Today I had a talk in the university about healthy food.

1. I think that it's individual and time-dependent (we might need different regime in different time periods). .

2. So how do we know what's healthy for us (or in other words what's best for us)? And after we know how do we make the change?

All we need to do is listen to ourselves and to our body. Sometimes what the body wants doesn't serve the place where you are mentally at the moment and vice versa.

I think that when the time comes to make a change, you're the first one to know about it...if you listen. Artificial changes, forced changes never really work (in my experience)- I think it's healthy, so I'll do it, or I've read etc etc.

So the idea is to spontaneously and gradually adapt to what you need at the moment. Concentration, intuition and sensitivity are good "health-markers".

I think it's relevant to everything not only food.

3. Another thing - stop doing what's making you "unhealthy". I see many people who are clearly shown what is making problem, but can't stop doing it and making rationalization of why to keep doing it ( I can't without it, I want to wait for lab results, etc). It's ok, because big changes happen in small steps, and you see what a way you've made only after a while. Also it takes time to change habits, and here it's better not to stress the body by radical changes, it will try to balance itself back to what it is used to.

4. "Health anxiety" - it's important not to get a fixation on this "health and healthy"... Because if it turns to the main subject of the day you will probably not be able to listen to yourself because the mind and the idea to be so healthy will run and run.

5. And the last point, which I didn't talk about with the guys I work with - our body is the projection of our higher states (at least I see it on myself) -> so physical disbalance probably means that there is disbalance "up there".

But the trick is the same - listen and follow, and think as less as possible, because rationalization serves the desire, the impulse, and it will bring back to the desire (in it's different forms), where you can't feel the most obviously shown things.

Love,
Yulia

During the last retreat I was told it would be nice to have some natural remedies corner here on the website, so I'll gradually spill here everything I know from my direct experience and from my home database..

Just as a prologue - I believe the most important thing is not to look at the BODY (the effect in the physical world), but more at the cause, which has to do with the 'internal' state.

The body itself has infinite potential of self-restoring and self-curing mechanisms. So the question for me is why is it not curing itself now? And the answers could be:

1. These mechanisms might not operate due to distractions and energy waste on all kinds of superfluous stuff, like dealing with stress in relationship that doesn't serve, or even itself causing the disease.

for example, I was having a terrible painful inflammation attacks in my shoulders until I didn't let go of my 'imaginary' relationship with my husband a year ago, you know how great things could be if...

2. Maybe, it's not a disease, but just body language to express energetical disbalance and give a hint what to pay attention to now.

Example:
My tests are always 100%, no matter what's going on in the body, and I feel like I must have a real big problem or something.

3. And also while working with the distortions, attachments, etc, there are usually tightness and all kinds of bodymind effects going on. The body is all tight, in pain, maybe throwing up, maybe acidic, running noses, aching backs, and all that great stuff! So what do we do?! :0

1. For me, the first step is to ask:
what is it that made the body sick in the first place?
what's in the root of it?
what am I being said here?

2. The second is trying to see the principal reason, and if I found one, to be aware of it - the answer to what is the cause of the disease. Sometimes I see that it is some kind of message, and then I try to decipher it, or to play to see if I hit the target.

Example: I was feeling dry-mouthed and sour-throated all the time, until I tried to stop talking all the time

Another question I ask - Am I doing something against authentic pull/expression? Like forcing myself to run each morning? eating porrige every day at the same time? etc...

More options - is my body-language pointing at something for me to work on?

Or,the last one, maybe it's just an external expression of internal process and there is really nothing to be done there.

Example: diarrhea due to intense internal processing...

3. The third step for me is to find this place, where I don't care to stay with it, where I don't want to get rid of the symptoms. They are there for a reason. And I make sure, there is no running away from pain, suffering, discomfort and any other 'unpleasant' experience. Because getting tight about curing the 'symptom' or the cause of the symptom might give rise to another 'symptom'.

Example: this is the nature of psychosomatic disorders (they are very real). Accumulating anger can lead to high-blood pressure, taking care of high-blood pressure in these cases may lead to heart attack. The energy is trying to find a way 'out', you close 'one channel' for it to get out, it finds another, usually more damaging.

4. Then, after figuring out and nailing those, if I feel it;s coming, I assist the body with a little physical attention. But here the most important thing I found is, surprise! - to follow the pull.

5. And here, maybe in order to be able to see all the options and make it a little easier to understand what is the pull hinting at, maybe it might help to know what is there around that one might being brought to use.

Example: about three months ago I was strongly driven to eat goat cheese. I felt terrible after, but I just couldn't resist. Later, it appeared it's because my stomach was too acidic, and goat cheese assists with this. So I could find more compatible to me ways to deal with it, like oats porrige, green smoothie, and cutting down differnet stuff, like eggplants, honey, spices, etc

6.It also might well happen that there is no any clear or
comprehendable reason, sometimes things are just going
on, and all that can be done is simply let them be.

So... in the next 'chapter' - how to assist the body when it's restless, worried, and hyperactive, you know when we're too excited...ground a little, relax and settle down...

Thanks Yulia,

This is so informative. Great that you've taken the time to share. Many people will benefit from your exploration - a real blessing!

Just one point if I may, I get the sense that oats are quite acid forming in the stomach and to be avoided if we get a build up of acid.

But I find grapes, pears, Grapefruit and apple cider vinegar are all great for getting rid of acid (some of which you've agreed with).

Much love and gratitude!

Chris

I've missed it aaand I made a huge break... I was bombarded both at work and by BC all the time , and I still am, but...I'll write!

Acidity will go first...

Oats do make things worse if they are not sufficiently cooked. Granola, for example or granola bar will immediately be felt by those suffering from acidic stomach. Grrrr grr grr... not good. But, if it is very weel cooked, until the flakes totally disapear and turn to 'gluey' consistency, then it actually will cure ulcers wherever they are - mouth, stomach, intestines...

Now what you've listed helps with acidity because of equilibrium considerations. People think that drinking soda will help, for example, but it is a disaster for acidic stomach, since the environment in the stomach is SUPPOSED to be acidic, and therefore, if the equilibrium is broken and shifted towards base, then the stomach immediately begins to produce more, more acid to restore the natural state. Which means for people with acidic stomach - 'night without sleep', the same will hold for any food with basic properties, like any drink with CO2 (bubbles) in it, milk, etc

BUT! Even though consuming acidic food might reverse the equilibrium more towards base, it is also better to be careful, since too concentrated acid consumed might 'eat' the stomach before anything beneficial happens.

What I think is best, as usually to find balance and experiment, and then eliminate anything that makes it worse and keep with things that help to balance the body.

All this while keeping the next in mind:

1. What food to beware of for 'acidic people':
Bananas, tahini (I diligently ignore this warning), pumpkin seeds,honey, hot spices, eggplant, tomatoes, fresh onion and garlic, rye. TOO sour tasting food, like not enough diluted lemon juice, very sour varieties of oranges, apricots, apples, etc, dry fruits! . Miso is acid producing too. Dry food also makes things worse, like dry snacks, for example, especially salty. Too oily food - since fat turns to triglycerides which are acidic. Raw carrots are found somewhat acid-producing. Careful with vanilla, nutmeg and especially cacao.

2. What can help - warm (not hot), soft food, tending towards more slightly sweet tastes, like batata, almond milk, soft ripe sweet juicy fruits, coconut cures ulcers too (coconut cream especially), pumpkin, quinoa, wild rice (brown can cause acidity), legumes.
The next are better be cooked: mushrooms, radishes, onion and garlic, cauliflower, carrots, peas.
Diluted acidic friut and vegetable juices, slightly acidic fruits and vegetables.

Cabbage juice/puree is highly recommended, since it is cures all kinds of wounds.

By the way, if you have or will ever have: festering wound or breakouts, ingrown painfull nail, or just edema because you got hit or something, then just take a cabbage leaf massage it a little with hands, then place on a desired area, seal with plaster, nylon bag you saved or just bandage it well, for a couple of hours or overnight...and see what happens. Even more miraculous is...mmm ...embarrassing, but urine compress does miracles! And if you got a burn or boiling water was spilt on you, so just pee all over!!! It really helps, I'm not kidding!

Ok..back to acidity...

3. Herbal teas: chammomile, fennel, lavender, peppermint, spearmint, marshmallow, licorice, lemon grass, melissa.

4. More ways: Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens) essential oil (diluted), Filipendula, Aloe Vera (juice for example, just please please don't eat aloe vera gel for external use)

Now after food and all, there is some more to know about this acidity thing.

In ayurveda pitta dosha (fire and water, intellectual analytic, goal-oriented, strong-willed, tendency to arguments, debates, speeches, etc, emotive, short-tempered, somewhat rigid in mind, etc, well-built, relatively muscular type, oily skin and hair, they are usually warm (bodies produce much heat); it activates in summer or heat) can and does cause acidity if the dosha is aggravated/out of balance.

The following symptoms can show that it's time to give some attention to the body: irritability, anger attacks, intolerance, criticism, tendency to argue, to conflict, feeling unquiet, hot, skin breakouts, high-blood pressure or a sense of pressure in the head or in the heart, sweaty hands and feet, acidity, diahrrea, bloating, irritable bowel syndrom, weight loss, sensitivity to light (for eyes) etc

So in general: for pitta - it's good to stay cool (both physically and mentally), soften, relax, let the body enjoy itself (and not 'execute! execute! V! V! V!, swimming is great, walking, moderate speed, and forget about goal! There is nowehere to go

Beneficial yoga postures - fish, boat, bow, forward bends, savasana, child pose (restorative poses).

Breathing exercise - dolphin breath, shitali, alternate nostril breath.

In some cases vata dosha (air and ether, quick, hard to settle, impossible to keep routine, hard to concentrate on something, want to do many things simultaneously and feel frustrated they can't, talkative, want to run somewhere, do something, intellectual, creative, unstable, curious, artistic, flexible, laughing a lot, no money, ever!!! etc, sleem, long, often skinny, dry hair, dry skin; activates in early spring/autumn) disbalance can look like pitta dosha disbalance...

Symptoms: constipation, bloating,dry skin and hair, blurred vision or tired eyes all the time (due to dryness), wanting to drink all the time, tight hips, ears ringing, not hearing well or on the contrary becoming veery sensitive to noise, anxiety, fear, unquietness, hyperactiveness, disorientation, confusion,shoulder and neck pain, etc

For vata - not hot, not cold, stay warm, soft(like soft fabrics, soft pillows), cosy, there is some kind of necessity for these people to bring routine into the day, otherwise they won't go to sleep, like children, then they won't wake up, won't eat even if hungry, and simply will be totally lost in a day, so...at least same time sleep/eat/meditate... It can help for them to dance slowly, to walk slowly. Just imagine you move in water...retarded motion...sloooow and caaalm, but the body wants to RUN! RUN!!! right? MEDITATION!

Yoga postures: slow and calm, legs up, invertions, camel, cobra, cat, cow, slow long breaths.

Breathing exercise - alternate nostril.

Since vata 'disbalances' often mimick the other two doshas disbalances, usually when balancing doshas, vata is the first to work on, that's why I write a little about it too, just in case:

food:
not good - dry, snacks, eating 'on a way', fast, granola,corn,sprouts, leafy greens (I keep eating them in salads or blended), not cooked peas, eggplant, cranberries, pomegranate, rye

good- cooked vegetables and fruits, soft, pureed, sweet tastes, oils, nuts, seeds

Note: The main difficulty here for us, conscious people is to know the difference between the pull and between the body 'going crazy'. Since dosha disbalanced pulls the body towards things the 'dosha is attracted to'. Like disbalanced pitta will bring itself to arguments, conflicts, which will make it worse, or disbalanced vata will try to ruin even the tiny order left and go totally wild and windy... And it might be felt as a sort of pull. But what actually is required is to pause, listen and see where it comes from - body or soul?

I just want to remind - all these tips are not for rigid following, but more for knowing it is there, and be aware. Then many things listed here might not be relevant, like for me I don't have problems with leafy greens at all, but fresh chickpeas do drive the body crazy, or I don't see any problem with tomatos, but eggplants make me acidic and angry. And! I still eat it occasionally if I really want to. What I mean to say - have fun, explore freely, play, it's like getting to know this physical machine, to make experiment and see how to make it a friend, to cooperate and function it the best way to serve the path. This is the idea

P.S: I don't want to offend kaphas , so just for the general knowledge.

kapha dosha - water and earth, activates in winter and evenings.
Did you see this people who are like: come on! get up from this sofa!!! You're sitting here already a week, eat here, sleep here. Just mooove, man! Nop! This is extreme kapha

In general this dosha is stable, grounded, strong physically, very comfortable in this physical world (I wish I had some of it ), it KNOWS HOW TO COUNT MONEY AND MINUTES!! God! Just how do they do it???!!! LOVES routine, it's pure happiness to do everything at the same time, keep everything in order. People with this dosha are warm, soft, flexible in ideas, tolerant, loving, move slow, have deep soft calming voices, etc, they are muscular, stubby, big hands and feet, thick smooth skin.

But if unbalanced - lethargy is the word to describe it, hard to move, to think even, there's a tendency to sink in depression, to become greedy, attached, envy, go crazy about the money (count and save, count and save), lack of motivation, boredom, etc...physically the disbalance can be felt as joint pain, haemorroids, mucus (like coughing, running or stuffy nose), tightness in the chest, chest pain, backpain, headaches, sleeping a lot and still feeling tired,

To balance this - is to stir it all the time, and prevent sinking (how well it's explained on holistic online site: http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/ayv-basis-tri-dosha.htm), i.e. bring some life and spontaneity into the routine, try new things, get out of the house sometimes , with food - sweet - no good, oil - no good, soft, warm - no good. It can be balanced by raw fruits/vegetables, spices, all those that are not good for pitta/vata, and actually kapha can eat anything that is not very sweet and oily (including nuts and seeds).

Cold shower is cool ADVENTURES!! Yes! Day naps - No! )

Yoga postures - relatively rapid and vigorous, flow or power yoga, bridge, peacock, palm tree, lion

Breathing - rhythmic breath, kapalabhati

In general - people usually have the doshas mixed in different proportions, we can see it exhibited well on how our bodies look...oily skin, but slim; or slim upper part of the body and heavy lower part of the body (especially with women). With age vata begins to dominate with everybody.

That's why the balance is important. I did this mistake and removed everything vata and pitta from my diet and lifestyle about 2 years ago. I ended up with kaphic depression nailed to a sofa, and since this is not my natural state, the body was in an awful condition. So I warn you not to do the same mistake. What is best to do and eat will depend on weather, circumstances, mood, people surrounding you and influencing your doshas with theirs, etc. So the point wouldn't be to eliminate everything 'wrong' and keep ony what's 'good', but to play with proportions according to a state in the moment. Like if we're kapha, and our routine is already broken because we're on vacation, then to enhance this effect with food might lead to vata aggravation and drive the body crazy. Also we don't try to change our natural dosha proportions, but rather balance it back to it's natural state.

How do we know? It's simple - the body will feel BALANCED, operate in it's best ability and won't BEG for attention. And even if we feel 'problems' here and there, again they won't feel like a scream 'HELP Me PLEASE!'

Fluidity, sensitivity, adaptation and awareness are for me now the keys to run this body more or less ok.

And also the idea is not to get too focused around it all, but when you see one of the symptoms appearing you might want to look at the body from this perspective.

A contemplation note/info:

Just an interesting thing for me was to see how these three doshas find their classification in modern psychology, as defined by the three somatotypes, as defined by Sheldon:

endomorph (viscerotonic) - kapha dominated
mesomorph (somatotonic) - pitta dominated
and ectomorph (cerebrotonic) - vata dominated

here you can see simple and funny explanation:

http://www.uh.edu/fitness/comm_educators/3_somatotypesNEW.htm

and a little more serious explanation:

http://www.kheper.net/topics/typology/somatotypes.html

It's all energy!!! And psychologists see all this in a way, I find it very inspiring! This 'physical' body is really something!!!

