naturopathic doctor

Strawberry Energy Bites Recipe

July 3, 2022/in Healthy Recipes

The hardest part for my clients is giving up sugar, sweets, and desserts. So I like to offer alternatives to dessert that contains cleaner ingredients. Most cakes, cookies, or any sweets contain either genetically engineered corn syrup or hydrogenated oils on top of high amounts of sugar. Strawberry energy bites are a wonderful healthy guilt-free treat you can feel good about putting in your body!

Incorporating fruit or other plants is always the best choice with desserts. Strawberries contain a broad array of nutritional benefits. Strawberries are packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and K, folate, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. They are low-calorie, fiber-rich, and abundant in antioxidants and polyphenols. According to the USDA, one cup of strawberries provides 3 g of fiber and 12 g of carbohydrates.

However, remember to follow the Clean Fifteen-Dirty Dozen as strawberries are typically number one on the Dirty Dozen. This means you would need to purchase organic. If you can’t find fresh organic, you can purchase frozen organic and allow them to thaw in advance.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic strawberries

1 cup gluten-free oats (One Degree Organic is glyphosate free)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 serving vanilla plant-protein powder

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1/4 cup freeze-dried organic strawberries (optional)

Directions:

Place the first four ingredients in a food processor with 1 Tbsp of coconut oil. Mix until it forms a ball. If it is too dry, add a second tablespoon of coconut oil.

Place the freeze-dried strawberries and crush into a fine powder

Using 1 heaping Tbsp of the mixture at a time, roll between your hands to form 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the dried strawberries immediately before serving.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one week in an airtight container.

Note: if you need additional sweetness in your energy bites, add 1-2 Tablespoons of honey or pure maple syrup.

Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed the Strawberry Energy Bites and if you made any variations. I’m all about creativity, especially in food. And if you need help with making better eating choices, I’d love to help you. Schedule a free Wellness Strategy session with me today. It’s a 30-minute call that could change your life.

What are the Key Components of Gut Health – Listen to Your Body

February 19, 2022/in Health Issues

What are the key components of gut health? Remember to listen to your body as it leaves us clues.

The gut is the cornerstone of wellness. GI discomfort is often the primary issue or a secondary result of other problems within the body.

How do you know if your gut is out of balance? Your gut is most likely out of balance if you experience gas, bloating, belching, stomach pains or soreness, constipation, or diarrhea. There can be numerous other signs but these are the most common.

GI discomfort seems to grow as changes in our environment, stress, eating and drinking habits, food supply, medications all impact the function and strength of the gut.

Balancing and optimizing gut health can be achieved through the correct dietary protocols, nutraceuticals, and stress management.

Critical components of gut health are ensuring that

We are putting real food in the body
We have the appropriate enzymes to break the food into nutrients
Our pH is balanced
We have a sufficient amount of good bacteria

It’s not as difficult as it sounds, I promise.

First, to put real food in the body, focus on shopping the perimeter of the market. Here is a sample of what I eat. Green smoothie with plant protein for breakfast, lentil soup and GF crackers for lunch, and Clean, organic meats with a vegetable for dinner or large salad with boiled eggs.

Second, add a digestive enzyme to your diet and take it with each meal. Here is a general one that uses clean ingredients to use if you haven’t tested to determine what you need.

Third, you can determine your pH with 24 Hour (UA) Urinalysis which provides insights on 17 areas of your gut and overall health. As important we can see macronutrients you aren’t breaking down such as fats, carbs, proteins, or ALL the above! This is critical as you may be eating a healthy diet and you aren’t receiving the critical nutrients to heal and repair your body. Once we know which specific enzymes you need to support with, we can recommend a specific diet and supplement best for you. Learn more about the test here.

Last, add a probiotic that also contains a post-biotic and a prebiotic. The 24 UA testing will tell us your bowel toxicity but everyone can benefit. If you’ve been taking the same one for years, it’s time to switch! Your body needs a variety of good bacteria. A good Trebiotic can be a little more of an investment than you may be making but well worth it if you are ready for a positive transformation in your health.

Want more insights, take this 3-minute Health Quiz and we will respond with more specific recommendations.

Reasons to Consider Neurotransmitter Testing

November 9, 2021/in Healthy Products

Reasons to consider neurotransmitter testing. Not sure if you should invest in this type of health testing? I’ve been helping women for years and I’ve honestly found few women who wouldn’t benefit. But, I’ll let you decide.

