It’s that time again. The holidays are here. For many people there are gifts to make or purchase, parties to go to, family gatherings to attend, and lots of planning to do. I feel stressed already! Of course, I admit I put these stresses on myself.

With so much to do it is important to take EXTRA good care of yourself at this time. This can be a challenging thing to do when faced with social engagements such as parties and family gatherings with tempting festive food to gorge upon. Here are some of my special tips to help when those difficult moments arise…

Plan ahead. If you are visiting family or going to a party eat before you go, bring food with you, call ahead and ask what kind of food will be served, bring a dish that will be big enough for you to eat and share with others.

Say as little as possible about your diet. Be an example of a healthy person and that will speak for itself. If you talk in detail about your diet you will welcome the possibility of a debate, others may feel uncomfortable and threatened, and you may end up feeling like a freak.

If your host feels sorry for you because you don’t want to eat/drink toxic substances, say “I feel so good eating this way and it’s worth it!” Your enthusiasm will shine and no one can ever tell you how to feel. If others are insulted that you are not eating their food and you have explained that it may make you sick to eat then they are not being considerate to you. When you are a guest in someone’s home they should be concerned that you are comfortable and happy. Right? Answer: make sure you bring your own chow.

Cravings. A beast. The definition of a craving is ‘to long for’ or ‘a desire.’ Temptation will be everywhere and whether you’re happy or gloomy anyone can find cause to lose his or her head.

Ready for the answer? Stay conscious and present in the moment. It really is your choice. The question is: Is the payoff of giving into a craving really worth it to you? When I have a craving I tune in. What is it that I really want? Is it the taste? Do I want sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, spicy, or creamy? Or is it that this gal can’t resist free food? How about the numbing out experience of a starch overload? When we overeat we become so sedated from the chemical reactions in our body that it causes a stimulating effect. Foods such as meat, dairy, wheat, and  sugar all contain opiate like substances that induce pleasure sensations in the body and can cause dependency. That means food addiction. So, if you reach for the bread or the pastries your healthy diet may go down the drain. Kaput! Chances are you will soon be dreaming about when you can eat those cupcakes again. If you think you can get away with eating just one, you may want to think again. Remember how you felt last time you gave in.

Solution. Try having some great substitutes on hand. Raw food desserts are delicious. Break open those cookbooks and get the dehydrator on. Mine is on right now!

Negotiate. I do this all the time and I have been eating raw food in great abundance for two decades. So, you want a potato chip. A good tactic is to ask yourself if you can avoid having it today and make a deal with yourself. If you want it tomorrow then you will consider it. Usually, the craving is long forgotten. However, if the next day you are still thinking about that darn potato chip that you missed eating at the party, consider finding a healthier substitute. How about dehydrated crackers or air popped popcorn? If you try this strategy, you may be able to let it go.

Can you let it go? Are you ready? That is the true question. As long as you feel it is okay to still eat food that you know is toxic it will continue to be a temptation and have a hold of you. I haven’t eaten pizza in 20 years and I can watch someone eat it without developing a craving for it. I used to love pizza.

Of course, this blog would not be complete without mentioning the good old colonic. Often, when one is holding old food in the body it will interfere with good digestion and assimilation. Cleansing the colon will help to heal food cravings and improve digestion. Any illustration of a human colon will reveal a thread running along it also known as the nervous system. A full toxic colon will aggravate the nervous system and can create irritability, anxiety, mood swings and those crazy food cravings. There is no better time then now to wipe the slate clean!

Finally, tuning in also means looking deeper inside yourself to see what your craving is really about emotionally. Perhaps, this holiday season you don’t have a mate, or it feels stressful to visit family, you may be grieving a loss in your life, or struggling financially. We all have dilemmas that we contemplate on a daily basis. Instead of feeding the problem with a fast fix of food indulgences why not think of something else. Feed your soul with a walk in the park, call a long missed friend, take a hot bath with essential oils, schedule a massage or sauna, or put on your favorite music and sing and dance. I do!

Gratitude is the best medicine on earth. Even if you can only be grateful for each breath you take. Your life is a treasured gift to cherish during the holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

This summer, I cooled off with an excursion to a local water park featuring water slides, and a cool wave pool. I grabbed my bathing suit, packed a lunch and headed to Jersey. This day trip meant planning my meals ahead of time, which consisted of two Norwalk pressed green/vegetable juices from the best juice joint in NYC called, ‘Liquidteria,’ packed in a cold storage insulated bag with a cold pack, germinated sunflower seeds, sliced vegetables, and a lemon Lara Bar. Also, my friend made me an awesome coconut shake sweetened with stevia to drink during our car ride to the park. Delicious!