Well, have a nice experiment!
Big love,
Yulia

I all the time forget to write about it...

About 4 years ago I did experiment in my bathroom... which turned to be very successfull, and I was surprised to find out that nobody ever tried it. So here it goes!

Are you worried about the black stuff climbing up your toothbrushes there? Are you fed up with being disgusted by, after finally getting to wash this cup for toothbrushes, seeing all these black gelly there? And the smell?!

Then you're reading the right post!!!

1 tea spoon of salt on the bottom, add a few drops of wwater to moisten and you're 'safe' for months!! I mean no bacteriaa will develop there, at least for 1-2 months proved by experiments! I didn't go beyond because still, you know... I brush my teeth with that

Anyway, patent N130211, please click on the big blue button to pay for 1 table spoon of salt, million dollars!

And congratulations!!!
No more black 'mamba' on your toothbrushes!!!

I am a little sick now, so I share how things like runny/stuffed nose, sore throat/coughing/bronchitis, fever, etc can be treated.

When I get sick, for me the first thing is that I get that I probably want to be alone, rest and connect with myself and the body. I can see how here people who don't feel so well run to work even with >38 deg fever, and how it is normal here in Israel that people keep the machine working no matter how they are. I personally experienced just too many times the pressure, the disappointment of my bosses, the guilt they made me feel because of what?... because I don't feel well??!

The other thing is that I always thought that many times people's bodies collapse just because they want to be alone at home and left alone (subconsciously). And I thought how stupid it all is. Why can't just I say "I don't feel like working today" and stay home just because of that, and nobody will judge me. Then the body wouldn't need to get sick.

Anyway, there could be many reasons for sickness, it can say/symbolize many things, bring various messages, but for me always it is a sign to stop and listen.

Sometimes it would be staying home and resting, really getting slow, and connected, sometimes (I found) the body just wants 'quality time', to do whatever it wants, like going for a slow walk, small picknick, even sea or even dancing in its own pace, maybe take the body to the movies, etc. I don't think that being sick necessarily implies staying home (punished), lying in bed (depressed, not being allowed to move), and so on. I think that this is really time to learn to listen to the body, what it wants to do, what wants to happen.

I bold the bullets so one can skip and go to whatever he needs. Most of these you probably know already... Note: the idea is not to impose any of these, but just knowing what can be done and then just do whatever feels right.

Being sick in general:
I would say that these always apply

1. Listening and connecting to the body. What is the message/gift behind the sickness? Why is it sick? What does it want?

2. Getting good sleep.

3. Food - what does the body want? For me I mainly see that raw food with lots of green leaves wants to be eaten. Smoothies, blended raw soups, fruits, etc. Also sometimes a hot not raw soup really is good (even if I'm nauseated, lost appetite) - potatoes with skin on and cabbage, cooked in water with only salt (sea salt) added.

Detox fruits/vegetables - berries!, apples, grapes, plums, soaked prunes, lemons, lime, watermelons; salary, cabbage (anti-inflammatory and antibacterial), carrots, beetroots, dark-green leaves,parsley is great, tomatoes(vit. C), pumpkin... Onions, garlic and green leafy vegetables are best friends now

Cranberry juice or tea can benefit since it is diuretic and detoxing (just make sure you drink enough) and a good source of vitamin C. The same about rosehip tea, salary and watermelon.

Sometimes rice can be a good food for tough for the body periods, since it is detoxifying (also from metals) and can be a good but still light source of protein if combined with legumes (chikpeas, lentils...).

Dairy and products containing gluten are highly NOT recommended as they encourage mucous production. Bananas can make this effect too, if eaten as they are. In green smoothies though this effect is minimized.

Fasting is a famous treatment for all kinds of diseases/illnesses. But I think it is important to drink when being sick. Fasting can be also only drinking juices/teas, eating fruit/vegetables purees, eating the same type of fruit/vegetable during all day, etc.

In the mornings I drink this:

Morning kick
1 cup of hot/warm water
1/3 squeezed lemon juice
pinch of ginger
1 tea spoon honey
1 table spoon of olive oil (optional)
and 1 garlic clove (smashed) (optional if you want to communicate with alive people)

and if I'm really not well, then in the evening too (without the oil)

Drink it all and stay home hhhhhh (joke)

Drink a lot - >= 2 liters a day including teas.

Antioxidant drinks - green, white, red (rooibos) teas, lemonade...

4. I don't shower when I'm sick, it cools the body and also removes the protective bacteria on the skin (along with the 'bad' bacteria), but rather... how to say... do a selective wash without getting the whole body under the water.

But there were cases when people felt like cold shower and got well, so... feel out

5. Dressing warm clothes. If you stay home, then you can dress something that will make you sweat, it is also a good detox technique. It is important though to stay with the hot clothes on, otherwise the body will cool down too fast and it is not so great. If you're out, then sweating is less great since one cold breeze on a wet body and it can be not so great.
I do brush teeth though in the morning and evening, and gargle, so the stuff doesn't accumulate and reproduce there.

6. Hot bottle on the chest/upper back/solar plexus/feet. Thymus is in the chest responsible for immune system, so by warming the area from front or behind will bring the blood into the area. Feet are better to be kept warm - socks/hot bottle.

