Nutrition Wisdom with Sherry Rothwell

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KANNA - A MILD PSYCHOACTIVE PLANT WITH PROMISE FOR PLEASURE (BEYOND JUST RELIEF OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PAIN)

*just about to hand in this paper for anyone interested in entheogenic herbal medicine!

Kanna is a South African plant with a long history, and a variety of traditional uses, both for the purposes of healing and as a psychoactive plant used in ceremony. (5) Today, modern people primarily use Kanna for it’s mood enhancing and heart opening qualities, with some even likening it to herbal ecstasy. This article seeks to explore what is currently known about the plant, including its history of traditional use, the scientific research that is available and a brief look at it’s psychoactive nature, aphrodisiac qualities and the recommended dosages as a basis for personal experimentation.

ABOUT THE PLANT

The Kanna plant is also known as Channa, Canna, Kougoed, (meaning chewable) Kauwgoed and Tortuose Fig Marigold. (21) Scientifically, it is known as sceletium tortuosum or mesembryanthemum. (1) Kanna is a perennial, climbing succulent medicinal plant that is indigenous to South Africa and should not be confused with ganna plant. (1, 2) It is part of the Aizoaceae (fig marigold) family and subfamily Mesembryanthemoideae. (3) The Sceletum genera are succulent plants that flourish in sandy loam soil and are found in predominantly dry environments under shrubs in partial shade. The plan has white to pale yellow or pale pink sessile flowers, with 4-5 sepals that enclose and protect the unopened bud. The leaves contain idioblasts (water cells) and the stems become woody with age. (3) It’s scientific name sceletium is derived from the latin word sceletis meaning skeleton, because of the prominent veins on it’s dried leaves which resemble a human skeleton. (2, 10)

GROWING IT AT HOME

Kanna plant grows well in rockeries and pots. (3) The seeds should be surface sown, but not buried, in plain cacti soil, with the surface conditions kept moist until germination. Once sprouted into a seedling, allow the top moist inch of the soil to dry before misting it, which prevents the seeds from damping off. For the first three months the plant will grow slowly, but once the leaves appear, it grows much faster, taking about one year to grow from seed to harvest, when the plant then flowers. Whether one decides to harvest it or not, kanna is a beautiful succulent houseplant. (20)

PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Mesembrine is considered Kanna’s major alkaloid and psychoactive ingredient. (1) It is a potent selective serotonin (5-HT) re uptake inhibitor. In addition to mesembrine, it contains other potentially therapeutic alkaloids that together result in greater effects. (2)

The alkaloids considered responsible for it’s beneficial effects are: (7)
• Chennai
• Mesembrine
• Mesembrenone
• Mesembrenol
• Mesembranol
• Tortuosamine

These promising bioactive compounds are: (3)
- anti-microbial
- anti-inflammatory
- anti-oxidant
- anti-depressent
- anxiolytic

TRADITIONAL PSYCHOACTIVE USE

Since prehistoric times, Kanna has been used as a mood altering substance by South African tribes such as Hottentots, and the Khoikhoi. (10) The Khoi pastoralists used it for spiritual and social purposes, traditional ceremonies, magical rituals, and for traditional healing. (1, 2, 10) The San hunter-gathers used it for alertness, endurance, and to cope with the stress of hunting in dry and challenging environments to relieve their hunger, thirst, discomfort, and fatigue. (3,7,9,10)

Traditionally kanna’s mild psychedelic effects were assisted by fasting, drumming, and dancing, to foster trance states during rituals and ceremonies. Kanna shares its name with the Eland antelope, which is also known as kanna. The Eland being a magical ally in ceremony, acted as a conduit to the spiritual world. (9)

Kanna gained western recognition in 1662 when a Dutch merchant and explorer noticed that local tribes were constantly chewing something that seemed to impart to them “good spirits”. (10) It was widely traded and highly valued in the 18th century, and was sometimes even used with cannabis to enhance it’s effects.(2)

