Spring Cleaning

For the past three years each Spring I participate in a personal cleanse to ready myself for the warmer weather. Part of my spring cleaning regime is a master cleanse. The master cleanse created by Stanely Burroughs is a detoxification program that aids in the removal of harmful toxins from within the body. This is a 10 day program where the participant drinks a lemon water mixture throughout the day, herbal tea and undergoes salt water flushes.

There is a small pamphlet Burroughs wrote which is informative and helpful with an overview and instruction. I also found The Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet Blog quite helpful in preparation and general moral. He is also on utube under littleBIGGERchris. If your thinking of trying this regime I highly recommend you check out either his blog or utube videos.

My personal experience has been one of trial and error. The first year I lasted one day. It was a good day. I gave my intestine a break, stimulated my system, and readied for lighter warm weather foods. At that time one day was my max, accept it, move on. and try again. Year two I lasted three days. I learned from the first year I cannot do the salt water flush and make it to work without a catastrophic incident. Herbal tea in the morning was a better alternative. Three days was a success, my mistake was eating a slightly too heavy meal when I stopped the cleanse. Live and learn, I won't do that again either. This year I started my cleanse by preparing my body with four days of lighter eating and drinking plenty of water. The salt water flush will only be used during non working hours and I'm going to follow the suggestions for coming off the cleanse at the end. I don't know how long I'll last, food is a joy, I love to cook and its hard to slug down lemon water when everyone around you is enjoying a good meal. I'm going to try to listen to my body and we'll see how it goes. Today is day one!

To prepare the lemon drink:

About 12 lemons

12 tablespoons organic maple syrup grade B ( some say 6 tablespoons)

One teaspoon cayenne pepper ( some say half a teaspoon)

Enough fresh spring or distilled water to make about 60 ounces of the lemon drink.

I like to add two tablespoons bentonite. Bentonite remains in the digestive tract and is believed to bind and inactivate toxins and promote their excretion.

The herbal tea is an herbal laxative. I use smooth move or get regular which both contain senna the basic ingredient needed. These teas are quite common and you can find them in any health food store

For the salt water flush you need sea salt. This is essential. Regular salt will not be effective. It is actually counter productive when flushing out your system and has the opposite effect. I drink 16 ounces of lukewarm water with two tablespoons of sea salt. Burroughs suggest 32 ounces stating, " several eliminations will likely occur. I found this was not only the understatement of the century but while occurring, now means now, at it's really best to stay within three feet of your bathroom.

If anyone else out there is doing a cleanse good for you and good luck!

Good health to all!

Miss. S

A Prayer in Spring

You are perfect

Ram Tzu knows this -

You are perfect.

Your every defect is perfectly defined.

Your every blemish is perfectly placed.

Your every absurd actionis perfectly timed.

Only God could make Something this ridiculous Work.
Ram Tzu

St. Patrick's Day

If a man who cannot count finds a four-leaf clover, is he lucky?

~Stanislaw J. Lec

Have a good one- be safe.

Cluster Fuck

The past nine days have been a hellish ride ending in my doctors office. My problem, the mother of all headaches, specifically a cluster headache. I'm finally on the way out of hades. I have a few suggestions for anyone who may be suffering from a chronic headache. Number one, go see your doctor, do not fuck around. You need to rule out some serious medical possibilities(which are probably not the issue) and you need to get your blood pressure checked. This has to get done, that's number one. While making an appointment with your practitioner I have a few holistic suggestions which may bring relief. Make an appointment with a cranial sacral massage therapist. If this is not possible in your area try acupuncture. The blood vessels in the brain are constricted. Specifically with migraines this is a nasty cycle which needs to be broken and both types of intervention can help ease the discomfort. I would also Neti, it has a cooling and soothing effect on the brain by drawing out excessive heat, and is therefore beneficial for headaches, migraine, and general mental tension. There are also some yoga poses which are a comfort. Most positions that puts the head below the level of the heart are likely to trigger or accelerate the level of discomfort, with the exception of Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose) With that in mind, if you have had a recent headache or feel the start of a new one, I recommend a restorative practice. Eliminate any poses where the head is below the heart, Breath work, or pranayama, which emphasizes a full diaphragmatic inhalation and exhalation pattern, will also help to establish and maintain a relaxed mind and body which will work on the constricted blood vessels. Avoid triggers such as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine and drink lots of water. Dehydration is a major factor in causing headaches and migraines, so water is a healing form of medicine when the dragon roars like thunder in your head. Last, get as much rest as you can. You need it, so go to bed until the tidal wave subsides.

Be well and good health.

Dr. Seuss.

Happy Birthday ! A fellow Pisces and I presume a dam nice guy, Theodor Seuss Geisel was truly one of a kind. His books and cartoons are still completely fun and freaky, and delight at any age.

I read him when I was learning to read and again the day I graduated from college. All the children in my life have shared Dr. Seuss with me, either by my reading to them, or they to me. An originator in feel good memories and bonding moments. An interesting and inspirational character, his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, was rejected 27 times before it was finally published.

I like this man, he's real and when you dig a little deeper you see he's quite real. Lots of mishaps, mistakes and wrong turns but also a brilliant mind, heralding a new generation of thinkers, readers and visionaries.

freakishly fun and good for all ages. Your great Dr. Seuss,!

Happy 105th

In like a lion

"March is a tomboy with tousled hair,

a mischievous smile,

mud on her shoes

and a laugh in her voice."

Hal Borland