Words on Death and Nourishment from the Salmon Spirit

Blog, Digestion, Foods For Thought, Herbal Wisdom, Human Spirit, Trauma Healing

It was a few months ago that I met the Salmon Spirit. I was attending an Imbolc and plant medicine class and had an encounter with a plant that brought me on a journey to the sacred laws of reciprocity through the body and life of the Salmon. A dream message that slowly revealed its lesson through lived experiences that awakened a full awareness of my impact on the whole organism of life. (The full story will come forth as I allow myself to fully digest the gift of this insight.)

The Salmon is cross culturally symbolic as a totem of knowledge and reciprocity. The Salmon’s journey and dream is one of service and initiation. [Read more…] about Words on Death and Nourishment from the Salmon Spirit

Questions Before You Cleanse

Blog, Digestion, Disordered Eating, Foods For Thought

“Deep fasting always involves suffering. It is physically difficult. It is often undertaken because we are suffering in our daily lives and we wish to heal ourselves… All of us have taken beliefs and spiritual attitudes into ourselves that are in conflict with who we are. The important thing is to allow yourself to empty, not just physically but also spiritually and emotionally”
~ Stephen Harrod Buhner

Spring is alive and calling parts of you back to life again. What is waking up inside of you? What do you still need to clear in order to hear your inner healer and heart song?Spring calls us to cleanse as we now have a deeper access to ourselves through what was composted and returned to the Earth in the Fall and Winter- that is if you were tuning in. And, if life goes whizzing by you regardless of the seasons this is a call for you to pay a little closer attention to your process, your emotions and your physical illnesses and imbalances.

Spring’s new energy can greatly amplify what truly wants to come to life and be shifted for the greater good within you. Thus it is the main season of cleansing and beginning to look at deeper levels of fasting.

HOWEVER MANY WILL FAIL OR CRASH THEIR CLEANSE. And, in truth you can never really fail as every moment of our lives is a teacher- especially our perceived failures and disappointments.

The above quote captures the deep reasons cleansing falls short of its intended results. Many want to cleanse as a quick fix path to an external destination. And, mini 3 day cleanses, even one day fasts are incredibly healing for short and long term health. But regardless of the duration of the cleanse if you are not integrating and creating space for the holistic journey and the cleanse -on all levels of soma and psyche -then inevitably you will feel more stuck and drained- and possibly re- traumatized post cleanse.

TRAUMATIZED? Yes. This is many layered and a piece that is vital to every one choosing to cleanse.

THE PROTOCOL THAT HEALS and how to recieve 4-30 min integration sessions…

Blog, Digestion, Disordered Eating, Human Spirit

This will come as no surprise, I am sure, as many practitioners who enter the healing arts realm do so through experiencing life altering imbalances and disease. I am no exception.

I have suffered from digestive and other issues related to the abdomen and all of its mysteries since I was a child. I found my way to the beautiful techniques I share in my private practice, group sessions- and embody in my daily life as nothing in the Western medical model was even scratching the surface of what was buried underneath. Even with the diverse approaches within the natural medicine communities, the diets, herbal remedies and pills were helpful- but never completely- and only for awhile. What was I missing?….

As I sit here and write this today I have uncovered another layer of wisdom that is profound in managing, and at times, eradicating my symptoms of belly and body upset. A practice based in many wisdoms woven together that I can call upon to stop the spiral into the darkness (which it is when we don’t feel well- almost everyday). The first key, or step, to this protocol is being able to clear so much internal clutter that you can actually sense the spiral and where in the body it originates- often many places.

“In order to change you need to open yourself to your inner experience. The first step is to allow your mind to focus on your sensations and notice how, in contrast to the timeless, ever- present experience of trauma, physical sensations are transient and respond to slight shifts in body position, changes in breathing, and shifts in thinking. ” – Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD ‘The body keeps the score’

How do we do this?

We access our inner wisdom through unwinding the body. For me- this has been a combination of breath, meditation practices and certain exercises that have removed so much contraction in my belly and body that I am “going” twice a day (which is amazing). I learned the relationships that trigger one another within and befriended them by opening up their pathways for expression and healing. It was then- from this place that I learned the “protocol “that would help heal the even deeper layers so that the triggers no longer needed emergency response. The layers that would repair the trust of the body, that would nourish me back to a place of energy- sharpness in mind and youthfulness in my flesh and bone.

