The Parasite Cleanse - Part 2

Hi Folks – I cannot begin to tell you how tumultuous these last two weeks have been.  I need a wooo sah moment or just a simple vacation!!!!

I started theparasite cleanse two weeks ago with Well Diva Lifestyle (formerly known as Soul Food Therapy).  On day 2 of the cleanse, I broke rank and had ice cream (it was my birthday after all)!  The following week I had to travel for work.  Traveling has always been tricky because you never know what the food selection is going to be in the airports or at your final destination. Last year I wrote a series of articles that about diet and travel (Airplane Food parts 1 - 5). The difference in last year's saga was that I was not limited to foods parasites hat (FPH).   Most locations I visit are not metropolitan areas with a wide array of health food options.  Plus, I always use traveling as a means to get the naughty treats I normally refrain from (during a stress free week!). 

So here I go on a week long journey out of town, away from my kitchen stocked with foods parasites hate (FPH) and into the realm of foods parasites love (FPL).  I never really paid attention to the food choices (healthy or otherwise) in regards to what parasites hate.  It’s sad to say but MOST of the food available in the marketplace (restaurants and grocery stores) is a  parasite’s dream!  I wouldn’t be surprised if the general population was riddled with parasites based on the components of the standard American diet (SAD) that we consume. 

 

So how did I manage?  Did I give up?  Well…yes…and no.  Let me explain.

1 – I searched for food and snacks that parasites would hate in the airport.  It was quite disappointing and frustrating.  I found some snacks…..but they WERE NOT TASTY! I’m always talking about how healthy food should taste good but I was very disappointed and not eager to continue to torture myself.

 

2 - I stuck to my standard late night supermarket trip to pick up healthy snacks. This time, I included smoothie ingredients and a very small blender ($20).  I had a smoothie EVERY morning for breakfast but it went downhill from there. I did drink ample water and had no elimination issues.  

Late night grocery haul - berries, pineapples, nuts, basil, mint, coconut water, unsweetened peanut butter, celery, blender, water bottles, straws, crushed red pepper, lemons, small knife

 

I'm done.....EXHAUSTED........

3 – I compromised and ate foods parasites LOVE (FPL).  Examples: cheese on my salad with ranch dressing. Yeast rolls for lunch. Veggie nachos for dinner (with grilled veggies, beans, avocado, cheese and corn chips).  I had a stress episode on the last day and ate lasagna…………………and potato chips…..and a donut!

Lunch - salad with ranch and cheese - I added the nuts and pumpkin seeds

Lunch - salad, cole slaw and the forbidden potato salad

Dinner - veggie nachos (forbidden cheese and corn chips)

So I was on the edge and actually jumped in the water.  I felt slightly guilty…and even more disappointed because I did not stick to the program. I’ve rebelled during a cleanse before, but this time it just felt so hard.  Here’s what I learned:

1.       It’s really hard to remain faithful to a cleansing program while away from home.  When your comfort zone (the home kitchen) is stripped away and you are left to protect the cleanse in a “hostile” environment it can get rough.  I had difficulty and temptation even in the grocery store! I was so hungry in that grocery store a box of Nutty Bars was screaming my name!

 



Late night TEMPTATION
 



 

2.      Life happens.  You do the best you can, pick up the pieces and start again. There is no need to feel guilty or beat myself up.

3.      I’ve been exposed to another wellness activity and feel empowered that I can repeat it…..and actually complete the program.

4.      My advice to others is plan to do a cleanse when you don’t have anything else to do…no birthday celebrations, travelling, or visitors.  It can be done, but takes a lot more effort, and when you are away from home, you can never predict what type of food will be available. Granted I could have eliminated the cheese.........

 

Peanut butter and jelly smoothie ingredients (blackberries, strawberries, peanut butter, coconut water)

Pineapple, strawberry and mint with chia and coconut water

 

Infused water (lemon, mint and strawberries)

Next steps:

1.       Continue to pay attention to the foods I eat so that I can have a balance between foods parasites hate and love.

2.      Continue to eat pineapples and pepper along with the other yummy recipes I created while on the cleanse.

3.      Try the parasite cleanse again when there is less excitement in my life.

I'll leave you with key messages that have helped me:  just do your best.  Life is a journey.  Things are not always going to go as planned, but having a measure of self-control still goes a long way.  Will power is key in completing any challenge.  External forces can pressure your resolve.  It’s up to you to manage it, but don’t beat yourself up about falling short.  Just get back up and try it again. 

