Life, Gluten Free

3 Ways to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Besides cooking, cleaning and just enjoying being a wife and mom - I also have a passion for writing. I just became the Boulder Natural News Examiner. That means, I will be writing articles weekly within the natural health niche.

You can view my first article: 3 Ways to Lower Cholesterol Naturally.

There is also an option to subscribe so that you are updated whenever I publish a new article.

Thanks for your support!

-Heather

If it's not fresh, don't drink it!

An eco-advocate on twitter, Lisa Borden, posted this a link for everyone to take a look at. It was titled "The Shocking Truth About Orange Juice."

I found that title to be intriguing, despite the fact that we don't drink processed orange juice. I took a look, and I was shocked - but not surprised - by the information provided.

I encourage you to watch the video and forward it to friends and family. The point at the end of the video really hit home for us, too. Some children have allergic reactions to processed juices, but not to the actual fruit - fresh - by itself. That's because they are reacting to the chemicals and additives, not to the fruit. Does that seem okay to you? Not to me.

What people don't seem to understand, or even realize, is that it's not natural for most foods to be processed and packaged in that way. In the past, people used to store certain foods (like potatoes) but you can't store orange juice for long periods of time, unless it has some additive.

It takes just one person to speak up and say, let's do something different. Many parents have made a HUGE difference in their community, schools, churches, etc by simply say "I'm not going to feed that to my kid, do you think you should feed it for yours?" By bringing awareness, they make people start to think... maybe I don't want my kid eating something heavily processed like that.

After all, it's not about convenience. It's about the health and well-being of our children - isn't it?...

I think so!

-Heather

October is Celiac Disease Awareness Month

Since 1987, October has been the month to spread the word about Celiac Disease. It's also to honor and celebrate those who have been diagnosed. It can seem a burden at first, but it's a true accomplishment and an amazing achievement to begin to eat the foods that your body thrives on and avoid the harmful ones.

I also want to honor those who are eating gluten-free for other reasons. Whether you are eating gluten-free because of autism, allergies, intolerances or other auto-immune diseases, celebrate your achievement and make your favorite gluten-free dish this month! There are also support groups and other organizations across the country that get together to celebrate in October. Here's a link to get you started if you want to find one in your area.

So you have celiac disease.....

Yep, that means that I can't eat anything with gluten in it. The grains that have gluten are wheat, barley and rye. Spelt and kamut contain gluten as well. If a celiac consumes gluten, damage to the small intestines result. Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune condition that has to be managed by avoiding the consumption of gluten.

Some symptoms of celiac disease include..

- Irritible bowel syndrome (common misdiagnosis)

- Headaches

- Digestive disturbances

- Fatigue

- Joint pain

- Canker sores in mouth

It's important to note that the symptoms of celiac disease range so much that there is no definitive symptom. Some of those with celiac disease have no digestive symptoms at all.

Testing for celiac disease..

I always recommend testing through Entero Lab. It's easy and it's accurate. Most main stream doctors will recommend a blood test and biopsy. Unfortunately, blood tests for celiac disease give a false negative 65% of the time. Entero Lab also tests for gluten intolerance, which requires a gluten-free diet too.

Some facts...

New studies show that 1 in 7 people have gluten intolerance. The rates for celiac disease aren't quite as high, but are continuously rising. It's estimated that 97% of those with celiac disease are undiagnosed. 

Spread the word about celiac disease and gluten intolerance at every chance you get. It may just save someone's life. Celiac disease, if undiagnosed, can eventually lead to more severe and life-threatening conditions.

For all of us that have received our diagnosis, I consider us blessed. We are no longer eating foods that are harmful to our bodies and for that, I am thankful.

I want to thank Entero Lab for being a great way to get tested. I also want to thank my husband for his continuous support and companionship. I want to thank my mom too, for her help and support. And as always, I am very thankful for my beautiful and thriving daughter. We've learned a lot because of her allergies. We are enjoying our journey through eating gluten-free and allergy-free.

