Fasting & Healing A Tooth - The Root of All Evil

Today is day 4 of my latest fast, another week in this journey towards bringing life back into my gut, body, mind and soul. This time around it has gotten even more interesting – to say the least! My body is balancing it's flora and living organisms - exactly what I hoped would take place.

The details.

This fast started out like any other, all the usual detox symptoms – except on day 2 I got a migraine that was so bad I had to lay low for the entire day. Nothing I did or took or thought or anything, relieved the pain - until I did one thing.

I made the connection to my mouth, teeth, gums.

And this is where things get interesting. I have had a long history of good, strong teeth – thankfully. However, years ago I had a dentist who insisted on putting fillings where they weren’t needed - often starting with a drill - he would find a cavity where there was none.

For that matter I question if they are ever needed at all – over the years I have done my research and discovered so many instances of teeth being able to heal on their own, once we change the pH of our mouths.

However, what happened with me this week is that an old swelling around my tooth I used to have years ago flared up again. More proof of underlying old inflammation that is being rooted out each time I fast.

So, my body pulled out more of this stuff and once I realized I needed to treat my mouth (tooth) – my headache went away in 5 minutes! All I did was make a poultice with Fullers Earth, clove oil and a few other healing ingredients – pack this in place and let it work.

Needless to say my body’s ability to heal itself never ceases to amaze me.

Now, getting back to the fasting – well, actually my mouth and it’s flora have become the central focus of this fast – so I am doing warm salty water daily, still using a poultice on the tooth and all the usual herbal teas, fermented drinks, apple cider vinegars.

I am feeling pretty good so far – of course with all this sunshine it can’t be helped!

One thing I am seriously considering trying is some green juicing with a pile of green leaves, sprouts and herbs – just to see if my immune system boosts even more (if that is possible and I am certain it is).

We have one twist with this fast this week – it will end on Friday in time for our Summer Solstice celebration – where I will cook, bake, eat and enjoy the delights of the season.

So looking forward to this weekend – stop by and see me in the markets!

April

A little fairie girl in the field....

Fasting with a Goal - Spiritual Quest

It is now 10 June and I am just finishing up 3 x 3 days of fasting on more of the same types of drinks….this time it has been mostly on my own as the others took longer food breaks. I kind of wanted to see how I would do on my own as well, and it was better then fine.

So, today is day 8 of my planned 9 days. I refer to it as 3 x 3 because I broke this fast down into 3 day or 72 hour increments with a goal to be achieved by the end of each section of 3 days each.

Actually I started out my fast with 3 questions that I wanted answers to and treated my time as an intense spiritual quest. And you know what? It worked far better, it has been easier and I have really found some deeper insights into the issues I was searching for. 

This is what fasting is all about – set a goal (it could be health, breaking bad habits, changing something, making or creating something or any number of questions you want answers to) then follow through with the fasting all the while focusing on your task.

There really aren’t any rules when it comes to fasting. Except, you don’t eat! LOL.

One of the things I have changed this time around is I am taking in more Apple Cider Vinegar. Of course that’s easy to do when mine tastes so good (can’t beat Rebel Foods ACV!) and I am adding it in to everything I drink.

I realized I was taking the usual amount of about 2 tablespoons each day – however, during a fast/healing situation, my body was constantly craving more. So I upped it to about ½ cup to nearly 1 cup throughout the day. 

And I immediately felt the difference. My energy went up – things started to ‘move’ at a faster pace, less detox symptoms and generally brighter all round. My body simply feels even cleaner, if that is possible.

The most wonderful thing about all of this is I do feel I have turned a corner – you remember from my initial goal of wanting to completely change out my gut bacteria into healthy colonies throughout, well that is happening. 

Only over these last 10 days or so can I say I do sense a significant shift in my internal gut flora and indeed in my overall body flora. Thankfully being tuned in really helps – but you can’t help being well informed when you are fasting.

There is only you and your body - in constant contact.

Right now I am finishing this post and I have reached my 9 days goal – just a few more hours to go and see how I will feel. I plan to take a couple of eating days to feed all of these good bacteria now living in my body and then go right back to fasting for the next phase of bringing back my life….