HOW IT IS PREPARED

Traditionally, Kanna was fermented for one week (referred to as 'Kougoed'), then chewed and swallowed with the residue often then smoked after chewing. (1, 3, 6)

Although the plant can be taken raw, traditionally it was crushed and then placed in a bag to ferment. (2) Fermentation reduces the mesembrine content from 1.33% to .05 %, transforming it into delta-7 mesembrenone and producing higher levels of alkaloids than the dried plant. (2, 3) No comparative studies have been done between the raw vs. fermented form, however it is known that fermenting kanna breaks down oxalic acid, which is good, since oxalic acid can cause irritation and allergies in some people. (6, 9) Kanna’s oxalate content is comparable to spinach or kale, but the fermentation and physical crushing of the plant reduces any potentially harmful effects of the oxalic acid and makes it easier to digest. (1,9)

Today Kanna is available commercially in both fermented and unfermented forms. The raw herb can be purchased as dried herb, powder, extract and sold in capsules, teas and, tinctures, or as s***f, snorted or smoked.(1) It is also extracted in alcohol to make tinctures, and is available as a concentrated paste produced from fermented fresh herb that has not been dried. (9) It can also be concentrated to produce a variety of products, both standardized and unstandardized for nutraceutical formulations that include amino acids, medicinal mushrooms, other nutrients, beverages, herbal tonics and even e-liquid for smoking in electronic ci******es. (9, 21) Herbal teas that it blends well with it are Honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) and Red bush (Aspalathus linearis) (3)

TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USES INCLUDE (2, 3, 15, 21)

1. Psychological
- elevating mood
- relieving anxiety and depression
- reduce stress and tension
- social phobia
- OCD
- SAD

2. Hormonal
- regulating sleep
- appetite reduction
- quenching thirst and hunger

3. Pain Relieving
- treating toothache
- analgesic & local anesthetic (for extracting teeth)
- narcotic
- sedative
- painkiller for headache
- soothes abdominal pain

4. Other
- respiratory tract
- sustained contraction
- neuroprotective
- tranquillizing
- antisposmatic
- anti microbial

BIOCHEMICAL ACTIONS

1. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibition SSRI (depression management) - prevents serotonin from being reabsorbed, allowing serotonin to stay active for longer and have a stronger effect on the brain. (3,15)

2. Monoamine Releasing (depression management) - induces the release of monoamine neurotransmitters (serotonin, catecholamines, dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline) and thereby increasing their concentration. (3)

3. PDE4 inhibition (asthma, lung disease, psoriasis, anxiety and depression) - blocks the degradation of cAMP. Mesembrenone blocks PDE4, making more cAMP available and increases it’s effects. cAMP plays a role in reducing inflammation, increasing metabolism, immunity, and fat-burning. (3,15)

4. Actetylcholinesterase Inhibitor (alzheimers, dementia, ataxia, myasthenia gravis, Parkinson’s disease ) - prevents the break down of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in memory, learning, attention, arousal and involuntary muscle movement. (15)

5. CB1 receptor blocker (antidepressent, addiction and cognition enhancement) produces anti-addictant effects by suppressing endocannabinoid activity for control of appetite, cognition, mood and drug dependence. May also treat obesity by decreasing hunger and increasing energy expenditure (15, 22)

6. Increasing VMAT2 Activation (feel good hormones) - in the brain, VMAT2 transports neurotransmitter activating molecules like dopamine, serotonin, and GABA (15)

7. Receptor Activation (calm, anxiety, paid reduction, appetite, gut inflammation and sleep) -activates the receptors for GABA, opioids, cholecystokinin, prostaglandin EP4 and melatonin. (15, 23)

HUMAN STUDIES

Scientific research suggests that the active compounds in kanna may help with anxiety and depression, improve mood, and kill pain (17). Human studies have demonstrated its potential to exert relaxation effects and impact clinical anxiety, depression, Alzheimers and Schizophrenia.(3)

