Rediscovering the wisdom in ancient traditions..

I have been on a quest rediscovering the wisdom in ancient traditions, trying to assist my body with as many non invasive tools as I can to make the healing journey a bit easier and a bit more supportive.

Two other tools in my healing toolbox are Tongue scrapping, Oil Pulling, and the Neti Pot. All come from the Ayurveda tradition. Ayurveda is the science of life and healing that developed in India. The term Ayurveda means "Knowledge of Life". Ayurveda itself is a complex system of wisdom and knowledge to guide us in maintaining or creating harmony and health in body, mind, emotions and spirit. Two powerful tools of detoxification and cleansing are Oil Pulling and the Neti Pot. If done on a consistent basis, they assist the body in getting rid of toxins before they accumulate and create too much trouble. They are easy to do, don't take too much time... well one of them does, but I think they are important part of a weekly, if possible, daily routine.

Tongue Scrapping

Tongue Scrapping is the process the build up of the layer of mucus and toxins that builds up overnight on our tongues with a tongue scrapper. It's pretty easy, takes a sec, and it does wonders for the body. It is also like a massage for the tongue. Our tongue is like a map of our bodies, different sections correspond to the different organs, so massaging our tongue, activates our different organs and clearing the toxic build up on our tongues, then clears inner toxicity as well.
Tongue scrappers are widely available at health food stores, they can be made of metal or plastic, your choice. Just make sure you give it a good rinse after you have used it.



Oil Pulling


Oil pulling is a very simple but powerful process that consists of swishing or pulling around Cold pressed oil ( Sesame or Sunflower oil- but I think sesame is best) in the mouth for about 15 to 20 minutes first thing in the morning, before brushing teeth, on an empty stomach. The process draws out toxins from the body without disturbing the healthy microflora. In this way it is possible to heal cells, tissue and all organs. The healing process may be fast for some or slower for others. As the oil is being swished and pulled by the tongue, between the teeth, the oil gets mixed with saliva and it activates teh enzymes in the mouth that draws toxins out of the blood. The oil must NOT be swallowed as it becomes toxic. As the process continues the oil changes colour from yellowish to white. It must be spit out, and the mouth must be fully washed and cleansed with water.

Oil pulling can be repeated up to three times a day, always on an empty stomach.

This ancient tradition does take a bit of time in the morning, but it's benefits are worth the time!



Neti Pot


The Neti Pot is used as a tool in Nasal Irrigation. It is also commonly used in the Ayurveda tradition, and it is commonly known of in the Yogic tradition. It is used to clear the Sinus passages and prevent the accumulation of mucus and toxicity in the Nasal cavity. It is quite simple and quick and it is a good tool to get you clearing and singing your Good Morning Sunshine tunes!
The process involved the use of a Neti pot. They are widely available at health food stores these days. Fill up the Neti Pot with warm water and a pinch of GROUND sea salt or pink himalayan salt (PLEASE DO NOT USE TABLE SALT). Place the Neti Pot on one nostril, close your throat, and insert the warm salty water into your nostril. (Please do so over the sink as it will come out the other nostril). Do so until about half the mixture has been used. Stop, clear your nose. Then repeat the process on the other side. It sound more complicated then what it really is.
It really freshens you up!

So there you go. Three new or perhaps not so new tools for your toolbox.

May the you sing your Good Morning Sunshine songs loud enough to make your neighbours dance! :)

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Ring the bells that can still ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.- Leonard Cohen

New tools in my toolbox...

After many weeks of silence, 3 chelations, and many deep breaths, I am back! Armed with a new internet provider! (oh.... we are connected again!), handfuls of cilantro, sea vegetables in particular chlorella, my neti pot, my dry skin brush, Hado water, my yoga mat, meditation and visualization, and based on Ayurveda the six tastes.

In the weeks that have passed I have been reading and researching natural chelation agents to aid my journey. I think the more knowledge and resources we have the smoother and more supportive the journey will be.

So I have gathered a few new tools in my healing toolbox. I will be talking about them more in depth in the days/weeks to come....but for now here are two of my new and not so new tools:

Heaps and bounds of daily Cilantro (juiced, blended in smoothies, or as part of the meal).


Cilantro   is a natural cleanser of heavy metals and other toxic agents from the body. It is antimicrobial and anti- bacterial. It's oil has rich qualities that have a powerful effect on the digestive track, proving aid with the production of digestive enzymes, acids, and juices. For me its a super-herb!, and I intend to use it often over the next 15 weeks or so of my chellation therapy.




Sea Vegetables in particular Chlorella is known to bind to heavy metals, which aids in releasing them from the body through the urinary tract.  Chlorella is a green algae contains about 20 % protein and it is very high in chlorophyll, providing higher levels of Oxygen at a cellular level, it aids in cleansing and purifying the blood, regulating blood pressure, promotes the growth and repair of tissues, and it aids in digestion amongst other things.

