Sweet End to Sugar Blues! ~ Begin the Year of the Water Dragon!

January 23, 2012 at 8:37 pm (Ayurveda, Nutrition)

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR of the WATER DRAGON!!! Today I am taking a giant step in will power and self love. I am taking a stance on sugar. Today marks my first day without.  In my mid 20′s I successfully removed sugar COMPLETELY from my diet for 3 years! That was the main step in curing my body of the eczema which penetrated my body from head to toe. Perhaps I have been hesitant to remove sugar again for fear of being without for another 3 years.  But as they say in 12 step: One Day At A Time. <3 

Yesterday on Facebook, I summoned my community for support in the form of advice and examples of success. Perhaps you will enjoy this edited thread of my favorite responses!

I really gotta stop eating sugar. Now that I’ve kicked Gluten, I’ve started compensating with chocolate bars and Gluten free cookies..(Mmmmmm at east west cafe!).. Help me with alternatives, please!
    • Often when I am craving something sweet, my body is really telling me it wants high-quality protein.
    • fruit
    • I pretty much never eat sugar. It makes me feel horrible. I used to be a sucker for the gluten free cookies at coffee catz. I weighed about 10 lbs more then, than I do now. But maybe I lost weight due to the lack of cocktails in my diet…
    • ME: Thx, good suggestions. I eat tons of protein AND STILL crave cookies. It’s the Dang ones at East West!
    • Being sober ive been craving sugar like mad. Instead I go for exotic fruits kiwis mangos star fruit guavas passion fruit etc.. when i eat them i sit and enjoy every bite. The craving goes byby and i feel very sustained.

    • I find it’s better not to choose substitutes, but instead learning to eat things which just don’t have sugar or attempt to imitate sugar. That way your body just gets used to eating a different way, and you don’t have to go searching Whole Foods, etc. for gluten/sugar free this or sugar free that; you just end up habitually choosing foods which satisfy you as is. It takes a while to adjust tho.
    • P.S. Try carrying around raw/unsalted almonds for a while. When your craving hits, have a few. Also, drink more water or tea… you will get past these cravings, it takes a bit to adjust, but I think it took me only a month. The more sugar “gluten-free” stuff like muffins/cookies you eat, the more your body thinks you are missing out…

    • ME: Thx for the inspiration. I cut out sugar for 3 straight years once. I think um afraid of doing that again.
    • ANNE: ditto! But did you know that maple syrup is an alkaline food. Love it. Morning breakfast: cut up fruit (i like apples pears and bananas) with ground flax seed and chunks of coconut butter and a little drizzle of the maple syrup. YUM – add nuts if ya wanna.

      Saturday at 1:56pm · Unlike · 2
    • ANNE: Oh and ice cream: frozen bannana + frozen coconut butter + blender = YUM
    • Smoothie with frozen bananas, raw cacao powder and your choice of milk. SO satisfying….you’ll never go back.

    • Also, mango with fresh whipped cream. I also always carry a little squeeze bottle of liquid stevia in my purse and it makes me feel I have a special sweetener just for me…

    • IVA: Also, I find the taste of sour ( cultured veges, pickles, lemon ) to really change the craving for sugar ) Also TAP/ EFT ~ Even though I have this craving for sweets RIGHT NOW, I respect myself and choose something healthier for me…. this craving…(let me know if you need more info on tapping)

    • TRIYA I like the psychological approach: “What’s right about eating sugar?” or describing what benefits you receive from eating it. Exploring avenues of what needs are not being met and how eating sugar helps to meet them.

    • RADHA: i gave up sugar for new years and discovered sugar cookie sleigh ride tea from celestial seasoningsat the Davis Co Op – yum

    • BRUCE: blueberries and almond butter. Yum.

    • ME: Wow! We are off to a great start! Thx! Ready to implement. Also… Had no wedding cake OR frosting at the wedding I just worked at all day. ;)

    • ALYX: We should start a ‘getting off of sugar and staying that way’ group.
    • ME: Alyx, I will star that group! ♥
    • ME: what should we call it?
    • How to Sweetly Say No to Sugar
    • am I emphasizing sweet too much?
    • TRIYA: Sweeeeeeeeeeet

    • RADHA: Sweet. Am 2+ weeks in.

    • ELIZABETH: Haven’t eaten sugar for a good 6 months. My little treats are dehydrated organic cherries, dried mango or any fresh fruit. The first two weeks of not eating sugar are pretty tough. But once you get past that hump it is easy. Sometimes I smell the food or cookie I would want and then just pass it over. I went on a cruise with my family and didn’t eat any sugar at all. And believe me there were goodies to eat…
      Also, good to remember sugar shuts the immune system down for 4 hours! That alone will keep you away from it…

    • Wow Elizabeth!! Good new fact to know!! That will REALLY help :)

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Tribute to my Tri Yoga Teacher Kashi, student of Kali Ray

June 29, 2011 at 6:09 am (Dharma & Tibetan Buddhist Teachings, Meditation, Yoga)
Tags:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUwsaiz_suk&feature=related
Dearest Kashi,

I am looking forward to our teacher training this weekend! Of all the systems I have studied and been trained in, this one by far exceeds my previous understanding of yoga. I revere the depth, accuracy, intricate details, importance of every single movement and transitions, and very distinctively the beautiful mudras.

