By Josslyn Streett, Reiki Master/Teacher for Rain Shadow Reiki in Sequim, WA
I absolutely LOVE the fall! I love the colors, the flavors and even the weather here in the Pacific North West, which lately has been a lot of rain. Not typical for Sunny Sequim.
Being with spiritual friends recently sharing a condo and cooking together at a healing retreat, I made this dish for them and they all wanted the recipe. I decided it would be easier to share it with everyone, and then I realized I already had on a blog two years ago when I was doing a cleanse. But, decided to post it again by itself because it’s so good, it deserves its own blog. This recipe is a great reminder that healthy food can be delicious and easy to prepare too. Pray you enjoy this as much as my family does.
“I wondered, “Why have I been chasing happiness my whole life when bliss was here the entire time?” – Elizabeth Gilbert from “Eat, Pray, Love”
Acorn Squash with Portobello Mushrooms
I got this recipe from www.jointhereboot.com two years ago when I was participating in a 15 day juice cleanse with Joe Cross from the movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.” (The movie is well worth watching) Most of the food on the pre-cleanse was truly wonderful, but this is my favorite recipe from the whole cleanse, along with the juices we made. Yum! It’s healthy and easy to make. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and I do, it would be a great Thanksgiving add-on for sure.
Don’t forget to run your Reiki when you cook, adding Divine Love and Light to every dish you prepare. Reiki in your food helps to cleans out any toxins and boosts the nutrients to the vibrational level of your body so your body gets the best out of your food. It’s a win/win!
Blessings to all my Reiki friends,
Josslyn
“No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.”
Laurie Colwin
Roasted Acorn Squash
Serves 4 as a main dish
2 med Acorn Squash
3/4 t. Sea Salt plus 1/4 t. Sea Salt
This recipe can be a main dish for four people or cut them up to be a side dish for more.
1/2 t. Black Pepper
6 T Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Large Portobello Mushroom (I use 2 because I like them and they cook down)
1 Large White or Yellow Onion, chopped
3t Fresh sage, finely chopped
(You can add a little red pepper too if you like a little more spice. My family doesn’t so I’ve omitted that ingredient.)
Acorn Squash:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
Trim ends of each squash.
Stand the squash upright and half lengthwise.
Scoop the pulp and the seeds out and discard.
Brush each squash half with olive oil.
Sprinkle each squash half with 3/4 sea salt and pepper
Arrange acorn, large cut sides down on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
roast the squash until the flesh is tender and the edges are golden brown, 25 – 35 minutes.
Remove from over, flip squash over and set aside.
Filling
While the squash roasts: Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan over medium high heat.
Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes until onion is clear.
Add mushroom, sage, 1/4 salt and saute 5 minutes.
Fill the squash with mixture and bake upright for 10 more minutes together.
By Josslyn Streett, Reiki Master/Teacher for Rain Shadow Reiki
I was in the grocery store with my son, waiting in a larger than usual line and I thought, “Wow, I could just Reiki all my groceries right here, right now and it’s done!” Brainstorm! Why didn’t I think of this before? It’s very simple, where else do you have all your groceries all in one place and a little extra time to work on them? (My kids are older, this may be more difficult for those of you with young active children. Get them involved and have them HELP you Reiki your groceries. Never too young to start doing Reiki.)
Grocery cart, bag, whatever your groceries are in, Reiki them.
WHY REIKI YOUR GROCERIES
You might say “Why Josslyn, would I want to Reiki my groceries?” Good question. Reiki makes your food healthier and more energized with Life Force Energy! That’s why!
How do I know this you ask? I have tested food with muscle testing and divining rods with my Reiki Kids group and got very specific results. When we did Reiki on food that was not organic, the energy field of the food doubled in almost every case and in many cases equaled the organic food. We had the same results when we prayed over the food. When we did Reiki on the organic food, the energy field stayed the same or changed too slightly to tell. It was already strong and healthy and full of life force energy. When we did Reiki on McDonald’s food it helped the energy field a small amount. But, the McDonald’s food started with NO energy at all. It was totally unreadable with divining rods at all. So starting with nothing, Reiki improved it some to at least make it have some life force energy. Not worth eating though so we threw it away. But, in some cases fast food may be the only choice available. Hopefully not very often, but even I partake every now and then. It’s good to know Reiki will help even this food a little bit.
NO FAST FOOD
Anyway, in every case, the Reiki improved the energy field of the food significantly. Big time scientific? NO, but good enough for me and the kids to understand that Reiki helps our food to be healthier for us and more energized.
Put Love and Intention In the Food You Make
I often Reiki the food I’m making for my family knowing that this is adding to the nutritional value of the food for the people I love the most. But, lets face it, life is busy and sometimes we forget. I usually catch this with prayers at the dinner table. If we eat out I quietly put my hands over my food and while others are talking and distracted I Reiki my food before I eat or I’ll say a quiet prayer beforehand. But, still sometimes a meal will slip through the cracks of modern active life. If we remember to do Reiki on our groceries while waiting in line, then we know it’s done and even if we forget at the dinner table or while preparing a meal, we know the food has Reiki energy flowing through it. For me, it’s like a Reiki insurance policy.
Reiki the food in your cupboards, your refrigerator, on your table for a big meal, etc. You get the idea. Reiki ALL your food!!
How
This is how I Reiki my groceries. As always, this is just one way, not the only way. Get creative and find what works and feels right for you. Since this is a public place and many of us prefer to be incognito, I do the Gassho in my head. Reiki is all about intention, intend for the Reiki to go to your groceries and it will.
I lean on my cart with my forearms and my hands hanging over the groceries.
Close my eyes and mentally/intentionally invoke the Reiki as if I were in the prayer position or the Gassho. Next, ask Divine to send down my Reiki guides to help me. I never do any spiritual work without my Reiki guides to help.
Let the Reiki flow with intention. You can visualize the Reiki flowing into the groceries, send Reiki symbols into the groceries through your hands or through your eyes. You can chant the Reiki symbols in your head with the intention that they are flowing out your hands and into your groceries. Set an intention of the healthiest food possible, delicious and nutritious, or whatever positive intention works for your family.
Reiki your food until it’s your turn to load the groceries onto the belt or give them to the cashier.
Thank the Reiki and your guides!
Taste
Taste a locally grown Nash’s Organic Produce carrot and I believe you will be moving to the Olympic Peninsula just to eat their produce all the time. We did. My kids tell me while we are eating dinner “This is a Nash’s carrot, isn’t it!? I can tell!” They taste alive and amazing. Like no other carrot I’ve ever eaten before.
Now, I am fortunate enough to live in an area that has an abundance of local organic produce and meats. I now know how real food tastes. I do believe the Reiki helps the food to taste better too. But I have to say, buying local and organic is truly the way to get the best tasting and healthiest food ever. Yes, totally MY opinion.
But, life is as it is, our food has been tainted in many ways, even the air it grows in is not organic, so nothing is 100% clean, thus the Reiki Food Insurance Policy. Reiki your food!! Do it for a month and see how you feel about your food afterwards. Feel if your relationship with food has changed, your calmness at meal times or your desire for healthier foods. I’ll be interested in hearing how that experiment goes. At the least you add more spiritual practice to your life and your eating and that is always a good thing.
Just a reminder, I am not a doctor and I am not trying to be. This is a treatment I learned from my doctor and I am passing it along to you hoping it will help. Please consult with your doctor if you are sick. If you do not have a doctor then please check out a local Naturopath, a doctor who uses natural medicines and treatments to help you get well. They treat the mind, body and spirit.
