The Not So Safe Safety Bubble

If you have allergies, try as you might to forget them in your day to day, you can't. I think if you have been living an allergy-free lifestyle for a number of years, it becomes part of your every day life. In our little gluten free, lactose free home and bubble, cross contamination is not much of a thought. Also if you are lucky to have a partner who is super supportive and hyper-aware of your allergies, then you forget that the rest of the world has gluten and lactose everywhere, and in everything.

I had family visit over the summer and I was reminded of how gluten and lactose free my bubble really is. We had bought some beautiful locally made artisan bread, which I ate when I was eating gluten. But simple things like using a common cutting board to cut the bread, using the common butter and knife for cutting, and then to not properly cleaning everything off. Even wiping off the knife with the common dish towel and putting it away. Ack! Simple things, really, not even a big deal, unless you have a celiac disease. They meant no harm, and probably weren't even aware, but what was evident to me, is that they don't live in an gluten free home. And man, was it obvious, just how gluten free my home is! And for the record, A, is not gluten free, and there is gluten in my house. He just has gone through my struggle with me, watched me suffer and is so keenly aware of cross contamination, that sometimes I take for granted how conscious he is. <3 <3 (He wins a gold star for sure!)

Even with my dogs, both of whom, have allergies, it too, has become part of our bubble of safety. It is just a part of life. Narrowing down dog allergies is a tricky, long process. (Read my collection of posts about that process here.) There is sooo much that goes into dog kibble. So much bad stuff and fillers, that it has taken quite some time to figure out both of their allergies. Addi, our golden boxer (half boxer, half golden retriever) is allergic to gluten and chicken meal. Oliver, our French bulldog, is allergic to pretty much everything (it's a Frenchie thing): gluten, dairy, eggs, cheese, beef, chicken, duck, any red meat really, on top of his environmental allergies to everything and skin issues, his list is epic!

So what does he eat you might be wondering....after much time, trial and tribulation we landed on Orijen food. It is a very clean (and very expensive) kibble. And the only flavor he can eat is the Six Fish. Another thing that we learned along the way, is often there are multiple kinds of protein in dog food, which can cause allergy flare ups, finding a single protein food is very, very hard. The ratio of protein to carbs to fats, is also a very important factor. Most standard dog foods have too high a percentage of carbs in them. He also takes a daily plant sterol and probiotics. He gets no handouts and only the occasional treat. I know you're thinking, poor guy! But honestly he is a much happier and healthier dog now, than when we got him 2 years ago. If you look at the post from January 18, 2015, you can see just how red and swollen he was when we got him. And now...look at how handsome and healthy and not red he is! Cutie! <3

Our household is a very allergy conscious home, and the doggies and I are grateful. And yet we are reminded how sensitive that daily balance is. We maintain the balance without effort, but when we travelled for Thanksgiving, the balance was knocked off. Our poor little Oli, had a pretty nasty reaction to a combination of things. To no fault of my mom, who watched after them. It was just evident that Addi, Oli and I live on a delicate tight rope of allergies, that doesn't take much to fall off, even when you are actively trying. Even a simple trip to the gas pump, where they offer your dogs treats, has to be an announcement of your allergies. Dog mom panic, "Don't burst the safety bubble!"

That is what is so frustrating, is when you are actively trying and yet you have an allergy attack. If you live with allergies you probably have a similar allergy-free bubble, where your house is safe, your immediate friends and family know and are as accommodating as possible, and you have your favorite restaurants because they are cautious and can accommodate your allergies. You learn to relax a little. To breathe. And trust that your allergy-free bubble is safe. And then you get symptoms! :'(

Right now, I am having respiratory problems. I can't catch my breath, I am wheezing, and my breath is shallow. It's even effecting my sleep. Not fun. There is no glaringly obvious reason for my respiratory problems, which is my first sign of contamination, except the other night. We went out to one of our favorite restaurants, which has long been on the safe list, and yet the other night it wasn't. Something that we have ordered many times before came with breadcrumbs on this time!! Whaaa? Never before, and now all of a sudden?! Annd they skimped on the bacon! Whatthe*$5*grumble grumble! I didn't pay much attention either. I am used to them being safe. I was talking with the bartender and watching the game, until A pointed it out (again <3 him!), he leans over and asks if those are breadcrumbs, and on close inspection they were. Well shit!

So even when you think you are safe, you are not. Lesson learned, always, Always ask questions when you are eating out. And never assume that because it is a restaurant on your safe list, and you've gotten the dish before, that it will stay that way. Things change, restaurants change, heck for all I know if was a new chef! I just get a sad mopey face and am reminded that again my safety bubble is not as safe as I believe.

For people with allergies the holidays are particularly hard. There is so many social events and opportunities for cross contamination. From Thanksgiving on, try as you might, the likelihood of some cross contamination is likely. Unless you are a hermit and don't socialize, or maybe, you are lucky, and have friends and family that are allergy-aware. I am surprised by my current allergy breathing symptoms, but at the same time I guess I shouldn't be. The time of year and a more unusual diet, for me at least, with some likely cross contamination, boom, symptoms. It sucks, because you want to just enjoy the festiveness of the season and eat all the yummies (that you think are safe) around you. You can't. And it is really unfortunate timing too. Christmas festivities are within a few days and really I need to go on a strict cleanse to get rid of whatever is backed up in my body causing my respiratory problems. Bah humbug! 

As much as I want to ignore my symptoms, not being able to breathe is really, really scary. And if I think about it, I am also having digestive issues and not so good poops. So obviously it is all connected. The signs are there, my body is telling me, and now I have to help it out. Part of the process of discovering, managing and living with food allergies is learning your body's symptoms. They are there, however subtle, your body always has a way of saying, "hey that's not working for me," you just have to learn the signs. And once you do, and you figure out your trigger, the symptoms become more obvious, even in the slightest onset.

Good luck throughout your remaining holiday festiveness. I hope you are able to navigate and stay symptom free. And I know, because you are like me, you are hyper-vigilant about cross contamination, but be wary of your vigilance slipping. I think we all want to relax and trust and believe what we know to be, will stay the same, but unfortunately it doesn't. If you have lived allergen free for a long time, and you do have contamination, the likelihood of horrendous symptoms will be less, but still be on the lookout for the more mild symptoms. They are there. Always be on the lookout for daggers that are going to poke your safe, allergy-free bubble.

How to Control Your Seasonal Allergies Symptoms with Diet

I have a love/hate relationship with fall in Maine.

Yes, it is beautiful, the leaves, the cool air, the lacking of tourists and bugs, but with fall comes allergies for me. In fact researchers think nasal allergies affect about 50 million people in the United States. And allergies are increasing. They affect as many as 30% of adults and 40% of children. www.aafa.org/page/allergy-facts

I've always had allergies, it is only until I moved to Maine that they became a major problem in my life. Spring and fall have been dreaded seasons for me since I moved here and until the last few years were debilitating months.

