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Often times we get so eager to get on the other side of our health concerns that we are willing to try all the new things that the latest research has to offer or go straight for the most drastic change so that we can get back to our bad habits as fast as possible. We want to get to that advanced point on our path so badly, that we don’t always spend the time preparing and building the foundation to sustain the improvements that can eventually be achieved. Not only do we have to change the way we eat, but the way we think about healing and medicine. We can spend money and time on the latest tea, exercise routine, and super food, or prescription, but if we haven’t fully rooted ourselves in the basics of detoxification and health regeneration, we will still not realize our most desired goal of complete healing.   The lesson that keeps presenting itself for me to learn is that – like it or not, and despite what I want to believe, the reality is that I am still working on the foundation of my health. And many of us are. There is no short cut. And unfortunately many of us aren’t willing to accept the amount of work and commitment that’s required to build that foundation. New cells are being created in our bodies constantly. But if those cells are built with inferior material the foundation and structure will still be weak.   So the work must be done.   Let’s do our part to understand and practice the basic principles of detoxification. Nature will do the rest:   Acid/Alkaline: Healthy balance within the body comes down to the basic chemistry of acidity and alkalinity. To be healthy our bodies must have an alkaline environment (ph of 7.3 +/-). If you are too far below this then you are chronically acidic. An acidic body environment will result in damaged cells, cancers, tumors, inflammation, parasites, etc. Think of acid in its typical definition – something very hot that can burn, melt, distort, and harden. You don’t want anything like that going on inside you. If you are experiencing chronic or persistent health issues in the body, then you are more than likely acidic. Lymphatic Stagnation and Kidney Filtration: If you are acidic it usually comes down to two variations of the same problem: stagnation of the lymph in the body or the failure of the kidneys to adequately move the lymph to the bladder for urination. It may show up in different parts of the body based on an individual’s specific weaknesses or vulnerabilities, but it all comes down to the same thing: the acids can’t get out. The lymphatic system carries the acidic, metabolic waste to the kidneys. It is a complicated highway in the body that is 3X larger than the blood vessel network. If the lymph can’t move to the kidneys or if the kidneys can’t process the lymph out the body, the acids back up and start to burning tissue and damaging cells. Clean: To reverse an acidic environment you have to balance the body with alkaline foods (and thoughts!) and support the kidneys and the lymph system to regain their highest functionality. The foods to eat are the ones that are highest in alkalinity: Fruits and Vegetables. Fruits clean and vegetables help strengthen. For lymph movement you want to mainly clean with fruit, but strengthen at the same time with medicinal herbs and some vegetables. Amazingly for us Mother Nature made these foods easy to eat and readily accessible. They grow up from the ground or they fall off the trees for us to pick up when they have the highest nutritional value. That’s why a high fruit, raw food diet yields the best results in reversing disease. It was divinely designed that way. It can take 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year or even longer to turn a severely acidic body back to alkaline, but you will feel the difference a lot sooner. The foods to avoid are the acid foods and the worst offenders are dairy, animal protein, processed foods and processed sugars. Strengthen: You can support the lungs, kidneys, liver, endocrine system, digestion/elimination system and the nervous system with herbs (nature’s first pharmaceuticals) that increase their function. I will be doing an extensive list on these herbs in the next few posts.   Back to Basics. Back to Nature. Back to Health. It can’t be avoided so you might as well get started! Happy Detoxing Tamera

Happy 4thof July! Holidays are those times when all of the things we love come together – good food and family & friends. But when you’ve decided to change your eating to elevate your health, holidays can be a little tricky. I mean, first of all, there’s just so much delicious food involved. Then you may have friends and family that are skeptical or even flat out against your choice to change your diet and detox yourself with “just fruit and veggies”. There will also be those who don’t oppose it, but just won’t understand why you aren’t drinking a beer or eating a hot dog or hamburger at the backyard barbeque. So, do decline and stay at home, bring your own food, or go and eat nothing at all and more than likely have to explain your choices? I think us Detoxers fall into Three General Categories at times like these: The person getting ready to begin their detox, the beginner that’s only a few days into their detox plan, and then the detoxer that has already gotten a week or two at least of detoxing under their belt. How you handle the celebrations depends on which one you are. 1) Just Getting Ready to Start. If you haven’t yet started your transition diet at all or if you want to go cold-turkey on a raw food, fruit or juice detox and haven’t begun yet, then I would say wait until after the holiday to start. Yep! That’s right – I’m suggesting you go right ahead and eat whatever you want (within moderation). Most will tell you not to postpone your health – no matter what is on the calendar. And I agree in theory, but I’ve been there too many times to agree with that in practice. Many people (I am one of them) need to feel like they have gotten certain tastes out of their system before making a drastic change. If that’s you too, then wait. There’s no sense in feeling like you’ve deprived yourself of a gathering with friends and all the traditions of the holiday. However, after the festivities please don’t continue to postpone your detox. Give yourself permission to enjoy the Holiday and then start your detox plan with solid commitment and without looking back. Also, if you are dealing with a difficult health condition then understand that a heavy, mucus-forming meal will probably worsen your condition. In your case delaying the detox isn’t the best solution. You may still need to sit this celebration out even if you haven’t started your official detox plan. 2) Beginning to Detox. If have already started your raw food, fruit fast, or juice fast detox– like in the first few days, I will suggest that you kindly decline any and all invitations that will expose you to comfort foods and things that will tempt you. In the first few days of a detox, your mind will be playing tricks on you and tell you it’s ok to eat the baked beans, chicken wings, and cole slaw. “Just a bite. It won’t throw me off that bad”. Do yourself a favor and avoid the temptation. If you’ve already made it through the first day or two of a detox – keep the momentum going. Unless you have the will of steel – the temptation can be too much. Only you know your state of mind. But I say give your mind a chance to get solidly in sync with your intentions before testing yourself. If staying away completely isn’t an option. Then a good work around would be to eat your food at home, then join the gang later for only the fireworks display. Or take a fruit spread over to the location before the cooking begins, say hello to everyone and make your excuses before the aromas from the grill get started. If the festivities are at your home and there’s no escape, make sure you have plenty of fruit and veggie options on hand. It will be tough, but you CAN do it. 3) Detox Pro. If you are at least a week or two into your detoxification plan, feeling good and determined to see it through, then you are pretty much out of the danger zone. Congratulations! That means you can be amongst all the temptation and not only resist, but not feel like you are missing out on anything. Your fruit and veggies are all you want and need. That’s the detox “high” and it’s a beautiful place to be. You now have a lot of options. Here are few suggestions: Bring Fruit to the gathering – it’s the dead of summer and it’s hot as hellfire. Since fruit is so light and refreshing, it’s easy to chill your favorite fruit, slice it up and serve it on a platter. Since fruit is often on the menu at outdoor barbeques, you’ll fit right in. No one will notice that you didn’t grab any ribs. Make a gallon or two of infused fruit water. (How amazing was the first spa that introduced us to cucumber water.) Explore all kinds of fruit combos here – grapes & apples, kiwi & strawberry, coconut & pineapple, lemon& blueberries, etc. Just slice the washed fruit in the water and refrigerate overnight. To add even more flavor and color, splash in a bit of fresh fruit juice. You’ll be the barbeque rock-star! Make your favorite raw salad and bring enough for everyone. Make sure to include the veggies that truly satisfy and fill you up. For me that’s avocado, raw nuts, sweet bell peppers, and cucumbers, but the possibilities are endless. This makes going to the barbeque stress-free and you’ll likely avoid the “why aren’t you eating meat” question. And undoubtedly, there will also be other guests that will thank you for the tastier, more filling alternative to the typical carrot and celery sticks. Again, the barbeque rock-star! So whatever you do, do it guilt-free. It’s not selfish

When I had my 1stmigraine years ago I thought I was blacking out. There were bright lights flashing inside the corner of my eyes that gradually moved to fill my complete line of site. I was terrified. It wasn’t until afterward that I realized it was a classic migraine. I’ve only had about 2 that I can identify, but I am one of the lucky ones. There are some staggering statistics on people suffering from migraines and severe headaches: According to migraines.com70% of people that suffer from migraines are women; 25% of people that have migraines have more than one per week; and 47% of people with diagnosable migraine symptoms actually thought they had a tension or sinus headache. I know I have definitely complained about a tension headache while detoxing. So what in the world is a migraine really? Well, that’s a great question, because it manifests differently for everyone; but for sure – no one who has ever had one will say it’s a simple headache. They are categorized by severe head pain that is usually accompanied by other symptoms. Sometimes it’s a true stabbing pain, dull throbbing, or fireworks inside your eyes. Some people get dizzy, nauseous or completely incapacitated. The main question is how to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of migraines? Looking at it from a detoxification standpoint, the body is trying to tell us that we have an acidic condition in our head and neck region. In an alkaline and balanced state – our overall goal with detoxification – the body does not experience pains, spasms, inflammation, or congestion because there is nothing blocking the flow of energy. However, when the body is dealing with chronic pain and inflammation (internally or externally) in a certain area we can make the connection to the underlying cause of the congestion or blockage to try to reverse it. Clear the Sinuses: Try to get your sinuses drained to release mucus congestion in your