" Joints ... "

"I can feel it in my joints

It aches and creaks and

There's no point

In growing old

Oh this life I've made on my own

Is lonely with the love I've known

Where are you

Is where I want to be

Where are you"

~ Holly Miranda ~ Joints ~

***

Today I want to talk about joints ... yes that's right good old fashion joints.  I still remember the day when I tried to get out of bed only to fall hard on my bedroom floor.  I was 14 years old.  My parents were frantcially worried about what was causing my loss of mobility.  Openly they talked about if I had missed a vaccine, something, anything ... they feared the worse.  After an emergency visit to our family doctors office and routine tests, the diagnosis ... severe joint pain aka Arthritis.  Huh?  It didn’t make sense ... wasn’t arthritis an “old person’s” dis-ease ... my grandmother struggled with it and it hereditary as most of my aunts and mom lived with it.  So I bought into what the doctors told me ... the idea of a lifetime of one medication after another.

So what is Arthritis?  Arthritis means inflammation of the joint which may be caused by wear and tear, infection, injury or auto immune process.  Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis that affects the big joints in the body.  Rheumatoid arthritis initially destroys the connective tissue arond the joints before affecting the bone while gout is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the body.  Unfortunately arthritis is still very present in our family ... luckily I have reversed this in my body while on the Gerson Therapy ... btw, now on week 45.  And although my primary intention is to fully recover from my cancer diagnosis, I can attest to minimal arthritic pain in my body after living with it for almost 30 years.

How?  Well the Gerson Therapy is so powerful as it naturally boosts your body’s own immune system to heal cancer, arthritis, heart dis-esae, allergies and many other degenerative dis-eases.  With the abundance of nutrients from fresh, organic juices consumed every day and superdoses of enzymes, minerals and nutrients, diseased tissue is broken down.  Plus the enemas aid in eliminating the lifelong buidup of toxins from the liver.  For me, the diagnosis of arthritis does not have to mean a lifetime of medication anymore.  

Regardless of the type of arthritis one suffers from, this therapy offers phenomenal relief ~ restoring joint function and enjoying a life free from pain.  For more information, have a read of “Defeating Arthritis, Bone and Joint Diseases” by Charlotte Gerson.

" Headache ... "

"Sometimes it's just so hard 
To put up with you
I've come to rely on a pill or two
'Cause you cause me such pain
Why does it act this way?
I'm so frustrated with everything
Won't you be nice?
Bring some ice for my head?
Headache, you give me such a headache ... "

~ Weezer ~ Headache ~ 

***

The last few days I have been nursing headaches off and on.  Dull aches, leaving me a bit agitated.  This happened more in the beginning of the therapy.  At that time, I figured that I was going through my venti, non-fat, extra hot, Tazo chai latte withdrawals.  And when I would do a "coffee treatment", I would feel better and the headaches would soon go away.  So to have them now, week 37 of the therapy ... it is not fun.  But no worries, it is part of the process, and can be expected ... it's just not that fun.

You see when our bodies detox, our brains do as well.  Makes sense right? ... after all, our brain is another organ.  And, what I am realizing is that detoxification comes in waves as my body continues to heal, and the therapy continues to work harder and harder.  I am noticing re-arising and brief passing of symptoms that I had while filling my body with daily toxins before my diagnosis.  Things like rashes coming up and then vanishing.  Muscle cramps briefly resurfacing and then vanishing.  Backaches remanifest and then go away.  Same goes for stomach aches, stuffy sinuses, sprains and yes, headaches ... when we retain toxins, headaches can develop.  

So the solution ... well the Gerson doctors have said that if you need to, add another coffee treatment ... and they are right.  Immediately I feel the effect of the headache subsiding, it is quite an experience to be honest.  The enema aids in the elimination of the liver's toxic wastes.  And if you think it is "uncomfortable" to think about, let alone talk about an enema, here is a great video from the Jess, the Wellness Warrior, you can view in the privacy of your own ... ahem! bathroom!

Don't worry either ... it is a PG-13 version so it will leave you informed and not blushed!

"Stretch ..."

Stretching out your tightness
good enough to make you grow
We are all in favour of this motion
stretching out your tightness
time to open up your whole


i'm a bird and i can fly away
i can shift in so many shapes
make it up as i go along
that way it is never wrong

~ Red Hot Chili Peppers ~ Stretch ~
***


Last night for the first time since my diagnosis I went to hot yoga.  Now I have been practicing yoga at home but this time I ventured to the studio with my girlfriend.  We figured if all else fails, I could lie there for one hour and pretend I was vacationing at a sunny resort far far away.  I was nervous about the whole thing too ... how would I handle the heat, would I remember any of the Vinyasa postures, would I feel ill, would I pass out ... all the crazy thoughts that go thru your mind.  But I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only did I make through the class and postures, I made it MY practice ... ding, ding, ding ... yep the key to yoga ~ the courage you bring to your practice.  And I was loving the heat, the warm embrace, and the comfort.  It felt like getting back on a bicycle after a wee bit of a break.  It felt good.


The studio is my favourite ~ Hot Yoga on Crowfoot.  They have put a great deal of time, knowledge and care into creating a wonderful atmosphere.  They have clay walls that are natural and full of great qualities so that you are breathing in all the good you can.  And believe me, you are really breathing hard during these classes.  They also have fresh air circulating through the studio and the flooring is ergonomically designed to prevent injuries.  If that isn't enough, they clean with environmentally friendly products and are eco friendly when it comes to their showers and toilets.  


Within this one hour class, I was visualizing the release of toxins and poisons from my body, flushing out ~ an overall cleansing effect.  Now the Gerson therapy cautions us to over exert ourselves, making sure our energy is used to fight our illness first and foremost.  I was fully aware of my limitations and listening to my body, making sure to meet myself where I was at that moment with no judgement.  And I was so concentrated with my breathing, concentrated in my practice and a times felt like I was the only one in the room.  So, I have set my intentions to once a week and am excited to re-introduce this in my life.  Yoga is the connects the mind and body with conscious breathing, without,  it is just a bunch of shapes and sorts on a mat.

As I continue on this journey, I realize that change is not something that we should fear, rather it is something we should welcome ~ otherwise nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom ... possibly missing the opportunity to move forward to become the person we're meant to be.

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape"