Today I participated in an experiment. It was crazy awesome!

You may believe in this, you may not. There is a broad spectrum of belief from the people who will buy anything to the people who won't buy anything. I believe that if you believe it doesn't really matter what you buy!

So aside from that here are some things about EB Cellular Cleanse Therapy:

• "straightforward treatment that involves immersing one's feet into a bowl filled with water in order to detoxify the body. While immersing your feet in the water, a series of timed positive and negative ions that the system emits, invigorates, re- conditions and synchronizes the body's natural ionic flow." -http://www.newcelldetox.com/ (sell the machines)
  
• "EB Cellular Cleanse Therapy- is based on bioenergetics technology, creating an energy field similar to the energy produced by the human body. This field stimulates cellular energy and enhances the body's ability to internally cleanse itself naturally, at an increased rate, restoring and normalizing the body's correct pH balance and energy levels."  -http://healthysolutions101.com/services/modalities

• HOW DOES MY BODY DETOXIFY IN THE WATER?
  This detoxification occurs through the skin, which is the second largest detoxifying system in the body after the lungs.
  An energized and balanced body will naturally be able to detoxify at a higher rate, thereby protecting itself from further toxins, pollutants, and viruses.
  
  WHY DOES THE WATER COLOR CHANGE?
  Due to the interaction of the toxins from the body along with the metals from the array when creating an ionic field within the water bath.
  The water will change color regardless of whether there is a person in the water or not, due to the metallurgic reaction of the array and the polarization of the solids and minerals in the water.  However, there will normally be two-three times the cellular debris within the water when the treatment is combined with a patient.
  
  WHY DOES THE WATER COLOR VARY FROM TREATMENT TO TREATMENT?
  Variations occur due to each individual’s energy state and toxicity levels as toxins in the body are re-ionized at the molecular level and react with the metals of the array.  -http://carneswellness.com/index.php/services/foot-bath-detox

So my Chiropractor Dr. Kuo (http://www.healthsourcepasadena.com/) is awesome. He's fixing my wrist, which is a big reason this is even being typed by me. He's a holistic practitioner in that he talkes about whole foods, supplements and physical therapy to reinforce his work. This was a big reason I picked him.

So today I go in for my appointment and he's telling me that the massage therapist is getting the EB out. He told me about it and I said I'd heard of it but never seen one in person. I've seen the pictures online, I have a friend who tried it and loved it but I had no personal experience.

He asked me if I would mind trying it. As an experiment, since I eat clean, to see what the water would look like after my first session. Typically after the first treatment the water is black.

So I put my feet in and slowly the water started to get a little white foam at the top, that they told me is my lymphatic system. I'm not surprised as stress creates all kinds of toxins in the lymphatic system and I've certainly been stressed out in the last couple months. Then the water started to get little blue flakes, the kidneys. Funny enough in Tai Chi that morning I was thinking my back right over my kidneys was sore. Then less but still visiable were the green flakes, gall bladder. I suppose that goes right along with kidneys. Nothing else happened for a while, everyone was shocked that there wasn't really anything in the water, then a little over halfway thru the water turned super orange. That apparently is the joints detoxing. Now I was a little surprised it didn't happen sooner, with my wrist healing from an intense injury, a recent fall from my skateboard (If you drive, please don't drive in the bike lane!!!) my neck and hips being realigned from old past injuries... you get the idea. Dancing from the age of 3 has done a number on my joints. Finally the little black flecks as the heavy metals detoxed appeared. Again I'm not shocked. I eat a ton of sardines, anchovies and recently my friend Wave (who was diagnosed with cancer) has been craving salmon. I'm not one to argue and we've been getting the best source we can so I'm eating much more fish than I generally do. I've upped my chlorella intake but I suppose not by enough!

Immediately after my wrist felt lighter, more in balance with my healthy wrist. My body felt slightly lighter, or looser... it's hard to explain. Like there was more space between my cells! LOL!

I have to admit it was a great feeling, placebo or not.

Have you ever tried anything like this? If so what did you try? What was it like? If not are you hesitating for a reason?