Onwards & Upwards

April

Rebel Foods Market Stall - Apple Cider Vinegar 

Gut Bacteria Profile Change....Days 13 to 16

Day 13 to 16

We are back fasting again after a days break – back on the liquids – this week I am taking in my fermented juices (kiwi, strawberry, orange, lemon & ginger) as well as apple cider vinegar, beetroot juice and raspberry apple vinegar plus 1 - 2 tablespoons of homemade goat’s yogurt a day in the drinks. 

Well, this time the transition from eating to fasting was a little bit more difficult. But, not because I wanted to eat or anything – my mind is clearly made up on that matter and I have no desire for food at the moment. It was something else, less tangible at first.

It actually took me a couple of days to ‘readjust’ (slip back into detox mode) into fasting again after taking a little break. Which was strange – I could feel such a resistance coming from somewhere deep in my gut and it was all to familiar.

I have some interesting thoughts on all of this – and I feel we are making significant progress. 

One of the things I noticed right away was that the difficulty was coming from gut bacteria. Of course, I would probably put these bacteria in the camp of non-beneficial ones as they have been giving me grief all along (deep inflammation).

That’s the reason I need to do a bacteria change out in the first place – my gut was never set up properly from the beginning of my life. Too many antibiotics, too many infections, reactions to vaccines, drugs, solid food way too early, and toxic exposure to endocrine disruptors. 

Whew! Anything else to add to that list....sadly all to common these days.

And that’s just what I know about! All of these same bacteria (remember they are present from the first years of our lives) or their descendants are still lurking around the place. These are the exact same ones that brought me IBS symptoms, digestive issues, arthritic pain, poor skin, non-functional hormones and cancer.

Is it any wonder I want them gone? LOL

This week, what flared up for me was an old inflammation (read hospital infection MRSA) that I had many years ago. Right now I can see how these infections (there have been 4) over the years have been the source of a lot of deep rooted inflammation leading to aches, pains and general ill health. 

Hospitals are filthy places for anyone, sick or otherwise! 

Actually I am quite pleased this has come up – this has shown me how much the probiotics are doing and hopefully (finally) taking root deep within my gut. I know they have to battle the other ones first and I am giving them space to do just that, through the fasting. 

That’s what this fast is all about.

Quite a few other things have surfaced for me as well. Mostly about how much our gut flora (and skin organisms too - one and the same?) must affect our thinking, behaviour, habits, moods, cravings, energy levels, nutrient absorption, digestion, immune system and all else. 

When our guts are down – so is everything else. Including our moods, thoughts and thinking, that's the first thing we learn as Nutritionists.

There really is a link between what inhabits our guts and how we go about our days – feelings, thoughts, and perhaps all else. I have long ‘known’ this was a fact, but only now am I getting a chance to watch it and feel it shift and change as my gut does the same. 

And of course, I have been talking about ‘obesity bacteria’ for years – they are generated and sustained from all of these medications, chlorinated water, rubbish foods and chemicals we are subjected to….not the least of which are these deadly antibiotics.

Our bodies are extraordinary places, and our gut flora is a living matrix capable of amazing healing – it’s not to be tampered with, only supported! Out with the trash....LOL

April

Dandelion Coffee is fabulous for your gut health! And it tastes great too....available on my Market Stall or by mail order! 

Building A Gut Profile......Days 10 to 12 of Our Probiotic Fast

Day 10 to 12

We are now on day 13 of our fast and feeling pretty good. To be honest, most of the time I feel as if I could carry on indefinitely – I think this is what it feels like to make progress!

Now, to catch you up on what I have been doing….

Days 10 and 11, we just fasted on our fermented drinks, apple cider vinegar and beet root fermented juices. Oh, and I have increased my intake of herbal teas – now I am including a liver tonic along with the hormone balance herbs.

During my fasts is the only time I have experienced unprecedented healing/balancing/regulating of body systems. Therefore, it always makes sense to me to take in lots of herbal teas anytime I fast because you get results far more quickly. Even if only doing a day here and there, herbal tea is the way to go!

To be honest, I just find that all healing takes place at an unprecedented rate whenever I am fasting….healing a body ‘system’ such as immune, endocrine and especially the digestive tract, is much more straight forward when unimpeded by food, debris and by products of metabolism. 

Of course, our bodies heal from the top down, inside out, however, the largest fires will be put out first. So, healing takes time and continued effort on our parts. Deeper inflammation takes the longest. But, you will see improvements no matter how long the fast!

