Category Archives: grains

what are “traditional foods”? and a sneak peak inside my kitchen!

Posted on December 11, 2011 | 2 Comments

I dedicate my time to showing ladies with thyroid and autoimmune disease what to eat and why. I love teaching them which foods have healing therapeutic powers, and how to eat real foods without spending tons of extra money. But have you ever wondered what I eat and what’s hiding inside my fridge and pantry? Well here’s your chance to get a sneak peak! Cheeseslave highlighted my home kitchen and my many healing foods in her Real Food Kitchen Tour this week! (<— click!) Do you make any of these foods?

I also divulged the secrets of “traditional foods” this week for the San Antonio Current newspaper in San Antonio families returning to traditional food practices with ‘One Bite At A Time‘ (<— click!) — a must read for everyone with thyroid and autoimmune diseases, whether or not you’re local here in SA. These are the foods we need to be eating for our hormonal and immune health, and the foods we need to get reacquainted with in our modern world (it would make our great-great-great grandmothers pretty happy!).

And finally, I created a hormone-balancing weekly menu for Naturally Knocked Up (<— click!) last week. Just what should you be eating to balance your hormones? Check it out!

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Posted in antinutrients, article, AUTOIMMUNE, autoimmune disease, candida, chemicals, chronic illness, dairy-free, diets, endocrine disruptors, energy, fats, fertility, food, food allergies, glands, gluten-free, grains, holistic, hormones, mind-body, nutrition, probiotic, thyroid, vitamins and supplements, water, whole food

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how to make your own thyroid-friendly soda {recipe}

Posted on August 31, 2011 | 5 Comments

Just a few years ago, my dietary habits were completely different. Even though I had gone gluten-free and was quickly learning about holistic diets, I was still regularly indulging in my favorite drink of choice: Diet Coke. Yes, believe it or not, I was once a Diet Coke addict and by no means was that good for my thyroid or immune system. It’s been a few years now since I’ve had a real soda, but I have been having fun lately experimenting with a healthy naturally-carbonated beverage: water kefir.

Don’t let the fancy name scare you. Essentially, water kefir is made from little grains (they look like crystals) that are a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (the good bugs). This is a perfect recipe/method for those with thyroid and autoimmune disease. Because the bacteria eat the sugars, it produces a bubbly, refreshing, yet very low-carb drink, full of hormone- and immune-supporting probiotics! Add some fruit juice or spices and suddenly you’ve got a bubbly slightly sweet drink perfectly reminiscent of soda. Delish. And the grains really do all of the work for you — simply assemble, and sit back and watch the food science magic happen right before your eyes.

recipe

Equipment

  • Nonmetal Strainer (don’t use any metal; metal can kill the grains)
  • Wooden or Plastic Spoon
  • Glass Jar

Ingredients

  • 4 Tablespoons Organic Water Kefir Grains
  • 3 Tablespoons Organic Raisins or Other Unsulphured Dried Fruit
  • 4 Tablespoons Organic Sugar
  • 4 Cups Filtered, Fluoride- and Chlorine-free Water
  1. Using spoon, dissolve sugar into water. (Note: don’t use honey here because of it’s antimicrobial properties, it can kill the grains)
  2. Add water kefir grains and raisins to the sugar water in a glass jar and cover with a paper towel or cloth, securing with a rubber band.
  3. Allow water kefir to brew in jar at room temperature for 24 – 72 hours depending on the strength you prefer and the temperature of your home. (The warmer the environment, the faster the water kefir will brew.)
  4. Strain the water kefir grains and raisins from the liquid and put water kefir back into jar.
  5. Add 1 cup of fruit juice of your choice, or add flavorings like ginger, lemon, mint, fruit pieces, etc.
  6. Allow to sit at room temp for another 24 – 48 hours to continue fermentation and produce natural carbonation.
  7. Place in fridge, serve cold, and enjoy!

pictured (top to bottom): water kefir brewing with raisins, close up of the water kefir grains sitting in the bottom of the jar, and the final product — bubbly grape soda!

Where to purchase water kefir grains:
I suggest purchasing from a small seller on Etsy (simply type in the search words “water kefir grains”) for just about $10 total — including shipping, or via Cultures for Health. Also note that water kefir grains, when fed properly, will grow and multiply. So, one initial purchase should be all you need, as they’ll reproduce on their own and you’ll end-up with more than you need in a few batches.

Enjoy!

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Posted in AUTOIMMUNE, autoimmune disease, candida, chemicals, chronic illness, dairy-free, diets, energy, food, food allergies, glands, gluten-free, grains, heavy metals, holistic, hormones, nutrition, probiotic, water

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tune in LIVE this Tuesday 1 pm EST: Can desserts be thyroid-friendly? Interview with Natalia KW

Posted on August 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

Think dessert, and chances are it’s something full of carbs, starches, grains, gluten, dairy, chemicals, and sugars — all of which pull down the thyroid and suppress and/or over-stimulate the immune system. So how can we eat sweet treats that are still acceptable for special diets, allergen-free eating, and are stimulating to the thyroid and strengthening to the immune system?

Listen into BlogTalkRadio as live food chef and recipe book author, Natalia KW, and I chat about HEALTHY desserts and recipes from her latest and brilliant book, Pure Pleasures Cupcake Heaven. Discover what Natalia has been up to since our last interview and why it means such delicious things for you and I.

Tune in LIVE Tuesday August 16th at 1:00 pm EST


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Posted in antinutrients, AUTOIMMUNE, autoimmune disease, cancer, candida, chemicals, chronic illness, dairy-free, diets, energy, fats, food, food allergies, glands, gluten-free, grains, hormones, nutrition, raw food, thyroid, vitamins and minerals, whole food

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good for your gut and wallet? how to let sales and coupons rotate your diet

Posted on July 21, 2011 | 2 Comments

It’s so obvious that it’s something we usually forget to do: clip coupons and look for sales. This is essential when transitioning into a healthier and specialized diet. While it’s true that healthy food can cost more, and usually does, you don’t have to better your health at the cost of your pocketbook.

Healthy retailers are always offering sales and discounts on their products. But what if you do thumb through their weekly fliers or newspaper ads and don’t see anything you usually buy?

Rotate your diet! That’s right, eating a varied diet is so much healthier for us than eating the same foods over and over again. There are going to be lots of store coupons for foods that you may not usually buy, but that fit right into your diet plan, and that you can try and experiment with! Not only does coupon clipping save your wallet, but it also saves your stomach from having to process the same foods over and over again every week.  It’s a sure-fire way to reduce boredom with your diet and reduce food reactions. Let the sales on healthy, organic or allergen-free foods dictate what you eat that week.

Go online to the website for your local grocery store. Which healthy foods are they offering at a discount this week? Which coupons do they have available to print out? Next, visit the website of your local health food store; search for the same: weekly deals and coupons for the month. And finally, if you have a major health/specialty food store like Whole Foods, visit their site too. Whole Foods always has coupons on various products (this week, Whole Foods is offering discounts on So Delicious Coconut Milk, organic honey, organic roasted red peppers, naturally-raised animal proteins, and oh-so many others!).

Finally, sign-up for each stores’ newsletter so that they’ll email deals directly to you. But be sure to go back and visit their site every week before you shop.

Check your nearest stores out for yourself and see which discounts are hiding on the other side of the screen.

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Posted in AUTOIMMUNE, candida, chemicals, chronic illness, dairy-free, diets, fats, food, food allergies, gluten-free, grains, nutrition, whole food

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