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 

By the Way, During A Fast, You Don't Eat....

A lot of dreams last night and all about energy....not much of a surprise in that one as yesterday was a deeply energetic day where I did a lot of work on my energy field (Closing Energy Leaks is a blessing!) and felt fairly good about it all.

Today is day 6 of my cleanse and in case you are wondering I would like to clear up one tiny issue - when you are fasting, that means you do not take in ANY solid foods. At all. Period. Not one morsel crosses your lips - or the game is over.

Fasting with water (herbal tea, water, lemon juice, maple syrup, black pepper) is a liquid only fast and very specific. The reason I mentioned this is because this week I opened up the newspaper as I was spreading it on the floor for the puppy to play with (LOL) and saw a curious article...

An 'expert' was being interviewed on fasting and they even had a menu posted along the side with the meals you were able to eat during your fast. How cool is that??? You get to believe you are fasting while eating a ham sandwich for breakfast.

What a load of crap. And do people actually stop and think to themselves - 'hey, but I thought fasting was going without food, taking in only water for a period of time'. I certainly hope someone else questioned the logic and misinformation being given out here.

What's more, this expert (who was not a clinical nutritionist), has most likely never ever done a 'fast' (at least without that light breakfast, lunch and dinner) and is now commenting on what the rest of us should be doing. It's no wonder people are confused and left wondering about all of this.

By the way, the light menu this person was referring to is termed calorie restriction, which is something different altogether...

So, if you are planning to do a fast (and I hope you do) a couple of things to remember, you will be emptying out and cleaning up your body tissues with clean water. The herbs come in to balance, restore and revitalize your body systems as they work gently in concert with internal function. The other ingredients are aids and supports for body organs. 

Get my book The Pagan Diet: Food, Fast & Feast if you want to start cleansing, fasting and detoxing while either losing weight, healing inflammation, restoring and balancing function and generally cleaning up the debris built up in your cells.

And there is no food involved during the cleanse phase, because, well, eating is not fasting!

April

If you live in Ireland, order the book from me, I would love to hear from you!

Benefits of Fasting - Some Thoughts

Today is a fast day and I feel great - actually it is always a better day then an eating day - when I happen to be busy with projects and stuff because I find I can think more clearly as well as focus on the tasks at hand.

I thought to write about fasting a little bit more - I talk about this extensively in my book The Pagan Diet - but here are a few of my thoughts on the subject.

Fasting for me has come to mean clarity - I gain distance from circumstances taking place in my life and get to have a bit of a breather. Not that I stop doing anything or hold back on my fast days - quite the opposite in fact.

My fast days are busier, more concentrated and full on. I carry on with all my normal activities and throw in a few more for good measure. Usually I have loads of energy and a little plan in place covering some of the things I want to get done.

Having enough energy is not a problem at all - I have found that because I am not digesting food, but allowing my system to rest and have a little clear out, any energy that would have been used to digestion is now diverted to other things.

I stop eating early enough the day before so as not to be stuffed full on my fast day. This is an important part of fasting for me. I have never liked to feel 'over stuffed' with food and love it when my system is clean and clear. This can happen with a few hours of fasting, sipping clean water and some exercise.

Many people comment on how when they go without food for even a few hours they feel dizzy or light headed - yeah, that used to be my complaint as well. It didn't last long because I found first of all it was a mind thing (seriously) and secondly, blood sugar imbalance is a symptom of something other then an empty stomach. 

Think about it - never before in our history have we ever had access to so much food, all the time. And then we are expected to eat 3 meals a day plus snacks. No wonder we have blood sugar issues! By the way, this balances out very quickly after a couple of times fasting. 

Your body is designed to withstand fasting - of course it is. It would be ridiculous to think otherwise. Humanity has a huge history associated with fasting. 

Which brings me to the next point - I am a Nutritionist, I have been working with food for years, and following detoxes, cleanses and whatnot. Never before have I had so much success or satisfaction from anything diet related.

Fasting gave me back my control, my sanity and my body - and not just in the outer world. I am talking about inwardly - balance in hormones, weight, digestion and body function. Nothing else has ever done that for me, no supplement, no food, no diet and no amount of positive thinking.

However, taken all together - exercise, clean water, organic whole foods, fasting and a healthy lifestyle - you can have it all!

Have a healthy day,

April

The Pagan Diet Cover 

Fasting means: No food!