Then, for day 12 - we broke our fast again with lots of garlic with a plan to have some milky foods the next day. I keep craving milk (perhaps because we have so much of it right now!). Over these past couple of days I have been wondering about the best way to get it into my system – fermented milk products are awesome for gut bacteria especially homemade from raw milk.

So, I decided to include some dandelion coffee with our own raw goat’s milk in it, a couple times a week to also help build beneficial bacterial colonies. It tastes great (we gave up drugged coffee years ago) and dandelion has the added benefit of supporting our livers. 

BUT….did you know that dandelion root is also a prebiotic? This means it has components that feed and benefit gut bacteria in their struggle to survive. And roasted dandelion root or dandelion coffee tastes quite nice. It’s a bitter herb needed to keep things in a healthy balance. 

What I know about beneficial bacteria in our guts is that they need all sorts of different foods (raw, living, wild, cooked, sweet, bitter, sour, fibre) to nourish them. Because this is a probiotic fast, I can see and feel already how it is working.

Over these next few hours I plan on getting a little bit of milk into my system – raw and fermented in smoothies and with dandelion coffee as well as perhaps a little meat or fish. 

Meat sounds like a weird thing to include on a mini break from our liquid fast days, however, we also have gut microbes who are complete carnivores (just like my cat) and I want to feed them as well. 

Let’s keep everyone happy in there! 

Up to this point I am feeling very well. I always feel great when I am fasting and my energy levels are quite good – even for all of the detox, changeover and perhaps a bit of an immune boost that is taking place in our guts. There’s a lot of shifting and changing going on…..

April

Getting there!

Onwards & Upwards - Days 6 to 9 of my Fast

Day 6 – 9

Right now I am on day 9 of this spring detox and it has been quite interesting to say the least. For starters, we broke our fast on day 6 for a few hours and ate garlic, some fermented veggies and thick smoothies with fruit. 

I am still very focused on getting all those lovely probiotics into my system – with nothing at all to slow them down! Actually, I am finding this quite easy for the most part and every system in my body is thanking me for the effort.

The next day, after our little interlude of different types of fermented foods, we carried on with liquid only fasting and have been back taking in herbal teas, fermented drinks, apple cider vinegar and beet root fermented juices again. 

Of course fasting gets easier each time I do it, but only because I get smarter about it! These fermented drinks are like liquid gold – tasty, filling and doing the job as far as gut health is concerned. Far easier then the lemon and maple syrup mixture of years ago and with faster results (but, that was a different stage of healing as well).

However, I was a bit concerned that it would be difficult to stop and start fasting again; just like that – taking a few hours out to get more solid sources of fermented foods in to me …but I found, it was just the opposite. The fermented veggies and garlic blended in nicely with our goals to flood our systems with probiotics – so it was an easy transition back to liquids.

So, you remember how I mentioned over this past few months we have been fasting in so many different ways? Well, perhaps we are now forging ahead with yet another type of fast – a few days on liquids, then a few hours on solids, the liquids again – all of it including probiotic and fermented foods, BUT, also the substrates needed to grow the beneficial bacteria once they are in our systems.

Now, as for the detox process itself….

Even with the few hours in-between we are still having all the usual detox symptoms and feeling very productive and energetic as a bonus. Usually my detox symptoms range from a headache, coated tongue, tiredness which comes and goes, bursts of energy, old memories surfacing and a need to clean (everything!) LOL.

Did I mention the clear skin, bright eyes and being able to smell, taste and sense the forces of nature....hmmm sounds like a new puppy! 

Right now I am not sure how long I will keep going, it’s just nice to feel cleaned out – we are still taking this one day at a time.

April

Wild Harvest Cordial - even my cordials are medicinal.... This one is Elderberry & Elderflower - an immune boost from nature! On my stand this week in Clonakilty & Skibbereen Farmers Markets

Now on Day 6 of my Detox.....

Well now it’s day 6 already….time sure flies when you are busy doing all those little jobs that you keep putting off because you don’t have the time. Each and every time that we fast, we simply find the time - who knew cooking, eating & digesting took so much work!

How on earth do we ever get things done? LOL

So….I started this fast last week on Wednesday, thinking to myself that I would take it one day at a time and see what my body’s needs are. Of course, over the past few years (since 2001) I have done numerous fasts, but this one is going to be different (again)!

