Psyllium has been showing up as an ingredient in high-fiber breakfast cereals. It has been claimed to be effective in reducing blood cholesterol levels in those who consume it.  “Several studies point to a cholesterol reduction attributed to a diet that includes dietary fiber such as psyllium,” says Wikipedia.  Sometimes all I have to do is read a sentence and it convinces me I have to try it in something other than what I find it in on the grocery shelf.  This one screams “Put me in a smoothie, please!”

This is about the benefit of using powdered psyllium that you can certainly find in stores or at the bulk department in your local health food store.  Metamucil?  What’s that?  I’d rather have a fresh drink made right in my own kitchen with all the benefits.  You don’t want to ever take psyllium fiber without fluid.  Follow directions on the label, or with a teaspoon of psyllium, take at least 8 oz of liquid.  More is not better here.  Putting just a little of this potent ground husk is enough to make your smoothie great and to regulate your digestive system.  Be sure to thoroughly blend your powder in your favorite blender.  If you do take psyllium capsules, read and follow the directions on the label carefully.

Psyllium is good for constipation or food cravings and ground psyllium is well-known to benefit irregularity but it can also regulate your appetite and fat absorption and that can turn your smoothies into diet food.  Studies have also shown that psyllium is effective in lowering total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.  Other studies have revealed positive benefits of psyllium to be effective in helping with Crohn’s Disease by acting as a prebiotic.  This will aid the healing of the inner lining of the inflamed intestines.

The fibers in psyllium will absorb water and add bulk to stool.  In my reading I’ve found that some doctors may tell you it takes a few months for psyllium to work.  That is misleading.  If you are consistently constipated, you may need to replenish the beneficial bacteria in your belly.  This is what may take a few months.  It will take that much time to build up the healthy bacteria that use fiber as their food.  Then the healthy bacteria feed, fill up your colon and then become easier to eliminate.  Psyllium husk powder is a soluble fiber.  It will relieve constipation and diarrhea and the bloating and gas that is common in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).   High consumption of psyllium can lower the mortality rate from colon cancer.

The bulkiness of psyllium fiber is beneficial to satisfy your appetite.  Adding psyllium husk powder to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner smoothie will fill you up and reduce your cravings.  This fiber will make for a thicker smoothie.  In an hour after drinking your smoothie, your body senses the thicker consistency and your stomach and small intestine register the changes in viscosity, literally “filling” you up.  Not only does psyllium fiber speed the movement of digested food, it will enable you to absorb less fat from your food.  This fabulous fiber also regulates two different hormones that keep you from getting hungry.

Here are a couple of warnings about psyllium: Prescription drugs should be taken one hour before or two hours after psyllium.  The reason being that the absorption and effectiveness of many drugs may be reduced.  Second, always read the label regarding the amount of liquid you should ingest with this fiber.

What’s stopping you from adding this easy ingredient to your smoothies?  Oh you need some recipes for smoothies?  Try these past health blogs. 

Enjoy the consumption and absorption and assimilation and elimination!

It’s really a challenge to stay on a high raw lifestyle when you live with others who are not.  I took last week and challenged myself to juicing as much as I could.  First I have to say I felt wonderful immediately.  My stomach aches disappeared and as of today, I lost four pounds.  I don’t usually crave cooked, but I was at that point before I started this.  That craving has disappeared along with the sugar cravings.  I’ve been at this point many times over the past few years.  Although I eat a high raw diet, I have my moments.  So it always feels great to get back to who I know I really am.  The emotional piece is another issue.  It seemed my body took me on a whirlwind of processing this last week. 

Do you pop antacids during the day?  Do you take over the counter meds for acid reflux or digestion issues?  If your digestive system isn’t breaking down the nutrients in your food and absorbing it properly, your body won’t be able to stay healthy.  The first question you should ask yourself is, “How’s my poop?”  I know, a touchy subject.  But if your digestive system, from stomach to colon, isn’t working to its optimum efficiency, you won’t be having regular bowel movements.  By regular, I mean 1-2 a day. 

Here are some symptoms of poor digestive health:  Hypertension, joint inflammation, migraines, acne, congestion, anxiety, depression, fuzzy thinking, and loss of bone density.  Most of us have lived with stomach problems for so long, we can’t imagine it being any way else or that there is a solution.  And how many of us are not even making the connection between most of these dis-eases in the body and the food we eat?  Most of your immune system activity starts in the stomach.  Inflammation starts in your digestive system.  Your gastrointestinal system is the part of you that breaks down your food into raw materials and energy.  If you are having problems breaking down and absorbing this food, it can cause many symptoms and start to address other concerns.   Other symptoms that let you know you are not absorbing nutrients are: cramping, gas, weight loss, loss of muscle, chronic diarrhea or constipation, bloating, and hard or fatty stool.