One of my best friends, and seriously one of the best souls I've ever met, was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma this week. She is amazing. 

With out going into to much detail I will most likely be updating the blog with her/our journey since I am her primary care giver. So for the next 24 weeks we will be fighting as a team.

The joke so far is that as far as cancer goes, this is the one to get. 

I went and got her started on:

• Juices - with no appitite she's not eating much. I'm concerned that she's not getting enough nutrition so this is the best I can do right now. As many a day as she can drink. I'm also trying to get a few smoothies in as well for the fiber as well as some warm cooked veggies and salads but somedays the best she can do is a smoothie and a 1/2 of a salad. 
• Chlorella - detoxing as much as we can before the chemo. Chlorella is also an immune system booster and fights infections. It increases good bacteria in the gut which she needs as much help as she can get right now. Finally chlorella is used to fight cancer so we started that as soon as we got the diagnosis. She's taking 2-3 tablets at a time all day long. I'm going for 20-30 tablets a day before next week.
• Chaga - has been used from Russia thru Japan to China for longevity. It's been used to eliminate free radicals in the system helping to slow and possibly reverse cancer growth. In those countries it's been used for many different forms of cancer. 1 dropper full under the tongue 3x day.
• D3 - the sunshine vitamin. It's hard to get her outside, she's not steady on her feet right now. She's also native Irish so after a short time she get's unburnt really easy. She goes from hot to cold really quickly and being in the sun feels like being in an oven to her. Starting with 1 1,000 drop 1x day
• Mimulus - a flower remedy to aid in anxiety and fear for a specific upcoming event. It's used a lot for people who are afraid of flying. I would say cancer and chemo is a specific thing to fear and have anxiety around so I chose that one, however, I can't say I'm an expert at flower remedies so if any of you out there have a better suggestion lay it on me! 4 drops in water 4x a day to start
• Magnesium - She's having a hard time sleeping so she's starting with a teaspoon at night and a 1/2 in the morning. We will work up with week to a tablespoon at night and a teaspoon in the morning.
  
• Coconut oil - this is good to heal the gut, also a form of fat along with avocados that she likes and can keep down. I'm asking her to try to take at least one tablespoon a day if not more. Also she's oil pulling (swishing it around for 5-10 minutes then spitting) 1x a day. This is to pull bacteria out thru the mouth helping to cleanse. (very contraversial I know but hey it can't possibly hurt)

So that's where we're starting. She hasn't got her Stage yet, we know it's Stage 2 B but it could be higher depending on the bone marrow biopsy. I'll update with more info as we get it.

Right now her apt is getting an update to make it easier for her in the coming months. Hand rails on the staircase, enclosing the bedroom (she lives in a loft) and finishing up the bathroom floor. I'd like to do a fung shui in her room but that's for later. 

Please, please, please if any one out there reading this has experience, advice, or heart warming stories please comment!

These make great hostess gifts. They can be seasonal simply by picking different herb combos. I recently catered a party and I placed these little bouquets in an envelope that doubled as the menu for the party.

You can use these little guys for any event, wedding, birthdays, dinner parties, holidays, or just because!

Just pick a few herbs, anything fragrant thing Sage, Rosemary, Mint, Basil, Thyme, Lemon Balm, Oregano. Tie a few together with a little twin to keep it simple and homey, or go big with ribbon! 

I know that when someone says to you Spring Cleaning you don't think of a yin/yang symbol. I get that, but when I sat down to write this post that's the image that sprang to my mind. So I'm going to go with it.

Spring cleaning is thought of as the out with the old, clear out the junk, get behind the dresser, air out the rugs, or even take on a massive project. But have you given any thought to your own spring cleaning? 

To be clear I mean you, your mind, your body, your soul. Where are some areas that could use a little sprucing up this year in you? 

Never be afraid to keep reminders in places you will see them. Get a dry erase marker or a whole set (sometimes I like to draw, I'm no good at it but they make me giggle).

When I walk into the bathroom, each and every time, I remember to stay light. To let the heavy, the bad attitudes, the crap that drags me down, go. If I want to continue my journey then I must travel light.

