Inflammation Archives - Jovanka Ciares

Endometriosis Pain Management

Struggling with endometriosis pain? There’s much you can do. First of, check out the video below for details, then check out the notes below the video.

Here are the foods that you should avoid or favor:

Foods to avoid

dairy
processed foods high in refined sugars
caffeine
alcohol

Foods to increase include:

green leafy vegetables
broccoli
celery
blueberries
ginger
chia seeds

Regarding the herbs and natural remedies to try, check these out:

Castor oil

Castor oil has been used for hundreds of years to treat endometriosis. It can be used at the very beginning, when cramping is first felt, to help the body get rid of excess tissues. It’s important that this technique is only used before the menstrual flow, and not during.

Castor oil should be massaged directly into the abdomen. You can also mix it with a few drops of a relaxing essential oil like lavender to help relax the pelvic muscles, and apply it to a warm compress to place on the abdomen.

Turmeric /ginger

Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties that can be beneficial to people experiencing endometriosis symptoms. It can also be used to manage endometriosis in the long term. Some research has even found that it has the ability to inhibit endometrial growth.

You can take turmeric capsules, or make turmeric tea by boiling one cup of water and adding a teaspoon of both turmeric and ginger powder. You can also add honey and lemon. Drink this three times daily while experiencing symptoms, and at least once daily when you’re using it for maintenance.

Ginger tea

Some people with endometriosis experience nausea as a result of the condition. Ginger tea is one of the best home remedies for treating nausea, and research has consistently shown that it’s both safe and effective.

You can purchase ginger tea packets at many supermarkets and grocery stores. Just add them to a cup of boiling water and drink two to three times daily when experiencing nausea.

Pelvic massages with Motherwort oil

Massaging the pelvic muscles can help relax them and reduce inflammation, reducing cramping. Using a few drops of high-quality lavender essential oil can help further relax the muscles. Gently massage the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

Pelvic massages should only be used before the menstrual cycle; it may aggravate symptoms if you use it as a treatment during your period.

Detox Oil Massage (Abhyanga)

An Abhyanga Massage is a warm oil, self-administered massage that helps balance your physical constitution, moisturize the skin, helps the skin to release toxins, and is known to help tone muscles all over your body.

You can use a variety of oils and Ayurveda, the science of life and Eastern medicine traditions in India, recommends sesame or almond oils for Vata types, coconut and sunflower for Pitta and corn and olive oils for balancing Kapha. However, if you don’t know your Ayurvedic type, do not despair: simply pick sesame and almond oils in winter and coconut or sunflower in summer.

The massage can be done in the morning before your shower, or in the evening before bed. I often do it once a week in the evenings.

Check out the video and the description on how to do another version of the Abhyanga massage below the video:

How to Do The Massage

Start by warming the oil to skin temperature, and drizzle a small amount of oil into the palms of your hands. (Warm the oil by holding the bottle under warm water, never use a microwave).
Massage the top of your scalp (on days when you wash your hair), pay particular attention to the circumference of your ears, and the soles of your feet.
Massage with long strokes on your limbs, and round strokes on your joints.
It’s best to leave the oil on the body for 20 minutes before washing it off in a warm shower or bath.
Try not to use a lot of soap, let the water rinse out the excess and the towel get rid of the rest. At the end of the shower, your skin should feel silky but not oily.

I hope you love it as much as I love it. Let me know in the comments below!

What a Health Coach Eats, Winter Edition

I often get asked what I eat in a day and the answer to that question is “it depends”. I eat differently in winter than in summer and regularly check with my alternative medicine practitioners to check for imbalances and nutrient deficiency.

Having said that, you can still follow some simple basic principles to help your body feel its best regardless of the time of the year.

Here’s what a health coach (moi) eats during winter!

Now, below the video, tell me: do you eat for the seasons? What are you eating these days and how does your body feel? Let me know in the comments below!

how to prepare for fall and winter, jovanka ciares

How To Keep Your Body Healthy During Fall/Winter

Fall is the time for reflection and fasting to prepare for winter, using cleanses and warming herbs to help maintain immunity during winter.

So here are some of the easy steps you can take in the next few days to prepare your body for the harsh winter, prevent diseases and staying strong and happy.

Do A Guided Fast

Every culture, every major religion fasts to help you purge from months of debris, toxins and excesses. Today, detoxes and fasts are really popular but you must be careful, especially if you’ve never tried one and your diet is not clean. You can check out my CLEANSE! Book for a guided 3 day juice fast or a 21-day food-based cleanse.

Massage Your Feet

Do you start to feel like your toes are cold even when the rest of you is warm? Massaging your feet before bed and first thing in the morning with sesame oil can keep your feet warm and it’s a great immune booster.

Sleep More

Yep, you need more sleep when the days get shorter. It’s not just you. Almost everything in nature, including animals and plants need more rest during Fall and Winter. Stop fighting it and get to bed at 10pm sharp and make sure to get 7-9 hours of sleep.

Use Warming Herbs

For your teas and food, use herbs that increase warmth to the body like pepper, cardamom, horseradish, cinnamon, garlic

Get Out

Sounds counter intuitive because it’s colder and you feel like staying in doors. Bundle up and do some hiking, get some crisp fresh air in your lungs and keep your body moving. Trust me, this was hard for me at first but now it’s an important part of my Fall cleanse routing.

Supplement with Vitamin D

In Fall and Winter you’re not getting enough sunlight so a supplement is necessary. I’d rather take a supplement pill than a fortified juice drink (to avoid the sugar intake)

Food Allergy Elimination Diet

Ever wonder how to do a food allergy elimination diet? IF you are having food allergies or intolerances, you might want to eliminate certain foods from your diet for a few weeks, allow your body to heal and then slowly re-introduce foods to help you learn what helps and what doesn’t.

And on the comments below the video, tell me: Have you tried something similar before? If so, what was your experience? Let me know in the comments below the video!

And feel free to share my new fun Infographic below!

Share / Comment / Enjoy!

How To Prevent Premature Aging Naturally

Science has discovered the true underlying cause of disease: free radicals. Avoiding the damage caused by inflammation, acidity and free radicals can be as simply as keeping these 2 foods and ingredients out of your diet.

Check out this video to learn the surprising news about how to prevent premature aging naturally.

Did you know about these 2 huge sources of inflammation? Have you eliminated these from your diet and noticed a huge difference in your skin, energy levels or midriff? Let me know by leaving a comment below!