When it comes to dosing, the amount of Kanna used in human studies, is much lower than what is recommended by Kanna users. Nevertheless, the results of the research is still positive, despite low doses. Kanna research in general has shown it to have promising benefits on mood, cognition, soreness, adaptogenic activity against stress, sleep support, perceived well-being, increased attention and memory, all the while providing a meditative tranquility that allows for a deep internal focus (3, 8, 9, 18, 3). It should also be noted that the kanna used in the studies is also not fermented, despite that fermentation results in an increased mesembrine. (16)

What most studies use is 25mg of Zembrin®, a patented standardized extract, equivalent to only 50 mg of the dried plant mass. (12) These Zembrin based studies use small sample sizes and belong to a single researcher, who is also the director of the company (15) Zembrin has shown mood-enhancing, anxiety-reducing and cognitive function enhancing activities, considered to provide ‘alert serenity’. (14)

Future studies should be undertaken to measure the effects of using the herb with traditional preparation methods, and should compare things such as fermented versus unfermented, standardized versus unstandardized, as well as comparing between tea, tincture, herb, extract and s***f. Furthermore, it would be important to also compare different dosages to explore Kanna’s psychoactive and aphrodisiac effects.

TRENDING AS HERBAL ECSTASY

Due to its apparent euphoric and anxiety-reducing properties, Kanna is often said to be nature’s M**A (or herbal ecstasy). (4) However according to experienced users, comparing kanna to M**A is like comparing a high dose of caffeine to co***ne. Kanna’s effects are considered subtle and it’s active compounds do not contain amphetamines. (4,9) It should also be mentioned that Kanna is a much safer option, considering that M**A has been shown to be neuro-degenerative with long term continuous use, while Kanna is considerd neuro-regenerative. (18)

Another common use for Kanna is as an aphrodisiac and it is commonly sold to increase sexual performance. (2,19) Kanna as an aphrodisiac is said to be based more on emotional responsiveness and increased tactile sensitivity, although unpublished recent research allegedly suggests as a mild PDE5 Inhibitor it can strengthen er****on and enhancing blood flow in the pelvic area for both sexes. (21)

Whether it does or doesn’t act as a true aphrodisiac, most Kanna users agree that it opens up the heart, increases empathy, and helps them feel more socially connected. (9) At moderate doses, it is said to increase self confidence, ease social anxiety, reduce social barriers and help people relax into open communication. At higher doses, it is believed to induce feelings of euphoria. (10)

In a historical account of the herb, it is said the Nama peoples had a universal addiction to the use of Kougoed “which produced visions and led to a serious degree of moral degeneration particularly with regard to veracity and sex”. (21) The effects might also be more potent when using it in the traditional manner, by consuming it immediately after fermentation, when it is said to “intoxicate”. (21)

IS KANNA SAFE?

Kanna seems to be safe with adverse effects typically being mild to moderate. According to small clinical trials side effects included: changes in elimination patterns, irregularity, stomach ache and headaches, though they were not occurring more than placebo. (1, 2, 4, 7, 8 ) In clinical trials 25 mg was used in humans for up to 3 months without negative effects. In rats it was tested for 90 days at 1,800-fold higher than human doses, without creating toxicological effects. (6)

CONTRAINDICATIONS/INTERACTIONS

Kanna is an MAOI inhibitor, so one should avoid combining it with alcohol, and not use it with pharmaceutical antidepressants or serotonin boosting plants such as Peganum harmala, Passioflora incarnata, Yohimbe and St. John’s Wort, plus supplements like 5-HTP. (12, 15)

Kanna should not be used with the following drugs, because it can lead to excess serotonin, otherwise known as serotonin syndrome. (4, 16)

1. MAO inhibitors (Moclobemide, Rasagiline, Selegiline, Iproniazid, Nialamide, Isocarboxazid, Phenelzine,Tranylcypromine etc.)
2. SSRI antidepressants (Citalopram, Escitalopram Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, Sertraline etc.)
3. SNRI’s (Desvenlafaxine, Duloxetine, Levomilnacipran, Venlafaxine etc.)
4. M**A (otherwise known as the Love Drug, Molly, Ecstacy etc.)

