When it comes to our health, having a wide variety of tools and knowledge is a huge plus. It can mean the difference between average results and great results. Thinking and doing things outside the normal scope of what you’re currently implementing can take you to a new level.
Talking about enemas or anything that has to do with the bowels, in general, might be awkward. It’s just not a comfortable subject. But adding a coffee enema protocol can stimulate the healing process. It can help you get more good out of the other healthy habits you are already implementing.
Coffee enemas are having a recent surge in popularity. Consistent users comment on increased energy, better bowel function, and weight loss. Fans of coffee enemas use it to help detoxify the body. But are enemas really a new thing? Not at all.
The first reference of the use of enemas for health was by the Egyptians in 1550 BC. A Greek physician from the first century thought ailments could be addressed with the right food, drink, and enemas. Enemas have been part of medicine for thousands of years. But when did the coffee enema come into play?
During WWI, patients were often prepped for surgery with an enema. The rationale was to reduce the chance for infection. When water was in short supply, a nurse used coffee for a wounded soldier’s surgery prep enema. The soldier commented that his pain was reduced and he felt better. So the coffee enema rather than the water enema became standard practice.
Later, functional medicine adopted this procedure as a way to increase the health of chronically ill patients. Now the coffee enema protocol is being used by healthy individuals as well to optimize their vitality even more.
Why Use Coffee? What Is The Purpose Of A Coffee Enema? Coffee Enemas Can Help Detoxify And Protect The Liver
The liver is the lifeline of the detoxification system. Supporting liver function can change the course of your health journey. Coffee contains some unique constituents that can be helpful to the liver. Two of the main constituents are:
- Kahweol palmitate
- Cafestol palmitate
They can increase the level of glutathione in the intestines and the liver. (1) Glutathione is a vital detoxification antioxidant. It helps to prevent damage from reactive oxygen species and heavy metals. It breaks apart chemical carcinogens so our body can remove them. Kahweol palmitate seems to increase glutathione more than cafestol palmitate. But both raised it. The less roasted the coffee beans, the higher the amount of these two powerful ingredients. (2)
Coffee is also a significant source of antioxidants. Again, the lighter the roast, the more the antioxidants. (3) It can lower inflammation in the liver and help the liver cell regenerate. (4)
Coffee also contains caffeine. This may help to prevent chronic diseases like type II diabetes and liver problems. (5) Coffee can inhibit fibrosis of liver tissue. (6) It also helps to dilate blood vessels. This increases the coffee enema benefits dramatically.
How do we get these coffee constituents to go straight to the liver so it can upregulate glutathione? About 6 inches inside the rectum are the hemorrhoidal veins. These veins directly connect to the hepatic portal, which leads straight to the liver. The caffeine in the coffee dilates these blood vessels. This increases the absorption of the coffee and its valuable constituents. The nutrient uptake happens much faster than drinking the coffee. Acids from the stomach haven’t changed the components, so the coffee is processed by the liver differently.
This process with the liver stimulates the release of bile from the liver. Proper bile flow is vital to the detoxification system! Our livers do a fantastic job of filtering our blood. At any given moment, the liver contains around 10% of our blood, cleaning it to protect us. It filters about 1.4 liters in a minute. It deposits all the waste products that need to get out of the body into the bile. Then this waste material gets removed in our stools.
Unfortunately, sometimes these toxins can build up and create a sludge that blocks the bile duct. If the bile cannot flow freely to the intestines, these toxins build up in the liver. This causes inflammation, leading to more health issues. It also can impair digestion and the ability to absorb nutrients fully. Coffee enema detox can help unblock the bile duct, so this backup in purification does not occur.
Coffee Enemas Can Help Detoxify And Protect The Intestines
The main coffee constituents can also have potent detoxification effects in the intestines as well. Different enzymes and chemicals control all our genes within the body. The rate of detoxification in the intestines is no exception. These palmitates can double the amount these genes are expressed. (7) Coffee enema protocols can double your detoxification rate in the intestines! Glutathione has also been shown to increase.
It’s important to note that glutathione is more than a powerful antioxidant in the body. While it’s performing its amazing detoxification action, it also helps to inhibit neoplasia. (8) Neoplasia is the growth of new, abnormal and uncontrolled tissue. Blocking our tissues from this abnormal growth could be vital in preventing disease. It can also help to create optimal function of our intestines.
We’ve talked about the important role of palmitates are in detoxifying the liver and intestines. It’s important to note that coffee is the only known source of these two constituents. (9)
Another health promoting part in coffee is theophylline. Theophylline reduces inflammation in both the liver and the intestines. It might be especially useful in ulcerative colitis. (10)
Coffee Enemas May Help With Depression And Anxiety
True health is a delicate balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Both have important roles. But in anxiety and depression, the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) is working too hard. The parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest response) is too low. (11) This can heighten anxiety and depression as well as our response to pain. Coffee enema benefits include helping to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which helps with depression. (12)
Part of calming our nervous system is having the feeling of satiety. Coffee enemas stimulate the gallbladder to contract. This is how it helps to open the bile duct. The coffee can improve gallbladder contraction by around 33% or more. (13) This really helps to move out the toxins the liver wants to expel. The coffee enema increases plasma cholecystokinin, which helps to produce a “satisfied” or relaxed feeling. This activation of the gallbladder might help you avoid gallstones as well. (14)
Your body likes to recycle bile. You can reuse this bile up to 18 times! It takes a lot of energy to make, and your body wants to be efficient. Unfortunately, sometimes the toxins that your liver tries hard to remove can get reabsorbed. Getting your liver and gallbladder to release bile isn’t enough. Coffee enema detox gets these toxins out of your body, so they are not reabsorbed.