7. Massage the chest/feet/face - again, thymus + respiratory organs and reflexology or just 'intuitive' feet massage is great. Morning and evening.

8. Enema and laxatives. These two are very often used in alternative medicine for all kinds of problems. There is an idea that the stuff is coming from intestines, and detox is the first thing to do. Laxative and enema are two good ways to clean the intestines directly.

'Laxative' can be either 'natural' remedy or food,like raw beetroots, soaked prunes, plums, green smoothies.

Enema - keep it all clean; better done in the morning before eating anything; the water temperature should not pass the body-temperature; herbal 'teas' can be added, such as fennel, rosemary, lavender, chamomile.

It is often recommended to follow such procedures by taking a good friendly bacteria source - like probiotics, sauerkraut, sour-dairy products (like yogurts/kefir, etc), goat/sheep yogurts for those who eat dairy (after recovering, after the mucous excess is gone).

**Enema in small ammounts is also great if a person can't drink (because of pain, nausea or vomiting).

9. Body language - I found that I automatically put a hand on my chest, as a gesture of compassion and care towards the body when I feel REALLY bad. Or find myself tapping on my shoulder like "it's ok, it's ok", hugging myself, caressing myself with the fingers between the eyebrows, it is very relaxing.

10. Meditation/relaxation. For those who don't meditate - just relaxation, some stretching, breathing slowly, calming down, doing something nice for the body, something relaxing, like lying under the soft early morning sun, listening to nice music, etc. When one is relaxed, the body can 'focus' and repair itself better, instead of wasting 'fuel' on thoughts, emotions, etc.

Even if the 'cold' is part of detox, like what can often happen during transfiguration/processing period for example, if you are relaxed in the 'emotional wave', then again, the body will deal better with stress than if getting too tight and worried about what is going on. So releasing the tightness in the bodymind can help in any case.

11. Watching the heartbeat - when the body is fighting the infection, the heart can often work harder. So any additional activity can lead to a rapid pulse and load more on the heart. So it is good to pay attention, move more slowly, breathe more slowly and deeper. Rest more.

Runny/stuffed nose:
1. Salt nostril wash - 1/2 tea spoon of salt diluted in 100 ml warm water. In the morning and evening. Gargle a couple of times, long gargles while running the water up and down the throat - from nasopharynx to as deep as you can get. (Spit the water out after gargling)

Dip one of the nostrils into the water, close the other one with the finger and inhale. It should pump the salty water inside the nostril. Feel the water filling the nostril and getting to the nasopharynx (area that connects the two nostrils and the upper throat). Then do the same on the other side. And then blow each nostril. Then again, until all the water is finished.

2. After you're done, wash the face with water, so the salt residues don't dry and irritate the skin.

3. Nostril massage - Then take some coconut oil on your little finger (no nails) and massage it into each nostril, carefully, in round motions for about 1/2 a minute each side.

4. The next essential oils sniffing or inhalation (concentrated teas or warm water with a few drops of essential oils, ~ 30 cm distance away from the pot or 10 cm away from the glass and breathing deeply) can help: eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, jasmine, mint/peppermint (menthol). I place ~3-4 drops on a cotton ball/a folded piece of toilet paper and sniff from it (this way the oil is not evaporating from the bottle and you 'lose' the oil), I either put the cotton ball on a table or near me and just breathe the air normally, or put it 10 cm distance from my face and breathe deeply. If the nose is too stuffed, then I put it a little closer, ~5 cm, and breathe 'alternatively' with each nostril, while closing the other. I sniff straight from the essential oil bottle if I'm out and don't have a cotton ball or toilet paper, but then hold it ~20-30 cm distance from the face, and in a ventilated area. It is also good for other people around, since it disinfects the air and making them breathe it too, so... It is better not to 'overdose' with it. I would say that 1 time in 3 hours is ok, or 3 times a day, depends on how 'tough' the things are.

Another efficient thing that can help, if you don't go out to meet people or plan to kiss later, is sniffing garlic (you can smash it and put into a thin cloth or just cut in two and sniff as it is). Good for stuffed nose. You will do aaapchies so it's fun And you can do it all day long.

5. Drinking herbal teas. For runny nose sage tea can help, since it has drying effect on mucous and mucoid tissues. For stuffed nose - mint/peppermint teas. For both cases - lavender, rosemary, jasmine, fennel, chamomile, mint, rosehip teas are great.

6. Face,neck and chest massage and exercise- massage focusing on sinuses, the bridge, between the eyes, around and under the cheekbones area, jaws,temples. the back of the neck to release the jaws and general tension. Circles with the neck, throat-chest openers, shoulders circles, lion - open mouth and get your tongue as out as you can, while either looking up or 'drawing circles' with the eyes (better do at home not to scare people hhhh).

Chest massage - press, rub, knock, drum, up and down, from solar plexus to the upper chest. It is also great for bronchitis or for those who tend to have mucous accumulating in the respiratory tract. You can do it to yourself.

7. Spicy seasonings - it can help with stuffed nose, but not so great if the mouth/throat/stomach are sore and sensitive.

8. Irritated skin around the nose - because of blowing the nose. So it is good to apply aloe vera gel, alone or with propolis added, or oblipicha gel added as often as possible, I also add a few (1-2) drops of lavender oil into the gel. Coconut oil can be applied around and inside the nose.