This is the first time I’ve heard of the enteric nervous system (ENS).  Your emotional health is connected to your GI system through the ENS.  You know how your stomach feels when you are stressed?  The mind-body connection is very powerful for maintaining or recovering your physical health.  Your GI tract is 20-30 feet long and lined with a protective mucosal barrier.  In this tract, all food-based antigens, toxins and pathogens (disease causing) are looked at and managed.  Having healthy microflora in your GI tract is one of the most powerful ways to enhance your digestion and build immunity. 

What affects the flora in your gut?  The food you eat, its pH balance, fiber, essential fatty acid content, and glycemic load.  Don’t forget about past antibiotic use!  So if you are not eating a living food lifestyle, and the lining of your GI tract is too permeable, undigested food particles will cross into the bloodstream, causing a condition called leaky gut.  This seems like such a small problem, right?  Food particles?  How can that affect my health?  If all of your systems aren’t working properly, foreign invaders are more harmful.  Your body cannot fight off dis-ease and harmful organisms.  When not working properly, your immune system starts a natural and essential result…an inflammatory response.  This leads to chronic inflammation in your digestive tract and that can lead to certain reactions to food, like dairy and gluten intolerances. 

So are you getting the idea?  If your digestive tract isn’t working properly, it’s probably due to your food intake and emotional well-being.  Raw foods will absolutely help.  The body does not need to expend so much energy in the digestion process and you won’t have to take things like; enzymes, probiotics, acidophilus to restore digestive balance, reset the immune response and aid inflammation.  Your body will crave that which it is allergic to.  Eating a diet high in living foods can help with cravings and emotional well-being.  This type of lifestyle, along with healthy fats and protein, will help your digestive metabolism and regulate your insulin and cortisol.  All of this will give you more energy and definitely elevate your mood. 

Your body used digestive enzymes, stomach acid, bile and digestive hormones to break down food.  Common among adults is an enzyme deficiency in lactase.  This enzyme is needed to digest milk products.  Your stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) decreases as you age.  If you use a pH-balanced diet this will help you not pop those antacids anymore.  Created in the liver, bile is stored in your gallbladder.  Bile is a mixture of cholesterol, salts, pigments, water and minerals and is vital for fat digestion.  There are many hormones used to influence appetite and regulate digestion.  So it certainly looks like if your body cannot provide a healthy level of these fluids, you will definitely experience problems with detoxification AND have trouble maintaining a safe and healthy weight.  Bigger problems include anemia, kidney stones, gallstones, gout and malnutrition.

What else can you do?  Try eliminating the foods that give you stomach aches.  Eating more living foods, taking digestive enzymes and putting back the good bacteria, especially after a dose of antibiotics.  When you eat, just eat.  Chew slowly until your food is liquid.  Remember what Ghandhi said…”Chew your drink and drink your food.”  Stop drinking with your meal.  If you must drink, small amounts of room temperature water is better.  Remember, your goal is to absorb the nutrients of the food you eat and eliminate the rest.  You do not want to have undigested food hanging around having a party in your stomach or your digestive tract.  That can only lead to lots of bacteria that also poops a lot! Don’t even get me started on that one!  Have a great day!

Throughout this year we’ve talked about everything from an aching back to wheatgrass.  I’ve asked you to have a good cry, think twice about your non-dairy creamer, and made you wonder about your energy drinks.  There have been recipes for smoothies, raw ice cream, living foods and lots of other things you can make and juice with your juicer or blender.  We’ve talked about feelings (a lot) and I gave you alternatives to help you heal heartburn, warts, constipation, insomnia, cancer, stress, PMS, lyme disease and diabetes, to name a few.  Looking back at your year in health, how have you fared?  Has this information been helpful to you?  I certainly hope so. 

In just a few days, a new year will begin.  I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions.  I take life a day at a time.  So instead of beating yourself up for not keeping last year’s “things to do in the new year” list, how about starting today with just a small change.  A small step.  It doesn’t have to be on the first of the month.  It doesn’t have to be in the morning.  It doesn’t have to be on a Monday.  Today.  Today is the day you will make one small change in your life.  It could be your diet.  Is it time for a fast or a cleanse?  Maybe your exercise routine.  Maybe you will call that friend you haven’t seen in a long time.  Today is the day to do it.  Today is the day to make a change.

