My diet & detox journal

I just broke a 4 day juice fast. I had been fighting a virus, and my body was telling me to stop eating. So from wednesday afternoon till today, I took in nothing other than fruit and vegetable juices. (I’ve posted my journal in the Cleansing and Detox Q&A, but you also get to it by clicking on the “lemon slice button” on the left hand sidebar of this page. )

There is nothing like a short fast to remind your body’s senses of the importance of healthy healing foods. I decided to break the fast according to suggestions by Paul Bragg, in his book The Miracle of Fasting. What does that mean? Well, he encourages a fast to be ended with a nice fresh bowl of cabbage salad. I giggle of course, because any one who knows me knows I love a good cabbage salad! So a bit ago I ate about a cup and a half of slightly marinated slaw, chewed well, as I concentrated on healthy digestion. Later on I will eat a bowl of steamed kale topped with a bit of Braggs amino acids. Again, a suggestion from Bragg’s book.

But I’m actually more excited about the Mamoncillo fruit I found at the grocer this afternoon. I hadn’t been out of the house much since I started the fast, so I was walking a bit like a zombie in the store. Then I passed the tropical fruit shelf and THERE THEY WERE! I have not had these since I was in Venezuela. On the island I also used to eat a similar fruit, called “Cotoperiz”. Both are very similar to a Lichee, in that they take work to eat! (Picture curtesy of Wikipedia)

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What I am about to share is my history~
Perhaps it may surprise you, but I believe that we are all wounded healers…

As readers of my blog and friends and family know, for many years (in particular my late teens and early twenties) I was plagued with semi-hypochondria and misunderstanding of the normal functions of my own body. I’m clear that much of this may have been rooted in fear of the unknown, as I was more of a fan of social science, rather than biology and anatomy. It is also likely due to the fact that many of my grandparents suffered from chronic disease and were ill or passed away during those formative years. There was my father’s experience as described below, and add to that my sister’s ulcerative colitis, and my own process of dealing with what was eventually diagnosed as PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome. Putting it all together, you can imagine how difficult it was for me to feel comfortable with general wellness.

I think that the clearest connection I can make to when things started going ’strange’ in my mind was back in 1989, the winter when my father was diagnosed with cancer. He fought it, and won, and over the past 18 years since my father first won his battle with malignant cells in his colon, I’ve spent countless hours counting the blessings of having healthy family members, but fearing my own mortality.

In truth, there is nothing like the reality of life to remind you how precious each day really is. Back in the late 1980s, when I first learned of Dad’s issue, I was unprepared with how to deal with it, or the considerations it would bring up in terms of my own health and wellbeing. Not only did I become significantly obsessed with the prevention of illness, I managed to do the same for every member of my family, at times whether they wished me to do so, or not! However, my father’s subsequent conquering of his colon ills, and his journey to wellness was something that inspired me on my own journey to use natural health care as a means of finding a holistic and healthful way to find peace.

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Ok. I am putting together some thoughts for my upcoming eBook about PCOS, and I thought I would throw everyone a morsel to wet your appetite…Raw foods were a key part of my journey to balance my PCOS. In exchange for a healthy diet, rich in raw fresh foods, I received clear skin, for the first time since late puberty!

Here you go…

Yes, yes, yes. A favorite subject of teenagers, but a sorrowful situation for an adult, right? Blemishes not only make you want to hide your face under a paperbag, but they can even cause scaring and long term damage to your skin.

As a woman with PCOS, I am no stranger to breakouts. Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is often characterized by imbalanced hormones. (Did you know that new statistics are showing that as many as 10% or more of young women are dealing with this disorder?)

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