Effective Warming Sock Treatment for Colds and Migraines
by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki
It’s almost spring but here in the Pacific North West that can still mean cloudy and cold. Many people here are still struggling with colds and flues. And people who suffer from migraine headaches, like me, know that they can hit at any time of the year.
Why Wait
I was going to hold this post for a couple of days since I literally just did a post yesterday. Then my dear friend called and shc can’t come over today because her daughter has a fever. I said “Have you heard of the hot sock treatment?” and she said “Yes, you mentioned it and that’s why I’m calling.” I said “That’s it, I’m posting it TODAY!” So, here it is, I now swear by it for helping the body heal itself.
The warming sock treatment is safe for anyone, even kids can do it. I bought a pair of wool socks for each of my boys to have at all times for this exact reason. The trick is remembering to do it at the first signs if a cold.
Tip from MY Doctor
My Naturopath, Dr. Ruth Urand in Poulsbo, WA gave me this Warming Sock Treatment and it has been a lifesaver for me. I call it the Hot Sock Treatment, others call it the Wet Sock Treatment and some the Warming Sock Treatment, but it is really your feet that are hot so whatever you call it doesn’t really matter, as long as you USE IT!
Sensitive People Get More Viruses
Many people who are highly sensitive, like myself, will be prone to getting viruses and often. I have found this to be the case. My kids get something for a day or two and I’m laid up for a week. This year, using the hot sock treatment (which I was quite cynical of at first) I got sick in October and it hung on but once I remembered about this treatment and actually started using it every night, I didn’t get sick again until January. In January my kids got sick with the difficult virus that was going around and it hung on for them and I only got a sore throat. The only difference this time was that I was using the sock treatment from day one of the kids being sick. The trick is to start right away as soon as symptoms are there. A tiny sore throat, don’t wait. Sock treatment right away that night and keep it up until everyone in the house is healthy.
Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone, Any Budget
The Warming Sock Treatment is safe for anyone to do, unlike many medications. If you are pregnant, please check with your doctor first, just to be sure.
What I like most about the hot sock treatment is that anyone can afford it, unlike many medications. AND you can do it anywhere as long as you bring your socks along. If you are traveling, always bring your socks and you’ll be ready. Plus, anyone can do the hot sock treatment, kids, adults, pregnant women, it is safe as long as you warm your feet first. If you are pregnant, please consult your doctor first. That way I don’t get in trouble for giving you this advice.
Here is HOW you do it:
WHEN to do it: If you have any of the following symptoms do the hot sock treatment:
Sore throat
Inflammation or infection of the throat
Neck pain
Ear infection
Headaches, Migraines
Nasal congestion
upper respiratory infections
Coughs
Bronchitis
Sinus infections
100% white cotton socks, I like the shorty ones.
Effects of the Warming Sock Treatment: This treatment acts to reflexively increase the circulation and decrease congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head and throat. It has a sedating action and many patients report that they sleep much better during the treatment. This treatment is also effective for pain relief and increases the healing response during acute infections.
.
.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
1 pair of white 100% cotton socks
100% Wool Socks
1 pair of thick 100% wool socks (pure wool, don’t get a blend)
Dry towel
Warm bath or warm foot bath
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DIRECTIONS:
Warm your feet FIRST. This is very important as the treatment will not be as effective and could be harmful if your feet are not warmed first. Warming can be accomplished by 1. soaking your feet in warm water (I do warm to hot, it feels good) for at least 10 minutes or 2. taking a warm bath for 10 minutes OR by 3. wearing wool socks several hours before you go to bed and do the sock treatment. The key is to have your feet nice and warm before hand.
Take a pair of cotton socks andsoak them completely with cold water, as cold as you can get it.
Soak your feet together to encourage kids to do it too. They will benefit from the time together as well as the treatment. Warm foot baths feel nice and can be a nice ritual for kids.
Be sure to wring out the socks thoroughly so they do not drip.
Dry off your feet and body with a dry towel.
Place the cold wet socks on your feet.
Cover your feet and the cold wet socks with the dry wool socks.
Go directly to bed and AVOID getting chilled.
Keep both pairs of socks on overnight. You will find that the wet cotton socks will be dry in the morning.
That is it. Quite easy. Warm feet, cold wet cotton, warm dry wool and go to bed! I pray this helps many people feel better more often and save time by NOT getting sick. It certainly has for me. I am a believer now.
In Love and Light of the Divine,
from me to you with Love,
Josslyn Streett, Reiki Master/Teacher at Rain Shadow Reiki
Twelfth in a series of blogs written by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki for her series on nutritional healing and juicing.
My Top 10 Juice Recipes
Joss making one of her first juices with her new Omega juicer.
My favorite part about doing a juice cleanse is, you got it, the JUICE! Most of the juice is delicious. The juice is especially delicious right after you juiced it. Mmmmmmm! The blends you can make are endless. I tailor my juices to what my body needs, loves and craves. I also tailor it to what I have on hand in the fridge. I have grown to love the fresh juice so much my body craves it daily. If I miss a day I know it and can feel it in my body. I don’t miss very often. In fact, in three months of juicing I’ve missed three days total. Not bad. I throughly enjoy the process of making the juice and consistently repeat in my head positive affirmations while preparing my fruits and veggies, such as, “I’m doing this for my health. I’m doing this for my beautiful body.”
So, I thought it was time to share my ten favorite juice recipes from the juice cleanse I did for detoxifying my body. To read the other blogs about the juice cleanse click on the underlined words throughout the blog.
Biggest Question I Get
Teach your friends how to juice. I’ve motivated at least three friends/clients to start juicing in the three months since I’ve started. Let them taste how wonderful the juice is and how good it is for them and they’ll be hooked. Lauren my Reiki Master/Teacher student juicing for the first time. She said “I’m hooked!”
The number one question I get is “How do you find your juice recipes?” Easy, the internet. When I started I just typed in some of my favorite foods with juice, such as “pineapple juice recipe” and the internet did the work for me. If you have a specific health issue you are working with, such as, stomach ulcers then you want to type in “Juice recipes for stomach ulcers.” If I’m sick I type in “Immune system boosting juice recipes,” and so on. Whatever you need for juice, you’ll be able to find a recipe that you like for the supplies you have. It’s been quite easy. That is how I found my first recipes. I write them all down and keep them for later. If you are a ‘friend’ on my Facebook page I also share a lot of juicing recipes on my page. (Right hand margin of the page to join my Facebook family.) I also got a whole batch of recipes with the ten-day cleanse that I did through Reboot Your Life website. If you join their emailing list you can print a 5 day, 10 day or 15 day full menu fruit and vegetable cleanse from their nutritionist for free. I got many wonderful recipes for juice, smoothies, salads, dressings and vegetarian dishes. They were a wonderful resource for me.
Top Ten Juice Recipes
This is enough veggies for about two days worth of juice for me. My husband drinks some but not a meals worth so I can usually make enough for him to take to work too. I do two days at a time so I’m not making juice every single day. This is the makings of V8 juice. I didn’t like that one so I didn’t include it in the recipes. My blog. LOL
With no further ado, my top ten juice recipes, in order by the websites I got them from. It was not easy to do. I have so many I like it was actually hard to get them down to only ten. So try them and let me know how you like them. Add or delete items as you wish. If you delete a dark green vegetable because you ran out or don’t like it, them make sure you replace it with another dark green. Same with any color of fruit of veggie, replace with a fruit or veggie of the same color group. Mix and match your juice to get a full rainbow of colors, nutrients and flavors.
