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As warm pressurised water is hosed into your body, the therapist needs constant feedback from you about when to stop and start it, to optimise its effectiveness.

The session began with her taking detailed medical notes from me.

Then I was asked to strip off below the waist and put on a paper gown, before getting up on the therapy table.

The colonic machine, complete with viewing window, so you can watch what comes out of you, was alongside.

Roberta asked me to lie on my side to insert the tube, and then gently turn onto my back, a towel retaining my dignity.

Then the water was switched on, with the aim of it eventually filling my entire colon. As she altered the controls, she firmly massaged my tum to help break up anything which might be stuck inside.

Twenty minutes into the procedure, and the viewing window was showing nothing more than clear water.

Then, after a while, the water turned straw-coloured, and I excitedly squinted to see if I had any marbles of my own.

Now and again a piece of debris would float past, but nothing I could identify, and certainly no childhood toys.

Towards the end of the 45 minutes, as the water got higher up my colon, the gripes produced more results in the viewing window.

But when I recognised a tomato skin, I realised we were now meeting last night’s dinner.

Afterwards, I was given a short course of friendly bacteria tablets, to replace any flushed out by the colonic process.

So did I clear out years of gunk? I don’t think so.

Did I feel thinner? Not really, for a while afterwards I actually felt full of wind and bloated. So much for the hope of a flatter tum.

Was I energised? I’ve got lots of energy already, and I didn’t notice any change.

My skin didn’t glow, and my eyes were not discernibly brighter. Bit disappointing really.

Maybe nature doesn’t really want us to send fluid the wrong way into our digestive system. Or maybe it just wasn’t for me.

I know many people are huge fans of colonic irrigation, but I think I’ll stick to the tried and tested way of good diet and plenty of exercise.