I have found my purpose/goal/aim/destination! This usually takes a few days to sort out each time I do a fast - I kind of jump into things and then let my body guide me to what needs to be accomplished. 

For this fast, I intend to change out as much of the old gut bacteria as possible and gain a new foot hold where ‘life’ is concerned. During the last year and half or so I have intensively been taking in lots of probiotic drinks, apple cider vinegar and anything else living….and to great effect.

These are all my own probiotic drinks and cider vinegar - available on my market stall as well - taste great, and really work with you to get things back up to a sustainable level. (Some recent studies have been showing how detrimental antibiotics have been; so much so, that certain beneficial strains of gut bacteria are no longer found inside or outside of our bodies!)

However, I know there are a few ‘nasty’ bugs in my gut too. They have been there seemingly forever and always throw a spanner in the works somehow. For instance, I had serious whooping cough at 6 months old (days after vaccination) and find my ribs, back and chest can get inflamed from time to time (costochondritis).

Then, the entire blended, extended family I grew up with are plagued with arthritis and joint issues. Not to mention high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease! 

As a Clinical Nutritionist I just know that quite a lot of these modern day chronic diseases are inflammation related. And, I also know that when my body is populated with beneficial bacterial colonies, many of these conditions are no longer on the radar.

So….my goal for this fast is to support my body fully (read total focus!) as it builds up necessary levels of probiotic and prebiotic gut bacteria. Thankfully, as an Intuitive, I am always in constant contact with my body and am taking cues from it day by day.

For the first 3 days of our fast we just chilled (understatement! LOL) – I mean we worked very hard night and day, did markets back to back plus all the prep while taking in lots of water, probiotic drinks and nettle juices as well as my Para Cleanse parasite remedy. 

For the last 3 days – more of the same with an emphasis on beetroot fermented juices, apple cider vinegars and herbal teas (I blend them each day as needed). 

So….now, on to the next phase! I am actually quite excited to be doing this - I feel really good, am having fabulous dreams, sleeping well and getting lots done (loads of energy now, after the first 72 hours adjusting into 'detox mode).

I’ll keep you posted,

April

Rebel Foods Market Stall - Apple Cider Vinegar & Beetroot Cleanse Juice

A Spring Cleanse!! Day 2

Today I am fasting….it’s actually now day 2 of a spring detox I want (need) to do. I haven’t been writing very much over these past few months….well, actually I have but it’s of a different sort – mostly for the market and stuff.

But, that doesn’t mean I don’t have this need to write things down. It’s more of a record actually….I have written down so much of what has been taking place in and around me as well as my dreams over the years that I could fill many books. 

And of course, I have done exactly that!

So, getting back to my fasting. The last time we did a big fast was before Christmas and it felt so good! In the meantime, since Christmas, I have done several small and different types of fasts – things I would never have thought of before.

For instance, one week I was feeling quite off – so I did a garlic fast. Basically we just ate guacamole with large amounts of garlic (8 to 12 cloves) on very thin crackers/toast for 3 days and drank lots of water. 

It felt so good that I did it for the next 3 weeks as well. And now continue to do this for a day here and there whenever I feel I need a boost. There is something special about garlic, it uplifts and heals like nothing else. I always feel as if my thinking and my head is clearer when I take enough of it in…

Then we have had a few fasts on just my Butterfly Juice (in case you have not yet experienced Rebel Foods Market Stall Butterfly Juice – you have to make a special trip to west Cork! LOL). This is nettle, dandelions, Irish apples & ginger and it is pure heaven…..

We refer to it as ‘spring in a jar’. Including this in our fasts has been very effective for boosting energy levels, clearing skin and getting sluggish digestive systems moving properly again. And, it tastes greats too! Somedays it's all I take in and I feel it really helps with general well-being, especially suited for this time of the year. 

So….for this fast – I might incorporate nearly everything or just some of these things. I plan to take it day by day and see how we get on. At this stage we are still working on our goal – or the purpose of doing the fast in the first place. 

Also, I am learning so much more about gut bacteria this time around as well. And perhaps that is one of my aims here. I have a few questions I need answered and my body is taking me on this fabulous trip to find those answers….

I’ll keep you posted…..

April

Rebel Foods Market Stall - Butterfly Juice and Rebel Juice (fermented health tonics) 

What if everything you have been told about your body is WRONG?

What if……we were able to take a few things we ‘think’ we know about our bodies, our health and living on this planet in general and look at them a little differently?

