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health

Sick from eating vegetables?

Educational Information, Healing Procedure April 8, 2018

 

Have you become sicker when you started eating more vegetables?

Have you gotten old symptoms back when you started a healing protocol such as detox program?

If you have, I hope you didn’t go back to your old eating habit but tried to be patient with the body’s reaction.

Elimination Organs

While we are eating fries, bread, pasta with little vegetables, and drinking pops, and other sugary drinks over clean water, our body’s metabolism slows down. Although our body is always healing 24/7, it needs nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals from foods that we are eating.

There are five elimination organs that are involved in getting rid of toxins from the body. They are lungs, kidneys, large intestine, lymphatic system, and skin.

If we don’t assimilate nutrients from the food we eat, toxins won’t get out of the body through the organs I mentioned above. Even worse, the liver may not be able to properly convert the toxic substances into less toxic.  Toxic substances first have to be converted to less toxic in order to excreted from elimination organs. Otherwise, those elimination organs will be damaged.

Nutrients are necessary not just for the energy production but for the other metabolic cycle. Our organs are digesting food as well as helping the detoxification process.

If there aren’t nutrients for digestion, digestive system slows down. Undigested food then becomes toxic to the body. If there aren’t nutrients for detoxification, toxins will circulate in the blood then store in the organs and tissues that are less functional.

It is the vicious cycle without nutrients.

Healing Crisis

When our body starts to heal with right nutrients, toxins stored in the organs and tissues, they will be dumped into the bloodstream. Then we hope that all elimination organs are working optimally in order to eliminate the toxins carried by the blood. If they are not working at its best, toxins may keep circulating in the bloodstream and then eventually stored again.

This is what happens to the body when your diet goes from no nutrients to full of nutrients. Or when you start detoxifying the body with herbs and nutritional supplements.

Especially when you go raw or do a juice cleanse, a lot of toxins will be dumped into the bloodstream and most of the time, elimination organs aren’t ready for that much toxins to be able to handle at once. As toxins circulate all over the body, we get sick and have old symptoms back.

We call this “healing crisis”.

Everybody who tries to cleanse should be informed this to avoid going back to medications because this process is absolutely necessary for healing.

Although healing crisis happens during the healing process, we can minimize the degree of it by utilizing homeopathy. But usually, people figure the best pace and amount to go on healing procedure for themselves by trial and error.

Make sure you reduce the amount of the food (raw, fresh juice, vegetables, etc) you are eating or supplements you are taking when started having a healing crisis. If vegetables cause gas and bloating, start with small amount of fermented food and supplemental probiotics to balance bacteria.

Besides going slow with the amount, try herbs to help support elimination organs so that toxins will optimally be eliminated when they are released from organs and tissues.

If necessary, please advice your practitioner before you get really sick that you can’t handle.

Hering’s Law of Cure

The nineteenth-century European homeopathic physician, Constantine Hering expressed the principles of healing, “All cure starts from within out, from the head down, and in the reverse order as the symptoms appeared.”

When we start searching for what’s best for healing by using our head, healing has already begun. In other words, healthy mind heals rest of the body.

If you see your skin is irritated, you always have to work on your internal toxicity. Nothing that topical cream could “heal” your skin unless that’s purely external injury.

Do you give up or be patient?

I have experienced many many healing crisis which weren’t easy physically nor emotionally. Generally speaking, healing crisis lasts for few days. Mine lasted for months. I didn’t even know when it was over as multiple healing crisis occurred one after another.

But I didn’t give up. I believed my body’s ability to heal itself.

Someone once told me they couldn’t eat any fermented food nor cruciferous vegetables because they hurt her stomach. When she eats KFC, she doesn’t get sick.

This is a typical example that her body is storing toxins rather than “eliminating” them.

Sometimes people react to vegetables and fruits because of the chemicals sprayed on them. Once they switch to organic from conventional vegetables and fruits, symptoms get better. So make sure you eat organic.

Healing takes time. Nothing heals overnight. Trust the process and be patient. You are healing as long as you are doing things that help the body do its job.

How bad you want your health back?

Make Choices, Spirit for Healing October 21, 2017

 

Among those who came to see me for their health conditions, I would say probably less than 20 % was ready to make their lifestyle and dietary changes. And I’m not complaining nor trying to change them.

Their priority is the main reason. I would say they are not ready to make changes because of it.

I was lucky enough to have been able to say, “Sorry, I have to be alone for my healing. I can’t see you while I am going through ups and downs. I really need to be focusing on myself.”, when I was just about to enter the most difficult time for healing. I knew my priority. I knew what was the most important matter for me to focus. So I chose me over a very loving man. He understood and gave me a huge respect for my decision. He understood how bad I wanted to heal. He understood how painful it was for me to see him with the red scaly inflamed itchy skin all over my body.