We arrived at the park and were stopped at the gate. “No Food is Permitted in the Park,” we were told! Caught! Poor shame, my innocent veggie food was condemned. The park offered an array of fake food offerings to choose from consisting of hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, and fried chicken. What’s a health nut to do? Answer: I argued! I declared, “My doctor has me on a special diet and I must eat my own food.” They allowed me to leave our food just outside the park on a picnic table under a large tent. Good enough. Hopefully, the woodchucks would leave my sunflower seeds alone while unattended!

When these situations arise I feel like the world is an insane place and that we have become so disconnected with what should be considered ‘normal’ and ‘natural.’ To me ‘normal’ means taking the best care of myself and eating natural food that comes from the earth. ‘Normal’ would never exist in a deep fryer.

Onward to the fun! Water slides are so cool! I am a fearless water slide warrior! I even went on the tallest water slide in the park! I could feel the cool change in temperature up at the top!

Any entertainment park holds lines of people that wait their turn for a thill ride, and there was plenty of time to observe and contemplate the crowd. Since this was a water park, there was a grand opportunity to get a good view of people in their bathing suits. My personal journey of eating primarily raw food for 20 years, practicing periodic cleansing methods and being a Colon Hydro-therapist has awarded me with some wisdom on the subject of toxicity. By no means am I perfect and prefer not to be so, and would not impose perfection onto anyone. This personal journey toward wellness takes much effort and consciousness to sustain daily. I feel great compassion toward all beings that struggle with weight issues, any physical/emotional dilemmas, ignorance or lack of discipline. All the work that I do is in support to help others overcome these struggles.

Obesity is an epidemic in this country. Over 58 million Americans are overweight. I witnessed an overwhelming amount of overweight people at the park. In particular, many of these people looked very bloated in their mid-section. The cause ranges from over-consumption of food, too much animal protein and refined food, imbalances in the body, lack of food combining principles, and poor food choices. These bellies ranged from a little pouch, to bloated, to pregnant sized gut, to a completely descended colon that is impacted with layers of mucus, waste and toxic gases collecting for years. We are becoming a toxic, weakened, numb, over-stimulated, addicted, medicated, sick society. This water park asked me to keep my veggies outside the park, yet offers these already sick and abused bodies more grease. Is it ‘normal’ to live this way?

There were many families at the park and the number of overweight children present was alarming. How will these children cope with keeping a healthy weight when they only know to live in a heavy body that causes their little hearts, and lungs to work excessively hard to carry around all that excess weight. The digestive system is burdened and overwhelmed. All organs, glands and systems are stressed. The cellular body becomes clogged. Their parents overfeed them with unhealthy food that creates their little arteries to clog at a young age. Their relationship to food begins now and becomes fixed. What will the future bring?
Finally, I saw some young people at the park in their twenties and early thirties. Most were an average weight and physically fit but my discerning Colon Hydro-therapist eye detects a level of toxicity found in the tissue. When the body becomes flabby, fleshy or loose we can guess that the tissue contains toxins, poisons, and gases along with fat. This level of toxicity stored away in the cells is found in our skin and soft tissue. The waste and gases age the body and will make the tissue quality sag.

Excessive fat cells may remain in the body forever. Dieting only works temporarily. Eating healthier and less food is the only solution. Statistics reveal that only 5% of people are successful on diets. A change in lifestyle is key to any long-term success. Looking to have a youthful body and to feel great at any age? It is essential to practice eating a super healthy diet along with periodic cleansing. Yes, you got it. Please include colonics as part of your health program and you’ll be on your way!

Bonjour! A raw foodist is found in Paris! I recently visited Paris, France for 10 days and had a splendid time. Prior to leaving, I told my veggie friends about my trip and their first reaction was “What will you eat in Paris?” In the land of croissant, cheese and wine how would a veggie gal like me survive? No problem. Never Fear! Donna’s got this one figured out!

What made this trip very enjoyable was that we rented an apartment. The price was no different then renting a hotel room. We had a fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator that allowed us to make and prepare our own food. This generated a huge savings instead of eating out for every meal.

Any excursion whether a day trip or a vacation needed some thought and planning in advance. So, I packed the essentials needed for any veggie raw foodist needs and wants. First, think Zip Lock Bags. Yes, nothing glamorous. Bringing glass bottles of algae, green power, enzymes and vitamin supplements would be a Big Mistake! Also, think of those nasty x-ray machines at the airport. ZAP! Bring just the amount you will need for your trip. Search for sandwich and snack size ziplock bags. This will be an easy way for you the carry your powers with you in a purse or backpack. Label them if you need to.

