Colon Hydrotherapy is much like an enema, the difference being a colonic can actually clean the entire large intestine. An enema is generally for cleaning only the descending colon, which is only approximately a third of the colon. An enema can give some relief but a colonic is noticeably more effective.

Not only is colon hydrotherapy used for cleaning of the colon, but also toning the colon to improve peristalsis. This toning helps reshape the colon that may be distorted.

A colonic session uses anywhere from 25 to 35 gallons of water. This water is slowly entered into the colon in a session lasting up to 45 minutes.

The colon size is approximately one gallon in volume. This of course can vary depending on the size and condition of your colon.

To begin a colonic session you will enter a private room with your therapist. She will then explain the treatment and answer any questions. You'll be asked to empty your bladder before the session begins. The therapist will show you the new plastic disposable speculum kit in its sealed bag to ensure you it has never been used. As you lie comfortably, your colonic will commence.

Have you ever heard of the expression "One train in, one train out"? If you eat one meal a day, shouldn't you eliminate once a day? So if you eat two or three times a day, you should have two or three bowl movements. Well, of course, it's only common sense. Not only will you feel bad in general, imagine what's going on inside your body. It is well known that transit time of fecal matter in the colon is very important to help maintain good health.

What happens with prolonged periods of time without a regular bowel movement? The colon supports the disintegration of amino acids by certain intestinal bacteria. The problem created is that the bacterial decomposition creates very toxic substances. Unfortunately, the substances are not only in the colon, but going into the bloodstream next to the liver and on.

These toxics also make it move difficult for the immune system to remain strong. The average American stores from 6 to 10 pounds of toxic fecal waste in their colon. Now how could that be healthy? Colon cancer is the second leading killer in the U.S. Toxic substances are found in chemicals, air, water, stimulates, sedatives, additives, refined sugars, and processed foods. It is nearly impossible in our modern society to avoid these toxins in our day to day lives.

Some people do not have any noticeable bowel trouble, but are afraid of the many diseases of the colon. Others may feel that their diet may be somewhat poor, and they just want to keep their colon clean.

When the colon is irritated by diet, stress, drugs, chemicals, and other substance, it tries to protect itself by producing more mucus. This additional mucus can bind with the sludge from refined foods and leave behind accumulated residue on the colon, even if one is having regular bowel movements.

Reasons:

• Sluggish Bowel
• Skin Conditions
• Irritability
• Bloated Abdomen
• Hemorrhoids
• Parasites
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Diarrhea
• Sluggishness
• Physician Recommended
• Inability To Lose Weight
• Colitis
• Candida
• Not Feeling Well
• Lower Back Pain
• Poor Attention Span
• Constipation

Due to the poor quality of foods, pesticides, hormones, preservatives, as well as, the digestive system is overburdened in many cases unable to process and eliminate. Colonics aid in not only removing waste, but ridding of toxins, parasites.

Colon Hydrotherapy has been shown to be useful for the following indications:
When medically indicated, Colon Hydrotherapy provides a safe and simple means of irrigating the colon, such as before radiological or endoscopic examination.

• Constipation
• Crohn's Disease (Inactive State)
• Acute Fecal Impaction
• Colitis
• Mucous Colitis
• Diarrhea
• Diverticulosis (Inactive State)
• Fever Therapy
• Atonic Colon
• Hyper / Hypothermia
• Abdominal Distention / Flatulence
• Intestinal Toxemia
• Parasitic Infection
• Preparation for Barium Enema
• Preparation for Colon Exam
• Colonoscopy
• Sigmoidoscopy
• Surgery
• Hemorrhoids
• Nutrient Supplementation via rectum (by prescription)
• PREVENTION!

Contraindications for Colon Hydrotherapy include but may not be limited to: OR by Prescription

• Diverticulitis (Active State)
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Crohn's Disease (Active State)
• Pregnancy (First and Last Trimester)
• Severe Hemorrhoids
• Fissures or Fistula
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Intestinal perforation
• Abdominal hernia
• Renal insufficiency
• Recent colon or rectal surgery
• Cirrhosis

While most people don't examine their stool after having a bowel movement, it may be one of the most important things that you can do for your digestive health. The color of your stool can tell you all sorts of things about the health of your digestive system-ranging from what you ate the previous night to having dangerous bleeding in your colon.