Did you know 85% of our health issues are related to our emotional health? Most practitioners don’t even consider this when putting together a plan for rebalancing the body. When we work holistically, we always consider the three key areas of stress in order which are Emotional, Nutritional/Chemical, and Physical. Our goal is to reduce the stressors we can on our bodies in these areas.

If you are feeling the effects of the following signs, you may want to consider Neurotransmitter Testing:

Depression
Anxiety
Insomnia
Low Energy or Extreme Fatigue
Low Pain Tolerance
Addictive Behaviors
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Attention Deficit Disorder
Foggy Thinking
Low Motivation

As we know, many factors can cause emotional/mental imbalances. The combination of many different hormones in our bodies does its best to regulate that balance but sometimes they just cannot. Below you find the hormones listed that are tested in the Neurotransmitter test. By testing and finding out the excesses and deficiencies of these hormones, we are then better equipped to know what the next steps should be to help.

NEURO-ADRENAL PANEL

Components included in the test panel are as follows:

Serotonin
GABA
Dopamine
Epinephrine
Norepinephrine
Glutamate
DHEA
4 Cortisols

The testing utilizes a combination of saliva and urine samples. These tests are ordered and delivered to you, to be completed in your home.

View a sample NeuroAdrenal report.

With Neurotransmitter testing, you can achieve more happiness and the emotional/mental balance you desire. With a simple urine sample and saliva for cortisol, we can help you interpret your test reports and develop a unique plan to balance the body using amino acids, supplements, diet, and lifestyle modifications.

The goal is a healthier, happier, more energetic life mentally, emotionally, and physically. Let us know if we can help you answer questions or get started with your health testing needs.

Top 10 Ways to Prevent Colds and Flu

June 28, 2021/in Health Issues

Colds, flu, and sinus infections are now part of history for our family. For me, it has been over 20 years since I’ve experienced any of these unpleasant symptoms. Some of the benefits of less sick time include more quality time with my family, productive time in my business, hundreds of dollars saved in toxic over-the-counter and prescription medications, and much less misery in general!

Obviously, there are no guarantees but these are things that have worked for me, my clients, and many others who have experienced the same benefits.

I don’t buy into the germ theory as I’m around sick people quite often. And, if this theory were true, then why is it I no longer get sick as I did for the first forty-plus (unhealthy) years of my life? I can tell you it is not because I’m getting a flu vaccine or any other “preventative” vaccine. I’ve learned to put the right (whole, clean) foods in and let my body do the rest! And, I thank God for creating such amazing work in us that this process can and does happen. Can I get an amen?! So here is my top 10:

Eat predominantly organic and non-genetically engineered foods to eliminate toxic pesticides and herbicides. Not sure you understand the dangers of genetically engineered foods? Watch Genetic Roulette.
Eliminate or greatly reduce dairy and gluten. Both are extremely difficult for most people to digest, highly inflammatory, and therefore, can stress the immune system.
Replace toxic personal care and household cleaning products with natural, safe, non-toxic versions. This includes products such as antibacterial soap, hand sanitizers, toothpaste, mouthwash, laundry detergent, and cleaners. Note that antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers contain highly toxic chemicals and destroy the good bacteria that we need. Regarding personal care, which includes cosmetics, shampoo, deodorant, etc, consider switching to a more natural version.
Reduce dining out and become a vegetarian when you do. Animal products are loaded with antibiotics, hormones, and genetically engineered chemicals. Unless you can locate a restaurant that serves grass-fed meats (highly unlikely in the tristate), become a temporary vegetarian!
Reduce sugar and sodium! Read ingredient labels on food as they are in everything from ketchup, pasta sauces, soup, and more. Even organic foods can be loaded with sodium and sugar.
Grow your own food. Vine-ripened produce grown organically provides the highest nutrient values possible. Produce that has been picked green and sat in a store for a week, can lose up to 50% of its nutrient values. Find a local farmers market or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in your area.
Eat more plants than animals. Plant-based foods are naturally anti-inflammatory, alkaline, and contain antioxidants and fiber. Animals do not meet this criterion which is a key to health and easing digestion.
Use a plant-based whole food superfood powder to fill the gap between what you are and aren’t able to eat every day. Getting the recommended servings of organically grown, vine-ripened, fruits, vegetables, and berries a day is almost impossible for most of us. And even if you do, our food is low in critical minerals. I use an ancient sea minerals powder that is simple (mix with water) and tastes delicious.
Take a plant-based digestive enzyme with each meal especially if you are over forty years of age. Most of us have consumed enough processed food, alcohol, and medications to reduce our natural production of enzymes.
Reduce or eliminate alcohol, caffeinated coffee, soft drinks, and drink filtered water instead. A better filter system is reverse osmosis. A great company is Aquasana for under the sink or whole home. We’ve purchased both.