While Kanna should NOT be used with M**A, it can be used after to re-stabalize serotonin, which can be severely depleted after M**A use. Kanna can aid in re-stabalizing serotonin, if taken 24 hours after taking M**A (18)

In minor cases, people who experience serotonin syndrome report symptoms such as tremors, twitching, anxiety, insomnia, and gastrointestinal problem (4, 12) Symptoms of excess serotonin are: fever, sweating, shivering, elevated heart rate, seizures, delirium, coma or even death in severe cases. (4, 9)

Kanna may also interact negatively with and should not be used with the following medications: (16)
- Warfarin
- Antipsychotics
- Sibutramine
- Tramadol

PRECAUTIONS

Since it can have a mild sedative effect when taken in larger doses, one should not drive or operate machinery until knowing their own tolerance level. (7) It is also important to note that excessive use of Kanna can lead to fatigue and drowsiness. (10)

Due to lack of studies, Kanna is not considered not suitable for children. (12) However it is interesting to note that one to two drops of the fresh juice from green plants was traditionally given to children to help them rest, alternatively, the leaves were chewed by the mother and spit into the child’s mouth ( 21). A small amount was also reportedly mixed with breast milk and sheep tail fat and given to infants to treat colic. (2) Since Kanna has not been studied during pregnancy or lactation, women should speak to their Midwife or obstetrician before taking Kanna if they are expecting or nursing. (7)

At this time, Kanna is not considered suitable for elderly people, and individuals with cardiovascular problems. (12)

IS IT LEGAL?

Kanna is legal in Canada as a natural health ingredient that is regulated by Health Canada, under it’s scientific name Sceletium tortuosum (11) It is also legal in all other countries when sold as an herbal preparation based on its traditional use, except in Lousiana in the USA (9) In Canada, Zembrin has been approved for sale to “support cognitive function in adults”. (11)

HOW TO TAKE KANNA (12)

1) Powder: 500 mg once a day working up to a maximum dose of 1000 mg per day.
2) Crushed Herb: Same dose as the powder, but pour the herb into hot water, boil and then strain it.
3) Powdered Extract: 300 mg once a day working up to a maximum of 1000 mg per day in a glass of water.
4) Tincture - Follow instructions on the label, but know that taking it under the tongue via tincture is considered to be the most bioavailable method (9). One brand claims that 1 ml of their 200X extract is equal to 5,000 mg of Kanna fresh herb equivalent and that the suggested dosage is 1 ml, but not to exceed 5 mL. (24)

Other key points for usage:
1. May cause nausea in first-time users (15)
2. It can take up to 2 hours to kick in and does not appear to be habit forming (4, 6)
3. After one month of use, one should take a break to prevent potential habituation to the effects and then reassess its long-term use. (12)
4. Frequent overuse can diminish it’s affect, and even trigger anxiety in large doses. (12)

Based on this preliminary research, I am confident that Kanna is safe to experiment with, starting with small dosages, assessing and then increasing up to higher dosages for ceremonial and recreational purposes. Personally, I will be adding this herb to my own natural medicine kit as an option for alleviating acute stress, and to explore it’s recreational potential and to optimize my own serotonin levels. I am looking forward to continuing to research beyond the intellectual knowledge and to foray into first hand experimentation, so that I can gain wisdom born of an embodied experience with the plant, from Kanna itself.

