Ladan Raissi is the owner of Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy, located at 1309 Ynez Place in Coronado. What exactly is colon hydrotherapy? Essentially it’s using water to cleanse the colon, but there’s so much more to it than that.
According to Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy’s website, “The majority of disease and discomfort starts in the colon and if we don’t clean out our systems often, toxic buildup will accumulate and lead to monumental health consequences. Colon hydrotherapy is a safe, gentle, and effective therapy of infusing pure triple filtered water into the body using no chemicals or drugs. The water hydrates the body, restoring balance and cleansing the colon of unwanted toxins. It is a detoxification process that can clear stored toxins, emotions, and stress from our overloaded systems.”
Sounds great, but I’ll admit I was a bit apprehensive when I was asked to write this article because I didn’t know anything about colonics. I could, of course, simply go interview Ladan about her business, but would that really tell me all that I needed to know to write this article? Would I be brave enough to actually try it myself? I decided to give it a go!
When I arrived at Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy, I felt like I was arriving for a massage. It was a soothing atmosphere with candles and soft music. The decor was beautiful and calming, and I was surprised at how quickly I felt at ease. In the first room, I filled out a form that included answering a few easy questions about my health. Then I was led into the next room, where there was a treatment table like the kind you’d see in a medical office except this one was decorated with a pretty blanket instead of a paper sheet. A pocket door, which was open, revealed a bathroom just a few feet from the bed.
Ladan handed me a medical robe, and told me I could leave everything above the waist on as I changed in the privacy of the bathroom. I was instructed to have the open part of the robe facing the back.
After quickly undressing, I was guided to the treatment table. I don’t know if my face showed it, but I was definitely starting to get nervous. I’m all for giving my job my best efforts, but was this too much? I started to have my doubts.
Ladan, who is so soft spoken with such a calming voice, smiled at me as she gave me very easy instructions. She reassured me that if at any time I felt uncomfortable or felt too much cramping to let her know. As she reminded me to breathe, I suddenly became aware that the initial part, where the speculum is inserted, the part I feared the most, was over. “Wait! That’s it?” I thought. It wasn’t bad at all. Maybe a little awkward, yes, but it certainly didn’t hurt, which is what I feared most. (For you women out there, it wasn’t as bad as a Pap Smear because the lubricant was at least warm.)
Next Ladan had me roll onto my back with my knees in the air, and covered me with a blanket as she placed a heated pad across my stomach. She explained that during the colonic she would be massaging my stomach and legs, focusing on the pressure points that correspond with my digestive system.
Then the “slow infusion of triple filtered purified water into the rectum without the use of chemicals” began. The equipment Ladan uses for colon hydrotherapy is a closed system, which meant that any fears I had about odors of any sort were unfounded. Yes!
The sensation of the colonic itself was definitely new to me, but I never felt like I was in any sort of pain, and Ladan was right by my side throughout the entire process. She massaged my stomach to help ease toxins from my digestive system, and she was exceptional when it came to monitoring my comfort level throughout the process.
As stated on Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy’s website, “This temperature regulated water flows into the body and hydrates the colon which will break down the impacted toxins through natural peristalsis. This encourages easier elimination. This is repeated several times and includes a gentle stomach and foot massage. Special aromatherapy and acupressure points are utilized to aid in effective release. It is a restorative, rejuvenating procedure, calming and relaxing. You will leave with a feeling of lightness and inner bliss.”
Was the process just as it is described? Yes. On the colon hydrotherapy system at the foot of the treatment table I could see an oval-shaped window. Through that window I could watch as clear water flowed into me. Then as the water flowed back out of me, through the window I could see that waste was indeed being eliminating from my colon. I imagined it would seem gross to look at anything exiting my body, but it was actually cool to see the process working.
When it was over, I was able to freshen up in the adjoining restroom, and get dressed again. When I was finished, Ladan gave me a sugar-free, plant based electrolyte drink, and she gave me a probiotic in a capsule form. She asked how I felt, and suggested that I try my best to avoid dairy, meat, and gluten for the rest of the day. And just like that, I was finished. I had survived my first session of colon hydrotherapy!
I had initially hoped to do the interview portion prior to the colon hydrotherapy experience, thinking it might feel uncomfortable sitting face to face with someone who had just seen some pretty intimate parts of my posterior and interior, but, you know what? It wasn’t strange at all talking with Ladan about it; in fact, it was just the opposite. I was genuinely curious to find out more about colon hydrotherapy.
How long have you done colon hydrotherapy?