Juice #1
Zucchini Juice
Unfortunately I didn’t write down the website I got this from because I was in a hurry when making it. And, when I went to look back again, couldn’t find it. I’ll keep looking and add it later for you. I had a whole bunch of huge zucchini’s from a neighbor with a backyard garden and wanted a way to make use of them. I found a delectable way.
2 Lg Zucchini
2 Apples
1 C Spinach
1 Lime
2 C Parsley
Zucchini is great for juicing because it has lots of health benefits and a lot more actual juice than most dark green veggies. Zucchini is a great source of vitamin B, potassium, fiber and some vitamin c and iron. It is low in sugar and carbs. Perfect!
Juice #2
Mean Green Juice
If you have seen the documentary “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” then you have heard of the Mean Green Juice. This is the juice they talk about drinking daily during their 60 day juice detox. (I did ten days. That’s enough for now.) This is also the same people who run the “Reboot Your Life” website with the detox diet I did. The Mean Green Juice is not only delicious, it’s packed with nutritious, as well. (Yes, I did that on purpose.)
6 Kale leaves
1 Cucumber
4 Celery stalks
2 Green Apples
1/2 Lemon
1 in. piece Ginger
I put ginger is many of my juices for the awesome health benefits. Ginger helps nausea, inflammation, boosts immune system function, is an antibacterial and antiviral, increases blood flow and helps with detoxification. For more health benefits of ginger and a history, click this link.
Juice #3
Minty Fresh Berry Juice
Want to try a delicious fruit juice that the whole family will love?! Here it is. From Join the Reboot.
2 C Blueberries
2 Kiwi
16 Strawberries
2 C Mint Leaves
1/4 Pineapple (optional, I added that)
I LOVE pineapple and use it in my juice as often as possible. I’m a blood type A and follow the “Eat Right for your Blood Type” way of eating healthy and pineapple is great for type A’s. Pineapple is an anti-inflammatory, it has lots of vitamins and minerals like C, B, potassium, thiamine, manganese and magnesium and works for your body as a natural electrolyte. For more information about the health benefits of pineapple click on this link.
Juice #4
Fennel Pear Juice
Fennel is one of my newest and most favorite go to light green vegetables. It looks like a root but smells like black licorice. But the actual taste is much more subtle than black licorice. It goes perfectly with a pear. Yum yum! Also from Join the Reboot.
2 Pears
2 Med. Fennel bulbs
Pear and fennel is so refreshing. Fennel actually has a lot of health benefits too. Fennel offers relief from anemia, indigestion, flatulence, constipation, colic, diarrhea, respiratory disorders, menstrual disorders and bad breath. It has a very subtle taste and so can easily be added to salads and other foods without taking over the taste. Give it a try!
Juice #5
Mexican Style Jugo
Mexican Style Jugo, nice and spicy!
If you like spice, you’ll love this juice. Pablano peppers are high in dietary fibers and low in calories making them ideal for weight loss. They also help to boost the metabolism of the body and can be used as a replacement of salt in low-sodium diets. And, they make this juice just slightly spicy!! Another great recipe from Join the Reboot.
2 Lg. Cucumbers
4 C Cilantro
1 Lime
1 Pablano Pepper (ribs and seeds removed)
1 Golden Delicious Apple
Juice #6
Limeade
I have renamed this juice from Lemon Lime Juice to Limeade because it tastes like Limeade and I LOVE IT!! I have to say, I crave many of the juices but particularly this one and the Mexican Jugo. Can’t get enough of them. Must be something in them I really need, THE LIME!! Another great juice from Join the Reboot!
1 Lime
2 Pears
2 Carrots (med to lg)
1 Piece Ginger (thumb sized, I like lots, my husband likes less. Tailor it to your taste)
Another wonderful green juice. My goal was to get more fruits and vegetables into my diet and all the wonderful nutrients that go along with them. My body needs and craves dark green leafy vegetables. Therefore, I make a dark green leafy juice at least five days out of seven. Two days a week I take a break and make one of the other juices for variety and fun.
1/4 head Cabbage
3 Celery stalks
1 Cucumber (med to lg)
1 C Spinach
2 Green Apples
1/2 inch Ginger piece
Once again, I LOVE spice so I use more ginger. Ginger is a great liver cleanser as are dark green leafy’s so use what tastes good to you and enjoy.
Eleventh in a series of blogs written by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki for her series on nutritional healing and juicing.
Review of the Ten-Day Cleanse
Mmmmmm, Strawberry, banana and kale smoothie!! They really are yummy!
If you have been following my blog series you know that I have made great changes to my eating habits for chronic health reasons. If you have not been following then I’ll provide links throughout so you can read the other posts if you’d like to. I’m writing these blogs in hopes that my healing journey will help or motivate others on their healing journey.
Over the years my body gives me messages that it no longer will tolerate certain foods. First was beef and pork almost twenty years ago. Then wheat, sugar, soy and so on. I realized early on I have a sensitive system. This summer my body wanted me to rid myself of dairy and start a more raw food diet with a whole lot more vegetables. Granted I have been getting this feeling for about a year but was not completely ready until this summer. Usually this process takes time. I have found I am more successful if my mental state is that I WANT to do this, I CHOOSE to do this and I am READY to do this. I started doing this process with juicing and a ten-day fruit and vegetable cleanse through Reboot Your Life with their nutritionist and the help of my Naturopathic Doctor. I started July 20th with the pre-clenase and have been going strong since. (Today being the first of September, 2012)
Results of the Cleanse
So the results of the cleanse are (three weeks after & continuing):
I have more energy on most days
Many of my natural supplements that I take for the chronic conditions, were cut down right away. We continue to check dosage as my body changes with more and more greens.
I have a renewed desire to find healthy vegetarian recipes and actually make them for me and my family. We are all benefiting from this one.
I have left behind forever some weight and when the six month detox is over I know my body will respond with leaving behind even more.
Spiritually I have gotten much-needed insight into the deeper issue to the chronic illness’ and how to work through them.
I am reconnecting to my physical body and learning once again to listen to my body and give it what it needs to thrive.
My chakras and energy bodies are cleaner, brighter and feeling much lighter.
I am releasing massive amounts of energy that I no longer need on all four levels; physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally all at the same time and very quickly.
I am finding it easier to ground myself in the morning and stay grounded though out the day.
Just the Facts
If you’ve read my blogs on the juice cleanse this far you are either a dear friend, a very lovely client or you may have a chronic illness of your own that you haven’t been able to get help for. Good for you. Don’t give up, ever. Keep reading, keep researching, keep searching for a cure. Here are some facts that I find astounding. The way I see it, feel it and have experienced it, nutrition is our only hope to finding a cure for what ails us. Although, with our nutrition being meddled with the way it is in modern life, with pesticides, genetically altered seeds and pollution in our soils and waterways, it gets harder and harder to eat in a healthy manner. Other support therapies are necessary to support the healthy eating lifestyle as well. Therapies, such as: Reiki, Acupuncture, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), IEH (Intuitive Energy Healing), NAET (allergy elimination), NET (Neuro-emotional Technique) and more can help us build up our immune systems and help us rid our bodies of the toxins that modern life helps to put there. Each time we are able to work with one of these therapies we are raising our vibration and teaching our psychical body as well as our emotional body to LET GO of what does not serve us. With this process we are teaching our bodies to become immune to these modern changes. With this process, we are evolving to be more adaptable. The only way to survive on this planet is to evolve and adapt.
