Showing posts from February, 2018

The CDC researcher who mysteriously vanished had recently been passed over for a promotion, police say

Police investigators are bewildered as they work through the “extremely unusual” circumstances surrounding the missing-person case of Timothy Cunningham, a researcher who vanished Feb. 12, shortly after hearing why he had been passed over for a promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cunningham, 35, told colleagues he was not feeling well […]

Related:
A teen was told he likely had the flu. It turned out it was late-stage cancer.
Transgender surgeries are on the rise, says first study of its kind
A CDC researcher left work sick two weeks ago — then vanished

A teen was told he likely had the flu. It turned out it was late-stage cancer.

Local boy went from struggling with the flu to battling cancer TONIGHT AT 11PM | A local boy went from struggling with what he thought was the flu, to battling stage 4 cancer. Why this boy is fighting for his life and having to fight off bullies on ABC Action News at 11.Full report >> […]

Related:
Transgender surgeries are on the rise, says first study of its kind
A CDC researcher left work sick two weeks ago — then vanished
Health officials fear an Australian tourist spread measles across New York

Transgender surgeries are on the rise, says first study of its kind

In the first broad demographic study of trends in gender-affirming surgeries in the United States, researchers found that the number of operations increased fourfold from 2000 to 2014. Some of the dramatic rise, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Surgery, may be related to an increase in insurance coverage for the procedures. “Early on we recognized […]

Related:
A CDC researcher left work sick two weeks ago — then vanished
Health officials fear an Australian tourist spread measles across New York
A mother Googled her toddler’s symptoms — and believes it may have saved the child’s life

A CDC researcher left work sick two weeks ago — then vanished

Timothy J. Cunningham had been a rising official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Harvard-educated epidemiologist was promoted in July at the U.S. public health service in Atlanta and contributed to responses following outbreaks of Zika, Ebola and health emergencies caused by Hurricane Sandy. He also was a prominent fixture in the Atlanta community, earning […]

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Health officials fear an Australian tourist spread measles across New York
A mother Googled her toddler’s symptoms — and believes it may have saved the child’s life
Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year

Did you visit New York City this month? Health officials would like a word.

The New York State Department of Health wants people in the New York City area to know that an Australian tourist confirmed to have measles visited numerous hotels and the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Feb. 16 to 21. Measles is notoriously contagious for people without immunity to the disease, with a 90 percent infection rate […]

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A mother Googled her toddler’s symptoms — and believes it may have saved the child’s life
Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year
Flu cases fall for the first time this awful influenza season

Cost Containment overrides Safety

If you need cataract surgery, your eye surgeon may have to do double duty as your anesthetist under a new policy by health insurer Anthem. In a clinical guideline released this month, the company says it's not medically necessary to have an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist on hand to administer and monitor sedation in most cases.

Some ophthalmologists and anesthesiologists say the policy jeopardizes patient safety, and they are calling on Anthem to rescind it.

"The presence of anesthesia personnel is one of the key ingredients in the patient safety and effectiveness of cataract surgery today," says Dr. David Glasser, an ophthalmologist in Columbia, Md., who is secretary for federal affairs at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, a professional group for eye physicians and surgeons. "An ophthalmologist cannot administer conscious sedation and monitor the patient and do cataract surgery at the same time."

Anthem, which offers commercial insurance plans in 14 states, says anesthesia needs vary and so should coverage. According to a statement from the company:

"Anthem's Medical Policy and Technology Assessment Committee, a majority of whom are external physicians, reviewed the available evidence addressing the use of general anesthesia and monitored anesthesia care for cataract surgery. According to the literature reviewed, there is no one definitive approach regarding the use of anesthesia for cataract surgery and patient-specific needs should be taken into consideration as well as potential risk of harm to individuals who are sedated during surgical procedures."

Medicare, the health care program for people age 65 and older, covers cataract surgery, including anesthesia services.

A cataract, typically related to aging, is caused by clumps of protein that cloud the lens of the eye and can distort vision. During a cataract operation, the surgeon makes an incision in the surface of the eye with a laser or blade and then uses a tool to break up the clouded lens, pull it out and replace it with an artificial one.

Cataract surgery is common. More than half of Americans have either had a cataract or had cataract surgery by the time they reach age 80, according to the National Eye Institute.

Surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis and takes less than an hour. Though drowsy while sedated, patients are generally conscious during the procedure and can hear what's said to them and speak if necessary.

Eye surgeons often have an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist present to administer intravenous drugs to help keep the patient relaxed and ensure they don't move during the operation as well as monitor their vital signs and adjust medication as necessary.

Anthem's new policy states that this type of monitored anesthesia care is medically necessary only if the patient is under 18 years old, or is unable to cooperate or communicate because of dementia or other medical conditions, can't lie flat, has known problems with anesthesia, or if a complex surgery is anticipated.

But some ophthalmologists and anesthesiologists disagree.

"I wouldn't even consider doing a cataract surgery without an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist in the room," says Dr. David Aizuss, an eye surgeon who is president-elect of the California Medical Association. "If you're working inside the eye it's a very confined space, and if the patient gets agitated and starts moving around you have to get the equipment out of the eye very quickly."

Although Anthem posted the new policy online, providers are seeking clarification from the company about the timing of its implementation in their states, physicians said.

Until then, some practices are taking no chances. At the Freedom Vision Surgery Center in Encino, Calif., where Aizuss practices, Anthem patients who come in for cataract surgery are asked to pay $400 out-of-pocket upfront for anesthesia services.

Professional groups representing California eye physicians and anesthesiologists have written to Anthem requesting the policy be rescinded. In addition, the California Medical Association has lodged complaints with state regulators.

This isn't the first time Anthem has come under scrutiny for changes to its clinical guidelines that some have charged help the company's bottom line at patients' expense. Last year, the company said it would no longer pay for emergency department visits it later determined were not emergencies. Then in September it said it would no longer pay for imaging tests like MRIs in many cases if patients got them at hospital-owned centers rather than independent imaging centers.

Last week, Modern Healthcare reported that the company says it was modifying its ER rule so that certain types of visits would always be paid for, including those by patients who are directed to the emergency department by their provider or have recently had surgery.

Some safety experts say they were concerned about Anthem's new policy, even for routine cataract surgeries.

"If you're putting a knife in my eye, that's not routine for me," says Leah Binder, president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that advocates for improved safety and quality at hospitals. Noting that anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists were pioneers in the patient safety movement, she says there are better ways for Anthem to save money than shutting them out of the operating room.

"How about identifying the surgeons who have the highest complication rates, and letting patients know about them?" she suggested.