I remember one fall being so sleep deprived because of my allergies and congestion that I couldn't sleep and when I would finally fall asleep I would wake in a panic unable to breathe lying down. All I could do was sleep sitting up with a fan directly on my face. The combination of fear of suffocating in my sleep, the exhaustion and overall stress still horrifies me to this day, as in, I never, ever want to go back to a time like that.

I know so many people who suffer with seasonal allergies and the symptoms are getting worse, not better. I used to be a statistic until I made radical lifestyle changes. Sure I can pop an OTC antihistamine or use my rescue inhaler, but that doesn't feel right for me, in fact, both are last resorts. I haven't had an active rescue inhaler prescription for the last 3+ years and I take Allegra only in a dire situation.

I have changed my approach with my seasonal allergies, as something my body is telling me, but also as a time for me to reset, which actually feels natural and in sync with the changing of the seasons. With these changes, I have been able to have mild to no seasonal allergy symptoms for the last 2 years with seasonal changes in my diet alone. 

I noticed a considerable difference in my seasonal allergy symptoms when I identified my gluten and lactose intolerances and removed those foods from my diet 6 years ago, but now I can mitigate further seasonal aggravations by eliminating nightshades and alcohol as well.

Nightshades contain alkaloids which can aggravate or even mimic seasonal allergy symptoms. Nightshades include potatoes, peppers (all kinds except black pepper), eggplants, tomatoes, tobacco and some more esoteric things like goji berries and some version of blueberries or huckleberries. Unfortunately, fall is also harvest season in our garden and almost everything coming out of the garden is a nightshade. Nightshades allergies are a problem for some even when seasonal allergies aren't being triggered and can look and feel similar to seasonal allergies, year-round. Nightshades cause inflammation and joint pain, specifically lower back pain (dead ringer for me there). The research available on nightshade allergies is abundant when you search Google, so I will let you do your own research, however, this time of year cutting out nightshades for me is a night and day difference when it comes to my allergy symptoms, so perhaps you might consider doing the same.

If I stick to a strict vegan-paleo diet, aka Pegan, coined by Dr. Mark Hyman, with no nightshades or alcohol, that is heavy on veggies, gf whole grains, beans and some animal protein and fruit, I have considerably less allergy symptoms, and I can't recall the last time I took an OTC antihistamine.

Seasonal allergy sufferers are on the rise, unfortunately, and beyond the environmental allergens around us, especially in a heavily wooded place like Maine, there are allergy inducing, inflammation triggering foods we eat every day. If we limit our intake of those foods, especially when the environmental ones are high, you have the power to control your own symptoms. It is actually a really cool revelation to have come to this point where I can see directly the foods I eat, the time of year and how by controlling what I eat in the fall and spring actually allows me the ability to not dread the standard seasonal allergy seasons. I can see fall for all it's colors and beauty instead of dreading it for all the pollen and sneezing it used to make me suffer through.

There is great power in knowing your body well enough and knowing that nourishing it with foods that support and sustain health, rather than aggravate and inflame, is amazing. It is amazing to know that if I wake up in the morning and have a congestion and a sneezing fit, all I have to do is look at what I ate the day before to realize what the culprit was.

The ability to recognize your sensitivities and triggers does not happen over night, nor are you able to associate your seasonal allergy symptoms as being triggers by potatoes or gluten or dairy, without first knowing what it feels like to not have those foods in your system, causing potential inflammation. 

The journey is challenging, but you don't have do it alone. I find the power of food and the way it makes us feel, in particular to allergies, seasonal and food related, is fascinating. It is a journey everyone should be willing to explore because knowing you have the ability to make yourself feel better just by the food choices you make in a day is powerful. You aren't relying on a pill to temporarily brain-fog-alright the symptoms away. You can learn that by simply removing a trigger for a short period of time can alleviate a multitude of symptoms that you would otherwise have to sniffle, snort, and wheeze and generally feel like crap through.

To learn more about how to control your seasonal allergy symptoms with diet, contact me at alixhealthcoach@gmail.com or visit eatbelivewell.com.

Health Russian Roulette

I have been playing Russian Roulette with my health and diet lately. Ignoring all the past-month warning signs has led to the explosive (literally :o) misery of the last 2 days. Ugghh... :(

I have been thoroughly enjoying my foodie filled summer of sunny days, long nights, plenty of BBQs and social gatherings. With these indulgences I have been lax in my typically regimented eating. I am normally gluten free and lactose free always. Minimal meat and dairy. Lots of veggies and whole gf grains. But lately, yeah...not so much. Eat it all has been my MO, cross my fingers, and hope for the best, so far it hasn't caught up with me...

Especially given the bounty of our glorious garden this year, one would think I would I would be eating veggies all-day-erry-day, which I am, BUT I am eating mostly nightshades–peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes–all of which we are harvesting aplenty right now. While I love these veggies, hence why they populate most of our garden real estate; did you know, nightshades aggravate seasonal allergies? Who knew, right?! Ever notice that your allergies are awful in the fall, ever notice how many garden fresh tomatoes you are consuming at that time, weird correlation. Nightshades cause an inflammatory response in the body and when your body is already on high inflammation alert because of the environmental allergens, the double whammy is a double sniffly-uck-fest for all those seasonal allergy sufferers. 

So while we have been subsisting on nightshades for the last month–hello fresh pasta sauce, caprese, eggplant parmesan, all of which of course must include an abundance of cheese (another food I must avoid). I have been extra "allergy-y" lately and ignoring the signs. I wake up sneezing, having sneezing fits regularly, extra drippy nose, taking my seasonal allergy meds daily, regularly feeling achy in my hips (huge red flag: In fact, scientific research suggests that up to 90% of individuals who suffer from any form of pain or discomfort in the body are sensitive to nightshades–which can trigger an inflammatory response.) I have even had this weird rash around the corners of my mouth (which in Chinese medicine is a sign of a stomach/intestinal infection/discomfort) and yet, keeping on eating my tomatoes and eggplants and cheese, and...

A cheese stuffed pepper and tomato dinner Friday night, led to horrendous gas, lower back and hip aches, and ultimately explosive, diarrhea that has lasted for 2 days now. Gross, ew, don't talk about that stuff, I know, but seriously, we have to talk about it. I have been blatantly ignoring what my body has been subtly telling me for over a month, and now here is my payment, shitting water and stomach cramping for 2 days. I am even telling myself, "I told you so!" 

