Finally--Fuller Hair

For all hair types

I actually have a lot of hair. Seven years ago I experienced 3 deaths in the family in 2 1/2 years. Those trials are what eventually led me to living a (n extremely) healthier lifestyle. That experience as a whole took a toll on my body, mind and soul. My hair was a good indicator of my overall health and the changes I was going through. The biggest issue with my hair was it became very full and heavy. My hair is actually wavy and curly but the trials of life pulled my hair flat. No matter what I did it would not hold a curl.

As I've healed my life and implemented More Precise Haircare techniques, I've slowly built a lasting curl back into my coif.  Last May I donated 14 inches of hair to charity.  My hair was really short but it felt great and was a wonderful way to start over. Still, originally it was fairly limp and I couldn't hide that in a braid or clip. What's my secret? I proudly use apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse (yes, I'll live with the smell). I am using this Roots combination right now and I am very pleased with it. I have not used it as a hair rinse in the shower, rather I add a capful daily to my scalp and hair as a leave in. Usually on one day of the weekend I massage a tonic into my scalp and comb through coconut oil in the rest and leave in until I wash my hair later that day. My hair is getting very shiny, curly and beautiful.

From this experience I've become an explorer with ACV. On Christmas I put it to the test. After a poor food choice (sweet potato chips and garlic hummus--yum, but ouch!) my stomach turned sour. I had to leave the house soon so I randomly made an ACV drink. I poured an ounce into a glass jar with a tablespoon of coconut sap nectar and the juice of one lime. I filled the 16 ounce jar up with water. On the first sip my sour stomach started righting itself.

I decided to challenge myself and drink ACV every day from Christmas through the end of January (for starters) and see what happens. I was delighted to go to my local library's website and find the Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar book online for instant access with my library card. I read up on it and I'm quite impressed with its possibilities and interested in the results of my experiment.

Releasing the Unnecessary

Source

This has been an incredible month for me. Despite moving I did manage to squeeze in my Winter Solstice Liver Flush near the new moon. The Winter Solstice itself was spent in meditation, contemplation and journaling.  I had wrapped up the final details of the move the day before and was most interested in resting in bed. There was only a slight problem with that interest: I had given away all my furniture the day before to Homestretch, Inc. who will provide the donated items to persons recently off the street and into their new homes.

So I slept on the floor for two nights until I could put together my platform bed. After careful consideration I ordered an organic mattress. However it may not ship for another month...or two.  I've become reacquainted with the notion that change is not always comfortable.

In addition to releasing the big stuff, I've been slowly releasing the unnecessary from my household for months. I feel blessed to have a charitable organization come to my door step and pick up my donations.  Despite doing all of this--I still have a lot of work ahead of me. I've deliberately moved into a smaller space so I have to find out what I need here in this life rather than what I owned in the previous life. I used to be addicted to "stuff" and now I'm realizing with startling clarity releasing this excess stuff is allowing me to rapidly change my life course. I now have more room for healing, for kindness, for compassion.

Solar Power (It Just Makes Sense!)

One of the benefits of preparing for a Juice Feast includes an overhaul of my current way of living. In the course of the preparation I have made huge unexpected leaps. I have switched to a (nearly) 100 percent organic wardrobe (I'm still releasing old things but not buying anything new that isn't organic), I have given up even more chemicals from hair care to body care. These were not planned changes, but my drive to live a healthier lifestyle offered these choices to me. And I conscientiously made these new choices which have changed my life for the better.

Solar Prayer Wheel

Om Mani Padme Hum

Another fantasy of mine is solar power. I am delighted to announce my first (well second really--no I'm not counting the school-mandated calculator either) use of solar power. Let me start with the first solar item. I've had this prayer wheel in my life for over a year. When the sun comes up in the morning it starts spinning and spreading compassion into my life and the world. It does not store power so it stops spinning when the sun goes down.

Solar charger

Now, for the grand unveiling of my current solar energy usage...a solar charger! Today my solar charger came in the mail and I immediately placed its solar side to the window and charged my e-reader (that purple plate has nothing to do with the charger). For my next coffee enema I will be reading electronically, compliments of the sun!  This model is tiny, it can be place against a window but it also comes with two attachable suction cups so it can ride in the car with you. My first foray into solar charging is for USB charging only. Of course, one day I aspire to greater reliance on solar energy. But I am celebrating my first steps.

