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

Going For It - Winter Detox Day 2

Today is my second day of this winter detox....and I am already thinking (and knowing) this one will be different. It needs to be. So, I am mixing things up a bit and using different herbs - a lot more of them as well as cutting back on the maple syrup.

Usually during the first 3 days I don't take in much of anything. It is just nice to let my body settle as it adjusts to detox mode. But I often feel huge resistance inside of myself to drinking the herbal teas - once I got started on them, it was fine.

Getting started was always the hardest part - and this resistance was coming directly from those organisms I was targeting with the teas. I have been through this a few times before - so it's nice to know the routine. 

I would also begin making the 'detox tea' with the maple syrup on day 2 or day 3 - and my body would just do the rest. However, I wanted to go deeper this time and that means changing the routine. And I feel better about it already!

As well as making changes to the herbs and detox tea, I am also increasing my Yoga practice again - I always find I have more energy to burn off, so why not do that with some Yoga. Perhaps I will even look around for some different types of practices or approaches to see what interests me.

Like I said - this one needs to be quite different - it's as if I am in the middle of a huge new learning curve with my body (and mind) leading the way. And I have a sense this time, it's all about unblocking some part of my brain....

The last stronghold of toxins perhaps? I know when I reach the top of this mountain, the view will be different. This is going to be interesting. 

April

**Intuition for Business starts 5 March in West Cork

Detox Tea

Now on Day 4 of Master Cleanse

This is day 4 of my cleanse and as per usual, absolutely everything has fallen into place - not that I expect smooth sailing throughout this entire detox but the adjustment period is over. I always refer to these first 3 days as shifting into 'detox mode'.

So, now that I am in this space - I feel as if I am flying it! LOL I have lots of energy, did a great workout this morning, slept well last night and feel better then 'myself' (whateverthatmeans). It's as if this level of clarity rises up from some deep place...

Right now I have some detox symptoms - my tongue is coated, my skin is a little itchy, my hair is limp and heavy and the first 3 days my energy levels were ok but I did feel a little tired overall. Today, I feel better and very creative.

And of course when I feel creative, I get into the kitchen to do some cooking - already today I have made a spelt bread (herbed with seeds) and some muesli to fill up our jars. We always look forward to these treats when we are finished our cleanses.

Over the coming week I hope to get all of my baking done for our next feast - a big one coming up at the end of the month - Samhain. We enjoy each of these celebrations and this one will be no exception - such a magical time of the year.

It's hard to believe that this year is closing in on us fast and furious - and what a year it has been! So far I have done 6 Master Cleanses and hope to complete 8 by the end of the year. At first I thought it would be far more of a challenge, but actually it has been one of the most grounded and productive years of my life.

Perhaps next month and during December we will extend the number of days once again - just to see how much more shifts and changes for us. Doing the 10 days is great, however to get at the emotional roots of some issues, it does take a little longer. 

Aiming higher!

April

(PS. I would love your comments or questions)

Yarrow in my herb garden

Master Cleanse 2nd Day

Well today is day 2 of my Master Cleanse and as per usual when I am doing these, it has been a bit of a shaky start as I move into detox mode. But, I expect that this too shall pass as I shift into a new routine over the coming few hours.

Last night I ended up going to bed early because of a headache, which is what normally happens on day one or day two with the beginning of these cleanses. Otherwise, I had a very productive day, had lots of energy and got quite a few things done from my 'to do' list.

This time round, I am determined to not only keep up with my exercise routine, but to attempt to increase it or expand it out somewhat during this Master Cleanse. I think a bit more exercise or activity will be beneficial and perhaps help me to achieve my goals faster.

Which brings me back to my main goal here with this cleanse - to reduce, remove, breakthrough or otherwise eliminate this amount of resistance I have been experiencing. Resistance plays out in our lives in many ways,  and is especially strong when you want to make changes and follow your own dreams as opposed to working for someone else. 

And, it can be experienced as more than a block, because with a block, you are doing something and nothing happens. Resistance holds you back from doing something about it, as well as causing confusion about how to move forward. 

Where there is resistance there may be output but a struggle of epic proportions to get anything done and certainly a large amount of opposition can be felt with all you do. It is an interesting pattern we all experience and must overcome as we journey along these paths.