Isn't it so funny how we play Russian Roulette with our health and the way we eat? We all know what makes us feel better and what is good for us–lots of water, a diet of mostly veggies, limited meat, dairy and processed foods, exercise daily, good restful sleep, yada, yada, yada–we get it! We all know what we "should" be doing and yet we don't do it. Or we do, but on a short term basis. We'll "be good" for a month, 3 months, 6, whatever the timeline is, yet most of us (there are the few that have iron-clad will power and discipline–aliens?) will test our limits, "fall off the wagon", challenge if dairy really gives me gas that clears the room as I writhe in pain, that " 'one piece of fresh whole wheat bread and butter won't kill you' "– but in fact it will. We all know our body's limits and yet we continually test them. Why is that?

We all know when, what, how and why our body is mad or explosively diarrheating all over the place because you ate too much cheese, and yet we still eat the cheese. It is funny how we do that! I know personally I get SO sick of being aware, of having to worry about bringing my own snacks, literally everywhere I go, of having to say, "Oh that looks delicious but I can't", of being the "gluten free girl" the "lactose free girl", the "what crazy thing don't you eat now, girl". I just want to eat and enjoy and live, goddamnit! I don't want to have to worry about my butt exploding or my stomach retching from the inside, or zits appearing as a warning sign that my insides are not happy! Why does my body hate all the foods I love so much?!? 

I know, I know, pity party for one. My rant is over. It has to be, as does my episode of "falling off the wagon". For the last month, that little voice in my head has been very vocal–"Oh, you know, you should really be eating better." "Umm, hello, you can't eat that!" "You'll be sorry if you keep eating like that." "You know, fall is coming–which means, heinous allergy season, you better clean up your act girlie!" What!? You don't have a guilt-tripping-nagging voice in your head all day tell you what you know is better for you?

So, fine. I am waving the white flag, since the bright neon red flags have been evident for over the last month. I surrender. I must be good or else...dun..dun..dunnnahhh! The last two days of misery are enough of a "sign" to shape up. As I write I am drinking a glorious (although horrible tasting) green juice, from all fresh veggies from our garden (and no nightshades). Side note: I have this theory that the worse it tastes, the more your body needs it. Ever notice how some green juices taste awful, while others are delish, and how even the exact same yucky one will taste fine the next time you make it? I think the same thing about wheatgrass shots, if it tastes awful and you gag at the smell of if, do it, drink it up and maybe do it again. While green juice is the last thing I want right now, I really want potato chips and wine, but given that I haven't eaten for two days, I am thinking green juice is the right nutrient boost my insides need, yes, it might give me more diarrhea, but at this point, what's a little more ammo for the explosives.

My moral of this shitting water story for you, (please learn from my lessons), our body's give us signs, small at first, then very obvious. Some of us ignore the signs, unknowingly perhaps, or intentionally. We, you, me, we all, know what our body's need. Each of us is unique in our needs, and only you can know and identify those needs. We must know those needs and also our limitations so that when the signs are there we know how to right the path. To be our own arbiters of health. To know how far you can push yourself (regardless if we should or not). 

It is a choice to choose health, and also to ignore health. If you know the difference and learn to trust that your body is your guide; so long as you learn your signs, we are all be able to achieve our optimal health.

Yummy Goodness Coming 'Attcha

Here are two recent recipes that are just delish!! Mostly vegan (easily adjustable to be so), always gluten free and yum-o! 

Enjoy! 

Visit my Recipes tab for the details.

"Cream" of Broccoli Soup

Big-ol Pot of Beans

Note: beans are needed for broccoli soup recipe

The Primal Way - A New Way?

My months of debauching and gluttony have caught up with me, as expected. I can only go so long being a vacuum for all things salty, gooey, boozy and delicious before it all catches up with me, especially when I don't work out. Duh, right?! I am not one of those blessed people who can eat whatever and not gain weight, even though I have hateful eyes for the beloved who lives with me and is that way...anywho, debauchery had to stop, sigh...

Along with the feeling that something has been stuck between my boobs and the waistband of every pant I own (yes, even stretchy ones :o ) this time of year is often really hard for me allergy-wise. I typically have to dramatically alter my diet, or even do a cleanse, and habits because my face is constantly oozing, eyes red and itchy, and I sneeze hysterically. A chub-oozing-goo-sneeze-fest = hot mess!

So for the last 3 weeks I have been back in the swing of my regular workout routine of exercising 3-6 times a week. (Really loving fitnessblender.com right now! Don't know 'em check 'em out!!) I attempt to wake early most mornings of the week to do groggy yoga, although the last few days have been a challenge because the snot-ooze is on another level, and any inversion is like Niagara Falls down my face and all over my mat, so yeah, yoga in the morning hasn't been happening much for me the last few days. That and, I have been exceptionally tired and I am a mess without proper amounts of sleep.

An aside on sleep: We undervalue sleep. It. Is. So. Important. I love sleep, it is the bestest. And when I don't get sleep I am a cranky bitch who wants to eat everything in sight. I own that. When I am sleep deprived I am on a war path, and y'all better watch out, and those who know me and love (yes, even on my war path) will lovingly look at me and tell me to go to bed. If you are anything like me though, you try to do even more when you are tired. Which makes absolutely no sense! Right!? I mean seriously, your body is yelling at you for sleep - hello coffee cravings, hello doughnuts, pancake, bread, anything doughy (ie refined carbs) cravings consuming your every thought – surrender my loves, your body, your sanity, the sanity of your loved ones around you, sleep is the cure-all. And yes, I am even suggesting sleep over getting up early in the AM for yoga. If you are tired. Sleep. You will get more health benefits by catching up on some zzz's than you would by pushing yourself through a yawn-filled, half-assed yoga-sesh at 6 AM.

Food-wise I am trying Primal for a while. (I hate the word diet because it plays mind tricks on everyone, so I just think, "Hey, that sounds interesting, let me try eating like that for a while and see how it makes me feel." - It works I promise you! Don't call it a diet. Call it a curious experiment on you.) Throughout my IIN course we have been introduced to many different types of dietary theories, many I have tried and chronicled. Anyone read my vegan egg obsession post? LOLs! So now onto Primal. Primal is similar to Paleo or the "caveman diet" in some ways and different in others. Primal is a lifestyle concept founded by Mark Sission. I have followed his blog, Mark's Daily Apple, for years. The concept makes sense logically to me - eat the macronutrients our bodies were designed to assimilate properly - protein, fats, lots-o-veggies and minimal carbs. The diet consists of organic or local, or both, meat products, lots of oily fish, eggs, some full-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, lots of veggies, especially greens, avoiding grains, legumes and refined anything, especially carbohydrates, sugars, preservatives, alcohol, and man-engineered food-like-stuff. 