So, I know many of you may be thinking that this sounds expensive, hard, or just plain not fun. In my opinion, what is hard, expensive, and not fun would be having triple bypass surgery, being diagnosed with cancer, put on a respirator, or leaving a void in my family. You have to value your health and life first and then the rest is easy. Your body truly is a temple so please treat it as one. YOU are worth it. As always, reach out as we can walk you through each step one at a time.

Am I Ready to Lose Weight?

March 13, 2021/in Health Issues

We see it every year as the New Year approaches. People start their journey before determining: Am I Ready to Lose Weight? We assess our health and start making resolutions for the new year. People all across the country jump on the weight-loss bandwagon, only to fall off in a couple of weeks, or for some, a few days. We all know someone who walks into the local gym, registers, pays, and never returns.

For your weight-loss plan to succeed, you must be ready to take on the challenge and make the life changes that will help set you up for long-term success. It’s important to evaluate your reasons for wanting to lose weight. Is the timing right for you? What are your expectations? Your answers to these questions can either keep you on your path or derail your efforts before you even begin. Knowing that you need to make changes in your life and actually doing it are two different things. To see if you are ready to make a commitment, take this quiz. This could be key before you spend your time, energy, and financial resources.

WEIGHT LOSS READINESS QUIZ

Are you ready to lose weight? Your attitude about weight loss affects your ability to succeed. Take this Readiness Quiz to learn if you need to make any adjustments before you begin. Mark each item True or False. Be honest. It’s important that your answers reflect the way you really are, not how you would like to be.

___ I have thought a lot about my eating habits and physical activities to pinpoint what I need to change.
___I have accepted the idea that I need to make permanent, not temporary, changes in my eating and activities to be successful.
___I will only feel successful if I lose a lot of weight.
___I accept the idea that it’s best if I lose weight slowly.
___I’m thinking of losing weight now because I really want to, not because someone else thinks I should.
___ I think losing weight will solve other problems in my life.
___I am willing and able to increase my regular physical activity.
___I can lose successfully if I have no “slip-ups.”
___I am ready to commit some time and effort each week to organizing and planning my food and activity programs.
___Once I lose some initial weight, I usually lose the motivation to keep going until I reach my goal.
___ I want to start a weight-loss program even though my life is unusually stressful right now.

SCORING THE WEIGHT LOSS READINESS QUIZ

To score the quiz, look at your answers to items 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9. Score “1” if you answered “true” and“0” if you answered “false.”
For items 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, score “0” for each true answer and “1” for each false answer.
To get your total score, add the scores for all. If you scored 8 or higher, you probably have good reasons for wanting to lose weight now and a good understanding of the steps needed to succeed.

Safe Proven Weight Loss Solutions

We also have proven product systems to help you on your journey to a leaner body. The Lean Body System is easy and tastes amazing! Trim comes in 4 delicious flavors as Coconut Lime, Lemon, Vanilla, and decadent Chocolate (which tastes like pudding). as It can assist you to:

Accelerate Fat Reduction
Promote Lean Body Composition
Boost Metabolism
Burn More Calories
Increases Energy

Most people are more successful when they seek the help of a professional with a background in nutrition and personal experience. I would love to help you when you are ready. Call or text us at 812-461-8922 to get started or learn more here.

A Simple Weight Loss Strategy

December 6, 2020/in Health Issues

How to Use a Healy

November 28, 2020/in Healthy Products

How to Use a Healy device or specifically the Healy Resonance Edition. I’ve been using the Healy microcurrent and frequency device daily for almost six months and have loved the results. It has greatly enhanced our family’s health and well-being.

Healy is a new microcurrent medical device cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration only for local relief of acute, chronic, and arthritis pain and muscle soreness due to overexertion. Healy also has non-medical applications that use Individualized Microcurrent Frequencies (IMF) to harmonize your Bioenergetic Field. It can help balance your mind, and body and relieve stress. I’ve experienced these benefits and so much more.

