Wow, lately it seems as if the raw food perfectionists are coming out of the woodwork! I’m seeing lots of well known speakers, authors and coaches writing, blogging and speaking about how you have to be pure raw, or 100% raw, or some other variation of the term if you’re going to be healthy. Labels are silly and not helpful when one is just striving for incremental improvements in health.  A few posts ago, I used the phrase “progress, not perfection.” Here at Revitalive, we really and truly mean it! We always wants to encourage you to take healthy steps, whatever that might mean to you. We are all so different…we have unique fingerprints, unique biochemistries, etc. I respond differently to some foods than you do and vice versa. Some people have never smoked a cigarette, while others struggle to reduce their pack a day habit. You might thrive on a high fruit diet while it could make me very sick. It all depends on the individual, doesn’t it? There’s no one size fits all diet that will make you perfectly healthy and well. We believe, based on our personal experience, formal studies, and lots of research that a plant-based, raw and living vegan diet can help many people. But will you become 100% raw overnight? Probably not! In the meantime, instead of beating yourself up for not being perfect, why not celebrate each day with joy? Any positive changes you make are good changes, right? So keep on reaching for healthy foods, stretching on your yoga mat, and celebrating the many things that are right with your body…let your journey to health be a joyful one!

So it’s the third week of January…how are you doing with those New Year’s resolutions? If you’re struggling and feel as if you need to detoxify to recharge your body, try juicing or a green smoothie cleanse.

Juicing extracts all the fresh juices, vitamins, minerals and fiber from raw fruits and vegetables. It offers the benefits of eating those wonderful sources of enzymes and antioxidants without having to chow down on plates and plates of food!

A green smoothies is a great way to cleanse. Just pop a handful of green, leafy vegetables such as spinach into the blender along with water or fresh coconut water and raw fruit. A fresh berry and spinach smoothie tastes great and fills you up with the great nutrition of leafy greens.

While a regular blender can handle a simple green smoothie, you’ll want to invest in a powerful blender or juicer for regular at home raw drinks. We recommend the Omega or Green Star juicers; both offer convenience, power, and a reasonable price.

For those seeking a blender that can create blended drinks and yummy raw treats like raw “ice cream” made from frozen bananas and fruit, try theVitamix.  The plastic containers are BPA free, they’ve got lots of horsepower in the motor, and the stainless steel blades last a long, long time.

Don’t have a lot of cash to spare? Look for juicers and high quality blenders listed for free on places such as Freecycle.org, a free list serve for people seeking to trade or give away items and recycle them. While you may not find what you are looking for right away, you may come across one that someone is willing to give away. You can also find them at thrift shops such as Goodwill. 

So if you feel the need to cleanse and want a simple way to cleanse at home, try juicing or green smoothies.

Eating more fresh, wholesome raw foods does indeed encourage weight loss. Some of the reasons may seem obvious, others less so.

First, raw foods are naturally low in calories and high in fiber and nutrition. This combination makes you feel full and satisfied without packing on the calories. The high fiber content slows down the absorption of any naturally occurring sugars in fruit, for example, which prevents drastic spikes in blood glucose that can make you feel ravenously hungry or cause sudden rises and drops in your energy level.

Our bodies also eliminate waste more easily when we eat whole foods. Fiber not only gathers up all the leftovers from digestion, it whisks them out of the colon. The fibers in plant based foods, for example, act as little brushes sweeping up digestive debris and carrying it along the colon for elimination. If you’ve spent time and effort on detoxification, why not maintain this wonderful, clean state by only eating clean, fresh, healthy foods?

Eating more raw foods also displaces all the so-called high calorie “treats.” The more you shower your body with love by eating nurturing, healing foods, the less you’ll want foods that harm you.

So encourage natural, healthy weight loss. Give up the crash diets and crazy supplements. Embrace whole, raw foods.

The other day, I was reading the blog of a well-known raw food chef. Normally she’s upbeat and positive. She creates yummy recipes and exudes the goodness we associate with raw food diet followers; positive, joyful, upbeat. 

The reason this blog post stood out to me was the sheer honesty of it. No sugar coating the truth here, if you’ll pardon the expression. You see, her entire post was on how she’d indulged in sugary baked goods at an office holiday party…and how she felt afterwards. Crummy, as you can imagine. She spent a week focusing on detoxification to help her body deal with the sudden onslaught of not only cooked foods but sugar and white flour filled junk that she found herself eating when faced with the holiday cookie tray. 

Now here’s a gal who’s been raw for five years, and who lovingly guides many people through the raw food journey – and she over indulged at a party. As you can see, nobody is perfect! Yet I hear so many people beating themselves up if they’re not “perfect” on their diets. “Oh, I tried raw foods, but I couldn’t eat 100% raw, so I just gave up,” they tell me.   

Percentages are silly and are generally meaningless.  Statistics applied inappropriately do not provide any usable information.  I have seen several people that were 100% raw overeat 100% raw pies and gain a lot of weight. Eating an entire 100% raw pie is disasterous to your digestive system.  I have worked worked with several bulemic women that binged and purged on 100% raw carrots and bananas. The point is that as Ani Difranco says “Every tool is a weapon if you use it right.” We can harm ourselves in many ways with things that are generally beneficial. It all depends on the intention behind it. Am I eating to avoid living the life I want? Am I eating because I don’t know how to speak up to get my needs met? You get the idea.

Did you know that nature never, ever creates a perfectly straight line? Even if something looks straight to the naked eye, like a tree branch, it’s actually always slightly off.  That’s because perfection is an illusion. I want you to reread that sentence. Perfection is an illusion. Our friends in 12 step programs have the saying, “Progress, not perfection” and I sincerely wish that anyone reading this who is making positive steps towards eating better thinks about that statement a lot. 

There’s no such thing as perfection, no such thing as a perfect raw foodist. So stop beating yourself up. Just pick up right where you are, today! Every little step you take to enhance your health and well being, whether it’s weaning yourself away from a bad habit or cultivating a good habit, will help your body.

Temptations affect everyone. I don’t care how healthy you are, how much of a pure raw vegan you might be, or how committed you are to a healthy lifestyle…someday, somewhere the siren song of your particular weakness will call to you. Whether it’s sugar or white flour, cooked foods or fats, everyone’s got something that temps them. You can’t avoid all temptations. You can probably control your home environment to eliminate temptations, but what happens when you get to work? The donut and cookie tray is out and the meeting is boring. Those chocolate chips are staring you in the face. Temptation strikes.

Before succumbing to temptation, it’s a good idea to do one thing. Breathe. It sounds so silly, but taking a deep breath refocuses your mind on your body….and you’re all about a healthy body, right? You’ve given up a particular tempting food because you know it’s not the best thing for your health. By breathing deeply, you’re reminding yourself that you are taking good care of your body. You can choose health instead of succumbing to a temptation.

Another little trick I’ve learned along the way is to tell yourself, “Well, just for today, I’ll pass on this food.” It’s a neat trick because it puts no pressure on yourself, just moves your mind along away from the temptation and onto another thing. The mind shrugs and says, “Well, okay, if it’s just for today – I can live with that if maybe I can have that thing tomorrow.” Now here’s the trick. Tomorrow, tell yourself, “You know, you can have that thing tomorrow if you really want, but today we’re going to pass on it.” Before you know it, the temptation will fade away. This is a great mental trick to get yourself over any bad habit you’re trying to break, whether it’s overeating, indulging in sugar, or anything else.

We have found EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to be very helpful when dealing with cravings and temptation. Check out www.emofree.com.

It’s the new year, and so many people are focused on making changes that change is definitely in the air – you can practically smell it! Or maybe that’s another winter front coming through to dump snow on us. Who knows?

If you’ve vowed to lose weight this year, you’re not alone. By some estimates, several million people want to lose weight in any given year. Yet the statistics on how many people actually lose weight and keep it off are pretty depressing.

We can all list dozens of reasons why people aren’t successful at weight loss. But how about listing a few things to keep in mind that we’ve learned from people who are successful?

People who successfully lose weight…

Understand that weight loss is one day at a time. They don’t go for quick fix, crash diets that hurt their bodies. Instead, they make haste slowly and choose health one day at a time.
Simplify their diets. You don’t need fancy shakes, drinks or prepared foods. It’s real food, whole food, natural food that satisfies our bodies and provides all the nutrients we need to stay healthy. And not surprisingly, nature packs these goodies into low calorie packages.
Drink water. Preferably filtered water, but any water will do. Water is the best beverage for health. Green smoothies and juices are also helpful.

