Day 3.

So today is THE day for many of you. The first day of the cleanse. How exciting! Im so proud of you for making the decision to clean out your body. Be prepared. Today and tomorrow will be tough. You may experience withdrawal headaches and cravings. Push through. You can do it. Always know that these symptoms are your body's way of ridding toxins and cleaning itself out. This isn't dangerous, its purification. Don't be tempted to turn back, it will get easier.


By the time you get to day 5, this is what your plan will look like.

7am Glass of warm lemon water, followed by shake and apple juice
8am Breakfast (preferably fruit) & Glass of water
WATER HOURLY UNTIL LUNCHTIME
12:00pm Lunch
3PM Shake + chaser (water)
WATER HOURLY UNTIL DINNER TIME
6pm Dinner
10pm/before bed – ProBiotic
Also adding in: Exercise
EASY!



The following steps are to be added to the steps already outlined for day 1 & 2.

Day 3
Step 5. EXERCISE.
Your headaches should be gone by now, and it is important to introduce some gentle exercise to get things moving through the body. If you are able to add some yoga at this point – great. Otherwise walking each day for 30 minutes is perfect. Don't push too hard. Your body is going through some massive changes, so gentle is the key.

Step 6. SHAKE & PRO-BIOTIC as with Step 3, Now add an extra shake to the program. Take this shake after lunch, and then take your pro-biotic before bedtime each night.

Your menu for today might look something like this:
Fruit Salad for Breakfast, For lunch Bean Soup as outline in the Recipes email & Roast Veggies for dinner (chicken or fish optional)

Enjoy your day!

Day 2

Image from here

Day 2.
Were almost ready to begin - and I'm putting up these posts two days in advance so that you can be best prepared. I admit I have had a little headache because I have started eliminating foods already. But Im really excited and can't wait to feel 100% cleansed and well. It is truly an awesome feeling! I hope you are all organised and ready. You will find below the steps for day 2, which you will add to those outlined on Day 1.

Step 3. SHAKE IT BABY.
The addition of the ‘shake’ begins today. Have your initial glass of lemon water, then your shake, and then followed this with a glass of water. This doesn’t need to be gulped down in one go, but its best to get the cleansing shake down as it solidifies and makes it difficult to drink. To take this shake, mix 1 teaspoon in a glass of half apple juice and half water (or to your tasting).

Step 4. Moving the BOWELS – it’s a must.
Bowels need to be moved daily to rid of toxic build up in the body. It’s going to be up to the individual to asses this. Elimination should be at least once a day if not twice when cleansing.
Example of today’s meals would be: ¾ of your regular breakfast – i.e. fruit and yoghurt or porridge. ¾ amount of your lunch and same for dinner. An example of a good lunch is a salad of spinach leaves, tomato, capscium, avacado, dressed with oil and vinegar. Dinner may be organic chicken with veggies. Processed foods are out. Healthy food is in! Snacks may be hummus dip with carrot & cucumber sticks or perhaps nuts and dried fruit. Don't overdo it though, remember we are moving into the real cleansing phase tomorrow.

Today you practice steps 1 – 4. This means: Water, No stimulants, morning shake and moving the bowels.

Do you Green Clean?

Well over a year ago, I made the switch to Clean Green. I wanted (and needed!) a safe, chemical free and non toxic living space. So I got rid of the nasty cleaning products and replaced them with Greener Cleaning devices, methods and substances. I got my house healthy!

Some household chemicals are so potent, they have a very toxic and damaging effect on the human body. Studies have indicated that ingredients in many household products affect the endocrine system, resulting in a higher production of hormones, linked to infertility as well as other diseases like cancer.

Each and every day in the clinic The Pagoda Tree, I see couples faced with fertility issues. There is not ever one reason as to why a couple might find themselves in this situation, it is an accumulation of factors including lifestyle, diet, environmental factors, genetics and constitution. Some of these we can change and implementing simples changes, like green cleaning can only every have a positive outcome on the body and the home.

I thoroughly enjoy knowing my house is clean and healthy. I admit, I probably need to clean more regularly than before, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, it is actually easier if I do it every 5 days or so anyway. I thought you might like my easy tips or a cleaner, greener home. So I've listed them for you!

1. Invest in Enjo. This cleaning system rocks, it saves heaps of time and in the long run money. It is a little bit costly to set up, but you can start with the bare minimum. You can of course still clean green without Enjo, you might require a little bit more elbow grease, but its good exercise anyway!

2. Make Bicarb Soda your friend! I use it in the toilets and around sinks and drains. You can also use it in your washing to brighten whites. This stuff rocks!

3. If you don't have time, you can still switch to greener supermarket products. They are often cheeper and extremely effective. They are of course good for the environment also.

4. Clean more for less. If you clean every 5-7 days, you can stay on top of nasties and make it easier on yourself.

5. No shoes inside - so good for so many reasons as well as for the bottoms of your feet!


http://www.readersdigest.com.au/life/10-steps-to-green-cleaning-tips-and-advice/article34807.html
Chemicals And Infertility: How Your Soap Powder Could Be Damaging Your Fertility

Step-tember Body Cleansing - lets get this started!

Step-tember Body Cleansing



My Step-tember cleansing process will have you feeling ready for the summer months, however without face to face assessment, it can only be based on diet and lifestyle. Whilst I feel like I broken record at the moment, I've been inundated with emails, expressing the interest of newcomers. I need to make sure we are all on the same page, and so some of this you may already be familiar with.