head. This is easier said than done and can take time, but if your lymphatic system in your head is backed up then you will experience tension headaches, non-popping of your ears, and an increase in the discomfort of migraines. There is an intricate network of lymphatic roadways in your head and neck region whose purpose is to carry mucus and other metabolic waste away from your brain and ultimately to your kidneys to be filtered out through the urine. If you have a stiff and knotty neck then you have stagnant lymph that isn’t draining and has nowhere to go. Go ahead, right now, and feel around your neck area and see if you can feel groups of little hard knots along the tendons and muscles that run from your head to your shoulders. If you have these then the acidic metabolic waste within your lymphatic system in this area is starting to crystalize and harden. Are they more pronounced on one side than the other? This can let you know which kidney is filtering slower than the other. Kidney filtration and Lymphatic drainage can be addressed by starting to detox – with fruits mainly, and also veggies and herbs that support the kidneys (parsley, dandelion, corn silk, juniper berry, couch grass, horsetail, stinging nettle leafto name a few). Increase circulation: Get the energy moving in the head and neck region. Dr. Robert Morse recommends neural lymphatic massage (clockwise) on either side of the spine in the neck and upper back area to increase the energy flow to the nerves that connect to the brain and sinuses. You can also start doing a gentle, but frequent massage of the neck and shoulders, kneading those knotty areas (if you have them) as you go through your day to try and loosen up the crystallized acids. Exercise will also increase circulation and move lymphatic waste, but start slow and build your endurance. Yoga, walking, swimming, are all excellent and low impact. Clean the Digestive Tract: Once I started learning about detoxification, I was amazed at how the head and intestines are so closely connected. These two systems are on opposite ends of the developing embryo and are among the first to develop shortly after fertilization. It’s no wonder that a headache in the front of the head tends to indicate a stomach issue. Or perhaps you have experienced a headache after an unpleasant bout of diarrhea or constipation. This studyconnected constipation with headaches in school children. More specific to migraines – there have been studies that show the relationship between problems with the digestive system and the occurrence of migraines. According a 2006 report for BMC Gastroenterology, people that suffer with IBS are 40% to 80% more likely to also suffer from migraine, fibromyalgia, and depression in comparison to people without IBS. So with plenty of supporting evidence, a detox to help clean the digestive system would be extremely helpful. Start by mixing one teaspoon of fiber with plenty of water about 2 hrs after dinner to start pulling those toxins out. Also try one of these detox dietswith natural fiber to strengthen and clean the digestive system. Natural Pain and Spasm Control: If you can consider that at their core migraines are spasms of vascular tissue in the brain, we can superficially deal with the symptoms to help manage the immediate discomfort and pain. Try one of these: St. John’s Wort, Valerian root, cramp bark, and scullcap to name a few. Or find a good herbal blend like Dr. Robert Morse’s Spasm Calm. (FYI – I am not an affiliate for Dr. Morse’s herbal formulas and do not earn any commissions for recommending their products. However, I HIGHLY recommend that you try them!) If you are migraine suffer, consider doing a detox and trying herbs to minimize your symptoms. Also get those sinuses drained, and start a low impact and low stress exercise program. You deserve to be free of that migraine prison! Happy Detoxing! Tamera

So, after thinking about it, reading up on it, and being consumed with knowing you need to, you’ve finally, FINALLY made the commitment to begin your Detox. You’ve already prepared for the next couple of days or so for the type of detox you’re ready for – whether you’re eating fruit, drinking juice, or eating salads and raw food. You know the first 3-5 days are going to be the toughest – mentally and physically, but you’re ready. Day 1 and Day 2 go as planned. You wanted to cheat but you didn’t. Awesome determination. But then on Day 3 it happens – one of the most stressful days in a long time gets dropped in your lap. What do you do? THAT WAS ME ON DAY 3 OF MY JUICE FAST LAST WEEK! I had to make a difficult decision and neither option felt right. The juice fasting already had me feeling some pressure in my head (loosening the congestion), but the stress of the decision was making it that much worse. So how did I deal with the additional stress when my body was starting the all-important work of detoxification – an already uncomfortable process? Here’s what I did: 1) FRESH AIR AND NATURE. I went outside and walked around the trees. The outside air and sunshine seemed to immediately bring the stress down at least one notch for me. I was amazed by the beauty in nature that never fades, no matter what we have going on in our lives. 2) BREATHING. I leaned against one of the trees and just started breathing in long, deep breaths. This eased the tension in my head as well as slowed my heartbeat. I’ve learned and taught several breathing techniques as a yoga student and teacher, but the tried and true practice of just breathing in on 4 breaths and breathing out on another 4 breaths will do wonders for stress. 