Original Article

Anthem Calls On Eye Surgeons To Monitor Anesthesia During Cataract Surgery | California Healthline

A mother Googled her toddler's symptoms — and believes it may have saved the child's life

It was a headline that captured her attention: “Boy, 13, died just A WEEK after being diagnosed with leukemia despite having NO symptoms beforehand.” Laura Handley, a mother of five, had been scrolling through Facebook when she was sucked into a story about a seemingly healthy 13-year-old boy who had died suddenly from an aggressive form of cancer called acute myeloid […]

Related:
Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year
Flu cases fall for the first time this awful influenza season
CDC seeks new labs for bioterror pathogens to replace aging facility

CDC seeks new labs for bioterror pathogens to replace aging facility

ATLANTA — Inside a complex of special government labs, scientists in full-body protective suits work with some of the world’s deadliest pathogens: Ebola, smallpox and certain strains of bird flu. Many of the organisms have no treatment or vaccine, so the labs housed in this facility on the sprawling campus of the Centers for Disease […]

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Flu cases fall for the first time this awful influenza season
CDC warns about salmonella infections traced to kratom
Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year

Flu cases fall for the first time this awful influenza season

Flu activity is on the decrease for the first time in this fierce flu season, suggesting that the worst may be over, according to a federal health report released Friday. But the intensity of illness caused by the respiratory virus, the worst since the swine flu pandemic of 2009-2010, continues to take its toll. Another […]

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Here’s what you should know about the flu season this year
This season’s flu vaccine is only 36 percent effective, but experts say you should still get it

LIVING WITH ECZEMA & CHRONIC HIVES.

Hi guys! I am finally ready to share more details about the eczema and hives situation I have been dealing with for the last two months.

I have never been the kind of blogger to act like I know everything about a subject that is new to me. And about six months ago when I first started getting severe eczema under my arms, on my stomach and all over my neck/scalp… I had a lot to learn, and a lot of research to do, before I could feel comfortable sharing what might work / not work in terms of holistic approaches.

At that time I was decently content to use the steroid creams my dermatologist gave me even though I was by no means thrilled to be putting that medication under my arms (right where my lymph nodes are…. ahhhh) or anywhere on my body for that matter. But I figured it was just a random bout of eczema induced by a food or environmental allergy and if I handled it, it would just go away.

Little did I know that not only would it NOT go away, but eventually it would spread more and more every day until my whole entire body was covered.

NOT FUN. And I have learned through the process how many of YOU are struggling with eczema and full-body hives as well. It seems like a serious epidemic, and from the research I have done we can get control over it… it just takes a lot of work, discipline, time, and REST. And patience.

So let’s dive into my journey… I hope it will help you if you are suffering as well. Skin disorders are no. freaking. joke. <3

I also just want to preface this by saying this is MY journey, and all of our journeys are different. If you choose a different path than me or don’t agree with the holistic methods I outline below… I respect you very much and to each their own!

My history with skin //

Just like the rest of my body… my skin has been highly sensitive for as long as I have lived. It just comes with the package of being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)! When I was little I would always get rashes from grass, plants, food, and random medications. But the rashes were never terrible and they would usually go away very quickly after using the topical meds the doctors would give me.

When I was in high school I started getting really bad psoriasis on my scalp. That’s how it was diagnosed anyway, but now I think who really knows if it was eczema all along too?

I will never forget being on a college tour across California with my mom, dealing with the worst oozy pain of my life on my scalp, checking into our hotel in Santa Barbara, and SCREAM SOBBING in the shower because the skin on my scalp was so raw it felt like the shower was ripping it right off. Right when we got back to Sacramento I saw a dermatologist who gave me a steroid foam for my scalp that, literally, IMMEDIATELY made the pain and itchiness a hell of a lot better.

(Almost kind of scary now that I know more about medications what could have been in this potent steroid foam to work wonders that way… but even if it scares my holistic side to death, I am grateful for it because I STILL use it whenever my scalp breaks out in bad psoriasis/eczema/mystery rashes.)

At the time we assumed it was from getting my hair highlighted. I even went through a phase in high school where my hair was bleached basically WHITE, and I always just thought my scalp was sensitive to the hair dye and bleach.

This time around //

Fast forward about ten years to 2017, when the rash on my neck started getting really bad around November. Naturally I thought it was just the psoriasis from my scalp trickling down to my neck, because that initial psoriasis I mentioned is something I have dealt with for the last decade. But suddenly the foam didn’t work to cure the pain or itchiness anymore.

Then, more days passed and the rash begun wrapping itself around my neck making me look like I had literally been strangled because the marks were so intensely red and raised.

Over Christimas time it got so bad on my neck and stomach that my mom told me it looked like I was infected with poison oak. For a while at this point I had thought it was candida and gut-related. I told her I didn’t want to “go back to my regular life” until I figured it out and had it taken care of. We both knew I was kind of joking (who checks out of their life entirely because of a rash?) but deep down I know it was my intuition speaking to me.

It was saying, loud and clear, “CLEAR YO SCHEDULE GIRLFRIEND. SHIT’S ABOUT TO GET REAL BAD.”

Or, in other words: “Slow the hell down like we’ve been telling you for years now, Jordan. If you don’t slow down, this rash is going to explode and you’re not going to be happy. Deal with this, and then you can get back to your old pace again.”

Of course I *sort of* listened, but very much kept living my life as normal for the last few days of 2017.

Then, like clockwork, I woke up on January 1st of this year and the rash that had confusingly been getting worse and worse was suddenly EVERYWHERE… there wasn’t an inch of my body that wasn’t affected except for my feet and my ears. Literally everywhere else, including my entire face, was covered in a bumpy, inflamed, on fire, skin prick type of hives.

AGAIN, I thought this shit would just go away. I thought it was an allergy to something and that if I waited it out, I would be fine. I of course cut out all the foods I thought it could potentially be, including high histamine foods, animal products / animal protein, grains, sugar, and more. Not like I was eating much of any of that to begin with.

For the first several weeks of the year I stopped exercising, stopped even going anywhere (I could hardly move), and pretty much checked out of working because I had no choice.

Without me even fully realizing it, I was losing my life and all of the things that made me happy one day at a time. It was necessary, because I had to listen to that raging voice inside telling me to GET QUIET, but it’s also a very depressing and devastating time to look back on because I couldn’t do ANYTHING. I couldn’t start any of my New Years’ intentions or resolutions, and it was a very grim way to start the year.

I couldn’t even go on a walk outside! Or cuddle my boyfriend! I was so, so, so, so, so stuck.

Much to my friends & family’s dismay I waited about two weeks before I took any sort of medical action, because I was hell bent on finding a natural solution and I was also freaked out by the thought of steroids and topical creams to bandaid the issue. I had (and still do) read so many horror stories about steroid withdrawals, eczema / hives coming back with a vengeance after using them, and of course how bad they can be for our liver, longterm health, etc.

