Monday, March 31, 2008

Happy Healthy Monday!


Hi loves,

Couldn't sleep last night so I trolled the internet for chow info. Check out this article I stumbled upon by Patricia Bragg, she nails it and talks about much of the yummy stuff we at CSL believe in....

From the article:

"Dr. Patricia Bragg lectures in cities around the world spreading the mes sage of health and wellness through The Bragg Health Crusades. She believes that humans can live to 120 years old and she says, “not on support cock tails of drugs and hip replacements, but with super energy and total health.”

“You are what you eat, drink, breathe, think, say, and do,” says Dr. Bragg, as she recently returned from a five-month Health Crusade to Hawaii, New Zealand, and Australia. She has the youthful skin, suppleness, vitality and an agelessness that confirms her message, “your life will be transformed if you are a good health steward.”

Here's the link for the rest: http://www.visionmagazine.com/archives/0804/feature_bragg.html

Check it out and tell me what you think. Patricia is proof that we can be crazy sexy healthy at any age if we take care of the temple god pod!

Note: If you are a canSer patient - her fast is not for you. Fasting with sugar and vinegar are not advised. As always, check with the man (or gal) in the white coat first.


Peace and knowledge!
Kris

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Happy Weekend Earth Lovers!


Hi saucy seekers!

On Saturday (tonight), March 29, 2008, Earth Hour invites people around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – from 8:00pm to 9:00pm in their local time zone. On this day, cities around the world, including Copenhagen, Chicago, Melbourne, Dubai, and Tel Aviv, will hold events to acknowledge their commitment to energy conservation. This event is created by the wonderful folks at the World Wildlife Fund

Let's dive in and represent as the strong & unified CSL community. Tonight, as a group, let's light candles, say prayers and do a global meditation for peace. What do ya say? Our collective green energy has major VAVOOM, pour it out.

For more info: http://www9.earthhourus.org

Peace & intentional darkness,
K

As always, join us on our social network dedicated to wellness and holistic livin'/loving: my.crazysexylife.com

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Dry Brushing!


Hellllooooo fabulous!

Now that we've manifested our asses off, let's dry brush them too! If ya really want the "glow" ya gotta dry brush baby. We dump tons of toxins out of our skin so it's important to keep the pathway clear. Dry brushing loosens dead cells, stimulates acupressure points, tickles your chi, massages your meridians, moves the lymph, helps reduce CELLULITE, stimulates your immune system, wakes up circulation and makes your skin soooo soft and velvety! You can get a natural bristle brush at WF's or any health food store. I don't use a brush. Personally, I use those cheap little loofah gloves that you can get at any drug store. They are easy to use and both hands can go wild! If you find natural ones great, I have them too but they kinda hurt. The mits you can throw in the wash and toss when they're too broken in.

How to brush: Technically they say that it's best to start with your feet and work your way up your body using both circular and long strokes - moving towards your heart or your navel (depending who you read). Gotta say, I do whatever I'm inspired to do and it seems to work just fine. It's dry brushing, not rocket science! Whatever, throw some circular motions and upward sweeps in there, add your own shazzizle and call it a day. The best to time brush is before a shower or bath in the morning, once a day. Be gentle. Note: there is a whole section about dry brushing in the bonus features of CSC.

When I brush on a regular basis I do see a big difference in my skin. I tend to get ingrown hairs and bumps in the winter (more information than you probably wanted to know). If I don't dry brush it gets like a highway of nasty! I'm also a lizard. Always have been. Dry brushing removes the scale like grids from my chins which Brian really appreciates. :)

If ya really wanna take it to the next level use some organic coconut oil after your shower or bath. OH YEAH!

So there ya have it, Pretty simple stuff. Now go have some fun stroking yourself! :)

PS. Avoid your face and other bits and pieces.

Peace and loofahs,
Kris

As always, come visit us for deliciously inspiring health & healing conversations at: http://my.crazysexylife.com/

Monday, March 24, 2008

How do you stay on the CSL Diet & Lifestyle? Manifest Visualize Create


Happy Post-Easter Love Bunnies!

I hope you all had a magnificent holiday. Easter, rebirth, new beginnings, spring sprung, AMEN/Ohhhh YEAH! What a revitalizing time! I am so excited about re-engaging and defining the Crazy Sexy Diet & Lifestyle for us all. Please keep your questions coming! The most popular will become full post topics. Before I dig into this weeks health topics (water, food journals, dry brushing) I thought it would be really helpful to get some psychological support from our resident Life Coach - Terri.

Know this, you are choosing the BRILLIANT road less traveled. You are heroic. You are a revolutionary and a leader. The planet bows to you, your cells bow to you. No matter what - keep going toots!

Take it away Terri......