These layers addressed:

Bacterial colonization of the colon
SIBO symptoms and all the other mystery belly stuff they diagnose you with.
Autoimmune triggers within the digestive system
Eating behaviors
Fatigue and confusion

The process of this protocol is derived from the metaphysical workings of “us” yet land in a very solid foundation for your healing. This is a system like none other you have used if you are still feeling stuck in your body. This path and process can be one of ease- or challenge- depending on your level of self love and commitment. (triggered? curious?- I was) This path and process is a lifetime tool that will never fail you and is full of flexibility. What am I really talking about? …Is it a “diet”? A cleanse? A plant spirit? A radical life change? An exercise routine? A new form of meditation? Yes- No and Maybe.

I am sure you have been on programs before. Step by step- and expensive- programs that have let you down making you feel like you have let yourself down. I know you have a cupboard where supplements go to “die”- why didn’t they work?- or did they? This knowledge within that has led me to a place where I can now share about and relate to these experiences is humbling. I am forever grateful that the mysteries of how my/our organism is designed- is clearly no mystery when we breathe and blow away the clouds and get a new perspective- or is it THE perspective as the Sky is always blue? hmmmm

I am a bit cautious in sharing this process not to spoon feed you promises that “I have a thing you don’t and need- so you must follow”. I simply know what I am here in this body- with this beautiful spirit and soul to bring forth in this lifetime. Even as I say that I feel my humanness- that place where my desires and dreams meet my body and its limitations- AND I have learned how to pull myself up by my heartstrings and share with YOU because that is what I am here to do.

I will be sharing this process I speak of AND MANY OTHERS at a gathering of like minded hearts (or is it like hearted minds?)- seeking balance- like YOU. Anyone who joins the SILENCE MEET SOMA retreat this Fall will receive 4- 30 min phone calls to help integrate your process and protocol into you life. JOIN US!… BLESSINGS.

Us v. Them ~ The Disease of Separation

Blog, Client Praise, Digestion, Home, Human Spirit, Uncategorized

…I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug…

– taken from Hippocratic oath

SIBO- And the stress connection.

Blog, Digestion

I have contemplated writing about SIBO for a couple of years but hesitated for many reasons. Mostly because there are a vast number of rabbit holes one can Google down when you search for SIBO information. And because I really wanted to work with more SIBO clients and relate my personal experience rather than completely regurgitate information I read. I have/have had SIBO. And, typically when I have experienced something myself I can access my inner guru and relay some clear answers.

With SIBO I don’t have many answers, and frankly no one really does as it is a relatively new pathology of the gut. However, I feel called to speak on some of the common veins that run through every single one of my clients, and myself, with regards to etiology and recovery. What I will discuss is in relation to the work I do in supporting the human body through trauma and stress through abdominal massage, breath and body awareness. And how unreleased stress and tension in the body- specifically the abdomen- will lend itself to SIBO through rapid decrease in motility function (I will explain this later).

Why I say I have/ have had SIBO is that I don’t really know if it every completely goes away. My recent test of last year was negative but then some minor symptoms crop up and I simply wonder. I talk about this with my clients who come in with desperate eyes looking for answers to alleviate some of their feelings of failure in healing SIBO. I talk about this because it opens the door to working with the body where it is at- learning to really tune in and make lasting life changes rather than thinking that there is a start and finish.

True, many do completely live symptom free and I find those are the ones who have embraced the many changes that are necessary to ensuring that SIBO doesn’t return. This is not what most want to hear because it requires deep work on the emotional level to have that self care mastery and sense of your body. And, this is where finding someone to guide you into your body to address the stress triggers can really help you walk that path. AND- it doesn’t have to look perfect which is why I also say that you may just have to deal with SIBO, on minor levels, for some time. Because stress does exist and you have to exist so there’s that dance.

