Colonic Hydrotherapy

by Dr. Enid Taylor ND MCMA

What does Colonic Hydrotherapy actually do?
Colonic hydrotherapy has been around for centuries; there is evidence of its use in Egyptian times and in other historical sources as old as 1500BC.  There must be something in it for it to have lasted this long!
The basic aim of the treatment is to infuse the lower bowel with warm, filtered water at a gentle rate to fill as far around the colon as possible.  The reasons for doing this can vary.  Firstly and most importantly, it rehydrates the colon (which absorbs water back into the bloodstream) and thence the whole body.  People often find a need to empty their bladder either during treatment (on an open system) or immediately following (on a closed system), as this pure water has entered their bloodstream and filtered back through their kidneys beautifully.

Secondly, people experiencing constipation can find it a real help to have their colons rehydrated.  This does not mean that colonic hydrotherapists can claim to cure constipation.  Colonic therapists can only advise that infusing the bowel with warm, filtered water, can make it extremely easy to expel backed up waste matter and bring about relief from a pressing problem!

Thirdly, a patient preparing for colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy (medical exploration of the bowel with a camera on the end of a flexible probe) can find it a much more gentle and comfortable way to purge and cleanse the bowel rather than taking violently purgative chemical medicines (e.g. Fleet) to cleanse the area.

The effects of colonic treatment can depend on which method you are using, closed (e.g.Dotolo) or open (e.g. Angel of Water). The closed system offers the chance to relax and be tended to in a gentler way;  the fill rate can be slower and the emphasis is on the process, not the outcome.  This method is very relaxing and restorative.  The open system, by contrast, is a much more dynamic process although it still offers a valuable therapeutic experience.

Both systems leave the client feeling psychologically cleansed and most people report feeling lighter, refreshed, with a flatter stomach and a spring in their step.

The basic tenet of natural healthcare is that the body has an innate drive towards healing itself; given the right nutrients, removal of toxins and suitable environmental support, the body will start to heal.  With colonics, the aim is to provide precious hydration.  This, in turn, will help the body to expel unwanted and old toxic waste material which in itself will allow healing processes to take place. 
Whatever you expect from colonic hydrotherapy, you can be sure that your body will thank you for it.  Most therapists will advise a course of several treatments in a fairly short period of time and then a maintenance schedule to make colonic hydrotherapy one of your regular body-housekeeping activities, a very good habit to adopt.

For further reading on the topic, try: 

• Health Begins in the Colon – Dr. Edward F. Group III
• Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Better Bowel Care – Dr. Bernard Jensen

Dr Enid Taylor began her complementary health qualifications with a diploma in aromatherapy from Aromatherapy Associates in 1993 and followed that with an Honours Degree in Psychology from City University, London, in 1997. She qualified as a Doctor of Naturopathy in 2002 and has since gained qualifications in several other disciplines including colonic hydrotherapy, thermo-auricular therapy and clinical hypnosis. 

Together with her husband, Glenn, also a qualified colonic hydrotherapist, she founded and runs the Taymount Lifestyle Clinic (TLC) and Taymount Therapist Training School in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. TLC offers detox weekends, colonic hydrotherapy, live blood microscopy and various other naturopathic and complementary therapies.  

Enid recently designed and wrote the Natural Juice Therapy Course for Jason Vale, the Juice Master 

Taymount Lifestyle Clinic (TLC) 01462 817590