Colonics, the Microbiome and So Much to Learn!

Most people are not aware that there are 3 different types of colonics which vary quite a bit. I didn’t know this, in fact I had no idea what I was getting myself into when my mother-in-law took me to a colon therapist in 1980 when we lived in Chicago. I had complained to her of terrible pain from constipation and so she felt she knew the solution. She drove me to a home where we entered the basement through concrete stairs underground. After entering we sat on folding metal chairs with concrete beneath our feet. There were no obvious walls other than one that went up 3/4 of the way because of the exposed pipes and ductwork at the ceiling. Eventually in this dark dungeon-like space, a woman came out of the door on that wall and said, “Next.” That was me! Yikes! No introductions or niceties, just “get undressed and lay on this table,” which was literally next to the furnace and water heater! During the short course of this colonic all she said to me was, “you sure are constipated” and “roll over.” It was horrible! So uncomfortable too! Afterward I wasn’t given advice or recommendations on probiotics. I went home feeling even worse and for the next 3 days I laid in bed with flu like symptoms. For many years I told people, “don’t ever get a colonic, they will make you very sick.” Little did I know how wrong I was.

A few years later I got very ill. My husband and I searched everywhere for answers. This involved going to a clinic far away for vitamin IV”s and other modalities. I was convinced to try colonics again as they had a professional woman on staff. She used a high pressure machine. Although I didn’t get ill afterwards, the procedure was unbearably uncomfortable as this method doesn’t relieve gas in the beginning plus it is at a high pressure. Again, nothing was released convincing me again that colonics were definitely not for me.

Then early in 1989 my husband received a call from a former friend from another state. She had heard I had been diagnosed with Lupus. She had been a colon therapist for 8 years. She explained to him the reasons why I must get colonics but he told her there was no way I would do them with my bad experiences. Together they hatched a plan to get me to do them. It wasn’t easy but my husband was very convincing. I’m very grateful for his persistence as I’m sure I would not be alive today. Our 43 years of marriage is defined by supporting one another through various challenges.

Here I am today, in May it will be 34 years as a certified colon therapist. I have enjoyed helping 1,000’s of people improve their health. I provide a pleasant environment with lots of natural light and a beautiful flower garden, no dungeon basements here! It’s important to spend considerable time with a new client getting to know them and educating them as to how they can help themselves for the long term before we do the procedure. The method I use is the granddaddy of colon therapy. It is the closed gravity method also known as the Wood Method named after Dr. Wood, the inventor of colon therapy a century ago. The exit hose is flexible allowing for release of gas in the beginning and throughout the colonic. Additionally, the water pressure is simply gravity, so much more comfortable! It is a closed system so there are no embarrassing odors and the person is modestly covered. My number one priority is to keep my people comfortable. This is so important! The more comfortable the person is the more relaxed they will be which in turn will keep the colon relaxed. This is vital for the best colonic possible. Our colons feel stress, so no stress here! I have a blog in which I posted the differences in the 3 methods of colonics in 2012. It is titled "A lesson in Colonics."

As with anything, we don’t pick a mechanic off the internet without research, nor a doctor nor a hair stylist. How much more so with something so important and delicate as our colon health.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

808-747-2035. Mahalo! Gailla Deiters CCT

www.alohacolonics.com

Are All Colon Therapists the Same?

I have been a certified colon therapist for over 30 years yet it would surprise many that initially after having my first colonic I would tell anyone that thought of getting a colonic to definitely not do it.  I was very emphatic as I felt I was preventing them from going through the horrible experience I had.  This went on for nearly 9 years until I was convinced through my husband to give it another shot.  If it had not been for him I feel I would surely have been dead by now.  Let me explain why I was so passionate against colonics. 

