Spring cleaning our homes of the dust and dirt that accumulate over the winter months is not the time-honored ritual it once was. “For anyone who still feels the urge to greet spring with a clean house, why not replace the tradition with a spring colon cleanse? It safely supports digestive health by clearing out the accumulation of waste on the walls of the colon, which can create a breeding ground for parasites, yeast, harmful bacteria and viruses,” says Elaine Oramas, owner of Cleansing Springs of Naples, LLC.

The Best Month for a Colon Cleanse

April is considered the best month for colon cleansing, also known as colonic hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation. The process, performed by a trained and certified colon hydrotherapist, involves flushing the large intestine with warm, filtered water to encourage the bowel to empty its contents.

During the treatment, clients lie on a comfortable table, initially on their left side, while a small sterile speculum is gently inserted. Two sterile tubes are attached to the speculum—one allowing filtered water to flow into the colon and the other carrying waste out of the bowel.

Colon Cleanse vs. Colonoscopy

A colon cleanse differs significantly from a colonoscopy, which is a medical procedure performed in a hospital or clinical setting that allows healthcare professionals to examine the inside of the intestine. A colon cleanse, on the other hand, requires no advance preparation and no drinking of a mixture designed to induce diarrhea to clear the bowels prior to the procedure.

Symptoms

Oramas says the most common symptoms she hears from clients visiting her office include bloating, uncomfortable gas, painful constipation and general digestive discomfort.

“They often describe symptoms related to an imbalance in the gut microbiome,” she explains. “There’s a huge gap in our healthcare system. Clients tell me they feel confused and torn between advice from holistic practitioners, Western physicians and information they find on the internet. They don’t understand the root cause of their discomfort, so they Google their symptoms and start self-medicating.”

According to Oramas, many clients say they were never advised to consider probiotics, increase their fiber intake or make dietary changes that could help prevent constipation. “By the time they come to me, many of them are miserable because they’ve been relying heavily on laxatives,” she says.

Another concern Oramas frequently encounters involves the prescription medication Ozempic, which some people use for weight loss without fully understanding the potential side effects.

“It can cause constipation, pancreatitis and gallbladder issues,” she notes. “People should be followed by a holistic physician who is knowledgeable about natural medicine and understands the potential benefits of colonics.”

A Digestive System Operating Optimally

Referring to the colon as the body’s waste management station, Oramas explains that when the digestive system is functioning efficiently, the colon processes waste while also absorbing remaining nutrients—such as water, electrolytes like sodium, chloride and potassium, and certain vitamins—from digested food before sending them back into the body for use.

“I like to educate my clients. That comes from my 16 years as an educator,” she says. “Education—especially about how the body works—is power. The more people understand, the more proactive they can be about their health and the better they’re going to feel.”

In addition to her work as a colon hydrotherapist, Oramas is a licensed massage therapist with 18 years of experience and a certified manual lymphatic drainage practitioner.

Cleansing Springs of Naples, LLC, is located at 6712 Lone Oak Blvd., in Naples. For more information call 239-687-8481. Visit CleansingSpringsSpa.com.