But eventually after a particularly HELLISH morning waking up and realizing this was not going away but it was only getting worse (and my mom, best friend, sister and brother-in-law BEGGING me to go to urgent care) I walked down the street to the Brentwood Urgent Care to get a cortisone shot.

The nurse who was working was super sweet and agreed that I needed the shot, but she too had no idea what was on my skin, what had caused it, how to get rid of it, or anything. Very frustrating but also what I had already expected after a few awful dermatologist visits in November / December.

She gave me the shot and I think the only thing it did was prevent things from getting worse. I had this amazing image that the rash would clear up COMPLETELY because the shot would be so strong, but that wasn’t the case. A random small patch on my back disappeared (I mean SMALL), it kept the whole thing from getting even worse, and that was it.

The beginning of healing //

I started obsessively looking forward to my Panchakarma at Surya Spa in hopes that Ayurveda would heal my rashes. Read that post to learn all about how it helped in some significant ways, but even after the PK ended I was still inflamed AF and super uncomfortable.

It even made my PK pretty uncomfortable at times, because if you can imagine getting a hot herbal oil massage that is supposed to feel so amazing you can drift off to outer space, but you’re stuck here in an ragingly itchy body having the experience.

All in all the experience was very healing for me on a mind, body, soul level… but the rash still had a lot of work to do.

Meanwhile I was getting weekly or twice weekly acupuncture sessions with Dr. Kara (this week’s podcast guest!) which seemed to be helping to cool my blood but then again, only in a minor way. For what it’s worth, Kara has been encouraging me all along to suck it up and take the steroids, because in her words, “No one should have to suffer this much.”

Which is true. But I still haven’t done it because I am holding out to cure it naturally. I feel in my heart and soul that it’s possible, and I know if I take an oral steroid and it goes away then I will never know if all of the work I have been doing with the natural methods will heal me if I give it enough time, and I also have a strong feeling it would keep coming back until I addressed the root cause.

The other thing I was doing was OBSESSSIVELY researching alternative healing methods. I have gotten thousands (literally, maybe tens of thousands — THANK YOU ) recommendations from you guys, I have done a lot of reading, and here is what I have come up with…

Holistic methods of healing //

– WATER FASTING: This is something I have read endlessly about all year, and it is an amazing option for people with chronic skin disorders and so many other health problems. (For me specifically, for my fibroid and and also parasites / tapeworms beyond the skin issues.) I wrote a full post on it here that really breaks it all down. I also just booked myself a 3 week stay at True North Healing Center in Santa Rosa for May (the earliest I could be accommodated) to do a medically guided water fast. This will be news to anyone in my life reading, as I literally just booked it today.

I can’t yet speak to whether it will 100% work for me or not, but I have been incorporating once a week water fasts (on Mondays) into my life and if anything they are helping more than they are hurting. I just feel like I will need a longer, more serious fast to really nip this issue in the bud.

– THE MEDICAL MEDIUM APPROACH (A.K.A. RAW FOODS): This approach is crazy interesting. His 28-day healing cleanse is outlined in this book, but beyond that I have devoured all of his books in the last few weeks. He posts about remarkable healing stories of eczema/hives on his Instagram almost daily… and it’s hard not to believe how much it works. It is tough for me to fully dive into the Medical Medium healing approach because it is an all raw vegan diet. I can do vegan, but raw is a lot. And not only raw, but a LOT of fruit.

After reading his books I have been enlightened about the vast health benefits of fruit. I actually feel so sad that I cut it out of my life pretty much entirely for the last few years, because I was missing out on the key nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and healing properties it provides.

Now I am kind of at a crossroads where I really want to follow my his advice because A) it comes straight from Spirit (it’s all channeled), B) everything he says makes SO MUCH SENSE to me on a cellular and psychological level, C) the proof is in the pudding with how many people he has cured through this diet and way of life, D) I love fruit and the diet sounds delicious, and E) I WANT TO HEAL.

But the only reason I am having trouble reconciling doing it is because the last time I was a raw vegan, eating tons of fruit and juicing all day… it took me down a slippery slope. I developed a pretty gnarly eating disorder. And even though I am confident that wouldn’t happen again in the same way, I have spent many years unlearning the super restrictive way of life and I will have to be very dedicated with his diet if I want to it work and to heal me.

So for now I am doing a modified version… I am plant-based at the moment, eating fruit, but also still eating cooked veggies and some grains / legumes. We will see if I decide to venture further, and if I do it will be because I have done the research & feel comfortable and confident mentally to full throttle dive in.

– COLD SHOWERS: This might seem like an obvious, but I am here to tell you IT REALLY WORKS! As a lover of hot baths, the steamiest showers, and soaking in the bath for hours and hours on end DAILY… it has been a huge bummer to not be able to do any of those things. I am not good with cold showers, they took a lot of getting used to for me. But now that I have experienced how calming they are for my skin, I highly recommend them especially before bed.

– AND ICE PACKS! I am lucky enough to have the sweetest boyfriend on the planet who legitimately won’t let me sleep unless I have my ice pack.

– SIMPLE, EASY TO DIGEST FOODS: When the body is working hard to break down food, it can’t work to heal. Skin disorders are a reflection of what is going on inside, so cleaning up from the inside out is super important.

– NO ALCOHOL: It has been a while since I have been able to handle much alcohol, but with these skin issues it is an absolute, 100% no. My liver is working hard enough as it is to process what is going on in my body and with my skin. Plus, with the HEAT in my body/blood… I do not need anything that is going to increase that heat even more.

– ACUPUNCTURE, CUPPING & AYURVEDA: Listen to this week’s podcast episode with Kara to hear about how acupuncture has helped. And read my Panchakarma post to read about how Ayurveda has helped. Cupping has helped a lot, but only after my back was healed enough to handle it. During the worst of the rashes there would have been no chance of cupping my back. We cupped my neck during the worst of the rashes and my neck literally turned BLACK.

– TONS OF WATER!!!: Another obvious, but it really gets the toxins moving and with rashes, there are so many built up toxins that need to be released from the system.

– ENEMAS: This is something I will talk more about in a dedicated post because there is a lot of info I want to provide, but I have been doing enemas at home almost every day since my Panchakarma. I switch between coffee enemas, chlorophyll, and organic sesame oil. The oil enema nourishes the colon and attaches to parasites/free radicals and pulls them out. It is very gentle and you can hold it in for 30-45 mins or so.

The water-based ones are more intense, and while you can hold for 15 minutes it can be VERY hard to do that. Like I said, they’re intense. But they also pull everything out and bind to free radicals and toxins. For people suffering from skin disorders, they are a godsend because we want to release all of those toxins and any buildup.

