What's Rachel Eating?

Step 4. Go! It's time to eat (and track)

2011-09-05T15:22:00.002-05:00

Now that you have your fitday.com account set up, it's time to eat the Primal way.

Obviously, you are trying to eat the diet composition you have calculated. You're not trying to starve yourself. You are trying to eat protein on target (not more or less), restrict carbs (not more), and limit calories... according to your plan. There's plenty of ways to eat delicious food within those guidelines.

Visit marksdailyapple.com for lots of ideas. Download his free e-books. Visit his forums and read his blog posts.

Personally here are some of my goals and strategies this year:

I joined the YMCA and plan to learn to swim laps as well as do some muscle building.
I am going to look at my body for the way I feel and look, rather than my weight.
I want to track what I eat on fitday.com some days, but not every day. I just want to get an idea of what it feels like to eat with my nutritional goals.
Eat truly Primal, with no grains, no beans/legumes and dairy free.
I plan to eat the bulk of my protein in the morning and at lunch time.
Plan to eat vegetarian dinner or use the juicer for dinner and shun bedtime snacking altogether.
Try to finish dinner by 6 pm, if not earlier (in practical terms, before I put the kids to bed).
As a family, we have been television free for a year, but Erik and I watch a movie 0-2 times per week. In the past year we started adding more activities for all of us, and developed our philosophy a little more oriented toward family time as activities. We ski, go sledding, ice skating, bicycling, and yard work. We surround ourselves with stuff that will help us to be active, together.

I'm going to try to blog more, and not sure if I will be able to launch a new blog soon, now that my kids are entering school full time. Wish me luck, and let me know if you are needing ideas for your Primal diet.

Step 3. Set up your FitDay.com account

2011-09-05T15:01:00.003-05:00

Create an account on Fitday.com and enter your custom daily nutrition goals.

I entered custom nutrition goals into my fitday.com account. Here are the goals I entered:

Calories (from my blog Step 1) 1,403
Protein grams between 75-80 per day
Carbs* 50-100 per day, per The Primal Blueprint

Erik's fitday.com daily nutrition goals:

Calories (from my blog Step 1) 2,592
Protein grams between 100-115 per day
Carbs* 50-100 per day, per The Primal Blueprint

TIP:
"While the 'eating fat is okay for weight loss' idea might seem contradictory at first glance, it is valid; without insulin, eating fat will not make you fat!"
-Mark Sisson, The Primal Blueprint, p. 225

*Carbohydrates: Daily Needs
How many carbohydrates to eat per day?
Short answer for everyone who wants to lose weight: 50 to 100 "carbs" per day, if you are trying to lose weight the Primal Blueprint way. You will eat whole, unprocessed, natural carbs, mostly in the form of plant matter (some vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits).

Step 2. Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs

2011-09-05T14:33:00.004-05:00

In the previous post, we calculated the amount of calories we each will burn at our current body composition and a moderate activity level (you are planning to add in some Primal Fitness, aren't you?).

The Primal Blueprint weightloss plan targets 1-2 pounds of body fat loss per week. I say body fat, because you want to lose fat, not muscle don't you?

Well, then, you'll have to eat your targeted amount of protein every day.

Tip: If this is making your head spin, please buy the book The Primal Blueprint and just follow the eating plan. Erik and I like all this calculation stuff.

(A) If you know your body fat percentage, calculate your lean body mass.

You need to get a body fat measurement of yourself, somehow. Erik bought a weight scale that does measure a frequency in the body (you hold the wand in your hands as you stand on the scale), so this easily tells us our body fat percentages, and we can re-measure whenever we want.

I am about 30% fat. Of course I plan to improve this ratio in favor of muscle by going from "lightly active" to "moderately active" or better. To me, this also means that the more muscle I gain and continue more exercise, the more protein I will be able to eat without gaining body fat! Mmmm, protein! Are those almond flour cookies I smell??

Rachel
160 pounds with 30% fat
160 x 0.7 = 112 pounds of lean body mass

Erik
250 pounds with 37% fat
250 x 0.63 = 157.5 pounds of lean body mass

(B) How much protein to eat each day?

For "moderately active" (which you are going to be, right??), you can use 0.7 as your factor for how much protein you need.

Rachel
112 pounds of lean body mass x 0.7 = 78.4 grams of protein intake per day

Erik
158 pounds of lean body mass x 0.7 = 110.6 grams of protein intake per day

See my next blog post!

Step 1. Calorie Calculation for Weight Loss

2011-09-05T14:08:00.007-05:00

Wanna lose weight the Primal way with Rachel? Let's make this easy. (Mom, I know you're reading this!!)

(A) Do this BMR calculator
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
(obtain the number of calories you burn if you stay in bed all day. Mine is 1506.1. Erik's is 2273.6.)

(B) Run the Harris Benedict Equation
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/
On the Primal Blueprint lifestyle, you should be "moderately active." In order to lose weight, of course you need to be honest or even say you are less active than you are. Shoot for at least 2 hours per week of low-level cardio plus one or two intense workouts (strength or sprinting) of 10-30 minutes each.
This is your BRM from Step 1 multiplied by 0.55.
This equals your Activity Factor number.

1506.1 x 0.55 = 828.355 Rachel
2273.6 x 0.55 = 1250.48 Erik

(C). Add the BMR to the Activity Factor for your total number of calorie expenditure per day.

1506.1 + 828.355 = 2334.455 Rachel
2273.6 + 1250.48 = 3524.08 Erik

(D) Create a deficit. In order to lose 8 pounds per month, you need to shave off 932 calories per day.

2334.455 - 932 = 1403 calories per day for Rachel's weight loss
3524.08 - 932 = 2592 calories per day for Erik's weight loss

Lemon Bars

2011-08-07T12:17:00.001-05:00

Having guests for dinner. Erik will grill steaks, and I will serve
beer, red wine, peanut cole slaw as close to Bandera's, Chicago, as I
can--first try, recipe and special ingredients. Also, these Lemon
Bars. Plus maybe broiled asparagus and maybe a Biblical Salad.

http://primalwomeninthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/lemon-bars.html#comments

Ingredients:Filling:6 whole eggs
1/2 c. honey
1 c. lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1/2 c. coconut oilCrust:1 c. of raw almonds
1 c. of raw pecans
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. of melted coconut oil
2 eggs
Directions:Filling:1. Whisk eggs, honey, and lemon juice together in a
small sauce pan.
2. Heat on medium/high and add coconut oil. Stir until the coconut oil
has melted.
3. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles.
4. Remove from heat and place in a bowl in the refrigerator to cool
and thicken further.Crust:1. Place nuts in a food processor or blender
until finely chopped, do not puree. They should be in tiny pieces but
not as fine as almond flour.
2. Mix the nuts with the remaining ingredients until they are well combined.
3. Spread over the bottom of a greased 8 x 12 pan. I used olive oil.
4. Heat oven to 400* and bake for 15-18 minutes. The crust will be
done when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out
clean.
5. Cool crust completely before layering the filling over the top.
Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cap Em Quik

2011-05-02T20:32:00.001-05:00

Proof that capping your own herbs saves a lot of money!

1 lb = 453,592.37 mg

600 mg x 100 capsules (a bottle of milk thistle capsules from Mountain Rose Herbs) = 60,000 mg.

453,592/ 60,000 = 7.559 (750 capsules)

Therefore, there are 7.6 bottles of milk thistle in one pound of herb powder.

Purchase 3 bottles of said milk thistle capsules for $22.95.
One pound of milk thistle powder is $10.00. Already we see a huge savings. What's the cost of the capsules themselves?

$23 for 1000 gelatin capsules (Mountain Rose Herbs)
$11.99 for 1000 (vitacost.com)

700 capsules would be $8.99 to $17.25 for 750 capsules
$10 milk thistle seed powder
$9 for capsules
= $19 for 1 pound
Divided by 7.5 for per bottle price = $2.53 per bottle when you make it yourself.

But, I want a capsule maker and that will add to my price. However, at this savings, it's worth it! I can use it as often as I want for as many different herbal preps as I want. I'll be buying The Capsule Machine, which makes 24 capsules at a time, from Mountain Rose Herbs which has a great price. Alternatively, the Cap-M-Quik makes 50 capsules at a time but the concept is the same. I've used my friend's Cap-M-Quick and I can't see that making 24 at a time will add that much time to my total work time.

Basic Health checkup, and... Eczema.

2011-01-18T14:27:00.000-06:00

Notes on Mothering magazine article on eczema:
#1 gut flora
#2 GLA (spirulina, evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant seed oil, 1-2 grams per day child)
-nutrients for the fatty-acid-converting enzymes to work: zinc, mag, B6
-noted that children with eczema may be low in zinc and GLA supp may compensate for the deficiency. [I read this as: supp some zinc AND GLA, don't just sup GLA. You may need the zinc for other things to work well.]
#3 Comfort measures and prevent skin damage from itching:
-Cream for itching: Florasone (Cardiospermum)
-Keep fingernails short.
-Apply cool compress or press on area to avoid itching. (I teach van about rubbing with palm instead of nails.)
oatmeal bath for itch: 10 minutes, powder in bath should be fine enough to not sink to bottom.
-Calendula tea rinse for skin healing.
This article also listed other herbs and homeopathic remedies for the itching.

Next, from westonaprice.org:

"Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil or Black Currant Oil: These oils contain a fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid or GLA, which the body produces from omega-6 linoleic acid by the action of special enzymes. In many individuals the production or effectiveness of this enzyme is compromised, especially as they grow older. Malnutrition, consumption of hydrogenated oils and diabetes inhibit the conversion of omega-6 linoleic acid to GLA. GLA-rich oils have been used to treat cancer, premenstrual syndrome, breast disease, scleroderma, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and cystic fibrosis. They have been shown to increase liver function and mental acuity."

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gamma-linolenic-000305.htm
From that link:

"Much of the GLA taken as a supplement is converted to a substance called DGLA that fights inflammation. Having enough of certain nutrients in the body (including magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C, B3, and B6) helps promote the conversion of GLA to DGLA."

"Many experts find the science supporting the use of omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation and prevent diseases to be much stronger than that supporting GLA."
Rachel note: omega-3 would be fish oil.

Rachel's notes:
Van's eczema has responded well (over the past 6 months or more) to a couple of factors that I see as key:
1. Reducing Dairy. He still eats yogurt at least 5 times per week, but he doesn't eat other forms of dairy. He was eating dairy at most meals. He does eat butter (not moderated) and feta (I moderate this to 1x per week).

2. Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids. He learned to take a capsule. Thorne Research brand from vitalbee.com. Or if you want powder, one I just got from Vitacost is TwinLab Super Ascorbate C. I started giving this to him for bloody noses. It worked. It also coincided with the skin improvement.

3. At the same time as the above, we reduced our fish oil. This is a tricky one. Omega-3 supplementation is great if you have a deficiency. But, after you correct the deficiency and change the diet, it can cause inflammation. So, without having a clear plan or even knowing that, somehow my lack of planning, laziness (or intuition?) may have been helpful here. We reduced our fish oil in total. This coincided with the improvement in Van's skin and #1 and #2 above. (see below for more on this)

4. We also added some Vit B-complex supplementation. I was/am supping high amounts of B's for trying to regain my own health. In my reading about B's, it just seemed a good idea to give my kids a little, too. There again, it may have been helping the eczema. Now, the kids don't get a B supp every night, but I think it helps to take before bed if they have been sleep deprived at all (are getting hyper or cranky). I have seen a VERY clear response in my body to sleep deeper/harder when I take my B supps before bed.

Omega-3: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

I think that the overall picture about fats is: balance. True balance of the omega-3 and -6 as well as saturated, etc. I don't measure, track or figure this out. I just use the traditional foods knowledge that I have and do the best I can in my modern hybrid diet.

I work at getting a little fat in their diet. Butter is best, coconut too. If he wants olive oil on bread, that happens once in a while, too. We do not shirk the fat in my house (but low fat when you're in a restaurant is a good measure).

After this little bit of reading today, my new plan will be...

-I was considering adding Evening Primrose Oil for the GLA. I even have some here to use. But, I'm not going to add it now. You might consider if if you are in the beginning of dietary fats course correction, but at this stage for me and my kids, I think our fats are fairly balanced. We did a couple of years of CLO and it's feeling like it's time to back off a little, and we have, and we still feel good.

Add more Omega-3 foods:
-ground flaxseeds on porridge (will probably happen 1x per week)
-continue CLO for in small amounts, not every day. Since Van doesn't eat fish ever, I'll just treat this like a serving of fish a couple of times per week.
-Try to remember those sardines once a week.
-Continue having Kale Krisps a couple of times per week (my kids won't eat very many vegetables, but they do eat this).
-Homemade Summer squash chips, organic only. Good for omega-3 AND zinc!
-Try walnuts in their lunch muffins.
-Add cauliflower once per week.
-Cabbage soup for me once per month.
-I already eat roasted broccoli a lot, squash.
-I will continue with my daily spinach smoothie and my daily spirulina, but I will recommit to one smoothie per week for the kids and add a smidgen of spirulina and spinach. In the summer we do more smoothies. We can use strawberries and raspberries once each per week.
-I have already committed myself to increasing the kid's like of vegetables. This may also mean finding them a dip they like.

Add zinc foods
-Primal Hummous once per week, heavy on the tahini (sesame seeds)
-Tahini, what other ways? Mixed into Van's nut butter truffles, apple dip, etc.
-zinc supplment once in a while
-Maple syrup once per week (on french toast)
-Give a choice between green peas and roasted broccoli.
-Bake a turkey breast once or twice per month.

Magnesium
Peter Gillham's CALM Magnesium supplement on days when the kids are hyper or constipated. I don't take regularly now, since I'm off dairy.

B Vitamins
Continue with a B complex supp before bed a few times per week, esp. when under stress, lack of sleep, hyper, cranky.

If you are not taking a B Complex, I recommend doing some reading. I take therapeutic level of Biotin (Pure Encapsulations) and B6 (Allergy Research Group: Pyridoxine P5P) and folate (Thorne Research: Folacal), in addition to Thorne Research B Complex #5 (which has additional B5). I carefully looked at the overdose amounts and created a spreadsheet of my chosen products to make sure that this daily dose of once capsule each would not put me over in any nutrient (had to add the amount in the complex capsule to the amounts in the other capsules). The Biotin is good if you have yeast overload (candida, candidiasis)

Salmon patties

2010-12-30T22:06:00.001-06:00

I had some ideas tonight about making salmon patties, and while I would really love to make them and experiment, alas, there are just too many things I'm "allergic" to right now, I just don't have the heart. But, I thought I would throw out these ideas.

First, I have this fantastic recipe from Whole Foods Market Cookbook which is Teriyaki Turkey Burgers with Green Onion and Ginger. My idea is to add canned salmon for part of the turkey, thereby getting the nutritional benefits of the salmon. And, the idea being that the turkey holds together better than the flaked fish, and will act as a binder in the event you can't use eggs or mayo (as you would if you were making salmon patties).

And, if you were going to make that recipe, you'd need some Szechuan sauce. I looked a few. Here's a pretty good looking one, though you can simplify the sauce to a hot, sweet, and sour type sauce. http://www.cookasianfood.com/sauces-condiments-dips/szechuan-sauce/

Finally, you top it all off, as per the cookbook aforementioned, with Creamy Peanut Sauce. And, for that I would probably use Cashew butter instead of peanut, or at least reduce the peanut butter thereby reducing aflatoxins.

And, finally, without eggs, I'm thinking: throw in some arrowroot or other starch along with chia seeds, pre-soaked.

Perhaps another day I would try this myself, but I just can't see doing it without soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste (probably not necessary), eggs and bread crumbs. I could substitute for one of those, but all of them? Eh, I'll just find another concept. Tomorrow I'm making meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Colon Cleanse

2010-12-29T22:34:00.002-06:00

"Toxin Absorber" Recipe / Hack / Deconstruction
I made my own "Toxin Absorber"
After taking a full course of the Blessed Herbs Colon Cleanse Kit, I wanted more of the fiber packets. The "Kit" was a great first learning experience, but as I practice a lot of DIY in health decisions, I was compelled to look at the math. Please read the last paragraph of this post.

Cost of materials from iHerb.com:

Now Foods, Peppermint Gels, 90 Softgels $8.28
Source Naturals, Psyllium Husk Powder, 12 oz (340 g) $5.03
Now Foods, Bentonite Powder, 100% Pure Clay, 1 lb (454 g) $11.46
Life Extension, Apple Pectin Powder, 227 g $11.06
Items: $35.83
Shipping: $6.00
Total: $41.83

So, a toxin absorber packet contains 10 grams, about 4 tablespoons of powder.
My guesstimates:
ginger 1 gram? = 1/2 tsp?
psyllium 1 rounded tsp = 5 g (68 portions in the bottle I purchased)
bentonite clay 1/2 tsp = 1.37g (331 portions in the bottle I purchased)
apple pectin 1 level tsp = 2.8g (80 portions in the bottle I purchased)

Therefore I would have enough materials to make 68 packets, plus have lots of clay and pectin left over. To purchase 68 packets would cost well over $120. I paid $41.83 (discluding the ginger powder, but instead I bought the Peppermint gels which contain also ginger and fennel oils). I'm not going to count pennies here, when clearly there is a big savings in the DIY.

That said, Blessed Herbs kits represent what I'm guessing is no small amount of field-tested advice and herbalist knowledge and experience. Their documentation is very specific and was extremely helpful to me in getting started. I purchased both the colon cleanse and the "Internal Cleanse" together. It was a great first experience with this level of fasting. The Kit gave me the confidence to embark on and complete the full 9-day cleanse including 5 full days of liquids-only fasting. I was able to live a normal life, albeit a little hungry at times, during use of the kit. I would recommend Blessed Herbs to anyone wanting to do a fast or colon cleanse.

If anyone out there uses this idea for DIY toxin absorber, I hope you will consider safety first. Use the knowledge accrued by Blessed Herbs for success. We all know there are huge markups in the supplement industry. It's the knowledge about the products we need and should be paying for. Many companies do not provide the information and support that Blessed Herbs does.

Save $5 on iHerb.com order!
Please enter my code on your first order at iHerb.com. My code is: TEM062. This helps to support my future blogging efforts.

check your coconut oil

2010-12-25T11:58:00.001-06:00

Please check your brand of coconut oil to make sure it is made from fresh coconuts, not dried Copra.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/11/05/toxic-foods.aspx?SetFocus=36513#36513

Nutiva is made from fresh coconuts.

Cleanse Day 1

2010-12-15T10:07:00.001-06:00

Blessed Herbs package arrived in mail this morning. I received the basic Colon Cleanse to be used for the next 8 days, as well as the Internal Cleanse to be used after the Colon Cleanse.

This morning I ate bacon while getting the kids off to school. I drove them to school. I am hungry. I am making a spinach, date and avocado smoothie. Then I'm going out shopping. I hope to take a hot tea with me in a travel mug. I have no idea what I'm doing for lunch, but it will be on the smaller side.

Tonight I will take the first step of the cleanse kit before and after dinner.

My general plan: Try to eat less, eat more like a vegan, and drink lots more liquids to fill up my stomach. I will not be doing the fasting cleanse because I need my energy and don't want to deal with crankiness due to hunger or blood sugar dips.

2011 Cleanse

2010-12-09T01:40:00.002-06:00

Avoiding foods I am allergic to (dairy, yeast plus others) and providing myself high-grade supplements doesn't seem to be doing as much as I'd hoped. I think the problem may be a parasite (or two?) and/or candida upsurge. So, here's what I'm working on:

1. A 90-day parasite cleanse. I had a hair strand test done for $20 by a friend's father, the test having something to do with vibrational frequencies. Sounds quite left-field, but I don't care anymore--I just want relief. So, I'm going with it. The test showed a single cell parasite called taxo plasmosys. This at least gives me something to go on.