Cleanse. Your body can’t metabolize foods if it can’t shed excess waste. Cleanse, detoxify, and shed those extra pounds.
Move! Move your body…exercise doesn’t necessarily mean puffing away in a gym, although if that’s what you love then do it. Go for a walk, ride your bike, take a yoga class, bounce on a rebounder. Whatever you choose, movement is essential for keeping our bodies fit and healthy.

Make 2010 a great year. Focus on health and wellness rather than simply on weight loss. You can starve yourself on a cabbage soup diet and lose weight, but what will that do to your body? Love your body and nurture it with healthy daily choices.

A few more thoughts regarding cleansing as we head into the New Year!

You’ve heard about the toxins and chemicals found in your food, but there are many other toxins in your daily life that you might not be aware of … like chlorine from your shower water… or acetone from your nail polish… formaldehyde from your new clothes… and you’re even affected by cleaning products with bleach and other harsh additives.

But don’t worry! There are a handful of simple ways to start combating these toxins!

Try airing out your new clothes before you wear them and avoid the dry cleaners, as these are sources of questionable preservatives and treatments. Or get a filter for your showerhead (http://www.revitalive.com/store)The chlorine in your water becomes most hazardous when it becomes steam in your shower. Another quick fix is to change your cleaning products to more environmentally (and subsequently health) friendly cleansers.

WATER also plays an important role in the cleansing process on a day-to-day basis. We need to keep things fluid and moving! The general recommended amount of water is half your body weight in ounces every day.

Consider your body in terms of a “soup” or a “stew”. When we’re properly hydrated our body functions as a soup… vitamins and minerals are going where they need to go, nutrients are moving freely. But without enough water… our cells turn into more of a stew…slow moving, and thick, with the potential to clog passages, etc.

This imagery always gets through to me!

Another important cleansing key is EXERCISE! Movement allows all the toxins to be shaken up in your body, and once they’re dislodged, you can let your healthy and hydrated body flush them out. Colon hydrotherapy is a wonderful way to start flushing out toxins and hydrating the body as well.

Remember, these are GREAT starts! But there’s no substitute for the benefits the safe and structured lifestyle change programs that Revitalive offers.

So don’t forget to take advantage of the January Promotion!

$500 dollars OFF the 7 day cleanse, and $1000 dollars OFF the 14 day cleanse.

Both include three living foods meals a day, fresh-pressed vegetable juices, wheatgrass juice, continued education, personal coaching, and services including colon hydrotherapy, foot bath sessions and infrared sauna sessions!

Happy New Year! Let’s start 2010 off right!

Why Cleanse?

“It is easy to believe that toxins are assaulting us on all fronts, but the worst toxins are often within…” Anna Johnson. Three Black Skirts: All you need to Survive.

Its true! There is so much toxicity around us! From the idling of cars, to the fluoride in the dentist’s chair… we are exposed to an abundant amount of chemicals and toxins our bodies don’t approve of. But often the most damaging offenders are found right in our refrigerators and cabinets!

You might be familiar with Mental Stress (job related, relationship related), and Physical Stress (exercise or trauma related injuries)… but our bodies are also bombarded with Chemical Stress in the form of processed foods (and medication). These toxins are not designed to be in our bodies and they’re doing damage!

A big part of the cleansing process is to STOP putting these toxins in your body. The ones you can help anyway… like changing your diet to eliminate processed foods. And START structuring your diet around life-giving foods such as raw fruits and vegetables; foods that possess enzymes designed to produce healthy cells.

But just as important, is getting rid of the toxins that have already accumulated. Cleansing these toxins out with a combination of raw foods, colonics, footbaths, skin brushing, and regular exercise are the foundations of cleansing at Revitalive Heath and Wellness.

These toxins are clogging cells, and disrupting chemical and hormonal processes in your body… so once they’re gone, you can imagine how grateful your body will be!

You’ll see changes in your skin, weight loss, increased energy and better sleep!

But mentally too, cleansing is beneficial in improving your mood, and combating depression and anxiety. The chemicals in your body will be able to return to their intended functions without the disruptions of external (food) chemicals interfering.

It’s exciting to know that your body will respond positively as it returns to the way it was designed to function… chemical free! For a more in depth look at the benefits of cleansing take a look at this link. http://www.revitalive.com/benefits.html

Stay tuned for Thursday’s Blog Post, which will explain some simple changes you can make at home to start cleansing!

Also make sure to take advantage of the JANUARY PROMOTION Revitalive is offering! Sign up for a cleanse this January, and receive $500 off the 7 day cleanse, and $1000 off the 14 day cleanse! Email Anna for scheduling at revitalive@gmail.com

2010 is going to be your healthiest year yet!

We talked the last time about the lymphatic system. This is the series of organs, glands and ducts in the human body that provide immune system cells and transportation for many substances throughout the body. The main players in the lymphatic system are the bone marrow cells, the spleen, the tonsils, and the thymus. Lymph nodes are bean-shaped areas of tissue near the neck, groin and many other places in the body. They’re not solid, but rather honeycombed, and the lymphatic fluid flows through them. When you’ve got an infection, they become enlarged.

The lymphatic system is really the unsung hero of the body. Your lymphatic system is hard at work on the following tasks, day in and day out:

Maintaining fluid balance: the lymphatic system shuttles the fluid called plasma throughout the body. It makes sure that fluid levels stay balanced throughout your body.
Defend against invaders: The lymphatic system produces lymphocytes. These specialized cells defend against invading viruses, bacteria and other microbes. They protect you from catching a cold, flu or communicable disease.
Removes waste and excess fluid: this is closely linked with maintaining fluid balance, but it’s also an important cleansing function in the body. The lymphatic system sweeps clean the dead cells, toxins, and debris that hangs out between the body’s cells and the tissue spaces in between. As part of your body’s method of cleansing waste, it’s a critical but little discussed aspect of detoxification.

This is just a glimpse into the many functions of the lymphatic system. Although it’s a cursory look at this important body system, I hope it helps underscore the importance of taking care of your lymphatic system. As you can see, it sure is hard working – and sometimes, it needs a reward!

Did your high school have one of those life-sized plastic models of the human body? We had one at the front of the classroom. You remove plates that represented the skin, and all the organs of the body were life-sized. The teacher could pull out the liver, the heart, the stomach, the lungs and other organs when he was explaining their function. He also had pull-down charts at the front of the room depicting the various systems of the body. There was the circulatory system, the nervous system, the respiratory system, the digestive system….but there was one system that seemed to be missing: the lymphatic system.

If you were asked to list off the major systems of the body, I’d bet that you’d get most of them correct, but you’d probably forget the poor lymphatic system. It’s like the Rodney Dangerfield of the body; it gets no respect. And that’s a shame, because thanks to your lymphatic system, you’re alive and reading this today.

What is the lymphatic system? It’s a network of organs, ducts and tissues throughout the body that shuttle a clear fluid called lymph through the entire body. Inside the lymph is where magic happens. That’s where the immune system’s heavy hitters are transported from place to place.

Maybe it’s so hard to wrap our heads around the lymphatic system because it’s not as clear cut as, say, the circulatory system. We intuitively understand the circulatory system because we hear and feel our hearts beating; we see blood when we cut our fingers, and we understand that the heart has to pump blood around the body for oxygenation, nourishment, and more.

But the lymphatic system is vital to your health and well being. Not only does it move important players in the immune system from place to place, the lymphatic system is essential for removal of toxins. If your lymphatic system gets sick, you get very sick indeed.

For the next series of posts, let’s take a look at the lymphatic system – what is does, and how to keep it healthy. In the meantime, love your lymph – it certainly loves you.

One of the most common objections to exercise is lack of time. “I just don’t have time,” people say before rushing off to their next activity.

Do you have time to brush your teeth every day? Wash your face? Comb your hair? Of course you do! I like to think of exercise as something so essential, so basic that it’s like taking a shower or brushing my teeth…it’s just something I do everyday to look and feel my best.

One of the best ways to find time for exercise is to find something you like doing. If you love doing something, chances are you’ll find the time to do it. People find time to go to the movies, watch a favorite sitcom, or go out to dinner….all activities they love. It just goes to show that if you love something, you find time to do it. Don’t force yourself to engage in an activity you dislike. You’ll end up giving up and going right back to square one.

If you can’t think of any exercise you love to do, reflect on what you liked to do as a child. Did you enjoy riding your bicycle? How about going to the park and playing on the swing set? Many childhood pastimes, from riding bikes to jumping rope, also make wonderful exercises, and you’re never too old to be young again!