Consider trying some of these relatively easy and simple recipes:

Carrot Potato Soup

Lemon and Dill Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Coconut Ice Cream

Sophie's Sweet Sunday Morning Biscuit

Cinnamon Crunch Cookies

If you're a gluten-free blogger or love creating recipes, please join me in this month's Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten free. The theme is Pumpkin Treats.

Enjoy the month of October! :)

-heather

Raw honey, what's the difference exactly?

A while ago, I posted about how I heard that heating honey isn't a very good option. We use raw honey, but if we bake with it then it's heated - sort of defeating the purpose of it being raw in the first place. We also use raw honey for making raw recipes or just savoring out of the jar as a treat.

Our brand of choice is by Honey Gardens, check out their website here. They can be found in Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods and other health stores around the country.

Well why is it so bad to heat honey anyways?

When honey is heated, especially above 116, the heat begins to destroy the antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins that honey has to offer. Heated honey also loses some of its natural aroma and flavor. That's not to say that heated honey is completely void of health benefits.

What about local honey?

Local honey is a good option, but make sure its raw if you are concerned about heated honey. If you want help from seasonal allergies, try to find local bee pollen. You can add it to yogurt or smoothies.

Other uses for honey

Apply honey to soothe burns and speed healing. I can tell you for a fact that it helps. I had a steam burn on my hand and I applied aloe vera juice and then honey. It was signficantly healed within just a couple of days.

Make sure it's raw

The definition of raw honey is one that is unheated and unfiltered. Unfortunately, the term "raw honey" is not regulated and companies can and do put honey on the shelf labeled "raw" when it's really not. They are allowed to filter it once and heat it to 118 degrees. That's why we use Honey Gardens, because it's truly raw.. never heated, never filtered.

A quote from the Honey Gardens web site:

"It is liquid in the honeycomb and when we bottle it, and it naturally crystallizes in the jar into a spreadable consistency, usually around October. "

While we're on the subject of honey, we keep our vitamin pantry (yes, we have a dedicated one) stocked with Elderberry tonic, which has some honey in it. This tonic is nothing short of amazing, it kicks a sore throat right out the door! It's also gluten-free, of course.

Another note

The Honey Gardens raw honey is the only honey that my daughter, who has allergies, can eat. We tried her on another honey (that's filtered + heated) and she broke out in hives. Keep in mind, when honey is heated it changes it molecular structure too.

We still bake with raw honey and we will to some degree. It's definitely still better than some other options, but it's important to remember that eating honey raw offers a lot of health benefits so don't forget your daily spoon full raw honey!

-heather

The Right Sweetener For You?

We all have a sweet tooth, even those that claim not to. Natural sweeteners are sweeping the nation, so to speak, but where does that leave you? Are you unsure of which one to pick? 

I've done the research for you and compiled a list of the natural sweeteners to stock your cupboards with and the not-so natural ones to say "no thank you" too!

Rating system: 1-5 Stars, 1 being poorest and 5 being the best.

Molasses

What is it?

One of my favorite sweeteners, molasses is the by-product of processing sugar beet or sugar cane into sugar. Blackstrap molasses is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. One tablespoon provides up to 20 perfect of the daily value of each of those minerals. It is a great nutritional supplement, and adds a unique flavor to cooking and baking. Great in a homemade barbecue sauce :)

How does it taste?
Rich and very sweet. Molasses has a unique taste with a hint of bitterness (the good kind!).

Rating:
4 stars. Molasses is great but overpowering, it is best used in certain recipes.

Agave Nectar

What is it?

The agave sweetener comes from the agave cactus. Is it really natural? Well, sort of. Some may argue that agave is really over processed and as a result, not that healthy. You see, they extract the juice from the core of the agave cactus. The juice is then filtered and heated to hydrolyze the carbohydrates into sugars. The filtered, hydrolyzed juice is concentrated to a syrup-like liquid. It is thinner than honey. The color ranges from light to dark. The lighter the syrup, the more it has been processed. The syrup naturally contains Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium. These minerals contribute to the dark coloring of the syrup. But, the more processed it is, the less minerals the syrup contains and the lighter the color will be. Also notable, is that agave syrup is a good choice for some because of its low glycemic index.