Back to the Veggies
But, overall, heal yourself with fruits and vegetables and a diet tailored to YOUR mind, body and spirit. Keep searching for the puzzle to YOUR healing journey. Each puzzle piece you find gets you a little closer to feeling great. Nutrition for most is the problem, the answer and the solution. Are you ready to REBOOT YOUR LIFE!?
Here are some very important facts that may help motivate you to Reboot your diet:
7 out of 10 deaths of every American is from chronic disease
95% of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies, and lack of physical exercise.
1 out of every 2 adults in America in 2005 had at least one chronic illness (HALF OF ALL ADULTS! WOW!)
1 in 5 people suffer from Autoimmune disease (Women are 75% of this number. 30 million women!)
90% of all chronic diseases are due to an infection of the gut, according to the Royal Society of Medicine
If you are trying to heal yourself, might be good to start with your diet. Juicing is an easy and delicious way to get a whole lot more veggies into your diet every single day. For maintenance I am supplementing my ‘normal’ diet of fruit and veggies for breakfast, usually in a smoothie, salads for lunch with beans and steamed or sautéed veggies at dinner with one or two juices a day. One juice a day is quite doable, two takes a little more commitment and planning. The great thing about a fruit and veggie diet is they have so few calories, you are rarely hungry. You can eat as much vegetables as you want!! Eat up and enjoy!
Loving questions and comments are always welcome. Let me know how YOU are doing on your healing journey.
Tenth in a series of blogs written by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki for her series on nutritional healing and juicing.
To catch up start with blog 1, A Sensitive System or search categories under Nutritional Healing.
Heavenly Grass
“My feet took a walk in heavenly grass.
All day while the sky shone clear as glass.
My feet took a walk in heavenly grass,
All night while the lonesome stars rolled past.
Then my feet come down to walk on earth,
And my mother cried when she give me birth.
Now my feet walk far and my feet walk fast,
But they still got an itch for heavenly grass.
But they still got an itch for heavenly grass.”
Tennessee Williams
One Journey Ends, Another Continues
Two days after I finished my ten-day fruit and vegetable cleanse for better health and cleansing my system, I was standing on the grass, drinking my lemon water in my back yard. This has been my morning ritual since I started the cleanse. As I felt the earth beneath my feet, grounding myself to the energy Mother Earth generously offered, I was contemplating the journey of the cleansing process and how I was feeling. I started the cleanse to try something new to heal myself. I have suffered from multiple chronic illnesses much of my life and am consistently searching for the puzzle pieces to healing my physical body, while at the same time living my life, working being a wife and mom. To read the goals of my cleanse go to my second blog.
Back to the Grass
I was contemplating the journey of the cleansing process and how I was feeling afterwards. I was a bit down because I still felt tired, I still felt unmotivated and I had some high hopes that I’d be feeling better after the cleanse. Many people have told me that after day three, you feel great. Not the case for me. This has been a long healing trek for me so I knew it would take more than just a ten-day cleanse to help me heal completely, but I had hoped that I’d feel a little better when it was done. I was also aware that I was feeling the low of just finishing a big project and wondering where to go next, what was the next step? (details of the cleanse results at the bottom of the blog)
“The best way out of a problem is through it.” Author Unknown
Motivation
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead is a documentary about two men’s healing journey from severe immune system illness to extreme health in 60 days of juicing. This movie has motivated many people, including me. They have an amazing website with 5 day, 10 day and 15 day full cleanse diets by a nutritionist. I used their ten-day diet.
In the movie, “Fat,Sick and Nearly Dead” one of the women who did the ten-day cleanse, because she was having migraines regularly, said after her cleanse “I have the energy of a 21-year-old!” I have to admit, THAT statement stuck with me. WOW, I want the energy of a 21-year-old I thought. I knew my health issues were more complicated than hers but this statement motivated me and still does, to keep going. But, unlike her, I didn’t feel like a 21-year-old. I felt tired, still. A common problem with chronic fatigue and depression. I knew the only choice was to keep going. I knew I was on the right track, I just needed to keep moving forward with the juicing and eating as many fruits and vegetables as possible. But, after years of doing this, it gets a bit daunting. I was having a hard time staying motivated. Cue my animal message.
“By perseverance the snail reached the Ark.“C.H. Spurgeon
Cue the Hummingbird, Stage Left
The hummingbird had no marks of color.
As I stood there in the middle of my yard contemplating this, a hummingbird flew right up to my face and hovered there for what seems like a very long minute or longer. It just didn’t leave, or move from its hover spot in front of my face. I noticed it was an unremarkable hummingbird, all gray, no spectacular color from what I could see. It just stayed there. So, I stayed still, I watched it, looked at it, trying to figure out what it wanted of me. Birds rarely come that close to me. I have to admit, I like birds, but do not consider myself a bird person.
Childhood Flashback
Beautiful hummingbird tattoo with a native flair.
My sister had birds growing up and I would take care of them for her when she was gone. I never quite believed they were happy being in that cage and thought they must be very bored. Birds needed to fly and be free, I felt. I was also afraid of them close up, because they would peck me and make sudden movements and I never knew quite what to expect from them. I never fully understood them or appreciated them close up. I’m just not a bird person I guess. (Maybe my babysitter allowing me to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” at a young age didn’t help either. Hmmm, have to meditate on that for a bit later.) Lets put it this way, if I were to get a tattoo, it would NOT be of a bird. But, if I were to get a tattoo and it had to be a bird, it would probably be a pretty colored one, like a hummingbird. Anyway….
Back to the Hummingbird
So when this hummingbird came so close to my face, and stayed there for what seemed like a very long time, not only was I a bit surprised and still a bit afraid that it would peck my face, but I knew that this bird must be trying to tell me something or it wouldn’t be doing this with me. I finally just enjoyed the moment and listened. As I listened I heard “Patience, the journey continues!” Well I have to say that just pissed me off!! Patience!! I’ve been on this healing journey for twenty years almost, how patient do I have to be!? (Apparently, more patient than I am at the moment.)
Visions Help Solidify the Message
Then suddenly, standing there on the grass, I had visions of all the lifetimes I’ve done this, many lifetimes of physical and emotional pain that I am working to rid myself of all in this one life. It is time, THIS is the life to taste, digest, and dispose of all the pain from all those other lives. This healing journey that I think I’ve been on for twenty years, I’ve actually been on for much, much longer. In that scope of understanding, a few more years or even a few more lifetimes didn’t seem like so much. Patience on that scale, actually seemed more doable than just this one lifetime of being patient. The big picture to me made my struggles in this life seem small and easier to overcome, more like a speed-bump than a mountain. I can’t completely explain it, but I felt more at peace, I felt like I could go on. I felt like I could continue the healing journey with more patience. Thank you beautiful hummingbird, it was just the message and vision I needed at that exact moment.
“Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” An Old Astronomer to His Pupil
Suddenly the gray hummingbird turned away from me and flew away. He knew I’d gotten his message and he was done. I ran in the house and wrote down the message and my experience so I could write it in this blog later. I then picked up my “Animal Spirit Guides” book by Steven Farmer and looked up messages from hummingbirds to see what it had to say that may compliment the message I had gotten. Here is what the book said for hummingbird that related to my situation, like it was written just for me, just for that day.