Sore throat

1. Gargle with salt/soda water or with warm herbal tea - 1 tea spoon of soda in 200 ml water. You can combine salt and soda. Herbs that can be used - rosemary, lavender, chamomile, sage, jasmine. For gargling - then you can use two teabags or 1 table spoon in one cup of water (or 1/2 quantity in 1/2 cup).

If there are ulcers/wounds in the throat/mouth, or the tissue is very irritated then very strong black tea brewed for ~5-10 minutes can help, it contains tannins. Most plants if brewed for a sufficiently long period of time eventually release tannins, but black tea is the fastest and the most efficient source. It is good for repairing the mucoid tissue.

BTW - for irritated/sore/red eyes - cotton balls with strong black tea compresses help.

2. Inhalations/sniffing - like in nose treatment, but inhaling through mouth, slowly and with a slow exhale, to prevent hyperventilation.

3. Teas - same as for nose, but you can accompany it by honey. It is better not to dilute honey in the tea, but rather bite on it and drink the tea after you swallowed the honey. Because honey changes its properties in hot environment and also gets less concentrated when diluted, and we want it strike with its full power. In general - drinking hot (not TOO hot though, otherwise it will irritate the tissue even more. Smth like 2/3 biling water + 1/3 room temperature water is a good temperature).

It is good to add thermogenic spices like black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg. Sometimes spicy can be good, but only if the throat is not sore, but only mucous is accumulating.

Cold and iced drinks are usually not recommended, especially with mucous accumulation in the respiratory organs.

4. Lemon water + honey (optional) + mint (optional) - drink instead of water during all day.

5. Talking less - it dries the mouth and the throat and also strains the vocal cords, which are usually also are affected and get 'sore' along with the throat.

6. Scarf - to keep the throat/chest warm. It is also very cosy and 'compassionate' towards the body

7. Eating onions/garlic or drinking garlic water (smashed garlic diluted in water to protect the mucous from irritation) - antibacterial and anti-infalmmatory...

8. Russian treatment - gargling/drinking 1/2-1/2 vodka/water + garlic + black pepper + honey, but I am not a big fan of alcoholic treatments.

Fever
1. Is OKAAY up till 38.9 deg. This mechanism is natural and is actually helpful. By raising the temperature the body fights the 'foreign intruders'. After this point the fever is better be treated - reduced by conventional medical interference, and should better not pass 40 deg, since at too high temperature some of the proteins can change their structure, not good. No cold ice baths or applying alcohol topically or something like that to cool the body - it won't help and just stresses the body, but mild-cold water compress on the forehead can do the job for a while.

2. Raspberry jam (no sugar) - is a natural antipyretic (fever reducer)and diaphoretic (causes sweating). One table spoon of it accompanied by hot tea, and straight to the bed, sweating...

3. Other thermogenic/diaphoretics are spices listed above - ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper.

4. Hot teas are always welcome, each 1-2 hours.

5. Sweating passively - dressing much more warm clothes than needed, wearing hat, get under the blanket, with a hot bottle.

6. It is not recommended to shower, it will cool the body and make all its work for hours wasted.

7. Usually fever is accompanied by all the body aching. So relaxation here can be of a great benefit, not resisting the pain. You can roll slowly on a hard surface - on a floor with a carpet, or on the floor after covering yourself with a blanket not to get cold. It will massage the body. Or maybe somebody can help by simply pressing and squeezing the muscles (through the clothes/blankets). Better not to rub/massage too vigorously, it will demand vigorous blood flow and cause the heart work harder. Just slow and deep pressure.

Tiger balm - for both nose and throat, and especially when things begin to head in the direction of mucous hrrrrr when breathing in the chest - tiger balm on the chest, rubbing really well and then dressing something warm (something you don't mind to get yellow). It is also inhalation and warming the chest.

Okay...
It was a long one, I hope I didn't miss/forget anything

Byebye

Very thorough indeed Yulia! Great advice for everyone.

There's just one thing I felt to add - acceptance. When I stepped consciously onto the path, I went through a period of two years where I was profoundly healthy. As I cleansed my diet and living space and meditated through various periods of the day, my energy went through the roof. I felt like I was becoming lighter and lighter. I thought illness was a thing of the past.

Then one day I got hit but some kind of virus which had me bed-ridden for about ten days. For the first week, there's was much frustration and non-acceptance. I couldn't understand why I'd gotten ill?

But then I realised... there must have been attachment to good health. As soon as that happened, I was able to let go, relax and surrender into the discomfort. The feeling became quite blissful. Following that I recovered very quickly.

So I'd say above all that acceptance is of paramount importance.

Thanks for sharing!

Chris

I totally agree, I wrote about it in prologue (above). But it is always good to remind about this one.

Thanks!!

Yulia

Hi there both of you....

There is not mistake that I read both of your blogs today! I have had a cold/flu/sinusitis/throat thing going for over a week now! I NEVER GET SICK, and if I do get a cold, it is usually gone in 3/4 days, but this virus has really taken me out and has me flat on my back for a second time! (First time I pushed it and didn't LISTEN to my body over Mothers Day Weekend-It came BACK WITH A VENGANCE!)

Thanks for the reminder about ACCEPTANCE Chris...and YES, I would say that I also have an ATTACHMENT to GOOD HEALTH..lololo so will practice that as well as some of the other great ideas from Yulia!!!

