I am a natural healer myself and have been using herbs for the past few years to help treat my ailments. Alcoholism runs on my mom’s side, and diabetes and kidney issues run on my dad’s. Looking back, it seems as though I was probably born with some liver dysfunction (maybe that was linked with being colic?). I am 26 now and was diagnosed with HPV when I was 21, and have not had regular menstrual cycles since I got off birth control at 22. I lean on the side of having low blood sugar and hypothyroidism, and I used to always get strep throat and bladder infections up until I was 16 or 17 (when I started to become aware of pH balancing). When I was young, about 6 or 7, I also had severe dry skin on my elbows. I remember having to put special lotion on every night. I have always carried my weight in my abdomen. I was chunky for several years of my childhood but it was all in my belly and face. Now, I can link that with colon, lymph, and liver. I believe all of these things originated from having a congested liver. If the liver is not making enough bile to break things down, it causes the colon to get backed up, which, in turn, makes the lymph backed up. My major goal here is to cleanse the liver (and obviously colon) in order to regulate my hormones and menstrual cycle once again.
I have done several different bowel cleanses, and have used Nature’s Sunshine and Pure Herbs to help with my HPV and for adrenal/kidney support. As they were helpful, they were nothing in comparison to the results I got from the Herbal Apothecary’s herbs. These herbs have, by far, the highest potency and frequency of any herbs I have taken! I know that herbs have gradual effects and take time to yield physical results. In the past, it had been hard for me to really tell. I just knew I muscle tested for them, and then, later, tested off of them. Within days of being on this particular bowel cleanse, my taste buds had already changed to want more nourishing foods, not junk and sweets. My energy levels were also on an incline! That’s a pretty fast response for herbs (in my book).
Start of Liver Flushing
So after doing a couple months of bowel cleansing, I was guided to start liver flushing. The best thing I have done for my body thus far. I have always carried my weight in my mid-section, but never knew it was from a backed up liver. Well, every time I test it, sure enough, it proves to be true. Just before my 1st flush, I became aware that my liver was tender to the touch, and the area was swollen. How could I (a massage therapist) not have noticed that?! So, as part of the protocol goes, when I would put a charcoal poultice over my liver through the night, I would wake up with absolutely NO bloating! A flat belly! This alone was an emotional breakthrough (having just discovered what kept me from feeling sexy most all of my life). The castor oil pack has a similar affect but not as dramatic with the swelling reduction. It’s more calming and soothing for me, but sometimes it makes spots tingle or itch. It’s just the detoxification process. The hot/cold treatments were very interesting as well. My coach told me that they would bring out emotions and so to do them before sleeping, as to not have to deal with anyone one. Well I did a couple of those at night but never felt emotional. So I decided to try it once before work… I was feeling good having a great day, and then BOOM! I was feeling discouraged and irritable within about 30-40 mins of doing the hot/cold. I didn’t even link the two together until a friend asked what was wrong. I said, “I don’t know!” Then after retracing my steps I realized… It had to have been the hot/cold therapy. I must be honest, I really didn’t think it would have that big of an effect. Leave it to me to find out for myself. This process has been a huge eye-opener to me on many levels. I accepted the fact that my liver was in need of some fairly major cleansing and love. To do that, I follow Dr. Schulze 5 day liver flush program, adding in castor oil packs, hot/cold treatments, charcoal poultice and coffee enemas. So far, I have done 4 liver flushes (working on my 5th). I got out some major bile-like sludge on my first flush (so much in fact, that it forced me to do a coffee enema). It had created a major blockage that 2 salt flushes, abdominal massage, and herbal laxatives didn’t even do the job! I was shocked. But the coffee enema was SUPER AMAZING! I cannot express enough how great of an experience it is. I know it sounds crazy, but I have never had so much clarity and pure, clean, vibrant energy. I felt on top of the world for a few days, until the bad food started congesting the liver again. After the flush, I was allowing myself to eat whatever. I have come to realize that that’s not such a good thing to do. On my second flush, I got out a few stones, which I was excited about because I was still skeptical (just a little) as to weather or not I had any. This proved to be true. So I kept going. On my fourth flush, I got out many stones, plaque, flukes (parasites), and yeast (candida)! Wow! That was a lot to take in, or get out in this case, haha. I do notice my skin becomes a little yellow a day or two before flushing, and I get foggy headed and irritable. These are all signs of liver congestion. This is when I will do a coffee enema.