Ok- so for those of you who have NO idea what SIBO is lets dive in:

SIBO is short for small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. It is a condition where large amounts of bacteria populate the small intestine causing a variety of health symptoms not only in the gut but in the entire body- because as we know, the gut is like grand central station for the majority of our bodily functions. In fact, the symptoms of SIBO are so closely related to IBS (which is only a list of symptoms and not something I consider a real diagnosis) that many doctors are calling SIBO the new IBS. A study published in the Townsend Letter found that 84% of IBS patients presented with SIBO when tested.

SIBO symptoms:

Gas and bloating after almost anything you eat, especially carbohydrates.
You take probiotics and feel worse
Abdominal pain, discomfort, cramps
Mood disorders
Constipation, diarrhea, or a combination
Nausea and heart burn
Fatigue and brain fog
Malabsorption of nutrients
Systemic pain
Unexplained weight gain or loss
Hormone imbalances

There are also many diseases now being linked to SIBO like fibromyalgia, thyroid disorders, Crohn’s disease, cystitis, colitis, skin disorders and many more. If you have any of the above symptoms and have been diagnosed with IBS with no success in eradicating your symptoms, I highly recommend getting tested for SIBO.

Testing and Treatment

There are a couple different testing methods but the preferred is the hydrogen/methane breath test. The unwanted bacteria that populate the small intestine get really cozy and wait for you to eat anything that turns to sugar. When they feed on your pasta and wine they then produce the gasses hydrogen and methane. These gasses are not naturally produced by human cells making them distinguishable in the breath test. (the breath test is a slightly long, annoying but mostly accurate test). These gasses are what give you the uncomfortable digestive symptoms and prevent your food from being properly absorbed and passed into your colon properly. The key in treating SIBO is then to eradicate these bacteria, and this is where incredible confusion and frustration sets in for most people.

There are two main treatment options for killing the bacteria: antibiotics and a more natural approach using antibacterial herbs and supplements. I am not going to go into what works and what doesn’t because it really depends on you, how well you address the underlying causes associated with SIBO and how diligent you are with diet. Also, what I have found, as with most imbalances in the body, is that there is not a one size fits all protocol with these things. However, you must kill the buggers so choose a course that suits you. And studies have shown a 75% reduction rate in symptoms once the bacteria has been addressed. Unfortunately, many think that like other bacterial infections in the body, if you take the prescribed course of antibacterials then you are done. This just is NOT the case- sorry to say- and is how many clients end up finding me, or others who can help, to guide them in the other intricacies of SIBO that allopathic medicine falls short to address.

Alongside antibacterials, most all natural and allopathic doctors will also prescribe some sort of supplementation or prescription medication to address motility of the gut. They are now also aware that these bacteria love to make little nests in biofilm so biofilm disruptors are recommended. All of this in combination with a very rigid diet that omits most all carbohydrate intake.

In brief the standard protocol is:

Take antibacterials
Follow one of the many recommended diets (Gaps, FODMAPS, SCD, Elemental)
Take prokinetics for motility
Biofilm disruption (I won’t go into this but is necessary)
Retest

Looking at this seems pretty straightforward, unless you have SIBO and know the path is not that linear. What the above protocol fails to recognize is what impairs gut motility in turn impairs digestive enzyme production, transit of food, absorption of nutrients and so on.

How did this happen?! And the one common denominator- STRESS

SIBO isn’t something you just wake up with. It creeps in over time unfolding symptom after symptom which makes it difficult to really pinpoint when the story began. I have found that for most with SIBO they already had a compromised digestive system for some time. I hear from a lot of my clients that they have lived with minor digestive issues for so long that it became a normal state. This alone triggers a constant stress response in the body which over time impairs motility. The main causes of SIBO are also some of the main causes of many other intestinal disorders.

Improper diet and lifestyle
Parasitic infections
Food poisoning
Antibiotic use
Long term medication use- including birth control pills
Abdominal surgeries
Excessive stress leading to reduction in digestive enzymes and gut motility

If current stress levels are not addressed then motility and in turn digestive enzyme production, nutrient absorption and so on have a very difficult time in being restored. Even if we start to heal the lining of the gut through supplementation and diet, there is still no guarantee that SIBO stays at bay until the motility function of the digestive system is restored. And, gut motility functions properly in your parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. It relies on your parasympathetic and enteric nervous system to fire the communication signals to the body that it is safe and to unwind the contracted intestinal tract.

