Rebuild and restore

“cha-cha-changes..”

9:48 am

Started the day with warm filtered water. My short term use of distilled is done. Then a diluted glass of organic black cherry juice in the morning along with a single servicing of MC.

Still thirsty. So I made up a mini batch of MC before heading to work.

Picked up some mango juice from the health food store on my way into the office. If have any starch, it’s strictly pumpkin seeds. I’ll have some more broth tonight for an early supper.

Tomorrow, I’ll start with juice again, maybe a few bites of banana too. There’s always a half-batch of MC on hand in case I bloat up.

My return from the desert of voluntary starvation isn’t going as smoothly as I expected. There are rules and consequences to suffer if not followed closely. I got a gaseous taste of that yesterday.

From here on out I’m letting my body run the show and will listen closely to everything he says. Because clearly my mind doesn’t have the faintest clue.

Kombucha tea- If you’ve ever seen a live Kombucha mushroom up close it looks a little alien. Like, Invasion of the body snatchers alien. It ferments a new baby or “Scooby” in its own image with every new batch.

The recorded history of this Kombucha dates back to China (around 250 BC). The Chinese called it the “Immortal Health Elixir,” because they believed Kombucha balanced the system and aided in digestion, allowing the body to focus on healing.

Legend also has it that some 2,000 years ago, Kombucha originated in Russia, and from there it traveled to Japan. I’m political when it comes to my health so whichever culture you prefer is where it originated.

I fancied myself a Kombucha expert after witnessing my sister make a batch in her kitchen in 2004 when she was in the middle of her first round of chemo. I drank as much as she could spare and developed a major jones for it’s memorable sour apple cider-like fizz and strands of gelatinous pulp floating around in it.

The pulp are the “live” cultures and enzymes created during the fermentation process. They’re not for the faint at heart. They do, however, most likely increase the detoxification efficiency of the liver which , in turn, provide plentiful and immediate *health benefits.

Among them are:

• Improved digestion
• Increased energy
• Improved immunity
• Detoxification
• Clearer skin
• Improved hair & nail quality
• Weight loss
• Arthritic pain relief
• Allergy reduction
• Assists with addiction
• Speeds healing
• Improved mental health
• Reduces PMS symptoms

*No formal studies on the health benefits of kombucha exist, so consider the list above as a reflection of what thousands of people have been saying about it for thousands of years.  Kombucha’s Holistic.  Kombucha’s Alternative.  Kombucha’s damn good for you.

To make your own batch at home, click for recipe.

As good as it is for you making your own Kombucha is a serious commitment (plus 7-10 days of fermenting) to net a single 64 plus oz batch. There are many Kombucha recipes and they vary by location on the planet.

I definitely recommend making it from scratch as you will tend to get a better tasting batch. I’d make it myself if I had any patience.

Luckily, there are dozens of mass produced verions of Kombucha to choose from on the open market.

GT’s Dave’s Kombucha tea is the best I’ve tasted so far. And the ingredient list mirrors the one in the homemade recipe above. GT Dave also bews a variety of Kombucha tea blended with 5% real fruit juice under his Synergy label.

The site is great and informative. If you haven’t seen it at your local health food store lately, wait a day or two, as it’s proabably out of stock. If they don’t carry it, you can to GT Dave’s site and check who else in your area sells it. The number of stores is extensive.

Check out GT Dave’s Website

Pineapple – Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which digests food by breaking down protein. Beware, these enzymes can be hazardous to someone suffering from certain protein deficiencies or disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Pineapples should also not be consumed by those with Hemophilia or by those with kidney or liver disease, as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate a consumer’s blood.

There is evidence pointing to the anti-inflammatory benefits of bromelain. Consumers of pineapple have claimed that pineapple has benefits for some intestinal disorders.

Probiotics - Colon cleansing, fasting, even the SWF depletes both good and bad bacteria in the digestive tract. Taking antibiotics robs your body of these necessary nutrients as well.

Good bacteria or flora is essential for proper assimilation of vitamins and nutrients from the food we eat. Start taking these on the first day you break the MC.

EFAs – Flax, Fish, Borage, Evening Primrose, Lecithin–all good. Though much has bee written about essential fatty acids for heart, brain and cholesteral, Omega 3, 6 and 9 I can’t stress enough how crucial they are for intestinal re-lubrication after the MC.

EFAs allow for smoother transport of your new bowel movements through your small and large intestine. Plus, think of all the good lovin’ your brain is gettin’ too.

Fiber – For obvious reasons. There are two types Soluble and Insoluble. Soluble fiber prolongs stomach emptying time so that sugar (glucose) from food is released and absorbed more slowly. Soluble fiber lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (Bad cholesterol) as well as regulating blood sugar for people with diabetes.

Sources of soluable fiber:

• oats & oat bran
• beans
• peas
• nuts
• flax (flaxseeds)
• oranges
• apples
• carrots

Insoluble fiber moves eaten food through the intestines and balances the pH (alkaline/acidity) in the intestines. It promotes regular bowel movement, removes toxic waste in less time and prevents constipation.

Sources of insoluble fiber:

• Vegetables (green beans and dark green leafy vegetables)
• fruit skins
• root vegetable skins
• seeds and nuts

You need both types in your diet. Supplements are an easy fix. Most supplements contain Psyllium husks or powder (both soluble and insoluble). If you can’t tolerate Psyllium — Acacia fiber (from the tree) is a great substitute. It comes in a tasteless, odorless, white powder and unlike psyllium, it mixes easily in water. RenewLife Brands uses acacia fiber in many of their detox kit formulations. I’ve used both kinds of fiber during my biannual detox and they both get the job done well.