Once a natural health go-to for those in holistic health retreats and anyone brave enough to give it a go. An enema detox is now more commonplace, with social media a forum for anything from colonics to DIY liver flushes.
The following article was written as a guest post in 2012, by my friend and blogger-sister, the late and much-loved Jess Ainscough. I hope you enjoy her insights.
I was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. And then again in 2009. After weighing up my options and doing a lot of research I decided to put all my faith in my body and employ so-called radical natural therapies to heal myself. This meant lots and lots of juicing, a clean plant-based whole food diet, meditation and numerous daily coffee enemas. Yes, coffee enemas. Coffee that goes up your butt.
Once upon a time I wouldn’t even do a number two with my boyfriend in the house. These days, we talk about enemas at the dinner table. As a health and wellness blogger, I love that I have created a safe online space where people can share their bodily concerns with me.
But the achievement I am most proud of is that it seems I’ve made conversations about enemas a little less taboo. Questions about rear-end irrigation constantly appear in my comment feeds from people desperate for more information about how to clean out their colons. It seems I’ve started a movement. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. No more toilet puns, I promise.
So why are coffee enemas such a big deal? Why is it that I often say that regular DIY enemas will change your life? Because they offer a helping hand to your poor, over-worked liver! Your liver is easily the hardest working organ in your body.
All day long it is busy sifting through everything your body consumes (this includes through your mouth, your nose and your skin). Your liver decides what is good enough to stay in your body and what is toxic and needs to be eliminated. This is no easy feat when you consider the amount of toxins that we consume on a daily basis. There are the cosmetics, chemicalised foods, cleaning products and petrol fumes – just to name a few.
This is where an enema detox comes in and works their magic. Coffee enemas help to stimulate the liver and increase bile production to excrete toxins more rapidly. They literally flush it out. They have the amazing ability to rescue people from all kinds of ailments including headaches, hangovers, colds and flu and yes, even cancer. At the end of World War I coffee enemas were employed as effective pain relief for wounded soldiers. Panadol shmanadol.
Coffee enemas help to stimulate the liver and increase bile production to excrete toxins more rapidly. They literally flush it out. They have the amazing ability to rescue people from all kinds of ailments including headaches, hangovers, colds and flu and yes, even cancer.
If you’ve read this far into the post, you must be intrigued by how to actually do a coffee enema, right? Don’t be shy. It is nowhere near as uncomfortable or gross as it may seem.
How to do an Enema Detox
To get things started, you will need to buy an enema kit (search online or ask at your local pharmacy or health store) and some organic ground coffee. Make it fair trade also, just to be nice. Then, once you’ve worked up the courage to give it a crack (I know, broke the promise), follow these instructions:
Boil enough coffee for two enemas just in case you can’t hold the first one and want to try again. For two enemas, bring one litre of water to the boil in a pot on the stove. Once boiling, remove from the stove and add six tablespoons of coffee. Boil for three minutes, then reduce to simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the stove and strain the coffee. Add eight ounces of coffee to your bucket and top it up with 16 ounces of purified water. Once you get used to this amount you can bump it up to 24 ounces of water to make the solution 32 ounces in total.
Lay a yoga mat or towels on your bathroom floor (for padding).
Release the clasp and let the liquid run through the tube and drip a bit into the sink. This will remove any air bubbles. Hang or sit the enema bucket on a chair. It needs to be higher than you so that gravity can do its thing. Not too high though or the liquid will go in too fast and you won’t be able to hold it.
Lie on your right side with your legs pulled up towards your chest. Lube up the end of the tube with a bit of coconut oil and insert about two inches into your bottom.
Let the solution flow all the way in and tighten the clamp before removing it. Then lie back and relax for 10 to 15 minutes.
See, easy. Contrary to popular belief, regular coffee enemas will not cause your bowel to rupture or your bowel movements to become impaired. I have been doing at least three every day for over a year now and my bowels are still fine and dandy. Enemas can become addictive though. My mum has joined me on the enema bandwagon and now she can’t go a day without her upside down coffee break. They have even helped her get through the horridness of detoxing from her regular coffee habit. Bottoms up!
Connect with Jess:
Coaching: www.jessicaainscough.com
Blog: thewellnesswarrior.blogspot.com
Twitter: @JessAinscough
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewellnesswarrior
