Simple Detoxing...

Hi there!

Back with our simple detox tips. Our first one was to:

* Drink plenty of water. Water will help carrying the toxins out of the body.
Drink 2 litres of water a day. If you find it boring to drink it plain, add some slices of ginger, lemon or lime, cucumber or mint leaves. Mnnn... Naturally tasty water!

* Breath Deeply! 
Breathing slowly and deeply not only bring you to your centre and calm you down in moments of stress, it also stimulates your lymphatic system which helps detoxifying your body. Our lymph system is our bin man, who kindly comes and collect our rubbish.
70% of our waste is eliminated through the lungs; the rest via skin, urine and feces. Let's use our lungs fully!

Practice taking longer slower and deeper breaths throughout your day. You can do it while in front of your computer, cooking, exercising, doing yoga, meditating...


* Add greens to your day!
Greens are very alkalising to the body. They will help cleaning away the toxicity in your body.
For green juices, play, mix & match these:
apple, pear, parsley, cucumber, celery, lemon and lime, coriander, kale.
Eating green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard, beetroot greens, mustard greens will also help to alkalise your body. You can eat your greens raw, in salads, you can steam greens, add them to soups, casseroles, curry. Be creative!

* Skin brush your body!

A dry skin brush can be bought at Neal's Yard Remedies, Boots and other places. You will brush your dry body with firm pressure and long movements towards the heart - from feet to neck. Brush one leg first then the other, do clockwise circular movements on your stomach, then brush your back and side of the body to your armpits and your chest up to your neck - there are plenty of lymph nodes here! At last, brush one arm then the other (from hands to shoulders). You can also dry skin your face. Just use a smaller and softer brush.
It is recommended to dry skin brush your whole body for about 8 to 12min everyday. Ideally, first thing in the morning.
I skin brush almost everyday before I have my bath or shower. It has become a habit! I do feel better for doing it specially in the Winter months when our body slow down.
Skin brush is a great technique to activate your lymphatic and circulatory systems.
A must to fight cellulite off!!!


These simple detox tips will do wonders to your body! I am experiencing it very much this week. I cut the sweets, bread and pasta, alcohol and started exercising more. My skin is softer and brighter, my digestion is working better and I feel more refreshed and a less sluggish - that winter feeling...

Try it! Even if  for one day. Your body deserves it!



Health,
Carolyne x

The New Year is here!

Dear friends 

Happy new year! 

Let's begin 2012 by de-toxing our daily life. The idea of detox is to reduce the amount of toxins and pollution that we put into our bodies and promote healthy eating and nutrition, together with natural techniques to help our body effectively clear the toxins. 

I will be giving you a few detox tips over this month of January. 

First detox tip: 

* Drink plenty of water throughout the day. 

Water

. We are about 75% water, as is the planet.

. It is ancient and carries wisdom

. It is crucial for the hydration of every cell in the body

. Movement of nutrients in and waste out of the cell and body requires water e.g. breathing, digestion, elimination, urination and sweating.

. Our brain is 85% water and our blood, circulatory system, is 90% water. Our bones are 40% water.

. Correct hydration level help us to go with the flow on every level. 

. Drink the cleanest water you can afford

. 66% water is inside the cells and 33% is out. 

. If we don't drink enough water our blood will thickened and it will draw water out of the cells, leaving the cells dehydrated.

how, when and why?

. The body needs about 8 pints (2 litres) of water per day just to function well. When exercising or under emotional or physical stress, more is needed. So drink up!  

. Replacement of fluids needs to be consistent and establishing a daily routine is crucial if the body is to recognize and use the water you are giving it.

. Always drink your water warm, at blood temperature. it is the ideal!

. Have 1 pint as you wake up.

. 20 to 30 minutes before every meal have a pint of blood temperature water. This ensures your bowels are hydrated prior to eating.

. Drink this water rapidly, don't sip or take your time. Drink it all! 

. Don't drink with your meals as this confuses the body and depletes the body and depletes the spleen energy.

. Keep hydration and nutrition separate. 

. Have a bottle of water with you at all times. 

. If you drink only when you are thirsty then you are not getting enough water. 

. Drink at least an extra pint of water for every hour of exercise you do. 

. At the end of the day drink 1 pint of water. 

References:

'Your Body's Many Cries For Water', Dr F Batmanghelidj

'The ph Miracle, Dr Robert O Young 

'The Secret Life of Water', Masaru Emoto

In health,
Carolyne x 

Winter has arrived!

Winter is the end of all seasons. To connect with winter, we become more receptive, introspective. We feel the cold outside and look for warmth inside. We seek inner warmth.

It is time to rest, to meditate deeply, refine our spiritual essence, and store physical energy - in the form of a little added weight - for the cold season. Its time to study (finish an ongoing course, in my case), have new hobbies, be at home with a cup of tea, watch films, have friends around for a cosy evening.

Although in many of our societies today we have to keep moving, doing and improving (specially after the festive times); we must find ways to unify with winter.

The forces of winter create cold in Heaven and water on Earth. They create the kidney organ and the bones within the body... the emotion fear, and the ability to make a groaning sound.
                                                                                                  - Inner Classic

In the Chinese medicine, the Five Elements and the Yin and Yang are an important underlying structure. The Five elements are the energetic substances or processes of which the world is made. Each Element is defined as a set f associations. For example, colour, organs, season, taste, emotion and others.


The winter is represented by the water element. Wow! What can we say about water?! The planet is about 75% water, as we are. Our brain is about 85% water. Water which flows and nourishes all our cells, our body, mind and spirit. If the capacity of water to flow freely is manifested in our body we will never become ill. We become ill when we get stuck. Water can be cleansing, calming, soothing and healing promoting us health. It can be destructive and powerful like a tidal wave, it can be invigorating and energizing like a waterfall, and finally it can be overwhelming and engulfing to the point of taking our life energy away from us. Clean water flows. Water gives us the qualities of flow and adaptability, endurance and stamina, strength and power and it gives us stillness and the opportunity to slow down.

Here are some words and phrases which reflect the qualities of water:
calm      cautious    reflection    strength     flow    stagnant    fluidity    going with the flow   
  the deepest part of us    our ancestral energy    fear and anxiety     stuck    polluted    dirty  

The kidney and bladder are the organs associated with the winter and water element.
The kidney holds the message of our ancestral chi, our jing - a deeper essence which determines our vitality, resistance to disease and longevity.The kidney influences whether we retain too much or too little fluid. The bladder is responsible for holding fluid in our body, it reflects in our stamina and endurance.The ears are also in association with the kidneys.

Fear occurs when we get stuck, we can not move on. Like water, our emotions flow. They should flow smoothly, appearing, rising, falling and disappearing. When we are balanced emotionally, we can 'flow' through our lives. There are times though, when a river can not flow smoothly. It can be frozen over. The emotion fear, which is associate with the water element, clearly can block the flow of our energy.

A few symptoms that may arise when the kidneys and bladder are weak or obstructed:
Sore back, back pain and spinal problems. Too strong or lack of willpower. Fearlessness. Poor energy or lethargy. Swollen legs. Ache in the bones. Night sweats. Poor concentration and memory. Hearing problems. Dizziness, tinnitus. Falling hair or prematurely greying hair.


Let's observe and explore the water element this winter. Here are a few ideas:

• In late January, the deep mid-winter, try and connect with that deepest part of you, your essence, and listen to what it tells you. Meditation and yoga are great tools to go deeper into ourselves.

• Try and rest over the winter, we need to conserve energy for spring ( I know it can be tricky at times. Allow yourself to take this 'mi time'). Have you got less stamina these days? Support water by staying more at home and going to bed an hour earlier.

•  Take some time out and reflect on the last 12 months, are you where you wanted to be? If not, what could you do different in Spring to make things really start to happen? Give yourself a pat in the back for all the other things you did do, explored and achieved.

• Explore the emotion of fear in yourself and in the others. What are you afraid of? Is this fear appropriate that you can move through or is the energy stuck? Do you know anyone that is stuck with a fear? Reflect on how such 'frozen' behaviour can affect people's lives.

• How is your fluidity? What aspects of your life and lifestyle are dehydrating? How can you change this?

• Consider what fluids you drink and are the foods you eat hydrating? 

• Drink more clean water. We need at least 2 litres of water for our body to function well throughout the day.

• Enjoy winter! Get wrapped up and go for a walk in the park or countryside. 

Health and love, 

Carolyne