Cleanse Days 5-7

After some initial rebellion and internal struggle with some of the food changes, I think I'm finally settled. Green Smoothies help tremendously. I've noticed I rarely crave sugar, and if I do I have a nice pulpy glass of orange juice. I did purchase some low sugar chocolate snacks, but haven't really needed them yet. Yesterday I went to Whole Foods and saw my favorite pimento cheese and I just stood there for two minutes, then walked on. I barely glanced at the Bothhouse farm drinks (I like the Mocha Cappuccino) and for the most part managed to make some really good shopping choices.

 Coconut Based chocolate ice cream, cacao nibs and macadamia nuts, raw almonds dehydrated and seasoned with vanilla and maple, coconut ice cream bars, vegan/gluten free dark chocolate and orange bar and raw chocolate bar with superfoods. All very low sugar options and great for chocolate cravings.

 So good, I'm addicted

  LOVE this cereal! Reminds me of Grape Nuts without  the crap

I started coffee enemas this week, and have done my meditations while holding the enema. You do a fresh water enema first, releasing immediately, then follow up with the coffee enema, which the goal is to hold for 15 minutes. So far I've gone anywhere from, not going to happen, to about 12 minutes so far. I think it gets easier the more you do it. Here's a great video from Jess the Wellness Warrior on doing coffee enemas:



I'm starting to see some results. I had major fatigue issues through October, and as the week has gone on I've had more and more energy. In fact, yesterday was the first time I didn't nap in who knows when. Not only did I not nap, I tried to go to bed, and ended up laying awake for an hour and getting back up! I still went to bed at a decent time, and got about 8.5 hours of sleep, which usually I sleep for about 12 hours, but I haven't need to. In fact I've had problems with boredom now that I'm not sleeping as much. Suddenly, I have all this time and I have no idea what to do with it. I cleaned off my two tables filled with mail and sorted through. I organized my bills and created a payment plan. I've watched some Hallmark Christmas movies and done some things around the house. I need  to make a list of activities. It occurred to me that I could do that puzzle from my 31 Things list, finish putting together the photo album, also from that list. Shoot, I could actually start writing! My brain was too foggy, but it's clearing up so now it the time. Also, exercise and emotional/spiritual exercises. So we'll see how it goes.

 Green Smoothie

 Vegan Protein Powder

 Oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon and a dash of almond milk

Right now one of my biggest projects is finding the right supplement balance. I REALLY hate that Cellect, the mineral/vitamin powder that has like 97 things in it. It's nasty, smells nasty, and just doesn't go away. There really isn't anything else like it though; however, I believe I found an herbal remedy (that I already have some of) called Merlin's Herbal Magic Root Elixir. It has over 30 herbs in it. I will still need to take all my alphabet vitamins (A, B6, B12, B17, D3, E), and Iron. There is also something called Colustrum that is in the Cellect  and a great part of it that I can get on it's own. Plus I can start doing MSM again, Bee Pollen, and look into some other things. Some of the stuff is in pill form, but several things can be tossed into my smoothies.

So what's up for week two? Adding in exercising, which will be bouncing on the rebounder. Also, dry skin brushing and I really need to do the neti pot. I plan on thawing out the pesto I made this summer and making a delicious pesto pasta with Quinoa noodles, another soup, either corn chowder or baked potato, and trying out a Creamy Coconut Beans and Rice recipe. And of course, more green smoothies. I'll leave you with a photo of tonight's Buddha Bowl. This one has brown rice, diced potatoes, orange bell pepper, green beans, and seasoned tofu. Bowls are very easy to make. Pretty much use rice as your base, then any kind of veggie you could possibly think of, toss them together, and there you go. Delicious.

21 Day Adventure Cleanse: Days 1-3

Cleansing is an interesting experience.  It's a cross between feeling groovy from the energy boost of your Green Smoothie to taking an ass kicking as all the addictive foods start to leave your body.  Toxins rush to the forefront, just aching to be released, which can cause you to spend half your day on the toilet, gasping at the new found zits that popped up, headaches, and be just damned cranky. However, the negative side effects are just that, and by using proper Detox Tools, such as Epsom salt baths, skin brushing, neti pot and enemas, symptoms are greatly reduced and toxins are kicked squarely out the door.

