5 Ways Colonics Support Gut Health

Why Colonics?

Many clients tell me they’re shocked by how much their bodies release during a colonic — waste they didn’t even know they were holding onto. It’s a common experience. Most people don’t realize just how much old material the colon can store, or how deeply gut health affects energy, mood, skin, and overall well-being. Colon hydrotherapy offers a direct, effective way to gently cleanse the colon, support detoxification, and reset your system from the inside out.

Here are five ways colonics can help you feel lighter, clearer, and more balanced.

1. Clear Out Old Waste — Even from Deep Colon Pockets
Many people don’t realize that the lower part of the colon — especially the sigmoid and descending colon — can develop small pockets called diverticula. These pockets often trap old waste that can sit there for years or even decades. When this waste ferments or decays, it may contribute to symptoms like bloating, candida overgrowth, fatigue, and chronic inflammation.

Most of my Vermont and Hoboken clients have experienced the release of hardened, impacted waste from these colon pockets thanks to colon hydrotherapy sessions. This directly aligns with what Dr. Robert Charm, a board-certified gastroenterologist, has observed during colonoscopies — waste that remains trapped in diverticula for decades, even when the rest of the colon appears clean:

“Frequently while performing colonoscopy, I see that the patient is cleaned out from above but below, the diverticula still contain fecal material. Some of this stool has been there for decades… A toxic dumpsite like this is dangerous… Environmental cancer can develop!” ¹

Dr. Charm considers colon hydrotherapy a valuable method to help address this issue:

“A good cleanout by use of colon hydrotherapy is excellent treatment… Clean out the body’s pipes.” ¹

Another practitioner, Dr. Pamela Whitney, ND, emphasizes that today’s modern diets — full of processed breads, pastas, and refined sugars — behave like glue in the gut. Over time, this contributes to inflammation and stuck-on waste:

“This glue-like substance sticks on the walls of one’s GI tract… Constipation with inflammation can develop, but colon hydrotherapy solves such a problem.” ²

While laxatives are often marketed as a quick solution, they don’t clear out deep pockets or old waste — and worse, repeated use can actually weaken the colon’s natural peristalsis, leading to dependency over time. Similarly, fiber supplements like flax or psyllium can be helpful only when someone is already having healthy, hydrated bowel movements. But in a body that’s dehydrated or chronically constipated, those same fibers can harden in the colon and contribute to even more blockage, especially around diverticula.

Colonics offer a gentle, direct method of hydration and release that works with the body’s own rhythm — not against it.

2. Supports a Balanced Microbiome
Most people have heard the term “gut microbiome” by now, but few understand just how much it influences not just digestion, but also mood, immunity, energy, skin, and overall well-being. The microbiome is a complex ecosystem of bacteria, yeasts, and other microorganisms that live mostly in the large intestine. When it's in balance, it helps us produce vitamins, regulate inflammation, digest food properly, and keep harmful microbes in check.

When waste sits too long in the colon, that balance starts to break down. Old, stuck material becomes a breeding ground for the wrong types of bacteria — the ones that thrive in toxic, oxygen-deprived environments. This imbalance can show up as bloating, cravings (especially for sugar or carbs), fatigue, foggy thinking, skin problems, and more.

A question I’m often asked is: “Will colonics wash out the good bacteria too?”
The short answer is no — and more importantly, clearing out the bad bacteria and toxic buildup is what makes space for the good bacteria to thrive.

It’s a bit like rinsing out your mouth when brushing your teeth — only it’s the other end. We don’t worry that water will remove all the beneficial bacteria in our mouths when we rinse. The same applies here: colonics use water to gently flush the waste and pathogens, not sterilize the gut.

In practice, I see this often: clients come in with gut issues and imbalances, and after just a few sessions, they report more energy, clearer skin, and better digestion. One client told me he had so much energy, he felt like he was in his 30s again. Another shared that her chronic hives, which she’d had for years, disappeared completely after just two colonics. That’s the microbiome responding to a cleaner, more supportive environment.

3. Relieves Bloating and Abdominal Discomfort
Bloating, cramps, and irregular bowel movements are some of the most common reasons people seek colon hydrotherapy. When waste and toxins build up in the colon, they can cause uncomfortable pressure, gas, and spasms.

Dr. Sharda Sharma, MD, shared a powerful example from her practice of colonics helping a patient struggling with irritable bowel syndrome complicated by yeast overgrowth (Candidiasis). She described observing “white yeast organisms floating through the transparent tube” during the treatment, highlighting how colonics help remove this buildup. After treatment with a series of colonics, the patient experienced regular, gas-free bowel movements and significant relief from discomfort. ³

This example underscores an important point I often discuss with my clients who ask how many sessions are needed. Colonics are not a quick fix but part of an ongoing lifestyle approach to deeply cleanse and support the colon. After years or even decades of strain from diets low in fiber, sticky “glue-like” foods, overeating, and other stressors, the colon benefits from regular maintenance. Many people find that treatment series a few times a year provide lasting support, while others choose weekly or monthly sessions to maintain their digestive health long term.

