Gluten and why it is bad and a surprise!

Gluten is bad. When I tried to get it again I suffered. My tummy hated it. My skin hated it. (Had flare ups) My taste buds hated it. No more. 

Fruit is good. Only organic chicken and farm raised beef if at all possible. Pork is good too. Don't forget fresh vegetables organic if at all possible. Get a lot of green because green is good.

Peace!

SALAD!!

Superfood Salad Recipe

salad ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, leaves chopped kinda small
1 broccoli branch/segment, florets finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper (I used Himalayan pink salt–any old salt is fine)
1 small beet (red or golden or striped), thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled + sliced
1-2 sprigs of basil, chopped
handful of blueberries

blueberry ginger dressing ingredients:
heaped 1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled + chopped
2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
big splash of water
salt + pepper
1/4 cup oil (grapeseed or extra virgin olive oil)

omega seed sprinkle ingredients:
handful sunflower seeds
handful pumpkin seeds
1-2 tbsp flax seeds
1-2 tbsp chia seeds
1-2 tbsp hemp seeds
handful of puffed quinoa (or puffed millet, brown rice etc)
pinch of ground coriander
pinch of salt

In a large bowl, massage the kale and chopped broccoli with the lime juice, salt and pepper. Keep massaging until the leaves seem a bit more tender. Taste a leaf for seasoning, adjust and set aside. Chop and prep all of the other salad ingredients and set aside.

Make the dressing: combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until you have a creamy and unified mixture. Check for seasoning and sweetness, adjust and set aside.

In a medium sauté pan, combine all of the omega seed sprinkle ingredients over medium heat. Stir them around here and there until they smell toasty and the coriander is a bit more prominent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Arrange the massaged kale and broccoli on your serving plate. Top the greens with the beets, carrots, avocado, chopped basil, and blueberries. Season the whole thing with salt and pepper again. Stir up the dressing (it should have thickened a bit) and drizzle it all over the top and garnish the salad with the omega seed sprinkle. Serve it up!

What is PALEO?

Okay this is something I have been trying to do. Paleo. Now if you don't know what it is..here goes

Mostly it is not eating any bread or wheat of any kind and rather eating lots of protein and fruits and veggies.

Some do not add dairy either. Also stay away from processed foods!

I have been experimenting with this diet. This week I have eaten alot of protein that means I have had alot of steak and pork. 

But sadly I do not think my digestion likes it. Next week I am going to focus on fruits and veggies only and see how that goes. 

Paleo lifestyle is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. It is really not that hard giving up bread and wheat. 

Lemons to remove moles and skintags

 I was doing some research the other day on natural ways to get rid of moles and skin tags. If you don't know what skin tags are they are pieces of skin that hang off you. I don't know how else to describe them.  They are kind of like moles.

I had this wart come up on my face. Yuk. I have no idea how it got there. Maybe because I went out in the sun WITHOUT putting Coconut Oil on. Anyway it was ugly. I wanted it gone. First I tried slathering my face with Coconut Oil everyday and rubbing at it. That didn't seem to work. 

Then I saw this research on using lemon juice to get it to loosen up so you could easily remove it. Something about the acid in the lemon. So I started doing that! It was really easy and in a few days I removed most of it and what is left right now is a tiny itty bitty spot on my face. LEMON JUICE WORKS! 

So if you have moles you hate or warts or skin tags of any kind start putting some lemon juice on them and watch them go away. 

And believe me this wart was kind of gross looking on my face. I didn't want that. Now it is gone. 

YAY!!!

Coconut Oil cleansing tastebuds

I am back to tell more good things about Coconut Oil

I have been swishing with coconut oil for several months now and I have noticed big changes in the way food tastes. I can really taste how horrible fast food tastes along with processed foods of any kind. 

Its like now all of the crappy food out there tastes crappy! LOL But seriously it does. I once liked processed foods. But now I do not. I did fall off the wagon of good foods for about a week but none of it tasted good. I know what you are thinking now. Why did you eat it then?