I write about health, but there are many other resolutions you could make.  How about volunteering?  Check out your local hospital, animal shelter, nonprofit organization, food shelf or local YMCA.  Volunteering is a great way to be of service.  Did you know there are many volunteer programs abroad?  It’s also a great way to meet new friends.  Mentoring is also another way to volunteer.  Look into mentoring at your local grammar or high school or if you are in a larger city, the local Youth Service organizations.

Thinking of going back to school to get that degree or maybe you just want to take a class?  There are many opportunities for online course taking.  Of course, you won’t meet any new people online, so how about at the local community college?   Maybe you just want to learn a new language.  Start by putting an ad in the paper or craigslist and see if there are others wanting the same thing.  Then you might be able to find a local person to take a class with. 

The library is a great place to start for clubs.  Join the book club or the camera club.  It’s all just a click away!  What a wonderful way to connect with people.  Making new friends and trying out different things is a great way to stay healthy.  It can make you smile more, laugh more and breathe more! 

So get out there.  It’s not just about exercise and healthy eating anymore.  It’s the whole package.  Life for all it’s worth.  Getting the most out of you. 

Keep me posted on your endeavors.  Every day is a new day!  Peace.

Most of us know the feeling…..when our emotions are too much to handle and we want to deny or bury them with food.  Or if we just don’t know what we are feeling and food is the comfort we have always turned to.  I am an emotional eater.  After turning to a mostly living food lifestyle, I still tend to indulge in the sugar treat, but it only makes me feel crappy.  Alas, even the emotional eating part of my life has changed.

When you feel your strongest cravings for food, chances are you are at your weakest point emotionally.  You may find yourself turning to food and not even know why.  Maybe you understand you are doing it for comfort, or to help you face a problem, handle stress, fight boredom, express anger or deal with anxiety.  Most of us do it unconsciously.  Whether consciously or unconsciously, it will affect your physical and emotional well being.

Emotional eating will sabotage your weight-loss efforts and will lead to eating too much, especially during this holiday time.  You may overeat for many reasons; unemployment, health problems, bad weather, fatigue, work stress or relationship problems.  Eating for these reasons can often lead to eating too much of the high fat, high calorie and the sugar rich foods!  Some people actually eat less during high emotional times.  I tend to eat less during depressing times.  Like with the recent passing of my father, even though I think about food constantly, my stomach won’t allow overeating.  I’ve had many moments where I don’t even remember eating.  And I look at my plate and it’s gone and I didn’t even enjoy it.  You could be reaching for some food right now as you read this and not even thinking about what’s happening.  You may also reach for food instead of dealing with a painful situation.  I’m trying to cry when I need to and take advantage of alone time, but also find comfort in family and friends.

Do the emotions you’ve tried to deny by eating actually go away? No, they often return and will drive you to overeat again, unless you deal with them.  It is an unhealthy cycle.  However,  you must first realize you are doing it.  Try not to beat yourself up for eating without thinking.  Let’s go over some techniques to help you the next time you reach for food instead of that kleenex.

• Think before you eat.  Do you want to eat because you are emotional or because you are hungry?  Is your stomach grumbling?  Did you just recently eat?  Give this craving a little time to pass.  Take a walk or drink a glass of water first.
• Try to deal with stress in other ways.  If you eat to calm stress, try yoga, meditation or listening to relaxing music.
• Get support from friends or family or a group.  These people will help and can sometimes talk you through what you are really feeling.
• Writing down how you are feeling when you think you want to eat or keeping a food diary can help.  This may help you see the patterns and help you connect your mood with food.
• Here’s something I do:  Don’t keep those snacks you tend to over indulge with around the house.  If I don’t have them, I can’t eat them.  Or I will just buy one cookie, instead of a whole box.
• It’s ok to enjoy an occasional treat.  Don’t deprive yourself.  That will just increase your food cravings. 
• Healthy snacks.  You can never have enough around the house.  Choose raw, such as fresh fruit and veggies.  I don’t use salad dressing usually.  A big salad with every veggie that’s available.  Add some fruit or lemon juice for a dressing.  Mix well.
• It’s hard to fight boredom.  We have so many coping mechanisms. I find laughing to help with boredom.  Always have on hand a funny movie or a classic sitcom.  How about playing your favorite artist really loud and dancing around the house?
• Are you getting enough sleep?  It’s hard to feel stable with your emotions if you are also tired.  Naps are good and you should not feel guilty.
• If you still can’t get a grip on your emotions, seek professional help.  A therapist will help you understand your emotional eating and help you learn new coping skills.

And here’s the most important one: If you have an emotional eating episode, forgive yourself. Write about it and plan what you can do to prevent it in the future.  Focus on the positive and what you are learning.

