So after watching Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead and Forks Over Knives (highly recommended if you haven't already), I decided to do a juice cleanse to lose weight and also 'get clean' internally. Since many of the experts say that it's important to flush out all the toxins that are shaken loose during a juice fast, i set out to find the right location for my first Colon Hydrotherapy (colonic).
I won't lie - I don't really relish the thought of someone seeing my rear end or the process involved with a colonic, but I decided to suck it up (and let it out!) and see what it was all about.
After spending several hours combing through every site for colon hydrotherapists, I decided to give Clear Path a call and see what kind of vibe I got. It wasn't the closest to my house, but I liked what I heard from the owner, Sue, who answered the phone. I made the appointment for the same day (today) and headed up to Sandy Springs.
The office is on the second floor of a three-story professional building just off of Roswell Road, north of the perimeter. It's an older building, and a glance at the directory makes it appear that most if not all of the tenants are holistic/new age in style (massage therapists, nutritional counselors, etc.)
After filling out the first-time paperwork and watching a 20-minute video about the rationale for cleaning your colon out, Sue brought me back at my appointment time. She was warm, calm, soothing, and explained exactly what everything in the treatment room was for, how the equipment works, and the procedures. She showed me into the private bathroom attached to the treatment room, told me to change into a gown and situate myself on the table. When she returned, she directed/assisted me with inserting the disposable nozzle, and stayed with me for the duration of the treatment.
Oh - one note - after doing my research, I learned that many local practices use what's called an 'open' system, specifically the LIBBE system. From my understanding, this system is more of a do-it-yourself colonic, where the therapist comes and goes, and when you are releasing, it just sort of drains into the basin you're propped up on. Clear Path uses a different closed system, where fresh water and drainage is both happening through a tube that function as the 'in' and the 'out' (merging fresh water and drainage through one nozzle. Look it up. I don't need to be any more specific here!) Unlike the drop-in-occasionally method, Sue was with me the entire time, talking, palpating my abdomen, and using a massager to shake loose everything she could.
Over the course of the 40 minutes, we did 3 fills, and the conversation was never at a lull. When we were done, I finished up in the restroom, got dressed and met her out front. Sue then gave me a small cup of fluids to restore electrolytes, recommended a couple supplements, and sent me on my way.
All in all - I can't imagine using another practice that would have made an admittedly uncomfortable procedure easier for a first-timer (and a man at that). read more