The Global Conversation

Tag: detoxification

  • Total holistic health – cleanse and detoxify your body

    In Conversations with God, Book 1, we learn that “…all illness is self-created. Even conventional medical doctors are now seeing how people make themselves sick.”

    Let’s look at what you need to do in order to get healthy, stay healthy, and stop making yourself sick.

    There are three basic steps you have to take for stellar holistic health. If you are vigilant and careful, you can improve your own health, reduce occurrence of illness, heal yourself, and start feeling great! First you must cleanse and detoxify your body, inside and outside. Get rid of the toxins that are hanging around in your intestines, clogging your arteries, wearing out your organs, and causing symptoms. You must also detoxify your mind, thoughts and relationships. Second, you must learn to avoid toxins in everything possible from food, beauty products, air, water, household cleaners, emotions, and thoughts. Finally, you must nourish your body with good, clean, whole food and subject your body to nutrient-dense foods, exercise, positive thoughts, actions, and activities.

    Today we will look at cleansing and detoxifying your body, mind, and relationships.

    How To Cleanse and Detoxify Your Body

    Detoxifying and cleansing your body can promote weight loss, boost your energy, and help your body heal itself naturally from many symptoms including digestive problems, acne, and inflammatory issues. Detoxifying isn’t anything new, the ancient Eastern medicines have been promoting detoxification for thousands of years.

    In order to effectively experience a detoxifying cleanse, you need to relieve, clean, and nourish your body starting from the inside! Once your internal organs have experienced this refreshing break, they can work more effectively to do their jobs – and heal the body naturally.

    During a detox, the blood, intestines, and liver are cleansed by using fasting, stimulation, elimination, and nourishment. You can detox for a day or two, or for weeks, depending on your needs and goals. You should ask your doctor first if you have any kind of compromising condition such as pregnancy, chronic disease, or cancer.

    We are surrounded by toxins everywhere and in everything from our air, water, and food to our health and beauty products, household cleaners, and work environment. The body stores the toxins it can’t get rid of and will eventually have symptoms such as infections, fatigue, skin problems, mental fog, or even weight gain.

    During any kind of detox, you should avoid coffee, alcohol, refined sugar, smoking, and household poisons. Get plenty of rest and quiet time, and eat light foods. Avoid meat and fatty foods.

    Water Cleansing

    A great way to detox your gut immune system is to do a hot water detox. For 1-2 weeks, simply drink a mug of heated water (plain – no lemon or flavors) every hour or so. The hot water will open up the drainage in your gut and allow toxins to flow out. Repeating this every hour or so for a few weeks will completely boost your immune system naturally!

    For a gentle daily detox, drink a large glass of lukewarm water with lemon when you wake up. Give your body a half hour or hour before eating breakfast. This habit will help you rehydrate your body after sleeping and will wake up your digestion so it can perform its work later.

    Detoxifying Foods

    Many foods can assist your body in naturally detoxifying. Raw fruits and vegetables provide the most cleansing, especially greens such as broccoli, kale, swiss chard, dandelion, turnip, or beet greens. You can also do a 5-day juice-only fast and consume water and juices of fruits and vegetables only.

    Herbal and Special Detoxification

    You may also choose to use an herbal supplement that will promote gentle cleansing and elimination. Be sure to use completely pure herbal cleanse products without fillers, gluten, chemicals, and artificial color or flavor. Look for a product containing psyllium husk, marshmallow and licorice root, bitter gourd, and slippery elm bark.

    After you complete a digestive cleanse/detox you may wish to do a liver cleanse as well as a gallbladder cleanse, especially if you have suffered from headaches, mental fog or confusion, or lethargy. The best liver detox products will contain bio-available turmeric and milk thistle. There are also total cleanse products that are packed with bio-available chlorella, spirulina, or other algaes, and probiotics that can do wonders for your system and energy level!

    Detoxify Your Mind

    You must also detoxify your mind, thoughts and relationships. Negative thinking and attitude, gossiping, judgmental thinking, and toxic relationships are planting the seeds of disease in your system.

    A great way to start thinking more positively is to try affirmations. You can choose a daily affirming statement about your body, health, love, peace, or any area you need to work on being positive. For instance if you suffer from anxiety, use the affirmation “I am at peace.” Just thinking or meditating on affirmations can start reprogramming your mind.

    If you are a negative person, try to identify your negative thoughts, stop, and reword the thought into a positive one. Doing this day after day will help you to become positive instead of negative. For instance, if you think about a part of your body you dislike such as your nose or your stomach, think about all of the good things that body part does for you instead of your thoughts about the bad side. Your thoughts about how big your stomach is can turn into “My stomach helps me daily to digest healthy food and make me heal.” You might even start eating more consciously with thought like that!

    As far as relationships, if you are spending time with toxic people you have two choices: 1) Work to fix the problem, or 2) Eliminate the problem. Toxic relationships can take a toll on your health and it’s not worth it to maintain unhealthy relationships.

    Now you are on your way to detoxifying your body, mind, and spirit! In Part 2, we will examine how to avoid toxins!

