organic foods

Immune Supporting Garlic Miso Soup

January 7, 2022/in Healthy Recipes

Immune Supporting Garlic Miso Soup! Whether you are starting to feel under the weather, wanting to support your immune system or just need something nourishing to feed your cells, this soup is it! If you don’t like mushrooms, you can easily omit them but we love them and it makes it a bit more nutritious and hearty. Garlic is one of the best natural healers and immune-supporting superfoods on the planet! It’s all because of the magic chemical called allicin. An enzyme called alliinase is activated when the garlic clove is chopped or crushed. This enzyme converts alliin into allicin. Here is a good article to learn all the many benefits of garlic. It truly is a secret weapon when it comes to your health and preventing disease and imbalance.

Garlic is a known antimicrobial that makes it therapeutic against bacteria and fungi with clinical research to back that up. Plus it is antiviral as well. Having two among many scientific studies is all we need to say besides, eat your garlic! I’ve been making it almost weekly.

Ingredients

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 quart of low-sodium organic vegetable or beef broth

2 tablespoons organic miso paste

1 package (3.5 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Directions

Peel garlic and mince or use a garlic press. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to release the alicin.

Place the sliced mushroom in a pan with a small amount of organic butter or use some of the broth. Saute for about 10 minutes and add the garlic. Continue to saute for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat.

Add the broth until it starts to boil and then add the miso paste. Continue to stir until the miso is dissolved about 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Makes 4 one-cup servings.

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.

Maple Pecan Cauliflower

November 15, 2020/in Healthy Recipes

Maple Pecan Cauliflower is my go-to for a quick healthy lunch. There is a big debate in the south on the proper way to say pecan. Some pronounce it “P-can” and others, “P-con”. Some would even debate how I spelled the pronunciation! But, I think everyone can agree that you either love them or hate them. And boy, do I LOVE them. If you’re like me and love pecans, you are going to love this maple pecan cauliflower recipe.

This dish makes a great side, lunch, or you can make it a complete meal by serving it with rainbow quinoa. I first experienced a similar dish in my Green Chef subscription as a side and I knew I had to have more! It makes a perfect light lunch and has become one of my go-to’s when working from home. I absolutely love the blend of flavors in it.

Be sure you are using pure or organic maple syrup. Did you know that maple syrup is made in early spring? When it’s warm enough for the sap to flow but cold enough that it isn’t moving too fast. Farmers all through the woods are tapping and processing the clear sap that turns into our delicious syrup. If you’re lucky, you’ll find some for sale at your local farmer’s market. It doesn’t get more organic than that and if you follow me, you know that organic products are key to remaining healthy. The conventional brands are mostly high fructose corn syrup and other unpleasant ingredients. Of course, you can increase or decrease the maple syrup to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

2 cups of chopped raw cauliflower

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 tbsp pecans

Instructions:

Cut cauliflower into bite-size pieces and roughly chop pecans. Heat about 1 tbsp of cooking oil, such as coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower to a hot pan. Season with turmeric, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until cauliflower begins to soften, stirring occasionally.

Add the maple syrup and a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan with the cauliflower. Stir and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and evenly coated with maple syrup.

Sprinkle with pecans. Cook about 1 minute or longer or until pecans are lightly toasted.

And enjoy!!

We’re dying to know, how do YOU pronounce pecan? Cauliflower is so versatile, I mean, we’re even making pizza dough with it! What did you think of this recipe? Let us know! What is the craziest way you have prepared cauliflower? If you are looking for more delicious recipes like this one, be sure to follow us all on social media platforms so you get first access. Want to know if foods like this maple pecan cauliflower are best suited for your body? Book a call with us and see what testing options are best for you!

Why Estrogen Balance is Important

June 11, 2020/in Health Issues

Why Estrogen Balance is Important

Estrogen is the name of the class of hormones related to the reproductive cycle. It includes the three main estrogens called estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Each of these plays a role in the hormonal balance in women.

In healthy premenopausal women, estrogen is made from progesterone and/or from androgens within the ovary’s cells. Estrogen is responsible for changes in young women at puberty and gives adult women their shapely curves. During childbearing years, estrogen rises during the first half of the menstrual cycle in preparation for pregnancy. Elevated estrogen causes water retention and weight gain, and too much estrogen can lead to excess fat and/or obesity.

There are good reasons for some of the negative effects on the body such as water retention and weight gain. In times of famine, an expectant mother would be able to store body fat. During times of severe famine or nutritional deficiencies, when a woman would be unable to carry a pregnancy to term, the body stops the production of estrogen to prevent fertility. Most of us have not experienced a famine but a large majority of Western women are experiencing severe nutrient deficits, which is causing our bodies to stay in starvation mode.

In times of dietary abundance, estrogen’s effects can be harmful. When women consume more calories than needed, estrogen production increases to extreme levels and can create estrogen dominance and exaggerated estrogen decline at menopause. Americans who consume diets high in animal fats, sugar, refined starches, and processed foods are creating estrogen levels twice as high as those in third-world countries. It is rare for western women to be truly deficient in estrogen but more likely they may be progesterone deficient, creating an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone levels.

SIGNS OF HORMONAL IMBALANCE

Hormone imbalance is when estrogen becomes the dominant hormone and progesterone is deficient. The estrogen in excess becomes toxic to the body. The imbalance causes symptoms such as:

Infertility
Endometriosis
PMS
Cramps
Headaches
Hot Flashes
Night Sweats
Weight gain
Heavy menstrual flow (menorrhagia)

NATURALLY BALANCE HORMONES

The great news is there are natural ways to get your hormones back in balance. You can begin to integrate these healthier, safer options and they will have a positive impact on your health and hormones:

Utilize gut health testing. The gut must be balanced before you can fully balance hormones.
Eliminate processed foods
Identify and eliminate toxic chemicals in the home and personal care
Avoid conventionally processed meat and dairy– high levels of estrogen – eat grass-fed instead or consider a more plant-based diet
Avoid Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and birth control pills
Consider a natural progesterone cream
Supplement your nutrition with a whole-food concentrate
Add essential fatty acids (EFAs) to your diet. EFA’s are crucial to hormone balance, fertility, and brain health.
Eat more organic fruits, vegetables, and greens especially cruciferous vegetables as they contain nutrients that use up bad or excess estrogen

You can also contact us to schedule an appointment for a personal consultation to discuss your hormonal imbalance issues and consider hormone testing.