I was reading an article earlier about the new so-called fad diet of fasting. I love this, how when the main stream media doesn't know how to diss something right off, they will refer to it as a fad. What bothered me most was the blatant mis-information pumped out there right off the bat, totally misleading and wrong information not based on any facts.

Of course, right away the many comments on the article were either from people who have incorporated fasting into their lifestyles for religious reasons, stating that it was not a fad, this has been around for thousands of years! Or from people who fast regularly and wanted to point out the many errors in the article.

Hardly a fad...my own experience with fasting started young, again it was practiced as a form of religious self-discipline in the community where I grew up. As an adult I started fasting in 2001, as part of an overall detox program and then I kept going with it for a good few months afterwards because I felt so great.

Of course the rest is history (you can read all about it in my book The Pagan Diet) and now I incorporate fasting as a matter of course in my life - regularly doing Master Cleanses, mini cleanses and fasting days or 'day on/day off' food and fast as I call it.

The one main comment I wanted to make here is the fact that the article I read mentioned eating a bowl of porridge and two salads on the fast days, then food as usual on the other days. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like fasting to me!

If you consume ANY food, you have broken your fast. Eating a very small amount of food on any given day is what I would refer to as either calorie restriction or starvation. It is not fasting or anything similar to it.

Fasting involves drinking clean (not tap) water from a well or spring, I also include clear herbal teas (not the fruit kind) throughout the day or days as you allow your digestive system a much needed break. 

There are many methods or patterns people have come up with that work for them - but the basics are all the same. No food for the duration, drink clean water and go about your normal activities as per usual. 

On my fasting days I also incorporate a workout - fasting exercise is a great way to burn fat, increase muscle mass in general and you can time these to have a meal once your activity session is finished. I have been doing really well with mixing this up because I incorporate several exercise sessions into my usual routines.

Fasting is as old as the hills and has been practiced for health or spiritual reasons for eons. It is a clean, cheap, easy way to regularize weight, body systems and to gain more energy. I personally find I am far more disciplined in myself as a result and I have fasted (Master Cleanse using a lemon drink) for up to 40 days at a time...

If you haven't tried it, you should. You have everything, including your health to gain.

Have a great day,

April

The Pagan Diet Cover

Now On Day 7 of My 10 Day Master Cleanse

It has now been seven days since I started my August Master Cleanse - as usual about this point in a cleanse the detox cycles are heating up and getting more intense. I expect this will last until the final day, some very old stuff is coming up to the surface!

Yesterday evening we all felt a little at loose ends, needing something to keep us busy which makes it easier to remain focused on the task at hand. Of course the conversation fell to remembering last Christmas, how special it was and planning how we can have an even better one this year. All in terms of food. LOL

In our house we talk a lot about food - perhaps because it is what I do mostly but also we love to cook, eat and enjoy our Pagan lifestyle to the max! Our feast times are the central points of each month, while fasting is timed to end just before the celebration. 

So, I now have a full list for shopping, cooking and requests for next week's feast days - and I can't wait to get started on making some of these items ahead of time. We are all craving different foods as well right now - usually it is the simplest things like red onions in a salad, or the taste of cinnamon on your tongue. A fast does bring out the best in us....

Today I am feeling a little more toxic, but my energy is very good, I just finished a workout and a quick walk outside. And I am determined to keep this energy moving out. This toxicity is mostly in my head, sinus, with a heaviness in my lower body. My tongue is really coated now, but the limpness is gone from my hair and my eyes and skin look clear.

As I have mentioned several times already, the detox this time around is primarily centered on seemingly other dimensions and past lives. Again last night I had deep dreams of being given very old paper (money) with an ancient language on it that I could read. It was Pagan currency with my name, numbers and dates on it. There were stacks of them and I was starting to use them to pay for items for my children.

Again, for me, my journey is all about energy, re-gaining my life and allowing myself space and freedom to be who I already am. Of course, this is my steepest learning curve - coming back into myself because there is so much more to me.

Fasting gently brings you back together healthy, healed and whole.

Have a healthy day!

April 

Dill growing in pot

Changing Seasons...

Ever since the month of August started last week, I have been more aware of a slight change in season, the air feels different and all around us the energy of the land has shifted into a new mode. There also should be a lot taking place within our bodies reflecting these outer movements.