Even though the parasite cleanse was rocky, I’ve been enlightened on what parasitic symptoms are, how bad the standard American diet is, and how to manage my diet better.

Whew!

Peace and love!

Two Week Juice Challenge - Week 2

Hi Folks! The Two Week Juice Challenge is on it's last leg.  But there is a resounding cry to keep it going....so we will!  If you are interested in joining the group please let me know.  We are sharing recipes and encouraging each other to keep living the juicy life!

Here is a testimony from one participant: "I am having fun! I am almost replacing  dinner with a smoothie because I am just not as hungry as I was before but I feel good!! If we are alive then why don't we eat more live food? How can a living body survive on dead food? I am so encouraged to keep going and live!"

That testimony makes me so happy!  I feel the same way.  I've added in smoothies when there is no time for making juice, and for some reason I've been a hungry hungry hippo this week so I've supplemented my juice breakfast with oatmeal twice. 

Here are some of the juices/smoothies I've made this week:



Beet Juice - beets (2 large),  carrots (5), celery (12 ribs), ginger (1 inch) and lemon (1) 



Kiwi Basil smoothie - cucumber (1), banana (1), kiwi (2), orange (2), basil (1/2 bunch)

Mango Delight Juice - mango (2), pineapple (2 cups), honey dew melon (3 cups), orange (2), ginger (2 inches), cucumber (1)

Banging Broccoli Juice - broccoli (1.5 cups), pineapple (1 cup), orange (3), green apple (3), ginger (1inch), kiwi (4), basil (2 stems)

All of the juice has been packed with vitamins and minerals.  The beet juice needed 5 more carrots and the kiwi basil smoothie needed one more banana.  All others were AMAZINGLY TASTY!  I don't like torturing myself with bad tasting healthy food.  Healthy food DOES NOT have to taste bad!

I started having PMS symptoms  this week and to combat the possible hormone imbalance I tried to beef up my mineral intake by adding beets and broccoli to the party. 

What kinds of juices or smoothies have you made this week?

Peace and love!

Detoxificaiton: Liver and Onions - The Aftermath

 

Hi Folks! The liver flush is OVER!! Now, one of the first questions I had once the program was over was: “how do I know that my liver is really clean?”  I followed the prescription, but everyone has a different body and level of toxicity.  Should I have gone one more week?  I didn’t know my toxicity level prior to starting the flush.  I know I was pigging out on junk food and stressed out to the max so I’m certain some toxins were removed.  Since I’ve never done a liver flush in my thirty-something years on this earth, I know the last 5 weeks must have done my liver some good. 

Well I didn’t continue the flush.  I began to eat cooked food the evening of the last day (three spoonfuls).  But I stayed away from dairy products. 

Here’s what happened in the aftermath

 

 
1 – I didn’t feel any different physically

2 – My headaches came back – so I think I’ve acquired seasonal allergies

3 – I loss inches around my hip and belly area – I could wear my size 6 slacks again!

4 – No more bloating

 

I dropped inches and got rid of bloating

  5 - The anger dissipated

 

The anger is gone...

6 –  Brain Fog - two days later I went to a tea party and over indulged on sandwiches and quiche…….I went into the worst brain fog coma ever and was in bed knocked out cold by 7:45pm, woke up the next morning and ate VERY light.   I had no desire to eat ANYTHING heavy or cooked.  This is similar to what I experienced after the 30 day Raw Food challenge.  I had to revert back to 80% raw for about 1 week after the 30 days was over.  Cooked food made me feel heavy and sick.

Brain fog...it was terrible!

These sandwiches were dangerous.......sorry liver! I went too far!

 7 – No junk food cravings!

 

No thanks! Pass the pineapple please!!!

 

Next steps:

1 – Continue to refrain from eating dairy products and bread

2 -  Continue to juice and make smoothies

3 – Continue to drink more (water, herbal tea, water, water) and eat less! It makes a difference!