So far I'm handling the cleanse pretty well. I had a bit of a rough time on Day 1, due to lack of preparation. Tip#1: Be prepared before starting your cleanse. Go to the store the day before, put together a meal plan, and success is yours.  Tip#2: Have healthy snacks readily available.  I almost broke, but just made it.  Day 2 went much better, I had a lovely Spinach/Strawberry/Banana smoothie for breakfast and my afternoon snack. Sadly, I had a few challenges (my fault) with the recipes I planned.  I made a Caesar salad for lunch, which started out pretty delicious, but good god there was too much dressing! I don't usually indulge in dressing, but this particular recipe is high in Omega-3's, had Nutritional Yeast, which is a complete source of protein, and made the salad more filling and long lasting. Unfortunately I could only eat half of it before getting too full, and the rest was too soggy to save. Tip#3: Add dressing slowly, you can always add more if necessary. Another example of more isn't necessarily better happened when I made Twice Baked Chipotle Sweet Potatoes. The original recipe served 4, so I modified it for just me, though not enough. Spicy!! I managed to eat half and save the other half for another meal, but I thought my head would blow off.  Fortunately, they were very filling, and next time I will definitely reduce the recipe more.

Day 3 I made a huge batch of Green Smoothie; Kale/Orange/Banana with Amazing Grasses powdered added to it.  Fantastic!! The addition of the powder really balanced it out and added a great flavor. Thorough enjoyment. For dinner I made a delicious Buddha Bowl, consisting of brown rice, bean sprouts, Mustand Saag (sauteed Mustard Greens and Spinach, blended into a paste in a food processor with your seasonings of choice), seasoned tofu and red bell pepper.  So good!

Evening time called for relaxation, a lovely bath of Epsom Salts, Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda and Lavendar Essential Oil, great for detoxing.  I had a wonderful cup of Chai tea, and relaxed to a mystery novel. So far the cleanse has been good. Triton and I have walked each day, and I've continued to incorporate meditation into my daily practice.

For more info where I found this cleanse click here.

2011 Intentions and 21 Day Adventure Cleanse

I've read several articles debating on the importance of New Year's Resolutions.  This year I've put together a list of "intentions" for the year, things that I feel are doable and will help my continued growth.

• I intend to create a daily practice of yoga, meditation and journaling
• I intend to drink at least one Green Smoothie daily
• I intend to do 35 minutes or more of cardio exercise at least 4 times a week, this includes dog walking, rebounder, etc. 
• I intend to focus on growing my blog this year, including number of followers, investing in SEO program, creating regular posts and updating the look
• I intend to write and publish my first book
• I intend to focus on my Spiritual practice, which could include taking classes at the Rime  Buddhist Center, increasing my meditation practice, Spiritual reading, prayer, and creating my own Sacred Space.
• I intend to start the year with a 21 Day Adventure Cleanse, and do mini-cleanses throughout the year
• I intend to continue to build and grow my friendships and schedule at least one social outing each week
• I intend to attend a Vipssanna meditation retreat as part of my healing and Spiritual growth
• I intend to take a vacation this year, location TBA

Yesterday I started my 21 Day Adventure Cleanse.  Unlike a lot of cleanses, you are encouraged to eat as much as needed to be satisfied, as long as the meals fit the parameter of the diet.  I am abstaining from all coffee, gluten, animal products, and sugar.  The focus is on fresh vegetables and fruits, either raw or steamed, nuts and seeds, rice, and healthy grains.  The cleanse also encourages daily exercise, meditation, and the utilization of detox tools such as the Neti Pot and Dry Skin Brushing.  Once a week there is a fast, only fresh juice, smoothies and tea.  This day of rest allows the body to really eliminate toxins.  I have been journaling my experience and will post recipes and my progress as I continue through the 21 Days.

What are your Intentions for 2011? 

Protect Yourself This Flu Season

As the weather gets cooler, the sniffles get bitter.  I have a lot of experience with the flu, however, these past few years, with the aid of my kick ass immune system, the flu is barely a blip on my radar.  Here are some tips that will help you prevent the flu, or stop it cold in it's tracks.

1. Stock up on Oscillococcinum.  This homeopathic flu remedy is my best friend. At the first sign of the flu, take this and within 24 hours you'll be saying "flu who?"  Be sure to keep it in stock, if you wait until the flu has already grabbed hold, this remedy will still help, but won't kick it completely.

