You’ll LOVE this

This is the recipe that I made for Easter dessert.  As most of you know between the 3 girls in the house we are on a gluten, dairy, wheat, and soy free diet.  The only desserts we can safely all enjoy are raw food desserts.

Chocolate mousse strawberry pie  (I created my own from a recipe from The Raw Foods Bible by Craig B Sommers)

Crust

1 C shredded coconut

1 C raw macadamia nuts or almonds soaked

1/4 C pitted dates ( I get medjool dates)

1/2 tsp sea or celtic salt

pinch of cayenne

1 to 1 1/2 tsp coconut oil for extra rich crust ( i didn’t do this)

Put the coconut in a processor with the S blade and blend until a fine powder.  Add nuts of choice, salt and cayenne blend until course.  Break up or chop the dates place them evenly over your mixture and blend until you’ve got a graham cracker like crust.  It should be crumbly but holds together when pressed.  Spread into a 9″ pie plate ungreased.  Place in fridge while your make filling.

filling

2 medium to large avocados

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp sea or celtic salt

1/2 carob powder

1/2 C agave or raw honey

Put all the above into the processor with the S blade and process until smooth

Layer the chocolate mousse with strawberries or any other berry over the crust.

Garnish with coconut or berries

Chill for an hour before serving

YUM YUM!!!

Gluten

The next item that my daughter and I had to eliminate due to an allergy test was gluten.  I’ll get into the allergy testing more on another post but gluten is important to talk about.

Most people have issues with gluten and don’t even know it.  So what is gluten?  Gluten is a protien in grain mostly known for being in wheat but it’s also in spelt, barley, rye and many more.  Those with an allergy have to watch for it in cereals, dressings, all baked goods and even crackers.  If it’s processed and doesn’t say gluten free chances are it has gluten in it.  All purchased items you have to read the ingredients, honestly it’s easier to bake your own breads.  It is what makes bread spongy, it is what makes bread rise and it gives the bread some texture.  Some people’s digestive systems are having a hard time breaking it down.  As a result we get clogged drains (constipation) which leads to allergies, rashes, yucky skin bumps (my daughter’s skin on a previous post, yes gluten contributed).  Gluten has been linked to several chronic disease’s and auto-immune disorders, even autism.  When I tell people that we don’t eat gluten I then get asked “Oh, you must be celiac then right”? Wrong, niether me nor my daughter have Celiec disease, we were both tested.  So that means we have a intolerance or a allergy to gluten.  Basically we won’t be put in a ER situation if we eat it like a celiac person probably would but it we eat it we can expect we’ll immediately feel bloated and sick.

Gluten causes inflammation in the body which causes a lot of problems.  If you have or are suffering from any of the issues listed below I’d highly suggest you take gluten out of your diet for 2 weeks and then eat it and see how you feel.  Or a quicker way, go get a blood test like we did, you might be surprised at what you find.

I copied the below from Mark Hyman MD.   If you’d like to look into this more go to www.huffingtonpost.com/markhyman

A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 “diseases” that can be caused by eating gluten.  These include osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia,  cancer, fatigue, canker sores, and rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression,  schizophrenia, dementia, migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage).  It has also been linked to autism.  We used to think that gluten problems or celiac disease were confined to children who had diarrhea, weight loss, and failure to thrive. Now we know you can be old, fat, and constipated and still have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Mark Hyman just released a book called The Sugar Solution, I’ve read about it online and watched a little TV spill on it but haven’t purchased it yet.  He is helping people all over with what he calls diabesity.  I’m looking forward to reading it.

I challenge you to 2 weeks of being gluten free, can you do it?            Oh,and do you know what happens when you get rid of inflammation?  You drop weight FAST!!

blood and things

WOW!  It’s been a while since I’ve written.  Lots going on.  I cancelled my mastectomy surgery again!  More to come on that topic.

Some of you might know that when I started this journey about a year and a half ago I started out by going to a clinic in Arizona that used low dose chemotherapy and high dose vitamin infusion all through IV’s.  At the time I was stubborn and didn’t want to get a port-o-cath or a PICC line.  For those that don’t know both of those are little gadgets that give you vein access without getting poked daily, I opted for the daily poke for a long while!  Which is also a long story that will soon come but for now let’s just say all my veins are shot!  Can’t draw blood from anywhere really.  So in preparation for the surgery I had to get a bicep accessory in my left arm (PICC line) which was a good thing, I was planning on giving blood finally, doing some more vitamin IV’s since I had access and the surgery of course that didn’t happen.  It had been 6 months since I’ve had any blood work, I’ve tried twice even went under ultrasound and they couldn’t get in a vein.  Finally, was able to give 10 tubes of my blood, thank you bicep accessory!!  I was nervous and scared, those tumor marker numbers can instill fear like no other.  It had been six months of me not knowing what was going on inside my body and the fear of cancer roaming freely is a extremely uncomfortable feeling!  After a few days of anticipation I got a call from my favorite nurse friend at my doctor’s office.  She said in a happy and excited voice “Jamie, your blood work is still all good and within normal levels”!!!!  You have no idea how I felt after hearing that!  And even better news I’m completely healthy all my blood work is normal!

But the bad and good news is the PICC line got a very large blood clot at the end of it and wasn’t functioning correctly so out that went.  If surgery is to happen I’ll be adding a new bicep accessory to my lovely arm!  More to come on that…….

WOOHOO for normal tumor marker numbers!!

