Fasting

Yesterday, I read that the Journal of American Medical Association found that medical treatment is the 3rd leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, respectively. That’s very disheartening, to say the least. Here’s another scary fact. Based on a study done in England in 2014, approximately 8.4% of cancer patients died within 30 days of starting chemotherapy treatment. Meaning the “cure” for cancer killed patients faster than the actual cancer. But why? Well, the “why” is simple. The ph of chemotherapy drugs is around a 3. This is the acidity of battery acid. And it goes directly into a major artery during cancer treatment. It’s absolutely crazy when you think about it. How can a healthy body process that? Not to mention a body that is already weakened. It’s like bombing an entire building just to kill rodents, then hoping that maybe a flower and some grass will grow where the building used to be. Not only is it overkill, but the fallout is more toxic than the rats. Well, I sincerly hope that neither you nor anyone you care about ever has to face the choice of undergoing chemotherapy or any other potentially dangerous treatments. But just know that there is another way and you don’t have to wait to begin. Cancer or any dis-ease can’t survive in an alkaline environment. So work on changing the environment within your body. Modern medicine is still lagging behind Mother Nature when it comes to reversing illness. Detoxification is a powerful, natural body process that can alkalize and regenerate your body. So start by eating more alkaline foods – your raw fruit and veggies. Just increasing your fruit intake will go a long way. So Alkalize, Hydrate, Clean, and Strengthen.

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

Fasting. Come on, Really? Fasting can’t be good for you. Isn’t that kind of drastic? Only fanatics go to that extreme. I thought only those weird people that live on communes did that. What would I look like telling my coworkers I can’t go to lunch because I’m  fasting. Whatever, man! Yeah, well – real people fast. It’s not crazy or far fetched or drastic. It’s actually natural and necessary. Temporarily allowing your body to address other concerns besides digestion is good for you. It’s instinctive in nature – animals do it when sick or injured and us humans are the same – we don’t have appetites when we aren’t feeling our best. That’s when our body’s intelligence kicks in and says – “I can’t eat right now, something came in last night when that kid coughed on us in line at Target – gotta deal with that first.” So when we have major issues going on, it’s a good way to get back on track and our bodies can handle it. Luckily, there are alternatives to the traditional water fast that may be more effective and easier to fit into your current lifestyle. You still might have to tell your coworkers no thanks to lunch, but who cares. You’re on a mission Let’s look at the different ways to fast:   A Fruit-Only Fast A Fruit Only Fast is where you eat only fruit for a period of time. You can eat a variety of fruit (following the rules of food combination), but it is more detoxifying to eat one type of astringent fruit for 3, 10, 20, and even 40 days. Amazing results can occur from eating grapes alone, or oranges, or grapefruits. These are the more nourishing and astringent fruits that will yield the most detoxification. Dr. Robert Morse has mentioned several times about how he has seen several types of cancers eliminated on 35, 70+ days on just grapes.     Fruit Juice Fasting Fruit Juice Fasting means eating no food and drinking only the juice of fresh fruits. This is a higher level of detoxification since the body will require only a small amount of digestive energy. Fruit Juice fasting is good for everyone wishing to detoxify, but will greatly help those with advanced health weaknesses. A combination of fruits can be used, but combining the astringent fruits together will go deeper, faster. Grape and lime juice; grapefruit, orange, and lemon juice have been two of my personal favorites on my healing journey. I experienced a noticeable reduction of swollen lymph nodes in my armpit within 7 days using orange and lime juice. What about Vegetable juice? Vegetables in general are builders and not cleaners like fruits are. Their role comes in more so after you have cleaned yourself out and are starting the process of regeneration. So yes, vegetable juices, especially green juice is extremely beneficial for your body and helps to build it back up. In my personal experience I can tell you that the fruit juices will help detoxify you more so than green juices will. I’ve spent a few days drinking nothing but mandarin orange juice and started draining mucus from my sinuses – blowing my nose constantly. Then I had a “taste” for something less sweet, thinking that it would be a change and would still expel the mucus from my head, but after drinking some fresh, organic spinach and green apple juice, the runny nose stopped and I was no longer detoxifiying at the same speed. My advise is to start with the fruit juice. If you are detoxing too fast or really have a taste for something more savory, dabble with a few leafy greens in your juice. It will still be alkalizing to your system, so still healing, but just not as detoxifying. Just keep in mind that detoxification is the key to reversing illnesses, then your body can regenerate itself.     The Master Cleanse The Master Cleanse is a detoxification method made popular by Stanley Burroughs. Also called the Lemonade diet, it combines water, lemon, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. The book advises anywhere from 10 – 40 days and recommends fruit juice for a few days to transition back into eating a mainly raw food diet. The maple syrup has natural occurring minerals and vitamins. Lemons and limes are the most astringent, detoxifying fruits, but would be unpleasant to eat; therefore, they are perfect for juicing and the Master Cleanse.     Dry Fasting Not widely practiced, but very effective is dry fasting. It involves not eating or drinking anything for short periods of time in order to kickstart the kidneys into filtering the acidic lymph in your body that is causing acidosis/disease. Dry fasting is not for everyone. It is only recommended for people who have already been doing high fruit/raw foods, fruit fasting, or juice fasting for a period of time. Starting out with a short 12 hour dry fast is pretty doable. Then you can build up to 18, 24, and 36 hours, and maybe even 72 hours if you have really been on your fruits for while. Dr. Robert Morse has found that periods of 1-2 days at a time, at the most, are enough for most people to get the kidney’s functioning. The ideal time to have prepared for a dry fast will vary widely, depending on your conditions and length of time eating alkalizing foods. I have personally performed two dry fasts, averaging about 18 -20 hours each. I didn’t feel bad at all, but didn’t want to do much. I had been doing a high fruit/raw food diet for about 2 months before attempting it and the amount of lymph that my kidneys kicked out via my urine (very cloudy) was amazing. If you have at least a month or two of fruit-only or raw food time under your belt and would like to attempt a dry fast, start slow. Here’s how to attempt your first short