References:
(1) Wikipedia. (2023). Mesembryanthemum tortuosum. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesembryanthemum_tortuosum [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
‌(2) Drugs.com. (n.d.). Sceletium Tortuosum Uses, Benefits & Dosage - Drugs.com Herbal Database. [online] Available at: https://www.drugs.com/npp/sceletium-tortuosum.html [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(3) Manganyi, M.C., Bezuidenhout, C.C., Regnier, T. and Ateba, C.N. (2021). A Chewable Cure ‘Kanna’: Biological and Pharmaceutical Properties of Sceletium tortuosum. Molecules, 26(9), p.2557. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092557.
(4) Verywell Mind. (n.d.). Natural Feel-Good Drug Kanna Is Gaining Popularity. What Exactly Is It? [online] Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/news-is-kanna-really-natures-mdma-heres-what-you-need-to-know-5425954.
‌(5) Examine.com. (n.d.). Examine.com. [online] Available at: https://examine.com/supplements/kanna/ [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(6) Examine.com. (n.d.). Examine.com. [online] Available at: https://examine.com/supplements/kanna/research/ -sources-and-composition_4J4N929-origin-and-composition [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(7) What is Kanna? (n.d.). Gaia Herbs. Retrieved July 1, 2024, from https://www.gaiaherbs.com/blogs/seeds-of-knowledge/what-is-kanna
(8 ) mindbodygreen. (2022). This Little-Known Plant Promotes Stress Resilience, Mood Support & More. [online] Available at: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/kanna-benefits [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(9) www.acslab.com. (n.d.). What Is Kanna? Exploring ‘Nature’s M**A’ Effects, Uses & More. [online] Available at: https://www.acslab.com/wellness/what-is-kanna-natures-mdma [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(10) Kratomit.eu (2024). Kanna: a natural miracle for your good mood. [online] kratomit.eu. Available at: https://www.kratomit.eu/blog/kanna-a-natural-miracle-for-your-good-mood/ [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(11) PsychedelicLaw.ca. (n.d.). Is Kanna Legal to Buy in Canada? [online] Available at: https://www.psychedeliclaw.ca/kanna-legal-canada [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(12) Kratomit.eu (2024). Kanna: a natural miracle for your good mood. [online] kratomit.eu. Available at: https://www.kratomit.eu/blog/kanna-a-natural-miracle-for-your-good-mood/.
(13) Researchgate (2023). Researchgate. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/search?q=zembrin
(14) Anon, (n.d.). Zembrin – The world’s leading researched and clinically studied extract of Sceletium. [online] Available at: https://www.zembrin.com/ [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(15) BS, J.C. (2019). 4 Sceletium tortuosum (Kanna) Benefits + Safety & Side Effects. [online] SelfDecode Supplements. Available at: https://supplements.selfdecode.com/blog/sceletium-tortuosum/ [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(16) Science Direct (2012). ScienceDirect.com | Science, Health and Medical journals, Full Text Articles and books. [online] Sciencedirect.com. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629918310743
(17) Science Direct (2012). ScienceDirect.com | Science, Health and Medical journals, Full Text Articles and books. [online] Sciencedirect.com. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874116305438
(18) KA! Empathogenics. (2024). Kanna vs. M**A: Uncovering The Similarities and Differences. [online] Available at: https://kaempathogenics.com/blogs/science/kanna-vs-mdma [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(19) Brunetti, P., Lo Faro, A.F., Tini, A., Busardò, F.P. and Carlier, J. (2020). Pharmacology of Herbal Sexual Enhancers: A Review of Psychiatric and Neurological Adverse Effects. Pharmaceuticals, 13(10), p.309. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ph13100309.
(20) MEL Magazine. (2022). Amateur Kanna Horticulturalists Want You to Stop Calling Their Wonder Plant ‘Natural M**A’. [online] Available at: https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/kanna-plant-homegrowers [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(21) The Sceletium Source. (n.d.). Home. [online] Available at: https://sceletium.com/ [Accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
(22) Science Direct (2012). ScienceDirect.com | Science, Health and Medical journals, Full Text Articles and books. [online] Sciencedirect.com. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/cannabinoid-1-receptor-antagonist
(23) Matsumoto, Y., Nakanishi, Y., Yoshioka, T., Yamaga, Y., Masuda, T., Fukunaga, Y., Sono, M., Yoshikawa, T., Nagao, M., Araki, O., Ogawa, S., Goto, N., Hiramatsu, Y., Breyer, R.M., Fukuda, A. and Seno, H. (2019). Epithelial EP4 plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis in colon. Scientific Reports, [online] 9, p.15244. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51639-2.
(24) Amazing Botanicals (Since 2014). (n.d.). Kanna 200X Extract Tincture 150,000 mg. [online] Available at: https://amazingbotanicals.net/product/kanna-200x-extract-tincture-150000-mg/ [Accessed 3 Jul. 2024].

