(NaturalNews) Remember the old joke about enemas? "It couldn`t hurt!" It`s OK, go ahead and laugh, both laughing and enemas are good for your health. Laughing has probably been around longer, but we know that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine prescribed enemas some 2,600 years ago, as did Patanjali, the first written author on yoga around 200 B.C. Many cultures independently invented it and during the pre-plastic bucket days things such as hollowed out gourds or animal bladders were used. "In fact, there is hardly a region of the world where people did not discover or adapt the enema. It is more ubiquitous than the wheel. Enemas are found in world literature from Aristophanes to Shakespeare, Gulliver Travels to Peyton Place." (Ralph W. Moss, PhD)
There is speculation that the coffee enema, originated during World War I. Morphine supplies were limited and nurses discovered that coffee enemas could be used to dull pain experienced by wounded soldiers. Since that time we have learned that coffee enemas are not only helpful for pain management, but have the additional benefits of helping the liver remove and dump toxins. It is the circulating toxins that cause inflammation and pain by irritating the nervous system.
The liver combines toxins with bile and excretes the toxins with the bile flow. The caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, in coffee dilate the ducts to facilitate bile flow. The palmitates in coffee increase the action of glutathione-S-transferase by 600% to 700% in the liver and in the small intestine. It is this enzyme that is responsible for the detoxification of free radicals and it`s also this enzyme that inhibits the re-absorption of the toxic bile. The quart of fluid held in the colon encourages the bowels to quickly move the waste out of the body by increasing peristalsis. It is easier, and tastier to drink the coffee, but the effects are not the same. Only coffee administered through the colon has the effects of bile duct dilation and enzyme stimulation.
The method is easy to follow. It is important to use organic, non-flavored coffee (save the hazelnut fudge nut for Sunday brunch). Bring a quart of distilled water to a gentle boil and add three rounded tablespoons of coffee. Let it boil for five minutes uncovered, and then cover the pot, turn down the heat and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the coffee cool to body temperature. Next, filter it through a strainer lined with a clean piece of white linen. Then add more water to bring the amount back up to one quart. Fill an enema bucket with the coffee. It can be taken while lying on the floor on a towel or lying inside the bathtub. Bring a pillow for comfort and a watch to check the time. A book or an iPod might be a good idea to have along too. The enema bucket should be placed around 18 inches above the body so that a gentle flow is achieved. Hanging it from the water knobs in the tube works well. Lubricate the tube`s tip with Vaseline or coconut oil and gently inserted it about 6 to 8 inches into the anus. Release the clamp on the tube and let the coffee flow in. Lie on the right side in a comfortable position. If peristaltic waves or cramping occur, deep breathing can help to relieve discomfort. Once all the coffee has passed into the body it should be held for 12 to 15 minutes.
Usually, instructions for how to take an enema suggest lying on the left side and then turning onto the back. This method would encourage the fluid to flow throughout the entire colon, and when colon cleansing is the goal, it makes sense. But the coffee enema has a different intent and so the instruction to lie on the right side has a purpose. Lying on the right best enables the coffee to be taken up by the hepatic portal vein which travels directly to the liver where the majority of benefits take place.
People who are sensitive to caffeine may find a mixture of half coffee and half chamomile will sooth and relax the effects. Those with ulcerative colitis should not use coffee enemas and there is one additional caveat. The occasional coffee enema to relieve a headache or hangover (two classic indicators of an over-burdened liver) will not be a problem, but a regular regime for detoxification must be supported by a good diet with plenty of fluid including fresh juices. Generally at least three, 8 oz. juices should be taken for every coffee enema to ensure that an electrolyte imbalance does not occur.
Resources:
"Healing The Gerson Way, Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases" Charlotte Gerson with Beata Bishop 2007 Totality Books
"Coffee: The Royal Flush" Ralph W. Moss, PhD,
http://www.ralphmoss.com/coff.html"Nutritional Healing" Kathryn Alexander D. Th.D
"How the Gerson Therapy Heals" Transcript of a lecture by Gar Hildenbrand, December 1990
About the author
Marsha Anderson practices organic gardening, plant based nutrition, and healthy living in sunny San Diego, California.
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