Coffee enemas - are you serious?

Green coffee

There are mentions of enemas in the Dead Sea Scrolls coffee enemas to improve health back in the late 1800s, but it was Dr Gerson who made them popular as an essential part of a protocol to help folks overcome cancer in the 1950s. That approach is still used today with some tweaks. Indeed at a recent cancer retreat there must have been one in four of the participants who openly shared that they did enemas - but for some reason talk of our faeces, bodily functions and bums is still seen as pretty taboo in this country. It really is time to change that so here’s the enema blog….

According to the Gerson Institute, a coffee enema has the primary purpose of “removing toxins accumulated in the liver and removing free radicals from the bloodstream” (i). In an earlier blog I shared how I love coffee and how it is full of many beneficial compounds (ii). The caffeine is also key in the enema although it should be noted that this is about 3.5 times less than those obtained drinking coffee orally (iii). 

Dr Axe, well known online doctor of natural medicine, chiropractor and clinical nutritionist, writes: "Research has shown...during a 'coffee enema detox' caffeine and other compounds travel via the hemorrhoidal vein to the liver. Coffee opens up blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles that help with bowel movements and improves circulation. Once it makes its way to the liver, coffee is also believed to help open up bile ducts and increase production of bile that’s needed for proper digestion and excretion" (iv). He also shares research that enemas can lower inflammation and improve gut health. 

Some argue there is little research to support such health claims and enemas can interfere with normal gut health and have side effects (v). You can read some of the dangers of the coffee enema (vi); they include damage to the anus and excessive use can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalances or caffeine addiction. However the Institute of Digestive Disease and Nutrition at the University of Korea who studied the effects of coffee enemas reports that people don’t usually experience any complications or side effects (vii). Talk to your doctor and check out whether this is a suitable addition to your own health protocol.

I’m slowly getting the hang of coffee enemas - they are a key part of preparing for my ozone treatment each week - see blog and film on ozone here (viii). I hugely welcomed Fiona Shakeela Burns advice/support re this; she talks in the film about her experience of enemas and also has a ‘how to’ guide in her Cancerucan Facebook group. Since that ozone workshop I’ve been doing enemas twice weekly and thought it was time to share more in this blog - especially as I may need to do an enema as part of preparing for my daily radiotherapy treatment for a month next year.

In the film below Jem Ayres shares a bit about taking enemas (ix) - this is taken from her talk which I filmed earlier this month - and better still see her blog (x) she shares how to take them. It is worth quoting her experience of them as for some they are life changing. She writes: "I have never been the same since my first coffee enema – I felt decades worth of old ‘shit’ leave my system, not just faeces but old baggage and stuff I no longer needed were caught up in everything that was released!” So take care!


 

The coffee

Well the advice is go for;

- Caffeinated - the journal Physiological Chemistry and Physics write: "Caffeine enemas cause dilation of bile ducts, which facilitates excretion of toxic cancer breakdown products by the liver and dialysis of toxic products from blood across the colonic wall” (xi). Unfortunately caffeinated tea doesn't work. 

- Organic coffee - conventional coffee is among the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world with heavy sprayings of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Organic makes sense if you are trying to detoxify and improve health.

- Single Origin Whole Bean Coffee - blends are often inferior to whole beans as single source coffee is more likely to involve a higher level of care and standards during coffee production. 

- Wet processing - the Alternative Daily argues mechanical wet processing results in fewer toxins and mold in the coffee than dry processing (xii). 

- Fresh not oily - too-oily beans are a problem because the lipids in the coffee bean are subject to rancidity. Also coffee beans stay fresh for up to four weeks after roasting so need to be used before they deteriorate. 

- Type - there is some conflicting info about this so I would love to hear views from others - the Gerson Institute argue "dark roasts are not appropriate because the potent compounds have been roasted out. Gold, green or white beans are very potent, with light to medium roasts typically well-tolerated by most. If you are new to coffee enemas, green, gold or white beans may not be best to start with. Instead, start with a medium or light roast” (xiii). Does that mean green coffee beans might be OK later on? Green beans are coffee beans that have not been roasted and a few years ago became popular in some weight-loss programmes. By not roasting, the beans retain more of the chemical chlorogenic acid which is thought to have health benefits. 

The roast doesn’t effect the amount of caffeine but in contrast to Gerson, it is said that dark roasts are easier to digest (ivx) and also better for enemas. This is due to a the chemical N-methylpyridinium, which is produced during the roasting process. The longer the coffee beans are roasted, the more N-methylpyridinium they contain. Research in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found that dark roast coffee restored blood levels of the antioxidants vitamin E and glutathione more effectively than light roast coffee.  

Dr. Lawrence Wilson of Nutritional Balancing writes "Some people suggest a light roast coffee, “gold roast” or golden-colored coffee. This tends to be more yin in macrobiotic terms because it is cooked less. This is not desirable for development and, in our opinion, one should avoid it." The American Chemical Society in 2010 also showed that the beneficial compound N-methyl pyridinium is not present in green coffee beans as it is created during the roasting process. It seems a darker roast enema coffee may prove easier on the intestinal tract and produce higher levels of antioxidants in the blood? 

I have bought a green and initially a ‘gold' coffee in a special package labelled for enemas when I started. I should have perhaps researched more as I paid a premium for it and taking the above into account it may not be the best coffee to start enemas. Indeed I’ve heard some argue not to buy specially prepared enema coffees as they are not a better product (vx). I’ve also tried to make coffee from them and it is nothing like ordinary coffee!! Certainly I won’t be recommending them for drinking but I do know some folks who do drink it! 

So does that leave us with a medium roast as the best option to start enemas?