For, instance, are we really meant to age? What if we are, but not in an accelerated falling apart, memory losing, decline that we currently face…. With most of humanity sliding into home base barely holding it all together after 70 or 80 short years? 

To age might mean something altogether different if we were living in a healthy chemical free, non-gmo body.

Maybe, our bodies are perfectly designed to seal, heal and repair quickly and efficiently. So why don’t they? Just where does this leaky gut, allergy syndrome, inflammation, chronic pain, wear and tear damage come from and why doesn’t it ‘heal’?

What is the hold up inside of our bodies and why does life take us from energetic youth into breakdown mode so quickly…..what if it’s just not supposed to be this way? 

Perhaps, we are here for a long time as well as a ‘feel’ good time. Shouldn’t we feel good, maybe great, enjoy wellness – bordering on fabulous, at least some of the time….ahhh, yes, but we must be healthy first. 

Then, just like nature outside of us, it is also in us. Therefore, our bodies are self cleaning, self regulating and perfect ecosystems of balanced life – always striving to maintain and find that inner homeostasis.

We should crave balance….

What if only water, real food (as opposed to rubbish…), herbs, fresh air and nature – is the cure for all that ails us? Using anything else just shunts the symptoms around, buries us in toxins and interferes with the healing process.

Just saying….

April

Waves of Consciousness & Full Moon

I am still eating garlic! LOL

So, I finished 2 weeks of 3 days each week on several cloves of garlic and felt fantastic...almost like a big spring cleaning on the inside. Today we are still in long weekend mode, but I plan to get back to doing another garlic cleanse again this week.

It was that beneficial - almost as if this healing food went deeply into my tissues and helped me sort some things out. But, it's been that kind of month so far as well. As if I am in the middle of sorting things out.

Right now it all appears to be at the brain level - perhaps a brain detox is the best way to describe the action of garlic. I have experienced in the past how my head would immediately clear and feel free of clutter - a definite opening up in the cerebral cortex. 

It is an awesome sensation of connectedness and clarity all at the same time.....

However, this weekend we decided to go all out and relax with feast meals and lots of goodies for the kids (well, us really!). And even a ceremonial fire last night to celebrate the full moon (Worm Moon - which draws worms up to the surface to feed the birds). 

I love this time of year, spring is all about life, spontaneous regeneration of physical matter with the earth coming into it's own - doing what she knows how to do best; LIVE. I always feel such a sense of hope and promise for the rest of the year to come.

Right now the energy of the earth feels settled as if she has reached some decision about herself - change is irreversible and imminent - it seems as if a higher level of consciousness has been opened up and is spreading like a mist over the land. 

It's actually an amazing part of the process of awakening that we are all witnessing.... when the earth does this, things will shift, change and move. Positive and spiritual 'Life' only responds to waves of pure consciousness. 

This is going to be a most incredible year of healing and rapid spiritual growth. Hang on everybody!

April

Fire ceremony with the Full Moon in the sky

Healing Powers of Garlic - On A Garlic Fast

Right now I am taking raw garlic crushed in food just to generally clean up my system after a long winter. In the past I have used it many times for naturally fighting illness, infection and inflammation. And it works far better then anything else I have come across.

Garlic is an amazing herb and works on many levels within the healing processes of the body. For instance it helps with DNA repair, carcinogen metabolism, inflammatory response, hormone regulation, apoptosis, cell cycle shifts and of course detox. Each one of these are vital functions in our bodies. 

If you are ready to boost your immune response to be able to handle anything that comes your way perhaps you might consider taking a medicinal dose of raw garlic from time to time and especially whenever you have a flu or illness to deal with.

Over these past 2 days I have only taken in several cloves of raw crushed garlic in guacamole (avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley & garlic) on thinly sliced sourdough bread. I have sipped my Apple Cider Vinegar and drank my fermented juices as well while I am doing my little garlic fast.

Last week I did 3 days in a row of the same thing….5 – 6 cloves of raw garlic each day in guacamole on 3 slices of bread and then the fermented drinks. That’s all I took in for each day with plenty of water. 

I also kept up nicely with my running, weights and yoga and generally treated these days like any other fast days. I just had to get my head around ways of getting the garlic into me without a hassle, while it does have to be in food.... so the bread worked perfectly. 