Good question. I don't know. That is my only answer. But I can seriously tell you if you swish daily with Unrefined Coconut Oil for 20 minutes and spit it out you will notice a BIG CHANGE IN THE WAY FOOD TASTES.

Give it a shot. It can do nothing but GOOD THINGS for you!

I fell off the wagon

I have confirmed my deepest fear about wheat. I cannot digest it properly.

For the past week or so I have eaten the dreaded wheat. I wanted to see if I am actually what I think I am. Not digesting wheat properly and also it makes me itch!

I have been eating wheat for the past week and ugh! It is so bad that I know now I can never eat it again.

I will be honest with you. I just wanted a pot pie. This is something I once ate as a kid and remember loving it so much. What was wrong with me?

I bought not one package of pot pies but 2! Inside each box were 4, so in total I had 8 pot pies over the course of about a week. 

I also had 4 slices of pizza that I ate in the course of 2 days. Thats not all. I also had some of those frozen cookies that you just stick in the oven? 

Torture is all I can say. It left me feeling down and I had problems with digestion. It was horrible.

I feel like I fell off the wagon! But instead of alcohol it was wheat that I went back to.

Never again. Tomorrow I am getting some organic apples and some fresh green beans and some organic tangerines..I have never had organic tangerines so I am excited about that. I am also getting some NY strips. 

For dessert? Some extra dark chocolate.

I do not want to put my body under such torture again. And, the pot pies were not as I remembered. They didn't taste that good at all. 

Im getting back on the wagon of no wheat and no processed foods.  Just when I was noticing a visible change in my body, I messed up but we all do and then we get back up and do the right thing. 

At least that is what I do.

YOU SHOULD DO THIS, OIL PULLING

OIL PULLING

This is something I do everyday. I put about a teaspoon more or less of unrefined coconut oil in my mouth upon rising out of bed and swish! Just swish the oil around  your mouth for 20 minutes.

I know this sounds like a long time but you will be amazed at the results. 

What is it good for?

1. Your teeth! It strengthens them and gets rid of gingivitis. Your dentist will be amazed and so will you! It also whitens your teeth!

2. Your sinuses! Do you have problems with your sinuses? Well then oil pulling is for you! It will clear you up with the very first time you do it. Don't believe me? Give it a try then!

3. Your throat! Yep if you have a sore throat oil pulling is for you. Don't ever swallow it though because it is carrying all that bacteria that you swished around your mouth! But it will get rid of a sore throat. Give it a try already!

4. Your entire body! Yep you heard me right. Oil pulling is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. Because you have to understand that your teeth absorb everything that you put in your mouth. When you put unrefined coconut oil in your mouth with its antimicrobial properties, it actually disinfects your body and does a detox on your entire system.

Hope I got your attention and you go out and buy some unrefined coconut oil. You can get it at Sams Club along with Publix but Sams has a better deal. You can also order it online.

More about Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is great as a moisturizer. The absolute best. It can cure skin problems too. Make sure to get the unrefined coconut oil. Also it can be used when you go out into the sun. It will filter the bad UVs and keep the good UVs. Sunscreen is actually very toxic and contains many bad chemicals.

So get the coconut oil out and use it as you would lotion. See what results you get with softer skin. You also get the nutrients from the coconut because everything you put on your skin is absorbed. Your skin is one big organ.

Rheam! (new word I learned that is British slang) means. great or real.

Digestive issues?

Lets get down to brass tactics. You really are what you eat. If you are having digestive issues it is something you are eating. It could be the dreaded wheat that you need to stay away from. Do you remember in elementary school making homemade glue? What did you make it out of? Flour and water! That is wheat! So if it makes glue than it must make it in your tummy also!!

So if you are having digestive issues it is either the wheat or it could be dairy.

I have recently cut out my yogurt because It was actually making my bloating worse which is really crazy because yogurt is supposed to make bloating go away. I don't know. All I do know is that when I cut the yogurt out, my bloating went away. So I guess I could be lactose intolerant and we will speak of that on a later post.

Heres to good digestion!

