Cleansing from the Inside Out

Describing the details of your colonic hydrotherapy treatment is not the easiest of tasks. In saying that, I feel I would be doing you all a disservice if I didn’t put my bashfulness aside and let you in on something that could change your whole sense of wellbeing.

Recently I ventured out with (more than a little) trepidation, to see naturopath and colonic hydrotherapist Raaul Cohen, of Clean Breaks Dynamic Detox. Why? Because after escaping Mallorca’s winter for a summer in New Zealand I was feeling heavy, bloated and lethargic. Although my getaway was great for the soul, it involved plenty of dining, imbibing, parties and relaxation, and not so much healthy living and exercise. I felt like my system needed a reboot.

Raaul’s reputation precedes him. I had heard from a devout patient of his that he was the best in the business, having perfected his detox programmes over 30 years of practice, and has a host of notable clientele (although he’s too discreet to mention names). Let’s be honest, when we’re talking about going where the sun don’t shine you want an expert at the helm!

Based out of the palatial Iberostar Grand Portals Nous hotel, the surroundings are most certainly a comfort and go a long way to easing your mind. Marcel Wonder – who the New York Times dubbed the ‘Lady Gaga of design’, has designed this new hotels interior. Contemporary, elegant, and set against a backdrop of crystalline ocean I couldn’t think of a better place to take time out and invest in some self care.

So, before I get into the nitty gritty of my treatment let’s talk about what colonics are, and why on earth you would ever consider getting one.

The importance of the colon

Let’s start with the basics. The ‘colon’ is another name for your large intestine. As part of the digestive system, it’s key for the colon to function properly to ensure that you’re getting as many nutrients out of your food as possible and you don’t experience any pain throughout the digestive process.

Why have a colonic?

The overall goal of a colonic is to clear the colon of large quantities of stagnant, possibly toxic waste encrusted on the colon walls.  When this is done, the body no longer has to deal with wastes accumulated during a lifetime, enabling it to focus on healing itself and fighting disease.

Toxins can accumulate in the body as a result of stress and/or consuming too much acidic food, such as sugar, white flour caffeine and alcohol. When the bowel becomes toxic, it contaminates the blood, which in turn, spreads the toxins to the heart, lungs, brain, muscles etc. as it is delivering nutrients throughout the body. In the end, the liver is left to deal with toxic blood, and after years of relentless toxicity, it will become sluggish until it will no longer function effectively. The toxins will then begin to collect in other parts of the body. Disease will manifest wherever they settle.

Other purported health benefits include weight loss, a reduction in allergies, headaches, and eczema symptoms, and improved regularity and digestion, which could, in turn, affect other areas of health. Raaul has even witnessed clients’ recover from depression after receiving a series of colonics and ridding themselves of significant amounts of waste build up. To me it only seems logical that your inner health can affect your mental health and thought patterns.

What happens exactly?

During a colonic (also called a colon cleanse, colonic irrigation, or colon hydrotherapy), large amounts of water and possibly other substances, such as herbs or coffee, are flushed through the colon. Firstly the therapist inserts a (lubricated!) speculum into the anus. This speculum is connected to a long disposable plastic hose, which is in turn connected to the colon hydrotherapy unit (a system that enables the pressure, temperature, or flow of water through the nozzle to be controlled). During colonic hydrotherapy, warm water is released into the colon. The pressure promotes a reflexive contraction of the colon muscles. This forces waste, toxins, and trapped gases out of the colon, back through the hose, and into a closed disposal system. To aid the process, the therapist may apply light massage to the client’s abdominal area. Once the treatment is completed, the client sits on a toilet to pass any residual water and stools.

How many colonics do I need?

Raaul tells me a one off colonic isn’t likely to do much for your health unless you’re willing to address your overall health picture. You cannot flush out years of accumulated waste straight off the bat; the initial session will only scrape the surface (so to speak). A series of colonics is therefore preferred, and with each session the treatment can reach further into the ‘pockets’ of the colon allowing much deeper cleansing. Water can travel the entire length of the colon and usually does. It is not the distance, but the severity of the build up and how long it takes to soften, loosen and hydrate the compacted material within.

The amount of colonics you should receive is entirely individual. Some people choose to do an intensive cleanse for one week per year with daily colonics, and others prefer a monthly maintenance colonic, or ‘mini cleanse’ with weekly colonics over a couple of months for example.

One colonic will remove some of the stagnant waste in the colon, and can be helpful if you’re wanting to aid recovery from travel, flu, fever, back or headache, transient constipation or a small fast or cleanse. Just one colonic session can be equivalent to having 10-15 regular bowel movements.