As always, I wish you a healthy and happy holiday.  Keep in touch with your feelings.  Make the choice to feel joy.  PEACE

Scientist are starting to evaluate the most powerful of the healing factors of celery, a compound known as 3-n-butylphthalide or 3nB.  3nB is a compound unique to celery, responsible for the flavor and odor of celery.  Have you ever been cutting up celery and the smell made you want to eat it before you put it in your recipe?  Well now you should munch on it a little bit more in addition to adding it to your soups, stir fry, or juicing it. 

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, claims celery calms the nerves.  It is also good for the kidneys and will eliminate body waste through the urine.  Every part of the celery can be used, from the seeds to the leaves and the edible root of this plant.  It has a high calcium content.  Celery is also used in aromatherapy and in Ayurvedic medicine.  Rheumatic patients in Japan are sometimes put on a celery diet.  Celery is a high water content veggie, like cucumber.  Great for juicing and eating raw too for fiber.  Scientists found 3nB while searching for the reason of the medicinal effects of celery such as lowering blood pressure and relieving arthritis.

Here’s what we now know:  Celery will reduce high blood pressure and give the effect of calmness.  Celery clears uric acid from painful joints and help the treatment of arthritis and other rheumatic problems.  Celery helps the kidneys and acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and celery is very low in calories because of its high water content.  You can drink celery juice frequently to curb your cravings for sweets and rich food.

Celery is from the parsley and fennel family.  The white parts of the celery are shaded from the sun, thus less chlorophyll, compared to the greener outside stems.  Celery is the perfect addition to soups and salads.  Celery juice is a good mix with sweeter fruit juices because of its salty taste.  The nutritional benefits of celery leaves are its high content of vitamin A.  The stems are an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C with richness in potassium, calcium, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium and lots of amino acids.  During juicing, nutrients in the fiber are released, aiding bowel movements.  Yes, celery has a natural organic sodium content, but is very safe for consumption.  Worried because you are salt-sensitive?  No worries.  It is unlike table salt, which is harmful for those with high blood pressure. 

Recent studies have shown that celery may also help to combat cancer.  Celery is known to have at least eight families of anti-cancer compounds, which will stop the growth of tumor cells, block the action of prostaglandins that encourage the growth of tumor cells and coumarins which help prevent free radicals from damaging cells.  Celery will also balance the body’s blood pH, helping to neutralize acid and bringing you to a more alkaline base.  Celery juice is the perfect drink for after your workout.  It will replace lost electrolytes and rehydrate your body and has been shown to effectively and significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.  Celery can also be used as a natural laxative, relieving constipation.  Also use celery juice to help regulate body fluid and stimulate urine production, which is important to help rid the body of excess fluid. 

The polyacetylene in celery will relieve all inflammation like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, asthma and bronchitis.

3nB has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the formation of arterial plaque in experimental studies.  This will also increase the elasticity of blood vessels and lead to lowering blood pressure readings.  Celery is also a diuretic.  Most diuretics have dangerous side effects that result from either too much potassium or sodium.  Celery extract acts as a diuretic but does not alter the ratio of sodium to potassium in the blood.  The research on this is preliminary and some people will respond to this treatment and others won’t.  This is also typical with conventional drugs.  Drugs will lower blood flow to the brain, leaving people feeling tired, depressed, and forgetful.  Celery extract has been shown to not only help prevent strokes, but also improve blood flow as well. 

I have low blood pressure, and some people have had problems with celery because it will make their blood pressure even lower.  I’ve never had a problem with it, so far.  Listen to your own body..

Statements are meant to be informational only.  Please consult with your medical practitioner if you are considering celery extract or celery to treat your symptoms.

Fun but true fact: celery was used in ancient Greece as a reward in sports contests.

I am at a point in my life where I wonder…is there something else I could be doing to feel better?  It seems when I hit 40, it was harder to stay fit and healthy and another weird symptom appeared every month or so.  At 47, I am wondering about perimenopause, fatigue, my thyroid, weight gain, stiff and achy joints and even heart palpitations.  It is my intention here to share a little of what I am going through and maybe help you find some answers too. 

My menstrual cycle started changing about a year ago.  Longer, shorter, heavier, lighter….all of the above.  I knew it was perimenopause and I wasn’t concerned until I started experiencing symptoms that would affect my daily life.  Most of the symptoms were manageable.  Some symptoms, like burning tongue, were diagnosed by my dental hygenist.  Night sweats, though intense enough to have to get up and change my clothes in the middle of the night, didn’t interfere with my life.  My fatigue was enough to cause me to start taking an afternoon nap.  I work nights, so that didn’t interfere with my day either.  You’d be surprised how much a cat nap could help.  And though we’re told if you move more you won’t feel as tired, that wasn’t so for me.  I walk or practice yoga every day and I was still tired around 3 in the afternoon.  So I worked a snooze into most of my days. 