I pulled a muscle in my back recently and was able to obtain relief from extreme pain in less than 48 hours. I had pulled a muscle the month before (pre-Healy) and it took me almost two weeks to obtain relief and be fully functional again.

I’ve also received benefits from the Healy with mental focus and concentration when working on big projects. And if I need to relax or sleep deeper, it has programs to help support in that as well. One area of improvement in my sleep is that I now remember my dreams whereas previously that rarely happened.

Healy Resonance Edition

The Resonance is the top of the line model that provides a feature to analyze frequencies in the Information field to recognize the best resonance for the user at the moment. The results of the analysis can provide guidance to assist with all your wellness goals both emotional and physical. The process takes only a few minutes and once you identify the imbalances, you can apply the associated program(s).

How to Use a Healy

I typically analyze 3-4 programs per day to assist with my emotional, mental, and physical wellness goals. One of the features of it being a wearable device is that I can continue on with my life whether that’s working at my desk, making dinner, or going for walk.

Healy is giving people a competitive edge especially as they are aging. And speaking of aging, Healy is launching a new application called Bioenergetic Revitalization to improve vitality and energy at any age in every phase of life!

Healy Bioenergetic Revitalization
Healy Bioenergetic Revitalization is an app for the Healy that supports revitalization – as a counterbalance to an unhealthy lifestyle that can accelerate the premature deterioration of mind and spirit.

Healy Bioenergetic Revitalization provides:

Research-based individual revitalization tips with a 3 to a 6-month plan
Selected Individualized Micro Current Frequency (IMF) programs for harmonizing the bio-energetic field
Sustainable promotion of revitalization effects
Tracking healthy lifestyle elements

Current research has investigated the resonance effects of certain frequencies or frequency bands with stem cells and various types of body tissues.

Research has studied the resonance effects of certain frequencies or frequency bands with different types of body tissues.

Each Healy Bioenergetic Revitalization includes:

A combination of revitalization tips from different health areas
12 specially designed Healy IMF (individualized microcurrent frequency) programs in the program group “Bioenergetic Revitalization” for many areas of your life and health, for vitality, youthful energy, and holistic support!
An easy-to-understand HealAdvisor Assistant, with which you will always find a suitable recommendation for an IMF Healy program

Go directly to my website for Healy product pricing or contact us if you would like to learn more about this new application.

Watch a video on the Healy device here.

If you would like to talk more and have your questions answered, click here.

Broccoli Cauliflower Apple Salad recipe salad

Broccoli Cauliflower and Apple Salad Recipe

May 24, 2020/in Healthy Recipes

This Broccoli Cauliflower and Apple Salad is a light healthy salad for a picnic or summer holiday event. This recipe contains all raw vegetables and is nutrient dense. As always, use organic. You are worth it.

Ingredients

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups of chopped broccoli

1 1/2 cups of chopped cauliflower

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup raisins

1 medium gala apple chopped

Dressing

2 Tablespoons of sugar, I used coconut palm sugar

2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoon Walnut oil (or olive oil)

1/4 cup Vegenaise

1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Shock the onions in an ice water bath for 10 minutes to temper the sharp flavor. Pat dry before adding to the salad.
Place the broccoli, cauliflower, apple, onions, walnuts, and raisins in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss.
ENJOY!

I love a good, raw salad on a warm day. What is your favorite salad? If you answered Potato Salad then you HAVE to try this Cauliflower Egg Salad recipe! Follow us on Facebook for more yummy recipes.

How Adrenal Fatigue Can Develop

May 4, 2020/in Health Issues

My Journey on How Adrenal Fatigue Can Develop

Here’s How Adrenal Fatigue Can Develop. I am sharing my own personal experience with Adrenal Fatigue, not just as a healthcare provider. There are many health conditions that cannot truly be understood until you experience them, and adrenal fatigue is one of those. So, I say God blessed me with Adrenal Fatigue so that I could help others.

Stress was the underlying cause

Stress, whether it be emotional, physical or nutritional is truly at the root of all chronic disease. Regarding adrenal issues, you will hear different labels including adrenal insufficiency, a medical diagnosis, or adrenal fatigue or even burnout. Whatever you call it, it is stress and it impacts the body and mind.

