Nearly every single aspect of your life can have an effect on your body and mind. The foods you eat, the water you drink, the air you breathe, and especially the medications you take can all contribute to various toxins and harmful chemicals entering bodily systems. Unfortunately, when these toxins build up in the body, you can experience physical ailments as well as fatigue, irritability, and even more complex symptoms such as depression or anxiety. The body relies on the digestive system to break down the food, drink, medications, and other substances you consume and the excretory system to remove any toxins from the blood and eliminate them from the body.
However, the body isn’t always able to keep up with toxin removal on its own. In addition, prolonged psychiatric drug use, use of other prescription medications, and illicit drug or alcohol use can further impair the body’s ability to take in essential nutrients and eliminate toxins in waste products.
When the body can no longer handle the toxic load it has been exposed to, you are not consigned to a life of poor mental health and physical symptoms of toxicity. Alternative to Meds Center offers several adjunctive therapies that can help you address your toxic load while you recover from the effects of drug and medication use. Chief among them is a practice known as colon hydrotherapy.
Colon Hydrotherapy Reduces Harmful Body Toxins
Hydrotherapy has been a staple of digestive and excretory health since well before the Romans, but there’s a reason the practice continues to thrive today. Modern research has thoroughly demonstrated an essential link between the gut microbiota — the diverse colonies of bacteria that reside in the digestive tract — and healthy digestive functioning.1
Unfortunately, the toxins humans are exposed to environmentally, as a component of the diet, and via prescription and illicit drugs can easily disturb the gut microbiome, resulting in loss of function and even microbiota-related disease.2 Put more succinctly, the gut’s close association with human neurophysiology and mental health means a heavy toxic burden and imbalances in the gut microbiome can have a tremendous negative effect on your mental health.3
When toxic overload or issues with gut microbiota are present, the gut’s permeability — its ability to exchange molecules with the bloodstream — is affected, as well. Worse, when the digestive tract isn’t eliminating waste as efficiently as it should, toxins can get recirculated throughout the body. In fact, research suggests that upwards of 30% of the small chemical compounds found in the bloodstream come from the gut.4
Alternative to Meds Center uses colon hydrotherapy (“colonics”) and Basti herbal enemas to lessen the burden of toxins in the body and improve mental health. We use these colon purging techniques to ensure that the toxins are non-reabsorbed while hanging around in the gut.
The Importance of Eliminating Body Toxins
Many of the physical procedures we utilize here at Alternative to Meds Center involve liberating the toxins stored in tissues such as brain matter, organ linings, and other cells. When the body uses its normal methods to permanently eliminate these toxins, they often attempt to re-deposit themselves in the colon. This overload then needs to be cleared via the colon and other elimination pathways. If the exit routes are compromised, then the elimination is also compromised. These are the same toxins that destroy brain chemistry. Colon hydrotherapy is often an essential part of the detoxification process.
We commonly forget how crucial it is to cleanse the inside of our bodies. Colonics eliminate mucus which inhibits essential nutrient absorption. When a person isn’t getting adequate nutrition, their neurochemistry is often the first thing that is negatively affected. Therefore, anxiety and depression can occur, as can fatigue, insomnia, and even substance use disorders. This is because these conditions are heavily influenced by neurotransmitters. As a result, a lack of proper nutrients often manifests as mood disturbances often before any organ dysfunction or related physical health conditions occur.5
So, what can colon hydrotherapy do for your mental health? As noted, chemicals and toxins can disrupt essential brain chemistry, and that altered brain chemistry often results in mental health symptoms, drug cravings, and addictions. Colon hydrotherapy addresses toxin overload and chemical balance by helping the person absorb what they need to create an ideal balance. There have been many documented cases at our center where the gut was the primary cause of mental health issues.
Colon hydrotherapy treatments are optional but are strongly advised for the following individuals:
Persons suffering a heavy chemical burden, such as those prone to environmental allergies, as these types of issues are largely correlated with toxic cognitive impairment.6
Benzodiazepine users, who often experience slow gut and constipation.7
Persons experiencing medication withdrawal symptoms who have exhibited evidence of certain parasites. Parasitic organisms like Candida and molds can release endotoxins similar to food poisoning when they feel threatened and likely do so during certain medication withdrawals.8
Anyone exposed to environmental, pharmaceutical, or illicit drug toxins, especially over an extended period of time.
Colon Hydrotherapy Procedure
Colon hydrotherapy is a procedure designed to flush the colon with water and nutrient supplements to provide a variety of health benefits. During your treatment procedure, the therapist will carefully insert a soft, flexible tube into your rectum. Your therapist will then gently allow an attached pouch of water, mixed with additives such as enzymes, vitamin supplements, probiotic elements, and herbal supplements, to flow into the colon.
Once the treated water is in place, you may wait a few minutes, during which time your therapist can encourage you to employ controlled breathing and relaxation techniques. Gentle abdominal massage may also be employed to encourage movement throughout the GI tract. After colon hydrotherapy is complete, your body will naturally flush toxic matter and the remaining liquid. Most sessions take under an hour to complete.
At Alternative to Meds Center, our top priority with any therapeutic procedure is to ensure your complete comfort. Before any treatment is performed, we discuss your health concerns, prior history, and ultimate goals. This ensures that you are getting the right treatment for your needs. We strive to be transparent with our procedures to provide peace of mind and a clear understanding of how the treatment works, as well as what you can expect.
