Whether you use the old brown 'spuit' or an anema or you visit a colon hydrotherapy centre; colon cleansing has the health benefits of ridding the gut of toxins. Colon cleansing helps to improve your body's overall health and wellness and may even reduce your risks for colon cancer. Gut health has been at the centre of much health-related research. With each study, it is clear that a healthy gut has effects that go beyond the digestive system, and improving one's gut wellness may be one of the biggest factors in boosting overall health. Speaking colon cleansing, specialist Mavis Mubata from Seeded Beauty, in Johannesburg, she says colon hydrotherapy is the process of flushing the large intestine, using warm filtered water to clear any build-up of waste or gas.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COLON HYDROTHERAPY AND 'UKUPEITA'

The difference between colon cleansing and the common Ukupeita is when doing a colon cleansing you can take 30 to 50 litres of water to remove all the toxins in your gut instead of a smaller amount of water that does not reach the full intestine. Mavis says unlike the colon hydrotherapy at her clinic, "One can also self-administer an enema at home. "Colon Hydrotherapy cleanses the large intestine fully, as opposed to a smaller quantity of water that does not reach the whole intestine.The water goes all the way up inside your colon. The brown 'spuit' that people have been using for years only cleanses only the descending colon, instead oft he whole five to six metre colon,' Mavis says. "We use closed system machines which means that there are no leaks or odours during your session, the process is completely discreet and hygienic.'

HOW IT WORKS

 Colon Hydrotherapy involves the introduction of purified "body temperature" water, which flows slowly and moves into the colon, under low pressure, through a small tube, via the rectum channel. The colon is filled with water and flows through a larger tube, bringing with it any loose debris and putrification. ?Mavis says, "When inserting a speculum is not painful but maybe uncomfortable at first. You feel like your feet are ticklish as the toxins are coming out of your system. There is no small and when the waste comes out, it goes straight to the machines as opposed to rushing to the toilet when using 'the spuit.' This process takes 45 minutes to an hour.'

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT ADD SOAP AND HERBS WHEN CLEANSING

There are commonly used enema solutions which include, a combination of salt and water, glycerin which stimulates the lining of the colon to cause bowel movements, Castile soap, which is a mild soap made of many oils, like olive oil, coffee, a mixture of brewed coffee and water, used to remove bile from the colon and phosphate solution.But Mavis advises that one does not add anything to the warm water. "Your intestines are soft and adding anything to the water might irritate the gut. We recommend that people do not add anything to the water because the intestine is very sensitive,' Mavis says. "In our colon hydrotherapy, we do it in three sessions, when it is your first time. We add an anema. We also use a special coffee anema for liver detox. When you come back, we use a probiotic. The water needs to be warm and at 34 to 37 degrees in temperature,' she adds. "Many people add things like soap or herbs to their water, which is not advisable. We simply use clean water at a 34,34, 37 degrees temperature to flush out the intestine.'

WHO CAN CLEANSE AND WHAT TO EXPECT

 If it is your first time getting a colon cleansing, you should expect a bit of discomfort but not pain. "The colon is five to six metre long and needs to be cleaned regularly, especially by those who suffer from Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS) and constipation,' Mavis says. "Ukupeita or colon hydrotherapy helps with weight loss, indigestion, acid reflux, candida and parasites, food sensitivity, or a leaking gut. It assists people suffering with other issues such as headaches, fatigue, brain fog, and skin conditions such as acne eczema and psoriasis as these are also related to gut issues,' she adds.  "People with autoimmune conditions can get a cleansing andthose looking to detox their system for general health and wellbeing of all ages.'

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COLON CLEANSING

Colon cleansing helps with diarrhoea, spastic colon, IBS colitis, psoriasis, bad breath, headaches, flatulence, allergies, skin problems, detoxification, Crohn's, sinus, constipation, haemorrhoids, Leaky Gut Syndrome,liver sluggishness, fatigue, backaches, abdominal bloating, food sensitivities,and depression. The purpose of colon cleansing is to decrease toxic effect,increase energy and well-being. " It decreases the risk of cancer, and improves the transit time of faeces. It detoxifies and purifies the liver. It increases energy levels, improves mental clarity and mood swings, and helps with sluggishness."