Coffee Enema 

Why in the world would someone use coffee in an enema?  That is the question I asked when my health practitioner suggested I do coffee enemas.  Yet, when I got over my initial resistance, I quickly noticed the many benefits of coffee enemas.  

History of the Coffee Enema.  Enemas are an ancient form of hydrotherapy.  They have been used for thousands of years for mechanically cleansing the colon.  This is proven in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Enemas and colonic irrigation were used routinely in hospitals. Coffee enemas were mentioned in older editions of the Merck Manual, a handbook for medical physicians.  They were later popularized by Max Gerson, MD, author of A Cancer Therapy - Results of 50 Cases.

Dr. Gerson pioneered nutritional therapy for cancer and other diseases with excellent results.  His therapy combined coffee enemas with a special diet, juices and other supplements.  The enemas were an integral part of the therapy.

Benefits.  The major benefit of the coffee enema, according to Dr. Gerson, is to enhance the elimination of toxins through the liver.  Indeed, endoscopic studies confirm that the coffee enema increases bile output.

To test this idea, a patient was given a coffee enema while an endoscope (a thin tube with a camera on the end to view the intestine) monitored the entrance to the common bile duct.  Within minutes of administering the enema, bile flow increased.

Increased bile flow also alkalinizes the small intestine and promotes improved digestion.  Coffee also acts as an astringent in the large intestine, helping clean the colon walls.

A common contributor to ill health is the production and absorption of toxins within the small and large intestines.  If food is not digested properly, sugars ferment and protein putrefies or rots.  Both processes generate toxic chemicals, which are then absorbed into the liver.

The coffee enema enhances digestion by increasing bile flow and removes toxins in the large intestine so they will not be absorbed.  Most people with health complaints suffer from impaired digestion and excessive production of toxic substances in the intestines.

Coffee enemas are particularly helpful for slow oxidizers.  Their liver activity is more sluggish and digestion is usually impaired.  Fast oxidizers may have more difficulty retaining the enema.

The procedure described below is really a coffee implant rather than an enema, because it involves only two to three cups of water.  Using more water than this may make the enema more difficult to retain for some individuals and is not really needed in most cases. 

If you wish, however, the use of a quart of water, and making sure the water reaches most of the large intestine, is more helpful for cleansing the colon of accumulated waste material.  If one suspects severe bowel toxicity or in cases of serious illness, quart enemas are preferable, at least to start with.

How Often And How Long? usually suggest one enema per day to assist detoxification or to enhance liver activity.  Two enemas daily may be taken during a healing reaction if needed.  For those who are very ill, several a day may be best for at least several months.  (Dr. Gerson, by the way, used six coffee enemas daily for cancer patients.)

For best results, a program of coffee enemas should be carried on for at least a month. They should not be needed for more than two to five years, although many people have continued to take them for a number of years without problems.

The best time to take the enema is after a normal bowel movement.  One will get a slight rush from the caffeine, but it is not like drinking coffee, which I do not recommend.  Coffee enemas taken in the evening may interfere with sleep. 

If performed properly, coffee implants do not cause habituation, constipation or any rectal problems.  The exception is if there are significant hemorrhoids, rectal fissures or other rectal problems.  In these cases, extra care is needed in inserting the enema tip.

Some people with hemorrhoids find enemas irritating and cannot do them.  This is one of the few contraindications for coffee enemas.  While enemas may seem uncomfortable, many clients report the procedure is so helpful they soon forget the inconvenience.

Step 1. Materials

* Buy a 2-quart enema bag with a clamp.  An enema/douche bag combination is easier to use because you can close the top.  

Enema Kit - Click here to buy!! 

* Buy any brand of preferably organically grown coffee.  It must be regular coffee - regular grind or flaked.  Do not buy instant coffee and do not buy decaffeinated coffee.  Organic coffee is available at natural food stores and at many supermarkets as well.  Be sure to keep opened coffee containers in the freezer for maximum freshness.

Enema Coffee - Click here to buy!!

Step 2. Preparation of coffee

There are three methods. The first two are a little better, but any of these will work.

1) The boil method.

* Place 2 to 3 cups of purified water and one-half to two tablespoons of coffee in a saucepan and bring to a boil (or use a coffee maker to percolate the coffee quickly).

