Movin' On Up!

Hey there! Missed us? Well, we've sure missed you.

We are finally unveiling the newly designed No Muck Messages and want to make sure you get there.

The new URL for the blog is now www.nomuck.com. Cruise on over there and take a look around! Make sure you re-subscribe on the new site to make sure we stay in the loop with you. Also, make sure you give us some feedback on what you think through the comments or the different ways to contact us.

Thank you again for all the blessings you have given us by visiting our blog and allowing us to serve you in some way. It's time for a new chapter! We will be back with all our weekly posts next week.

Let's go!!

Let's Mix It Up!

Just as our own lives are a work in progress, so is this blog. We've been praying and planning through some new updates so here they are!

First of all, we realized that we've probably never taken the time to explain why we write. I mean, why even bother? :)

No Muck Messages was created to help foster the beautiful and abundant life through the continual transformation of the body, mind, and spirit. Our goal is to inspire ourselves and others to get the gunk out of our lives in ALL areas (and having fun while doing it)! We believe in living every day to the fullest.

With that being said, we are going to have three topical days per week--Yay! After listening to those of you who write in, these seem to be the areas in which we get the most questions.

On Mondays, we'll encourage you to take reasonable steps to make a clean change for yourself and those you love. This may be a new natural hygiene tip, a greener cleaning product than what you are using, or just suggestions to simplify your life. We know that there are many of you who don't even know where to begin when looking around you. We will just be sharing what we've learned over our time of changing our lifestyles step by step. Keep in mind that getting the gunk out is a process, but you can do it!

Tuesdays will focus on reaching our innermost parts that we often neglect in day to day life. In order to truly take care of ourselves, we have to do some rethinking, reflecting, and intentional soul care. Remember that true, lasting change only comes from real and authentic transformation. There is no quick fix or pill you can take to make the kind of changes we're talking about. This is going to take some practice, but it will be well worth the investment we make! 

On this day, we'll share more details about Sy's (and our) journey with the Gerson Therapy. It's hard to believe that we've been in this sixteen months! Needless to say, we've picked up some tips and tricks along the way, so we hope that we can help educate folks on what life looks like when you use food as your medicine.

These are our current areas of focus but we are far from having all the answers. However, we have discovered that life is all about rhythm and lack of it can have grave consequences. We see it all around us even now. We were not designed to live in a constant state of rush, chaos, and stress. It is nearly impossible to hear the voice inside you when you are running full speed in all directions. This kind of life is not the full life we've been promised.

So please journey with us and spread the word! Together, let's have the courage to free ourselves from the gunk that entangles us and robs us of our joy. Let's discover the beautiful rhythm, authentic community, and amazing service found in the daily living of the abundant life.

Let's encourage and inspire one another in this forum... Hop on the No Muck Mobile!

Sy's Burning Bash!

We realized that we missed posting about Sy's big birthday... When it comes to a kid that can't eat much, you have to focus on doing some super cool stuff. Check it out!

Sy was definitely pumped to turn 7! He even lost a front tooth for the event.

First stop was coming to see Pop at the firehouse and do some cool stuff.

Only Essi would find a way to shoot rainbows from a fire hose.

Waiting to blast someone...

Just a couple more years to grow into this seat.

I'm so proud to be a part of this crazy kid's life.

Quite a fire brigade, huh?

Sy is now a huge baseball fan, so it was off to the batting cages...

Sy was a complete natural. He crushed probably 80% of the balls.

Even Mom had to come show off her home run swings. She really got in there!

I don't think anyone would argue when I say that 7 has definitely been Sy's healthiest birthday yet. We had tons of fun and made him his own birthday cake made of nothing but potatoes. We are looking forward to future birthdays and continuing to see Sy grow up to be a godly young man.

Happy belated birthday, big man! We love you!

So What Is The Gerson Therapy?

Over our past year of Sy being on the Gerson Therapy (and making a miraculous turnaround in this health), several people have asked questions regarding his therapy and how it can help so many chronic conditions. The therapy has plenty of years behind it and even more documentation, but we thought we'd at least give you a brief overview.

Dr. Max Gerson began his medical career with a great ability to observe and learn how living things were affected by their environments and the quality of their consumption. Because he was often incapicated by severe migranes when beginning his medical career, Dr. Gerson was forced to desperately seek answers to find relief from his serious condition. He sought out answers from experts and medical professionals who told him that he would just have to deal with it (sound familiar to you?). Unsatisified with accepting a lower quality of life, Dr. Gerson began searching for answers outside the traditional circles. After reading about another migrane sufferer who improved through a change in diet, Dr. Gerson began to look into this option.

To make a really long story short (you can read in more detail here), Dr. Gerson found that by including some foods and excluding others, he was able to cure himself. Keep that in mind...cure! As a person who accepted a role in helping others to the best of his ability, Dr. Gerson prescribed his "migraine diet" to another patient who needed help. Not only did his diet stop the migraines, but it also cured a then-incurable disease that the patient also had--skin tuberculosis. Because TB was a major problem at the time, this required a closer look. The bottom line came that during an controlled study, Dr. Gerson's diet cured 446 out of 450 tuberculosis sufferers. This was absolutely unheard of at the time. Because these same patients carried other disorders and conditions, cures were also seen in those areas.

Over a period of 30 years, Dr. Gerson continued to clincially study diseases and the impact of his diet on them, namely multiple types of cancers. He published these results and sought hard to share this amazing information with anyone who would listen. In 1946, Dr. Gerson also had the opportunity to sit before a Congressional Subcommittee about his advancements (and seek funding for future cancer research), but it was not accepted that diet could have a significant impact on health. Um, wait a second...

Because there are countless people who have been cured through this therapy (just ask Sy and see this post), it has continued to be researched and developed in accordance to our ever changing environment and food harvesting practices. There are so many great hearts continuing to push this information out, especially to those who have exhausted all their options.

Before I get into the details of the therapy, I would like to point out that the Gerson Institute is a non-profit organization that focuses on education, not selling you some product with their name slapped on it. Because Gerson has helped and supported putting the power of healing our son in our own hands, I have come to find that every person in that organization has a great heart for serving others. I have done plenty of examining of this therapy and it's proponents and have found nothing that seeks anything other than true health and healing for all mankind.

The Gerson Therapy today is based on two pillars: hypernutrition and detoxification. Because our bodies are wonderfully made, they can do amazing things when it comes to healing itself. If you give cells exactly what they need to efficiently work, in most cases, they will do the job they were intended to do. Also, because the list of toxins in this world gets longer every day, we have to support our body and find a healthy way to get the stuff out that doesn't belong there.

The first of the two factors of the Gerson Therapy are exercised by giving the body specific organic fruits and veggies, especially in the form of fresh juice. If you understand how our digestive system works and how the body can more easily absorb the nutrients from something it doesn't have to break down, this makes total sense. You would also be suprised how sufficient a vegetarian diet can be for the human body...and yes, even protein. For added nutrients, there are also a few supplements added to the regimen to fill in any gaps that exist and to support the body's normal function. Again, the point is giving the body exactly what it needs to do it's job, which is needed even more if your body is in crisis.

The detoxification part of the therapy requires one to really open their eyes to the world around them. Do you have any idea how many toxins you come in contact with in one day? In the air, water, food, chemicals, etc., there are just too many to count. This is not a fear-mongering tactic, but one of reality that must be realized. The point is that the body doesn't need toxins and they mostly just lead to more serious issues. Decreasing or eliminating these toxins takes time and work, so it must be taken seriously.

The part that most people love to talk about are the detoxifying coffee enemas. Yep, you read it right. I used to think that hole was strictly for exporting, but I was wrong. By looking at the history of the enema, you will see that this was a practice used by doctors and nurses without restraint. You will also see that this practice is used to support our natural detoxifying organ...the liver. I can bore you with a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo on why exactly it works, but you can research this yourself. We will work on posting some more info on this soon.

There are a few other small pieces that are added for additional support or comfort for those undergoing the therapy, but you can read all about it in their books here.

My personal experience has been that every stone I have turned over in this process has a reliable answer underneath. The part about this that you must remember is that it is a therapy...not a fad diet. There are many people who have recovered their lives through this therapy and refuse to deviate far from it because they already know where that led them before. The other thing I would like to say is that most people aren't at a place yet where they are willing to do the research and work it takes to embrace what's actually best for their body. Sometimes this takes driving people to the point of death. Sometimes it's too late before people get there. All of it is hard to watch, but doesn't mean we throw in the towel.

There are several lessons we've had to learn the hard way through our journey with Sy and his health. Don't ignore things that you know you should consider, don't believe everything you hear, ask LOTS of questions, look at things from a totally different perspective, ask difficult questions. Don't accept something less when you even have a miniscule hint that there may be more!

And most importantly...don't give up.

P.S. If you have some time, check out these documentaries...if you look on Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube, you will probably have some luck:

Dying to Have Known

The Beautiful Truth

The Gerson Miracle

Now In Stereo Sound!

Last night, Heather and I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Howard Straus, the radio host of "The Power of Natural Healing". We had plenty of time to dive into Sy's story and how his health has made a complete turnaround on the Gerson Therapy. If you get a chance, please check it out on his website here Monday at 11am Pacific Time. It will also be available in the archives later that week! This was our first opportunity to be on the radio and we had tons of fun. Thanks Howard!

Anderson Live Show Clips (Updated!)

**Updated show clips to show full segments, including intro video and surprises. They are hand recorded and the audio is a bit low, but it should be clear enough.

Thank you to all of you who tuned in to watch our handsome boy make his daytime TV debut. We all were very happy how the show was put together and we are so thankful to the Anderson Live crew for having us there. We really hope that we were able to help at least one person in some way. There's only one complaint...I still have not received a phone call to become a jewelry hand model on QVC. Did they not shoot my amazingly strong, yet tender hands enough?

We've been looking to find the entire interview. We've found both parts, but the first one is not the greatest quality. We'll keep looking and try to find something better. Anyway, thanks to the person who took the time to record this on their TV! Here you go! Oh, and also, just for the record, I'm really proud of both my son and my smokin' hot wife.

Lastly, a huge thanks to those companies that blessed our family in a huge way...Bunny Luv, Global Organics, and Lego! I just noticed that this part isn't on the video. Big hugs from Sy for these great folks!

If you can't see the videos below click here for part 1 and here for part 2. Enjoy!

Here's still the portion straight from the show...much clearer.

Listening Heart Required!

So get this...

The other day, I'm in the kitchen juicing and prepping Sy's food goodness. Since I'm a guy, I can usually only concentrate on one thing at a time, so I was pretty involved in my work. Nothing was going to stop me from producing some high quality nutrition!

Before I get any further, let me tell you that Sy decided one day a while back to start reading through the New Testament when he wakes up in the morning. It seems like he just started yesterday and he informed us that he is already through Acts! Let's just remember that this kid is only six! Makes me smile when I know that he is reading God's love letter to him! It's also a reminder to not let the most important instruction manual fade into the background.

Now back to the kitchen...

As I'm scrubbing carrots, Sy comes quietly into the kitchen and watches me work. He then began a dialogue that drew me in right away:

"Hey, Pop?"

"Yeah, buddy..."

"I think God is speaking to me."

!!!??? Although I continued working to keep the conversation natural, Sy had every bit of my attention. I knew in my heart that God didn't want me to miss a word of what was coming up next.

"Oh yeah? What's he saying?"

"I think God is telling us that we need to go."

This is one of those times that I knew God was speaking to me through my son. It was also very clear and appropriate for our hearts. Through how God has been teaching us and calling our family, this statement had a huge impact. Even though I knew, I still asked to see what else was stirring in his heart.

"Where do you think God wants us to go?"

"Either where we've been talking about or wherever he needs us. Like Paul and Silas in Acts. They went wherever telling people the good news."

Oh snap.

It has been amazing to watch God work on Sy's heart. Sy is someone who enjoys his home, his toys, and all the perks of staying where we are. The rest of us are more willing to accept change. This is just another example of the power of God's Word and it's ability to transform us on an individual basis.

Thank you God, for moments like this. Thank you that even though I don't listen to you all the time, you still get messages to me and my family. Please give me the courage to lead my family and keep the focus of their hearts as the most important way of providing for them. I am weak, but you can do great things through me!

