What is EFT?

EFT stands for "Emotional Freedom Technique".  It is an alternative therapy to deal with stress, PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, and more.  It is said to be helpful for many with chronic illness.

My naturopath recently recommended EFT to help with PTSD associated with my Lyme disease.  Unfortunately, when you have multiple scary episodes (physically and/or emotionally) that do not respond to conventional treatments, you can be very traumatized by these events.  That trauma sets off a cycle of fearing the recurrence of the events.  Believe me- being in excruciating and crippling pain for prolonged periods of time (without relief by medication) can really mess with your head!  Even though I thought EFT looked a little crazy when I watched some YouTube videos about it, I still decided to give it a try.  I'll try anything at least once!

EFT is also commonly referred to as the "tapping technique".  Like in acupuncture, it taps into certain meridians, and it was actually referred as "acupuncture for the emotions" by my practitioner.  So basically, there are these points that you tap while reliving a trauma or saying a predetermined thought or phrase.  If you are working on overcoming a trauma, you start of by picturing that event before you begin tapping and you rate your emotions surrounding that event on a scale of 1-10.  Your practitioner will then guide you through the trauma going through a series of thoughts and emotions that you had during your experience.  After several rounds of tapping, you will then check back in with yourself and see if your original number has changed.  You continue this process until you have "cleared" this trauma or emotion.  Below is a diagram showing the tapping points:

Here is a site that features the above diagram and provides the various steps to completing EFT.  Below is a video that shows an example of tapping:



And here is my practitioner speaking about EFT:

Recipe of the Month - Immune Boosting Raw Smoothie

I might be a little overly ambitious for starting a recipe of the week post (and it may change to recipe of the month if I can't keep up), but I'm going to give it a try.  Mainly because I'm really trying to incorporate more vegetables into my diet and we frequently get items from our CSA share that we don't know what to do with.  This recipe serves 2-4, so I highly recommend reducing the amount of ingredients if you're only making one for yourself.

Ingredients:
-2 apples, cored (I peel them, not sure if that is necessary though)
-2 ripe pears, cored (again, I peel them too)
-1-2 cups of water (preferably filtered)
-2 lemons, juiced
-1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled & sliced
-5 kale leaves, rinsed & torn
-1/2 - 1 cup of baby spinach
-chopped or shredded cabbage

1. Blend apple, pear, water, and lemon until smooth and creamy.
2. Add ginger, kale, baby spinach, and cabbage and blend until smooth.
3. Add water for a thinner consistency.  Add an extra pear or apple if it isn't sweet enough for you.

Tips & Modifications: 

*I've never used kale for this recipe because I've yet to find organic kale at a local grocery store.  

*Since the smoothie is room temperature, you might want to add some ice cubes or a few frozen berries to make it cool like a smoothie should be!  

*Don't skip the ginger- it aids your body in easily digesting this raw smoothie.

I know this might not sound like the most delicious smoothie, but I assure you it is quite tasty.  A necessity for the cold & flu season or for an every day energy boost.  The greens offer powerful phytochemicals, the cabbage is a potent food that affects many pathways in the body, ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and the lemon is rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoids.

Image: gameanna / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Detoxify Your Body

Detoxification is a very important part of my daily life. I've learned how important it is (especially when you have a chronic illness) to eliminate toxins from your body. As I begin a new (and much more aggressive) treatment regimen, it is more important than ever for me to detox. If I am not diligent about this, the toxic load in my body can accumulate and when that happens there are many nasty side effects.

So, who should detoxify?  EVERYONE.  Why?  Because in today's society, we are constantly bombarded with chemicals that can seriously compromise our health.  Better to take preventative action now, than have to repair the damage later!  Here are some suggestions for anyone looking to detoxify:

• Greens - green vegetables contain chlorophyll, which is a natural detoxification agent.  Chlorophyll has also been shown to have anti-carcinogenic properties, as proven by a NIH study in 2007.(1)  Wheat grass shots are another great way to get your chlorophyll!
• Dry Skin Brushing - our skin is responsible for 25% of our detoxification each day.  Body brushing stimulates the lymphatic system so the lymph can circulate through out the body and travel back to the large vessels for excretion.  To see a video about dry skin brushing, click here.
• Epsom Salt Baths - scientifically known as hydrated magnesium sulfate, epsom salts help to promote perspiration and draw acidic waste through the pores of the skin.  (Caution: If you have high blood pressure or any heart condition, some suggest that you should not take an epsom salt bath!  Check with your doctor first.)  To read more about the benefits of epsom salt baths, you can read about it on the care2 website.
• Glutathione - the best way to consume this product is through a liquid liposomal formula or intravenously.  Glutathione in pill form is not effective, so don't waste your money!  (An effective product example: Tri-Fortfy from Advanced Nutritionals, this a powerful glutathione-based antioxidant that acts as a detoxing agent).  Results from a 2007 study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prevention, shows that glutathione may enhance detoxification of carcinogens.(2)
• Water & Fiber - adding fiber to your diet will help detoxification by promoting regularity.  If you are not regular, accumulation of toxins in the gut (and possibly in the body if you have leaky gut) is inevitable.  Drinking plenty of water is absolutely necessary when you eat fiber!  Drinking water alone helps to dilute/eliminate toxins, cleanse the skin and our kidneys.
• Exercise - this helps to stimulate elimination through the skin as we sweat.  Additionally, it helps to stimulate circulation and our lymphatic system, both of which are important for detoxing.
• Herbal Formulas - there are many herbal formulas out there that assist with detoxification.  I take a specific herbal formula (Dr. Nicola's Detox #2), but there are many other options out there as well.  Milk thistle is said to be beneficial with liver protection and detoxification.(3)    

References:

1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9683196

2) http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/16/8/1662

3) http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/milk-thistle-000266.htm

Chronic Illness - Podcasts & Resources

Chronic illness is very disruptive to those who experience it.  It can offset even the most seemingly basic day to day activities, cause financial strain, and marital/family problems.  Although there is no easy solution, here are some resources that offer some help.  I should also add that the podcasts listed below could be useful for anyone, not just those with a chronic illness.

Podcasts:
For most of these, I subscribe through iTunes, so if you don't want to subscribe through the websites listed here, you could easily just do a search on iTunes and get the podcast there.

• Inner Health Studio Podcast (Website: Inner Health Studio) - this podcast has many specialized relaxation scripts that target a variety of issues.  They are great for general relaxation, specific health problems, and emotional disturbances.  One of my personal favorites is the "Hot Springs Sleep Relaxation".  There also are some episodes for pregnancy, autism, and positive self image.  I am looking forward to listening to one of the newer podcasts titled "Relaxation for dealing with food sensitivities."  
• Meditation Oasis Podcast (Website: Meditation Oasis) - this podcast has a very soothing nature to it.  It takes you through meditation and relaxation step-by-step, and helps to reduce the pressure of achieving a meditation that is "right" or "wrong".   My personal favorites are the "Body Awareness Meditation" and the "Grounding Meditation".
• The Heart of Healing (Website: Kerani Marie) - this podcast discusses the healing powers that life has to offer.  It examines our relationship with our views on life, and examines how we can change them to experience life in a whole new way.  My favorite episodes are "Changing our Perception" and "Pain Can Lead to a New Dance".

Links about chronic illness:

• Pacing Yourself
• Setbacks & Flares
• Support & Friends
• Sometimes Less is More
• Coping with Chronic Illness

Books:

• Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired: Living With Invisible Chronic Illness