4 – Plan for the next liver flush in 6 months or so

5 – Join some fiends on a juice fast/juice challenge

6 – Continue to take hot bubble baths 2 -3 times a week

 

7 -  Monitor  what I but in an on my body.  We get toxins from house hold cleaning agents, lotions, pharmaceutical drugs and food.  I'm going to be more aware of what's going in an on my body.

Thanks for keeping up with me on the flush!!! Stay tuned for more!

 

Peace and love!

Detoxification: The Juice Fast

Hi Folks! This is day #2 of the juice fast.  I’m hanging in there. But it’s tough!  Yesterday was the first day and I had horrible headaches for most of it.  When I increased my water intake, the pain subsided a bit.  But I’m not sure if the headaches are detox symptoms or allergy symptoms….For some reason, I think I may have acquired seasonal allergies this year.  Hmmmm…..there is more to come on the allergy hypothesis!

The first day of the juice fast:

I was able to have a smoothie in the morning, but the rest of the day was filled with juice, water, herbal tea and potassium (vegetable broth).  There are no rules when it comes to the type of juice you can drink during the flush. So I’ve been operating like a juiceologist (is that a word???). Oh! I had a very small salad with greens to accompany my veggie broth for lunch.

I have a confession:  I ate three tablespoons of red beans and mashed potatoes (which are not on the approved list) last night!!!

Emotional triggers:

Since I’ve discovered/admitted that I am an emotional eater, stress triggers have been all around me (especially at work).  Normally I turn to sweets (ice cream, candy bars, etc.) but yesterday (and today for that matter), I’ve turned to my inner spirit (the Holy Spirit) to get me in check!  Three tablespoons of red beans and mashed potatoes is better than a candy bar for sure!! So I am not going to beat myself up or feel guilty about eating it.  I have too many other things going on that could beat me up….I’m not going to do it to myself!  Can I get a witness!! J

Detox symptoms from the juice fast:

1 – Headaches?

2 – Emotional irritation

3 – Hunger!!!

Here are the juice recipes:

Mean green (Juicer: Omega):

½ bunch of lacinto kale

½ bunch of dill

½ bunch of rainbow chard

½ bunch of parsley

½ bunch of dandelion

Mean green ingredeints (dill, parsley, kale, dandelion and rainbow chard)

 

A closer look at each green (note the leaf type and shape)

Omega juicer squeezing the greens

Mean green prior to dilution

Carrot Delight (Juicer: Jack LaLane):

8 Celery ribs

6 large carrots

3 golden beets

½ head of red cabbage

2 inches of ginger root

 

Juice prior to straining

 

Mean green and Carrot delight! :)

 

 

 

Peace and love!

Detoxification: Liver and Onions Part 4

Let the flush begin!!!

This week is all about the FLUSH!  I spent the last 4 weeks  preparing  for this.   I'm  finally going through with the liver flush.

Here is what this week will consist of:

Day 1  and 5 - Raw food

• Step 1 - Drink 8 oz of purified water
• Step 2 - Drink the liver gall bladder flush mix (see below)
• Step 3 - Drink liver gall bladder tea, blood detox tincture, anti parasite tincture, echinacea/golden seal tincture (this should be repeated 3 times during the day)
• Step 4 - Drink morning nutritional smoothie
• Step 5 - Consume only raw fruit and vegetables

Day 2, 3, 4 - Juice Fast

• Step 1 - Drink 8 oz of purified water
• Step 2 - Drink the liver gall bladder flush mix
• Step 3 - Drink liver gall bladder tea, blood detox tincture, anti parasite tincture, echinacea/golden seal tincture (this should be repeated 3 times during the day)
• Step 4 - Drink morning nutritional smoothie
• Step 5 - Drink fruit juice, vegetable juice herbal teas and potassium broth all day long

Day one is complete and I'm on to the juice fast.  I did not cheat yesterday!  I completed all steps with some irritation.  I WAS HUNGRY! I WANTED TO EAT MORE THAN FRUIT and VEGETABLES!  But I did not cheat - even when a co-worker began chomping on peanut M&Ms of all things!!!!!!!  I stuck to the plan as outlined! Whoop whoop!! 