Here are some ideas to fit exercise into your day:

Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work if you can.
Go for a walk after dinner instead of watching television.
Stretch, practice yoga, or hop onto the rebounder instead of sitting on the couch while watching television.
Schedule a class, such as yoga, tai chi or dance, as you would an appointment. This way the time is blocked out on your calendar.
Get short bursts of exercise and movement in if you cannot squeeze in a longer block of exercise. Two 15-minute walks are better than no walks in a day!

So find something you love doing, and just move. Your body will thank you for it!

When the aerobics exercise craze hit the general pubic in the 1980’s, many people fell for the line that they had to “feel the burn” in order to get results from exercising. Exercising to the point of exhaustion is just one more way that people abuse their bodies. Gentle exercise does a body good, probably more good in the long run than exercising to the point of exhaustion.

Researchers used to believe that only strenuous aerobic exercise enhanced health. Today, we know better. For example, in years past diabetics were counseled that only aerobic exercise could lower glucose levels. Yet in October of 2009, new research from the University of Florida demonstrated that tai chi could be just as effective at helping diabetics lower blood glucose levels. The research, conducted by Beverly Roberts, Ph.D., R.N., assessed 62 participants for several months. Half of the participants practiced tai chi, a gentle series of flowing movements and stretches. Those who completed the study demonstrated significant improvements in glucose control and reported greater energy.

Tai chi is just one exercise that’s simple, gentle and effective. Hatha yoga builds strength and flexibility. Using a rebounder provides another gentle way to exercise.

Whether you choose to take a class or follow along with a video tape, DVD or book, these gentle and effective exercises can be practiced daily and from the comfort of your home.

So what are you waiting for? Just stand up and stretch with me…

Just say the word out loud: exercise. What reaction did you have? What pictures formed in your mind? Was it spandex clad women dancing to an aerobic beat? A tennis match? A soccer game? In truth, exercise can be any of those things—or none of them. Exercise simply means movement.

Our ancestors walked great distances to forage for food, climbed trees to pick fruit, swung a heavy axe to chop firewood, and engaged in many hours of manual labor. Today, we forage on the shelves of the local grocery store, hop into our air-conditioned cars, work while seated at desks, and drive home for an evening in front of the television.

I don’t want to return to the days of chopping firewood, hauling water from a well and spinning my own cloth. But the human body needs to move in order to function well…and for people to feel great.

Exercise doesn’t have to take place in a gym or a dance studio unless that’s what you love to do. Gentle, simple exercises are fine. Just get out and move. Take a walk in the sunshine. Rake leaves instead of hiring someone to do it. Go play jump rope or ride bikes with your children. Movement helps our bodies function the way nature intended them to.

Kristen has been nominated for Raw Food Educator of the Year award. Please show your support and vote for Kristen Overlock at www.BestOfRaw.net

Probiotics fascinate me. We can’t see them, but they’re busy at work every day, helping us in so many ways. One such way is our immune system health.

Researchers in Sweden, for example, gave workers probiotics and measured their sick time off. It was a small study, but fascinating nonetheless, because the workers who took the probiotic supplements took fewer sick days than those who were in the control group.

Many people who complain of constantly feeling run down, who catch colds frequently, or seem susceptible to every ‘bug’ going around find that with a good colon cleansing regimen and resetting their bacterial colonies through probiotic supplements, their immune system seems to work normally again.

Why is this? When the balance of friendly to unfriendly microbes gets out of whack in the body, the body’s immune system soldiers rush to defend against the invaders – the unfriendly bacteria. Because they’re busy fighting off the bugs that the friendly bacteria normally fight, they may miss or not be able to combat other entrants into the fray, such as a cold virus. Think of it like the fire department or police force in your town. If there’s a huge five alarm fire on the north side of town at an apartment complex, chances are good that all the fire fighters and fire engines will be at the apartment complex. Now what if a school catches on fire on the south side of town? The fire department will divert resources quickly to head over to the school, but the fire may damage more of the building or spread more quickly because the resources were deployed elsewhere, on the north side of town battling the apartment blaze. If your immune system is busy fighting fires on the north side of town, it may be slower to respond to a smoldering blaze on the south side, or worse still, it may be unable to put out all fires at once.

So give your body a chance and strengthen your immune system this winter. Start with a good, healthy diet. Get fresh air, sunlight and gentle exercise. Colon cleansing, either through water enemas or gentle colon hydrotherapy, helps the body cleanse and provide a good environment for bacterial colonies to thrive. And supplement with probiotics to truly strengthen your body’s defenses.

Sometimes people hear the terms probiotic and prebiotics and get confused. The term “pre” means “comes before”, as in “pre season football” or “preceding.” Prebiotics are foods that nurture those little friendly guys, the probiotics. Bear in mind that probiotics are living creatures. What do living organisms need to survive? They need food, water and shelter or proper conditions. For your good, friendly warriors – the probiotics – the best conditions for survival include a good nutrient source and warm, moist conditions.

Nature’s best source of both prebiotics and probiotics is breast milk. If you’re pregnant, do breast feed your baby. It’s the best way to pass on a healthy, robust immune system. Human breast milk is the perfect food for a growing baby and contains lots of healthy, friendly bacteria that help your baby’s immune system get off to a great start.

What should grownups eat, then, to get enough prebiotics and probiotics? Fresh fruits and vegetables contain soluble fiber, which is great to encourage healthy bacteria colonies in the colon. Some scientists believe that onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas and dandelion greens are the best food sources for prebiotics. Probiotic food sources include fermented foods such as kimchi, or supplements. While yogurt is a good source of probiotics, many people cannot tolerate dairy. We prefer coconut milk based kefir since kefir cultures have more beneficial bacteria strains than yogurt cultures.

Generally speaking, if you eat a diet based on raw fruits and vegetables, with healthy amounts of nuts, seeds, sprouted grains and greens, you’ll show your love to your digestive system and its wonderful colonies of probiotic bacteria.

You’ve probably heard about probiotics. From commercials on television to articles in magazines, everyone seems to be talking about probiotics. But what are they?

We have bacteria living inside of our bodies and outside, on the skin. There are millions of different bacteria. Some bacteria are harmful to our health. These are the bacteria that cause infections, for example, or diseases like tuberculosis or food poisoning.

But there are some bacteria that are friendly. These bacteria help our bodies function well. They digest food, suppress the bad bacteria, and even help in the synthesis of vitamins.

Many things in our environment suppress the good bacteria and allow bad bacteria and other microorganisms, such as fungi and yeast, to thrive. People often take antibiotics, for example, to fight an infection. The problem is that antibiotics cannot simply target the bad bacteria; they kill the bad and the good, often creating an imbalance in friendly to unfriendly bacteria that can weaken a person’s immune system, cause Candida to thrive, or cause other health issues.

Probiotics can help. Probiotics are concentrations of friendly bacteria, either in fermented foods or supplements, that increase the amount of friendly bacteria in the body.

While the scientific proof is still coming in, the holistic community has long believed in the value of probiotics. We certainly do. They can help your body heal from many illnesses, strengthen the immune system, and improve digestion. Probiotics are indeed the “pros” when it comes to health!

When you come to Revitalive Health & Wellness, we’re always overjoyed to see you. But one member of the team is always overjoyed to see you, no matter how busy he gets, no matter how much he has to do today (well, face it; he doesn’t have much to do). It’s Ted, our greeter buddy. This little bundle of energy is always ecstatically happy to see you. With wagging tail and a smile in his brown eyes, he lavishes affection on you no matter who you are. We love having Ted around for many reasons. Of course we love him because he’s our pet, our companion animal, and our friend. But he’s also great stress relief for people coming to see us for the first time. Many of them are suffering from illness and dis-ease. Most are nervous about colonics and detoxification. Just one look at their faces when they bend low to pet Ted’s soft white fur and you understand what science has just begun to research; pets are good for you. There’s plenty of research backing up the notion that animals relieve stress and improve our mental and emotional health. Studies demonstrate, for example, that people undergoing major joint replacement operations need 50% less pain medication when they recover with a pet nearby. Whether it’s the unconditional love and affection animals give us or the care and attention we lavish upon them, having pets around is good for us, mind and soul.

One more mention of Thanksgiving and then next week I’ll move on to other topics.  I do need to mention Thanksgiving food. Thanksgiving starts the “high holy days” of eating, the triple crown of overstuffing ourselves. 