How does it taste?

Pretty sweet, almost too sweet. Agave is considered to be around 25% sweeter than actual sugar. I find that it is best used in baked recipes to replace sugar, but don't overdo. It can also be used in making salad dressings for a slightly sweet tone.

Rating:

3 stars. Be sure to go for the darker colored agave syrups, as they contain more minerals and aren't processed as much.

Honey:
What is it?
Ah, honey. My favorite! Honey is produced by honey bees and derived from the nectar of flowers. The brand of my liking is Raw Apitherapy Honey by Honey Gardens. This honey is completely raw: unheated and unfiltered. From the web site; "The honey is liquid when it comes out of the honeycomb in the summer and crystallizes into a creamy, spreadable texture in the fall."  The color varies depending on which flowers the bees have been pollinating. Sometimes the honey is almost a white, milky color and at other times it is more yellow and sometimes almost orange. Honey is truly the nectar of life, and when the company practices responsible beekeeping, the benefit is to both us and the bees. When purchasing raw honey, please note that companies can and do label the honey raw but still filter it once and heat it to no more than 118 degrees fahrenheit. Honey Gardens honey is not filtered and not heated, at all. You can find it at some Whole Foods Markets.

How does it taste?
Honey varies in taste depending on what the bees have been pollinating. There is orange blossom honey, which has a slight citrus spark. Raw honey tastes very sweet with a hint of earthyness. It's not very noticable, but it's there. It's the taste of all the hard work the bees put into making the honey, and all the unique and distinct flavors of different pollens.

Rating: 5 stars. Honey is a great choice, but be sure to buy raw honey, because it has a high antioxidant level and contains beneficial enzymes. 

Stevia:

What is it?

Stevia Rebaudiana is an herb. It has been used for over 400 years without ill effect. It also happens to be safe for diabetics because it has no effect on glucose levels. Stevia is naturally sweet and naturally sugar free. Nothing is removed, tweaked, or added, as with artificial sweeteners on the market. Click here to learn how to start growing your own stevia patch!

How does it taste?

Sweet, potent and strong. To truly appreciate stevia, I recommend trying a leaf directly from a stevia plant. It is wonderfully sweet and natural! Stevia has been thought by some to be bitter. This is mostly because some brands of stevia were - and are - somewhat bitter. I highly recommend SteviaClear Liquid by SweetLeaf. They even offer a Stevia Concentrate Liquid, which is even less processed and even more potent. They also offer natural flavors such as Rootbeer, Grape, Vanilla Cream, Chocolate Raspberry and Apricot.

Rating: 5 stars. Give Stevia a chance!

The spin on Splenda:

My opinion is that Splenda is far from natural. Some researches say that Splenda has more in common with pesticides than anything else. That's beause the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together in Splenda are more characteristic ofa chlorocarbon than a salt - and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. I believe that it's safe to say it is better to steer clear of ingesting chlorine.

But the FDA.... also approved sweeteners in the past, such as NutraSweet, which have proven to be dangerously unsafe. The FDA also has no definition for "natural." Splenda is synthetic, but it is up to you whether or not you want to ingest it. It is true that the Splenda molecule is compromised of sucrose, but three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms.

The nitty gritty.. You can easily replace Splenda with Stevia if you want to remain sugar-free.

In summation..

I believe it is best to rotate sweeteners. Use a variety: raw honey, agave nectar, molasses and stevia. Of course, there are a few sweeteners that I left out. But I wanted to focus more on the most natural sweeteners, the less processed ones.

-heather

Sources:

Agave: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_syrup

Molasses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molasses

Splenda: http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx

Ring in the New Year!

If you do your research, you will find that most people agree that new year's resolutions fail because the person has set their expectations too high or have made too many resolutions at once. I have a different take on this and a solution to the dreaded new year's resolutions.

