Cleaning house
Colonics as the ultimate form of detox
PROFILE. Oh, celebrities. The myriad things they do that make no sense to the average person — hopping in and out of rehab like it’s a cold pool on a hot day, marrying sketchy people they have known a hot minute, going commando while wearing a shirt as a dress. The list is long. One of the things that’s on that list for many is getting a colonic, also known as colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation and commonly met with “You want to put a hose where?”
“Celebrities have to show up at all of these events and eat and drink — do you know what size you would be if you didn’t take care of yourself?” says Anne Khoury, director of Health Connections Center & Spa in Philadelphia. “They get colonics to help maintain clear skin, keep weight off and maintain youthful looks.”
The actual step-by-step of getting a colonic goes something like this: You go to a center and don a hospital-style gown. Then you have tubing inserted into your rectum, and a gently pressurized system carries water in and waste out. Usually a stomach massage is included to help loosen whatever has lodged in the delightful nooks and crannies of your intestine.
“Basically, you are cleaning your intestine,” says Khoury. “By initiating water into the rectum, you are helping remove the buildup of poor diet, drugs, alcohol and, especially for women, stress.”
Short-term colonics are said to result in a lighter, cleaner feeling internally, and long-term ones help complexion problems, improve mental energy and result in better digestion.
Although the benefits of colonics are somewhat controversial (some consider it an pricey laxative, others an unorthodox or glorified enema), Khoury doesn’t see the concern. “You brush your teeth, right? If you don’t, food can stay there for days. This is the same principle,” she says. “Imagine you’re impacted; you are basically carrying sewer water inside yourself.”
Carrying “sewer water” is not the body’s natural state, and the kind of food people eat is a part of that problem.
“Most people just don’t eat properly,” says Khoury. “When people eat poorly, the colon tries to protect itself with layers of mucus.”
This mucus impairs intestines from fully absorbing what they need. Junk food is one issue, but so are lotions and makeup, which the average woman is reported to absorb five pounds of chemicals from a year.
“Everyone can benefit from a colonic,” Khoury says. “People who don’t eat as well will see more of a result, but even if you are very health-conscious, there can be a buildup.
It’s really just all about detoxing.” Something we all know most celebrities need.