Raaul has created his weeklong crème de la crème detox package that utilises colonics combined with nutrition to optimise your health. The Dynamic Detox program works on several levels. It uses the nutritional benefits of fresh vegetables and fruits in their most powerful and easily absorbed form (juicing) while at the same time gently cleansing the digestive tract of accumulated waste through daily colonics. The body is also fully hydrated by optimising fluid levels, plus you will receive vitamin and mineral supplements, cleansing drinks, and a nourishing consommé before you retire for the evening. The Iberostar works alongside Raaul for those clients that wish to stay at the hotel during the program. This allows them to also have the benefit of the hotel spa facilities and all their liquid nourishment delivered to their rooms. The ultimate retreat!

My experience

 Raaul advised me before I arrived that a lengthy health consultation would take place before I even caught a glimpse of a speculum. He takes this part of the procedure very seriously, meticulously covering all aspects of my health that may affect the colonic, and also garnering a picture of my overall wellbeing and areas in need of attention. He follows this up by carefully looking at my eyes with a magnifying glass. From this he tells me he can see areas of blockage in the colon. I apparently have three areas of concern, and he asks me if I have perhaps consumed quite a bit of alcohol in my youth. After years working in the hospitality industry his assessment is sadly accurate.

Now it’s show time. Donned in a backless hospital gown I jump on the bed ready for action. Raaul talks me through the process thoroughly, and I position myself as required. The tube is inserted painlessly and I have full view so that I can see everything that *ahem* ‘passes through’. And so the process begins.

Firstly he sprays a divine smelling blend of organic tea-tree, rosemary and marjoram essential oils with an almond oil base onto my stomach and begins to massage in a clockwise direction. This combined with the calming background music goes a long way to helping me relax, however he actually does this throughout the treatment to stimulate the bowel and encourage movement. He can even feel the areas that are blocked and gently massages the waste through.

He then releases the water tank and it’s an odd sensation at first, but not at all unpleasant. You can feel yourself filling up with water, and at the point where you feel like you’re getting too full you breathe out allowing your stomach to contract and expel the liquid and waste. You can see it all passing through the tube, which is really quite fascinating. Raaul describes the significance of what is coming out and how this may be impacting your health.

The next step is to introduce a sequence of three different smaller tanks into the bowel. Raaul’s unique blends are very powerful and natural stimulants that work much deeper than water alone. The first smaller tank is a steeped linseed and cannabis seed blend, followed by an organic herbal blend, and finally an organic Mexican coffee blend. All are set to the optimum temperature and introduced to the colon for set periods of time before being flushed out. They are very effective let me tell you! The coffee in particular was left for only one minute before it worked it’s magic on me and was expelled.

With the treatment complete I am instructed to go to the bathroom to release any remaining liquid. Going ‘number twos’ when someone is on the other side of the door would usually send me into a fluster, but luckily all dignity was pushed aside much earlier on and I have no qualms.

Back in the treatment room Raaul and I discuss my action plan going forward which involves a lot of juicing, and abstaining from lactose and yeast. He gives me a high strength probiotic to take immediately so that any good bacteria that may have been flushed out during the treatment is restored.

I leave the Iberostar with a pep in my step, feeling light, energised, and with renewed vigour to implement healthy habits. In fact I feel compelled to hit the beach, as I’m sure my stomach hasn’t been this flat in a very long time. I also wonder if the concierge has any idea what I’ve been up to for the last two hours as I bid him adios…

If you are interested in a colonic hydrotherapy treatment with Raaul at Clean Breaks Dynamic Detox he is offering our Nourish Community a 10% discount off regular prices. Simply quote ‘Nourish’ to receive this offer.

Initial Consultation: €80 (€72 for Nourish readers)

Colonic Treatments: €120 (€108 for Nourish readers)

DYNAMIC DETOX
Iberostar Grand Hotel Portals Nous
Calle Falconer,19
07181 Portals Nous, Mallorca
+34 971 70 17 08

raaul@cleanbreaks.net
www.cleanbreaks.net

Written by Ché Miller

About the author Ché has always had a passion for hospitality having completed a conjoint Bachelors Degree in International Business and Hospitality Management. She has spent the last 15 years working in the hospitality industry. This passion led her to working in a premier health retreat in Australia in her twenties. There she found the knowledge she gained there inspired her to start living a healthier life. Now Ché loves to combine her two favourite things, hospitality and wellbeing. She scours the island for the best nourishing restaurants, products and services. Ché has been living in Mallorca since early 2017, having moved from her home in New Zealand. She absolutely loves the energy of the island and everything it has to offer. Ché’s other interests include ashtanga yoga, boxing, reading, writing, and really good coffee.