I am grateful for my dedication to my healing journey and quest for continuous self-improvement. The unexpected life-changing solutions bring much beauty to my life. With solar power I am going to have to get much more serious in my devotions and salutations to the sun!

Completed: 60 Days Without Soap

Goodbye lather, goodbye fresh herbal bars, goodbye liquid goop...goodbye forever? After I read Courtney Pool's tips and practices for gorgeous skin I recognized the truth by practicing the majority of the list. I also realized there were a couple I haven't tried. If something triggers my interest I am almost always willing to try it. So I decided to choose one challenge which didn't require a lot from me. That challenge was to go 30 days without soap in the shower. At the 30 day mark I felt there was a lot more in the process and I wanted to keep going.

I read other websites about those who decided to go without soap. Many of them concluded they could tell no difference if they used soap or not. The vast majority of people who stopped using soap stopped using it as a life choice. If most people could tell no difference if they used soap or not--why are we Americans so hung up on soap? I, like many others, still use soap for certain parts and always my hands. I have taken some castile soap to work to share, though I would rather go without washing than use that pink stuff which stains the sink.

At home, for my face I follow the Oil Cleanse Method outlined by the magnificent Nadine Artemis. Nadine's method can be found here. When I am not exhausted I use an Oil Cleanse Method for my body (at other times I scrub down with water and a nylon body scrubber from the International market). My body Oil Cleanse Method is as follows:

1.) Liquid




2.) Wash cloth
 
3.) Coconut Oil



4.) Essential Oil



Essentially I take the washcloth spritz it with a hydrosol, rub in some coconut oil, and drip a few drops of essential oil onto the coconut oil. I rub the oils together and rub into my skin in the same way I use the dry skin brush. I start at the left foot and make my way to the left hip. Then the right leg. Then I start at the left wrist and work my way to the shoulder. Then the right arm. I scrub all parts of my back that I can reach (I'm getting pretty flexible) then I work the front side ending with large clockwise circles over my abdomen. I leave the oil on as long as I can before using the nylon scrubby with filtered shower water to remove excess coconut oil.

The results? My skin is in remarkably better condition. My skin stays moist a lot longer. When I used soap my skin seemed to pucker up and not be as healthy of a color. Because my skin is so dry the oil cleansing method is my first choice and the water-only shower works, but it's not as beneficial to my skin. As a result of this experiment I do not see myself using soap in the shower anymore. Well, unless on travel when I collect the hotel soaps which I give to the homeless.

Despite being uber conscientious of chemicals in my home I have become even more conscientious of the soap in my house. I was stunned when I read the ingredients on my Seventh Generation Free and Clear dish soap and found Sodium Lauryl Sulfate! I appreciate their products, especially as they were the first in mainstream stores however I am not willing to knowingly use unnecessary chemicals anymore. Now I am using castile soap to wash dishes and some laundry. 

Walking with the Ancestors

I've been reading more and more about Celtic Wisdom. As I have progressed on my health journey I have come to the conclusion that healing happens not just in the body, but in many other elements such as mental and spiritual. The body is the manifestation of the other elements--those which we think so much about that we solidify them in our bodies. The Juice Feast is a tremendous boost to heal my whole person because it stops putting solids in my body. In practice this leads to me living a more fluid life.

In the beginning of my healing journey I could only see the physical limitations. I sought (at times desperately) for simple physical solutions to my problems. These physical solutions did not provide overnight success so I wavered and kept practicing somethings and let go of others. I began to see my approach to healing had to change.  I started with  Healing Thoughts. As I began to change my negative thinking, which likely manifested my problems, I then found out how to do inner work.  As Louise L Hay tells us in You Can Heal Your Life: "The word incurable, which is so frightening to so many people, means to me that this particular condition cannot be cured by any outer means and that we must go within to find the cure."

I've gone inward and I've done a lot of work. Now I seem to balance the inner work with nature walks. One fascinating book on Celtic Wisdom has taught me about self-healing in nature. Frank MacEowen's The Mist-Filled Path: Celtic Wisdom for Exiles, Wanderers, and Seekers speaks deeply about Celtic Shamanic healing. One way to retrieve my soul's "missing parts" is to perform a Scottish Omen Hunt through hillwalking.