There is also lifestyle recommendations of moving with intent daily, not just hitting the gym for the WOD or pumping iron, as is commonly associated with the muscle bound testosterone-laden paleo-dudes; allowing for down, quiet time, decreasing screen time and having a natural sleep rhythm. If you are interested in learning more, ask me, or pick up Mark's books or check out his blog. (A little aside that mildly deterred me at first: While there is a lot of useful, logical information, just ignore that he clearly comes from a privileged life, where he can make his own schedule and do as he wants in a day, and clearly time and money are of little concern in his life. We are not all so privileged or wealthy or stress free, so try your best, don't expect a miraculous, unrealistic, comparison of a life.)

I am really liking the Primal approach so far. I don't feel deprived at all. Calories are really not a concern on this "diet" because it is encouraged to eat as many fats as you feel comfortable with. And oddly enough I am finding I am actually eating less calories a day than when I was eating grains and carbs - some days almost 400-600 calories less and feeling very satiated. We are talking natural fats here people - avocado, coconut, nuts, olive oil - none of the refined stuff like corn, canola, hydrogenated crap. Fat is not to be feared. We need fat. Our brains are almost entirely made out of fat and it is crucial for the synapses and neurons to fire correctly. Ever since the low-fat craze of the 80s and 90s we have been on an increasing rate of obesity, cognitive issues and unhealthiness. Our bodies need fat. Goods fats, and it actually knows what to do with them. Don't fear fat. I even lost 5 lbs in the first week, not that that is my goal here, just an added perk. Fat does not make you fat!

I was worried about eating too much meat. I have never been a big meat eater. I occasionally indulge, but for years have subsisted on a mostly vegetarian diet with plenty of whole, gluten free, grains. But Primal is basically vegetarian due to all the greens, seeds and nuts, but with the occasional protein thrown in there. I am finding I am eating a lot of eggs, which is fine, I love eggs with the occasional palm-sized local, farm raised protein portion alongside it. I am not even eating meat everyday.

Another thing I was worried about was pooping. Pooping is a big part of all our lives and I don't know about you, but the quality of my poop directly effects my entire day. I have found when I eat large amounts of meat and dairy everything slows way down. So I was worried that that would be the case on a primal diet. One of the things Mark even mentions is that you won't have to wake up and poop first thing in the morning on a primal diet like you would on a typical grain-filled, high carb diet. This sentence made me anxious. I like that I poop first thing in the morning. I hate pooping at work. And the idea of slower moving, possibly harder to clean up poops at WORK made me really reconsider. I can report this is not the case, at least for me. I am not not pooping in the morning before work. It just isn't as soon as I wake up. I can normally get up pee, make my cup of lemon water, let the dogs out, get their food ready, finish my lemon water and maybe even start yoga before poop time comes. Before it was up and poop. So yes it is a little delayed, but not like my anxious brain originally thought. Phew, no pooping at work.

Interesting poop tidbit - so we went Halloween costume shopping and out to dinner last weekend. Mexican was the choice, and while I didn't go hog wild on the carbs, I did have some. Man that was a mistake! 3.5 weeks into this primal thing, no refined carbs, grains or sugars in sight. My taste-buds were on overload. Everything was too sweet, too salty, too spicy. Not that I have been eating blandly, but ugh, talk about processed. And the next day all I could think about was poop and my digestive tract. I felt like my colon and my intestines were talking to me all day. You know that feeling like you have to poop but you can't - ALL DAY, ugh, it was horrendous. My Mexican meal was SO not worth it.

All in all Primal is an interesting approach, I'm enjoying it more than I anticipated and am feeling healthy, motivated and less lumpy and gluttonous. I am eating better and working out consistently, and yes, pooping well. Someone even mentioned my face looks less puffy the other day, which is a good thing I guess (she too is doing her own paleo/primal experiment, so it was a compliment from her).

Curious? Try it. Don't beat yourself up. Try the 80/20 rule or Mark's 21-day transformation. Test what you think and know, for all you know you might discover something new you like and learn more about yourself.

The Privilege of Choice

I was watching a documentary the other day about food and health, naturally, and while the documentary was illuminating and insightful, the lingering thought I have walked away with is, "Wow, I am privileged."

No, this is not going to be a post about how privileged I am in a "rub-it-in-your-face" sort of a way, but in a the sense that I, we are lucky. Stay with me, for a minute.....

Each year I attend the Camden International Film Festival. It is a phenomenal, small town, here in Maine, documentary film festival with films on a wide variety of topics from film makers all over the world. It is an expansive, emotional, heartfelt and a heartbreaking weekend. Where I learn so much and am exposed to so much in such a condensed time frame, that as soon as the festival is over, my butt is aching, my sciatica is screaming at me from all the sitting, I am exhausted and have gas from all the sitting and irregular eating times – all I can think is I can't wait for next year!! #CamdenIFF2016!! But again, the lingering thought I'm having this year, is "Wow, I am lucky. Wow, I am privileged."

This most recent documentary, Way Beyond Weight, which I watched curled up on my couch with my puppies, eating some delicious, now-forgotten, gluten free treat, was about obesity in children around the world, with a primary focus on South American children. So clearly there is privilege there, due to the socioeconomic difference of them and I, but that is not the privilege I am talking about. 

The privilege I noticed is around choice.

I, we, are privileged because we have a choice. We have the resources and financial capacity to have a choice in what we eat. That alone makes use privileged. The fact that we can have conversations about having a gluten intolerance, or preferring to buy organic whenever possible, or farm fresh eggs and free range, grass-fed meat....Holy crap! We are lucky!!

The fact that these are our conversations, that I have the privilege of writing a blog about food in this way, period dot makes me privileged. The fact that you are reading my blog because you too have a gluten or diary intolerance, or are just interested in learning more about food, makes you privileged in this sense. The fact that there is choice rather than eating only what is available to me is what struck me. So many of the children in the documentary didn't have a choice, because their parents didn't have a choice, due to lack of resources and money and wherewithal. These people were eating what was cheap and what tastes good, which food chemists have nailed down to science. These people are addicted to the sugar and fat and sodium and gluten in the cheap packaged foods that are widely available to them in their remote areas, because fresh vegetables and fruits don't travel well, are expensive and don't last long. They have no choice.

It broke my heart to watch these people suffer with billion dollar backed food scientists tricking their very human instinct to need sugar, fat and salt. And they don't have any external references to learn differently or know more. They barely knew what a carbohydrate was. And food labels with more "healthy" terminology actually were believed to be healthier for them. My heart sank.

So back to my sense of privilege or luck or wherewithal, or whatever you want to call it, the fact that us, as Americans, or maybe not even the typical American, but those of use who consciously choice what we eat, the quality, quantity, the source; the fact that we can reject something because of a food allergy is privileged. 

We are darn lucky to know what we know and have the resources to make these decisions. I am by no means trying to draw a line between "them and us" but there is a line created by government and food conglomerates that are preying on the underprivileged and poor around the world. 