Interesting symptom I've had that pops up in this article on Parasites is "blisters on the inside of the lower lip. Well, I've had a canker sore for a few weeks now, which I take as a strong sign now that something unusual is going on.

Other odd skin things: an itchy, raised spot on my arm for a few weeks in October 2010. I managed to not scratch it, thought I'd visit the dermatologist and check for skin cancer (or what??), but it went away. Also, have developed an eczema type spot on my inside wrist which gets worse if I wear my old watch (a type of watch that I've worn for years with no previous problems). Despite food avoidances, still having problems in ears like: ringing, night itching, feeling full. Tendency to get sinus infections. Continued itching rectum (has gotten worse again).

A) So, I will be taking Hanna's Herb Shop "protozoa" which is a vibrational homeopathic. I was told to "take the drops for 90 days to be sure."

B) I will also be taking an herbal formula also against parasites. See:
http://www.bioraynaturaldetox.com/where-do-i-start/parasite-cleanse.aspx
Hanna Herb Shop concurs with BioRay with their parasite cleanse formula:
http://www.bioraynaturaldetox.com/store/product-detail.aspx?id=1
OR
http://www.hannasherbshop.com/shop/product/2342

C) Other...
-During this phase I will be thinking of not taking extra nutritional supplements, except to control any histamine release, etc. I've been taking a hefty B complex at night, but I'm thinking that might feed yeast.
-Avoid nightshades, white potatoes
-Avoid starches and sugars.
-Will be eating whole, non-gluten grains such as millet and brown rice, also buckwheat and nut flours.
-Will be using a single type of tea per day (rotation, as I am learning to rotate my diet more as I go along, as per Yeast Connection / Marjorie Hurt Jones)

2. COLON CLEANSE at the same time as the parasite cleanse above.
-Psyillium product (?)
-SweetLeaf Stevia Plus which has FOS in it. I know FOS gives me gas, so I will go easy on this, but it is supposed to feed the good baceria. I'll use other non-FOS stevia for my sweet tooth needs beyond the dose of FOS that I can handle.
-Probiotics will be key ingredient in my overall plan. I will try to gauge if they help with bloat/gas. I will be using either Pharmax or Klaire Labs Vital-Dophilus (vitalbee.com good prices). I favor the powder rather than capsules for price as well as being able to adjust the amounts or spread throughout the day.
-GasX or something OTC to absorb gas (expected from high fiber and FOS)
-Digestive Enzymes - Enzymedica Digest from vitacost.com
-lots of Coconut fat (Hmmmn, is my recent uptick in symptoms a result of a decrease in coconut fat? Well, as usual, several factors seem to converge to create a noticeable result).

3. After the colon cleanse, sometime in January I will start an 8-week gut healing diet which I will begin to model after a friend (D) who is seeing a holistic nutritionist in Canada.

If my regimen is of interest, please email me or leave a comment, as it will encourage me to share more. Otherwise, Wow! Life is just so hectic, I'm not even sure I should be blogging at all. But, I would blog this for my brother, if he would join me :-)

A new start

2010-11-05T09:02:00.000-05:00

We have a quasi-neo-start to our lifestyle. We have moved to Minneapolis and are now city dwellers rather than suburbanites. Our 2 young children are also carrying cold lunches to school.

So, post #1 for our new start. I am doing really well at keeping myself to a Primal Blueprint style diet. Minimal grains, gluten free, dairy free. Keeping away from my allergens as much as I can (especially that my histamine symptoms are noticeable (elevated?) after the big cocoa-caused hives incident).

Today I am ordering Honeyville almond flour. I will be able to bake muffins, scones or something that in particular I need for my son's lunchbox. I will probably also make cookies for myself involving honey and coconut, but no eggs and no chocolate chips (That there aren't very many treats around here for me these days with so many restrictions--not even a cup of decaf coffee or Roastaroma tea).

Last night we did have brown rice pasta with chicken and homemade pesto. My own pesto was basil, pine nuts (too expensive, will use pecans next time), olive oil and salt. I removed some and then for my husband added garlic powder and parmesan. He really liked it. The kids ate plain chicken and a few other incidentals. Meredith and Erik had a scoop of Breyer's coffee ice cream.

This morning the kids and I had polenta. For the kids' warming breakfast, they had coconut oil, dairy cream, stevia and honey on theirs. Then their fish oil and orange juice laded with kombucha and an opened capsule of vitamin C and flavanoids.

Erik and I will be needing a real breakfast.

Squash Fairy Cakes

2010-10-09T10:14:00.001-05:00

Warning: Gluten recipe

Awesome flavors if you do the combo of citrus in the frosting--I'm going to try it with coconut cream instead of sour cream. I love the easy method for getting the butternut into the muffins without having to peel it!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/butternut-squash-muffins-with-a-frosty-top-recipe/index.html

Supplements (Here we go again!)

2010-08-23T23:49:00.002-05:00

I spent the greater part of today poring over this order (and other online health reading to substantiate my order and prep for grocery shopping).

I have many other food items and supplements to purchase still this month as I evolve my plan.

Here's what I bought from vitalbee and why:

I did NOT buy children's digestive enzymes. There are 3 chewables and they all have stearates.

What I did purchase ended up all being from Thorne Research, and none of these products contain stearates.

I got the Thorne Basic Nutrients multi-vitamin--much cheaper than Dr. Ron's Doc's Best. It does not have K2 and is lower in B6 and zinc.
The big bonus to Thorne's Basic Nutrients is that it contains two optimal forms of folate to regulate histamines. (Doc's Best only contains the synthetic form: folic acid).
The zinc doesn't matter anyway--have to take zinc at a different time of day away from calcium.
B6 made up for with the B Complex.
K2 made up for with K2 drops.
CoQ10 and R-AlphaLipoic acid - consider if you want to (I ignored)
antioxidants - going for Vit C and bioflavanoids instead of grape seed, getting more in our veggies and fruits as we add them, selenium in our 2 brazil nuts per day and Vit E in our egg yolks.

K2 drops - Will be interesting to see how long this bottle lasts. I am hoping for a year, or even 6 months for the four of us in our family.

Vitamin C with flavonoids. I plan to use this mainly for the kids and Erik. I might take one per day, but will take extra Ascorbic Acid for histamine symptoms.

B Complex - Just seemed like an overall better deal instead of buying separate bottles of Biotin, B12 and Folate, and here I would get a more well-rounded combination. Touted for sleep and mood support.

Thorne Research Basic Nutrients I ( Aspartate W/O Copper & Iron) 180 Capsules	$20.00
Thorne Research Basic B Complex 60 Capsules	$11.00
Thorne Research Vitamin K2 1 oz	$42.00
Thorne Research Vitamin C With Flavonoids 180 Capsules	$13.00

Mushroom marinade

2010-08-05T11:36:00.001-05:00

Grilled Mushroom Salad Subs by Rachael Ray
Today I'm making a basic marinade for my chopped portabellas. I've made these sandwiches before and they are fantastic, especially if you have the right kind of cheese--a sharp one.

It looks like I'll be using up some roasted red pepper hanging out in my fridge and top a slice of millet toast.

I have two GF grain projects to complete tonight. The first is a sprouted, non-yeasted bread. The second is a renegade blueberry coffee cake type thing I'm going to throw together. I have Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats soaking with some whey and water right now and plan to add eggs and almond flour tonight. If the "coffee cake" works, I'll also do it with peaches.

Some of the things we are enjoying: fresh blueberries, organic grapes, lots of on-the-go snacks, almond flour bread, and sprouted english muffins with cream cheese. We have relied on Egg in the Nest this summer. My son likes "duck pond" which is the classic egg in the nest with a runny yolk. My daughter likes "Cuckoo's Nest" which is scrambled egg soaked into the bread (so it's essentially like a french toast, but instead of sweet, it is salty).

I will be repairing my blender in the next couple of days so we can get back into some smoothies.

Now that television is at a bare minimum (the kids only watch something every few weeks or so), we don't eat so much popcorn.

I am focusing on better choices, in hopes of reducing what we shouldn't eat. Husband is not eating bread (but I'm not sure where he draws his own lines). I and the kids will eat only sprouted grains or gluten free. It must be either sprouted, or gluten free, or both! If it has gluten and is not sprouted, it can't come in the house. No super-hard-fast rule that can't be bent, but working for it, you know?

whipped cream substitutes

2010-08-03T23:03:00.001-05:00

There is a product, which name is not coming to mind right now, but I saw it in the freezer section at our grocery store in Michigan called Kroger. It is in the natural foods section of the store near the organic ice cream and coconut milk ice cream. I think the name has "Tru" in it but I Googled based on this poor memory and couldn't find it. It is made from palm oil and would probably be most similar to Cool Whip. I thought the name might be "Tru North" or something like that. You could email me direct if you are desperate and I can check on it next time I go. RachelErnst.com@gmail.com

Trader Joes has a decent instant pudding mix without too much yucky stuff in it. Add less milk of choice to make it thicker.

Zen Cream:

Thai Kitchen coconut milk is the thickest. Don't shake it. Let it sit on shelf at room temp for a few weeks (more/less?) to separate. THEN refrigerate it. The cold is hardening the fat to thicken it. THEN open it and use only the thickened part and pour out the watery stuff to use in some other application. Depending on your brand, the stuff can be already quite thick (Thai Kitchen) or need thickening (Native Forest) with a starch or better yet good old cocoa powder. Stevia or erythritol or raw honey to sweeten. You will have to keep it cold in order to keep the thickness.

OR, DON'T refrigerate it at all before you start thickening it. That way you'll know that it won't melt at room temp. Just keep adding (cocoa powder), but give it time to absorb and thicken.

How does the gut get leaky?

2010-07-28T13:04:00.002-05:00

http://www.balancedbites.com/2010/07/is-your-gut-leaking.html\\

This is what I am sure I had last year with my allergy explosion and now am healing from with careful attention to my diet and supplements.

Gluten is a big one. I'm going as close to grain free right now as possible and I consider this a long-term change for the better. You can easily go gluten-free without having to go grain free. Grain free might seem like too big a step at the beginning. I actually find it easier to eliminate grains as much as possible starting with ADDING foods that I know are good (Primal Diet foods). After a while you no longer think of trying to find a "healthier" version of a "bad" food--instead, you just eat more of the best foods and leave the old ones behind. Concentrate on clean meats (local farmed best), seafoods, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Indulge in coconut as much as you want and use dairy products for flavoring--but avoid grains, legumes and beans.

This is just one of the many many articles on leaky gut and it is just the start of a journey to heal your health. Since I care about our family's health, feel free to ask me a question and I will try to "consult" with you about how you can improve your health.

Try this interview (though I have not had time to listen to it)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/undergroundwellness/2010/07/08/gluten-sensitivity-and-celiac-disease-with-dr-thomas-obryan

Salmon Recipe

2010-07-26T07:46:00.001-05:00

http://www.food.com/recipe/uncle-bills-salmon-marinated-in-maple-syrup-and-soy-sauce-284585

Brainstorm list

2010-06-13T14:54:00.001-05:00

I just googled and found this bread recipe, maybe even I will try out:
http://www.anniebbond.com/gluten-free-sprouted-high-fiber-vegan-bread/

I use the bread for pizza because it is one of the quickest things for me to make for myself when everyone is basically eating different foods at almost every meal! I'm working slowly toward family meals where there is something everyone will eat. That will be a long while, and only makes the most sense once Erik comes home for dinner. I could, however, make up some pizza crusts ahead of time and freeze them. So...

if you have that almond flour pizza crust recipe, send it on over!

So, take out a smaller portion of the PB into a jar and mix in the coconut oil. Since the object is get rid of the PB fat since it's polyunsaturated, then just throw it out... or maybe use in smaller quantities for stir fry.

I've heard you can make your own nut butters even in a blender if you are *adding* oil to it for the ease of blending. So you could experiment with that and just use an oil you like for doing the blending. Warmed oil and not-cold nuts should be better.

Perhaps you can find cashew butter on sale like that. Are cashews any cheaper than almonds? Watch for a Maranatha sale directly from them (subscribe to their newsletter)

I the BPA from the cans or in the tuna itself? Are sardines too expensive or he doesn't want to eat them that often? What about that tuna in the pouch? What about cold chicken salad--you can add grapes or raisins if not sensitive to molds, carrots, cucumber or whatever you want for crunch (I love celery, onions and raisins). Egg salad.

So if you can make bread, try the Bob's Red Mill website for recipes, though I think that the GF blogs out there have better recipes for making bread. Try Gluten Free Girl and the Chef.

Or, crackers are easier to make, so ask him if he doesn't mind doing it like a Lunchables: little container of chicken or egg salad or PB and spread it on as you are eating. For that matter then you can do hummous, tzatziki, baba ganouj, etc. He might like a bruchetta mix that he puts onto the bread/crackers himself--you can load it with olives. I don't want to make a bunch of crackers, but they are simple enough and Meredith loves to cook, so I am going to try to emulate "sesame sticks" into a cracker.

I am going to try to make coconut flour/egg muffins into a quiche-like muffin with bacon and cheese. For me it would have veggies and no cheese. This will be a grab-and-go option. I've done quiches in the past, but never perfected it. I need to keep it simple so that these People will eat it now!

My Coconut Delight:
Mix a small can of crushed pineapple with dried coconut shreds, stevia, coconut milk and if you wish some almond extract. Now, let it sit to have the shreds soak up moisture (I have an old recipe I wrote, but today I just winged it--if it's soupy at first, it will firm up in the fridge). Serve with nuts or other fruit (cherries?)

Dandy Blend instant drink - a friend orders this online and now I am hooked. Easier than brewing tea, so I can more reliably get some coconut milk into me.

Sweeter type cracker (gluten free graham crackers) or bread with cream cheese? Can go sweet like with jam, or go with seeds and onion/garlic and big salt shards like an "everything bagel". Cream cheese could be a direct substitute for PB. You can pre-mix the cream cheese with all different sorts of things. Could also do ham/turkey rolls with green onion inside. Heck, if I could, I'd even do chopped veggies or red peppers mixed in. You can make a "cheese ball" type dip or "vegetable pate".

Marinated salads (think "deli counter" salads). While Whole Foods' olive bar is $10.99 per pound, Meijer is only $6.99 per pound, so I indugle in my favorite things there that I can't make, like grapeleaves, giant beans marinated in oil, etc.

Delic counter salads could be a salad dressing over summer veggies and beans. Toss in a little raw vinegar.

Spring rolls

Oh, you have spurred me on... I hope I can start making lunches for Erik this Fall!

Few other ideas. I was working today on a list of foods that WE like that I can easily do on routine. So, I brainstormed a list. Here are a few you might like:

"Jello Jigglers" homemade with Great Lakes Gelatin and any type of juice (concentrate works well for the method)

rice tortillas fried in CO and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar/stevia or raw honey.

Kids like cookie dough. Every once in a while I will make cookie dough just so they can eat the dough, only I do it more like a gluten free dough and lots of coconut oil or butter. Doesn't even matter if the cookies bake up well because they just want the dough. With no eggs in it, can store in the fridge for a couple weeks. Good with fresh lemon zest.

Nut butter truffles - use cocoa powder, raw honey and a little coconut oil to make a thick paste like cookie dough. I would like it with raisins and added crunchy nuts. Van likes it smooth.

Deviled eggs for lunch. You can go Indian Curry style, horseradish style.

Antipasto plate, Italian style, or go with an antipasto salad. Could use rice pasta for a cold summer salad. I got a great GF, non-GMO dressing at Costco that is all-purpose and works good for these italian things. I use it to roll up some meat around a veggies and then dip it in. Sorta reminiscent of a sub sandwich with Italian dressing on it. Can even add mayo for that flavor. Don't forget pepper rings or sport peppers if you like it hot.

chicken plus asian peanut (cashew) sauce.

Hamburgers or Meatzza
The best hamburger flavoring is simply salt, pepper and dried minced onion. Nothing else.

I am going to do some crab cakes soon. I suppose if you can do eggs this is no problem I didn't make them when I was off eggs, but now that I'm back on, I think I'll try to do them more. Also, we like shrimp cocktail and that's a nice treat--I usually only bother with it at home if I find the shrimp Wild Caught, possibly on sale, so it's only once in a while. I make the cocktail sauce.

GOOD OLD COLD CHICKEN

I am going to try to get the kids to eat cold chicken this summer so that we have it for a lunch option in the Fall at school. I have a couple of great ways of making chicken in oven or stovetop that are pretty easy and only require my two favorite seasoning blends. I should be putting those recipes up on my blog, so if you want them, let me know.

You can easily use gluten free flour to do fried chicken, save your oil in the freezer for next time. I have done it in the past with Spectrum Vegetable Shortening.

Cook your bacon in the oven - SO EASY.

Avacado-based salads - Chopped avacado. My favorite is:
-Lemon juice, olive oil, garlic*, nuts like pinenuts or less expensive walnuts, torn basil leaves, chopped tomatoes, salt.
-Could do an egg-salad substitute by mixing mayo, bacon and avacados with onion and tomato (BLT style)
These are so satisfying if you get the flavors right, I don't even miss the bread.

*Found Garlic infused EVOO at Costco and I am loving it. Very easy instead of chopping garlic all the time.

Marshmallows

2010-05-27T12:18:00.001-05:00

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=1226046
http://www.kathysrecipebox.com/?p=266

More Wild Fermentation

2010-05-15T13:01:00.001-05:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------

"Everybody could be growing a couple of tomato plants or some herbs in their window. It helps us break out of this infantile role of consumers who expect someone else to do everything for us."

http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/413/countertop_culture

diet

2010-04-28T00:20:00.001-05:00

I took this off of another blog. Sorry, I'm posting this quickly and trying to shut down my computer, so I don't have the link right now, but I can get it if you want.

Paleo Diet in A Nutshell

Eat

1. Pasture raised or wild meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and any natural animal fat
2. Vegetables, including leaves, stems, bulbs, roots
3. Fruits and berries (includes avocados and olives)
4. Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, coconut, etc.
5. Herbs and spices

Avoid/minimize

(in order of importance)

1. Sweeteners, including sugar (white, brown, organic, whatever), maple syrup, rice or agave syrup, etc.
2. Vegetable oils other than extra virgin olive, avocado, palm, and coconut.
3. Cereal grains and flour or grain products (bread, pasta, pastries, etc.) Especially avoid glutinous grains like wheat, barley, rye or triticale.
4. Dry legumes (beans and peas, including soy and peanuts)
5. Dairy products. If you take them, use goat or raw or both.

(thanks to Rachel and Donald Matsez, authors of The Garden of Eating)

Bread

2010-04-27T22:53:00.001-05:00

This is some damn good bread.
http://www.samisbakery.com/products/millet-and-flax/detail.cfm?id=13

If you have any bread that you can eat, here are some quick ideas for using it.

1) Egg in the Nest

We are now doing Egg in the Nest once per week and today I got to eat it with the kids. It was a treat!

Dairy Free tip: Instead of butter, I used bacon grease for giving a light coating to my toast and frying the egg in the pan. The idea of Egg in the Nest is to cut out a small circle in the middle of a slice of bread, grease it or the pan, and crack in an egg.

2) Dip it in garlic flavored olive oil! I got a bottle of EVOO with garlic from Costco this month. YUMM.

3) Roasted garlic cloves on toast, drizzle on olive oil, then top with roasted red pepper. For convenience, I buy the peppers in a jar. This month I bought the mega box of peeled garlic cloves at Costco (product of USA) and am attempting to see if I can eat it before it goes bad. I'm going to roast some up this week and make this toast. I'll freeze it if I can't use it.

Chocolate

2010-04-22T22:51:00.001-05:00

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/ExecMacro/chocolatedream/shop.d2w/report

Dairy and Gluten Free chocolate. Unfortunately, contains soy and traces of nuts.