I felt great afterwards and am now doing it again this week....and perhaps next week as well to keep going with this much needed spring clean!

If you wanted to give this a try yourself, I have included some of my notes from my clinic......

Healing Powers of Garlic

Garlic is medicinal when crushed, allowed to stand for 10 minutes and then eaten raw in food. 5 to 15 cloves per day over 72 hours is best when fighting acute infection or illness. 

I would recommend taking it in the same way as any other antibiotic – every 4 or 6 hours around the clock for 24 hours, then every 8 hours, then every 12 hours over the first 3 days to ensure a constant blood level of this potent herb. 

It works best to take the garlic raw for the first 72 hours in oily food, then stop for 72 hours break. Start another 72 hour cycle following the same pattern to complete the healing process. 

This allows the body time, energy and space to shift into an immune response, and use the garlic as part of its’ defences.

Have A Healthy Day!

April

Garlic ready for guacamole 

Lacking Energy - Nothing in Reserve….

For so many of us our bodies have been running on empty and we don’t even know it. We never seem to really connect with the simple fact that just like any other instrument, we need to be tuned up, cleaned up and not taken for granted.

So….I have always wondered about this myself….if for instance I am eating right, exercising, resting when I need to, working at what I love doing and otherwise in a few (not all!) healthy and good for me relationships in general – why am I drained or tired or why doesn’t there ever seem to be enough to go around?

And I mean; enough of me, enough time, enough money, enough goodness, enough space and so forth. There just doesn’t appear to be ‘enough’ in me, around me or out there or anywhere else. And what is this ‘enough’ - is it only a perception or is it something else altogether?

However, it’s not like this all the time, only some of the time, like when I am noticing. LOL

How on earth could this even be possible? I mean from an energy perspective, it should be energy in, therefore energy out. Or, in a properly functioning body we should be able to generate enough energy or whatever it is that we need to sustain us and keep us going.

What I have discovered is that there is often not enough life or living organisms in and around us and therefore we are left juggling or pulling on sparse strands of energy scattered around our bodies. In order to have, create and generate functional energy resources, we must have enough life ‘taking place’ in us, to sustain us. 

For the most part, this lack of life is the fundamental struggle we are facing on the planet today. We have taken enough antibiotics to eradicate every living, useful and necessary organism that once would have ensured the health, well-bing and survival of our species and blasted them into nothingness.

So, where does that leave us? With barely there thyroids, poor adrenal function and not much of an immune system, tired, unwell and never enough to go around. 

Or, for many of us, we find ourselves with absolutely nothing in reserve. As well, an entire food group, of fermented and living foods has been eliminated and we continue to sanitize, sterilize and annihilate anything that looks back at us.

Having a life is about far more than each of the things that take place throughout our days….it’s equally about an inner matrix of organisms working with us, in us and around us. 

If you find yourself feeling as if you have no energy, no reserves and questionable health….perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at your ‘life’. 

April

Fermented Vegetables - an easy & tasty way to get probiotics into your diet 

Irish Weather - Elemental Forces At Work

Let’s talk about this weather! 

Here we are in the 5th or 6th week of some wild winter weather like we’ve never seen before in living memory….or perhaps it’s that fabled winter of discontent, or the long night of the soul?

So, this is where we find ourselves, at the mercy of the weather, that great ‘starter of conversations’ the world over and something we have learned to moan about, at least in these northern regions where rain, hail, sleet and wind bring down our moods as the wet stuff hits the ground.

But, when we really stop and ponder these deeper aspects of what this might achieve for those of us living here, well, that is something else entirely. Perhaps it’s even akin to a little bit of wonderful.

I know, you are already thinking, there has been nothing wonderful about weeks of darkness, damaging winds, flooding and damp….unless you are safely on higher ground, have your house tethered to the earth like a ship with an anchor and have ancestral leanings towards the mallard family.

However, when I go to sleep at night with the rain pelting, thrumming and roaring on the roof, the wind buffeting the windows, well okay, the windows bowing in and flexing and then wake up the next morning not to a refreshed earth with the sun streaming down after the storm….

No! This winter we’ve been waking up to the exact same clamour, clatter and deafening noise of the elements let loose on the earth as when we went to bed, if anything, it might have only ramped up during the hours of darkness.

So, this begs the question; what’s this all about anyway? What is the purpose of rain, wind, and an excess of churning changing massive force of nature bearing down on us for all it’s worth?

