100 Days ......Juicing, Fasting and Bone Broth

We are back on our schedule of not really fasting....but not really eating either!! Let me explain.....

These past few weeks I have done 30 days on juices and smoothies - with at least 50% vegetables in each one and the rest some kind of fruit. 

I am really finding great benefits from the cabbage - one of the most underrated healing foods of all time and indeed my best 'superfood' discovery to date. It has completely changed the way my gut works and helped build up those beneficial organisms in a massive way. 

Then we did 30 days on juices, smoothies and bone broth made from meats. It was another awesome month and one of complete gains in terms of healing benefits. My sore knee got better. My thinking and focus clearer and I just could sense a great change - once again in my gut bacteria. 

Of course.....you know me, I have been adding in some of my own fermented Sauerkraut (I just crave the stuff!) and have even been known to juice it along the way as well as taking a daily few tablespoons of my Cleanse Juice Apple Cider Vinegar - which is mighty stuff! 

Between each of these 30 day lifestyle menu changes we took a weeks break to eat breads, cereals, treats and enjoy a few grains and things that were missing from our diet. But only for a week - sort of a little celebration timed to coincide with full moons and feast times.

Right now we are back on track with another 40 days this time of more of the same. Lots of smoothies & fresh veggie juices, fish and bone broth, some other proteins are included such as duck eggs and a few beans. 

We are all feeling great - it's as if this was the little push that was needed to get our energy/motivation/focus back and to really concentrate on all the little things that needed to be done over this summer. 

Now, if we could only change the weather - we'd be all set! 

April

Juice Fast - Day 10

Today I am fasting. Actually I have been doing a juice fast of the past 10 days or so. I must say this is the easiest fast we have ever done! LOL

Each day we are making a juice – both fruits and vegetables – often with some juiced garlic, drinking about 8 ounces or so of that in the morning, then spending the rest of the day drinking herbal teas and my own fermented drinks (Rebel Juice available on my market stall). Of course we taking medicinal mushrooms, herbal teas and water as well.

How I feel is; better. Much better that I was feeling before and certainly feeling as if I am moving forward in the right direction. My goal at the outset was to not make any promises to myself, but to just start fasting, not let anything get in the way (ride the waves as they roll in) and keep going no matter what.

So far, so good.

Physically, this is easy our bodies are designed to fast and can shift into fasting mode quite easily. I love how I feel when I am fasting and fasted…clear, light, in-touch. Mentally this is a challenge, but I knew it would be. 

I’ll keep you posted on this…..should be an interesting ride….

April

Full Moon 

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) 

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 

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

Unity in Soul - Ushering in the Solstice

I have finished my fast – we stopped after 20 days, it was long enough and we were ready! LOL

But, seriously, we felt we broke through to the other side of something….into a higher level of this path we have been walking and seeking. So, now is the time to re-build, recover our selves, enjoy the season and eat some wonderful food.

However, today after only a day of eating I feel really well, strong and have been out running. It’s quite a feeling to be detoxed, ready for anything and clear about what has to be done during this next phase of life arriving in the new year.

I have been thinking on these things today as I have been eating lots while working out and getting the house ready for Solstice. This is my absolute favourite time of the year and we have spent the day the sun returns in several locations throughout the years.

Yet, no matter where I am, it’s always nicest to be home, of course, and home is anywhere my family is. 

I find it intriguing how much we are spiritual creatures, yet we can get so caught up in the mundane we often forget it’s deeper connections to these important seasons. Our spiritual selves are actually more accessible, open and in tune with us, as the sun shifts and moves closer to the earth.   

This upcoming Solstice for example, ushers in such an undercurrent of inner soul work with the return of light as well as a festival of great food. This time of feasting has also quite wonderful soul connotations – the beginnings of which are about nourishing all parts of our beings.

After the detox comes the real work of piecing our lives back together, through food, exercise and the closeness of family with the season; we find ourselves – the centre point of our hearts, unity in soul.

April

Gourmet Seaweed & Sea Salt Blend at my market stall 

Day 16 of my Fast - It's All in the Mind!

Day 16

We are now on day 16 and deep into a detox cycle – which means a full day or two of feeling all over the place, toxic and generally tired or yukky. But, in reality, I have plenty of those days when not detoxing – so, go figure!

So far, we are feeling and doing fairly well. This fast is moving along pretty quickly – it always helps to be very busy of course. However, even if we were just sitting around staring off into space – it’s not so very difficult to fast when your mind is made up.