    (Beth Anderson is a certified Holistic Health Coach and founder of the Holistic Health Hotspot in Evansville, Indiana. She is also the author of “The Holistic Diet: Achieve Your Ideal Weight, Be Happy and Healthy for Life.” Beth received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Beth is helping people improve their lives through nutrition and lifestyle education, health coaching, and by helping others to learn to make informed choices. Beth continues to spread understanding of the connection between body, mind, and spirit and encourages all to discern the truth about food, consumer products, environment, and life choices. You can find Beth on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HolisticHealthHotspot or email her at beth@holistichealthhotspot.com)

  • The bottom – up close and personal

    Little did I know when I woke up hung over and in a fog, Wednesday, May 27, 1987, what this day would hold for me.  What I did know is that it would not be a normal day, nor a comfortable day.  I could not have known, foreseen, or imagined how important this day would end up being in my life.  The challenge for me was that  I had an appointment with a counselor who was going to evaluate me on behalf of the New York State Department of Transportation’s “Drinking and Driving” program to determine if I fit their profile of an alcoholic.

    My task was to see to it that I did not meet their criteria for an alcoholic, by any means necessary.  You see, I knew I had a drinking problem, but I could not let someone else tell me this.  I had been defending myself against these allegations for a few years, mainly from my family.  I had to be right, and being right meant I had to lie.  And on this day, I had to convince a professional that I was simply a recreational user, so I needed to put my best foot forward.

    I was well aware of this 9 am appointment in advance.  I made the appointment myself, and my family took it upon themselves to remind me of it.  They also warned me that going out  to the bar after work that night (like I did every night) was not a good idea.  I begged to differ.  So I went out as I usually did; and to this day, I could not tell you what I did, how much I drank, or who I was with that night.  I believe I must have blacked out very early.

    I was mandated to the New York State “Drinking and Driving” program due to a DUI I had been convicted of roughly six months prior.  At the time of my arrest, I was 20 years old, not of legal age to drink in New York.  I had to go to a special class one day per week for 10 weeks to learn about the dangers of drinking and driving.  Part of the curriculum of this class was a psychological test that was designed to determine the potential for alcoholism.  The questions on this test seemed very normal to me, so I did my best to answer them as a “non-alcoholic” would answer.

    Feeling pretty good about my ability to get over on the system, I was shocked and angered to find out I did not “pass” this test.  I was told that I was at high risk for alcoholism based upon some of my answers.  One of the answers that I got “wrong” was to the following question:  Do you have night sweats?  Well, I am a smart guy and I know that everyone sweats, so I answered yes.  Now, apparently this was a trick question…. How in hell did they know that I would wake up in the morning and there would be a soaking wet imprint of me on my sheets?  Apparently not everyone sweats profusely at night!  Who knew?

    So now here it is, the morning of this looming appointment.  I am hung over.  My parents (who are not drinkers) are shocked that I would take such little care of myself prior to this appointment.  On this night, they had been waiting for me to get home, as they sometimes did, most likely in fear that I would not make it home.  This night was much like the rest; I staggered through the door sometime around 4:30 am.  I do not recall what, if any, interaction took place at that time.  After getting about three hours of sleep, my parents awoke me to get ready for my appointment.

    My father drove me to the place where I was to have my session, probably because they wanted to make sure I went through with it, but also because I was likely still intoxicated from the night I had just spent drinking.  There was also a “higher” reason for him to be there, which will be revealed to you shortly.

    I remember what happened next as if it happened just this morning.  The details are surprisingly sharp in my mind even though it is almost 26 years later.  I walked up to the receptions area and announced who I was and who I was there to see.  The receptionist looked through the appointment book and turned a few pages.  She asked me again who I was there to see and what my name was.  She asked me to wait there for a minute while she checked with the counselor.  When the receptionist returned, she stated very bluntly that the reason she did not have me on her list for that day was because my appointment was scheduled a week prior.  I had missed my scheduled appointment!

    My mind went suddenly blank and my heart sank to my stomach.  I turned to my father and spoke the words that would set in motion the most profound change my young life had experienced, “Dad, I am ready to go to rehab.”  This request had come from “out of the blue” as I had been battling with my parents about my drinking and their desire for me to get help.  I had steadfastly denied any problem, using the old adage, “I can quit anytime I want.”

             “Dad, I am ready to go to rehab.”

    For me to ask for help at that moment in time was, in my opinion, a Divine intervention.  I had not considered making such a change in my life at any time.  I was valued in my workplace even though my employer knew full well what my lifestyle was.  I also enjoyed my job very much and was in fear that being away for a week, or, God forbid, a month, may jeopardize my employment.

    Hitting bottom for me came as a surprise.  Speaking the words “I am ready” came out of my body as if a spirit guide had thrust itself into the physical realm and did for me what I could not do for myself.  This is the moment of pure creation that I am so incredibly grateful for till this day.