An important protective mechanism against SIBO is proper small intestine motility via the migrating motor complex because stasis promotes bacterial overgrowth. – Allison Siebecker, MD ‘Townsend Letter’

If your abdomen and intestinal motor function stay in contraction then you will continually perpetuate the pile up of bacteria in your small intestine rather than it travelling to your colon where it belongs or can be dealt with. If your body stays in your stressed flight or fight mode then your system signals digestion to slow and reduces enzyme production. Digestive enzymes and healthy levels of stomach acid are necessary not only for breaking down our food for absorption, but stomach acid is a first line of defense against more incoming bacteria on our food. But, coming back to the point of stress, even if you supplement with digestive enzymes, which I encourage in the beginning, if the motor function does not move your food through properly then you will still fight the SIBO back up. Ok, I think you get the point.

When we think of stress we think of the daily grind of work, family, finances etc. We often overlook that the body registers improper diet, toxic environments, toxic thoughts and an unbalanced lifestyle as stress. If we truly want to understand how to heal and what our body needs we have to listen to it. Unwelcome bodily symptoms and disease are literally signals from our beloved bodies that it needs help. But rather than slow down and listen and tune in, we create more chaos by constantly seeking “the little blue miracle pill” and we never actually heal.

Deep down we ALL know what is needed to create balance in our lives. Deep down we KNOW that most of our stress is self created. Deep down we all FEAR what it takes to really face our reality and take care of ourselves. But, I will tell you from experience, and from witnessing my clients’ recoveries, the more we come back to the our bodies and listen, the more we allow our fears to surface and address the stress trapped in our bodies, the easier actually taking care of ourselves is. It is really a big ol’ prescription of self-love and it is very human to fear that path- you are not alone.

Ok- mini tangent. What were we talking about? Oh, yes, SIBO…

As I said, the SIBO world is tricky to navigate and there is no miracle cure. But I can guarantee that the more you return to your body and reduce the stressors that keep the SIBO cycle going, the more you are going to be able to hear your own cues to heal and awaken your own inner gut guru. How do we return? We seek guidance and support that can help the body remember how to go with the flow. I have personally found abdominal massage and breathwork to be the most profound in assisting the enteric and parasympathetic nervous systems as both healing modalities address the abdomen directly. Reach out to practitioners who can hold witness to your stress and help you release it in a way that serves your body. Get some coaching. I have also found that most of my clients need someone to help them navigate the protocol their doctors have prescribed. But most of all, trust your body, trust yourself that you are strong enough to balance your own system and… trust your gut.

Are you curious about how abdominal massage and breath can help? Do you need help finding someone to support your journey? Want to know more about SIBO and my personal protocol? I am here…

Schedule a Coaching Session Now where you will get my insights. Additional sessions will include at home abdominal care and guided healing breathwork to help you release the stress in your belly.

In the Seattle area? Schedule an in person Healing Session Now.

All new clients- $10 off your first session. Existing clients- refer 1 person and receive $10 off your next session

I realize I just barely touched on all the mechanisms of SIBO as that was not the intent of the article. I have included links below to some highly intelligent doctors and specialists in this area that can elaborate.

www.chriskresser.com | www.siboinfo.com

Breathwork Healing~ The Original Medicine

Blog, Digestion, For the Guys, Human Spirit

For the past few years I have been weaving breath awareness into my sessions; many of you have experienced this. With some of you, we have gone into some deeper, more intentional breath patterns to help open up the body, unravel the thoughts of the overworked mind and release trapped and stagnant emotion. If you have experienced these deeper levels of release I am grateful for your trust of self and your trust in the space I hold for your healing.

In seeing these deeper releases I heard a call to better understand breath work in my own personal healing journey. I recently returned from a 10 day immersion into studying the effects of breath on the pain body and negative thought forms that are associated with our pain. Each day I dove into the most dark and uncomfortable corners in my body and mind. And each day I opened up to the trust of my breath and watched my body reveal some very old patterns that were holding my vitality hostage. I witnessed the same in those around me as I have in one on one client care.

