There are many things you can do to improve the health of your colon, and exercise is one of those things.

Even those already afflicted with a terrible condition such as colon cancer see the direct benefits of exercise in curbing the effects of the disease.

Studies show that patients who work out the most — two and one half hours of walking per week or more — were 28 to 42 percent less likely to die during the follow-up period compared to those who hardly exercised.

Not being physically active after a cancer diagnosis may lead to a 27 percent increased risk of death, the researchers say.

Another way to improve your colon health is through colon hydrotherapy.

Many knowledgeable detoxification and alternative wellness specialists (ourselves included) assert that the procedure rids your body of toxins and bad bacteria, with the ultimate aim of promoting a healthier you.

Countless clients can speak the benefits of the detox procedure, including superstar actor and environmental activist, Leonardo DiCaprio.

According to the Huffington Post, a close friend of DiCaprio’s claimed, “It can be very embarrassing, but now that he has had one, he loves it.”

If you’re curious about colonic irrigation, or if you have any questions about the procedure, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Palos Verdes: 310-392-9190

Santa Monica: 310-399-1722

Let’s face it, constipation can be a very unpleasant experience — downright painful, even. Colon hydrotherapy is great for this, but we always like to mention other options as well. Thanks to a breathing technique developed by Russian doctors, passing waste doesn’t have to be so bad.

On his website “NormalBreathing.com,” Dr. Artour Rakhimov suggests a breathing exercise you can do while sitting on the toilet that will provide relief from constipation and its pain. Its steps are as follows:

* While sitting on the toilet, inhale slowly using your abdominal muscles, and exhale by relaxing your diaphragm – this slow breathing will increase blood oxygen levels.

* At the end of one of your slow exhales, pinch your nostrils and hold your breath until you feel you need to breathe again.

* When you release your nostrils, instead of following your urge to take a deep breath, take a shorter one using your diaphragm, and then immediately relax it.

What you’re trying to do is maintain your urge for a deep breath for 1 to 2 minutes in this manner, with simultaneous relaxation of all body muscles.

According to Dr. Rakhimov’s site “If you do this exercise, increased O2 and CO2 concentrations will bring quick relief from constipation and possible pain.”

And, as we mentioned, another way to help with intestinal blockage is to get a colonic. Obviously detoxification with colonics isn’t something you can do on your own, but many have felt relief from their constipation symptoms with the help of trained colonic irrigation specialist.

Whether you’re just looking to detox, or you’re feeling seriously blocked-up, our Santa Monica and Palos Verdes wellness specialists are here to help. Don’t hesitate to contact us today:

Palos Verdes: 310-392-9190
Santa Monica: 310-399-1722

You may have heard recently about a couple that’s addicted to coffee enemas — the story was all over the headlines.

These two have around 100 coffee enemas per month — that’s about three or four per day. In all, they’ve had about 6,000 in the last two years.

It’s excessive, but it’s easy to see why they do it.

Coffee enemas were popularized by Dr. Max Gerson. They are a powerful method of detoxification, dilating the bile ducts in the liver so that toxins can freely flow out of the body.

For a full explanation, see “What is a coffee enema?”.

These powerful detoxifiers have been used to help cure a variety of illnesses. Most famously, Dr. Gerson used them as a treatment for cancer.

But while they come with an array of benefits, addiction is one of the downsides.

That’s why we always suggest talking to a licensed professional, like Octavia Zaccaro or Monica Leon, to discuss the components of a coffee enema before administering one yourself (Both our Santa Monica and Palos Verdes offices provide coffee implants to colonics sessions if requested in advance).

Why are coffee enemas addictive?

A lot of the addictive qualities of coffee enemas originate from the caffeine in the coffee. But the feeling experienced after the enema also adds to their additive nature.

“I love the way it makes me feel,” as one member of the addicted couple told ABCNews.com. “It gives me a sense of euphoria.”

That feeling is quite common with these kinds of enemas, and it’s certainly something to watch out for.

Kicking the addiction

Just like every other addiction, getting rid of this one takes time and patience.