MANIFEST VISUALIZE CREATE

This mantra and practice is one of the many tools in my tool belt that I use to create and maintain the Crazy Sexy Lifestyle. When you embark on this journey of change you need all the support, tips, tricks and how to’s that you can get your mitts on. There are many aspects of changing ingrained behavior that are challenging, especially if a health crisis is the motivation. My commitment to manifesting visualizing and creating has helped keep me on my Crazy Sexy Life path. This is not to say that I never go hurdling off my path, down the chocolate molten lava ravine because I do…but I don’t crucify myself and with the help of my pals and our community (www.my.crazysexylife.com) I get back on the green juice mostly raw path right quick.

My MANIFEST VISUALIZE CREATE winning formula works for me and inspires me. I share this technique with my life-coaching clients and frankly anyone that will listen. I, by no means, created this theory but I have harnessed its power. We have all heard much talk lately about manifesting dreams (THE SECRET), the laws of attraction in the universe (THE ABRAHAM-HICKS BOOKS) and the quantum physics of what is (WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?) I was reminded of the power of intention recently when a very close friend shared her experience with me. With her permission and a name change or two, I will share it with you.

Tammi and her husband Michael moved to San Francisco two and a half years ago at the request of Michael’s firm with the implication of his being made partner in the foreseeable future. Tammi and Michael have a beautiful daughter, Chloe who was 2 when they moved. Tammi gave up her work in NYC to further Michael’s career and stay home with Chloe. The past two and a half years have been rough for them both. Michael’s firm recently gave him the bad news that he will NOT be making partner. Tammi’s second attempt at in-vitro fertilization failed. Chloe got wait listed for the Pre School of their choice and money was getting tight. Tammi was stressed constantly, holding worry and fear in her mind. When Tammi called in tears to share her upsetting news, I asked her if she would be open to some coaching. Eager for some relief, she agreed. I asked her to be specific about what she wanted in her life. She stated a healthy pregnancy, great job for Michael that makes him happy, chosen Pre School for Chloe and financial freedom. So we reworded all of her desires into the present tense:

I am so happy and grateful all good things come to us.
I am so happy and grateful for my perfectly healthy pregnancy.
I am so happy and grateful that Michael has many job offers to chose from and that his right and perfect job is here.
I am so happy and grateful money comes readily and easily (aka I am a money magnet!!)
I am so happy and grateful Chloe gets into and loves her new school.

I added:
I am so happy and grateful for our perfect health.
I am so happy and grateful for my peaceful inner life.
I am so happy and grateful for all of my joy and blessings.

We discussed that the most crucial part of successfully manifesting anything is being able to FEEL the EMOTION that accompanies what you desire as you visualize it. It is the feeling that will bring the experience to you. So get specific about the details and dream it into being. This is the law of attraction in the universe. What you hold in your mind is what you create. Although I DO NOT believe we created canSer, I DO believe we can create health. I asked Tammi to focus on her desired results and to quote THE SECRET, “don’t worry about the how.”

I invited Tammi to start and end the day with 90 seconds of gratitude. Mike Dooley, a contributor to THE SECRET and the creator of the website www.tut.com (Thoroughly Unique Thoughts- where I get my daily personalized message from the universe that inspires and tickles) suggests five minutes a day to intentionally manifest your dreams. He also suggests when you receive a big bill in the mail that you shout,” GOOD THING I’M RICH.” This suggestion made us both laugh (full disclosure: I do this whenever a big bill shows up much to my husbands amusement) and Tammi agreed to really put her energy into manifesting.

Last Saturday I got a call from Tammi. She went on to remind me of our manifesting conversation six weeks earlier. She told me that for the first time in her life she was able to say her affirmations and really feel relief and joy. Planting positive thoughts and results in her mind over and over changed the way she felt on a daily basis. She reported that while she was driving, swimming or cooking she was saying and feeling them. She was actively releasing negativity and consciously choosing to feel joy, freedom, and relief. It became second nature. She realized that she had used worrying to bind her anxiety. It created a false sense of DOING SOMETHING. Once she realized that what she was DOING was creating the opposite of her desired results by drawing more worry and fear to her experience, she said it was relatively easy to stop. She went on to share the amazing news of her healthy pregnancy, Michael’s multiple job offers, including a $25,000 bonus from his firm and Chloe’s school acceptance. I was filled with joy for my pal and all her created good fortune. I asked her to boil it down to a simple one-line explanation of what occurred and she said, “I just changed my mind.”

So what is the “take away” for you personally from Tammi’s story?
Three steps:
1. Ask. Identify your desire. Be as specific as possible. Write it down in the preset tense. Have fun!
2. Believe. Believe it is already yours. Have unwavering faith that what your desire is already yours. Conjure the feelings that go along with getting your desired results.
3. Receive. Begin to feel wonderful about whatever you are creating. Hold in your mind, I know it is on its way to me right now.

Since we are a group of doers, I will be starting a manifesting group on my.crazysexylife.com where we can commit to our goals and have them witnessed and supported by each other. In six weeks I will do a follow up blog with achieved results big and small. So get movin’ shakin’ and happy creatin’!

Your Crazy Sexy Life - Coach
Terri

Friday, March 21, 2008

Juicing vs. Blending & a request


Helloooo CSL diet lovers!