As you finish reading this, we ask for your prayers. We ask that we would have amazing wisdom and clarity and that we would pursue His leading with reckless abandon!

Excuse Me...Did You Lose Something?

Last night, as Heather and I were finishing kitchen cleanup and making our way to bed after another long day, we had the first opportunity to really talk. Not just be in the same car or the same room like we did most of the day, but give each other our undivided attention. As Heather continued to talk and share her heart, I realized that it was snowballing into more than either of us planned. God gave me a great opportunity to appreciate my wife and what REALLY lies in her heart. Our time ended with tears and much needed prayers. I know how my wife goes way beyond the call of duty (often to her detriment). In the middle of the whole process, I again realized the weights my wife carries (or ones that are pushed on her) and this verse popped into my head:

"If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles." Matthew 5:41

So, how'd we get there, you ask? I guess it all started when I heard that someone said to Heather, "So, it looks like things are going pretty great for you guys." At first glance, this seems like a pretty benign statement. And you know what? Things are not just pretty great, they are really great compared to many other people in this world. We have a marriage relationship that gets better the more we are together (seriously, it's crazy), we have our kids who we can hug and kiss (not enough), we are experiencing physical health in a whole new dimension with Sy, we have a roof and beds to sleep in, I have a job that pays (most of) the bills, we have cars that run, we have a great community around us, and we have a Father that continues to call us out to a life of abundance. The list goes on and on, but I'm sure you get the idea.

But there's the other side of things that people don't necessarily see. The fact that our marriage has taken the biggest beating ever over the last several years... That although it's so worth it, this therapy doesn't stop and it's more work than the two of us can handle... That our kids are actively seeking God, asking questions, and are ready to be led, but there's often times no one is available for this meaningful conversation... That there are still serious concerns about Heather and her physcial health, lack of sleep, and emotional load... That our world is really financially crumbling even though I know without a doubt that God has led me where I am professionally... That we recently received news that radically affects our household and the future of our family as we know it (another blog post to come)...

And all this just underscores my point.

My wife has numerous reasons to complain, whine, fall on the floor, kick, scream, walk away, bail out, flip the bird, etc. But that's not who she really is. I know it. I get to see and experience her heart in a way that other's don't. Even though she's left at home with four little rascals, she ultimately chooses JOY. Even though homeschooling with two babies is not really possible, she chooses JOY. Even though a juicing/nutritional therapy is way too much for our family, she chooses JOY. Even though she doesn't get a break and has been begging me to find an "Alice" (like from the Brady Bunch), she still chooses JOY. Even though her husband has constant bad breath and leaves messes, she still chooses JOY. Even though she is often buried beneath huge amounts of verbal vomit, a hand sticks out and waves a JOY flag. Even when everything around her is screaming at her to let go of her joy, SHE WON'T LET GO.

So why does is appear "like things are going pretty great for you guys?" Because our God who is Great shines His Spirit through my wife in ways I only wish I could. When Heather speaks to others, she is intentional and focuses on them more than herself. When she fields complaints and deals with "life-drainers," she continues to do everything she can to be a "life-giver."

I'm often embarrassed by how differently I would handle the conversations she has with people. Since I love to drag out and drop the huge axe of sarcasm, I've told her to start telling people that complain that "...I am so bored every day. We really wish we had something to fill our time. Our family just sits around with blank stares on their faces."

I know for a fact that I married the right person. Thank you, God, for making my wife unlike any other!

If you see this lady, will you please give her our number?

A Visit From The First Lady...

...of health, that is!

We had a very special treat last week and we will forever be grateful. Charlotte Gerson and her family made a trip to Florida all the way from California. They took time out of their visit and schedule to come speak to a group of us who were eager to hear more about the rich history behind all of her father's work. It was so amazing to see this passionate 91 year-old speak so eloquently. This lady is sharp as a tack and has so much knowledge! We can all learn something from her vibrant lifestyle.

It was also so amazing to watch as Sy and Charlotte shared some special time together. One year ago, our family was just embarking on world of the Gerson Therapy and we were so desperate for a change in his health. As you can read in past posts, we have watched as Sy's body has made miraculous changes for the better!