Of course, the way I have discovered to really move forward and actually see results from the work I am doing is to do a Master Cleanse or a fast in some way. These fast enable me to focus my mind on the road ahead of me as I put my energy into creating the life I want to live. 

As for detox symptoms, right now my legs are feeling heavy (but I have upped my exercise routine as well), I have a slight headache which receded a lot after doing a salt water flush this morning, I have a few aches and pains - but all good so far. 

I am dreaming profusely as well - huge dreams, all night long again last night, mainly about my own animals (dogs, cat, ducks, geese, turkeys), barns, moving them around and marking room for some horses. Then another of me skipping along the road as if I was a child! 

Well, this is bound to be an interesting day to say the least...

Have a healthy day,

April

Dragon fly in the herb garden 

It's Day 2 - already!

Usually whenever I do a 10 day Master Cleanse, the first couple of days (which are often the hardest) drag on and seem to take forever. This time this is not the case and it has almost been very easy so far (too easy! LOL). Yesterday, I went to bed early with a slight headache and I felt a bit achy and tired. But I have been through worse.

Today I am feeling pretty good, not much in the way of detox symptoms that are physical - this time they are mostly mental and in my thinking. All day it feels as if I have been fighting 'demons' - don't exercise, you really want to eat, fear, worry, you can't do that blah, blah. All negative and all toxic - which right away tells me that this cleanse is working and that toxins are moving.

However, I must be getting to the bottom of the barrel because the really bad apples are coming out. I can feel the dark energy around and 'see' the toxins in my energy field as I go about my day. These thoughts are also intense and almost feel like they are coming from another dimension or far away place.

They don't even seem to be a part of me or my psyche, which is a relief, because I am not listening to them and doing my best to counter the negativity with positive mantras and thoughts. Each time I feel like not moving, I push myself to exercise, and each time I feel this voice telling me to stop the cleanse and eat something - I sip on my MC juice and carry on.

Physically, I feel great, I have gotten loads done, my mind feels sharp and clear and my memory - well lots of old buried deep memories have been coming up for me. I just know that this cleanse is one of the most important that I have ever done. 

Last night I was dreaming all night, but it was like one continuous long dream with many parts. I found myself sitting an exam at one stage with my cat at my feet, then taking a bus to travel to a distant city with someone else's phone that I was trying to use. Then arriving in that place and looking for a place to stay and thinking of a person's name, where I instantly arrived.

When I woke up it was as if I had actually travelled somewhere and I could sense a shift in my energy. I do feel lighter and stronger, and just more engaged in living, thinking and doing. Great place to be really.

Fasting, Master Cleanses and living this way has changed my life in so many ways, I would never go back to my old lifestyle for anything. This is just far too interesting and I feel great!

Hope you are all well,

April

This is one of our baby ducks, taking a little dip!

Day 1 of July Master Cleanse

Today is the first day of our master cleanse for July and we are already shifting into cleaning mode - I have been busy cleaning the house from top to bottom as I always find that I have so much energy! LOL. I also feel as if I am preparing for something - getting ready for the changes that I know are coming soon for me. 

Its day one and I am feeling pretty good - some aches and pains in my ribs (many years ago I had costal chondritis) from an old inflammation that appear to be coming up again. This is interesting as I had wondered when that would clear! It was a time of being totally taken over by a work situation, to the point where I was very run down and not myself anymore.

Perhaps this will prove to be connected to the blocks that I am wanting to remove from my energy field during this cleanse - I am thinking that things are starting to move because any time we work for someone else we are not fully 'working' (inside or outside) for ourselves. And of course, that creates a block in our systems. 

Therefore - each of us, no matter what it is we wish to achieve in our lives, will have multiple blocks and resistance to our own personal goals. Situations that we find ourselves in such as work relationships do keep us back in many ways because they extract energy from our creative forces. This is the energy that could be used to power our own dreams, wishes and pursuits.

How does it feel to be blocked? Right now I feel it as resistance, wanting to move towards a particular direction and nothing seems to work out. This blocked energy can then lead to frustration or despair or much more when left to fester away and unresolved.

As usual, the first 2 days or so are always an adjustment period for the 10 day Master Cleanse - I expect this time to be no different. My body will go through the usual winding down into detox mode in the next couple of days and then lets see what happens! 

I will keep you posted,

April