2010-03-28T16:10:00.003-05:00

"Corn Gluten" is an abuse of the term "gluten" since corn doesn't contain gluten. Yes! Good news! I am eating popcorn tonight! (with coconut oil, not butter)

http://www.celiac.com/articles/186/1/Corn-Gluten---Is-it-Safe-for-a-People-with-Celiac-Disease-Who-are-on-a-Gluten-Free-Diet/Page1.html

I am not celiac. I don't know to what I'm actually allergic. I have sensitivities which I attribute to a leaky gut attributable to years of abuse (Standard typical "healthier" American diet) and finally a candida yeast overload. I'm still diagnosing and treating myself. I've been eating corn chips on occaision.

Issues with corn could be:
-allergy to corn because it's added to so many processed foods in so many different forms
-reaction to toxic chemicals (could try "Organic" products which will also help you avoid Genetically Modified Organisms)
-reaction to GMO's (could try "Organic" or better products)
-molds can be typical for dried corn products

Chocolate Mousse

2010-03-26T13:36:00.003-05:00

This is a very versatile recipe for anyone who can tolerate dairy. You can adapt like crazy. The original idea springs from Martha Stewart's Chocolate Ricotta Icebox Cake. You can dress this us in many ways for an impressive "mousse."

8 oz. heavy whipping cream
8 oz. Baker's unsweetened chocolate (you can use sweetened dark chocolate if you can tolerate sugar - just reduce other sweeteners)
32 oz. (2 lb.) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese (Meijer brand or a good organic brand)
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Sweeten to taste. I used:
1 tsp. TriMedica brand SlimSweet (from Lo Han)
1/2 tsp. KAL brand Pure Stevia Extract
2 Tbsp. Xylitol

In double boiler, melt chocolate. Set aside to cool.

Sweeten the whipping cream with half the xylitol (1 Tbsp.). Whip with a rotary beater until peaks form. Don't overbeat; you don't want it stiff as it will be more difficult to fold into the finished product. Set aside.

In food processor, put in all the ricotta, vanilla and remaining sweeteners. Process until smooth, several minutes. After completely smooth, pour in chocolate while processor is running until almost fully incorporated. Taste. At this point, taste the mixture and adjust to sweeter if needed.

Using a large spatula, move the chocolate mixture to the bowl of whipped cream (or a larger bowl, if needed). Fold the whipping cream into the chocolate.

Ideas:
Use cocoa powder
Mint flavoring
Omit chocolate and whipped cream and just use a lemon flavor or almond extract.

more sweet stuff - sugar subs update

2010-03-22T11:44:00.002-05:00

https://shop.bodyecology.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BE021
I ordered SlimSweet Lo Han from vitacost.com. I think it is the same as Luo Han Guo mentioned in that article.

This means that we can buy Lo Han cheap and mix it with Erythritol for our own sweetener. It is better than xylitol because it doesn't cause GI gas. Similarly, it is non-caloric and doesn't feed yeast (Candida).

I still use stevia in many things, and would be prone to mix all of the above to give a more balanced flavor to things like baked goods, or for those in my family who want things sweeter than I do.

Xylitol causes GI gas. However, it has some benefits that help the GI flora balance and is very good for the mouth flora - helping prevent cavities. I recommend chewing Xylitol gum as long as it is the main ingredient (no artificial sweeteners). I use Xlear Spry gum in 3 flavors. I also am trying to build a little tolerance to xylitol and sort of trying out using it as a "supplement" when I think of it.A friend of mine uses xylitol like toothpaste for her kids (my kids dumped it all out in a sugar-searching frenzy).

On that note, mouthwash Biotene PBF breaks down biofilms in the mouth and it is nothing short of small miracle in my mouth. Don't even have to use it every day. It keeps my teeth feeling clean for much longer than usual (and I notice, because I've had fuzzy teeth for 3 years and got a filling about 18 months ago).

---------
Amended:
Another note: I notice erythritol is being used in more products, which is good for us, since it will replace artificial sweeteners like aspertame. I've recently noticed that Vitamin Water and similar drinks have erytritol (unfortunately they also contain Vit B12 cyanocobalamin--which contains cyanide, which we need to avoid). The good news is that convenience products are getting smarter. Perhaps someday, U.S. residents will be as healthy as the average European. This would be good news for our children, especially.

Emeril's Essence

2010-03-16T13:59:00.000-05:00

BAM! Add this to just about anything!

I've blended my own several times--recipe link below. It's so very good on the summer harvest skillet stir fries like summer squash, onions and garlic. I will be using it a lot on my okra stew. Found frozen okra, whole or chopped, at Meijer. It's good for the gut and satisfying.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-creole-seasoning-essence-recipe3/index.html

Books

2010-03-01T23:19:00.001-06:00

Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child
Smart Medicine for Healthier Living
Probably don't need both of these in your house, but one is a great reference.

Gettin' rid of sugar (and candida)

2010-02-27T19:16:00.002-06:00

QUOTE: one of the many, many sidebars from out of Nourishing Traditions
"In the summer of 1965, I met a wise man from the East, a Japanese philosopher who had just returned from several weeks in Saigon. 'If you really expect to conquer the North Vietnamese,' he told me, 'you must drop Army PX's on them--sugar, candy and Coca-Cola. That will destroy them faster than bombs.'" William Dufty in Sugar Blues

Here are the best sugar substitutes:

https://shop.bodyecology.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BE021
Combination of erythritol

Also: KAL stevia powder

Also: Xylitol and Erythritol

I believe all other sugar should be eliminated and that it is possible if you use the above sweeteners as well as retrain your tastebuds. The cells in tastebuds are regenerated faster than any other cells in the body (so says one of my friends). Since being on my diet revolution of the past several months I can say that it doesn't take long to eliminate cravings and enjoy healthy foods almost as if they were candy, once you eliminate sugar.

If you want other healthier sweeteners, use raw honey.

I have stopped buying maple syrup and would consider that an occasional treat.

Read this great article about Agave Syrup / Agave Nectar, a processed, high-fructose derivative of traditional Aguamiel.

Typical Friday morning

2010-02-26T10:31:00.001-06:00

Friday morning my hubby is home after travel, so I focus on sort of getting ready for the weekend as I also prep breakfast for him. He goes up to the office and I take him a nice "welcome home" breakfast. Nothing too elaborate. Saturday or Sunday morning I cook a more elaborate breakfast (eggs, meat, toast, coffee).

Here's what this morning looked like, in no certain order:

The first thing the kids ate this morning was strawberries dipped in Brown Cow Maple Cream Top yogurt. Then Van ate about 1.5 cups of the yogurt.

I'm working on lowering the kids sugar (and save money while still staying convenient), and I just bought 4 quarts of yogurt: 2 Brown Cow Maple and 2 Stonyfield plain cream top. This morning I pre-mixed the plain with jam and portioned into little tubs. I also mixed all extra plain with the two Maple tubs in order to cut down the sugar, then poured that back into the large tubs.

I brewed Organic decaf coffee and the kids and I drank it with So Delicious Original Coconut Beverage. They didn't finish theirs. I'll just leave it out on the counter til lunch (which is whenever I decide to eat) and pour that over ice.

I soaked some blackberries and ate some. Hubby's breakfast was blackberries and strawberries, supplements, decaf coffee and half of a large bagel with cream cheese. The kids had mini bagels with cream cheese. Since I didn't want to wrap up the last bit of cream cheese, Van ate it.

Yesterday I soaked Quinoa. I baked it this morning and am cooling it now so that I can make some of it into a salad. I will probably freeze leftovers in bags. I like quinoa more with strong flavors of onions. My salad today is a recipe from Dale's Natural Foods in Flint, MI. It has peppers, green onions, celery and peas in it with a dressing of oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and soy sauce. Today instead of soy sauce I'll be using Bragg's Liquid Aminos as it is unfermented but smells like soy sauce. I'll adjust the recipe as much as possible, for example, using mustard powder instead of dijon mustard.

While I baked the quinoa, I also stuck in a sweet potato for me.

I brewed black tea and it is cooling in a jar in the garage (we've got cold weather and about a foot of snow on the ground, so I use the garage as an extra refrigerator). The family is starting to like cold tea, so I'm going to offer this in our fridge on a more regular basis.

My breakfast was nuts and seeds that I soaked two days ago and were in the fridge. Topped with coconut milk and stevia.

Yesterday I soaked black beans in water. I didn't put in the lemon juice out of laziness. They are still soaking. I'll bake them today and prepare the Jamaican Beans and Rice similar to the recipe in NT. I am happy to see that it includes a package of (coconut milk or) creamed coconut, which I happen to have in the pantry (not sure if I plan to order it again--I can see that this would be a great product for travel).

Yesterday I went grocery shopping with the kids (not my favorite thing to do). Late last night, when the kids were asleep I had time to bake my hubby a pie. I had the Trader Joe's pie crust in the freezer (no preservatives or artificials, and it has butter and cream in it!). I saw the rhubarb at Meijer and knew that was what I would do--already had strawberries from Costco trip earlier this week. I can't eat the pie, but it's one of my hubby's favorite things. He's been working hard at deadlines for over a month. Since I've been spending his hard-earned money on food, and I want to avoid spending more at restaurants or have him be frustrated and buy pizzas, I am trying to feed him well. I'm getting used to making food which I cannot eat for other people to enjoy. I stick to my diet plan!

Yesterday, after the grocery shopping trip, I made fish stew. I will eat that again today.

This weekend I will make a quick coconut sorbet while baking a sweet plantain recipe out of Eat Fat Lose Fat (EFLF). I didn't really plan it this way, but it should be a nice finish to the Jamaican beans and rice. I will also find some other meat to go with it--probably just using up some sausage from the freezer.

One of hubby's meals will be the hot wings taking up room in my freezer.

Neti Pot Story

2010-02-26T10:05:00.001-06:00

I had a sinus infection (again) this past week. At first, I thought it was a continuation of a cold or that somehow my allergies had sort of got triggered by having a cold. I used the neti pot a few times and it didn't do much. But, once I realized that it was a sinus infection (and probably a yeast in the sinuses rather than a bacteria or virus), I decided to get rid of it. I woke up, and used two full neti pots of salt water to fully clean out my sinuses. This was nothing short of a mini-miracle, because I went from having lots of mucous to have almost none the rest of the day!

That's the short story, and now I will elaborate on the details for those inquiring readers.

First, let me assert that it was the way in which I used the neti pot that made a big difference. I have had the neti pot for about a year. I use it occasionally. I always used 1 pot full of salt water in order to clean both sinuses (half and half). But, this week for my mini-miracle, I used 2 full pots. From now on I will always use 2 pots full!

Diagnosis: I did not go to the doctor. You can see my past posts about my belief that I have Candidiasis (fungal/yeast overgrowth). I've had it for quite some time, maybe 2 or 3 years. Apparently, I have to get hit over the head with it in order to pay attention.

I had a cold over two weeks ago. It was a basic sinus cold. Perhaps it was never a cold to begin with; it certainly could have just been a sinus infection from the beginning. However, the types of mucous changed over the course of the thing. Just when I thought I was getting over the cold, the mucus came back but this time had patches of yellow stuff floating in large amounts of clear-ish mucous.

Up to this point on my self-tests for Candidiasis, I have not answered "yes" to frequent sinus infections. However, I did have several when I was a kid (and I know that I was given antibiotics in order to treat them), and I now see that this past summer 2009, the hay fever's mucous could have fostered and brought on a sinus infection, which is why "it" lasted so long.

Remember, sinus infections can be bacterial, viral or fungal (yeast). I would NOT take antibiotics unless a lab culture showed it was bacterial. Even then, I am likely to try to fight it off myself with neti pot, supplements, remedies, etc. Why not give the natural way a try before resorting to something that is known to have side effects? The antibiotics are part of the vicious cycle in which proper gut flora are thrown out of balance, yeast takes hold to candidiasis, which leads to allergies, gut damage and nutritional deficiencies, which then foster more sinus infections. Other possibilities in this cycle exist, as well. In short, it's all not good. I only use the antibiotics when absolutely necessary, and would focus on gut health for a period of at least 90 days following a course.

February Smoothie

2010-02-21T15:55:00.000-06:00

I am gently moving the family toward more coconut consumption. They love Lifeway flavored Kefirs which have too much sugar in them. So, I plan to try replacing 1/4 and work toward 1/2 of the kefir with So Delicious coconut milk beverage. Meanwhile, this weekend I made a smoothie that my husband and the kids all loved.

Frozen blueberries (2 cups for 1 adult and 2 kids)
Lifeway Cherry Kefir (find it by the yogurt) or Cherry yogurt
raw egg yolks (I have now omitted raw egg whites as they are high in histamine)
coconut milk
Almond extract
Vanilla extract
dash unrefined salt
white Stevia powder
dash of super greenfood powder

Easiest "Ice Cream"

2010-02-21T15:27:00.000-06:00

Frozen Black/Black Sweet Cherries* (or frozen raspberries)
Coconut Milk
Stevia or other natural sweetener
Almond extract, optional

If using sweetener, mix it with coconut milk. Pour over a serving of frozen black sweet cherries, stir to coat.

The trick is timing. At first the cherries are too frozen to enjoy, but as they cherries soften, the coconut milk gets thicker. After a few minutes of waiting and a little stirring, you are eating a delicious cherry "ice cream."

*I have purchased Woodstock brand organic frozen dark sweet cherries through my food co-op from UNFI.

Books by Fallon and Enig

2010-02-21T13:10:00.001-06:00

The best primer to get you started is Eat Fat Lose Fat. This describes the benefits and use of coconut fat on a daily basis and in conjunction with the most critical vitamins and minerals. After 5 years as a marginal user of the Nourishing Traditions cookbook, I am returning to basis with Eat Fat Lose Fat. It is a great help to me on my Candida Diet. Eat Fat Lose Fat is a pared-down version of Nourishing Traditions, "for the masses," so to speak. I will be trying to cook new recipes out of EFLF this month to help me expand my repertoire in using coconut milk. My husband and I both like world cuisine. I made a Thai curry on Thursday night and an easy Thai soup yesterday.

Nourishing Traditions is a great book to have on your shelf and to hand down to your children. I purchased an extra copy to share among extended family. It contains a lot of science, traditional wisdom, gourmet and basic recipes, and tips. It contains the "infant formula" recipes, lots of beverages, etc. Some of the recipes are very foundational and basic, while some are wild and traditional.

Coconut Tapioca Pudding

2010-02-20T09:12:00.000-06:00

Old Fashioned Tapioca Pudding
Adapted from Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods
Omitted eggs, sugar and dairy

Ingredients

2/3 cup Bob's Red Mill Small Pearl Old Fashioned
1+1/2 cups Water, plus additional as directed
1 can cups coconut milk (Classic full fat such as Native Forest)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp. xylitol
1/2 cup dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut flakes (finely shredded)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract (gluten-free), optional
1 T. almond extract, optional
12 tiny spoons of 100% Stevia powder (such as KAL brand)

Soak tapioca in water for 30 minutes in a 3-quart saucepan (smaller pan if you are reducing the recipe).

Pour can of coconut milk into a 4 cup liquid measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3 cups total. Add to saucepan and put over medium heat. Add salt and xylitol, if using. Stir and heat until boiling.

Simmer, stirring often for 10-15 minutes until thick and bubbly. Very likely, you will need to add more water (or any milk of your choice), perhaps 1/2 to 3/4 cup. To thicken more, stir more and cook longer. When almost to the desired consistency, mix in the shredded coconut.

Cool 15 minutes then add vanilla, stevia and almond extract. Serve warm or chilled, plain or with fruits, bananas, pineapple, nutmeg, cinnamon mixed in.

Preserved Lemons Tapenade

2010-02-18T00:56:00.000-06:00

http://nourishedkitchen.com/preserved-lemon-parsley-tapenade/

Rachel's Symptoms Update

2010-02-18T00:31:00.000-06:00

2/18/2010

It's been about 9 days on the Nu-Zareba and continuing with my dietary plan and my supplement research and regimen.

My teeth are feeling and staying cleaner with the coconut kefir swish only 1 or 2 per day! My saliva test is looking better, so this just seems to validate the test itself.
My itching in general is mostly under control. Ears have not been itching, though I still have the crackling noise.
Itching in "nethers" comes on slightly sometimes but is less in general as long as I don't do any splurges on sugar. I think even larger amounts of fruit can put me over the edge, still.
I got a cold over a week ago. The post-nasal mucus is thick and persisting longer than I think it should.
I have really stinky gas, but not painful bloat like I used to get. I rack this up to the enzymes helping me digest the food, but getting gas from yeast die-off... exactly what I would hope to have given all my effort. I think I'll need to stay out of the movie theater until the yeast is all gone. Perhaps the gas is simply from the Nu-Zareba, yeast or not.
My taste buds are new and improved! I actually really like vegetables and am not craving sugar. Sugar cravings follow sugar ingestion.

I will be continuing to edit my children's diets. Tomorrow I start working on their coconut fat intake. I am concerned that my 3yo has yeast overload also. Her symptoms are:

A different smell to her breath, of and on, which has been since she was a baby.
Persistent looser stools (today, interestingly she had diarrhea)
Sugar cravings
Low probiotic intake. She only wants it if it's very sweet, of course.

Now that I am eating better, the kids are slowly warming up to some different foods. It takes time and modeling, but I can see how it can work over time.

Digestive Enzymes

2010-02-17T23:33:00.000-06:00

Overview of Enzymes.
Enzymes: What the Experts Know written by Tom Bohager, Enzymedica’s CEO. "For candidiasis, he recommends High Potency Digestive Enzyme as well as High Cellulase/Candida, High Protease and Probiotic formulas, which would be Digest Gold, Candidase, Virastop, and ProBio in the Enzymedica line."

Dad:

I looked very carefully at the Enzymedica formulas tonight. I chose Enzymedica as they appeared to be the "gold standard"--I wanted a reliable enzyme while I am getting ride of candida. They also don't put any magnesium stearates and I am avoiding those which means more research and careful choosing of supplements. If you want Enzymedica, I analyzed the ingredients vs. cost and, there are two ways you could go:

A) Just Digest Gold. This has lactobacillus acidophilus added to it and many enzymes including lots of cellulase and protease for digesting candida. With the lactobacillus acidophilus added to it and other foods like yogurt, you won't need to purchase another bottle of probiotic.

B) Digest (Just "Digest", not Digest Gold and not Digest Basic) plus the Virastop. Neither has probiotics, so you will need to also add probiotic. So, this option may come out more expensive overall, though you may be wanting a better probiotic than what's in Digest Gold (option A). Plus, with Virastop, you get the Serratiopeptidase and the Nattokinase--
For comparison purposes: The 7 Day Back Pain Cure (get a free online version) recommends Serratiopeptidase and the Nattokinase as two critical ingredients in the formula they are selling. It's got other good stuff in it to try for joint pain, but you don't need the glutathione as it won't be absorbed in the digestive tract.

Furthermore, I believe Nattokinase has Vitamin K in it, and this is one of the critical nutrients that works synergistically with the other Weston Price favorite nutrients.

My feeling is that you could get enough probiotics out of food if you concentrate on it a bit. You do need to go heavy on the probiotics in order to repopulate the good guys after killing off yeast, in order to combat and prevent yeast from overgrowing again.

I'm considering enzymes as something I will take ongoingly for quite awhile, whereas probiotic in a bottle is a temporary thing of convenience. In the interest of ongoing economy, after the yeast problem is resolved, you may be able to go to a less expensive enzyme formula. Enzymedica also has Digest Basic which is the same as Digest but just less of each ingredient.

In case I haven't made my point yet, the reason I recommend the Virastop in option (B) for you is that it contains enzymes that may help with joint pain. You could try them for awhile, then stop it and see if you miss it. In the meantime, it should also help with the candida. Make sense?