Signs of Improvement
Emotional: While I had been told that the liver is the seat of anger and resentment, it proved itself to me as well. I tend to suppress my emotions (especially anger) and can only really get mad and blow up on my mom. Hmmm, making any connection so far? She had passed down the “bad” liver gene to me, so my subconscious holds resentments towards her for that. Anyway, we have always bickered, and are so much alike that we argued a lot. While in the midst of my first flush, it got so bad that I hung up on her twice! Over nothing at all, I was just irritated! What? This is totally out of my character. But, after flushing all the sludge on my first run through, we have not so much as raised a voice with each other and can actually TALK through any misunderstandings or disagreements. I am floored by this, I truly am!!! So as I keep going, it only gets better and better. Now, she says she wants to do liver flushes. I could not be happier to hear this as I am very concerned for her health and wellbeing. To add to that, there is a spark of some reconciliation between her and the sister she used to be closest to. They have not spoken in a couple of years. This has also brought some turmoil between my cousin and I. On the night of my 4th flush, my cousin, says to me, “I’m going to talk to your mom. I miss her so much and having her around in my life, and so does my mom.” Goose bumps and an infinite smile is all I could respond with. Are you kidding me God? Is this all I had to do? Really? And then! It seems so unreal. Then, that same night, another one of my aunts started telling me how she wanted to do the cleanse with my mom so they could be a support for each other. Jaw dropping to the floor now, and I have had just about all I can take in! I drove home that night feeling half drunk myself with so much awe and joy. Go Liver Flushes! I have definitely noticed that I am able to recognize and give more acknowledgements to my feelings. This was the whole blockage with me being able to express them. How can you express your feelings if you can’t place them? I am so grateful to have found this program and the people who are supporting me through it.
Physical: I have noticed huge changes in my energy levels and clarity of my mind after flushing. My right side (where the liver is) is actually a little more flexible than my left now. It used to be much tighter than the left, and it was even causing my right hip to be a little high. I can really tell when I’m in yoga class. I would have never related that to my liver! I just thought it was some tight muscles. My neck is significantly looser now, and I even had some natural adjustments while doing my first couple coffee enemas! I was just lying there, and when I went to stretch, my neck popped all the way up. It felt so wonderful! Another improvement I’m seeing is softer, smoother skin. I have been experiencing dry patches around my love handles, hips, thighs, and tops of my hands for the past couple of years. Right after a flush, there’s no more dryness. But after I start eating bad, it comes back. A huge thing for me is the bloating. When cleansing the liver, my bloating is almost non-existent. I realize I have a lot of work to do before it’s gone completely. It’s both an indicator and motivator of where I am and what I still need to do. It’s funny now, I can tell almost instantly how certain foods agree or disagree with me. I feel I have made such a connection with my liver and opened up some deep lines of communication within myself. I know it sounds weird but also very fascinating. You cannot begin to imagine until you experience it for yourself. Trust me, I was totally open to the whole idea of communicating with my body (and even tried), but until you actually do it, you have no idea.
After the flush, I was allowing myself to eat whatever. I have come to realize that that’s not such a good thing to do. On my second flush, I got out a few stones, which I was excited about because I was still skeptical (just a little) as to weather or not I had any. This proved to be true. So I kept going. On my fourth flush, I got out many stones, plaque, flukes (parasites), and yeast (candida)! Wow! That was a lot to take in, or get out in this case, haha. I do notice my skin becomes a little yellow a day or two before flushing, and I get foggy headed and irritable. These are all signs of liver congestion. This is when I will do a coffee enema.