NOTE: The first time you do a coffee enema, use only1 teaspoon, NOT TABLESPOON, of coffee.  This is critical because some people are sensitive to caffeine and will feel very jittery on more coffee.  After a few enemas, you will see how much coffee you can tolerate comfortably.  Ideally, increase to two tablespoons per enema.

* Let it boil 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow it to cool. One or two ice cubes may be added to speed the cooling process.  You may make a larger quantity and use it for several enemas.

Tricks to speed up cooling the boiled coffee.  1) Boil only a little of the water with the coffee.  Once it has boiled, add the rest of the water to the coffee mixture to cool the entire amount down to body temperature.

2) Pour the coffee mixture back and forth several times through the air from one container to another, even from the enema bag back into a cool pot.  This will also cool it much faster.

NOTE: Body temperature feels hot when you place your finger in it.  If the water is too hot or too cold, retaining the enema will be more difficult.

* Only when the mixture is about body temperature, strain the liquid through a fine strainer or coffee filter paper into a clean enema bag.  Screw on the top of the enema bag.  The enema is now ready.

2) Using a coffeemaker.  This is more convenient for some people than the method above.  The coffee does not come out quite as strong, so you may be able to use a little more coffee.  Simply place the water and ground coffee as above, but use a coffee maker.

To cool the coffee after it percolates, you may leave it in the cup for a few minutes, or start with only half a cup of water and add a room temperature water to the coffee after it is percolated.

3) The non-boil method.  This is not quite as powerful but may be used if time is very important:

* Place 1 cup of ground coffee in a container with 2 cups of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly and allow it to soak overnight.

* In the morning, filter the liquid through coffee filter paper or a fine strainer. Place in a jar for storage in the refrigerator.

* To prepare an enema, pour 2 cups of purified water into the enema bag. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the coffee liquid from the jar.

Step 3. Preparing to take the enema

* Have a bowel movement before doing the enema.  This is important, as otherwise you will not be able to retain the enema in most cases and there could be a mess on the floor!  To have a bowel movement, the best method is to drink many glasses of spring or distilled water beforehand.  You may also have something to eat or even use a laxative like prunes if needed.

If you have not had a bowel movement, take a plain water enema first, before the coffee enema.  This will usually clean out the bowel quickly and effectively.

* Be sure the plastic hose is pushed or fastened well onto the enema bag and the thin enema tip is attached to the other end.

* Remove any air from the enema tube the following way.  Grasp but do not close the clamp on the hose.  Place the tip in the sink.  Hold up the enema bag above the tip until the water begins to flow out. Then close the clamp. This expels any air in the tube.

* Lubricate the enema tip with a small amount of soap or oil. (Too much lubrication will cause the tip to fall out of the rectum, creating a mess!).

Step 4. Taking the enema

* The position preferred by most people is lying on one's back on a towel, on the bathroom floor or in the bathtub.

* With the clamp closed, place the enema bag on the floor next to you, or hang the bag about one foot above your abdomen.

* Insert the tip gently and slowly.  Move it around until it goes all the way in.

* Open the clamp and hold the enema bag about one foot above the abdomen. The water may take a few seconds to begin flowing.  If the water does not flow, you may gently squeeze the bag.  If you develop a cramp, close the hose clamp, turn from side to side and take a few deep breaths. The cramp will usually pass quickly.

* When all the liquid is inside, the bag will become flat.  Close the clamp. You can leave the tube inserted, or remove it slowly.

* RETAIN THE ENEMA FOR 15 MINUTES (less time is okay, but not quite as effective).  See below if you have difficulties with this.  You may remain lying on the floor. Use the time to read a book, meditate, etc.  Some people are able to get up and go lie on a towel in bed, instead of on the floor.  Walking around the house with the coffee inside is not recommended.

A small number of people are unable to retain even a cup of water for the required 15 minutes.  One can start with less coffee or less water in these cases.  There seems to be no harm if one wishes to retain the enema longer than 15 minutes.

Step 5. Finishing up

* After 15 minutes or so, go to the toilet and empty out the water. It is okay if some water remains inside.  If water remains inside often, you are  dehydrated.

* Wash the enema bag and tube thoroughly with soap and water.

* if you feel out of sorts or a little bloated after the enema, rub the top of the toes of both feet, but particularly the left foot.  You can also rub the entire foot, especially any part that is tender.  This will often balance out the body’s energies after a coffee retention enema