Lauren van der Mast, Wellbeing Rebel
Colon Hydrotherapist, Personal Trainer, Health & Sports Coach & Author
People come to colon hydrotherapy for all kinds of reasons, including long-time curiosity, detox support, cancer treatment support, and more. But for me, like many of my clients, it started with something more urgent—years of severe constipation and fecal impaction.
I once ranked 3rd among Australia’s top female rock climbers—full of energy, thriving as a personal trainer, and loving every moment of it. Being active was a major part of my life. Then everything changed.
It all began with stress and trauma, which triggered what seemed like a simple case of constipation. But things quickly spiraled. I developed a long list of unexplained symptoms that standard tests couldn’t explain. Even though doctors kept telling me everything looked normal, my health kept getting worse. I had brain fog, chronic fatigue, body-wide pain, food intolerances, and eventually, I became bedridden in my early 30s.
I saw doctors, specialists, naturopaths, and various practitioners who either dismissed my concerns or treated only my symptoms with expensive supplements. They made me feel like my health problems were my fault, constantly blaming exercise (Spoiler Alert: It wasn’t). And it was beginning to feel like there was no way out. Truth be told, I thought I was going to die.
But I kept wondering about colon hydrotherapy. Could it work? Could it help me find some kind of relief?
Walking out of my first session, it felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from my shoulders. The brain fog eased, my energy improved, and for the first time in years, I felt lighter. While it wasn’t a cure, it helped. But when the local clinic shut down, there was nowhere else to go nearby. So, I decided to start my own and became a Colon Hydrotherapist.
I want to be clear, though: Colon hydrotherapy won’t cure your health problems, but it can support your body’s natural healing process. Even if you’re not constipated, colonics can support detoxing and help reduce Herxheimer reactions.
Once I could finally empty my bowels, I still had to rebuild my digestive system. I struggled to digest food and had many intolerances. Yet, what helped me most wasn’t what the health industry typically teaches—in fact, I had to unlearn much of what I once thought was healthy. The truth is that healing is complex and often requires multiple different approaches that address the body and mind as a whole.
At the same time, tests eventually confirmed what I had suspected all along—years of constipation had caused my body to hoard toxins because it couldn’t process and detoxify them properly. I see this pattern in many of my clients—stress slows digestion, which reduces appetite, leading to under-eating, which then makes it harder to break down the food you do eat. This can cause food intolerances and further gut issues. It’s a cycle that’s hard to break without the right tools.
There’s a lot of talk about detoxing, but many approaches can leave people more depleted, especially if they’re constipated. Pulling toxins from the liver when the body isn’t eliminating properly can do more harm than good. This is where colonics can be a gamechanger—It can provide a powerful foundation by removing waste and creating the conditions your body needs to heal. Colon hydrotherapy doesn’t solve everything, but it gives your body a head start while you’re still figuring the rest out.
Because of what started as constipation, I lost so much—my independence, my energy, and years I’ll never get back. I had to give up the sport I loved, the beach walks with my son, and the dream of expanding my family. I missed out on social events, lost friends who didn’t understand, and carried the weight of being too sick to function while looking perfectly fine on the outside. I even had my appendix removed due to fecal impaction. It’s been a long, lonely road.
And this is why I do what I do. Colon hydrotherapy won’t fix everything, but it can be an important first step, especially since we live in a very polluted and toxic world. This is also why I recommend colonics as part of ongoing maintenance. It can help clear what your body can’t always handle alone.
At the end of the day, I’ve been where you are—dismissed, depleted, and desperate for answers. While I don’t diagnose or prescribe, I can often see what’s happening beneath the surface and can help guide you in the right direction. I help you reconnect with your body, work to restore your health, and guide you toward reclaiming a vibrant, more empowered life.