In 2013, a client came to me sharing that she had been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I had worked with clients that had various health challenges, but this was a new one. She was already eating clean and working with an Integrative MD, so this was going to be a challenge. The only unique factor was that her stress level was extremely high, as she was experiencing extreme burnout in her career.

To be honest, her symptoms were puzzling. I kept trying to figure out exactly what it was she was feeling and why, but I just couldn’t connect. Usually clean eating, resting and supporting the digestive process was the answer but, in this case, it wasn’t enough and I left it to “I can’t help everyone.”

Approximately one year later, I started to experience signs of extreme fatigue and emotional sensitivity. I remember the thought of performing simple household chores like changing the linens on our bed was equivalent to running a 5K. Some days I couldn’t even perform these simple tasks. When and if I did, I had to lie down and rest even with 7-9 hours of sleep.

Testing for Adrenal Stress

Ironically, at about that same time I decided to add saliva hormone and neurotransmitter testing to my menu of services, and the first thing I do with a new service is put myself through the test. My results revealed that I was in Phase 3 Adrenal Fatigue. I was devastated and scared. It was at that point I started reading and researching everything I could find on the condition. I learned that Adrenal Fatigue is categorized as Phase 1 (Alarm), 2 (Resistance) Phase 3 (Exhaustion).

I connected to a private Facebook group for those with Adrenal Fatigue. I did learn quite a bit from the group, but the negativity was so overwhelming that I decided to stop following. Most of the group seemed to be strong Type A, perfectionists, overachievers and/or controllers, which makes sense why many end up here! I embodied many of these traits which contributed to my outcome.

The adrenal fatigue research scared me. Stats, such as, it takes up to five years to recover or some cases lead to adrenal cancer as well as Addison’s disease. Addison’s is where the adrenals have been damaged and one symptom is a golden bronze skin pigment. Now I understood why people were asking me if I had been to Florida recently or why my skin was so bronze in the middle of winter, in the Midwest! All of the pieces were coming together. It was a wake-up call for me.

What is Adrenal Fatigue

Unfortunately, it is not recognized by conventional medical community. It is not a proven medical condition but a “syndrome” where fatigue and other symptoms are caused by a poorly working adrenal gland in people who are under chronic mental, emotional, or physical stress. They do recognize “adrenal insufficiency” which states that only drugs/steroids can be used to treat it and that supplements could be harmful. So, I asked myself, are my adrenals in need of more toxins to “treat” it or should I use whole clean food and pure sources of supplementation along with retraining my thought processes to balance my body? As a Naturopath, you can guess the answer.

So how did I end up here? Two reasons, one was opening a brick and mortar (physical location) business, which we were renovating. The second was that our adult son was struggling with serious health and financial issues. In my quest to “take care” of him and my business/clients, I failed to take care of myself and ended up in severe adrenal fatigue or Phase 3.

I remember sitting at the table crying and saying, “I don’t think I can do this anymore.” “This” meaning taking care of everything and everyone else. I couldn’t function. My dream of opening a wellness center and serving others started to feel like a nightmare. My temper was short and breakdowns, behind the scenes, were not uncommon. So, instead of taking a “why did this happen to me” approach, I saw it as a way to serve others with the same challenges. God again blessed me with another health challenge, so that I can share and serve others.

The light at the end of the tunnel is that it isn’t going to take me 5 years to recover because I had access to the best holistic health mentors/experts in the world and access to the best whole food products. Read more here on the next steps of my journey.

If you’re struggling to, I would love to help. Book a Wellness Strategy and let’s chat!

Natural Solutions to Adrenal Fatigue

July 24, 2015/5 Comments/in Health Issues

I knew nothing about it much less natural solutions to adrenal fatigue. In 2013, a client came to me sharing that she had been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I had worked with clients that had various health challenges but this was a new one. She was already eating clean and working with an Integrative MD so this was going to be a challenge. The only unique factor was her stress level was extremely high as she was experiencing extreme burnout in her career.

To be honest, her symptoms were puzzling. I kept trying to figure out exactly what it was she was feeling but I just couldn’t connect to her symptoms. Usually, my clean eating, resting, and supporting the digestive process was the answer but in this case, it wasn’t enough. I left it to “I can’t help everyone”.