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THE PATH OF BECOMING WEIGHTLESS

By my mid-thirties, I had become completely weighed down and, at the same time depleted by stress.

I was overworking, staying up late and then getting up early - trying unsuccessfully to be the perfect wife, homemaker and stay-at-home mom, while also working from home.

Depending on your definition of success and the standards that you set for yourself, each of those aspirations can full-time jobs in and of themselves!

I thought I could do everything, but what it really felt like was, that I was doing everything to half of my potential in each area.

And I couldn’t take my mind off my to-do list. I was constantly expanding it, never mind finishing it!

If that wasn’t draining enough, I was settling in a relationship too. Twenty years of incompatibility is really hard, it’s like dragging around dead weight.

Under the weight of feeling so overwhelmed, unfulfilled and under so much pressure, I literally became obese.

Since body fat is a natural insulator, it can also be an unconscious form of protection and push back.

It’s the perfect way for your soul to get your attention to tell you that something is wrong and needs to change.

You can see just from the language I am using, how clearly emotional weight, can set the stage for physical weight.

If you feel weighed down in the inside feeling wise and/or your body is holding onto physical toxins, then your body will express that on the outside too.

As within, so without.

Your body is a representation of what is stored, repressed and unexpressed.

Doesn’t matter if you “eat right” and practice positive thinking, the body doesn’t lie.

It can be deep unconscious repressed stuff.

But it also doesn’t have to be deep or repressed, it just has to be chronic.

It could be something as simple as a stressful condition in your life: like a project at work, moving or exams etc.

Stress can result in 5-10lbs a month. I know from experience, when I gained 21lbs in less than 2 months when I was in my mid thirties, without changing my diet.

Extra weight on your body has a purpose.

It reflects what’s going on inside, that needs your attention.

It tells you that something isn’t working or something needs your focus.

You can starve and exercise yourself to the bone, but the only lasting changes come from working from the inside out.

Being skinny won’t change your life, but transforming yourself will.

So what’s weighing you down in life?

What if you took your focus off your physical weight and instead focused your attention on dropping the emotional weight?

Whatever you said to yourself, those are “the things", you need to address on your holistic path to permanent weight loss. I suggest that you write them down, because insight can be slippery. It can run through your fingers, never to be touched again.

This is not some woo woo approach to weight loss. It’s a real thing.

Stress is a key factor in the hormonal basis of obesity.

Stress can kickstart a hormonal cascade that increases fat storage, regardless of what you eat.

And when you add the wrong kind of exercise to the mix (when you are already stressed and depleted), there can be a ‘doubling down’ on fat storage. How about a side of cortisol with that?!

This is why you can’t ignore stress and make your weight issue, all about calories and exercise.

If you eat less, while exercising more, you’re putting your body through even more stress and making things worse.

You have to be willing to set aside your weight loss goals and instead focus on your health and wellbeing.

Natural weight loss without dieting is a side benefit of putting your health first.

It’s not all about what you have to give up, but more about nourishment and identifying what you desire more of, and then doing, being and having more of that.

And because life is ‘lifey’, it’s not one and done.

It’s an ongoing lifelong process of identifying what's hurting and draining you, and telling yourself that truth about that, so that you can address it, instead of suppress it.

It’s about cultivating the feeling of being Weightless on all levels, until that materializes itself in your body.

If this approach resonates for you and you are seeking a holistic approach that addresses all aspects of your being - body, mind, emotion and soul, message me to discuss how I can guide you on the path to getting ‘thin from within’, by doing the inner work, as much as the outer work.

I literally can't use this platform to advertise my small business and that's 'their' final decision from 2021. I just checked back today to see if anything has changed and nope. No explanation. If you care about holistic nutrition wisdom and natural health info and products getting into the hands of people who need it, 'like' or comment on things that matter to you, it gets that content noticed.

