Ahhh, there is nothing like a good cup of coffee in the morning, right? But wait, now imagine instead of drinking it normally, absorbing it through the… opposite. end. of your digestive tract…!
While I don’t recall where it was that I first heard about coffee enemas, I do vividly remember my initial reaction -- I was stunned, a bit grossed out, but intrigued.
So, what is an enema?
en·e·ma | the injection of liquid into the rectum and colon by way of the anus
Merriam-Webster
I knowwwww.
Hear me out. Coffee enemas have actually been used for over centuries. They have become more mainstream through the Gerson Therapy, an alternative healing protocol for cancer, diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases.
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The Magic Word: Detox
You’re probably sick and tired of hearing this buzz word. Me too. The market seems oversaturated with detox teas, juices, cleanses… Personally, I always thought it was ironic that all of these products are advising us to consume more of xyz in order to clean out our system
Now, coffee enemas do not involve you eating or drinking anything. The reason they form a part of the Gerson Therapy (for fighting cancer) is that they are very effective at cleansing the liver, the colon, and speeding up detoxification processes in the body
A quick Bio101 refresher:
The liver is the organ in charge of detoxing
But when the body is fighting a disease, or is constantly exposed to exogenous chemicals (from daily living in our modern society… think parabens), the liver becomes overtaxed and can’t keep up with the workload, leading to a free radical build-up in our bloodstream and tissues
I think about free radicals as the bad guys that make our pipes rusty and aged. They come from anything that causes oxidative stress in our bodies: chemicals, excess estrogen, and heavy metals, bad-quality or rancid cooking oils, etc.
You can think of coffee enemas as the (non-toxic!) Drano that helps unclog your pipes. More Bio101:
Coffee enemas stimulate production of glutathione (the body’s “master antioxidant”) by 6-7x over normal levels >> glutathione sweeps up free radicals in the bloodstream and antioxidizes (aka neutralizes) them >> this residue is carried out through the bile flow, which is then flushed out through the intestinal tract
Cool fact (for my type-A self): while you hold the coffee enema in for 10 to 15 minutes, the body’s entire blood supply passes through the liver 4 to 5 times!
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Why Coffee?
If you’re a coffee fan, you might already know about its antioxidant properties from compounds like theobromine, theophylline, caffeine and cafestol palmitate
If you’re a coffee fan, you might also have experienced that it helps you go #2, as the coffee stimulates your colon muscles to contract
Personally, I find that it also adds an aromatherapy aspect and upgrades the enema into the status of a self-care ritual
If you’ve followed this far (kudos to you!), you might be wondering:
Why not just drink the coffee like a normal person? Would it not bring about the same results? OK, this is the last bit of Bio101:
It turns out that the rectum has a rich capillary bed that leads into the portal vein (aka a blood vessel) that leads to the liver
Those capillaries act like a sponge, absorbing the coffee and its antioxidant compounds very quickly and transporting them up the portal vein to the liver
So no, you wouldn't get the same results from drinking coffee the normal way because it doesn’t have the same absorbency nor expediency of an enema
In case you still need more convincing! What are the benefits of coffee enemas?
Reduce general toxicity levels (which, unchecked, can lead to cancers and other diseases)
Enhances cell regeneration, tissue health, and repair (which means, you’ll end up looking and feeling younger)
Enhances immunity (which helps your body fight off viruses and bacteria)
Alleviates GI symptoms (such as constipation, bloating, cramping, etc.)
Improves gut health and digestion
Prevents fecal compaction (which is not only gross, but harmful because it increases toxicity)
Improves mood and mental clarity
Next, I'll write about my personal experience with coffee enemas and tips on how to do them properly.
xx,
AMI
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice.