Colonic hydrotherapist who has performed 20,000 irrigations reveals what you need to know about gut health

Michael Perrine talks about 'broom foods' and why the stomach's microbiome is important

(Nick Guarino)

Michael Perrine has lead the sort of life that should be made into a movie, or at least TV biopic. As a teenager, he turned to cheap alcohol to self-medicate his anxiety. He was drunk every day. One night, after reading the autobiography of civil rights activist Malcom X, he had was he describes as a spiritual awakening. He quit smoking and drinking, and turned vegan.

23 years later, he works as a colon irrigation therapist at Vitality in New York City. In 16 years, he says he has performed over 20,000 procedures. His clients include celebrities, models and athletes.

A colonic involves passing up to 60 litres of water into the bowel through a tube inserted into the rectum, which washes out the colon. Waste products are then passed out.

Once hailed as a cure-all for gut problems, colonic irrigations are less talked about than they were when they first hit headlines in the 2000s. There is little scientific evidence to suggest that colonics can transform gut health, as few studies have investigated this claim. The NHS website warns that people who have an infection, inflammation including Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, fissures, heart problems, kidney disease, cirrhosis, or pregnancy should not have a colonic.

Now, colonics are seen as a complementary therapy that some people claim gives them a boost - like a facial or a massage. They can set clients back up to $140 a session.

We spoke to Michael to find out about his experiences as a colonic hydrotherapist.

How did you get in to the gut health business?

When I was a teenager I began experiencing an anxiety disorder that I quickly medicated by abusing alcohol. I drank cheap malt liquor, vodka and whisky six or seven days a week. I smoked for seven years and my diet was a terrible mess of processed foods. I was sixty pounds heavier than I am now and, at an age where I should have been feeling my best, I was at my worst. I was making a string of terrible decisions with my life.

One night at nineteen I was standing in my parents’ basement and I picked up the original printing of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I read the book cover to cover and had what I can only describe as a spiritual awakening. I was so moved that I immediately stopped drinking and smoking. Which was exceptionally challenging, but I was committed. Most importantly, though, I started reading. That led me to a book called Diet for a New America by John Robbins. I never understood how food animals were (are) treated or the use of pesticides in food production. Within days I was eating organic vegan food. I went through tremendous periods of detox and rebuilding. That was 23 years ago. I've dedicated my entire career to the pursuit of cleansing and natural living ever since.

How did you feel after your first colonic?

On my first colonic I didn't notice much of anything! It took a few treatments for me to really feel the difference. It was a little weird, but I was already eating a raw food diet, into fasting, practicing yoga. The therapist (my now longtime friend and colleague Gil Jacobs) just kept saying, “You're pouring heaviness, kid!” He was very encouraging. After a series of treatments and some diet adjustments, I began to feel the value more profoundly.

Are there any interesting anecdotes you’d like to share from your career?

I've met so many interesting people doing this work. From celebrities to models to athletes. I remember giving a colonic to this totally regular guy. He was a barrel chested, working class man who got into juice fasting and raw foods. I knew he was eating organic produce because I used to see organic food labels passing through the colonic tube. I would say, “Mark, are you peeling the stickers off of your fruits?” He would just shrug and say, “I don't know, I just pound ‘em down all day!”

What advice do you have for people who might be nervous about getting a colonic?

I would tell anyone nervous about getting a colonic not to be. It’s highly therapeutic, but it’s not surgery. Most of my clients get right on the table and can’t wait to tell me about what the kids are doing, their Tinder date or their food drama. It’s a relaxed process most of the time. Choose a skilled gravity colon hydrotherapist, eat properly leading up to and following your session (your therapist will guide you), and you’ll be in good hands.

What are some other ways that people can look after their gut health?

Gut health, like all health, requires consistency. A diet rich in “broom” foods and raw vegetable juices helps keep the pipes clean. Broom foods are high fiber fruits and vegetables that absorb and sweep waste away from the intestines. We actually designed the Vitality Broom Cleanse for our clients to prep for treatments. We consider the food and juices the “soap” and the colonic the “shower.”

Another game changer is regularly eating raw fermented vegetables. It’s the number one source of live active probiotics. Even better than probiotic supplements. Our intestinal flora is responsible for how we digest food as well as the foods we crave. It actually tells us what we want to eat. It’s incredible.

I also recommend squatting when you move your bowels. Sitting is the worst position for releasing waste. Squatty benches are OK, but akin to training wheels. A full squat, feet up on your toilet seat, is not only great for your hips and back, but also it opens up the channels of elimination and brings your bowel movement to the next level.

Is there anything else you'd like to highlight?

Our bodies respond to consistency, the only place I’ve ever seen results come from. For 16 years I’ve watched people bounce up and down with what I call “stock graph dieting.” It’s constant food drama.

The way to build permanent habits is to consistently eat a high percentage of plant foods, reset the microbiome and leave out the addicting processed foods think: meat, dairy, eggs, refined flours, sugar, etc. Cheat days almost always restart the cycle of food drama by triggering the addictive pathways in the brain. If we want to magnify the value of our colonics and cleanses, it’s important to raise our standards around food and be consistent with our choices long term.