The breath became a crystalline lens that allowed my intuition to “see” where stagnation, contraction and trauma was in the body of the person I was in healing relationship with. The hands on belly, womb and body work was then so much more profound as layers of guarding and disassociation had loosened.

Intentional/active breath work techniques are so healing because they are a catalyst to trust; trust of self and trust of the Universal flow and one-ness that we are all a part of. Breath awakens the body back to awareness of itself and helps connect the dots of unserving thought forms in relationship to contraction and dis-ease in the body. When this healing begins to wind in and we feel ourselves- our true selves- again, it is inevitable that we meet our heart; love always wins.

Your breath is yours and also the molecules that touch every other energy on this planet and beyond. How you breath and allow the trust in Universal life to flow is how your entire life flows. It is the most telling and intimate relationship you will ever have. Its gift is life and life wants nothing more than balance, healing and love. You have all of this already inside of you- you are your own healing force.

As we unlock our own ability to heal we need witness, we need teachers, we need support. We are meant to be in one-ness. We are a part of whole and to have someone stand by our side as we uncover our heart and soul strengthens our ability to trust and let go. I am here to be witness. I am here to teach you how to carry this into your own life. I am also here if you are ever interested in my story as I believe that when we can tell our stories from a place of healing we can uplift others to shine light on theirs and let go.

This work is not easy as true healing will bring our fears to the surface. Your body may release in ways you have not experienced before and you may have emotions you have buried rise up. But, on the other side is a life of more freedom and insight as you unlock your original medicine and allow your true light to shine. PLEASE REACH OUT WITH QUESTIONS. 🙂

SESSIONS CAN BE DONE VIA SKYPE AND ARE VERY POWERFUL IN THE SPACE OF YOUR OWN HOME

Giving ED a Rubdown

Blog, Digestion, Disordered Eating, Hormone Health, Human Spirit

The article below I wrote about 4 years ago for a class I was taking. It is NOT about what you think it is but I am sure I will generate extra curiosity and traffic from the title. And, I am open to discussing what you think it is about as I do hold space for sexual and sensual healing, but that is for another time…

It was a vulnerable moment a few years back as I started to share with others about my story. So vulnerable that it never made it to my blog page at the time. I am quite open now about my journey through trauma and the manifestation of my eating disorder but am also cautious that I do not share from a desperate emotional place (which my mind can slip into- I am sure I am alone in this ;)). I hold this belief that I can only really share my healing gifts and my journey once I am “healed” and see the other side of this affliction- addiction. This belief is damaging and dimming of my light. This belief tells me that I am “not worthy or good enough” now. This belief prevents me from putting my original medicine and service into the world and from sharing a lot of my story. And I know first hand that stories when shared in the right context do heal.

Maybe another one of the main reasons I did not publish the brief article is that I was unsure I wanted to directly work with others who suffer with ED. I already naturally attract many women AND men who struggle with this anyhow but I did not want to open the gates. I wanted to really understand my own process in healing and give myself enough space to see it for what it is before inviting it into my life through my work. The article is very “uncharged” emotionally and not even that personal- which is quite unlike me. It is informative and true and brief. But to claim that the Maya Abdominal and Clinical Visceral work I do could help someone’s recovery process from an eating disorder felt forced and unstable until I knew, I felt and lived the truth of the work I put into the world. Someone the other day quoted “there is no complete psychology without body work”. The body is a record keeper of our lives and therefore an amazing ally in recovery from trauma and addictions when it is approached in a therapeutic way.

My truth is the same as when I wrote the article about the healing effects of touch on eating disorders, but I know it on a cellular level now. I am full of gratitude that the Maya Abdominal work called me into service. And the more I dive under my own stories the more I realize why I am called to the many facets of work I do with others. I know that I will always be diving deeper into myself but I don’t have to reach some mountain peak of light and perfect love in order to heal others. In fact, the compassion, intuition and healing gifts I carry come from walking through the fire and the storms.

