Holy shit. Literally.
So I caught a parasite three months ago in Panama and even after a string of antibiotics, my digestive system was wrecked. I tried a vegan diet, a raw diet, an all meat diet, probiotics, juice cleanses, you name it...I was about ready to go see my GI when I remembered a long time ago I had bookmarked a few Hydrotherapy places on Yelp thinking it sounded interesting but I'd probably never actually get the guts (no pun) to go. I read all the reviews, did a little of my own research and decided it sounded like it could be beneficial, but didn't have super high expectations that it would reverse all my issues.
I came around 5:30 on Monday and one other client was currently in session...note this place does not say Healing Colon Care on the store front...it is a day spa of sorts so they mostly advertise their facial and massage services when you walk in the waiting room. The whole place is very nice and very calming.
Cathy came out and had me fill out a little paperwork and asked me some questions about my symptoms and then she brought me into the hydrotherapy room which felt like a spa room (to my relief). I changed into a hospital-esque gown and then the fun began. You lay on your side and she talks to you the whole time...the tube they insert is not small...it was uncomfortable and hurt going in...that's normal, but it still sucked and I won't sugar-coat it...actually it's coated in castor oil, the tube that is.
Anyway, once it's in you won't feel it much "down there" but you WILL feel all sorts of things happening in your gut. Wow. You'll feel the warm water go in and gurgle around in your intestines (really your colon) and it just feels a bit pressure-y like a brief cramp or bubble in your tummy. She massaged by stomach periodically throughout the 40 minute session to help things along and also made comments on what was coming out so I knew what was what. She explained when a gas bubble was coming out, commented on the color indicating yeast, etc.
Afterwards you are sent to the restroom where the real fun begins (for 10-15 minutes or so). Then you clean up, get dressed and go to the waiting room where you will take a probiotic, have some water and Emergen-C and be on your merry way with a cleaned out colon.
My only slightly negative comment is that she didn't really give any commentary afterwards on how to improve my "situation" now...like eating habits, etc. I know she isn't a doctor, but she just advised me to eat as normal and that was that...but from all my online research, it was advised to eat a gentle diet...soups, juices, no raw veggies and fruits, low sugar, low alcohol after the therapy, so that's what I followed and I would recommend you to do the same. Raw fruits and veggies are extremely hard on your digestive system, and especially when everything has been cleared out, your digestive enzymes might be a bit weak as well (note: you should definitely take a full-spectrum digestive enzyme as well as a strong probiotic following your colon cleanse...they have made a huge difference for me).
It has been 4 days since my treatment, and although some of my symptoms are still around, I have found that they are only intensified by what I eat (things I know already cause distress for my intestines) rather than being constant like they were before my treatment. The rest of my symptoms have gone away entirely...whatever bloat I was carrying around is minimized and my stomach is back to being MUCH flatter than it was for the last couple months.
I will probably only do this once a year or as needed, but I definitely see the benefit and Cathy was amazing. read more