If a hummingbird shows up, it means:
You need to be very flexible with the twists and turns your life will take in the next days.
Put more emotional sweetness in your life, you need it.
You’re going through some very heart-opening kinds of experiences, and you’ll quite naturally draw more and more love into your life.
Openly express the love you have and feel for those important people in your life.
Give yourself the gift of as many flowers as you can, spread them around your home, and enjoy their sight and fragrance throughout the days to come.
This message also stood out and spoke to me from the book:
Call on Hummingbird when:
You’re feeling down and sullen and want to lighten up, have more fun, and experience more joy.
You find yourself around any negativity or harshness and want to protect yourself and lift your spirits.
You’re feeling fragmented and distracted, ruminating about the past or future, and want to be more present in the moment.
Judy at Angels and Ancestors wrote a lovely blog about the spiritual messages of hummingbirds. Here is a passage that spoke to me:
“Hummingbird is about understanding the sweetness of life, about being able to go long distances on little food, and using great courage. Hummingbird also represents the pioneer spirit of finding new lands and moving between worlds. When working with Hummingbird, we may ask it to bring in our Ancestors or the Old Ones who may come from their spirit place and share knowledge with us.
Hummingbirds bring the message that stamina and perseverance is important in one’s life. One must build themselves up to be strong so that their life force is not depleted by those drawing on them for energy. Another message that hummingbird brings to those that it appears to, is that the human must watch his or her digestive system, and that they must not take in too much sugar.”
Hummingbird Totem for the full blog by Tonjha about the spiritual messages of hummingbirds. Here is a quote that related to the cleanse experience for me.
“The hummingbird can awaken us to the medicinal properties of plants. Hummingbirds teach us how to draw the life essence from flowers. “They can teach us how to use flowers to heal and win hearts in love. Andrews says the twittering, vibrating sounds of the hummingbirds bring us an internal massage that restores health and balance. ”
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Author Unknown
Doing Something Different
Vegetable juice is delicious and nutritious.
And so, the healing journey continues as life does too. I got refocused. I met with my doctor and had her muscle test me for the nutritional elements I need to stay focused on most to help my body heal. My body said I need to continue to juice, lots of greens and to stay off the dairy 100%. We also tested time frames and the testing said it will take six months to fully detox from the dairy I have eaten and drank for my whole life. For my body, dairy is NOT GOOD! I think for many bodies, dairy is not good. If you suspect it is not good for you get muscle tested or give it up for a few weeks and see how you feel when you add it back in. You’ll intuitively know. You probably already do. I’ve been feeling this for quite a while but just wasn’t ready to give it up until now. I ignored what my body needed for my emotional needs at the time. Now is the time. Now I am ready. This all feels right to me so I’m continuing. Six months does not seem so daunting to me at all. I’m enjoying the juicing and so is my husband. He already feels the effects with more energy at work and not needing coffee to keep going throughout the day. He’s even started to make his own juice when I don’t have time. I’m starting a trend, I hope so.
Results of the Cleanse will be in the next blog. Read on. And, if you like the information you are reading, don’t forget to enter your email address to receive automatic blog updates from Rain Shadow Reiki.
Love and LIght to you,
Josslyn
rainshadowreiki@gmail.com or 360-460-7829
To catch up start with blog 1, A Sensitive System or search categories under Nutritional Healing.
Ninth in a series of blogs written by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki for her series on nutritional healing and juicing.
To catch up start with blog 1, A Sensitive System or search categories under Nutritional Healing.
The Crying Games
Crying is a healthy form of release, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically.
Okay, so you’d think I would know what was coming. You’d think since I’ve done this many times over, in different ways, but many cleanses, you think I’d know that this part would be here soon. NOT. (Yes, I still use that term to my friends chagrin) There must be a part of me that goes into denial or forgets, like the pain of having a baby. You have to forget or you’d never do it again, right!? That’s how it is with the emotional cleanse part. You have to forget that it happens and how bad it can get or you’d never do a cleanse again. Day 6 and 7 provided for me the much-needed MASSIVE emotional cleansing. It probably looks different for everybody. In fact I know it does.
Easy Sailing vs. Typhoon
Tropical Typhoon Josslyn
My husband sails through a cleanse like nothing was ever changed. No crying, no emotional roller coaster, no questioning ones whole life path, you get the picture. We both went through the same cleanse after having our mercury out of our teeth with the same doctor, same supplements, similar amount of fillings removed. With him he went right back to work with little or no side effects. Me, I was an emotional basket case for a whole two weeks after, angry, crying anywhere and everywhere, laughing at inappropriate times, the whole deal. It’s obvious, we are totally different beings, he and I. And, that is why we balance each other out so well. That is also why I call him my rock. I need him for his stability of emotion and he needs me for my spirituality and empathy. It works great for us, most of the time.
A Whole Lot of S*#t
Tsunami
So, here I am, pretty much sailing through this cleanse through day 5, only complaining a little bit (YES, JUST A LITTLE BIT!) about the amount of chopping, cooking and what not. Day 6 hits like a Tsunami. I was completely blindsided. I was tired and a little low, but when it hit, it hit. I never saw it coming. All I needed was the right trigger. What better trigger than your youngest son and some massive attitude in public. That’s all it took. I cried for two hours straight and then for another day and a half, off and on quite regularly. I cried when I ran out of
Cat and Dog cuddling together
tissues, I cried when my ‘rock’ told me he wouldn’t be coming home from work again that night to stay and work on a project for the third night in a row, I cried when my cat wouldn’t cuddle with me but chose the dog instead and I cried when the U.S would lose a medal in the Olympic Games. Lets just say, as my beautiful soul sister Stephanie put it, “You’re letting go of a whole lot of s*#t!” Thank God she always magically calls me when I’m at my deepest darkest hour and can make me laugh and see things from a new perspective. Yes, I agreed with her, yes I am, literally and figuratively, letting go of a lot of crap.
Trickle vs Flood
Too much Tsunami can ruin that peaceful feeling for sure, but it also can aid you in finding a higher place, a richer path to take.
When you do a cleanse as a spiritual ritual as I am, you are not only cleansing your body, but your thoughts, emotions and spiritual energy as well. Like with Reiki you are working on all levels at once, physical, mental, spiritual AND emotional. ALL at the same time. We sometimes forget this. We may want to believe this will not happen but truly deep down we WANT it to happen. There may not be another way to release this much emotion in such a short period of time. Of course, it’s easy to say this NOW that I’ve come out the other side of the Typhoon and are in calm seas again. Easy for me to say. But, believe me, I wasn’t so happy about it while I was in the heart of the storm. Some of this stuff has been with me my whole life, many lives. My dreams lately tell this story too, dreams of my childhood, dreams that combine different time frames that I’ve been working on these very deep dark issues. Believe me, someone who has lived with depression most of their lives, they have STUFF to release.
Typhoon Josslyn from above
Although we think we’d like these issues to trickle out at a nice slow tolerable pace a little at a time, sometimes, what is truly best may be a complete flood and be done with it. It is more uncomfortable in the mean time but it is over and done more quickly. I used to be the one who desired the trickle. But, lately, I have so much I want to let go of so quickly, so much I want to leave behind, that I’m welcoming the Typhoon. Bring it on. Let the cleansing games begin. I’m going for the gold!
