Constipation can be a painful and frustrating condition, and everyone experiences it occasionally.
There are many different ways to cleanse your colon and obtain regularity. Using an enema may seem quite safe and not too invasive. However, if it’s done incorrectly or with the incorrect ingredients, the results may be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Many people perform enemas using mineral oil, water and salt mixture, or even soapy water. One of the other suggested ways to cleanse your colon is with a coffee enema.
But are coffee enemas safe? Let’s explore the history behind this method, how it is done, and what the results may be.
What Is a Coffee Enema?
Applying a coffee enema means that a mixture of pure, brewed coffee (not the chicory substitute we may find in the shop) is inserted into the rectum with an enema kit, allowing the caffeine mixture to enter the colon. Coffee enemas have seen wide use as alternative medicines. They are said to assist with the production of bile, a natural fluid produced by our bodies to help with digestion. It has also been associated with the production of glutathione, which detoxes the body.
This procedure originated in Germany in the early 1900s and is still used worldwide. Are coffee enemas safe? There are many benefits recorded relating to coffee enemas but also some possible side effects.
Why Use a Coffee Enema?
A coffee enema, like any other enema, may bring relief during constipation. It assists with regular bowel movements and thereby cleanses the colon. But the coffee provides several benefits in addition to the benefits you get from regular enemas.
These enemas are known to boost your immune system as well as your energy levels, which means that your mood and sleeping pattern will be positively affected. Furthermore, a coffee enema assists with the fight against candida and yeast growth, it removes parasites from the bowels, and it also helps treat cancer and depression.
Possible Safety Concerns
The general consensus is that coffee enemas are quite safe. There is little proof that coffee enemas may be dangerous to your health but even the slightest danger should be considered before making a choice about enema use. Always remember to consult your physician before administering an enema to yourself or to anyone else.
- Deaths
Approximately 3 deaths have been recorded which were linked to coffee enemas, and all of them were attributed to bacterial infections or electrolyte imbalance. The causes of these symptoms may have been coffee enemas but the research was not conclusive.It is uncertain whether the conditions came from the coffee itself, or perhaps the procedure or the tools used to administer the enema.It should be stressed that it is imperative that you use clean, pure ground coffee and no other substitute. The beans should be handled with clean hands and should be ground in a clean grinder. When brewing the coffee, make sure that the machine used is clean and mold-free. This will reduce the risk of bacteria contaminating your coffee mixture and entering your body. Be sure to use boiling water to assist in killing any germs.It is also very important to do coffee enemas in moderation and not on a regular basis. To be safe, once a week should be sufficient. Remember that enemas on a regular basis may cause the bowels to become ‘lazy’, which means your body will start to depend on you using enemas to evacuate blockages.Also, remember to replenish your electrolytes to ensure that they remain balanced since coffee draws minerals from your body and therefore may cause an electrolyte imbalance. - Method
If you are not sure how to administer an enema, it would be best to discuss this with your General Practitioner. Applying an enema incorrectly may cause a tear in the rectal wall or even in the colon itself.It is best to purchase an enema kit from your local pharmacy, which you can reuse as required. Be sure to sterilize the items before and after each use. You should be very careful when administering an enema since the rectum is extremely sensitive. Before inserting the enema kit, it is best to lay down on a soft surface and relax your body. Always use a lubricant on both your rectum and the tip of the bottle. This will ensure that the tip slips in easily and does not pull the skin of the rectum. - Aftereffects
Coffee enemas may cause bloating and cramping as well as nausea and vomiting. There is also the danger of rectal burns. - Caffeine Sensitivity
Even when inserting it in your rectum, caffeine still enters your colon, which means your body still draws nutrients and vitamins from the coffee. If you are sensitive to caffeine, your body may react badly, just as when you drink the beverage. The caffeine remains in the bowels, where it moves through the intestinal wall to the liver through the portal vein. So whether the coffee is taken orally or rectally, it will reach your liver eventually.
So How Do I Do It?
To prepare a coffee enema, add approximately 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to one liter of boiling water. The coffee may be brewed through a machine but you have to make sure that the coffee grounds are completely filtered out of the water. It is very important to let the mixture cool down completely before administering the enema, to avoid burning yourself both internally or externally.
It is best to lie down on a soft surface, bench, or on a bed. When using your bed, be sure to cover your bedding with an extra sheet or towel for protection. You can either lie on your back with your feet right next to your bottom or on your right side with both legs to your chest.
Remain as relaxed as possible. Insert the well-lubricated enema device slowly into your rectum and push as much of the fluid into the colon without forcing it. Hold the mixture for about 15 minutes and release. Ensure that you are near the toilet since your bowels may start evacuating almost immediately.
Conclusion – Are Coffee Enemas Safe?
We found that there is no conclusive proof that coffee enemas are unsafe. It seems that any form of danger that has been found can be attributed to human errors. It is however advised to visit a physician before administering any kind of enema. It is also important to handle the mixture with care to avoid bacteria entering the bowels, and always be sure to administer the enema in a safe manner.
References:
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ask-the-science-based-pharmacist-what-are-the-benefits-of-coffee-enemas/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315663.php
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3603218/
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