Frequently Asked Questions

Colon hydrotherapy is a restorative and painless therapy that is effective and relaxing. It is not a procedure but a therapy. The goal is to provide filtered, pure, and warmed water into the body in a spa environment with soft music and diffused essential oils.

The client lies on a comfortable massage table. The therapist gently inserts a well-lubricated, small speculum into the rectum while the client is on their side, and then they roll onto their back. The speculum is smaller than a normal bowel movement. It is attached to a soft hose that carries the water and waste out into a drain, so there is no odor.

The slow flow of water moves in and out, as is comfortable for the client. As the waste softens and leaves the body, it makes room for the next part of the colon to fill with water, hydrating until all the waste is removed. This closed system requires a knowledgeable therapist who can easily coach the client through the relaxing session.

This provides the opportunity for questions and education about the colon and health. It also allows the therapist to gently massage the abdomen during the elimination part of the outflow cycle, helping the colon release effectively.

Many things affect our colon, whether it is eating habits, elimination patterns, stress, emotions, or hydration. In a trusting environment, these things can be shared, as the client prefers, so the therapist is aware and can understand their personal needs.

At Integrated Body Health we have high standards of cleanliness. After each client, the outside of the equipment, therapy table and private bathroom is sanitized. We use individual and disposable supplies. We focus on a safe, clean and spa environment for your time here. We see it as an internal spa day.

There is a great section under Services, labeled Colon Hydrotherapy, that speaks to this. Remember, no food two hours before and no liquids one hour before.

Please read the rest under Colon Hydrotherapy in order to be best prepared and get your money’s worth.

No, this is absolutely not a medical appointment. It is a therapy. Some people think this is like a colonoscopy, but it is not. A colonoscopy is done by a medical doctor specializing in the care of the colon. The scope goes all the way around the colon from the rectum to the cecum, if possible. Because the tube is hard, there is the rare possibility that perforation (a hole) can occur.

With colon hydrotherapy, only water goes all the way around the colon—depending on how much debris is present. The speculum is placed only 2.5 inches into the rectum, not the colon, and not five inches as is sometimes incorrectly stated on the internet. Please call us with any worrisome information you might read online.

You do not have to arrive thirty minutes before your appointment time as you might with a medical appointment. For your first visit, you will need time to fill out paperwork, but after that, arriving 5–10 minutes before your appointment is sufficient.

This depends on the client and their medical history, as will be discussed on your first visit. If you have daily bowel movements and eat somewhat healthy, you can come every 4 to 6 months or at the change in seasons. Some clients like to come every three months, as they feel better with this frequency. Listening to your body helps you know when to come.

If you have mild constipation (BM every 2–3 days) or moderate constipation (BM every 3–5 days), realize it has taken years to reach such a point of chronic constipation, and it can’t be expected to clear up with one session. Sessions of three or six are usually needed to see the desired results, along with dietary changes and the use of a quality probiotic. You can either spread these out or use the first three within two weeks.

The Mini Cleanse is very helpful, where you have one session and then another the next day. You cleanse out a part of the colon and then start where you left off to get to the rest. This is very effective in removing old waste or imbalances. Remember, the dried debris on a glass pan that is “baked on” is a good illustration of the benefits of water, not chemicals, to resolve constipation. The colon needs time to soak in water in order to soften the contents. Then the colon will know to begin peristalsis and let go. Water is very healing, cleansing, and restoring.

For severe constipation (BM every 7–14 days), the above applies, and monthly colon therapy is advised to retrain the colon to empty and tone. Herbal supplements can also be taken for significant improvement in frequency.

A colonoscopy is not intended to cleanse the colon. It is a medical procedure performed to examine the condition of the colon wall and look for abnormalities. Under anesthesia, a tube with a built-in camera is passed into the rectum, up the colon on the left side of the body, into the middle colon, and then down the colon on the right side of the body. The tube goes all the way around if it can pass through without any obstructions.

Colon hydrotherapy, on the other hand, only passes water all the way around from the beginning of the rectum and eventually to the beginning of the colon on the right side of the body. The speculum only goes two inches into the rectum, so there is no way to puncture the colon wall, as it does not go that far.

With enemas, the bowel can become as dependent on them as it would on chemical laxatives. With enemas, the water only enters the rectum and the last part of the colon. Due to the higher flow of water with the help of gravity, it only stays there a short time. Enemas will not cleanse the entire length of the bowel, as the body’s natural response is to expel anything in the rectum.

The closed system for colon hydrotherapy allows for greater therapeutic benefit, as the water enters at a very slow rate. This enables it to reach into the nooks and crannies and slowly enter the whole of the colon. The entire colon needs a thorough washing to get rid of sludge, impurities, and parasites—not just the rectum.

The beginning of the colon, where the appendix is attached, is also the second most frequent spot for colon cancer. The number one spot for cancer incidence is in the sigmoid and rectum, which is the end of the colon.

Since you are removing old and new waste, the percentage of good bacteria can only improve with regular colon hydrotherapy. It is recommended that you take a probiotic that survives stomach acid and remains alive in the small intestine in order to start and maintain a healthy bacterial environment. Probiotics are available at Integrated Body Health, and you can start these before your appointment if you so desire.

Colon hydrotherapy can help you get a start on weight loss. There can be 10–15 pounds of impacted waste material in the pocket-like anatomy of the colon. Colon hydrotherapy can help you get rid of this waste, but the weight loss is not a loss of body mass such as fat.

Good eating habits are suggested as a lifestyle change, not a diet. Certain cookbooks and guidelines are recommended to help you make better food decisions. An appointment with a physician who can determine if you have any food sensitivities might help you avoid foods that trigger an inflammatory response in your intestinal tract.