My mother-in-law was someone I could confide in and so after a year of marriage I told her how miserable I was with constipation.  I had actually suffered since I was just 6 years old to the point of taking laxatives.  By 8 years old my appendix was removed having almost ruptured due to the impacted feces.  By my late teens I was diagnosed with a spastic colon, now called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

My mother-in-law was sure she had the solution I needed.  It was 1980 and we lived in Chicago.  She took me to a woman that did colonics out of her basement.  I had nothing to compare her with but from the start I was very uncomfortable.  We walked down the stairs to a typical Chicago basement, concrete floors, ceiling with ductwork exposed and no windows.  We sat on metal folding chairs in front of a wall that went up only 3/4 of the way towards the ceiling.  A woman came out the door of the room behind and simply said, “Next.”  She didn’t even know my name nor care to know it.  She told me to undress, lay on the table and cover myself with the sheet.  The table was next to a water heater and a furnace.  She began the colonic.  She didn’t speak to me other than to say, ‘roll over,’ and ‘you sure are constipated.’  I was extremely intimidated and miserable.  Due to having a spastic colon this situation made my colon all the more jumpy.  I was in quite a lot of pain, something that I learned later shouldn’t be the case with an experienced colon therapist.  I was on the table only about 20 minutes with very little release of waste.  She said no words of what to expect or to take probiotics, etc.  I paid her and left.  For the next 3 days I was stuck in bed due to awful flu-like symptoms, body aches and terrible cramping.  She had filled me up with water allowing for toxins to be stirred up and then reabsorbed by my body.  Everything about this first experience was horrific, thus I was determined to prevent others from experiencing it.  Yet, as is still true today, one incompetent colon therapist doesn’t mean all are incompetent. 

Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of seeing a doctor or dentist that was not good at her profession.  Or what about massage therapists?  Don’t get me started!  I have had ones that stirred up my body so bad I cried afterwards while others relieved any pain and made me feel like I was walking on clouds.  So why are colon therapists not viewed the same?  I think it has to do with the oddity of the profession.  In any case, believe me when I say, we vary greatly!  Both by method, there are 3 different ones, each greatly different from one another, and by individual.  

The bad experience I had in 1980 didn’t go without its benefits.  When I decided to go to school to become a certified colon therapist in 1989 I already knew what NOT to do.  This has translated into all 3 of the offices I have run my business from having lots of natural light.  I have never had a basement dungeon to hide out of sight.  We shouldn’t be ashamed of the natural process of elimination.  But of course privacy is of utmost importance.  The client needs to feel comfortable, peaceful, safe.  Additionally it’s important for the therapist to be passionate about being a colon therapist or else how could she truly care for people with the love and tenderness necessary to aid the client in feeling at ease so their colon can be relaxed for the process.  This is more important than one may realize and is why from the very beginning I have always sat down with my clients at their first appointment to go over their history and discuss how colon therapy can benefit them.  This 30 minutes of extra time is essential for me to know the person and for them to feel comfortable with me. 

I enjoy the ability to make a real difference in people’s lives.  This translates into keeping well informed and up to date with the latest information related to GI health.  I have furthered my education through seminars and workshops to allow me to help individuals with more complex problems.  Anyone with a passion for their profession would do the same.  I wonder sometimes, how old will I be when I call it quits?  I can’t imagine not helping people.  It’s what I love to do.  

So please, in choosing a colon therapist do the same detective work you would do in choosing a doctor, a mechanic, a contractor.  Have they been trained by an accredited colon therapy school?  Are they truly certified?  What is their office environment like?  Do they use proper sterilization?  

Our health is the most important possession we have.  

  

Fungal Overgrowth including Candida is a Real Problem!

For more than 2 decades I have seen many clients that have issues with chronic sinus infections, bronchial infections, as well as skin problems such as rashes that despite having seen multiple physicians in various specialities have had no improvement but to the contrary have only gotten worse.  I typically find that these clients’ problems manifested shortly after taking an antibiotic, often times a broad spectrum.  Through the course of observation with symptoms, history and what is excreted during the colonic we decide to take the approach of addressing a possible overgrowth of fungus typically candida.  These health problems are not the only way a candida overgrowth problem can be exhibited but for the sake of this blog we are focusing on the above issues.  

The client also takes a questionnaire that gives more of a picture of what symptoms as a combination can be attributed to candidiasis.  The next approach is to explain a yeast free, sugar free diet so as to starve the candida.  It is interesting to note that candida is often a normal resident in the colon but in small quantity and should be kept under control by a healthy amount of beneficial bacteria that far exceeds any bad bacteria present in the gut microbiome.  Yet, antibiotics, steroidal drugs, poor diet, constipation, genetics, birth control pills, and stress are some factors that can cause an imbalance of this important balance.  