 Back before heavily subsidized, mass produced fake food, real food was so scarce that all celebrations focused on overindulgence.   But an overindulgence happened once, maybe twice a year, with long periods of deprivation to normal eating in between. And don’t forget that everything on that Thanksgiving table was about as wholesome as you can get, although cooked – boxed stuffing mixes and frozen pumpkin pies were several hundred years in the future!

 
Today, our stores groan with over processed, fat and chemically-laden foods.  We’re encouraged to stuff ourselves with turkey and all the trimmings, then top off the meal with gobs of sugar-filled pie or other sweets. 

It’s not worth it. If you could see what this does to your body, you’d avoid overstuffing yourself for sure. Think about the drain in your kitchen sink. Even if you have a garbage disposal, would you stuff huge hunks of food down the pipes and pour grease on top just for a little added bonus? Not unless you want to pay for the plumber’s next Bermuda vacation, because that’s surely going to clog up those pipes and require major intervention.

 
Your body’s a heck of a lot more precious than the plumbing in your kitchen.  Sinks can be fixed and pipes replaced. You can’t replace your colon.  

So before reaching for those artery clogging, heart stopping “treats”…remember: it’s just one day, one meal. You’ve got a lot more to be thankful for than dinner rolls!

This week is the American holiday of Thanksgiving, a time when people’s thoughts turn to gratitude. It’s one of the few holidays in the year that most people celebrate, regardless of their religious or cultural heritage, and most cultures do indeed mark a time every year to be thankful.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is essential if our lives are to flower and blossom. If we walk around all the time feeling sullen and deprived, it sends signals back to our bodies of lack and want. Thoughts are things, and if we focus on lack…we tend to manifest lack.

The flip side is also true. If we focus on joy and gratitude, love and thankfulness for all of the wonderful things in our lives, we tend to attract to ourselves that which we profess….or in other words, thoughts are things, whether you’re thinking about good stuff or thinking about the stuff you lack.

This Thanksgiving, take a few minutes to feel gratitude and thank the universe for the good things in your life. If it’s hard to start, just sit quietly in a chair. Look around the room. Pick and object and say, “Thank you for the table.” Keep going. Soon, you’ll feel like your cup overflows with gratitude.

And that’s true thanksgiving, indeed.

Let’s talk a bit today about something most people would deem “unmentionable.” Bowel movements. That’s right, we’re going to talk about what goes on in the bathroom and dispel some myths about something very normal and natural, but that’s deemed unseemly, disgusting, or at the very least “unmentionable” by most people. Here at Revitalive, I’d guess you’d have to say that is certainly isn’t unmentionable. In fact, it’s a good topic for conversation! 

In all seriousness though, how often do you think you should be going to the bathroom? Most people think that if they have a bowel movement every few days, that’s fine. In truth, our bodies are functioning optimally when we have two to three bowel movements a day! 

What about quality of bowel movements? Are you straining and pushing out pea shaped objects, or is it normal, natural, and easy?  If it’s anything but normal, natural and easy, chances are something is amiss in there…and you might benefit from colon cleansing. 

Contrary to popular belief, colon cleansing does not create dependence upon irrigation, enemas or other manual methods to return to normal bowel movements. Instead, colon hydrotherapy removes impacted matter and stimulates the bowel to function normally instead. 

If you’re going less than once a day….if it hurts like heck…and if your bowel movements could be mistaken for a rabbit’s, please find a good colon hydro therapist soon. Ann Wigmore, one of godmothers of the holistic health movement, believed that all dis-ease begins in the colon. Think about it for a second.  If the colon is supposed to be releasing and eliminating toxins and waste material, and it’s not functioning properly, all that waste is backing up…and the wonderful colon, which does its job no matter how many obstacles we throw at it, reabsorbs some of those toxins. So please, do your body a favor…love your colon. If you’re having problems, seek a good colon hydrotherapist.  And if you’re shy about it, come on down to Revitalive or give us a call to talk about it.  We’ll share what we know and hopefully dispel some of those myths. Call us the myth busters of colon health!

Most people know more about the maintenance of their cars than they do of their bodies. It’s a shame that we put more emphasis on the mechanical vehicles that transport us through our days and not enough emphasis on the wonderful living vehicles that transport us through life! 

Like your car, your body needs routine maintenance. I’m sure you practice good personal hygiene by taking baths or showers, brushing your teeth, combing your hair and washing your hands before you eat.  That’s akin to washing and waxing your car, with a little polishing of the windshield on the side. 

Now about every 3,000 miles or so, you probably take your car into a service station to change the oil, or perhaps you drive it up onto blocks and do it yourself.  If you don’t change the oil, do you know what happens? Gunk builds up inside the oil, which can clog the engine or seriously damage the machine parts that comprise the engine.  The “check engine” light goes on or you hear a funny noise from the engine, and you know you’re in trouble! 

You see, as the oil circulates through the car engine, tiny bits of metal often work loose from the various parts, and they end up suspended in the oil. A little bit won’t hurt the car, but if too much builds up over time, it can hurt the car, and that’s why you have to change the oil and filters regularly. 

Our bodies don’t come with owners manuals. But they do come with “check engine” lights and their own warning signals. Sometimes those signals are subtle. Something hurts, but it goes away. We break out into a rash, which gets better over time. Or maybe we start to have frequent Candida infections, upset stomachs, acid reflux, or a host of other problems. 
 
That’s your body’s way of flashing the check engine light.  It’s a sign something is amiss. And one way to correct it and return to healthy, normal functioning is through colon cleansing. 

Like changing the oil on the car, colon cleansing releases any built up gunk so that the colon – one of the most important organs in the body for our health and well being – can function properly. 

It’s an inconvenience when your car breaks down. It’s a tragedy when your body breaks down. Take great care of your colon, and with regular “oil changes” like cleansing, hopefully your engine will purr along for a long time to come!

Your colon is an amazing organ. Really, it’s kind of neat. Most people don’t think about their colons. In fact, most people would rather not think about them at all, unless something bad happens.

If you consider the colon for a moment, however, you’ll realize that it’s really cultural conditioning that makes us kind of shy about it. The colon is an organ of the body. So’s your heart, your lungs, your brain, your liver and your pancreas. But no one shies away from talking about heart health, do they? They talk about eating a diet for a healthy heart, getting their blood pressure checked, and many other things, right? So what’s so weird about talking about the colon?

Stand up for a second and put your hands on your hipbones. If you gently touch the area just above the right hipbone, that is where your colon begins. It then rises upward (ascending colon), then turns (hepatic flexure) and winds its way across your back (transverse colon) towards your left hipbone (splenic flexure) and winds back down (descending colon) towards the anus where waste is expelled.

Did you know, for example, that often we see people at our wellness center who complain about chronic lower back pain – and their pain disappears after having several colon hydrotherapy sessions? People gain relief because impacted waste in or near the hepatic and splenic flexures (the the sharp bend between the ascending/descending colon and the transverse colon) affect the back. It’s not the back muscles or spine that are out of whack. The colon is sending signals it needs some help!

Don’t be shy about your colon. This wonderful, miracle organ is the seat of good health. While probably not as catchy as a heart symbol, we should really think about making up some sort of colon health badges, so we can all say “I love my colon!”

I often think that one of the saddest phrases I’ve ever heard is, “It’s too late for me.” Don’t you think that’s sad? I’ve heard people say that to me when I’ve gently suggested changes to them. “Oh, it’s too late for me.” It’s twin cousins are, “I’m too old to change” and “I’m too set in my ways.” 

If you’ve caught yourself saying, “It’s too late for me to change” or any other phrase that starts, “It’s too late…” I want to ask you a question. Why do you think it is too late?  Too late for what? To be happy, to feel better, to learn a new skill?  What I think is more sad than thinking it’s too late, is regretting what we never did or tried.  
 
If you think it’s too late to change your ways, sounds to me like you’re assuming you know exactly how much time you’ve got left on this planet.  How could we possibly know how much time we have left?  
 
How do you know that today “it’s too late” to make positive changes? I’ve seen clients come into Revitalive Health and Wellness struggling with various ailments indeed, but after focusing on their health and embracing positive changes, they’ve bounced back.  It’s true that not everyone does, but why couldn’t it be you? Why is it “too late” for you?

 
It’s never too late.  Every day, you can make positive choices for vibrant good health. 

Everyday we’re given a gift. That’s why it’s called the present. Choose to live your best life now.

http://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/Revitalive_Cafe

The first of the three high holy days of eating – Halloween, Thanksgiving and the holiday cluster of Christmas/Hannukah/New Year’s – has passed.  If you snuck a few too many candies from the trick or treat bowl, it’s time to get back on track and steer your palate back towards yummy raw fruits and vegetables. 