Here is what I ate:

Breakfast - Nutritional smoothie (star fruit, mango, green apple, spirulina, banana, alkaline water)
Snack - banana
Lunch - Green salad (romaine lettuce, arugula, snap peas, carrots, cucumber, peppers, dried cranberries, and chick peas)
Snack - carrot sticks and grapes
Dinner - Smoothie (cherries, green grapes, avocado, fruit pulp (from juicer), alkaline water)

Here is the liver gall bladder flush mix:

• 8oz of fresh citrus juice (grapefruit, orange, tangerine, etc.)
• 8oz of purified water
• 1 - 5 cloves of garlic (start with one and increase daily)
• 1-5 tablespoons of olive oil (start with one and increase daily)
• ginger root (1 inch)

Liver gall bladder flush mix - orange, grapefruit, garlic, ginger, olive oil

Fresh juice

The mix  in the blender

Finished blend

 Here are the tincture ingredients:

Anti parasite tincture

Blood detox tincture

Echinacea and goldenseal tincture

Detoxification: Liver and Onions Part 3

Hi Folks!

I'm on week three of my pre flush regimen.  So far so good!  I have not experienced any debilitating detox symptoms like in the past.  I started having headaches last week for about 5 days straight.  I think the toxins were getting loose and  revved up! I increased my water intake and hopefully flushed them out.

I also have less bloating and can fit into pants that I was not able to wear just two weeks ago!!!!! Awesome sauce!!!

I've  added probiotics back in to my regimen because the bloating I was experiencing prior to starting the flush was connected to my gut flora being out of control.  Probiotics help put the gut flora back into balance and decrease the daily bloating (gas forming) parties that bad bacteria like to have.  Ever seen your belly grow 3 more sizes through out the day leaving you feeling like a pig in a blanket?   Well that was me.

Gut bacteria

I've also been taking a natural supplement that helps move my bowels.  When you detox, toxins are eliminated from your body by various mechanisms.....bowel movements are one way.  And since the liver is an important part of digestion, you have to keep the bowels moving.  This is another product  from Herbal Bush House I've added to my daily regimen.

Natural colon cleanser: cape aloe leaf, barberry root, cascara sagrada (say whaaat??), garlic bulb, rhubarb, black walnut, cayenne pepper

My cravings for refined sugar have decreased and I'm able to quench my sweet tooth with fruit and hibiscus and cinnamon tea.  Alright now!!  I'm taking baths 2-3 times per week, exercising regularly, consuming more living foods and dry brushing my skin.  Overall I've been able to clean up my diet and I'm excited about the second part of the flush although I'm still a bit leery of what detox symptoms I may face.

Stay tuned!! :)

Peace and love!

Detoxification: The Liver

The liver is an extremely important organ. It is vital to our health.  Without it our bodies could not function properly.  I never paid much attention to my liver until I started on this natural journey.  I've learned that purging your liver of toxins is a must and should be done at least once per year. Here are a few amazing facts about the liver.

1. The liver performs over 500 functions
2. It is critical to metabolism of carbs, fats and proteins
3. It weighs approximately 4 pounds
4. It can manufacture 13,000 chemicals and has 2,000 enzyme systems
5. The liver can break down hormones like cholesterol, testosterone and estrogens
6. It processes all food, nutrients, alcohol, drugs and anything else that enters the bloodstream by letting them pass, breaking them down or by storing them. 
7. The liver breaks down toxins ingested with our food. But if the liver becomes too congested to enzymatically process nutrients we cannot get the benefit from eating nutritious food.

Now do you see why we have to help keep it going strong?

Foods/practices that are compatible with the liver:

1. Drink lots of water (include lemon)
2. Fresh vegetable and fruit juices - especially carrot and beet juices
3. Raw foods (no preservatives)
4. Dandelion
5. Fresh fruits and vegetables (apples, celery, asparagus, prunes)
6. Spices such as ginger, turmeric, rosemary and licorice
7. Regular bowel movements

Things that can harm the liver include:

1. Overeating
2. Processed and imitation food
3. Low protein, high fat diet  (which include fried foods and  saturated fats)
4. Excessive alcohol use, drugs, tobacco and caffeine
5. Insecticides, preservatives and other toxins

Toxins are just not found in our food, we get them from the environment too.  That's why even if you have a clean diet, dextoxing or flushing our your liver is necessary.