So, this is just a short post to say thank you to Charlotte, the Gerson Institute, and all those who desire to see complete and total health in our community.

We are also excited to watch as God now begins to touch the other lives around us who desperately are in need. We will get there together! This has been the only way our family could be where we are today. We hope to spread the blessing as far as we can!



Sy Lights Up The Studio!

I know I have been extremely annoying about getting you any details about the show. What fun is it if I don't keep you in suspense, right? Well, let's just say that there was some "paperwork" that says that I can't discuss much about it before it airs (we are still waiting for the air date, btw). In the meantime, we'll give a few obscure details about our day and all the things happening around us...

Before you read any further, just know that our family is continuing to seek God first on all of this. Even on the day of the shoot, it was easy to get swept up in nerves, excitement, etc. and miss what is REALLY happening. If you go back and read from when this blog started, you can see the amazing story that God is already weaving into this little boy's life. Heather and I have fought hard to not just sit back and let life happen or get sucked in to complacency. We want all the aspects of our lives to reflect the real reason behind them (though we are not always successful, we try). You cannot look over Sy's journey and say that it's only about a boy with a incurable disease. God has given him an incredible platform and we want to be good stewards of his story and use it to help others. We are just waiting and trying to make ourselves available for whatever God has next or for the next person who needs to be reached... We have walked in this valley in hopes that others can be spared and ultimately to encourage them with the hope of healing... Patience is not always our strong suit, but then it only takes thinking about Sy and the amount of patience required to live with his struggle, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Anyway...now for a few details!

Our family got to hang in the green room as we waited for our time to go on the set. We finally got to meet some of the great people we had been speaking with on the phone for weeks. They were really fun to work with and took care of us in so many ways. They even had someone to entertain and babysit the kiddies as we were in and out. Here is Sy with his remarkable Dixie cup castle. Isn't he handsome?

Sy's sis, Essi, had a great attitude the whole time as her little brother got a lot of attention. We will say her beauty got the attention of several TV folks! She is another one who is ready to be used by God!

As Heather got dolled up, these were the shoes that were chosen for her to wear. If you know Heather, you probably know how she felt about wearing these... She also had to lose the jeans and slip on some black dress pants. And change her shirt and add a blazer... She jokes that she looked like she was ready to anchor the 6:00 evening news!

Since I was so sharply dressed when I arrived (in the only nice Target shirt that I own), the only thing they changed on me were my shoes. I swear I was ready for the ski jump in these things. Every time I turned a corner, I would knock people down. Since they wouldn't be seen much, I didn't throw a fit.

So, here's the final product before we hit the big lights!

Soon after this we were whisked away for the shoot. The shoot went great and I managed to avoid throwing up on the hosts (bonus!). Now that it's over, we can just leave it in His hands to do what He likes. Please pray that whether things are good or bad, we would continue to keep our focus on the right thing.

Like I said before, we can't share many photos and details now, but we promise to get the details about the air date as soon as we know. In the meantime, we will share a photo of a really nice guy that we met while we were in NYC. Scroll down...

A Big Walking Tour for Little Feet!

Ok, ok, ok...so I'm a little behind on updating y'all. WiFi is crazy expensive in NYC. Also, with all the navigating I was doing on my phone, I was actually running out of data on our plan. So let's get started!

On Wednesday, we started our freezing rainy day at the 9/11 Memorial. Absolutely amazing! It was such an honor to be there and see it in its early stages of development. The kids asked a lot of great questions.

Our next steps were visiting the super historic St. Paul's Chapel (near the Freedom Tower) that was used as an emergency worker rest spot during 9/11.

Our hotel was near Madison Square Garden, so we got to see the waves of people that continued to pour out of that place.

We took a quick tour of 30 Rock and tried to sneak Heather into a show, but we missed the cutoff. Bummer!

On our way uptown, we stopped off at St. Patrick's Cathedral. With the amount of beauty in the structure, it's kinda sad that we've lost this form of worship in most of our churches today.

Heather's sister came to NYC to see the Anderson Live show, so we were later off to meet them at FAO Schwartz. The kids were okay with that meeting spot!