What’s for breakfast? My breakfast in NYC is a choice of a green juice, green smoothie or fresh fruit. Go ahead, try and find a green juice in Paris. Dare you! No way, No Luck! So, I packed my Magic Bullet, which is a small, light weight mini blender. This is by far my favorite gadget next to my I-phone. It comes with several different canisters. Some canisters even have a handle to drink out of and include screw-on lids. At home I use the Magic Bullet to make yummy raw salad dressings. While on a vacation use the Magic Bullet to make a morning green smoothie. Make a green smoothie with fruits, leafy sprouts, green leafy vegetables, algae, green power, goji berries and water and blend. If traveling overseas don’t forget to pack a converter!

There is a manual travel juicer I own that uses no electricity that is easy to carry and clean. Contact: Hippocrates Health Institute www.wheatgrassgreenhouse.com to order it. It can juice all vegetables including carrot but all ingredients must be cut into small pieces. A counter top or table is necessary.

After a glorious morning viewing some the world’s greatest art in the numerous Parisian museums this gal is ready for lunch. Unfortunately, Paris is not as salad friendly as NYC. But the Parisians love their veggies and the markets are so amazing. The produce is farmer’s market quality and stamped with no GMO’s! I packed my favorite Tupperware that fits perfectly in my knapsack and a little plastic bottle that can be found in any hiking/camping store. I made a salad in advance and carried it with me till lunchtime and I put olive oil in the little bottle to use as a dressing. I put the little bottle of oil in a ziplock bag just in case of any leaking problems. This salad is not boring! Back in NYC, I prepared several different blends of my favorite seasonings in ziplock bags all ready to be sprinkled on a salad at a moments notice. Some blends included onion powder, garlic powder, caraway seed, fennel seed, black pepper, Celtic salt, curry powder, cayenne powder etc.. Avocados can be found in Paris! I am in heaven! Also, I carry a spork that is part fork and spoon and a swiss army knife that can be found at any hiking/camping store. Make sure to pack the knife in your bag that goes underneath the plane. And don’t forget a cloth napkin. Please save a tree!

Indeed, life is good. We visited Versailles, Rodin Museum, Louvre, Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, and the Pompidou. Such fun! Need a snack? Good idea to pack fresh fruit, raw bars, or raw crackers. Just in case a munchie attack comes on.

I ate in parks, on benches, stairs, cafeterias, and even went to a Chinese restaurant where my friend ordered food and I ate my salad there. I ordered a side of steamed vegetables at the restaurant that sufficed my taking up a seat. Leave a generous tip! Day after day, the French peered onto my gorgeous salad with envy as I watched them eat cheese and bread sandwiches! No match!

By dinnertime I allowed for other options on my plate. In advance, I researched on http://www.happycow.com for any veggie restaurants or natural food stores found in Paris. There are approximately 10 of these restaurants in Paris, France. I visited several that were very accommodating to my vegan diet.

The big question on everyone’s mind is, “Did you drink wine?” I rarely drink alcohol. I occasionally do on holidays, or on special occasions. Yes, I drank a little wine on my trip and believe me one glass of red wine definite relaxes this very busy NYC gal. Wine may have bioflavonoids and some positive aspects on the body, but it is a highly acidic substance, which taxes the liver and assaults the immune system. Find balance with yourself to nurture your body and your emotional side.

After any vacation, this Colon Hydro-therapist is happy to return home for a Colonic! Traveling can interfere with good elimination. Traveling by airplane effects digestion due to change in air pressure that generates gases. Traveling on long train or car trips generates lack of movement that can leave a colon a tad sluggish. Many people go off their healthy eating habits and slack on exercise while on vacation. It is a great idea to schedule a colonic to remove unwanted gases and waste that can linger after a trip. Replenish yourself and feel renewed!

Dear Paris,
Thank you for a wonderful time! Until we meet again!

Let’s face it. Just about everyone has Gallstones. Gallstones are found in the liver, gallbladder and connecting ducts. There can be thousands of stones that accumulate in the liver that never show up on a basic blood test. I learned about the Liver/Gallbladder Flush about 10 years ago. I met many people at the time that would show up at a local health group exhibiting their gallstones for all to see. Big stones, little stones, some are yellow green or emerald green, some are metallic looking, tan or brown in color. EEKK!

What are they made out of? Answer: Gallstones are mostly made out of cholesterol as the main ingredient (95%), bile and calcium salts. Their size resemble pebbles, peas, lentils, pinheads, or as big as a walnut! Sometimes, they are stuck together. Could have 20 come out all at once. Freaky! I realized that I had to try this! I eat raw food so I’m in over my head anyway. No turning back now. Indeed, I’m on a cleansing mission to cleanse myself!