But not a lot of people can make a decision like I did. Some are in a long relationship so that they are living together for many years. Some have the family members who don’t understand holistic healing arts what so ever. Some are too scared to change diet which they grew up on. Even though they are super inspired by healing their conditions without medications but with diet, the nutritions.

I had a Japanese client who was married to a man who never had an interest in healthy eating. But she sought for my professional advice for her allergies. I have suggested the food combining to begin with and all other things. First thing that she worried was her husband. She asked me how she could convince him to understand what she was just about to do. And her second concern was her social life, eating out with her friends.

Well, first of all. We have to explain the reason profoundly why you will be changing how you eat if you are doing the food combining, for example. Give them the reason or two in order for them to understand how badly you want your health back. And most of people who love you, who care for you your health, they will understand you and be supportive for your decision.

I have to say, however, some people say things oppose to your decision because they don’t want you to get what you want. Simply, this could be because they are jealous of you who are strong enough to try to achieve your goal. Or in some cases, especially your parents, they worry no matter what.

One of my mentors once told us about his client. He was obese and had multiple disorders but his background was Italian. He grew up in a family eats greasy pasta, pizza, and other cheesy food. But since he started working with my mentor, he lost 45 lbs (which was still normal weight range) and some symptoms disappeared after couple of months. When his parents saw him leaner, they said that he was too skinny!

Family and friends are the most challenging people that you may have to convince. But if you try to take time to explain sincerely with passion, they will for sure understand you and support you. I believe this will happen to your spouse and children. More over, they could benefit from the dietary change you make!

Social life could be one of obstacles to make changes in your life. But I think it is totally up to you. I would certainly suggest to prepare your own food as much as you could in order to avoid additives, potential toxins, and excess sugar. And if you are 100% committed to your healing, you will do so. However, I understand it will be very difficult to cut every single social gathering all together. If you can have some snack before the gathering at home, you may not need to eat at the party. Whether your food is randomly prepared or made to order, be wise to choose what you eat. Social life with people who aren’t eating as strict as you are could be hard at the beginning but I found it will become easier once you familiarize yourself what/what not to eat or the proper food combining. It doesn’t matter whether people around you know your dietary restrictions or not.

Once your digestion, conditions, or symptoms get better, you should be able to eat without restrictions. For some, they may have the weaknesses in the system so that they won’t be able to eat like before. They have to stick to the certain protocol. Some prefer to stay with the protocol because it feels good.

When conditions and symptoms disappear, we tend to go back to an old habit. Because the pain, discomfort, and all other challenges with the conditions we had will disappear too. And we forget how it was like. But we have to remember what brought you the health challenges in the first place. If we keep doing the same thing dragged you down to the point you had to struggle for your health, it will get us again.

If your body fails you, where will you live?

Food Combining

Healing Procedure October 20, 2017

 

Healing requires the good digestive system. The way you eat food is as important as what you are eating because we want to support our body to digest food. And not to mention, nutrition that our body absorbs is what’s important.

Our body isn’t like a garburator. It’s not like your job is to eat something and our body will do the rest. If you don’t take care of it, it will eventually break and stop functioning.

A lot of people aren’t really aware this fact that metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess fat) starts from maldigestion and malabsorption besides too many carbohydrates (“sugar”). Our body needs to absorb minerals and vitamins from food that we eat. In order to do this efficiently, it needs to digest food properly.

How?

When I talk about improving digestion, my first option to suggest is “Food Combining”. It is also easier for people to follow. When we search food combining online, there are so many types of it will show up. For example, some are based on “acid” and “alkaline” and some follow a much complicated version of it.

What exactly am I suggesting?

Very simple.

Carbohydrates + Green leafy vegetables

Proteins + Green leafy vegetables

Fruits by themselves

Food Combining Chart3

The chart above is a bit more detailed. Carbohydrates are meaning of starchy vegetables (potatoes, etc), rice, bread, pasta, and any products made out of those. Proteins are meaning of any nuts, beans, eggs and meats. I generally suggest to eliminate all the processed food, even though they are “organic”, “gluten-free” or any other supposedly “Natural” and “Healthy” processed foods.

This may sound still super difficult to follow if you are a “beginner” of healthy eating for the better digestion or so used to eat rice and fish/meats or beans and/or bread and eggs, ham or sausages. Sometimes, you may get sandwiches or lunch boxes come with those combinations. And that’s the only choice you have at the time while it could be just for your convenience.

Well, then. Maybe start with one meal? Three meals could be hard to start. I would rather you to stick to one change that you make for a long time. Try one meal of food combining for a month?

Why not carbs and proteins?

Carbohydrates (except for fruits) take only 20-30 mins to get digested. They don’t require stomach acid, therefore they won’t stay in the stomach as long as the protein foods do. Protein foods require stomach acid for digestion and they take 2-6 hours (or more. Depends.) to be digested.

