Why I do Coffee Enemas

After doing a coffee enema you feel a lift (and it's not from the caffeine). Good energy, better mood, optimized digestion, and detoxification!

Why I do Coffee Enemas | Real Food RN

Working in the profession that I do, enemas are a normal part of my work day. It is no surprise that certain therapies which I find to be effective at work will also trickle into my health practices at home, in the form of coffee enemas (yes, you read that right!). However, we do not use coffee in the hospital. Typically it’s either tap water or Fleet’s.

As I became ever increasingly interested in natural health and healing, I kept noticing mention of coffee enemas in the literature. Then when I learned that a friend of mine had been using them regularly I decided to give it a go. Wow, they are seriously amazing! After doing a coffee enema you feel a lift (and it’s not from the caffeine). Good energy, better mood, optimized digestion, and detoxification!

Need I say more?

But first, let me give a DISCLAIMER: I am not an MD, I am not prescribing these to you. I am simply writing about how and why I do these for my own health. If you wish to give these a try, then educate yourself and do them safely. I did a lot of researching before I tried them and made sure that they were something that would work well for me. My experience has been great, but I cannot speak for everyone who has tried them. Please exercise caution. Now, on with the show….

Why I do Coffee Enemas | Real Food RN

 Nurse humor

How to do Coffee Enemas

What you need: 

  • 1 enema bucket (I use this one, but I am saving to buy this one)
  • Coffee enema coffee, I typically use 2 Tbsp (I only use this kind, because it is specific to coffee enemas and does not have any mold in it, my second favorite is this one because it also contains no mold)
  • Filtered water, I typically use between 2-4 cups
  • Teapot — where to find
  • French Press coffee maker — where to find

How to do it:

  • Boil the water and make coffee in your french press
  • Allow the coffee to cool enough that when you test it with your finger it doesn’t burn (or even feel hot)
  • Pour the coffee into the enema bucket, making sure that the lock is closed so the water doesn’t just pour out of the hose and all over the place (learned that the hard way!). Do this with the hose in the bathroom sink
  • Now, there are a ton of articles and books out there that say to lay down a towel and lay on the floor on your left side. I tried it that way but felt silly and very uncomfortable on the bathroom floor! I just sit on the toilet and put the enema bucket up high on the counter.
  • Insert the hose into your rectum and unlock the hose
  • Let gravity do it’s job and the coffee will just flow into your colon. Don’t tense up, as you will clamp down and slow with flow
  • After all of the coffee has drained out of the bucket, wash it out with soap and water and hang it in the shower to air dry
  • Go lie down, I usually make myself comfortable on the couch with my laptop and get some work done
  • Retain the enema for anywhere from 15-45 minutes. I typically do 30 minutes because I find that I feel the best after that length of time
  • Once your time is up, head to the bathroom and expel the coffee…sit there for a while, it can often come in waves
  • That’s it!
  • CAUTION: do not do coffee enemas if you have any open ulcerations in your intestinal tract. Also be very cautious when inserting the hose into your rectum, you do not want to perforate your bowels by using too much force! I do not recommend doing more than one of these enemas in a day. I am not being prescriptive in this post, I am simply describing my procedure that I do for my own health

…and now for some of the facts and reasons why I chose to do this….

Enemas date back to Egyptian times and have been used by people as a healing modality for centuries, even being used by royalty (King Louis XIII had more than 200 enemas in one year!) The use of coffee in the enemas was first used in WWI. The idea was actually though up by the nurses….nurses are so smart! The nurses thought: “Well, the coffee is doing the doctors good, maybe it will help the patients.” So they poured some coffee into the enema buckets and the patients reported that it helped relieve their pain.

Coffee enemas are used by holistic physicians for all sorts of conditions including:

  • cancer (The Gerson Therapy)
  • constipation (improves peristalsis)
  • fatigue
  • liver detoxification
  • insomnia
  • parasites
  • candida
  • cognitive issues (brain fog), they have also been shown to improve mood
  • to reduce systemic toxicity (by up to 700%, according to some reports!)

Coffee enemas can be done at home inexpensively. You just need a comfortable spot on the floor of your bathroom, or bathtub. As the coffee is retained in your bowel, the fluid goes through your intestinal wall, through the portal vein to your liver. The stimulating effects and healing compounds of coffee jumpstart your liver and gallbladder. Bile flows. There are compounds in coffee like kahweol and cafestol which spark production of glutathione, and that is a strong cleansing compound in your body, one that consumers pay good money for when they buy glutathione as a dietary supplement, or get IV injections of it. To make more glutathione naturally (by using a coffee enema) is awesome. (source)

I encourage you to read this book for all of the details if you are considering doing coffee enemas. Get your copy HERE

Screen Shot 2013-11-26 at 2.22.31 PM

Well, will you try doing coffee enemas? Or have you already tried them? I would love to hear about it in the comments below!