Most resolutions are to change something that you don't like about yourself, for example, to lose weight. Instead of thinking about what you don't like about yourself, find ways to appreciate who you are. Think about how you might could improve yourself, in a positive way.

If you do feel that you need to trim down, restructure your words, they make a powerful impact on how you feel about yourself and how you feel about whether or not you will accomplish your resolution(s).

For example, test out these two sentences and take time to notice your emotions:

"I am very overweight. I don't eat right and I need to lose weight."

"I am at my proper body weight. I am eat nourishing foods and my body image reflects that."

Take time to realize what you want and act as if you already have it. Don't be your own critic. Instead of feeling bad about yourself and judging yourself, appreciate who you are. A lot of good things can come from that.

This year, we are going to be focusing on things that we can do to improve ourselves and our relationships. We are going to be careful to not focus on the negative, but rather think of what we can do in a positive light, instead of bashing ourselves because of our self-perceived weaknesses.

We are also going to be watching Louise Hay's movie You Can Heal Your Life.

Beyond that, here are a few tips on some resolutions you can make to help the environment:

1) Use reusable bags. Keep extras in your car for the times that you may forget to grab them on your way out. Don't limit them to just grocery shopping, use them for all your shopping trips.

2) Use biodegrable trash bags, like these: 

- Eco-Smartbags Biodegradable Trash Bags.

- Perf Go Green Kitchen Bags With Handles.

- Seventh Generation Trash Bags.

3) Use cloth diapers and cloth wipes. We use FuzziBunz. If you don't want to purchase specific cloth diaper wipes, you can simply use wash cloths. We have a mixture of cloth wipes and regular wash cloths.

4) Use reusable water containers like Sigg or Klean Kanteen. 

5) Recycle! Make sure your recycling container is larger than your trash container. We have that option in our city, and we have the smallest trash container instead of the largest.

May you all have a blessed and positive New Year.

-heather

Crayons, err on the side of caution?

"Tests conducted on eight brands of crayons revealed that three of those brands -- Crayola, Prang, and Rose Art -- contained asbestos. Of 40 crayons from the three brands, 80 percent were contaminated above a trace level, according to analyses by two government-certified laboratories. The asbestos is most likely a contaminant of the talc used as a strengthener for paraffin and coloring agents, laboratory officials said."

Sources:
•http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/052300-02.htm
•http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/issues083.shtml

It looks like this information was released in 2000 and I could not find any current information regarding asbestos in crayons.

However, we have decided to not err on the side of caution. Some say you can't be "too picky," however I say why not? When it comes to the health of my child, I will be as picky as I very well please!

I did some research on safer crayons. Because, besides the asbestos, I still would not like the idea of my daughter using crayons from paraffin wax [derived from petroleum].

Here is what I found:

•Crayon Rocks: Crayons made with soy and tinted with mineral powders. Designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles, preparing fingers and hands for handwriting skills. Used by occupational therapists and teachers of children with special needs to develop fine motor skills and provide handwriting practice.

•Beeswax Block Crayons: 8 colors in a sturdy storage tin.

•Beeswax Crayons: Stockmar voluntarily sets their safety standard high: their products conform to food safety levels! The natural transparency of the wax and the lack of additives result in a high degree of opacity like that of watercolours.

• Prang Soy Crayons: This company also makes paraffin crayons, which tested positive for asbestos. So, I would not order until contacting the company to make sure they do not contain traces of asbestos.

•Stubby Pencil Studio: They carry soy crayons plus other eco friendly art supplies.

-heather

Labels: green living, health

Don't share your snacks with your pets

Unfortunately, it's more than just chocolate that can hurt or even be fatale to your pet. Did you know that among the dangerous foods is Xylitol?

You might just want to check out this article: 'People foods' that can kill your pet

-heather

"Gluten-free" label can be unreliable, be cautious

This may not be news to some, but I am sure there are people who were just as unaware as I was of this. There seems to be a wide misconception of what "gluten free" really means to the effect that companies are truly misleading consumers.

I came upon this information after inquiring about a product that was deceptively labeled "gluten-free."