Buy your Enzymedica on vitacost.com

My Candida Plan: Stage 1

2010-02-17T16:39:00.001-06:00

Rachel's January 2010 Anti-Yeast, Healing Quest
(attaining balance in my gastrointestinal ecology and correcting my body's inflammatory responses)

1. Dietary Changes as listed below.
2. Nu-Zareba from Thaumaturge 21-day course to eradicate yeasts, fungus and parasites. I take 3 capsules, twice per day on an empty stomach. Can add garlic capsules to this.
3. Swish mouth with coconut kefir or other probiotic food of choice.
4. About an hour after a dose of Nu-Zareba, I follow with a digestive enzyme and some food. The digestive enzymes should help with yeast "die off" in that cellulases break down the outer wall of the yeast and the proteases digest the proteins inside and combat any protein that's foreign to the body.
5. Digestive enzymes before each meal.
6. After the meal has been digested I take a probiotic: Garden of Life Brand: Primal Defense
7. Do step 2 again late in the day whenever stomach is empty, probably before bed.
8. Do steps 3-6 several more times per day. I get as many probiotics on empty stomach as I can.
9. Oral habits to help get the good bacteria levels established: toothbrush and plastic tongue scraper in glass of hydrogen peroxide. Floss daily. Xylitol gum whenever you want.
10. Supplemental daily checklist as below.
11. 20 minute Bath, daily, with 2 cups epsom salt and just enough water to soak in (keep concentration of magnesium sulfate high). Helps detox and get the sulfate bypassing the gut where yeasts like to eat the sulfate.
12. Sleep to allow detoxing to happen.

Rachel's Symptoms Updates

Dietary changes:

I am personally off of eggs and ALL dairy including butter until I can experimentally re-introduce. You might choose raw milk (goat or cow or sheep?) and/or cultured dairy products, and maybe butter. If you are allowing dairy and eggs, you have no room to complain to me! Dairy and eggs make life much easier. If you have any mucous issues, stop dairy for several months until you get to baseline and can then scientifically experiment with re-introducing one food at a time.

Best book for Dad: Eat Fat Lose Fat by Enig and Fallon (Dad, come on over and borrow it!)

For people with allergies or yeast read The Yeast Connection Cookbook by Crook and Hurt Jones.

A) No sugar added in any form to foods. I was strict at first and now sometimes I get a little tiny bit of added sugar. To pin it down, I'd day it's best not to go above 10 grams of added sugar in a sitting and to do this only every so often.
ALLOWED: Stevia and Xylitol.
I like KAL brand stevia white powder.
Go easy on the xylitol and work your way up with it.
If you must, the next sweetener to use would be [raw honey]. Limit it. None in the first couple of weeks.

UPDATE: I'm interested in erythritol, since it seems it would be very similar to xylitol. Also, right now I'm favoring evaporated cane sugar just because it's simple and added to many natural food products. I still keep my total intake very low. Remember to check the ingredients as well as the grams of sugar on labels.

B) Limited fruit for the first few weeks. (I did none for at least a week, so my sugar was down to near 0). Now I have a small amount a few times per day. A few bites of pineapple, half an apple, orange, banana, etc. Fresh and frozen berries - as many as you can afford. I do NOT buy from the country of Chile and I get organic if not price prohibitive. Maybe best to blend some blueberries up in a blender. Try mangos.

C) Probiotic foods. Tricky if you go dairy free. Learn about Wild Fermentation. GT's Kombucha in bottles is one of my favorites that I am just about ready to re-introduce. I focus on my tablet several times per day and swishing with coconut kefir.

D) Lots of fats: Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, grapeseed oil
You might also want to use: walnut oil, sesame oil, palm oil
Spray with Grapeseed Spray oil

E) Lots of Coconut Milk and Coconut Oil. Every Day! Every Meal! I cannot digest the coconut meat very well, so I only use a little coconut sprinkles. Coconut fat works in synergy with cod liver oil. Eat Fat Lose Fat book is all about coconut. I'll be experimenting with lots of new coconut recipes this month. Coconut milk and oil are now mainstays of my diet. The benefits of coconut are too numerous to list!

F) LOTS LOTS LOTS of vegetables of all kinds. In the first few weeks you might be avoiding all kinds of green beans and carrots and white potatoes. Look for frozen bagged Okra at Meijer. Cabbage, spinach, dark greens. I find salads to be difficult because of the dressings. I end up doing a steamed or cooked veggie, often with canned tomatoes, onions and garlic.

G) Avacados. These seem to deserve a special category. They are highly nutritious vegetables that are high in healthy fats. They can be made into guacamole or my favorite basil salad. Or, you can mash them up with banana and cocoa and a sweetener.

H) I take Barlean's Greens. You can take green smoothies if you have a blender or Vegetable juices if you have a juicer. Be careful to ramp up in 2-week increments so that you don't over-detox and overload your detox pathways. I like Barlean's Greens because of the blue-green algae and the sea vegetables (kelp has nutrients to help bind mercury). You might also like a product called Amazing Grass.

I) WATER
1) Quality water. Non-municipal source. No flouride, no chlorine. Add a little pinch of sea salt and lemon juice. If you are taking magnesium you might want to add it to your water. Make one big batch of this water in the a.m. to sip all day long.
2) A little water with each meal, but not so much as to water down your stomach acid. You need that stomach acid in order to break down the food and trigger the pancreas. You need some water in order to make bile, so drink a little.

J) FISH - seafoodwatch.org - The BEST fish list: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_health.aspx
Other options are listed under "Pocket Guides."
-Sardines or any canned fish can be very handy. Smoked oysters if you like those better. I like the sardines the best, to get the bones for minerals.

About Protein: I like to get a high amount of Vitamins A & D into my diet, through nutrient dense sources. I do eat liver, bacon, fish and shellfish, chicken, buffalo and beef. I try to source local, grassfed and wildcaught whenever possible. However, I am also learning to eat smaller amounts of protein so as not to overload the pancreas, which must produce a lot of enzymes in order to digest cooked foods. I believe all the clean animal sources of food are great nutrition, but you must choose for yourself.

K) Lots of Nuts and Seeds: Soak raw nuts and seeds overnight in salt water. **2 Brazil Nuts per day as a supplement. Pumpkin seeds for sure. Sunflower, sesame. Grind flax seeds and put on top of food. Walnuts. Nut butters are convenience food: Sunbutter, Almond Butter. Cashew butter is my favorite. Macadamia Butter.

L) Yes to whole grains you cook yourself: GLUTEN FREE (GF): Brown rice and millet are my favorites. Oats are actually gluten free but they are notoriously contaminated by wheat. Bob's Red Mill has GF Oats (rolled or steel cut). Quinoa, Amaranth, Buckwheat, "wild rice" which is actually a grass.
Note: If you want to skip soaking grains overnight, use Brown rice and "wild rice." Definitely soak oats overnight with a probiotic or acid (vinegar or lemon juice) added to the water. All others should be soaked also. Do NOT add salt to the soak water.

Other non-soaked grains in limited quantity:
You can also get some tortillas and some breads Gluten free.

Yes to Brown Rice Pasta (Meijer has Tinkyada in the GF section). But, make sure you are eating this with meat or nuts and lots of veggies.

Crunchmaster crackers are very tasty. Mary's Gone Crackers can work but are not so tasty.

M) Lentils, Legumes and Beans. I have tended to avoid this category because in the past I had a hard time digesting them. Try them with your enzymes and see if you get gas. I do not eat them every day. If you tolerate, you can have hummous and Crunchmaster crackers for a special snack. Lentils are the most nutritious of this category, so see if you can master these. You should soak them overnight, but drain and cook in fresh water. Do not add anything acidic to the pot until later in cooking--acids will prevent beans from softening--best to cook the beans and add everything after that. Cook slow and low.

-------------------

I DO use the following:

Fresh lemon and lime juice (not from a bottle). I use a wooden hand reamer several times per week.
Teas - Peppermint tea is supposed to be great. Alvita (white box with blue band) is a good, inexpensive brand
Garlic and lots of it. In capsules if you want.

-------------------
AVOID (I am avoiding):
vinegar - after several weeks, I am going to be adding raw vinegar with the "mother"
coffee
corn
dried fruit (lots of yeasts and molds)
fruit juice unless fresh
black pepper
No raw egg whites - high in histamines
"Foods reported to release histamine directly from mast cells are uncooked egg whites, shellfish, strawberries, tomatoes, fish, chocolate, pineapple and alcohol."
peanuts and pistachios
Pasteurized dairy products
MSG in all it's forms - it causes food cravings and is toxic to neurons - masquerades as "natural flavors" and "yeast" in ingredient labels.
Artificial colors and flavors
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose
hydrogenated oils

LIMIT:
White potatoes. Eat yams instead.

I've chosen to allow chocolate once per week. Only dark, and I try to do some form of cocoa so that I can control the sweetener.
-------------------

SUPPLEMENTAL REGIMEN:
I have a Word document with a table in it that I am constructing for myself. Here are the highlights. Keeping this checklist helps me stay on track with my plan.
Your supplemental regimen is your own. You should develop it over time. You may be able to correct a nutritional deficiency with diet and supplements and then go off the supplement with continuing target foods. From this point forward you will no longer be doing someone else's prescribed diet plan. You will learn your own body and find your own convictions about what is best for you. Every person has a digestion-absorption-and-detox profile. Shannon's site to help you be your own doctor!

If you eat beets and then pee pink, you need Betaine HCL to re-train your stomach to make stomach acid. How to Take Hydrochloric Acid Supplements (HCl). Also take Sublingual B12 and Zinc. I take Peter Gillham's Calm Kids which has zinc added to it; also pumpkin seeds and squash.

Pursuit of Happiness. Please read this article if you want to understand the relationship of all the most important nutrients in the body

Digestive Enzymes - Enzymedica from vitacost.com Dad click here.

Cod Liver Oil - EPA and DHA, Vit A and D will help in the conversions of arachodonic acid (from animal foods) into...

Additional Vitamin D3 - Carlson D Drops from vitacost.com

Vitamin C - 2,000 to 5,000 mg per day. Cheap, easy and helpful in detox and bringing down histamines. Ascorbic Acid. Thompson powder from vitacost.com

Gelatin greatlakesgelatin.com from health food store. This has several amino acids important in detox and many other basic processes. You can add it to cooking grains, drink in beverages, add to broth or soup or desserts, or in any way you want.

Doc's Best Multi - drrons.com

May need biotin supplement in 5-16mg range (not mcg)

2 Brazil nuts per day. Do not take with multi-vitamin or calcium.

Epsom Salt bath daily (as above #11)

I will be happy to answer any questions! Please email or comment on the site!

--------------------
Putting It All Together!

Watch for future posts of What's Rachel Eating? look to the left to see my blog's keywords or use the search feature! Email me and I'll point you to info on my blog or answer your question directly.

Some blondies I gotta make!

2010-02-14T09:43:00.001-06:00

http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes_detail.php?rid=1522

Nu-Zareba

2010-02-09T10:06:00.001-06:00

I mentioned something about candidiasis to the guy at Vitamin Planet Howell. He gave me a flyer on Nu-Zareba. I thoughtfully filed it away for further consideration. I then ended up speaking to my son's past pre-school teacher who I remember had food allergies. She mentioned several helpful resources, including that she took Nu-Zareba with good results. This is a blended formula which is taken as a course, and it shouldn't be necessary to take on an ongoing basis.

I am going to get some today to rid of yeast or parasites or both. I have been operating on the basis that I have allergies which are likely caused by poor digestion and other nutrients lacking for my various metabolic/detox processes. I am still working on the diet and supplements, have seen a lot of improvement, but with a re-surge this week in some symptoms I am wanting some extra help. So, be gone Yeast I Suspect!

Nu-Zareba is made by a Naturopathic Doctor at his own company named Thaumaturge, http://www.thaumaturge.net, makes many herbal formulas in convenient capsule form. I have learned from my herbalist friend that this is not the idea way to take herbs--tincture and tea is the best way. However, the site lists all their ingredients and as combinations may also help inform that layperson (like me) who is carefully going on his or her own.

High Fat Diet and Elimination of Seizures

2010-02-07T16:06:00.001-06:00

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583429,00.html

High-Fat Diet Cures Boy, 4, of Epilepsy

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

A 4-year-old epileptic Minnesota boy, who used to suffer more than 100 seizures a day, has been cured — thanks to an extremely high-fat diet, wcco.com reported.

Medication wasn't even touching Max Irvine's condition, and his parents watched hopelessly as their son's condition worsened.

But Dr. Elaine Wirrell, a pediatric neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, suggested Max try the Ketogenic diet, which is low in carbohydrates and very high in fats. Wirrell said research hints the high-fat diet stabilizes brain cells and alters neurotransmitters.

Max's meals consisted of butter and bacon; he was drinking Canola oil as a beverage, and to his parents' amazement, the diet worked.

"I just remember having tears, and thinking how can I be giving my child so much fat," said Kristine Irvine, Max's mother.

Wirrell said she monitors Max's cholesterol, but that kids on this diet do not typically have cholesterol or lipid problems. Today, Max is not taking any medication and he is not suffering any seizures.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aKu8BX_rK11E&refer=home

Epilepsy Seizures in Kids Lessened by High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet

By Andrea Gerlin

May 3 (Bloomberg) -- A diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates and protein reduced seizures in children with epilepsy in the first clinical study to test the food regimen, U.K. scientists said.

Researchers at University College London analyzed results from 103 children between 2 and 16 years old who didn't respond to drugs and had at least seven epileptic fits a week. Patients on the diet had more than one-third fewer seizures after three months, while attacks increased by more than one-third in those who didn't change their diets, the scientists said in Lancet Neurology.

``We have shown that the diet has efficacy and should be included in the management of children who have drug-resistant epilepsy,'' Professor J. Helen Cross wrote in the article.

The high-fat, low-carbohydrate regimen has been widely followed for drug-resistant childhood epilepsy since it was originally reported to be effective in the 1920s. The U.K. researchers said their study is the first to test it as a treatment. The diet is believed to copy the body's response to starvation, in which the brain runs on chemicals known as ketone bodies rather sugars, though its mechanism isn't clear, the scientists wrote.

The study supports conducting more research to try to determine why the diet works, Max Wiznitzer of the Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland wrote in an accompanying comment.

The most frequently reported side effects were constipation, vomiting, lack of energy and hunger. The researchers didn't specify what foods were included in the study, saying only that it was based on three or four parts of fat to one part carbohydrate and protein.

The study was funded by HSA Charitable Trust, Smiths Charity, Scientific Hospital Supplies Ltd. and the Milk Development Council.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrea Gerlin in London at agerlin@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: May 2, 2008 19:00 EDT

http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/ketogenic-diet-for-epilepsy

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113325.htm

On the Science Daily page, there were sidebar links to these articles:

Amalgam Ilness

2010-02-05T13:46:00.000-06:00

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZG9glNfif5YC&pg=PA111&lpg=PA111&dq=sulfa+allergy+epsom+salts&source=bl&ots=15x9PuSqS-&sig=nO72xcjN9_qreVEjNuLA51pI7Es&hl=en&ei=5yugSYCVAcyatweZy7yQDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Histamines

2010-02-05T13:37:00.001-06:00

http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc.com/pages/lowhistamine.htm#foodsource

Frosting treats

2010-02-04T14:52:00.001-06:00

Use freeze dried fruit powders!! These add beautiful, natural fruit colors and fruity flavors. I'm going to try them all out this summer when we have our string of birthdays. I hope that the blueberry powder will make a blue frosting! Try justtomatoes.com. In the meantime, I get freeze dried strawberries from Costco in a larger bag. There will be powder left over at the bottom of the bag. I dump the bag into a wire mesh strainer and get all the smallish bits and powder into a bowl, then add...

coconut milk!
cream cheese or butter
whipping cream (not ultra-pasteurized, Meijer brand is good)
cocoa powder
sweetener - for a party I would go with organic powdered cane sugar, but for myself I use KAL stevia powder
raw honey
small amount of arrowroot or tapioca powder for thickening. Guar gum would probably be handy here too, though I haven't tried it.

Coconut milk trick: Let a can of coconut milk sit for a long time on the pantry shelf. Do not shake it. Move it to the fridge to solidify the fat. Open the can. You now have chunks of coconut cream separated from the thickened water. Use only the cream for your frosting.

Let's Do Organic and mr-sprinkles.com are brands of festive sprinkles for special occasions.

Dust white frosting or whipped cream with fruit powders.

Melted chocolate chips, or Sunspire [peanut butter] chips, and Ghiradelli white chocolate bars are useful.

Sunspire makes chocolate M&M type candies with natural colors called Sundrops.

Trader Joe's and others make M&M type chocolate and candy-coated sunflower seeds. Trader Joe's have natural colors.

If you liked these tips, please leave a comment on my blog! Thanks!!
-Rachel

Nut Cookies

2010-02-04T13:12:00.001-06:00

Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free
I will be testing this further without the creamed coconut, which is difficult to source and onerous to use. I will be trying some coconut oil instead.

You can cut this recipe in half.

3/4 cup shredded coconut (Let's Do Organic unsweetened dried flaked coconut, small shreds)
3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour
*I use BRM because it doesn't have the skins (blanched almonds) on and I believe this to be healthier
*You can vary the amounts of the almond and coconut such as 1 cup of almond flour with 1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup creamed coconut (Let's Do Organic, comes in a small, dark green box)
1/2 cup coconut milk (Native Forest Classic - full fat)
2 tsp. gluten free vanilla extract (or try almond

Optional:
Sweetener such as stevia or xylitol. Mix into the dry ingredients before adding in the wet.
If you wish to use honey, omit some of the coconut milk
Chopped dark chocolate
Perhaps you could substitute some of the tapioca with cocoa powder
Frosting
Make a savory soft cracker with more salt, pepper and spices

Preheat oven to 350F.

I have only tried this, yet, by first toasting the coconut shreds. Do this by spreading out the coconut on a jelly roll pan. Put into hot oven for 2 minutes but check it at 1 minute. Don't walk away! It will continue to brown on the cookie sheet even after you remove it and it only needs to be just turning brown in order to get a flavor.

Mix all ingredients in large bowl, with chocolate chips and sweetener if you are using. Use hands to thoroughly incorporate.

Use grapeseed oil spray to spray the jellyroll pan or cookie sheet. Using a half round, sturdy tablespoon measure, pack dough into the spoon by pressing against the side of the bowl. Scrape each measure onto the cookie sheet. Use the flat bottom of a glass, wet with cold water to press each cookie to approx 2" diameter. Re-wet the glass as often as needed and if it sticks to a cookie use a side-ways sliding motion to remove it (or scrape with a knife, but I've never had to do that).

Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Remove to a parchment paper to cool.

Smoothie and update

2010-02-04T09:49:00.001-06:00

Thursday morning Green Smoothie

Just 3 ingredients.
1. Cashew milk leftover from late last night (raw cashews blended with water)
*I think almond milk would taste even better. Plan to soak the almonds overnight in salt water--they are so yummy the next morning!
2. Frozen, dark, sweet cherries (Woodstock brand from UNFI)
3. Two large handfuls of baby spinach (will be trying to steam some veggies ahead of time to neutralize oxalic acid--probably have to freeze it ahead of time for convenience.)

Thanks for all the ideas, Victoria Butenko.

I am interested in juicer brands. I suppose it will take me quite a while to research in bits and pieces and choose one, but I think it will be something I want to do in Minneapolis when we are in an apartment, I have to go to the grocery store often anyway since I will have only one standard fridge. I dream that I will have more time, because Van will be in school full time and I won't have a full house (full of stuff) to take care of. So, I should have more time for this kind of thing.

I am very interested in the Gerson coffee enema and will probably start using it really soon, because detox is really in the end what I am getting into. I don't think I'll have a ton of stuff to detox, because actually I have been doing some form of detox all along, (sorta). But what I need to start learning about is the Phase I and II detox: Each individual is different. It appears at first glance that I have a slow (or was it fast?) Phase I detox because I am so sensitive to caffeine/coffee. I also have issues I used to call "borderline hypoglycemia." Both of these traits run in my family! They go along also with restless leg syndrome which everyone starts doing better with when they take magnesium! So many of the pieces are starting to come together. The science is difficult for me to understand, I'm not sure how deep I will be able to go on my own, but I will continue to digest the info on heal-thyself.ning for as long as I see necessary. Probably really take me a couple of years.

Amazing. I started having itchies and full feeling in ears again on Monday for a couple of days. I immediately suspected some food, like maybe cocoa or too much sugar or something. But, I see that the specific nutrients are actually doing jobs to help me either kill candida, reduce die-off symptoms, help with histamines, help with binding toxins pulled by detox, stuff that actually does the detoxing, etc. So, when I let up on the supplemental regimen, I start getting the itches. It might not even be specific food allergies, though probably can't say that with certainty and it doesn't mean I will just start eating all the junk again. Certainly, I'm committed to going gluten free. It's working pretty well right now because I am gluten free but for my ease of prep for the family I can make them gluten foods. They are benefiting overall because there are fewer gluten foods in the house because of me. I hope to work them toward no gluten as they get used to products that I am making/using.

Mama's magnesium

2010-02-03T18:01:00.001-06:00

Purpose: Save time by making several days' worth of doses of magnesium.

1. Create a measuring cup out of a jar with a lid. Using a Tablespoon measure which you will be able to use again on a regular basis for administering from this jar, measure into the jar 16 Tablespoons of water. Set the jar on a flat surface and using a permanent marker draw a line at the waterline. Dump out the water.

See photo (coming soon). My jar says:

16 TBS water
--------------------
4 TBS CALM
1 day = 4 Tbsp.

On the other side of the jar I wrote, to remind myself the correct dosage for me:
1 TBS
3x or 4x daily

2. Dissolve Magnesium amount to be taken over 4 days. I measure 4 Tbs. of Peter Gillham's CALM magnesium powder into the jar. Add the warm water as per preparation instructions. Pour water in short of the water line and as the magnesium dissolves keep adding a little bit more water until it reaches the line you drew.

3. Store solution in the fridge. Use your preferred amount. I take 1 Tbsp. of the liquid, 3-4 times per day.

Other ideas include mixing up your own flavorings to add to the jar and re-calculate your dosage. I mix in honey and xylitol to the solution I make for the kids, while the water solution is still warm. In mine I have liked it with stevia and lemon juice, but to make it easier I'm going back to the flavored CALM product. The lemon is fairly tolerable but not as good as fresh lemon juice. The raspberry-lemon is the sweetest variety.

Supplemental Regimen

2010-01-31T14:14:00.001-06:00

Q: Rachel, should I buy Ionic Fizz with or without the calcium?

A: First, you know if you want to be able to take it in the evening, get it without calcium.

Second, compare the two products for the D3 and K2 amounts and determine if you need your Ionic Fizz to have those or not. Are you getting any Vit K from anything else? What is your total D3 intake (and try not to get D2 products like fortified milk as it is an artificial type of D and therefore toxic in high levels and I don't know if this is additive to your D3 amounts--This goes for my almond and rice milk beverages also, and I try not to take in too much of those, or blend up leftover rice or nuts to make my own. Ha! Just add cooked rice to your smoothie.) As for the D3, if you choose the Ionic Fizz that doesn't have the D3 and you're not getting your dose of D3 in any other source, that's okay. Just purchase Carlson D Drops and add that on for about $0.02 per day.

The biggest question is are you getting calcium in other ways, like if you eat a dairy product each day and you have another multi-vitamin with calcium in it, then No, you don't need more calcium. It's not having high calcium that counts, but having a proper ratio of cal-mag. Note that I am now dairy free and I'm not concerned about calcium as per my veggies and my supplements below.

The following is duplicative, but since this blog is a space for my thoughts and I will end up revising things later, here is a re-iteration of my supplemental regimen, which continues to evolve.

You could re-evaluate your multi because it has stearates in the "other" ingredients. It is an anti-nutrient in that it is a "bad" fat that coats your intestine. You then say, what's the trade off in a more expensive multi without stearates, cost vs. benefit? There are things in the multi you might need (probably not all of it because you could get those things from food fairly easily, like if you soak some nuts and eat some each day (brazil, almonds, hazelnuts) and eliminate peanut butter and rotate other kinds of nut butters. Also, try to add a dark green veg every day with wide variety of vegetables. You might do better with a multi-mineral if it didn't have stearates (I don't know if Carlson brand puts stearates in their stuff--so many do it's hard to dig up a company or product that doesn't. You can also look for things which are all whole-foods based which don't usually give the high amounts of particular nutrients that other supplements can deliver, because they only include whole food in powder or juice.Liquids are an easy way around this, though the issue is either taste or what they sweeten it with. Peter Gillhams brand has a liquid "Vitality" which is pretty darn good overall as a multi-vitamin (I haven't explored other whole food liquid multis). Other multis without stearates might be found in the gummy (candy type) variety which are now made for adults. Hero Nutritionals is one brand in gummies that I know of.

If you create a list of the nutrients you know you want to ensure you are getting, you can work on your supplementation plan over time. It's probably a good thing that we don't settle on one product over and over. It would be good if you know a few products that can cover your bases and alternate throughout each year. This way, each may help bridge any gap the others are leaving.

I have decided that I am going stearate-free from now on, even if I have to go without an added nutrient, on the

My approach, again, is currently to use Dr. Ron's Doc's Best Multi. It is more expensive, but I am eliminating other bottles and probably saving money in the end. My regimen looks like this:
-Doc's Best Multi, one per meal and any in between, for Erik and me. I often don't take the 6 recommended full dose per day. I try to give the kids one or two caps per day.
-Cod Liver Oil, 1 tsp. in a.m. and one at night.
-Extra Vit D Drops possibly, not every day. (will get tested and adjust to build up to proper stored amount over time)
-Magnesium, Peter Gillham's CALM on fairly regular basis before bed.
-Magnesium and Sulfur bath - Just use 2 cups of Epsom Salt in your bath for 20+ minutes. This bypasses digestive problems by absorbing through the skin, and it's relatively cheap and relaxing. Works well for stress, too. I went from taking very few baths to taking one almost every day (Jan 2010).
-Enzymedica Digest cap before each meal, approx.
-Herbal teas such as peppermint, horsetail, chai (I'm restricted until I can test them on myself, I may be allergic to cassia cinnamon)
-Vit C - Thompson brand in orange bottle Ascorbic Acid is very cheap. Can take high doses an 4,000 mg per day was recommended to me by a doctor who tested some of my nutrient levels
-Probiotic - I like the concept of the Garden of Life Primal Defense, but I believe I may in particular be allergic to something in it, possibly the dairy residues, or having a reaction to soil organisms or maybe just to the cultures. Not sure. I may have to go to taking one strain at a time. But, you can also drink Kefir and other probiotics daily in order to get it from your food. Note that cultured foods, especially dairy, can have high histamine amounts. This is why I am dragging my feet on my own probiotic. If you are not having itching reactions, then you can probably proceed with a probiotic. Just remember that you can have reactions to supplements and that if you are doing an elimination-and-test diet like I am you should test the supplements too.
-Maca - I think this is a good whole food supplement to consider. I have some on hand. I read that there are taste differences between brands and types. I don't love the one I have, Maca Magic, as it tastes a little smoky or like ashes, but I have blended with banana and it's "okay." Amazing Grass is a great product that would combine the greenfood with maca, but I can't take it because of the FOS, which I will test again later. My son takes Amazing Grass almost every day.

I'll be researching Dr. Gerson's coffee enema. The caffeine absorbs directly into a vein which passes through the liver. I can't remember what this does, but something beneficial, obviously, and has helped to cure a bunch of cancer patients in the Gerson method.

I'll also be looking at detox maintenance through juicing vegetables and fruits and making sure I supply my 6 detox pathways with the right nutrients (folate, B12, etc.). I just need to do more reading.

Easy Spaghetti Sauce

2010-01-30T21:00:00.000-06:00

Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Erik and Meredith liked this sauce.

In a 3-quart sauce pan, brown 1 pound of ground beef or buffalo in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Add lots of smashed and chopped garlic cloves to meat along with 1 onion chopped.
Blend in blender til almost smooth: 24 oz. can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Pour tomatoes into pan of meat.
Add half or up to a whole 4 oz. can of Muir Glen tomato paste
1 tiny scoop of KAL stevia (sweetener)
Basil: I used chiffonade of fresh basil leaves and added right at the end so it just wilted, but you could use dried.
About 1 tsp. salt or to taste.

One you add tomatoes, do not simmer more than 20 minutes.

2010-01-30T18:42:00.000-06:00

Today was a difficult day. Smallish breakfast of brown rice warmed with coconut milk, and cooked fruit: peaches, oranges and apples (the apples and oranges leftover from the kids).

Greeenfood powder drink

Went with family to Famous Dave's. I resisted all temptation despite smell of BBQ sauce. I ordered a romaine salad (Caesar) with vinegar and smoked salmon (the oil had no smell to it and I realized it must be corn or canola, so I didn't even use that). The smoked salmon was great tasting, but there wasn't enough of it.

We proceeded to the shopping mall, and I ended up with a decaf latte with soymilk (containing cane sugar) and a banana.

But, dinner was much better: leftovers from yesterday of spaghetti sauce with rice pasta (Tinkyada brand from Meijer gluten-free section)

Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

The Beautiful Truth

2010-01-29T09:18:00.000-06:00

The Beautiful Truth (available now on Netflix instant) is a great story of an American teen who began homeschooling at age 15 and the documentary is a result of his work on his project with his Dad. He travels all over the world for his homeschool project* and they film interviews with amazing people. The issues covered include The Gerson Miracle, vaccinations, dental amalgams, food additives like MSG, GMO food, irradiated food, and other things related to optimal health which the food beurocrats will not tell us about because they are all making money off of keeping us sick. Real food and simple cures are not patentable. I have heard all of these things for years, but this film is a nice introduction to all of the issues and a great way to share with families and friends who are new to the ideas. I am taking away some practical items for further research and I was already getting concerned about anything I might be able to do to help my body detox from the constant onslaught of mercury offgassing in my mouth.

I have been making gradual dietary changes which I have stuck with for over 10 years, but there is still much more I can do to live more in harmony with nature. And, thinking of the juicing, the teen in the documentary traveled to the southern tip of Mexico to visit a teen girl who cured of cancer using Dr. Gerson's diet and it was ironic to see a juicer there in their small, rustic cabin; but the point was made that while truly "organic" food is readily available there, it is difficult to obtain here in the U.S. I and many mothers who I converse with here do find a large part of our time involved with "gathering" food, and preparing it, researching what is healthiest for us. I am starting to prepare a binder of dietary information which I will use to educate my children as they mature. Certainly at this time it is not all contained in one book and they won't learn it at any of the usual schools. One of the problems of for us is that the wise, ancient ways were lost in the name of scientific proof, and with several generations creating the gap, we now have to consciously seek and create the synthesis between science and the oldways. It will be quite some time before any textbook of our highest health and disease prevention information is widely recognized. Furthermore, each nuclear family is adapting itself within the larger context of our diseased culture, and it is difficult to "live in the world, but not of it." The most helpful trait for us and our children will be flexibility and the motive to ask the most overarching question: "Should we?" Peace to you all, today, as you work to provide for your families, create a loving and protected space for you and your people to enjoy.

My long-term dietary changes

2010-01-27T23:17:00.001-06:00

I am going to try to keep this a running list of my do's and don't for my own personal diet. My biggest challenge to my family and others, if they do not have their own plan in place to improve their health, is to go Gluten and Sugar Free and to limit certain kinds of dairy. I believe these will make the most difference.

I'm calling Jan 18 my first egg free day, so that my 90 days deadline on this new diet is: April 17.
I was already dairy free for at least 5 months prior and also making many drastic changes just prior to Jan 18, but by Jan 18 had decided many of the following. I also have major noticeable improvement in the 10 days since Jan 18. Ears are not itching. My 90-day deadline is the date I'll shoot for to remain egg free and in order to properly re-introduce old favorite foods for trials.

Permanent Deletions (always avoid):

Supplements with stearates (stearic acid, magnesium stearate or anything like that) - this is a fat that will coat the villi of the small intestine and block absorption of the nutrients in the supplement as well as from your food. This is a backward step. You may as well stop wasting your money on supplements with stearates and not take any at all. See below for things you should take instead.

Peanuts (substitute cashews and cashew butter)
Pistachios
"wrong" kinds of fish (learn more at seafoodwatch.org)
All MSG Derivatives or precursors
All soda
Caffeine (soda is the first thing to cut completely out of your diet. Coffee/caffeine for those addicted will be easier to cut out later and is not as detrimental as soda. I'd rather see people eat caffeine rather than MSG. However, for me personally, I have a big reaction to caffeine and I feel that it messes up my insulin and adrenaline.)
Even without a known corn allergy, I am going to continue to avoid eating corn simply because it and its derivatives are so commonly added to so many foods. No wonder it is one of the top allergens. Even prior, I was only eating "Organic" corn simply to avoid GMO corn.
Artificial colors and flavors (watch out for vanillin in chocolate and treats)
Agave nectar/syrup

Cautions:

Soy - avoid most but do consume if you are not allergic: naturally fermented and Organic or non-GMO such as soy sauce, tamari and miso
Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) are top allergens (many people are allergic) so eat only nuts you know you're not sensitive to
Gluten - See my blog entries on Gluten. I am personally eliminating from my diet. This is usually the first thing my allergy-savvy friends eliminate FIRST! I believe this can be a big kicker for a lot of people and is indeed the best thing to try to eliminate first (or eliminate ALL the suspects for 90 days, like I am doing, and then add them back one at a time in a trial to be sure which ones affect you negatively)
Sugar - this is a broad category. There are many, many types of sugar. I've started out by trying to go to "0". I even tried "0" and no fruit/grains/starches at all. I found that I had to eat 2 Tablespoons of frozen blueberries just to get some energy. But, I'm back to eating whole, gluten-free grains and small amounts of fruit. My preferred sweetener is KAL brand stevia powder. I'll be exploring what kinds of sugar I would use for occaisional treats (for example, I might be okay with evaporated cane juice, or brown rice syrup, or date sugar, but I do want to trial different sugars to find out how they affect me. I've already eliminated maple syrup and agave syrup. I've heard of aguamiel from a cactus, but not ready to expore that yet. Will use raw honey in moderation for making treats.)
Any food you eat a lot of. Cravings can indicate an allergy to that food.
-Sulfites - wine. I've noticed I am now more sensitive and the hangover is almost not worth the pleasure. I'm avoiding beer and wine and my next alcoholic beverage will be 100 proof vodka.

Temporary Deletion from my personal diet, until I start to work things out:

Eggs - I believe these may be one of my own personal culprits. I am totally off them now for a week or two and I see another improvement. The jury is out and I hope to return them in moderation after my 90 day trial.
Dairy - casein - (At some point, I will be trialing goat's milk, then butter, then whey, lactose, hard cheeses, yogurt/kefir.)
*Fermented/culture dairy products can be high in histamines. Eliminate fluid milk and cultured milks first. If you must have some dairy, use goat's milk and butter as the butter will have much less casein in it.
Chocolate, cocoa and cacao - I am considering whether it will be prudent for me to have it once per week. I do not feel I am addicted to it.
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Oats - I tried gluten free oats, but I felt a reaction like low blood sugar afterward. I'll have to test these later.
Strawberries

Avoiding:

-Black Pepper - avoiding because it is so commonly added to so many foods, so that it would be easy to be allergic to it. By avoiding it, I know I'll still end up getting it in my food sometimes.
-Dried Fruit - will only use this now for travel convenience, not as a staple (due to molds and yeasts which can be allergens)
-Xanthan gum (I am going to avoid this while I settle into gluten free forever. Later I can look more closely at whether xantan bothers me. Currenly I will use guar gum in baking instead of xanthan. This will just help me when I go to trial xanthan.)

Foods I DO eat:

Enzymedica Digestive enzymes 2-3 times per day (If you can't digest your food, it doesn't matter how nutritious it is!)
Cod Liver Oil (cheap)- 2-3 teaspoons per day and I plan to get my Vit D tested.
Additional D3 with Carlson's D Drops (cheap)
Doc's Best Multivitamin (no stearates, expensive, spread partial dose throughout day)
Barlean's Greens super greenfood powder
With the above and my new emphasis on vegetables, I don't feel I need the magnesium supplement as much.
Since I am dairy free, I am still lacking a probiotic solution and hope to get something in a bottle until I can begin trialing goat's milk and dairy products.

**Let me again emphasize Cod Liver Oil. If you simply cannot tolerate it, then make up for it with a Capsule of Vitamin A (Food Science of Vermont from vitacost.com) plus Carlson D Drops 2000 IU per day, plus some forms of "omegas" such as EFA and GLA which will most likely also come from a fish oil or better yet krill oil. Clearly, it will be less expensive and worth it to continue to try to find a Cod Liver Oil that you can handle. Since I believe this is the top thing Erik should be adding to his diet, I will continue my search for something he will tolerate. I think I'll go next with the Carlson in capsules.

Avacados
Beans/legume with digestive enzymes - but I'm still shy of the beans at this point. I did eat hummous the other day.
Garlic, Onions
Citrus
Meats and fish - realizing protein is stored as fat the same as are all calories, and protein digestion is hard on the kidneys, so that I can eat less meat, i.e. I should be able to afford eating higher quality meat. So, I am consciously getting choosier about meat quality.
Sardines with bones in for calcium and Vit A & D
Coconut oil, milk, coconut meat
Palm oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil
Seeds: Flax, sunflower, pumpkin,poppy, sesame seeds, caraway, anise, fennel
Nuts of all kinds (soaked when possible)
Almond milk - try to get unsweetened
"Milks" that I make in my blender from leftover cooked rice or nuts
Whole gluten free grain alternatives such as: Brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, sorghum flour
Maybe some starches in baking treats
Sweet potatoes (white potatoes will now be a treat)
Herbal teas
Products labeled "gluten free" such as our favorite Crunchmaster crackers
Brown Rice pasta and tortillas

Vegetables of all kinds including "new" ones and more variety:
artichokes
daikon radish
frozen okra (found at Meijer)

More frozen and canned goods to avoid yeasts and molds.

Other:

-Taking Epsom Salt baths almost daily. The magnesium and sulfur absorb through skin, bypassing the digestive process. If candida yeast is in the gut, it eats up sulfur from the food. But, sulfur is necessary in detox pathways, so getting it in the bath soak is really the easiest, inexpensive and effective way I have learned.
-Continuing to be careful about fragranced products and skin products. (Could my lessening of ear itching be due to stopping my hair styling product (even though I thought I had chosen a relatively "clean" one?) Now I can trial my hair product too, because I have the symptoms under control, I can try the hair product and see if I get a reaction.

I'll be learning more about detoxing and digestion, as I am learning is really at the root cause of allergies and disease.

Which Multi-vitamin is coming out on top?

2010-01-27T19:56:00.001-06:00

These notes are very rough, but represent my evolving supplementation plan, and evaluating cost vs. benefit. So, if anyone out there is interested, let me know and I can make more sense of this. I know one friend out there who is interested :-)
Bottom line what I figured out here is that I want to streamline and stock only the Doc's Best Multi, and won't be ordering the Mercola Children's Chewables. I figure here that it will in the end not really be much more expensive for me to give Doc's Best to my kids. They will take 2 per day (less than the 3 I figured below). My hubby doesn't take the multis every day, though once we move he'll be taking them more often. He and I will probably take maybe 3 or 4 of the 6 recommended capsules per day, so cost will be less than $2 per day for each of us.