Then approximately a year later I started to experience signs of extreme fatigue and emotional sensitivity. I remember the thought of performing simple household chores like changing the linens on our bed was equivalent to running a 5K. Some days I couldn’t even perform these simple tasks. When and if I did, I had to lie down and rest.

Ironically, about that same time, I decided to add saliva hormone and neurotransmitter testing to my menu of services. So the first thing I do with a new service is to put myself through the test and this was no exception. I received the results that I was in Phase 3 Adrenal Fatigue and was devastated. It was at that point I started reading and researching everything I could find on Adrenal Fatigue. I also connected to a private Facebook group of fellow Adrenal Fatiguers. I did learn quite a bit from the group but the negativity was so overwhelming that I decided to stop following. The majority of the group seem to be strong Type A, overachievers, and/or controllers which makes sense why many end up here!

So what is Adrenal Fatigue? It is not a proven medical condition but a “syndrome” where fatigue and other symptoms are caused by a poorly working adrenal gland in people who are under chronic mental, emotional, or physical stress. The medical community does recognize “adrenal insufficiency” which states that only drugs can be used to treat it and that supplements could be harmful. So I asked myself, are my adrenals in need of more toxins to “treat” it or should I use whole food and clean sources of supplementation to balance my body? For those who know me, you can guess the answer.

The research scared me. Stats like it takes up to five years to recover or some cases lead to adrenal cancer as well as Addison’s disease. JFK had Addison’s which one symptom is a golden bronze skin pigment. Now I understood why people were asking me if I had been to Florida recently or why my skin was so bronze in the middle of winter! Again, all the pieces were coming together along with test results which was a wake-up call for me.

So how did I end up here? Two reasons, one was opening a brick and mortar (physical location) business which we were renovating as well. The second was that my son was struggling with serious health and financial issues. In my quest to take care of him and my business/clients, I failed to take care of myself and ended up in severe adrenal fatigue (Phase 3).

I remember sitting at the table crying and saying, “I don’t think I can do this anymore.” “This” meaning taking care of everyone else and everything. My dream of opening a wellness center and serving others started to feel like a nightmare. My temper was short and breakdowns were not uncommon but all behind the scenes. Instead of taking a “why did this happen to me” approach, I saw it as a way to serve others with the same challenges. God again blessed me with another health challenge so I can share and serve others.

The light at the end of the tunnel is that it isn’t going to take me 5 years to recover because I had access to the best holistic health experts in the world and access to the best supplements and herbs.

So what was my life-changing adrenal fatigue protocol? Only products that were clean, non-GMO, and gluten-free sources of plant-based herbs, enzymes, and food.

My mornings started with Sole water which is a solution of Himalayan salt and water.

I’d start my morning with a green smoothie using a plant-based protein powder with various greens such as kale, spinach, dandelion, etc. plus two tablespoons of flax, hemp, or chia seeds. For extra nutrients, I added plant powders.

The following supplements are from Pure Encapsulations. I use this brand because they are genuinely pure, using non-GMO, no additives or preservatives, and gluten-free ingredients:

B Complex Plus – 2 times/day with food,
ADR Formula- 2 in am 1 hour before food,
Dopa Plus – 1 in a.m. 1 hour before food,
Ashwagandha – 3 times/day with food and
Liquid Vitamin D *4-5000 (4-5 drops) based on my test results

From Loomis Institute, I used:

Loomis Digestive Enzymes, 2 before each meal (VSCLR was specific to my needs, please utilize our Gut health or 24 Hour Urinalysis testing to determine yours)
Loomis Organic Iron blend and Female Herbal blend after each meal
- Loomis products are healthcare professional grade. Please contact us if you’d like to order.
Organic Excellence Progesterone Cream – 1 pump or 20 mg 30 minutes before bedtime.

Again, these are products that worked for me based on the current condition of my body and health. There is not a one size fits all approach to any health challenge. It is recommended that you utilize a Holistic Health Coach and nutritional testing to determine the state of your health. Contact me if I can help as we can ship test kits anywhere and help you across the miles.

If you would like to learn more, request our free guide called Top 3 Tips to Overcome Adrenal Stress to begin your path to balance your body and regain your energy. Or if you are looking for the best diet, foods, and supplements for adrenal fatigue, check out our Best Foods & Supplements for Adrenal Fatigue Guide.

And if you have experienced Adrenal Fatigue, I’d love to hear from you. And if you aren’t sure where to start, schedule a free call with me.