East vs West
In Western culture emotions are considered unbalanced and even not healthy. This belief we learn from our society is not healthy. Emotions are a normal natural part of life. Listening to them is important, cleansing them, working with them to heal ourselves.
It has long been believed in Chinese Medicine that emotions are connected to the organs in the body. This is in my opinion where Western Medicine lacks greatly in comparison. NOT treating the emotional body, spiritual body and mental body along with the physical body is leaving out 3/4’s of the source of the problem. HUGE mistake and in my opinion, quite daft. And, the reason that millions of American’s are very chronically ill. 133 million Americans from a 2005 census, that is 1 out of every 2 adults ill with chronic illness. If you are not shocked, you should be.
Truly Heal Yourself
When you cleanse your body with a fast, supplements, meditation, Reiki, acupuncture or any other cleansing method you choose (find a list below), you are cleansing not only your body but your emotions, mental and spiritual beliefs as well. It makes sense that we would have symptoms of crying, negative thought loops, anxiety, fear and anger surfacing during the cleanse. By allowing it to surface, not ignoring it, dealing with it, thanking it for teaching you what you needed to learn and releasing it, you are truly cleansing all four of your bodies as is needed for true ability to raise your vibration to the next level. YOU ARE TRULY HEALING YOURSELF! YOU ARE EVOLVING!
Reiki is incredibly relaxing and helps you and your body to RELEASE whatever it is ready to release. the cleansing and healing process can then begin.
You Ask, HOW?
There are many ways in which to cleanse and heal yourself. Here is a list off of the top of my head. Find what works best for YOU. The important thing is to DO something and NEVER GIVE UP:
Any YOU can think of? Any I’ve missed? I’d love to hear from YOU as to what has worked best for your cleanses. Please comment if you have any. Please email me or comment here if you want to try something new but don’t know what. I can help.
Love and Light to you all,
Blessings, Joss
rainshadowreiki@gmail.com or 360-460-7828
Some good blogs about emotions and our body’s organs and how they relate
I walk the face of earth once more,
a mindless puppet, my strings are torn.
the creaky bones, the bad eyesight,
yet the chance to turn wrong to right.
wars-a-waging, old mans guilt,
the worlds now on more than just a tilt.
parents weeping, children slain,
bloody thoughts, fear will reign.
I look in the shadows, a creature did lurk,
he whispered to me, hiding a smirk.
“Thou shalt be killed if thee can’t find,
the demon lurking in thou mind.”
So off I ventured, to quench my thirst,
of corpses piled with hearts-a-burst.
And on that quest what did I see?
Seventh in a series of blogs written by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki for her series on nutritional healing and juicing.
To catch up start with blog 1, A Sensitive System or search categories under Nutritional Healing.
Sleeping Walking Through Day 4
I made it though Day 3 pretty easily other than the many visits to the potty room that you may have read about in blog #6, ‘My First Colonic and Day 3’. Day 3 is famed to be the most difficult day from what I’ve heard and read. Although, I looked ahead in the dietary plan today and so far they’ve been pushing so many vegetables on the collective ‘us’ that we can’t eat them all. On Day 6 I get to have juice for breakfast, late breakfast, lunch and after that only coconut water. Hmmmm, we’ll see how that goes.
Sleep or Lack There Off
Sleeping is one of the issues other Rebooters have brought up as being difficult during the reboot, last night I hit that milestone. I was so tired yesterday that I feel asleep while meditating and slept for two hours from 4pm to 6pm. Not only did that mean I was extremely late in preparing the vegetables for dinner but I didn’t sleep most of the night other than some dozing here and there. Late afternoon naps are the kiss of death for my sleep cycle. I never do them, on purpose, that is. So, the extreme fatigue set in today on a day when I had to go back to the grocery with my two boys and prepare many large new vegetable dishes.
Reiki – LOVE, Cooking -Not So Much
Now, I’m pretty good at knowing my strengths and weaknesses, and I know that I’m an intuitive and caring Reiki Master, love what I do and work consistently at it. I’m an excellent healer because I don’t give up on myself or others. I have learned so much though my own process that I am now are able to help others. I’m a slightly above average but hard-working writer, very to the point and able to explain difficult non-tangible situations in a very easy to understand tangible way. I’m not highly creative in my writing or filled with poetry, but, if you are an ADD, spiritualist, clairsentient, light-worker – I’m your blogger. As a cook, well, that is where my confidence wanes. Being ADD (Indigo is more my definition), I do not read cook books well or instructions of any kind. So, I’ve never been a very good cook. I’m better when someone shows me and does it with me. I cook what I know, what tastes good, usually what’s quick and easy and what my family likes. Usually when I cook new stuff my boys complain that I’m giving them too much variety. That’s boys for you.
The Motivation Black Hole
So, where has my motivation been to cook more and different until now? In the void, as my son says, the black hole.
Alain Riazuelo’s startling image of a black hole deep in space. The image shows how light would bend around the black hole Read more: http://www.dailymail.co
Currently, I’m motivated by a much healthier body and life. I’m doing it for me and I’m doing it all myself. So, tonight, when the extreme tired kicked in and I had three veggie dishes to prepare, some of the old self-confidence issues raised their ugly heads for me to look at. Look at it I did. While chopping, I have lots of time to look in the proverbial mirror and see what I want to change. I decided to stop listening to the old records that said I couldn’t do this without help, or that I couldn’t figure it our correctly on my own, and I just did it. However long it took, however much I may mess it up, I pushed on through. I put on some motivating music, for me this could be anything from hip hop to country to reggae. Tonight, it took long enough it was a bit of all of them. I got lost in the chopping, the music and the beautiful scene of the Strait of Juan de Fuca out my kitchen window. I can watch the summer cruise ships pass by me and the San Juan Islands as I chop and it’s lovely. And, you know what, the dishes, although a little late, turned out great! Even my boys liked them and they were 99% made of vegetables!
Ratings for this dish: Joss’ rating 9 out of 10, Robby (age 12) 8 out of 10, Sawyer (age 9) 7 out of 10, Robert 10 out of 10
Baked Zucchini with Tomatoes and Herbs
(Thank you to my wonderful neighbors for all the zucchini you gave us. It went to good use.)
Baked Zucchini recipe made two baking dishes full. Sorry about the photo, I forgot to take photos until dinner was over and I was packing up the leftovers. Sleep walking even after a nap.
I am putting this recipe in exactly as it is on Joe’s website. Although I encourage you to add or take away items as it pleases your family. I personally would put one more tomato and more sea salt.
3 large zucchini or 5 small
4 Scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
1 small onion, shipped
2 Plum Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. Celery Leaves (from the inner stalks, chopped
4 Tbsp. Basil Leaves, shipped, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the zucchini in half crosswise. Cut each half again lengthwise, and slice each of the halves into 4 equal, 1/2 inch pieces. They should look like sticks.
In a bowl, mix together the zucchini sticks with the white parts of the scallions, onion, tomatoes, celery leaves and basil. Mix in the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Pour into a 3 quart baking dish and bake for 20 minutes (mine took 30 min.). Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions and the extra chipped basil.
Makes 4 servings (makes way more than 4 servings, more like 6 to 7)
Per serving: 153 calories, 1.5 g protein, 1.5 g fiber
Sweet Potato and Carrot “Fries”
Sweet Potato and Carrot Fries, Yum a Dum Dum!! These are dessert to me they are so sweet naturally. With a bit of cumin and cinnamon on top, sweet and divine.
