Laney's quest toward healing.

[Laney_Rae]

I have decided to start a journal to help me and others track the way toward the healing of my skin. The condition of my skin is this: I have suffered from acne on my face, back, and upper chest for about 6 years. I am now 20 years old. Better diet and a little heavy metal detox has helped my skin somewhat, and it definitely looks better than it did years ago, but I still have a ways to go. Remarkably, the acne on my face is not really much of an issue. I never get acne on my cheeks; it usually hangs out along my jawline and temples. My back and chest need help though. I am determined to heal myself, as I know that the reason my skin breaks out is because of much bigger issues inside my body! I have not done any liver flushes or bowel management up til this point because I have been researching what exactly I should do. I am going to start slow, primarily because I am nervous about everything, but also because it is incredibly hard to do liver flushes etc. as a college student. I feel that the freedom of this coming summer will be a great time to get some of that done, but I am going to do what I can now. So what am I starting now? I ordered some Total Cleanse online, which I will probably begin soon, depending if I feel that I can take it while going to classes (I don't want to have to be dashing out of class to the bathroom...awkward and inconvenient!) This will help cleanse my bowels because I KNOW I am constipated...the only way I have a bowel movement every day is if I eat prunes. I am also going to start drinking carrot juice and apple cider vinegar (both of which I started tonight...can I just say ew?) I also am going to start eating the cleansing salad every day. I am a little nervous about whether I have enough self control to really stick to the diet I should be...I have incredibly strong cravings for sugar. I went grocery shopping today though and only bought healthy things...I am going to attempt to quell my sugar cravings with frozen tubes of organic yogurt. I am planning to have hot cereal or eggs for breakfast, a fruit smoothie or yogurt mixed with fruit for lunch, and some type of organic dinner heavy with vegetables every day. I am also going to eat prunes and fruit (apples, grapes, grapefruit) throughout the day. If anyone is reading this, does this sound like a good place to start? Should I take a tablespoon of olive oil every day? Should I do other things as well? I will plan some liver flushes after I do a bit of bowel cleansing.

[cjb]

Hi Laney Rae,
That looks like a great start to me.
One other thing I could recommend is exercise - if you don't already. In addition to the obvious benefits of exercise, I also find that it somehow helps me stay motivated in other areas, like diet and cleansing. I primarily go for hikes in the woods and do yoga, and I just find those times so comforting because it doesn't matter how my skin looks and it's just some time that I take for myself and sort of reaffirm what I'm doing.
Anyway, I wish you luck and I'll follow your progress.

[h0ppy]

[Laney_Rae]

Well I bought an enema bag yesterday. I am so nervous! I have been anxiously waiting for a time to do it, but unfortunately finding time when I am completely alone is tough when I share a bathroom with three other girls! Also, I think I made a mistake because I only bought a little 8 oz one...it was the only thing they had at the pharmacy. Can this still work? Can I just refill it a few times? Something I read today on curezone is that if you are under 25 you can do a liver cleanse without the bowel cleanse. This sounds faulty to me, and especially for me because I have constipation issues anyway, but I am just wondering what others thought. The apple cider vinegar seems to be working so far...or at least one of the many things I am doing is! (but it is almost too soon to tell!) All I know is I don't have any new cysts and my skin seems less oily. It is a nice change.

[cjb]

Hi Laney Rae,
Yes, 8 oz is pretty darn small. You could refill it, but the thing is that you'll never be able to get more than 8 oz of water in your colon at one time. Unless you can figure out some way to refill it while you're doing the enema, like having a pitcher of water next to you or something. Ultimately, you'll probably want to get a bigger bag, but hey, you might as well try it.
I wouldn't do liver flushing without SOME kind of bowel cleansing, especially if you're constipated, because you really want to those stones to be able to get out asap. Some people do it though, I guess.
I'm glad the acv is doing something for you. Do you mean you're applying it topically?

[h0ppy]

It would probably be better if you did salt water flushes in place of the enemas. Eight oz is not enough at all. You need like a 2 quart bucket. I think you just wait until the summer so you can get a colonic or do enemas without worrying being walked in on. You DON'T want to flush if you can't properly clean out your colon afterwards (and before).