**In order to avoid the stearates, which I'm guessing will affect absorption of all the other supplements, need to avoid the Twinlab dots. My overall plan will heretofore avoid all stearates. Doc's Best will help me do this for adults and kids.

$8.95 shipping on DrRons.com on all orders under $250. If you purchase 5 bottles of Doc's Best Multi, this will get you there (purchase with a local friend?).
I order 2 bottles at a time, but buying the 5 would save money in the long run.
$128.85 for 360 capsules. Adult dose is 6 capsules per day (60 days) which is $2.15 per day. Kids would be half that at $1.07 per day.

One Mercola bear is 30 cents, so the full dose is $0.60 per day
plus Twin Dot = $0.13 ($7.49/60)
up to 73 cents per day.

Benefits:
-Don't have to take the magnesium stearates in the Twinlab D+K dots (the main purpose in which is to get the vit K)
-other nutrients in the Doc't Best that don't come in the Mercola bears such as: more appropriate dose of zinc/copper, more variety B vitamins, plus: potassium, R-alpha lipoid acid, Co Q-10, and Grape Seed Extract.
-Noteably you get higher amounts in the half dose for kids of Doc's Best of these: Vit C, Vit E, the B vitamins, Selenium, and many of the other items.
-Don't have to purchase on Mercola's site in addition to Doc's Best (going to order Doc's Best for us adults anyway).

Other supplements:

cod liver oil - going to take this anyway
Carlson D drops = 3 cents per day
Vitamin C gummies - could eliminate if cost is a factor (it's just an incentive, that's all)
Amazing Grass greenfood - not going to take it all year round anyway. Take this mostly in the winter?
Magnesium - I would still like to find better ways of getting more magnesium and silica, regardless of which multi-vitamin they take (not a deciding cost factor)

Nutrient Basics: Vit A, D, fats, Calcium

2010-01-25T23:11:00.001-06:00

How Vit D + Calcium + Healthy fats in food (including arachidonic acid--one of the omega 6's) = Happy Person

http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Pursuit-of-Happiness.html

You don't need marijuana, but you do need a healthy diet.

Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

2010-01-25T22:34:00.001-06:00

I'll be trying these very soon!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/gluten-free-graham-crackers/?print=1

Fried Plantains

2010-01-25T21:19:00.001-06:00

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/fried-plantains-recipe/index.html

Second time I've made these. Superb recipe. Nice alternative to fried potatoes/chips and could easily accept many dips or spreads like a cracker. I mixed bacon grease with organic palm shortening for my fry oil. The recipe seemed onerous at first, but once you make them once or twice you'll be adept and it will go faster.

Hooray for coconut milk!

2010-01-21T20:53:00.001-06:00

Mary G. Enig, PhD... "Dr. Enig is currently working on the exploratory development of an adjunct therapy for AIDS using complete medium chain saturated fatty acids [MCFAs] from whole foods."

I've been telling my friends that I believe my almost daily consumption of coconut milk is what's keeping me from gettting colds this year. We'll see... what will happen after a few years of this?

10 Reasons to Give Up Grains

2010-01-21T18:42:00.000-06:00

http://nourishedkitchen.com/against-the-grain-10-reasons-to-give-up-grains/

Gluten Free Bread

2010-01-21T17:43:00.000-06:00

This yeasted bread recipe has promise for the future:
http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2007/01/i-am-stubborn-i-dont-give-up.html

Continuing Anti-yeast/mold, allergen elimination diet

2010-01-21T11:33:00.001-06:00

I've been experimenting and had flu for one day, but I got my Yeast Connection Cookbook and I'm diving in again. I'm doing all that I can at this point, even though I know I'll probably have to make conscious "mistakes" as I travel and prepare to move out of state. I'm cooking more, since my diet is now mostly meat, vegetables and gluten-free whole grains. I could do more salads, too, but with dressings limited, I haven't really delved in except for my avocado basil dish, which is a savior when time is short.

My house is a wreck this week. Had no extra help to come in and this diet is using all my dishes! Can't keep up! This morning for "breakfast" I made vegetable soup with beef, wild rice mix, onions, celery root, leeks, onions, garlic, carrots, can of tomatoes and sundry liquids. I cheated on the broth. I used a boxed organic which contains sugar :-(

I'm not sure I can pull this diet off with travel and moving, but the idea is to go toward a rotated diet with continued restrictions and when I have enough attention to give to it, to try to find out which foods I'm actually allergic to. Candida and allergies go hand in hand. The Yeast Connection Cookbook is pretty eye opening--it's got some of the larger pieces to the puzzle.

No itching last night! I think it does take a couple of days for sugar/allergens to get out and quiet the reactions. Takes 90 days to get your allergens totally out of your system. So, I put the pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg up on the top shelf.

With several weeks pretty much on this diet, my taste buds are changing and I love the flavors of the vegetables.

Yesterday:
Baked sweet potato with cinnamon and stevia (packed the potato and stevia to take to my mom's house)
raw cashews
Tulsi tea
ground buffalo sauteed with onion and mild green chilis
almonds - made a batch of sprouted almonds and roasted them in oven
Late last night got the munchies big time--well, I was hungry due to low food intake all day. I had a small spot of leftover coconut yogurt with blueberries and toasted almonds.
Tea: valerian, peppermint, horsetail

Today's diet:
Homemade beef veggie soup with brown/wild rice mix
Dessert: Wild Rice with coconut milk and stevia
a few fresh blackberries
later I'll have the last spot of coconut kefir with lemon juice, more rice, and... sweet potato?

Kids Multi, Vit D and Vit K

2010-01-14T12:53:00.001-06:00

Mercola's
Children's Chewables 3-Pack
3 Month Supply (180 tablets) - 2 bears per day recommended
List Price: $59.91
Your Price: $46.97
You Save: $12.94 (21%)

Sub Total : $46.97
Estimated Shipping : $7.39
Tax : $0.00
ESTIMATED TOTAL : $54.36

30 cents per bear

The reason I like these vitamins is because:
1. No magnesium stearate
2. Correct form of B12 - No cyanocobalamin (a form of B12)
3. Actually has Vit K2 in it! Correction: Does NOT contain K2.
4. Contains bioflavonoids
5. Many minerals I was looking for and zinc + copper. (Selenium, which I tested low for)

If anyone knows of a children's multivitamin that fits this criteria, please let me know. I believe some of the gummy vitamins have potential as they sometimes don't contain stearates, but haven't found one yet that fits my criteria. They often have cyanocobalamin.
---------------------------------
Twinlab D Dots - these do contain Magnesium stearate :-(
Retail price: $15.99
Our price: $7.49
60 tabs
13 cents each
(less than half the cost of a Mercola bear multi)

The main reason I like these Dots:
1. They contain K2, which is difficult to find yet in a product my kids will take.

I will use this product for awhile, but looking for ways to replace it. Butter from grass-fed cows should suffice, but only during times when the grass is actually growing. "Butter oil" is also high in Vitamin K (Weston Price's "Activator X"). Maca appears to have some K in it and potentially other plants. The Butter Oil is more concentrated and therapeutic.
---------------------------------
My approach:

Vit K and D are both very important to me. I figure with my whole foods approach, they are going to get other nutrients in various ways. The Mercola bears contain no Vit K, so I want to give them a D+K Dot also. I give my kids each 1 bear, NOT 2. This makes the 3-pack bottles last for 3 months with 2 kids. This also makes it safe to give them the D + K dot every other day and the total cost is less than had I given them each 2 bears.

1 bear is 1,000 IU of Vit D. So I can give the Twinlab D+K Dot for a total of 2,000 IU of D.

1 bear is contains 0 Vit K, which is the main reason to give the Twinlab dot. My 3 year old is more picky so it is much easier to give her the Vit K this way.

Now, the one hole here is the magnesium stearate in the Twinlab D+K dot, so as soon as I figure out a way to give them Vit K without magnesium stearate, I can drop the dots.

They can get 25 mcg Vit K from the Amazing Grass (adult kind--not the Kidz kind). Check if the product includes Maca. Note that the article below says that Maca is not recommended to give to children.

I don't even give them the Dots every day (see dosage note below). They also get 1 tsp. Cod Liver Oil which supplies 400IU (brands vary) natural vitamin D. Since these are all natural forms (D3) and toxicity has been overestimated, and we take our supplements more regularly during the winter (unfiltered sunlight on skin triggers the body to make Vit D), I'm not worried about overdosing. However, this does mean that a Twinlab D+K dot is not necessary every day, while the Cod Liver Oil is necessary every day, since they must get the EPA and DHA (essential fatty acids).

Please note the Cod Liver Dosing guidelines from Weston A. Price Foundation.
--------------------------

Candida Protocol

2010-01-12T09:07:00.000-06:00

I will be updating this post. I am doing the Candida Diet even though I have no doctor's diagnosis.

1. Digestive Enzymes. I will be taking these for a long time, until I can learn more about how to naturally support my own digestive enzyme production, aside from eating more raw foods (or rather, how to prepare each food so that it is most digestible).

However, there are lots of specific things you can learn about using enzymes in yeast overgrowth treatment.
http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtdieoff.htm

Killing yeast naturally
The natural treatments listed could be applied to other areas of the body, even though this page is aimed at the female vaginal tract.
https://www.msu.edu/~eisthen/yeast/yourself.html

Awesome Avacado

2010-01-11T16:16:00.001-06:00

Fast Un-cooking!

My favorite salad this week

avacado chopped up
lemon juice
olive oil
fresh torn basil leaves
salt, pepper
garlic powder
lots of pine nuts to give it crunch.

shredded coconut

2010-01-11T12:35:00.001-06:00

http://www.vitacost.com/Best-Of-All-Organic-Shredded-Coconut-Medium

This price is better than Let's Do Organic 8 oz. bags at Meijer: I paid $3.69

I also got a large bag on sale at the Edward & Sons website when I was purchasing other products to test.

Maca

2010-01-11T11:17:00.001-06:00

http://www.vitacost.com/Maca-Magic-Maca-Magic-Powder-2-2-lbs

appears much better price than Navitas brand.

Bedwetting

2010-01-08T21:15:00.001-06:00

http://www.naturalenzymes.com/introduction.asp

enuresis

Grande Latte with a shot of Agave Flavors!

2010-01-07T18:50:00.001-06:00

http://www.vitacost.com/Madhava-Organic-Agave-Nectar-Hazelnut

more at

http://www.vitacost.com/Madhava

go decaf! Enjoy!

Candida

2010-01-07T17:09:00.001-06:00

Candida Recipes

Hot Cocoa
1 can coconut milk
1 can water - rinse the coconut can
As much cocoa powder as you want
Optional sweeteners such as KAL Stevia, cinnamon, cayenne pepper

Spoon out most of the cream from the top of the can of coconut milk into a sauce pan. Use a whisk to completely stir in the cocoa powder. After fully combined, whisk in the remaining thick water from the coconut milk and then the can of water. Heat this mixture.

You can sweeten and season each cup of cocoa individually. I put agave syrup and/or blackstrap molasses into my kid's cup. I put KAL stevia into mine. I also like the cinnamon and a tiny bit of cayenne.

Cool leftovers before pouring into a glass jar. You will notice that the extra time will allow the cocoa to absorb more water and act as a thickener. Store in the fridge for up to a few days. Can be used to add to a raw egg smoothie.

TIPS:

SWEETS
A shake or two of salt will make sweet things taste sweeter.

COCOA POWDER and COCONUT FLOUR
If your cocoa powder is chunky, it may not stir in well. So, sift it prior to use. You can sift the whole canister into a bowl, then put it all back into the canister
---------------------------------------------
FISH seasoning: butter (I eat butter which is my only exception to dairy-free)
plus tarragon, onion powder, black pepper and salt.

---------------------------------------------

Probiotic Food

So Delicious brand Coconut Milk Kefir
Blend with fresh sqeezed lemon juice and
stevia.
My idea is to make up a whole quart and store in the fridge with the hopes that with whatever sugar is in the lemon it may get consumed by the cultures.

Vitacost is my store

2010-01-07T16:34:00.001-06:00

I've compared before, and every time it comes out just like vitacost says. For example:

Retail price: $29.19

Our price: $17.40
http://www.vitacost.com/Kal-Pure-Stevia-Extract-Powder

Unfortunately, this week I paid the retail price locally. Could have saved $11.79 and the gas to get there.

Now I'm on the candida diet and I'll be buying the Navitas raw cacao nibs and Navitas raw gelatinized maca powder (can get it also non-gelatinized, but the gelatinized is for me with starch removed)

I highly recommend that if you don't go to food co-op to get your coconut oil, you get it on Vitacost.

Dip for asparagus or fish

2010-01-03T13:06:00.001-06:00

Spear Ecstasy (Asparagus with Lemon-Tarragon Dipping Sauce)
Recipe from Cocktail Food, by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford, published by Chronicle Books

Arrange the asparagus spears in beautiful crystal glasses or silver cups and pour the sauce into a matching glass. This dish is best when the dipping sauce and asparagus are served chilled, so allow time to refrigerate.

Dipping Sauce
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon capers, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
48 (about 2 bunches) asparagus spears, cut into 4-inch lengths
3 cups ice
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

To Make Dipping Sauce: Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, capers, lemon zest, tarragon, onion powder, sugar and pepper together using a whisk. Mix well. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Cook the asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water until tender when pierced with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix the ice, water, and kosher salt together in a large bowl. Remove the asparagus from the steamer and refresh it by plunging it into the ice water. Let sit until cold. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Refrigerate. Serve chilled with the dipping sauce.

Do-Ahead Tips: The dipping sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance amd refrigerated. The asparagus can be prepared 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Serve as directed.

Gluten-Free Grains Overview

2009-12-29T01:47:00.000-06:00

updated post 1/21/2010

Gluten is the sticky, stretchy substance (protein) in breads, activated by wet and agitation (stirring and kneading). It helps hold together the dough, so it's the opposite of crumbly. To improve the structure of gluten free baked goods, add guar or xantham gum. More on Gluten Free Flours including Coconut

Flour Substitution amounts and notes

Gluten Free Price Comparisons

Keep in mind that all grains, seeds and beans should be soaked or lacto-fermented in order to break down their enzyme inhibitors and phytates. However, rice is generally considered the least necessary to soak, so many people use it without soaking.

White and Brown Rice
Millet
*According to Nourishing Traditions, these two should be cooked in gelatinous stock/broth, gently for 2 hours, low heat.

Millet and Teff - Millet is much less expensive than Teff. These are closely related and invariably sold shelled as the husk is extremely hard. Their greatest characteristic is that they swell enormously at least five parts water are needed to one part millet or sorghum. Both have a blandish, slightly nutty taste. They are best cooked and eaten like rice. Millet and sorghum flours produce flattish breads.

Teff (Tef, T'ef) an ancient North African cereal grass, is a nutritional powerhouse. It is the smallest grain in the world (about 100 grains are the size of a kernel of wheat!). The germ and bran, where the nutrients are concentrated, account for a larger volume of the seed compared to more familiar grains. Cooked whole grain teff makes a unique hot breakfast cereal similar in consistency and texture to wheat farina.

Sorghum - some say this is the closest gluten free product to whole wheat. Sorghum Info and Recipe

Flax - soaking is not necessary. Grind it fresh to avoid rancidity/oxidation. VERY good addition to any and all foods as a nutritional supplement. I use a small blade grinder (coffee type) just before adding to recipes. (I have been using this added to all purpose wheat flour--which is not gluten free!-- for fiber while avoiding the rancidity of ground whole wheat.

Arrowroot and Tapioca - both are the ground, dried root of the plants. They are very starchy and are nutritious and digestible. Arrowroot first choice. Tapioca good for thickening fruit pies.

Buckwheat - strong flavor. Not a grain. Very nutritious. Lower in cost similar to Sorghum and just slightly more expensive than rice.

Amaranth and Quinoa are both much more expensive than rice, sorghum, millet, corn, and buckwheat.

Quinoa - good for mother's milk production.

Amaranth - tastes great. Good addition to pancakes and quickbreads for flavor.

Hemp

Beans (Black, Canellini, Fava, Garbanzo, Green Pea) - beans should also be soaked overnight prior to use. I don't use bean flours because I don't digest them well.

Nuts (Almond, Hazelnut) - nut flours are more expensive, but high quality and nutritious and nothing beats their flavor. They are almost in a different category in terms of how they are used in baking.

Potato - Bob's Red Mill makes both Potato flour and potato starch. I use the starch for thickening gravy.

Bob's Red Mill also produces gluten free oats and corn products. Look carefully at the labels. Most oats and corn do contain gluten. The corn is much less expensive than the oats.

*DO* CONTAIN GLUTEN:
wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), Spelt and Kamut contain gluten but are more digestible than wheat. Good for sourdough bread.
Oats
Barley
Rye
Triticale - a cross between wheat and rye

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes Per Day

2009-12-28T23:08:00.001-06:00

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/the-almost-no-knead-baguette-recipe

Update:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/ridiculously-easy-no-knead-sticky-buns-recipe

Gluten Free prices

2009-12-28T22:49:00.001-06:00

In order to compare the cost of various gluten free flours to find out which one is best suited to baking bread on a regular basis, here are many of the prices quoted online on BobsRedMill.com

I did not add coconut flour to the list, because in coconut flour recipes you are using a small amount and bulking up with eggs. It is a much different cost factor.

I didn't include bean flours, because my approach from this point onward is to avoid the beans. Personally, I don't digest them well. Secondly, I want to avoid having to soak/ferment my doughs. Using bean flour to me would mean soaking the dough.

Rice flours seem the all-around best way to go since they don't need to be soaked for digestibility, and they are inexpensive. Other things can be added to rice recipes to give texture and taste: seeds, ground or whole, other grains like millet and gluten-free corn, maybe Masa, maybe gluten free oats, or perhaps the Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Gluten Free Hot Cereal. And, you're usually going to be rounding out your gluten-free recipe with other starches/flours.

Brown Rice Flour
Weight 6.50 lbs
Price: $10.92

Creamy Rice Hot Cereal (cracked brown rice)
Weight 7.00 lbs
Price: $11.76

Sorghum Flour
Weight 6.00 lbs
Price: $12.05

Organic Buckwheat Flour
Weight 6.00 lbs
Price: $12.81

Organic Creamy Rice Hot Cereal
Weight 7.00 lbs
Price: $17.72

Gluten Free Corn Grits
Weight 6.50 lbs
Price: $12.58

Millet Grits Meal
Weight 4.50 lbs
Price: $9.79

Millet Flour
Weight 6.25 lbs
Price: $9.79

----------Starting to get pricey at this point in the list...nearly double those above this line.----------

Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats
Weight 6.50 lbs
Price: $17.99
$2.77 per pound

Gluten Free Rolled Oats
Weight 8.50 lbs
Price: $24.38
$2.86 per pound

Teff grain
Weight 6.50 lbs
Price: $21.89

Teff Flour
Weight 6.50 lbs
Price: $24.53

Organic Amaranth Flour
Weight 6.00 lbs
Price: $27.17

Amaranth Grain
Weight 6.00 lbs
Price: $27.55

Organic Quinoa Flour
Weight 6.00 lbs
Price: $36.36

Organic Quinoa grain
Weight 7.00 lbs
Price: $37.04

B12

2009-12-28T18:53:00.001-06:00

I questioned my friend on types of B12 supplements. Note that Rainbow Light Children's contain the form cyanocobalamin which is not good.
http://www.rainbowlight.com/SearchForm.aspx?Search=kids

I am currently testing the Mercola children's multivitamin on my kids. They don't like to chew it dry, but they will chew it while chasing with juice or crushed and mixed into applesauce.

Thanks to Heather for the following:

---------- Forwarded message ----------

good: hydroxocobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, methylcobalamin. I say "good" because oral B12 is not well absorbed.

bad: cyanocobalamin. detoxing the cyanide negates the benefit of the B12 (and then some) and studies show it's not well retained anyhow.

best: methylcobalamin shots in the butt. I've tried it all and these are the best.