How do they come out? Answer: Our poo hole.

Does it hurt? Answer: No, but you may feel a little queasy when doing the actual gallbladder flush. Got a barf bag?

How do I do this? Answer: Well, I teach a detailed workshop in NYC DonnaPerrone.com on how to do a gallbladder flush and there is no way that I can explain this in the detail needed in a blog. Sign up to my email list and you’d find out when I next class is. I recommend purchasing this book, ‘The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush’ by Andreas Moritz. This book outlines how to do the flush. However, there are two methods on how to conduct a gallbladder flush. The one outlined in Moritz’s book is a 6-Day Preparation and a Gallbladder Flush that consists of drinking 4 ounces of olive oil. That’s right, you heard me. I said 4 ounces of olive oil! I have Italian blood in my veins, but this is taking it a little too far! The other approach, which Dr. Hulda Clark made popular, is a 4-Day Preparation and drinking 8 ounces of olive oil. Please, hold on and don’t faint! I’ll go get the smelling salts immediately!

Okay, why would anyone do this? Have we all gone mad? No! Many common and serious health problems occur due to a fatty liver. Liver congestion and stagnation can contribute to diseases such as heart disease, prostate disease, hormonal imbalances, skin disorders, constipation and digestive issues, excessive weight or wasting, dark color under the eyes, digestive problems, asthma, cancer, kidney diseases, MS, insomnia, joint issues, puffy eyes, hepatitis, and many more.

The body is a whole entity. When one part is not functioning optimally then this affects other bodily functions. The liver is extraordinarily resilient and can return to normal function when given the right circumstance. Gallstones can inhibit liver performance and can affect the growth and functioning of every cell in the body. Any malfunction, deficiency or abnormal growth pattern of a cell is largely due to a poor liver performance. The speedy delivery of oxygen or nutrients to the cells is diminished. Cancerous tumors are in part, a result of obstruction of blood vessels, connective tissues, and lymphatic ducts that prevent cells from receiving proper oxygen and nutrients.

By doing a gallbladder flush you take steps to restore your liver and improve your health. By decongesting the liver and gallbladder the body’s 60-100 trillion cells will breathe more oxygen, receive sufficient amounts of nutrients, eliminate metabolic waste products, and maintain perfect communication links with nervous system, endocrine system, and every part of the body.

How do I know if I have gallstones? Answer: Liver congestion and stagnation can reflect in the skin. Having skin blemishes, discoloration, dryness, oiliness, wrinkles, or lines. Marks on the skin such as black spots, small or large brown patches usually found on the face, hands, forearms and on the back of the shoulder. Also, any vertical lines found between eyebrows and if skin color under the eyes is yellowish or a dark color. Ever see an angry person with intense vertical lines between the eyes? Oh, Scary!

What causes gallstones? Answer: Overeating, (been there, done that), eating between meals, (got me again), eating heavy meals in the evening, eating excessive amounts of protein, dehydration, rapid weight loss, low fat diets, pharmaceutical drugs, and emotional stress.

Is there any adverse risk to doing this? Answer: There is a risk taken when crossing the street in NYC. Yes, it is possible, but an extremely rare occurrence that gallstones may get lodged on their way through the ducts that create a blockage that may cause an attack. I would assume that if this were to happen that your gallbladder’s days were numbered anyway. Why not cleanse the liver and get those guppies out as soon as possible!

What if someone doesn’t have a gallbladder? Answer: Yes, you can still do this flush according to Andreas Moritz.

There is some controversy on whether what is passed are really and truly gallstones. A client of mine did have his stones tested and received an inconclusive result. In my opinion, I feel that there are gallstones that are passed and that there is also oil that is released. The consumption of this quantity of oil demands a huge amount of bile to be released and this response creates a great cleansing for the liver and gallbladder.

Do I have to fast to do the flush? Answer: No, please eat extra healthy and clean your colon!

How many flushes must I do? Answer: Usually 10-12 and then 1 every other year for maintenance. I’ve done this 6 times and feel I have gotten most of them out.

Donna’s Personal Suggestion List: Please drink 32 ounces of apple juice or take Malic Acid, Hold your nose and breath when you sip the oil and exhale only when you sip some lemon juice, use a straw to drink the olive oil, lay on your right side afterwards, clean your colon using a colonic the day before or the morning on the actual day of the flush, best to do a second colonic the day after you pass the gallstones, do not drink liquids after you drink the oil until the next day, (the belching is hell), stay home the day you pass stones, (passing gallstones in a public bathroom is a Big No No!), lay on your side if nothing is coming out, and do the gallbladder flush in the evening rather then the afternoon.