Prep and Expectations
Prior to your therapy appointment, we recommend that you make an effort to become well-hydrated. This helps aid in the cleansing process and is also a great habit to develop during detoxification in general. It is often suggested to avoid eating at least a few hours prior to your appointment.
If you have any questions during your treatment session, bring these to your hydrotherapy appointment, as well. You can rest assured that we will answer any questions you may have before treatment begins. Then, expect to remain comfortable throughout your therapy session. There are no unpleasant odors or mess to worry about, and you will remain covered at all times.
15 Years Experience by Professionals Who Understand Your Journey.
Colon Hydrotherapy Promotes Mental Health and Overall Wellness
A gut microbiome and brain chemistry that have become out of balance can cause various physical and mental health concerns. Colon hydrotherapy helps to remove toxins and chemicals that can create toxic overload and disrupt gut health. Benefits may vary from client to client, but some of the most common benefits include the following:
Detox
In theory, your body is designed to detox itself, ensuring a consistent balance. However, environmental toxins, as well as poor lifestyle choices, can overwork the body’s own natural detoxification efforts. Even with your body’s best efforts, it can prove impossible to rid yourself of all the toxins. Holistic approaches to reducing this toxicity, like the colon hydrotherapy available at Alternative to Meds Center, can help provide the necessary support the body needs.9
Increased Energy and Focus
When the body is unable to rid itself of toxins and absorb the nutrients it needs to maintain bodily functions, it often manifests as a significant decrease in energy levels. These decreases in energy can last days, weeks, or even months and can affect memory, concentration, and mood. Unfortunately, low energy can even lead to depression and other mood disorders. Colon hydrotherapy is designed to safely cleanse the colon, improving the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients and eliminate toxins.10
Better Digestion
Poor digestion or a slow, leaky, or ineffective gut hampers the body’s ability to uptake essential nutrients from the food you eat and prevents the body from expelling toxins. This can lead to physical symptoms like bloating and gas, as well as mood disorders and fatigue.11 A colon hydrotherapy session can help the digestive system get back on track. Periodic colon hydrotherapy can help expel waste, aiding movement through the digestive system and optimizing the uptake of nutrients and elimination of toxins.
Supports Good Bacteria
Scientific studies continue to find a distinct correlation between the health of the body and the mind. When there is an imbalance in your gut microbiota, both physical and mental health can suffer, and you may experience inflammation, early cell death, organ system failure, irritability, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and more. Hydrotherapy can interact with the mucosal lining of the gut and begin rectifying the proper balance of bacteria in the gut.1
Potential for Healthy Weight Loss
Colon hydrotherapy can effectively flush unwanted material from your intestines. Cleanses are also a wonderful way to restart your commitment to health. Starting fresh may inspire you to eat nutritious foods and avoid the toxins that are overloading your brain and body, which in turn helps your digestive system. Overall, the reduction of accumulated waste materials and a new commitment to a healthy lifestyle may help you stay at a healthy weight.
Colon Hydrotherapy as Part of Detox for Improved Health and Wellness
Colon hydrotherapy is a holistic detox therapy that has stood the test of time, from the ancient Romans to the modern addiction and pharmaceutical treatment centers of today. Modern hydrotherapy can prove beneficial for many clients, no matter the nature of your toxic load. To learn more about colon hydrotherapy or to explore the way it can be used in conjunction with other holistic mental health treatment options, contact us any time.
At Alternative to Meds Center, our mission is to help each individual find the best therapeutic options that fit their lifestyle and physical or mental health needs. When you are ready for holistic treatment in Sedona, AZ, you’ll soon discover the value of hydrotherapy and other low-stress treatment options.
We invite you to contact us for more information about colonics and other facets of the Alternative to Meds Center program. We are always happy to help individuals find the correct treatment path for their personal needs.
2. Tu, P., Chi, L., Bodnar, W., Zhang, Z., Gao, B., Bian, X., Stewart, J., Fry, R., & Lu, K. (2020). Gut Microbiome Toxicity: Connecting the Environment and Gut Microbiome-Associated Diseases. Toxics, 8(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics8010019
3. Shoubridge, A.P., Choo, J.M., Martin, A.M. et al. (2022). The gut microbiome and mental health: advances in research and emerging priorities. Mol Psychiatry, 27, 1908–1919. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01479-w
5. Gibson GE, Blass JP. (1999). Nutrition and Functional Neurochemistry. In: Siegel GJ, Agranoff BW, Albers RW, et al., editors. Basic Neurochemistry: Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects. 6th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK28242/
6. Antoniadou, F., Papamitsou, T., Kavvadas, D., Kapoukranidou, D., Sioga, A., & Papaliagkas, V. (2020). Toxic Environmental Factors and their Association with the Development of Dementia: a Mini Review on Heavy Metals and Ambient Particulate Matter. Materia socio-medica, 32(4), 299–306. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2020.32.299-306
8. Spampinato, C., & Leonardi, D. (2013). Candida infections, causes, targets, and resistance mechanisms: traditional and alternative antifungal agents. BioMed research international, 2013, 204237. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/204237
9. Oldani, M. (2014). Deep pharma: Psychiatry, anthropology, and pharmaceutical detox. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 38, 255-278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-014-9369-8
This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.
Dr. Samuel Lee
Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
Medical Disclaimer: Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.
Fact Checked
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Colon hydrotherapy is often an essential part of the detoxification process.