One way to help the process is colon hydrotherapy. It’s another powerful detoxifier, capable of eliminating toxins from the body and helping to cure a wide range of ailments. Warm, sterile water is gently instilled into the rectum, flushing through the colon and eliminating waste and bad bacteria that have populated the digestive tract.

It gives the body a chance to heal naturally.

Other alternative health methods, like lymphatic massage and personalized detox programs, can also help eliminated addiction. But it’s best to consult with a professional before you embark on that journey.

Contact us whether you live in Santa Monica, Palos Verdes or LA, to discuss your personalized detox program before you start.

Want to be healthy? Take care of your gut. Each one of us is a tiny little planet, host to millions of creatures. Inside you live a population of non-human cells known as your microbiome. Specifically, they live in your intestines and digestive system. And more research is finding that those non-human cells are largely responsible for your health.

In the past, the microbiome has been linked to obesity, arthritis and high cholesterol. Now, new research is linking the gut to autism and irritable bowel disease as well. Up to 85 percent of children with autism also have gastrointestinal distress. And many researchers are starting to believe that the gut flora is directly connected to the overall health of an individual. That’s why is crucial to keep your gut as healthy as it can be.

In order to optimize your gut health, you want to maintain a balance of 85 percent good bacteria to 15 percent bad.

Here’s a quick guide to optimizing your flora:

1. Eat more fermented and cultured foods

The first and best way to maintain a healthy gut is to eat a lot of fermented or cultured foods. Fermented foods have been around for a long time and contain a very large amount of beneficial bacteria. Just make sure to avoid pasteurized versions, which may destroy some of the beneficial bacteria. Start small, adding about a half a tablespoon of fermented vegetables to each meal, and work up to a half a cup per meal. Try eating:

• Fermented vegetables like cabbage, carrots, kale, collards and celery spiced with herbs like ginger and garlic
• Lassi, an Indian yogurt drink
• Fermented raw milk like kefir or yogurt

2. Cut out sugar or high fructose corn syrup

Sugar and high fructose corn syrup, which is typical of today’s processed foods, breeds bad bacteria. And that can cause disease. Limit your intake of foods containing those ingredients and increase your intake of raw, organic foods.

3. Get regular colon hydrotherapy

Especially if you’ve just started optimizing your microbiome, you need to give it a boost. Colonic irrigation can clean the toxins and bad bacteria from your body, allowing the good bacteria to flourish. You can call our Palos Verdes colonics office today to make an appointment.

4. Lymphatic massage

This is recommended for all respiratory and digestive imbalances. Gentle, melting touch focused on the abdomen, pelvis, chest and head is used to move toxins out of the body. It’s perfect for creating an ideal environment for your microbiome.

To kill constipation, squat don’t sit

The modern toilet may play a big part in constipation, hemorrhoids and even colon cancer. That might all be solved by simply squatting to evacuate our bowels instead of sitting. It sounds unbelievable, but stick with us.

According to Nature’s Platform, constipation, appendicitis, diverticulosis, colon cancer and prostate disorders are almost unknown in cultures that use the squatting position to answer the call of nature.

That observation has led researchers to believe that the toilet may be reason for many of our disorders.

According to Jonathan Isbit of Nature’s Platform, “For safety, nature has deliberately created obstacles to evacuation that can only be removed by squatting. In any other position, the colon defaults to ‘continence mode.’ This is why the conventional sitting position deprives the colon of support from the thighs and leaves the rectum choked by the puborectalis muscle. These obstacles make elimination difficult and incomplete – like trying to drive a car without releasing the parking brake. Chronically incomplete evacuation, combined with the constant extraction of water, causes wastes to adhere to the colon wall. The passageway becomes increasingly constricted and the cells start to suffocate. Prolonged exposure to toxins will often trigger malignant mutations.”

The advantages of squatting:

• Makes elimination faster, easier and more complete
• Protects nerves that control the prostate, bladder and uterus
• Relaxes the puborectalis muscle
• Avoids pressure on the uterus during pregnancy

Additional ways to kill constipation

• Regular colon hydrotherapy is one sure way to eliminate constipation. It uses warm, sterile water gently instilled through the colon to cleanse and eliminate toxins that can cause constipation. It also stimulates the natural peristalsis of the body, helping it to heal itself.
• Hydration is critical to proper evacuation of the bowels. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you’re constipated.
• The food you eat plays a crucial roll in digestion. Make sure you’re getting enough fiber.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day

One of the secrets to a healthy body is colon health. The colon is one of the most vital organs in the body. Not only is it the last in line in the digestion process, it makes sure that the body receives the vital nutrients it craves. But because of the waste material that passes through, toxins tend to build up in the colon over time. Those toxins can enter the rest of our bodies through the cell lining, which can cause several health issues. That’s why it’s important to detoxify your colon.

Here are some quick tips for colon detoxification:

• Receive regular colon hydrotherapy: Also known as colonic irrigation, this is a natural method of cleansing the colon and riding the body of toxins. The process instills warm, filtered and sterilized water gently into the colon in order to move waste out. When the intestinal tract is cleansed of toxins, it’s able to move more food through the digestive system and absorb more nutrients, vitamins and proteins. You can learn more about the process on our colonic irrigation page.
• Go on an organic diet: Remember that old saying that “you are what you eat.” It’s true. Higher quality food means better health. And if you’re trying to detoxify your colon, eating organic will get rid of pesticides and other chemical agents that are in non-organic food. Make sure you’re getting plenty of fiber — around 25 grams if you’re a woman and 38 if you’re a man. That means eating a lot of organic fruits and green vegetables.
• Exercise more often: Regular exercise helps everything. It gets the blood flowing and revs up your metabolism, helping the body to eliminate waste. Generally, it’s recommended that you get your heart rate up at least 30 minutes per day, but more can always help with a colon cleanse.
• Develop a long-term detox program: Short-term detoxification can really benefit the colon, but if you want lasting results, it’s best to commit to detox long-term. That means developing a strategy with a qualified therapist to develop a personalized detox program specific to your needs.

For more information on colon detoxification, colon hydrotherapy and other detox programs, call us now:

Palos Verdes Spa – 310-392-9190
Santa Monica Spa – 310-399-1722

Disease begins in the colon. That’s why it’s crucial to keep it clean.  More doctors are beginning to promote colon cleansing as an effective way to flush waste and toxins from the colon, and it’s no surprise why. Colon hydrotherapy doesn’t only help to keep your intestines clean; it helps keep your entire body in good shape.

Your colon is basically the waste management system of your body. Every organ, cell and tissue relies on that system to function at 100 percent in order to get rid of the waste. If it’s not properly functioning, toxins can begin to spread. That’s a pretty good case for colonics.

Here are 10 other reasons to cleanse your colon:

• Helps constipation: If you’re not eliminating waste once per day, you may be constipated. Colonics can help make bowel movements regular.
• Improves colon health: Cleansing allows your colon to naturally heal on its own.
• Aids in colonoscopy prep: More doctors are supporting colonic irrigation as a superior preparation for a colonoscopy.
• Hydrates: Colon therapy hydrates your body down to the cellular level, making it a great way to hydrate your entire body.
• Assists in diet changes: When you’re switching from a diet filled with processed foods to healthier diet, cleansing can help ease the change.
• Helps the body heal naturally: When filled with toxins, it’s very difficult for the body to heal naturally. Colon cleansing can promote natural healing within.

For more information about cleansing your colon and other alternative therapies, call us today!

• Palos Verdes Spa – 310-392-9190
• Santa Monica Spa – 310-399-1722

Anyone who has experienced constipation will tell you that it can be very uncomfortable. It’s a common gastrointestinal problem, but if it’s chronic, it can be harmful to your health. It’s not something you should wait to treat. We suggest treating it with colon hydrotherapy and other alternative therapies as soon as possible.

Symptoms of the condition include hard stools, fewer than three stools a week, a feeling of incomplete evacuation, excessive straining and a sense of rectal blockage. It can also include the need to use manual maneuvers such as finger evacuation or lower abdomen manipulation.