One of the best aspects of the fall and darker seasons that I like is the fact that once your tissues and physical reserves have been built up from the summer abundance of food and sunshine, real healing can take place. Of course each one of us will experience spiritual, emotional and energetic recovery at different times in response to any kind of healthy stimulation such as right diet and exercise. 

However, there are places of inflammation buried deep within each one of us that most often never see the light of day, because we do not take the time to cleanse and detox. Or, because for the most part we feel 'fine' as opposed to unwell - we assume that there is no significant amount of inflammation present.

If you have issues with weight gain or loss, if you have had antibiotics in your life, surgery or dental work, if you have taken any form of medication for any length of time or if your iron, hormones, blood pressure, cholesterol or any other bodily function is even slightly off - you have inflammation in your body tissues.

Inflammation is like a bog fire, it burns low and deep, it may stay like this for a very long time, but you never know when or where it will flare up and it is deadly. From my experience these types of low level inflammation are fueled by poor diet, high levels of chronic stress and the presence of yeast and fungus causing the tissues to become acidic. Which ones came first is another matter altogether and there is some argument that we are born with this.

Today, if you want to make some significant changes to your life, start with your body, work on some likely places of inflammation and try to understand why this has persisted. Then take a step towards flushing this out and healing your life.

A Master Cleanse or a detox is always a good place to begin.

April 

***The Pagan Diet - Food, Fast & Feast is your absolute best guide to healing body, mind and soul 

Happy Lughnasadh!

Today is one of the most important feast days of the year, which is centered around the harvest, for me this usually means harvesting herbs, but also has been important for grains in times past. There are a couple of things that I thought could be mentioned here on this special day - one is why bother to celebrate and the other is about the spiritual connection of this time.

First of all, why do we celebrate anything with feasting and ritual or ceremony? Perhaps if we look more closely at our ancestors the answers lie somewhere in the past. Observing and keeping a special day alive, increases the inner connections to it deep within our psyche. We actually establish energetic ties to these holidays through this binding of ourselves to its significance.

Mark the day and you create an energy bridge within over which you can travel to find deeper meaning and understanding in your life.

As I discuss in my book The Pagan Diet©, the year revolves around the sun like a wheel reflecting inner time and cycles. Once we start walking a spiritual path, it is important to develop a relationship with all of these special aspects of ourselves as they also mirror our human journey in the outer world.

Thus, the month of August is seen as the culmination, an ending and completion of a full phase in our lives and one cycle fully fulfilled by following the path around the sun. The projects, hopes, dreams, wishes and desires (at least some of them) that have been worked on consistently throughout the year should now be coming to fruition. 

Completing another phase or stage of the spiritual path is incredibly important and should be cause for celebration, just as planting seeds, weeding, tending the young plants and encouraging your garden to grow is vital work for a family. Each person in the family benefits from the effort placed into this project and everyone is wiser for having walked the path during the year.

In this way, the ancient ones who honoured us by keeping the old ways alive have left many footprints for us to follow in. Of course, the calendar shows us that the most precious spiritual link is to be found within these carefully selected dates and changing of each season. What has long been known is that as spiritual beings we are not separate from the world around us, but merely a reflection of its' mystery. 

So, today is a feast day - there should be plenty of food (local, organic, fresh) and clean water, herbs for cooking, tea and in salads, homemade soda breads using ancient grains such as oats, spelt and millet and perhaps fish or lamb with gently cooked root vegetables. 

Then tonight, light a candle, or a small fire outside if you can, while you contemplate how far you have come this past year, all that you have to be thankful for and your harvest from the work you have done. If there is rain, create your circle inside around your dinner table with the people you care most about and make more plans for this next sun cycle - and remember, when you dream, dream big!

Have a happy day,

April

Herbs drying in the kitchen

Getting Back to Myself

I no longer think in terms of being normal, I mean, who wants to be normal anyway, if that means to eat, drink and live mindlessly? No, I am quite happy with my day on/day off fasting while eating, living and being conscious of all that I am.

The physical task of uncovering my heart and soul has taken a long time and it has taught me an incredible amount about myself and the world around me - in particular my relationship with it. I have mentioned here on this blog a few times that there are distinctions to be made between the degrees and levels of inner communication.

Prayer is talking with god

Exercise is being with god

Fasting is walking with god

Each of these are perhaps one and the same in some ways - yet parts of the process of finding and accessing spirit take extraordinary trust, effort and willingness to believe in what is unseen. As an intuitive, seeing is not believing, that would only cause me to question more deeply.