Once again these wonderful recipes can be found under the PLAN section on the ten-day plan on Join the Reboot dot-com.
Family ratings: Joss 10 of 10 (this is like dessert for me!), Robert 9 of 10, Sawyer 9 of 10 (a bit sweet for him he said and this is my candy lover kid)
2 medium Sweet Potatoes
2 large Carrots
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. ground Cumin (or cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, rosemary or other spices you like can be in place of the cumin)
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, and slice each half into 4 equal wedges. for the carrots, cut in half crosswise into two chunks. Slice each chunk lengthwise into 2 pieces, and cut each piece into 2 or 3 wedges, making them roughly the same size as the potatoes.
Put the potato and carrot wedges into a bowl and toss with the oil, cumin, pepper and salt. Arrange on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes or until the flesh is tender and the outside is lightly browned and the edges slightly crisp.
They say it makes 2 servings but the four of us didn’t finish them all.
For those of you who are sensitive to poop talk then please do not read any further. For those of you who would like to improve your health and think a colonic may be a part of that, then read on. I only include this part of my cleanse in the hopes that it helps others along their journey to health. I wouldn’t include it if I didn’t feel it was important in some way.
Colon Hydrotherapy Recommended
My colon is unhappy, is yours?
As part of the fruit and vegetable cleanse I am doing, my Naturopathic doctor, Dr. Ruth Urand, recommended I do one colon hydrotherapy a week for at least five weeks. She said this would help the cleanse along and make it easier for me and my body. That sounded good to me, but I had never had a colonic before and was a little freaked out about it. However, after my Medical Intuitive, Candia Sanders, also recommended colonics during a reading recently, I just figured I’d have to add it to the list of things to do for my health. I trust Candia and my doctor so I went for it. I’ve read about them in the past and know they are supposed to be really good for our health but didn’t really know how or why. Read about the WHY to do a colon cleanse down below.
The Colonic
Right off the bat, I’ll tell you, it was completely tolerable. In fact, there were parts of it that were quite comfortable. The colonic lasts longer than a PAP but is not as bad. (My women friends will know what that means.) I’ve read of other people’s experience’s being pretty bad but I had a very good experience. Some of this I attribute to my doctor who did it herself and was very gentle and kind. Some I attribute to my body which has always been quite regular, never constipated, and the rest I attribute to my already very healthy diet. From the reading I did to educate myself on the process of getting a colon hydrotherapy session, it seems, the healthier your diet going into the colonic, the easier time you will have. The more blocked up your colon is with processed foods, meats and toxins, the harder the process will be both during and after. I had some slight tenderness in my stomach area after but that is all. No issues at all.
During the Colon Hydrotherapy Session
This machine is similar to the one used with my colon hydrotherapy. The clear tube in the middle helps you to view the feces moving out the out tube.
Yes, they put a speculum up you behind area. Yes, they shoot warm water in one tube and the feces comes out the other tube. I somehow found the process fascinating. The warm water part, for me, felt nice. I felt cleaner afterwards. That felt good. My doctor was able to stop some of the outgoing feces in a clear tube and investigate it. She was able to identify some of what I had eaten. Even some of the beets and apples I had been juicing, she could still tell what it was. Amazing. We both were able to see one whole in tact slice of almond I had eaten on a salad. She said this told her that, one, I need to chew slower and better and two, I don’t have enough stomach acid to help break down my food. We will tackle the acid issue after the cleanse she said. I think intuitively I knew that I haven’t had enough stomach acid since I can’t eat beef and haven’t been able to since I was 24 years old. But, I didn’t know there was something she could do to help my body start making more. See, I learned something very important for my body. And, it didn’t even seem gross or weird that we were sitting here with tubes up my butt and looking closely at my poop. Interesting.
The clear output tube with feces flowing through to study it for unhealthy parasites, food items, or other clues to an unhealthy colon.
My Goal to Having Colonics
Having colonics goes along with one of my main goals for this cleanse, to detox my bowels and liver in order for my body to be able to heal itself and take in nutrients from the healthy fruits and vegetables that I eat. (Read my other goals in my blog The Cleanse.) My goals are the same as many people who have colonics where the overall goal is to clear the colon of large quantities of stagnant, possibly toxic wast that gets encrusted on colon walls. When this is done, the body no longer has to deal with wastes accumulated during a lifetime, and can use more of its own strength to heal itself and fight disease. Other goals also include:
Improving mental outlook
Improving the immune system
Losing weight
Reducing the risk of colon cancer
“Scientific research in both America and Europe have demonstrated that people in the richer nations carry within their bodies anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds of accumulated toxic materials. Although this material is stored throughout the body, the majority of it is stored in the colon.” The Koyfman Center
Day 3 of The Cleanse, Pray!
View Day 3 as a sign that the cleanse is working and your body will be healthier after you are done with the whole process. Be GRATEFUL that you body wants to work in a healthy manner for you.
Since we are talking poop talk in this blog, lets just get it all over with. Lets talk about day three of the cleanse. YOU will be on the potty a lot! For both reasons. A lot! That is how you know you are detoxing. Use intention with all that time you have. Each time I’m on the toilet, I close my eyes, clear my head, and I thank my body and Divine Source for helping me to heal and for helping me LET GO of everything that is not helping me. Adding INTENTION to the cleanse process is of utmost importance to having a successful cleanse. Divine Source listens to all of our prayers and gratitude and so does our own personal unique energy system. The more we are grateful for our body being healthy the more our body will respond in that fashion. The more our body and spirit know what we want and are grateful for it, it will help us along all the faster.
Ginger tea can help your body cleanse in a natural way or along with the colonic and fruit and vegetable cleanse you choose.
The nutritionist at Join the Reboot says some diarrhea or constipation is normal but if it continues to consult your doctor. She also gives options to help with either diarrhea or constipation during the reboot. The support team offers a lot of good information and helpful hints along the way. So far I’m very impressed with their diet plans, meals and helpful hints.
If you are not experiencing a bowel movement for each meal, you are storing that meal in your colon!
The benefits of colon cleansing, or colonic irrigation have long been known and practiced since 1500 BC. An early Egyptian medical document called the “Ether Papyrus”. Hippocrates (4th and 5th century BC.) was a proponent of colon cleansing for fever therapy.
Blockages in the colon.
In the early 20th century, Dr. Kellogg published a comprehensive approach to colon hydrotherapy which he advocated for use in treating many conditions such as liver toxicity, surgical shock, colitis and cholera. Before the advent of more modern medical techniques, many medical and health practitioners shared the philosophy that abnormal functioning of the intestinal canal was at the root of poor health and chronic disease.
Colon Hydrotherapy is a time-tested ancient method of treatment dating back to the Egyptian and Greek civilizations. Ancient Egyptians were one of the earliest known cultures to regularly use colon hydrotherapy for medicinal purposes.
Today’s colon hydrotherapy has come a long way from using the ancient techniques, however the benefits of this relaxing therapy has only increased and become more necessary.
There are also over the counter supplements to help with cleansing the colon, as well as, laxatives and enemas. These are an example, I am not supporting these products.
Do you ever wonder what happens to that meal you did not eliminate?
If you are not experiencing a bowel movement for each meal, you are storing that meal in your colon!
Is Your Sunday Dinner Still in Your Gut the Following Friday?
The average American has only about three bowel movements a week. A healthy person with a good diet and proper elimination should have three bowel movements a day.