However, fatigue could also be adrenal fatigue or low level DHEA. DHEA is a natural steroid produced by the adrenals. The adrenals are small organs right above the kidneys.  We make about 25 mg of DHEA per day (men more than women), but our production dwindles as we get older.  This is what nature intended for us.  Your adrenals make cortisol and adrenaline and also balance over 50 hormones in the body.  The hormone cortisol affects other regulatory processes such as: blood pressure, blood sugar levels, your immune and inflammatory response and influencing mood, memory and thought clarity.  If your adrenals are exhausted from stress (emotional and physical), poor nutrition, and crazy dieting, they are pumping out more cortisol and can’t manufacture enough DHEA to support a healthy hormonal balance.  This will result in your exhaustion, depression and that feeling of being overwhelmed.  So, if you are under more than average stress, your body will not have enough working material for proper endocrine function.  There is some evidence that healthy DHEA levels may help with Alzheimer’s, cancer, osteoporosis, depression, heart disease and obesity. 

So that could be why my blood pressure has been so low these last couple of weeks!  OK, so I guess I’m going through all of the above stressors.  I do know that when I eat 100% raw food I feel better.  I have been traveling a lot lately, and if I am not happy where I am, for example, with people that do not support my lifestyle, I simply do not feel well.  Is taking a DHEA supplement the answer?  It could be an important factor, but include it with lifestyle changes also.  There’s a lot out there about DHEA levels and supplements.  If you are concerned about your levels, have a medical test done.  Taking a supplement alone won’t help you if your adrenals are exhausted.  Your body will produce more or less depending on nutrient support, metabolism, hormone balance, activity level and your emotional state.  Also maintain a healthy body mass index, get adequate rest, expose yourself to some sunlight, exercise, and create more “downtime” in your life. 

What else can you do to support this “aging” thing?  Ayurvedic medicine says the adrenal gland is connected to the root chakra.  The root chakra is about groundedness, our nourishment, and our physical health.  When stress enters full force, we can become less grounded.  That sure explains even more about my aches and pains.  As most of you know I recently closed my business and moved.  However, I am not living anywhere yet.  I have been traveling around visiting family and friends and still haven’t decided on where I want to live.  Yep, that would be ungrounded!  Guess I’ll start doing some yoga grounding poses today! 

Eating a gluten-free diet can relieve the strain of your adrenal glands.  Low blood sugar will put stress on your body and strain your adrenal glands too.  Time your meals so that you aren’t going long periods of time without food.  Adrenals will work harder on an empty stomach, requiring them to release more cortisol to keep you functioning normally.  Living foods will allow the body to absorb more nutrients.  You will find yourself craving sugar and caffeine if your cortisol levels are low or you are tired.  Drinks that will restore your adrenal glands are: chamomile, passionflower and valerian teas, and vegetable juices.  Alcohol, caffeine and gatorade can drain the adrenals.  Honor your body.  Try to take the time to feel if you are actually hungry or if you are eating to fill another need.  I know when I am eating and not actually tasting anything.  With my burning tongue symptom, my taste buds are a little off.  So I think my mind tells me to eat more because my mouth can’t taste anything!  It’s all about balance.  I have good days and not so good days.  I honor them both. 

I’ll talk next time about more symptoms of our changing bodies.

As always, please see your health care practitioner for symptoms that concern you.  The suggestion here are informational only.

Last time I talked about fasting.  A great way to allow the body to rest.  Our bodies use so much energy digesting food, that a one day fast a few times a month, can certainly help with healing, not to mention you could learn a lot about yourself.  What’s the difference between a fast and a cleanse?  Here’s what Wikipedia says about a cleanse…”Body cleansing or detoxification is a treatment in alternative medicine which proponents claim rid the body of accumulated harmful substances that exert a negative effect on individual health.  Critics argue that such cleansings are often unnecessary, and are based on questionable or disproved scientific claims.”  Do I think they are necessary?  Read on………

Certainly the object is to relieve the body of the stuff that accumulates over the years.  I’ve heard stories of not just waste product, but one woman said she released a crayon that she had swallowed as a child during a cleanse.  Not convinced?  Here’s more…..My parents and brother were working at a well known health retreat where detoxing with raw food, wheatgrass and green drinks, is the first step to healing.  My Dad tells a story about a woman who was diagnosed with a tumor in her uterus and before surgery; she was going to give this process a try.  One day my Dad is walking by her room and she comes running out screaming “I passed the tumor!  I passed the tumor!”  Sure enough, that’s what she actually had done.  She took the mass to her doctor for diagnosis.  Get ready for this…..not for the squeamish……The mass was a tampon that had remained in her body for probably years and the body was protecting itself from this foreign body the only way it knew how.  Hence, the tumor.  Ok, so now you may be ready to set an intention for your cleanse or fast, right?

