22 Nov 2008
The average person carries around
7 to 25 pounds of fecal matter in their colon. When the colon becomes
constipated, generally it is packed or lined with accumulated feces that
become hardened and lodged in the pockets of the wall. This build up may
take many months or years and can result in 5 to 15 pounds of added weight,
causing the colon to become distended, abnormally shaped, and ineffective.
The mucosal build up in the colon is the largest perpetrator of disease
of any organ in the body and is said to be an initiator of 80% of all critical
illness.
How the Colon Works
The colon (large intestine) is
a muscular tube approximately 5-6 feet in length and has an average
diameter of 2.5 inches. The small intestine empties the contents of digestion
(chyme) into the cecum or first portion of the colon. The colon starts
on the lower right side of the abdomen with the cecum and outlines the
borders of the abdomen. The ascending colon extends from the cecum to the
liver where it bends sharply to the left and crosses the abdomen as the
transverse colon. At the level of the spleen, the descending colon continues
down the left side of the abdomen to the pelvis where it becomes the sigmoid
region. The sigmoid colon empties into the rectum where waste material
is eliminated through the anus.
The contents of digestion (chyme)
are moved along by mass muscular movements (peristalsis), which is initiated
by the nerve supply to the colon. The main functions of the colon are absorption
of water and minerals, and the formation and elimination of feces. The
process of digestion from ingestion of food to defecation normally takes
between twelve and twenty-four hours.
If we do not have regular elimination,
the passage of waste material becomes entirely too slow. The colon loses
its ability to have regular peristaltic action, nerve signals stop functioning,
and the feces or debris gradually lodge in pockets. Dehydration of drying
out of the stool takes place. This toxic debris is gradually reabsorbed
via the blood back into the system-creating toxemia.
What is Colon Hydrotherapy?
The individual lies comfortably
on a table. The therapist then monitors the temperature and pressure
of the water infused into and out of the large intestine without
any assistance on the part of the individual. The Colon Hydrotherapy method
cleanses the entire colon without stressing the individual. This method
provides a closed system in which waste material is eliminated through
the instrument and out the drain line, avoiding any offensive odor and
maintaining the dignity of the individual.
Colon Hydrotherapy is an extended
and more complete form of an enema. The enema's cleansing activity is limited
to the area of the rectum and to shorter periods of time due to the body's
natural wish to expel any material from the rectum. The Colon Hydrotherapy
method extends beyond the rectum to cleanse the entire large intestine
and offer greater cleansing therapeutic benefits.
History of Colon Hydrotherapy
Historians tell us that the practice
of Colon Hydrotherapy or its basic term enemas can be traced back starting
with the Egyptians. It was first recorded in 1500 B.C. in the Ebers Papyrus,
which dealt with the practice of medicine in those times. Hippocrates in
the 4th and 5th century B.C. recorded using enemas
for fever therapy. History also tells of a group known as the Essenes,
which used water therapy to rid the body from every disease, which disrupted
normal health. History also recognizes the 17th Century as the
"age of the enema." It was an acceptable practice in Parisian society to
enjoy as many as three or four enemas a day for internal washing to encourage
well-being.
In the early 1900's, popular physicians such as James W. Wiltsie, M.D. and Joseph E.G. Waddington, M.D. were proponents of Colon Hydrotherapy and maintained the philosophy that regaining physiologic elimination is the preliminary to eventual restoration of optimal health. With regard to the lack of priority given the colon by many physicians, Dr. Wiltsie reports, "as long as we continue to assume that the colon will take care of itself if only left alone, just that long will we remain in complete ignorance of perhaps the most important source of ill-health in the whole body."
The Colon Hydrotherapy Session
The session is designed to cleanse from the rectum (lower left side) all the way through to the cecum (lower right side) at the beginning of the colon. The individual lies on their back and is always completely covered. The Colon Therapist assists them to gently insert a small disposable tube in the anus. The water is gently infused into the colon. The Colon Therapist monitors the temperature of the water. During the empty cycle the abdomen is gently massaged to loosen and work the gas and feces from the colon and to stimulate peristalsis and tone these involuntary muscles. Using various degrees of warmer and cooler water creates the process of relaxing, contracting, and toning of the muscular walls of the colon. There may be an experience of mild cramping such as during a normal bowel movement. When the colon is cleaner and healthier the process of elimination is easier and overall health is enhanced. The new Colon Hydrotherapy units provide each person with completely disposable tubes and the use of disinfectant following the manufacturers guidelines and sanitation is accomplished.
Benefits
Some individuals are concerned
that Colon Hydrotherapy washes out the friendly bacteria in the colon.
The fact is that it dilutes and evacuates bacteria therefore maintaining
the harmony of the intestinal flora. The effects of water therapy generally
improve the muscle tone, which in turn helps the peristaltic action and
enhances the absorption of nutrients in the cecum and ascending colon. New studies from Europe suggest a great portion of immune tissue resides in the intestine.
Colon Information
The latest statistics reveal
that over $400 million dollars are spent annually on laxatives in the United States.
Every year 140,000 Americans are diagnosed as having colon rectal cancer.
Of these 44% will die as a result of the disease. Colon cancer is the second
leading cancer in the United States, following lung cancer in men and breast
cancer in women. There are 100,000 colostomies performed each year, which
involves partial or total removal of the large intestine or colon. At least
2 million suffer from colitis, diverticulitis and other inflammatory bowel
disorders.
Temple of Peace
Healing Sanctuary
808-575-5220