14 February, 2012

Experiments in … Detoxification

I have been easing my Self into the Body Ecology Diet over the past couple weeks. February is my transition month. By March I plan to be fully committed to Stage 1 of the Diet. Already, I have witnessed some pretty remarkable things happening with my body.

Most of what I am experiencing at present – or at least what I am aware that I am experiencing – are related to elimination and detoxification. Seems I’m a toxic little bugger … though a little less so now!

The first thing I’ve noticed as I’ve begun to shift my diet toward, among other things, a larger majority of non-starchy vegetables is, ironically, constipation. Interesting, no? Though, that was ‘helped’ when, last Thursday, I was blessed with a violent burst of food poisoning. There’s nothing like a little food poisoning action to clean a body out! And while it was a most dreadful experience as it was happening, I felt quite light and clear and calm as a result. The other unpleasant part of it, though, is that I believe it was the amaranth grain [I praised in my last entry] that was the culprit. So, I’m no longer eating amaranth. Donna Gates does mention in the Body Ecology Diet book that there is one blood type that seems unable to digest amaranth. I am going tomorrow to give blood and to find out my blood type, so I will know more about whether that applies to me or not by then.

Friday evening brought another experience that I found totally disgusting and fascinating. When I got home from work, and was taking off my gloves, I detected, suddenly, the scent of smoke. I sniffed around the house to see if it was coming from anywhere within (and thank goodness it wasn’t!). Then I sniffed my hands and, sure enough, that was the source. My hands had a very strong smoky odor. I tried to remember if I’d burned any incense recently, or had lit any matches, but nothing came to mind. I thought it strange, but didn’t spend too much time thinking on it. When I took off my boots, I smelled smoke again. That’s right: My feet reeked of stale smoke. ‘Curiouser and curiouser,’ I mused. Looking in the mirror, my hair was extremely dull and stringy. I wrapped some strands around my nose, and inhaled a big whiff of smoke. Made a mental note to leave some extra time for a shower in the morning. Continued getting ready for bed. Brushed my teeth. Scraped my tongue. Put on my pajamas. Climbed into bed. Got nice and snuggly in the army of quilts presently dressing my bed. Closed my eyes … and heaved a big sigh of … smoke! My mouth was filled up with the tastes and odors and yucky, fuzzy sensations of a cigarette-smoking binge. I haven’t smoke in ages. But, apparently, I’d been carrying around some smoker’s residue, and it was finally being exorcised! Very cool! And thoroughly disgusting! By morning it had mostly dissipated. (Thank the stars!)

That very same night, I had some very toxic dreams. And I don’t mean regular nightmares. I’ve had plenty of those. These dreams were different. They had real meaning and emotion attached to them in a way that my nightmares never do. Some of the scenarios I recognized, and others I didn’t, but I was clearly releasing some old residual emotions in addition to all the physical releasing I was experiencing. Again, very cool to be releasing these things, but quite unpleasant, uncomfortable and un-fun when it’s happening. I awoke the next morning feeling tired, but pretty good, with the exception of my Left shoulder. Somehow, in all the retched dreaming, I managed to injure it. (It still hurts even now.)

So, I’m not even fully participating in the Diet and already my body is responding favorably. This is a good confirmation of my decision to commit to healing. My body is ready for it. My Self is ready for it. And the Universe has even sent me some unlooked for guidance in the form of an old friend with whom I just serendipitously reconnected. She was subbing the yoga class I went to on Saturday morning. When I told her I was just transitioning into the Body Ecology Diet, she revealed that she had done the Diet for two years. She offered me her contact info along with her support and the promise of some tips that can make the process easier.

Another couple weeks of transitioning, and then it’s on! I suppose this is my valentine to my Self. I love me so much that I am giving my Self the gift of healing! I hope your valentine gifts are just as wonderful.

QUESTION: Have any of you had experiences with the Body Ecology Diet? If so, do you have any thoughts on how to get started easily and frugally? Or any tips, in general?