When we eat those carbs and proteins at the same time, carbs which supposed to pass the stomach quickly stay in the stomach with proteins for a long time. And they start being fermented and then eventually feed bad bacteria. They cause gas and bloating. Moreover, when this happens in the stomach, the rest of the organs that secrete digestive enzymes and juices won’t do their job. As a result, undigested foods will enter the small intestine causes problems such as the excessive immune response (allergies and other inflammation), IBS, leaky gut, etc.

Also, when our digestive system struggles, the organs (especially liver) have to work so hard to digest food for hours rather spending some time to clean the body from toxins and by products of the natural body metabolism. This will cause organ damages, hormonal imbalances, and so forth.

In my opinion, it is much easier to follow the food combining when you avoid the pre-made food and processed foods altogether as they often have carbs and proteins.

Still not convinced?

Someone told me a while ago that she still thought to do the food combining for one meal a day was difficult for her to do after I explained why it was so important to help digestion.

Well.

How bad you want to get better? How bad you want to reverse your conditions? 

You don’t need to stick to this forever! The purpose of the food combining is to improve your digestive system. Once it gets better, you feel much better eating rice and beans without gas or bloating! 

Allergies too. I tell people that they don’t need to avoid certain foods once their gut has healed. Because the gut is the root cause of allergies! In order to heal the gut, we need good digestion and nutrients from it.

 

You have all sort of symptoms and are struggling with digestion. And still don’t think you could make a little change, then you are not ready. It means that it’s not the time. When the timing is right, and you are ready for it, they will happen.

I was the same back then.

 

The Principles of Proper Food Combining Here.

 

Are supplements necessary?

Healing Procedure October 15, 2017

 

When I started my healing and cleansing protocol which I had to become an expert on my own, I wasn’t a supplement person. I had never taken pills (common cold pills, birth control pills, nor any medications!) before. I wasn’t feeling very convinced to take any until I started getting flare ups from my very first detox program.

I bought probiotic and fish oil (high in EPA). Those bottles cost more than $100 together. And the more I learnt about supplements in school, the more I become obsessed with new supplements I thought I should try to help heal.

I bought so many kinds of supplement I thought they would help me including homeopathic remedies. I was lucky or not, worked in the health food store where I had opportunities to take educational courses from supplement companies then. So wherever I hear about products that could help heal the skin then I had to try.

The truth is… I still have so many bottles, whether they are already open or not, in my drawer from years ago (2013~). Some of them looked very stale I had to get rid of them after a couple of years.

I have done many trials and errors along the way. It cost me a fortune to buy all those supplements. But I was 100% committed to get better. I economized on clothes and entertainments. I had rather spend all of my earnings on organic groceries and supplements. So I did.

While I was working in the health food store, almost 90% of the people needed help to find the supplements for their health conditions, they never asked me how to eat, what foods are nutritious. This is very tricky because people nowadays are more into “natural” healing instead of medications. But still, they want a “quick fix” which they refer to supplements, the pills. And that won’t give them what they want.

I wanted to become a nutritionist because I believe in nutritions that help heal us. Our health goes downhill when our diet doesn’t feed our body and/or too much toxicity the our body can’t get out of our system because of malnutrition. Our body needs vitamins, minerals, and fat (cholesterol) for enzymatic activities and regeneration.

The GAPs diet recommends minimal of supplements. And I strongly agree with it. It is super time consuming and hard to find the best quality supplements. When I talk about supplements, I’m not talking about supplements you get from Costco or dollar stores. They won’t do any good rather do harm to your body.

Because it was my responsibility to recommend the best quality supplements to customers in the store, I did a lot of research on supplement companies and talked to rep which I was very careful that I wouldn’t be biased by their information. I spent a lot of my own time to research the additives and such. And this helped me to pick supplements for myself too.

If you were to decide to take supplements, please do your own research. Call the company to know how they manufacture their products, the source of the products (a lot of vitamins are made out of corn. Ask them where it’s coming from), and safety (heavy metal contamination, etc). Companies want to show you the studies and researches done, either by their own company or general information from studies done by pharmaceuticals, that their products are effective to certain health conditions. And that’s very appealing. But what’s important is your body assimilates the nutrients from the supplement without any harm.

While I don’t completely disagree to take supplements, there are risks of what you may be getting into your body unless you know how and where they are coming from.

It is like going out for food. You don’t know what could be in the food you were about to eat unless you make it yourself.

I have become a practitioner educates my clients how to get nutrients from real foods. I still suggest some supplements such as probiotic, fish/cod liver oil, chlorella, and some liver herbs. But nutrients are more bioavailable for our body when they are coming from the right source. Supplements are nutrients that are isolated mostly from corn. Those isolated forms won’t be recognized by the body as easy as food in order to be assimilated. If nutrients from supplements weren’t absorbed by the body, it will be excreted as urine.

I think spending your precious money on organic local foods makes more sense than wasting it to make expensive urine.

 

Organic Local Farmers