What if something was trying to get through to us? And we are too busy, fearful, asleep, worried and just plain too thick to listen….what might all of these Universal forces being pulled down around us be trying to convey?

What if they needed us to know something along the lines of the importance of our future here on this planet. What if life itself was carried in those winds, star dust and energies from far and wide arriving, implanting and once again taking up permanent residence where once before, long ago they thrived.

I mean, imagine how important this time in history must be – the earth herself is waking up and the only way she can do that is with a nudge and a shake to stir her from her slumber….

Well then, it’s a good time to be alive, isn’t it? 

3 Point Turn…..Life Changes

I can’t always say in what order my life has changed. Over the years so many things – incidents, situations, even a spoken word, has had occasion to rock my world. 

Often to the core.

But, there are those very few times in life, when I made a decision or found myself in a particular predicament, where I had no choice but to discover for myself exactly what I am made of.

And I have done that, time and again.

Looking back as I often do at this time of year, I can remember times when I have not felt as strong in myself as I do right now. Or times when I really doubted I could see something through to the very end.

These were the situations that held onto me and kept me back. 

I had a tendency to be surrounded by people who left me feeling fearful and doubtful and for years I would blame myself for a lack of will power, an inability to stay the course or self-sabotage. 

Yet, when I distanced myself from these groups of people and the mind-set that went along with them, well I found my own mind and the rest quickly became history. Because, I finally had the energy, the courage and the fortitude to make the necessary changes to my life. 

In my reflections at this time, I see strong patterns of change throughout this past decade in particular where I have made significant shifts in my thinking or mindset around certain expectations (placed on my by society, others, myself?)- which resulted in profound change in the path I am on.

Perhaps it’s as simple as making the choice, seeing it through – sticking with that new energy and then forging ahead on this new-found road. 

One of the most significant decisions I (we) made as a family was to move away from modern chemical methods of treating and dealing with sickness and health. In its’ place I committed to completely adhering to all natural means of creating and maintaining health and healing.

Since the premise of any life altering, world changing shift is the fact that you don’t go back – you keep moving forward no matter what happens…..this decision pushed all of my buttons and of course I had to deal with everything that came my way, naturally.

Working my way through the fear and ill health of cancer with only my intuition to guide my healing process gave me hope, courage and a profound new respect for the powerhouse of healing stored deep within my body cells.

Another monumental shift occurred when in keeping with my no drug or chemical intervention framework a few years later, I knew I would be having my baby at home in a free birth. You can read the story for yourself here– but even 7 years on from that time, I have to say it changed me forever.

I gave birth to some part of me that day, an elemental force that had not existed on this planet in nearly forever. Perhaps not since my first incarnation before the shock of life’s hardships in this physical dimension took a toll and seared their way onto my soul.

Taking the birth of my child into my own hands – thus avoiding another surgery and MRSA infection, potential harm to myself and my baby, not to mention the indignity of it all – taught me one more thing about myself; life has a force all of it’s own and when we allow it, the living of it takes over.

Lastly, we took the decision to go it on our own without seeking, searching for or believing we needed money or jobs from sources other then what we created ourselves. Cutting ties that bound us to this just over broke endlessness, which left us feeling useless and in despair most of the time. 

It was hard to feel motivated on emptiness…..so a truer sense of sustainable living was what we were after - we had to sustain ourselves with no outside help.

After all, we have education, training, many skills and brains that work (LOL), so why not find it in ourselves to make our own way in this world and stop the forced slavery of following someone else’s dream or worse, losing your dreams to nothingness. 

Should be easy, right? Not! Besides, at the end of the day, we didn’t feel we had a choice….backed into a corner by the recession sorts out the reality on the ground in short order. 

Come out fighting or die trying!

Not one part of any of these changes, was an easy decision or a comfortable situation to find oneself in with a family in tow – at least not in the beginning. However, like all the other intuitive, life altering leanings in my life, it is working out, we are moving forward and I am happier then before.

Perhaps, I am happier then I have ever been because I have taken back some measure of control – finally steering my own ship. Here’s hoping for smooth sailing and warm seas….

April

Sailing Camp - Glandore 

5 Things to Do Today….

There are so many simple little things you can be doing each and every day to make yourself feel healthier, better and to keep mind/body/spirit together….I have listed a few of my favourite places to start…..