Unprocessed Honey

Get unprocessed honey! It is so good for you. Stay away from the honey in the grocery store because most likely it is all processed.

Unprocessed honey is great for allergies because if you buy..local honey...than it will combat your allergies because the honey is from around your area!!

Just take 1 teaspoon a day and watch your allergies disappear!

It is also good if you are feeling under the weather or have a cold. I caught something, not sure what and I have been taking my local honey and my unrefined coconut oil daily. Along with getting a lot of rest.

I should be feeling better in a day or so! I can already tell it is starting to break up.

I also swish with coconut oil daily for 20 minutes and that gets rid of everything that built up on  your teeth while you were sleeping. Do not swallow the oil but treat it like mouthwash and spit it out with all the bad stuff that was lurking in your mouth!

To feeling great!

APPLES

HOW ARE APPLES GOOD FOR YOU?

1. Get whiter, healthier teeth

An apple won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria.

2. Avoid Alzheimer’s

A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.

3. Protect against Parkinson’s

Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.

4. Curb all sorts of cancers

Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds—triterpenoids—in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumours in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fibre intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Decrease your risk of diabetes

• Top 20 flat tummy foods
• Our best healthy apple recipes
• 6 reasons to eat more apples

Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don’t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.

6. Reduce cholesterol

The soluble fibre found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates intolower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.

7. Get a healthier heart

An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fibre intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease.

8. Prevent gallstones

Gallstones form when there’s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fibre to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels.

9. Beat diarrhea and constipation

Whether you can’t go to the bathroom or you just can’t stop, fibre found in apples can help. Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down.

10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fibre in your diet.

11. Avert hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are a swollen vein in the anal canal and while not life threatening, these veins can be very painful. They are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Part and parcel with controlling constipation, fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.

12. Control your weight

Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fibre. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.

13. Detoxify your liver

We’re constantly consuming toxins, whether it is from drinks or food, and your liver is responsible for clearing these toxins out of your body. Many doctors are skeptical of fad detox diets, saying they have the potential to do more harm than good. Luckily, one of the best—and easiest—things you can eat to help detoxify your liver is fruits—like apples.

14. Boost your immune system

Red apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin. Recent studies have found thatquercetin can help boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you're stressed out.

15. Prevent cataracts

Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants—like apples—are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.

I HAVE BEEN EATING ORGANIC APPLES DAILY WITH CHEESE AND SAUSAGE. YUM AND HEALTHY. COMMON GET YOUR APPLES!

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Okay this flourless chocolate cake was the bomb. I did have it with some pomegranate but I didn't make the sauce although it looks really good. One thing I can say about this cake is that it tastes more like a rich pudding or mousse than a cake. So divine. 

http://alittlelunch.com/2013/10/18/be-playful-flourless-chocolate-cake-with-pomegranate-sauce/#respond

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Pomegranate Sauce

After driving 3,000 miles a week during the trucking years, driving 3 miles to the grocery store is a delight.  Plus, the merits of shopping local cannot be overstated.

The idea of pomegranate sauce began teasing my foodie imagination when I saw a lovely display of crown-topped orbs in the produce section. I’d never eaten one before (better late than never), so I brought one home and munched on a few arils while I sieved, pressed, and extracted. I soon discovered that one pomegranate doesn’t yield much juice. Back to the store for another one.

But, those intriguing ruby-like gems had worked their magic on me and I found myself eating more than I was extracting. After a third trip to the store, I came home with a bottle of Pom Wonderful. (Those folks do a marvelous job of getting juice out of those lil’ buggers!) Homemade is my preference, but I come from the “whatever works” camp, too.

Then I simmered and savored until success (and sauce) was achieved. The cake is a good ol’ standby from 30+ years ago — source unknown and recipe considerably tweaked since then. And, trips down memory lane don’t require any driving either.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 c. baking cocoa (I used Nestle’s Toll House Cocoa)

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 Tbsp. whiskey (*see note below)

2 Tbsp. strong coffee, cooled

3/4 c. heavy cream

2 extra large eggs

Pomegranate arils for garnish (if there are any left)

(*May omit whiskey and increase vanilla to 1 tablespoon.)