Let's take a look at all the different colors starting with...

Black, Maroon and Tarry Stools
Black, tarry and foul-smelling stools may be referred to as "Melena" by your doctor. The color may be because of blood in the stool. This could indicate an injury or disorder to your digestive tract. If the amount of blood is enough to actually change the appearance of your stool, your doctor may ask the exact color. This will determine the origin point of the blood. To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor may perform an endoscopy or special x-ray. If the amount of blood is enough to actually change the appearance of your stool, your doctor may ask the exact color. This will determine the origin point of the blood. To make an accurate diagnosis the doctor may perform an endoscopy or special x-ray. Black bowel movements generally mean the blood is coming from the upper section of the GI Tract. That means the esophagus, stomach or first section of the small intestine. The tar-like consistency in the stool means the blood has been exposed to digestive juices. Stomach ulcers caused by ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin are also common causes of upper GI bleeding. Other causes may include:

• Esophageal variances (e.g. heavy consumption of alcohol for long periods)
• Mallory-Weiss tear (a tear in the esophagus from violent vomiting)
• Bleeding stomach or duodenal ulcer
• Gastritis
• Trauma or foreign body
• Bowel ischemia (a lack of proper blood flow to the intestines)
• Vascular malformation

Certain foods and medicines can also contribute to a black or tarry-stool color. Black licorice, iron, lead, bismuth medicines (Pepto-Bismol) and blueberries can contribute to black stool color. Your doctor can test the stool for the presence of blood in this case.

Red or Maroon-Colored Stool
Red or maroon-colored stools can also mean the presence of blood in your stools; in the medical field this condition is called hematochezi. The difference between this color and the black or tarry color is the location of the bleeding. A red or maroon colored stool usually indicates a fresher blood and therefore lower G.I. bleeding.

If you think you are experiencing blood in your stool, it is important to consult your physician. One of the first things your physician will do is to try and determine from where the bleeding is coming. This can usually be determined by taking a history on the patient and examining the shade of red of the blood. Maroon - may indicate bleeding from:

• Diverticulitis
• Vascular malformation
• Intestinal infection
• IBS
• Tumor
• Polyps
• Colon Cancer
• Bleeding Ulcer
• Gastritis
• Esophageal variances (e.g. heavy consumption of alcohol for long periods)
• A tear in the esophagus

Bright Red - may indicate bleeding from:

• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• All the causes of dark red/black stool

Not all red-colored stools are caused by bleeding as some foods can have the same effect. If you've recently consumed red-colored gelatin, popsicles, Kool-Aid, tomato juice, soup and/or beets, you may experience red stool.


Prevention and Treatment of Bloody Stools
Here are some do's and don'ts to help prevent the causes of all types of blood in your stool:

• Increase your daily fiber intake. The ADA recommends 25-30 grams a day. This helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulosis, IBS and even colon cancer.
• Avoid excessive use of anti-inflammatory drugs for long periods of time. (e.g., aspirin, Ibuprofen) They irritate the stomach and cause ulcers. Do not drink excessive amounts of alcohol. It irritates the lining of the stomach and esophagus.
• Quit smoking. Peptic ulcers and cancer of the GI tract are linked to smoking. Reduce stress. It's been linked to peptic-ulcer disease.
• Consider Herbal Colon Cleansing or Colonic Irrigation.

Never Hesitate
Never hesitate to call your health care practitioner, if you find blood in your stool. A proper diagnosis needs to be made. Do this even if you think hemorrhoids or anal fissures are causing the blood.
In children a small amount of blood in the stool usually is linked to constipation, milk and dairy allergies. However, it is still a reason to call your child's doctor, even if he or she does not recommend a full diagnosis at the time. The earlier colon cancer is detected, the greater the likelihood of successful treatment. The American Caner Society recommends the following tests for adults over 50 for early and pre-cancer screening tests.
Fecal occult blood testing every year.
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy or barium enema every five years.
Colonoscopy every 10 years.
If you have a family history of colon cancer, screening should be started earlier and done more often. Be sure to discuss family history with your doctor.


