It was bound to happen: I’ve joined the broken bone club. I was kicked by a horse yesterday and cracked my pelvis :[. Gross. I hate how those words look and sound. It’s been an itchy drug haze since the hospital discharge, and I’m feeling useless. Thank god for Netflix and Nooks. And to think I was planning on giving up my iPhone in the evenings for Lent…
Has anyone out there used comfrey for breaks? I’ve read about using it externally as a poultice, but I have an open wound and don’t know that that would be appropriate. Maybe I’ll order some on Amazon and it’ll arrive after the skin closes up. I am intrigued by this “knit bone” and am open to learning about how I can avoid complications from this injury in the future.
As I mentioned, I’ve been taking milk thistle with dandelion root three times a day to assist my body’s detox process. I think it’s working. My skin broke out a little, and I experienced a night sweat two nights ago. I also had a nightmare. I’m feeling a little tired, especially in the afternoon, although I’ve been keeping up with my 60 minute walk twice daily, as well as drinking probably 15 cups of water+ each day. As much as these are rather unpleasant symptoms, I’m actually really grateful to be experiencing them. I can tell my body is changing, healing. Expelling all the icky heavy metals and toxins and pharmaceuticals, even if through my skin isn’t the prettiest conduit.
I have to admit I had been probably overdoing it with my fat intake (I’m looking at YOU, almond butter). Nutridiary was making this rather clear, and I was forced to confront it when I decided to consciously detox. Because years’ and years’ worth of toxins from our SAD eating lifestyle, as well as from our water and environment, are stored in our fat cells, eating excessive amounts of nuts and seeds wasn’t exactly helping me to alkalize and eliminate them quickly. At the beginning of the journey, I was trying to be gentle with myself, kind of like, if it’s raw and you’re hungry, fine. Eat whatever, although I have really mainly stuck with ripe fruit. Looking at all the varieties of raw nuts and seeds at the market was so exciting, though, and I wanted to try them all! And so I did. Realizing I could step it up a bit, though, and eat more consistently in-line with Dr. Doug Graham’s recommendation of 80/10/10 (aka: 811), or 80% of calories coming from carbs (fruit), 10% fat, 10% protein. This 10%, or preferably less, fat recommendation is also embraced by mainstream nutritionists, although Americans are definitely in a 40%-ish range. I feel much better when I eat in this 811 ratio, even though cravings might make me desire to do otherwise. Looking at Nutridiary, I can see a couple of days when my percentage of calories from fat was 22% (damn you, almond butter). Yes, it tastes DELICIOUS. But it doesn’t feel so delicious, really. I end up feeling heavy, sluggish, tired, and usually wake up the next AM with a blemish. HATE.
More TMI has been the bloating. Even though I love what I’m eating, and feel very confident that I’m on my best personal path, the pregnant belly isn’t so exciting (NO MOM IT’S JUST AN EXPRESSION). I’m exaggerating a little. After really, a lifetime of insoluble fiber and cooked food, my digestive system is a little WTF at the serious introduction of healthy soluble fibers (fruit, veggies). As a result, by the evening, my tummy is pretty round. Like I said, I am being gentle on myself, however, and realizing this is all part of my body’s transitional process. I just wear looser, softer clothing (which I’m really beginning to prefer to my more mainstream “stylish” wardrobe) and am dealing with it. No makeup really either. That should really blow some of you away who know me well. I’ve read that it should all reconcile within two months. If not, I’m confident it will all be worth the inconvenience. I haven’t gained or lost any weight, even though I’ve seriously kicked up my caloric intake, and regardless of how the bloating makes me feel. Really, I’ve stopped weighing myself completely, seeing as I begin the day with 64 oz of water. I wouldn’t be able to tell what I was weighing! My water, meals, muscle, or fat. So there’s really no point. My days have been revolving around green smoothies, ripe bananas, ripe mangos, and different savory raw soup recipes from the lovely Victoria Boutenko. Been avoiding nuts, seeds, other overt fats like avocado, and dried fruits.
My yoga teacher told me that not all pain is bad; that we try so hard, go so far out of our way to avoid feeling it at all, when really, we should be embracing healthy pain. I think this detox is a healthy pain. I’ll be glad when it’s over, though.
In other news, I started my day with an early morning walk, followed with a green smoothie:
4 ripe bananas
10 leaves red lettuce
handful baby spinach
1 cup water
It was delicious. Now I’m off to the low cost vaccination clinic to have teh Mitten’s shots updated. Getting him in his carrier is always a nightmare, and we’re bringing his BFF Timber to hold his paw through it all.
