Enemas for detox support!
Enemas are something that Doctor Natasha Campbell-McBride (founder of Gut and Psychology/Physiology Syndrome/GAPS) highly recommends when healing the gut. Enemas are most commonly know for constipation relief, but they can also be used when constipation is not present, to clear the bowel and aid the liver. Constipation is considered to be anything over 36 hours without a stool. The stool is a very vital route for toxins to exit the body, so if the stool is not happening, then toxins are staying in the colon and being reabsorbed. For an already health compromised person, this overload of toxins is not at all ideal. Enemas are particularly important when following the GAPS introduction diet, as it is low in fibre and can exacerbate constipation for someone who is prone to this. In this case, Full GAPS is recommended until the constipation clears up. Regular enemas keep the colon clear, remove compaction and build up in the colon, and can provide many benefits both instantly, and over the long term. Coffee enemas are strongly recommended by Dr NCM in adults, as they seem to have the most benefit when it comes to supporting the detox pathway. Below is an explanation from Dr NCM’s website (www.gaps.me), which explains the process and recipe for water enemas and coffee enemas. Most people start with water and salt only, then water with salt and bicarb, then move on to trying the coffee. An enema kit can be purchased here from GAPS Australia, and the booklet that comes with the kit explains the process in detail. The also sell coffee that is suitable for enema use. In the description below Dr NCM states that the whole process takes about 2 hours, I found that once I got more use to doing them, I could have it all over and done with within an hour.
Coffee Enema Protocol- Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride
For adults I recommend using coffee enemas. If a water enema is used by an adult as a constipation relief, I recommend finishing it with the coffee. I do not recommend coffee enemas for children.
Coffee enemas have been used as a healing remedy for the last 100 years; they are particularly well known as part of the treatment of cancer with Gerson Protocol. Coffee enemas are considered to be one of the best ways of cleansing the liver and speeding up detoxification processes in the body. Many people report that coffee enema gives a good pain relief as well. The mechanism of its function is not clear, but it is thought that various substances in the coffee absorb through the rich capillary bed of the rectum into the portal veins, which lead directly to the liver.
In the Gerson Protocol people perform four coffee enemas every day. A GAPS person does not have to do that; I recommend doing a coffee enema whenever there is a need, which can be once a day, once in a few days or once in a while. Here is what my patients report after using coffee enemas: migraine headaches disappear; feel better, more clear-headed and more energetic; nausea goes away or greatly reduced; pain relief (anywhere in the body); better mood; acne clears up; other skin problems clear up; less reflux; better sleep; feel 'less toxic'. Once a person has experienced the coffee enema, they usually know when they need another one.
In order for the coffee enema to have a full effect one has to hold the coffee in the bowel for about 15 minutes. In the Gerson Protocol people do four coffee enemas per day, so their bowels are kept fairly empty all the time. For a person who does enemas occasionally, holding coffee in for 15 minutes can be very difficult or impossible because the bowel is full. That is why I recommend clearing the bowel out first with water enemas before getting the coffee in. Another reason is that in a GAPS person with faecal compaction or putrefaction in the bowel, trying to hold coffee in would stir up the toxins and allow them to absorb, which can give very unpleasant symptoms.
Coffee enema recipe
To prepare coffee for the enema bring to the boil 1 litre of water, add 3 heaped tablespoons of organic ground coffee, boil for 2 min, then reduce the heat to a minimum, cover with a tight lid and simmer for another 15 min. Cool down to body temperature and strain. There is a brand of coffee on the market used by the Gerson group specifically for enemas.
Coffee enema procedure
Before doing the coffee enema, it is a good idea to have a good cleansing enema with warm water. Use filtered or bottled water, bring it up to the boil and cool down to body temperature. I recommend dissolving some natural salt and bicarbonate of soda in the water (about 1/2 teaspoon of each per one litre of water). The salt will bring the mineral content of the water to a more natural balance for the human body. The bicarbonate of soda will provide alkaline pH, which is natural for the bowel and can help to bring yeast overgrowth down.
Lie down on the right side with knees brought up to the tummy, or assume a knee and elbow position (so the exit of the bowel is higher than other parts of the bowel, allowing the water to flow in). Let 1-1.5 litres of water into the bowel, take the nozzle out, gently massage the abdomen for a few seconds and then empty the bowel. This procedure should be repeated 2-4 times until the water starts coming out looking fairly clean which indicates that the bowel is empty. After that lie down on the back for a few minutes and relax. This will allow the remaining faecal masses (further up in the bowel) to move along the bowel to be expelled (a so-called 'ileal flush'). When the bowel is empty, slowly get the coffee in. It is desirable to keep the coffee inside for 15 min before expelling it to allow the coffee to absorb into the portal system. To hold the coffee for that long I recommend keeping the pipe in the rectum (after the coffee has gone in) to allow gases to escape: accumulating gas stretches the bowel and causes an urge to empty too quickly. Changing position also helps to keep the coffee in longer. So, when there is an urge to empty, turn onto another side, or onto the back or assume a knee and elbow position. The whole procedure takes about two hours, so allocate plenty of time for it and have a good book to read.