How To Activate the “Rest and Digest” System

By Giuliana Torre

The key for optimum health is operating from the parasympathetic nervous system as opposed to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The sympathetic nervous system is what activates the flight or fight response. It is triggered by stress, fear, caffeine, and just about anything else that causes the heart rate to increase and keeps us living on an adrenaline rush. For many of us, this is a state that is sustained all day long by information overload, stressful relationships, demanding work schedules, children and anything else that might be draining our energy.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), on the other hand, is called the “rest and digest” system. It conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and glandular activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. Essentially, diseases and chronic conditions initiate when the body is operating predominantly from the SNS; healing and regeneration can only occur when the body is operating from the PSNS. Have you ever noticed that when you take off for a vacation, it takes you anywhere from 1 to 3 days to relax? That is your body shifting from the SNS to the PSNS. True rest and relaxation can only occur once this happens, and the body is then able to begin the process of self-healing, which it is absolutely designed to do.

Scientists have known this for quite some time… so, why is it that most of us are always rushing and stressing even though we know it’s not good for our health? Do we need a 10-year clinical study to link chronic stress to every disease known to man? If you are not willing to wait for that, here are some easy steps you can take to keep your body in a state of relaxation.

1. Slow down the breath; it can be as simple as this:

Inhale for 10 counts, hold for 10 counts, exhale for 10 counts. This three point breath will relax the body and mind instantly, and when done consistently, can bring you back to center. Practice for 3 to 11 minutes.

-Inhale Love
-Hold Peace
-Exhale Light

2. Chanting Naam (chanting meditation); just a few minutes a day will change your vibration and therefore your health.

Chanting specific mantra stimulates the meridian points on the roof of the mouth and is like performing accu-pressure on yourself. It is very important to be able to heal yourself; no one else can do it for you.

-3 minutes of Naam purifies the blood;
-11 minutes of Naam purifies the pituitary gland;
-22 minutes of Naam allows protective, projective, and intuitive intelligence:

-Projective: you will see the good in the bad
-Protective: you will see the bad in good
-Intuitive: combines both to find the best course of action

3. Give the body a rest from food; fasting has been known to almost instantly bring the body into a relaxed (“rest and digest”) state.

Fasting has been shown to suppress SNS activity, lower blood pressure, and activate opiates. Furthermore, it corrects unbalanced psycho-physiological systems and restores health by stabilizing the nervous system. The alpha waves are slowed and synchronized and theta waves are increased, leading to a more relaxed and introspective state of awareness, a reduction in neurosis, and less focus on the superficial that normally characterize the waking state. The results are similar to those achieved by chanting meditation or Naam Simran.

4. Harmonyum Healing; the fastest way to cross over to the PSNS.

Based in the science of Kabbalah, the Harmonyum Healing System was created by Joseph Michael Levry (Gurunam) to help facilitate healing on the planet. A Harmonyum session instantly relaxes the nervous systems and brings tremendous amounts of light into the heart. In doing so, it helps us moves through our Body of Pain by allowing us to slow down long enough to realize what our unhealthy patterns are, whether they are in the physical, emotional or spiritual plane.

Giuliana Torre is the founder of The Juicy Naam, an organic juice bar and healing center with locations in Sag Harbor and East Hampton, New York. After a successful career on Wall Street, Giuliana traded in the stressful life and founded the juice bar, now a premier place on Long Island’s East End to experience the most healing juices, superfoods, yoga and bodywork. The Juicy Naam Cleanse incorporates the principles of Universal Kabbalah and is customized to each client.

5 Simple Tips for Your Spring Cleanse

As a doctor, some of the most powerful tools that I have found are detoxing and cleansing. By ‘detoxing’ I mean this: a program that will create optimal conditions for the recirculation of toxins that have been trapped in our body’s mucus, as well as support for the liver in its work of neutralizing and preparing those toxins to be eliminated via sweat, feces and urine.

Cleansing is a method of enhancing the elimination of these toxins, as well as the mucus, that the body has generated to defend itself from the irritation caused by toxin accumulation. Cleansing encourages and assists the channels of elimination, through skin, kidneys and intestines.

