Cravings Making You Crazy?

Overcoming the cravings that we get when we give up certain foods and substances is one of the hardest things to do. Whether you are giving something up for religious or health reasons, a few days into the process and terrible cravings, moodiness, headaches, stomach aches, and other symptoms might cause you to want to go back to the thing you gave up. It sure helps us relate to what drug addicts, alcoholics and smokers go through when they are trying to kick their habits. You'd think that giving up refined sugar and carbs would be so much easier than drugs - but it is not!

It is often not a question of willpower, rather of giving the body what it is screaming for. If your body is used to the substances that you are trying to eliminate, it will demand more of the same. And those demands become increasingly strident. However,if you stick to whatever you are doing to detox and avoiding giving in to the cravings, you will feel so much better once it is complete! Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. So what can you do to help overcome the cravings that you are experiencing while cleansing your system?

Here are a few suggestion:

1. Avoid places that have the things you crave.

2. Avoid TV shows and magazines that show the foods you are craving.

3. Drink a lot of water and fruit juice (if your detox program allows the juice) -
this will give you a full feeling and keep you hydrated (both of which help keep
the cravings from happening in the first place).

4. Call a friend when you are struggling - it keeps your mouth busy and gives you the
emotional support you need.

5. Do something to keep busy - read, go for a walk, garden - anything that will keep
you busy and will get you away from what you are craving.

6. Remind yourself of everything you have already accomplished and that your body is
well on its way to being cleaner, fitter and healthier. You don't want to
sabotage what you have already achieved.

While these strategies are not foolproof, you may find that one or two work for you. Remember that even though you are struggling now, once you body adjusts to it, it will be much healthier than it was before.

Happy Detox!

Green Tea - for Dandruff?

Want a natural remedy for dandruff that won't introduce harsh chemicals to your scalp and hair? Green tea is the answer! Yes, not only do the antioxidants in green tea help us fight cancer and detox fat cells, but it will naturally exfoliate the dry flakes which are the root of dandruff without dehydrating the skin.

By now, most of us have some green tea in our pantries. Just steep two bags of green tea in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes to overnight. Once it has cooled, massage the strong tea into your scalp. Leave on for 30 minutes to an hour (if your hair is long, you can wrap it in a towel) and then rinse out - massaging scalp as you do to move the loosened flakes off of your scalp.

The Benefits of EFT

EFT is something that my chiropractors and natural health practitioners have used on me for years, but I just found a website that will teach me to be able to do this technique on myself - for FREE!

What is EFT? From an article by Marguerita Vorobioff: "EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, is an unbelievable breakthrough in therapy which is providing relief from pain, and helping to cure disease and emotional issues for thousands of people. Simply put, EFT is an emotional version of acupuncture without the needles, and it is performing miracles all over the world.

Our bodies energy meridian points were established thousands of years ago and have been used by many cultures for healing ever since then. EFT involves stimulating these meridian points by tapping on them with your fingertips. This tapping enables you to release stored trauma and negative emotions which disrupt your energy system, consequently bringing relief from pain on various levels.

A growing number of health practitioners, even in traditional medicine, now recognize the connection between our emotions and physical ailments, to the point where negative emotions are now considered to be the major contributor to most physical ailments. Instead of months or years of counseling, EFT can bring results in even one session. Positive results are literally experienced within minutes of beginning the tapping. This emotional clearing soon results in the fading of physical pain and discomfort. The symptoms may even vanish altogether. Emotional Freedom Technique also has the ability to change negative belief systems about ourselves that limit our potential and prevent us from living the life we deserve.

Once you have learned the EFT Technique you can use it anywhere for virtually anything. It is quick to learn and incredibly easy to use.

EFT can uncover some very surprising beliefs about yourself and your environment that you never knew you had. These revelations often enable a great deal of self- realization that can bring a rush of understanding, opening up a whole new and exciting world."

If you are interested in learning more about this easy and painless technique, click on the following link: EFT Tutorial.

Improve Your Skin - Sauna-style!

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Everyday, it is exposed to different toxins, dirt, stress, and more. While there are many ways to detoxify your skin, according to the skin experts, a sauna session is one of the best ways to clean, detoxify, and relieve stress from your skin. Not only is this technique very advantageous for your skin, but it also provides many benefits to your general well-being.

Making a sauna session a part of your beauty regimen is definitely one of the most effective and relaxing ways to unclog your pores. It is very advisable to those who have dry skin, oily skin or those who are prone to various skin problems such as acne or ingrown hair. After a sauna session, your skin feels smoother and tighter. Using a sauna is natural as opposed to skin peels and other skincare regimens which may actually introduce harmful chemicals into your skin's pores. You can create your own sauna at home or you can find other establishments such as gym or day spa, who offer this kind of service.