My Spring Cleaning is to open up some baggage, rummage thru it and get rid of anything that doesn't serve me any more. 

Why not take a little time this year for your own spring cleaning? 

I recently have been asked by a few people about different programs. I want to give you all a heads up on what I've been putting together. Email me with which one you'd like and we'll work out the details!

Imagine your friends all come over for a dinner party only to find out you've hired a health coach to make you an awesome meal that's nourishing as well as tasty. Well won't that make you not only the hottest, but the smartest, of your group ;)

1. Dinner at your place
Let me know how many, what dietary restrictions if any you have, and how many courses you want and I will be thrilled to come over and cook your dinner party!


Starting at $200 plus groceries.


2. Taste testing
Have some picky eaters at your place? Want to add some healthy foods to your rotation but just don't know where to start? Let me help. We will have a conversation with you and if you'd like the picky eaters. We'll talk all about likes and dislikes, then two weeks later I'll be back with a taste testing arsenal! We'll sample, create and what you like stays! You get the recipes and any help you need to master the winners!

Just think, with help from me you can save money on all those tossed out groceries, headaches from all the whining, and time not having to research and experiment!

Starting at $400 plus groceries. Includes 2 meetings, shopping time, my at home cooking time, recipes and any cooking support you need to make sure these dishes are winners!

3. Sunday Workshop
This is a half day affair for you and your friends! Starting your workshop off, you have your choice of classes - yoga, relaxations, tai chi, martial arts, self defense, kick boxing, and many more! Then move to lunch, I'll make you a killer spread - munchies and an entree, then we kick back with our plates and talk food. Taking some of the mystery out of what zaps your energy and keeps you from kicking ass on a daily basis!

How awesome would it be to have a private event at your place! You get all this delivered and presented by my team in the comfort of your own home! Don't forget if you live in an apt or condo many of them have rec centers or rooms you can sign out for a day. My team has done one of these with a pool table in the room - "Warrior One facing the pool table" was one of the best sentences I've ever heard in a yoga class!

 Starts at $400. Get 8 friends together and at $50 bucks a pop, you've gotten a killer fitness class ($20 at most places) dinner, and some priceless foodie enlightenment!!!

I wanted to talk to you guys about power bars.

Those things are junk. I know they seem like a good idea, but they are full of preservatives, sugar, hidden sugar, soy, and chemicals. Even the "natural" ones. There are some good ones out there, they aren't cheap but they do exist. 

I on the other hand prefer not to waste my money on something I can make at home and just pop into my bag on the way out the door. I've tried a few different recipes here are two of my favorites:

http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/index.cfm/2012/5/23/chocolate-almond-coconut-bars

For this recipe I made my own almond butter. It's super easy to do if you have a food processor. As in it's one step. Seriously. I used vegan chocolate chips and made the whole thing vegan, gluten free, soy free and delicious in one move.

The other is a granola bar. There are so many granola bar recipes out there and I love them all but this one was the first one I tried and while I've made it with tons of different nuts and fruit I still base off of it.

http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2011/10/14/vegan-granola-bars-with-homemade-oat-flour/

First I'd like you to know that no I don't use brown sugar in the recipe. I use about half of what it calls for and I use coconut sugar since it has a much lower glycemic index it won't spike your blood sugar the way regular sugar does. For the liquid sugar I mostly use honey and black strap molasses. I like the extra iron the black strap adds and I like the rich flavor. Finally yes I do make my own oat flour and I use my home made almond butter. These things are so damned good a bag of them in my house lasts on a few days. No one can seem to put the bag down, myself included.

So if you just give yourself a little time the almond bars will last in the fridge at least a week and the granola bars, well they've never made it more than a week... but I would guess they will last even longer. Skip the junk and treat yourself to some treats!

Why do vacations matter? 

Well from a physical stand point your body needs to de-frag. Or what the rest of the world calls release some stress. Breath deep and just chill. If you never give your body a chance to really unwind then you are in a constant state of stress. This just continues to build making your body susceptible to colds, sickness in general, physical pain like muscle fatigue, exhaustion  adrenal fatigue, and just general blahness. Really do you need more of a reason for a vacation?