The recipe

Fiona Shakeela Burns writes: "2 tablespoons (30g) of organic ground coffee to 500mls filtered water. Bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes with lid on. Leave to stand for a further 5 minutes. Filter / sieve and leave to cool. It is a lot easier to hold the coffee if it is cold”. Elsewhere I have read "bring to the boil for 3 minutes with lid off to burn oils then simmer for 20 minutes with lid on and sieve".

Fiona also suggests making up a concentrate for enemas for up to a week in advance; "use enough water to cover the coffee and so that it will not boil dry. Before use, make it up to at least 400 mls each time using filtered water. Make sure the coffee is room-temperature before use”. Others say the made up coffee can only be stored in the fridge for 24 hours. I am also aware that some folks have suggested reducing the amount of coffee at first to see how sensitive you maybe to caffeine.

There are also said to be many alternatives to coffee including apple cider vinegar that is undiluted and raw, green juice and camomile tea. However again I urge some caution and the need to seek advice.


Enema Technique

Empty bowels first. Even after doing this I find that before I use the coffee I have a water enema – using room temperature filtered water. I don't hold this water but it makes holding the coffee solution easier.

There are various enema kits, some with disposable parts. Some enema kits you squeeze to slowly let the contents in; do not use force as this is a very tender area! Other kits, more commonly used, require hanging the enema bag onto a suitable hook in your bathroom. In this case fill the bag up with the nozzle switched off, then attach the ’tube', switch nozzle on, and hold over a sink so that the coffee fills the catheter then switch it off. Some say it should be hung a metre or so high, others like Gerson suggest 18 inches from the bottom of the bag to the floor; if you are finding difficult holding the coffee then change the height so it is not flowing so fast. The coffee temperature should ideally be slightly warmer than body temperature.

Put down an old towel to lie on (especially if not green coffee!); some choose folks lie in the bath. Have tissues ready.

Put on music of choice.

Put some oil (eg coconut or olive) on your anus and over the catheter. Then lying on your back, or on your side, insert it into your rectum. Insert as much of the catheter as you can – up to say 8 inches - but do not force it.

Switch nozzle on to allow the room temperature coffee to enter. As soon as I started I often had an irresistible urge to go. If this happens switch off and go to the loo. Then try again; usually it is easier to hold on to the coffee after a failed first attempt.

When the coffee is inside you remove the catheter from rectum. You can then lie on your back for 5 minutes, left side for 5 mins, then right side for 5 mins. Aim to hold the enema for around 15 minutes - I didn’t manage that many times at first! One tip I found useful was to circle the feet and hands to help get through the waves of peristalsis (spasm). 

 

It can also be good to lightly massage your abdomen from left to right (up the left side, and then left to right just below the navel). Another trick to help holding is to lie in the fetal position and breathe deeply. While another trick I’ve yet to try is to place the tip of your thumb on the first knuckle of your ring finger and apply pressure to the knuckle. This is a pressure point that can help alleviate cramping in the lower intestine.

'Gold' coffee

If coffee is still too difficult then perhaps start with just water or chamomile tea enema and hold for only 5 minutes.

Jem writes of her experience: "I find enemas are an important time to listen to the bodies sounds and sensations. We can head into panic so just breath, breath, breath. If I went into my head and started thinking about the coffee dripping from bag onto the bath, or if I was staining the towel, or how much coffee was left I noticed a tension in my body, mostly my belly. I just needed to drop those thoughts and stay with breathing and relaxing. I could feel popping and releases in the gut and some slight discomfort as ‘stuff’ was being moved…..I’m always so surprised about the shame around bums and poo and ‘letting go’. It’s seen as the biggest shame in society, to lose control of our natural physical responses and bodily functions. One of the biggest lessons in enemas is around being ok to let go. When the fear or tension comes that says ‘I’m going to shit myself’ do the opposite of what comes naturally, breath and let go further."

Empty bowels and drink lots of water to replace electrolytes.

The remaining coffee will move through the system and can mean visiting the loo another 2-3 times over the next half hour-ish.


How often?

Some recommend once weekly enemas or for some healing from cancer, the recommendation is as many as four times a day - but again none of this should be attempted without medical guidance. Jem, who is now cancer free, only does an enema at the turn of the season. For me I am combining the enema with the ozone treatment; I will be looking at frequency when I start to put together my protocol for the radiotherapy.


Notes:

(i) https://gerson.org/pdfs/How_Coffee_Enemas_Work.pdf
(ii) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/07/coffee-good-or-bad-for-prostate-cancer.html
(iii) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3603218/

https://gerson.org/gerpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Coffee-Enema-Resource-Guide.pdf
(iv) https://draxe.com/health/coffee-enema/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25136541
(v) https://www.verywellhealth.com/coffee-enemas-88252
https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2018/01/08/gwyneth-paltrows-goop-promoting-home-coffee-enema-kits-they-safe/1012261001/
(vi) https://ineedcoffee.com/top-10-dangers-of-the-coffee-enema/
(vii) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25136541
(viii) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/08/how-to-do-rectal-insufflation.html
(ix) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/10/jem-ayres-cancer-adventure.html
(x) https://jemscancercoaching.co.uk/2017/10/02/how-to-do-a-coffee-enema
(xi) https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/best-enema-coffee/
(xii) https://www.thealternativedaily.com/healthy-toxic-coffee/
(xiii) https://gerson.org/gerpress/coffee-enema-8-things-you-need-to-know/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21809439
(ivx) https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf904493f?journalCode=jafcau

(vx) https://enemacoffeereview.com/ This link has a review of enema coffees in the States most of which are not available in the UK.