My strong will is no better than any of the children in the documentary when it comes to eating potato chips or candy or soda, I am made of the same DNA. My body when given copious amounts of sugar, fat and salt, only wants more. It is designed that way people! It has nothing to do with strong will, that is a losing battle that food science is banking on, and actually it is down right unfair!

So those of us who know the difference, who have a choice, who make conscious buying choices, it is our responsibility to help others understand the battle we are all up against. Regardless of socioeconomic standing, with these billion dollar food science conglomerates intentionally fooling us and feeding our inner cravings that easily turn into monsters, even for the strongest willed of us. It is science and DNA and their bottom line is money and we are the sufferers.

So if you are like me, you are privileged to have a choice and subsequently make such choices, continue to do so! Each of us can be our strongest by consciously choosing where we spend our dollar. But also when given the chance to educate, it is our duty to have a better, healthier human race that is not being fooled and ultimately killed by these perpetual toxins in these packaged foods that are deigned to taste that good.

OMG I Didn't Die!

Last weekend was A's birthday and we decided to head to Portland to celebrate. We always talk about going, yet manage to watch months/years pass by before we make it down there. We manage a beach trip around my birthday at least once a year to Old Orchard, typically only stopping in Whole Foods, right off 295, for our coffees and snacks for the 3 hour ride home.

This time we went to Portland to do Portland proper. We stayed right in town, biting the bullet and paying the extra $100-ish to be within walking distance of everything, and have a water view! Oooo snazzy, right?! A man only turns 36 once!

A and I had not been to Portland in the proper-do-it-up-Portland-way since the food scene really burst. If you do not know, or have not heard (do you live in a cave?) Portland is food heaven. I want enough time, money and a-not-give-a-shit-attitude to get gargantuan fat on all the deliciousness that Portland has to offer. And in all my attempts to hit the best rated places and stay up to date with mutual foodie drooling friends, I always manage to be somewhat behind the newest gotta-go-there-place. Le sigh! If only someone wanted to fund my gluttonous happy growth into obesity. Any takers?

It is probably good we don't live in Portland. All income would go to food and booze. We love trying new food, seeing new restaurants. We love people watching with good cocktails and the options in Portland are endless.

There are my go-to favs that I had not had the chance to take A to yet. Like I said we are normally passing through, so either it is convenience over waiting in line, say at Duckfat (Drool! He STILL doesn't know what he is missing. I have tried to make him stand in the around-the-block-line 3 times now, each time he complains and doesn't want to wait....if ONLY he knew!!! How can anything ever not be worth a wait when it is fried/grilled in duck fat? Duck fat?! And Belgium fries, with sauces you want to slather all over your body and a cold brew...I can't! But apparently A can't wait in line long enough to get to the point of drooling, which inevitably happens when the name is even mentioned. If only he knew! And if only he would wait in the damn line!)

Duckfat deliciousness. Photo courtesy of justaddcheese.com.

So although we didn't make it to Duckfat yet again, we made it our mission to gallivant around, try a drink and a nibble, at the places I wanted to take him to or those that caught our eye along the way. We were fat (in a reasonable, still gluttonous, but not protruding sort of a way. I realize gargantuan doesn't happen in one night (try as I might).) and well boozed by the end of the night. 

Walter's calamari

It was SO much fun. Everything, as always, was amazing. Walter's calamari - oh yeah - "best calamari [he's] ever had!" Zapoteca's habanero watermelon margaritas, die! Salsas, so different and cool. Guac! ::drooly face:: Local 188 is always a great venue, great for people watching, awesome, quirky bartenders, AHmazing drinks (and food, which we didn't have this time). We visited so many other places they're starting to blend together. Mmmmm.

Zapoteca quac

Oh and PS Portland has food trucks now, after last call, more gluttonous gluttony available all hours of the night. But I had one place in mind to fill the late night munchies - Otto's pizza. Drool. Sigh. Let me pause while I wipe my chin. I haven't been to Otto's since I went gluten free 4 years ago and even then, there was a lull between the cutting out of gluten and eating a slice of Otto's. If I had planned better, I would have gorged myself on a whole pie, probably died from suffocation or constipation, or both, but man I would have died happy. 

Otto's pizza is my idea of a perfect slice, to which they serve into the wee hours of the night, after boozy people flood the streets of Portland. It is cracker thin crust, with just enough chew that you gotta pull, the dough is slightly sour, the toppings range from typical to amazeballs. Every slice I have ever had is delicious. We hoofed it up to Otto's just as bars we pushing people out and A ordered 4 slices as I audibly sighed and moaned, bitterly living vicariously through him. I watched as he bit into his slices, cheese squish noises emanating with each bite, a dribble of grease down his chin, crispy pepperoni......I. Was. Dieing. It was torture watching him. All night long I watched him eat things I couldn't. Things I knew how good they tasted, because since the first time I ever tried them, all I wanted to do was take A so he could enjoy in all my food salivating glory. And here we were doing exactly what I wanted to experience with him as I sent death rays into his forehead as he ate my delicious, my lovable, MY amazing Otto's pizza! How. Dare. He. What the F was I thinking??

OOOOhhh AND to top it all off he didn't like the potato, bacon, scallion pizza!!! WHHAAAaa!!?? I don't like you! (I actually think I said that to him.) Sure bacon, garlic mashed potato and scallion pizza sounds weird (I had the same initial thoughts) but no, it is truly amazing! It is all I ever want whenever we pass Otto's. And he didn't like it!! Enough was enough, the torture was killing me and the dagger to my heart that "those ingredients don't belong on a pizza" BS I ripped it out of his hands and took 2 very large, perfectly greasy, potato-y, bacon-y, cheese-yum bites and closed my eyes. It was just as delicious as I had remembered. Only better. It took everything in my mind to not eat the whole damn slice. I was horrified and slightly concerned I might keel over and die right outside Otto's. I took one last bite, knowing full well I was going to be hating myself within the next few hours, if not definitely by morning.


But here is the thing.....I didn't die! I didn't even have breathing problems. Or a lump in my throat. Nor was I constipated in the morning. I ate gluten and I didn't die!?! Holy crap! I don't know if it was the booze that buffered my typical reaction. Or the fact that is was the pizza of the gods. Or all the walking, who the hell knows?? Either way the inevitable doom I anticipated never came.

The famous Otto's bacon, scallion, potato pizza.

That by no means means I started shoveling gluten down my throat left and right (thank god we left Portland the next morning). But I took my non-reaction as a sign from the Otto's pizza gods that I was supposed to eat 3 bites of their pizza, so all would be right in the world again. And also so the potato, bacon, scallion pizza would not be insulted by A's lame "it doesn't belong on pizza" comment! Shhh, Otto's pizza I still love you (queue petting motion). You don't know until you know and apparently A just doesn't get it.

