Because I’m all about health and wellness in 2019, I’m finding myself venturing outside my comfort zone to track down unique holistic treatments and healthcare alternatives. So imagine my surprise as I was going down the rabbit hole of alternative medicines, I stumbled across a place called The Butt Spa KC.
Wait. What?
Turns out, it’s hydro-colon therapy.
Wait. What?
Seems colonic irrigation—as it’s more commonly known—is becoming a thing in the metro.
(No sh*t. I’m serious.)
For those of you not in the know, it’s a process where temperate, filtered water flows through a tube that has been inserted into the rectum and flushes out the colon. Fluid is then released as a normal bowel movement which rids your body of toxins, mucus and other unwanted sundry items. It’s allegedly supposed to help a variety of ailments”everything from bloating to brain fog to backaches and beyond.
For Mandana Dowlatshahi, she’s a firm believer in the process, but it took her awhile to seek out the remedy. “As a pharmacist I had seen medications that caused constipation and saw how limited the medications to treat constipation were. I, like most healthcare providers, had very poor if any training in nutrition and digestion,” says Dowlatshahi. “I got to a point where I felt very stopped up both in my gut as well as joint pain. I was open to getting colonics because I knew that there was nothing else I could do.”
Interested? Since there are more than a half dozen providers in the metro who offer hydro-colon therapy, here’s what you need to know before you venture out. I asked the tough questions”uh, so you don’t have to:
Does it hurt? For me, I experienced moments of discomfort my first few visits until I got used to the process. Most quickly subsided after that. “The process, at worst, has mild nausea that subsides after the cramps from old residue is gone,” says Dowlatshahi.
What if I’m constipated? Apparently, that’s the perfect time to go. (Pun intended.) My therapist says in an ideal world, you should be going to the bathroom at least once a day. Otherwise you’re subject to a litany of gut issues like stomach pain, bloating, gas, and weight gain. (PS. If that sounds familiar, don’t feel bad”an estimated four million individuals in the United States suffer from frequent constipation.)
What are the benefits? For many people, it’s simply a matter of getting “your colon rollin'” says Mark Boyle, owner of Body Basics. In just a few sessions, colonic irrigation can clean out years of undigested “sludge” out of your system. For Boyle, many of his first-time clients are now loyal repeat visitors—including now yours truly. “The number one disease is basically called toxemia—which are toxins in our blood stream. They get there from years of undigested food that lays in our colon,” says Boyle.
How often do I need to do them? Everybody is different. I now go faithfully every 4-6 weeks. For Dowlatshahi, she goes weekly. “It has improved my bowels throughout the week. Before getting a colonic I sometimes have nasal congestion or mind fog or outright bloated. After and really during the colonic, I feel much more mentally clear and (have) far flatter of a stomach. There is truly no substitute for a good colonic.”
I’m trying to detox. Will it help? Ridding the body of toxins and waste can help with digestion while promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal flora. Removing lingering toxins can also help improve nutrient absorption and overall health. “Unfortunately, many people just aren’t regular and always feel bloated, swollen, full and have a poochy belly. Colon hydrotherapy eliminates gas and bloating and removes waste to flatten the tummy and make people feel better in swimsuits or just in every day clothes,” says colon hydrotherapist Laurie Black of You, Only Better KC. “Being impacted can be uncomfortable and painful, but it can also be very dangerous.”
Who gets them? I mean, do it fit the criteria? Sounds like it’s the perfect outlet for many people”not just those experiencing constant gastro-intestinal distress. “When I first started offering colonics, there was kind of a niche group of people who loved them,” says Black. “In the last several years, we have started seeing many athletes, body builders, senior citizens, millennials and an equal amount of men and women.”
Like I said, hydro-colon therapy is purported to help a litany of health woes—everything from acne to insomnia. Popular on the coasts for years, it’s seeing a newfound wave of popularity in the metro. “Do what Hollywood has known for years,” says Boyle. If it still seems a little odd and a little too invasive, first go see a hydrocolon therapist and just shoot the sh*t with them, so to speak. Become an informed consumer to see if it’s the right move(ment) for you. “Colonics are not that bad and 99% of the people that come in for their first are nervous and mortified but relax and feel comfortable within the first five minutes,” says Black.
You heard it here first.