1. Go homemade with an item you would usually buy. Make your own pot of jam (cook an apple, 2 peaches and handful of strawberries, juice of 1 lemon, ½ cup water, until thick, no sugar or pectin needed). If you have a food processor roast 1 cup of raw almonds and make an almond nut butter – cheaper and tastes far better than shop bought. Or search online for recipes for homemade versions of mayonnaise, mustard, chutneys and preserves – they taste far better and you feel such a sense of accomplishment from making your own.

2. Cook a meal from scratch   - no tins, no packets – a meal entirely from fresh produce and wholesome ingredients. You might start with jasmine rice, stir-fry of fresh greens, beans, onion, garlic, leek and grated carrot, small piece of grilled or baked fish to top the meal off. Add some of your homemade mustard made into a sauce…

3. Choose a day to fast! Get some clean spring water, lemons (organic are better) and clear herbal teas (not the fruit kind). Once you finish your last meal of the day, get into fast mode while you only take in water, lemon juice and clear liquid herbal teas for the following full 24 hours. It’s like putting your car in the garage for a tune-up, give your digestion a mini break, repair can take place, and you will feel great. There are many of us who have adopted this as part of a regular week with healthy results (lower cholesterol, normal blood pressure, regulated blood sugar etc.)

4. Exercise in shorter sessions or bursts of 5, 10 to 15 minutes two or three times over a full day. You will not only feel better, fresher and more engaged in your activities you will also oxygenate your brain more frequently (great for students, writers, busy moms!) and feel stronger. It may be far easier to exercise in shorter time intervals throughout the day then one long session. Try it, exercising this way keeps your routine fresh and there are only benefits to be gained.

5. If you don’t have this already, create a sacred space at home or in your garden. This may be a place where you have your favourite books, candles, precious mementoes, incense – it could be a table, comfy chair or a shelf. If you have one already, give it a revamp, clear out the old energy and create some changes with fresh flowers, a new candle, or a new location. Then sit and enjoy a cup of herbal tea as you write in your new journal….

April 

Getting On With Living….

Today I am fasting again….however, it was nice to eat loads (read way too much!) over the Christmas holidays and equally nice to be experimenting, cooking and tasting the rich seasonal foods on offer. Life really does revolve around food and eating in this house!

But, that's all behind us now, so, getting back to today. I felt is was time to get this month started for me on yet another footing (self care is paramount) and I am doing a bit of a fast. At the moment, I am not sure how long I will fast this time around. Perhaps a week or two – or maybe longer, I like to take these things one day at a time whenever I can.

Already today I had my first little detox challenge…..I started feeling achy and sinusy as if I was coming down with a cold (like the one the kids had 2 weeks ago!). And my first thought was to just go back to bed….but alas, that isn’t really an option.

I just followed my instincts (or a very strong intuition in my case) and mixed up some of my Apple Cider Vinegar into my fermented Rebel Juice and sipped on that for the rest of the morning. By the time I realized I was feeling back to myself, the juice was gone and I had been busy with all my chores around the place.

It works so quickly!

And now here I am with quite a few things done including 2 mini workouts and still marveling that I am feeling much better – and glad I never went back to bed. The moral of the story here seems to be – to never underestimate the healing power of your body when given the right ingredients.

In this case it was my own apple cider vinegar and fermented beetroot juice – it packs a powerful anti-oxidant punch as well as provides nourishing probiotics for the gut. Because our immune system is gut mediated (if your tummy isn’t working, your immune system is compromised) all we need to do is boost ourselves from the inside with beneficial organisms….

Then they do the work for us. 

When I think back to how I used to treat myself when I felt low, poorly or even completely under the weather – well, needless to say, it was a world apart from where I am today. I would often just ignore symptoms or worse, just push them down with a pain reliever and carry on.

If I have learned anything about health, healing and detox over these many years living this close to nature and in tune with my body, it’s this; when you are gentle with your body and provide natural, equally gentle means of healing, you only have to walk down this road once. 

Pushing something down or aside, simply means it will pop back up to be dealt with on another day and perhaps be far worse then what you started with.  Best to face up to whateveritis that’s around us on the day and provide our body with what it needs (nutrients, herbs, probiotics, exercise, quiet time, laughter, detox) to move forward – then we can get on with living our lives. 

And that’s what we are doing here, right?

April