Preheat oven to 325° F. Butter the bottom of a 9″ cake pan. Have a baking sheet with 1″ sides and a kettle of boiling water at the ready.

In a heavy saucepan, combine cocoa, butter, sugar, vanilla, whiskey (if using), and coffee. Whisk over medium heat until sugar  dissolves; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in cream until blended; set aside to cool.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes or until color is pale yellow and volume is tripled. Gradually whisk eggs into cooled chocolate mixture.

With a spatula, scrape batter into prepared cake pan. Set cake pan on the baking sheet, place in the oven, and pour boiling water onto the baking sheet to a depth of one-half inch. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until cake is set.

Remove cake pan to a cooling rack (I leave the baking pan/water in the oven); cool completely. Refrigerate cake (covered) for 4 hours or overnight. Slice into wedges and drizzle with Pomegranate Sauce.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Pomegranate Sauce

(adapted from this recipe)

1/2 c. pomegranate juice

1/2 c. red wine (I used Briar Patch Black Cherry Wine; see below)

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 Tbsp. honey

3″ stick cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils; reduce heat to low.  Simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half and is thickened and syrupy. Cool to room temperature before serving.

About the Black Cherry wine…

We’re fortunate to have a small local winery with a huge sense of humor nearby. (Click on the photo below or like their FB page here.) Stop by the Briar Patch and say hi to Jim and Linda. Good folks, good fun, good wine!

Well it’s time to enjoy a slice of cake, so I’ll leave you with two words:

Shop local!

Enjoying pomegranate success (at last),

~ Kimby

Stay away from processed food

This should be easy. Staying away from processed food. It really shouldn't be that hard to do.

Do not eat out at fast food places. Just do not do it. If you must go out, pick somewhere that serves organic if possible. If that can't happen than at least pick somewhere that prepares their food on site and it is from fresh produce and meats.

When you shop at the grocery store stay in outer corners of the store that is usually where the fresh produce and meats are located. Stock up on organic eggs and butter and then pick out lots of organic veggies and fruits. If you are a meat eater pick out hormone free chicken and organic meat. Stay away from cured meats because they are just not good for you. In one study I read if a teenager consumes over 8 hotdogs in a month they could be at a much higher risk for Leukemia. Scary stuff and I never liked hotdogs that much anyway. But any type of cured meat would fall into this category.

What are hot dog eaters exposed to? Hot dogs and other "cured" meat products typically contain chemical additives such as sodium nitrite, a color and anti-bacterial preservative that has long been suspected as promoting cancer.

What can we eat that is good for us?

Think fresh and vibrant. Think so tasty. Think just makes you feel good.

Fresh organic fruits

Fresh farm raised antibiotic and hormone free meat

Organic veggies, the green kind are the best. Eat away at as many veggies as possible! I love to roast mine in the oven with Himalayan Sea Salt and organic Coconut Oil.

Avocados are super good for you too and yes they are green!

Sweet potatoes are the right way to go. No to the white ones. Just stay away from anything white in food and you will be doing great! 

Summary

Stay away from processed foods. I even read a study that they are using wood in processed food as a filler. I was like that is scary stuff. Then someone I personally know works at a fast food joint and they found a piece of wood in the food as they were preparing it. It is brought to them from wherever and it is bagged to be served to us.

Processed food is a big NO NO for your health.

 

TURMERIC

Turmeric is an Indian spice that is getting great reviews for your health.

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/10/turmeric-produces-remarkable-recovery-in-alzheimers-patients.html

One huge thing they are saying about Turmeric is that it heals Alzheimers!

That is enough for me so I bought some Organic Turmeric and used it on my fresh green beans. Not bad at all.

So go get you some in the spice isle and take a walk on the wild side with Turmeric.

GMO

What is GMO you say? Here is a good video from a 14 year old girl that has debate with Kevin Leary who is with Monsanto.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIXER_yZUBg

Breaking it down in the simplest terms. GMO means genetically modified.