It is also necessary for the client to take a product that kills candida throughout the body as it has gone beyond the gut mucosa into the bloodstream and has infiltrated other areas of the body not intended to deal with it such as the nasal passages, skin etc.  I often meet people that have followed the diet and have taken a product  to overcome candida overgrowth but are not successful.  This is because the origination point of the problem was not addressed, which is the colon.  Colonics are a very important aspect of getting the candida overgrowth under control.  The microbiome needs to be changed to a healthy one by removing excess bad bacteria and fungus harboring mucous that resides in the colon.  It’s important to aid the colon so that it is not a place for the candida to proliferate.  Along with this it is vital that the person takes refrigerated probiotics since for the candidiasis to exist there has to be a large deficit of beneficial bacteria in the microbiome.  You can find high quality probiotics here: https://squareup.com/store/gailla-deiters-inc

What I discovered over several decades has FINALLY been acknowledged by the medical profession.  This is amazing since I often have clients that are told by their physician that candida is not an issue. 

Here is the recent Medical News link: 

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170117/Better-fungal-disease-diagnostics-could-be-critical-to-fight-against -antimicrobial-resistance.aspx

Here is some research this article points to: 

"Inadequate attention is paid to fungal infection as the cause of antibacterial treatment failure," the authors, members of the Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI), write in a call for improved fungal disease diagnosis."

“Inexpensive, rapid diagnostic tests are available for important fungal infections but are not being widely used, Perlin said. Better training is needed to encourage health care practitioners to test for fungal infections so the correct drugs are administered.”

Some of the shocking consequences of this lack of simple testing is noted:

• “Many people diagnosed with tuberculosis of the lungs don't have TB…but are treated ineffectively with costly TB drugs. A simple antibody test can pick up the fungus Aspergillus which can be treated by antifungal drugs rather than unnecessary antiT antibiotics.”
• “Inaccurate diagnosis of fungal sepsis in hospitals and intensive care units results in inappropriate use of broadspectrum antibacterial drugs in patients with invasive candidiasis, fungal infections caused by yeasts.”
• “Fungal asthma is often misdiagnosed as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)  and treated with antibacterial drugs and steroids. Of more than 200 million asthma sufferers, an estimated 6 million to 15 million have fungal asthma.”
• “Fungal infections, often undiagnosed, result in 1.5 million deaths a year. GAFFI launched in 2013 to promote global awareness of fungal disease as a major cause of deaths worldwide.”

Concerning the skin another recent Medical News article has more to say of interest.  Here is the link:

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170131/New-review-examines-use-of-probiotics-or-prebioticsc2a0for-prevention-of-atopic-dermatitis.aspx

“Evidence supporting a key role for an altered gut microbiome in the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) would suggest that the use of probiotics or prebiotics to correct microbial imbalances in the gut could help prevent or treat AD.”

 The article ends by stating:

“Recent studies have demonstrated links between an aberrant gut microbiome and the development of atopic dermatitis. Given the significant impact of atopic dermatitis on quality of life and healthcare utilization, studies examining the potential role of therapeutic manipulation of the gut microbiome for either the treatment or prevention of atopic dermatitis is an important focus for future research.”

This article’s research proves the importance of the gut microbiome and skin disorders.  This is also why I continue to help individuals with so many issues that may not seem to be colon related but indeed are.  It’s a shame it has taken so long for the medical community to recognize it.  The real issue though is how many physicians will read and acknowledge these studies. 

Could Gluten be The Problem?

The more I learn the more I am amazed as to how many illnesses can be linked to gluten sensitivity.  The connection to the brain is incredible.  Auto immune illnesses can often be linked to it yet the true cause goes undiagnosed.  Many people have negative blood tests, as I have had, and so gluten is ruled out as the culprit.  This is truly sad because there are lifelong repercussions.  I feel certain that my father was one of these people.  He always had a hugely distended belly and chronic headaches.  He loved his carbs.  In his early 60's he was diagnosed with Alzheimers.  It is beyond explanation to relate the agony of watching a loved one deteriorate in such a manner.  I remember once when I was young how he played chess with 6 men in a row at the same time.  He was blindfolded, they were not, yet he beat them all.  He had a photographic memory but with this horrible disease he could no longer communicate.  His face showed his frustration as he tried so hard to talk to us but we had no idea what he was saying.  Eventually he didn't even know who we were and he died at just 73 years of age.