Quantum physicists have clearly shown that “The Universe is made of Light,” and light behaves both as a particle and a wave, depending on what instrument is used to measure it. Waves uplift, resonate with and attract each other. The stronger the wave, the more other waves will begin to imitate it.

All of these waves are ultimately interconnected with each other; our emotions and our bodies are waves within waves and are continuously affecting each other, and all of us in turn are subject to the effects caused by larger and more powerful ones. We can see these effects in the winter when it seems everyone is a bit more sad and struggling with depression, and the trees and plants mirror that empty and bare feeling as they lose their flowers and leaves.

However, with the arrival of spring, when nature seems to be having a seizure of awakening, everything explodes with waves of life, and all animals, plants and even our own bodies become influenced by this activity. Winter’s depression is swept away by joy and plants bursting with life. Whatever you can do to align yourself with this force will enable you to ride the wave to the other side of the cold and dark remnants of winter.

Here are 5 simple things you can do to enhance these cleansing and expanding waves, and the reasons behind them:

1) Give your digestive system a break. Digestion takes work and slows down other functions, the detox functions in particular. As digestion work eases, there is a point at which the body receives a signal to enter detox mode intensely and releases trapped toxins and mucus.

Be safe and choose your program intelligently. Stopping digestive work completely, as in a water fast, can be dangerous and even deadly. Jesus did it for 40 days, but he didn’t have the chemicals in his food, soil and water that we do now.

Juicing is an effective way to detox and cleanse, but still too intense for most Americans, especially if they are living in the city, working, taking care of children, and socializing. This schedule is too demanding to subsist on juice alone as it does not deliver the amount and variety of nutrients needed to safely and effectively complete this work. Toxin recirculation overwhelms the ability of our liver to detox effectively While juice provides many antioxidants, this is the half of the work of detoxing. People that cleanse regularly and have a clean diet the rest of the time do really well with juicing programs, but juicing fails for so many of my patients because it really needs to be done in the right way.

What I do, myself, is have a liquid breakfast, a solid meal and a liquid dinner. In my book, “CLEAN,” there are recipes enough to never repeat a meal in 3 weeks, providing plenty of nutritional support and variety.

2) Give your immune system a spring break. 80% of our immune system lives in our intestines, and because of the damage caused by modern toxicity, it is constantly in a state of alert and in attack mode. There is a list of foods that really stir things up for the immune system and create a damaged intestine. Dairy, sugar, coffee, and gluten are the obvious culprits, but there are fruits and vegetables that do the same, even if organic. The list of foods to avoid to calm allergies and even autoimmune waves is called “The Elimination Diet.” Following this food plan alone will enable a detox to happen seamlessly and powerfully.

3) Cleanse your kitchen. Nature knows what it is doing. Any time of year, animals all over the planet are eating whatever is in grown locally and in season, and we’d be wise to do the same. Go to the farmer’s market, learn what is in season, and eat whole foods when they’re fresh and abundant.

4) Drink lots of water. Filtered water is best. Not distilled, unless you know what you are doing. Water with lemon is great for cleansing, as lemon is nature’s magic cleaner. In the spring, the ice melts and the rivers run strong. Imitate spring in your body with fresh water flowing through it constantly. Be careful not to overhydrate and wash out your body’s natural minerals with distilled or less than optimal water. Still, if there is a time to drink lots of water, it is during a cleanse—and especially during the spring.

5) Spring has its distinct qualities but shares qualities with all seasons. Day and night happen regardless of season or weather. To sleep at sundown and wake up at sunrise is one sure way to sync with all of nature, the planets and beyond. When was the last time you did that?

These are simple and effective ways to cleanse your body and prepare for the warm weather and necessary expansion of the next season.

Wishing you all a Clean and healthy spring,
Dr. Junger and the Clean Team

Learning to “Just Be”

Has the idea of newness and the illusion of another year passed been enough to move us out of the habits we have built from two, five or thirty years back? Has one minute to midnight and one minute after made any difference yet? Through the philosophy and science of Yoga and Ayurveda we learn that body and mind need to work in unison for real ever lasting change to take place, otherwise one or the other will not function properly and the ‘new change’ will not last past the first hour. In simple terms, if the mind is thinking, “thank god the year is over and I can start over again,” while you are still drinking, eating, talking and thinking in excess, then change might not be real or even have a chance to start.