The mind is so fucking powerful. Seriously. We can bend spoons with it. Solve world hunger. Think critically. Be self-aware.
Kitten-sized utensil pls
Unfortunately, the majority of us are walking around nutrient-deficient, and some of us are even calorie-deficient. These are both experiences of which I am painfully aware. I have “lived” both, and have observed many friends do the same. Most dieters attempt calorie restriction at one point or another. Beyond the obvious likelihood of rebound binge-urges exists the longer-term and perhaps more critical impact on the brain and mood.
Maybe you have heard of “spiritual fasting,” a practice during which an individual purposely restricts his or her food/caloric intake in order to experience an altered-consciousness, which will bring him or her nearer to god. First of all, I do believe that there is a place for this sort of thing, when done appropriately, thoughtfully, and with preparation. Why do I sanction this practice? Because it works. Have you ever skipped a meal and felt woozy? Imagine that sensation, exponentially increased. Can you see how that light-headedness might correspond with a (holy) person’s desire to be in, essentially, an altered state of mind, which brings him or her closer to his spirituality? It’s very similar to taking a mind-altering substance to the same end, and yes, I do believe there is also a time and place for that practice, when, again, done appropriately, thoughtfully, and with preparation. My point is, an altered state of mind or consciousness can be a powerful and appropriate part of the human spiritual experience… but not a healthy part of everyday living, thinking, feeling, and functioning.
Double Rainbow guy demonstrates the effect illicit substances can have on appreciating the natural world double and triple rainbows..
That leads us to the inappropriate path of caloric restriction that most people have attempted at one point or another, most especially the longer-term road eating disordered individuals take. Because dieters and general lay-people are not trained in the area of spiritual fasting, and, in fact, have only selfish reasons for restricting their intake (and by “selfish,” I only mean that this sort of calorie restriction is generally for the “benefit” of the individual, i.e. [temporary] weight loss), and as such, are on an unfamiliar mental and emotional path which can be a little frightening. The initial fatigue gives way to depression, anxiety, aches, and confusion. If not addressed at this point, the mental haze will settle, and the individual may find himself being prescribed, in time, anti-depressants or other psychiatric drugs to treat the symptoms of what is truly basic malnutrition. And let me be clear, one not need to be emaciated to be malnourished to experience these symptoms. In fact, there is a large percentage of overweight and obese individuals who are also currently malnourished! They overeat because while they’re physically full, their cells are craving nutrients…they’re eating the wrong foods. These psychiatrics do nothing to address the fundamental problem, treating symptoms instead. They compound the problem. It’s kind of like taking drugs to control your blood pressure or cholesterol and continuing to eat fast food, meat, and dairy.
Malnourishment leads to all sorts of complications, as you can see. Mental, emotional, and physical. It affects the brain and its function in a really serious way (ketosis). Emaciated, thin, average, overweight, obese frames are all affected. When we begin learning about what really nourishes the body and mind (EAT A LOT OF FRUIT AND GREENS!!), you really can have it all. You can maintain a stable weight, and be genuinely happy and vibrant. This, of course, requires eating a diet which deviates from the mainstream Standard American Diet (SAD), which can be difficult at first. But you know what? You’ll be able to significantly minimize, if not totally eliminate, your use of both pharmaceuticals and OTC drugs. How do I know? Because since seriously adjusting my meals and shifting to a high-carb raw vegan diet (I eat mostly fruit, a lot of greens, and minimal concentrated fats; 2500-3000 kcal/day), I have completely discontinued all drug use and have come to a much more balanced state of mind. My concentration and energy have improved, my depression has lifted, and I haven’t had one anxiety attack. These were the mental and emotional symptoms of malnutrition from which I was suffering, the mental fog in which I existed for many years, and for which I ended up taking inappropriate and harmful pharmas.
The brain is powerful, and you can choose to have yours run at an optimum level, yielding you positivity and happiness. You can choose to emerge from your own mental and emotional haze. Who would turn that down? Consider your ailments. Is it possible that these ills are a symptom of fundamental malnutrition? Green smoothies can be the first easy step you take toward ultimate health. And for god’s sake, eat more fruit. Carbs are your friend. Why not give it a shot, and maybe change your quality of mind, body, spirit, and life in the process?