After having a relaxing sauna session, you may choose to follow it up with a soothing facial or body mask to remove the dirt and toxins from the pores which are now open making the removal much easier. Another choice is to treat yourself to a massage as a way to achieve deeper removal of toxins, this time from the muscular level as well as the skin.

If you are reasonably healthy, there is no limit to how often you can enjoy the benefits of the sauna. However, there are those who should not use the sauna. These include people who are: suffering from asthma, are pregnant or have high blood pressure. As with anything, make sure to consult with your health care professional to ensure that you an safely enjoy the sauna.

Chocolate Facial Recipe

Got this great recipe for a Chocolate Facial from Carole Fogarty at the Healthy Living Lounge - one of my favorite blogs:

The Authentic Chocolate Facial Recipe:

5 tablespoons raw cacao (cocoa powder) (sold at most good health food stores.
3 tablespoons organic honey (the darker the better)
3 - 5 tablespoons plain organic yogurt
A splash or two of oatmeal to bind

(This can be used on your hair as well.)

Mix the honey and cocoa powder together adding as much oatmeal and yogurt as needed to create a smooth yet thickish paste. The wetness of yogurts can vary greatly and will affect the consistency of the facial, so start with 2 tablespoons and increase as needed.
Note about the honey: Not all honeys are the same. According to an Illinois Research Program, the darker the honey is, the less water and the higher the antioxidant, vitamin and mineral content. Honey is antibacterial and antifungal, which supports the healing process of cuts and wounds.
Warning: Chocolate facials are addictive so administer wisely. One per week is the recommended dosage.

Ion Detoxification - Does It Work?

Ion Detoxification is a process wherein a person immerses their feet in a Ion Detox foot bath of warm water while the Ion generator produces millions of positive and negative ions. These Ions flow through the body and then are supposed to attach themselves to oppositely charged toxins and draw them out of the body through the soles of the feet. Hmmmmm.
While I am a big believer in the benefits of detoxification (having personally experienced them), I have to admit that I have not yet tried one of these Ionic Foot Baths nor the detox pads for the soles the feet (however these are one my list - as soon as I finish the Master Cleanse).
I have heard from a colonic therapist, who has many years experience in the alternative health field, that she has witnessed the results of the detox foot pads herself and through many of her clients - and this even with regular colon cleansing and a very clean organic diet.
It seems to me that if the detox foot pads are able to pull heavy metals and other toxins out through the feet, then it stands to reason that the Ion Detox Foot Bath could produce the same results through a different modality. The process reminds me a little of a magnet, and we all know that magnets have been used as a healing tool for thousands of years. As far as I am concerned - anything that pulls the toxins out of our bodies and helps them to function as they are supposed to is a great thing.
My question to you is: have any of you tried either the Ion Detox Foot Bath or the Detox Foot Pads? What was your experience with them? Did you feel that you received better results from one than the other? Please leave any comments you would like to make below!

Is Stress Sabotaging Your Diet?

Stress can be making you fat. Yes that is right - you may be eating really healthy, and watching your caloric intake, but still be gaining weight - depressing isn't it? And the worst part is that when we gain weight, we add even more stress! So how do we break this vicious stress cycle?
We need to relax! Stop beating ourselves up because we only did 20 mins of cardio today instead of our usual 30 or because we had a piece of chocolate after that stressful meeting this morning. Love yourself! You still did some cardio and you ate a really healthy lunch. Focus on the positive! Be kind to yourself and give yourself an opportunity to relax and ease the stress.
How to relax when we have so much to do? Force yourself to carve out 20 - 30 mins and it will do you so much more good that spending that time mopping the floors!
During that 1/2 hour, do one of these things:

1. Take a hot bath. Hot baths are a wonderful way to release stress as you feel the warmth seep into your bones, and if you add some epsom salts or aromatherapy oil to the bath, you can detoxify and relax at the same time. (Note* Stress actually has been shown to create a toxic environment in our bodies, so anything we can do to ease this is beneficial!)

2. Meditate. If you have trouble focusing, try using a guided meditation CD (available at most book stores). Meditation slows down your breathing and your thinking - crucial to easing stress.

3. Take deep breaths. When we are stressed, we usually begin to rush and our heart rate goes up. By breathing deeply, drawing oxygen in through your nose and focusing on filling up your belly with it, then releasing it through your mouth - you are oxygenating your organs and expelling toxins and stress.

4. Exercise. When we are really stressed, sometimes it helps to go for a walk and appreciate nature, other times we may feel the need to punch something. Grab a pillow and beat it against your couch. Or put in a yoga or Pilates tape, letting the slow movements calm you.

5. Rest. Getting enough sleep is crucial to lowering our stress levels. If stress is keeping you up, drink some warm chamomile tea, take some melatonin, dab some lavender oil on your temples, put on a calming meditation CD (this works best for me).

Remember - the time you take for yourself now to lessen your stress level can save you lots of time later trying to undo the damage.
Love yourself!