But you must be very careful administering enemas yourself. It can be easy to develop hemorrhoids if you do them too often and don’t do them properly. Also make sure you get all the air out first or else you’ll get a ton of gas inside of you which is not comfy. I studied the therapists at Surya Spa for seven days in a row before I attempted my own, so just proceed with caution if this is a route you decide to go down.

– ALL NATURAL ERRRYTHANG: I have switched all of my soaps, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, detergents, etc. over to natural and I am STILL convinced most of them are not even natural enough for me. I basically need to bathe myself in cold filtered water with nothing in it if I want zero skin irritation, but right now I will take what I can get.

– REIKI & CRANIAL SACRAL THERAPY: These treatments have been so healing to me during this time, especially because they relax my nervous system and help me focus on the bigger picture versus just my skin being on fire. During reiki sessions I am able to dig deep and ask my body where this is all coming from, how I can help, and what I need to do. <3

– ALOE VERA & COCONUT OIL: I have been using a lot of chilled aloe & coconut oil to ease the itching, and while it’s not perfect it does provide some relief.

WHAT CAUSED MY RASHES?

I think for me it was a mix of the parasites / tapeworms in my gut, a spiritual upleveling that has completely taken my mind, body and soul for a loop, my body screaming at me to slow down and take a ton of stress off of my plate, and a reaction to certain foods / the environment.

Where I am now //

My rash is definitely healing, but I know I still have a long road ahead of me. I would say it’s about 30% healed. It’s not acute to the point where I can’t move or do light exercise or be present in my daily life… but it is extremely itchy and takes up the majority of my thoughts throughout the day.

The worst parts are currently on my arms, neck, and back. My legs have finally really begun to heal. My stomach is the only area that really responded well to the topical steroid I used (that I got from the dermatologist in November), because I believe that area was more eczema than hives.

I am not opposed to western medicine at all, in fact I think it’s amazing for so many different conditions and emergencies. But for me at this season in my life, I feel the pull toward the holistic so I am listening to that little, but strong voice inside of my head.

I will take an oral steroid if the rashes on my neck continue to worsen (they have taken a pretty bad turn the last couple of days…) but I hope I don’t have to. I am very, very much looking forward to my 3 week water fast in May and will DEFINITELY update you guys on how that works for my skin and the rest of my conditions.

I will also be seeing my functional medicine doctor and an allergist soon, because I still do have a sneaking suspicion that some allergies are behind this.

The most important things for me moving forward with healing are…

+ lots of rest, and unapologetically DOING ME

+ trying to keep the stress load very low

+ eating a whole foods, plant-based diet with some bone broth sprinkled in

+ water fasting once weekly, with my big one coming up

+ staying out of the major heat & only doing light workouts

+ no alcohol and very, very minimal sugar

+ TONS of self-care, very few baths (sad)

To anyone who is dealing with eczema, hives, chronic rashes, cystic acne, or any other skin issue that comes deep from within… I FEEL YOU. You are not alone. We’ve got this, and together we can heal one another.

I just now, as of this week, feel like I am getting my life back. And I hope the same for you.

If you have recommendations or your own story to share, please leave them in the comments below! I am not actively seeking recs at the moment because I can only try so many things at once, but maybe your recs will help someone else who is in the midst of the pain right now. <3

Nursing home workers charged after a WWII vet was left alone to die

The World War II vet threw one of his legs over the edge of his hospital bed, gasped for air and called out desperately to an empty room: “Help me, help me, help me.” Minutes later, 89-year-old James Dempsey, who had pressed a call button in his room, cried out again: “Help me. Help me. Help.” It was early […]

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Loving Lately // 2.21.18

Happy Wednesday my loves, and yay for a new podcast episode today with my amazing acupuncturist & Doctor of Oriental Medicine… Kara MoraMarco! You can listen here, or on the podcast section of the blog. We are giving away one free LOVE CUPPING session with Kara (!!!) for those who subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, leave a rating and a review, AND follow HER on Instagram!

(P.S. if you’ve never rated & reviewed a podcast, all you have to do is type ‘The Balanced Blonde Podcast’ into the iTunes Store Podcast section, click on ‘Ratings & Reviews’ and then click on the stars to rate and ‘Write a Review’ to review! Simpler than it sounds.)

SO STOKED, because I am a firm believer that everyone needs to get cupped and see for themselves how amazing the practice is. Kara uses & sells heart-shaped cups (she and her mom invented them) so that’s why her sessions are called love cupping sessions.

We tried to answer as many FAQ’s about acupuncture, cupping, Oriental Medicine, herbs, treatment for eczema / hives / female issues / hormones as possible… so let us know below if you have further questions!

Now it’s time for a LOVING LATELY, my longtime favorite way to connect with you guys on the blog. If you’re new to the bloggy, these posts are basically where I share in list format what I am obsessed with lately, things I think you’ll like to check out, etc. It’s fun. I love a good list.

Loving Lately // 2.21.18

1. Checking my email ONCE a day or less!

Okay this might sound crazy for any entrepreneur / business owner, but checking my email once a day OR LESS has been the hugest saving grace & most amazing positive change in my daily life. For YEARS I felt like I was chained to my email, which was a shame because I built this blog & lifestyle so that I could have a super flexible schedule with lots of time to be creative, play, do yoga, connect with people who inspire me, reflect on new ideas, meditate, create content, the list goes on. That list does not really include email.

Of course emailing is a facet of my business and any business, so it’s gotta get done & also get done in a relatively timely manner, but if someone is getting a response within 24-48 hours of sending a request or message… I think that is pretty darn timely. And if I miss a window of opportunity because something was super urgent, it probably wasn’t my kind of opportunity to begin with. This is something I really learned to accept when I was in Bali — when I took TWELVE DAYS away from email completely — because I did miss a lot of cool opportunities and brand partnerships that needed immediate responses, and it was pretty amazing to me HOW EASY IT WAS FOR ME TO ACCEPT that those opps weren’t meant for me in the first place.

No sweat off my back, at all. Because when we take the approach that life is abundant, that there are an abundance of opportunities that are meant for us and will make their way to us when we are open to them, there is no such thing as a missed opportunity. Because it literally wasn’t meant for us in the first place. And I am here to say for everything that I “missed” because I wasn’t able to respond while on vacation in Bali with the love of my life… ten times bigger & better things have taken their place. Because those original things simply weren’t for me — and I hope whoever those opportunities went to had their lives & workflows enhanced because those opps were for THEM.

The solo hike I went on this week (and it started RAINING out of NOWHERE! It was so beautiful I cried) because I ditched my email for the afternoon to ground & EARTH.

