Enemas (colonic irrigation) are a significant and useful self-help bowel cleansing measure, whether for preventive or curative treatment. Complementary therapists have long recommended the taking of a regular enema as part of ongoing body maintenance.

Distilled water, organic coffee or a very weak food grade hydrogen peroxide solution can be used to wash out the colon.

How does it work?
An enema administers a lower bowel flush, typically lying down in a knee bent position. The liquid is gravity fed. For evacuation, the tip is removed and the fluid is expelled into the toilet. The procedure is repeated as necessary.

How do I use it?
Before and after you take your enema you should always make sure your equipment is thoroughly clean. Check the equipment thoroughly to ensure it is clean. Flush out the tube and tap to ensure that they are clear throughout.

Connect all the equipment together: The enema attachment is the small tip, the vaginal douche attachment the longer tip. Make sure that the tap mechanism is closed. Fill the enema bag with mineral or filtered water which is at body temperature.

Suspend the enema bag less than three feet above the hips from a convenient hook on the wall or door, or supporting rail. Run some of the water through the tube and out of the tap end to release any air in the long tubing or tap before use. Close the tap again ready to start.

Apply lubricating jelly (olive oil or KY jelly) to the enema tip and also to the outside of the anus.

Lie either on your side, kneeling head down bottom up, or on your back. Insert the lubricated enema tip into the anus and turn the tap mechanism allowing the water to flow in. Gravity will feed the water down through the tube for as long as the tap is open. You may feel more comfortable letting the water feed down in smaller amounts to allow the fluid to settle, in fact that is preferable to trying to take it in all in one go. It is a bit fiddly but with practice it gets simpler.

Now, lie on your right hand side (Remove the tip first if it is easier). Hold the fluid inside you for as long as you can without it being uncomfortable.

When you are ready, remove the tip if you have not done so already and sit on the lavatory to allow the evacuation of the faecal matter and water. Don't rush, strain or force. It may be that you will need to feed water into your rectum and evacuate the contents a number of times in one session or once is enough per session. It really is up to you. You will be able to hold onto the water for longer periods with practice. More fluid needed? Just top up the bag.

Don't forget
It's really important to clean the equipment before and after use. Use a gentle but effective cold water sterilising solution using disinfectant tablets. Replace your enema kit annually or after approximately 30 uses.

Precautions and Storage
Store the equipment safely where it will be secure and cannot be tampered with. Keep it out of the reach of children. Ideally the equipment needs to be stored in a constant coolish temperature, away from direct sources of heat and avoid damp environments. Do not fold the water tube as it will create a kink in it.

Please take care when performing an enema, respect your body.

User Tips

• NEVER EVER USE TAP WATER.

• Each member of the family should have their own enema kit, if this is not possible then each member should have their own tubing assembly and very strict levels of hygiene should be observed.

• Replace your enema kit annually or after approximately 30 uses. With care you may be able to use the bag more times than this.

• The first few times you use the kit should be seen as experimentation to see what you need to learn and to see how your body gets on with the process of taking an enema. Just use plain water while you are getting used to taking enemas. Once you know how to give yourself a plain water enema with confidence you can progress from there on to other solutions if you choose to do so.

• We recommend you have sealed bottles of good quality still water (like Evian for example) stored at body temperature to use for plain water enemas. They are cheap and convenient - Do not use tap water in your enema bag.

• If the tubing is too short, you could extend it by adding a replacement tubing assembly. Then you daisy chain the replacement tubing assembly onto the tubing supplied with the standard kit. Doing this means you end up with two taps to control the flow and double the tubing length to 2.8m.

We asked around our offices to see if there were any other 'snippets of wisdom' that we could bring together based on staff experiences that might help to get you started. In addition to your enema kit and the fluid of choice for the enema itself the team here suggests:

• Keep a print out of the instructions of what you are supposed to do handy

• Use a lubricant on the tip - use a good quality organic oil or KY jelly

• A washing up bowl to rest the end of the tubing and used tip into while you are on the toilet, and to use to wash the equipment in when you have finished. Keep it where you can reach it easily while lying down.

• Some disinfectant wipes.

• A few towels in case of spills or accidents!

• Latex gloves so if you have to clean up anything messy you don't have to touch it

• Decent detergent and/or sterilizing solution for when you've finished

• A towel to lie on and a pillow wrapped in a towel for your head

• A timer so you know how long you've been there!

• Something to read or listen to that will help you stay relaxed

Start off small, try 500ml of fluid to begin with...you don't have to attempt to take in the full 2 litres of fluid if you find it too hard. Do what feels right and don't put yourself under any pressure.

Finally, in an ideal world, you'd not be interrupted while performing the enema so phones off, bathroom door locked and no interruptions.