MY FASTING JOURNEY - a little summary
Back in 1997 (I was 14yrs old – Grade 9 at school) I did the liver cleanse diet. This was to help my skin - as I struggled with acne. I did it with my mum for support – cutting out meat, dairy, wheat, sugar, etc. It didn’t phase me at the time, which I look back & think is laughable as my friends ate chocolate around me & I didn't flinch. Mum helped a lot with food prep. She is creative so the food was interesting. I do remember a lot of cauliflower...
This year I have co-facilitated 2 online juice fasts which allows you to feel supported while fasting but in the comfort of your own home.
Throughout my teens I tried a lot of things for my acne so was used to cutting out things. When I had to say goodbye to cheese I remember it being a very devastating day! My salad sandwiches no longer had flavour (or so I thought at the time...). I have learnt so much since then about awesome ways to upgrade them and add creaminess... hommus, avocado, pesto, beetroot dip, etc.
In 2010 in my final year of studying Naturopathy I remember doing a 3 day water fast. I was paralysed in bed. It was horrible! I didn't prep properly – I don’t even know what program if any I was following? I know in hindsight I wasn’t drinking enough water. I was home alone & mentally had to talk my mind into moving my limbs. It was so weird and scary. I also remember choosing to climb Mt Warning on the last day of my cleanse. Hmmm… not so smart?! So I got scared about having energy for the hike and broke my fast with something that was being cooked for dinner that night which had dairy and wheat in it (homemade pizza from memory), classic unprepared fast exit. Haha! I learnt so much from this fast. I was juicing a lot at this time - often daily. This daily routine didn't help my fast as I now know I was so unprepared physically, mentally, emotionally & understand the depth of preparation required for a smooth & easier fast.
In 2011 I was living in Perth & went to one of Tyler Tolman's weekend courses called Heal Thyself Express. Following those 2 days I kicked off a 30 day cleanse. It started with a 4 day colon cleanse and for the remaining days I ate 1 bag of pulse (mixture of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc) & organic apples if need be. I got really tired of the sweetness and just wanted green leaves. I noticed a lot during this time in relation to my hunger, the season I chose to fast (winter in Perth or just prior to), how socially ‘awkward’ it was for others - I wasn’t phased when joining people for dinner or at the staffroom table. I found the social aspect fascinating! I was there for the company but there was so much stigma (& curiousity understandably) attached to eating less or better still cleansing or fasting. This is also where my fascination of water consumption kicked in & how different I felt when really well hydrated. I was always a pretty good water drinker but drinking a lot (1 litre) first upon waking was fascinating to daily over a month. It is now a comfortable habit. I began to notice how well I felt once hydrated and how my hunger decreased. FYI: Hunger is often confused for dehydration.
With Don & Tyler Tolman in Bali working at their 7 day juice fast
2012 I attended one of Tyler’s 7 day juice fasts in Bali. I was looking for something to complement my Naturopathy that wasn’t supplement based and discovered his fast. The 7 day fast ended up being 2 days juice and 7 days water. My eczema was giving me grief at the time and the juices made it itchy, so I dived in as the environment was supportive. Holy moly! Wowza. I loved the enemas and began to understand physically, mentally and emotionally how they shifted things at another level. I released something that resembled black tar on day 4 after stopping juices and transitioning to water. Oh my the smell! It was fascinating. I remember feeling so damn happy and also gained further understanding of the body and what it can store. During this fast I gained more understanding of emotions being integrated, episodes of lethargy vs heaps of energy, dizzy spells, euphoria, etc and how to handle them confidently. I continued the water on the plane trip back to Cairns and for another couple of days in Cairns, until my house mates started cooking and I caved with coconut water & fruit. Pretty darn awesome post fast transition (exit) this time because I was mentally & physically prepared due to the education around breaking a fast. Community support filled so many of my senses while not eating along with sunshine and different daily practices. I understood the potency of support, community & 'feeding' the body in other ways. It's not just about stopping eating for those newbies out there! This is why I feel so passionate to share more on fasting and have created this event next year!
In 2012 I went back to the same 7 day fasting retreat in Bali as a volunteer and worked behind the scenes with 28 people juice fasting while doing adventure activities (to keep their minds busy) eg. whitewater rafting, hiking, etc. This was amazing to be apart of the team and learn more!
2014 I did a 21 day retreat on the Central Coast of NSW which integrated 18 days juicing. Again I did 3 days juice and the rest water because I wanted to clear my eczema – it would come and go over the years, at times really bad outbreaks and then leave for years. Through exploring fasting & understanding my body more I now understand the triggers causing it & also what has needed to be released through fasting and cleansing to allow my body to repair the eczema long term. The 18 days juicing was combined with Vipassana Meditation & Rebirthing (a breathing technique to release emotions). Full on and all complementary to each other - a whole body overhaul. I learnt more about my body and mind on this fast. Lots of emotional triggers and also the fastest clearing of a coldsore ever while fasting on water & actioning a salt flush.
Breaking my 18 day fast with fresh watermelon - eaten with my hands. Absolute connection and gratitude.
4 years into my business, in 2015, I was asked to support Tyler as his Naturopath at his 30 day Heal Thy Self program in Bali. This was again fascinating to watch 16 people go deep on a juice fast (juices for a few days of preparation followed by 18 days on water). So many emotions and layers were released and processed. It was incredible to be observe and support. I really began to understand iridology from a completely different angle. Became more deeply fascinated by the metaphysics of disease and really felt in awe of what it takes to run a retreat. Bringing together so many practitioners, timetables, communication, juice/food prep, music, etc it’s all done with ease when the prep work is done – so much unseen work behind the scenes. All while keeping the mood high and emotions supported.
In the last 4 years I have done a bunch of different 3, 5 & 7 day fasts always trying something different to discover the nurture balance. Intermittent fasting has been an easy & accessible way of fasting day to day & giving my digestive system a break. An aspect of fasting I am really intrigued by as a woman. I feel we need more yin as women. Herbal teas, softness, community, etc. I feel so damn passionate about providing supportive fasts that encompass and really support the emotional needs while sticking to guidelines to get results. I simply don't believe in measuring the in-goings (juice/water) and out-goings (poo/gallstones/parasites) for results. I could talk for days about my love and fascination of fasting - oh wait I am next February!
I have one of my mini fasts documented on my blog from 4 years ago.
I am excited to let you know about a supported fast I have coming up in February next year. A fully supported 4 day fast that really emphasises the pre and post aspect of fasting, while really immersing yourself in all of the beneficial aspects of a successful fast - fun, movement (yoga & qi gong), community, sunshine, hydration, education & more, with 2 qualified professionals. Check out this amazing opportunity here!
We have a special on for 2 more days to save $100! Only selected accommodation remaining. Please reach out for a 15min free consultation to answer any of your health concerns or questions around the retreat! They are available for next week only - bookings essential! Call me to book your spot. Come the start of 2018, you will be grateful you have put aside some time to get back on track after the festivities of Christmas & the New Year.
I am offering 15minute free consultations next week to answer any health concerns and questions around the retreat. Bookings essentials! Hit comment to reach out and book your spot or call me on 0438733103. I'd love to help you on your health journey.
Janelle x