While the promise of spring is just around the corner, it can be hard to align ourselves with ideas of sunshine and warmth as winter seems content to have us remain in its hold a little while longer. If you are like most, the dreary days added up can do a number on your feelings of ambition, alignment and connectivity to Source and your inner voice. Creativity may feel dulled, energy low and your fire may need a little spark.

With Aries season afoot, it’s an excellent time to re-ignite the fire within and activate your sacral chakra, your creativity, passion and lust for life. Here are some amazing methods and tools to activate your sacral chakra, shake off winter and re-ignite your inner force.

The Activity – Box n’ Burn

As dedicated as we are to finding alignment through yoga, sometimes forcing stagnant energy out of you with high intensity activity can be a welcome change to yoga’s flowing and coaxing method. Activities such as boxing style fitness classes, spin classes and even a visit to a studios like Barry’s can awaken your body and inner being from its winter slumber and get you pumped up for life.

At the moment, we’re loving Drop Boxing – a new boxing fitness studio opened on Spadina in Toronto. With motivational quotes embedded tastefully in the decor, you can feel yourself start to motivate from within upon arrival. Once you’re in the Drop Room, your 50 minute class goes by in a flash of fire, music and pleasurable muscle burn. You’ll leave feeling accomplished, strong and excited to come back.

Images From Drop Boxing Instagram

 

The Stone – Tiger’s Eye

We’ve talked before about how Citrine is an amazing stone for activating and connecting with your sacral chakra. When our sacral chakra’s are suppressed, it is difficult to access our passion, our joy, our creativity, our ability to manifest abundance and even our connection to our sexual selves. Another stone to connect with when you need a fiery boost is Tiger’s Eye. This stone is said to give the boundless energies and unwavering focus of the tiger. Meditating with Tiger’s Eye placed close to your sacral chakra can work to activate your inner fire as well as impart needed waves of self-compassion. As the winter has been harsh on our earth, so we too can be on ourselves when we are feeling tired and dull. Accessing the bright and warm energies of the Tiger’s Eye is an excellent way to step into the next phase of your journey.

Image from The Healing Chest

 

The Potion – Moodbeli Bliss Booster

Nothing lights your inner fire better than cayenne. Available at The Truth Beauty Company, the Moodbeli Bliss Booster is a cayenne-spiked raw cacao and maca root blend with notes of cinnamon said to help relieve stress, enhance vitality, and bring the mind into the present.

Cacao is a natural mood elevator. It contains high levels of iron, magnesium, calcium and anti-oxidants. Maca improves mood, energy, and skin.Cayenne boosts metabolism, helps digestion and provides detox support. Himalayan pink salt provides the body with essential minerals, balances electrolytes and pH, and supports optimal nutrient absorption.

 

Moon Cycle: From October 8th – November 6th 

Full Moon: October 24th 

Keywords: Partnerships, Relationships, Justice, Trust, Faith, Health 

The moon indeed never lies. It’s no surprise that during a particularly disappointing time in the world from a judiciary perspective, we are entering a new moon in Libra, a sign that is represented by the scales of justice. Lady Libra is feeling a little winded at the moment. As with all moon cycles, we are more attuned to the energies of the sign the moon is in and Libras strongly value balance, fairness and justice, compassion and grace. Therefore, if you find yourself feeling  unbalanced, extra-charged, angry and triggered over current particular world (ahem, US-based) events that seem unjust and just appalling, understand that your sense of justice is working in overdrive. Honour your anger but do not let it consume you. Change comes from clarity of vision.

What Do You Believe? 

This new moon in Libra is inviting us to look inside and try to understand where our own moral checks and balances come into play. How strongly do you believe in what you say and how far are you willing to go to stand up for what is right? Be wary, as we are all feeling protective of our beliefs and bodies at the moment. With the new moon square Pluto and Venus in Retrograde, we may find ourselves in situations where we go too far to protect our beliefs, causing unnecessary issues and conflicts. By all means, protect your values, but ensure your approach is graceful, leaving you in the best light.

Women Are Centre

Interestingly enough, this new moon will highlight the rights of women as it is conjunct Ceres and quincunx Neptune. While typically this alignment brings up issues surrounding the rights of women; particularly single parents, it seems as though the rights of women in other matters are highlighted at the moment. Honour that. Take time this moon cycle to extend love, light and positive energy to the women around us; those who raised us, those who comfort us and those who stand up for us.

This is a beautiful moon cycle to circle and connect with your female allies, even if you are male. The energy of the female is strong at the moment and bonding together is a great way to soothe our souls.

A Highlight On Health 

This new moon also puts a spotlight on our health and the concept of detoxification. Whether you need a good cleanse in diet or in your life, we are called to cut everything that stands in our way of being our best selves, including bad habits and toxic people. Any moves we make this new moon to better our health and relationships will go a long way. A large transformation may be on the horizon in terms of our health or relationships, so be proactive and stand up for what’s best for you. Cut out negativity in all its forms and embrace self-love.