Somehow the Gov. got involved and Monsanto appeared. A horrible monstrosity that chooses to modify our food without us knowing.

We need labels at the very least. I have been seeing this at work on food labels.  One was for a "Skinny Stick"..made by "Hi I'm Skinny"...

They are marvelous, made out of corn and other good things and NON GMO. Labeled NON GMO.

 

I WAS ESTATIC.

My advice?

Stay away from GMO. It has been proven to cause cancer in lab rats.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIXER_yZUBg

 

Food can make you THIN

                          FOOD can make you THIN                                   

Seriously it can.

Think about food for a minute. What is your favorite food? Mine was once bread. The dreaded bread that makes my digestion all out of wack. FORGET bread. It is so bad for you and also can make you FAT.

How about MILK? Sorry folks but for the most part milk is bad for you too. Dairy can make you inflamed and can make you bloat. Even the organic milk isn't that great.

Lets get to the good stuff.

Greens can make you thin. Anything green pretty much. Look at the vegetables at your grocery store and stock up on green. It is so good for your digestion also. It can cure cancer along with making you THIN.

COCONUT OIL

Yes I am back to coconut oil. It is loaded with GOOD FATS. This good fat will make you thin and fit! The bad fat on your body will just dissolve away and leave you with a nice lean body. Eat it right out of the jar, cook with it, however you do it make sure it is UNREFINED and ORGANIC.

I have been seeing research on eating the vegetarian way of diet as the healthiest way to go and to get rid of cancer and prevent it. Hmmm.. I might have to give it a shot. Wouldn't hurt.

BUTTER

Yeah, butter! It is a good fat! I have been seeing on all my health pages that it is better to use GHEE which is basically heating up your butter and skimming off the fat that floats to the top and discarding that. I don't want to do that so I will just stick with butter! I so need to get the organic.

Here were just a few tips on how eating right can get you thin and fit. I said it FIT. That means no exercise guys!! I know that sounds crazy but it is true. But saying that, getting outside for at least 30 minutes a day and taking a nice brisk walk is good for the heart and the brain.

PEACE

LOVING THE COCONUT

COCONUT 

NOW LETS SING THAT SONG, "PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT AND DRINK IT ALL UP"..

COCONUT is one of the best things you can do for your body.

1. Coconut oil. I love love love coconut oil! It is so good for you! Wonderful moisturizer. Slather it all over. You must always buy the UNREFINED ORGANIC COCONUT OIL. If you buy refined you are throwing your money down the drain with all the good nutrients too. 

2. Eat it! Just take a tablespoon of it and shove it in your mouth. Really. It will improve brain function and has been proven to reverse Alzheimer and other dementia. 

3. Swish with coconut oil first thing in the morning as a mouthwash for 20 minutes! This will whiten your teeth and make them mega strong. It also has been proven to remove tooth decay. Your dentist will be amazed at the results. Just do it already!

4. It has antibiotic properties. It will heal wounds and helps with any skin disorder you may have. Rub it all over! 

 5. Cook with it! Of course you can cook with it. It is loaded with good fats and is the best oil to cook with. 

Need more info on the coconut?

http://naturalhealth101.net/benefits-of-coconut-oil-the-endless-uses-of-natures-wonder-oil/

There are so many websites about the coconut, just type in coconut in your search engine and you will see endless articles about the wonder of the coconut. I love it so much

Wisdom In Food

Wisdom in food to me means no wheat. 

I have done a lot of research to this subject.

No wheat means good nutrition. 

Gluten is in wheat and gluten is bad!

Gluten is only one of the reasons to fear wheat, since it triggers a host of immune diseases like celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, and gluten encephalopathy (dementia from wheat). from webpage

http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/press-media/faqs/

It is all about why there is a wheat belly and lots of good info.

Leaving out the gluten is the answer you have been looking for. Wheat is bad for you in so many ways too much to list.

Bad for you, wheat that is.