I am also going to work on getting to class on time so that I can start having complete integrity in my practice and learn the nuances from beginning to end of a complete practice, while benefiting!

I am truly learning so much from this system of yoga. I am astounded by the nuances of what I feel and experience in my body. Last week in one of the long burning asanas (at least usually it’s an effort to stay in), I experienced a buoyancy which was beyond the body. This is where meditation, subtle inner energies, pranayam all come into play. I imagined that this was the magic unfolded in arts such as Qi Gong where people “fly” or jump to great heights to no effort. I suddenly realized that Levitation must actually be a possible practice. Something was holding me in place that was not muscle, but a deep lightness in my being that was steady and focused and open to divine energy.

Thank you. And then in last Friday’s class, I literally had tears well up in such deep gratitude. Seeing your beautiful loving face and eyes, the ease and peace in your presence where you meet me, the student, honoring my own divinity, seeing me with such deep love and care…. I had a surge of gratitude, such deep thankfulness for this incredible practice and the possibilities that lie within. I literally thanked God, Inner Guru, Buddha, Whoever was listening and all that is for that sacred awakening and the golden opportunity to be practicing right now in this moment. I felt all my Karma aligned to give me this gift and I even thanked whatever passed lives that forwarded me this wonderful gift of Karma for this practice, this Particular practice. Tri Yoga is an incredible and complete system which surprises me at every turn. I am literally amazed every class at what new, and not even subtle thing there is to learn! Yes, subtle wonders await at every class, but even the new advanced postures I have never seen are such fun surprises when you show us! You are a gem! I love you! I absolutely love this practice!

xo!
Rachel

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Easy 1-2-3 Toxic Free Home ;o)

May 3, 2011 at 10:45 am (Uncategorized)

Fragrance. Seems so benign, but what’s really behind this word?  When used on labels this word legally allows companies to use any chemical (even illegal and banned chemicals) under the Trade Secret Act.

The Eco trend even has the most conscious environmentalists confused when they shop.  So many products say “Natural” and list a host of benign essential oils, and yes, Rose geranium is probably benign, but… why then at the end of the list does it say “natural fragrance”?  This loophole permits the use of other additives. Why might a product need other ingredients when this shampoo obviously has just listed all the organic proteins and things a hair could need? Well from the sellers point of view there are cheap ways to preserve the product (preservatives), but even worse, they try to make the scent last longer when used and thus add chemicals which are often neuro-toxins.

WHICH products use “Fragrance”? And is it possible to find products without it? YES, you can! :)

  • Detergents:  I like 7th Generation (the idea that we think 7 generations ahead when we buy) and Planet. Many exist.
  • Fabric Softener: one of the worst products. Make your own (click this link)
  • Soaps
  • Hair Products:  Fragrance free shampoos are made by Jason and Earth Rite.  However, there are hair products which use essential oils and do not use any perfumes or additives (just check the label and avoid it if it has the word fragrance)
  • Cleaning Supplies: Alternatives: Vinegar/Oxyclean/Baking soda (NOT mixed together!) Make your own household cleaners! Use vinegar and water mix to spray/clean mirrors.   Pour a cup of distilled white vinegar in the toilet bowl.  Use baking soda or Bon Ami to scrub sinks/tubs/tile.   Baking soda with lemon juice makes a bleach for stains on counters (be careful! use gloves to prevent burning your hands).
  • Gardening options (instead of pesticides, instead of rodent poison):  Plant marigolds which attract good bugs to eat the bad bugs.  Please post your advice below!  Soapy water causes bugs to suffocate because the soap doesn’t allow them to breathe through their shell.  Just spray plants with a mixture of biodegradable dishwashing liquid and water. ;)

Check out other great articles on Eco Girl Blog.

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Eczema, Psoriasis and Rheumatoid Arthritis

May 3, 2011 at 9:39 am (Nutrition)

Believe it or not, these ailments all have the same remedy (variations between them are ever so slight).

In my early 20′s I had eczema so bad that at one point I had to soak myself in water just to peel off my clothes.  At a chiropractors office I picked up a book called  “Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative”  By John A Pagano.  There was a small chapter on Eczema, but there was barely any difference in the treatment between the two.  I followed the book to a precise “T” and within 2 months the eczema had disappeared from the surface of my skin.   The discomfort I still felt inside my body took longer to change, but seeing results kept me persistent on my program until the transformation stabilized and I had vitality I had never known nor had ever imagined possible.

