My dear # 63674,

It would be nice to know who you are, and what motivation you have for asking the question you asked.

Since even "I" am not that paranoid, I shall offer a few comments, but in the future may limit responses to people bold enough to ask questions with their name attached.

What I AM saying is that MOST Americans ARE acidic in their basic constitution BECAUSE OF the highly acidic foods we eat, because of stress and of coffee consumption, because of the sweetened drinks we consume, because of pollution, traffic congestion, and dozens of other factors. In addition, very few of us consume many health foods at all, and very rarely consume any of the many things which might help up achieve / maintain a more alkaline-like body chemistry.

I am not saying that you don't need colonics, or any other therapy. If you feel like you benefit from professional services of any kind, please continue to seek the advice of the professionals in whom you most place your trust.

That being said, it has also been said, "To the man who only has a 'knife,' everything looks like it has to be cut off." Or, one could suggest -- that to a man who only has allopathic drugs to provide, everything looks like a pill would help it."

In addition, American consumers have heard too many hard-sell, "colored pill" advertisements to be willing (or able) to resist this model of TV-based, health care. So, too many Americans end up in a professional office demanding that they, too, be given the colored pill, because if they "heard about it on TV," it must be true. My own Mother often told me that what she had heard on TV or read in the daily newspaper MUST BE TRUE, or the author wouldn't have been allowed to post or broadcast what he posted or broadcast. Of course, my Mother was not an educated woman, since she only ever really got close to completing the sixth grade in rural Minnesota, before she had to go to work on the family farm to try to sustain the family during the Great Depression.

All THAT being said, it basically comes down to, "Yes, few of us have colons which have tar-like coatings on them." But, it makes for good business for people who only have water-pumping machines to continually try to convince the rest of us that pumping 45 minutes of ordinary (some such providers will respond with the concept that "they" use filtered, ultra-violet, 'sanitized' water, so 'thank you very much, but "I" don't use "tap water" on MY patients'). However, to your body, it's essentially the same thing, 'cepting perhaps that pracititioner may have found the magic way to remove the chlorine which comes in virtually every public-water supply.

Thank you for reading this far. When one posts to a forum like this, it's hard to NOT meet up with other people who have business interests / professional interests / personal interests to defend. And, since those types of people often don't really have an independent "defense" of their business / professional / personal interests, they often degrade their responses to personal assault(s) on people who post posts not attacking them but "pointing out," perhaps that "...the emperor has no clothes...."

Cutting to the chase and answering your question directly: It is usually NOT sufficient to merely drink the alkaline-inducing substances which are available in the marketplace BECAUSE, in order to avoid food poisoning and/or other nasty results, our bodies are ALSO supplied with stomach acid with a pH of about 4.0 which, first "prevents" certain pathogens from getting into our "systems" and overcoming even staunch good health. The digestive system(s) with which we were born are, indeed, miraculous things, and for most people, those digestive systems keep us more or less "healthy." So, in short, adding alkaline chemicals such as ordinary, kitchen-cooking quality, baking soda to drinking water is often NOT the answer, completely, even though Grandma and Grandpa DID do just that and it "kept them in good health" all the days of their lives, didn't it?

That is not to say that gargling with baking soda, or brushing one's teeth WITH baking soda are bad ideas. To the contrary. It seems that the addition of even minute-amounts of baking soda has a helpful effect with the average, modern American.

The question is: Is it "enough?"

The answer is: "If you are sick enough to be reading here, it may NOT be enough, or you might not BE reading here."

But, how do we answer your original question in light of the need to NOT disable 4.0 pH, stomach acid?

It seems that Americans who are ill with many/any modern disease probably are so BECAUSE even the wonderful bodies with which God has blessed us can only "stand" so much abuse or mal-operation, shall we say, and therefore, those bodies may need a "push" or "bolus" of pH to help them regain, or at least get "re-oriented" toward an alkaline state. None of the above is meant to be medical advice, and as stated in the beginning, if you need a professional's care, by all means, listen to your physician(s) or other health-care practitioners' advice, and follow their recommendations as best you can. No condition is treated or cured by any of this information and if you need treatment for any health situation, please seek out the most expert health care provider whom you can identify.

IF all you need is a little push, maybe you want to keep reading.

Protestations by colonic therapists notwithstanding, at least one of whom posts quite eloquently AND quite helpfully, and who also supports enema therapy with common, encouraging public comments, may suggest that if you are a doubter, all you need to do is to consult Dr. Bernard Jensen 's book on this very topic. Concerned with that concept, checking the copyright dates, and the undated pictures in that publication, I come away with my original concern, and that is how "old" are the case histories offered, and are they stillvalid in today's society?

