My Story - Caroline Craven, theGirlwithMS

Mind Body Cleanse - my Journal

Hello all!
Welcome to my journal about my gentle cleanse as I reboot my mind body connection. I'm working with award-winning author and certified fitness trainer, Loa Blasucci, and her online mini system is just 5 days. I can do this!
Day 1:
9:13am
What a glorious morning. Had a restful night sleep and ready to start the cleanse and reboot my mind body.

Started off by not drinking the usual cup or two of coffee in the morning. This morning started with two glass of lemon water. I'm used to going back and forth from water, tea and coffee, so this first step is pretty easy for me. What's interesting is how my body was craving the ginger-lemon hot hottie and not the usual black sludge. Now don't get me wrong, I love a nice cup of coffee now and then, but going back to hot lemon water is fine by me.
Having several things on my to-do list today encouraged me to get started early. But, no slumping at the computer for the next four hours. Twenty minutes - get it done and get outside for a walk before it gets too warm. And crank it out I did.
Looking at the clock and realizing it's later than I would like I check the temperature outside. Beautiful and not too warm yet. A shade trek should be nice and doable. Not too hotside...yet.
Slow and lethargic I moved along the street, my 82 year old father by my side. He wasn't slow, I was. He was on his cool down after walking 1.5 miles at the gym. Good genes.
As we walk, my mind starts releasing toxic thoughts. I can feel them coming and then, just as quickly, they leave. No stressors. No anxiety. Just thoughts that come and then leave. I practice breathing deep and with intention. What do I want to release today? what negativities are holding me back in life? Ahhhh. My breathing gets deeper. I can do this!

In a gentle room I stretch. Nothing harsh or drastic, just a peaceful environment, and positive thought in my mind and heart. Breathing deep, I stretch a few minutes and then head back to the laptop.
After about a half hour on the laptop working away its time for my morning juice. I am so blessed to live in southern California and have this abundant produce everywhere around.
I'm off to cook, juice, chop, and prep for the coming week of cleansing.
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Made plenty of reboot soup, salad, quinoa and fresh juices to nosh on during the day. Delish! Throughout the day my mind was continually trying to hang up on something. To get anxious and upset. To find that one thing to justify anger. But it wasn't there. I let it go. I kept letting it go. Every time something got me anxious and short of breathe I took a big deep inhale and let it go. And it worked. I felt free of angst and it felt amazing. I'm looking forward to continuing this freeing feeling with breathing and relaxing techniques as I cleanse months of crud out of my system.
Time for bed. Took a relaxing bath with bath salts.  Boy did I sleep well! At least the first part of evening til about three am, then I woke for a bit. But that's OK. I fell back to sleep a bit and woke for good about an hour ago.
Day 2:

Continuing my cleansing and growth through the second day. Starting the day off with a ginger lemon hot tottie and prepping for me gentle Loa Flow class that starts in an hour.
My body is warm tho. Very warm. I can feel the inflammation in my legs as the crud from my body is expelled. I can see negative thoughts leaving my body and mind. A reboot is happening and it feels so good!
I am aware that our bodies are amazing and they cleanse on their own. But sometimes modern day life makes a cleanse feel necessary.
Well, actually I never made the tottie and ended up just drinking filtered water. But that's what my body was asking for and I listened. That's one of my best learned lessons in life. Listening to the body. Really listening.
The amount of anger in me taking to the surface is surprising. I didn't realize how many negative things had accumulated. In my body. In my mind. But today, yesterday and this week, they are exiting this building!
Cleansing in some ways has become easy. Almost. But there are deeper parts about a cleanse that can get the mind going.
The light meals and juices are keeping me going all day. I made some lovely lemon ginger iced tea to sip on which became real refreshing on these warm summer days.
Day 3:
This was a good week to choose to cleanse. My schedule is light and easy with some work but not a lot of obligations.
Interesting as thoughts of work and projects would enter my mind, trying to raise my anxiety level, but my body just breathed deep and relaxed. No anxiety. Wow. The mind body cleanse is working!
Throughout the day I practice deep breathing and some gentle meditation. My intention is continually bringing my mind to the present as my anxiety levels release and disintegrate. Man this feels great.
Again this morning I go for the filtered water. Several glasses before I get out of bed. How refreshing!
My morning walk started with a spring in my step. Where did this spring come from? I'll take it that's for sure. Must be the lightness I'm feeling as the crud is leaving my body. I pick up the pace. It's supposed to be a gentle walk but my legs are wheeling spry. I take advantage of the feeling and let my legs go with it.
By the time I got home my whole body was aglow with sweat. My body felt strong light and hydrated. This is a feeling I like and will bring to intention throughout the rest of this cleanse.
Patience. I'm not known for it and struggle daily with finding it. Today was a good example of how I'm growing as a person through this reboot. I was at the market picking up six apples for my juices. I got in the wrong line. Almost a half hour later I am being waited on so I can pay my $1.68. The lady in front commented on how calm and happy I looked. Well, there was nothing I could do about it so I mentally succumbed and enjoyed a couple of magazines while waiting. Love this feeling! This is also an intention I'm carrying throughout the week and beyond. Succumb. Relax. Know the things we can change and the things we can't. Courage. It all helps.
Day 4:
Morning world!
What a great night sleep. While the last several nights brought sweats, pain, and inflammation, last night had just one wake up for a restroom break and some water then back to sleep. Yay team!
I'm off to make a hot lemon toddy! I'll be back. But for now I'm enjoying my cleanse. I have a gentle schedule today and will focus on my intentions.
Juicing through this day feels refreshing. Almost easy as if by following these simple instructions gives less to think about. The cravings are not really there. And an earlier time of healthier eating raises its beautiful head and reminds what eating could be like. Oh I love this reminder!
The negative thoughts still escape me. I love the feeling of them leaving my body as my lungs fill deep with air and comfort my tired, MS body and mind.
Bits of anger and impatience flit about reminding me of my weaknesses. I struggle for a moment but then the fleeting annoyances fly away. Fly away. Float away. Fall away. They do it all and my strength grows.
My intentions during this cleanse are to let go of what o can not control and to choose those elements I want in life. My life goals for this chapter are writing, artistry, and living each day best I can.
Day 5:
It's 2am and I can't sleep. Keep thinking of my beautiful aunt who is dying of brain cancer right now. Hospice is with her and she is joining her God as she leaves this world. Man, I love this lady and now she's gone. The tears flow freely. For my aunt. For her family. For my uncle. Life is amazing. So powerful yet so vulnerable. Life is the snowflake we are given. Unique. Delicate. Destructible.
How do we protect our snowflake yet let it shine like no other?
This day became a bit more challenging in ways and easier in others. After a morning stroll to get the blood flowing, and so,e time in the garden, I continued my juicing. Keeping my schedule light I used this time to relax, reflect and rejuvenate. Ahhhh. I needed this!
We had a big dinner to go to tonight so I glad I stared my cleanse a bit early. A local favorite prime rib spot is closing. I'm not a big prime rib fan and coming off the cleanse wanted to keep it light so went woth French oinion soup and spinach salad. I keep the bread and cheese to a minimum and are the broth and onions. Delish! And plenty for dinner.
I always have this great Sense of renewal after a cleanse. A true reboot. And this was no different. As the toxic crud left my body I was left with clear vision of what I choose in life and what I am letting go from my mind.
I could still feel a few rid bits of toxicity left in me. Negative thoughts, anger and impatience. As I breathe through each possible moment of anxiety I know that I have the tools to move forewar, successfully. And that's just what I'm going to do, use my tools: journaling, meditation, exploration, nature.
Join us as we move forward with what we choose and let go of what we want no more.
#takethatms #mspals














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