Kathryn Alexander — The coffee enema – what it does and doesn’t do.

Is the coffee enema a magical detoxifying method that you can add to your armoury? Well yes, it is, undoubtedly. For those sceptics who have never tried one when they have a raging headache or an onset of painful symptoms due to a healing flare-up, they could not possibly understand how the coffee enema could bring such immediate relief. Taking enemas is now such a medical taboo that most will reach for pharmaceutical relief – which will not treat the cause but merely drive the problem deeper.

The coffee enema’s prime target is the liver: to support and facilitate the release of toxins that the liver has cleared from the circulation that would make you very sick indeed if not removed. The liver cleans the entire blood circulation (and the lymph – as this enters the circulation and is taken directly to the liver via the subclavian vein) once every 3 minutes – that’s lot of cleansing.

In our past medical culture, the liver was seen as a source of most problems that one couldn’t put one’s finger on. If you were feeling off-colour then you would be prescribed a liver tonic, and given dietary advice to reduce the liver’s burden. The term hypochondriac refers to the area below (hypo) the ribs (chondrium) which is where the liver resides. A hypochondriac, although a somewhat derogatory term, means someone who is always ill – and trust me, if you liver is not functioning well, then you will feel always ill.

Nowadays, instead of clearing the liver or reducing its burden which would help address the cause, we are busily congesting it with more and more products and drugs, which although aimed at resolving the symptoms will actually compound the problem.

The coffee enema, on the other hand, helps the liver clear toxins through a number of active compounds that stimulate one of the main detoxification pathways (glutathione-S-transferase) leading to a rapid clearance of poisons via the bile system. This is why, on a detoxification program, depending on how toxic you are (which you can determine from the case study) the coffee enema is a must; it not only helps reduce the toxic burden but it is also liver-protective. Most toxins will damage the liver if not removed, and studies using the coffee enema alongside chemotherapy have proven to protect the liver and keep the liver enzymes within the normal range. Elevated liver enzymes are an indication of liver damage either from drugs or infection or liver disease, and in patients with cancer, if these enzymes rise too high then the chemotherapy may need to be withdrawn.

Popular myths

The coffee enema is a very useful method to help release congestion, but it won’t rebuild the liver. If the liver is not functioning well this will be due to more burden than it can cope with. The reason for this is two-fold: either too much traffic, or too little capacity. The answer is simple – you either reduce the traffic (diet and stress) and/or you rebuild the liver. Building liver capacity is down to diet, a diet that does not burden (so say good-bye to the high protein/high fat diet, alcohol and stimulants) but replenishes. Once the liver is functioning optimally you won’t need the support of the coffee enema.

The coffee enema is not for constipation and won’t correct it. If you had constipation before your started using enemas, you will have constipation after you finish using them. They don’t correct the cause of the constipation.

Contrary to popular myth, the regular use of the coffee enema does not undermine normal bowel function – you will not lose bowel tone or peristaltic movement. Within a couple of days, or sooner, if you had good bowel function before starting enemas then you will have good bowel function after ceasing them.

Kathryn’s book Dietary Healing, the complete detox program, gives a complete overview of the coffee enema, how it works, how to administer it and how and when to use it on your detox program – all within the context of your individual case.

Kathryn has two invaluable publications for those following the Gerson Therapy Nutritional Healing, a patient management handbook (suitable for both practitioners and patients) and her audio The Principles of Detoxification which goes through the Gerson Therapy in detail in an easy to understand and relaxed manner - often a good starting point for those who just want to know how the therapy works before (or after) making a commitment.

See and hear Kathryn speak on the Gerson Therapy on YouTube