4. Boosts Energy and Overall Well-Being
Many people experience a noticeable increase in energy and vitality after colon hydrotherapy, thanks to the body’s improved ability to absorb nutrients and eliminate toxins efficiently. When the colon functions well, it reduces the workload on other organs like the liver and kidneys, allowing the entire system to run more smoothly.

My Vermont client Cheryl recently shared that after just two colonics and making dietary changes—adding more fruits and vegetables—she experienced an incredible surge of energy. She told me she could barely sit still at work and just wanted to be outside doing something. As she described it, she felt “a ton of energy” and felt “amazing” and “ecstatic.”

This type of response is not uncommon. Dr. W. John Diamond described the case of a 46-year-old patient who had suffered from extreme fatigue, migraines, and chronic constipation. After a course of colon hydrotherapy, the patient’s bowel function normalized, her energy returned, her migraines disappeared, and her menstrual cycle regulated. Dr. Diamond emphasized that colonics were the key factor in her recovery after other treatments had failed, and she now maintains her health with regular monthly sessions. ⁴

Colonics support the body’s natural cleansing systems, encouraging better circulation, lymphatic drainage, and immune function. That’s why many include colon hydrotherapy as a regular part of their wellness routine to maintain their overall health and vitality.

5. Supports Natural Detoxification
Your body is already designed to detox — the liver, kidneys, skin, lymphatic system, and colon all play a role in filtering and removing waste. But modern life often overwhelms these systems. Processed food, environmental toxins, stress, dehydration, and poor elimination habits can all lead to sluggish detox pathways and waste buildup, especially in the colon.

Colonics help lighten the load. By directly flushing out old, impacted material and waste that may have been sitting in the colon for years, colon hydrotherapy gives the detoxification organs a break. When the colon is backed up, toxins can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream — a process known as autointoxication. By regularly clearing waste through colonics, we support the body’s ability to detox more efficiently and reduce the burden on the liver and lymphatic system.

Many of my clients report feeling lighter, clearer, and more emotionally balanced after a session. This isn’t just a feeling — there’s a physiological reason. When we’re no longer circulating waste internally, we have more bandwidth for everything else: clearer skin, sharper thinking, deeper sleep, and an overall sense of well-being.

Final Thoughts

Colon hydrotherapy is more than a quick fix — it’s a tool for long-term, foundational gut support. As we’ve explored, the benefits go beyond digestion: increased energy, relief from chronic symptoms, and the ability to reset and restore balance to your internal system. Whether you're addressing long-standing health issues or simply committed to deeper self-care, colonics can be a transformative part of the journey.

One thing I explain to nearly every client is this: just because you're having regular bowel movements doesn’t mean you aren’t constipated. Many people are unknowingly living with some degree of impaction — this is when old waste becomes hardened and embedded in the walls and folds of the colon. As the body reabsorbs water from stool during digestion, that waste gets denser and more difficult to pass over time.

Even if fresh stool is moving through the colon, it’s often pushing past these old layers — like water squeezing through a pipe lined with buildup. Eventually, this can lead to symptoms like narrower stools, bloating, incomplete elimination, or even diarrhea. In fact, diarrhea can be the body’s emergency attempt to flush out toxic waste that's been sitting in the colon too long.

This is why colonics can be so helpful — they address not just what’s moving, but what’s stuck. And perhaps the most helpful image I’ve come across to describe this comes from Dr. Pamela Whitney, ND:

“If ever you’ve baked lasagna and then attempted to sanitize the messy, left-over lasagna pan, you know the difficulty with getting it clean. For sponging such a food-caked pan, it’s usual for cooks to soak the pan overnight. Then they find that swabbing it the next day is easy,” wrote Dr. Pamela Whitney, ND. *“Colon hydrotherapy accomplishes the same ease of cleansing on the inside of one’s bowel. Using hydrotherapy, the colon’s walls are continually flushed with clear fluid, which helps remove mucous and longstanding, caked-on fecal matter that can contain hidden bacteria, parasites, Candida albicans-filled pockets, and other pathological materials.”*²

This visual sums up why colon hydrotherapy can be such a powerful tool — not just for symptom relief, but for true internal cleansing and reset. If you're curious about what your body might be holding onto or want to experience the lightness and clarity that so many others describe, colonics may be the next right step.

If you’re ready to explore colon hydrotherapy, I offer sessions in both Hardwick, Vermont and Hoboken, New Jersey. Learn more or book your appointment on my Booking Information page.

References

¹ Charm, Robert, MD. Gastroenterologist Prescribes Colon Hydrotherapy. Adventure in Wellbeing, May 2010.
² Whitney, Pamela, ND. Colon Hydrotherapy is Like Cleaning Baked Lasagna from a Pan. Adventure in Wellbeing, March 2010.
³ Sharma, Sharda, MD. Giving Colonic Irrigation is Standard Procedure. Adventure in Wellbeing, May 2010.
⁴ Diamond, W. John, MD. Colon Hydrotherapy is Usual for the Patients of W. John Diamond, M.D. Adventure in Wellbeing, April 2010.