JUST EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLONICS

YOU GUYS. I GOT A COLONIC.

And for no other reason than, well…I felt like being in the wellness/beauty industry, I needed to try it for myself. You know, to report back to YOU.

Colonics are very much a thing in LA.

I first heard about them when we were guests on the That’s So Retrograde’s Podcast AND THEN Kat from With Love From Kat confirmed the fact that I needed to try one. She gave me Karen’s info from Gentle Wellness Center ( who is just lovely & you will meet below ). And the rest? Well…was history.

Colonics are fun to talk about but it’s a whole different thing to actually GO & DO ONE. I have to tell you I was nervous. I’m usually not nervous about a lot of health/wellness/beauty activities unless it’s needles…or tubes up my ass. But I was, EER- nervous.

The day of I went to see Karen & she made the whole experience seamless for me. She made me feel comfortable. I mean like everything was totally fine when she told me to turn to my side to insert the tube in my butt ( coconut oiled up for you! ). What was kind of ‘OH WOW OMG’ was when she told me to lay on my back. The side I could do. But to lay on my back was like a whole different ball game. Of course, I did what she said. It wasn’t too uncomfortable either when I finally maneuvered my way to laying on my back with a tube in my butt.

As the whole experience happened I talked to Karen- she gave me a list of all the benefits & walked me through the whole process. It was a little crampy but not that bad. The whole thing lasted for about 20-ish minutes ( maybe more ). Afterwards I felt great & definitely had increased energy, less bloating, & mental clarity.

( The only problem was the next day I went to Mexico for my anniversary soooooo maybe that wasn’t the most strategic thing to eat chips the day after? UGH. Next time I would do more juice, less chips ).

Listen. If you’re getting your first colonic & you’re in LA? Go to Karen. It won’t be weird. In fact, it will be super coconut-y & you’ll learn a lot…plus it’s where Yolanda Hadid goes soooooooooo…

K, I’ll let Karen share all the good shit ( HAHAHA, LOOK AT ME! ):

+ Talk to me about what you do?

Karen Harris: A little about me: My name is Karen Harris and I love my job!  I have been helping people with cleansing for 7+ years.  This is my second career & I am very fortunate to have been able to make a switch.

Gentle Wellness Center in Santa Monica Is a fabulous place to work and I work with a beautiful group of therapists.

All of us are I-ACT certified ( International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy ) & well-trained by the owners at Gentle Wellness. They have been teaching with the oldest accepted school for colon hydrotherapy in CA., and have over 35 years of actual experience, each.

We assist people in the process of cleansing their colon by way of a special device that makes the process clean, easy and safe. It is similar to an enema, but more gentle, much more productive & no mess for you to clean.

Technically we are called Colon Hydrotherapists or colon cleansing assistants.

+ Talk to me about WHY you do it?

KH: Many reasons- I honestly think the world would be a much happier place, if everyone would find whatever way works for them, to keep their colons clean and happy. You know the expression- “you are full of shit.”  I believe that is a true saying!

I found colonics to be the most effective way for me to cleanse my colon, during my 14 years of chronic constipation ( actually I was so blocked up, it was really the ONLY way for me to feel healthy and comfortable, until I found out about celery juice ( celery juice is magical ), more fruit, & more raw food. That was my PERSONAL solution- everyone is different!

It is a simple treatment, I believe they are very helpful to many, if not MOST, people who are experiencing issues with their digestion that are caused by a variety of reasons.

Colonics help most people feel really good! Our clients are awesome and fun, and we have a high level of satisfaction from the job we do. It is so nice when people come in feeling one way and leave feeling so refreshed!  New clients often don’t realize that they are carrying around so much in their gut. I think of it as a large suitcase, that you didn’t know you were carrying around with you. You don’t know what it feels like to let it go, until you actually drop it!  It is wonderful to help people drop their baggage.

As Hippocrates said “all disease begins in the gut.” 

While colonics are not solving the underlying issues that led to whatever is going on in your digestive system, they are helpful in getting out the debris that is in there, so you can make changes that need to be made comfortably. If you’re constipated, bloated, or otherwise uncomfortable, colonics can greatly relieve the discomfort while you work on the underlying causes.

Even if you do not have any digestive issues, I don’t think most people know what it feels like to have an empty, clean colon.

( Everyone is different, & there are no guarantees that a colonic will have the same benefits for one person, as it does for another! ).

+ Health benefits of a colonic?

KH: Hydration is a key benefit. Hydration is not easy in today’s environment, & it is critically important! Especially good for travelers, before & after flying in a dehydrated plane, to places where the food may not be as clean as what we are lucky to have access to here in California or in other places around the globe.

Some experience increased energy- after having dropped off the aforementioned suitcase in our sewer system, where it belongs.

One client says he walks in AND he runs home. Another client described his session as “the best poop I have ever had in my entire life!”

We have many clients coming on a regular basis as part of their own holistic care routine.

Greater clarity from head to toe– is often experienced by many of our clients.

It is a fabulous way to assist a juice or herbal cleanse. Some people are shocked at what is still in their systems, even after they think they are cleaned out from just doing their cleanses. A colonic is often the big bonus to your cleanse ( depending on what condition one is in to start with ). We find that starting with a colonic clears the path and makes any cleansing you choose go deeper & easier to do.

You can have surprising benefits that seem unrelated to digestion.

Personally, I had shoulder soreness for years, not resolvable with massage or chiropractic, which just faded away after a series of colonics, never to come back. It was digestive gas, which can go anywhere in the body- and it can be really uncomfortable! I never would have connected that shoulder pain to my digestive system in a million years.