There are many forms of cleansing.  I chose the raw food way.  It took about three months.  Eating living food for three months, I believe, totally cleaned out any leftover waste product that was in my colon.  It also cleans out the emotional “crap” in your body.  Again, the body needs the rest from digestion in order to start the healing process.  Toxins like undigested food, left in the body, will start to look for something to feed off of.  These toxins also give off waste product of their own, and cancer cells in your body will feed off this waste product.   

There are many varieties of cleansing from dietary restriction to supplements.  Herbs and supplements can speed up the process of detox.  You can also buy products that are for specific areas of the body, such as the colon, liver or kidneys.  You can use teas, drops, pills or liquid for your cleanse.  Wheatgrass juice is intended for rapid detoxification and well as general health.  It is a living food.  It will immediately go to where it is needed in the body.  When I did my wheatgrass cleanse, I expelled mucous that was the color and scent of a common household cleaner.  I have a cleaning business and was inhaling way too much of this product over a ten year span.  Cleansing can also reduce and eliminate cravings from food to tobacco.  It can help with weight loss, increase your energy and alleviate some chronic diseases. 

I’ve seen in my reading, many medical doctors saying that cleansing is totally unnecessary because the human body can maintain itself.  I certainly would’ve agreed to that a long time ago.  However, now humans smoke, drink, abuse drugs and take in more processed and genetically engineered food than ever before.  Faster is better.  The faster chickens grow…..the faster tomatoes grow….well you know the rest.

So back to can the body heal itself? Absolutely, that is what it is intended to do!  But not if we continue to abuse it.  A cleanse is the perfect way to give your body a break.  Taking out processed foods, sugars, caffeine and alcohol are just for starters.  Does that mean you can never have a drink or eat a cookie?  Of course not, everything in moderation…..harmony.  Start to wonder.  What is it that you need?  What could be building up inside of you?  Are you attached to it?  Are you ready to release and start healing today?

Today, I wish you release of the physical as well as the emotional stuff that is holding you back from total health.

As always, please consult your primary health care physician if you suffer from any serious medical condition.  These statements are for informational purposes only.

You know me by now.  I get so many of my “ah ha” moments from what happens to me and who comes into my life.  It’s all about the lessons we learn every day.  Not just on the day we want or the time we want.  Being open to what presents itself to you on a daily basis is truly living in the present moment.   Last week I heard a story about a woman who had gained some weight, but only in her stomach.  She thought it was age and started a diet, but when her stomach didn’t shrink at all, she thought about another symptom she had (I didn’t find that out) and decided to get a colonoscopy.  Jump to the end of this very sad story, that doesn’t happen too often in this small town I live in, she had a massive tumor in her colon that was causing her stomach to protrude.  Her surgery was yesterday.  I heard that and I immediately said to myself, “I need to do a liquid fast.”

I’ve fasted many days in the last 5 years or so.  Usually I do a one day fast.  That’s no food, no chewing, just liquid.  The liquid varied depending on whatever I felt like that day.  The day after the fast, was usually light or all raw food.  Wikipedia defines fasting as this “the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.  A fast may be total or partial concerning that from which one fasts, and may be prolonged or intermittent as to the period of fasting.  Fasting practices may preclude sexual activity as well as food, in addition to refraining from eating certain types or groups of foods…..A complete fast in its traditional definition is abstinence of all food and liquids except for water.”  If you are healthy, a one or two day liquid fast could be something to try. 

Here’s what I did the other day: The first day I juiced one cucumber and one long stalk of celery and then drank nothing but water or water with fresh squeezed lemon for the rest of the day.  Was it difficult?  To be honest, it usually is.  I typically will fight it the whole day and think about food all day.  But this time, it wasn’t.  I kept saying to myself, “I’m not going to die if I don’t eat.  I’ll be fine.  The food will still be there tomorrow.”   The “feeling” of not having enough is pretty common.  And to top it off?  They had a going away party for me that night at the yoga studio where I teach, complete with many treats, even raw treats.  I felt fine not eating and I wasn’t guilty about the food that was brought and I didn’t partake in.   I knew if I started chewing anything, even raw food, my mind would want more.  I was determined to go the whole day and then see what tomorrow would bring.  I had some emotional stuff to go through that night and it was all very clear.  Without my body having to digest food, my mind was totally supported in processing the “stuff” of the day.  The next day I had another cucumber/celery juice and drank water.  I ate some nuts and a peach in the afternoon and then I had a tuna sandwich that evening.  The next day (that’s today) I have had only lemon water.  And that is my plan for the rest of the day. 