Hands down the best way to increase our alkalinity and detox our purdy bodies is to consume a diet full of sunlight aka liquid chlorophyll. But, to juice or not to juice, to blend or not to blend, that is the question! Which one is best? What’s a girl to do? Panic! Freeze! Give up! Sleep! NOPE. Charge forward chica and stop worrying so much!

Chlorophyll contains a powerful blood builder that’s said to increase red blood cells, improve circulation, ease inflammation, oxygenate the body, and counteract harmful free radicals. By eating (and drinking) a diet high in chlorophyll (raw fruits and veggies, especially leafy greens), we dine on liquid oxygen, the very substance we need to stay alive and thrive.

We stack the odds in our favor BIG time when we consume a diet high in chlorophyll, vitamins, enzymes and oxygen. Ok Kris, get to it, which way is best - juicing or blending? Here’s my bottom line: I do both but I juice WAY more than I blend. Why? Well, by removing the fiber through the process of squeezing the pulp, we instantly lighten the load on our digestion. Nutrients pass directly into the bloodstream, and within minutes our bodies receive optimum fuel to feed our cells and help restore our immune systems. This doesn’t mean we don’t eat sprouted and certain cooked grains, salads, and other intestinal brooms—we do. If you’re following the CSL diet you are definitely getting enough fiber. Yet, we give our taxed bodies a much-needed rest by solely consuming liquid. When our bodies spend less energy on digestion they will spend more on repair. Think about this too, a glass of juice has more nutritious veggies than a smoothie does. How many cukes do you put in a juice? Bunches of kale? Sweet pea sprouts? We could never eat all that in a smoothie. Smoothies fill us up a lot faster.

If you’ve been juicing then you know the power and super energy this miracle liquid splashes into your life. Green drinks and smoothies balance blood sugars, supply plant protein, and purge tons toxins from their hiding places. If possible, consume a upward of thirty-six ounces of green juice/smoothie per day. Note: Prepackaged store-bought juices don’t count; they are not raw, unless they are made fresh in front of you.

A few folks on the forum mentioned that juicing makes them ill, blending is easier on their tummies. SO BLEND! Baby steps. It’s important to go slow and experiment. Start with gentle veggies like cukes, celery, sweet pea sprouts and build from there. No need to add a zillion things into the juice, if you’re new to all this that’s a sure fire way to experience gastric ouchies. Add one at a time. I tell people to start by juicing only cucumber and build from there. Parsley, dandelion, kale – these are very strong medicinal greens. Go slow. NOW go juice (or blend). ☺

OK, now on to my request (BETH is making me do this by the way). Some of you may have read my article in Natural Health Magazine on the stands this month. If you liked it and you’d like to see more health articles written by moi. Toss a note to the mag. There’s a small chance that I might be doing a column for them but since I’m still pretty unknown they want to see what readers think post my debut. OIY! We’re all so busy, so if you don’t have time no worries. The universe always provides when the fit is "write".

Those who are inclined can write to: remedies@naturalhealthmag.com and put my name in the subject heading. THANK YOU!

Peace and sunlight,

Kris

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

What exactly is the Crazy Sexy Life Diet?


Hiya angel wing!

I've been hearing this question so much that I think it's time for me to figure out the answer! Here's my first (humble) attempt....

The CSL diet is simple. It focuses on alkalinizing your body through mostly raw and living organic foods. These glowing yummies are packed with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and oxygen. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. You do not need to be 100% raw to practice eating this way. 70-80% will do. The remaining percentage of the diet comes from wholesome REAL foods cooked in a safe way. Real food is recognizable. It comes from the sun, soil and nature. Our great grand parents could pronounce it. Our children thrive on it.

Back to cooking, what is safe cooking and why? Dehydrating, lightly steaming, sautéing, and baking keep us free from carcinogenic havoc. Stay away from microwaving, deep frying, broiling, teflon, and/or invented foods born in a test tube. Enzymes are the fountain of youth and longevity. But when we zap and destroy our food we deplete our enzymatic well. Raw and living foods have not been heated over 118 degrees, therefore they have all their enzymes. When this is the case, you don't have to pull from your own (limited) reserves to deal with (AKA digest) the food you consume. High heats change the molecular structure of our foods making them difficult to process and sometimes toxic. We need enzymes for every life function. A diet full of alkaline foods and enzymes sustains a life full of health.

This is what we experience when we eat more enzyme rich, alkaline foods: amazing energy, happiness, better sex drive, functioning bowels, productive organs, clear skin, strong nails, leaner abs, thighs, and tushes, healthy fungus free toes and nice crisp breath meant for kissin. We feel less pain, less disease, witness lovely cholesterol and balanced blood sugar, we bid foggy thinking adieu and give sad blue days a pink slip.

