Quick Reviews and Updates

Over the past year, I’ve stumbled upon some terrific products that deserve some mention here. Today’s post offers a hodge podge of updates and quick reviews of things I use, read and love. I’m not affiliated with any of these books or products in any way other than enjoying them for myself. Just sharing what I’ve found …

Uncle Harry’s Tooth Powders and Toothpaste

I love, love, love Uncle Harry’s! So much, in fact, that I got Bonne Sante to start carrying their line in Hyde Park. Warning: the flavors and textures are different than typical pastes. Some people find these too intense, but they work well for me. I especially like the Toothpowder for Sensitive Teeth if I’ve been grinding. Yes, sometimes I do grind, but Uncle Harry takes away the pain!

For everyday use I love the Miracle Alkaline Toothpaste in peppermint flavor. It’s messy. I’m not sure why, but it is … however, it gets my teeth so clean and strong that my dentist started recommending it to her patients. She even made me bring in the little glass container so she could inspect the ingredients herself. She could not believe that my teeth stayed this hard without flouride.

I also love Ascended Health oral care products, but Uncle Harry’s are much easier on the wallet. When I’ve suggested $50 toothpastes to clients they always ask for an alternative. I love the vibe, the superfoods and the Lemurian crystals in Ascended Health, but I’ve also been very happy with Uncle Harry’s at 1/5-1/10 the cost.

Sumbody Mineral Makeup and Lip Tint
Cassie Margraf turned me onto this company before I left California. They offer an extremely natural line of scrumptious bath potions, lotions and pure mineral makeup. (Their products are not entirely vegan, so check individual items for beeswax or goat milk if you want to avoid those.) I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but I like the slight UVA/UVB skin protection from some of the minerals. My fair skin stays softer and less freckled if I use a slight dust of minerals on it before going outside.

My favorite thing in the Sumbody line is actually their First Kiss Lip Tint. It has a yummy flavor, which I can’t quite place, and it goes on so sheer you almost don’t see it, providing non-gloppy lip moisture for hours. (A note for strict vegans, I discovered after purchase that the lip tint does contain a small amount of beeswax, although this little pot has already lasted me eight months with about 1/3 left to spare.)

Cleansing

I decided to do a month-long cleanse in July. I’ve tried many methods before, including juice feasting, colonics and other packaged cleanses, but when I want a system overhaul, I tend to go for Dr. Natura’s Colonix. This time I also added Toxinout, for extra liver cleansing.

Even though I eat a relatively clean, mostly raw diet free of animal products (except for the occasional touch of raw honey in a raw food treat), I find my body responds well to regular cleansing. With all the changes in my life since New Year’s Eve, it felt like the right time. (Many of you know I filed for divorce on December 31, 2009, relocated to Chicago, started a door/portal painting journey and new life, and as of July 1, 2010, I am officially divorced. “Out with the old to make room for the new” works on all levels.)

Dr. Natura’s Colonix is not raw, but it does get rid of parasites and old intestinal crud. I have taken this cleanse before with, um, dramatic results. Without getting graphic, let’s just say that I know this stuff works well. A lot of my clients have taken it for two to three months and noticed major lifts in mood, weight loss, more creativity, and a greater sense of clarity and peace. I like this product because it does not require fasting or even a raw food diet, and people find it gentle enough for everyday use. Many of my clients travel for work, and they cannot afford “the runs” or other issues associated with colon cleansing.

I also like that Colonix provides a strong defense against parasites. Most people don’t realize that when we have parasites (and pretty much everyone does!), these little beasties have their own agendas and energy. Sometimes irrational fears, anger, aggression or other “personality traits” are really “parasite traits.” For example, I have found that pin worms resonate with anxiety (especially about finances). Round worms resonate with negativity, anger and aggression, while Candida resonates with “victim,” especially the kind of victim who feels walked on by everyone else. I often recognize Candida overgrowth just by the corresponding “poor me” mentality. Removing such unwanted guests can bring back our natural, joyful state. Other people notice relief from skin conditions, back aches and/or chronic illness.

Some raw foodists want to know why I choose Dr. Natura over the Ejuva cleanse. For me, the main factor is price. Dr. Natura is quite reasonable, and it gets the job done. I don’t have any major health crises where I feel I need to invest in the extra, extra effective cleansing of the Ejuva. If I did, I would likely give it a try, though, and I’ve had clients and friends heal themselves of severe digestive and other issues with Ejuva.

VOC-free paint

Those of you who’ve followed my portal painting know that after door number 4, I switched from primarily acrylics to VOC-free wall paint. I found the fumes from acrylics bothered me when painting such large surface areas.

My local Ace Hardware offers a Natura line with hundreds of gorgeous, vibrant colors that they will custom blend. Having access to these transformed my painting process and allowed me to color the backgrounds of the doors without suffocating myself! Because the paints are water based, clean up is very easy–just rinse under warm water. I highly, highly recommend the Natura brand for anyone painting walls, doors or furniture. I have a small apartment and for about 6 weeks there, I was painting for 8 or more hours per day. Once I switched to the VOC-free Natura line for large surface areas, I experienced zero side effects from fumes.

Ecstatic Beings

“144,000 ways to eternal ecstatic bliss”: the subtitle promises a lot from Shazzie and Kate Magic. As a Lazy Raw Foodist, I’ve not counted to 144,000, but the book does provide a ton of health, vibe and bliss-raising tips from recipes to kundalini yoga to poetry to numerology and doorways. How can a portal painter not appreciate a book that actually lists doorways to bliss? (page 106)

Brilliantly colored and full of love, this magazine-style book shares the kooky, awareness-opening consciousness and humor that are trademark Shazzie and Kate. Some parts may shock the squeamish or easily offended. In fact, I heard some UK book stores had banned Ecstatic Beings, which just makes me giggle. How can anyone ban an ecstatic being? I love this book because it pushes boundaries, goes beyond the normal and acceptable and encourages readers to do the same.

You don’t need to take urine therapy (111-113) in order to benefit from reading Ecstatic Beings. You can simply choose to celebrate the Revolution holidays they list (pages 104-5), or learn new vocabulary words like “Braw: A raw person with a big ego who takes themselves too seriously and puts their own success above the realvolution.”

“It’s a funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” –Somerset Maugham

Kate and Shazzie not only quote Somerset Maugham, but they offer tools to “build your own ecstatic bliss bubble,” helping readers to imagine beyond what they used to imagine, expecting and bringing in better and better bests. As a Life Coach and Medical Intuitive who practices “Reiki for Rockstars” (pages 42-3), I wholeheartedly approve of “cacalchemists” (people who “create alchemical delights using cacao”) and Visionaries in Paradise (people “committed to creating their own reality in the guise of heaven on earth.”) If you love these things or think you might, you will find Ecstatic Beings a strange and delightful read.