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Clique Images

What does it actually mean to detox? How important is it to detox and is the only way to do it by starving ourselves with a 5 day juice cleanse once a month? Because, between you and us, we’re super over that practice. The term “detox” gets thrown around quite a bit and we wanted to get the full story, once and for all. Because we’re super down to eliminate toxins from our bodies, but would love to know what that actually means.

We spoke with one of our favourite “Healers of Humans”, Dr. Erica Grenci on the topic of detoxification and her tips for how we can incorporate the practice of detox throughout the summer and in our daily lives.

 

BACKGROUND

Quick background; education, training and what brought you to start your own clinic?

My background all began with a passion for health and learning how to become the most vibrant version of myself. After university, I entered the 4-year Naturopathic Medical program at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine which gave me a strong foundation in both clinical medicine and natural healing modalities. From there I branched outward into learning more about my favorite modalities and so I’ve pursued my masters in herbalism, certification in regenerative detoxification (by the incredible Dr. Morse!), advanced training in homeopathy, certification in facial rejuvenation acupuncture, bio-electric cranio-sacral therapy, reiki, and yoga. I believe that healing occurs on all levels – physically, emotionally, and energetically, and so I sought out tools to bring about this balance in all its forms.

 

With immense gratitude in my journey of gathering this knowledge and experience, I yearned to start giving back. So just this May 2018 I opened my clinic at Keele and Dundas St. West.

 

WHAT IS A DETOX?

 

There is a lot of “detox” advice floating around out there. Can you explain a bit about what it means to detox and what the benefits are?

 

Detoxing is integral to living – what comes in, must come out! Especially since we live in a world where it’s impossible to escape environmental pollutants, it’s essential to assist the body’s natural cleansing mechanism so it doesn’t become overburdened and stressed. Your body does a fantastic job on its own, however, combined with unhealthy living practices it may well need a boost. When the body is overburdened we begin to see lots of fatigue, mental fogginess, afternoon crashes, poor skin health, headaches, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, and more. Essentially these are all signals that the body is sending for our attention that something is amiss. If we suppress them (i.e. with pharmaceutical medication) it does not correct the root of the issue but instead places a temporary band aid. Why do this when we can dig a little deeper and nourish the body’s ailments from within? This is detoxing and it’s benefits include balancing the body so that it may heal itself – the most powerful form of medicine.

 

Essentially, detoxing supports the body in all its eliminative capacities. This is through the bowels, kidneys, lungs, and skin, as well as the supportive organs such as liver/gall bladder. Often as well, other organs need to be supported if there are any imbalances – for example, the pancreas may need some love if there are any digestive issues at hand, the parathyroid should be considered if there is a lack of calcium utilization (i.e. depression, varicose veins, easy bruising), the adrenal glands if there is a lack of energy or appropriate sugar metabolism, and even the pituitary gland if there are menstrual issues or hormonal imbalances, etc. The body is an intricately beautiful symphony of life!

 

In practice, detoxing includes dietary modifications (choosing the right foods to strengthen and cleanse your system), lifestyle practices (a targeted exercise regimen, self-care tools), herbal/botanical medicine (i.e. milk thistle for your liver, poke root for your lymphatic system, juniper for your kidneys), and supportive habits (i.e. meditation, deep breathing, positive thoughts).

 

DO WE NEED TO JUICE CLEANSE?

For those of us who are over the “juice cleanse” and fasting, are they easier, more nutritional ways to detox?  If so, how often should we be doing them?

 

Mmmmm, simply add more fruit to your diet! Fruits are very special and the highest food form of choice for detoxing because they are self-cleansing, alkaline, astringent, and carry the highest electrical vibration of all the foods (12,000 angstroms in raw fruit vs 9,000 angstroms in raw vegetables vs. 1000 angstroms in cooked vegetables vs. 0 in meat). Fruits are absorbed the quickest by the body (under 30 minutes) and don’t require the digestive energy it takes to process other foods. Therefore, your body can utilize this energy to repair itself instead of always being in digestive mode. As well, the astringent factor of fruits work to pull out toxins from the interstitial fluid of our cells – whereas no other food can do this for us? This is a practice you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. I always tell my patients to start their day with a tall glass of freshly squeezed lemon water and keep their first meal only fruit to take advantage of these benefits. My favorite detox fruits are: red grapes, blackberries, lemons, and watermelon.

 

SIMPLE SUMMER DETOX PRACTICES 

What are some simple daily practices we can incorporate this summer to ensure our bodies are detoxing on a more regular basis?