Each day I am taken further into the garden where trust comes about only by believing that the path is in front of you, the bridge is under your feet and that there will be help along the way. For me re-connecting with the old ways of water fasting, herbs and clean living has served to deepen my ability to trust in every aspect of my body. 

These past two days post Master Cleanse have been transformational for me in many ways - I have had decisions to make regarding how I would like to move forward as well as the usual cutting of ties that hold me back. I am standing right now at the edge of a cliff and I plan to cross over - living this way (food, fast & feast) has brought me here and is leading me home.

The sun has finally come out in West Cork,

April

Light Shining Through the Depths

Halfway On Day 5

Well, it is day 5 - we are pretty well half way to the finish line and feeling well. The one thing that I noticed yesterday was that a weakness in my legs that I would have felt for many years, which is usually there when I am not fasting, had flared up. I kept walking through it as it is more of a 'sense' and a heaviness - toxins. 

So, now this morning I am still feeling lots of energy, looking forward to my exercise and loving the clear feeling in my body and head. Other than my skin being a little bumpy and the heavy legs, I don't have any other detox symptoms yet. Just the dreams! 

The dreams continued last night with me sitting and talking to the 'ghost' from my dream the night before, who had now taken form and shape into a person that I knew. Plus, in the dream I could not open my eyes, I was trying to, but they were itching, burning as if I had been peeling very strong onions or something. Once I stepped outside I was fine.

Then another dream of me ordering food at a restaurant something like a fast food place, while I was wondering why I was even there. And a very significant dream of a person in a wheelchair who believed that he was paralyzed - when I had him close energy leaks he could see that his legs were filled with 'fear toxins' and he was then able to stand up.

How clear is all of that!!! Lots of things moving and shifting for me here - so I am well under way to getting at the root of this block. I am really excited now to see what each day brings as everything appears to be centering around dissolving this resistance in my body.

By the way, last night I actually had so much energy that at 10:30 I was out walking and enjoying the night air. It was peaceful and calm. Today I am planning to do some more creative things to keep this energy moving and to get outside as much as possible. 

Each time I do these Master Cleanses they always prove to be deep, significant and the gentlest way forward on my journey. All I can say right now is WOW, this is really working and something that I was after for many years has come to the surface.

Talk to you tomorrow,

April

July Master Cleanse...Count Down!

Today is a food day, yesterday was a fast day and tomorrow I am starting my next Master Cleanse. Some of you may remember how I promised myself that I would complete at least 4 MC's this summer - and have already done two, one in May and one in June.

I am really looking forward to this next cleanse as I feel and can clearly see the progress that I am making in my life. It shows in the things that are happening on the outside of me such as changes in habits, patterns and people around me.

But this also is very evident in my thinking - as I explain in my book The Pagan Diet, our minds are more than 90% of the battle, so once you get your mind on side (detox enough to create a change in the gut) then this is not only easy but the best thing on earth.

This week I have been speaking to several people at various stages of fasting, Master Cleanses and transforming their lifestyle's - the one common thing that each of them mention has been how easy fasting is. Living this way (food, fast & feast) is straight forward and simple - no gimmicks, nothing weird about it - just clean food and clean water.

Right now I am doing the usual things before a cleanse, I am already thinking ahead to the theme and focus of this cleanse as I do each time I start one. This time around I would like to focus on places in my life where I feel blocked and held back. And I know that so many people out there are experiencing the same things in work, relationships, spirituality, creative pursuits, dreams and desires. 

Of course you may remember that by about day 4 or day 5 some other co-patterns will emerge and this could go in a completely different direction! Yet, by the end of the cleanse the emotions and physical symptoms that need to move will have surfaced to be dealt with. 

That is one of the most important aspects of having an open mind- it's the same when people come to see me for a reading. You may want to focus on a specific area which is fine, however, if your body has other ideas and needs you to concentrate on something else, this is important too. I have learned over the years that it will all lead you back to the same place or where ever it is that you need to be.

There are no detours on this trip, it is all part of the journey. 

Have  sunny day where ever you are,

April

Bright colors of summer - in the garden

3rd Day of Mini Cleanse

Today is my last day of this little cleanse that I am doing, and I am feeling great overall loads of energy and it seems that my dreams are back loud and clear because I was dreaming all night. All seemingly about projects and things that I should be doing or following through with some plans that I have made.