No more Maple Syrup.

2009-12-20T09:21:00.001-06:00

I think we are cutting out maple syrup. The only reason I can see having it here is for Van to have in his yogurt. However, since I can buy the Brown Cow cream top yogurt with maple syrup already in it, I don't think I'll even bother ordering maple syrup again.

-It messes with my blood sugar (pretty significant energy drain shortly after eating it)
-trying to cut down our total sugar intake
-free up space in my fridge
-many other sweeteners available. I'll be using more stevia. Mercola favors stevia over all other natural sweeteners.

Silica notes

2009-12-17T12:11:00.000-06:00

http://www.valleynaturals.com/ct_library_info.html?product=e2660986-0cea-463d-a8f9-a62d5994cde6&showText=1

http://www.vitacost.com/Flora-Vegetal-Silica

Regarding that product: http://www.sunfood.com/buy/1/35/375/Vegetal-Silica--Flora--180-capsules-/0581.aspx

Regarding Silica:

http://www.sunfood.com/buy/1/35/454/Orgono-Living-Silica-33-85-fl--Oz---1-000-ml-/2031.aspx?utm_source=sunfood&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NewCoconutOil

I am adding silica through various supplements to our diet and consider this as important as magnesium, and both of those more important than calcium if you are consuming dairy products. If you are getting calcium in foods, you need only to balance them with magnesium and silica, as it is now known that we don't need high amounts of calcium, rather we only need to have proper ratios.

My new supplement to try

2009-12-11T23:17:00.001-06:00

I'm in the middle of doing my quarterly purchasing from Vitacost (it just seems to work out this way) so I am again reviewing what I'm buying. Now, again on the enzymes. In my yahoo group archives in my gmail (very helpful when I want to go back and research something) I found one idea from a WAPF hotshot that said that enzymes were in fact first on her list for supplements. Go figure. Made me stop and think.

But, I don't have much more time to figure it all out, other than little by little, as I have been incorporating what I learn. So, for tonight, I'm sticking with this:

http://www.vitacost.com/Amazing-Grass

I am buying this product now for MANY reasons. Probably won't remember to list them all.

The digestive enzyme blend may not be the best on the market, but when I add all the components of this product together, it just seems to hit so many bases.

Antioxidants
possibly K2
preobiotics
probiotics
digestive enzymes
Vit C
Spirulina (one of the blu-green algae high in DHA, good for immunity and a bunch of other stuff)
Maca, listed at one of the top 10 by a vegan (I think) raw doctor on sunfood.com, and not the first time I've heard this listed as a top superfood
alkalinizing
acai superfruit

And, generally since this is a whole food rather than an extract, I'm going for it.

I emailed the company and asked about the diff btw. the adult version and the Kidz. I have a powerpoint slide from them which is pretty basic. I am going for the adult version first and will exhaust their flavors before I consdier the Kidz, which doesn't have most of the stuff in the regular version. The reg version comes in Mango-Pomagrante, Berry, and Cacao chocolate.

Losing Weight Ideas

2009-12-10T18:02:00.001-06:00

My mom's husband lost a lot of weight with my mom doing all the cooking; he just ate what she gave him. Here's how it looked:
-She used Dr. Gott's No Flour No Sugar diet as a guide
-He ate LOTS of apples every day (satisfying snack to keep him from eating other refined foods)
-She gained knowledge about Nourishing Traditions and incorporated elements of that.

Another tool to help is anything from Dr. Mercola such as the No Grain diet and Total Health with his tool (online also) to help you figure out if you are a Carb Type, Protein Type or Fat Type. Most people are protein types. This pertains to the correct ratio of the three macronutrients each person needs.

A coconut diet such as Eat Fat Lose Fat (many see this as a Nourishing Traditions introduction)- coconut fat takes more energy to burn than it provides. Coconut meat also contains lots of fiber (I have a hard time digesting large amounts). Coconut fat is anti viral, anti bacterial

• Anti-bacterial.

• Anti-fungal.

• Anti-viral.

• Healthy source of saturated fats (I believe they say Medium Chain Fatty Acids MCLA's)

Coconut is:

• Rich in electrolytes.

• Alkalinizing -- improves metabolism.

• Increases energy.

Coconut Flour recipes often have lots of eggs, which makes the products high in protein and fiber. I believe eggs to be the most accessible, inexpensive and nutrient rich food most of us can acquire.

Atkins diet ends up focusing on too many processed, particularly sweeteners, and also fats then when you end up cheating you are used to having sweets and fats, so you get into trouble. Speaking from experience here. The rebounds are worse, because you think of it as quick weight loss and the habits it steers you towards don't work long term.

Mercola has very good protein powder shakes. These can be the quick and easy way to do breakfast. Personally, I prefer to make my own protein shake with raw eggs and coconut milk (dairy free). And, I also believe it would be better to have a large breakfast and small dinner. Many people do have the desire for late night snacks, but since your body grows (children) or repairs (adults) while you sleep, it's better to not be digesting food. DH and I like to have a cup of tea with a TV-snack so we eat less food. I guess TV itself is something that gets me to eat. Maybe more sex would cover all the bases for general health LOL

Choline

2009-12-03T10:17:00.001-06:00

Choline: Memory? Brain? Cancer prevention? Nervous system building and function? Metabolism.

Important for pregnant women to get choline.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/11/12/eggs-part-one.aspx

http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2008/12/03/can-eating-eggs-while-pregnant-reduce-your-childs-risk-of-breast-cancer.aspx

http://www.lewis-labs.com/products/facts/brewers-yeast-facts.htm

http://krilloil.mercola.com/krill-oil-kids.html

Vitamin D updates - recent

2009-12-01T22:21:00.001-06:00

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/01/Important-New-Vitamin-D-Research-Papers.aspx

See the grassroots thing about how you can get the tests. What I'm going to do is wait until I go into see a doctor, take the kids with me and add this to our list of concerns for that visit to maximize the cost of my insurance co-pays. I have to go for follow up to a family doctor whom I like and is natural-health-friendly, and I'll take in a copy of this page and get the right tests. I like the idea that you test a couple of times for the first couple years and then you will have a sense (with continued similar sun-bathing habits) of what your body needs.

So, until then, this winter, I'll be continuing D3 drops for us since we get no sun (and we're sporadic a couple of times per week anyway).

More Recent updates:
http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/clarifications.html

Capsules: cheap super foods

2009-12-01T20:37:00.001-06:00

Why didn't this occur to me before? I have a big tub of gelatin
capsules, which are inexpensive. And a cupboard full of spices that I
know are really great stuff, per natural foods info everywhere on the
'Net, but even if I make an Indian currie once in a while I don't
actually get enough of to improve my health. Like Tumeric, which
Mercola.com is selling. Why not encapsulate some garlic, tumeric,
cinnamon, etc. and just start taking those, maybe on rotation, as
great antioxidants and for all those numerous health benefits we've
been hearing about?! Hmm, bring on the tumeric.

Molasses Cookies

2009-11-23T15:21:00.000-06:00

Finally, a homemade cookie that Van said he really liked.

Molasses Cookies
Wholesome Sweeteners

Ingredients:

¾ cup organic butter

I subbed 1/2 cup cane sugar and 1/2 cup very dark brown sugar (which I mix by hand)
1 cup Wholesome Sweeteners’ Organic SUCANAT

1 cage-free egg, beaten

1/3 cup Wholesome Sweeteners’ Organic Blackstrap Molasses

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoon baking soda

On these three spices, I used only 1/2 tsp each:

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoon ginger

1 tablespoon ground cloves (optional)

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Wholesome Sweeteners' Organic Sugar (for sprinkling)

Directions :

Cream together butter & sugar, add egg and beat thoroughly. Add molasses, salt, soda, cinnamon, ginger & cloves. Gradually mix in flour, mixture will be very thick. Using a teaspoon or cookie dropper, drop onto a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with organic sugar. Bake 7-9 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

8 minutes was perfect.
These flatten out and are soft and slightly chewy.

Yields 4 dozen cookies.

Dough can be refrigerated for at least one hour and rolled out to use cookie cutters.

Stop Bleach

2009-11-20T13:40:00.001-06:00

Neutralize the chlorine in the water with 16 oz of Hydrogen Peroxide
(3%). Test for chlorine: more Hydrogen Peroxide may be needed.

WARNING: Hydrogen Peroxide, 3% U.S.P.,
For external use, topically to the skin and mucous membranes.
Keep out of eyes.
http://www.rhtubs.com/chlorine.htm

This page
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/neutralizingdischarge.shtml
also recommends hydrogen peroxide directly in relation to fiber/cloth.

More Essential Oils

2009-11-19T18:21:00.000-06:00

Read all Essential Oils posts by clicking on the label to the left or at the end of this post.

Thieves':

http://www.secretofthieves.com/

http://www.kitchendoctor.com/essays/four_thieves.php

http://www.advance-health.com/fourthievesvinegar.html

Garlic for Anthrax (and just about everything else):

http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/anthrax_cures.htm

Mint Oil:

Peppermint Oil is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal!

http://www.crosbymintfarm.com/various-uses/

No menthols on babies younger than 6 months.

Headaches

Peppermint may ease headaches and migraines. Apply a rub to temple area in circular motion and across the forehead. For migraines, wet hair and put 4-5 drops into your hand and massage into the scalp.

Sinus Problems

Peppermint is very useful in reducing sinus congestion when added to a bowl of steaming or boiling water. A rub may be applied to chest, back of neck area, and behind ears. A few drops of oil in a vaporizer at night will help ease congestion as well.

Digestive System

Peppermint oil can help relax the muscles of the digestive tract to relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. One drop of peppermint oil on a sugar cube or used in tea may help relieve intestinal cramps.

Body Muscles & Arthritis

Peppermint oil is soothing to sore muscles when added to a hot bath or massage oil. Use this to soothe arthritis pain. Mix 4-5 drops of oil into 1 ounce of lotion and/or massage carrier oil.

Feet

Applied full strength, or mixed with a carrier oil, peppermint oil may relieve swollen feet and may reduce and assist in healing blisters, cuts, or athlete's foot by killing bacteria.

Women Only

Relieve menstrual or abdominal cramps, add 1-2 drops of peppermint oil on a sugar cube or into an 8 ounce glass of water and drink. A toothpick dipped in oil works great for tea or water. Also helps to relieve Hot Flashes!

Flu Season?

For a sore throat, sparingly dip a cotton swab into mint oil and carefully apply to the back of the tongue area. Relieve congestion by rubbing a few drops of peppermint oil on chest & covering with warm compress.

Add a few drops of mint oil to the water of a humidifier or vaporizer to keep it smelling fresh and kill germs.

Creamy Corn Pudding

2009-11-16T20:27:00.001-06:00

Here's one of the recipes I'm probably making for Thanksgiving potluck, in honor of the corn which Native Americans helped the Pilgrims learn to grow. America's Test Kitchen specifies that you do use fresh corn, not frozen. However, it's not in season. Oh, well. Probably frozen organic corn is what I'm going with. I think my tasty farm fresh eggs will carry a lot of flavor.

Creamy Corn Pudding
The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

this is my quick adaptation

6 ears fresh corn
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne (depending on your spices, this may be too much. I have some that only takes barely a dash--a very tiny pinch--in order to have some effect. For a family dinner, I'm only going to use a tiny amount.)
1 and 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 quarts boiling water (for baking)

My Note: I will probably go for a full-on custard by using another egg or two and eliminate the corn starch. I would guess the cornstarch would be good if you think your corn is watery, but that's why you pre-cook the corn. I may even try this with coconut milk for a dairy free version.

1. Grate one ear of corn on a box grater. Use a paring knife to slice the corn off the other 5 husks. Capture as much milk from the corn into the bowl as possible.

2. On lower-middle shelf of oven put roasting pan. Here, I diverge again from the recipe. I heat my water as I'm heating the oven instead of pouring boiling water into the roasting pan. I think this is a preference in what you consider more safe and convenient. Moving hot water around is tricky either way. Heat oven to 350 F.

Butter an 8x8 inch square baking dish. (I prefer Pyrex.)

3. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in pan and cook corn until it turns brighter yellow and liquid is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, salt, sugar and cayenne. Continue cooking until mixture is thickened and a spoon leaves a trail when dragged across the pan, about 5 minutes.

4. Wisk the eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk and cornstarch. Stir in the corn mixture. Pour into buttered baking dish.

5. Set the baking dish into hot water in the roasting pan. Water should be halfway up the side of the square baking dish. Bake until the custard is browned lightly in spots, 20-25 minutes. The center should be soft but set up like gelatin. Allow custard to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Spinach Dip

2009-11-16T20:10:00.001-06:00

All I want for Christmas is some gluten and dairy. Ha! Well, okay, I can do some substitutes but I'm strategizing a way to replace the Knorr Vegetable Soup, Dip and Recipe Mix, which contains Hydrolized protein (corn, soy, wheat), MSG, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavors, spcie and sulfur dioxide. Here's my idea:

To replace the Knorr Vegetable Dip:

Just Veggies: dehydrated carrots, corn, peas, bell peppers and tomatoes
Celery chopped fine
celery seed
dried onion flakes
garlic powder
to thicken: potato starch
RealSalt
Brewer's yeast?
sugar
turmeric
-------------------
FOR RECIPE:

10 oz. frozen spinach, drained, chopped fine (use Rachel's frozen spinach trick)
1 container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions
-------------------
Pumpernickel bread bowl and extra bread, crackers and cucumber rounds for dipping.

Price Comparison

2009-11-10T12:21:00.001-06:00

Unfortunately, the prices differences are per-item when comparing co-op to vitacost (or as I've noticed with any two food outlets). If you have to pinch pennies, check each item. I just checked same brand of Nature's Answer Horsetail and it was lower through vitacost than with UNFI.

----------
Posted By Rachel to Livingston Foods Family Food Co-op at 10/21/2009 10:16:00 AM

UNFI p.103
177113 NATIVE Coconut Milk, OG $22.91 (approximate cost with LF discounts and member markup)

vitacost.com, which has very good prices was $29.12 for a case. Again, an example that shows Livingston Foods has low prices!

--

Tuesday Nov 11, 2009

2009-11-10T11:42:00.000-06:00

My day:

2-egg Raw Protein Shake with canned coconut milk option
homebrewed chickory tea with Blue Diamond Almond Milk
blackberries
couple of small xylitol candies (as I was cleaning them up off my carpet)

Annie's Gluten Free Rice Mac and Cheese... I'm splurging because Meredith opened it and dumped it all over and I'm salvaging it. I'm mixing it with a 7 oz. can of Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna (Costco). Did you know Chunk Light is better for you than Albacore?

Ordering my coconut oil and more farm eggs from co-op today.

Planning to go to the park so I'll try to feed the kids before we go and pack a small snack and water bottles.

My Diet: Natural, Low-Carb, Dairy Free...

2009-11-09T15:55:00.000-06:00

"So What DO You Eat?"

I'm a busy mom and I'll try to prove it to you what I actually eat and what my kids eat.

The truth is that we're all over the map. I consider us to be informed by nutrient dense nutritional advice. I try to keep us to this at home, but when we go out we choose the "lesser of two evils" or the "better choice." Sure, I want to be raw, grain free and traditional diet, BUT here is where the rubber meets the road.

Me (not my husband or children):
I probably eat the highest organic and natural and certainly the best diet out of the four of us. This is just discipline, my palate is easier to please, etc. I am now Dairy Free (pretty strict) and
Gluten Free. I am mostly Grain free and low sugar due to going Low Carb. I eat less sugar than average American and for sure I use the better forms of sugar whenever possible.
AT HOME I try to keep us "Natural" (as low processed as possible, free of preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, MSG and all hiding MSG).
The things I say "No" to most often to the kids are artificial colors or "too much sugar" because I want them to learn this. They also hear me say, "Eat a grow food first," or "Choose a protein food first."
Nutrient Dense as I am able to work it in, usually in the form of supplements and locally farmed chicken eggs.
All of us eat some fast food like Wendy's (I shoot for less than once per week) or maybe a dinner out. My husband and I love eating out Lebanese, Greek, Indian, Thai and Sushi.
We do not have any boxed cereals in the house. We do compromise with some crackers. I read all labels looking at the oils and types of grains and flours used as well as things hidden in "natural flavors" etc.
Stay away from unsoaked grains, but the kids do get some white breads, usually because of eating out of the house.

Fats: This is the most important thing. In the house, we have no trans fats, and I focus on lots of saturated fat. I mostly use butter, coconut oil and grapeseed oil. If it's not being cooked I use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil).

Next moves:
- brew more teas to keep in the fridge for on-the-go
- Stick to a budget. Plan is to have a lump of cash to use for groceries, co-op, fast food and supplements. This will encourage me to stay away from fast food so I can get the things I really want.
- We'll be packing our lunches more and drinking more tea.
- Continue to discover how I can cook or prepare foods less and less. Trying to find the quickest ways to eat whole foods.
-Current challenge for me: Lose Weight on Low Carb.

So, now you want to know what I DO eat!?

Monday Nov 9, 2009

Me: My Raw Protein Shake, few bites of Not Green Stuff (recipe just posted)
Kids 5yo and 3yo: Thomas Original English muffins with Philly cream cheese
3yo: being a "school lunch day" and since I pack her a lunch too even though she's not in school, she didn't finish her english muffin and chose to eat her Annie's chocolate bunny graham's but she ate more of the english muffin later. I will probably spare you a lot of the details for her in the future.
I volunteered in son's classroom and went home for lunch
me: More Not Green Stuff with some soaked pecans, 4 raw almonds, 2 small hamburger patties with yellow mustard (grass fed beef this time)
Cold coffee drink: almond milk and water with decaf instant coffee
3yo: grass-fed hamburger with a white processed bun, slider size with organic ketchup
I drove to food co-op and then to pick up son from school.
me: 2 dried sweetened mango slices
3yo: banana
5yo school lunch today (he ate it all): 4 oz. V-8 juice, drink box of Almond Milk, 3 slices of Hormel Natural turkey lunch meat, Cream Top Brown Cow yogurt 8oz size flavored, snack bag of Annie's bunny grahams, banana.
3yo: Clif Nectar bar and 2 Fruitabu grape fruit strips, then 1/2 cup Lifeway strawberry Kefir
5yo: one fruit strip and 2 cups of same Kefir

Me dinner: sauteed mushrooms in butter w/ sea salt, half pound wild-caught whitefish broiled with lemon and butter, sea salt, pepper and dried dill. I also added too many carbs finishing up some Fruits of the World juice mixed with grape juice. I will probably have some tea tonight and who knows. Day 1 going low carb, getting into ketosis MAYBE so I'll try to resist any more carbs tonight.

Pineapple Coconut Creme

2009-11-07T15:35:00.000-06:00

A.K.A. Not Green Stuff
serving size approx. 1/2 cup (or slightly more), contains approx. 28 g fat

Inspiration: That green fluffy stuff at holiday potlucks, the ones with pistachio pudding, marshmallows, nuts... whatever that stuff is. But this one is oh, so much better! And very easy!

COPYRIGHT: Rachel Ernst 2007

13.5 oz can Organic Whole coconut milk (Whole Fat "Classic" unsweetened. brand recommendations: Natural Value, Native Forest, 365)
8 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice
1 and 1/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened, dried coconut flakes (brands: Let's Go Organic!)
1 to 2 teaspoons natural almond extract
optional: Crispy Nuts--Pecans for garnish
optional: additional sweetener
optional: Green food coloring (brands: Seelect http://www.seelecttea.com/index.php?cPath=41)

Mix all ingredients except nuts in 1 quart container and refrigerate overnight. Serve with pecans on top.