Respectfully deferring to Dr. Jensen, I would like to see "new" pictures of MODERN Americans -- with tarry substances coming out of THEIR, modern bodies.

NOT being able to view modern pictures, I am victimized to drawing my own conclusions.

Chief among them are the fact that NOT many modern Americans "produce" tar-like, ropey colonic discharges, or we would hear more about those discharges with modern, case histories, since many, many practicing professionals WOULD really like to have modern data with which to "shore up" their practices. So, you can bet your baby-booties that if such modern case histories WERE available, we would be inudated with them, in support of the idea that: "...to a man who only has a water-pumping machine, pumping water is a good idea."

But, how DO we answer your original question, since there are many folks who will defend colonics, etc?

Believe it or not, there are quite a few, "ordinary folk" who "get" colonics who will "defend" THEIR therapists with the anecdotal information on how "they" (the defenders) achieved spectacular health FROM submitting to colonic flushing at $50 a pop. That they "will defend" $ 50 a pop is more dependent on the fact that the defenders "want" to believe they have "wisely" spent their $ 50 than it is on the fact that the real benefit received was more due to the colonic wisdom of their provider than it was to the 7.3 pH of the water supplied TO flush -- by water treatment engineers -- (and to be absorbed BY) their colons. Interesting to me is the fact that VERY FEW modern Americans will testify to the fact that "they" have retained the "least competent" health-care professional to consult on "their" case. I am sure their motivation is pure. hmmm. OR, is their motivation really just "self-assuring?" since no one wants to believe that there was a "better provider" in the next town over. hmmm. My provider is a ( you insert a derogatory word here, please ) but I go to him / her anyway, because it's ( easy, cheap, convenient, and I don't know of anyone else anyway yadda yadda yadda [choose one of the preceding] ) to complete the phrase. You're just NOT gonna be told that, guy. NO ONE says, MY provider is "less than the best specialist available to consult on this 'very unsual' case of mine."

So, can you avoid the enemas or the colonics?

Probably NOT.

But, must you pay for them?

Probably NOT.

See? IF you need the addition of a bicarbonate boost, or a pH bolus, you may just have no other choice than the colonic-administered route, because: 1) It's not likely to affect your critically-needed, digestive-assisting, pathogen-inhibiting 4.0 stomach acid as much as would the equvalent amount of oral consumption, and 2) It's just possible that the AMOUNT you need could be more readily accepted by your body via another absorptive avenue, and/or 3) It could be that the "time" factor of 45 minutes does play a part IN the absorptive capacity of your body, or 4) Most people enjoy the personal attention of being served and attended to, and you can't BUY enema services in most towns (unlike that which IS possible to buy IN my home town).

The most-practical answer is, therefore, that you do MAY need the "rectal-absoprtion" route, because oral administration of "enough" baking soda may also be "enough" to otherwise inhibit the real "practical effect" which you desire.

Do you need to pay $ 50 a pop to have it administered?

NO, you don't. IN my home town, I am quite able to get professionally-administered enemas by CNA's (Certified Nurse Assistants) for about $ 15 a pop (or, tongue in cheek, is that a "poop")?

But, basically, you can also "give" yourself a water-based, baking-soda laced, conventional enema -- without a lot of fuss, expense, or inconvenience. You CAN also give yourself a 5 to 15 gallon colonic irrigation, as I have done, with a 14 gallon, Rubber _ _ _ _ plastic-like reservoir, but I have found that to be "not necessary" if you practice enema giving with any real kind of perseverance.

And please note that I emphasized "giving" yourself an enema. See? I believe that: An enema is a 'gift' you give yourself. It's a gift of good health, and many, many people have also found it so. [Sadly, I am NOT the man who 'discovered' ANY of this, since enemas have been (independently) 'given' in every indigenous society since the beginning of mankind -- even without any possible communication from one indigenous society to another -- since the dawn of time. Mothers of all kinds have simply found that giving their child or children, water-based rectal, or colon 'flushing(s)' have helped keep those children 'healthy.']

My Mother gave ME enemas, and I am grateful that she did.

In your original post, you suggested: "...wouldn't drinking the equivalent amount of water accomplish the same thing? It's definitely cheaper and more enjoyable than colonics and enemas."

Let's address the "enjoyable" part of your comment.

NONE of the enemas which MY Mother "gave" me were ever anything other than pleasant care from my Mother to a sick child. Perhaps she knew how to "do it" better than some other Mothers.

Today, I use the occasional enema without undue discomfort, because I was taught how to do it, with slow flow, over a relatively long (45 minutes -- hmmm -- same as a colonic session) period of time, and to try to gain the absorptive benefit of the treatment. Today, I use the occasional enema, with baking soda dissolved into solution, and today, I gain the projected "peace of mind" and "pleasant feelings" which other people legitimately claim THEY get from their colonic-irrigation administrations.