Education is our best tool against gluten sensitivity.  So I urge you to take the time to watch this important free seminar.  It could save your life or that of someone you love.

https://gg110.infusionsoft.com/go/tgs/Gailla/

Want Great Skin? .... Must Poop!

Okay, so this is not the idea you may have been looking for but it is essential for beautiful glowing skin.  The skin is the largest elimination organ of the body.  The elimination organ that does the greatest job though is, yes you guessed it, the colon.  Often it is the one given least consideration until it gives us a cry for help.  But a lot can be wrong before you get that cry for help, and usually the cry is ignored until the discomfort happens constantly and becomes debilitating.

The colon needs to be properly balanced with about 80% friendly bacteria versus 20% unfriendly bacteria.  This is accomplished with pooping everyday sufficiently and based on the many insults to our bodies, taking quality refrigerated probiotics.  Laxatives make the colon weaker and more dependent.  The colon is a muscle and just as we must walk to keep our leg muscles strong, we must also give our colon a work out to keep it strong.  We do that through our mouth by eating foods with plenty of fiber.  Yes, you must eat your vegetables as well as fruit and whole grains.  Water is also important to help poop move through the colon, besides it is essential for the skin's elimination process as well.  In addition you may want to give serious consideration to what many actors/actresses do to make sure their skin looks radiant.  One in particular is Kim Basinger.  Colonics are her regiment for beautiful skin. You might cringe at the thought but your skin will love you for it.  I have been caring for people for 24 years as a colon therapist and have seen beautiful skin emerge where once lie dull skin or even acne, hives and rashes before it.  To see a confident personality come from a formerly shy individual that avoided eye contact is a beautiful thing. 

In my experience of caring for thousands of people, the skin is a barometer of what lies inside the body.  If the skin is sick, the body is toxic.  Since the skin is the largest elimination organ it tends to pick up the slack when the body has an abundance of garbage lying around.  You don't need to be constipated for this to be the case.  Antibiotics, steroidal drugs, and a poor diet can alter the delicate balance of friendly and unfriendly bacteria in the colon inhibiting it's ability to eliminate well and thereby causing a back-up of toxins in your body.  

So lesson learned, healthy colon = beautiful skin!

Stevia, Agave, Honey or Splenda, Which Will You Choose?

As a certified colon therapist it is imperative that I educate my clients on what they put in their mouth for it all ends up in the colon.  Certain sweeteners can be quite harmful whereas a few can actually be beneficial.  Sugar feeds bad bacteria and yeast forms including fungus most commonly known as candida.  Candida is a normal resident in the colon in small quantities but it has a tendency to grow out of control if given the right climate.  Antibiotics and steroidal drugs will contribute to a lessening of beneficial bacteria allowing candida to get the upper hand.  Many people will have sweet cravings while on antibiotics or right after a course of antibiotics because the candida wants to be fed and it loves sugar. The more sugar the person eats, the more the candida grows which in turn can cause a host of health problems. Interestingly, stevia which is also found in Truvia, can help deter candida.  Its source is from a plant, ( I have grown it in my garden).  It looks much like a tall mint plant.  It is calorie free as is basil or thyme or any plant we like to use in our food.  There is no down side actually, in fact it is also safe for diabetics since it doesn't raise glucose levels.  

Agave is an interesting middle ground sweetener.  I have a recipe that Wholesome Sweeteners has on their website using raw agave.  
http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/recipeitem/SEARCH_BY_WORD/healthy_chocolate_shake/968.html
If a person is battling candidiasis, agave is not for them because it can feed the candida as sugar does.  The benefit of agave over sugar is that it has a low glycemic index which means that in moderation it can be used by diabetics.  