A few weeks ago, while on a 26-hour train journey from Haridwar to Benares, India, I met a Swami from the Osho foundation. As we attempted to charge our cell phones at the end of the carriage with 50 other people (as you do on an Indian train ride) we got into a conversation about the path of life. After mentioning that I thought Osho was about philosophy, I was promptly informed that Osho teaches us (in the words of the Swami) ‘just to be,’ among other things. I listened to Swami Mundi discuss this subject and other Yogic ideas for about an hour. He posed this question: Why not try to ‘just be’ instead of always trying to be better or worse, religious or political, good or bad? In other words, why pick sides? ‘Don’t be anything, just be.’ It has a nice ring to it, but one could also suggest that anything that sounds so easy or effortless may not be worth doing.

Then on my return to England, I chatted with a friend about what Yogic philosophy teaches us about material and mundane daily living (sex, food, sleep and self preservation). We discussed how most people in their daily life only focus on these denser material actions and thoughts without ever moving on to any higher plane. “This is where Yogic teachings say our troubles start and we get stuck in life,” I shared.

“So why has God put us into a physical body if we are not supposed to eat, sleep and sex our way through life?” My friend interjected. Good point. If the creator of all wanted us to ‘just do it’ all again and again, then why were the Yogis and Gurus from ages passed teaching us to go beyond this denser level? Even after mentioning this conversation about food, sex and sleep in the car ride with my parents, my dad quickly asked, “why is there anything else?” Good thing he’s not anyone’s Guru or we could see a new type of Ashram popping up!

There are many levels of existence beyond the one we experience on a day-to-day basis and the Yogic practices elevate us there voluntarily. If we choose to elevate to a more aware consciousness we are less likely to desire the level of senses and material gratification that are temporary. From a greater conscious intellect we start to control our desires and a genuine feeling of contentment comes over us. A major reason for your unhappiness may be that you rarely experience these other levels of awareness and clarity, which are your natural nature. When we mainly operate from the mind and sense level we are very vulnerable to every little movement of the senses, which are being over stimulated by the outer and our inner environment. This activity keeps our mind focused on outer sense gratifications and not inner awareness.

I first started practicing the Yogic path at the age of 19 by giving up something each year that I considered unhealthy and exchanging it for another healthy habit. Hence two things changed each time and I could manage these two alterations in my busy schedule without having to disrupt my daily life. These were small changes like avoiding fried foods, then seafood, then meat, and finally artificial processed foods from cans and prepackaged foods. Within a few years, I had given up a hand full of different ‘bad’ habits, which gave me the ground work to have the will power and mental strength to tackle more difficult habits. Next came stopping smoking, alcohol, processed sugars as well as not eating late at night, eating only twice a day and only drinking water and herbal teas.

As I practiced more yoga and learned about the ayurvedic daily practices (dinacharya), I built up the discipline to start fasting regularly (once or twice a month), going to bed early, rising early and editing out of my life certain tv shows, entertainment or even people who were a distraction on my healthy path. After beginning this path more than 20 years ago, my lifestyle and habits may on the surface be deemed as extreme and far from how most people live their life, but I have built this up gradually and you can too. Through action and practice on a daily basis ever lasting change manifests and roots.

If pollution, disease, and the abuse of living creatures and land did not exist, people may not contemplate the practice of just ‘being.’ But as we see, feel and are personally affected by suffering on some level or another we can safely conclude that change is necessary on the physical, mental and especially on the spiritual level. The goal of this way of living is not to live longer, but to be able to grow and prosper physically, mentally and spiritually so the body is healthy and flexible, the mind is peaceful and content and the spirit is guiding us along our spiritual path as we work and know our purpose in this life.

Spread Your Wings, from Bali to Brooklyn

From Bali to Brooklyn and Amsterdam to San Fran, what I experience in my travels are conscious hubs which serve as containers and invitations for a new paradigm way of being. These are destinations where raw foods, yoga, and holistic living in general are rapidly coming up on the radar as signs of where progressive culture can be found. The inexpensive, natural, spa-like lifestyle in Bali seems to be one of the original portals where art and self growth have been thriving as a whole for a long time.