Sugars like those found in candies really do a number on our bodies.  Once you learn exactly what happens when you eat a piece of candy or drink a can of soda pop, you’ll probably choose something else! 

First, sugar suppresses immune system function. Research shows that hours after taking sugar into the body, the immune system’s warriors slow down their responses. So they’re less able to attack invaders like bacteria and viruses. 

More importantly, too much sugar feeds Candida Albicans. Remember C. Albicans – our nemesis, the yeast infection? If sugar’s feeding Candida, Candida is crowding out the good guys – all the healthy, friendly bacteria that colonize the colon and provide innumerable benefits for our immune system health. 

Dr. John Ely’s Glucose Antagonism Theory is also worth noting. Ely’s theory is that because sugar and vitamin C are drawn into cells through the same insulin-mediated pathway, too much sugar can reduce the amount of vitamin C cells can take in. Vitamin C is the big immune system boosting vitamin. While Ely’s theory is still just a theory, it’s intriguing, isn’t it? It really backs up what nutritionists have warned us all about for years! 

So do yourself a favor during cold and flu season.  Avoid processed sugar in all its forms.  Eat healthy, and be happy to boost your immune system response. 

We talked the last time we were together about Candida Albicans. You know, yeast infections…not just vaginal yeast infections, but perhaps an overgrowth of yeast or Candida that affects many of the body’s symptoms.

 
Do you know what yeast such as Candida just love? They love sugar! Have you ever baked bread? If you have, you know that you add yeast to warm water and stir in a sweetener to activate it.  Yeast need something to eat, and these tiny organisms gobble up sugar right, left and center. Sugar fuels them and helps them multiple. 

Think again about baking bread. What else is needed? Warmth!  If you use water that’s too cool, it kills the yeast. 

The human body is a ripe host for yeast overgrowth.  There are many warm, dark and moist places where yeast find a welcome home. Worse, the Standard American Diet (SAD) diet includes an awful lot of sugar. It’s blatant, such as those donuts and sugary breakfast cereals touted as a source of ‘whole grains’.  But it’s also hidden. If you have packaged foods in the house, pull one off of the shelf or a frozen dinner or something out of the freezer. Read the ingredients.  Really read them. Look for words ending ins “ose.” Words ending in “ose” are potential sugars…such as high fructose corn syrup (hfcs), fructose, sucrose, dextrose and others.  Diets high in sugar are known to encourage the growth of yeast. 

If you suspect you have a chronic yeast infection and your doctor cannot come to a diagnosis, you may want to take additional positive steps to manage your health and help your body naturally beat the yeast infection.  In other posts we’ll talk about the benefits of raw foods and how they can help people overcome systemic yeast infections.

Candida Albicans. Yeast. Tiny fungi that occur naturally in the body, but can wreak havoc when they grow uncontrolled and unchecked by our body’s natural defenses.

In our practice at Revitalive, we see a lot of people with yeast problems. Women may be familiar with vaginal yeast infections, but did you know that yeast can infect other areas too? In fact, you can even have a systemic overgrowth of yeast – yeast growing in all sorts of places inside the body where it was never meant to grow!

If you feel sick all over, are tired all the time, plagued by allergies and mystery rashes that don’t respond to treatment…if your doctor has tested you and tested you but can’t figure out what’s going on…you might have a systemic Candida overgrowth.

Here are some telltale clues that may point to a yeast infection:

1. Have you taken repeated rounds of antibiotics in your life? General or broad spectrum antibiotics knock out bad bacteria, but they also knock out the good stuff too, the guardians of your digestive health. If too many are knocked out at once, it gives Candida the chance to grow and spread without the usual safeguards in place.

2. Have you ever taken birth control pills? Hormonal contraception can throw off the body’s systems. Many women who have taken birth control pills find themselves with recurrent yeast problems.

3. Do you suffer from recurrent skin rashes, joint aches and pains, premenstrual problems and abdominal discomfort, but your doctor can’t figure out the cause? Many of these problems are a sign that your immune system is stressed. Candida produces toxins, and when they circulate through the body the immune system responds. But it might not be able to clear out the Candida overgrowth…and symptoms such as these result.

Knowing your body and ruling out other illnesses is important. You’re the best judge of what feels right or wrong. If you think Candida may be a problem, there is a lot you can do to manage it.

To juice or to blend? That is the question. Many people wonder which is better and provides optimal nutrition.

Not to sit on the fence, but both can be great choices. Here’s why.

Most fruits and vegetables can be juiced or blended, with the nutritious juice and healthy, life-giving enzymes intact. The fibrous cell walls of plants are broken down fairly well in both juicers and blenders. Both offer great benefits and we incorporate juicing and blending into our wellness programs.

For wheatgrass and greens, however, we recommend a masticating juicer over a regular juicer or blender. Most juicers work on centrifugal force, spinning at high speeds to push the juice away from the pulp. The juice is then extracted and expelled separately from the pulp.

Masticating juicers, on the other hand, mimic chewing. They’re best for wheatgrass and greens, since the crushing action effectively breaks down the stiff cell walls and rigid fiber found in grass blades and leafy greens. The pressing, crushing and grinding action effectively squeezes out the juice.

If you have to buy just one juicer, a masticating juicer works for all types of vegetables and fruit and does a better job on the greens and wheatgrass, so I would buy the masticating juicer. They’re also quieter and run at lower speeds.

To juice or to blend? Either work fine, but if you’re seeking the health benefits of green juices and wheatgrass, go for a masticating juicer over a centrifugal juicer or blender. We sell a variety of juicers and blenders to accommodate all budgets and lifestyles.

One of the most amazing things we see at Revitalive is the change in people after they’ve received colon cleansing treatments. You’d imagine that they feel healthier, but would you believe they’re actually happier?  

It’s true. We’ve seen it over and over again. People release years of impacted waste, and the lovely microflora, nature’s gift colonizing the colon, thrives.   

When those colonies of healthy, good for you bacteria thrives, your digestion improves. Constipation, gas, bloating, diarrhea, indigestion are all things of the past. That would put anyone in a better mood!

 
But science now backs up what we and other natural health professionals have known all along. Just as we instinctively say, “I go by my gut” to describe a feeling, deep down inside, an emotion that guides us to a successful outcome, we’re now discovering that our emotional and mental health are significantly impacted by our gut – the colon. 

New research indicates that serotonin production occurs in the colon, not in the brain. Some speculate that as much as 95% of our serotonin is actually produced in the colon.  

As we add more pharmaceutical drugs to the list of chemicals that influence serotonin uptake in the brain, wouldn’t it make more sense to correct the problem that may have caused low levels of serotonin in the first place? 

By cleansing the colon through colonics, enemas and proper diet, the right balance among the beneficial microbes is restored. The colon can then function naturally, with a healthy group of bacteria producing just what the body needs. 

Our bodies are indeed engaged in one of the most intricate and beautiful dances in the universe, with every organ, gland, muscle, joint, bone and sinew touched in some way by what is happening elsewhere.  So step out of the way before the dancers stumble through their steps! Let nature do what it does best…nurture your colon for a healthy body and healthy mind.

Back in the 1980’s when the exercise craze first began, Jane Fonda chanted “feel the burn” and exhorted her myriad followers to exercise to the point of exhaustion. Today, with pressure on us from every side to excel at work, raise super children, and look fit, trim and attractive (while simultaneously keeping a perfect home, and being the first father, mother, wife, husband, employee or employer), it’s no wonder that we put more pressure on ourselves than anyone ever could.

I’d bet anything that you’re not a cruel person. You’re kind to your children, a loving spouse, gentle with animals and the environment. Yet if a stranger happened to be privy to your inner dialogue, might they not shout, “Stop being so cruel!”

When people start down the path of natural, holistic health, they often take an all or nothing approach. People interested in raw and living foods frequently berate themselves for every little slip up. A mouthful of cooked acorn squash and they think they’ve “blown their diet.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Every step you take towards health is a step in the right direction. We’re only give one day at a time. Today is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.

Health is not an all or nothing quest. There’s no shining holy grail of health, no award for perfection.

You must listen to your body. Eating foods that nourish the body, whether they’re cooked or raw, is better than packing in fast food or starving yourself. Drinking pure water instead of diet colas already nurtures your cells and provides them with healthy fluids for optimal functioning.

No, there’s no all or nothing with health and raw foods. It’s one day at a time, step by step, listening to your body’s feedback along the way.

Be gentle with yourself. If you won’t be, who will?

Life is a wonderful adventure. Every day, we are given a gift – the “present”! When you unwrap your gift, what do you see?