 

Dry Brushing

There are so many wonderful and easy practices to assist your body’s natural cleansing process. For one, I absolutely love dry brushing (aka lymphatic brushing) – this is a natural bristle brush that is massaged onto dry skin in circular movements along the lymphatic channels. By stimulating your skin in this way, lymphatic flow is also stirred and so is the movement of toxins. This simple method even improves circulation and leaves your skin exfoliated and glowing! I use the Province Apothecary Face Brush and the Saje Body Brush to cover my entire body.

 

Gua Sha

Another tool I absolutely love to use on my face & body is called a “Gua Sha”. It’s used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to reduce inflammation and promote healing and this is credited to the fact that it’s excellent for moving lymph and toxins, while enhancing circulation and blood flow. Even more, it’s often used as an anti-aging tool on the face since it’s stimulating action also increases collagen production. Simply glide the tool with firm pressure in the direction of the arrows over your face until you create redness (best to do this in the evening before bed! This can be a daily practice.)

Photo credit: Pinterest

 

Herbal Regimen/Teas

Another daily practice for detoxing is using a customized herbal regimen. Herbs are fantastic because they are targeted to specific organs and body systems to tonify, cleanse, and maximize their function. These are programs I create in office on an individual basis, however, there are also detox herbal teas I created which are an excellent and gentle way to get you started. I alternate the Detox Passport herbal teas daily or whenever I feel a bit sluggish and could use a boost. I also love drinking the liver tea after I’ve had a night out of celebratory fun 😉

 

Smudging

This ancient spiritual practice has a tremendous cleansing effect. There are multiple levels of cleansing and often it’s easy to forget about the energetic aspects of it all. Smudging with sage or palo santo for example, is an excellent way to clear the air of any negative energies and intentions, help to remove blockages, while also providing a renewed sense of energy.

 

Rebounding

Something else that really gets the lymph flowing is rebounding! Keep in mind that your heart pumps your blood to circulate your body, but your lymph requires the movement of your muscles to get around. In fact, something as fun and simple as jumping on a trampoline can increase your lymphatic flow and drainage up to 20 times its normal rate! Combined with a regular exercise routine, this will support your body to rid itself of the accumulated bacteria, toxic waste, trapped fat globules, and cell sewage.

 

What products do you recommend for this and how (and how often) should we use them?

Province Apothecary Face Brush – I use this x3-4/week

Saje Body Brush – I use this x3-4/week

Gua Sha – Daily in the evening

Detox Passport Tea (Colon, Lymph & Blood, Liver/Gallbladder, Kidneys) – I alternate these teas daily (I love the kidney and lymph ones the best!)

Sage Bundle – I do this daily for renewed energy or whenever I feel the energy is a bit stagnant in the air.

Mini Trampoline (aka Rebounder) – A few times/week.

Click on the images below to find out where to purchase Erica’s detox picks.

 

For more information on Dr. Erica Grenci, please visit her website. For online bookings, please visit: https://drericagrenci.janeapp.com/ To follow on social: Instagram| Facebook | YouTube

Is there anything Himalayan salt can’t do?  Most of us know that adding a Himalayan Salt lamp to our spaces not only adds a beautiful and calming aesthetic, it also helps to purify the air we breathe in. However, few of us know the benefits of using Himalayan salt on the skin.

Why Use a Himalayan Crystal Salt Bar? 

Using a Himalayan Crystal Salt Bar on the skin can provide numerous therapeutic benefits, both from a beauty and a wellness perspective. Given that salt is extremely hostile to bacteria, using a salt bar will cleanse the skin in a profound way, pulling toxins from the body while removing dead and dull skin cells for an incomparable glow. Routine use of a Himalayan Crystal Salt bar will aid in increasing blood flow, firm up skin tissue and work towards soothing sore and tired muscles.

Using a Himalayan Crystal Salt Bar regularly will also allow salt to be stored in the upper callous layer of the skin, which binds water, ensuring our skin stays moisturized and hydrated.

That said, in order to get the best benefits from this wonderful natural product, it’s important a Himalayan Crystal Salt Bar is used properly to get the full benefits. We spoke with Sarah McCain from Canadian holistic beauty and wellness company Earth Luxe to get the exact details on how to use a crystal bar properly and effectively.

How to Use a Himalayan Crystal Salt Bar

1. Place the salt bar directly on damp skin or in a soft/muslin cloth if you have sensitive skin.
2. Rub bar in a circular motion on your body
3. Let the salt dry on your skin, do not wash off. Rub off access once it’s dry.
4. Do not use any creams after applying the salt bar to your skin, but if your skin is dry you can use an organic oil of your choice.

Sarah also states, “for best results keep the bar as dry as possible so that it doesn’t deteriorate (it’s salt, so when wet it will dissolve!)  This will prevent sharp edges for forming. It’s recommended to use a crystal salt bar immediately post shower and only once per day and completely avoiding use  with regular soap or on broken skin. And remember that even though this it is called a “soap” it will not produce a lather!”

We recommend Earth Luxe’s Himalayan Crystal Salt Bar and check out their full range of Himalayan Salt products here.