Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season!

Ahh.. The holidays.. Indeed, a busy time of year.. For many people there are gifts to make or purchase, parties to go to, family gatherings to attend, and lots of planning to do. I’ve been affected by stress already. Of course, I admit I put these stresses onto myself. I want to find just the right gift at an affordable price, make dozens of raw food sweet treats to give away, have friends over on New Year’s Eve, and while shopping for others I tend to self indulge myself beyond my means.

Then, there’s a deeper experience that can happen. A time to reflect on the past year and what has been accomplished and valued or what is lacking and challenging in our lives. Yes, I’ve heard it all before. That dear awful slogan, ‘It’s the Best Day Ever!” That’s fine and should be kept in mind, but the reality of the moment my not feel quite so uplifting depending on what’s happening. Let’s be Real!

So, while there is so much to be grateful for and many reasons to celebrate our blessed lives, there may be some of us who feel a little less fortunate or gloomy at this time of the year. You may be doing pretty well with your healthy diet and exercise all year, and then it may be easy to become distracted or thrown off right now. For some reason parties and celebrations tend to be an excuse for individuals to destroy themselves with unhealthy, clogging foods, alcohol and binging. When you really think about it it’s rather bizarre. A celebration should be when we gather and exhibit our very best part of ourselves with great love and caring in a supportive environment of loved ones. Right?

So, whether you feel alone, or very social it is important to keep as clear a head as possible of how well you are taking care of yourself. If you are feeling a little stressed or have the holiday blues then by all means drag yourself out of the house and get connected to other people. The best thing to do is the volunteer with an organization you believe in. Feeling useful and connected in the world is the best prescription to feeling really good about your self. Take it from me I am a volunteer queen! Get connected spiritually and fill that inner void with self -love. Call it God, Creator, Mother Earth, Divine Energy etc. Whatever, you want to call that life force inside you is the foundation for inner peace and love in your life. I am no expert on spirituality, but I do know that it has had a tremendous force in my life. True healing of the body often times will not manifest unless one is centered spiritually.

Perhaps, you are a happy soul. Holiday time means party down! How well do you fair in social circles on your new raw foods diet? If you are still new and transitioning the ground may become shaky right now. You have been planting the seeds of health and springtime is several months away with a long cold winter ahead. What is one to do when cravings occur? This is definitely a big topic and here are a few suggestions.

Plan ahead. If you are visiting family or going to a party eat before you go, bring food with you, call ahead and ask what kind of food will be served, bring a dish that will be big enough for you to eat and share with others. Say as little as possible about your diet. Be an example of a healthy person and that will speak for itself. If you talk in detail about your diet you will welcome the possibility of a debate, others may feel uncomfortable and threatened, and you will feel like a freak.

If your host feels sorry for you because you don’t want to eat/drink toxic substances, say “ I love salad!” or “I feel so good eating this way and it’s worth it!” Your enthusiasm will shine and no one can ever tell you how you feel. If others are insulted that you are not eating their dead animals and you have explained that it may make you sick to eat that then they are not being considerate to you. When you are a guest in someone’s home they should be concerned that you are comfortable and happy. Right? Answer: make sure you bring your own chow.

Cravings. A beast. The definition of a craving is ‘to long for’ or ‘a desire.’ Temptation will be everywhere and whether happy or gloomy anyone can find cause to loose his or her head.

Ready for the answer? Stay conscious and present in the moment. It really is your choice. The question is if the payoff of giving into a craving is really worth it. So, when I have a craving I tune in. What is it that I really want? Is it the taste? Do I want sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, spicy, or creamy? Or is it that a gal can’t resist free food? How about the numbing out experience on starch overload? When we overeat we get so sedated from the chemical reactions in our body it causes a stimulating effect. Foods such as meat, dairy, wheat, sugar all have opiate like substances that induce pleasure sensations in the body and can cause dependency. That means food addiction. So, if you reach for the bread or the pastries your healthy diet may go down the drain. Caput! Chances are you will be dreaming about when you can eat those cupcakes again. If you think you can get away with eating just one think again. Remember how you felt last time you gave in. Fool!

Solution. Try having some great substitutes on hand. Raw food desserts are delicious. Break open those cookbooks and get the dehydrator on. Mine is on right now!

Negotiate. I do this all the time and I have been eating raw food in great abundance for almost 20 years now. So, you want a potato chip. A good tactic is to ask yourself if you can avoid having it today, and make a deal with yourself if you want it tomorrow that you will consider it. Usually, the craving is long forgotten. However, if the next day you are still thinking about that dam potato chip that you missed eating at the party you went to consider finding a healthier substitute. How about dehydrated crackers or air popped popcorn? If you work with this you may be able to let it go.

That is the true question. Can you let it go? Are you ready? As long as you feel it is okay to still eat that food that you know is toxic it will continue to be a temptation and have a hold of you. I haven’t eaten pizza in 20 years, and I can watch someone eat it and it doesn’t do a thing for me. I used to love pizza.

Of course, this blog would not be complete without mentioning the good old colonic. Often, when one is holding old food in the body this will interfere with good digestion and assimilation. Cleansing the colon will help to heal food cravings and improve digestion. Any illustration of a human colon will reveal a thread running along it also known as the nervous system. A full toxic colon will aggravate the nervous system and can create irritability, anxiety, mood swings and those crazy food cravings. So, no better time then now to wipe the slate clean and have a colonic!

Finally, tuning in also means looking deeper inside yourself to see what your craving is really about emotionally. Perhaps, this holiday season you don’t have a mate, or it feels stressful to visit family, you may be grieving a loss in your life, or struggling financially. We all have dilemmas that we contemplate on a daily basis. Instead of feeding the problem with a fast fix of food indulgences why not think of something else. Feed your soul with a walk in the park, call a long missed friend, take a hot bath with essential oils, schedule a massage or sauna at Gravity East Village, (my office) or put on your favorite music and sing and dance. I do!

