ARTICLES

How to rid that annoying phlegm

4/23/2022

You know those horrid mornings when we wake up feeling meh and we can’t breathe through our nose? When all night we’ve been doing mouth breathing and our throat is sore. But once the heat from the shower hits our body, a relief and sigh is heard. “Aghhhh this feels so good” and then next minute we’re convulsing from our neck trying to hack up something that is totally grose.

Phlegm.

And that’s the topic for today’s article. I wondered, once researching and working out what phlegm is and why it’s created, I’d be able to know how to stop the rancid morning routine and prevent it from happening again. With the transition of summer to winter, it’s best we remind ourselves of what occurs. The next season becomes colder, the air drier and can dry out the phlegm membranes and allow viruses into our body quicker. And I for one, do not want a viral invasion. What about you?

Oh, that dreaded feeling when you know your body needs to rest but you’ve got so much on your plate and if you stop, you ask yourself “who else is gonna to do it?” And even if you rest, which you have to because your muscles are aching and your head is throbbing. Sleep is the easiest thing to do. But upon waking, that overwhelm feeling creeps up and anxiety starts to burn a hole in your stomach. “Am I ever gonna win this battle?”

Great question! This now brings me to the topic of phlegm, which can also be known as mucous, however they are different. First, let’s talk about mucous. From my research through medical books and online journals, our bodies naturally make mucous everyday and isn’t necessarily a sign of being unhealthy. It is thin and clear. Mucous helps protect our body from infection. It’s produced by the respiratory system and lines the tissues such as our nose, mouth, throat and lungs.

While we sleep, mucous and other irritants can pool in our lungs, throat and nose overnight and then becomes phlegm. When we become active in the morning, the phlegm starts to break up and may trigger coughing or sneezing. This is our body’s way of clearing irritants from our respiratory system.

Our immune system sends white blood cells to the areas where there has been an invasion to fight! Charge!! Just imagine these courageous cells working their magic to sweep away microorganisms to be expelled out of the body.

When white blood cells meet their enemy, like soldiers, they attack invaders unfamiliar to the body by producing antibody proteins attaching to the organism and destroying it.

Going back to the battle question, wondering if we are ever going to gain victory, well, there’s a battle going on within our nose when we are stuffy. Or when we feel that thick, stickiness hanging around in the back of our throat. When we cough and hear rattling of wetness in our lungs wanting to come up.

And all we need to do is sit back and rest. But we are humans and won’t! So, whilst the inner is doing it’s thing, what can the outer parts of ourselves do to support our immune system?

Remember what was said earlier about the weather drying us out, the biggest key to support our immune system is to stay hydrated. So, lot’s of fluids like filtered water, herbal teas, soups, stews, curries, juicy fruits and vegetables.

Mucous membranes need to be moist to stay healthy. Think of the mucous membrane as the armour that keeps our respiratory system healthy. Staying hydrated helps to make our mucus thin and watery. And in the evening, a humidifier is a great way to moisten up the dry air when sleeping.

Nasal saline irrigation could be another natural way to help flush out mucus and environmental allergens in the nose. It is also thought to help improve the health and function of cilia, the tiny hairs inside your nose that work to help clear the nasal passage of mucus and irritants.

Skin is a natural barrier and keeping it bare wont help the immune system whilst we are going through a seasonal transition. Cover all energy points with a beanie, scarf, gloves and it’s also time to focus on keeping your feet warm. Leave the thongs for public showers and pull out the ugg boots for a snuggly comfort.

Other natural ways through vitamins and minerals are Zinc, which increases the production of white blood cells and Vitamin C which helps regulate the levels of white blood cells in our body.

When it comes to viral invasions, jump over to my podcast episode with Jost Sauer, The Lifestyle Medicine Man, as we delve further into prevention.

Lisa Jane Hussey
Holistic Lifestyle Mentor

If you feel what I do is important and you would like to see more please consider making a donation. Paypal.me/lisajanehussey

Just remember peeps, this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as such. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Reference/Source

https://www.premierhealth.com/your-health/articles/women-wisdom-wellness-/mucus-and-phlegm-barometers-of-your-health#:~:text=Clear.,that%20an%20infection%20is%20starting.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327446#types-and-function
https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-au/home/infections/biology-of-infectious-disease/defenses-against-infection
https://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/the-truth-about-mucus
https://uwosh.edu/medicaltechnology/students/elementary-hematology/
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2020/march/what-your-nasal-discharge-says-about-your-health
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21871-white-blood-cells
https://provoicecare.net/drink-up-hydrate-for-a-healthier-voice/#:~:text=Mucous%20membranes%20need%20to%20be,to%20lubricate%20the%20vocal%20folds.
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/foods-that-boost-the-immune-system
https://www.manhattanentdoctor.com/blog/to-neti-pot-or-not

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LIVER & GALLBLADDER FLUSH

2/21/2018

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I’ll never forget my trip to Perth last October, when I started cleansing my liver with 90mls of lemon juice per morning. I was going to do it for the full length of 90 days. Yet, by the 4th day I could have called the ambulance. I was lucky to have my friends who are health experts talk me through the process to get me well enough to fly home. My 7 year old daughter was in charge & packed everything up, held my hand and guided me from my google maps app, to the airport, whilst I drove. It was horrific but there was no way I’d missed my plane home and end up in hospital in Perth without any carers for my daughter.

What got me through it all?

Apple Juice!
Freshly juiced malic acid.
To soften the bile and create a better flow for my liver ducts.

I arrived home in Melbourne & felt great. Till I woke up the next day. I could not move. I hadn’t anything to eat or drink for 8 hours and my liver ducts became blocked again.

We didn’t have any apples in the house but we had oranges. Just to get me out of my pain, my daughter sliced up oranges and brought them to my bed. Once I was mobile, we headed out to the shops and bought our apples. I also called a GP for a home visit and he confirmed it to be the liver and I’d need a scan. I juiced up three days worth of apple juice and had them ready to go for when I woke up.

The following day, I woke up with a more severe excruciating pain. I couldn’t think properly, totally forgot about the apple juice and called 000. It was by far the worse phone experience I have ever endured. They would not come get me! Why? Because I had not administered painkillers and refused to. If I drove myself in, I would be seen last because I would refuse painkillers.

So, I put my brave on and kept a bottle of apple juice next to my bed for the next morning. I was going to catch this stagnant bile before it gets me, I told myself. And it worked a treat.

That morning, I saw my GP, again confirmed it to be my liver. My GP sent me off for a scan and guess what? They found nothing. They actually found a healthy liver, no inflammation! They checked all other organs and sent me home with nothing to report. Except, the consultant was of Indian decent and she understood Ayurveda, she agreed it was an emotional blockage rather than physical. Yet, if I wanted to go further down the western medicine avenue, I could have had a gastroscopy.

That’s when I knew it was time I stepped up my cleanse to a Liver and Gallbladder Stone flush!

When I prepare myself for a liver flush. I first start out raw to alkaline my body with fruit and veggies. I’ve gone plant-based, though sparingly consume grains/legumes and at times of need I consume eggs and white cheeses. Organic! My diet-plan consists of being really simple. Upon waking I drink 1 litre of water. I eat one type of fruit for breakfast. Lunch is raw veggies as a salad. Our digestion is the strongest at midday. I drink 1 litre of water 30 minutes prior to lunch. My afternoon snack consists of one type of fruit and then a handful of nuts/seeds 30 minutes after. Again, 1 litre of water 30 minutes prior to dinner, which is generally a steamed or cooked meal of veggies and grains/legumes with a little ghee or coconut oil.

My body is an ecosystem and I’m taking care of bringing it back to balance so it works in harmony with the flushes.

I also follow Ayurveda Principles and I’m eating foods that pacify the element that needs to be balanced in me; either it be Earth, Water, Fire or Air.