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Why I do Coffee Enemas | Real Food RN

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62 Replies to “Why I do Coffee Enemas”

  1. Oh dear, a very interesting and a rather a, shall we say shitty topic.:-) Yes might be an idea before and after the eating binges of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Really great information and links. I was fascinated by how the coffee got into the liver to detox. Didn’t realize you could do this daily.

    They should have built in enema hose in the toilet I was thinking. Kate did you know they even have Enema toilets? Yes they do. Here is the link to one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-WS7dGq_JQ

    Reading what it’s good for, I could not help realize that our Cinnamon tea does virtually the same thing. Digestion, Candida, Colon cancer, brain fog, parasites, fatigue and then some. So those of you who are a bit squeamish, try our Ceylon Cinnamon Tea first. Less messy, ready in 10 minutes and you can have it in the car. 🙂

    1. I am sorry that you feel I am “using my professional status…” But if you only read all of the comments in the link you provided, you will see that it has in fact been a very effective therapy for people. The science is not there in the literature because it is incredibly hard to get funding for such studies. No way is the pharmaceutical or medical industry going to fund any studies on coffee enemas, because there is no money to be made. I like to read the anecdotal evidence for now. Maybe someday someone will have the money to put some science behind it. One can hope 🙂

  2. Having had some micronutrient testing done, I found out that my glutathione levels were EXTREMELY low (due to a MTHFR defect which about 50% of the population has). I have been doing coffee enemas every other day for about 3 1/2 months. I follow the Gerson protocol. It is verrrry important to use only organic coffee as regular coffee is one of the most pesticide laden things on the market. Coffee enemas increase glutathione production by 6-700% and mine are GREAT now. I lay on the bathroom floor. I can’t imagine being able to sit on the couch!! LOL Everyone seems to get freaky when you speak to them about coffee enemas, but they are easy, really not a big deal and VERY effective in detoxification and glutathione production.
    You can check out my article “I take my coffee black, but not by mouth… You?” 🙂

      1. Thanks for the support! Coffee enemas are not a cure all…. but they can be an important part of detoxification. Other important things to consider are the toxic load that you have…lessen the amount of “food” that you eat out of a box…anything that can be shelved for a long time does not have energy or “chi” and is not helpful to the body. Gluten and grains can cause leaky gut, food allergies, brain fog and many other issues. Gut flora balance is hugely important and can be addressed when the gut is healed. Milk thistle and dandelion can be helpful for the liver. You don’t want to detox with an already burdened liver. If your liver isn’t in good shape you can have an overwhelming level of toxins that will make you feel bad and re-injure you at the same time.

  3. Vitamin E cream or liquid is an excellent and very safe lube. Avoid any lube that contains paraben or alcohol based product. If you rectum gets a little sensitive, use Vitamin E suppository to soothe the lower part of the colon.

  4. How do you manage 30 minutes?
    I can hardly hold the enema inside for up to ten minutes at a time…
    I use 1/2 litre for one set and do two sets at a time.

  5. I had my gallbladder removed 27 yrs ago…will that make a difference? I have read that this could be detrimental for some people …but would love to try it for the cleansing effect

  6. Have you heard of the Gerson Therapy? I watched a very informative and interesting documentary called ‘The Gerson Miracle’. Its focus is Cancer therapy in which high quantities of organic fresh vegetable juice are used to detox, in doing so the coffee enemas aid in this process.

  7. If you’ve never done an enema before and are not cleansing in any way right now is it safe to just do one without any first steps?? Thanks:)

  8. Kate, please stress again about the caution needed when doing this. My mother in law did extensive research, followed instructions exactly then became addicted to the “lift” to the point where she was doing these every day. When she stopped, she was unable to have a bowel movement on her own and needed surgery to remove feces the size of a softball. What started out as a detox left her on stool softeners for the rest of her life until she died a month ago.

    Please let your readers know that there is a vein “in there” that absorbs at an extremely high rate of speed, so yes, the caffeine IS a big part of the “lift”. And caffeine is an addictive substance. When my mother in law tried decaf, it didn’t have the same effects.
    As crazy as it sounds, she was a coffee enema junkie.

  9. I tried this for health benefits after excessive research and I was sicker than a dog for 3 days. Headache, muscle pain, lethargy, nausea, body aches. Used the right water, high end organic coffee. Tried second time and had same results. I never had a pleasant or uplifting result.

  10. What i’m noticing with the enemas is increased good energy and clearing of mental fog. I’m in a much better mood and feel more relaxed in general. What also seems to be happening in the 2 or 3 days following the enema – cold-like symptoms appear – head congestion, a hint of a sore throat, aching back. Vitamin C really helps resolve the discomforts. So will now be taking it before and after. I’ve been doing 2 or 3 enemas a week.