3) DRANK. It could be juice or water for you, but I needed the comfort of warm herbal tea. I made a cup of dandelion tea, but peppermint, chamomile, or lavender will work as well. You want to keep flushing out the toxins, but also those herbal teas in particular are good for relaxation and digestion. And there’s just something about warm tea that makes you feel caressed and cared for as you slowly sip it. 4) PRIORTIZED. I realized the most important thing to me is my health. So I stayed the course. It’s so easy to give up on our plans to detox, or exercise, or just eat better when life gets in the way. But life is going to be stressful at times no matter what you intended or planned. And although the process of detoxification can amplify that stress, I had to weigh what I was feeling and experiencing at the time with the reward of better health in my future. I know that a cleaner body and mind will help me better deal with stress in general. So if you experience stress during your detox, don’t give up. You can still move through those first few difficult days of detoxification. Try getting close to nature, breathing exercises, warm herbal teas, and most importantly, keep your health goal in mind. P.S. And if you’re wondering how I handled the big decision? Well, I decided not to make any big moves. It meant saying NO to something I thought I always wanted, but actually saying YES to what I want most of all. My priorities had indeed changed and keeping my health front and center was my north star to the best decision for me. P.S.S. If you’re wondering what juices I’ve been drinking during my detox – Watermelon and lemon. Delicious! Happy Detoxing! Tamera detoxyourway.com

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It seems to never fail that when I get going on a good, consistent stretch of following my detoxification plan (fruit for breakfast and lunch, then a salad or at least raw food for dinner), my will power is tested. This past week I was sequestered with my co-workers for a departmental retreat and I have to confess that I “cheated”. I had every intention of being strong. I was packed & prepared! Since I was riding in a car and not flying, I thought it would be a cinch. I brought my juicer, 4 bags of apples, 2 bags of grapes, a small bag of lemons, and my special blend of herbal tea. But then on Day 2 of the retreat, there were homemade brownies for dessert. UH-OH! I couldn’t resist! I ate two of them. And oh, man, they were delicious! Then another whammy – that evening, the owner of the company had a large dinner prepared for us and guess what? I ate some garlic potatoes and asparagus . Not bad, but not the raw food I had been eating. The next morning, I didn’t feel my best and I desperately wanted to get back on track.   So how am I recovering from this “cheat”? 1) Not calling it a cheat. What I did was slow down my body’s natural detoxification process. Cooked foods and refined sugar are acidic and cause mucus and lymph congestion, and can be especially harmful in an already congested system. Eating it requires my body to work extra hard to digest and find the nutrition in it, essentially stopping the detoxification momentum I had built up beforehand. 2) I’m taking my fiber daily. The fiber will help pull the toxic food wastes out of my colon. I want to make sure to keep everything moving. 3) I got back on my juicing and detoxification foods the very next morning. Back to my fruit and salads! 4) Most importantly – I left the guilt behind. I was disappointed that two brownies could bring me to my knees, but what I am grateful for is that I had been eating so good for so long that the brownies and cooked food made me feel sick! Yay! Confirmation that the detoxification program is working. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have even noticed the discomfort the next morning. I’m sharing my temporary relapse so that you know that it happens. But to also let you know that the only really bad move would be to allow one day of getting sidetracked be an excuse to go crazy and eat everything you feel deprived of. Don’t get mad with yourself, just get recommitted! Just start the next day with the end goal in mind again – cleaning and strengthening your body. And then the next day, start again. And then the day after that, start again if you need to. And so on. Staying committed to your end goal doesn’t mean perfection. It means consistency! So keep going! Tamera at Detox Your Way detoxyourway.com

I’ve been asked by a lot of people to create an ebook or course on Detoxification and share my story as well. I’d been a little reluctant to do so however, since I’d really have to put myself out there with a detox course. And especially by telling my personal journey. But I realized there is a greater need for education about How to Regain Health that’s bigger than my desire to stay in the background. I want to help others and that requires more “me” – not fear. So I am putting the finishing touches on a Detox Course to help others that have been struggling in silence for years and years like me. But I need your input to make the course the best it can be! With the goal of helping as many people as possible and in exchange for your honest feedback throughout the course, I want to offer my 1st version of the course to my readers (you!) for only $85. If you want to sign up for the course (no payment now), please CLICK HERE. The 2-week course of Daily online lessons will be available at the end of March and will cover the following: Health Deterioration Major Processes of the Body Alkalinity and Health Where are you Now? Why You Must Detox Fasting and Diets for Detoxification Creating a Plan for Yourself Healing Crises Detoxing and your Everyday Life Rebuilding Life after Detoxification PLUS.. Downloadable worksheets BONUSES to assist in your Detox! The cost of the course to you is only $35. The cost to the general public will be more. So if you want to sign up for the course (no payment now), please CLICK HERE. Thanks and look out for more information on the class in the next few days! Good Health to You!