More Coconut Oil

2009-11-04T13:03:00.000-06:00

Uses for coconut oil:

-Absorb it through your skin
-Buy a natural nut butter and pour out the oil. Replace the same amount of oil with coconut oil and mix it back in. Refrigerate to keep it mixed.
-Use it for greasing pans and cookie sheets
-

Pets:
Rub oil thinly over palms and pet the dog to give him a shiny coat.

Gluten Free Flour

2009-11-04T11:36:00.001-06:00

There are two routes to take for gluten-free baking, and I use either approach depending on what I want to make:

Approach #1 Coconut Flour
Coconut - fabulously versatile as coconut oil, milk, shredded and flour. You'll need a cookbook for the coconut flour. Recommend Bruce Fife's Cooking with Coconut Flour. The recipes often have a lot of egg added so they qualify as high protein and high fiber. I have to be careful not to eat more than 2 coconut flour muffins in a day because it gives me gas--high fiber. But, it's great for a high protein chocolate cake now and then. Everything in moderation.

Approach #2 Mixed Flour to emulate All-Purpose Flour
In this approach the goal is to use a blended flour product which replaces All Purpose (AP) wheat flour ("white flour") or "whole wheat flour" in recipes you are already familiar with. Recipes have to be experimented with, of course, or just use recipes that use similar gluten free flours. However, this is not suitable for traditional gluten-containing breads. Gluten free bread will need added egg to hold it together, and a different ratio of ingredients. It will also not attain the same texture as wheat or rye.

A basic blend of flours will produce similar results in most recipes such as cookies and muffins. I'm learning and figuring out my main solution for convenience and price. Looking at most of the gluten free baking mixes (cookies, cakes, etc.) and Bob's All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour mixture, plus recipes, what it comes down to is a simple formula:

-A high protein flour, which usually comes from beans or a gluten free grain, or sorghum
-Added starch such as potato, arrowroot or tapioca flour
-Possibly some form of bran to emulate whole grain wheat flour, like in the form of seeds/grains with the hull on--I plan to start trying the addition of ground flax seeds
-guar or xantham gum, to improve texture and thicken

At one health food store, I compared the price of Bob's Red Mill AP flour with the other flours that are components. I decided that it would be less expensive to just mix my own. The only trick then is which flours and how much of each? Well, my approach will be cheapest flours that will work and give me the best textures, but also avoiding the bean flours since they represent something that should have been soaked but wasn't. So, my flour will not only be cheaper but also more digestible and nutritive.

I will be using what I have in my freezer, which is white rice flour, arrowroot flour, flax seeds and guar gum. Once I find time for making pizza again, I'll try Pat's thin crust recipe already posted in my Gluten-Free Pizza post.

Avacado frosting

2009-11-02T22:14:00.001-06:00

Avacado frosting!?

http://www.hulu.com/watch/46198/good-eats-kidz-kitchen-with-alton-brown?c=146.494

Some great recipe links

2009-11-02T19:18:00.001-06:00

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/swedish-meatballs-recipe/index.html

recipezaar.com

101cookbooks.com

Fwd: Growing Old is Becoming An Option-Not an Inevitability

2009-10-31T11:44:00.001-05:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bill Harris <bill@centerpointe.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 7:55 AM
Subject: Growing Old is Becoming An Option-Not an Inevitability
To: rachelernst

Dear Rachel,

Do you want to grow old? Me either.

That's why I was so excited about the Nobel Prize winners
for medicine in 2009. You see, they have discovered
something that changes the way we look at aging. It all
deals with something called telomeres.

What are your telomeres?

Well, I asked Dr. Al Sears, board-certified anti-aging
doctor, to give us the details. Here's what he says...

Telomeres are genetic "caps" over the ends of your
chromosomes. Each time your cells divide, your telomeres
get shorter. And when your telomeres run down, cell
division stops and your life ends. Never before has it been
possible to reverse this process.

But, for the first time ever, we have the ability to activate
the enzyme that rebuilds your telomeres. This enzyme is
called telomerase. It's in every cell of your body but is often
turned off. Telomerase makes your telomeres longer. That
means your cells could actually get younger as time goes by.

Simply said, telomerase turns back the hands of time.

Now, most doctors had never heard of it before the Nobel Prize
announcements.

A group of scientists stumbled upon it just ten years ago.
They watched in awe as generation after generation of cells
multiplied...without aging.

As one top researcher put it in a Harvard report, "with this
switch turned on, these cells become 'immortalized'."

Until very recently, no one knew how to activate it. Today
they do.

For the first time ever, you can slow down and even
reverse aging.

You'll be in the front row as Dr. Sears and a team of
leading anti-aging experts walk you through the process
in his brand-new DVD.

Imagine . . .

Hitting the "Century Mark"... with energy to burn
Watching your great-great grandchildren grow up... and
having the strength and vigor to keep up with them, every
step of the way
Leading a rich, active life well into your "twilight years"...
out on the golf course, working in the garden, visiting
with family and friends... without ever being
"housebound" because of old age.

Now imagine a cutting-edge technology that works with
your body to...

Ramp up your sex drive
Boost your resistance to disease
Sharpen your vision
Make your skin more youthful

That technology has finally arrived. It's called TA-65.
Simply put, it's the greatest breakthrough in the history of
anti-aging medicine.

You're Invited to the Anti-Aging Event of the Year.

Last October a select group flew in from across the
country to hear about the new TA-65 science—from Dr.
Sears himself. With good reason: he's the first doctor
in the US licensed to provide TA-65 to the public.

At $500 a ticket, it was a pretty exclusive event. That's
why Dr. Sears hired a top-flight video production crew to
film it. He wanted to be able to bring the latest in anti-aging
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Consider this a formal invitation to Dr. Sears's TA-65
Seminar. Go to:
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Show up whenever you want—with the push of a button.
No need for a plane ticket or the cost of a hotel.

Not only will you have in hand the secrets behind TA-65's
rejuvenating power. Dr. Sears shows you 6 simple steps to
activate your anti-aging gene—right away.

You'll also hear from people whose immortality gene is
already "switched on."

In fact, Dr. Sears and his colleagues are personally
undergoing this historic anti-aging treatment themselves.
They'll share with you the changes they've seen in a matter
of months, from sharper vision to enhanced mental powers.
You'll hear about people like Bob Hayes. At 82, he
regularly runs 50-mile races—and bests competitors half
his age.

Or Helen Klein. She just broke the world record for
marathoners aged 85-90—by over an hour.

You'll learn the secret to their health and longevity from one
of the leading anti-aging researchers in the country, Dr Bill
Andrews.

And you'll discover what one of the top anti-aging specialists
calls "the single most promising approach to reversing the
effects of aging."

Have a Look at the Evidence that TA-65 Is Working For
People Like You.

Check out these stories. They're from everyday people
like you:

"I was amazed when I saw my 6 month results. My
immune health markedly improved."
Anita Gross, 67
Anacortes, WA

"My telomeres got longer by 100 base pairs at 3 months
and an additional 100 base pairs at 6 months. "
Bob Waskom, 69
Pacific Northwest

"I was already a competitive athlete when I began [taking
TA-65]. My regular 30-mile bike ride—with a 4000-foot
climb—took me 2 hours and 20 minutes. After 3 months
on TA-65 it went down to 2 hours. And, by the way, my
skin is more supple. My skin elasticity, as measured by a
Cutometer, improved."
Shelby Blackburn, 45
Redwood City, CA

"As an aging human taking TA-65, I was hoping for
measurable improvements at the end of the year long
Protocol. As a practicing MD, am surprised at the
improvement in my immune system after only 6 months.
The percentage of my "old" or "senescent"
(CD28-negative) T-cells compared to the total population
of cytotoxic T-cells went down from 11 percent to 6 percent.
Normally the ratio goes the other way with age and if this holds
up at one year, that would be a very significant result."
Salomon Pustilnik, MD 50
Mexico

Dr. Sears has been talking about telomeres and health for
years. Modern science is beginning to catch on.

We now know that telomere length is a key indicator of
your overall health. The latest evidence from the most highly
regarded sources keeps mounting...

Aging/Los Angeles Times...

Your risk of heart attack increases the faster your telomeres
break down. Scientists looked at people in perfect health...
who later died from heart disease. They found the death rate
from heart attack was three times higher for men whose
telomeres got short the fastest. The death rate for women
was 2.3 times higher. (2009)

Journals of Gerontology

100 year olds in good health had "significantly longer"
telomeres than those with health problems. (2008)

American Heart Association

People with shorter telomeres in their immune cells had
twice the risk of death from heart failure as patients with
the longest telomeres. The study, published in one of its
key journals, looked at over 750 people with heart disease.
The highest-risk group had telomeres half the length of the
lowest-risk group. (2008)

Psychosomatic Medicine

Women with shorter telomeres are more likely to be
overweight and insulin resistant. (2008)

American Association for Cancer Research

One of its flagship journals published a potential link
between telomere length and colon cancer. (2006)

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

People with short telomeres are more likely to suffer from
weaker immune systems and greater heart disease risk. (2004)

And here's the kicker: last year the prestigious journal
Lancet backed up Dr. Sears's 6 steps to switch on your
immortality gene.

It came in a study run by Dr. Dean Ornish. He found that
the same lifestyle changes you'll find in Dr. Sears' TA-65
Seminar can boost your telomerase levels by 29 percent.

Get Started on the Path to Agelessness Today.

You can see just how important your "immortality gene"
is to your life and health. You really can switch it on.
People across the country have already done it—and
they're seeing the changes for themselves.

Find out what you can do to start "growing younger" right
in your own home. Watch Dr. Sears' TA-65 Seminar.

Go to:
http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=89261&AdID=462843

By the way, you'll enjoy a number of advantages over the
people that came last October.

Unlike them, you'll be able to...

• Enjoy Dr. Sears' presentation with full sound and
picture—in DVD quality...

• Hit "Pause" and review the key points you'll want to
know—whenever you want...

• Take a "refrigerator break" without missing a word...

In addition to TA-65 science, you'll have in hand the 6
simple steps to activate your anti-aging gene—right away.

Those who came to this event in person paid $500 per
seat. Now, you can have exclusive access to the most
exciting advancement of anti-aging medicine in history…

....for only $69.97.

If you want to learn about how you can stop and even
reverse your genetic aging clock, I suggest you pick up
your copy today.

At least take a look by going to:
http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=89261&AdID=462843

Be well,

Bill

Centerpointe Research Institute

1700 NW 167th Place, Suite 220
Beaverton, OR 97006-4872

Economical Coconut Milk: Mix Your Own

2009-10-27T10:26:00.001-05:00

To water down a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (Classic full fat) to the same amount of fat per cup as the So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage, I would have to add enough water to 13.5 oz to make 13.33 cups. (There are 8 cups in the half gallon of So Delicious. There is more fat in a single can of coconut milk than in the half gallon of So Delicious).

In my taste test, I didn't want to water it down that much. I added enough water to a can in order to make a half gallon of beverage.

Benefits of Mix-Your-Own:
-Half the price. Compare $1.55/can or $3.59/half gal. Beverage
-More fat, MCFAs (Medium Chain Fatty Acids) in the can as compared to the half gal. beverage
-No added vitamins or minerals in the can.
-No sugar in the can (You can add sweetener of your choice).

Benefits of boxed Beverage:
-Tastes sweeter due to added cane juice
-Thicker mouth feel due to added carrageenan
-Convenience: no mixing or opening a can.
-Convenience: May find it readily available in the refrigerator section at the store.
-Added vitamins, similar to that of commercial cow's milk

Could try adding xantham or guar gum to mix-your-own.

I had to explore the price and taste of these products since I consume a lot of coconut milk. But for me, I like the canned better and it takes up less space in my fridge since I do not mix it with water ahead of time. I use what I want I want in my morning smoothie and just add water. I do not want the additional calcium and sugar of the boxed Beverage. Finally, price wins out too, as it is twice the price for the boxed Beverage. I'm sticking with the canned as much as possible. I order mine by the 12-can case from UNFI through my local food buying club (co-op). Even if paying a higher price per can at the grocer, the canned would still be less expensive.

My next step is to get a hold of some of the boxed coconut cream and try mixing that with water. I haven't had it before, but a friend tells me it works great and is much less expensive. I'm guessing it's comparable to using a can of coconut milk. In the past I've noticed that the price comparison between coconut milk and coconut oil works out comparably when comparing servings based on fat (the most important nutrient in these coconut products such as milk, oil, and cream). I keep coconut oil for cooking, but for consuming straight (as a supplemental or as whole food, depending on how you look at it) I prefer coconut milk, as it provides much more mouth satisfaction in smoothies, drinks, etc.

Humidifier and vaporizer

2009-10-22T01:18:00.000-05:00

http://www.google.com/products?q=vicks+vaporizer&btnG=Search+Products&scoring=pd
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/appliances/humidifiers-dehumidifiers/
http://www.google.com/products?q=warm+humidifier&btnG=Search+Products&show=dd

I've used all basic types for years.

Cool mist will not heat up the room. These are either paper filter with fan or ultrasonic. A cool mist seems to cool a room, which is not something I want in the winter time.

I personally like the extra heat of a warm mist because the whole house can be lower temp at night while we sleep in a room with a warm mist. Seems like that would save energy overall.

I DO NOT like the kind with a paper filter--Cool Mist type. You must add the chemical to the water each time to inhibit the growth of mold on the filter. This is a pain and seems like a waste with the filter, etc. Also, this must have a fan to draw the air through the filter, and that means noisy. As it gets older the fan will get noisier.

Ultrasonic - I love this idea. I used one from a friend many years ago from some place like Hammacher Schlemmer or something and it worked great. I then bought an ultrasonic with a pink colored tank from Sunbeam (?), but this one didn't work as well. The main problem was
heavy condensation on the floor after a night of use. Ultrasonic is the quietest (although I don't know if some of them have a fan, therefore noise, but if you do find one with a fan you might want it because I think the fan would move the moisture into the air and avoid the condensation problem). I'm sure it's a physics problem to get cold water molecules into the air with as much loft as heated water molecules--but then I'm not a physicist.

I like the noise of the boiling water better than a fan. It sounds more like a waterfall. That's just one more reason to like steam humidifiers/vaporizers.

Steam units come in the cheaper $12 variety which are great if you need it to be cheap.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-1809699-8268116?ASIN=B000ILHMRK&AFID=Froogle&LNM=B000ILHMRK|Vicks_1.5Gallon_Vaporizer_with_NightLight_V150&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B000ILHMRK&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001

Pay attention to number of gallons the tank holds as this affects the amount of time the unit will run through the night (an important factor, see below). If you use it nightly, plan for it to burn out in one season/year and replace it next year. By burnout I simply mean "not work anymore." Depends also on your water minerals content as they do build up. You can make it last longer by following the vinegar clean regimen, but I find it difficult and wasteful of vinegar because of the way you have to submerge the unit in vinegar. I do NOT like to deal with cleaning and filling these as they are bulky to get under a faucet and unwieldy when filled with water. I suggest plunking down $30 for the larger tank variety.

Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp85433_334918_sespider/vicks/warm_mist_humidifier.htm
http://www.target.com/Vicks-Warm-Mist-Humidifier-V-745A/dp/B000ILFPVA/ref=sc_ri_2/601-1809699-8268116

This 2-gallon Vicks is the one I have right now. I actually own 2 because I liked it. Works great to give you a full night of steam. Also has a cup for medications and I assume you COULD put essential oils like eucalyptus in it. I like the easy way to fill the tank and see how much water is
remaining. FILLING THIS TANK IS EASY in the bathtub.

You might notice if you sleep in a room with humidifier that in the early a.m. hours if the humidifier runs out of water that you wake up with sinuses just as dry as if you had not run it at all. That's because the house furnace will run most in the early a.m. when it's coldest, so any humidity added to the air in the early part of the night will just get taken out of the air very quickly by the furnace. The lesson here is that if your humidifier is not making it through the whole night til you wake up in the morning, then just turn the humidifier on later in the night, say just before you go to bed or during a nighttime breastfeeding or nightwaking time. You should be able to get through the night with any humidifier (even the $12 Vicks kind) if you start it at 11 p.m. You might run out of water if you are adding salt (again, with the $12 steam type like the Vaporizer) and if it is boiling too rapidly.

I also have a whole house humidifier. Can't remember how much these cost. $60? $200? But, for me it's totally worth it. Without it my skin is unbearably dry and so are my sinuses. With it, I don't have to run a room humidifier every night. The unit gets installed onto your furnace and needs a small water line going to it. A crafty hubby can install it (mine did anyway). We install one immediately onto any home we move into. Remember to turn it off when you use air conditioning. This also needs a new filter about 2x per year due to mineral buildup (it's a metallic filter). Can buy this at Home Depot. This keeps a baseline humidity in our house. The wood floors shrink very noticeably without it running. With it running, they still shrink a little during
the winter due to drying. Sometimes I still run humidifiers in our bedroom at night, esp. when someone is sick or during very cold weather when the furnace runs more.

I have done periods of time when I had to saturate the air in order to get through that dry period during the early a.m. with the furnace running. Problem here is that the windows get very wet. It was a pain, but eventually I accepted that I just had to make it a morning routine
to wipe down the windows so that damage wasn't being done. It can drip down and even get onto your drywall. The black mold is very difficult to remove (I never used chemicals on it). Do NOT use vinegar on the mold. Molds can thrive in an acidic environment.

No matter which one you use, be sure to aim the jet of moistened air away from furniture and walls and do some testing to see if things are wet in the a.m.

You will be buying extra vinegar to clean the steam unit. You can get a big jug at Costco.

CHILD SAFETY TIP:
The $12 variety of Vaporizer has a VERY hot contact point which is exposed and easy to have little ones burn themselves. Not so much a problem with a baby in a crib, but a big problem for any child within reach of it. Again, another reason to like either a cold mist (which I don't like), or to compromise with the warm mist (see above or again at this link:
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp85433_334918_sespider/vicks/warm_mist_humidifier.htm
The reason here is that while a steam burn is possible, it's not as likely. There isn't a direct contact point with the heating element. There is a taller plastic chamber on the left side of the unit and the steam travels up it so by the time it reaches the top it is already mixing with some air. It would be unlikely but possible for little hands to reach down further but I have never had my kids do that, because I've taught them the word "HOT" at an early age. However, all units need to cool down after shutoff to be safe as they will have hot water in them. I found that the larger Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier -V-745A I've felt safer with, while the $12 vaporizer feels really unsafe to me. Even the fan on a cool mist makes me nervous. The Ultrasonic seems safest since there's no fan and no boiling water.

I've used a waterproof crib pad on a dresser with an additional towel on top of that and then the unit on top of that. However, I was sleeping in the same room and always mindful of it and kept the cord blocked by the dresser. Having the removable tank for filling was a big bonus because I didn't have to unplug the unit each time like you likely would with a $12 vaporizer.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amanda Date: Tue, Jan 15, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Subject: Re: [motheringcircle] humidifier
To: motheringcircle@yahoogroups.com

Just one note on ultrasonic humidifiers - if your child has asthma or you suspect may have asthma, you may want to avoid ultrasonic humidifiers. Ultrasonic humidifiers break down the water molecules ultra fine and therefore can be breathed deeper into the lungs. The issue is that broken down with that water are also small pieces of particulate (minerals, etc) that are
found in water that can irritate sensitive lungs. As an asthmatic child they always recommended having humidifiers going to keep the bronchial tubes moist so my parents decided to invest in an ultrasonic one year. That year I had pneumonia 5 (yes FIVE) times. The 5th time landed me in the hospital for a week. Nearly the first words out of the specialist when he came in to investigate why I was suffering from pneumonia so much was "do you have an ultrasonic
humidifier at home?" I am not sure if things have changed a lot since then but at that time they highly advised against an ultrasonic humidifier for people with lung issues such as asthma. Just thought I would through that out as food for thought.

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UPDATE:
Here's a link from Google Ad as "#1 Humidifier in Europe":
http://www.venta-airwasher.com