Anyone else feel the CRAZY that life can bring us???

I feel you.

I am there with you.

Crazy, that is.

Why is that?

I often wonder.

It's not like my crazy is less or more than your crazy.

But crazy all the same.

I mean it's going on almost 3 months since my last post.

I LOVE writing.

But "crazy" can pull me in a different direction.

A direction I would rather be in less, if you know what I mean!

Schedules get hectic.

Kids.

Yes, you just have to say the word kids, plural for us, and one knows the crazy that comes there.

My husband always says, "parenting ain't for wimps".

Yep, he is right on that for sure.

And it can be difficult to slow that pace down.

To take time for ourselves.

To get GOOD head space.

To clear the monkey mind.

But we need to.

Stress does SO much to our bodies.

And lets just say, it AIN'T good!

You don't have to take my word for that.

Just google and tons of articles come up, like this one: Stress Effects on the Body.

I have a friend who is brain storming right now about how to incorporate this into our schools.

A place of awareness and less chaos in our heads.

Because lets face it, this isn't just for adults.

ALL of us need tools to help us in this area.

For me?

Yoga.

YES - yoga!

It is so so good for so so many reasons!

I may not be able to go as often as I would like, but I do as much as I can.

And it helps!

It allows me a time to calm my mind.

To be present.

To remove the burdens (aka: stressors) of life for a period of time.

To just focus on my practice.

There is no one I have to live up to.

It is MY practice and MY practice only.

And it is a good work out too!

I love how this yogi puts it here: Why do Yoga?

While I personally believe everyone can benefit from yoga, I know not everyone may want to do it.

If you haven't, I would encourage you to try.

I mean, really try.

Go to a yoga studio.

Yes, it makes a difference.

And see for yourself, first hand.

I am going to Blue Bird Yoga and have to say it is AMAZING.

So, if not yoga...

What are you doing to alleviate the effects the daily stressors of life can bring you?

Make a point to do something about it.

You won't regret it.

And actually your body will thank you while you stay in a healthier state of YOU!

Why this journey? Why Fitness, Food and OILS?

If you know me even a little, then you know that a topic on health, fitness, food, work outs, oils, and such the like are a typical convo for me.

FITNESS.

I have worked out since I can remember. ;)

Seriously, though.

Bike rides around the neighborhood. Long before parents worried too much about us littles. I would ride for hours and hours and my mom never had any clue where I would be and that was OK...back then. NO way my littles will be able to get away with this now.

Long walks around the neighborhood with my girlfriends.

Sports as a young girl and throughout high school.

Sometimes I even miss doing those 'killers' during basketball practice.

Sure, I might have wanted to throw up after, but I liked being pushed; the need to make myself work harder than I thought I could.

I was thought I would rather have Jillian as my coach vs. Bob on Biggest Loser, if you know what I mean.

Or running a marathon (again) - even after babies  - just to say "I could at 40". :)

Fitness is my world.

Exercise does a body good people!

My newest crave is YOGA.

So wish someone would have shared the benefits of this amazing practice with me years ago!

There are SO many wonderful benefits to fitness.

From improving our mood, bursting our energy levels, combating disease and SO much more! Read here if you are interested in learning more specifics: Exercise Does a Body Good

You can find me in the gym any given week.

Without it I feel less than "me".

True story.

AND FOOD.

Oh, my love/hate relationship with food.

I really do love food.

As a child, I never learned the good or bad with food.

Lets be honest with ourselves, there IS good AND bad there for sure.

Then there was the low fat and/or fat free era.

Boy did we do our bodies a world of hurt with that one!

I think it took me WAY into my adulting to figure out what really was GOOD or BAD.

Am I perfect here?

OH NO!

But, the important part is that I am conscious about it now.

I opt to buy TONS of fresh fruit in our home.

And we eat salad daily!

Small steps for bigger health gains for me and my littles.

Teaching them now what is GOOD and BAD. ;)

And, yes I do crave some yummy custard from time to time. :)

It starts at home...

And OILS.

Essential oils are organic compounds extracted from plants with emotional, physical and spiritual wellness benefits.

They are completely natural.

I heard of essential oils quite a few years back from a friend that actively used them.

I loved the thought of using more "natural" products in my home, so I asked her about them.

Slowly, I learned a little more about the oils, the amazing health benefits they provide, how they work and began using them for me and my family.

Transitioning to turning our home chemical-free, ONE OIL AT A TIME.

If you would like to read more about ESSENTIAL OIL BENEFITS just click here. It's an article by Dr. Mercola...he is full of wonderful advice on living a healthy lifestyle.

In the past I have used oils from various places.

But, after a lot of research, I decided on using ONLY Young Living Essential Oils.

There isn't a governing body that oversees oils, so how the oils are produced was my biggest factor. As you can see, there are tons of companies making oils, but PLEASE beware.

ALL oils are NOT created EQUAL!

If you want to ensure you are using oils that are PURE and GOOD and truly WORK...

Young Living farms has their SEED TO SEAL promise.

"From the time the seed is sourced until the oil is sealed in the bottle, YL applies rigorous quality controls to ensure that WE are receiving oils exactly the way nature intended."

Young Living doesn't outsource ANYTHING, so you can always be confident in their product.

They take heart in this and it shows.

Yes, it's a business, but seriously it is SO. MUCH. MORE.

These oils are LIFE-giving and LIFE-changing.

And that is my "why".

If you would like to know more about how oils can work for you and your wellness journey, please reach out to me.

I always LOVE talking about their amazing benefits for OUR lives and how to help you make your home chemical-free too!

Love,
Georgia

I have HYPOTHYROIDISM...could YOU have a thyroid disorder too???

First, let's explain what this word means:

Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid or low thyroid, is a common disorder of the endocrine system which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone (taken directly from wikipedia to break it down in layman terms). ;)

Some (but there are more) symptoms of Hypothyroidism:

1. Fatigue
2. Impaired memory
3. Increased sensitivity to cold
4. Depressed
5. Dry skin
6. Unexplained weight gain
7. Muscle aches and pain
8. Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
9. Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
10. Thinning hair

My diagnosis:

It was Fall of 2015 and I started feeling this on again - off again feeling in my throat. Kinda like a lump in your throat or a pill you tried to swallow that didn't quite go down right. You know what I am talking about? 

I wanted to be proactive so I made an appointment with the ENT. What I was describing was "textbook acid reflux" (according to my ENT). Who knew??? I was prescribed some meds.

Fast forward to spring of 2016 and that on again - off again feeling in my throat turned into an all-the-time feeling. Ugh!

Another appointment with the ENT. She scoped me (as in taking this long wire like device up through my nose that goes down your throat). Yes, it is as gross as it sounds. Good news, she didn't see anything. She opted to send me for an ultrasound on my thyroid since that is the only other thing in the throat area.

A week or so goes by and after me following up several times because lets be honest, I was anxious to know...I was told my ultrasound came back normal. Doc prescribed another med. In my head I truly didn't think it was acid reflux, but to appease the doc and to prove to myself, I took the new medication for 30 days to no avail.

At this point I was a little frustrated and made an appointment with my primary physician. I met with the Nurse Practitioner and told her the story. She pulled up my ultrasound online and commented that I showed nodules on my thyroid. SAY WHAT??? Nodules??? NO ONE TOLD ME THIS. In fact, I was told my ultrasound was normal. Nodules are normal???

I asked if I could get a second opinion and she referred me to another ENT.

New doc. Same procedure. Another scope. All clear. This ENT agrees with the first ENT and classifies me as having acid reflux. Goes on to say that nodules on the thyroid are normal for a woman my age.

A woman my age?

I'm not 80! 

And even if I were 80, nodules are never normal in my opinion!

I am slightly, ok more than slightly unhappy with what I am hearing. 

So much that the doctor could see it written all over my body language. He said "I can tell by the look on your face that you are not happy with what I am saying, but this is what I believe it correct."

He said he would also prescribe an acid reflux medication, just a different one.

I left withOUT the script.

I sat on this information for a little while.

That sensation in my throat?

It wasn't going away.

And then finally I decided that it was up to me to do something about it.

I asked around and got a couple referrals to local functional doctors.

What is functional medicine? Functional medicine involves looking at your problem and digging to find the root cause. It is NOT about masking symptoms, it is about healing.

If I was EVER going to figure out what was REALLY going on, it would be with functional medicine, not the traditional Western medicine.

More about functional medicine on a later blog, but guess what???

Yep, you guessed it.

After a gamut of blood work,  I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism.

My functional doctor informed me that nodules are NEVER normal. And even agreed with me that the sensation I have in my throat is due to the fact that there are nodules on my thyroid.

Can I get an AMEN?

Seriously peeps, when you know in your heart and in your head that something isn't adding up; you finally get some answers and confirmation...it's a step in the right direction!

That was back in September of 2016.

And then I began taking BIG steps to allow my body to start healing, my thyroid specifically.

Just in case you don't understand how serious thyroid dysfunction is, here are a few crazy statistics according to the American Thyroid Association:

* An estimated 20 MILLION Americans have some form of thyroid disease.

* Up to 60% of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.

* Women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

* One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.

* Undiagnosed thyroid disease may put patients at risk for certain serious conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and infertility.

* Pregnant women with undiagnosed or inadequately treated hypothyroidism have an increase risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and severe developmental problems in their children.

And so I ask, could I be talking about YOU?

Could you be one of those statistics above in which you may not even know?

We're not talking about a few people here, we're talking about millions.

What is and where is the thyroid?

The American Thyroid Association breaks this one down well...

The thyroid is a hormone-producing gland that regulates the body's metabolism - the rate at which the body produces energy from nutrients and oxygen - and affects the critical body functions, such as energy level and heart rate.

* The thyroid gland is located in the middle of the lower neck.

* Although the thyroid gland is relatively small, it produces a hormone that influences every cell, tissue and organ in the body.

So as you can see, the thyroid is VERY critical to our bodies!

While the American Thyroid Association states the causes of thyroid problems are largely unknown...

Now that I have started to do some of my 'own' digging, I am not so sure that is 100% accurate.

In the article "The 6 worst foods for your thyroid gland," the Liver Doctor goes into more detail, but I will share a snap shot below. For additional info, click: 6 worst food for thyroid gland. You will find the below is true over and over again regardless of what article you pull up online.

GLUTEN: Did you know that gluten causes a great deal of inflammation in the body, and in some people it can cause the immune system to produce antibodies that attack your own organs or tissues (aka: thyroid)?

CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES: Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and others. You can still eat these vegetables, but try to limit them in raw consumption. These vegetables contain substances called goitrogens. They are compounds that can inhibit the absorption of iodine by your thyroid gland. Iodine is a critical component in the manufacture of thyroid hormones.

SOY: The lectins in soy cause irritation to the gut lining and worsen leaky gut syndrome in people with autoimmune disease. Soy is also a source of goitrogens which inhibit iodine absorption. Not to mention most soy is genetically modified beans (enough said there).

DAIRY: Dairy products can also create a lot of inflammation in the body. The protein in dairy products is called casein and in many people it worsens autoimmune disease just as much as gluten.

SUGAR: It raises inflammation in your body and makes all autoimmune diseases worse. Sugar fuels the growth of all sorts of harmful pathogens in your gut. It fosters gut infections.

INDUSTRIALIZED SEED OILS: This refers to vegetable oil such as corn oil, sunflower, safflower, soybean, cottonseed, canola, grape seed and rice bran oil. The extraction process (using heat and chemical solvents) causes the polyunsaturated fats to become damaged and oxidized. If you then cook with those oils, they become damaged even further. Damaged fats create a great deal of inflammation in your body. They act as free radicals and cause wear and tear to your organs and tissues.

Top foods for healing when you have hypothyroidism?

I have come to love reading and watching Dr. Axe. He is full of great information - all in a more wholistic, natural approach too! My style if you know what I mean. ;)

In the article I read by him recently, Hypothyroidism - Diet / Natural Treatment, he shares his top healing foods:

WILD CAUGHT FISH: Omega-3 fatty acids EPA/DHA that are essential for hormone balance and thyroid function. 

MY Note: Please read the labels and do NOT buy FARM RAISED! Wild caught is where the goodness is people! I used to not like salmon (true story), but have grown to love it in recent years and would strongly encourage others to incorporate it into their weekly diets too. 

SEAWEEDS: Some of the best natural sources of iodine, these help precent deficiencies which disturb thyroid function.

MY Note: I will be honest, I haven't gone down this road yet, but am continuing my research to explore more here soon. 

COCONUT OIL: Provides medium-chain fatty acids in the form of caprylic acid, lauric acid and capricious acid that support a healthy metabolism, increase energy and fight fatigue.

MY Note: My husband whips us up Bullet Proof Coffee every morning. It is super tasty and great brain food (as we like to say in our home). We have replaced the grass fed butter with organic, grass-fed Ghee as we are trying to stay dairy free and it is delightful!

PROBIOTIC RICH FOODS: Probiotics help create a healthy gut environment by balancing microflora bacteria, which reduces leaky gut syndrome, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation and autoimmune reactions. These include kefir or organic goat's milk yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, natto, sauerkraut and other fermented veggies. 

MY Note: Not all are created equal, so it is important to do your research. Bubbies sauerkraut is an excellent option (don't want the kinds with preservatives). And everyone in our fam is on a daily probiotic regimen for optimal wellness. 

SPROUTED SEEDS: Flax, hemp and chia seeds provide ALA, a type of omega-3 fat that's critical for proper hormonal balance and thyroid function. Adequate levels of fats in your hypothyroidism
diet support a healthy mood and brain function, while helping to lower inflammation.

MY Note: Our family loves to put flax and chia in our weekly smoothies - also good to add to oats for breakfast! 

CLEAN WATER: Water helps with hydration and digestive function while preventing fatigue and moodiness. 

MY Note: We opted for a refrigerator without a water dispenser and instead got a water filtration system for all our water and ice. It is a reverse osmosis system and ensures ALL that yucky fluoride as well as other things we do NOT need to be ingesting are out of our water. SO good for our bodies!

HIGH FIBER FOODS: People with hypothyroidism may have digestive difficulties, so aim for 30-40 grams of fiber daily. Some easy ways to increase fiber intake include eating more fresh vessels, berries, beans, lentils and seeds. 

MY Note: We love adding seeds and nuts to our salads and avocados are a staple in our home!

FRUITS & VEGGIES: These are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants that are necessary for combating free-radical damage and lowering inflammation. 

MY Note: From all of my reading, raw is best and a diet that is 50%+ in raw fruits and vegetables should be the daily goal for overall wellness. This is what my family is shooting for each day!

BONE BROTH: Beef and chicken stock contain amino acids l-proine and l-glycine, which can help repair digestive lining and improve hypothyroidism. 

MY Note: I love to buy grass-fed beef from a local farmer who give soup bones specifically for making broth (PS: it's amazing!).

So, how is the for a mouth-full on hypothyroidism? :)

It is a LOT to chew on (no pun intended with all the food options above). ;)

In addition to the above, I also use OILS to help with overall wellness with my thyroid function.

I rub Myrhh or Frankincense on my face and neck daily. WAY too many good things about these two oils to share with you now, but trust me - you want them!

I also use Endoflex (an oil specifically created by Young Living for supporting the endocrine system).

My hypothyroidism didn't happen overnight and I know it won't go away overnight either, but it feels good to KNOW and be able to make some POSITIVE changes for my overall wellness.

I would ask you what might be interfering with your wellness journey? Maybe you don't even know yet. There most definitely is power in knowledge.

Cheers to better health for you and me!

Love,
Georgia

Take the time for your marriage...

...because it's worth it.

Last weekend, my husband and I attended a marriage retreat.

We have been going to one annually for about 5 years now.

And you know what?

I am thankful for that.

VERY thankful.

Thankful that we BOTH take the time for "us".

Thankful that we BOTH feel this is a priority in our marriage.

But lets be honest here...

I am probably most thankful for alone time with my man.

We have FOUR kids!

Yes, FOUR!

Here is the posed, what I like to call "beautiful picture" of us that almost makes you think how did they get that photo so perfect???

But reality is actually a little more like this...

And I will be the first one to tell you as a mama, I am S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D.

The demands are ALL day, EVERY day.

While I love the littles of my tribe so very much...

Mama needs a break sometimes.

And WE (as a married couple) need a break sometimes.

But more than a break, we need to put the time & effort into our marriage.

It's the best thing we have going for us in this crazy world while raising four tiny ones.

For me, it's a great reminder that I WAS and STILL AM a wife first.

Doesn't feel that way most days.

And many times, you can't help the demands upon us as mamas.

Our kids need us and that is OK.

BUT,

Our husbands need us too.

THAT, my friends, is something I have to remind myself more often.

Last year, my husband was sick the entire weekend so this year I came more prepared.

A little of these two magical oils in our daily water up to and including our time during the retreat.

To help keep any ickiness at bay. ;)

Oh, and of course these...

We were good-to-go this year! :)

So what do you do at one of these events you might ask?

They are all different of course, but the goal is to learn more about having a healthy marriage.

And have time alone with your teammate-for-life to work on how to put things into motion to allow a more healthy marriage.

What those "things" are can be a vast array of subjects; from finances, communication, goals, you name it.

For me, this weekend was good for my inner being.

To laugh and just be with my husband was medicine for my soul.

To have some good and deep conversations (without a gazillion distractions) was the cherry on top.

To pray together.

To "feel" like a wife again (as in, to only be a wife and not anything else).