Using colonic irrigation

Why does it help? Colonics instills sterile water gently throughout the colon to move toxins and waste out of the system. That natural flow of water stimulates the body’s natural peristalsis, causing the digestive tract to reactivate and do the job is was made to do – soak up nutrients and move waste out of the body. You’re not only cleansing the colon, you’re helping the body to heal itself and restore normal bowel function. It balances the GI tract and promotes overall health and wellness.

Life alterations

Getting rid of constipation for good takes some life alterations. We suggest a variety:

• Eat some fiber: fiber is vital for moving food through body. Eat organic foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grain cereals and breads. Shoot for 25 to 35 grams daily.
• Drink healthy liquids: water, juice and other liquids can help push waste through the body. Don’t skimp out on liquids, but try to limit your caffeine intake.
• Get some exercise: not only can exercise stimulate bowel function, it’s the best way to get healthy and stay healthy. Do your best to get some form of exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.

For more information on constipation, colon hydrotherapy and other alternative therapies, contact us today:

• Palos Verdes Spa – 310-392-9190
• Santa Monica Spa – 310-399-1722

How are colonics and cleaning baked lasagna from a dirty pan the same? Pamela Whitney, ND, says it’s a perfect metaphor for colonic irrigation in an article put out by the International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy. If you’ve ever baked lasagna, you’ve probably had to clean out the messy pan afterward. It’s a difficult task. But if you let it soak in water overnight, it’s much easier to get off the next morning. Colonic irrigation accomplishes the same thing by using water to cleanse the bowel. The sterilized water removes caked-on fecal matter that is otherwise very difficult to flush out. That fecal matter contains bad bacteria, parasites and other toxins.

Conditions colonics can help

If you think of your digestive tract as that dirty lasagna pan, it’s easier to see how compacted fecal matter can have a major impact on your health. If that hardened lasagna is left in the pan for too long without soaking, it collects bacteria and toxins. But unlike the pan, bacteria and toxins in your bowels can be absorbed into the body. That absorption can overwhelm your kidneys, liver, skin, lungs and other vital organs. When your organs are overwhelmed, certain illnesses can be triggered.

Cleansing your system can help prevent or treat certain conditions including:

Allergies

Acne

Constipation

Irritable bowel syndrome

Skin rashes

Arthritis

ADD

Hypertension

Fibromyalgia

Asthma

Chronic Fatigue

Multiple Sclerosis

Headaches

A colonic can rid bacteria and impacted fecal matter from the body, preventing the absorption of toxins.

Contact one of our two Los Angeles spa locations for your colon hydrotherapy consultation today!

Palos Verdes Spa – 310-392-9190

Santa Monica Spa – 310-399-1722

Yes! Colonic irrigation is a safe treatment when administered by a qualified colon hydrotherapist.

There seems to be a lot of speculation about the safety of colonics these days. We’d like to clear up some common misconceptions.

How it works

A lubricated, sterile speculum is inserted into the anus — all instruments are disposable and new, so that they are completely sterile. Then a soothing flow of warm, filtered and sterile water is gently instilled into the colon. Activating the natural peristalsis of the body, it moves excess waste and toxins out while simultaneously hydrating the body.

Your bowel will not be injured by a colonic, nor will it be painful. The certified colon hydrotherapist will work with you to maximize the benefits of the process via gentle massage.

Your dignity

You’re fully covered at all times during the process, keeping your dignity intact. We’d have it no other way. If at any time you feel uncomfortable, you can let the hydrotherapist know and they’ll do whatever is necessary to improve your comfort level.

Are they safe for everyone?

Your hydrotherapist will consult with you before the colonic begins. Make sure to tell them about any health you conditions that you may have so that they can take it into consideration.

We recommend cleansing for adults and teens (with parental consent). It’s highly recommended for frequent travelers and those who are highly stressed or emotionally challenged.

For more information on detox and the safety of colonics, contact us at one of our two Los Angeles colon hydrotherapy spas:

Palos Verdes Spa – 310-392-9190

Santa Monica Spa – 310-399-1722