    My question is: Should I do fewer or more enemas? I have been dairy and grain free for several years now and eat a lot of greens. I am sensitive to caffein, and rarely drink coffee as taking it in that form gives me the shakes. The enemas are good energy!

    1. Actually with Gerson you are taught to lay on your right side, letting the coffee sit close to the liver…you can administer it slower, do 1/2 at a time… you can do 1/2 organic chamomile- that will help to relax the intestines… take deep breaths, try not to focus on it…. listen to a relaxation or guided meditation CD….. keep knees close to chest if you can…. some days I do really well, others it is really quick… the chamomile really helped. Make sure you have a good temp… too hot or cold and you will expel it quicker and it can cause cramping..hope this helps…let me know!

  11. Laurie,

    I have been able to hold it for 15mins!! I started it out 1/2 at a time, now I do the whole 2 cups and relax.

    thanks again for your suggestions!!

  12. I did them for awhile and they were great. I have one of those boards you can set on the toilet. I can never hold very much so I can’t do it any other way. Unfortunatly I moved and now my bathroom is cramped and getting enough pure water is difficult so I tend not to do them unless I’m having a constipation emergency or am feeling really toxic in a way that nothing else helps. I would second the caution about doing it every day for too long, it took me awhile to get back to regular bowel movements. it’s not adiction it’s that your colon forgets how to use peristalsis to move stuff along.

  13. I got some of the special enema coffee (SeekingHealth PurEnema Coffee), did an enema and held it for 20 minutes. Later that day, I experienced deep inflammation throughout my back and neck – similar to the inflammation I had with a capsule of Shilajit a few months back. Both are supposed to be anti-inflammatory, both contain high amounts of acids, and I’m now suspecting this high acid content as the “inflammation factor,” as regular organic coffee enemas do not cause an inflammation flare.

    Any ideas about this?

    Thank you for inspiring me to start this cleansing process.

  14. I am new to these coffee enemas and being a nurse I rarely ever administered them let alone tired one myself. Due to recent health issues I am now looking into doing these for the benefits of liver detox and overall health. I am going to purchase the coffee and the stainless steal enema basin you have recommend. Thank you for all the helpful hints and making this process less stressful. 🙂

  15. I had been holding my coffee enemas for over a half hour, until I had read somewhere a warning not to retain your enema for more than 15 mins. That’s great that you do 30 or 40 mins…I know what I’m doing tomorrow!!

  16. I am not an expert on coffee enemas but feel my 2 cents will help someone. I have 2 autoimmune diseases and began enemas daily to detox. I have spoken to a few professionals who both admire the work of Gerson and recommend his treatments. However with that said…if you are not a cancer patient and following the strict regimen of juice fasting along with the enemas then you should not be doing them daily. These enemas are given daily to the patients that are juicing diligently throughout the day while they fast thus speeding up the detoxification process. I myself have tried the enemas and do believe that you must use common sense. Everything in moderation. So my own experience is that if I am not doing a complete juice fast (I am consuming food as I normally would) then I limit my enemas to once or twice a week in order not to disrupt my natural bowel elimination. You will get the same benefit at a slower rate. If you are a cancer patient then you need to follow a strict protocol set forth by the professionals. Each person is different on how they react…but if you are not fasting while you do the enemas…well..this could bother you…especially if you continue to eat processed foods. Remember…many of these patients are at deaths door and are giving up food thus keeping their bowels completely clear to detox. If you are a healthy individual I would think that a weekly enema would suffice as long as you are feeding your body mostly raw foods to help you keep your body healthy.There is such a thing as “too much of a good thing” especially if you are not gravely ill. Gerson also recommended backing off on enemas (5 a day) once the body showed signs of improvement. Just sayin’

  17. I’ve been reading up on coffee enemas for years. Finally tried it a couple years ago – thanks to this blog – and have been doing them five – seven days a week since then. I do not do them to HAVE a bowel movement. I do them after my morning bowel movement. My main focus is for liver support, and to encourage glutathione production.

    My diet is paleo with no eggs, dairy or grains, as these foods cause problems for me. I’m in my 60’s, and after a lifetime of eating foods that were toxic for me, as well as years of exposure to fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, I feel that my liver and immune system can use all the help I can offer. The dietary changes were made five years ago, and the more recent addition of almost daily coffee enemas has speeded my healing process exponentially, and continues to do so.

    Everyone is different, that’s for sure. For me, daily coffee enemas have been a life-saving process that takes about 25 minutes every morning. The clarity and lightness that are generated from this practice have been invaluable to me on my healing journey. I’m in better shape now than I was in my 40’s or even 30’s. No more chronic pain!

