Tag: Health

Colon Care with Colonics

August 20th, 2010 · Marie-Claire · Clean(s)ing, Colon Health 2 comments - Tags: , , , , , ,

All set for a Hydrotherapy Colonic

Colonic hydrotherapy is the best treat you can give your body. About 70% of all diseases find their cause in the colon. A high colonic  is very beneficial in the prevention and relief of many common ailments. You can choose between several options such as an enema which you can do yourself at home or a a colon irrigation with a professional colon hydro therapist. Good colon care means overall health.

I had my first colonic when I was raw for about a year and a half. I scheduled it after a detox on smoothies, juices and mono meals. This was the moment I felt ready and eager to get the old trash out of me. That first time knocked me out completely, physically and mentally. I was exhausted, incredibly sad and depressed. All I could do was stay calm and rest, telling myself this wasn’t me but a heavy detox I was going through. These side effects came as a total surprise to me. I had expected a bit of fatigue, rapidly followed by the euphoric feeling Matt Monarch always talks about. I missed that part. What happened?

I had three sessions that week because that’s what a colon needs the first time to release old waste. It took me a whole week to recover from the first one. I lost four pounds in one hour but that is only little compared to many others, who can lose up till sixteen pounds and more. This is how much plaque can be built up  in the colon due to eating bad food all life long.

Four days later I had a new appointment. I asked the therapist why I was feeling so awful.  She said my liver couldn’t take all the toxins and she decided to support it. I was afraid of the of a second session. It was a relieve that the following bowel rinses had less and less effect on me. I was recommended to schedule one every month to sustain my colon and to remove possible toxins on a regular basis.

Machine for Colon Irrigation

The one I have been looking forward to the most, was right after the liver & gallbladder flush. It was a tough colonic.  It took twenty minutes before stuff started loosening. She said I was so clean but I felt  like I was totally stuffed. Then suddenly a lot of small stones and bile appeared. I felt very sick in the stomach, had cramps, my legs felt weak and weird, I got a heavy migraine. Later on though I recovered very quickly and felt much better than before the colonic.

So what exactly happens during a colonic? When you never heard of it, it might be scary and you don’t know what to expect. But generally it is a very soft procedure. First of all I had to write down a whole week what I ate and drank. They advised me not to eat any meat or fish, lots of vegetables and fruit. I was glad because not all therapists want you to eat raw food before a colonic. During my research I saw certain websites were  they were forbidding raw vegetables and fruits. So you have to find out for yourself who is in alignment with your lifestyle.

After you lay down on your left side, the therapist places a soft tube into you. It is completely painless. You can then lay on your back and relax, covered with a towel. When the session starts, the hydro therapist starts running lukewarm water into you until the colon is full. Then he/she releases the pressure by stopping the flow of the water. The colon releases its wastes. It can take five or ten minutes before waste starts to loosen, depending on the kind of food you eat and the lifestyle you had. It is interesting when you can see the whole procedure and ask your questions, find out what is in your colon, if it is healthy, if there are parasites or -in my case- signs of other issues.

Choose for a hygienic place!

It is amazing how much a hydro therapist can see in your waste. They can track Candida for instance, if you are eating too many sugars, if you are eating healthy or fast food, if you have heavy metals and toxins in your body, or gall stones, protein in your urine, if your colon is active or lazy, how your bowl movement is improving after a few times. So it is very interesting and you learn a lot in forty five minutes to one hour.

Right after the session you have to go to the toilet to release the remaining water and waste. It takes several colonics to get the water up in the appendix and to remove all the old plaque. This is also why it’s called “High Colonic”. My therapist has a start package of three times to be sure you are clean. Others offer each cleansing separate. Also there are several systems. This one is with a machine but a friend of mine is having sessions with a gravity system that works very natural. Here you can’t follow the procedure yourself.

The effects aren’t always predictable. The first time I felt so energized right after the session! Ten minutes later I fell asleep in the car, driving. It is a good idea to take it easy after your first colonic. Schedule it on a day off so you can rest if you need to. And try to find a good one close to your home.

I am convinced that this thorough cleansing is determinative for my health. I might have had some struggle at first but I am feeling the difference now. It sure is a detox that I will build in my daily life by planning one every month. I can recommend to everybody who is on raw. A colon irrigation gives your body a complete new start and an opportunity to go to a next higher level in your raw food journey.


Gallbladder Flush

August 9th, 2010 · Marie-Claire · Alkaline Your Body, Clean(s)ing 101 comments - Tags: , , , ,

During my last colonic it turned out that I have gall stones and I was advised to have a gallbladder flush. “A What?” According to the therapist it would only take one day but back home I discovered a whole chapter in the new book I just got; “Raw Foods Bible” of Craig B. Sommers, N.D., C.N.. A great book by the way!

The Liver/Gallblader Flush is a very simple but thorough cleansing and helps eliminating the chemicals we breathe in, eat and who are penetrating our skin. If you have gallbladder stones, they will be removed to the colon. This is why I was recommended to schedule a new colonic after the cleanse to be sure the stones will leave my body.

