A great deal of the waste that you want to remove from your body during the cleansing program will end up in the colon—not only the residue from your food, but also toxic waste that has been delivered into the colon by the lymph system. Your body cannot be completely clean as long as your colon is blocked, so it is essential during any cleansing program to remove all the debris from the colon. I also consider colon cleansing an essential part of any truly effective weight-loss program, since it helps to remove toxins from the body that might otherwise end up being stored in the excess fat cells.

Laxatives are not sufficient for cleaning the colon; in fact, laxatives dehydrate the body and often leave old layers of dried feces on the colon wall, allowing only more recent waste to push through and evacuate. Even though the bowels are being evacuated, a condition of constipation exists, causing degeneration of the nerves and muscles of the colon, so that even more laxatives are needed.

A much better way to cleanse the colon is to flush it with clean, purified water. Colon hydrotherapy was first recorded in 1500 b.c. in the Ebers Papyrus. In the fourth and fifth centuries b.c., Hippocrates reported using enemas for treating fevers, and the Essenes used water therapy to rid the colon of uncleanliness and the body of disease. In modern times, colonic irrigation was quite popular among some physicians in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, and then it fell out of favor. Now, with safe, effective, and sterile equipment, colonic irrigation is once again being recognized as a valuable adjunct to health care.

In fact, many Hollywood stars since the early 1900s have used colon cleansing as their “secret” for maintaining their youth and beauty until well into their 70s and 80s. Mae West was well-known for her gorgeous complexion. According to her biographer, George Eells, she often taunted reporters with her beauty secret; she finally revealed that her much speculated-on secret lay in her obsession with a clean colon. She took one colonic weekly for many, many years. Many stars since Mae West, including Gloria Swanson, have been dedicated to regular colon cleansing as the key to their beauty and health. In fact, although I am not at liberty to divulge their names, I know that many of today’s Hollywood stars and top New York models have weekly colonics to help maintain their youthful complexion and vitality.

Colonic irrigation is a gentle warm-water washing of the colon that cleanses the entire length from the rectum all the way up to the cecum at the beginning of the colon. To receive a colonic, you lie on your side and the colon hygienist inserts a small disposable tube in the anus. At the foot of the table, a hygienic colonic-irrigation machine regulates the water pressure, temperature, and volume. As you relax on your back, the water is slowly and gently infused into your colon. Before any excessive pressure is felt, the direction of water flow is reversed, and the contents of the colon are evacuated through the tube. The most important thing for you to do during this process is to relax.

Most people are amazed at how much mucus, feces, and excess gas is removed from the colon during their first colonic. And after expressing their initial skepticism, most people find a colonic to be a very pleasant, relaxing experience.

You may wonder whether you will become dependent on colonics, but actually the opposite is true. When colonics are done properly, with a low-pressure technique, they exercise and tone the muscles of the colon, improving its peristaltic activity. Remember, one colonic is not enough to completely empty the colon. At the Inner Beauty Institute, we usually recommend that our clients begin with four to six sessions over about a four-week period. Clients who choose to go on to do a deeper cleansing after that usually require many more sessions, depending on their health history, age, and personal objectives. I remind my clients that it took many years to build up the congestion and it will not disappear in only a few sessions. Your 21-Day Program is a wonderful beginning, and I encourage you to discuss a longer series with your colon therapist.

There are many rumors circulating about colon hydrotherapy. For example, you may have heard that a colonic will wash away the beneficial bacteria in the colon. On the contrary, if your colon has been constipated for some time, it is really helpful to flush away the putrefactive bacteria that have accumulated there. A colon-cleansing program, along with a proper diet, will help to change the environment in the colon to make it more hospitable to the beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria. Colon therapists generally recommend supplementary bacteria for nutritional support while the colon is getting back into proper balance.

Colonic irrigations not only clean the colon, they also produce a feeling of well-being. We tend to have a lot of negative mental programming about our eliminative systems, and in fact, the taboos about elimination often contribute to constipation problems. Colonic irrigations can help to create a new awareness of how it feels to release and let go of the waste that has been trapped in your body. After a series of colonic irrigations, you may also feel an increased energy level, your skin will be radiant and your eyes clear, and your digestion will be better than ever.

People bothered by protruding abdomens and excess weight find immediate relief with a colonic. During a cleansing program, they often eliminate as much as five to fifteen pounds just from cleaning out their intestines, and when the accumulated gas is removed along with the excess feces, their tummies become flat.

One of the most rewarding parts of my work is seeing the truly miraculous changes that occur after clients have had colonic irrigations. One of my clients, named Marlene, is the owner of a travel agency. She does a great deal of traveling in the course of her business, and a combination of restaurant and airline food, jet lag, and stress had caused her to develop a severe constipation problem over the years. Even before she came to me for help, she had known that her body was toxic. Marlene had begun to clean up her diet, and she was making an effort to get more sleep and regular exercise. Even though she had improved her lifestyle, it had not really helped her constipation problem. She still was not eliminating more than a couple of times a week. As a result, her system was very toxic. She had terrible headaches, and she dreaded her menstrual periods because they were so uncomfortable. Her skin was very blotchy, and she felt generally sluggish.

Marlene heard about my clinic in Sausalito from friends in the airline industry who were my clients, and finally, she came to see me in desperation. After consulting our physician, she began her cleansing program with a series of colonics. After about three months, Marlene’s skin was really beginning to clear, its texture had improved, and she had developed a healthy glow. Her headaches had also gone away, and her periods were becoming much more comfortable. For someone else with similar symptoms, who had not already made an effort to improve her diet, it might have taken much longer to eliminate the symptoms of toxicity. In Marlene’s case, the colonics made all the difference in turning things around and changing her whole outlook on life.

While having your colonic, use the breathing techniques and affirmations you have already learned during this program. Take nice deep breaths into the abdomen, especially if you feel any cramping. Practicing deep-breathing techniques will help you to achieve a deeper release. If you feel a little apprehensive because this is your first colonic or because you are not accustomed to having a stranger touch that part of your body, use your affirmations and breathing to calm and center yourself. Do not be afraid to discuss your feelings with the therapist; it is part of the colon hygienist’s job to help you relax and to allay your anxieties.