Anyway, I digress. Checking my email once a day has opened me up to do all of the things I always dreamed of doing but felt I didn’t have time for. Getting outside daily, either by solo hiking (where I get all of my best thinking done), going on a walk with one of my best friends, going to the beach, or taking myself on an adventure where I feel completely in the flow. It also gives my brain a rest to wake up and know that I am not going to be chained to my email — I can wake up, do my morning routine, take a yoga class, give Huddy my undivided attention, write a blog post, record a podcast episode, and THEN check email for an hour or less… it’s brilliant and why wasn’t I doing this ALWAYS?!?!

This book really helped me when it came to learning how to use time more efficiently and not be 100% tied to my email. Highly recommend!

2. Spending time offline with my love at the Ojai Valley Inn last week & weekend!

Between the two of us and our crazy schedules, getting away to a quiet, serene, relaxing area awayyyy from the cities every so often is exactly what we need. We got to relax, ride bikes, get massages, see Nicola (you can listen to my podcast episode with her here, she is AMAZING) for energy alchemy sessions, try out some delicious vegetarian restaurants in downtown Ojai, explore, and soak in each other’s love.

The hotel is truly one of my favorite places in the world. I stayed there for the first time about a year ago for my best friend Danielle’s birthday, and we all feel deeply in love with the serenity, the stunning grounds, and the way it somehow feels just like home.

Their apothecary is truly GOLD! I could get lost in there for hours. And our room was right across the way!

They were also super accommodating with all of my food sensitivities & difficulties right now (try coming off of a full Panchakarma + liver cleanse and having hives / eczema / parasites / more and then going right into a vacation… #eek) which I so, so, so appreciate.

The Ojai Valley Inn has offered this code: TBBB2018 for 15% off of your stay if you book before May 31st, 2018 (the trip can be anytime from now until July 31st, 2018 — it just has to be booked by the end of May)! They are offering midweek trips but you can also do as we did and extend that stay through the weekend so you’re still getting a deal on some of your nights AND staying for part of the weekend. #TBBhacks

Pre-massages with my boo. The only thing we wished is that the massages were 10x as long because they felt SO GOOD – lol. The spa is also so nice… afterward I soaked in the steam room & sauna for HOURS, meditated, and blissed the heck out.

3. Starting to eat more foods again after my Panchakarma!

I started the Panchakarma diet about a week before my PK in January, which means I have pretty much been eating kitchari for every meal of 2018! I was even lucky enough to find an Ayurvedic restaurant in NYC to cater to my Ayurvedic obsessions. And more than just obsessions… important food preferences because of all of the health & gut stuff I have been going through lately.

I still kept up my kitchari & veggie routine in Ojai, but when I got back to LA something came over me and I knew I was ready to branch out a bit. I truly believe our bodies SPEAK to us and tell us exactly what they need, so I was fully ready to listen.

This smoothie was so delicious I can’t even handle it. I will share the full recipe soon but it’s very easy — butternut squash, spinach, almond milk, one date, mint leaves, blend!

I haven’t gone too crazy yet because my system is highly sensitive right now, especially after the liver cleanse I did last week, but I have been incorporating some smoothies (without ice so they don’t get too cold — cold is not good for my digestion), some super light granolas (I love a brand from Erewhon right now that is called Canopy Clusters), a bit more fruit (bananas, dates, apples), and a few super healthy desserts (of course, also from Erewhon). I missed the dessert life so much… we all know I’m a chocolate junkie.

I am also back on my elixir train, drinking my beloved dandelion tea and chaga! I have a lot of fun RECIPES to come… expect some of the ingredients in my below fridge photo to be included.

So many of my faves lately below…!

4. So many discounts & codes for you guys lately!

I have had so many awesome podcast sponsors & brand partners lately I thought it would be easy to put a bunch of the codes & links in the same place so you can get some free + discounted stuff! Ready?

FOUR SIGMATIC: Go to FourSigmatic.com/BLONDE for 15% of all mushroom coffee, matcha, medicinal shrooms, ALLL the goods! I literally live and breathe this brand. Current faves are caffeine-free chaga, and the new mushroom hot cacao blend!
THRIVE MARKET: Head to ThriveMarket.com/BLONDE for $60 worth of free groceries (literally no strings attached), free shipping, and a free 30-day trial on their website! They are an online marketplace for premium food, home products, body products, etc. I buy almost all of my groceries & home products there at this point!
WOO FOR PLAY: Head to WOOFORPLAY.COM and use the code BLONDE at checkout (this one is not a link, but a code!) for 10% off of all products. This is the coconut oil based lube I was talking about in last week’s episode… 100% natural, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and it feels amazing (and will make sex feel 10x better, I promise).
HUM NUTRITION: Go to HUMNUTRITION.COM and use the code SOUL for 20% off of your first order. They are an amazing line of all-natural supplements (think beauty, sleep, anti-aging, skin, detox, etc.) that I have been taking for YEARS and swear by. My fave is the “Skinny Bird” because it always helps clean me out.

5. COLLAGEN EVERYTHANNNGGG!

Now that I am able to incorporate my usual supplements, powders, teas, elixirs, etc. back into my life again post-MASSIVE HIVES breakout (okay I still have them but they’re starting to go away) I have been back on the collagen train like crazy.

My favorite collagen for the longest time has been Vital Proteins, and specifically their Matcha Collagen because it is the perfect blend of matcha deliciousness with the boost of collagen for hair, skin, nails, and joints. Collagen also just makes me feel amazing in general… it is the key thing I take that I notice a difference with on the daily.

I have a super yummy Matcha Collagen raw chocolate chip ball recipe coming at you this week, soooo get excited because it’s probably the most delicious dessert I have made in a while. Maybe also because it was the first dessert I had since before my Panchakarma so it was crazy exciting to indulge!

You can also check out Vital Proteins’ Coconut Collagen Creamer, which I also use daily — usually in a smoothie for me since I’ve been off of coffee. AND their Collagen Beauty Waters, my fave is the Lavender Lemon.

Just get some collagen into your life whatever you do because you’ll feel amazing. <3

6. VULNERABILITY & OPENNESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

I have long been a proponent of sharing our real, raw, from the heart, true lives on social media. (OMG, anyone remember the True Life series on MTV?! LOL I just thought of it when I said that…. oh boy.)

But I really have, and to me sharing from the heart feels as natural as anything else. It’s sharing things that I am not passionate about or that I don’t feel in alignment with that don’t feel natural to me.

I am completely obsessed with Lauryn Evarts’ of The Skinny Confidential’s post from yesterday, To You, From Me about losing her mom when she was in high school. It struck me on such a deep level for so many reasons, but specifically because she has been blogging for 8 years and decided now to share that incredibly personal part of her life publicly for the first time ever.

