“Get Started on the New You” -

“Get Started on the New You”

I’m so glad you’re here! Welcome to my brand new video / blog about changing my life one resolution at a time! My name is Chelle Carter and we’re starting with the most popular resolution ever, love it or hate it, it’s definitely time to GET HEALTHY!

My quest for 2024 is to cleanse, strengthen, and restore every system of my body. I have actually been wanting to do this for almost 20 years and have done the first five parts with groups multiple times with amazing results. But it’s time to re-set, and this time I want to take it to the next level. I’ve got some unhealthy habits that need to go, and the unhealthy issues I’ve been “coping” with need to be dealt with before they turn into unmanageable health problems. Basically, I’m “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
So, if you feel the same way – I invite you to join me on this journey. It’s going to be an adventure fraught with learning curves, lifestyle detours, and absolute battles of the will. But it will be worth it! So muster up all your determination and DECIDE to give your body the good things it needs to completely RESTORE! Just think – at the end of one year, we could literally have all new healthy tissues and cells from head to toe. Isn’t that amazing?!
In the next few weeks I am going to share my story with you, as well as go into detail about each cleanse and the plan for the year. Each week I intend to focus on one new thing for my health, but for this first week, I just want to revive all the good things I already do and get those good habits solid in my routine. You can make your own list – and maybe you’re way ahead of me on this journey, or maybe you’ve never really thought much about how your lifestyle affects your health. let’s see what we can do this week to get started and set ourselves up for success.

1) Choose and Begin a “Colon Cleanse”
We have to open the exit… it is not helpful to release the toxins that the body has protectively encapsulated in our tissues, if they have no way to get out. The colon is the first main exit for waste, it is one of the largest organs in the body, and therefore it is the first order business in the cleansing process.
Cleansing and rebuilding a healthy colon is not an overnight process – it can take months. We will be talking about all the super-gross things that are going on in the colon because we eat processed foods, fail to drink enough pure water, and have an imbalance of healthy gut bacteria (especially if you’ve ever used anti-biotics). But in the meantime, DIVE IN! GET STARTED!! It’s time to clean house!!!
A lot of the cleanses we will do will focus on lifestyle choices and diet. But serious colon cleansing is generally supplement based. There are lots of effective natural products available to choose from. This blog is not product, or brand focused. My best recommendation is to walk into a natural health store and talk to the people who work there. You will be surprised that they are very knowledgeable about their supplements! Many of them have visited the farms where the supplement companies grow their herbs. Ask them if they’ve used the product themselves, or which ones they sell the most. Just get a one month supply to get started and then as we learn more about colon cleansing over the next three months, we can make adjustments.
The key things I’m looking for in a colon cleanse product:
-Something to stimulate and tone the peristaltic muscles, such as Cascara Sagrada. (Note: Avoid Senna and other habit forming laxatives which weaken the muscle tone of the colon.)
-Something to aid digestion, such as ginger, fennel, peppermint, etc.
-Something to break up the plaque that has formed along the inside walls of the colon, such as psyllium seed, flax seed, oat bran, or even enzymes.
-Something to absorb the toxins that are being released so that they don’t leach into the bloodstream or compromise the load on the kidney or liver, such as bentonite.
This doesn’t have to be a complicated or expensive endeavor. Remember, it’s going to take a few months – we’re in this for the long haul.
Another factor to consider besides cost and quality is taste. I mean, none of it is going to be tasty and I’ll pretty much take any supplement as long as I know it’s helping me. But the fact is, the colon cleansing portion of this project is the longest ride and I know I, myself, have stopped short in the past because I just couldn’t keep choking it down. The other thing to keep in mind is that we need to be drinking a lot of water during this process and possibly be close to the bathroom for the first couple of days. I like a product that has some added herbs or aloe to minimize potential detox reactions.

2) Get a Calendar/Journal
Planning, planning, planning…“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” It’s not a cliché for no reason…
At the crux of this “adventure,” we are making CHANGES. Intentional changes. That requires planning. For example, if I want healthy foods on my plate, then I’ve got to make healthy choices at the store. Therefore, I need to have a list, or a plan before I get there.
I’m going to need to make sure I give myself some margin in my daily schedule to take care of myself, learn new ways of doing things, and also just give myself a break – I’ll be feeling better, but detoxing takes a lot of energy and the body needs to rest for optimum results.
Keeping a health journal is absolutely ESSENTIAL. No negotiation on this point. By documenting our progress, we learn what works the best. We’re going to be learning a lot and there’s no way to remember it all without keeping notes.
I like to keep my calendar and my health journal all in one place. I use the monthly calendar two-page spread to record all my important meetings and dates. Then on the daily/weekly spread, I record things like hours of sleep, weight, exercise, water, supplements, what I ate that day, and how I feel.