Ironically, in the west, many of us are finding our way back to nature through big city lifestyles that are spawned by creativity and living our dreams through the machinery of what a metropolis can offer. Yet, after many years of living in NYC and working and traveling in the major U.S. and European cities, what I find “missing” is what intrinsically exists living in a more natural (and warm) place – like what I experienced for 10 weeks in Bali this year.

Eating from the organic garden, picking fruit from wild trees, living an indoor/outdoor lifestyle, lying in my bathtub at night with the garden next to me – staring out at the stars and moon without the impediment of walls – ah, yes, my heart is happy. It’s easy to live this way with the internet. I worked with my clients in the west by video skype the entire time. With all the many conscious hubs on the planet and the support they offer – along with the internet – I feel the depth and honoring towards my western roots, and what I can truly contribute in the bigger global picture by not being bound to them.

The key to this type of lifestyle for me has been in letting go, broadening my horizons, and going for what I really want, instead of settling for what I think I should do, or limiting myself in any way. The natural and adventurous life calls loudly amongst my greater service and purpose in the big cities of America and Europe… taking the leap and saying yes to that call – without forsaking my western roots – has been utterly expansive and enlivening. By letting go and taking the risk, I’ve found that I’m supported by our greater global conscious community that is focused on the same mission. May we all spread our wings, free ourselves to fly and live our dreams. I’ve jumped and found it’s more than possible, it’s now my reality!

Ready to spread your wings and take flight, yet need support and guidance? Here’s some suggestions:

-Ask yourself “what do I really want, 1, 5, and 10 years from now”? Are you living in accordance with that vision now?
-What steps can you take now to head in the direction of what you really want? What are you willing to let go off in order to invite the realization of your hearts desires?
-Consider blended and/or juice fasting to gain clarity in your body and mind with the intention of establishing the direction what you truly want.
-Daily meditation, 2-20 minutes, consistently am & pm stills the mind and offers the opportunity to hear your greater hearts calling. BOS – Breath, Observe (w/equanimity), Surrender… keep watching your mind in a state of acceptance as you breath and let go.
-Gain the support of a healthy like minded community that supports your highest potential… support is paramount!
-Self care is the greatest gift… are you self investing? What’s your proactive plan for getting your needs met and what support do you need to follow through?

Take the leap! Without taking a risk there may be no reward. Practically plan and prepare – without postponing. Your time is now! Go for it!

The Official Adventure Cleanse Start Date: May 11th

Planet Protectors,

Happy Earth Day! I can’t think of a better way to honor the earth than with my “Adventure Cleanse”!  More than 18% of the earth’s green house gases come from food production – namely factory farming.  The truth is, we produce more than we consume.  We consume more than we need, and the types of “food” we’re eating are making us sick.  No more!  As I mentioned in last week’s blog I’m busy at work on my new book.  Part of the book is a 4 week cleanse, an opportunity to allow your body to take a break from the substances that create adrenal exhaustion, indigestion, acid reflux, cause inflammation, weight issues, allergies, fatigue, acidity, and chronic disease.  I’ve asked my lovely readers (YOU) if you’d like to join me and experiment with what I think is a great program.  The response has been enormous!  WOW, ya’ll really love yourselves and wanna get in the groove ASAP.  OK!

The official start date will be May 11th. Our NYC Wellness Posse meet-up at Urban Zen is on May 9th (please come if you’re in town!) so I want to give my New York crew the opportunity to join us.  Also, the 10th is Mother’s Day and lord knows there will be (vegan) cake at my house!

From now until the start date we’ll be loading you up with information on how to transition and prep for the 4 weeks at My.crazysexylife.com – please join if you are interested in taking part.  I’ll be blogging about it but the majority of the discussions will be there.  Tools like a low-gi fruit guide, where does gluten hide, the No-No list, the yes-yes shopping list, pantry stocking, kitchen tools, cutting costs, what juicer to buy, etc will all be provided for you.  Guest writers and chefs will give you lots of ideas on how to make this work in your busy life.

I’ve received many emails from people worried about the coffee, booze and cig factor!  My advise for you hardcore addicts (I used to be one of them) is to start weaning slowly NOW. Coffee drinkers transition to 1 cup per day for one week. Then 1/2 caf, 1/2 decaf for one week. Next stop yerba mate, green tea or white tea. Some of you mentioned Tecchino (note: this contains gluten so if you’re sensitive it might not be a good drink for you).  The same plan holds true for alcohol and cigs.  Slowly cut back now. Try to limit your alcohol consumption to no more than 2 glasses of wine per week until the Adventure begins.