If doing this flush is not for you, or you have been unsuccessful doing the flush consider taking Systemic Enzymes. These enzymes are taken away from food and support all the body’s metabolic processes. You will need a tremendous amount of enzymes to autolysis gallstones. I get mine from my raw food mentor, Dr. Fred Bisci. fredbisci4health.com

You can expect a disease free life, improved digestion, more energy and vitality, improved emotional health, a younger body, a clearer mind, and a better life from doing this flush.

I make no prescriptions or diagnosis. It is advised that you consult with a licensed health care professional when considering doing this cleanse. You take full legal responsibility when making any decisions regarding your health care.

My name is Donna Perrone and I have a holistic health office in NYC called Gravity East Village. Yes, you guessed it, I clean colons for a living!

Maybe I should start at the beginning. In 1989 I had a nasty little health problem called Candida, also known as a chronic yeast infection. There were other problems too, such as constipation, gas, acne (serious), PMS (bad cramps, ouch!), and I was noticeably underweight (blink and you’d miss me). Over the course of three years I visited 5 different doctors and all they did was to prescribe more meds. I was in my early 20’s and for the first time in my life the doctor couldn’t cure me. I thought that I was too young for this and this Candida thing was uncomfortable. I had a friend whose mother recovered from Arthritis on a raw foods diet. She urged me to do a little research about Candida, better known as Candida Albicans. So, I read every book I could find and slowly over the course of one year I changed my diet. I went from the SAD diet to a vegan diet. Yet, nothing changed. Not one bit.

Then, March 1989 arrived, and at age 24 I made a commitment. Finally, my friend convinced me. What did I have to loose? So I did it. I went RAW! My diet consisted of 75% raw foods – fruit, veggies, nuts & seeds, and sprouts, and 25% steamed veggies, a baked potato, or brown rice. And I ate it plain. And very simple. No condiments. No catsup. I agreed to do this for one month. Yikes!

The first thing I noticed was that I woke up at 6 am without the alarm. That’s a miracle! And I felt cleaner. No wiggles in the eye pits or dry crusty eardrums. Also, for the first time in my life, I skipped a menstrual period. I felt no fear, only excitement. I knew something had changed and I was inspired to keep going.

Month two: I got my period. And no cramps. Hallelujah!! Two miracles. I was having an epiphany. I maintained a high raw diet for another month, even though the yeast persisted. Month three: jack pot. No yeast infection. That was almost 20 years ago and I’ve been good ever since. So long Ray’s pizza, and chocolate cannolis! I never looked back.

For several years I was riding high on raw foods, feeling empowered by my ability to heal myself. Then, after about five years of raw food living, my energy level was not quite the same as it had been. I found that I needed to eat every 2 or 3 hours or I wouldn’t feel ‘grounded’. The amount of food I was eating was enormous and I was bloated. I started having panic attacks. My skin had never cleared up and I had the worst acne ever. My face looked like the Catskill Mountains. And even worse, my menstrual pain was back with a vengeance. What was I doing wrong? I was such a good raw foodist. So, I rationalized that I needed to cleanse my body further. I juice fasted, I flushed, and I even tried energy healing and herbs. I was eating 100% raw almost all the time. If anything, I was feeling worse rather than feeling better. I was in denial for a long time. I thought raw food was the answer. How could it let me down?

Then, I met a raw food friend who had the answer: You need a colonic! “Are you kidding?” I replied. I was constipated as a child and was pooping at least 3 times a day. I don’t need a colonic. She persisted for a long time. Get A Colonic! Finally, I paid a visit to my future colonic guru, the master himself, Gil Jacobs. My first session went on forever. He called it an exorcism. I was never the same. I went to see him only one time per month, as that was what my artist budget would allow at the time. Within one year my skin cleared up and the PMS had improved drastically. I compared the health of people from the raw food community (who had not incorporated colon therapy) to the colon therapists I met, and knew the missing link to vibrant, radiant health could be found at the colonic office. This experience has directed me to the work I do today. So, that is how it started. Stay tuned. More tales to be told in my next blog!

Thank you Kris for this gracious opportunity. Hugs & Kisses.

Donna Perrone is a Certified Colon Hydro-Therapist with her own wellness center located in NYC called ‘Gravity East Village’. Donna has a bi-monthly internet radio program called ‘Vitality’ found at www.NYTalkRadio.net.