The reality is I didn't die probably because I have not had gluten in 4 years. My villi are happy. My gut is happy. By bowels like me (most of the time) and the experts say every once in a while, when your gut flora and GI tract are super healthy, even for extremely gluten sensitive people, a wee bit of gluten won't hurt you. And by wee I mean probably no more than the 3 bites I had. I cannot tell you how desperately I wanted to eat the whole slice. But even through my boozy haze I knew better and my strong will stuck by me as I put down the slice of amazingness, still glaring at A due to his sheer stupidity. But at least he had Otto's amazing pizza and got to enjoy the glory of Portland food heaven with me in all proper birthday gluttony (even though I secretly resented him most of the night). Love you dear, happy 36th!

Zapoteca watermelon habanero rita. Ole!

My Banana Bread Gave Me a Lump - Gulp!

My seasonal allergies have tremendously lessened since I have changed my diet to no gluten, no dairy (except fermented), limited-to-no meat, no refined sugars and no processed foods. They are almost non-existent. 

I have always had allergies of some kind, even as a kid – be it unidentified food allergies or seasonal allergies; they were never as bad until I moved to Maine. I think the culmination of moving to a densely forested environment coupled with my immune system being on it's last leg with horrible inflammation – my body finally gave out. After a lot of time and experimentation I finally figured it out and I am living an allergen free life. Yay! 

Sure I sneeze often, but not nearly as much as I used to. I blow my nose as soon as I wake (which Dad endearingly mentions every time I visit, of how much he loves to hear me honk first thing in the morning) otherwise it is not too bad. Even this time of year when my coworkers and friends around me are suffering, my allergies are manageable, actually they pretty much doesn't exist – especially in comparison to where I once was. Occasionally my eyes will itch and I won't wear my contacts. I will be a little extra snotty-drippy, but normally if I go to an extra clean diet of dark leafy veggies and lots of pre- and probiotic foods, I am a-OK. Read more about my allergy diet in my post Seasonal and Food Allergies.

I have noticed over the last few days I am having a problem with some gluten free foods. I don't have many in the house as it is, my though is if I wouldn't eat the packaged glutenous version, why would I eat the gluten free kind? I always have a loaf of gf bread in the freezer, which typically lasts me months. And I had some overripe bananas the other day and it was a cool, drizzly morning and banana bread and coffee sounded delish. So I made both – both of which I never eat. I just used my Grandma's famous banana bread recipe, but switched out the APF for some gf alternatives. I used almond meal, quinoa flakes, Bob's Red Mill gf APF and aside from not having walnuts in the house, it turned out deliciously. I enjoyed my 2 slices of warm banana bread with a decent amount of butter on them and a hot cup-o-jo, curled up in my bathrobe and indulged. It was a great weekend gray, drizzly morning.

As with anything I bake, now and in the past, I have 1 or 2 pieces/bites/slices and then it gets moved from counter on pretty display, into the fridge with plastic wrap over it, ultimately into the freezer. "A" normally helps out, but when it comes to gf baked goods he's not as willing to help.

So the banana bread is now in the freezer as per usual. However, I have noticed over the last week an unusual thing – I am getting the typical "lump-in-my-throat I have eaten gluten reaction" I used to get way back when. It is a little hard to identify now, because I haven't had it in so long and it kind of feels like I am overly hungry, but no, I am pretty sure it is that I've eaten-gluten-lump. Hmmmm. 

So I have wracked my brain for days. Double checked my sealed zip-lock of gf grains (to eliminate cross-contamination) and everything I used was gf and really had no possibility for coming into contact with A's gluten items. He is so hyper conscious and aware, always making sure to use different utensils and equipment (sweet man!). His flour lives in a different pantry in it's own plastic bag away from mine in their baggy. Cross contamination really isn't a big concern in our house, we are a well oiled machine.

So I am 99.99% certain it isn't cross contamination, I haven't had the banana bread for a few days, and the last time I had a small sliver (while it was still on the counter) I had no reaction, huh?! Today I had a piece, thinking to myself it isn't the banana bread. And then I had a piece of gluten free cinnamon raisin bread with organic peanut butter and banana after my run with dogs. And now, low and behold the lump is back!

So I am thinking, and they say trust your intuition, and let me tell you through this whole journey that is the one thing I have learned to really tune into, especially when the "professionals" had no answers for me. I trust my intuition all the time now. So my intuition is telling me what little seasonal allergies I do have now, are aggravated by any form of bread product, even gluten free. The reaction is subtle and most wouldn't even notice it, but I do and it makes me think that in the spring and fall avoiding all gluten free processed products - bread, crackers, even homemade banana bread made with gf grains is the best way to eliminate any undo aggravation and inflammation.

A little helpful tip I have learned, drinking ginger tea when you get a mild allergic reaction aides in the digestion of the food and also for me, at least, helps lessen the intensity of the lump in my throat.

I have never heard of anyone having this reaction in peak seasonal allergy times. Have you? Do you have reactions? I think it is interesting that gf products are bothering me right now. And the only new thing was the homemade banana bread. The cinnamon raisin bread I have been eating for year. So now I am going to test myself even further. The banana bread is in the freezer now. So I will try the cinnamon raisin bread in a few days to see if I get another lump.

And even now a few days later, I had a piece of toast with breakfast. Lump is there!

This really is intriguing to me. I know in the fall I can't drink wine. I get allergic reactions and horrible stuffiness and headaches, but only for the months of September and October. The fall is worse for me as a whole when it comes to seasonal allergies and I typically revert to a very limited elimination diet for those months. But perhaps I need to add gf products as something to avoid in the spring too, just to eliminate any unnecessary irritants and inflammation that my body is already dealing with in defense of the environmental allergens around me.

Pantry Remnants 4-Grain Gluten Free Granola Recipe

The berries right now, although not local (I know :( ) are gorgeous! I can't get enough of them. I'm going to turn into the blueberry girl from Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory. They are plump and juicy, sweet and on sale! So exciting! Although I am eating them by the handful I thought oohh granola sounds so good too, and I haven't made a batch in quite some time.

I didn't have my typical granola ingredients, see original recipe here, so I tried to wing it with what I did have in the house, and oh man did it turn out delish! I actually think it is better the the original and healthier, win win!

Of course I didn't follow the recipe which I never do anyway. I am inspired by recipes, but almost never follow them. So I took what I had, without measurements and threw it all together. So here is the general recipe, with estimated amounts, in case you want to make this deliciousness:

1/3 scant cup of raw sugar (or brown sugar)
pinch of salt
dash of organic Madagascar vanilla extract
1 spoonful (~ 1 T) of coconut oil melted and cooled
maple syrup

Thoroughly whisk ingredients in a large bowl, until well combined.