I live in Northern Virginia and hills are hard to find. Nevertheless I am always looking for ways to adapt to what is in front of me. Last month I traveled to the land of enchantment or New Mexico. I went for work so any moments I could break away to soak in the surrounding culture were considered what made the trip worthwhile.

The 2 mile trek through the 40 degrees Fahrenheit morning chill was amazing. I texted my coworker whom I shared a rental car with and we packed up early for a quick hike at the Petroglph National Monument on the way to the airport.  Our hands were freezing but digging my Vibram Five Fingers through the cool sand felt wonderful. Immediately, we were on a petroglph hunt.

 I felt the powerful presence of the ancient ancestors with each step. This was a bit of a training session for Omen hunting. Although I walked with another person, at times I felt his presence and other times I felt hugged by the knowledge in the cool rocks. MacEowen believes we are never at a loss from the information of our ancestors. It is always there. We must, if we want to understand the ancient ways, uncover those messages waiting for us.

I am Vegan--Do I Still Have Parasites?

After completing my first parasite cleanse during the first Juice Feast I quickly realized my body's ecosystem was still harboring "unwanted guests." Although I am comfortable talking about almost anything, parasites make me squeamish. Therefore this post will be written as delicately as I can.  In an earlier post I mentioned I regularly use cinnamon and cloves to ward off parasites. Last month I attended the Take Back Your Health Conference here in Northern Virginia. One of my take-aways came from a spotlight on parasites. The speaker mentioned that parasites mate on a full moon. She recommended to take a parasite cleanse that covered the full moon to stop the next generation in its tracks.

Parasite Cleanse 

I also read in Donna Gate's book on The Body Ecology Diet to cleanse after menstruation or to help clean up yeasts, to saturate an organic tampon with organic tea tree oil and use overnight.  I now do this, especially on the full moon. By completing parasite cleanses I have discovered I am not parasite-proof because I am vegan.

As I have cleaned up my ecosystem I have learned the hard way that parasites can rule my cravings, steal my nutrients and really creep me out! For me, I take precautionary measures and try to align my life to make my ecosystem unfriendly to parasites. Tonight, a few days before the full moon I started my third parasite cleanse.  I may only be able to report back that I feel better and more in control of my food choices because I refuse to look in the toilet and see if any parasites have come out. Louise Hay reminds us parasites take hold metaphysically because we are giving our power away to others. With each parasite cleanse that I do I regather my strength and take back ownership of my healthy body.

The Sun and Juice Feasting

I have been blessed with warm sunny weather this fall.  It's been so deliciously inviting I've thrown on a bathing suit and tanned 5 unexpected times in the last two months. In fact, I just came in. I intend to start my second Juice Feast come the spring which means I will be able to lay in the sun for added benefits.  When I started out improving my health I can tell you what I know now and what I knew then seem light years apart. I imagine this theme will continue the rest of my journey.

Credit and Story of Chemical Treatment

In my life I have gone back and forth about what is healthy for my skin. Should I suntan? Should I use sunscreen? I was shocked the first time I saw a photo of a sun-loving celebrity in her 20's with her décolleté full of freckles. I need the benefits of the sun yet I don't want to damage my skin and health. In my life I could find few examples where I could see sun exposure improved overall health.

During my first Juice Feast I spent workdays with 20 minutes around noon walking everyday outside, soaking in the sun. I  noticed my skin tan a bit (I am fair-skinned with a history of burning) but there were no marks left behind. In fact being on the Juice Feast and suntanning erased several freckles which had been with me for years.

What I experienced is what the Health Ranger describes in The Truth About Sunlight, Cancer and Vitamin D. The sun is healthy when the body is nutritionally fueled. On the Juice Feast I found the sun detoxed my body through my skin. In essence it's a direct pull of what is in your body. If you have garbage in your body, it will pull out garbage. If you are being very pure in your diet (for me that's organic, plant-based, superfoods, super herbal teas, etc) you may be flushing out the old and creating a more healthy ecosystem for the new cellular life.

I know I don't want to freckle-up.  Right now it's my understanding (which I'll test on the upcoming Juice Feast) that it goes along with the saying--if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll get the same results. I don't tan regularly, but when I can I do. As I embrace the healing power of the sun during the second Juice Feast I hope to satiate my curiosity about how a more targeted use of the sun will improve my health.