Addicted

Okay, I know this isn't sexy, but I'm going to let you in on an addiction I had when I was in diapers. I was addicted to Kenny Rogers...specifically the Greatest Hits album seen above. There in my diapers and my big 70's headphones that over-powered my head, I would sing the Gambler out loud shaking my Huggies booty. I'm not a country lover today, but back then, Kenny was my man and I was addicted. So much so that my parents hid that and my Olivia Newton John album from me because they just couldn't take it and thought it would be best if their two year old went cold turkey.

Addiction you see, comes in various forms. Sometimes we're stuck in a relationship where comfort prevails and we're not happy. We know we need to make some changes but find that we're resistant. The excitement, passion, lust and joie de vivre has faded and we're stuck. The partner in this unhappy marriage I'm refering to is with yourself and you're addicted to it.

Creating change can be difficult. However sometimes, certain people come into our lives to provide us with the little extra nudge, love and support just when we need it. Biscotti and I you see have battled it out but lately I've questioned whether it was just our way of resisting change. Somehow despite the highs and lows, we've been propelling each other forward...

SCENE 1: Biscotti Does Yoga

And rise to your feet, stretch your arms to the air, arch your back and then fall forward into another sun salutation.

[Sweat rolls down the tip of Biscotti's nose and drips onto the mat]

Yes, he was getting back into it and I was dragging his butt to yoga...with thankfully, little resistance. I was impressed, he was following through with the promises he made to himself to live a more balanced life.

SCENE 2: Sexy Food Therapist Isn't So Sexy

So you started occasionally smoking when you broke up? You realize the emotions attached to your lungs is grief, right? Smoking is just a way of numbing that grief, so you don't have to face it. If you've left your ex behind, then those cigarettes are the last piece of him you're holding onto Melissa.

[Freeze frame]

I know. I know, I know, I know, I know. It's terrible and I've been debating even mentioning it. I'm a practitioner, a runner, a healthy chef, a writer and someone who boasts about healthy living and there I was a complete hypocrite...

...I was a closet smoker.

I began smoking again when the Intellect and I called it splits and before then, I had smoked when I had left the Ex-Fiance two years ago. I never enjoyed it but would have one with a glass of wine and when shit went down, it was my way of saying fuck it to the world. Problem was, it wasn't the world I was saying it to, it was myself. Big no no. However after Biscotti had said his piece, something clicked and I immediately thought...

Holding onto the Intellect??

[Melissa immediately breaks her cigarette and throws away her pack without even a second thought]

Katrina Brunsden who I met while travelling in Italy once told me, Overcoming addiction is the key to transformation. Her words stuck with me, so when Biscotti laid it down, it became the easiest decision I've ever done. We all have our downfalls - even as practitioners because we're human first. However overcoming suffering and various difficulties allows us to relate to others who may be struggling because we've been there.

So, how do we begin to manifest change? I've always disliked the term cleanse because it denotes that an individual will treat themselves right for a period of time until they fall back to what they were doing before. So instead, I've always suggested that people make small changes that they can live with. Soon enough, when you begin to see benefits, you can feel motivated enough to do a little more.

If there's one thing that you can add into your world that will make a huge difference is greens. I'm not just talking about eating more salads and kale (although that would help) but adding in a little powerfood like E3 Live every day. Mixed with vanilla extract and coconut water, this Sexy E3 Coco-Vanilla Elixir is just about my favourite morning pick me up that lasts. The rich amount of chlorophyll that's in the blue green algae cleans our blood and gives us vitality. To give you some perspective, chlorophyll is virtually identical to human blood in its molecule structure. So it's a no-brainer, greens are where it's at folks.

Other baby steps that I personally like are taking out dairy and wheat for a bit since it promotes mucous in the system. Other tips include eating according to season which will ensure that we're getting the highest nutrient value possible since our food isn't trucking along for miles...not sexy. In Chinese Medicine eating according to season becomes even more specific. The fall for example is the perfect time to internalize and reflect on life. We begin to draw our energies inwards to prepare for the winter. Roasting, baking at lower temperatures and longer durations will ensure that the energy is deepened within our foods.

Problem is with all this internalizing and self-reflection, its important not to get stuck, so keep qi (a.k.a. energy) moving rather than hibernating on the couch. Without energy flow, we feel lethargic and stagnation results. And in Chinese Medicine, stagnation is a major root for disharmony and imbalance in the body.

I can't say what's going on with my unconventional friendship with Biscotti and somehow I'm caring less on trying to diagnose it...I figure I'll leave that for my practice. But what I can say is that I enjoy his company and feel that we came into each other's lives for a reason. So while I've been consciously trying to set up boundaries, I'm also trying to be conscious of not creating walls. I can't deny wanting to be in the present and enjoy the transformation that's happening to us as individuals. We're growing and removing the things from our lives that we know just aren't working anymore.

Although I will secretly admit, that I still kind of miss my guilty little addiction to Kenny

Yes, he's a little pulled back in the face these days, but I'm still his lady...