You hold in your hands the most precious gift of all. Your life! No matter where you are on your journey to health, it’s never too late to take positive steps to nurture yourself.

I’ve seen all sorts of people come to Revitalive.  They’re young and old, big and thin, men and women. Some are healthy but looking to detoxify to feel better. Others are very sick with cancer, diabetes, and chronic disease. Most people find that the steps they take today, the changes they make to encourage healing and health, help, even if in subtle ways.

When you first begin to make changes, sometimes it doesn’t feel very good. I can remember giving up caffeine. Yes, the headaches were fierce! But they go away after a while and now I sleep better than I ever did when I fueled myself with caffeinated beverages each morning.

The same goes for any changes. Each time you make a change in your health habits, it feels odd for a while. Eating more raw and living foods is great for your health, but it may take a few weeks or longer for your palette to adjust to the fresh taste of uncooked, unsalted foods. Your digestive system takes a while to adjust too. Colonics, enemas and other cleansing therapies can help.

But no matter what you do, do something positive for your health.  Give up those cigarettes or that afternoon chocolate bar.  Drink water throughout the day. Take a walk instead of flopping in front of the television set each night.

You can do it.

You are worth it.

Just take one small step. It’s never too late.

Water.

I came across these astonishing facts today about water:

* Water moves around the earth in a 100 year cycle.  One molecule of water spends 98 years in the ocean, 20 months as ice, two weeks as lake or river water, and less than a week as atmospheric water.

* Groundwater takes about 70 years, or an average human lifetime, to travel one mile.

* The total amount of water on the planet has remained consistent for close to 2 billion years.

* Water is the only substance to be found in nature in three forms: solid, liquid and gas.

* The amount of water in your body is just about 60% of your body weight – but if you’re muscular, you have more water, because lean tissue contains more than fat.

You can live for two weeks or more without food, but you can only survive a few days without water. While it’s true that food and beverages contain water, nothing beats fresh, pure water as the most health-nurturing drink on the planet.

Whether you live in the city or the countryside, clean, fresh, pure drinking water is essential. When you quench your thirst with water, your body hydrates with the beverage of choice, the liquid it developed to use most efficiently.

Here are a few ideas to ensure high quality water:

* If you drink municipal (tap) water, install at least a charcoal filter on your faucet to screen out chlorine and other chemicals. Not only do they taste bad, they also impair your health. You don’t need to invest in fancy machines or bottled water. A filter attached to the tap really helps improve drinking water.

* Bottled water may be pure – or it may not be. Many companies bottle plain old tap water. Plastic bottles also leach chemicals into the water that are unhealthy.  And they add to the pollution on the planet. While recycling plastic does help, it takes hundreds of years for plastic bottles to decompose. Avoid bottled water.

* Substitute plain water for many beverages you may now be drinking, such as soda pop, fruit juice, tea and coffee.  Tea, coffee and many cola drinks add to your body’s stress level because caffeine, the chemical that gives you the ‘buzz’ from these drinks, is a natural diuretic. You end up more dehydrated after drinking these liquids than before you drank them. Gradually cut back on caffeinated beverages to avoid the strong detoxification headaches and substitute pure water instead.

Water removes wastes from our bodies. It’s essential for every life process. We are so fortunate to live in a time and place when with the twist of a faucet, we can have our pick of hot or cold water or anything in between. Let’s honor the wonder, the beauty, and the essential health-giving qualities of water and nurture our bodies by drinking more.

Holistic health…

what image does the words “holistic health” or “holistic healing” conjure in your mind? Is it a strong, lean, healthy body, capable of hiking the Appalachian Trail? Is it the ability to climb a flight of stairs without breathlessness, or participate in a game of tag with your children or grandchildren…and out run them? Is it a life free from sickness, or a life of conquered sickness?

There are so many facets to holistic health and healing. What you think and do can be as important to your health and well-being as what you eat and drink.  Here at Revitalive, we encourage our clients to try something, and listen to their bodies. Your body will tell you when your actions are nurturing, and when they’re hurting.

You can begin your journey to whole-body health today. Start with something simple. Did you get enough sleep last night? Scientists tell us that adults need 7 to 9 hours a sleep, but few people get that much rest. Can you turn in early or snooze a bit more tomorrow? Your body will thank you for it.  How about what you’re drinking? If you’ve got a cup of coffee in hand throughout the day, what would happen if you simply substituted a few cups of java for a glass of pure, refreshing water?

Often times, it’s not the dramatic, larger than life, big sweeping gestures that get the best results but the simple, daily actions we take for granted. As you begin your journey into holistic health, take simple, gentle steps today for better health tomorrow.

Namaste.

-    Anna and Kristen

Body Detox

The world’s food supply is full of artificial additives, dyes, pesticides and hormones that accumulate in our bodies. The nutrients in food are degraded by cooking, heavy processing, pasteurization, irradiation and the addition of preservatives. We are also bombarded with environmental toxins on a daily basis.

When toxins build up in the body, our systems and organs get overtaxed, and the ability for our intestines to absorb nutrients becomes compromised. This can lead to a vast array of diseases and health problems.

You can jumpstart your metabolism and begin cleansing years of accumulated toxins in your body through 100% natural raw and living foods.  These foods offer the highest level of nutrient bioavailability.  In addition, raw foods contain enzymes which allow our bodies to function optimally.

So, aside from eating 100% organic, raw, vegan food, how do we detox our bodies? Revitalive™ wellness programs include the use of Colon Hydrotherapy, Far Infrared Sauna, Nutritional Microscopy, Rebounding and Dry Skin Brushing. Click those links for more detail on each therapy.

Raw & Living Food Lifestyle Benefits

There are tremendous benefits associated with practicing a raw and live food lifestyle, including more energy, increased mental clarity, radiant skin, improved sleep and elevated moods, just to name a few.

We believe that you can obtain all the nutrients you need, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, etc., through raw and living food. That’s why we do not supply or encourage the use of synthetic supplements. We advocate the use of superfoods such as wheatgrass, vegetable juicing, and the like for super nutrition.

Through our body detox wellness programs, you will learn how to prepare food that is delicious, diverse, nutritionally balanced and exceptionally good for you.

Benefits of Revitalive™ Detox Programs

* Increased energy levels

* Improved digestion

* Slimmer figure

* Reduced toxic build up in the body

* Radiant skin tone

* Reduced cravings

* Better quality of sleep

* Enhanced mental clarity

* Increased sense of well being

* Relief from depression & anxiety

* Reduced aches & pains

* Reverse effects of aging

* Increased mobility & agility

* Reduced allergies

* Reduced ecological footprint

* Amazing health & vitality

Colon Hydrotherapy

Colon hydrotherapy is internal bathing of the large intestine (colon) through the gentle administration of triple-filtered, UV sterilized water.

As far back as the ancient Egyptians, enemas and other “cleansing rituals” were commonly used to rid the body of toxic waste products believed to cause disease and premature aging.

Colon Health

A proper functioning colon is necessary for physical and emotional health. Ideally, people should be eliminating 2-3 times a day. Constipation and diarrhea are a frequent occurrence in our population and often considered by mainstream to be a part of life. If you have constipation or diarrhea (which is also constipation) this is a symptom that your colon is not functioning optimally.

Poor dietary habits, lack of exercise, stress, and exposure to environmental pollution lead to toxin build up in the colon.

In addition, eating dairy, cooked animal protein and cooked grains leads to excessive mucous production.

This mucous acts like glue in the colon, leading to constipation; over time, the colon can become impacted with layers of mucous, old fecal matter and toxins.

Given that the colon is an absorptive organ, toxins that are not eliminated are transmitted to the blood stream via the millions of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries which line the bowel. These toxins settle in our tissues, contributing to a state of disease.

Fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables absorbs fats and toxins and also strengthens peristalsis to more efficiently remove waste material from the colon.

Exercise stimulates the colon and helps the peristalsis muscles work properly.

Friendly/healthy bacteria are necessary to help break down material that wasn’t digested properly and it helps keep bad bacteria such as Candida in check.

The ratio of good vs. bad bacteria in the colon should be 80/20. Unfortunately, for most Americans this figure is reversed (20% good/80% bad bacteria). This is directly related to very
poor eating habits embraced by our culture.

Colon & Emotional Health

The colon is the emotional center of the body and is considered to be the second brain. There are actual peptide connections from the colon to the brain. You have all heard of “gut-reactions” or “I felt it on a gut level.” There is a scientific basis to these clichés.

What is Colon Hydrotherapy?

