The low-down on Enemas (including coffee enema instructions)
Why enemas?
Enemas are something that have been used for health reasons for thousands of years, and are a safe and effective way of supporting your body. There is a lot of stigma around their use, but 100 years ago in Europe, they were something that sat in everyones bathroom cupboard for regular use! Enemas are used for a variety of reasons, and we love them as an overall support for the body, and in particular, coffee enemas to support the liver. There are a number of different substances that can be added to enemas for a variety of different reasons, such as herbs to soothe and calm inflammation, and probiotics to support healthy gut bacteria and removal of parasites. Some of the reasons you might to an enema are:
To relieve constipation
To flush toxins carried in your stool out of your body
To rehydrate and remove stuck, dried feces from your colon wall
To introduce probiotics directly into your bowel
For liver cleansing
To heal hemorrhoids
It is best to start with doing water enemas with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of bi carb added. Once you become comfortable with these, you can start coffee enemas, or add other things like probiotics or herbs.
If you don't feel ready to try an enema at home, you could try colonic irrigation at a professional clinic. Enemas seem like they may be difficult or confronting, but any of our clients who try them (even if it takes them a while to feel brave enough!) all wish they had started them sooner, as the benefits are astounding! They really are a game changer for overall health, especially coffee enemas. The process of preparing and implementing enemas can seem very time consuming at first, but once you get the hang of a routine they are actually quite straight forward.
How to Do an Enema
Enemas are best done in the bathroom with easy access to the toilet. You can place a yoga mat and/or towel on the floor, and a pillow if that makes you more comfortable. Some people find it easiest to do the enemas whilst laying in the bath. Whilst doing the enema you will want to be laying on your right hand side so the enema liquid travels as far up into the intestines as possible. The directions below are for a cleansing enema, below that you will find information on other things that can be added to enemas, including the specific directions for a coffee enema.
Supplies:
An silicone enema bag or stainless steel enema bucket. You can purchase silicone enema kits here or stainless steel bucket here.
Stainless steel cooking pot
Good quality filtered water
Olive oil or coconut oil to lubricate the tube
Bi carb and salt
Directions:
Bring 750ml of water to the boil, then turn off
Ensure the end of the hose on your enema bag or bucket is clamped shut
Pour around 1 cup of hot water in to the bag/bucket with a dash of hydrogen peroxide to rinse before use. I also dunk the end of the tube as well to ensure it is sterile. Empty this water out through the tube by unclamping the end of the hose (I point the hose at the floor waste drain and hold the bucket over my head so it easily gravity feeds through)
Now add 500ml of cooled filtered water, then 500ml of the boiled water, top up remaining with cooled water. The perfect temperature for an enema is just warmer than body temperature, a good test is if you can keep your finger in the water without it feeling too warm.
Hold the bucket up and use the gravity feed method to drain out any air bubbles by releasing the clamp and letting water run through until you cannot see any air bubbles in the tube. Air bubbles can cause some discomfort in the bowel.
Hang or sit the enema bag/bucket around 1m above where you are laying so that it will gravity feed to empty.
Add some lubricant (olive oil, coconut oil or something similar) to the tube and around your rectum for ease of application of the tube
Lie down on your right side, with your knees pulled up toward your belly at a right angle (this straightens the last part of your colon for easier insertion), and gently insert the enema tip into the rectum a few inches, take your time with this as forcing can cause issues, the enema tip should go in easily without any force.
Release the clamp to let the water flow in, you can keep your hand on the clamp to control the water flow, and pause whenever you need to
If you do feel discomfort or fullness in your bowel, pause the flow and let this pass before continuing. This will allow you to get more water in.
When all the water is in you can remove the tip entirely, or leave it in. There will be a little bit of back-flow into the tubing if you leave it in, but it can allow for more comfort as gas bubbles pass out the tube.
It may be helpful to gently massage your colon from your bottom left hipbone, up and then across the top of your abdomen, and down to your right hip bone. This can help the water move through the entire space and keep gas bubbles from being trapped in one area.
Try to retain the enema for 12-15 minutes to allow the water to soften any hardened stool. Turning over to your side, or moving to your hands and knees can sometimes be more comfortable. Find what works for you. Sometimes there will be an immediate urgency to have a bowel movement and that’s fine. Get up and go. It helps to clean the stool out of the colon so that next time around you can hold more water for longer.
