Colon rehydration, an increasingly popular practice linked to sectarian movements

It was the reunion. Saturday, January 7, the “yellow vests” organized a new mobilization, in particular against inflation and the future pension reform. Among the demonstrators, a woman stood out. This is Florence Heshmati, a former APHP nurse suspended after refusing to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

During a video shot during the demonstration, she accuses “the media of propaganda” and mentions in particular its role of “reinformation”. History of advertising, Florence Heshmati adds: “Here, I have my new job. If you want to come see me, ask about colon hydrotherapy.” We therefore followed his advice and looked into this alternative practice of medicine which can sometimes have undesirable effects. 20 minutes explains why.

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On a video shot in front of a Christmas tree, Florence Hesmathi appears this time in a beige blouse. “The end-of-year celebrations are often synonymous with excess. For their elimination, only one solution: hydrotherapy of the colon”. At first glance, we have a first image of what the practice could be… but the best thing is to dig a little deeper.

Otherwise known as colon rehydration or even colon irrigation, colon hydrotherapy is a technique that consists of cleaning the large intestine “by baths in fresh, warm and purified water, without the addition of chemicals or drugs”, explains the website of the Themacorps Institute, specialized in integrative medicine [l’association de la médecine conventionnelle et des pratiques alternatives]. Inspired by a practice once used by the Egyptians to detoxify the body, rehydration now involves injecting water into the colon through the rectum using a hose.

Well in his belly, well in his head

To better understand, we met the hydrotherapist Karima Rahioui, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. For ten years, the naturopath has made colon hydrotherapy her specialty. With her clients, she first carries out a diagnosis: knowing their diet, the various problems encountered. Then, she explains to them the different stages of digestion. “Afterwards, the person is lying on the table, connected by a cannula – placed on the anus – to two pipes. A hose brings water one way with filtered water at body temperature. The other pipe allows the elimination of waste, toxins, acidity from the body, and all that”.

In addition to its benefit for the body, its supporters also emphasize the benefit to morale. “At present, medicine is beginning to demonstrate the close link between the neurons in our belly, the neurotransmitters produced in our intestine and the management of our emotions. Since 95% of serotonin is secreted in our intestine, this good mood hormone, if our intestinal flora is optimal, can support our emotional balance,” explains the Themacorps Institute website. Hydrotherapy would therefore be recommended during psychotherapy, for example.

On its site, the Gaya center even believes that hydrotherapy makes it possible to “raise awareness of the emotional and symbolic aspect of the intestine when you need to clean up”. After reading these words, we didn’t really understand their meaning, so we interviewed Karima Rahioui. “Everything is connected. If we don’t take care of our intestines, with the highly processed products that we have in our diets today, it feeds the bad bacteria. You can’t sleep well, can’t think well,” says the hydrotherapist. For Karima Rahioui, it’s not just colon irrigation. The practice must be accompanied by a healthier diet and sports activities. “It comes under what is called hygienism”.

Of course, hydrotherapy comes at a cost. According to the cabinets, it will be necessary to count between 120 and 150 euros per session. Care that is not reimbursed by Social Security.

A dubious lesson

But for the collective No fake med, the practice seems much more dangerous than what the hydrotherapy center claims. On its site, the association of health professionals who warn of the danger of fake medicine considers the lack of medical training of therapists who perform this activity to be dangerous.

“While enemas are taught at university (under the name of colonic irrigation) to treat severe constipation and chronic anal incontinence in adults, or before an examination or surgery, there is no training specific to colon hydrotherapy. For his part, Karima Rahioui claims to have had two different trainings for this practice, in addition to his initial training in naturopathy.

No scientific validity

For Professor Christophe Cellier, head of the hepato-gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy department at the European Georges Pompidou Hospital, the decor is also less rosy. “The benefits of this technique have never been demonstrated from a scientific point of view,” he told 20 minutes.

According to the site of the collective No-fake med, the practice would also be meaningless. “The human body is quite capable of eliminating waste produced by the body through various physiological processes, managed by different organs. […] There is no reliable clinical evidence that colon hydrotherapy provides any benefit.”

Risk of colon perforation

Despite its lack of usefulness, does the practice really involve health risks? According to Professor Christophe Cellier, the harmful effects would be moderate, “with a theoretical risk of perforation of the colon if there is too much pressure and an additional risk if the products used are not controlled”. Other studies, carried out in 2010 by the German doctor Edzard Ernst reported cases of nausea, diarrhea, irritation, but also infections. There are also the risks of perforation, already demonstrated by Professor Christophe Cellier.

For the hydrotherapist Karima Rahioui, these effects of nausea or diarrhea remain logical. “In naturopathy, we call these healing crises”.

Moreover, hydrotherapy could well approach sectarian aberrations. In its latest activity report, the Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Abuses (Miviludes) observes a “diversification of practices and offers of fasting” and points to “the lack of qualification of supervisors”. According to Miviludes, “the practice of fasting is often associated with the implementation of hydration of the colon. Badly supervised, it can have serious consequences, such as perforation, infection, modification of the ecology of the intestinal flora. »

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