Colon therapy refers to irrigation of the large bowel. Colonic irrigation is a safe, gentle treatment that helps to remove years of accumulated wastes and toxins without the use of drugs.

Colonic irrigation also strengthens and rebuilds the colon wall. By introducing pure, filtered, UV-sterilized and temperature-regulated water into the colon, human waste is softened and loosened, resulting in elimination through natural peristalsis. Peristalsis is the process by which contractions of the smooth muscles in the colon wall move the waste material out.

What Happens in a Colon Hydrotherapy Session?

A colonic is given by Kristen Overlock, our certified colon therapist. Kristen begins every session with energy work and deep breathing to relax the client and the colon. The client then lies on their side, while Kristen gently introduces the tube into the rectum. Kristen then introduces water into the colon slowly with a colonic machine while working release points on the legs, feet and lower back.

After five minutes, Kristen brings the client onto their back for the duration of the session. The client and Kristen work together and communicate throughout the session. Throughout the session Kristen massages the abdomen to help release waste material and often times stored emotions from the colon wall.

The colon then eliminates the waste through strong peristaltic contractions and releases the waste into the tube. Our colonic system is a closed system and there is no odor and no mess. The procedure is generally repeated several times, and lasts up to 60 minutes.

How Often Do I Need a Colonic?

It depends on the individual and their health status.  Generally a series of colonics is needed to remove years of accumulated waste, mucous, gas and toxins.

After the initial cleanse and one’s body has been balanced, monthly colonics are recommended in conjunction with a healthy diet, exercise and activities to support emotional well-being.

ASK YOUR COLON HYDROTHERAPY QUESTIONS BELOW

Our certified Colon Hydrotherapy Professional Kristen Overlock, BS Nutrition, will personally answer your question!

My Experience with Revitalive
This is me Now after 7 months as a Raw Vegan (right)

This was me (below), I am the one on the left not the horse,  8 months ago.

I was very over weight and didn’t feel healthy at all. I was limited in what I could do. 

I first met Anna and Kristen about 8 months ago. A friend told me about their center in Newburyport, Mass north of Boston. I was very excited to learn that there was a raw food education and healing center so near to me on the north shore. This past year I was fed up with myself and was bound and determined to get myself healthy again. I had tried everything! I was so warmly welcomed into their center and felt so at ease.

They explained things thoroughly and efficiently and calmed any reservations I had about colonics. I began with the 18 day cleanse and saw such great improvements in my health after just 5 days and was amazed at the
continued improvements with each week. You don’t just eat salads. There is a lot of food and really great tasting food! And you get to eat raw chocolate everyday in all kinds of different forms! How appropriate that I am writing this on Valentine’s Day.  

Kristen and Anna don’t expect everyone to be strict raw vegan.  They are compassionate and encouraging wherever you are in your process of making lifestyle changes.  You can make some changes in your eating habits that can really change your life and your health!

I cannot stress how important I think this is for everyone’s health and well being.  I am amazed that I have not had so much as an aspirin for 8 months; have released hundreds of gallstones from my liver and
gallbladder (painlessly and naturally); lost all of my allergies; regained my energy; and as you can see by looking at the pictures, lost about ½ of myself and look years younger!

I truly believe in Anna and
Kristen and their company Revitalive completely and if anyone out there is facing surgery or terrible health problems I totally believe with all of my heart that you should see them first! Most surgery is totally unnecessary and you can fix just about anything naturally. It doesn’t
take forever either!   I feel I have regained my life back and my youth!

Thank you so much Anna and Kristen!

Gael Meyer The Raw Food Realtor!

“Prior to finding Revitalive Health Center, I was lost in a sea of information, going from website to website, making phone calls to various natural health practitioners, desperately tyring to avoid the cold dark world of our mental health care system which offered nothing but caustic medication that caused more problems than it solved.

I still can’t believe how  much compassion, nurturing, guidance and practical information we found when my daughter and I made the journey to Newburyport to see Anna and Kristen at Revitalive. It was overwhelming.  Anna and Kristen are two amazing, special people who truly cared about our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health.  They took the time to talk with us, teach us, and put up with our questions, frustrations, and family dramas to lead us in an intelligent and caring way back to true health.

My daughter was at the point where she would have to be sent to a psychiatric hospital or go back on the damaging medication when we connected with Revitalive. No one in the health “care” system had ever reached out to us before, so I decided to go Newburyport.  Day by day, we met with Anna and Kristen and learned how to take responsibility for our own health and wellness.

We learned so much about preparing healthy, delicious raw meals and basic self-care.  After 5 days, my daughter experienced dramatic, revitalizing physical and mental health improvements.  After the 5 days, Anna and Kristen were always open to an email or a phone call to answer questions and continue their supportive, positive nurturing long after we went home.

Thanks to both Kristen and Anna, we learned so much about health and nutrition and have the tools we need to create our own daily regime to keep physically, mentally and spiritually balanced.

My daughter continues to make improvements and is learning to take charge of her own health through healthy eating and living.  Revitalive saves lives.  In just 5 days, they changed and saved ours.  Thank you for the amazing, lifechanging, life-giving experience!!!

Love to you both (and Teddy, the Pomeranian)”
Debbie J

I started my journey with Revitalive on June 2, 2009 after a 6 week battle with leg, ankle and feet inflammation which kept me in bed much of the time. ( As a real estate professional, let me tell you that Spring Market is not the time to be in bed!)

I had zero energy, felt lousy and my health practitioners suggested various remedies for the inflammation and eczema rashes that were starting to cover my lower legs and ankles.  (This was a classic healing crisis by which my body was trying to detox itself.  The big mistake was to attempt to control the inflammation and disregard other obvious measures to assist my body’s detox.)

From time to time, I needed to use crutches because my feet were so swollen and tender.  The itching was actually very painful at times. I was so desperate for help that someone suggested that I call Revitalive.

From the moment that I first spoke with Anna, I knew that I needed to be on their protocol.  It totally resonated with me that I should be assisting my body to eliminate toxicity on every level, while supplying my body with only enzyme-rich nutrition. At the start of my journey with Revitalive, I could barely walk due to the pain in my feet, and due to my lack of overall energy.  Simply put… I was a real “train-wreck”!   I had been given a diagnosis of colon cancer 10 years prior which I thought I had already healed, however that my gut still suffered from extreme inflammation.

After three weeks on a live-food protocol (lots of green juice) and a regimen of weekly colon-hydrotherapy sessions, the leg inflammation was virtually gone and the rashes were on their way toward healing due to a much cleaner and more efficiently operating bowel.  I then started to care for my liver by doing liver-flushes and have flushed out thousands of “liver-stones” (… yes…. The liver does have stones and they will keep you in an infinite loop of feeling less than fully alive!)

I have come a long way since I first met Anna and Kristen.  A pleasant side effect of my particular healing journey has been the coincidental loss of @ 30 pounds.   I am now getting exercise again after years of exhaustion.  This healing journey is not a “straight line”, as it is full of ups and downs.  However, at this point, I feel 15 years younger than I did when I met Anna and Kristen, and I know that my body is healing itself on all levels.

I could never fully articulate my deepest gratitude for their love and commitment to this work on behalf of their clients.

If you feel that you are no longer able to enjoy your life, perhaps you should consider asking for the help you need to regain the greatest gift that is rightfully yours… your health.

Mark J.

“Finding Revitalive Health and Wellness center was truly a Godsend to me shortly after receiving a life-threatening diagnosis one year ago – more positively a wake-up call to life!  I was aware of the benefits of colon hydrotherapy and FAR infrared sauna, and also wanted to find a place offering live blood analysis with microscopy.

I was prepared to go as far as California or Mexico for the right combination of health treatments offered, so was elated to find all I was seeking and more, right here in New England – within an hour of my work and home. That it was in Newburyport near the ocean was even more of a bonus! 
From my very first internet and phone exchanges with Kristen and Anna, I trusted that Revitalive could help lead me back to a state of balance and wellness. My first appointment confirmed this comfort level in their care and vast experience with healing. They were willing to take the time to understand my history, health needs, and readiness for lifestyle changes.

They worked with me to map out an individualized “wellness plan” that involved each of their options offered as I was ready for them, starting with a nutritional microscopy session, supportive live food, educational books, movies, and supporting events to jump start my program.

They offered encouragement to learn and change at my own natural pace in a positive environment, with no pushing, shaming, or regimented structure. I was able to fit visits in around my schedule, allowing me to miss a minimum time from work and home. They helped me to find and qualify other complementary practitioners I was seeking in my healing plan.