The product: Megafood Women's One Daily
The label claimed: Gluten-free

I started to have a reaction a couple days of starting the multi. My body warned me something was not right: stomach ache and bloating. I thought, okay what's new?

The question really is, why is this occurring? I am not so naive that I believe that companies aren't aware that being misleading in their labeling is not hurting some consumers.

So I stopped taking the multi-vitamin and I felt better again. Eager to know if my gut (in this case, literally) was right about this product being contaminated with gluten in some way, I contacted the company. I got a response that was very much unwelcome and extremely displeasing to me.

The exact quote:

"At this time we do regularly test lots of tablets for gluten although not every lot. However, the last time we tested Women’s One Daily it was less than 20ppm gluten.

The FDA has proposed a rule that anything under 20ppm gluten can be labeled as gluten free. To my knowledge the rule has not been published (become law) as yet, but it is generally accepted that less than 20ppm gluten is gluten free.

Considering our batch sizes and the fact our products that have tested higher than 20ppm gluten (not labeled gluten free) aren't extremely high in gluten, it is extremely unlikely that cross contamination could result in Women’s One Daily being over 20ppm gluten."

So press on cautiously. There are definitely companies out there that are apparently willing to cross the line simply for the sake of making more money. Though, in the end they are making a mistake once someone (like me) finds out the truth.

My question still remains unanswered. How can it be considered gluten-free if it still has gluten? It's like saying "hey bud, I know you're allergic to peanuts but I made some cookies that have less than 20ppm peanuts in them. So they are peanut-free, you can have them right? You won't get all hivey and itchy and have problems breathing right?"

While I know celiac disease is not a gluten allergy, I use the example above because I believe it should be taken very seriously, much like someone who has a severe food allergy. Gluten damages the small intestines for people with celiac disease after all.. not to mention all of the obvious physical symptoms that are unpleasant.

-heather

Labels: celiac disease, health

Ch-Ch-Chia seeds and Baby butt spray

Did that just catch your attention? Baby butt spray? well.. it might not seem like something that goes along with food but hey it's all good right?

We just bought 5lbs of Chia seeds.

My husband makes great gluten-free pancakes and one of the ingredients is chia seeds.

An excerpt from the web site that we bought the seeds from (link above):

"When you hydrate the seeds in water the seeds shell opens up and absorbs up to nine times its volume in water. This then forms a gel, which is called Chia Seed Gel. The gel helps keep your body hydrated. The gel is also 90% soluble fiber, which is beneficial for your digestive track. People use the seeds when they are involved in sports or physical activities for endurance.
The seeds have twice the protein of any other seed or grain, five times the calcium of milk, boron which is trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones, omega 3 and omega 6 which are essential oils for the body. They also have a very long list of valuable nutrients in them naturally. The soluble fiber in the gel forms a wall between carbohydrates and the body, releasing them slowly into the body. This has been found to be very helpful for people who have trouble controlling their sugar levels like Diabetics. Dieters love the seeds because it can be added to any food or drink in a ratio of 75% to the volume of food or drink and will not change the taste. Because the carbohydrates are released slowly you will get the feeling of being full. Many use the seeds as a way to control their appetites. The gel has no taste."

The make chia gel:

Put 1/3 cup dry seeds into two cups of warm water
Whisk, wait fifteen mins then whisk again then store gel in refrigerator

Use three tablespoons three times a day of the gel (seeds hydrated). You can mix them into any drink or food and may even just take the gel. Once a day you can take up to one tablespoon of the dry seeds and add them to fluid or sprinkle them on food and drink fluid at the same time so the seeds hydrate from the fluid.

We make drinks with our vitamix everyday and put the chai gel in it.

My husband does not want to call it "baby butt spray" so I am being a rebel here. We call it "Diaper spray" and this is what it is....

Company: Sophie Baby
Product: Diaper Spray
Uses: to use with cloth wipes, refreshing mist, hand disinfectant, and anything else you can think of :)

More info:
Sophie Baby

We are also thinking about selling on etsy.com! More info soon!

-heather

Labels: health