Sea vegetables, in general, are:
High in mineral Content, specially, iodine, calcium, iron, magnesium.
High Protein Content, from 20% (green algae)  to 70% ( Spirulina).
Anti - bacterial, anti viral, anti inflamatory.
Great resource in fighting Candida.
Natural Iodine for keeping healthy thyroid function.

Warning: make sure you have a good source for your sea vegetables. Due to the high levels of toxicity found on the oceans, some sea vegetables now contain high levels of heavy metals themselves so it is really important to have a good and trusted source for them.

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"Your mind is a tool you can choose to use any way you wish."- Louise Hay

well, well, well... Duck! there is a curve ball coming your way!

If it only were that easy... or maybe for some of you it is... but I got work to do for my curve ball.

My curve ball has the name of lovely heavy metals that I breathed, put my hands into and dove into the fields of creativity with for some 14 odd years. I am a documentary photographer and I loved dark room printing of large prints. I loved the magic of seeing the print first appear, it was a meditation, I was in the 'zone'.. I loved doing the 'old' processes to achieve certain 'looks'.. all of course in the pre-digital age... at the time it was pure magic for me but it sure doesn't feel like magic now...

For many years I didn't know heavy metals were behind my long list of symptomology. Most of all that is gone since I transitioned into a Raw Food diet. But I am still not where I want to be. I have strengthened my inner organs, and continue to eat foods that both build me up and detoxify my body. After 3 years a deeper detox of the emotional body is coming up for me, as this whole 'journey' has become quite the spiritual one.

Three weeks ago I did a test called the 'challenge'. It is the beginning of Chellation Therapy. Chellation Therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. It is done intravenously. The Challenge is done to see which heavy metals are in your system and in what quantities they are in. It made me feel really sick, and symptoms that I was able to clear during the juice fast came back, I had all sorts of reactions and it's taken me a few weeks to manage them. That is how bad and dangerous this guys are. 


I have known of heavy metals in my body for about a year now, but I had to make my body stronger to be able to handle the therapy. So, I should be happy about this, right?  Well, I am not. I feel angry and frustrated as could be, I feel challenged, I feel overwhelmed, I want to yell out loud: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH of this crap!!!! (pardon my french!). I feel grief, I feel bit up.


I got the results from the Challenge and as expected I have very high amounts of many heavy metals within me causing all kind of trouble. So over the next 12 weeks or so, I will be doing the Chellation Therapy on a weekly basis. I know, just from the Challenge, that symptomology will rise again, and I will probably won't be feeling all that great. But I must trust that things will get better after the 3 months, when another Challenge is done to see were my levels of heavy metal toxicity are at. 


So I gather my strengths, I gather my will, I gather my stubbornness and my being resilient and dive into the world of letting go of the toxicity that has made me sick. Here I come. Chin up. Tomorrow will be a brighter day. 
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"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
~Dolly Parton~

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PS- I am back at being without internet. The saga continues...

while I was gone.... my apologies!

My apologies for the silence over the last 10 days or so.... our internet has been "irritable" for a lack of a better word. AHHHHHHHH. For those of you who have had to deal with service providers and their lack of good services! man o man...I think I should send them a bill for the time I have spent so far... close to 10 hours or so on the phone trying to address it.. and finally... almost 2 weeks later... here we are connect to the world again! Allthough it's been kind of nice to be disconnected... now that I am back on... there is a lot of catching up to do!


While I was gone, I had to re evaluate my ways of eating the rawllygoods.... It seems these days unless I do it all by the books.... My body says ah ah sweety.... This ain't for you... By the books I mean soaking EVERYTHING!, more greens than fruits (but I do love them), veggies of all sorts, sprouts, some nuts and seeds, nut and seed yogurt and mylks, fermented foods, wild foods (I think I'm gonna love them even more), and well, that's about it. To the perfect stranger I eat an extremely clean diet.. but it seems that I must continue on my journey of in the art of "fine tuning"... incredible, isn't it. I find it frustrating and overwhelming at times, but at the end of the day I am fascinated by the healing process and by the abundance of information and knowledge that exists. I find it incredible that after the 3 years, I must still put on the 'research' hat and delve deeper into it.

I have been reading the book Conscious Eating by Grabriel Cousens, trying to have a deeper understanding of what I am experiencing. In his book, Dr. Cousens speaks "biochemical individuality", and how literally we are just so different from each other at a biological and chemical that what we eat and how it is assimilated varies drastically from person to person. Finding what your biochemical individuality is a 'process'. A process that takes incorporating Ayurveda principles, understanding the healing properties of foods and herbs to bring balance back into our lives, understanding which biochemical system runs your body and how it really dictates the ratio of protein-carb-fat that our bodies need for optimal functioning. So simple, yet so complex, isn't it, or at least that's how it feels to me right now.

So on I go on my yellow brick road to seek and find that place of optimal health, that place of deep peace and joy, of radiance, of stillness in movement, of deep love and gratitude. Along the way I have met the most wonderful teachers and guides, I am sure more are coming to greet me...