Perhaps this cleanse has been all about clearing things off of my 'to do' list, because that is what I seem to be doing quite a bit. And even the weather has not been as bad as was predicted so that has been a bonus as well because I have been able to get out into the garden and pull some weeds.

Today I am also busy cooking (go figure, while fasting LOL) and have made honey oat bread, fairy cakes for the kids and prepared a lamb tagine which will go into the slow cooker to cook overnight so that it is ready for breakfast in the morning.

I love my breakfast and always look forward to eating after a fast - the planning phase is probably far more fun than anything as I find that I dream up new ways of doing things and tasty recipes when winding down from my fast.

If you haven't yet tried to do a fast, I cannot say it enough - food, fast and feast has changed my life and the way I look at food (and even the way I look apparently as I was told last night that I looked about 25!). Order The Pagan Diet and get started on your journey to better health in a slim body!

Have a lovely day,

April

The Pagan Diet - Food, Fast & Feast! 

by April Danann, MSc, BSc (Hons), Dip MI, Dip NT

2nd Day of Mini Cleanse

Today is my second day cleansing - funny how I hardly ever even count the first day anymore as it is so much like a regular fast day that it just counts as a day to wind down and shift into the fast. Today, then would feel like the first day all over again.

So, this morning I am feeling pretty good, although I am very aware of toxins moving and feeling a bit yukky. My body is definitely into this and is working right along with me here - my thoughts are a bit scattered right now too as there seems to be so much going through my mind.

The best thing this week is that there are many outward changes - of course that means that there are equally inner changes as well. And I know that the changes are a direct result of these cleanses and detoxes that we have been doing. It just seems as if things are speeding up.

And of course this is exactly what we have been waiting for. Change and progress. Water is the Universal healer and dissolves all toxins (and everything else) so of course fasting, healing and working with water to move us forward in our lives is going to produce wonderful results.

I have been having dreams but they seem so far away that in the morning I am only remembering bits of them - I know they are there somewhere! Yesterday as I was doing some Yoga I remembered a dream that I had the night before and it was about a demon that I had to confront; it was in the guise of a person who bullied me as a child and who I was very frightened of.

In my dream I was no longer afraid and was ready to confront her, from a position of complete power. Perhaps this says it all and now I can't wait to see what this mini cleanse brings for us.

Have a great day,

April

There is a method here...

For those of you who have my book(s) on diet, exercise and life etc, and for those who are currently reading and following The Pagan Diet, just a little bit more on the importance of following a healthy diet.

When you start to make changes to your diet, your body shifts into higher gear, I call it 'detox mode' as well. I realize that there are many people out there who follow intermittent fasting in some form or other - taking time out to just drink and take a break from all that digesting of food.

What is different with my methods is that it comes down to one basic thing - if you put rubbish in, you will get rubbish out. You simply cannot expect to clean your body while your beverage of choice is full of caffeine, or your snack on your food day is full of sugar or processed something or other.

These are NOT foods, they are anti-nutrients, which cost you energy to digest. When you are fasting drink clean water, the Master Cleanse juice, herbal tea etc. Otherwise you are bathing your delicate internal tissues with chemical laden goup. 

The days that you are eating you are boosting your immune system, replenishing your reserves, repairing body systems and adjusting your metabolism in positive ways. Once again this is not the time to fill up on junk, rubbish or anything else that is not really food.

Even on your planned feast and celebration days - there is no excuse to start abusing your body and consuming unhealthy junk foods. I enjoy my meals thoroughly and am not deprived of anything - cookies, cakes, sweets and treats of all sorts. They are just made with natural, healthy ingredients and taste great! 

Once you start incorporating fasting into your lifestyle, your tastes will change and you will crave healthier foods, until then - use some discipline and pass on the sugar.

Have a lovely day,

April

It's finally here!

My new book - The Pagan Diet is finally ready. For those of you who are interested in fasting, detoxing, Master Cleanses, losing weight or just getting your health back - this is the book for you. Inside you will find out how I go about living each day following my own inner guidance, choosing foods to heal and uplift as well as using day on/day off fasting to stay healthy and maintain my weight.

I go into detail on how I came eat this way, what it means to me to be exactly who I am and why this is important for the lives we are living. I have also included 3 full diaries from Master Cleanses that I have completed - for your information and motivation. 

The exact details on how to get started on a water fast for weight loss, health, spirituality and general living are in here to lead you through each step in this gentle process. Contact me for details on how to order your copy today. 

April