Ian’s Update September 2023

As my update goes out, we are only a few days away from the equinox and in the southern hemisphere, the beginning of spring. This is such a glorious time of year, the sun is getting hotter and the new flowering season is at its peak.

Here in the Hawkesbury sandstone country, which includes Sydney, the bush is transformed every two weeks with each new wave of flowers coming into bloom during this time. Boronia, Hibbertia, Red Grevillea and which led the way and have been flowering since July, are now fading and we're seeing Flannel Flower, Isopogon, Five Corners, Bush Iris, Grey Spider Flower, Gymea Lily, Little Flannel Flower and Philotheca all appearing. The warm winter has brought out Waratah, Sydney Rose and the marzipan-scented Wedding Bush flowers a couple of weeks earlier than normal.

The abundance of flowers in early spring here in Sydney is why I hold my once-a-year-only Level 3 Workshop at this time. I love being able to show the participants over 30 of the Bush essences flowering in their natural bush habitat. On the Level 3 bush walks we are also able to see the Bush Essences that flower throughout the whole year, such as Dog Rose, Bush Fuchsia, She Oak and Black-eyed Susan.

September is also the time when I travel to the Northern Territory and Western Australia to make up the majority of the Bush Essences found there. Spring is a great time to be out in nature to see the uplifting magnificence and colour of this season.

The longer daylight and warmth of spring also leads to a strong desire to be physically active. Last month I ran my Graceful Ageing webinar and taught how physical exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your wellbeing.

There is an old Chinese saying, “You die from your feet up.“ This basically means that if you're not physically active and using your body, then you're speeding up your departure from this mortal coil! Exercise is the best way to both treat and prevent depression, similarly for Alzheimer's disease. Something as simple as walking for just half an hour five times a week will reduce your chances of having a stroke by 45%!

Flannel Flower is a great remedy to take if you feel you are becoming a couch potato. It brings about a desire to and enjoyment in moving and expressing yourself physically. Wild Potato Bush is an excellent remedy for anyone feeling frustrated by any physical restriction that stops them from being able to move and do things they would like to do. A sporting injury could be responsible for this in a normally active younger person. For an older person it could be an arthritic problem that stops them being able to do gardening or move freely.

Another topic I covered and stressed the importance of during the Graceful Ageing webinar was detoxification and now is a perfect time to do a spring cleanse! The detox I recommend doing at least once a year is my 7 Day Cleansing Diet. For optimal benefit I suggest taking the Purifying Essence for the seven days before the cleanse and seven days during it.

I find that it is preferable to do the cleanse in warmer weather, rather than in winter or the colder months, unless you’re sick. Whenever you’re sick and especially when you have a fever, you should always stop eating and have only liquids.  If doing this cleanse in winter, focus on having more of the hot liquids – master cleanse or herb teas, as you don’t want your body to get too cold from juices.

Ian's essential detox for Spring

Below is the regime to follow for each day. You can eat as much as you want of indicated foods on that day. Make sure you are also drinking a lot of liquid, especially water, herbal tea and vegetable juices on each of the seven days.

Day one: cooked or raw vegetables and cooked or raw fruit.

Day two: raw vegetables and cooked or raw fruit.

Day three: vegetable juices, water, herbal teas or master cleanse. 

Day four: vegetable juices, water, herbal teas or master cleanse (see tips below).

Day five: vegetable juices, water, herbal teas or master cleanse.

Day six: raw vegetables and cooked or raw fruit.

Day seven: you can introduce cooked vegetables. 

Day eight: you can resume your normal diet.

One of the benefits of the cleanse is that your stomach will shrink a little during the liquid days and you will get more accurate feedback as to how much food you really need.  By Day eight, when you recommence your normal diet, you are likely to feel full after eating smaller amounts of food. It’s much better to undereat than overeat!  If you can do this Cleansing Diet at least annually you’ll increase both your longevity and quality of life.

When you’re not eating solid food the blood, instead of having to go to the stomach, can go to other areas of the body that are not functioning well, for example any painful joint.  If there is a more serious health issue developing, the body can focus sending all its healing energy, blood, nutrients, white blood cells, etc., to where it’s needed to start resolving the problem.

If you feel you may not have the self-discipline to complete the seven days, you can consider taking Hibbertia for two weeks before commencing the Purifying Essence. 

On of my patients said, “I don’t want to fast, I love eating too much.  I’m not going to miss out on all those meals.” When I explained to him that, because of going on the cleansing diet, he’d live longer and would consequently end up eating far more meals and being able to achieve greater pleasure, he enthusiastically went off to start the cleansing diet.

A few other tips: 

1. The first two days on liquids, days three and four, can be the most challenging, especially if you’ve never fasted before. You may want to start the liquids in the evening of the day before, rather than in the morning. Then by lunchtime the next day you’ve nearly completed a full day.
   
   
2. On the liquid days, don’t drink a vegetable juice in the same way as a glass of water. You will achieve better results if you ‘chew’ the juice a number of times. Keep the liquid in your mouth for at least 20 seconds to allow your saliva to mix with and dilute the vegetable juice and only then swallow. If you become very impatient doing this, then you may wish to work with the Black-eyed Susan.
   
   
3. MASTER CLEANSE: Mix the juice of half a lemon in a glass of hot purified water. To this add 2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup (not maple-flavoured syrup) and a pinch or half a capsule of cayenne pepper. Drink at least 8 glasses of this per day.
   
   
4. Plan liquid days as QUIET days, resting if possible.

5. No smoking or alcohol on Days 3 and 4 especially, though preferably not at all, during the whole seven days. 

In next month’s update I'll share more information from the Graceful Ageing webinar, which is also available to download.

Wishing you a wonderful, joyous and healthy new season.