Getting Down With Colonics

One of the most important pieces of the healing process is releasing toxins from the body. Anything our body does not release, is returned to the blood stream. Colonics are a great tool for cleaning out the colon and releasing years of buildup. Here's some information from my wonderful colonics practitioner Caroline: 

Colon Hydrotherapy (also called Colonics, High Enema, Colon Lavage) is the safe, gentle infusion of warm filtered water into the rectum using no chemicals or drugs. It is a restorative, painless procedure which is both relaxing and effective. The individual lies comfortably on a custom treatment table and the therapist gently inserts a small speculum into the rectum. The therapist then monitors the temperature and pressure of the water infused into and out of the colon (large intestine) without any assistance on the part of the individual.

This will induce peristaltic contractions in the colon, and the patient will begin to expel fecal matter thru the colonic hose which leads back to the colonic machine and through a clear glass viewing tube. It is quite interesting to see what is expelled during a normal colonic treatment. One may see mucous, parasites and very old feculent material (noted by its dark black color) pass through this tube. This old feculent material may have been lying in the patient’s colon for years. In addition, the patient may experience sensations of warmth due to the presence of toxins in the feculent matter. While the patient is receiving the colonic treatment, the colon therapist lightly massages various parts of the abdomen to help loosen and dislodge areas of fecal impaction.

Colon therapy cleanses the entire colon without stressing the individual and provides a closed system in which waste material is eliminated through the instrument and out the drain line, avoiding any offensive odor and maintaining the dignity of the individual. Colon therapy is an extended and more complete form of an enema. The enema’s cleansing activity is limited to the area of the rectum and to shorter periods of time due to the body’s natural wish to expel any material from the rectum. The colon therapy method extends beyond the rectum to cleanse the entire large intestine and offer greater cleansing and therapeutic benefits. Enemas or laxatives may precipitate dehydration in the individual, but colon hydrotherapy, in effect, would improve the hydration status of the individual. 

You can find out more on her website Caroline's Colon Health Care. I have had several colonic sessions over the past few years and always feel lighter, my bowels seem to move better, I have more energy, and over all just feel better. I highly recommend looking for a Colonic's practitioner in your area.

Have you ever had a Colonic? What was it like for you? Would you do it again?

31 Things Before I Turn 31 on March 29th 2012

Happy Birthday to Me!! I'm officially 30 now, so it's time to review my 30 Things Before I Turn 30 list. Let's see how it turned out. I actually only had 5 months, instead of a full year as the project suggests. I completed 11 items from the list, have a few that no longer interest me, and the rest I'll roll over to my new list.  Click here to read about my progress on my 30 Things list. So what will I do this year?  

 

1. Learn to Knit; complete at least one project
2. Write my first book
3. Read complete works of Jane Austen
4.  Swim with the dolphins
5. Take voice lessons
6. Learn to make tiramisu
7. Take 5th Dimensional healing class
8. Attend an Opera
9. Visit the Harry Potter theme park
10. Complete a jigsaw puzzle on my own
11. Convert our family videos from VHS to DVD
12. Schedule myself a Spa Day
13.  Attend a Kansas City Storm Women Football game
14.  Study A Course in Miracles; attend a workshop
15.  Heal my cancer
16. Create a weekly yoga schedule
17.  Journal daily
18. Go on a Missouri weekend and see all historical landmarks
19. Go on a 7 day sugar cleanse
20. Heal my eczema
21. Do a gall bladder cleanse
22.  Read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

23.Write myself a love letter
24. Take the "No TV for 30 Days" Challenge
25. Read something by Thich Nhat Hanh
26. Create a delicious gluten free, sugar free, banana bread recipe
27. Clear out basement; sell items on Craig's List
28. Organize all my photos
29. Watch "Black Swan"
30. Try Pole Dancing

31.Clean my house weekly

Any tips or suggestions to help me complete my list? What's on your list?

30 Things Before I Turn 30: #3 and 9 Watch Gone With the Wind and Create My Vision Board

Today I finally got out the Gone With the Wind DVD I received from the library, my magazine/internet pictures and poster board for my Vision Board and got cracking! I really think the Vision Board turned out beautifully, and I'm so glad to have it to inspire me as I turn 30 this week. Vision Boards are a great tool to attract abundance into your life. Take pictures that represent goals, people who inspire you, quotes, ideas, etc. and make a collage and post where you can see everyday. I remember one scene from The Secret where one of the speakers shared a story about purchasing his dream home. As he unpacked, he found the box with all his vision boards in it, and one of the boards from 3-4 years earlier had a picture of a house, the EXACT same house that he purchased! Do you have a Vision Board?

P.S. Not a fan of Gone With the Wind. Have you seen it?

Sugar Alternatives: The Pros and Cons

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog admitting that I am a sugar addict. Since then I have stopped using basic white sugar in my cooking and have started to explore the alternatives. I've found there are many things out there, some, of which I feel are not much better than sugar. Dates, maple syrup and brown rice syrup for example may appear to be healthier alternatives, but all of those rate just as high, or higher, than white sugar on the GI scale. I have found five alternatives that seem to have a better health benefit, and little to no affect on your blood sugar.