2. Neti Pot.  I talked about this wonderful tool in my Detox Your World post. A few weeks ago I started getting the sniffles and got out my Neti Pot.  Within three days my nose cleared up completely. The worst part of the flu in my opinion is all the nose blowing, the stack of nasty Kleenex and how sore and red my poor nose is afterwards. With the Neti Pot, not only will you rinse out all the mucus, but if you purchase the herb dropper that goes with it you will also kill the bacteria, killing any budding infection.

3. Herbal Supplements. Boosting your immune system is a great idea during any signs of sickness.  Echinecea, Goldenseal, Astragulus, Garlic, Oregano, Cat's Claw, Vitamins A&E are all great supplements to have on board when you aren't feeling well.  I would take 3x daily during the illness, and like an antibiotic, you want to continue taking them for about a week after you start to feel better, to keep the illness away and rebuild your immune system.

4. Green/Red/Herbal Tea.  Most people have heard of the benefits of drinking Green Tea, but when ill I enjoy the Be Well Red Teas from Republic of Tea.  These teas cover many issues including sore throat, constipation, nausea, etc. I highly recommend them.

5. Reiki. I you are a practitioner or have access to one, this is a great tool for healing. Generally I Reiki myself for an hour or so at a time, while relaxing to the television. The healing energy helps the body fight off illness, increases your energy, and reduces stress that may be causing you to feel poorly.

6. EFT/Affirmations.  In Louise Hay's book "You Can Heal Your Life" she has an index that lists a multitude of diseases, along with a positive affirmation to counter it. for the flu, she states the emotional imbalance as "Response to mass negativity and beliefs. Fear. Belief in statistics." The positive affirmation she uses to counter this belief is "I am beyond group beliefs or the calendar. I am free from all congestion and influence." I like to incorporate EFT when doing my affirmations to empower them and release any emotional blockages in my cells.  Check out this link to aid you in combining EFT and Affirmations: http://www.squidoo.com/eft-affirmations

Additional tips include getting plenty of rest.  My Dad always told me that sleep is the best medicine and I believe he is correct. If you are tired, sleep, nuff said. Remember the adage, "starve a fever, feed a cold?" When you do feel like you are ready to eat, keep it light, in fact, stick with liquids in the beginning. Your body exerts a lot of energy digesting food, you don't want to draw energy away from healing to focus on digestion. Focus on orange juice, green smoothies, veggie juice, brothy soups to provide your body with nutrients that are already broken down and easy to digest.

Follow these tips and you will have a healthy winter!

P.S. Check out this link before getting a flu shot: The Risks and Dangers of Flu Vaccines and Flu Vaccinations

Loving Tuesday's

1. The Daily Love, a gorgeous free e-newsletter with daily doses of ~love to warm your mailbox.  It comes with a mixture of quotes, positive affirmations, and a little food for thought. From the Daily love this week,

"I think when you get to the point where you don't need to be in love, then you could be in love. You have to just be OK with yourself." - John Cusack

"Tell everyone you know: "My happiness depends on me, so you're off the hook." And then demonstrate it. Be happy, no matter what they're doing. Practice feeling good, no matter what. And before you know it, you will not give anyone else responsibility for the way you feel-and then, you'll love them all. Because the only reason you don't love them, is because you're using them as your excuse to not feel good."  - Esther Abraham-Hicks

Sign up for this inspirational daily newsletter at The Daily Love
 

2.  Love Love Love this stuff!!! Desert Essences Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner smells delicious, makess my hair silky and soft, and makes tangles practically non-existent.  Plus, it's all-natural, organic, and never tested on animals. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. The Rose Garden at Loose Park is absolutely gorgeous!!! I love going when it's in full bloom, wandering through, smelling the roses, picking out the perfect bench to just take it all in, wonderful.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. I Love the fact that I was able to hear my cold in less than 48 hours, simply by utilizing my Neti Pot, a few good herbs and Reiki!! Yay, for healing myself :)
 
 
 
 
 

5. Eureka has been on top of it's game this season.  The new timeline, the addition of James Callis, formerly Dr. Baltar from Battlestar Galactica, the fact they FINALLY got Carter and Alison together....LOVE THIS SHOW.  The Mid-Season finale (yes, that means we'll be seeing more soon!) airs Friday Sept 10 @ 8pm. 

