Karrine Steffans

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New York Times best selling author of The Vixen Series

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I walked into his tour bus, determined to leave him. I’d found out about the baby.

His baby.

Sickened, I fell into his arms, tears streaming down my face and onto his shirt.

I needed him, still.

But I couldn’t stay and watch him give someone else everything I wanted. He kissed me and ran his hand under my skirt.

He told me he loved me.

I told him I loved him but it was over.

Then, I turned and ran off the bus and into the arms of one of the closest people to him.

And he would never forgive me.


[Excerpt from How To Make Love To A Martian]

It had all come to this.

I’d been with him so long, there was no way I’d leave him for my husband. There was no way I’d settle for a life without him but no way I’d settle for a life with him –– a life on the road, swimming in a pool of women.

But, this baby in my stomach.

This secret.

How would I tell my husband? How would I tell my lover? My Martian.



[excerpt from How To Make Love To A Martian]

I’ve been staring at a blinking cursor for the past 45 minutes, wondering what to write and, then, I realized, I don’t have to say anything because you already understand.

For there is no one in the world who hasn’t been touched by the hand of hurt just before they are enveloped by the arms of hope and showered in the tears of love.

We’ve all hurt someone, but how often do we get to see the aftermath. When they cry at night, locked in their room, whispering your name into their dampened pillow –– you never hear it, you never see it, and you never know.

You don’t know it’s happening so their pain doesn’t become real.

Well, this is me showing you what it looks like when someone hurts you the way you hurt them, before.

This is me showing you…

…How To Make Love To A Martian.

[How To Love]

When people speak to me about love, they do so waiting to hear anger and bitterness fall from my lips. Women usually bash men, call them dogs, and say there are no good ones left.

Then, they wait for me to chime in.

But, I believe in love and I believe in men and their importance in the lives of women. I am not independent, though self-sufficient, and I need a man just as I need air.

This is the way God intended.

However, two husbands later, I have realized I don’t need just any man. When the walls come crumbling down and everything I have built is lost, I look around and see who’s left and, for the past six years, there has been this man.

This Martian.

So, you see, there is no way I can say there are no good men out there. There’s no way I can say they’re all dogs.

There is no way I can’t believe in love.

As I’ve gotten older and learned more about life, I have learned and found the true definition of love, as an action and not an emotion. Love is not conditional. It is loving someone, not despite who they are but because of it. It is loving what and whom they love and accepting everything and everyone in their life if it and they make this person happy.

True love means loving someone the way they need to be loved and not the way you want to love them.

It doesn’t matter where they go or who they’re with or who else they profess to love. Love is not just for one, but for all. Love is not selfish and it does not possess. Love is to be shared and true love is not jealous.  

It is patient and it is constant.

In all my life, I have never loved anyone, who was not born to me, the way I love this man. In fact, looking back, I’ve never really loved anyone at all because it was all conditional.

But this.

And I don’t expect everyone to understand it and, in fact, I’d rather you didn’t. As the saying goes, sometimes a man and a woman have an understanding that no one else understands –– not even them.

I am thankful to God for the openness of my heart and my willingness to love no matter what. No matter who. No matter where or when. And, if I never love another soul again, I will always be grateful for the knowing.

So…

Even in our troubled days, it is love which keeps us bound. And, in our happiest days, it is that love which is made stronger for the binding.

This is How To Make Love To A Martian…

[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info
[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse] If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months. Well, at least, you should be. Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat.  Here are the facts: Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.  Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice: Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend.  Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier. Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice. Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good! For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system. Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one! Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet! Enjoy! [NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer. [NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.
Zoom Info

[Pineapple Ginger Cleanse]

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been eating and drinking alot since the holiday season and you are now looking forward to getting your body together before the spring and summer months.

Well, at least, you should be.

Those of you who have been following my blog over the past few years have seen this Pineapple Ginger Cleanse before. It’s simple to make and very effective in clearing out your digestive junk and helping get your tummy back flat. 

Here are the facts:

  • Pineapples contain Bromelain: The U.S. National Library of Medicine lists bromelain as a proteolytic digestive enzyme. When taken with meals, bromelain aids in the digestion of proteins, working to break proteins down into amino acids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more. 
  • Ginger also aids in digestion: As a digestive aid, ginger can reduce appetite through its regulatory effects on blood sugar and serum cholesterol. A 2006 article in the “British Journal of Nutrition” cites raw ginger as having a regulatory effect on blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. There are many other benefits, however. Read more.

Now, here are the directions to making your own Pineapple Ginger juice:

  • Peel and finely chop 2 lbs. of fresh, raw ginger: You’ll need a very sharp butcher’s knife for this. The more finely chopped, the easier the ginger will be to blend. 
  • Add ginger and an equal amount of pineapple juice to blender: Cover the blender and begin blending on low, graduating to high power. Let blend for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth.
  • Place a cheese cloth or kitchen towel over a bowl and pour pineapple ginger mixture onto cloth: Proceed to squeeze juice from the pulp. Then, transfer juice into pitcher. Use a spouted measuring cup to make the transition easier.
  • Add the remainder of the pineapple juice to the pitcher. A half gallon of pineapple juice will suffice.
Try to eat as light as you can from now on and drink this juice with every meal and right before bed. It’ll be warm and spicy going down and you’ll feel the ginger working in your stomach. After a tall glass of this at night, you may find yourself rushing to the restroom first thing in the morning but that’s good!
For those of you who suffer from heart burn, indegestion, or acid reflux, this juice is very helpful. Most of us think we suffer from these things because we have too much stomach acid, but that’s not true at all! These things occur when our bodies are not making enough stomach acids. The pineapple juice and ginger will help digest and breakdown your food by introducing additional acids to your system.
Being born and raised in the West Indies, this juice is a part of our indigenous diet and helps us digest the massive amounts of starches we prepare as part of our meals. I’ve been drinking this stuff all my life, so you can trust me on this one!
Alright, well, there you have it! Drink this just for as long as you want. There is no set number of days. Just make it a part of your diet!

Enjoy!


[NOTE] The reason you are blending and not juicing the ginger is because ginger creates very little juice when run through a juicer.

[NOTE] If you have a juicer, feel free to juice a fresh pineapple! I have a juicer but opted for bottled juice out of sheer laziness.

As 2012 comes to a close, I have made a concerted effort to rid myself of toxic relationships, as well as cling tightly to the ones that bring me joy. I want to be close to those who have seen me at my worst and still care for me. I want to be close to those who have seen me cry, have wiped my tears, and promised me everything would be okay.

And, then, it was.

There is something to be said about wearing matching pajamas and playing video games all day, shutting yourself out from the world –– laughing hysterically like children in a school yard, tears of joy streaming down your face, your bellies aching from a serious case of the chuckles.

You bond in those moments.

It’s a blessing to have a friend who, no matter where you are in the world and no matter how long you’ve been apart, you can always come back together, never missing a beat. You celebrate eachother’s triumphs and support each other when the days ahead seem dark.

And no one can keep you apart.

You teach one another simple things like how to do laundry or what the hell a Swiffer is, but you also teach each other the more complex things like just being. There is something to be said for watching someone grow, mature, and become better and it’s validating to know you have had a small part in that.

It’s amazing when the younger is doing the teaching.

And, so, here you are, nearly six years later and you’ve been through so much together and apart and it all comes back to this. A chilly December night in Los Angeles, bundling up in a hotel mirror, happy to see one another, sad that one of you has to go. You make plans for the New Year, another year of laughter and tears with a friend who never judged you, never hurt you, and never left, even when miles apart.

Knowing everything will be okay.

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