Gratitude is the best medicine on earth. Even if you can only be grateful for each breath you take. Your life is a treasured gift to cherish during the holiday season.

Happy Holidays!
Donna

What is Cleansing?

Most people have consumed a Standard American Diet at some point in their lives, and have been exposed to pollution, environmental toxins, medications and drugs, emotional stress, and negative emotions which can create an over-acid and deficient in electrolytes condition in the body. This scenario forces the body to create massive amounts of mucus as protection against the acids, especially in the intestines. Periodic cleansing methods with the use of raw foods, vegetable juices, and colonics can be very helpful to aid the body of unwanted debris. There are other methods of removing old debris from the body such as gallbladder flushes, herbs, Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic, skin brushing, rebound exercise, rest, infra-red sauna, psyllium and bentonite cleanse, oxygen therapy, energy healing and therapeutic massage. When utilizing effective cleansing methods, old toxic substances that reside in fat cells, deep tissue, organs, and every cell in the body, can loosen, break up and be released.

Fasting can be considered a house cleaning measure, or a physiological vacation the body takes because the body is able to finally ‘Rest’. The body gains nerve energy and is able to apply this energy to repairing, restoring and replenishing the body. When the Faster/Juice Feaster consumes vegetable juices or blended vegetable smoothies only, the body gains energy that would have otherwise been used to digest more concentrated foods, and applies that energy to healing the body. It is an opportunity to allow the body to cleanse and heal on a deeper level.

Raw foods/vegetable juices hold an ionic charge. Our planet holds a ‘negative’ ionic charge, our bodies hold a negative ionic charge, and raw foods/vegetable juices the same. The consumption of raw food will move through the body cleanly leaving very little residue behind. The unhealthy foods people eat, pollution, drugs, negative emotions, are held in the cellular body because they hold a ‘positive’ charge. This creates a ‘magnet’ effect as a positive attracts a negative. These toxic substances ‘stick’ and can be held in the body for many years. Truly, the cleansing response occurs when we flood the body system with negatively charged juices and raw foods to create an opportunity for the cells to ‘let go’ of this old obstruction clogging the cellular body.

A successful cleanse occurs effectively when obstructing matter can exit the body. Often, once this old debris is released from the cells, and moves through the blood and lymph, it will eventually land up in the colon. However, an effective cleanse means emptying the ‘waste basket’ of the body. Proper colon cleansing is completed through the use of colon hydrotherapy. Other less effective means can be used such as: enemas, colema board, and laxatives.

Some common side effects of fasting include: Heightened alertness, sharper senses, sensitivity to sound, spiritual atonement, headaches, sensitivity to cold, less bowel, darker urine, weakness, less or more need for sleep, hunger pangs, rashes, cold sores, blemishes, coated tongue, nausea, strong body odor and breath.

When the Faster experiences weakness, bloating, constipation, or skin related problems; colonics may be needed. A colonic can help the Faster to feel renewed, and able to continue on a fast. It is best to plan in advance, and schedule colonic appointments prior to the fast to avoid any unpleasant detoxification symptoms. Colonics help to remove toxins and morbid debris in the colon and supports the Faster to have an easy, smooth, safe experience. How long a fast can be conducted varies based on age, health history, current health, and weight. The colon hydrotherapist will determine how often the Faster will need colonics during the course of the cleanse.

Colonics help prevent a reabsorbing of waste through the bowel wall. When practicing a highly cleansing diet such as a raw foods diet or if on a juice fast it will defeat the purpose of the cleanse if proper elimination is not a part of the program. If a raw foods diet is not working for you and the detoxification symptoms ensue for what seems like forever, then the missing link may be colon hydrotherapy.

Gravity colonics generate a simultaneous in-flow and out-flow of water, facilitating an effective and through cleansing of the colon while providing a comfortable session for the client. Colon hydrotherapy is essential for alleviating gas, bloating, acne, headaches, sluggishness, constipation, dull complexion, and weight issues among others.

Colonics benefit the body by giving the immune system a boost, providing more oxygen flow to the blood stream, eliminates noxious gases and mucoid matter from the colon, strengthens peristalsis, cleanses the blood and lymph. The body is a whole entity and when cleansing the colon the whole body will benefit.

Many people will use enemas in place of Colon Hydrotherapy. Colonics and enemas will not weaken the colon. They actually have a strengthening effect and can be used often. Enemas are not nearly as through as a colonic. They are best used in addition to colonics. An enema uses a bag, similar to a hot water bottle, and is filled with purified water. It is hung several feet above the body. There is a hose attached to the bag with a clip on it to control the flow of water. The adaptor is inserted into the rectum and the water is allowed in. Once the person feels an urge to release and cannot hold the water any longer then the person releases in the toilet. The water can reach into the transverse colon found at the mid-section above the belly button, but only reaches about half the distance of the body’s 5 ft of colon. We have all heard of the term ’backed up’, and that is an accurate description of the colon’s predicament for many people. So, to effectively cleanse the colon means emptying the ascending colon, which is the deepest part of the colon.

There are various methods of colon hydrotherapy. Gravity Method is best, but there are Machine Method colonics as well. To find a therapist near you do a web search, check local wellness newspapers, or call the Woods Gravity School for a referral-407 933 0009. Your Colon Therapist will determine if a colonic is right for you.

Donna Perrone
Certified Colon Hydro-therapist

Gravity East Village
515 East 5 Street
New York, NY
646 283 9772
http://GravityEastVillage.com

Special Thanks to my colonic guru and mentor Gil Jacobs!