I am going to, for the first time, account my story here for the general public (stay tuned for a future post link here).  Everyone I have recommended this healing journey to, who has followed it strictly, has benefited, ridding themselves from any of the ailments in this title.  I can name one friend who had eczema and my partner who had both psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.  What causes eczema? (future post link here)

This is the recipe for healing that worked for me:

1. Diet (eliminate inflaming foods): Start slowly if you must, but you must if you wish to see results. Say nice things to yourself ;)   NO nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers or tobacco), sugar (too acidic), alcohol, coffee (too astringent), chocolate, fried foods, bread or processed grains. YES lemon juice, RAW olive oil on foods (omegas are NECESSARY, lots of raw oils only), Leafy Greens! Limited amounts of egg. Fish is better than other meats (lots of omegas).

2. Get a colonic aka colon hydrotherapy. This removes plaque build up in the colon

3. Do a cleanse and start eating superfoods (super blue green algae is what was available to me at that time)

4. Acidopholus, Co Q 10

5. Read the book and LOOK AT THE PHOTOS> If you don’t see what eczema/psoriasis is going to look like as it heals, you won’t know you’re healing. You’ll think you’re getting worse. So WATCH the healing process and cross reference to pictures in the book.

6. Journal every day 2xday:  Describe a. how your body feels b. your moods c. your bowel movements

7. At the end of 2 months you will look back through your journal and realize there have been changes.  We can’t tell our hair is growing until it’s so long it’s in our eyes. Only then do we suddenly realize it’s long.  Same with health and healing. Not until you reach a certain amount of change will you even notice you’ve changed!… so make sure to keep track to keep you motivated!

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A fresh new ancient perspective…. Tibetan Buddhist meditation and the healing mind

May 3, 2011 at 8:49 am (Dharma & Tibetan Buddhist Teachings, Meditation)

Greetings my fellow sentient beings!

I am honored to be offering many new things for your mind, body and spirit.  This Spring I celebrate the newness of my vision being born.  It has been brought to my attention that I have come full circle integrating all my detours from my original path as a healer.  Many difficult years of healing and recovering from my own life challenges – car accidents, physical health issues, difficult relationships -  have led me onto one path or another all now merging into one.  As a young person recovering from physical injuries led me toward chiropractic, quantum touch, meditation, yoga.  Tourettes syndrome led me toward hypnosis and clairvoyant exploration.  Intense eczema throughout my body led me toward nutrition and water.  Hashimotos Autoimmune Disorder, led me toward acupuncture and Ayurvedic nutrition and bodywork, namely Panchakarma.  And the physical pain my loved ones experienced led me toward certification in various modalities of bodywork which continues to expand, incorporating subtle energy work to methods requiring touch such as cranial sacral and conscious bodywork.

All along I kept my eyes forward having faith in healing and surprised nevertheless with every obstacle I overcame. Each time I turned a new leaf with resolution, I thought very enthusiastically about how I could help others overcome what I just overcame. It became a lifelong goal to share, each new challenge providing yet another morsel of goodness I could bring to my family and friends and to their family and friends.

I feel grateful and wondrous at the journey that has brought me here.  I wouldn’t trade in any of my experiences, no matter how bleak they may have looked at the time, for the knowledge I have today and the sense of satisfaction I have gained for figuring out how to navigate through it all.

To be honest, even a new health challenge has arisen, one which is impossible to hide. Incessant blinking when stressed or exhausted. Everyone notices. It is no secret. It begins with a feeling of tension that stems overstimulation.  I have come to discover the deepest resonant cure in a place where only I can go, where no one else can even access, see or touch.  The doorway is the quietest caverns of my most internal heart place. I may only be transported there by the vehicle of complete stillness driven only by my discipline to sit, by my willingness to be with myself.  This is not just stillness, but a state of prayer.  In Tibetan Buddhism it is called Bodhisattva motivation.  By intending to awaken simply to be of benefit to others, one arises a sense of altruism which heals the mind and thus the body. Indeed Tibetan Lamas say that ill health and therefore health begins with the subtle energies.  By arising a mind of high virtuous motivation, one heals the soul and thus radiates that healing to others. This is why a smile is contagious! ;)

Having found so much relief in this stillness created by prayer for others, once again I feel selfish not to share. And thus I extend the offering of a guided meditation to you, my reader.   This will be my ongoing service to you, my community. Guided meditations for anyone, in person, in group, or by phone, absolutely free of charge of course. Again, this is my pleasure to share with anyone willing or interested, curious or in need of comfort. I have benefited from hosting a group sitting weekly for more than 3 years and always am seeking more opportunities to meditate. I thank you in advance for taking me up on it!  I benefit from this offering more than you can imagine! And hope that you may benefit more than I!

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