As a birthday gift, my sister treated me to a 3-Day Probiotic Juice Cleanse from the Santa Cruz-based company she works for, La Vie Wellness in a Bottle. Having struggled with a persistent cough and a slower digestive system over the last few months, I figured what better way to heal my body than with probiotics. According to La Vie's informative blog on 5 Reasons Probiotic Drinks are More Beneficial than Supplements, Dr. Mercola says, “Fermented foods not only give you a wider variety of beneficial bacteria, they also give you far more of them, so it’s a much more cost-effective alternative".
So here is how my personal experience went... (Please note that this is not medical advice and speak to your doctor before trying this at home.) Day 1: Easy! The juices are delicious and they've got me already pooping 4 times before 11am! True story. The cleanse is already in full effect. Day 2: Hard. Definitely harder than day 1. I went to an evening Aware Project event (an amazing organization whose social media platforms I create) with a shaman who gave a phenomenal talk on plant medicine diet. However, the talk took place at Au Lac in Downtown L.A. which has a delicious, gourmet, heavenly, plant-based menu. To be around food and it's divine aura after not having eaten for the last 2 days really pushed my limits. Lesson learned. Next time, I will plan my cleanse around events such as these. Day 3: Even harder. The moodiness is coming on strong. Michael says he's just waiting for the storm the pass and it truly feels like that inside. On day 3, I had an appointment with my beloved curandera doctor. Dr. Elena, a phenomenal healer who is based in East L.A. works with oils, herbs, muscle testing, storytelling, and magic. She muscle tested me for foods I should and should not be eating, which leads me perfectly into my day 4. Day 4: Feeling accomplished. But of course, I dreamt on the 3rd night of the cleanse that I gorged out at a potluck, waking up feeling so upset that I broke the cleanse but such relief when I realized it was just a dream. I woke up at 5am automatically feeling ready to go probably because my body needs less time to rest and digest. Overall, I have been left feeling empty and I mean that in the most positive way ever. I am now feeling super energized and my regular morning yoga and meditation practice has gone to a whole other level. This cleanse felt like a jumpstart and I'm now ready to fill myself up little by little with food I know will give my body the fuel and power to heal itself because just as Hippocrates said, "let food be thy medicine". So in addition to eating plant-based foods, drinking sufficient amounts of water, exercising, having a regular morning yoga/meditation practice, and receiving regular massage, adding probiotics to the mix tops off my self-care with a cherry. Above all, it has helped me re-evaluate my relationship with food. I am more conscious than ever to give gratitude before every meal. This was truly a practice of discipline, presence, and self-care. I'd highly recommend this to the strong-willed and those who are ready to take their health to a whole new level. All the best to you all and much gratitude for reading! For more information on gut health, fermenting and abdominal massage, check out our next Fermenting Workshop for a Healthy Gut with Triana, Michel, and Marisa on October 11, 2017 from 7:15pm-9pm on the west side.
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"In this time Piscean values are giving way to Aquarian values. The difference between the two is very simple. Piscean values work from the ego, creating boundaries. Aquarian values have no boundaries; they are Infinite. Aquarian consciousness takes you inside your soul, so that you can relate to the soul in all." -Yogi Bhajan from Aquarian Times, Spring 2003 Kundalini Yoga is more than just a physical practice, it is a philosophy and lifestyle. Ever since I completed my teacher training, I constantly find myself coming back to one of these sutras (lines to meditate on) to better understand myself and others. 1. Recognize that the other person is you. When we are able to see that we all serve as reflections of each other, we are given the gift of understanding the areas where we can grow. The things that drive us nuts about certain people are likely the things we don't like in ourselves and what we love in others is what we can love and embrace in ourselves. 2. There is a way through every block. This is an excellent reminder to honor the ebb and flow of life. When we find ourselves meeting an obstacle, this is the time to take action and opportunity for growth. 3. When the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off. Great advice for procrastinators, right?! 4. Understand through compassion or you will misunderstand the times. As the Dalai Lama says, "Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive". 5. Vibrate the Cosmos. The Cosmos shall clear the path. Everything vibrates at a frequency, including our words, images, and thoughts (WIT), so when we put out positive WIT, the universe tends to work in our favor. I invite you to take a sutra each day or day to integrate into your daily life. When you find yourself in a pickle, see how any or all of these can apply. Part of a yoga practice is also practicing the philosophy so that we can apply these beautiful teachings to our relationships and community. Join me! I teach Kundalini with Yoga Nidra at the Awareness Center every Friday from 11am-12:15pm in Pasadena, CA."A Kundalini Yogi examines and breaks the habit to ignore the breath. Think of the breath in broader terms than simply respiration. Consider that the breath and its movements are connected to the movements of all the emotions and thoughts." -Yogi Bhajan, PhD Master of Kundalini Yoga If there was just one tool we could offer anyone, it would be awareness of breath. According the The Aquarian Teacher KRI Level One Instructor Textbook, Pranayama is the science of breath which can assist in the following:
The following easy breathing techniques:
CHALLENGE YOURSELF: If you don't already, commit to a morning practice of breathwork, which is a meditation in itself. Hundreds of techniques exist out there, but here are five simple steps that we use and feel has helped us find a sense of peace and tranquility in our mind and body. Breathwork Exercises for Warm Weather *With hands in prayer pose, begin by tuning in with 3 om's or a mantra of your choice so that the body and mind are united in sound and vibration. 1. Deep Breathing with Arm Toss:
5. Bhramahi (Bumble Bee) Breath
If you're interested in breathwork, let us know and we can guide you through this practice before your massage.Attention All Gallstoners! So apparently , we ALL have gallstones. Not just in our gallbladder, but mostly piled up in our liver. According to medical intuitive Andreas Moritz, author of The Amazing Liver Cleanse, "They (gallstones) are, indeed, one of the major reasons people become ill and have difficulty recuperating from illness." Michael and I decided to do this flush mostly for preventative measures. But having been told numerous times over the last decade by homeopathic doctors that the root cause of my allergies was my liver, I would have done this flush years ago. Better late than never! What might this liver flush involve? It's an intense experience that will leave you in awe of what has been building up in your liver since childhood. It involves the consumption of malic acid, drinking bitter tasting epsom salt water, and chugging a delightful glass of olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice, while praying, meditating, and hoping for my liver to let go of everything it must release. Did I mention the pre- and post-colonic? I would highly recommend reading Andreas' free ebook, The Amazing Liver Cleanse, before considering this flush and to also get the exact instructions and measurements for the flush. To read, click here. Other books of his can be found on Amazon. Our Results Having just completed the flush and post-colonic, I feel as if someone pressed the reset button on my digestive system. The actual flush was exhausting and definitely takes some recovery time, but it was well worth it! I was able to count at least 120 visible gallstones, which means a few hundred more that weren't visible were also released. Considering both Michael and I are both Chi Nei Tsang (Abdominal Massage) practitioners, we totally value the importance of gut health and understand how our gut is truly our second brain and storehouse of emotions. As I witnessed the release of gallstones and bile throughout the cleanse and colonics, I felt as if I was also letting go of stagnant emotions of fear, worry, anxiety, and sadness. In order to let go of it though, I went deep into the experience of feeling it...all of it. Looking for a colon therapist? Considering I had never fancied the idea of a colonic, I was quite nervous going into this experience. We'd recommend Monisha Garner with Moya Body Care who is located in Torrance. Conclusion As of now, I can say I am so grateful to have experienced this flush. I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the women who introduced me to this information, I feel deep gratitude for my health and my amazing man who joined me on this journey. I'd like to give a special shot out to my liver, gallbladder, colon, and all of my amazing intestines for being such troopers. My new meditation has involved sending smiling energy to each intestine and thanking them for doing their job so well. Sat nam, namaste, shanti, hari om! If you're looking for other ways to improve your gut and emotional health, check out my blog on
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About the writer:Marisa loves hoop dancing, riding her bicycle, playing, hosting gatherings, practicing yoga, traveling, meeting people, eating, and savoring dark chocolate covered strawberries and coconut ice cream. She strives to be fully present, compassionate, and act and connect from a place of love. Archives
June 2021
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