1. Stevia. This gift from nature grows in South America and is naturally sweet. It promotes insulin production and enhances the body's tolerance to glucose. It is also 300x sweeter than regular sugar, so little is needed to sweeten your treats.

2. Yacon Root.  This plant is an excellent substitute for traditional sweeteners. It's a great blood sugar balancer and ideal for diabetics. It is great for colon health, creates healthy flora in the body and promotes the growth of probiotics.

 3. Agave Nectar. I've been using Agave for quite awhile and have found it to be an excellent substitute in most recipes. As it is found in syrup form, it can make some baked goods slightly more moist. I found information listing Agave rating anywhere from 15 to 30 on the GI scale. I imagine this has to do with how it is processed. This little plant has been the source of much debate recently, as to whether it's truly healthier than processed sugar. I recommend doing a little research, use in moderation, and go with your gut.

4. Honey. This one is debatable for some. Many vegans are against bee products because of some of the methods Beekeepers use. If you choose to use honey, go with a local product, and IT MUST BE RAW!!! Processed honey isn't healthy for anyone. Raw honey, however, is filled with vitamins and nutrients and can have many health benefits when used in moderation.

 5. Coconut Palm Sugar. The latest craze on the healthy alternatives to sugar market, this baby rates 35 on the GI scale. This comes from the sap of a coconut tree, contains 17 amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, varies B-vitamins and has a nearly neutral PH. I recently purchased it from Whole Foods and plan to experiment in the next week.





 For more information on how sugar affects us, I highly recommend checking out these series of posts from blogger Sarah Wilson on why "I Quit Sugar." Great information here, really makes you think about how even "healthy" sugars are affecting our body.

100 Tips to Heal the Body, Mind and Spirit

In honor of my 100th post (woohoo!!!) I have put together a list of healing tips for body, mind and soul: 

1. Drink Green Smoothies Daily
2. Laugh for at least a minute each day
3. Bounce on a rebounder
4. Spend time with animals; experience puppy love
5. Soak up the sun; Vitamin D gives us pep and healthy skin!
6. Keep your mind active by doing puzzles
7. Practice Yoga
8. Say affirmations in the mirror daily
9. Tell yourself "I love you" every time you look in a mirror
10. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
11. Get a series of colonics annually
12. Do enemas weekly
13. The Violet Flame
14. Ressonance Repatterning
15. Journal Daily
16. Meditate at least 15 minutes each day
17. Experience Vipssana
18. Get a massage
19. Eat lots of Superfoods
20.Practice Gratitude daily

21. Create your own Quantum Shift statement and focus on it
22. Practice Reiki or schedule a session
23. Go on a 7 day Sugar Cleanse
24. Send Love Letters to your family and friends
25. Wear a sleep mask at night
26. Go Vegan for 30 Days
27. Cultivate your friendships
28. Use a Skin Brush daily before showering
29. Use a Neti Pot to clear your nostrils
30. Go Barefoot as often as possible
31. Practice the Healing Codes
32. Take a detox bath
33. Experience tuning fork sound therapy
34. Write a letter to the Universe
35. Climb your way to more positive thoughts daily
36. Buy Crazy Sexy Diet and do the 21 Day Adventure Cleanse
37. Practice Forgiveness daily
38. Take time to cry it out
39. Practice deep breathing techniques
40. Do Donna Eden's 5-Minute Daily Energy Routine
















41. Practice the Script, a spiritual healing prayer
42. Check your PH daily
43. Mentally bless people who annoy you
44. Release your romantic illusions
45. Add Cinnamon to your meals
46. Create a Vision Board
47. Do these healing workbook exercises
48. Eliminate coffee from your diet
49. Do a parasite cleanse
50. Do a gall bladder cleanse
51. Detox with an infra-red sauna
52. Pray
53. Go to YouTube and listen to channelings from Bashar
54. Practice the Law of Attraction
55. Read these books
56. Stop gossiping
57. Make only positive posts online
58. Take your vitamins
59. Drink green, red and yerba mate teas
60. Write your New Moon Abundance Checks

61. Get Reconnected
62. Practice Ho'oponopono
63. Raise your vibrations with Vibes Up
64. Declutter your space
65. Use the mirroring exercise when people ruffle your feathers
66. Use Oracle Cards as guides
67. Put in your favorite CD and shake your booty!
68. Serve Others
69. Get in balance
70. Read Eat, Pray, Love
71. Erase the word "should" from your vocabulary
72. Subscribe to "The Daily Love" a beautiful daily e-newsletter
73. Eat lots of carrots
74. Get a Zapper
75. Get a tongue scrapper
76. Take off your bra as often as possible, they constrict your lymph nodes
77. Use Tooth Soap to heal your cavities and create healthy teeth
78. Write yourself a love letter
79. Use flower essences
80. Read Marianna Williamson's "A Reflection on a Course of Miracles"