You see?  Whatever you can do, whatever it is, your body will be very happy with it.  The body could sure use a rest from digestion.  Parts of the nervous and circulatory systems play major roles in the digestive process.  Here’s a great site for reading about the digestive process: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/yrdd/  Just reading what food and drink have to do to get through the body made me tired.  And our goal is to eat the right food, so that the correct nutrients can be absorbed and used by the body.  Fasting is a perfect way to give the body a rest in order for the mind and body to be able to do what it is inherently supposed to do, and that is to HEAL ITSELF.

There are many different kinds of fasting and cleansing.  I just heard about a book that talks about taking out 5 things from your diet for a 21 day cleanse.  They were dairy, alcohol, coffee, sugar, and gluten.  Whatever you can do for however long you can do it.  There isn’t a right or wrong when it comes to fasting.  Don’t put that judgement on yourself.  It’s ok.  Think about more raw food, less processed food.  How about just a one day fast?  I’m right there with you.  Today’s the day for you…or maybe tomorrow. 

What can you do when the end of the day comes and you really want to eat something?  I do these things:  Go upstairs and read a book, get as far away from the kitchen as possible. Take a walk.  Drink a very large glass of water.  Brush your teeth.  Talk to a friend.  Play with your cat.

Sending you feelings of health and well being.

Please consult your primary health care physician for fasting lasting more than two days or if you are suffering from any medical problems for which you are under the care of a doctor.

I’ve been hearing so much about all the shifts in the universe these last months.  Is this the time for you to shift?  What do you need to do to shift?  What are you experiencing these days?  Is there struggle?  Is there drama?  Is there something pushing you from behind?  How can you use these struggles and difficulties?

Most of you know I am closing my business that I’ve had for 20 years and moving to another state.  Big changes, right?  I’m ready; I’ve been ready and preparing for quite some time now.  A good friend of mine decided a few weeks ago to start eating healthier.  What was it that caused her shift?  She certainly has heard me talk about adding living foods and decreasing processed foods for many years.  So why now?  Why is she now reading these blogs I’ve been writing, when I’ve been writing them for over six months?  Very simply put.  It was her time.  Another friend of mine I’ve always felt was struggling with what we’ve been talking about regarding shifts.  But the struggle was with me, not just the idea of shifts. She certainly has enough skill and tools to do her work.  Today was the first day she actually opened up to what the problem was and why she didn’t exactly “hear” me.  She quickly changed the subject, but not before I “heard” what my intuition has been telling me for years.  Was this my time?  Have I been doing so much clearing of the old, to actually begin to accept the truth?

Let’s go back to my first friend.  She started drinking a lot more water, took out soda and her nightly handfuls of jelly beans completely.  She added more fruits and fresh veggies and was very conscious about what was coming up for her.  She called me after about two days of this and said, “What’s up with the sugar cravings?”  I laughed and said, “Ah, you are noticing you have sugar cravings?”  That’s a great first step.  Noticing.  In yoga we say, first acknowledge you have the feeling.  But how can you notice it if each time it comes up, you are quickly pushing it down with sugar, processed food and/or alcohol (you know the rest)?  She’s now been walking this new lifestyle for a few weeks.  Today her phone call was, “What’s up with the nausea?”  Yep, something else to notice.  Toxins build up in the body.  They build up from past emotional struggle and from past food that has not been “digested”.  And toxins are toxic!  The more we accumulate, the harder it is to get rid of.  It builds up and backs up.  So now, my friend, ”Are you also having some really good bowel movements?”  Oh yeah.  Now you are helping to get rid of those toxins. 

Ok, so what can I do about these things?  Nux vomica, the homeopathic alternative for nausea, comes in those little blue vials filled with little white pellets.  You usually disolve 5 pellets under your tongue, three times a day.  You can always find something for whatever you are experiencing in the Boiron aisle.  The bowel movements, I’m afraid, not as easy to ease.  It has to happen.  Stay close to a bathroom and just know that this too shall pass (pun intended)!  Length of time?  Varies for everyone, depending on how much is in there and how much of a transition you are going for.  If you have been a standard american diet (SAD) eater, then I suggest going to vegetarian food for a bit.  Adding in more and more raw and fresh fruits and veggies.  Read, read and read some more.  Find a group or person in your area that have some experience with living food and detox.  Drink, and drink some more green smoothies!  Add the high water content veggies like, cucumber and celery to your diet.  My friend didn’t go completely raw.  She did what she felt comfortable with. It was her time. 

