Category Archives: water

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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{ San Antonio, TX class } How to make probiotic foods: kimchi and water kefir 

Posted on October 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

San Antonio, TX/local class

October 23, 2011 4:00 pm

how to make probiotic foods: kimchi and water kefir!

Probiotics are your lifeline to good and better health! Probiotics are healing for food allergies, inflammation in the body, chemical sensitivities, toxic overload (exposure to chemicals), environmental allergies, autoimmune disease, acid reflux, hormonal imbalances, blood sugar irregularities, mood and brain health, digestion, the immune system — leaving you less susceptible to colds/flu’s/food poisoning and infections, low B vitamin levels, low energy and fatigue, low Vitamin D levels, and so much more!

But probiotics aren’t just supplements that come in a bottle. They also happen to be found in delicious food and drinks that you can easily (and affordably!) incorporate into your everyday life and diet. Instead of spending money on probiotic supplements, learn to make your own yummy probiotic foods for very little money and effort! Your body will absorb them better, you will save money immediately, and you’ll be discovering and eating new and tasty foods.

October 23, 2011 4:00 pm Come learn the secrets to making probiotic food and drink: kimchi and water kefir; two ancient eats that people have been making for thousands of years, but whose traditions have been forgotten by our modern society.

Kimchi is a spicy and sour cabbage condiment found in Asian cultures, especially Korea.  Cabbage and other vegetables (often carrots or onions) are made tart by natural processes in which healthy bacteria (probiotics) proliferate and sour the veggie mixture, without any use of vinegar. Kimchi can be eaten by itself, with noodles, rice, meats, and perfectly compliments just about any dish. Use kimchi as a condiment on the side of meals or as a main ingredient in cooking.

Water kefir is a fruity and bubbly only slightly sweet beverage. Water kefir is made from “grains”, which look like little clear crystals and are a symbiotic balance of healthy yeast and bacteria (probiotics). These grains are placed in a sugar water solution with high-mineral ingredients, and left to ferment. The bacteria eat the sugar, making the drink low-carb and low-calorie. The resulting flavor is a champagne-like (non-alcoholic) drink that tastes like fruit and offers loads of health benefits! Great alternative to soda and sugary drinks.

WHAT’s included in the class:

  • In-person tutorial on how to make kimchi
  • In-person tutorial on how to make water kefir
  • Your own station/work space complete with all supplies and ingredients for making kimchi and water kefir in class:
    • Glass jars and lids, ramekins, wooden spoons, water kefir grains, dried fruit, sugar, cabbage, sea salt, kimchi spices, carrots, water
  • One batch each of kimchi and water kefir that you make in class and take home to continue to ferment
  • Water kefir grains for you to take home (to be able to make water kefir for the rest of your life)
  • Printed instructions for making each so you can have them on hand and readily accessible for your next batch
  • Lots of kimchi and water kefir to eat and drink during class!

COST OF CLASS:

  • $20 per person
  • You must RSVP and pay in advance to reserve your spot and your supplies*
  • Make a payment in advance via PayPal, by clicking below

  • Class is limited to 20 people; reserve your spot now

*Due to limited space, only paying class participants will have access to the class location and you will be emailed the address of class once your payment is made

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Posted in AUTOIMMUNE, autoimmune disease, beauty, cancer, candida, chemicals, chronic illness, classes, dairy-free, diets, energy, food, food allergies, gluten-free, holistic, hormones, nutrition, probiotic, raw food, thyroid, vitamins and minerals, 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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three things you can do right now to help your thyroid

Posted on August 22, 2011 | 8 Comments

Chances are, like many people in the West, your thyroid treatment plan looks something like this: you get a diagnosis of a thyroid disease (likely hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s), were given a prescription, and have your numbers checked every now and then. While this is a standard approach and can be helpful in many respects, it also puts you — the patient, the one whose health matters most — in a hands-off passive position. When the doctor tells you there’s not much more you can do besides take your medicine on time and hope for the best, it can leave us feeling disheartened and not in control. The good news however, is that there are many things you can do to naturally improve your thyroid health — boost hormones and calm the immune system.

Here are three things you can do right now to help your thyroid health:

  1. Get off of food allergens. Have you heard so much about gluten-free this or dairy-free that but didn’t feel like it applied to you? Well, it probably does. Food allergens become hormone disruptors and immune stimulants — two things that cause and contribute to autoimmune thyroid disease. Therefore, even if you don’t have any obvious, overt food allergy symptoms, chances are, you need to get off of major allergens to improve your thyroid/immune health.
  2. Switch up your drink of choice. If you’re anything like me (an iced tea aficionado), you’re swigging down lots of icy teas in this summer heat. But if your tea of choice is black, you are probably ingesting and absorbing lots of fluoride. Fluoride, although widely promoted for a healthy smile, is also a thyroid-disruptor. Switch to herbal teas, purified water with lemon, or other drinks.
  3. Stop stressing. Stress is an endocrine disruptor. Finding outlets for your thoughts and emotions, or ways to manage your stress level is essential. Despite the difficult circumstances in our lives, we have to find ways to adapt. The success of our thyroid is truly dependent upon it.

what will you do today to feel more empowered and help your thyroid health?

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Posted in AUTOIMMUNE, autoimmune disease, candida, chemicals, chronic illness, dairy-free, diets, endocrine disruptors, food, food allergies, glands, gluten-free, holistic, hormones, mind-body, nutrition, thyroid, water, whole food