I practice the return to my body each day. This is not easy as I have spent most of my life outside of my body. I place my hands on my womb and my belly and thank the guides that led me down this path. I come home to myself and I still have to give “ED a rubdown” from time to time to bring myself back into a relationship based in compassion instead of trauma.

Giving ED a Rubdown (written in 2012)

Everything we believe about ourselves, our emotions and the majority of our physiological functions comes from our core center. This is why maintaining healthy belly (gut) function is critical to overall wellbeing. Unfortunately, the belly is susceptible to so much damage from physical and emotional trauma. Some of these traumas have an obvious cause and effect relationship while others are so intertwined in the mind-body-spirit connection that most allopathic doctors unfortunately misguide, or simply miss, as they are not trained to address the body as a whole. This holds especially true with the damage that is caused from Eating Disorders (ED), of any type, especially Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating (BE).

Briefly, both BN and BE are characterized by dissociative episodes of excessive (binge) eating to the point of stomach dissention, dizziness and illness. BN is different in that the binge is followed by a purge of induced vomiting, laxative abuse and excessive exercise which put an enormous amount of stress and pressure on various parts of the belly. The side effects of both, and all forms of ED, are numerous and life threatening:

Digestive impairment
Esophageal tearing, burning and impairment
Peristalsis impairment
Autoimmune disorders due to leaky gut
Severe hormone and chemical imbalances
Malabsorption of nutrients
Intestinal blockages
Chronic constipation
Emotional blockages
SIBO- this is a new discovery for me and a journey I have much knowledge around (new addition to article)
Chronic Pain (new addition)

The abdomen holds most of our vital organs and, according to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), each organ corresponds to a different emotion and energy channel. When we are shut down or damaged in one area the other organs can become stagnant and blocked.

Intervention and therapy are critical but unfortunately the integrative function of the body and the modalities that can begin to repair the deep physical and emotional trauma on a physiological level are missed. This is where the application of the healing effects of Maya Abdominal Massage, and other abdominal massage techniques, can begin to repair the body from the inside out.

~Maya abdominal massage techniques have been used for centuries to address dysfunction and imbalance in the pelvic bowl and belly. Maya abdominal massage therapies are founded on ancient Mayan healing techniques using external, noninvasive manipulation that repositions internal organs that have shifted, thereby restricting the flow of blood, lymph, nerve and chi. These techniques address position and health of the pelvic and abdominal organs. The work is best known for the correction of the prolapsed, fallen, or tilted uterus and for the prevention and treatment of benign prostate enlargement in men, and for relief of many common digestive disorders.~

This modality is incredible, intuitive, spiritual and nurturing. And, even more it addresses and heals a whole resume of symptoms that can correct some very emotional and debilitating conditions in women and men. Traditionally the issues targeted have been around fertility and digestive function with emotional clearing being a positive byproduct of this work. Now, however, a few Maya abdominal practitioners are working in the realm of eating disorder treatment and the positive outcomes have had a dramatically positive impact on the recovery process of the individual. The most interesting to me is the re-establishment of the natural serotonin process.

Serotonin is mainly produced in our gut. When our gut is damaged, or leaky, we are not able to produce the serotonin we need for proper mood support and digestion. Then, doctors prescribe serotonin reuptake drugs that pull any serotonin from the gut into the brain to stay there. Now, we have a condition where the body’s natural negative feedback process, or homeostasis, is broken and the gut is further impaired because it needs all that serotonin to function and on and on…

Individuals with eating disorders typically all have digestive dysfunction and depressed serotonin levels (notice I did not say depression). As the whole gut is slowly restored through gentle manipulation techniques like Maya abdominal massage, blockages and adhesions will release and the body will kick start itself back into a regular negative feedback cycle. Of course there are many layers and factors involved in this process. But as the energy flow between all of the organs is repaired and emotions are released, the individual will, hopefully, start to feel whole enough to tackle some of the deeper layers of recovery.

In my many years of research and self-discovery with such a debilitating and misunderstood disease I know that repair of the physiological body is a major catalyst to recovery. And, being able to bring somebody back to their internal light through hands on care is beautiful, emotionally healing and synergistic with our body’s natural state of balance.