After 12-15 minutes, or when you need to release the water, move to the toilet and allow it to come out. If you don’t feel “done” it can help to massage your abdomen from the bottom right, up and across the top of the abdomen, and down the left side, tracing the natural path of your colon.
It is natural to release a lot of it, sit there for a few minutes, and then release more. It can take 10-15 minutes until you feel “done.” If you feel done, but very little came out, your body has absorbed this water because you were dehydrated.
For stubborn constipation you can repeat this process until the water runs out clear of solid matter. It can take a few enemas to loosen compacted feces from the walls of your colon.
When you have finished your session, rinse the whole kit with boiling water and a dash of hydrogen peroxide, running this through the tube and sit the tube in the solution as well.
Some of the way enemas are used on the GAPS protocol:
Bicarb and salt enema: the bicarb kills off the fungi/yeast in the bowel and exposes the worm to the salt solution, so this can remove many parasites
Coffee enemas: In the colon caffeine is absorbed through the hepatic portal vein and delivered directly to the liver where is stimulates the excretion of toxins and opens the bile ducts. To do a coffee enema, first do a cleansing enema as described above, but rather then holding for 12-15 minutes, sit on the toilet immediately after the bowel is full. Bring 500ml of water to the boil and add 3 tablespoons of organic mould free coffee, let simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add to the enema bucket with 1L of cooled filtered water. Complete the enema the same as you would a cleansing enema, aiming to hold for 12-15 minutes.
Iodine: 1-5 drops of 2% to cleanse the bowel
Garlic enemas: Great for balancing gut bacteria, and helping to gently deal with parasites and pathogenic overgrowths. Also helpful for dealing with pinworms.
Garlic in milk (this can be more gentle on the rectum, as garlic can cause a bit of a burning feeling) - add a medium head of garlic to 1L of milk, bring to boil and let simmer for 5 min
Garlic in water - 1-2 cloves crushed in warm water, let sit few minutes then strain
Meat stock with whey, sour cream, kefir: add to warm water to soothe and heal irritated lower bowel
Fresh homemade whey: Great for diarrhoea both consumed and used in a water enema
Herbs: can be used to target worms/parasties or to soothe the gut, support the liver eg. Chamomile and lavender are very soothing in an enema
Apple cider vinegar: dilute, to cleanse the bowel and restore the PH, alkalising for the bowel
Probiotic capsule:- to help restore good bacteria in the bowel
Ginger Enema: works as an anti-inflammatory, good to clear congestion, supports the liver, helps headaches and is good for circulation and gas.
Green Tea Enema: it release antioxidants into the bloodstream, helps replenish the good bacteria into the large intestine, and is known to help with IBS and Colitis.
Chamomile Tea Enema: it can help haemorrhoids, gently soothes and cleanses the colon, gently cleanses the liver , helps relieve nausea and promotes relaxation.
German Chamomile: (German chamomile) A relaxation herb used to cleanse the colon and the liver – it helps calm the digestive tract and ease the spasm of IBS, period pains, and migraines. Also helps with chest colds, sore throats, gum inflammation, anxiety, psoriasis, acne, eczema, stomach ulcers. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Wild Yam: (wild yam root) anti-inflammatory helping relieve intestinal and urinary tract inflammation Soothes spasm or muscle cramps (menstrual and hormonal stomach conditions) and relaxes muscles and nerves. Also relieves IBS.
Enemas for specific health issues:
Malnourishment: meat stock, whey, sour cream, animal fats, egg yolks, kefir, whey, warmer then body temperature
Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance: water enema with salt and bicarb. This can be used with severe vomiting
In case of vomiting with diarrhoea, enema with meat stock and whey would be helpful
Food poisoning: basic enema solution with bicarb and salt
Urinary tract infection: whey from yoghurt or kefir added to a water enema
Constipation: use an enema with cooler water- this will help to bowel contract and loosen constipation
Headaches: coffee enemas are fantastic to clear headaches
Rope worm: Eucalyptus and lemon added to enema - Repeat at bed time for 4-5 days