"Where Do I Begin?"

This is most likely the question you are asking yourself if you are contemplating making changes in your diet and cutting out everything you have ever known to be a part of your every day routine. How does a person cut out gluten, dairy, soy, and corn to name a few?

My advice is, “One step at a time”. Making a change for life doesn’t happen overnight. Here are a few steps I have taken in changing over to a new allergy-free diet. This has helped me a lot. Maybe it will help you:

1. First, I make myself a list of different things I need to address by category.

2. “Food Therapy”--I have written down what I need to heal my body, and have researched what food will restore it back to health.

3. “Cleansing”-I have recorded what supplements and herbs I need to detoxify my body so I can restore what has been damaged and excel the healing process.

4. “Organic List”--I have made a list of produce I should buy organic. Pineapples and avocados have a thick, protective shell on them, so I can buy them at the general store or purchase them at a local farm or market. However, apples and strawberries are exposed and vulnerable to pesticides. It would be best for me to purchase organically anything that is entirely edible such as green leafy foods, berries, peaches and pears. If you make orange zest buy oranges organic! By dividing my items this way I ensure better health as well as save money. It would be nice to buy everything organic, but it more expensive so I choose to be savvy wherever possible!

5. “My Replacement List”—What items am I going to use to replace those foods I am allergic to? I can’t have dairy or soy so I will be using Almond and Hazelnut milk, almond butter, olive oil, coconut oil, and other. What about flour? I will pre-mix my own all-purpose flour with recipes I found using Almond flour, Brown rice flower, Tapioca flour and other flours.

6. “General Produce Inventory”—These are the foods I can get at my local grocery store or get at a local farmer’s market.

7. “Local Farms and Markets” –Where can I shop to strategically get what I need and also save myself money, yet make this a fun experience instead of a stressful one? I truthfully have never been to a farmer’s market or organic farm, but I can’t wait to go. I’ve read so many reviews on our local farms and markets. What an adventure this is going to be for me! I can’t wait to take the kids! Also, I can save myself time by shopping for some of my items online! There are also allergy-free bakeries!

8. “Cooking and Baking” –Time saver recipes! How can I cook and bake allergy free food simply without it feeling like a bunch of extra work, and how can I prepare meals that will taste so yummy that my family and friends will never know they just ate GF, CF, SF, allergy free food? I can grill outdoors, slow-cook, use my griddle (a favorite), bake, broil, or pre-cook on a designated day and freeze meals ahead of time for my busy days. I do love my Turbo-Cooker. No frying for me.

9. “Recipe resources with no food allergens”—I found great blogs and websites by people who are going through the same thing as I. Generously they share tips, tricks, flubs, victories, and their journey, while lifting the burden of newcombers who feel overwhelmed and don't know where to begin. It is a great comfort to find someone who understands what you are going through, and also shares something that not only comforts you but helps you succeed!

10. “Time for my own recipe book”--- Got a blank binder, slipped in a favorite photo of mine in the front cover, labled it 'Gluten-Free', and begun recording all the recipes that can replace my old favorites.

11. “Make a Menu Plan and Shopping List” –It is my theory that if I plan enough meals to cover for several weeks cycles I can rotate them. When it is time to shop I’ll have my grocery list for each week’s menu in place for grocery shopping day!

12. “Pantry Inventory”—what will I always need on hand for my baking and cooking so I can prepare my meals with ease and low stress? Keep your pantry stocked with spices, flours, and the new essentials you will need to replace the old ones so meals preparation is stress free.

13. “Snacks” ---Have healthy a snack plan in place where snack’s are prepared ahead of time so when you get the munchies you don’t grab a tempting food that you can’t have. “Those homemade frozen strawberry pops are looking good to me.”

14. “Plan the Budget”—How much can I save, spend, and designate for my new life change? Make a plan by doing all the above. Time and money will be saved and stress will be minimized.

15. “Continue to Educate”---keep digging to get answers and know your research will pay off.

Coming up, I will be sharing about new and exciting discoveries that I have been uncovering, which heal the body. There are so many foods and herbs that will restore us back to health. I have found a wonderful superfood that removes heavy metals and toxins from the body while restoring your body back to health! But for now,here are some great resources for your allergy-free shopping and meals!


Blogs with allergy-free recipes and tips:

www.glutenfreecookingschool.com

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

http://glutenfree.wordpress.com

http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/your-plate.php

http://www.elanaspantry.com

http://angelaskitchen.wordpress.com/recipes/

http://glutenagogo.blogspot.com/

http://cookinguncooking-m-elle.blogspot.com/

http://gluten-dairy-sugarfree.com/?page_id=114

http://gluten-dairy-sugarfree.com/?page_id=114



Shopping Resources Online:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

www.wegmans.com

http://www.anniesnaturals.com/natural_dressings

www.traderjoes.com

http://www.nutsonline.com/nuts/almonds/flour.html?sid=GaKZBCUbA0JiUM6D

http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/


I hope this will help you get a head start in creating a plan for your new lifestyle change. I look forward to sharing more with you!

Have a great week!

Natalie

As many of you know I am in the process of finishing a book on infertility. I have recently done a lot of reading on the role vitamin D plays on our fertility. While doing this I also learned some interesting information for all to know and wanted to pass it along.

