Phillip: Hyper-Hypo Kid

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Mike Myer's as Phillip is one of my all time favorite SNL skits.

In real life, Phillip would be diagnosed with severe ADHD (not a joke,I know, but what is life without humor?), who probably shouldn't be eating that contraband chocolate bar.  ADHD is exacerbated by food coloring and additives found in many popular foods given to children, such as: "kid- friendly"beverages in boxes and pouches, candy, and ice cream to name a few. Here's a quick rule of thumb for moms who think the jellied, fruit snacks they are feeding their children are healthy: brightly colored processed foods contain one or more additives! 
If you want to avoid having a Phillip on your hands, here are my recommendations:
Eliminate, or greatly reduce, foods with large quantities of dyes or additives; as well as, sugary drinks.
Offer your children whole food snacks (fruit, nuts, raw veggies, etc.) instead of those that are pre-packaged.
Feed them a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and healthy fats, so when they come into contact with processed foods, their little bodies will have an easier time dealing with the offending additives.
Zinc and magnesium deficiencies have also been found in children with ADHD, so be sure yours are eating foods rich in these minerals--such as: yogurt and celery (with peanut butter).

My choice for week six is fiber supplements.  Admittedly, I never consume an adequate amount of fiber, so I have chosen to use capsules.  Fiber is imperative to liver health, as it helps to quickly expel the toxins from the body—via the digestive tract—so they are not reabsorbed into the bloodstream, leaving the liver to deal with them once again.  This week, I felt as if I was experiencing a healing crisis, and therefore, went easy on the introduction of yet another supplement, but am looking forward to seeing/feeling the effects within the upcoming weeks.

Hail to the Kale-Part Deux

As we come to the end of our fifth week of this class, I am thrilled to report that my efforts are finally beginning to show on my face and my overall state of being.  It began with milk thistle capsules (prior to the start of class); one week later I added a daily glass of carrot juice, a week after that spirulina caps, and now the addition of kale.  My skin is beginning to glow again, the lines between my brows are softening, and my energy level has skyrocketed. I believe  everything is working synchronistically, but it is most definitely the addition of kale that has taken the healing process to a super sonic level.

Hail to the Kale

Kale. Cultivated in ancient Greece and Rome, this curly headed green is rich in calcium, chlorophyll, beta carotene and other nutrients perfect for aiding in the detoxification of my liver.  Although, I would benefit immensely from the high fiber content (if consumed in its whole state), I have chosen to juice two broad leaves into my daily glass of carrot juice.  It has only been one week and I can already see an immense difference in my skin and energy level.  It will be interesting to see the results that two weeks of juicing kale will make.  Stay tuned....

Raise the Roof to Master S

Cleanse, restore, and fortify!
I’m not speaking of the powers of certain religious master who has attained a  pop-status cult following, but spirulina—master of the ocean.
This blue-green single cell organism has so many health benefits—from anti-aging to boosting immune function— it could easily attain a religious following of  its own.  Spirulina is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes. It is reputed to have a higher protein content than steak and contains more beta carotene than carrots.
In relation to the liver, “Master S” improves the liver’s ability to process toxins and also aids the liver in the metabolism of cholesterol and the regulation of blood sugar. So, as I raise my hands to the imagined sea before me, I have one word of praise for the healer that hailed from its depths—Hallelujah!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away goes the old refrain. It should be updated for the twenty-first century to read—a carrot a day keeps the doctor away. With liver issues running rampant due to chronic stress, food additive consumption, a culture that pops pills for everything from ADD to herpes—it's time to give our livers a hand, or in this case a carrot, to aid in its detox and healing.  Carrots are rich in beta carotene, which help the liver to recharge, renew, rejuvenate.
This week, I added carrot juice to my daily diet to gently aid in the cleansing and healing of my emotionally over-taxed liver.  Bottoms up! or as they say in Hawaii, okole maluna!

"More liver!" I don't know why, but as I write this post, I can hear the voices of the Jewish bubbies (grandmothers) who frequented Canter's Deli, in Hollywood, when I lived there in the '80s. Fast forward twenty years and now it's my own body screaming it at me, although the voice is similar, it's saying, "pay more attention to your liver."
For the past few years, everyone from my acupuncturist to my teacher of Chinese Medicine have warned me that I had better start being kinder to my liver. Being the rebel that I am, I ignored them all. Now my face is showing tell-tale signs of liver meridian dysfunction and I can no longer ignore the voice in my head.  I do not indulge in chemical excesses that would lend themselves to faulty liver function, but I am extremely emotional and the stored hormonal by-products of the these emotional tsunamis are beginning to take their toll on me.  One bad breakup and two deaths (my pop and my first love) within a two year span left me reeling and  literally wrecked my liver (yes, there was a lot of anger involved, mostly toward myself).  It is my goal within the next twelve weeks to cleanse, repair, and renew my liver, so that  I can move into the next phase of being- fresh and transformed.