“Learn to Listen to Your Gut”

Cleansing and Your Hormones (Choosing the right cleanse for YOU)

Blog, Digestion, Foods For Thought, Hormone Health

There is nothing like the Spring season to really illuminate where we need to lighten our load and where we have imbalance. Imbalances this time of year surface quickly- like a Spring shoot (haha). With all things awakening, our spirit and libido also begin to surge with the buzz of new life all around and you right? And, yes, your spirit. You are feeling inspired at least some of the time- right?) This is why everyone writes about “cleaning up” and “clearing out” and why cleansing the body is the trending wellness pitch. But before jumping on some trendy food, or no food, cleanse program I strongly encourage you to look at your hormonal health to help guide you.

In my opinion, your hormones are the best indicator of how balanced and healthy you are. However, when most of us think of cleansing, hormone health doesn’t even come into consideration. The signs of hormone imbalance are either overlooked or completely ignored because most of us, women especially, are told that hormones are imbalanced and erratic by nature. (Nature doesn’t work that way).

Furthermore, when these signals are ignored you may choose a cleanse program that does more harm than good. True you may lose weight and feel a sudden burst of energy, but what is the long term effect and- how are your hormones? If they do not balance with your cleanse then the cleanse is NOT for you. For instance let’s say you choose to do the all popular juice cleanse but you tend to mismanage blood sugar. A juice cleanse could throw your hormones into a fit. Your “cleanse” will backfire and you may spiral into deeper issues.

There are some very clear signals that your hormones should be what drive determining which type of cleanse may serve you best. These signals may also determine that a typical cleanse is not what you need and what you need is a different kind of reset for your body.

You need to “cleanse” your hormones if you have…

Painful periods (heavy flow, cramping, migraines)
Dark and clotty periods
Acne
Cysts and fibroids
Excess weight and “puffiness” that does not respond to exercise
You are excessively moody and erratic

You need a reset if:

You have amenorrhea
Your periods are very short and very light (1-3 days)
Your sex drive is in reverse
You have no lust for life
You get dizzy often and have brain fog
You have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight (underweight)

If you experience some or all of the symptoms above I advise seeking some guidance around choosing a program that will support your body and its needs. You need to take into consideration that your hormones will point to other issues in your body so by addressing your hormones you may end up healing and “cleansing” other systems in your body like your digestion, your adrenals and your metabolism.

Regardless of symptoms, or if you are generally healthy. I usually recommend that once a year women (and men) tune in to their hormones and see where cleansing, clearing, nourishment and support may enhance and deepen their sacred connection to the rhythms of nature. The journey into cleansing and resetting the body should also be approached from all angles of self- mind/body/spirit. When you are able to truly tune into yourself and tune out the trends and the noise you can choose what is right for you- naturally. Your yearly “cleanse” will become a time of deep reflection and honor to the most sacred thing you will ever possess- your body.

How to start:

Be clear with your intention to cleanse: This is vital before beginning any program. What do you truly seek to change and are you really willing to do the work, make a shift and make it sustainable. Do you have the time? The resources? This is difficult because I have met very few women who, deep down, don’t love to lose weight and that may not be what you really need.

Get some guidance: No one-not even myself who knows a thing or two about the functions of the body- should set out on a plan alone. This is also a good time to schedule some bodywork that can help support you whether it be massage (especially abdominal), acupuncture, cranio-sacral or hydrotherapy.

Track you cycle for one month: How do you bleed? When do you ovulate? Do you have cravings and PMS? This will help you determine where your imbalances are and how to cleanse, eat, drink, sleep and exercise accordingly.

Food journal: for one week track what you eat, how you feel and your cravings. Again, this will greatly help determine nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities and what is emotional vs physiological.

If you have any questions I would love to hear from you.

I believe strongly in support and it doesn’t take a lot. To help Spring you into action with what is right for you I am offering a series of 3 sessions at $30 off (this does not include the first session rate)! These sessions will combine coaching, abdominal massage and supportive bodywork.- Not in Seattle? I do phone coaching and one call can change a lot.