Simply, it seems to improve your health. Most people feel markedly better with regular colon cleansing as a part of their lives. However, there is a great deal of debate about the colon cleanse. What follows are three theories as to why so many people find that they feel better, and even seem to heal faster, as a result of taking regular enemas or having colon hydrotherapy.

1. Regular colon cleansing reduces the disease-causing microbial load.

When a colon is in a state of dysbiosis -- the condition of having microbial imbalances or parasites -- regular colon cleansing can dramatically improve the situation. As I see in my work with gastrointestinal health panels, parasites are all too common. Blastocystis hominis, Cryptosporidium, and Clostridium difficile ruin people's lives. The colon cleanse assists the body to eliminate these and other microbes and their waste products. To determine if your body is struggling with a parasitic overload, use a gastrointestinal health panel.

 
 
We are constantly assaulted by toxic substances in our environments. Disinfectants to deodorizers, fragrances to fossil fuels, and pesticides to paints are all full of harmful chemicals. Our bodies have evolved with a very sophisticated detoxification system, but over the years all of us are dramatically affected by this onslaught of toxins. Well-placed enemas and colonics may play a crucial role in good health because when we cleanse the colon (which is a key player in our detoxification system), the load of toxins imposed upon the body is diminished. When toxins penetrate the colon wall, they are carried into our bloodstream and lymph system, increasing our body's vulnerability to different diseases. With fewer toxins to purge, the body as a whole is under less stress and can devote more of its energy to healing and maintaining health.

 
 
When the volume of the colon is regularly reduced with a colon cleanse, the overall pressure within the pelvic area is reduced. Just think about how your stomach feels when you have eaten more than you should have. If you've ever had a gut full of stool (and most of us have) you know that the effect is anything but pleasant. What a relief it can be to decrease the fullness of one's abdomen. The benefits of emptying one's colon go beyond an increased sense of lightness and well-being. Taking pressure off neighboring organs and enhancing blood flow to the entire abdominal/pelvic region reduces strain to the hip joints and the lumbar spine.


 
Colon cancer is the second most common type of cancer in the United States. Many scientific studies have shown that there is an increased risk of colon cancer in people who are chronically constipated. The connection between bowel disease and constipation seems to be related to the fact that constipation dramatically reduces what is called the bowel transit time, or the time that it takes food to go from the mouth, through the digestive system, and out as stool (a "bowel movement").

On one side of the professional spectrum there is the guidance of the National Institute of Health, which reports that the "normal" range of bowel movements in a week ranges from 3 to 21. Among most natural health practitioners, it is felt that the optimal bowel transit time is between 8 and 18 hours.

Like all mucous membranes, the interior surface of the colon is absorptive. Stool can contain many carcinogenic materials that when remain in contact with the colon wall promote cancer of the colon. A regular colon cleanse can limit the amount of time cancer-causing stool is in contact with the colon wall.
 
It's not surprising that laxatives and stool softeners have become a multi-billion-dollar industry. We live fast-paced, stressful lives and it's easy to promote and capitalize on the convenience of taking pills rather than doing an enema or having a colonic. However, laxatives act on the central nervous system as well as the colonic musculature and can easily create a biochemical imbalance in the body. Overuse of some laxatives has caused damage to the nerves, muscles, and tissues of the small intestines and colon. In contrast, regular enemas or colonics gently and effectively cleanse the colon.
 
 
My grandmother knew the most economical way to do just about everything. Like many who lived and thrived through the depression, she never spent a dime she didn't need to. She wasn't much for medicine: "A big waste of money!" she'd say. But grandma always had an enema bag in her bathroom closet and if she wasn't "feeling up to snuff," you know that bag got some use.  I think, for Grandma, the fact that she could give enemas to herself and not spend another dime was as appealing to her as the therapeutic effects.


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