When we eat a highly acidic diet full of the white stuff, animal products, processed soy (which is mucus forming, allergenic, hormone altering, highly sprayed and often genetically modified) other fake foods, coffee, alcohol, sugary treats etc, we experience the opposite. Confusion and suffering grow and flow. Acid foods trigger inflammation, taxes our immune system, makes us fat, derails the balance of bacteria in our intestines, invites candida and hosts fatigue.

Do you have to be a vegan to eat this way? No. The 20-30% of your diet that is cooked is organic, if you consume animal products choose hormone free, grass fed, and in the case of dairy, raw choices. There is room for transition in this diet. We move from worst, to better, to best and we do it in levels, slowly. If we move to fast we can experience too many uncomfortable detox side effects. It takes time to tune the palate. Pushing the river can make you collapse and binge.

A rough outline of Level 1, level 2, level 3:

Level 1: Baby steps, slowly adding raw foods, green juices, steamed veggies while subtracting white foods, processed crap sugar.

Level 2: 50% of your diet is raw and living, you begin to practice food combining for better assimilation and elimination. You eat meat and dairy in moderation. Dairy is raw, meat is never factory farmed (note: we say thank you for the life that sustains ours). You cut back on stimulants and introduce super foods and wheat grass.

Level 3: Vegan with 80+% of your diet consisting of colorful and vibrant raw and living foods, food combining, and as Natalia Rose would say - order and timing. (more on all of this in the next post).

Life is fun, crazy and sexy - our diets must support the rocket ship! Forget counting calories, cutting carbs, going fat free or amputating your joy. This diet and lifestyle is ole school I LOVE nature fabulous. It supports you on your quest for freedom and in some cases recovery. How will we have the energy to twirl and move mountains if we don’t have the fuel to get till noon?

To be honest, I never set out to create yet another diet on the market. I mean, haven’t we heard it all? Yet due to the success and hunger for all things crazy sexy, a diet and lifestyle guide seems like the next best thing to churn out for the family. But I didn’t create this stuff. I base my principles on trainings with great several teachers. As many of you know, I received my holistic health educator certification at the Hippocrates Health Institute, I studied extensively with Dr. Robert Young author of the pH Miracle and Sick and Tired, Gabriel Cousens at The Tree of Life and recently I finished a teacher training with Natalia Rose, author of The Raw Food Detox Diet. Before embracing the power of raw and living foods I spent years studying macrobiotics at both The Kushi Institute and The Strengthening Health Institute. Macrobiotics was very helpful to me in the beginning because it got me off the SAD diet. However, overtime I realized I needed more and that the very strict diet devoid of enzymes was ultimately ineffective for me.

Classroom time is only the beginning and I suggest the same for you. Most of what I know comes from piles and piles of books. We don’t need letters behind our names to be highly educated citizens. The information is out there in a BIG way. Our job is to read it, digest it and then design a doable program.

Over the coming days and weeks we’ll map out the details of this FUN (really I swear) and healthy diet and lifestyle. Several dynamic guest bloggers will chime in, share their stories and answer questions as well. Some of the information you’ve heard before, other stuff will be new. We don’t expect you to eat what we eat. Staying on track, YOUR track, is the most important thing. If a piece of what we teach makes sense and you know you can stick with it GREAT. If not, find what works for you. But push yourself! “Oh, what works for me is NOT working to change or “upgrade” my diet at all. I love my junk and that’s that”. Do you really? Let’s say for some lucky reason you have TEFLON strength. Your constitution is wicked strong and your DNA is pristine. You will never get cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol etc. You have a super model body that fat ricochets off of and your skin is as clear as a crystal lake. Well, WOW, deep bow to you! How about the planet?

The changes we make for ourselves greatly impact the environment and all the beings that inhabit it. Alkalinity is health. A sad but very eye opening example of this concept is reflected in our sick oceans. Due to over fishing and pollution the oceans are becoming acidic and the reefs are dying. When a reef dies all the microorganisms that sustain countless lives die too. Like the ocean, our body is made of mostly water. The fluids our cells bathe in are just as important as the terrain itself. Juicing, fruits, veggies, salads, clean water, healthy super foods like chlorella, blue green algae and spirulina, and high mineral content foods like sea weed all balance the terrain and bring our bodies back to vibrance.

Be patient, change doesn't happen over night and there is no such thing as perfect. There is no peace in perfection!

This is a terrific time to renovate. Spring is just around the corner and with it comes rebirth and renewal. How glorious...

Have a buddhaful GREEN day.

Peace and kale,
Kris

Monday, March 17, 2008

Happy Monday GORGEOUS!


Gosh, I feel like it has been so long. HI!!!

In 3 hours I will turn in the FINAL edit of my book. To commemorate this special time I have made a promise to myself. Live the life you write about Kris. Stop bossing everyone else around and start listening to yourself. Ok, Ok, FOR REAL, OK!