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If you need some help making the pancakes, here's some help.... "perfect practice makes perfect"....wise words I remember from Gym/math teacher in high school.....he was always annoyed at me because kept skipping track practices.... but I know it was from a place of love....he saw potential, but I had no intention
of being a track star....so I was just there for a good time and winging it!

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8 PIMPLES WITH A PURPOSE

Since the skin is one of our organs of detoxification, when one is on a cleanse (as I am), rashes and pimples can come up.

No need to be upset about that. It just means that more is being released than the liver can keep up with and/or the colon is sluggish, so those toxins the liver is clearing are coming out through the skin.

I have been eating a ton of raw arugula this week. Arugula being a bitter green is excellent for cleansing. Why am I getting pimples though?

The fact that I have got ‘stuff’ coming out of my skin is a sign that I need to get things moving faster in the colon.

In my situation, the raw vegetables are slowing down my elimination. So the arugula, while it didn’t completely constipate me, it slowed my elimination enough to get pimples.

I would have been better off to have eaten bitter greens that are great for cooking like spinach and kale. I am going to be teaching about this later today in my FREE gallstone flush group (link in the comments).

The fact that this happens with raw vegetables, does not mean that raw vegetables are “bad” or even bad for me at the individual level. It’s just not the right choice in this situation, at this time.

It’s simply a sign that I need a digestive fire boost and some additional colon support. So that’s what I will be doing and I won’t stop until I can eat raw foods in moderation without tending towards constipation.

The worst thing you can do is avoid foods or food groups and just settle for poor digestion. What we want to do is optimize our digestion so that we can eat anything in moderation without have to suffer as a result! Avoiding foods to avoid symptoms is not healing. It’s just avoidance. Avoiding foods should be a temporary experience while you heal your gut and then slowly reintroduce food groups (and don’t forget the metaphysical side of things).

Any way you slice it, whatever comes up for us during a cleanse is what we need to know.

Embodying a path of cleansing, is a beautiful way to get to know your body and understand it’s language, so that you can hear what it is trying to tell you and listen to it’s wisdom.

On the topic of skin, it’s best to focus on supporting the liver to cleanse and the colon to function optimally, rather than head straight to the dermatologist for a drug.

Let’s say you take some skin creams that suppress the acne and inflammation….you might get clear skin, but unfortunately it just drives the ‘causes’ underground to be manifested sometime later in the future, usually as a more intense symptom.

If you ignore what was causing the problem in the first place and it is never attended to, whatever the cause was, it continues to go underground and may get worse. You might think you’re in the clear, but until you correct the cause, there is most often yet another expression around the corner.

None of that is said to create fear. It’s simple logic. For every cause there is an effect. For every effect, there is a cause.

In some cases, acne and rashes respond quickly, some are more complicated and really stressful (and that stress contributes to the problem). It’s ok to take the creams to get immediate relief, but you should also address the cause at the same, time while weaning yourself off the creams.

It doesn’t have to be either/or. You can do both/and. Sometimes medication can give you the relief you need to feel calm enough to get focused on addressing the real source of the problem (root cause).

Beauty is an inside job.

What you may not know about me is that I used to have a ton of acne in my early twenties, despite being an esthetician and having access to all the best the beauty world had to offer.

I healed my acne with holistic nutrition, not with a skin care regimine.

It took six months of diligent diet and lifestyle changes. It’s not as easy as taking a pill, but instead of side effects, you get side benefits - a whole host of other health issues cleared up simultaneously because inside your body, everything is connected.

Anyways, like I mentioned, feel free to join my gallstone flush group to learn more for free (link in the comments).

Or if you are serious about embodying a lifestyle that includes cleansing and rejuvenation, message me to discuss working together for 12 months to give special attention to each of your body’s organs and systems.

This is not to cure any so called disease. It’s to pull out the root cause of dis-ease by learning the language of your body ….so that you can listen and attend to it.

The side benefits of attending to your body in this way are unlimited. Give your self what you need and stop taking in what you don’t need and just let health happen.