According to Dr. Richard Schulz, it’s good for everybody to have this cleanse four times a year, once per season. It takes a week, it is very simple and inexpensive. All you have to do is drink a mixture of lemon, oranges or grapefruit with distilled water, olive oil, ginger and garlic on an empty stomach as breakfast. Then have it followed by two big cups of herbal tea and eat nothing else until lunch. The liver flushes itself out and the tea helps pushing it all through. The rest of the meals have to be simple raw dishes. If you want to accelerate the process, make it more powerful, fast on water or/and juices during the middle three days. If you want the detox more intense, you can double the portion of garlic and olive oil after a few days but it is not necessary. That’s it actually.

WHAT IS DOING WHAT?

  • The garlic is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, antiviral: it fights and kills bacteria, parasites. It is also disinfecting your whole system.
  • The ginger is preventing nausea and stimulates circulation
  • The citrus helps cleaning the kidneys and the bladder. Only use the peel when it is organic. The essential oils in the peel helps stimulate the liver and produce more bile.
  • It wasn’t in the book what the olive oil is doing, but I bet it is flushing…

THE EFFECTS?

I was surprised by the “flush”. It is worth its name. See to it that you can be home the first two days, so starting in a weekend is perfect. I had bad diarrhea during the first days. You can also expect some nauseousness from time to time. Mostly because of the garlic who is fighting and killing bacteria. Put more ginger in your next mixture and you will feel better or make fresh ginger tea after the flush.

Another effect I experienced was on the emotional level, as always when you are detoxing. Waking up sad, going to bed sad without a particularly reason, not wanting to see anybody… Next day can be totally different though and it is good to stay close to yourself during those mixed emotions. Let it flow and remember you are detoxing. The liver is connected to our feelings. If your liver isn’t in a good shape, your mental state is going down with it. So don’t get scared when you can’t explain what is going on in your head because your liver is working very hard now to get rid of its toxins. You will feel better afterward, I promise you!

I‘m in my fifth day now, two more to go. Regarding eating and being hungry, this cleanse isn’t difficult. You only have to see to it that you keep your meals simple, with lots of greens. So what I did, was eat small salads when I got hungry or make a fresh juice. The three fasting days require a bit more discipline but you can have as many fresh juices as you want. Considered all together I must say it is going smoothly. The most important rule is that you make some time to do this in quiet, listen to your body and rest when you feel you have to.

Oh, I have to tell you about the clarity. After a few days your mind becomes more clear. I feel more alert and finally can concentrate again. (less at the start and you can also feel a bit drowsy) So it is going into the good direction. But now the recipe.

Garlic

TOOLS YOU NEED

  • A juicer or a lemon press

INGREDIENTS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER CLEANSE

Ingredients for flush

  • 8 oz of distilled water
  • 8 oz of fresh squeezed citrus juice, lemon, lime orange or grapefruit or a combination of these
  • one clove of garlic
  • a piece of one inch fresh ginger
  • one TBS of cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FALL AND WINTER CLEANSE

The mixture is the same except you have to use fresh apple juice and grape juice instead of citrus

AFTER DRINKING THE MIXTURE

Wait for about 15 to 30 minutes and drink two cups (16 oz) of a herbal detox tea or a digestive tea. I like Maria Thistle because it is cleansing the liver.

Juicing

THE MAKING OFF…

  • Juice whatever you want the combination to be until you reached 8 oz. This morning I had pink grapefruit and it tasted so nice.
  • Add 8 oz of distilled water. (I couldn’t find any and am using spring water)
  • Juice and add the ginger and garlic
  • Add the olive oil
  • Stir
  • Drink with a straw: it is much better for your teeth. The acids won’t destroy the glaze. Always clean your teeth after consuming citrus or drink a glass of water for the same reason.

Flush Drink of Oranges and Lemon

Let me know how it worked out for you. If I can be of any help, feel free to write me with your questions.

Where do I start?

July 6th, 2010 · Marie-Claire · All About Raw Food, Body & Soul, Change!, From SAD to Bad!, In Five Steps To Raw, Personal Journey No comments - Tags: , , , , , ,

Ramson

After some tempting recipes I would like to write more about what Raw food is really about. Going Green is a challenging and life changing action. At least if you are convinced that this is what you want. But how can you know for sure?

There is a reason why you are reading this raw food blog. You might have been going through certain issues lately for which you are looking for a solution, although you aren’t sure yet where to look or what to look for. You have come to a point where you have felt and thought: “Enough is enough!” This is your moment, the point of no return. And no matter how frustrating or sad or angry this moment might have felt for you, it is the best thing that could happen to you right now. It is not healthy to live a life that doesn’t fit you. And it sure isn’t healthy you are eating food that doesn’t feed you. So this is one reason why and how you can be sure you want CHANGE. But what change? And…

“How can food change my whole life?”