Funny, the universe runs on perfect timing. Check it out this email that drove to my inbox this morning, I think it's a cyber message from JBEE (if you don't know my silly lingo by now, that means Jesus, Buddha, Elvis Etc). :)

"I want to live my next life backwards.
You start out dead and get that out of the way.
Then you wake up in an old age home feeling better every day.
Then you get kicked out for being too healthy.
You enjoy your retirement and collect your pension.
Then when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day.
You work 40 years until you're too young to work.
You get ready for High School: drink alcohol, party, and you're generally promiscuous.
Then you go to primary school, you become a kid, you play, and you have no responsibilities.
Then you become a baby, and spend your last 9 months floating peacefully in luxury, in spa-like conditions: central heating, room service on tap.
And then...you finish off as an orgasm.
I rest my case."

I think Robert Benson wrote this, if not, sorry real author. Don’t sue me.

Because we are part of this Crazy Sexy Family, part of our list also includes educating ourselves and bringing health and vitality into our lives. I bow to you. Do you bow to you? Once again I am reminding myself to play. God is in the play especially when we add heaping cakes of soul seeking. As always, it’s an ACTIVE balance (meaning it just doesn't poof, happen).

Peace and furious typing,
Kris

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Celebration day for Debbie!!!


Hiya hot stuffs!

WOWWWWW, I am so thrilled about this monumental post! Our very own Debbie AKA (Debbiedoesraw - God I love that handle) has some UBER delicious news to share with you. She is one inspiring sassy cat, a true gem. Stories like precious Debbie's teach us all to be turtles. Huh? No race, one step in front of the other, be patient....believe.
Take it away RAW Queen Mayor Debbie....

"A year ago I paid my first visit to the oncologist. An elevated white blood count had prompted my regular Dr. to refer me and I was scared out of my wits. Leukemia had taken my fathers life over 15 years ago and his mother’s life when I was 5 years old. I was angry and more than a little put out. At 47, I was an active athletic PTA mom with a home business doing hairdressing. There was nothing wrong with me; I had no symptoms. This must all be some sort of weird mistake on the labs part. As I sat in the waiting room I kept thinking, “I don’t belong here, I should not be here.” I answered all the questions, twice, gave many vials of blood and left with a new appointment and a possible diagnosis. CLL or chronic lymphocytic leukemia was the doctor’s guess. Whatever that was... I had no idea just how many types of leukemia there were and what this type was. I cried all the way home, more frightened than ever.

The next time I brought my husband with me, as I had to get a bone marrow biopsy. Many of you have had some type of biopsy so you know they are no picnic. I was told it would take “2 minutes” and be a little sore for a few days. After a harrowing, sweaty episode with the gianormous needle, I realized that I was being sold a bill of goods ie: it hurt like hell, seemed to take forever and was sore for a good two weeks. That episode didn’t do much for the trust level between the Doctor and I.

Some off handed comments were made that day, for example,” you could have this for decades” and “ you are not likely to die from this disease but from something else (a bus accident, a TV falling on me or perhaps another unrelated illness?). As I sat weeping, the oncologist’s assistant poked her head into the room and said “Surprised?” like it was an episode of Punked and boy, did Ashton Kutcher know how to freak someone out, huh? My reply was “I have a six year old daughter.” She had no witty retort for that one. I asked what the treatment was and the Doctor said it is incurable and there is no treatment. At least, not until it got to an advanced stage. His assistant breezily let me know that it would be chemo by mouth, as if that makes it all ok, easy peesy lemon squeezy. Shit. I left feeling ready for a fight, angry at the disease, and really angry with the Dr and his wonder assistant, Ms. Sunshine.

I hit the Internet with a fury, finding out all I could on clinical trials, symptoms, treatments, natural cures, anything. I think the hardest thing I learned is that leukemia is canser. I know, duh, but it had never dawned on me. I always segmented it away as a separate illness. Nope, CLL happens when white blood cells join the Blood’s gang called Lymphocytes (wonky, immature white blood cells) and wreak havoc on the lymph system, the liver and the spleen. Even chemo would only reduce them for a time, then they would join a new gang and need a new swat team to take them out. Eventually, they would join The Crips (they no longer respond to the Police aka chemo drugs) and it was game over. The only true cure to make them move out of the hood was a bone marrow transplant, that in itself fraught with dangers of rejection and infection that could take your life or leave you in a worse state of health. At the library, in a five-pound book on cancer, I learned that leukemia, being that it is blood borne soft tumors, is automatically considered metastisized. Double shit. I alternatively cried and was cheered, depending on what I read and whose opinon or research I found.

I read and read till my eyes bled. I research, I networked, I found out all I could about CLL. The markers for the disease prognosis were etched in my brain, so when the Dr. spelled it all out for me I was ready. He said I had a good prognosis; all my markers were in the right place, nothing that would make it harder to treat or quicker to progress. I was thrilled as the news could have been so much worse. My husband held my hand as the good Dr. pronounced, “Your prognosis is good, 7-10 years.” People let me tell you, at that moment I was overjoyed at that news. I let everyone know that I had all the good markers, that it could have been much worse. After the dust settled, I did a mental double take; wait a minute… 7-10 years? Well, hell that is nowhere near enough time! I do not accept that expiration date.