We’ve laid out some amazing coffee enema benefits. Now let’s explain how to do them, so you can begin to enjoy all these health “perks.”
How To Complete A Coffee Enema
Your first coffee enema might seem like a daunting task. But once you’ve done this process a few times, it will be much easier.
The first thing you will have to do is gather the equipment and supplies. This includes:
- The coffee – choose organic, light roasted or air roasted whole coffee beans (not decaffeinated coffee!)
- Organic blackstrap molasses, optional (to help retain the enema)
- Pure Water – distilled or filtered to remove chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals
- Coffee enema bucket or kit (we prefer the bucket since it is easy to clean)
- Coconut oil or some other lubricant for the end of the enema hose
- Soft towels for the bathroom floor
- Paper towels
The best time of day for this is in the morning after you have already had a bowel movement. Coffee is known to stimulate the brain, so doing this too late in the day could hinder your sleep patterns.
For your first one, choose a day that you are not rushed and can take your time with this process.
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of pure water to a boil.
- Measure 4 tablespoons of organic coffee grounds into a French press (if available).
- Pour the boiling water in and let sit for 20 minutes. If desired, add 1 tablespoon of organic blackstrap molasses during steeping.
- Press down on the French press or strain with cheesecloth. (Using a paper coffee filter may remove some of the very important kahweol and cafestol palmitate that makes the coffee enema so beneficial!)
- Let the coffee cool! You want it at body or room temperature.
- Add any additional ingredients to enhance the enema solution. Then pour the solution into your enema bucket or kit. Make sure the bucket isn’t too high. The solution will flow too fast. 18 inches is ideal.
- Place towels on the floor and lie down on your right side with your knees bent.
- Apply the coconut oil to the end of the enema hose. Gently insert the hose about 6 inches into the rectum.
- Unclamp the hose and slowly let about half of the enema solution flow in, about 2 cups. Stop a bit sooner if you feel “full.”
- Try to hold the solution in for about 15 minutes. Gently release it into the toilet.
- Repeat with the remaining two cups of the solution if you’d like.
Tips For Common Issues
I can’t hold it for 15 minutes, what do I do?
First of all, don’t stress about it. Fifteen minutes is ideal, but you will still get benefits with shorter times. Every time you do this will feel different, and the sensations of it might take some getting used to.
Second, make sure you have emptied your bowels as much as possible before you start. This includes both an actual bowel movement but also any trapped “air.” Get as empty as you can before you begin.
Also, taking some slow breaths can help to ease that “urge” and help you to hold it for a bit longer. Wiggling toes or something else to take your mind off things helps too!
I feel worse after! What did I do wrong?
You didn’t do anything wrong. Feeling worse after a coffee enema detox is revealing that there is something you are fixing in your liver bile duct! The vast majority of people feel better and energized after, but a small group of people don’t. This means that the bile duct was indeed clogged up. Releasing those toxins can make you feel worse for a short time. It may also mean you have a parasitic infection in the liver bile duct and you’ve stirred those critters up.
You can do a few different things to help get around this. First, you can hold the enema for a shorter time. Work your way up to the fifteen minutes as the liver bile duct starts to clear out with each enema. Second, you can make the coffee with fewer grounds so it isn’t as strong. Start with a tablespoon and work your way to the full four tablespoons.
After The Enema
It’s crucial to clean the equipment that you used for the enema. Bacteria or mold could begin to grow on the equipment if not properly cleaned. Thoroughly wash the bucket with hot water and gentle soap. Make sure it has completely dried before storing. Wash the hose as well, but do one additional step. Disinfect the end of the hose that was used in the rectum with hydrogen peroxide. Again, make sure it is thoroughly dry before you store it.
Do Coffee Enemas Deplete Minerals?
Remember, coffee enema benefits primarily aid in the purging of toxins. Getting these toxins out helps take the burden off your liver. It’s important to keep in mind that other substances get purged as well. Minerals can be removed along with the toxins. Doing three or four coffee enemas a week shouldn’t be a problem.
Because they are typically energizing, some people choose to do them multiple times a day. This is too often. Your body will only release so many toxins at once. Remember that this is a journey. Give your body time to benefit from your coffee enema protocol.
Awkward But Effective Answer
Coffee enemas aren’t always an easy subject, especially not at the dinner table. Most people ignore what’s uncomfortable but you shouldn’t. Ignoring simple steps you can use to increase your health won’t do you any favors.
If you’re looking to boost your:
- Energy
- Digestive health
- Mood
- Liver function
- Detoxification
Coffee enemas just might be the answer!
Using a coffee enema as part of your detox protocol might keep disease from “brewing” in your liver and lower digestive tract.
How are you going to embrace “the uncomfortable” and unlock access to the fantastic benefits of coffee enemas?