Rejuvelac With Lime & Mint

Raw food is so much more than a diet. It is not about counting calories, not about guilt when you eat a dessert that you are really enjoying, not about doubts when you had a wonderful meal. Raw food is much more than the food you are eating. It is a lifestyle and a personal journey that takes you much further than you would have ever expected. Becoming aware of yourself, taking responsibility of your body and soul will open many new doors and opportunities to live your dreams. So let’s go…

In 5 steps from S.A.D. to RAW


  1. Your starting point is the most important step. To find the right commitment you have to know why exactly you want to do this. Knowing where you are starting from is your motivation that will support your engagement throughout your raw journey. WHY do you want to eat raw? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to feel energized as never before? Are you fighting disease? Do you want to live healthy and more consciously? Do you want to feel more connected to yourself? Find out and write it down.
  2. A very EXCITING step is finding out more about raw food and seeing all the possibilities you never expected. Discover this new world of ravishing food and read, read, read. The more you know the more you will be drawn to living your life healthy. Knowledge will guide you through your transition.
  3. It’s time to take ACTION and MAKE YOUR KITCHEN COME ALIVE! Throw out everything that might tempt you or can sabotage your raw food track. Find out which equipment you need first to make your whole kitchen set up successful. Reward yourself by investing in quality tools that make it easier and real fun to work with. This is a step you will really enjoy and makes your thoughts and search much more tangible!
  4. PLAYTIME! Plan your menu’s, try out recipes, create your very own, soak & sprout and make your own living foods, surprise friends and family with your first chocolates or raw pie -of which they will never even suspect it hasn’t seen the oven-. Enjoy and have fun with these ravishing foods that makes YOU come alive!
  5. You gained so much ENERGY, you are getting the GLOW, you are feeling amazingly STRONG. Raw food brought you to a new level in your health, physically and mentally. But this is just the beginning. There are many levels you can go through and it is all up to you how far you want to go. Each level will bring you higher up in your raw journey with each its own challenges and surprises. You have now the STRENGTH to make the things happen you always dreamed of. Your transformation has started.

These are the five steps that will bring more clarity on where you can start. There is much more to come. Now you know WHERE to start, you will certainly want to know HOW to start. Keep an eye on my blog. I will tell you soon. Meanwhile, take some time to think about what I wrote, prepare your journey and enjoy your thoughts that will bring you closer to your radiant health!

Step-By-Step

Pure Food for Radiant Health

June 19th, 2010 · Marie-Claire · All About Raw Food 2 comments - Tags: , , ,

Deliciously Raw!

Welcome to my raw food blog! I would like to take you with me on this culinary journey. Becoming “Raw” will open your world. This is my experience and that of many thousands of others who went on this adventure with certain hesitation and now are making the journey of their lives. Whatever the reason for your visit to my blog, I hope you will find the things and answers you are looking for. Even more, you can post me your questions. I will try to answer them as quickly as possible. I look forward to your comments!

My raw journey began about a year and a half ago, when I was still dealing with my recovery of five serious diseases occurring simultaneously in 2005. I planned my healing very systematically, step by step. It took me several years to find a doctor who believed, diagnosed and treated me the right way. But it was only when I discovered rawfood that I made huge progresses and I could pick up the thread of my life again.

That’s why I want to inform everybody about what we aren’t been told. Because it is not about what we know, it is about what we don’t know. With this knowledge and consciousness you can take the power in your own hands and protect yourself against illness. Or if you have been suffering of vague complaints for years, seeing many doctors who tell you over and over again that you are just fine, or that ‘nothing can be done’, or that ‘it is all between your ears’, you can now take your life into your own hands, strengthen your body and make ravishing progresses in a short time. Let’s do it!

If you’re at the very dawn of this transition to a new diet and lifestyle, excitement is often accompanied by uncertainty. The questions, possible excuses-to-not-having-to-do-this including cynicism is making it all much harder on you than necessary. ”But how do I start? What should I eat? Can I only eat salads? Hey I’m not a rabbit! How can I enjoy eating? And some wine? How can I go to restaurants with friends? And what about my family? The children? How can I be sure that I will get all my vitamins and proteins? Raw in winter? You must be crazy! And at parties?”

Sssht. Quiet. “Alles kom reg” they say in South Africa. We will go step by step. You’ll be surprised how quickly you will get there.

Raw food is so simple. And yet, it is much more than the celery stalk or carrot out of your fist. Let the delicious possibilities surprise and seduce you. The principle is very simple; nothing is heated above 108 ° F. Some prefer to keep it at 118° F. but 108 °F. is the safest limit, if you want to keep all enzymes alive in your food. Above this temperature almost all the enzymes, vitamins, minerals and proteins die and your food becomes lifeless.

“Eat Dead Food and you will look dead.” Dr. Ann Wigmore said frankly and oh what she was right. She stood at the cradle of numerous investigations of the entire scope and we thank so much knowledge and powerful recipes to her life long dedication. Raw food gives you new, unsuspected energy and vitality. It makes your body so strong that it can heal itself of its illnesses. Eating raw will focus you, sharpen your concentration, enrich your soul and make you feel whole. Choosing a raw lifestyle takes you back to the roots of your existence, your pure essence and the fundamental principles of all life: nature. And yourself!