Happy Valentines, Day, darlings!

xoxo,

Melanie

08 February, 2012

Illness, Inspiration, and a Technicolor Moon

Tonight as I was walking home from running some errands, my eyes were drawn skyward. Just above the horizon, still low in the sky as She began Her climb to the heavens, was a most amazing full moon. So full and ripe was this moon, that I wondered how the inky sky was able to hold Her. So luminous and ethereal, She was cloaked in a halo of saturated gossamer gold. She stole my breath in a moment. She was magnificent, this full moon. She whispered to me of Night’s magick, of the great Mysteries, and of Hope. She bathed me in her ethereal light, and I felt clean and beautiful and blessed. And, indeed, I was blessed to experience such a gift on a Tuesday evening in January. I hope Mother Moon smiled on you, too.

This has been a challenging period for me, since I last wrote. As it is, the mold population in my dwelling has aroused my latent candidiasis (also known as Candida Related Complex, or CDC) to an acute state. My symptoms have begun to plague me to varying degrees, though all uncomfortable (to say the least). While I was, at first, hosting a pity party for myself, I am now seeing this outbreak of symptoms as a blessing. I finally understand that while the symptoms may have been lessened for long stretches, I never truly healed myself of the root problem – the Candida overgrowth – the first time it surfaced for me. So, now is my opportunity to do so. And while it terrifies me to think of the long and arduous road to health, it also inspires me to think of what life might be like in a truly healthy body/mind. I will appreciate any support you have to offer me (and those around me) as I embark on this journey.

And, to lighten the mood a bit, and in honour of that spectacular full moon, I’m gonna share with you a few of my current inspirations. They are, in no particular order, the things I am finding enriching, endearing, empowering or just enjoyable. May they serve you well, also!

*The Body Ecology Diet: Donna Gates pioneered this diet primarily as a way to bring healing to bodies with CRC, but the book and the website have a wealth of information and suggestions that are beneficial to everyone. I strongly suggest reading this book if you have a body.

*Mint.com: This is a fantastic website that links up all your financial information (including your bank accounts and investment portfolios and such) so that you can get a clear picture of your financial state. Especially helpful, for me, anyway, is the ability to track all of my expenditures so I can actually see where all my money goes each month.

*My dance class had a substitute instructor, ShaLeigh Comerford, this week while our regular teacher was away at a conference. ShaLeigh was AMAZING! She was everything that I had been hoping for when I enrolled in the dance class. Fortunately, she just relocated to the area and will be teaching classes next session. I am really excited about taking her class as soon as the next session rolls around. Hooray!

*Amaranth: Amaranth is a gluten-free, alkalizing grain. It’s one of the grains that I am allowed to eat during the initial phase of the Body Ecology Diet. I’m only just beginning to experiment with amaranth, but the really delightful thing about it is that it has a texture and appearance very similar to brown sugar when it’s cooked. This provides me endless amounts of comfort somehow, as I embark on a diet with no sugar … not even most fruits! Amaranth is delicious as a breakfast porridge with winter squash puree, a little vegetable broth, some salt and pepper and cayenne. It’s also really amazing topped with sautéed greens and mushrooms with a little raw coconut vinegar and raw coconut aminos. (Hey, don’t judge it ‘til you’ve tried it!)

*zerowastehome.blogspot.com: This is the blog of a family that strives to, well, produce zero waste. They only dispose of about two handfuls – HANDFULS – of actual trash each year – YEAR! I read a bit piece about them in an old People magazine that was passed along to my sister at work. (She, naturally, passes those magazines on to me when she’s finished. It’s a great system since neither of us would ever really buy one of those magazines, but we both enjoy the guilty pleasure of reading them.) So, now I’m feeling very inspired to start making changes to decrease the amount of waste I produce in my own household. Check it out and see if you might find some inspiration, too! Mother Earth can use all the diligence and support She can get!

Well, that’s gonna have to do for now. It’s getting late, and I have to get ready for my full moon celebration. Until next time, I hope you find health, inspiration and the light of the moon on your path.

xoxo,

Melanie