REAR-END REVIEW Does colonic hydrotherapy really work?
By Sunly Coo, Contributing Writer
Ben Affleck, Andie Macdowell, Janet Jackson, Cindy Crawford, Alicia Silverstone, Liv Tyler, and Jennifer Aniston. These are just some of the celebrities who are reported to have undergone colonics or colon cleansing through the "backdoor." Even Princess Diana was an advocate of what has now become the latest health trend hitting Tinseltown. And MEDICAL OBSERVER is getting to the bottom of it. Closer to home, a medical spa in White Plains, Quezon City is giving Filipinos the chance to experience the purgative benefits of one of the more popular types of colonic irrigation-colonic hydrotherapy. Says Dr. Edwin Arellano Bien, family doctor and medical director of Amezcua Wellness Centre: "It's a physical cleansing of the large intestine by introducing a solution through the rectum." Colonic hydrotherapy is part of the spa's extensive menu of services that offers what they call "integrative medicine," a recently adopted and more politically correct term for "alternative medicine." He explains the idea behind this unconventional approach to treatment: "Although hospitals are doing their best to help patients with their illnesses, marami pa ding mga chronic-that's the keyword-and degenerative illnesses na palliative lang ang treatment. Since there are patients clamoring for other treatments, kesa lumabas pa sila ng Pilipinas, we bring the technology here." Along with the spa's other services like iris analysis and homeopathic therapies, colonic hydrotherapy may sound strange, unorthodox, and even unscientific. But the basic technology behind the procedure is not exactly new, and its roots are actually found in modern medicine. "Colonic hydrotherapy or colonics has been in existence for more than 30 years in the western world as part of the cleansing process," Bien says. "Initially, we do the cleaning before surgery, before patients undergo colonoscopy and even other procedures such as X-ray or before giving birth, because we're afraid the feces might dirty up our surgical field. It's just that later they found out na may mga benefits ito kahit na wala itong kasunod na procedure, like maybe once a month or once every quarter." Even so, mainstream doctors, like gastroenterologist Luis Abola, are raising a skeptical brow. "Some people say that your colon is a sewer and you have to clean it up. They even think you have to move everyday. Actually, the definition of constipation is if you do not move at least three times a week," he says. "We also have yet to see any evidence that it is effective, and at what, preventing colon cancer? What specific outcome are you preventing?" For Bien, the principle behind colonic hydrotherapy boils down to one thing: the removal of toxins, which can cause or contribute to a host of chronic ailments. "The large intestine is about five feet long. A person with normal bowel movement goes to the bathroom at least once or twice a day, and at most he moves only six inches long. If our large intestine is five feet long, it means we have about four-plus-feet long of feces inside that gets hard and compacted eventually, lalo na sa mga taong may constipation." The waste matter-a toxic stew of food, drugs, pesticides, and other ingested matter that remain in the large intestine-gradually builds up into mucoid plaque. The tough substance is removed through colonic hydrotherapy. "What we don't realize is we should be like babies," he goes on. "We should go to the bathroom more frequently than two or three times a day." Eliminating the mucoid plaque also allows individuals to maximize the nutrients they get from the food they eat. "Although the absorption happens in the small intestine, some of the vitamins are absorbed in the large intestine," he explains. "Water or fluid is also being controlled in the large intestine. Yung mga taong mataas ang cholesterol or uric acid will also benefit from colonics, kasi magkakaroon ng better fluid control." And a simple saline fluid, containing trace elements found in mineral water, is the core agent in colonic hydrotherapy. The solution is injected through the rectum using a disposable clear plastic tube connected to a machine that regulates fluid pressure. "It's very convenient, and it's very hygienic," Bien assures. The 45-minute procedure entails a series of pumping in approximately half a liter of water or until the patient feels comfortably full, then massaging the abdomen for a couple of minutes to relax the strictures in the intestinal muscles, before reversing the pressure to suck out the solution and dislodge the compacted feces. The patient rests for awhile before the cycle is repeated. The entire process consists of eight to ten cycles. "In the first, it will only reach the sigmoid area, the second or the third the descending colon, maybe the fourth and the fifth will reach the transverse colon, and the sixth to the eight will reach the ascending colon. Remember, the intestine is five feet long," he stresses. At the end of the session, the proof for colonic hydrotherapy is found in a half or completely filled bucket of blackish excrement. "Those compacted feces are about several months old," Bien notes. "You can see the contour of the large intestine, the haustration, that normal indentation on the feces. The patients are very happy. We see a lot of undigested food, even junk food which are really indigestible." Clients are also in for a pleasant side effect. "They immediately lose about one to two inches from their belly after the procedure, yung flattening na normally nakikita sa liposuction. Colonics are for patients who desire to have better weight control. It is not a way to lose weight, but it is definitely a way to lose all the excess poundage na nandun sa large intestine mo." He recommends patients undergo colonics once a week for four sessions, before making it a monthly or bimonthly habit, depending on the individual's needs. "It's not