6. Gala Darling is a brilliant beauty, with an incredible blog.  Her blog is fun, insightful, and full of life.  Every Thursday she does her own Love List, with "Things I Love Thursday's."  Check out her inspirational blog at Gala Darling

7.  Fever...you give me fever....fever in the morning....fever all through the night

I'd love to hear which version you LOVE the most!  Here's a little P.S. for this blog, log onto Squidoo to check out my new lenses.  Check back often, I'm creating new ones all the time! Comments help my ratings, so let me know what you think.  You can see my current list of published lenses here: Toriphile81 on Squidoo

What's on Your Love List? ♥♥♥♥♥

Detox Your World

Our body takes in toxins daily, from the pesticides in our food, the chemicals in our shampoos and the air we breathe.  Even if you are on a strict organic diet using only natural household products, you still have toxins.  High levels of toxins affect how our body functions, creating disease, increasing parasites and nasty bacteria in our body, making us fatigued and gain weight.  There are several simple, at home tools that you can add to your daily practice that will help you eliminate these toxins from your body, and make you healthier overall. 

1. Skin Brushing The Skin is the largest organ in the body; a quarter of our daily elimination comes through the skin.  The Lymphatic System is the one system in our body that does not have it's own "pump" to help it circulated.  It can become stagnant it we do not actively move it.  Skin brushing stimulates the Lymph system, moving toxins through, into the colon, releasing during urination. Skin Brushing has many great benefits including improving the elasticity of your skin, removing dead tissue that clogs pores, reducing cellulite, improving digestion, increasing the production of new cells, strengthening the immune system and improving lymph function.  You can get a dry brush from most supermarkets, drug stores, Target, Whole Foods, etc. Do it before you get into the shower each day.  Watch the video below to see how it's done.

2. Colon Cleansing The average person has 25lbs of feces jam packed into their colon.  Yuck!! Because of all the toxins we've allowed into our bodies, the colon has become a feeding ground for parasites, who thrive on the nasty bacteria buildups.  All of this nasty commotion slows down the function of the colon, which can cause toxins to leak back into the bloodstream, make it difficult for you to assimilate all the nutrients in your food, make bowel movements difficult or infrequent and cause fatigue.  Finding a colonic practitioner is a great way to eliminate this buildup, and make your colon shiny and new again.  Enema's are a great at home tool, however they most clean out the rectum, the last 8-12 inches of the colon.  However, even doing this can help get you moving better, and eliminate the buildup in the rest of the colon.  Coffee enemas also help detox the liver, pulling even more toxins from the body.  I highly recommend including enemas in your detox practice.  I would personally purchase the enema bucket for the easiest and cleanest process. 

Purchase an enema kit here: Enema Bucket Kit

Learn how to perform an enema: Give Yourself an Enema

Detox Your Liver with a Coffee Enema: Coffee Enema

3. Neti Pot The neti pot is a great tool for cleaning out the sinuses.  Colds, allergies, respiratory problems are very common.  The sinuses fill with bacteria, mucus and other toxins.  By gently washing them with saline, you can prevent sinus related sickness! Simply insert the Neti Pot gently into your nostril, tilt your head, and let the liquid slowly drain through, cleaning out the nasal passages.  Repeat on the other side.  You can do this as often as you like, some people do it daily, like brushing your teeth.  I would recommend doing it before getting into the shower.  I often find that the moisture from the shower makes me release even more mucus from my nostrils, plus I'd rather get rid of the "gunk" during my shower, than sit on the couch for 20 minutes after blowing my nose. 

4. The Zapper This unique tool uses a small electronic pulse to kill parasites in your system.  Yes, people, worms, creepy crawlers and all sorts of nasties are living in your body right now, feeding off your waste, eating your food before you get to properly digest it, and they can also feed off of you!! Creating healthy eating habits and detoxing regularly can eliminate or reduce parasites in your system. The Terminator Zapper is a kickass little tool that you can wear anywhere, that literally "zaps" those pesky little parasites.  The first week I slept with it on the bottom of my foot every night, and wore it on various body parts while sedentary.  I spent 10 days mostly sleeping and taking trips to the bathroom, no kidding!! My body went into serious detox mode, and when I came out of it I had more energy than I'd had in years. 

Want to read some horribly disturbing, yet informative info on parasites? Human Intestinal Parasites

Grossed out? Would you like to get rid of those pets? Order a Zapper

These are just a few suggestions, that can make a HUGE difference in how your body functions.  Exercise, deep breathing, Tongue Scraping, laughter, meditation, detox bath and a good nights sleep are also important in eliminating toxins from your body and keeping healthy.