Which leads me to the centre of things here – our minds are such a useful tool when it comes to doing, well, nearly everything. In the past few years I can look back and see a clear pattern of the times when my mind was not fully engaged in what I needed to accomplish – and therefore it (my plans, hopes, wishes) never turned out the way I wanted it to.

Fasting has changed all of that for me. My mind is on-board with all things physical and spiritual – making it entirely possible to move forward in a fully integrated manner. There is no sense in part of us moving forward - we require ALL of us to be on the same page here. 

So, how would we know when our mind is not connecting in to our dreams or where this plays a part of a larger energy block? – well, for me it was when I spent most of my time feeling frustrated and not seeing the movement I would have liked to have.

In many ways our minds are the most extensive part of us because a mind is made up of and inter-connected to every dimension and layer of our beings. The physical component alone involves every cell in our bodies. 

One of the most important changes I have noticed so far with this particular cleanse is how my thinking is influenced by the presence of toxins. Once another layer lifts off, my entire world shifts into higher gear and it seems possible to get moving again.

Speaking of moving – I am off to get in some exercise – this is especially important in our lives when walking the spiritual path, not the least of which is to remove toxins, but also for proper alignment and energy flow in our body.

No matter what is happening with you – or how far you feel you have to go – each step takes you closer to that goal. You can’t get there if you don’t get going….and there’s no time like right now. 

April

Fasting & Detox - Mirror Image of the Soul

Day 8

Here I am on day 8 of the second phase of this fast on probiotic juice (Rebel Juice) and I am flying through it. For me the key really is to be busy and that is not a problem in my life. If anything I never have enough time to get all that I want to do, done!

How am I doing so far and is there anything that is different this time around….well, last time I only did 2 weeks on the juice and I felt as if I made huge inroads as far as ‘personal’ stuff was concerned, even though it was easier it was still a detox.

These past few days, I jumped back into the fasting so quickly I have all the usual detox symptoms but am still not tired or as cold as I would have been other times. I put that down to the probiotic juice I am drinking too. 

What I mean by the personal stuff, is this fast has all been about how I view myself, my own self -image, thoughts and feelings about myself. Of course, that also means all those thoughts, ideas, opinions from others who have been a part of my life with specific ideas about who I am or should be – well, all of this has to move sometime too, doesn’t it?

LOL.

So, this time around, the fast is taking me more deeply into this self-image, self perception space – actually, I feel like I am going into my very soul. This is the deepest ocean water I have ever encountered and right now I feel as if part of it might even be totally uncharted because I never know what I will find here.

Yet, I know there is this funny feeling of vague familiarity – I have been here before, but so long ago it has been nearly wiped from my memory. Perhaps for many of us, our souls are a bit like that – hugely vast expanses of space, just waiting to be explored.

I have a sense of knowing that this is the place where I will find all that I am looking for….myself - my mirror image of my soul. 

What you are seeking, is already here.

April

Barley Cove Beach, West Cork

Fasting - Healing & Sealing the Gut

Day 13

Today is another day fasting –  we are living without food and taking in only liquid drinks, but we are not without sustenance. We were just chatting about how we feel after nearly 2 weeks without solid food and the consensus is – pretty good!

This morning, when comparing how we feel right now to how we might (usually) feel during a Master Cleanse or a water fast – we all agree that we are not tired, we are generally not cold, nor are we hungry or low in energy. 

I’m not even sure we are detoxing at all because this is too easy!! LOL But, all the other signs of a detox/cleanse are there including loads of dreams, deep sleeping, huge energy patterns rising up to the surface, coated tongue, bright eyes, clear skin, a need to clear the house and so forth.

Our plan is to stop shortly for a family birthday/thanksgiving feast – some years we skip this and put it off for after Christmas, but this year we really want to celebrate. After all, I feel we have so much to be thankful for – we are healthy, moving forward and alive.

Which brings me back to why we are doing this fast using only the probiotic drinks (Rebel Juice) I make for ourselves and the market in West Cork. I wanted to see what would happen to our guts. Would they change out in terms of old bacteria leaving and dying off, more colonies of candida being brought under control, internal and outer balance with regards to gut flora overall?

After all, as a Medical Intuitive and Clinical Nutritionist, my main interest is in how these processes work and why it is so vital that we make fundamental changes when we can. Our guts are basically in charge of a lot of physical, emotional and cognitive function - so this is the single most important area in our bodies. 

And a very good reason to choose to detox. Whenever we have been exposed to antibiotics, medication and general toxins, including stress and toxic situation, our guts tend to need healing and sealing afterwards. 

Right now I am watching for signs of these changes of deep healing and internal sealing within our bodies – perhaps later this week when we go back to eating solid foods we will see the full benefits of this fast with our digestions up and running. 