Both Anna and Kristen have remained available as needed by phone and email for addressing wellness-related questions and concerns that arise.

This is a priceless component of the genuine health care and life saving services they provide. They not only offer people the care to get healthy, they teach people how to do it for themselves to remain healthy.

This is offering “balance” toward allowing bodies to heal as they are naturally designed to do – as opposed to a “cure” offered by more conventional medical or prescriptive plans.

I believe with every cell in my body that my life has been “re-leased” and revitalized – from their jumpstart to my own health care maintenance – for the long-term!”

“The passion and enthusiasm for healthy living that you’ll find at Revitalive will change your life. 

If you’re tired of feeling 
overweight, sluggish, depleted, or stuck, learn all you can from these gals. 

They’ll not only show you how to clean out the old to make way for the new, they’ll transform the way you think about food and eating forever!”

Cheryl Richardson

From Cheryl’s Website:

“For the last twenty years I’ve dedicated my personal and professional life to understanding and teaching the importance of self-care.  Over these years, I’ve sacrificed my health and my relationships for work, given to others at the expense of my own needs, and watched my dreams slip through the cracks of a busy life. As a result, I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to put an end to the madness.  As I grow and evolve, I share my journey in the hopes that it helps you to improve your own life.

From years of personal experience, as well as coaching great men and women, I’ve come to understand that selfishness leads to selflessness.  When we care deeply for ourselves, we naturally begin to care for others – our families, our friends, and our greater global community – in a healthier and more effective way. We tell the truth. We make choices from love instead of guilt and obligation. And we soon realize that we are all connected and that our individual actions affect a greater whole.

I care deeply about people and our planet and my commitment is to help raise consciousness in a way that improves quality of life for both.”

Cheryl Richardson is the author of The New York Times bestselling books, Take Time for Your Life, Life Makeovers, Stand Up for Your Life, The Unmistakable Touch of Grace and her new book The Art of Extreme Self Care. She was the first president of the International Coach Federation and holds one of their first Master Certified Coach credentials. Cheryl is also the recipient of the 2000 Motivational Book Award for Life Makeovers from Books for a Better Life, which honors the year’s most outstanding books and magazines in the self-improvement genre.

Her book, The Unmistakable Touch of Grace, was chosen as a finalist in the 2005 Spiritual Inspiration category for Books for a Better Life.

Cheryl Richardson

“I attempted a raw vegan diet about six months ago, and found it very difficult to stay on it because it was hard on my digestive tract. After a lot of reading about the benefits of raw food, I also discovered that, particularly in the beginning of the diet, colonics would be very helpful in the detox process. Revitalive was highly recommended by a health and wellness practitioner I had a lot of trust in, so I decided to visit Anna and Kristen, with much trepidation.

I was impressed with the professionalism I found at Revitalive, and with how comfortable I was with the process.

Both Anna and Kristen have helped to educate me greatly regarding raw food and nutrition in general. The services I’ve had there have made me feel great, with increased energy and an overall feeling of wellness. Anna and Kristen have been supportive of my own journey towards a raw diet, with gentle guidance and understanding.

I would highly recommend Revitalive to family and friends. Anna and Kristen are knowledgeable, professional, and great!”

Ellen

Kristen and Anna have exceeded all of my expectations!

What makes Revitalive come alive so to speak is the caring and genuine concern they have for everyone that comes through their doors!

I am so impressed with their commitment to wellness education, which is key to empower and equip people with the tools necessary for real success in their everyday lives.

Being educated and empowered is so important for maintaining and building one’s health for an entire lifetime.

I feel and I’m sure that everyone else that comes to Revitalive feels that you will be here for a lifetime! And that makes all the difference, especially to me. Knowing that I can get real help with my health for an entire lifetime!

This also means that I have confidence in referring anyone to you!”

Greg

“Anna and Kristen are two wonderful caring women who have done their work. They are calm, patient and caring. They are enthusiastic and live what they teach.

There is a gentleness in them and their work space inviting one to return to nature’s bounty….and thus into the realm of inner strength and clarity, of inner peace and unconditional love. They have walked their path to assist those that are ready to walk with them.

They invite with nonjudgement to witness the benefits of live foods, of internal cleansing as ways to be radiant and vibrant.

The experience with the live blood viewing is one that the biochemist in me loves. I have done these several times with 2 other practitioners. This was the first time that the views were carefully explained. For me, this assists me to establish the basis for creating health.

One of these steps involved receiving a colonic. The atmosphere throughout the office is clear, inviting and calming from the use of soft earth based colors, to large clear spaces, to beautiful artwork and music. Time feels generous as they ask questions, as they truly listen and then offer suggestions with ample explanations. The colonic was done with care and felt soothing and energizing.

They teach vs preach. They are living examples of the benefits of the live food way of life.

Thank you for choosing my neighborhood so that I have a place to visit, to renew and be supported on the path that works for me.”

Revilative Health & Wellness Launches new website: RawFoodsCleanse.com

Revitalive Health & Wellness continues to advance its work toward empowering people to heal themselves through raw and living foods education, complementary therapies and community events with the launching of its new hubsite: RawFoodsCleanse.com.

Designed to help build a healthier raw and living foods lifestyle, this website is aimed to provide raw and living food cleanse information to the more than 133 million Americans with chronic conditions such as Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Heart disease, and Cancer.

This web site will provide information, resources and a social media powered forum (LivingFoodsCleanse.net) to discuss the prevention and wellness issues and the steps to take their health to the next level.

“Chronic disease is the health challenge of the 21st century.” states Kristen Overlock, BS Nutrition, Certified Colon Hydrotherapist (CCHT), Certified Raw & Living Foods Lifestyle Educator, I-ACT Certified, Reiki Master and Revitalive Health & Wellness Co-Founder.

“Revitalive helps to educate and empower people to understand how raw and living foods are at the core of a prevention-centered philosophy and adds complementary therapies aimed at allowing the body to find the balance it naturally seeks and needs to heal itself.”

“People who visit our website will be able to access valuable information which will provide a better understanding of how they can take charge of their health and work together with our health and wellness center to transform their lifestyle to one that works to improve not only their health but also their quality of life.” Anna Forkan, BSE Engineering, Certified Nutritional Microscopist, Certified Raw & Living Foods Lifestyle Educator and Revitalive Health & Wellness Co-Founder.

“As activists and healers, we felt compelled to create online resources that cut through the trendy, latest-craze hype that is being pushed onto a vulnerable population of ailing people who are looking for real healing. We are deeply committed to providing a credible source of information on the subject of raw and living food cleanses and are vested on the philosophy that good health is a human right and not a privilege.”

75% of health care spending goes towards people with chronic conditions. These are the nation’s leading causes of death and disability. These deaths, or lifelong disability, compromised quality of life, and burgeoning health care costs, could have been prevented through lifestyle changes.

The mission of Revitalive Health & Wellness is to empower people to heal themselves through raw and living foods education, complementary therapies and community events.  Revitalive strives to meet each client’s individual needs to ensure lasting
lifestyle change and success.  They envision a world free of dis-ease where people respect the innate healing wisdom of the human body.

Revitalive’s wellness programs are designed to cleanse, restore, balance, and maintain health and vitality. They provide you with a roadmap to wellness, which becomes a lifestyle. Revitalive tailors programs to meet your specific, individual needs.  They do not embrace a “one size fits all” philosophy. Revitalive gives you the information and tools to succeed, and offer ongoing support for lasting success.

Revitalive has found that a positive attitude and a willingness to heal are essential to make lasting lifestyle change. The Revitalive wellness practice is compassionate, non-judgmental, respectful, supportive and fun.

Questions about our new site? Post a comment below or
CONTACT: Revitalive Health & Wellness
Anna Fokan, 978-462-1488

This site is sponsored, created and supported by a Revitalive Health and Wellness, LLC. For questions about this blog, please contact Anna Forkan (978-462-1488).

The information contained in this blog is for education only and is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness. It is valuable to seek the advice of an alternative health care professional before making any changes.

This blog does accept advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertions. We write, podcast and create videos for our own purposes. We may be influenced by our background, occupation, religion, political affiliation or experience.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity.

The owner(s) of this blog may be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

The owners of this blog would like to disclose the following existing relationships. These are companies, organizations or individuals that may have a significant impact on the content of this blog:

We are Kristen Overlock and Anna Forkan. We have a financial interest in Revitalive.com.

Andrea Tannouri is our New Media Marketing Manager and assists with the creation and distribution of the content of this site as well as LivingFoodsCleanse.net.

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