I experiment with making my own treats such as Chocolate Mousse (with Chia, Cacao, Rice Malt Syrup or Honey and Coconut Cream) and protein balls (with seeds/nuts, dried fruit, cacao/nibs and RMS or Honey).

I had to go cold turkey when I first went through my Healing Crisis. The first step in bringing myself back to balance was to detox. I then slowly introduced the yummy goodness of medicine foods and now I am living more of holistic and less toxic (this includes emotionally and environmentally).

It is known that when we detox, each day represents one year of our life and when we start feeling pain, counting the days which represents the years past becomes the known trigger. For me, 4 years ago, my marriage ended. The emotion Anger lives in the Liver. I've been holding anger in my liver this whole time. Even though I’m a very expressive person, it still built up and eventually blocked me when I started to cleanse.

Thing is, I had all the signs two years ago! My right eye started forming a milia, closed comedone, white head (you may call it a sty); it’s a condition caused by keratin trapped beneath the skin surface. It grew right at the liver section. It took me to see an iridologist to confirm it. I also had pain in my shoulder blades! Which is a direct link to stones.

I drink a litre of apple juice (freshly juiced) per day to prepare myself for the flush 6 days before. A parasite and kidney flush is important too (a blog about these are coming).

Though, this is the third time I’m preparing for a Liver Flush in three months because each time I’ve completed the preparation, something comes up.

I created this blog to express my truth and keep myself accountable so that I complete it. It’s the unknown that is stopping me from following through with it. I’m self-sabotaging.

Even though I have friends in my life who do not follow my practises, I still get out of the house. I take my apple juice and fresh produce with me when I visit them. If I go out for dinner, I always opt for the salad item and drink water.

When I first thought about Liver Flushing, I became frightened. It wasn't about letting go of what’s holding me back, nor the anger from my past, but just of the unknown. There are so many contraindications and I was hoping my flush was smooth sailing. One flush is not the answer to healing my liver. I will need to do this each month till my results are clear of stones passing.

I have done one flush to date and I will write a blog about that experience soon.

Here’s to cleansing my emotional being, allowing energy to flow in motion for the ultimate self-care approach.

Lisa Jane

Stay Delicious!

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Toxic People! How to cleanse yourself of toxicity; 4 simple steps!

10/29/2017

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So, you want to live a positive, successful and wellbeing life! Yet, there are certain people dragging you down or stopping you in the way of true happiness. It could be your boss in your dead end job you go to everyday, who rewards you with a minimum wage. Maybe that last relationship put you in a downer of a mood and now your hopes of sharing your life with a compatible partner seems non existent. Or you have that kind of friend who will support you, yet, are pessimistic about themselves; leaving you feeling drained and uninspired.

This general group of people, we can safely call “toxic”!

“Recently, I drove into a situation, blinded by hopeful happiness. In holiday mode, I was chilled, relaxed and ready to soak up the summer fun. My friend, on the other hand was nervous! Even though I was warned of their fears, I was not prepared for what I was going to witness. As the days progressed, so did their nerves and soon enough, they erupted. Instead of talking it through, they preferred to ask me to leave. It was the first time something like this has happened and I didn’t want us to lose out on what we had planned. I tried to keep myself from going home and work on dissolving the built up stress. Though, with my kind-hearted efforts to help, my friend turned away and named called me “Toxic” and that my daughter had “major issues”! “

Toxicity comes in many forms. It can be defined in many ways. The best way to know if you have encountered a toxic person is to take a step back and look at their behaviour. Are they being true to themselves and others? Are they taking responsibility for their own actions? Are they being rude and causing grief to you? If people are lying, hiding from the truth, playing the blame game and show no sign of empathy; you may need to let them go. However, if you are able to communicate with them and get past a negative situation, that’s called growth. If nothing seems to help save the relationship from falling deeper into chaos, it’s clearly toxic!

