INSOMNIA

I have struggled with insomnia for most of my life. Waking up several times a night. Sometimes not being able to go back to sleep. Or not being able to go to sleep in the first place. I finally resorted to taking a Tylenol PM to help me sleep. And ended up doing that for the last 5 or so years. 

I believe that insomnia can be an indication of a toxic overload in our bodies. Yes there can be many other factors also. But the first thing I always look at is diet & nutrition. Or the lack there of. I have a healthier diet than most. And yet still a good detox is always in order when my body is out of whack.

I have been off of coffee for 3 weeks now. And my last PM was almost 2 weeks ago. I am sleeping thru the night & am able to go to sleep easily.

In one of my juicing books 'Juicing For Life'  she outlines the nutrients needed & the vegetables that contain those nutrients.

Niacin~cofactor in the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan into the sleep-inducing chemical serotonin (Broccoli, Tomato, Carrot)

Vit B6~also cofactor in the conversion (Spinach, Carrot, Pea)

Magnesium~also cofactor in the conversion (Parsley, Collard Greens, Blackberry)

Calcium~aids in muscle relaxation (Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli)

Folate~may help restless leg syndrome (Asparagus, Spinach, Kale)

Lettuce & celery are traditional remedies for insomnia.

Juicing Recipes~~

TRADITIONAL SLEEP POTION                     

3-4 Lettuce Leaves

1 Stalk Celery

Juice. Drink 30 minutes before bedtime

TRADITIONAL NERVE SOOTHER

1 Stalk Celery

3-4 Carrots

Drink 1 hr before bedtime

SWEET MAGNESIUM SMOOTHIE

1 pint Blackberries

1 ripe Banana

2 oz Silken Tofu

1 Tbsp Brewer's Yeast

Juice Blackberries. Combine with other ingredients in blender or a food processor & blend until smooth. Garnish with Blackberries. Drink 1 hr before bedtime

The Master Cleanse

 

For over 20 years now I have been using this drink when I detox from caffeine. It always works wonderfully. I can't even find the book where I first read about it. 

Then about 2 1/2 years ago, when I went for my first Vision Quest with Angeles Arrien, that was part of our time there. That is when I first discovered it had a name. The Master Cleanse. Today as I went to write about it, I decided to look it up online. Wow! I had no idea that people went on 10 (or sometimes as much as 30) day fasts with it. I always hesitate about that. 95% of the time when I begin juicing etc., I eat. Even the first couple of days off of caffeine I allow myself *whatever* I want to eat. No energy for planning or anything. 

What was further amazing is that many, including famous people like Beyonce have used it as a weight-loss miracle plan. I had no idea *my* drink was so popular :) 

As I read I began to wonder if I should try the fast. Not for the weight loss. But more because of the debilitating fatigue that I have dealt with for the last few months. I have always experienced such energy when I drink it. Yet during this cleanse, since the beginning of January, I haven't drank as much of it & have been drinking more vegetable juices. I have been much more tired & had just attributed it to the fatigue. And that it was going to take awhile. 

I have decided to try it for 3 days & may go on to the 10 day. I need to get whatever is dragging me down out of my system. I read that it is one of the most powerful ways to cleanse heavy metals & candida from the body. I know that it helps purify the blood. And is also a wonderful detox for the liver. Along with many other benefits. 

The reason I was going to share about it, was to share with you about a great way to get off of caffeine. Even the last few weeks of being off of it, my body really begins to feel SO much better. My mental clarity is returning. My SKIN feels SO much different. My eyes are brighter. I sleep more soundly. It truly is amazing how much better I feel when I am able to give myself the time to detox off of caffeine. And I was down to drinking only 2 cups of coffee in the morning. I am not suggesting to anyone to fast with it. To do it purely as a weight-loss diet is crazy. I have had success with it while eating food.  

THE MASTER CLEANSE

2 Tbsp of Fresh squeezed Lemon (great for cleansing the liver & for energy)  

2 Tbsp of REAL Maple Syrup Grade B (Grade B has better mineral content)  

1/0 tsp Cayenne (great blood cleanser) (you may need to start with a dash & build up)

 8 oz pure water (warmed may be better) 

I love the cayenne. I realize many people don't. But you can't leave it out. It is such an integral part of the cleansing recipe. I would love to hear if you try it. Or if you have had any experiences in the past. I have helped several people detox from caffeine with it. Enjoy!

WHY JUICE?

I love this time of year because there is always a wealth of information on healing, detoxing, exercising....everything we need for a healthy, more vibrant life. I don't look at it in regards to weight loss or New Year's resolutions, but more about lifestyle choices that support our well-being. Whenever I share that I am juicing, I get the rolled eyes or some point of concern. I wanted to share with you what Cherie Calbom wrote in 'Juicing For Life'~ 
 
"The juice of fresh fruits & vegetables is the richest available food source of vitamins, minerals & enzymes. Usually, you just can't get enough raw fruits & vegetables in a day to nourish your body properly. While this has probably always been true, it is especially true today, when you need extra nutrients to help your body detoxify a large amount of environmental toxins. 

Juice enables your body to easily assimilate the many valuable nutrients found in food. Enzymes are organic catalysts that increase the rate at which foods are broken down & absorbed by the body. Found in plant foods such as fruits & vegetables, enzymes are destroyed when these foods are cooked. This is why raw produce should constitute at least half of your diet. The quick & easy digestion of these food, made possible by the enzymes, will give you greater energy & health. 

Raw fruits & vegetables are nature's way of giving us life...In fact, once you begin drinking juices on a regular basis, you may not need vitamin & mineral supplements. I like to call these drinks 'vitamin & mineral cocktails'... 

Sickness or health-the choice is yours. The physical condition you have tomorrow starts with what you do for your body today. It's up to you! I encourage you to choose vibrant health. Eat fiber-rich foods like fruit & vegetable salads, whole grains, & legume dishes made with beans, lentils or split peas. Drink 2-4 glasses of fresh juice daily...Don't give up on eating healthfully even if you don't get immediate results. You can & will feel healthier, with more energy & greater resistance to disease, when you start juicing for life! 

Between 50 & 75% of our diet should be raw food if we are to enjoy optimal health & abundant energy. Leslie & Susannah Kenton, authors of the book 'Raw Energy', state that a "vast quantity of evidence...exists showing that the high-raw diet...can not only reverse the bodily degeneration which accompanies long term illness, but retard the rate at which you age, bring you seemingly boundless energy & even make you feel better emotionally" 
 
I love her book! The thing I enjoy the most about it, is that she lists 65 disorders from Acne, Allergies, Fatigue, Insomnia, Menopause, Memory Loss, & whole myriad of others. She explains the disorder in a way that you can understand.Then she lists the nutrients that are helpful & the vegetables that contain them. She then follows with some wonderful Juicing Recipes. I have been juicing for 23 years. And it is just now that I am moving into a more raw diet. It hasn't been something I considered before. I realize most people will probably never consider it. 

I share this so that you may decide to change just one thing. Like eliminating junk food or coffee or ice cream. I'm not an advocate for drastic change. If we change one small thing a week, pretty soon our life will be changed...