I respect Lauryn and any blogger who chooses to keep the deepest, most vulnerable parts of their private lives PRIVATE (there is no reason to spill painful details if it doesn’t serve you to do so), and I also commend the shit out of her for sharing and opening up because she knows how much it will help and impact her readers.

The way she describes how she KNEW it was time to share is exactly how I felt when I shared my first solo episode on my podcast. The episode was about the biggest trauma in my life, similar to Lauryn, something that shook me to my core and that without that experience… I would not be me today.

I never planned to talk about it on my blog or podcast exactly, but one day I woke up, walked to my computer and started recording. It flowed out of me and was the most cathartic thing I have ever, ever done.

The best part is that I learned SO MANY PEOPLE have been in the exact same boat, and we can all support each other & lean on each other. We are NOT alone.

Read Lauryn’s post and if you’ve never listened to my first solo episode… perhaps now is the time if you feel called to. I think it is my proudest blogging / podcasting moment, because it’s JUST. ME. And it’s who I am, where I’ve been. It’s what shaped me.

OKAYYYY on that note. Because I can’t really follow that up, it’s too important. I will head off for now (to acupuncture with Kara!) & say I LOVE YOU. Enter our love cupping giveaway, check out the codes I’ve provided above, try some collagen in your life, use that code to get a discounted stay in OJAI (!!!), and BE VULNERABLE & RAW in your every day life — you never know who it will help. <3 XOXOXO

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My Panchakarma Experience

Hi guys! It’s finally time to share in depth about my latest 7-day Panchakarma! I know I have written a few mini recaps like my reflections during the PK, my water fasting details, and my kitchari recipes (#yum), but now I am ready to share with you my full shebang of an experience.

I took my time before sitting down to write this recap because I really wanted to let the full experience, and the aftermath, sink in. I have continued the Ayurvedic lifestyle and I’m doing more treatments at Surya Spa post-PK because my body has needed and craved it, which I will also get into. So even though I finished the Panchakarma about three weeks ago, it still feels like I have been *in* the experience and lifestyle the whole time!

So let’s just start from the very beginning.

Also, for those reading who may not have read my previous Panchakarma posts, read this post first because it will explain & break down what the treatment is!

Booking the Panchakarma //

I booked this specific Panchakarma for a lot of reasons.

I did a 5-day PK in 2016 with my Ayurvedic practitioner Anjali (do you guys remember her from our podcast episode?!) During that experience I did not use technology, didn’t speak to anyone (including my mom which is NUTS for me) for the entire duration of the 5-day treatments, felt more spiritually in tune than ever in my life, released so much negativity and pent up resentment and pain, and also got my dosha back into balance. I felt AMAZING and I know at that time I was glowing from the inside out.

Fast forward to late 2017. My health was no longer as bright and glowy as it was after my first PK. Many of you know this but by late last year I was suffering from severe, debilitating eczema, a painful uterine fibroid, major gut health and digestion issues, hormonal imbalances, skin inflammation, and THEN to top it all off… the worst full body hives I could have ever imagined. Before the hives even occurred though, my amazing bodywork specialist Lauren Roxburgh (the body WHISPERER!) intuited while she was working on me, “I think you need to go to Surya for a full Panchakarma!”

WHAT?! I had already been thinking about it and feeling the deep internal calling to do one, but I also knew that my schedule was insane and carving out a full 7 days, plus the weeklong prep period and the downtime afterward would be next to impossible. Or so it felt — because now I know, nothing is impossible when our health is calling and our body is speaking to us.

So back in November when Lo and I had this conversation, I went ahead and booked a four day PK at Surya for the middle of January. That gave me plenty of time to keep my schedule open and prepare. Even though it was just days leading up to the retreat I hosted in Palm Springs with Kelsey Patel and then a weeklong trip to NYC, I thought, “No problem! I’ve got this! Relaxation and bliss before the craziness.”

Only after that conversation & booking did my digestion blow UP in Bali ( because of having way, way too many foods and bevs I was allergic to, plus the travel and crazy time difference and being out of my routine) and then my skin BLOW UP in turn. On January 2nd I woke up with red, inflamed, cracking, bleeding, on FIRE hives from the crown of my head to the tip of my toes. The rash wrapped around my chin, neck, stomach, back, and legs in a way that made it look like I was having a cutaneous drug rash reaction. That’s what dermatologists told me at least… and it turns out they were very wrong but we will get to that!

So little did I know when I booked that four day PK back in November, that by mid-January my health would be a wreck and my entire system would be begging for a serious break and recharge.

Starting the Experience //

In the days and weeks leading up to the PK, my heart and soul started to deeply crave and yearn for the experience to start. My body knew something so amazing, blissful and relaxing was coming… and I needed it so badly. I was still trying to tell myself that four days would be fine and enough, totally neglecting the fact that last time I did a five day PK I was perfectly healthy in many ways going into it, and this time I simply was not even close to being HALFWAY healthy. I couldn’t even lay down in bed because of the rash on my back, so I truly was not sleeping for at least two weeks before the treatments started.

I had been to Surya in the past for one day treatments, so I knew that the owner & head Ayurvedic doctor Martha Soffer was a brilliant goddess. I am sure you’ve heard me sing her praises many times now if you follow me on Instagram or have read my previous recap posts! She is OTHERWORLDLY with her brilliance in diagnosing, treating, and taking care of her patients. (I believe they call them clients at Surya, but in my eyes we are totally patients. We are being taken care of in the best way.)

When Martha came into my room on that first day I was laying under the covers and the lights were off. She took my pulse, and she immediately said, “Eczema?”

And I said, “YES!” thinking that she could see my skin, but I realized right away that she was getting this info from my pulse and not even from looking at me yet. Like I said, #brilliant.

She felt the crazy intense amount of heat in my blood through my pulse and by looking at my tongue. Right away her hypothesis was that I had parasites, and she told me to look out for them throughout the PK as we would be releasing so many toxins that they would start coming out if I had any.

Then I showed her my skin, and she told me that doing the full recommended seven days would be highly beneficial for me. I told her I was committed to hosting a retreat in Palm Springs that weekend but that I could come back the following week for three more days before I left for NYC, and she said that would be fine.

So right away my PK went from four days to seven days, and my whole body, mind and soul felt relieved. I knew how much I needed this.

The treatments & being technology-free //

From Day One through Day Four I turned my phone completely off, and did not touch my computer (other than to email my mom one time!). Jonathan and I had decided beforehand that I would fully dive into the experience, come home and rest and read every day like my first PK, and just CHILL. A.k.a, we didn’t see each other or talk at all.