This was us during a break at the retreat...at a coffee shop enjoying a cappuccino just because we could...

Take the time for your marriage.

We need our significant others on this journey in life.

They are important.

We are important.

Do something that shows it.

You may say marriage retreats aren't your thing.

I hear ya, but can I encourage you to FIRST try it with an OPEN mind before knocking it?

You never know what the outcome might be.

Body, mind and soul...

Thanks for following as we continue to look into ways that enable us to have better overall wellness.

Love,
Georgia

Three Little Words...can change an entire day's outlook.

Today is Friday.

The usual.

Get kids ready for school.

Rush out the door to be on time (hopefully).

I have kids in three different schools, did I mention that?

So mornings are just a tad crazy around here ya'll. ;)

Mama gets a little yoga workout on her two hour break.

Pick up the little boys from preschool.

They are happy as can be.

"Cop-Corn! Cop-Corn! on repeat out of their mouths.

That means "Pop Corn". ;)

They brought home pop corn and are anxious to eat it!

And so should they be!

We get home and pop corn it is!

While mommy cooks some eggs for lunch.

We are an egg-luvin' family!

The boys are busy chomping away and then I hear Francis say something to me.

I didn't quite understand him.

We are working hard on speech and he is working hard too.

I ask him "what did you say?" as I am expecting the typical...

"I want (you fill in the blank)."

Always wanting more food, more water, another napkin, you name it.

He looks at me and says, "I love you mommy."

And I stop.

I stare at him.

My head is processing this moment.

Because you see, no it is not the first time he has told me he loves me.

But, it doesn't usually start with him.

It's me and then he will usually return an 'I love you' back.

I walk over and ask him "Where did that come from?"

He looks at me.

Those beautiful, dark brown eyes.

And takes his hand and points to his chest and says...

"From my heart."

And I think I just melted in that moment.

My smile so big that I feel like my heart may burst.

Maybe it did burst a little.

Or maybe it just got filled up on some beautiful goodness from my son.

Adoption is hard.

Beautifully hard.

And slowly, we are making steps in the right direction.

Thank you Jesus for this sweet, sweet moment.

Because healing the mind, body and soul starts right here my friends.

I hope this puts a smile on your face because I'm still smiling.

I mean, just look at that face...

Love,
Georgia

"Everything Comes Alive"...juice fast almost complete.

My son, Graham, absolutely LOVES watching worship videos on the iPad.

This week, he has been playing THIS song almost on repeat.

Yes, repeat.

Daily.

That's our Graham. :)

And we love it, and him.

"Everything Comes Alive" is sang by We Are Messengers.

I, obviously, have listened to this song quite a few times.

Especially this week, thanks to little Graham-man.

So I thought I would pull up the words to see just exactly what he was saying and found this verse telling:

In the evening when my bones are tired
You’re my strength and my heart’s desire
You’re the light when the sun expires
I remember how far I’ve come
I’m not lost with You I’m home

The past (almost) 10 days have made my bones tired, me tired.

When I wasn't sure if I would make it, I just kept focusing on TODAY.

I can look back and see how far I have come now.

But it takes strength and I don't have all that strength on my own.

Asking God daily for strength, for perseverance.

And guess what?

He has provided.

Thank you Graham for allowing me to see that (aka: hear that).

Everything truly does come alive when we allow ourselves to be open to it.

Making meals for my family three times a day, plus snacks was difficult!

Spending time with others eating, was difficult!

But somehow, I was able to make it through those challenges.

Don't be fooled people, this is very much a mental game too!

It gets crowded on the counter juicing THAT many veggies!!!

....

My favorite juice of the week: carrots and a lime.

Someone asked this week why the juice is so difficult to do since we are actually juicing/drinking food (aka: vegetables/fruits).

I will tell you why...

It is FLAVORED WATER ONLY.

The juicer is just that.

A juicer.

So it breaks everything down and discards anything OTHER than pure juice.

While it still contains lots of goodness to it, it is only juice.

And, that my friends, can be a hard pill to swallow day after day.

I won't lie.

I love food.

I love to eat!

So NOT eating AT ALL for 10 days is NOT easy for me!

So, there you have it...

Yes, it has been hard.

The first few days, it was the detox symptoms:

Headaches.

Body aches.

Light headedness.

Feeling on the verge of getting a cold, but you know it's just the detox.

Then that subsides.

And, honestly, I have had some really good moments.

Like, my energy levels have remained OK the entire time for the most part.