3) Take Inventory
Two things… One, Start a running list of every negative symptom in your body right now. Let’s see how many of these things disappear as we reduce the toxic load and give our body the things it needs to heal itself. Obviously, you will want to include things like excess weight, headaches, blood sugar imbalances, constipation, brain fog, allergies, joint pain, indigestion, bloating, gallstones, acne, insomnia, kidney stones, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, etc. But don’t overlook things like dry skin, hot flashes, weakened immune system, thinning hair, moodiness, red moles, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, difficulty getting up and down, and so on. This list will become a sort of gauge each month as we look for victories and learn what works for our bodies.
The second part of taking inventory is to record your weight and measurements at the beginning of this journey. This isn’t for vanity purposes, this is information that reveals important changes in our bodies as we progress through the healing process. Some people also like to take “before” pictures. Totally up to you…

4) Re-Set Normal Health Boundaries
We’re just coming off the holidays and all the hectic hoo-ha. Let’s get our focus back. What are the good things you do in your normal routine to take good care of yourself? Let’s get those healthy habits back into practice right away.
For me, I want to focus on the easiest, most efficient tips possible. Here’s what has worked for me and many of my friends through the years:
-Sleep: going to bed early really does make a difference. They say, “An hour before midnight is worth two hours after midnight.” Now, I get it, some people are night owls, and there are also seasons in life where we compromise those hours for the sake of the family. Like right now, I have a teenager and those late hours at night are a precious time to hear her heart and just enjoy her while I’ve still got her. I’m not willing to give that up. However, I am going to start my bedtime routine earlier in the evening and then spend some time visiting with her with a mindset to wrap things up by 10:30 and go straight to bed. I can protect our family quality time and literally be asleep by 10:45, as opposed to aimlessly fooling around or following links on social media until after midnight. And that 1-2 hours of sleep will make a big difference.
-Exercise – ugh! This is not even hard! Y’all, my parents are in their 80’s and they walk 1-3 miles every day and they are living a good life. I KNOW I feel better when I exercise regularly. My mood is better, my focus is improved, and I sleep so much easier. What has worked for you in the past? What kind of exercise do you enjoy? Do you have a neighbor or friend to partner up with? The great thing about exercise is that once you make it part of your routine, you feel so good, you don’t want to stop. But until I get over the “want to” hurdle, it’s like a “Nike” situation – you “Just Do It!” NOW is as good a time as any to get moving.
-Diet: I’ve actually been teaching natural health classes for over 20 years and I’ve learned that there are a few simple diet tips that make a huge difference for people. These are all part of my normal routine, but I will admit I’ve been slacking a bit here and there, so I’m excited to re-focus and make sure I’m on track with these basics before I pull out the big dietary guns for deep cleansing. I will go into more detail about why I do each of these things, but for now here are my 5 best quick tips for healthy dietary boundaries:
a) Don’t eat anything after 8pm.
b) Eat only fruit in the morning until noon.
c) Eat a fresh raw salad with every meal.
d) Learn and stick to proper portion sizes.
e) Incorporate weekly prayer & fasting.
-Hydrotherapy: If you have a bathtub in your home, take advantage of it. Not only can you create a relaxing environment to soothe and revitalize, but add some Epsom Salts and essential oils to give your detoxification process a boost.
Those are just some ideas to serve as a springboard. Think about what has already worked for you that you can easily begin to re-implement starting now.

5) Start Researching Therapeutic Diet Plans
Our diet is the biggest factor affecting our health. As we progress in this cleansing adventure, we will naturally want to optimize our diets in order to get the most out of cleansing and set a strong foundation for continued wellness moving forward. So, when you get a chance, maybe do a little research on some healthy diet plans. See what looks tasty and doable for you. There are endless options. I tend to look for a plan that focuses on unprocessed foods, does not entirely exclude any of the food groups, uses normal ingredients, is simple to prepare, delicious (of course!), and is tried and true. Some examples I’ve seen good results from include The Maker’s Diet, Whole 30, Trim Healthy Mama, and variations of what’s known as the “Daniel Diet.” In recent years, I’ve been exploring the Lectin-Free Diet and so far I’ve had great results with that as well. You choose what works for you. I find it helpful to follow a set plan for a season and then tweak it to suit personal dietary and lifestyle needs.

This is the beginning of a new year and the beginning of a new you! Subscribe to my YouTube channel, join my Facebook group, share it on your social media and text the links to your friends. I’m going to have fun doing this, but it will be a lot more fun together!

PRAYER: Before I close, I want you to know that the only thing that means more to me than having you join me in this crazy adventure, is having you pray with me. Let’s be real – I can’t even walk without Jesus holding my hand. How am I going to stay on a health program for a whole year? There’s only one way… So, each week we’re going to pray for courage and for healing and especially for love – because it’s the love of God that makes us valuable, and knowing our value is the best motivation to take care of ourselves.

Father God, we thank you that you created us in Your image. (Genesis 1:27)
We thank you that you designed our bodies for health and healing.
We agree that Jesus came so that we may have life and have that life more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Lord, forgive us for judging ourselves and others with condemnation. We ask your forgiveness for every word that we have said, or someone else has said of us that does not edify, build up, correct in love, and confirm. We ask you to take those word curses out of us completely. We will not agree with lies, or sin, or sickness. (James 5:9)
Lord, we ask your blessings on anyone who has ever made us feel “less than” because of the way we look. We forgive them and hold no accusation against them. (Matthew 6:14-15)
Fill us up with hope and peace. Guide our steps and smooth the way in this journey of healing. May every step point to You!
In Jesus’ beautiful name. Amen.