“I couldn’t have agreed more with my friend. I am Toxic and my daughter has major issues. Who isn’t? Who doesn’t? There is no such thing as living a positive life without negativity. I have just as much stress going on in my world as the next person. I don’t need to explain myself or give reasons to why. A true friend would be able to see this. I’m an open book and my toxicity lies within my surroundings and my daughter’s major issues rest with her family unit separating and coming back together. Its been tough for us, though, we are not victims nor survivors, we are worriers. To name call, put someone in a box, categorise, stereotype and label them, is further from being pure themselves. A friend can call you out on your actions to help you grow, but this was not the case in my situation. The wake-up call had come through loud and clear; I acknowledged my friend’s wishes and drove home.”

On the path; Leaving our friend’s holiday home

People will either lift you up or pull you down. It’s a matter of choosing the right kind to help you grow, evolve, move forward; bring you closer to living your dreams. If you are ready to detox, then it’s time to look at your surroundings and start the elimination process.
Let’s look at it from another angle. When we eat junk food we know it’s going to give us that warm fuzzy feeling of satisfaction for a moment and once that high sugary feeling is over we fall back into a rut. So, we start to eat healthy, choose better quality foods to lift our spirit. Flushing out the bad with water will also give our body a fresh new start. We feel more energetic for longer and knowing we are doing good gives us that certainty we’re on the healthy track. What if we did the same with people?

Purging out toxic people will help your mind become clear and live a more positive life. But unlike food, you can’t just grab what you want and leave the rest on the shelf. If only it was that easy!

We all know that saying; “when one door closes, another one opens!” Opening new doors with optimistic people is likely. However, closing doors to what is stopping you in your path is like running away from your problems. Sometimes, that new person ends up being just like the last; toxic!

“What we run away from, we run into!”

The only way to flush those toxic elements out of your life is to recognise the behaviour. It’s not the person who is making you suffer; it’s the behaviour they are portraying! You are attracting the behaviour, not the person. You can push away those who don’t serve you, but in the end, that toxic behaviour will keep reappearing.

What if I told you that the reason you are attracting these negative elements in your life is because you are toxic too? Hard to digest? The truth always is!

“Like attracts like!”

So, the steps to take, in the process of detoxing behaviours of others is to recognise it within yourself.
Here is a method I created that will help you cleanse yourself of toxic behaviours;

4 Simple Steps to Cleanse Toxic Behaviours

Step 1. Write a list of all the people that are draining you.

Step 2. Write about each situation, painting a picture of what happened to make you “feel” this way.

Step 3. Write the behaviour that best suits the person. How were they acting? Easy Peasy! The next step will be the challenging part but most effective!

Step 4. Recognise each behaviour within yourself. Look at your past and present moments. Write about each situation, painting a picture of what happened to make you “act” that way.

It’s a tough step. People that find this difficult don’t want to take responsibility of their own behaviours and actions, hence why they keep attracting toxic and annoying people into their lives. Once you see it within yourself, you’ll come to understand they are just showing a mirror image of you. You don’t need to tell them. Detoxing is for you alone. They may even start behaving differently and you may be able to keep them in your life. Closing doors is not always the answer. Work on yourself, focus on yourself, be true to yourself!

#truthbomb

“With each situation that followed after my summer holiday, I became more aware of my behaviour and actions. I noticed I was putting myself in these predicaments; innocently looking to connect and form friendships. The more I cleansed myself of my toxicity, the more I found people in my surroundings to be rich in spirit.”

Detoxing is not pretty. It’s not meant to be. It’s painful, emotional and needs discipline to achieve! Think of it as a kitchen renovation; you pull everything out, use your strength to rip down all the cupboards, leaving a huge mess! But once you clean it all up, you have a new space to install an upgraded style. It takes time! In the end, after all the hard work, you sit at the bench and enjoy the rewards.

So, tell me, have you had to cleanse yourself of toxic people? How did you do it? What happened and did you succeed? I’d love to hear your stories. Either way, here’s to a new beginning at creating a positive, successful and wellbeing life.

Stay delicious

Lisa Jane

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How to rid that annoying phlegm

LIVER & GALLBLADDER FLUSH

Toxic People! How to cleanse yourself of toxicity; 4 simple steps!

Lisa Jane

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