First off, there are not hardly enough studies out there investigating vitamin D deficiency and infertility. However, I was able to find Dr. Lubna Pal of Yale University School of Medicine, who has studied the effects of Vitamin D deficiency in regards to fertility.

She discovered a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and ovulation irregularities. After conducting a study showing this correlation Dr. Pal said, “Given the pandemic of vitamin D insufficiency, if indeed our observations are substantiated, aggressive repletion with vitamin D may emerge as an alternative approach to facilitate ovulation resumption.” Although her study was small it did prove the fact that more studies do need to be done on the role vitamin D plays in fertility.

Besides infertility, I also learned how vitamin D deficiency can cause other health issues for every man, woman and child. Here is what I learned from the Vitamin D Council web site; "Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more."

Ironic how staying OUT of the sun can cause cancer. In today's society so many people sit at a desk all day and when they head outside they put sunscreen on or cover-up. People do not hear much about vitamin D deficiency and therefore do not know how important it is to get the proper amount of vitamin D.

The Vitamin D Council recommends the following in order to get enough vitamin D:

1. Regularly receive midday sun exposure in the late spring, summer, and early fall, exposing as much of the skin as possible.

2. Regularly (once a week) use a sun bed (avoiding sunburn) during the colder months.

3. Take 5,000 IU per day for three months, then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL (or 125–200 nM/L) year-round.

(Source: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/)

Spring is on it's way. Once Spring arrives, consider taking a break during lunch and step outside. Take off your shoes and socks, roll up your sleeves, don't worry about sunscreen and soak in some sun.

Happy tanning,
Alicia

Humans are the only mammals who continue to drink milk after weaning. Why is this?

Do you think it has anything to do with the $165.7 million dollars spent on marketing? And this marketing figure was back in 2003. Milk is a multi-billion dollar industry. This industry has ingeniously made the majority of Americans think they need something they do not. You do not need to drink cows milk. Milk is a business, not a necessity. Please don't gasp at my statement until you learn more.

I know it is hard to go against the grind sometimes. But I always remember a couple of women who fought against those old Lysol ads of the 1920s that told women to use their product as a douche and contraceptive. I am sure the first few women who came out and said, "I don't think this is right," were disregarded. As a fact I know they were. Women died from doing this. Sickening, isn't it? But so true; look it up. But I digress...

The milk industry has done a great job of scaring people into thinking they need milk. However, you don't need to drink milk after being weaned. Ideally you don't need cows milk at all if all moms could breastfeed. But, I know that can't always happen (Salma Hayek can't be all places at once - inject laughter here).

I will agree to the fact that you do need calcium but you can get it from more natural sources than drinking milk. You can get your calcium from: collard greens, black-eyed pees, baked beans, kale, Chinese cabbage, oranges and almonds. Don't limit yourself to thinking you need milk for calcium. You can find it in many different, safer, foods.

Are you wondering why I just said, "safer?" Pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and antibiotics are contaminants found in milk. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has a great site that will give you a lot of information regarding the concerns over milk. I suggest you check them out if you are open to it.

I am sure I am most likely coming across as some sort of "hippie" mom but that can't be further from the truth. I have just decided to open my eyes up to what my children consume. All three have had semi-serious to life-threatening issues with their health. Since I took dairy out, I have seen life altering changes. I have seen such improvements that I can say all three are very healthy today. The majority of these changes can be contributed to their diet change alone.

Although your pediatrician will tell you kids need to drink 2 to 3 glasses of milk a day they are not warning you that milk is an allergy-triggering food. Milk is linked to childhood recurrent ear infections, constipation, sinus congestion, asthma, acne and insulin-dependent diabetes. Evidence also shows that dairy product consumption contributes to obesity, heart disease and some cancers (such as ovarian and prostate cancer).

Are you sold on the fact that you need milk to grow strong bones? If yes, then the milk industry has done a good job in marketing. A major study revealed that the amount of calcium girls consume during their teen years have no impact on bone strength. Exercise, however, had a huge positive effect. For strong bones, kids need weight-bearing activity, sunlight, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. (Source: "Lifestyle factors and the development of bone mass and bone strength in young women." J. Pediatr. 2004 Jun;144(6):776-82)

Do you buy it when the dairy industry says drinking milk will prevent osteoporosis? Not true. Actually, the high amount of protein in milk drains calcium from the body. Population studies, backed up by a 12-year Harvard study of 77,761 women, suggest that drinking more milk can actually cause osteoporosis.

Mark Hegsted, retired Harvard professor of nutrition, believes we get too much calcium. In an article in the Journal of Nutrition he writes, "Hip fractures are more frequent in populations where dairy products are commonly consumed and calcium intakes are relatively high." High calcium intake causes the body to decrease the amount of calcium absorbed while excreting the excess. That is why people with low calcium consumption manage to form healthy skeletons while high dairy consumers end up with extensive bone loss. Basically, if you are overloading your body with calcium, it will dump more than it should.

If I have said enough for you to do some research, here is a link to a Parent's Guide in helping promote strong bones in children - dairy free. This will also apply to us, adults.

Your "Hippie" Mom,

Alicia