That part was way harder than both of us anticipated… there have been so many times when the two of us are in different countries, SO MANY time zones away from each other and hardly able to talk, but somehow not talking at all is harder. I think it was less hard for me because I was doing such deep, internal healing work and getting the treatments every day… but I couldn’t help but miss him so much at night and just want to say goodnight and I love you.

I did send my mom an email during the experience because she begged me to update her midway through! My skin was so, so, SO messed up when I started the PK that I was considering going to the hospital… so I understood her concern and wanted to honor my promise. I sent her an email during Day Two (while I was water fasting!) and typing it out to her felt like writing a massive blog post, which was SO MUCH FUN. I never communicate with my family via email, so it was kind of a fun switch up. I am pasting a paragraph from my email to her below so you can see:

Excerpt from email to my mom during PK:

The head doctor Marta is AMAZING (!!!!!). You should look her up, she is very well known. Her name is Martha Soffer but pronounced Marta. You’ll find tons of articles on her. She has me doing a WATER FAST today, tomorrow, and most likely Thursday. That means I am eating no food at all. That way the body can focus on healing the ailments vs. digesting food. If you’re wary about it you should look up articles by Dr. Joel Fuhrman on water fasting — they treat fibroids as well.

So far I feel really good… I have also been doing enemas every day (basti is what they call them in Ayurveda). Today I did a coffee enema and yesterday I did an oil one. Tomorrow they will have me do a chamomile one.

The rash on my back is still terrible and same with my arms and legs. Now it’s wrapped around my sides and my stomach. Marta thinks that four days won’t be quite enough to fully detox me because I am SO filled with toxins in my liver / kidneys etc. So she is having me come back Monday, Tues, Weds of next week after I get back from Palm Springs so I will technically be doing a 7 day Panchakarma with a break in the middle. But next week I will have to be back on phone / computer when I’m not at Surya and that’s okay. She also thinks the rash stems from parasites emotional trauma and prolonged stress. We have been doing cooling treatments every day since it’s a “pitta” imbalance and pitta in Ayurveda means fire. I am a pitta dosha so it is just way out of balance right now.

The Panchakarma is amazing and really so much more intense than my last one because I am coming from such a less healthy place with my skin and stomach. Here they do very rigorous and thorough treatments of all kinds (the enema, the diet / water fasting, liver cleansing, multiple treatments per day, lots of rest, etc.) and is designed to really HEAL the body from the inside out. Everyone there says that a full Panchakarma is the best thing you can do for eczema, so hopefully it really works.

It is also the most enjoyable thing ever and so relaxing. I am going to see my acupuncturist after this. Then I will be resting, reading, sleeping and watching Vanderpump most likely.

Then I went on and on to tell her that Hudson and my neighbor’s dog played all afternoon and that Hud was passed out from exhaustion in the window afterward! Too much. Hopefully you can see from the email that I was on CLOUD NINE and feeling really good from the treatments, even though my skin was still in so much pain.

That week I was doing morning treatments, meaning that I was at Surya from 9:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. every day. We started the treatments each day with Abhyanga, a hot herbal oil massage administered by two therapists at once in synchronicity on both sides of the body. It feels amazing and brings all of the toxins to one place in your body (the colon) so that you can release them. Depending on what other treatments you are getting that day, the abhyanga can last from anywhere to an hour to over two hours.

After that the treatments differ each day depending on your dosha, your imbalances, and where you are in your healing process. Mostly every day that I was there I got a Pinda Sweda, which is a type of Ayurvedic massage that is done with warm medicated herbal oils and herb bags. Mine had rice and hot milk in them which was used on my skin to release the HEAT and excess inflammation in my body. To be honest, it was excruciatingly uncomfortable because of my rashes but the discomfort is also how I knew it was working.

After each Pinda my skin would feel on FIRE but my body would feel cold at the same time. This was my first PK experience where I wasn’t in total physical relaxation and bliss the whole time because when you have serious inflammation and you’re getting a Pinda… it does not feel awesome. But I so, so needed it and I knew that is what I was there for — to HEAL.

Then I would take a cold shower and come back to the treatment table for a basti, which is an enema. We rotated every day from a coffee basti, to an oil basti, to a chlorophyll basti, and back to coffee. This part of the process was so important for me because I have so many toxins and parasites that needed to be released, and this is such a holistic and effective way to do that.

After that, I would get my shirodhara, which for me every day was cold coconut milk dripped onto my third eye for about 30-45 minutes versus the warm herbal oil that is often used. I had a lot of heat in my head that Martha could feel, so we continued to cooling shiro’s the whole time for me.

Some days I would also do an ionic foot bath, which I fell in LOVE WITH (!!!) because not only does it draw toxins out from your feet into the water, but it also turns the water a DIFFERENT COLOR depending on what toxins are being drawn out. I saw heavy metals, candida, air pollution, skin disorder toxins, and so much more coming out into the water through the colors. It was gnarly.

Other days I would do a ginger foot bath, which is also highly detoxifying. And easy to make at home! It’s literally just ginger boiled in hot water that you then soak your feet in.

All of this to say, all of this detoxing is amazing and totally exhausting at the same time. I needed (and still need!) SO much sleep and rest while my body processed all of this deep, deep healing.

What else did I do every day? //

After the treatments Surya serves lunch, which is always a mung soup with Indian basmati rice and lightly sautéed or steamed veggies — always DELICIOUS. Then I would take a walk around the gorgeous area that Surya is located in the Palisades and look out at the ocean, taking it all in. I found that not being on my phone gave me the beautiful, simple pleasure of enjoying the MOMENT and soaking in the beauty around me for exactly what it was, instead of trying to capture it like I always do when my phone is on me.

After that I would come home each day, relax with Huddy, read, write, research all of the health things I was becoming fascinated with (water fasting, fasting for healing, alternative healing methods for rashes and fibroids, etc.), watch a documentary or two (HIGHLY RECOMMEND the doc HEAL!), and go to bed early. It was a DREAM.

Water fasting during PK //

As you saw in my email to my mom during the PK, I went on a 3-day water fast during the Panchakarma. So the delicious lunch I talked about above is something I only got to enjoy on my first day, and then again the following week when I came back for an additional 3 days!

The water fast itself was surreal in so many ways. I felt so spiritually connected to the plants, the ocean, the wind, the cosmos, people who have passed on, and so much more. I was getting major MESSAGES from people who are in other realms while I was getting my shirodhara — which was SO COOL. I think that removing the filter of digestion, when done for healing purposes, and fasting only on water takes our body to a whole new level of awareness and closeness to the earth. It was truly remarkable.