Well here's one:

Mental clarity.

We're living in an age with more and more people are soul searching. People are looking to be better. I'm so happy to see this change slowly coming. While I know i won't get to see the world change in my lifetime I certainly hope to see more people live with out fear. To live through love. Mostly to live in comfort with themselves and their surroundings.

During my vacation I found a little low grade anxiety that has been running in the back of my mind for a few years now. This isn't something that wakes me up at night. Well not all the time. But having something in the back of my mind takes up valuable space and messes with my stress levels since they can never really come down. As I was sitting in the snow letting the sun hit my face the answer to this stress hit me. I felt my shoulders lighten in a way that I haven't felt in years.

This my friends is all the reason one needs to take a vacation. To connect to your inner sense of self that you just can't get to at home. Even those little mini vacations a half day at the spa for instance still doesn't get your phone out of the building. It may be on silent (and it better be if you're at Olympic Day Spa when I'm there;) but it's still there, in the back of your mind. You still reach for it and check it before you leave the building. I'm talking a vacation where your phone is in your room back at the lodge and you're miles away. Where you don't even bother to check it that night cause you're on vacation. That kind of getting back to yourself.

I sat in silence with my friend on the lake and just breathed. If you want to finish reading right now feel free. If you'd like to know what my stress was and my realization then read on:

I moved a lot as a kid. I don't really have any place I call home. I've lived the longest in two places almost exactly the same length of time. One is high school, I don't really talk to anyone from that time of my life. Sure I've got a facebook friend or two from then but no one I keep in regular contact with. The other is after college living in Brooklyn. I've got friends from then that now live in LA and we see each other and a very regular basis. We're opening a studio together in fact. One of those friends sits on my Board of Directors for my Retreat Business that I'm building. So when some one asks where I'm from of course I say Brooklyn. It's my only past that I still have a connection to. 

But I've lived in many places, Pittsburgh, Israel, Greece, San Diego, Summit County Colorado... to name some of the biggies. I get homesick for them all. I hike in LA and the smell of mountain sage puts me right back in Israel like I never left. Pang of homesickness. I watch a movie set in NYC and boom straight to the heart. You get my drift. So up until the last few years I assumed I'd get married and my partner would have a home town or we would pick a place together. A few years ago when I was still single I thought well self guess you'd better just pick a place you like and call it home. You'll find some one there. But I can't pick a place. The low level of anxiety, where should I put down roots? Where do I call home? Was always running in the back ground. Maybe I should get out of the city, head up to CO and enjoy the quiet, maybe I should stay in Downtown LA and live in the thick of things.

Out on that frozen lake I realized those thoughts weren't serving me at all. I'm in no position to buy right now, so it doesn't matter. In fact I'll always call the world my home. No one place will ever be mine the way it is for others. That's ok. I can have two time shares and live in two towns, I can live where ever the wind takes me. I don't have to pick. When the time comes some place will pick me. With that slap to the face realization I let go of all of it. 

I'm proud to have lived such a vast life in my 32 years on the plant. It's taught me more than any school could. I'm thankful my parents encouraged me to travel and live life. I'm thrilled that my mom and dad don't think I wasted my 20's by skipping the country at every opportunity. In fact they scraped everything they could to put me on a plane for europe at 16. Now, I'll live where ever I'm sleeping. When I've had enough and it's time to set up a home, I will. Where ever I feel like it. The only permanence I need is good friends, love, and laughter. Fortunately for me I've got those all over the world.

This week for Clean Dinners, I made a Meyer lemon and chocolate version of my vegan cheesecake. All it took was a little extra lemon juice, squeeze one Meyer Lemon in addition to the appx 2 lemons in the Basic Recipe, and about a 1/2 of a cup of dark fair trade cacao powder in addition to the Basic Recipe. 

For an eggnog cheesecake recipe click here! 

They were sold at Sustain Juicery where Clean Dinners takes place during the week, so keep an eye out for any extras. You may see next weeks dessert (GF vegan shortbread cookies) there soon ;)

Hope to see you at a Clean Dinners!