Add:

3 c. organic, certified gf oats
1/2 c. flax seeds
1/2 c. quinoa flakes
1/2 c. quinoa
1/2 c. kasha (toasted buckwheat)
(you want 5 c. of grains, whatever you have you can use, mix it up, or just try it, if you don't have the exact same grains here)
large handful of raw pumpkin seeds
2 large handfuls of chopped raw almonds
1 c. shredded, unsweetened coconut
2 handfuls of raisins – 1 added before baking, 1 added after 

(I really like baking some of the raisins into the mix, they get crunchy and a little chewy. If you don't like this, add all your raisins after, when it has baked and cooled. Normally I do unsweetened cherries or cranberries, but I didn't have any, so raisins had to do)
cinnamon generously sprinkled across the top

Mix ingredients all together in the large bowl, making sure to bring the liquid mixture from the bottom up and integrated. The mixture should start to look a little wet all over. If it isn't, add a bit more maple syrup.

Once well combine spread all the granola onto a baking sheet. Evenly distribute and press down a bit. Put into a preheated oven at 325 and bake for 30-45 minutes. You will start to smell it and the edges with slightly brown. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy with almond milk and fresh berries galore, or with yogurt, or just a quick handful as a snack (as A likes to do). I'm drooling already, off to go have a bowl! Yum.

Gluten is Evil

I am convinced! Wheat and wheat gluten is evil. I already knew this for my own body, but the more I learn and hear and see, I am convinced it is the new food evil. And furthermore, I am convinced everyone is allergic, to some degree, to the current strain of dwarf wheat we consume en masse.

I know this is bold statement and possibly crazy, but our bodies are not designed to consume as many grains as we consume. Grains and wheat were not part of our evolutionary process. As hunter gatherers, we ate berries, plants and meat when we could find it. Our genetic make up is generally the same now as it was then, however we consume differently, not to mention live entirely different lives that what our bodies were naturally designed to do.


In my continual expansion of food, health and wellness knowledge I am currently reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis. While I admit I picked it up because of my own gluten intolerance and always wanting to learn more about the expanding scientific evidence of gluten allergies I am amazed by the detail to which Dr. Davis goes into.  And the list of ailments that could be gluten related! He explains the genetic modifications of grains over time, our body genetic change as well as the evolving dynamic of our current food systems.

While already making radical changes to my diet since identifying my gluten and lactose intolerance, I am further convinced in my own diet, to eliminate corn and starchy, glucose-raising vegetables.

Whenever anyone mentions an aliment, joint pain, bowel issues, rashes, itchy skin, scalp, digestive issues, allergy issues, depression, anxiety, lethargy, headaches, caffeine addiction, dramatic weight gain and loss, sugar cravings.... – I am convinced that they need to remove gluten from their diet. Often I will ask if they have tried going gluten free and the response often is, "Yeah, but it didn't work." I typically ask how long did you try it, a week or 3 is the most I ever get. But what people don't realize is that it takes at minimum 1 month, ideally 3 months, and completely 6 months to a year to really reap the benefits of a complete removal of gluten from the body and diet. Furthermore, most people who think they went gf for a week or two, probably didn't even go completely gluten free, because gluten is hidden in so many unknown places. You can be consuming it unknowingly in: salad dressings, cured sandwich meats, iced tea drinks, prepared meat marinades, blue cheese dressings, condiments....places you would least expect it. You legitimately need to give it time.

Just replacing gluten-filled processed foods with gluten free processed foods doesn't work either. While not gluten containing, the whole point of going gf is a lifestyle change. And as Dr. Davis explains the non-gluten grains are just a processed and damaging. You should not just replace one with the other, but instead increase your vegetable and fruit intake.

If you have joint pain, bowel issues, rashes, itchy skin, scalp, digestive issues, seasonal allergy issues, depression, anxiety, lethargy, headaches, caffeine addiction, dramatic weight gain and loss, sugar cravings, psoriasis, feel like you are "allergic to everything" go gluten free for 3 months, ideally 6. And then see if what ails you goes away or gets better. It worked wonders for my life and according to Dr. Davis more of us need to go gf too.

You Don't Know, Until You Know

This seems obvious and like duh, but the reality is you really don't know - what it is like to feel good, to poop well, to identify how certain foods effect you, that medications can be greatly diminished by diet changes, that exercise can fix most any mood problem - until you have actually done these lifestyle shifts and you think "Oh wow, how did I go so long not knowing."

But you can't know or understand until you make a change. Even subtle ones like drinking more water every day could be a baby step to solve perpetual dehydration; which can be masked in hunger pangs, a headache, irritability, mental fog, sugar cravings...

My Man is always confused when I say I am off, I need to get back on track (not that I have deviated all that far, but it happens). He worries, asking how are you so sensitive now? Is there a bigger problem? It is not that I am more sensitive. I am more in tune with what is "off" for me and when something goes off just a tiny bit I notice it instantly. I know I need to eat more brown rice, or juice more, or do more yoga, or get more sleep. And there is no underlying issue, other than I can't believe I lived "off" for so long, so uncomfortable for so long, and I didn't even know it.

I didn't know, and I couldn't have known, without the comparison to then and now. And I think this then will be compared to a future now. I have recently enrolled with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition® to become a Health Coach and I can already feel the shifts of my lifestyle that I know now. So I can only imagine what my future will look like in my lifestyle choices I learn and implement with IIN®.

The thing is, we all know little things we could and should do in our daily life that would be better for us: drink more water, sleep more, eat more vegetables, move more, have more sex, sit still in silence - pick one, just one, even the one that seems the easiest and do it. Take note of how it makes you feel and difference it makes in your day to day. When that easy lifestyle choice becomes second nature and you don't even have to consciously think of it, choose another. Bit by bit, your small baby steps will snowball into continually wanting to make yourself feel better. The feeling better is addictive and sooner or later you will weigh choices based on how they will make you feel. And then one day you will find yourself thinking, "How did I go so long..." and "I didn't know blank would make such a difference," and "How did I used to live like that?" 

"How did I not know, until now that I have this comparison of feeling amazing. I didn't know until, I knew the difference. And wow what a difference it is."

Standard is Not the Only Way

I think we have figured out Oli's itchiness, our newest French bully addition to the family. Phew, finally!

The first day we got Oli. See his incredibly red muzzle, eyes and ears. They are worse in person. Completely raw. Poor guy :(

Coned Oli helping with my yoga.

He was so red and itchy and miserable when we got him over a month ago and we have tried everything we have found and thought wouldn't kill him or us. At it's worst he was wearing a cone, a Thunder Shirt, taking Benadryl 25 mg. every 4-6 hours and getting sprayed down hourly with Richards Organics natural anti-itch spray.

We decided to go against the traditional veterinarian approach, which we started with and took us nowhere. The vet didn't seem to know much more than us and the default approach was medications and antibiotics, which is SO not us, and so not for our doggies.