Blissings on your day...ME...back to the couch with my hot water bottle and my fuzzy blanket-Chicken Soup and Vitamin C! Oh yes...AND MORE FLUIDS!!

hugs, Ev

This one is discussed already in Chris's detox and in comments to The Other David's post about detox, but I write another one here...

Usually when speaking about detoxification, it starts from the food (cleansing diet or fasting), cleaning the digestive system, then/or for many it just happens in parallel, cleaning the environment (from noise, such as electric, chemicals, clutter, old stuff, filtering what interactions/communications we have, what we read/listen to/watch, etc etc). With me all this happens spontaneously, I am usually incapable to impose anything on myself, any rigid system (I begin to sabotage hhhh). Then it is taking care of the body in general, giving it some attention.

For me the key here is not to effort, not to get too stiff or determined, in short not to let the mind run the process, but just let it happen on its own.

-------------

So here are some things that can assist detoxification. And I remind - not to be imposed... Like for me it goes like: I bump into some info, then I don't use it sometimes for months and then one day I am just being brought to do it.. So this is the idea of this topic here

Plus I am sharing my own experience and observations, or info that I found true and working for me so you know, it is to be explored individually.

Well, detox:

1. Getting into the body - for me it just happens, out of sudden I feel more integrated, calm and soft with myself, with the body, more attentive to it.

It is important since during detox the body is going through some cold turkey with all kinds of symptoms - runny nose, cold, nausea, diarrhea, aches, emotional instability, dizziness, skin breakouts, etc... So really getting into the place of observer and relax, know that these effects are 'normal' and not panic can help.

2. Quantities. Average person eats at least three times more than the body needs, yep. So for me really getting in contact with the body and listening when it says "I've had enough" and to stop is part of it.

So, besides letting the body have some relative rest from digesting, I found that all the over-eating is about suppressing some emotional issue or inhibiting processing by bringing all the body's attention to processing food instead of my stuff, or numbing the tough experiences, sensitivities, etc. During detox all this are surfaced and brought to light, sometimes can be spooky and overwhelming. Rest, relaxation and meditation balance it a little, but of course processing all these through acceptance and surrender for me IS the thing now.

3. Drink a lot. ~ 2 liters fluids a day, water,herbal teas or water with squeezed lemons or apple cider vinegar are the best, the acidity is better be mild, not too concentrated, like 1/8 lemon's juice in one cup (200-250 ml) water.

Herbal detoxifying teas are:
rosemary, lavender, fennel, chamomile, green tea, mint, nettle, rosehip, cranberry (these three are diuretic, and assist in draining the extra-liquids stuck with toxins in the tissues, like excess mucous in respiratory organs, cellulite or edemas for example).

4. Eliminations

I won't be the first one to say about going vegetarian/vegan at least for the detox period.

For example, for me dairy proved to be extremely influencing, I forgot what runny or stuffed nose is, female fungal stuff, and the most surprising - inflammation in my shoulders I was suffering from for years and attributed it to sitting. I experimented with it and yep, it's the dairy...

But, for me organic eggs feel 'right', and I feel that I am very connected to animals this way rather than plants and have huge waves of gratitude and respect when eating those, so it is really individual...

Sugar - legal drug, it is unbelievable how it affects the body, especially the mood, the state of mind and nervous system. It is enought o lok at kids before sugar and after nowadays to get it. It is also very drying and contributes to yeast processes in the body, leading to various bacterial disbalances. Well, the list of the damages it causes is endless, I won't go into it, it's all on the web. For me the mentioned above were the most striking.

Grains, especially wheat I considered whole wheat healthy enough for long time, until I stopped and saw how it is without. White flour has some similarity in its effect to sugar, only that it also contains gluten (as all grains but rice do), which in itself rather toxifying.

While rice is considered to be detoxifier (including metals) and is gluten free, therefore I do eat whole rice cakes instead of bread or rice porridge, but during detox I at some point eliminate it too, since it contains sugar and better be skipped when the body is sensitive and relatively unstable already.

But, I am not rigid, so if it feels like grains, I keep them, but the mucous production enhancement is obvious and heavy digestion too. But what I do is just follow the intuition, like one day I authentically may feel like having some non-wheat bread too (who knows why).

Fried/deep fried foods are a great burden on a liver always, and it is not a secret that it is totally toxic. So... better baked or steamed or cooked in water, etc...

5. Detoxifying food - in general - vegetables, fruits, especially raw, raw nuts and seeds...

Any green leaves, celery (diuretic), beetroots (contains much sugar, so it is better be consumed either in form of diluted juice or in combination with other vegetables), carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic, plums or soaked in water prunes, watermelon (diuretic), not too sweet apples, lemons...

Orange vegetables are healing to digestive organs - such as pumpkin, carrots, etc

Nuts and seeds (raw) and cold pressed oils assist in 'fighting the 'bad' fats, blood and liver cleanse (especially if consumed first thing in the morning, like one table spoon oil).

Green smoothies do miracles! As if life itself is infused right into the veins. Amazing.

6. Cooked-raw-fluid (blended) there is a lot of stuff on the internet about the different benefits of each. I tried them all, and for me it is striking difference between the three. From right to left I observed: feeling much better physically, lighter, more fresh, more energized, joyous, more connected to the earth and nature, I felt somehow more feminine, more soft, relaxed, and sensitive, many knots in the body disappeared, the mind became more clear. processing is much easier, as if everything moves faster through the body and out. All kinds of disorders/problems were gone (like bloating, bad taste in the morning, tiredness, cravings, feeling somewhat depressed in general, etc etc).