If you are having only a few bowel movements a week, at the end of one week, you are 18 bowel movements short! By the end of the month, you are 72 bowel movements behind. By the end of the year, you are 864 bowel movements behind (and storing all of that in your colon).
Death Begins in a Clogged Colon
It’s no wonder the body starts to break down and become diseased.
Let’s face it — if your infant or young child was not having regular bowel movements, would you be concerned? If your pet dog did not have daily bowel movements, would you bring your pet to the veterinarian? So why then, do American adults think it is ‘normal’ for them to only have a few bowel movements in one week?
Drinking filtered water all day long is critical to colon health.
Some interesting facts:
75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is over mistaken for hunger.
Mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
One glass of water stopped midnight hunger pains for almost 100% of the dieters in a University of Washington study.
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
Some research shows that 8-10 glasses of water a day can significantly ease back and joint pain for many sufferers.
Just a 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, and difficulty focusing.
Many modern-day food products are known to be contaminated with chemicals, hormones, toxins and the like, and this combined with our bad eating habits generally can cause toxins to accumulate within our body which can reduce our natural defences against disease and immunity to illnesses.
Basic health begins with colon care. Eliminating undigested food particles, glandular and cellular debris, excess mucus, gas and parasites play an essential part in the digestive and assimilative process.
Parasites removed during a colon cleanse.
Due to technologies of food processing — the use of preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, and chemical and hormonal food additives the need for cleansing the colon has never been greater. Many of these toxins are reabsorbed into the bloodstream, lymph, liver, and nervous system, thus straining and eventually weakening the body’s defense against viruses and foreign bacteria.
The result is a breakdown which affects the body as a whole. An increased toxic load contributes to the problems associated with the colon: constipation, toxemia, colitis, diarrhea, skin blemishes, low back pain, and headaches ect.
Colonic irrigation helps to clean out the accumulation of stagnant toxin-producing matter in the colon pockets and keep the colon muscles toned. Improved muscle tone of the colon allows for the efficient removal of waste products from the body. Purification of the systems of the body helps restore internal balance and overall health.
What can Colonic hydrotherapy Help With ?
Lifting of spirits
Bad breath
Improved sleep
Colitis and flatulence
Bloating and constipation
Improved weight control
Improved skin condition
Improved sex drive
Balancing of mood swings
Toxic headaches
Painful hemorrhoids
Improved digestion
Decrease in heartburn and indigestion
The following link has a humorous story about a woman and her husband and their first time going for a colonic. They had a much rougher time than I did.
Fifth in a series of blogs written by Josslyn Streett of Rain Shadow Reiki for her series on nutritional healing and juicing.
First blog in the series if you want to get caught up, “A Sensitive System.”
Day 2 of my Reboot
So, day 2 went much smoother although just as busy. I added a slightly bit more protein, black beans on my salad, and didn’t stress so much about preparing and eating EVERYTHING on their list, and it went well. I’ve been having some slight cold symptoms, runny nose and sore throat, but it feels more like detox symptoms than an actual cold coming on. I’ve had it before when I was detoxifing from having the mercury out of my teeth, so I’m just watching it and doing some preventative stuff just in case. I had a slight headache last night but they say that is normal too. Other than that I’m feeling pretty darn good and my attitude is very positive.
Recipes
Today I wanted to share two of the recipes from day 2 because they were so outstanding that I felt they were worth a shout out. If you like vegetables and salads then you will do great on this cleanse.
Love Salad
I have to say I do LOVE salad. When people ask my favorite food, I say “salad!” and have said that since I was in college. My mom always made fresh salad for dinners and I grew to love them and it stayed with me. However, with the business of having kids, working on healing myself, moving, now working part-time and blogging, I think I’ve gotten in a bit of a busy rut with my salads. I tend to do the same thing over and over again. I still love them because the most important ingredient to a salad is really fresh (locally grown if you’ve got them) vegetables and we have plenty of that here in Sequim, Washington. So, I am thrilled to be doing this 10 day reboot of my life from ‘Join the Reboot’ with great new salad recipes to try. And, day 2 has this wonderful carrot-dill salad that I truly enjoyed. Enough that I wanted to share it here with you.
These recipes complimentary of ‘Join the Reboot‘ on the ten-day Reboot.
Carrot-Dill Salad
Joss’ rating 10 out of 10
Carrot-Dill Salad, a salad worth sitting alone on the patio watching the sunset and truly enjoying slowly. Can you tell I appreciate a good salad!?
3 cups greens (spinach, arugula, romaine, red leaf, etc.)
Shredded carrot, fennel, radish, cabbage, celery (don’t be afraid to try fennel, it’s quite subtle. I will put more next time. It tastes a bit like black licorice which I don’t care for, but like fennel anyway.)
chopped fresh dill
1/2 avocado
I also added some jicama and cucumber I had leftover from another salad, and black beans for added protein.
Dressing
(The recipe calls for a honey soy dressing but since I’m allergic to soy I used this recipe from Day 1.)
Homemade Mustard Vinaigrette
1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 T Grain Mustard
2/3 cups Cold Pressed Olive Oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Salad and 2 Tbsp. Dressing: 278 calories, 3.5 g protein, 9 g fiber (stays fresh in the refrigerator for one week in a glass jar)
Squash? You Want Me to Cook Squash?
Yes, I’ve never been much of a squash eater and therefore, neither is my family. I don’t know why but I’ve been a bit afraid of preparing it. The unknown I guess. Or maybe just didn’t care for it before. So, here goes, squash on the day 2 recipes. I decided to tackle it instead of being intimidated by it. And, I’m so glad I did. It was delectable. My husband agreed (without the red pepper) that we would eat this over and over again. Here is the recipe with the red pepper but if you do not like spice then take it out. It was actually quite simple to prepare also.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Portobello Mushroom
Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Portobello Mushroom and Sage
Joss’ rating, 10 out of 10. Robert’s rating 9 out of 10 due to the red pepper.
1 medium Acorn Squash (I used two for four servings)
3/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper
6 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing on the squash
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 large Portobello Mushroom, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
2 tsp. Fresh Sage, finely chopped (I’d add a bit more sage next time. Not quite enough)
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes, optional
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim off each end of the squash. Stand the squash upright and halve lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and the seeds and discard. Brush each squash half with olive oil, and then sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. sea salt and black pepper. Arrange cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast the squash until the flesh is tender and the edges are golden brown, approximately 25 – 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the squash halves over and set aside.
I used two Acorn Squash and for four servings. The mushroom mixture is the same amount and fits quite nicely in four squash halves for four people.
Stuffing
While the squash roasts, heat the live oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute 2 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the mushrooms, sage, 1/4 tsp. sea salt and the red pepper flakes if using, and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Fill the roasted squash halves with the mushroom mixture and bake again for another 10 minutes. Devour.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 254 calories, 2 g protein, 2.5 g fiber
I hope some of you try these recipes even if you don’t do the full Reboot. It is fun to try new things and get more variety in your life, even if the process is sometimes slightly anxiety ridden. Smiling. Enjoy.
And don’t forget to do Reiki on your food, or pray at your meals to help your food’s vibration be raised up to meet yours. Another blog on that later.
Josslyn Streett, Reiki Master/Teacher/Reader
rainshadowreiki@gmail.com or 360-460-7829
In Love and Light of the Divine, welcome. Here, I share ideas on how to live a more spiritual life using Reiki and other spiritual tools and techniques. I help private clients –like you– break through blockages so you can freely move forward on your spiritual path. –Josslyn Streett
