by Nikki Moses © November 2013
Warning: No claims are made for any procedures described here. Nor are these procedures intended as treatments or prescriptions for any disease or condition. The following is presented for educational purposes only. However, most people find them very simple, effective and safe when used as described here.
How Often and How Long? I usually suggest one enema per day to assist detoxification or to enhance liver activity. Even one per week is helpful. Two enemas daily may be taken during a healing reaction if needed. For those who are very ill, several a day may be best for at least several months. (Dr. Gerson, by the way, used six coffee enemas daily for cancer patients.)
For best results, a program of coffee enemas should be carried on for at least a month, and can be continued for several years while on the nutrition program. They should not be needed for more than three to five years, although many people have continued to take them for a number of years without problems.
The best time to take the enema is after a normal bowel movement. One will get a slight rush from the caffeine, but it is not like drinking coffee, which I do not recommend. Coffee enemas taken in the evening may interfere with sleep, but for some people, they may assist sleep, so you can see what times of day work for you.
If performed properly, coffee implants do not cause habituation, constipation or any rectal problems. In working with thousands of clients, we have rarely seen problems from coffee enemas if they are done properly according to the instructions below. While enemas may seem uncomfortable at first, many clients report the procedure is so helpful they soon forget the inconvenience.
The exception is if there are significant hemorrhoids, rectal fissures or other rectal problems. In these cases, extra care is needed in inserting the enema tip.
Some people with hemorrhoids find enemas irritating and cannot do them. This is one of the few contraindications for coffee enemas. If hemorrhoids are a problem, be sure to contact Nikki to discuss.
Step 1. Materials
Buy a 2-quart enema bag with a clamp. This is sold at drug stores. We also carry one we can provide to you in our office or ship to you. The enema/douche bag combination is easier to use because you can close the top.
Buy any brand of regular coffee – regular grind or flaked, non-instant and not decaffeinated, or grind your own coffee. Medium or dark-roast is usually best. Organically grown coffee is ideal, though any coffee will do. Organic coffee is available at natural food stores.
Step 2. Preparation of coffee
NOTE: The first time you do a coffee enema, use only 1 teaspoon of coffee (use less if you tend to be very sensitive to caffeine or are in very poor health). This is critical because some people are sensitive to caffeine and will feel very jittery on more coffee. After a few enemas, you will see how much coffee you can tolerate comfortably. Ideally, as you can comfortably do so, increase to two or three tablespoons of coffee grinds per enema.
For the enema, you will want two cups of brewed coffee liquid at body temperature. There are two brewing methods to choose from. Both produce similar results, so use whichever is easiest for you.
Method One: use a coffee pot to brew the coffee as you would any regular drinking coffee. You may run the full two cups of water through the coffee pot and then cool with ice cubes afterwards, or you may run only one cup of water through the machine and add another cup of room temperature water to the brewed coffee to cool it down. Either way, you end up with two cups of liquid for your enema.
Method Two: use a saucepan. Place 1 ½ cups of purified water and the coffee grinds in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it boil at a slow boil for 5 minutes (it doesn’t hurt to leave it longer), then turn off the heat and strain the liquid through a fine strainer or coffee filter paper into a measuring cup. Add room temperature water to bring the total up to 2 cups. One or two ice cubes may be needed to speed the cooling process.
With both methods, you may make a larger quantity and use it for several enemas.
NOTE: Be sure the water is 100F degrees or less. Your finger is not a good temperature guide, as it is less sensitive to heat. Your elbow is more accurate, or leave your finger in for at least 10 seconds and it should feel only slightly warm, not hot. If the water is too hot or too cold, retaining the enema will be more difficult, but there is nothing wrong with using cold liquid.
Once the coffee is prepared, pour it in the enema bag and screw the top on.
There is an alternative non-boil method. This is not quite as powerful but may be used if time is very important or if you are traveling:
1. Place 1 cup of ground coffee in a container with 2 cups of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly, and allow it to soak overnight covered but not refrigerated.
2. In the morning, filter the liquid through coffee filter paper or a fine strainer. Place in a jar for storage in the refrigerator.
3. To prepare an enema, pour 2 cups of purified water into the enema bag. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the coffee liquid from the jar for a full-strength enema (use less if you aren’t up to the full dose).