    Increased clarity and good energy = better decisions and continued improved health!

    Time for my coffee enema!

    1. That is so awesome Sarah! I find them to be an important part of my routine for detoxification support as well! Thanks for sharing your success story!!!

  18. To Kate and anyone reading this blog:

    As I head toward CE#100, I can give you a definitive example of the power of this therapy. The short version of my story – I was diagnosed with MS ten days after a Hep vaccination. And you guessed it…you did if you assumed I was injected with thimerosal. That was the last hit my immune system/brain could handle.

    I had not 8 but 11 dental amalgams for 20-25 yrs. I ripped out functional dental work after 100 rounds of ALA (following Andy’s protocol of 3 day/low dose ALA) and I still wasn’t well (my definition of ‘well’ is healing my insomnia).

    I knew it was mercury poisoning after that Hep B shot and neurologists told I was wrong for six years.

    So…fast forward….eight years….eight years I’ve been doing chelation, everything on my own, my own diagnosis, my own treatments, being my own lab rat…and I found an at home, inexpensive urine test for mercury…..drip drip drip molecule by molecule over these eight years and I was still close to halfway on that chart (between 1 to 2 ppm mercury).

    Enter Coffee Enemas! Big Drum Roll.

    A few days ago, after CE#90, I tested myself. I prayed everything I’ve read has been true. What I think I’ve been experiencing has been true. And to my utter amazement…

    My test showed barely any color! I would say I am now 0.025. I am ALMOST MERCURY FREE! Something that would likely have taken me several more years took less then three months!

    I am still in shock. I really am. And what I am now dealing with is part 2. Candida. Why people don’t get well from candida in my opinion is they are not getting to the root cause. MS is not ‘created’ by candida as some suggest. Candida is symptom of MERCURY POISONING. Period.

    I have had mercury poisoning for decades and probably a 20+ yr gut infection. I’m still fighting for my sleep. The hot flashes are not about menopause, this is about this gut infection.

    So CE’s have made the impossible, possible. To my astonishment. Mercury went first. Candida is second. I know both must go together and never in a million years would I have thought I would clear the mercury before this pathogen.

    DO COFFEE ENEMAS. Simple. Organic coffee. I use my french press. I use my bathroom mats, a yoga mat and a towel over it. I play music and read for 15 mins. I have added garlic and aloe vera. I only struggle to hold the enema when I put a lot of garlic in.

    Do this. This is working with your body. Your body wants to increase gluthathione so it can heal.

  19. And I should add:

    I know that coffee leeches minerals from you. I take in daily 1 TB of chlorella.

    I am doing just fine with daily CE’s.

    Yes, always listen to your body and find what is the best amount for you. At one point, I tried two a day and I felt that was too hard on my body.

    I can’t wait until I’m at maintenance doses, which will be when I heal from candida. I have a good diet (not perfect but very good, I did an anti-candida one strictly, I don’t want to weigh any less, I’m 5’4″, 112lbs and nothing could get to the candida like CE’s).

  20. Hi Kate,

    PAIN RELIEF FOR SCIATICA AND A HERNIATED DISC WITH EASY TO RETAIN COFFEE AND LARGE VOLUME ENEMAS.

    I have been doing coffee enemas (2 tablespoons organic coffee and 8 ounces of filtered water. I use an 8 ounce bulb syringe to instill the coffee). I sometimes let the coffee absorb in to my body. I also do large volume sea salt and water enemas with 3 to 4 quarts of filtered water. I am able to hold this volume because I use a roller clamp and a douche nozzle (The roller clamp adjust the flow rate. The douche nozzle reduces the amount of water flowing. Both put together reduces the cramping and allows more water to flow in). CAUTION: LADIES DO NOT USE THE DOUCHE NOZZLE AFTER USING IT FOR AN ENEMA EVEN IF YOU CLEAN IT. YOU CAN STILL GET AN INFECTION.

  21. Hi Kate,

    What economical in large quantities and safe to use herbal tea enemas other than organic coffee enemas (2 to 4 tablespoons of coffee in 1 quart of water and retained for 30 minutes) are good for sciatica and herniated discs (nerve pain).

    I am looking to cut down on the coffee enemas for pain relief (I do not want to deplete any electrolytes or vitamins and minerals due to using the C.E. upto 5 times daily) and only use it for liver detoxing (food/environmental) once daily.
    I am able to take a 4 quart (with 1 teaspoon of sea salt per quart) cleansing enema and retain it for a minimum of 30 minutes.

  22. Any time when you wouldn’t start coffee enemas? I asked my obgyn if I could reaume, at my 6 week follow up post birth recently and she didn’t say a date and wasn’t a fan haha. Do you delay post birth or start back?

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