But, there are little things changing already - creativity is opened up and the desire to be organized is very present - both very mental processes.

I knew this was a mind cleanse or as my son calls it, an oil change! LOL

April

Geese in the garden enjoying the sun

I. AM.FASTING. Day 7….. #amfasting

Did you know that there are studies out there stating how people who fast regularly have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugars and generally weigh less – of course all with better health?

Today is day 7 of my 'before Christmas detox' – we do this every year, so for those of you who know me and have followed along over these past few years, yes we are still detoxing, fasting and moving steadily forward towards greater and better health.

This fast, this time around is a little different however, because even though we are only taking in liquids – that liquid has changed. Usually in previous years – and throughout the year with the many fasts/detoxes/cleanses we have done, we would do a variation of the lemonade detox.

However, this past week we have been drinking only Rebel Juice (my own probiotic juice drink) and some Butterfly juice (nettle, dandelion, apple, ginger = rocket fuel) left over from the market that I do each week. And so far, things are proceeding much along the same lines with a couple of major differences, we have been noting.

First of all, Rebel Juice is a form of kvass or a fermented probiotic drink made from fruit, vegetables, whey and water or from rye bread, sourdough starter, honey and raisins. Now you know me….I took those basics and added, tweaked and changed them to make my own formulation into something, well magic! At the moment we have 4 different kinds to choose from Fruit, Honey Lemon, Lime & Apple Mint and Beetroot blend. 

So, we are enjoying our Rebel Juice each day along with herbal teas, water as well as doing salt water flushes and skin and hair detoxes with my own Rebel Foods products – sea salt hair detox and so forth.

One of the big differences we have noticed with taking in these fabulous living drinks, is in the fact that we are not cold. Any other time we have done a fast, even for one or two days, we find that we are chilly. Digesting food produces body heat, obviously!

Well, this time around, with a constant supply of probiotic drinks, full of goat’s yogurt whey lactobacillus, wild yeast, beneficial bacterial cultures and so forth – our digestion is quiet, but the heat is still on in our bodies. Which is a bonus for this time of the year!

Then, remember how I used to always have a headache/aches/pains adjustment period for the first 2 or 3 days of any fast even though I haven’t drank coffee or tea in over a decade? Well, that didn’t happen either with the Rebel Juice.

And, lastly, we are far more creative. I feel as if I just want to make things, paint, write, draw, ideas, thoughts and so forth are streaming out. So, I am doing just that. I am making lots of products for my market stall, baking Christmas puddings and cakes and anything else I can find to do. 

It’s all good so far. 

April

Jugs of Rebel Juice (Kvass) for our detox - yumm! 

Our Skin - the Source of the Energy Field

Over these past few weeks I have been busy re-examining my own mind/body/life in terms of my energy field. How this has come about is through this second part of my detox (part 2 or part 27 I can no longer tell!) where this time, I am taking the time to detox my skin.

I have actually started writing and talking about this a dozen times over the last few months only to not be able to put the right words down. So I just decided finally to ramble on about what I am feeling (that’s kind of what I do best anyway).

So….anyhow, here I am deep in the middle of a skin detox and what can I say? It is perhaps the most insightful and deepest cleanse to date. Yes, I know….the Mother (monster?) of all of them was the parasite cleanse (30 days on water, ask me about it sometime….please!).

Well, this is different altogether, I am eating, doing some fasting, working away at the various things I do and am seeing progress but in a totally new and completely different direction.

I have done the detoxes nearly as long as I have been walking this path….years and years of cleansing but the one area I had not really ever thought about to such an extent was my skin!

And it’s not that I didn’t pay attention to my skin. Years ago I stopped wearing make-up and haven’t even put so much as a moisturizer on my hands choosing instead to make my own comfrey creams etc. and use only the most natural things I can make myself.

I think I just thought my skin was being detoxed along with the rest of me (and it probably was to some extent) but clearly it wasn’t enough because I still felt toxic even after fasting for so long and clearing out my cells to the bone.

And I say this loosely….because I not only felt the toxins around me, I could ‘see’ them in my energy field along with the blocks they create. They were clearly there and quite active in my life, leaving me with no doubt they had to go.

Once I figured out I needed to also embark on a skin detox after my fasting/cleansing/clearing, it took me a few weeks to get some sort of a programme going – because this was something quite new for me.

Now you know what I have been up to over this past summer….working away at breaking down these energy blocks, removing unhealthy energy patterns and generally trying to change my life for the better – this time, through the skin and energy field that it creates.

Onwards and upwards!! (smile)

April

The Rebel - growing up!!