One morning my husband told me he saw a girl on TV, saying she was young, had an incurable canser and had written a book called “crazy sexy cancer something.” For some reason, I pictured a woman dressed in Victoria’s Secret undies with screaming red hair running around yelling, “It’s crazy, it’s sexy!” I went on about my business and put it out of mind as one more book that would just rell me stuff I already knew. I needed facts, damn it, not fun!

I discovered macrobiotics, hit up the Japanese market and quickly found out that it takes a million hours and that all that chewing made me mental. I found books on mental visualization like Getting Well by The Simontens. I tried Qi Gong and self massage. The Power of Now by Ekart Tolle became my bible. I worried, a lot. Books on miracles, sudden remissions and the power of faith kept hope alive. I kept reading.

Each visit with the oncologist brought higher and higher white blood counts and a seeming lack of interest on his part in my questions or my case. I took to calling him “Dr. Textbook” as he would give standard style answers to my queries on diet, treatments and pretty much had no time for me. I felt like I was wasting his time, somehow not sick enough for him to reallly seem to care. Once, after my excited explanation of the visual exercises I did, twice daily picturing my bad cells getting eaten by sharks (killer cells), his assistant Ms. Sunshine, calmly replied, “You just have to accept that you have this disease and that it is not going away.” Pulled my plug and out drained my enthusiasm, but not for long.

One night in October 2007, while browsing the new book area at my favorite library, I saw the book my husband was talking about. Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips:. hmmm, hey she’s cute and this book looks like the breath of fresh air I needed in the isolation tank of research life I had created. Fast-forward to midnight, many tears later, I finished Kris’s book and my life changed forever. I did what Kris said, I read PH miracle by Dr. Robert Young and all the other books she reccommended. TLC had her documentary on and I taped it. In tears and laughter, I watched her go through a near identical journey to my own. I was amazed at all the stories of young beautiful women stricken by various forms of canser. Her blog became my new network and home base. I made some fast friendships with Dee, Bav, Sherry, Michelle, Chris, Callie, Clint, Sandra J, Jennifer, Lisa, Dr. Sue and so many, many other fantastic people. I went raw, starting writing a blog, got a juicer and starting doing the things I needed to do to heal.

Two months later I went for a blood test, oh so confident that I would get super results. Not so fast Quick Draw Mc Graw, the tests came back worse. My white blood cell count had climbed to 29,000 (normal is under 10,000: when diagnosed I was at 17,000). I cried with dissapointment, sure that I had done something wrong or that it would never work. But I kept on the path, doing crazier and well, sort of sexier stuff, like enemas and colonics. (If you go for that sort of sexy, wink wink). Kris and all my other blogmates urged me on and taught me new tricks. Daunted by the raw food cookbooks, I began to keep my food very very simple. I cooked for the family and did raw for me, throwing them a taste every now and then that they loved. You should know that I made a decision not to tell my daughter or stepdaughter about my diagnosis. It’s complicated, but until and unless I am very ill or need treatment, I prefer to keep it to myself and about 500 or so close friends. They just think I eat weird stuff. Being a raw vegan was an adventure and you know what? It was freaking fun! Recently I added more yoga and meditation with my man Deepak Chopra’s Healing the Soul CD. Just a week or so ago, Kris dubbed me her “mayor” of Crazy Sexy Life, her fab new forum/playground. What an honor from the woman who undoubtly saved my life.

Yesterday I went to the oncologist again, this time with a new attitude and four months of raw and green juice under my belt. I had all the good wishes of all my friends, prayers, hope and wisdom, tucked neatly into my backpack. I had a plan, inspired by a chance story I read in ‘Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal’ by Rachel Naomi Remen M. D. called “Who is That Masked Man?” She did therapy with many oncologists and discovered their heartbreak at the poor outcomes of some of their paitents and a deep sense of loneliness. For the first time, I felt compassion for my Dr. and his assistant. Perhaps I needed to approach this visit differently. Instead of taking my resentment and anger with me, I left it in the trash heap of toxic emotions and took a new approach.

As always, the assistant came in and started rattling off the same questions as she had each time. I stopped and kindly said, “You don’t have to ask me all those questions, I feel great and I still have no symptoms,” She smiled, seemed amused and told me in a happy tone that she “Had to ask them.” She sat down next to me, doing her exam. Suddenly, she could be my friend. Ms. Sunshine had become another human, doing her job and trying to be helpful. She had not changed, I had. After the blood draw, my oncologist entered the room. I greeted him and asked about his family. He had mentioned that he had a daughter who liked to run, so I asked if she ran the LA marathon. His face changed, he looked down, smiling and told me she does not run that much, with a bit of a chuckle. Then he told me that my white blood count was at 16,000. The lowest ever since I had met him. It took me a second to register this news, then the excitement hit. I mentioned that I had been coming to see him for a year now and that this was the best blood ever. He remarked “You would not be here if you did not have that blood test, you would never have known.” I told him that actually I was very glad I did find out, that I did meet him a year ago. If I had not made all the changes in my diet and my stress level, used all I had learned from Kris, then I would have met him when the disease was more acute.

In essence, I recognized the gift of the oncologist referral, the gifts that I have received due to the most frightening diagnosis I have ever gotten. He looked at my file, noted that I lost ten pounds since we met and for the first time in a year, really looked at me. He said I looked fit and had good color, looked healthier…hee hee my raw glow was showing! I shared with him that I hoped that I would never have to take chemo and he replied that if my blood stayed this way, I probably never would have to. As he left the room, smiling, I remarked, “ I will come to your retirement party!” Something tells me I will be there and you know what? I’ll miss the guy after all."

For more from Debbie and the rest of the Crazy Sexy Gang visit http://my.crazysexylife.com/

Monday, March 10, 2008

Crazy Sexy Mommies


Hi cherished health seeking sages!

WOW! Lot's of guest bloggers this week/weekend. Everything from veganism, aromatherapy and a new favorite topic fertility! I've had the privilege of meeting some fabulously interesting women lately, two specialist in particular who ya'll just have to know. First up,the dynamic Jan Roberts. Her story says it all. For more information and to ask questions or start conversations please go to http://my.crazysexylife.com

Take it away Jan.....

Hi Crazy Sexy Crew,

My name is Jan Roberts and the lovely Kris has asked me to introduce myself and give you some insights into key areas of women’s health - preconception, fertility, beautiful, happy, healthy babies and the other end of the reproductive cycle - menopause.

First a little about me…I began my career as a pharmacist in Sydney Australia, way back in 1967. I then spent fifteen years in community pharmacy, before my frustration with band-aid medicine led me to bat for the complementary side of medicine. I was tired of handing out prescriptions for people who never got better … at the time I simply thought that people were sick and were staying that way because of “the goodness that was missing from modern diets.” I’d grown up with a very insightful mother who sent me to school everyday with salad in a Tupperware lunch box. The other kids all had chocolate spread on white bread (mind you, I dearly longed to have these sandwiches)… now I’m so glad my Mom insisted on salmon on wholegrain! So I was raised with some understanding of the importance of nutrition, but had no idea of the other factors that impact our health, (the common social poisons, the oral contraceptive pill and other pharmaceutical “solutions,” toxicity in the environment and in our water, electromagnetic radiation and much more).

My then partner, also a pharmacist goaded me into learning more instead of as he said …“just talking through my hat about things I knew nothing about.” Well, I learned more and then some. He probably regrets to this day that cattle prod because it set me on a path that took me down an entirely different road (and eventually away from him, but that was much later and after we had our two children).

So I embarked on a postgraduate diploma in clinical nutrition and was particularly inspired by a lecture from a remarkable doctor in England…he talked about the work of Foresight, an Association involved in the promotion of preconception healthcare. It was a light coming on for me! Having staunchly resisted the idea of children for 35 years, I made an instant decision …when I eventually DID have my kids that would be how I’d prepare. Once I’d made that decision, I started looking at the whole reproductive cycle and was shocked at how far women had strayed (thanks largely to the medical profession) from what nature intended. So for 25 years my passion has been the promotion of preconception healthcare as the way to improve fertility and to prevent miscarriage and other reproductive problems. It’s also the best foundation to ensure that you will have a wonderfully healthy pregnancy, that you can (and will feel confident to) give birth without any help at all from modern medicine (hey, women have been doing this stuff for a few millennia), that you can and will breastfeed your baby for as long as he or she wants… and much more.

My little newsletter that ran to 12 pages and was created on one of the earliest Apple Macs turned into four books on natural ways to improve every stage of reproduction from preconception through to breastfeeding and they are all based on my personal experiences. My two boys who are now 18 and 22 were the inspiration for the series. At 38 and 42 years old, I didn’t have fertility problems, but could see that all the things that my partner and I did in preparation for conception meant that everything unfolded easily and naturally! Of course there’s nothing like writing from personal experience! But life moves on and babies grow up and personal experience is now at the menopause stage, with exactly the same diet and lifestyle factors important for an easy transition into that phase of life.

Today, women and men have greater needs for optimal physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing than ever before. Corporate, work place, family and community demands place increasing pressures on all of us. Our reproductive capacity and reproductive outcomes are compromised, as well as being increasingly medically managed. Mothering no longer unfolds naturally and easily. Sexual health is compromised by the same factors adversely affecting reproduction. I could go on, but I think you get the message … 21st century diets and lifestyles have created a bunch of problems…but there’s a huge amount that we can do to redress the damage.
I will be posting some more detail in the near future on Crazy Sexy Life and answering any questions you may have. If you are in the area I am currently touring the West Coast of the US talking about all the things that need attention if you want to have a really healthy baby, and all the things that need attention if you want to cruise through menopause. Hope to see some of you there!