We researched and attempted our own approach and it is working. We deduced that Oli has a gluten allergy, mites and a very week immune system. So we are doing a handful of things to attack each.

Gluten Allergy in Dogs
The gluten allergy seemed intuitive. We know Addi our half boxer half golden retriever is gluten intolerant so it makes sense that we would have Oli eat the same grain free food. We have settled on the venison sweet potato blend by Natural Balance, which is a widely recommend brand for Frenchies. Also after reading online French bulldogs, and boxers, notoriously are gluten intolerant. We think Oli has probably eaten gluten his whole life so we know this will take some time to purge his system of his 2 years of eating gluten. But we are already seeing differences. Less itchiness and he is less puffy. Like me, when I removed gluten from my diet, my all over puffy, inflammation, melted away. His too, he looks leaner now. Up until a week or so ago we had Oli on a bean, potato and sweet potato diet. We learned from our old vet - an alternative vet, who has sadly since retired - that a diet of pinto beans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes is a diet simple to digest that aides in determining potential skin issues by keeping the diet simple. The philosophy is similar to that of an Elimination diet for a human. Remove all potential food allergens, allow your digestive system the ability to relax and digest easy foods, so you can identify the allergy culprit.

Mites
Although Oli was tested for mites at the vet's and it came back negative, we were pretty convinced he had mites. His itchiness was to the point of self mutilation, which is a common symptom of mites. They itch so badly inside and out, that they will itch to the point of pain, blood and excessive wounds. We did extensive research online and realized that the traditional methods of dips and chemical baths were not for us. Some chemicals can cause permanent nerve damage and most only work 20% of the time. Why would we put him and us through that, when we don't even use chemical cleaners in the house.

We found an all natural "sworn by" Happy Dog Mite Avenge bath and liquid wash. The website has amazing reviews and we were sold on the all natural option. True to the reviews, it works! The first bath we noticed a huge difference, the second bath, he is back to normal. He barely itches at all, he is at the "normal" dog level of cleaning and scratching, where he actually stops itching; the obsessiveness is gone. The bath needs to sit for 15 minutes, which is challenging and comical to sit all 4 of us in the bathroom, covered in dog hair, water, suds and smelling of tea tree oil and citronella. The second step, the leave in wash, is grainy and has a unique wet mud smell that needs to stay on and air dry. You try to stop dogs from shaking and rubbing themselves after a bath, it is a joke and we spent a lot of time chasing them around and walking them on leashes in the house (it is in the low teens outside - we didn't want frozen dogs). Regardless, this stuff works and it is non-toxic and actually smells nice!! If you are struggling with mites and excessive itchiness, even if you don't think it's mites, get this stuff now. It works! Although challenging to apply in the waiting period, just know you will be messy and soaking wet and the amount of dog hair on your bathroom walls is enough to create a whole new dog, grab a glass of wine and your co-partner, lots of towels and dog treats and spend and hour in the bathroom. That is some memory making stuff :).

Immune System Boosting for Dogs
Lastly we are boosting both dogs immune systems. We have learned quickly you cannot give one dog something and not the other. Man do they get jealous. Addi has not been happy that Oli get "special" food of potatoes and beans and Oli is sick of his potatoes and beans, so they both begrudgingly eat their food while begging for the other's. As soon as we turn our backs they switch! Crazy dogs. Oliver's immune system is weak because of his breed, but we also think he may have been weaned too early and has never had owners that took those things into consideration. Similar to humans the same immune boosters work for dogs - L-lysine, garlic, probiotics, Vitamin C, B-complex - and we have been giving them these daily. One vitamin of each wrapped in American cheese, which they love - we call them cheesy treats. We figured American cheese, although nothing we would ever eat or buy is probably cleaner than most of the pill pouch treats - given treats often have gluten, chicken and grains, and it is super easy to wrap around the pills. The silly dogs now beg for their daily cheesy treats, they come running when they hear the cheese drawer open in the fridge.

If You Don't Know About DE Yet, Then You Should
Lastly we are giving them and coating them both with diatomaceous earth. Don't gasp in horror. We are not poisoning our dogs, if you have been following along we clearly love and care for our dogs with every fiber of our beings. Food grade diatomaceous earth is AMAZING! 

It is the cure all for almost everything and yet people only use the toxic kind in their gardens to kill garden pests and in their pools. More people need to know and should be using food grade DE everyday, which is different than the commercial grade. The food grade is good for dogs and humans alike. We have started taking a tablespoon of DE ourselves everyday and a tablespoon for Addi and a teaspoon for Oli. I cannot say enough good things about DE. I highly recommend you do some research to learn for yourself. The only reason it is not widely known or used is because it has SO many uses that it doesn't fit within the FDA regulations of labeling. A food item cannot be a cleaning agent, and a pest control, and a cosmetic all in one. The FDA doesn't know what to do with an item like this, and so they just don't. I urge you to learn more and listen to your intuition and not follow "regulations" for regulations sake.  

Food grade diatomaceous earth, which is 89% silica, a natural element, is good for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, it helps with osteoporosis and joint pain, helps rid the body of parasites (ie mites and worms in dogs, and people), aides in weight loss, detox, cosmetic use, fades age spots, stimulates metabolism for higher energy levels, helps repair and maintain vital lung tissue and protects them from pollution, helps to prevent many unwanted side effects of menopause, can help prevent kidney stones and heal infections of the urinary tract. It is a natural diuretic which can increase excretion of urine by 30 percent, thus flushing the water-excreting system and restoring normal function to these vital organs, will reduce inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can cause disinfection in the case of stomach and intestinal mucus and ulcers. Silica can prevent or clear up diarrhea and its opposite, constipation, can help diabetes by promoting synthesis of elastase inhibitor by the pancreas and the list keeps going and going and going and going....read more here. You too will be convinced to add DE to your daily life. It is all natural and tastes a little like overly chalky almond milk when mixed with just water. I have been adding it to my smoothies and for the dogs we mix it in a little bit of organic, plain yogurt, to give them an extra dose of probiotics daily.

Through this whole process we have had a lot of sleepless nights. We have to cleaning the whole house daily. We have done loads and loads of laundry. We learned a lot about dogs and mites, and boosting immune systems for dogs and humans. But most importantly we learned, similar to our health and needs, to trust our intuition. The veterinarian approach is not different than the medical approach to covering up an ailment - take a pill and an antibiotic - without looking at what is causing the ailment. Just because it is standard practice does not mean it is right for you or your furbabies. If you think there has to be a better way, there probably is. Do your research. We are so glad we stuck to our guns, to our alternative approach, applying the same mindset we would to our own health and are so relieved that we were able to help our little guy.

 

Back to their playful selves, running around and having fun all hours of the day.