    I had no idea at the time what I was getting myself into.  I had heard about rehabs, and I had even attended a few minutes of an AA meeting once because a friend of mine had been mandated by the Courts to go.  I really did not know much more about where I was heading and how profoundly my life would change.  What I did know is that I was tired, and I was feeling like I had quite possibly made a mistake that New York State might have punished me for.  For the first time, I was afraid that I had become exactly what most everyone who knew me knew I was:  an addict.

    I shared this story with you here to show the depth of where I was at in my life at the age of 21.  Everybody’s bottom is different; and for some, the bottom is death of their physical body.  My bottom may be considered by some to be a “shallow” bottom.  What this means is that I did not lose much in the way of material possessions.  I didn’t completely alienate my family and friends.  I was not living on the streets, begging for money so that I could pay for my drug of choice.

    I was at the place that was perfect for me to transition my life path.  My soul gave me the exact right situation, with the exact perfect people, in the one place and time that I would be able to make the choice to change.  Nothing happens in this world by coincidence. And for me, it is very clear that my story can make a difference in the lives of other people suffering with the pain of addiction.

    I will be sharing with you in this series of blogs what the first year of recovery was like for me.  Although we all have our own path to freedom, I believe there are some very important decisions that enabled me to remain substance-free through the trials and tribulations of early recovery.  So stay tuned to learn more about me through my experience of getting clean and staying sober.  I thank you for being here to read this and hope that these words of my personal journey to recovery may inspire you or someone you know to make that hard choice to move into the unknown.

    The next article will describe my seven days in the detoxification ward of the Ellenville New York Hospital.

    (Kevin McCormack, C.A.d, is a certified addictions professional, as well as a Conversations with God Life Coach, and a Spiritual helper on www.changingchange.net.  You can visit his website for more information at www.Kevin-Spiritualmentor.com  To connect with Kevin, please email him at Kevin@theglobalconversation.com)

  • Kombucha Crazy

    Kombucha is a fermented probiotic health beverage made from sweetened tea, yeast, and bacteria. It is considered to be a longetivity drink and has been consumed globally for thousands of years. Kombucha has been growing in popularity in the western world because of its health benefits:

    – Acids and B vitamins which assist the body in the detoxification process

    – Beneficial bacteria which assists the gastrointestinal process

    The specific benefits that you will receive from drinking kombucha result from the body working more efficiently and healing itself, but people I know who drink kombucha have reported that it helps with digestion, acne, immune system, allergies, and more! If your gut flora is lacking, this is the perfect way to increase the good bacteria and get your body in shape to heal itself.

    If your gut flora is compromised, you may experience symptoms such as digestive issues, immune system weakness, infections, and even neurological or psychological issues. Our gut flora becomes low from drinking baby formula instead of human breast milk, antibiotics and other drugs, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods. Improving your gut flora can make you feel much better in a short time. By the way, kombucha is not an alcoholic drink even though some people believe it is. Kombucha can contain trace amounts of alcohol, but never more than .5% because it is brewed open to the air. Any alcohol that forms in the brew evaporates.

    You can buy kombucha in most health food stores and some groceries, but it can get a bit expensive. I recommend brewing your own – it’s not difficult. You can brew a continuous batch and add flavors when you pour or bottle it – ginger, fruits, and greens add great taste and variety.

    I grew my own SCOBY from three ingredients – one bottle of store-bought original plain raw kombucha, a cup of strong tea, and a tablespoon of organic raw unprocessed sugar! I covered it with a cloth and left it undisturbed for two weeks. When I discovered that my SCOBY had grown successfully, I felt like I had given birth.

    I started my first batch with 2 gallons of brewed organic black tea and 4 cups of raw organic cane sugar. After brewing the tea, I added the sugar and stirred until it was dissolved. Then I let the tea reach room temperature before pouring it into my brewing jar. I added my SCOBY with its liquid, covered the top with a cloth, and let it brew away for a little over a week. Now I regularly take 3-4 16-ounce bottles of the brew, cover tightly, age at room temperature for 2-3 days, and refrigerate. I also replace whatever tea I remove with new room-temperature sweet tea. I keep the tea between 70 and 80 degrees with a 10-watt heater, and I test the pH of the tea before drinking to make sure it is between 2.5 and 3.5.

    It’s hard to believe that one drink can change your health, but I recommend trying kombucha if you haven’t yet. Drink 8-16 ounces every day for a week and then let me know what you notice. You can drink it before or with breakfast every day. You can sip on it from a wine glass in the evening. Kombucha is great anywhere or anytime.

    (Beth Anderson is a certified Holistic Health Coach and founder of the Holistic Health Hotspot in Evansville, Indiana. She is also the author of The Holistic Diet: Achieve Your Ideal Weight, Be Happy and Healthy for Life.Beth received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Beth is helping people improve their lives through nutrition and lifestyle education, health coaching, and by helping others to learn to make informed choices. Beth continues to spread understanding of the connection between body, mind, and spirit and encourages all to discern the truth about food, consumer products, environment, and life choices. You can find Beth on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HolisticHealthHotspot or email her at beth@holistichealthhotspot.com)