Click here for San Diego lecture
Click here for Costa Mesa and Vista (CA)
Click here for Seattle
Click here for San Francisco (Menopause)
Click here for San Francisco (Fertility)
Click Here for Pharmaca San Francisco
Click Here for Pharmaca Napa
Jan's Elephant Pharmacy lectures

Thursday, March 6, 2008

I swiped the cancer card on a crack head




I AM BACK! BACK AND READY TO TANGO WITH THE ORIGINAL CREW-A-LICIOUS! La la la...

Hi gang of sassys,

Sorry I've been hanging in our other town/CITY more than I have been here. As you can imagine it needs a lot of attention right now. If you haven't checked it out, do it! http://my.crazysexylife.com I'm hoping that it will grow into a magical wellness world, not just for cancer survivors but for everyone who passionately lives like they mean it. :)

OK, now onto my drama..

I swiped the card on a crack head. You did WHAT? I swiped the card on a crack head. I KNOW!!!!! I sorta feel awful about it but I swear I had to unload my fire. Rewind to last Sunday morning, it was 6:30 am and I was getting ready for my appearance on Fox & Friends. On media days I really try and center myself, prep my points, meditate and pray for the holy sparkle to speak through me on the national boob tube. There's nothing worse than sounding like a wart or a fart in front of an awful lot of good folk.

Since the show tapes in NYC, Brian and I stayed at our Brooklyn pad the night before. I love our little home, it's a zen oasis. However, a certain resident on our block (who just happens to share our walls) has become the hostess with the mostest low brow shit. We're talking old school New York low. Many times we're awakened in the middle of the night to the screeches of the HO holla howel! Then the furniture starts flying. It's a 24/7 skank bazaar.

On this particular morning the "traffic" in and out of the karma wasteland was worse than JFK on a holiday. I tried, I swear I tried to send light, see the divine in all, remember the oneness, pray and marinate in compassion... SNAP! I tried and I failed. I mean worse than Linda Blair in the exorcist kinda snap!

I rocketed down the stairs I ripped my front door off the hinges and released a barage of verbal right hooks and upper cut combos. Then it thundered out of my mouth: I HAVE CANCER YOU JERK! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! I HAVE CANCER!!! AND THERE IS A CANCER IN YOUR HOME TOO! YOU ARE VERY BAD PEOPLE! JUST STOP!"

Whoa... (air gasping sound effects)....Whoa.....

I shook. At first I felt proud, because I think I scared the crap out of everyone and made them feel really bad and dirty guilty. I hoped that their self focused destructive behavior was rattled by the reality check of a "sick chick" and the sick world around them. The noise promptly turned down a few notches and the traffic swerved to the far side of the steps. But then I started to feel really dirty myself. I've never swiped like that before... Ok once... I needed help lifting my ginormous AC and my old super was a lazy pod person. In desperation, I told him that my cancer was "acting up" and that I needed him poste haste. It worked, but I dared not do it again. Plus, Brian told me upfront that he would not stand for faking it nonsense, "just because you have cancer doesn't mean you don't have to do the dishes!" He was right.

Yes, I still have cancer but as you all know, I'm fine, I live with it, no biggie and it doesn't stop me from working like a dog. Which brings me to the question, when is swiping the cancer card in poor taste? Am I going to get a Karmic paddle for that stunt? There have been some really bumpy work explosions this week and in the back of my mind I wonder if the universe is punishing me.

Make Juice not war, but while you're at it swipe the card responsibly!

Peace, veggies, and shame,
K

PS. I hope you don't think I'm rotten.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

My Crazy Sexy Life forum is LIVE - day 2!


Hi SUPER Snazzies!

Happy day, happy cartwheel filled day! Wow, I just don't know what to say. The forum is growing and blossoming with lightening quickness. It is just BEAUTIFUL. It is full of the red hot Divine. I'm kinda speechless and teary. Our (YOUR) oasis is a wellness hub for spiritual seekers, planet lovers, health warriors and kind, good folk. This community is for everyone, for your family, friends, co-workers. It's not just a place for canSer cowgirls and chaps, it's much, much bigger.

If you haven't joined us already please do so, and PLEASE spread the word. Meet-up posses are already developing, this is our chance to take back our power and live life like we really mean it, with FIRE. Can you tell I'm uber inspired? Can you tell I haven't slept? It's like christmas!

See for yourself and please let me know what you think. We made this for you, so TAKE OVER!

Happy birthday too.

Peace and pride,
K

Here's the link:
http://my.crazysexylife.com

PS. I'm still completely dedicated to this blog, some of you asked if it will "go away" now. HECK NO! NO way! It will grow stronger... xoxo

Saturday, March 1, 2008

My Crazy Sexy Life forum is LIVE!!!


Yes! We've been burning up the mouse pads building the site... and now it's DONE! This blog continues to grow into such a holy playground for all of us, and a forum is the natural addition so you can spread your wings even more.

So buzz on over to our funky digital town, stroll around, and join up!

Here's the link:
http://my.crazysexylife.com

Peace & pajamas,
Kris