What will you be eliminating AND what will you replace it with?

1. Coffee
2. Alcohol
3. Refined sugars
4. Processed starches
5. Gluten
6. Dairy
7. Meat (OR reduce to 2x per week)
8. Negativity
9. Inactivity
10. Disconnect to your Divinity

Replace with….
1. Herbal tea, green or white tea, Yerba Mate
2. Water w/lemon, kombucha
3. Stevia, Agave, or Yacon
4. Whole Grains that are gluten-free
5. Nut milks, nut cheeses and other alternatives
6. Beans, sprouts, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, vegan protein powder, superfoods and other sources of protein.
7. Meditation & prayer
8. Affirmations & visualizations
9. Yoga & sweat!
10. Sleep, nap, sleep

When cleansing it is important to make sure that you are eliminating properly, meaning several times per day!  Some folks “go” once a week if they’re lucky.  Your God pod wasn’t designed to haul around all that toxic waste.  If you can afford it, I recommend that over the course of the 4 week Adventure you get between 1-4 colonics.  If you can’t do that then a weekly enema would be fine, especially after the fast day.

Of course a “cleanse” ain’t a cleanse without exercise! My favorite exercise is walking, yoga, jump rope and hula!  Ya don’t need a gym to be fit, you just need a little motivation and consistency.  I have a 20 minute routine that I try and do without fail.  On the days I can’t get my long workout in, the 20 minutes is there for me and it’s enough – better than nothin’.

Re-building your God pod takes love and consistency, that’s why we will include affirmations and prayer. I encourage you to start a meditation practice during this time. 5-15 mins per day.

It would be helpful for you to keep a journal during this time. At the end of the cleanse we would love your feedback!  A handy-dandy survey will be available for you to share your thoughts with us.

Many of you aren’t vegans and that’s OK. After my experience at the Urban Zen Well-Being Forum I have decided to open this up a bit.  Our goal is to eliminate all animal products for the Adventure, but if that makes you shy away and say “no thanks” then I ask that you reduce your meat consumption to no more than twice per week.  Dairy is another topic and for the cleanse you will need to remove it completely.

Gluten – think of your time off from gluten as a scientific experiment. Many of you will see a huge difference – some won’t. Voila, you’ll know if you are intolerant or not.  You can also get tested for gluten/celiac sensitivity but sadly, close to 90% of the test results come back false negative.

I know there will be hard days – that what our forum is for – unconditional support. I can’t wait! Last night as I was sipping a glass of wine (or 2) and thinking about this cleanse. My body told me “you need this too Kris”. Though I recently finished a 21 day fast I’ve been surprised at just how quickly I re-toxed! I think 3 weeks of juice was just to extreme for me. I like one day per week just fine.

On the cleanse we will be fasting once per week.  This is another area that frightens people. Don’t let it. If you have to bring your juice to work in a big mason jars, so be it!  Will all the enzymes be fresh and active? No, but who cares. Do the best you can. I bring juices and smoothies with me all the time. Green powders are perfect for travel as well.  But if fasting is impossible for you (for health reasons etc) then keep it lighter and brighter on that day – salads, juice, steamed veggies, smoothies the possibilities are endless and your body will feel so much better.

Will you have detox symptoms, probably!  If the junk went, stayed and set up shop, then it might kick and scream on the way out.  Ride the dragon.  You will know when it’s too much.  A headache is ok, pimples, fatigue, rashes – that’s natural.  Of course with any cleanse check with your doctor if you have concerns and if you are too weak or in the middle of medical treatments now might not be the time to unload the garbage.  Take a few of my tips and run with them but don’t overdo it.  Wait till you are stronger.  Remember: No one knows your body more than you do!

We’re going to make this as doable for you as possible. It won’t be couch potato easy or an Olympic event.  I want to build a program that works and inspires.  Guess what?  You will meet a truly terrific, really wonderful person – you. The “you” who has been hiding and you’ll begin to get intouch with your core energy – the real you sans crutches.

Peace & freedom,
Kris