Many of you would have received an email once you registered your interest. An email also went out last night with recipe ideas. Please let me know if you are yet to receive it. *Please note - the list of foods in the email shows two groups of foods. Alkaline forming foods (page 1) which you are allowed and Acid forming foods(page 2) which are to be avoided.

What you will need:
Cleansing mix (purchased from The Pagoda Tree – we can arrange this online, or over the phone to make it as easy as possible. The Shake mix is $20.00 plus postage)
Probiotic (purchased from your local health food shop or chemist)

Rough Outline: Pre Cleanse – 3 days - getting the bowels moving!
Cleanse – 4 days - the vegan stage
Post Cleanse – 3 days - gently re-introducing foods

We are to start this Wednesday the 1st of September.

Day 1.
Day of elimination – the first few days are difficult as your body rids itself of toxins. It’s not ‘difficult’ in terms of being limiting, but it’s time to cut out the crap! We are going to do this gradually so your body moves through this process with out too much stress.

Step 1. WATER!
Upon waking, start your day with a large glass of lemon water. This kickstarts the liver.
Do this each morning of the cleanse. Get ready for lots of liquids!
Then drink a small glass of water every hour, on the hour (or as close to that as you can) This will ensure that you will have 8 glasses of water from 9am – 5pm.

Step 2.. ELIMINATE STIMULANTS.
I've given you plenty of opportunity to have already cut this out, but if you haven't done so already today it is IMPERATIVE that you start this.
This includes Coffee, Tea or any form of caffeine. Choices for fluids are: Water. Herbal Tea, Freshly squeezed juices. Most of you should have already done this, but if you have been dodging me, you must do this now.
Diet is the key part of this cleanse. You will be slowly eliminating foods that are toxic. For today, there should be basic meals, bearing in mind we are slowly paring back.
My example menu for today would be: Porridge with Milk (preferably rice milk), cup of herbal tea. For lunch, home made spring style soup and for dinner some fish and veggies. There should be no refined or processed foods from today onwards, for the 7 days. Snacks may include nuts, veggie sticks with hummus or acceptable dips (from the list of foods sent through in the email), fruit, dates are my personal fave especially if Im craving sweet foods.

We will be introducing the shake on day two. You are going to need good quality, preferably organic apple juice to have with this. Its question time, so please ask away!

Day 1 & 2 will be the toughest. Im here for you.

If you're joining me, watch this!

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. ~Booker T. Washington

Say a little Prayer and count your Blessings.

I received a message today, which touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes.

A patients little baby went to heaven today. He was born very early on, and had a short life of a few weeks.

When times are tough, we must count our blessings. Its times like this that allow us to realise just how precious life is, and how blessed we are to have all that we take for granted each day.

I know tonight, when I go to bed, this family will be in my prayers. My heart is hurting for them.

A part of you has grown in me, together forever we shall be, never apart, maybe in distance, but not in the heart.

7 days and Counting!

Its time to Cleanse, and put the coffee and toast on hold for a little over a week. Images by Hayley from Little Pinwheel


Yes, you read right. 7 days until I turn your life upside down and then around. You have 7 days to get your mind, heart & soul ready to clean your very insides out! I know some of you are scared, and others excited. Whatever your gut is telling you, its going to be so clean you can eat off starting Wednesday 1st of September.

Have you got your support person handy? Of course, I vowed to Hayley from Little Pinwheel that I would be there to hold her hand the entire way through. I also promised her that I would put together some steps for this week leading into the cleanse. Probably a good idea for all of you intending to participate in my Step-tember Body Clean Out. Even more so relevant to those of us who might live on a diet of Chicken Schnitzels, Toast and Coffee.... none of which (sorry but the truth hurst sometimes!) are included in my 10 cleansing steps. So for the Hayley's amongst us, lets start getting ready! From this Wednesday its a good idea to get into 'pre-cleanse' mode. Its not hard, its quite simple really. Here's what I suggest you do!

Days 1 - 3
Begin cutting coffee & stimulants down, if you have 3 cups a day (GASP!!) cut it down to 2 and then 1 so by the third day you are only having one. By day 4 we are going to cut this out all together. If your a stimulant kind-a chick (or bloke) this is going to be a slight challenge but, you will be much better for it in the long run if you can. You might be best using some green tea to assist.
Days 4 - 6
Were at the no coffee stage here. Its time to slightly pear back on the amount of foods you are eating in preparation. You should be aiming to eat roughly 3/4 of what you would normally eat, also beginning to eliminate processed and refined foods. By tomorrow, there should be none of these eaten.
Day 7
Open heart, Open mind. Get ready for an awesome 7 days cleansing!
Being the hydrating process and start having at least 6 glasses per day.

Im so excited about kicking this off. You are going to need two things (besides certain foods - all of which shouldn't be too far out of the ordinary). Step-tember Shake is a blend of several ingredients aimed at clearing waste through the gut. If you are cleansing with me, be sure to contact me to get this. You might attempt to do the cleanse without it, but it will be no where as effective. Its available from The Pagoda Tree. I can send it out to you, with postage, is $25. You also need to get yourself a pro-biotic. You can get this from your chemist, something like Inner Health Plus is perfect.

The cleansing guidelines will be up on Monday, to commence Wednesday. I can't wait for you all to begin this journey to Spring!

And finally, whilst we are on the topic of Hayley, Open Heart & Open Mind, you need to wander over to one of her blogs Little Pinwheel Blog and my personal fave The Trousse ...they are both awesome. Be sure to follow her journey as a women, mum and in the near future and happy cleanser!