Louise Hay has some great things to say about nausea….Fear, rejecting and idea or experience.  Your mantra?  “I am safe.  I trust the process of life to bring only good to me.”

I’ve been doing a lot of tapping.  Have you checked into that yet?  Sure, I have my bad days.  My cat got sick again, my brother lost his job this week and I could add more about my life, but the good news is….I feel great!  It’s my time.  Is this your time?

These statements should not take the place of your primary health care physician.

I know…it’s hard to talk about, but it’s actually one of my favorite subjects.  Poop and the inability to poop.  Let’s face it guys, EVERYONE POOPS!  Whether it’s infrequent or difficult to pass, in order for your body to eliminate waste materials (that which it does not need), you must have a regular bowel movement.  One to three bowel movements a day is normal.  If that is just not happening for you….then let’s talk about getting things moving and why they don’t move.

Food sitting too long in the stomach and moving too slowly through the large bowel are the common causes of constipation.  I was never regular until I started the raw lifestyle.  This diet will flush a lot through.  Though I have heard of many people who are on the raw food diet and still do not have daily bowel movement.  We’ll talk about that later on.  “It is important that the bowels move on a daily basis.  The body normally excretes waste in eighteen to twenty-four hours.  Harmful toxins can form after this period.”  Prescription For Nutritional Healing .  Are you chewing your food thoroughly?  Is it liquid when you swallow?  Are you taking your time eating?  If you are sending large hunks of food into your stomach, it will sit there too long.  Undigested food hanging around the stomach will collect and give off bacteria.  This bacteria poops too!  And it will feed the bad cells in your body.  I’m pretty sure I don’t want that.  How about you?  It is my intention as I eat, for the food to be digested, assimilated and eliminated.  No hanging around in there.  Are you lacking foods rich in fiber?  Are there not enough liquids in your diet?  I’m not talking about soda and coffee.  I’m talking about fresh juices, fresh veggies, and GREENS!  Liquefying these greens, fruits and veggies allows the body to absorb more quickly the much needed nutrients and vitamins.  That will send what’s not needed by your body into your colon for immediate release.  Now departing…..yesterday’s breakfast, lunch and dinner….track four. 

What can you do if you are doing all these things and you still don’t have regular bowel movements?  Regularity also means time of day.  Once I went high raw, my bathroom time turned into a routine.  Same time of the day every day.  Set a time aside every day to make regular undisturbed visits to the bathroom.  Delaying nature’s signal will produce hard, dry stools and will train the bowel to malfunction.  So get moving.  Literally.   A Yoga twist before eating, brisk walking or bicycle riding will massage the bowels allowing for a smooth movement.   Emotional stress can also cause constipation.  Stress?   Who has that?  Are you kidding me?  Increasing your daily fiber and liquids can prevent or correct constipation.  But it’s a daily thing guys. Not just once a week.  Try prunes, apples, carrots or bran.  Better yet….juice your veggies and fruits.   Fresh apple juice, cucumber, or a green smoothie.   Herbal tea can also send your waste packing.  Stay away from dairy, white flour and sugar.  Fasting is also something you could try.  Allowing the body a rest in the digestion process for one day, then breaking your fast with fresh juice.

Here are some supplements for you to try if all else fails.  Start a daily shot of wheatgrass juice.  Aloe vera juice….1/2 cup twice a day will aid in forming soft stools.  Vitamin B, vitamin A, Acidophilus, Vitamin C and Psyllium, all great for relieving constipation.   Figs, cooked in milk.  Drink the liquid and eat the figs.  Add a little honey and lemon juice for a smoother effect.  Massaging the center of the palm on each hand or the bottom of each foot from the base of the middle toe to the heel.

Let’s see what Louis Hay, author of Heal Your Body, says about constipation for those of you still not able to find release:  Refusing to release old ideas. Stuck in the past. Sometimes stinginess.  Mantras: As I release the past, the new and fresh and vital enter.  I allow life to flow through me.

What do you say?  Get out and get moving.  It’s all about the poop. 

If your bowel movements are once a week or less, please visit your physician to rule out any other dis-ease in your body.  The information written here should not take the place of your primary care doctor.