I'm so excited about finally detoxing my liver.  I'm a bit scared about what is going to happen during the actual flush since my liver hasn't been "cleaned" almost 35 years! I think I'll go into seclusion that week! Have mercy!

I want to encourage you to start thinking of ways to live a healthier life.  You don't have to give up anything....just start ADDING the good stuff like: more water, more fruit, more exercise, etc.  By the time you know it, your body will be so full of goodies, it won't have room for any junk.  Note: this little pep talk is for me too!!

This week, think of ways to increase your water intake. Just water....your liver will thank you for it!  Tell me how it goes!! :)


Peace and love!

References:
1 - Digestive Wellness - Elizabeth Lipski
2- Natural Remedies Encyclopedia - Vance Ferrell and Harold Herne, M.D.

Detoxification: Liver and Onions Part 2

Spring is on the way! I can feel it in my bones, even though the temperature was only 42 degrees in the North East yesterday. I cleaned out some (not all) spiritual dirt by participating in the Daniel Fast.  Now it's time to clean out my liver........again!  I started a liver flush in October 2013, but it got derailed because I caught a cold.  It's time to try it again!

Here is what the flush is composed of:

Week 1 - 3: preparation

1. Drink Burdock Root tea every morning (2 cups)
2. Drink Liver/Gall bladder tea every other day (4-6 cups)
3. Drink Detox tea every other day (4-6 cups)
4. Drink Dandelion tea every night (1 cup)

Week 4:  The Flush.......

1. Purifying raw food (2 days)
2. Juice fast (3 days)

Based on my previous detox experiences (dry brushing, 30 Day Raw Food), I surmise that week 4 will be a doozy!  I have never truly prepared myself for a detox...I just jump into it, and 75% of the time I got hit with serious detox symptoms.  Some symptoms include joint pain, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, irritability and extreme fatigue.

This will be the first time I'm actually preparing my self.  So far, so good.  I'm on day #4 and coupling it with dry brushing.  There are so many teas to drink, I don't have belly room for junk!

Liver cleansing is key to a healthy body.  I'm embarking upon this journey again, with hopes of seeing it through till the end.  Pray church!! :)

The Liver Gall Bladder tea contains: dandelion, barberry, chamomile, yellow dock, fringtree and peppermint.

The Flush tea contains: alfalfa, blackberry leaf, myrtle leaf, uva ursi, rosehips, nettle, juniper berries, licorice root, sage.

I'm hoping to FINALLY get rid of my dry skin, bad circulation, night sweats, cravings, and skin discoloration.  Oh...and joint pain! It's all about giving my liver a HUMONGOUS hug and kiss!

If you have allergies, body odor, cravings, dry skin, joint pain, night sweats, varicose veins, bad PMS, low energy, constipation, insomnia....try cleaning out your liver.  Drinking herbal tea and eating clean food will do NOTHING but improve your health.

As usual I have my detox journal primed and ready to capture the "fun" so......stay tuned!!!

Peace and love!

More snacking on the Daniel Fast: HUMMUS!

Hi Folks!  This Daniel Fast has taken me on a journey that I did not expect.  One of the foods that I've been consuming the most is HUMMUS!  I've always loved this wonderfully nutritious dip, but could never make it pleasing enough to my palate.  Well....I've mastered the recipe and have even remixed it into a smoked out spicy version!

Chickpeas are the base of this amazing food. I think they are the most versatile legume (besides the soybean). 

Today I'm sharing the standard recipe that can be remixed to yield multiple flavors.

Classic Hummus:
2 cups of chick peas (freshly soaked and boiled)
3-5 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of sesame tahini
salt (to taste)
fresh garlic cloves (to taste)

Here's how I made it:

Step 1 - Gather all ingredients. Note the chickpeas have been soaked and boiled. 

Ingredients

Step 2 - Blend all ingredients.  Add enough water to keep the blender going.  I actually prefer a food processor over a blender.  I can reach the desired consistency easier.


All ingredients put into the blender

Step 3 - Enjoy!!!

Finished product on red bell peppers with garnished with paprika

Add cilantro, cayenne pepper or chitpotle seasoning to spice it up!  I've been eating hummus EVERYDAY! LOVE IT! It fills me up with out the guilt!


What are your favorite hummus recipes?  I would love to expand my hummus repertoire.


Peace and love!