How to Soak Nuts

March 1, 2013/1 Comment/in Health Issues

How to Soak Nuts

Before we answer how to soak nuts, we must answer why you should. Nuts and seeds could be wreaking havoc on your digestion as you may not be assimilating them. It is true, nuts and seeds along with grains and legumes contain natural toxic inhibitors to ensure their survival until germination. Nature has made them indigestible in their dry form. Soaking removes the inhibitors and makes them more digestible allowing your body to utilize more vital nutrients contained within.

Benefits of soaking nuts and seeds:

Increases enzyme activity
Better absorption of nutrients by the body
Increased digestibility
Soaked nuts and seeds will begin the sprouting process which increases their nutrient value
Improves flavor, especially with walnuts as the tannins, dust, and residues are rinsed away

Most unsoaked or raw nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors and toxic substances. Nature has intended the dry nut and seed to be protected by enzyme inhibitors and toxic substances until perfect growing conditions are in place. When there is enough rain and sun, this sets the stage for the nut/seed to literally come alive. When soaking nuts and seeds, we mimic nature.

Another important reason to soak nuts is that the soaking process will help remove the dust, residue, and tannins from the skins. You’ll notice that soaked walnuts do not have that astringent taste to them. This is because when soaking walnuts, the tannins are rinsed away, leaving behind a softer, tastier nut.

Nuts should only be soaked after they are removed from their shells. You’ll notice that nuts without skins such as macadamias, cashews or Brazil nuts don’t have as much of the murky water residue, but soaking is still recommended for ease in blending and for nutritional purposes.

Recommended soaking time for nuts and seeds:

Soaking nuts and seeds can take anywhere from 20 minutes, to 2 to 3 hours, even overnight in the refrigerator. Harder nuts will take longer to soften. If your recipe calls for soaked nuts or seeds and you are short on time, you can soak them for 20 minutes or at the very least rinse them. Otherwise, plan ahead and soak or sprout them according to the chart below.

Soaking nuts in plastic is not recommended as plastic can leach into the water and into your food. Some folks keep a variety of nuts and seeds soaking in their refrigerators at all times to have handy. If you do this, be sure to change the soak water every couple of days to prevent spoiling.

Note: the soaked water from nuts and seeds should always be discarded and never used as water in a recipe. Also, be sure the water you are using is purified or distilled.

Here is a helpful soaking and sprouting infographic for nuts and seeds as well as grains and legumes. Click the image to see an enlarged version.

Need a bit more help with your digestion? Consider Digestive Health Testing or schedule a Free Wellness Strategy Session with me to learn more. I am the premium Digestive Health Specialist in the Charleston, SC area but can help clients online via virtual consulting.

No Sodium Taco Seasoning

May 2, 2011/in Healthy Recipes

No Sodium Taco Seasoning

Finding no sodium taco seasoning in the store is almost impossible. So I decided to start making my own that contains real ingredients only. Also, you’ll know that this seasoning does NOT contain preservatives and unsafe additives, dairy or whey that the store-bought packets often do.

This is an ingredient list and nutritional facts of a conventional taco seasoning packet. The sodium is 16% (yikes) plus whey (What the label doesn’t tell you: hormones, antibiotics, GMOs, glyphosate) and potato starch (more GMOs and glyphosate). The levels are only assuming you eat two tacos. Each time you make a healthier choice, you are protecting your gut (the foundation of immune health), your liver, kidney, brain, and all vital organs.

This no-sodium taco seasoning recipe takes minutes to make, saves money, and protects your health! I triple the recipe so I always have enough for a couple of extra meals, saving time. With this taco seasoning recipe, you can adjust the level of spice to your tastes.

This makes about 2 Tablespoons or enough for 1 pound of ground meat or beans. I double or triple the recipe to keep on hand to add to soups and stews as well. I purchase all organic spices as well. Typically, I buy in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs to save additional money as they ship in bags instead of glass bottles. I save the store-bought bottles and refill them as needed.

Ingredients:

1 T. Chili Powder
½ t. Paprika
¼ t. Garlic Powder
¼ t. Onion Powder
1½ t. Cumin
¼ t. Red Chili Pepper Flakes
¼ t. Oregano

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If you are storing or making a double or triple batch, I mix in a glass pyrex cup with a pour spout and use a funnel to pour into my glass jar.