While the difference between cooked-raw was tremendous, the difference between raw-blended was less so. Just that I felt the digestive system working much less and it was the most close to fasting while eating thing.

During detox I am usually brought to ~90% raw food, ~40-50% blended (smoothies, raw blended soups, blended cookies/cakes from nuts and dry/fresh fruits, etc).

It can last from 1 week to several months. During this period I feel at my best. But in past I got off it for different reasons (stress and going back to addictions, sinking in denseness in general, etc).

7. Fasting - better stay home for me, I get dizzy. I never stop drinking, on the contrary, usually I drink twice more (water, teas). And also for me it is rarely not eating anything for more than 9 hours one day. In the evening I am usually being led to have some fruits or smoothie or puree.

Anything more radical (I imposed) used to feel not so 'right', as if too much for the body. But I know people who fasted for weeks on water, lemon and some honey or maple syrup. They found it amazingly releasing, relaxing and freeing.

Just too ungrounding for already ungrounded 'me' at the moment,I guess.

8. Environment - after starting the detox I become really sensitive to what's going on around, and almost inevitably keep things clear and clean, all the hard to get corners I avoided, take care of all the tasks I delayed and kept 'in a drawer', well this kind of stuff.

Another thing for me during detox is as if becoming more natural, more in peace with how I am, and all those 'concepts' of what is beautiful/sexy and how I look are suddenly not important anymore.

Consequently there's some shift/change in how I dress, what I apply on my skin, etc (I use eco-friendly cleaning substances, so this one does not undergo changes). For example, bra becomes unbearable, or any restricting motion or air ventilation clothes/shoes.

Another thing is the sole of the shoes, with years I tend to more and more soft and thin, to feel the ground, the stones, the earth more.

Ventilation at home or at work, yesterday I opened the window in the bus, etc. Fresh air, you know

Plants, flowers...

Letting sun in

Essential oils - during this time I use eucalyptus/lavender or tea tree oil when I wash the floor. ~4-5 drops per bucket.

And during other days I place one drop at each corner of the room when it feels like getting it clear.

If there's a carpet, then cotton ball with the oil on it can do the job (to prevent staining).

It can be nice time to sort things on the shelves, in wardrobe, etc...

Well it will just come on its own...

9. Body treatments - I find te following very effective:

Sweating assists detoxification greatly - I spontaneously dance wearing hot clothes - sweating is provided

It can be any physical activity wearing hot clothes...

Some slow and calm walk in some nice place (park, nature, sea shore etc), to connect with the body and the surrounding

Warm relaxing baths - especially with salts (relaxing and clearing the field), or/and essential oils (I love most lavender and jasmine)

Going to the sea - for ages, in ancient traditions, immersion in the sea is considered purifying, and it IS very much so. Burying the body in the sand (please not the face) is also very clearing and grounding.

If there's no sea/river/lake etc, then salt bath...

Any body 'therapy'/treatment etc - like massage (including rolling on the floor or even better on the ground, because it has bumps hhh), reflexology (or feet massage, I do to myself before going to sleep during these periods), self-brush massage when showering or towel vigorous massage after, or when applying body cream (I use coconut oil (sometimes mixed with almond oil) with essential oils)...

Some spiritual body practice - for me this is the most important here - releasing tension, tightness, getting really in contact with the body, into it, infusing the energies into it. I do free-style yoga, which lately looks more like combination of stretching, dancing, going wild, acrobatics and lots of crying, sobbing and tissue all around hhhh

But it can be also some spontaneous gentle relaxing movement with music, or on the contrary, the body will show some signs, like anger, then maybe it might help to let it all out by putting some 'angry' music and going 'punk' with it (I did it, it was sooo releasing!!)

Well all the practices like Tai Chi, Kinhin, Kung Fu (I found it rather meditative with the right intention, thanks Mark), etc...

And letting the body have some fun, like playing, going see some nice places, trying something new (some mountain climbing), or something old, long forgotten like skipping rope, etc Hugs are great (it is important for it to get some touch, the sensory mechanisms of the body are amazing. There are several studies about the correlation between depression and sensory deprivation, or problems and even death with babies who are not getting touched by their mothers, etc)

I somehow feel, that while it is absolutely possible to live alone, be isolated and celibate, somehow it is hard for me to feel it is right to isolate the body from communication and touch. the question is what communication and what touch.

Therefore for me during this time it seems that these sort themselves and really let the body get the healing energies, or get in touch with stuff coming from old situations it releases now anyway, like maybe feeling a pull to see my mom who will push exactly the buttons I feel now anyway, to assist the release.

Well, I would only add that for me music is of a great assistance. It is often mirroring my inner state, i.e. by what I want to listen to I know what's going on the inside now and listen to it both outside and inside. It helps to relax and calm down, or enhance the release, it can clear the energy of the body and the environment. there are several tracks that particularly connect me to the soul when I am totally out. Like I press play and then it's flowing in... As if I turned some switch on.

Here are some links )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHAUH8fF_2Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e36gVuRVCA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRVjm6mAVds&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBz0Y62lmIQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-P0JJElpGU&feature=related

and some more fun links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcrE2tOCPIk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qQHlWkSM_o&playnext=1&list=PL4BEC2ECFFA1...

Okaay

ok...