Since Sy is such a big fan of Apple (the food, silly), we had to take one cool elevator ride and snap a quick photo of his lighted up treat!

More posts to come! We love y'all!

Our First Bite Of The Big Apple...

Ok, so day number one has been a success! We have packed many things in one day! Here are a few highlights:

Although my navigating skills were a little off and we ended up heading in the wrong direction a few times, we still got to enjoy our first NY subway ride.

We had a great opportunity to see much of the city because we spent most of the day on foot. Both the kiddos were real champs about walking several miles today.

We were able to secure Sy's fresh made juices and we were relieved to know that he wouldn't miss a beat.

A cruise through Times Square gave us a chance to snag a New Yorker for a quick and memorable pic!

This city a also a great place to run into celebs! Look who we bumped in to! (I never knew he wore patented leather shoes with his armor.)

We had to ship many of Sy's food prep supplies up from Florida, but we also had to get our hands on all the produce. We happened to find this sweet little corner organic market that beat the pants off any place at home. Believe it or not, the prices were even better!

We needed a way to get all this produce home without lugging it for miles, so we were able to hop in for our first NY taxi ride. I did my best to be annoyingly chatty with the driver, but he wasn't much of a conversationalist.

And lastly...

How could we call it a day without staying up late to throw together a fresh batch of soup, mill it, and clean up everything in a mini kitchen?

Thanks NYC! We are looking forward to our next day tomorrow...

Things Are Suddenly Moving At Light Speed!

So, today marks the beginning of an exciting week! We are still coming off the high of the Snowflake 5K and we now are looking forward to hosting some cool folks in our home today. A camera crew and reporter from a popular, national talk show will be coming to spend the entire day with us to get a glimpse of our family's routine and Sy's God-authored story. As some of you know, there will be plenty of energy from this household for these folks to capture. We just hope that these peeps like the smell of veggies simmering, the aroma of fresh carrot juice, and seeing every Lego creation in our home!

Today will be a big day and we hope to clearly portray the way that God has blessed us with the immense challenges and miraculous times of provision through family, friends, and even those we don't even know. Anyone can easily see the incredible power of love and support poured on our household as we struggle through healing our son.

After this experience, we will step onto a plane early next week and find ourselves in the midst of the Big Apple for his national TV debut. (Is America really ready for such a handsome and lion-hearted boy?) With the help of our hosts and countless logistics, we have made arrangements so that Sy's therapy will hopefully be seamless and without interruption. We will keep y'all up to date as we encounter these unique and fun changes. (We promise lots of pictures to come!)

I'm not exactly how much we can share in the digital world yet, but we promise to provide whatever details we can when we can... Stay tuned for more!

One last thing before we embark on this journey... Please pray for us and that the true reason behind our family's adventures shine through Sy's smile, Heather's smokin' hot looks, and my buffoonery. For all of you who know us, you know that all of this could not be happening on our own efforts. We ask for the right words to express the events and emotions that have emerged over the years. We love all of you and know that our bottom line is to bless those who can benefit from our experience and our desire to reach out to those in need.

And away we go...

This Race Is "Snow" Joke! (Insert Groan Here)

We just wanted to take a moment to let you all know how important this upcoming race is to Sy and our family. It appears that all the registered racers have blown the doors off the original estimates! Everyone is ready to have an all out party this weekend!

Although we will not be able to quantify the amount of fun that everyone will have (playing in real snow, sliding on a huge inflatable slide, eating baked goodies, hanging with firefighters, etc.), we can quantify how much your participation means to Sy's therapy...

For every one 5K runner plus one Fun Runner, we will be able to purchase one of Sy's 25 pound bags of carrots or two bags of his yummy apples. If we didn't have you, Sy would still be on his yucky nutritional formula and possibly unable to eat by mouth. If we didn't have any of you volunteers this weekend, we would not be able to even have this event! We hope to thank everyone in person who has played a part, but there are so many of you!

This blog will never do it justice, but we SINCERELY THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of our hearts! Even before the starting gun goes off, this race has been a huge success. Thank you for being the volunteering hands and running feet of love! We are completely overwhelmed by it!