“As a client, I’ve been doing colon hydrotherapy for fifteen years, treating myself to this. As a therapist, I’ve been in business for a year and a few months.”
How long have you owned and operated Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy?
“Since February of last year so almost a year and a half. This is my first business ever.”
What type of training was required for you to perform colon hydrotherapy?
“I went to the California Coastal Cleansing Institute up in Encinitas with Roxanne Watson. She is like the queen of colon hydrotherapy in California so it was just an honor to work with her. She also has a place that does this as well up in Encinitas. Great training; I trained for about three months. I had to take anatomy and physiology, all kinds of hands on work; really understanding the digestive system to the core so thoroughly.”
What are the most significant health benefits of colon hydrotherapy?
“I would say number one is that feeling of well-being. It’s probably more of an ethereal thing really, where if you’re walking around with excess toxins and waste in your system, there’s probably no way that you can feel the benefit of pure health as much as you would like. What this does, it lets you cross that bridge to true health, where you actually get a taste of what it’s like to be really, really healthy; to have those toxins removed so immediately. You get this feeling of lightness, the feeling of how it connects to the brain serotonin (chemical responsible for maintaining mood balance). We have serotonin in our intestines as well so it correlates. It [serotonin] sends really good messages; it’s like a really happy feeling.
“Second of all, obviously just the help with constipation problems. I have so many people who really suffer greatly from that, where it does make the quality of their life less for them. So it helps tremendously with constipation.”
Are there any risks involved with colon hydrotherapy?
“Of course, with anything there are risks, but as far as I’m aware there has never been a case where anyone suffered from this. The only thing is you do need to plan your day kind of around it. You can go straight to work afterwards, but there is a little bit of recovery time; I would say at least twenty minutes after the session you kind of need to stay close to a restroom or be with your therapist so I can answer questions, but other than that, no.”
Besides those people who suffer from constipation, what other kinds of people would benefit most from colon hydrotherapy?
“People with digestive orders, things like leaky gut. I would even go so far as to say people with depression, who just can’t quite figure out what’s wrong. To be so attuned with your body and feel that lightness can really sort of part the clouds so to speak; the brain fog we feel when we’re just so weighed down. Mostly constipation, digestive disorders, people who have a lot of bloating issues, general malaise around that part [digestive system] of the body.”
Is there anyone who shouldn’t do colon hydrotherapy?
“Yes, people who have a thin colon wall due to medications, due to surgery, due to possible terminal illnesses and things like that. We would not treat people that have those issues.”
How often is colon hydrotherapy recommended?
“I recommend a series of three to five sessions for people who are first trying this out. Because for yourself, we did only part of your colon, believe it or not. We’ve got two-thirds left that we need to go into and excavate. So do a series, and then do a monthly maintenance or every other month, or whatever suits you.”
What is the cost of colon hydrotherapy at Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy?
- $85 for 1 session
- $225 for a series of 3 sessions
- $375 for a series of 5 sessions
- Military discount of 10% off
Is there anything you want to share with someone who is considering colon hydrotherapy, but still feels nervous?
“I understand. It’s new, it’s different, but it’s definitely worth a try. At least try it once, and then judge it. Don’t judge it if you haven’t tried it. It can only bring about good things.”
After our sit-down conversation, Ladan showed me the products she sells at her business to aid in digestion issues, such as guided cleanses, which she has personally tried herself. She hopes the people of the Crown City will view Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy as the “go-to place for cleansing.” Additionally Step and Go toilet steps are available for purchase.
As for me, did Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy’s advertisement as “A Sanctuary for Inner Bliss” live up to its claim? Absolutely. When I returned home from my colon hydrotherapy session, I ended up taking a nap; not because I was uncomfortable, but because I felt so relaxed. My husband, who was naturally curious to hear how it went, commented that he could already see a difference in my stomach; that it was a little flatter than it was that morning before my appointment with Ladan. Score!
I followed Ladan’s advice, and avoided meat, dairy, and gluten for the rest of the day to maximize the benefits of the cleanse. In the morning when I stepped on the scale, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was down two pounds from the previous day. Happy dance!
The change that I noticed after just one session was that I didn’t crave snacks, and generally wasn’t that hungry, even the next day. My body felt relaxed and at peace, and I slept so soundly during my nap as well as when I went to bed that evening. I can’t tell you the last time I slept through the night. I woke up in the morning feeling so refreshed, and didn’t crave any caffeine to start my day.
So would I go back to see Ladan at Coronado Colon Hydrotherapy again? Absolutely! In the words of Buddha, “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”
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