Raw honey can feed candida if it is already a problem and it does not have a low glycemic index BUT it is great for allergies if purchased from a beekeeper in the sufferer's area.  I know this firsthand because my husband is a beekeeper. My clients with allergies have purchased it and swear by its benefits.  As for the outside of the body, it is a great antiseptic and can be used on wounds for healing.  Buyer beware though of funny honey!  Yes, you read right.  Only about 5 states in the US prevent stores and even the small street vendor from selling funny honey.  If you ever wondered why honey doesn't taste like it did when you were a kid well its because it's not real honey.  There is usually some honey in it but it is mostly made up of corn syrup, chemicals and preservatives.  When you taste the real thing again it will bring you back to those childhood days.  Real raw honey is delightful to the palate and varies greatly depending on where the beehives are placed.  My husband placed his amongst our 2 plus acres of perennial gardens.  Our bees have a flower feast.  It is fascinating to taste the four harvests in a year.  The color varies from very light yellow to amber depending on the flowers that were in bloom when the bees gathered the pollen.  As you taste it you can detect peonies, daffodils, rhododendron, irises, lilies, delphinium and many other flavors from mild to bold.  To taste such honey is like tasting fine wine.  A neat fact about real honey is that it is the only food that never spoils!

Artificial sweeteners such as Splenda do not raise blood sugar but the operative word here is artificial.  Should we be putting artificial anything in our bodies?  I have stressed this to those of my clients addicted to diet soft drinks.  After eliminating them from their diet they noticed headaches go away and energy improve.  As close to nature is always a better rule to live by.

Seniors Beware, Your Diet is Important

I have enjoyed helping people from age 5 to 95.  Seniors have many unique challenges.  My prospective for their diet has proven very helpful in improving their quality of life.  Talk to any senior about their discomforts and the subject of their unfortunate bowel habits will come up.  The colon is a muscle and as with other muscles in the body, when we get older they are not as strong.  Added to this is the lessening of mobility.  So it is vital for their diet to have plenty of natural fiber.  This will also help lesson diverticulosis which is so common with seniors and can become fatal.  Diverticulosis occurs when the muscle wall thins out from lack of fiber and the resultant sluggish colon allows for old stool to accumulate.  This in turn produces gas.  This gas puts pressure on the thinned out muscle wall and causes pockets to form.  When food gets into these pockets and gets infected the result is diverticulitis which can be deadly. 

Fiber can be enjoyable.  Fresh fruit, real (not canned) vegetables and whole grains are a must.  Besides being tasteless, canned vegetables have lost most of their vital nutrients including fiber.  No more white bread, white pasta or processed foods!  These are cheap foods but in the long run cost more dollars because of the expense of medications to counter-act the side affects caused by them.  These foods turn into a gooey sticky mess in the colon making them difficult to eliminate.  They also raise blood sugar whereas whole grains as a complex carbohydrate breakdown slower not usually causing a rise in blood sugar levels.  

We all love cheese.  Yet cheese is a slow processor in the colon and can cause constipation.  This is also true of red meat, i.e. beef, pork and lamb.  These should be eaten in moderation.

It is wise to incorporate Greek yogurt into the diet.  Besides being a good source of calcium and protein, yogurt has beneficial bacteria which is necessary for the colon to function properly.  In a healthy person the colon's wall has about 80% friendly bacteria versus 20% unfriendly.  This friendly bacteria is decreased with antibiotics and steroidal drugs, both commonly used by seniors.  Yet, if their diet is supplemented with beneficial bacteria their immune system will be better able to protect them from future infections.  This is how our bodies naturally defend itself from unwanted invaders such as viruses and infections. 

And let's not forget water, water, water!  Coffee is the mainstream in today's society yet it dehydrates the body including the colon causing harder, thus difficult to move stools.  Additionally, the caffeine in coffee is a stimulant just as ExLax is, thus causing the colon to become lazier and lazier as it becomes dependent on a stimulant to function.  So coffee should be consumed in moderation.  Juices, if the senior is not a diabetic, are also a good way to increase fluids. 

So eat to better health, not that you haven't heard that before.  The sooner these helpful hints are applied the faster the senior or anyone for that matter will feel relief.