Orange Stool
If your stool shows orange coloring, it can usually be attributed to foods or medications that you may be taking. Certain medications with beta-carotene (such as a form of vitamin A) can cause orange coloring of your stool. Antacids which contain aluminum hydroxide can also cause orange stool.
Foods that are high in beta-carotene can have the same orange effect on your stool. These include; carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, collard greens, cilantro and fresh thyme. Lastly any foods that have yellow or orange artificial colorings can also cause orange-colored stool. If you can't attribute your orange stool with anything you ingested, then it may be caused by a lack of exposure to bile salt. Stool starts out as green then turns a yellow/orange in color before being exposed to bile and bacteria which turns the stool brown.
Low exposure to bile salt can be caused by a couple different factors. First, your transit time is so fast that your stool is being pushed through your digestive system too quickly. This quick movement of stool reduces the exposure to bile salt resulting in orange stool. Second, your liver may not be producing enough bile salt or you bile glands may be obstructed.
If you are experiencing orange-colored stool that can't be attributed to food or medications you are taking, then you should consult your physician.


Yellow Stool is rare
A pale or yellow-colored stool is rare and can be caused by a few different malfunctions of the digestive system.
The first is known as Gilbert's Syndrome, which mainly affects males in their teens. If you suffer from this syndrome, it means your liver doesn't process as many red blood cells. Broken down red bloods cells gives stool a lot of its color. When fewer cells are processed, the stool can appear a pale brown or yellow color. This is not a serious illness and doesn't harm the individual.
Another more serious illness is a parasite infection known as giardia. These are Protozoan parasites which invade the intestines, and the result is a severe yellow diarrhea. This type of parasitic infection is dangerous and contagious. You should notify your doctor immediately, if you think you are infected.
Lastly, if you suffer from malabsorption, your stool may appear to be yellow in color. When your body doesn't properly absorb fats from the food you eat, it passes through your colon into your stool. The excess fat can give the yellow coloring to your stool.
Whenever your stool is yellow in color, consult physician for proper diagnosis.

Green Stool
Like an orange stool, a green stool can usually be attributed to something you have ingested.
The most obvious is green foods that you have eaten, such as green leafy vegetables, or foods with a lot of dark purple or green food coloring like Kool-Aid or gelatin. Lastly, it can also be caused by any vitamins you are taking that contain chlorophyll. These may not appear green, but the chlorophyll in them will turn stool a green color.
Food and medicine are not the only reasons for green stool; a fast transit time can cause a stool to turn green. If your stool is passing too rapidly through your large intestine, it does not allow bile to break it down. Before being broken down by bile stool is green; bile turns the stool brown. When stool passes too quickly, bile is not allowed to break it down and it will appear green. If this continues for long periods of time or is combined with diarrhea, consult your doctor.


Clay Stool
A stool that appears clay in color is often seen in cases of malabsorption, hepatitis, or gallbladder disorders.
Hepatitis and gallbladder disorders often interrupt the flow of bile out of the liver. This disruption will cause the clay color of the stool. Malabsorption also disrupts the output of bile by increasing the amount of undigested fat in the stool.
Bile is responsible for breaking down stool and making it brown in color. When the production is lowered the stool will appear clay in color. If this is experienced for a long period of time or is accompanied with a foul smell or greasy stools, a doctor should be consulted.

Paying attention to how and what you eliminate will not only improve your quality of life, but it may save your life. Your digestive habits will tell you how efficiently your body is working, and how well you feel. Feeling great again can be as simple as making some lifestyle changes such as daily exercise, increasing fiber and doing a regular cleanse.

Remember anytime your bowel habits are disrupted for long periods of time or you suspect blood in your stool, consult your physician. It could be the most important call you'll ever make.