very different from the practice before na enema that Filipinos and Chinese use to relieve pain and fever the traditional way," he says. "The difference is, with enema, the patient has to run to the bathroom, and the flow of fluid is only aided by gravity. Here, we're just using a higher technology." A technology that costs PhP2,900 per session. With a price tag that's certainly nothing to sneeze at, wouldn't Filipinos get the same for less by going natural-eating more fiber? Bien agrees, but he thinks that despite the growing awareness of fiber as a digestive aid, Filipinos generally still prefer meat over vegetables. "Even the vegetables served in restaurants, they are usually overcooked and very little nutrients and fibers remain. When it comes to supplements naman, Filipinos just choose a multivitamin and extra vitamin C or E, and last into consideration ang mga fiber supplements na limited din ang kakayahan. They will improve the cleansing and sweeping process of the large intestine, but it is not actually a laxative. So if you're constipated, it might not encourage your large intestine to move," he elaborates. Not everyone though can undergo colonic hydrotherapy. While the tube is changed and the equipment cleaned after every use, Bien says they cannot work on clients who have hepatitis and other communicable diseases. The procedure is also not for pregnant women, those who had surgery less than two or three months before the procedure, and those suffering from bleeding ulcer or hemorrhoid. Having all the accumulated wastes and toxins flushed out of our large intestine does sound wonderful, but Abola puts forth an intriguing theory against it: "There are some foods, especially some parts of vegetables and beans, that are not digestible, and they are only broken up by the flora in our colons. Cleansing may remove them and even promote the growth of more dangerous bacteria." "Colonics is a physical removal, not chemical; therefore it does not wash away the good bacteria," Bien counters. "But to protect the client anyway, we advise them to take supplements like acidophilus or to take Yakult after the colonics. The friendly bacteria can be killed in many ways, not just by colonics or enema, but by taking coffee, soft drinks, or more meat, which promote the growth of bad bacteria that overpopulate and kill the food supply of the good bacteria. That's why we also give the client a list of diet [instructions] and tell them to refrain from taking a lot of coffee and soft drinks." Aware that colonics may be perceived as a substitute for conventional treatments and, therefore, a threat to medical practitioners, Bien reiterates that the procedure is "complementary" to regular medicine. He cites the case of a cancer patient who has undergone surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy: "He has no appetite and has difficulty in bowel movement, because the chemicals and procedures have constricted the bowels. A lot of doctors prescribe laxative, but this will weaken the patient even more, and it will flush out the good bacteria. With colonics, the toxins are removed through the solution and massaging. This is not for everyone. This is not a cure. But it complements the treatment of patients." M
Literally. It's called coffee enema, where the substance is introduced to the colon via the rectum. What's the point, you ask? Dr. Bien says that instead of cleaning the colon, as many people might guess, its goal is to stimulate the liver to secrete bile, detoxifying the organ in the process.
Dr. Max Gerson, who pioneered the procedure, details the steps for making the perfect coffee enema: Boil three tablespoons of regular ground coffee in a quart of distilled water for three minutes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool to body temperature before filtering and introducing to the colon. Leave it for 12 to 15 minutes, then discharge.
Proponents believe that the enema's serum-toxin-lowering capability can benefit patients with chronic illnesses, even those in their postsurgical colorectal-cancer treatment. How does it work? The two major components of coffee-theophylline and theobromine-dilate the bile ducts, triggering the release of liver enzymes that breakdown toxins and carcinogens. At the same time, both chemicals mitigate gut inflammation. The palmitates in the coffee also activate glutathione S-transferase and other ligands that remove free radicals from the blood. Since all the blood coursing through the body goes through the liver every three minutes, the 15-minute enema acts as a kind of blood dialysis across the gut wall. Lastly, the peristalsis generated by the flow of fluids help the diluted toxic bile migrate from the duodenum to the rectum. Followers claim that patients tolerate coffee enemas well, even as frequently as every four hours. They also say that taking coffee orally wouldn't achieve the same effect, but would encourage the reabsorption of toxic bile instead. The enema is meant to be applied in conjunction with Gerson's low-sodium, high-potassium diet regimen of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to enhance cell respiration and energy reproduction. The bottomline? Combined with the diet, it helps the patient experience "relief from depression, confusion, general nervous tension, many allergy-related symptoms and, most importantly, severe pain."
Critics say there aren't enough evidence that back up the detoxifying properties of coffee enema. On the contrary, it can be detrimental, aside from the obvious physical dangers that go with the procedure-anal tearing, infection, and internal burning. Undergoing the enema extensively can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and possibly caffeine addiction. Subjecting the colon frequently to such external stimulation may even decrease one's bowel function and create watery stool. Finally, this procedure should be avoided by pregnant women and those who are sensitive to coffee. M |
