"Snake Oil ...It's been around for a long, long time"

"Now I've been travelin' all around 
I heard trouble's come to your town
Well I've got a little somethin'
Guaranteed to ease your mind
It's call Snake Oil y'all
It's been around for a long, long time"

~ Steve Earle ~ Snake Oil ~

***

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy go hand and hand.  Most of us have been exposed to them either for refreshing our homes or supporting our well-beings or both.  Essential oils are distilled, pure essence extracted from the fruit, peel, twigs, leaves or flowers of a plant. Yet we need to be cautious when purchasing them since you don't always get what you pay for ... Essential Oil or Snake Oil??  

Cheaper oils created in a lab can be highly toxic when applied to the skin.  As well, not all products labelled with "aromatherapy" are considered pure or natural.  When reviewing the label, check to see the therapeutic grade of the oil - anything labelled "perfume oil", "fragrance oil" or "nature identical oil" is a red flag.  Labels should state 100% essential oil and the botanic name of the plant should be included under its common name.  Another consideration is the price - it can be a guide as essential oils are not cheap.  The more difficult it is to extract the oil, the more the essential oil will cost. 

Also, always buy from a reputable dealer only and check the expiration date to avoid the oil becoming rancid.  Like perfume, it can be confusing to smell different samples at once, especially since the strong scent of essential oil can be overpowering, so take a break and return to the store later.  

Currently my favourite is "Cedarwood".  The effects of this type of oil is soothing and strengthening.  The scent is woody as expected and really my desire for this smell was triggered by the raised beds project for organic gardening in our backyard.  For me, the beautiful smell of cedar is comforting.  After approval for 100% essential oils from the Gerson doctors, I started to research more on this type of oil and found Cedarwood has the following properties: Antifungal, Antiseptic, Astringent, Expectorant, Sedative.  It is used for Arthritis, Bronchitis, Cellulite, Cystitis, Dandruff and various Skin Conditions.  More information can be found at Natures Aromatherapy.  

Essential oils are considered nature's effective tools for stimulating and storing positive energy, and supporting our quest for a balanced, healthy and harmonious life.  Have fun exploring as one or more will resonate with YOU.

"Doctor! Doctor! ... oh, Castor! Castor!"

"Dance with me across the sea
And we could feel the motion of a thousand dreams
Oh, Doctor, doctor, can't you see I'm burning, burning
Oh, Doctor, doctor, is this love I'm feeling?"

~ Thompson Twins ~ Doctor! Doctor~

***

Well it's been almost 10 long weeks of every other day CASTOR OIL mornings.  What does that mean, well I wake up early and take 2 oz of castor oil in 2/3 cup of black coffee with 1/2 tsp of organic brown sugar.  One word to describe it ... disgusting!  But the best part about it is the coffee and really the only time we have added sugar on the Gerson Therapy.  Both the coffee and sugar assist stomach peristalsis - activating the stomach muscles and move the oil out as fast as possible.

Hmmmm ... so you may ask why we do this?  You see, toxins released from the liver by the all-important coffee enemas still have a long way to travel ... 25 to 27 feet within the small intestine, then 4 to 5 feet of the large intestine ... before they can leave the body.  In the course of this "evacuation" some of the released toxins get reabsorbed.  Yeah, I know pretty yucky to think about but it's true because sometimes it takes too much time to expel from our bodies the accumulated residues of years of faulty eating, AND the toxic breakdown products of tumours.  The Gerson Therapy sees the real need to speed up the elimination process in order to reduce the reabsorption to a minimum. 

To say that every second morning is a “mild inconvenience” is an understatement and staying pret-ty close to the bathroom is recommended and my fellow "Gersonators" would tend to agree.  The castor oil acts as a powerful cleanser and literally sweeps it out of you.  Yet, if it helps to eliminate the tumour toxins ... bring it on and sweep, sweep, sweep it out!

"Searching for the real thing ..."

"No more waiting, anticipating

We're searching for the real thing

No more waiting, anticipating

We're going for the real thing"

~ 2 Unlimited ~ The Real Thing ~

***

Well we just ended week 9 and onto week 10 of the therapy.  Actually it is kinda funny how fast the days go by.  I am sure some may wonder "what do you do all day" and I would direct them to my blog on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 "Time After Time" to see what my daily schedule looks like.  But there has been some modifications after my test results last week, some medications have been decreased as well, one less coffee treatment (whahoo!).  Looking forward to seeing my next progress report in about a month.

In the meantime, and between time of the therapy, I have been doing some research on Organic Beauty Products ~ The Real Thing ...you see, I am a sucker for nice smelly stuff, bubble baths, Epsom salt soak, hair colour, hair straighteners and body cremes.  But while you are on the Gerson Therapy, the aforementioned are not allowed.  Mainly because they are made up of numerous toxic chemicals.  And basically we are what we absorb.  I found out that our skin is our body's largest organ.  The analogy use is that every single pore on our body is like a thirsty mouth, drinking up and absorbing in whatever you give it.  That being said, the average adult uses 9 personal care/cosmetic products on a daily basis, and is exposed to more than 160 chemicals each day - linking to cancer, potentially harmful to our reproductive systems or fetal development, and disruptive to our hormones.  

Yikes!  and here we thought we were doing so good with our "natural" moisturizers and foundations.  In some cases we are, but what troubles me is reading that there are some loopholes within our laws to allow companies to label any ingredient into personal care products with little pre-market safety tests.

As you can imagine, there is an enormous amount of information available, and over the next little while, I will be exploring fabulous organic products.  First things first, I am trying to understand the difference between Natural and Organic.

Natural 

Basically this implies that one/some/all of the ingredients used are unprocessed such as fruits, sugars, vitamins and minerals.  But it doesn't mean they were grown or gathered organically.  So, all the ingredients come from nature but could be mixed with synthetics.  Natural does not always mean safe.

Organic

These ingredients must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering, or irradiation.  As well, they are minimally processed without artificial ingredients or preservatives - there are fewer toxins released into the environment and less likely to make it into our products.

So, like anything else, Buyer Beware.  If you find you are concerned about certain ingredients, educate yourself and look for products you are comfortable using.  

Remember, you have to be comfortable in your own skin.

"Ice Ice Baby ... pH Baby..."

"Something grabs a hold of me tightly 
Flow like a harpoon daily and nightly
Will it ever stop yo I don't know
Turn off the lights and I'll glow ...

Ice ice baby vanilla
Ice ice baby (oh-oh) vanilla
Ice ice baby vanilla
Ice ice baby vanilla ice" 
~ Vanilla Ice ~ Ice Ice Baby ~
***


Oh happy day!  Today's a good day ... actually a great day!  The doctors at the Gerson clinic are very happy with my test results.  You see, I had my 4 week follow-up blood and urine tests done and things are looking up ... yes, they are.  Finally.  It has been quite an adventure.  The last 5 months have been the most difficult times of my life, Russell's life, my parents lives, my sister and brother-in-law's lives, my extended family's lives and my close friend's lives.  Wow, when I write this I realize how many people have been affected by my illness.  I thank God every day to bless them ...my pillars and my strength.  


So back to the test results and one of the little numbers that show how I am responding to the therapy.  Urine pH.  This pH determines whether your body is acid or alkaline. The body needs to have a pH reading of between 7.35-7.45 in order to be alkaline.  Bingo, in the range!!!  You see, anything below 7 means your body is acidic. And an acidic body does not absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and reduces our ability to repair cells. Acidity also prevents the blood from carrying oxygen.  The good news is that cancer cannot survive an alkaline or non acidic environment. One of the main benefits of Gerson Therapy is its rapid elevation of the pH, or alkalinity, within the body.  This not only makes the body a difficult environment for cancer to live in, it also reactivates important (protein-digesting) pancreatic enzymes that help keep cancer in check.   As pH goes up, red blood cells carry more oxygen, the immune system becomes more active and the body transforms into an environment that is actually hostile to disease. 
In this state, your body will heal itself.  Oh, what a beautiful thing!


So today, we celebrate, and yes, the cancer is still there, but the fight is on.  These are baby steps towards  my wellness journey.  It is important to celebrate these steps because as they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day"  And what a great day to celebrate ... 
Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone and Happy pH ME!

"Meditate ..."

"Mediate
Clear the state
Activate
Now radiate
A perfect state
Food on plate
Gravitate
The Earth's own weight
Designate your love as fate"


~ INXS ~ Meditate ~
http://youtu.be/VFUEgFdP5zE

***


I love, love, love this song ... and love the message.  It seemed appropriate as today I finally get to plan my meditation space.  I have been threatening to do this for some time, and now the time is right.  I get a chance to be in a sacred space and quiet my monkey mind, well, at least slow it down.  My motivation has come from listening to podcasts, specifically Kelly Howell, Theatre of The Mind, thanks to my close friend Joelle Gilmour.  In one particular podcast, the expert talks about meditation, and how meditation can help to refuel our emotional bank account.  How cool is that thought ... it makes perfect sense.  Sometimes, we find that people and situations can drain us.  It is true, we all know who they are or what it stems from.  It is important not to raise our awareness and manage the situation.  Whether it be a family member, our boss, or friend, once we aware, we can limit our exposure and protect ourselves.  It is more than okay to put ourselves first ... first priority to get well, heal and be well.


Back to the meditation space ... first things first is to remove the vibration machine I purchased a year and half ago.  It was a great machine, as most of you have probably read numerous benefits possible, I loved it.  But, the time is right to pass it on, so we did to my Mom.  She suffers from chronic arthritis.  Yes, I have already preached to my parents about the benefits from the Gerson therapy, and shared how my arthritic pain is down to a miniscule bother, but everyone embraces change when they are ready.  The good news is that my family is excited to incorporate different juices into their diet now.  Oh yes, there are some benefits of crisis.


Next is to arrange all my educational material I gathered during my Personal Training certification, as well as move some furniture around.  Some things in my minds eye are comfortable pillows, draping fabrics, 100% natural essential oils, candles, tibetan bowl, bells, water feature and of course music.  


This room needs to reflect my feelings, interests, beliefs, attitudes, desires, passions, dreams ... my very spirit.  I want this to be a sacred space to re-energize, re-fuel and re-new me.  A place to heal and rejuvenate.  I like to think of it as a portal between the physical and spiritual worlds. Where I can just BE.  When I walk into my sacred space I want to immediately feel a difference in energies ... feel that I am a part of nature and the universe.  I am so excited to get this project going as I know it will support my journey to wellness.

"When calm your mind and your senses, you become conscious of your always-present inner Self."
~ R. Sasson