 

If your doctor tells you it’s okay to have one bowel movement every few days or even once a week, change doctors!  Let’s just think about it, if you are eating three meals per day (or whatever number) and are only having one bowel movement every few days, where is the extra food your body can’t use and isn’t releasing going?   I’ll give you a hint.  Your colon is between 3.5 to 5 or 6 feet long and is your body’s waste management system.  Long story short, that old food is caking up your colon and making it a perfect breeding ground for harmful parasites and other bad, harmful bacteria.  This unhealthy condition slows down your body’s ability to move waste through and absorb nutrients from the food we eat.   This becomes a big problem because once the colon is blocked up to capacity this toxic waste flows out into other parts of your body.   Is it reasonable to assume a blocked, unhealthy colon  (your body’s trash can) causes your liver, kidneys, skin as well as all your other organs to work overtime?   A clean, well functioning colon is imperative to optimal health and wellbeing. 

How can I get my colon functioning properly? 

I’m glad you asked.  You should get busy cleansing and repairing your colon.  You can clean your colon with colonics and you can repair your colon with probiotics. 

What are Colonics, or Colon Hydrotherapy?

Colonics or colon hydrotherapy provides quick, gentle relief from constipation.  During a session, purified warm water is gently infused into the colon to loosen old, impacted fecal matter from your body.   If you are constipated, the infusion of warm water into the colon softens the fecal matter and this helps the body release it without straining and possibly causing hemorrhoids or other internal damage.  Unlike laxatives that can sometimes become habit forming and even damage the intestinal lining, the natural, gentle flow of warm water through colon hydrotherapy aids the body’s cleansing process and helps the colon regain peristalsis, the wavelike motion of muscles in the colon that moves toxic wastes out your body. Colon hydrotherapy also hydrates the colon and we can all use additional internal hydration.  As you are cleansing your colon, you need to begin to repair it with probiotics.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are the good, friendly bacteria.  According to Mairi R. Ross, B.A. in the Summer 2005 issue of  Health Matters , “probiotics are technically defined as a supplement of ingested live microorganisms that has a beneficial effect in the human body.”  They fight the bad bacteria; promote good digestion, absorption and elimination; and protect the mucosal lining of the colon. You must place the good bacteria into your colon on a daily basis.  After all, probiotics have the difficult, important job of fighting the bad bacteria and protecting your colon.

Please call 202-237-7000 if you wish to schedule an appointment with experienced colon hydrotherapists.

Topics: colon hydrotherapy, probiotics