+ How long do they last?

KH: The appointment is set for one hour. Time in session is generally about 35-45 minutes, depending on your individual situation.

+ What’s the whole process like?

KH: First of all, we at Gentle Wellness like to think of our time with clients as educational and nurturing. We keep you cozy & warm, you will be lying on a warm, infrared amethyst biomat, we are making sure you are comfortable, and most people are surprised at how relaxing the process is.

We have two systems, the “open system” & “closed system.”

Closed System | COLONICS:

In the closed system ( this is the more popular & we start all new clients on this system ):

You are lying down, flat on your back, cozy on our warm amethyst infrared biomats.

After we guide you to insert the speculum via a sterile, disposable kit, we do a quick check in with you, and begin the process of slowly and gently flowing warm, filtered water into your colon.  If you have ever had an enema, this is more gentle, because the water is flowing in at the same level that you are at, not from higher up. Many people don’t even feel the water at first.  You want to take in as much water as you can COMFORTABLY take in. As water gently flows in, I stimulate points on your large intestine meridian, your hands and feet.

Once you feel full, or you feel the need to release the water, we stop the flow in, and let it flow out.  Water and fecal matter gently flow out, which is viewable to you through a glass fluorescent lit tube ( that is the best part!! )

We repeat the process of filling and releasing during your time on the table, after which we send you to the bathroom, to relieve yourself of whatever is left- sometimes only water,  or sometimes can be the most significant release!

Open System | COLONICS:

This may be a little difficult for you to visualize, but I will do my best to describe:

The open system is a much more active system on your part. I think of it as a supersonic bidet.

You are comfortably reclining on what looks like a covered bathtub, with a basin on top. You are positioned over an open drain,  covered and comfortable, with water flowing into you via a small nozzle that you slide onto. This position gives you the ability to release at will. So water is continually flowing in, but you are expelling whenever you feel the need.

The system is good for those that prefer to be more in control of when you release the water.

Many people think this is an unassisted colonic, which is not the case.

The open system is great after a trip, or just when you have a lot of material ready to move out.  Some people who generally have harder pieces of fecal matter have an easier time getting it out on the open system. I myself prefer the open.

I think maybe 75% of our clients prefer the closed system.

+ Walk me through the pre/post care of a colonic?

KH: Very simple!! No food two hours prior. You do not want to be digesting food while eliminating at the same time. No water one hour prior- you do not want to have your bladder filling up and feeling the need to urinate during a session- it would not be super fun, but we can send you off to the toilet and you can come back on the system if you need to empty your bladder.

Post colonic, you don’t want to run out & have a big heavy meal, anything spicy or frozen like yogurt, alcohol or caffeine!  And you do want to drink plenty of water to help keep the flushing going.

Eat light, steamed veggies, fruits, soups, etc.

+ What makes a good colonic?

KH: The client can choose how to begin, some want us to see them just as they normally are.  Others want to do as much pre-work as possible and that is when the client does some preparation ahead in terms of being well hydrated and has already eliminated any foods that they even think may be causing any issues in their digestive system.

Typically that would be dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, processed foods, SUGARS is a big one, corn, all of which can be sources of digestive issues for some people.

+ Anything NOT to do before & after a colonic?

KH: As above, just no eating within two hours prior, & no drinking one hour prior!!

After, avoid things that can irritate the colon like coffee & spicy foods.

+ What can you expect to feel before/during/after?

KH: Before, many people are a little nervous, not knowing what to expect.

During your session, our goal is to help you feel as relaxed as possible.  Most people are surprised at how relaxing an experience it is.

Ideally, afterwards you feel a dramatic difference- that elusive feeling of being hydrated, a lightness you may not have felt in a long time and more energy.  People who have more digestive issues can either feel the biggest difference after their session, or can need a few more sessions to get what some people call a “colonic glow.”

Once you get that good clean feeling, I like to say keep it going as long as you can, and if you dip below that healthy, hydrated feeling, come on in and do another session or series.

Women often like to do a session pre-period to assist their bodies through that natural detox time.

+ Foods to eat that will have similar effects?

KH: Lots of fruits. Lots of juices, a good juice cleanse. Also 16 ounces of celery juice daily, on an empty stomach, is amazing!  Salads. Papaya. Aloe water. Coconut water. Staying very hydrated is critically important, always!! Lemon water first thing in the morning.

 If you are just starting on a journey to jump-start your health, & you want to make a serious change in your life, switching your diet alone will make a big difference.

However, as you make changes you may experience some unwanted side effects ( flatulence, frequent trips to the toilet ).  If you don’t work at home, or don’t have access to a toilet whenever you need it, it can be tricky to negotiate the logistics of emptying your colon of possibly years of poor or incorrect diet, gas, etc. in a public place- I think you get the picture! In that case, colonics are a nice quick-start to that process of finding the best diet for you.

+ Biggest mistake you see people make with colonics?

KH: Not eliminating foods that may be causing them problems or thinking it is the magic pill and one session will do it all.

+ Best tip or piece of advice in regard to colonics?

KH: Combine it with juicing, cleaning up your diet, maybe some additional cleansing packages – we have some available at Gentle Wellness Center if you are interested in that!!

To book with Karen, contact Gentle Wellness Center via DM on Instagram at @gentle.wellness ( & tell her The Skinny Confidential sent you while you’re in session for a little laugh. Just don’t laugh too hard…k? ).

HAVE YOU HAD A COLONIC? IF SO, SHARE PLZ. GIVE SPECIFICS! x lauryn

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