81. Take yourself on a date
82. Use coconut oil on your skin after showering
83. Stand naked in the mirror and tell each and every body part, organ, cell "I Love You"
84. Cut out carbs for a week
85. Cut out processed foods permanently
86. Eliminate soda pop from your diet
87. Take the "No TV for 30 Days" challenge
88. Take time to feel your feelings
89. Go to the Farmer's Market
90. Go on a Media Diet
91. Learn how to say "NO" with grace
92. Do some Spiritual House Cleaning
93. Drink lots of water
94. Take Probiotics
95. Chew your meals mindfully
96. Give yourself hugs
97. Practice visualization techniques
98. Stretch every morning when you get up
99. Learn the Tibetan Rejuvenation Rites
100. Love Yourself

Ode to My Grandma

"life's not a paragraph, and death i think is no parenthesis" e e cummings

My Grandma passed away this weekend. My sadness is minor compared to the joy of knowing she no longer suffers. She died peacefully after weeks of pain and for that I am grateful. Her body could no longer contain her; now her essence is free to explore, kick up her heels and experience a Spiritual Love that is beyond human comprehension. 

She was a kind woman with simple needs, yet could be very stubborn and very good at getting what she desired. My best memories are of us playing paper dolls on Saturday afternoons, and the Valentine's Day cards she would send out each year. She also made an excellent batch of banana bread! 

I wish I had really known her. We were never the family that talked about things beyond the surface. I am grateful that in her final weeks, she related several stories to me from her childhood and her early marriage years with my Grandad.  Memories of growing up on the farm, playing schoolhouse with her siblings, sneaking up on my Grandad at a restaurant, her nearly 60 year friendship with her best friend and so much more. Happy 89th Birthday Grandma!!

"Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries, it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death." Anonymous

Shift~ing and Focus~ing

In Gabrielle Bernstein's book Add More ~Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness she discusses making that mental shift; creating your own personal statement of who you are shifting into. First, you have to rethink about yourself. Do you tell yourself that you are fat, worthless, unemployable, etc. Shift those thoughts! You have a beautiful body, you bring so much into the world and have many skills an employer would find valuable. Change the story of your life to who you want to be, and believe it! Take time to meditate on what you want your story to be. Are there others that are influencing your current story? Make sure to to include that as well. For example if you feel your family doesn't support you, change the story to "My family supports me in all I do." The more you believe and focus on your new story, it will become a part of you. My personal shift statement, "I am a healthy vibrant woman. I earn a comfortable living sharing my healing knowledge with the world." After you create your statement, focus on making it reality. Share shift statement with family and friends, post it where you can see it, read it to yourself daily, create a Vision Board to help you visualize. Incorporate your shift statement into your meditation practice. The Law of Attraction tells us to not only think it, but feel it. It is the feeling that transforms and creates the reality. The more positive our thoughts and feelings, the better our experience will be. You have the power to transform your reality simply by focusing your thoughts and feelings on your desires.

Heal Yourself With the EFT Movie Method

 Recently I've been using EFT more and more to heal emotional issues. One of the methods that I've found that provides the biggest release is the Movie Method. Essentially, you take an experience, something that happened to you that you feel strongly about, give it a title, and tell the story.

For example, I still have strong emotions over a pair of shoes Triton ate when he was a puppy. Sounds silly, but it still bothers me and for this example I'd prefer to share a "lighter" story. We'll call it "The Day Triton Ate My One of  Kind, Never Been Worn, Designer Shoes".

First, you start the story a little before the "event". So I would start by sharing how I put my brand new shoes on my bed, then went to the bathroom to comb my hair. When I returned, my then 5 month old puppy had one of the shoes between his paws, the strap already destroyed. STOP. At this point I am feeling an emotional response, so I would use the EFT tapping method to release this emotion. For example, "Even though I felt shocked and angry and upset and numb at seeing my wonderful perfect shoes being eaten, I completely love and accept myself." Say this 3x, then move to the tapping points on the body using mini-phrases such as "angry at Triton" "shocked by what I saw" "my favorite shoes!", etc. until you hit all the points. Deep breath, and then on a scale from 1-10, rate the feeling. I would continue tapping until my feeling about that moment was a 1 or 0.

Then you continue the story. After pausing for a moment to witness the destruction, I started screaming and shouting profanities at Triton at the top of my lungs. I ran at him and beat him with the shoe and chased him out of the house. STOP. At this point I clearly have emotions, so I would do another round of tapping, example "Even though I was so angry I lost control I completely love and accept myself." Do this 3x, round of tapping on all the points, and then evaluate. Basically, you continue until you've made it through the entire story.

Once the story is complete, and you've tapped on every emotion throughout, take a moment to think about that story, see if you have an residual feelings. For me, I have guilt for lashing out at Triton like that, the poor thing shied away from me for days after that. So I would tap on my guilt until the emotion became a 1 or 0.

I enjoy using this method because there are many experiences we have that are filled with a variety of emotions, and by going through step by step, we can really release a lot of issues, and potentially release feelings tied to other stories.




Have You Used EFT? How Did You Feel Afterward?