Physically, the water fast was easier than I thought it would be in many ways. My body was doing such heavy detox during the PK I already felt exhausted, so adding more exhaustion (no food!) to my plate was a lot — but I was there for true healing so I wanted to give the experience my all in every way. It was nice to come home and have no responsibilities because I made so much time for myself and my healing that week. I would just come home and LAY DOWN, sometimes falling asleep, because my body was doing so much healing work.

I loved the fasting experience so much that I’ve decided to do weekly water fasts from here on out. Not only is it deeply healing for so many of my health conditions, but it also gives me a reason to slow down every week, which has been my greatest intention for almost two years now. The weekly water fasting was prescribed to me by Martha for my rashes, fibroid, health maintenance, and overall healing.

Parasites & Tapeworms //

I will keep this section brief because I plan to do a whole dedicated blog post on this subject because so many of you have asked me to go into detail about this!

I’ve known that I have had parasites off and on because they showed up in a stool test I did with my Functional Medicine Doctor two years ago, and then again this past year. Both times he put me on an antibiotic regimen to get rid of them, so I figured they were gone.

About three months ago I noticed something on my skin that seemed really odd… almost like a raised, red blister that was extremely painful to the touch on my inner thigh. At first I was worried about it because I had never seen anything like it and it was SO painful, but shortly afterward I started getting the full-body hives my terrible eczema worsened so I almost forgot about the little patch on my leg that I was worried about.

Fast forward to the PK, when Martha told me that I likely had parasites. Once we got the toxins moving through my body, the parasites started to come through me. I have seen so, so, so many come out at this point. I know it’s disgusting, but I am also SO GLAD they are leaving my body. Martha pinpointed that most of them coming out are tapeworms… so I know the type that I have which is helpful, albeit horrifying to know that I have tapeworms.

Well, TODAY I finally put two and two together that the painful patch on my skin that I had dismissed as a weird rash is actually a tapeworm. I googled it and wanted to die when I realized it looked exactly like the images I was googling for “tapeworms under skin.” (Don’t look it up unless you think you have one — it’s seriously gross.) I don’t think that particular one can be released through this liver cleanse that I am currently doing since it is UNDER my skin on my leg… so I will likely have to see a dermatologist to remove it. (Ew, but at least I know now.)

Martha also put me on an herbal parasite killer called HumaWorm that I would highly recommend to anyone who has parasites or tapeworms in their body. I have no idea how I got mine, but it could have been from contaminated water or food, traveling, a sponge I’ve used to clean my dishes, a veggie from the farmer’s market, ANYTHING. Scary.

The Aftermath //

After my seventh day, I was truly depressed that the PK was over. I grew so comfortable in my routine of going to Surya every day to get the treatments. I was seeing massive improvement in my skin, I was eating food again by the end of the PK, and felt so close to Martha and all of the therapists there! Everyone at Surya is incredible and they make you feel right at home. I also knew that I had so much more healing to do, I was worried that I would backslide without being in that healing environment with the permission to SLOW DOWN every day.

I had a consultation with Martha before I left to make sure that I was carrying the benefits of the Ayurvedic lifestyle with me so that I could continue to feel better and better. She put me on a protocol that has been EXTREMELY helpful where I… take a tablespoon of olive oil every morning for my liver, drink two glasses of warm water, give myself an herbal oil abhyanga massage every morning, do TM and light yoga before I check any technology, eat kitchari and COOKED veggies for breakfast, lunch and dinner (while I heal), and do a weekly water fast every Monday to continue healing.

Everyone’s bodies are very different but this is what works best for me right now. Yes, that means I am completely plant-based right now which is also anti-inflammatory… and my body is loving it. With the abundance of legumes and grains, I feel satiated and so nourished. The last time I was plant-based (which you can read about here) I was pretty much fully raw and all about the smoothies and juices, so this couldn’t feel more different. I am not labeling myself because who knows how I will feel as time goes on, but right now this is really working for me.

The MENTAL benefits have also been so, so significant. My experience this time was much different than last time in that my body, mind and soul have all been working to heal, heal, heal. Last time, I was exploring all sorts of spiritual awakening and ideas. This time my energy is consolidated and I am just trying to feel better and get well again. I still had some major epiphanies, specifically about slowing down and taking REAL care of myself instead of the go-go-go and THEN take care of myself pace that I had been so used to.

I also got the clear wakeup call that alcohol just isn’t for me during my PK. I have hardly drank for the last few years… I can count on two hands the amount of times I had alcohol in 2017. But I was still into drinking socially when it felt right. Now I just have zero desire. My body feels so taxed as it is, and alcohol intuitively feels like the most inflammatory, disrupting substance for my body at this time. I will drink lightly if I feel inspired to in the future, but right now I am seeing 2018 as a fully alcohol-free year for me. <3 It came to me LOUD & CLEAR from the cosmos during my PK, so I am listening!

My rashes are improving but not fully gone. Hopefully the below liver cleanse will help a lot as I continue to heal.

Liver Cleanse //

During my consultation with Martha we also decided I would come back to Surya to do a liver cleanse in conjunction with the New Moon… which is tomorrow! Valentine’s Day!

The liver cleanse is a six day treatment that includes drinking malic acid every day (to bring all toxins into the liver so they can be eliminated), 3 coffee bastis (one at the beginning, one in the middle, one at the end), a kitchari and cooked veggie diet, and then on the 5th night (tonight for me… eek!) drinking epson salt, olive oil and a bit of grapefruit juice. It will be a major detox for my liver and gallbladder.

I know it will be so good for my skin and organs. People tell me that after a liver cleanse you feel RADIANT and amazing… so, I absolutely cannot wait to experience the benefits! They also say that I will feel very wiped out tomorrow morning… so when J and I drive to Ojai for Valentine’s Day I might be very bleh for a while until I get more energy!

Summing it all up //

It’s super difficult to sum up an experience like a Panchakarma in just a blog post. I seriously would like to write a book about my experiences, and continue to do PK’s here in LA at Surya seasonally, and also do an extended one in India sometime this year or next. I so deeply believe in the healing practices of Ayurveda and balancing our doshas to heal.

I am also considering going down the path of practicing Ayurveda. I am not sure what that will look like yet, but to add it into my current lifestyle and business feels so right, plus I just want to KNOW MORE. I also want to know more about kundalini, reiki, mediumship, and other forms of spiritual healing so WHO KNOWS what I will really pursue first — but eventually, it will be all of it.

If you have any PK questions, leave them below! I love answering them and highly recommend this treatment to anyone who needs to heal from the inside out, and anyone who is interested in preventative healing. It can be expensive, so starting small with a one day or three day treatment is always an option to see how it feels for you. I consider it to be a longterm investment in my health so I am happy to pay every last penny!