I thought I would be very weak and I really haven't.

But the hunger pangs, they have been there daily.

Juice just isn't completely satisfying.

But I didn't do this cleanse to be completely satisfied.

Texting back and forth with a friend this week...

I came to realize that this cleanse/fast is an emptying out rather than filling up.

So that I can be built back up after, both physically, mentally and spiritually.

And that is where I am at right now.

Continuing to pray and seek guidance in this life (aka: wellness journey).

Something I will continue to daily beyond this juice fast.

Because life and wellness is a journey.

This cleanse was a restart for my mind, body and soul for various reasons.

I know it has provided healing in all of those areas.

And it can for you too should you take this endeavor. ;)

Isn't it pretty amazing what we are able to push our bodies and minds to do?

All because of a brilliant creator.

So whatever your challenge is in front of you right now.

YOU too can persevere.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other and focus on TODAY.

And pray.

Love,
Georgia

I started a JUICE FAST! Say what???

I did.

It's true.

Actually, my husband and I both did.

Why would we do such a thing?

Because we are a little crazy.

No, that's not the reason, although it might still be true. ;)

For cleansing, honestly.

Mind, body and spirit.

Remember how I mentioned in my last blog about balance?

Well, THIS is part of that.

We maintain our vehicles, we have to or they will most definitely break down.

Like regular oil changes and tune ups, right?

Why don't we maintain that for our lives too?

Like regular oil changes (aka: cleanses) and tune ups (aka: restarts)?

That is exactly what I am working on with this juice cleanse.

I have done cleanses before as I believe they are vital for good health.

But, this is the first time for an ALL JUICE CLEANSE.

I have been reading a lot about cleansing our bodies, eating good (aka: real) foods and the more I read, the more I was pointed in the direction of juicing / fasting.

And want to know a little truth?

I recently watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and it was jaw dropping to say the least.

How one man who was all the above (fat, sick and nearly dead) changed his entire life through a juice cleanse/fast.

If you haven't watched it, I would encourage you to do so! Netflix has it! ;)

Through research, I stumbled across The Juice Lady and of course had to buy her book.

Reading "Juicing, Fasting and Detoxing For Life" after also reading "The Maker's Diet", led me to where I am now.

A JUICE FAST!

Those that know me, know we got a nifty Vitamix blender years ago.

We have gone in phases of blending over the past 6+ years.

And it IS so good for you too!

THIS, my friends, is a WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

We purchased a Breville juicer as a Vitamix doesn't juice (it blends the crap out of things though). :)

And so here we are on Day Four.

Day 4 of what is suppose to be a 10 day cleanse.

I won't lie, it is not easy.

I am enjoying some herbal teas along with the cleanse (and they too are SO good for us too!).

We are purposefully only juicing vegetables and low sugar fruits (much better for detox).

There are headaches and other pains that come from detoxing.

We tried ridding ourselves of sugar and a gradual decline of coffee to help alleviate some of those pains.

But, the pains still come...

I have been using quite a few Young Living oils to help with those aches and pains.

And let me tell, I am VERY thankful for them.

Topical blends for my head and other body pains.

In addition to many detoxifying baths.

To give you a little of the reasoning as to why a juice fast IS good for you:

Per Cherie Calbom in her above mentioned book,

"Juices are loaded with antioxidants and are also very alkalizing." (pg. 71)

"This is a safe and effective way to cleanse your body's internal organs, tissues and cells." (pg, 71)

"Fasting is energizing because you are resting your body from the work of digestion. Normally, about 30% of our overall energy expenditure is devoted to digestion. This energy can be used for healing, repair and restoration of your body." (pg. 72)

"Calorie restriction helps improve health and slows down the aging process. Smaller portions support digestive health." (pg. 140)

Sooooo...

The above shows you how good this can be for our BODIES!

Our MINDS are most definitely challenged during a clease/fast/detox.

You must push yourself to levels that you didn't know you were capable of before.

And the amazing thing is YOU DO!

And then there is SPIRITUAL.

The Bible is filled with verses on fasting.

It's a spiritual discipline.

Indeed it IS.

There are many different types of fasting, this just happens to be the one I am doing now.

For me, this is a time to dig deep into my soul, push my limits and be a happier/healthier me on the 'other' side.

I am taking this time to pray over certain things in my life, in my family's life...for guidance, for direction, for clarity.

I invite you to take a good look at your Mind, Body and Spirit today.

Is it where you would like to be?

If not, make a step to DO something to change that.

Love,
Georgia