Today, I remain in relatively "good health," and I see MY physician on the rare occasion when I get "out of sorts" in any way. Today, I also see friends who subscribe to similar, long-retention, high-pH, water-based, baking soda solution enema therapy also achieve identical results. We, as individuals, and as a group, rarely, rarely, rarely "catch" even the most popular colds, flu's, and /or other fun-type illnesses. Yes, I / we also consume certain, supposedly-beneficial, dietary supplements such as the Omegas, the Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and the trace minerals recommended by many modern-day practitioners -- not to mention using other, less-conventional therapies when approriate. But, the key difference IS the long-retention, gently-administered, water-based, home enemas, given to provide maximum absoprtive comfort and NOT given to induce pooping.

The key really is, NOT GIVEN TO INDUCE POOPING (not to be overly graphic).

For a moment, take it under advisement: An enema does not have to be traumatic in any way, if given slowly, with care, and with a view TOWARD enhancing absorption, rather than "emptying your colon." Now, interestingly, if you give yourself these types of enemas, and not being facetious, you will also end any hint of constipation, because even a slowly-given, absorption-based enema, WILL tend to help make you more "regular" in the sense of the word promulgated on TV. But, you don't have to buy anything to achieve this result?

What about "Chlorine" in modern-day, water systems?




That's another topic FOR another day !

IF you have THAT question, perhaps you should first ask, what about "Flouride" in modern-day, water systems?




THAT'S a still other topic, for STILL another day.


If you have any further questions, please ask, or please contact me directly, with your response information, so that I can know with whom I am corresponding. If all you want is "help" with implmenting any of these 'preventive strategies, please ask for those, instead, or in addition to, any other questions you might have.

I hope the above information has been as useful to you as writing it has been to me. I plan on publishing a professional monongraph on the topic, in the foreseeable futuer. Loosely titled: Extending Human Longevity Through the Induction of an Alkaline State in the Body" or some such, I expect it to be a non-seller -- partly because it won't be advocating a "colored pill" orientation -- and partly because modern Americans have been CONDITIONED to become a type of "pop a pill" society by our most prestigious advertisers.

Now, anyone with contrary views, or opinions, who can post without criticizing from the sidelines, is encouraged to engage in intelligent debate. But, no one who merely wants to throw stones at glass houses need bother. Post with intelligent data and/or opinions, if you want, but please also identify your biases, and in whom you trust, and why. Thank you, Mrs. Mergatroid, wherever you are, and Good Night.

I read your info on diabetes and wonder if you have also done liver flushing? If so has it helped with diabetes?

Good Morning, Pinkcat,

There are so many issues "raised" in your posting that responding to them would be unwieldly and unreadable.

However, I am sure you are sincere, so suffice it to say that at least part of your concerns revolve around the concepts of correlation versus causation.

For instance, falling a great distance is correlated with serious injury or death. But is the death "caused by" the falling, or is it really "caused by" the impact?

This is NOT an academic point, it just illustrates pretty clearly that while "falling" may be correlated with death, it's really PROBABLY the impact at the end which "causes" serious injuries, both internal and external, which (together) CAUSE the death. While perhaps extreme, this example helps point out that, many times, events happen in SO MUCH TOGETHERNESS that one may "apprear" to cause the other. Certainly that is often true. However, sometimes things that "always" appear to happen together are NOT causative.

Your constipation "may be" associated with mucoid plaque and/or stickiness. However, it is MOST PROBABLY caused by another factor, perhaps one as simple as "reduced colonic 'motility'." I apologize if this looks at all "arcane." It's not, it's just that some of us who read it will say: "All that was obvious."

Unfortunately, for many reasons, some things which are "obvious" to some of us, are NOT "obvious" to the rest.

I hope I have been more helpful than most. Write to me, or call me if you wish.

Good luck.

Hi!

I think a week of colonics and fasting will do wonders for you and maybe get a lot of plaque out, but my theory is that juice fasting alone is nowhere near as effective as when combined with P&B shakes and enzymes (preferably vegetarian) and ACV and honey, and some herbs to help the whole thing along too. I think just juices alone don't have the physical pulling, scraping and dissolving power of all the other stuff combined and the use of diluted juices instead of straight ones.
I think Jensen's program is the best, but using vegetarian enzymes instead of pig ones. Arise and Shine is great too, but its expensive (though their herbs are fantasic), Jensen's you can organise most of yourself.

I did MH's orange juice fast for 42 days and didn't get any real plaque out, just a few very unimpressive bits of not very old stuff. I wasn't doing colonics, but I was doing enemas once or twice a day at least. I did feel wonderful whilst doing it though and would hesitate to recommend it to a fasting ready person.

:)