Step 3. Preparing to take the enema
Note: Some people have trouble retaining the coffee enema if they have not had a bowel movement before doing the enema. If you are having trouble retaining the coffee enemas and aren’t having bowel movements on your own beforehand, take a plain water enema first before the coffee enema. This will usually clean out the bowel quickly and effectively. To do this, just fill up with one or two cups of plain, purified water and release right away (there is no need to retain the water enema). You do not need to do a plain water enema first if you can hold the coffee enema for 15 minutes.
1. Pour the prepared coffee liquid into the enema bag and screw on the lid with the hose coming off of it. (For enema bag assembly instructions, see the Video at MosesNutrition.com.) Be sure the plastic hose is pushed or fastened well onto the enema bag and that the thin enema tip is attached to the other end.
2. Remove any air from the enema tube the following way. Close the clamp on the hose. Place the insertion tip in the sink and hold the bag up a couple feet above the tip, then open the clamp until the water begins to flow out of the tip. Then immediately close the clamp. This expels any air in the tube. Keep the bag elevated above the tip until you do the enema so the coffee doesn’t flow back out of the tube.
3. Lubricate the enema tip with a small amount of oil. Any natural oil is fine to use.
Step 4. Taking the enema
The position preferred by most people is lying on one’s back on a towel, on the bathroom floor or in the bathtub. As you become familiar with how well you retain them, you may find you can do an enema anywhere, such as a bed or sofa.
With the clamp closed, hang or hold the bag about one to three feet above your abdomen. (You may cut some length off of the tube to shorten it if you are holding the bag instead of hanging it.)
Insert the tip gently and slowly. Move it around until it goes all the way in.
Open the clamp. The water may take a few seconds to begin flowing. If the water does not flow, pull the insertion tip a few millimeters out: sometimes moving the tip a little will work. If that doesn’t work, hang the bag higher, or you may gently squeeze the bag. (If you accidentally got coffee grinds into the enema bag, these can clog the tube.)
As the coffee flows in, you can adjust the clamp to slow or stop the flow. If you develop a cramp, close the hose clamp, turn from side to side and take a few deep breaths. The cramp will usually pass quickly. Then continue filling.
When all the liquid is inside, the bag will become flat. Close the clamp. You can leave the tube inserted, or ideally remove it slowly. Then you can set it aside and rest lying down wherever you like while retaining the enema. Some people are able to get up and go lie on a towel in bed, instead of on the floor.
RETAIN THE ENEMA FOR 15 MINUTES (less time is okay, but not quite as effective). See below if you have difficulties with this. Use the time to read a book, watch TV, etc. Walking around the house with the coffee inside is not recommended.
A small number of people are unable to retain even a cup of liquid for the required 15 minutes. One can start with less coffee or less water in these cases. There seems to be no harm if one wishes to retain the enema longer than 15 minutes.
Step 5. Finishing up
After 15 minutes or so, go to the toilet and empty out the water. It is okay if some water remains inside. Wash the enema insertion tube with soap and water. Run clean water down the hose and quickly rinse the enema bag with water.
If you feel out of sorts or a little bloated after the enema, rub the top of the toes of both feet, but particularly the left foot. You can also rub the entire foot, especially any part that is tender. This will often balance out the body’s energies after a coffee retention enema. If not, it is often helpful to do another coffee enema immediately following the first to remove any residual toxins the first enema may have caused to dump.
Hints regarding enemas:
* Remember, if you have trouble retaining the enema, try doing a water enema first.
* If the enema makes you jittery, reduce the amount of coffee.
* The enema may lower your blood sugar. If so, eat something just before or after taking the enema.
* If you have trouble holding the enema, here are suggestions.
1) Be patient. Practice makes perfect.
2) The water may be too hot or too cold. Be sure the water temperature is comfortable.
3) It may help to place a small pillow or rolled up towel under your buttocks so the water flows down hill into your colon.
4) Gently massaging your lower abdomen can ease a cramp.
5) Sometimes if you simply wait out the cramp, it will ease up after 20-30 seconds.
We have a complete Q and A section on our website regarding coffee enemas, so be sure to look that over. If you encounter any trouble and can’t find your answer there, please call us and we’ll be glad to assist you.