[Laney_Rae]

cjb-Thanks for your suggestions. I am really not sure where to get a bigger enema bag...I just went to a pharmacy, is there somewhere else I should look? Also, I am actually taking apple cider vinegar in my diet as well as topically. It seems to be helping.

h0ppy-about the salt water flushes, can I do those without any other preparation? Does it need to be fairly cleaned out before I do that, or can I do it whenever? I have all the ingredients for it...I am just nervous. Drinking salt water just seems dangerous...can't a certain amount kill you? And why does it go into your intestines instead of just out through your pee? Also, about the taste, does it have to be water I mix it with?

[cjb]

Hi Laney Rae,
I'm not sure where else to get an enema bag besides ordering one online. Usually, drugstores will at least have the Fleet ones that are 1 or 2 quarts. I seem to remember Shelley saying somewhere that Walmart has enema bags?

You have to fast prior to the SWF. Some people use them instead of enemas or epsom salts after a liver flush. I did one once and it was wretched. It made me puke, but some people handle them fine.

Are you looking for something to do for general bowel cleansing or for after a liver flush?

[Laney_Rae]

Are you looking for something to do for general bowel cleansing or for after a liver flush?

I guess I am looking for both. I am really just trying to learn all I can. I guess right now I want to take care of the matter that is supposedly lining my intestines but I'm not sure the best way to do this. Colonics are definitely out for me, financially and also because I am on my parents' health insurance and don't really feel like explaining all this to them. So like I said in my first post, I am eating healthy, doing the cleansing salad, apple cider vinegar, and 4 total cleanse. All of these things have definitely been helping me have more regular bowel movements, but I'm thinking they are not going to take out the compacted stuff. Hence the enema bag....but I am thinking I should get a bigger one. What are your thoughts? If I could get the salt water flush down, would that be all right? I am willing to do just about anything to take care of my acne, so I might be able to gag down some salty water. (Easier said than done though, I assume!)

[cjb]

Hey,
I looked up the 4 Total Cleanse. Theoretically, since it has the psyllium (fiber) and cascara sagrada (laxative), it should help you eliminate the mucoid plaque. It has the slippery elm and marshmallow which is good. It also has other good ingredients for blood cleansing, liver support, etc.
How long have you been taking it? Sometimes, it takes a little while to get to the placque. I'm a month into Colonix right now, and I JUST began to eliminate my first placque ever, and I've done over 10 colonics. I know I got out old, darker brown fecal matter with the colonics, but I don't think I ever got out placque..could be wrong about that though.

So..my opinion is that you don't need to (and shouldn't) do enemas or salt water flushes, because you are already taking a laxative. You might want to take like a 5 day break from the cascara sagrada and the other pills after a month or so to avoid becoming dependant, but keep taking fiber. Since they are in the same pills, you'd have to make fiber shakes. Then continue with the pills. Do they say how long to take them? Is one package supposed to be enough?

SWF won't get out MP. I think they're best reserved for cleaning yourself out during fasting or during a liver flush.

I would just save the enemas and/or saltwater flushes for liver flushing. I liver flushed before I ever got any placque out. So long as you're having regular bms, you should be fine.

Hope that helps!
Feel free to ask if any of it doesn't make sense. I'm just going on what I've read, and mainly my own experience. I'm still working on this too.

[Laney_Rae]

Thanks once again for all the great advice. I am glad I am learning how to do this safely and effectively! Right now I am a little discouraged because I am definitely breaking out. I stopped doing the topical ACV in case that was the culprit, but I'm actually thinking it could be what Shelley called the Herkheimer effect. Could that be the case? I am breaking out worse than I have for quite some time, so possibly it is due to my body trying to eliminate the toxins so quickly? I really don't know, it is total speculation. I am not totally discouraged because I know I am on the right track. I am just looking forward to doing liver flushes, but having trouble being patient. I should do something for parasites first, right?

[Laney_Rae]

For over a week now my skin has been pretty clear! I stopped doing the topical ACV, but have still been taking a tablespoon at night, as well as eating it in the cleansing salad. I've been washing my makeup off with olive oil, which is a great moisturizer as well! I know I probably shouldn't be wearing makeup at all, but I honestly don't think my self esteem could handle such a blow. When I run out of the makeup I am using now, I will probably switch to Burt's Bees makeup, which is hopefully one step better than what I use now. My main problem right now is not active zits, but scars. I don't get the pitted scars (Thank God!); but my scars do remain for longer than most peoples. I tan very easily in the summer, and I read somewhere that the more melanin you have, the darker your scars are and the longer they stay put. Possibly because of that, my skin has a bunch of light brown spots, which is mostly where my embarrassment comes from. I don't usually have lots of zits at a time, just lots of scars. I need to just stop the zits completely, and then my scars will be history!
Right now I am preparing for my first liver flush, which I am anticipating with much nervousness but also excitement! My bowel movements have been great and I am amazed at how natural they are. I am amazed to realize that I have been constipated nearly my entire life. I really hope though that my great bowel movements are not just due to the 4 Total Cleanse...I don't want to have to be on this forever. I hope there is an easy way to keep having great bowel movements after I stop taking this stuff. So far no mucoid plaque...I'm starting to wonder if 4 Total Cleanse is too gentle and I should do something like Oxypowder. 4 Total cleanse does a great job of helping with bowel movements but how can I tell if it is affecting the mucoid plaque at all? What has worked for people? Would fasting for a few days while still taking my 4 Total Cleanse be of any benefit? I just want this crap (literally, haha!) out of me and I'm not sure what to do. I've been on 4 Total Cleanse for three weeks now...maybe I just need more time.
For prep for the flush I have been eating at least one green apple a day as well as drinking apple juice and ACV to soften the stones. I hope this is enough! Exactly one week from today I plan to flush. Wish me luck!

[cjb]

Hi Laney,
Good to hear your skin is looking good. I'm like you with makeup - hard to go w/o it because of red marks on my skin. Have you ever tried mineral makeup? I use cory cosmetics which is just 2 ingredients (and they're sunscreens too so that's good). Lately, I've been going w/o makeup whenever possible. I even went to school w/o it which is UNHEARD of for me. When I do wear it, I just wear a light coat only on the area of my cheeks that are blotchy. I've always had trouble with red irritated skin even before acne, and I'm pretty sure makeup has always contributed to, if not caused, that. My skin seems happier and calmer now
I think you should give yourself more time as far as mucoid plaque goes. I didn't see any until one month on Colonix, and I had done lots of colonics before that. My advice is to stick out what you're doing. Oxypowder never did anything for me either. I guess it works for some people though. Fasting for a couple days might speed up the process if you're impatient.
Your preparations for the flush look good. I am doing one next weekend too. You'll be fine, I'm sure. Let us know how it goes!

[Laney_Rae]

Hmm, I haven't heard of Cory makeup but I may look into it. In the summer I usually just wear a tinted moisturizer because my skin clears up all the way. I actually find that incredibly weird...my skin is normally moderately bad but as soon as sunshine hits it, it is clear. I swear that if I can't cure my acne through cleansing, I am going to have to move to Hawaii or something. I refuse to live with acne like this for my whole life. Sometimes I get really scared that nothing is going to work. Will flushes really work for me? How do I know I am not wasting my time? Right now I guess I am just in a bad mood because I broke out today, probably because of my birthday cake and the drinks my friends insisted on buying me for my 21st birthday. (How do you say no to that??)
I really don't care that much about the acne on my face...I can live with that...it's just the acne on my back and chest that embarrass me. Very few people actually know about it because it is covered all winter, and then in summer it is fine. I read somewhere that acne on other places of the body means toxins are trapped in the reproductive system. Is this true, and if so, how on earth do I get rid of that??
Sorry for my venting...I guess I am just feeling a little discouraged. Please tell me this is the answer!

[glein]

Hey Laney! I skimmed trough your journal. I just wan't to say think positive and try ont to despair, remeber your attitude towards your healing is very important!
Now go kick acne in the ass!