A pivotal book for dietary and lifestyle changes is Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. D’Adamo. His concepts and suggestions are tailored specifically to you. No one way of eating fits every person—we have to allow for and support our individual metabolic make-up. You can also find information at www.4yourtype.com.

In other ways, colon hydrotherapy does help you lose weight, as it can help detoxify your body. Regular colon cleansing can help the body get rid of toxins that are stored in belly fat. Yes, body fat cells swell with more and more toxins when the organs are already at maximum capacity. The body will divert toxins to a non–life-sustaining place like fat, or to an organ like the skin.

Rashes or skin issues are a sure sign that the body needs a cleanse. Colon hydrotherapy also makes you more aware of your body and inspires the desire to take better care of it. You gain the energy to exercise and eat healthier, with fewer cravings, as candida is washed out or reduced by probiotics.

Remember that laxatives put chemicals into your body and only remove current waste. They also dehydrate your body, as they pull water from your system into the colon to move the concentrated chemicals out. Over time, your colon can become lazy and begin to rely on such stimulants on a regular basis.

Colon hydrotherapy uses warm, filtered water to soften and remove months to years of old metabolic waste material. It helps promote a healthy internal environment by eliminating pounds of undigested waste and mucus from the colon walls. Slightly cooler water can also be introduced during the last part of the session to help the colon tone back up.

Since it has taken years to reach a point of constipation, it can’t be expected to clear up with one session. Sessions of three or six are usually needed to achieve the desired results. After that, sessions every 3–6 months can typically maintain a healthy colon.

Remember the lasagna pan illustration: the dried debris on a glass or lasagna pan needs time to soak in water before it can loosen and be washed away.

Your colon hydrotherapy session will be 35–45 minutes on the equipment, with 60 minutes for the whole appointment. Research has shown changes in electrolyte balance when colon sessions last one hour and thirty minutes, so there is no danger of that.

Adding a pinch of sea salt to your purified drinking water each day will help you maintain a good mineral base and improve absorption into your body’s cells. You should drink half your body weight in ounces of water, mostly between meals and not with meals. If you are drinking a lot with meals, it probably means you aren’t eating foods that naturally contain water.

Yes, this is a good time to have colon hydrotherapy, as your body has already started a cleansing process. In fact, many women report more movement of the colon at this time, so your session will help this process along.

If you are having cramps due to your period, you might want to wait until day two or three for a session.

We do not bill insurance, but we will provide you with a receipt upon request. We are approved for Flexible Savings Account cards. We are not a Medicare provider.

You can check with your insurance company if you are under the care of a gastroenterologist who has prescribed the procedure for a colonoscopy prep to see if they will cover the sessions.

Integrated Body Health requires 48-hour postponement notice for new clients and 24 hours for already established clients. As a reminder, we text one day before your appointment to confirm the date and time so you won’t forget.

However, appointments are considered confirmed when the appointment is scheduled.

1. An article from the American Cancer Society on colorectal cancer reads:

“It is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States when men and women are considered separately, and the second leading cause when both sexes are combined. Overall, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 20 (5%). The death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping in both men and women for more than 20 years. There are a number of likely reasons for this. One is that polyps are being found by screening and removed before they can develop into cancers. Screening is also allowing more colorectal cancers to be found earlier when the disease is easier to cure.”

There is now increasing use of colon hydrotherapy for colonoscopy preps by gastroenterologists. As the colon is cleaner, it can be seen more clearly by the physician. When the doctor sees the actual colon tissue, instead of debris, polyps and abnormal tissue can be detected. Any needed intervention, such as a biopsy or removal, can then take place. Many clients can’t tolerate the normal bowel prep, so they stop taking what is prescribed and go into the test with a dirty colon. Usually the doctor and staff discover this when they are already in the procedure.

2. From the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology in an article titled “Epidemiology and Burden of Chronic Constipation,” it is reported that constipation affects up to 27% of the population:

“Constipation is physically and mentally troublesome for many patients, and can significantly interfere with their daily living and well-being. Although only a proportion of patients with constipation seek medical care, most of them use prescribed or over-the-counter medication to improve their condition. The health care costs of constipation are significant as evidenced by the hundreds of millions of dollars spent yearly on laxatives alone.”

It further states:

“Chronic constipation is an important component of clinical gastroenterology practice worldwide. Based on the definition, either self-reported or using Rome criteria, chronic constipation can affect from 2% to 27% of the population. Because constipation is more common in older patients and life expectancy is increasing, an increase in the prevalence of constipation is expected in the years to come, with the associated impact on quality of life and socioeconomic burden. Functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGIDs), including chronic constipation (CC), are among the most frequent illnesses seen by a gastroenterologist and account for up to one-half of patient care time. CC is a remarkably common and costly condition that can negatively impact the quality of life, and result in a major social and economic burden.”

More can be read at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206560.

A holistic approach to health and wellness views the body as an interconnected system. Instead of just treating symptoms, we focus on addressing the root causes of health issues by considering your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

This comprehensive approach helps restore balance and promotes your body’s natural healing capabilities.

Our holistic health programs include a range of services tailored to your individual needs. We offer nutritional counseling to support your body’s foundational needs, stress management techniques to restore mental and emotional balance, and physical therapies to promote mobility and healing.

Our goal is to provide a comprehensive plan that nurtures every aspect of your well-being.

Holistic health care is a good fit for anyone seeking a comprehensive and personalized approach to their well-being. It is particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with chronic health challenges, looking to improve their energy levels, or simply wanting to optimize their overall health. Our services are designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to take an active role in your health journey.