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Read what my medal says: "Courage". Ain't it the truth? Ain't it the truth?- Cowardly Lion, The Wizard of Oz
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Happy Sweet Mother's Day jammed packed with super foods for you!

This is for you.... Lovely mothers and ladies out there who keep the world turning and who deserve all the love and respect this beautiful world has to offer! Happy Sweet Mother's Day to you .. May your day shower you with the gift of health & love, may you find what you are looking for....

It is for you that I have made this Squash-zania! (sorry I was out of zucchinis, but it turned out superb anyway!)

A few thin slices of Squash, raw & peeled
Tomato slices
2 Tbsp of Macademia- chive cheese (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp of Guacamole (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp of Vegan Basil pesto (recipe follows)
Sprouts
Mung bean sprouts (any sprouts will do- these are what I had today)
Extra avocado for garnish

Place a slice of Squash on your plate, place a few slices of tomatoes on top, then "cheese", then guacamole, then pesto, a few more tomatoes, place another slice of Squash, top it up with "cheese", sprouts, sliced avocado & mung bean sprouts. Just Soooo Rawllygood!

Macademia Chive cheese
2 cups of Macademia nuts
2 Tbsp of fresh Lemon juice
2 Tsbp of Nutritional Yeast
1/2 cup of water, or more, until desired consistency has been reached
handful of fresh chives
Sea Salt, to taste

Chives for garnish

Blend all ingredients together. Add the water a little bit at a time, until you have reached the consistency you desire. Remember you can always add more, but if you put too much in you might make Sour Cream!!

Guacamole
2 ripe avocados
2 Tbsp of fresh lime juice (or lemon). It's a matter of taste.
handful of cilantro
1 garlic clove or more
sea salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in the food processor or blender. Process or blend until smooth.

Basil- Cilantro Pesto


And well oh well, Sweet Mother's Day must always end up with some Sweet lovin' rawllygoodies... so here is a Sweet Sweet Mother's Day treat for you, fast and easy and so delicious it won't last... so you may want to make a double batch right of the gettco to last until Sunday!

Sweet Sweet Mother's Day Treat


1/4 cup Coconut flour
1/3 cup Shreded Dried Coconut
6 Medjool Dates, pitted
2 Tbsp Raw Almond Butter
2 Tbsp Goji Berries
2  Tbsp Raw Honey
1 tsp Maca powder
1 tsp Acai Berry powder
2 Tbsp Cacao powder, raw
2 TBSP Cacao bits, raw
1 Tbsp Bee Pollen
1/2 tsp vanilla powder or extract
pinch of sea salt

Process all ingredients in the food processor until a dough begins to form. Pinch small amounts of the 'dough' and create small one inch balls. Dip in Cacao powder, decorate with a goji berry! Divine grace I say!
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"And remember behind every successful woman...there is a basket of dirty laundry" - Unknown

A few answers..

Hello out there:

I just wanted to use this post to answer back to a few emails I received from my last post.

I share posts like these with you because I think it is important to become aware of, in this case, how much processed sugar is in the food(s) we eat. Processed sugar has become a problem in our western society, because it is everywhere and we are consuming (unintentionally) so much of it, and because it is mots often combined with corn syrup, modified corn starch, fructose-glucose, and a long long list of chemicals and preservatives that affect the health of our bodies, our brain chemistry, and every aspect of our lives.

I am not saying sugar is bad. I am saying, have a look, see where a lot of the sugar in your life is coming from. Be aware, there is enough evidence out there now that makes the connection between many health issues in our society and the high consumption of processed sugars.

As I said in the post, sugar is an important aspect of our food and of our lives. We need it, we feel nourished by it, but there are natural ways of getting it that do not harm the body in the same ways 'processed sugars' do. That is all.

It is always with the intention of sharing awareness and love that I write these posts. Nothing else.

Oh how sweet is your love Sugar Cube?

OHhhhhh you are getting me going... just soo good. And it's only Monday!

Take a look, a very innocent looking sugar cube!

I simply love when you share these with me.. thank you and keep them coming!

It's all about perspective, isn't it?

Well on this week, The Mother's Day Week, I want to shower you with sweet love that will actually be good for you! That will make your body sing and dance with joy and happiness in your heart. That will reconnect you with love and gratitude and that will shine some light on a path less taken. Here are some photographs that show the amount of sugar (in sugar cubes) that is found in what we consider to be our health and junk foods. Sometimes there is not that much of a difference in the amount of sugar that is being put into our foods. Sugar is an important part of our diet. The sweet taste in food is nurturing to us. But there are ways to satisfy the sweetness we seek with unprocessed foods. Take a look. Processed sugars found in processed foods:

Natural sugars found in fruit:

and last but not least, my favourite... a bit of perspective, 

one would have to eat this amount of carrots to get the same amount of sugar that is found in one bottle of coke.

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"I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead -- not sick, not wounded -- dead." Woody Allen.