 

Trying to save the Tata’s

I’ve decided to hold of on the surgery for a bit. Going to see a specialist and see if he has any ideas on how to save the boobies! Last minute cold feet maybe, not sure but I don’t like the idea and I never have so I’m researching my options once again. I’ll keep you you all informed. Thank you to all of my supporters and cheerleaders! Your calls, text, emails and whatnots are all appreciated.

Yummy Pudding

I just made this recipe from Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet book.  It tastes like dairy pudding and it fooled my daughter.  Check it out!

I ripe avocado, pitted

6 – 10 dates depending on the size of date soaked if necessary

1/2 tsp vanilla

4 heaping tbsp cocoa or 2 tbsp carob powder (I used cacao thinking it was my carob, still tasted good)

1/2 c water

Put the 1st four ingredients in a food processor and scrap sides if necessary.  Add in the water until the desired consistency.

You never taste the avocado!!!

FUNgus!

After my oldest daughter was diagnosed with Alopecia with not a lot of help out there or explanation I turned to food.  All of the things that I’m listing as kitchen no no’s are things that I eliminated trying to “repair” the damage.  Just keep in mind that it has all worked but I’m trying to write in order of the events so not to skip forward.

We drastically changed our diets.  Her hair wasn’t growing but I was still working.  I found a homeopathic friend that helped us a lot, taught me a lot and inspired me to keep researching and gave me a lot of tips.

#2 issue – Same daughter

She started developing skin lesions.  I wish I had pictures.  Behind her knees in the bends of her arms she started to develop what was thought to be eczema.  We tried everything but the doctors just kept sending us out the door with prescription creams.  It was so bad that we had to wrap her arms in gauze every morning and night.  It would itch so badly that she’d claw it all night into a bloody mess.  I’d cover every morning hoping that nothing would get in it and get infected.  I went all the way natural using natural creams, herbs and other things to ease the pain and itch.  Eventually it moved all up her back, neck and ended up on her face.  She was embarrassed.  Keep in mind she was already wearing a wig, had no eye brows or lashes and now had some skin condition, she felt horrible!  I went to a doctor that told me it was common in kids with Alopecia to have skin issues, allergies and asthma which she had all of.  No answers once again.  I dug in again!  Google is my best friend.  I came across some interesting information on fungus, yes FUNgus!  The creepy green cloud of smoke glazed over my computer as I started digging up information.  Of course this sends me to the library.  I don’t just use one source of information and I don’t self diagnose. I took her back to the doctors we had previously visited.  They all said, go get some athletes foot cream from the pharmacy and see if it works.  If so, you are right if not, than use this prescription, this was about #8 prescription with no results except the condition getting worse.   These doctors were really pissing me off by now!   I researched all of Utah for doctors that would share my interest in finding the cause to everything.  I just didn’t want to cure a symptom I wanted to find the problem at the source.   I found one about 10 minutes from my house….HELLO why didn’t I do this to start with??

We sat in her office, unwrapped the gauze from her arms and the doctor gasped!  Before I said a thing, you know what the first words out of her mouth were?  “This looks like candida”!  I almost started crying!  Finally, Finally, Finally some answers.  I was hopeful!  She gave her a prescription for a fungus cream and an oral antibiotic for candida aka yeast!  Yes Ladies, It isn’t just the privates that have these issues!!   We were scheduled back to the doctor 2 weeks later.  Whatdoya know a week later she had red covered up skin and 2 weeks later she had not a trace of it.  Never has it returned!  Do you know what a relief that was?  We found out that she had FUNgus!  But why?  Why would a 10 year old end up with a head to toe rashy FUNgus infection?

This is what really started my journey with food….

Nitrates

Let’s talk about Nitrates and Nitrites.

What are they?  Have you heard of them or noticed them on any of your foods?

Now go open up your fridge and pull out some lunch meat or pepperoni!  Most likely you’ll find those words on your packages of processed meat.

Nitrates and Nitrites are close cousins.  They happen to be a preservative’s that preserve the meats color.  Studies also have showed that they may prevent botulism to some degree.  Not sure what that means but okay.  Regardless the other studies I have read show that Nitrates also cause cancer in high doses.

My question is this, who determines what high doses are for each individual.  What is high for you may not be high for me.  So I’ve decided to not eat them.

If you’re going to buy lunchmeat go to your deli counter and read the ingredients and have them slice it for you.

Now that we’ve gone over HFCS, Hydrogenated oils and nitrites how healthy is your child’s sandwich at lunch time?  You may be looking for a new bread, peanut butter and lunchmeat and if so, YEAH FOR YOU!  You are awesome!  Changing diets one at a time!!

Mission: Off with the TATA’s!

Mission: Remove the Tata’s!
Since the beginning of my cancer battle the word mastectomy has always scared me. Is it because it’s the removal of a body part or maybe because it’s something that I didn’t elect to do on my own, something I have no control over, cancer!! This is a body part that I never really cared to enhance or I would have gotten a “tax refund” years ago when I was single! Why should I now have to give up something that makes me me? This dis-ease is not something that I asked for, it isn’t really a gift; I wouldn’t want to share it with you like my favorite dessert! So what is it? It’s maintenance, it’s a pain in the ass (or breast if you’d rather) it’s a complete life changing experience. I now have to pay attention to me. I have to not only care for my family I have to worry about whether I’ll be here tomorrow.
Damn it I deserve to be here tomorrow, I deserve to be here for the next 5, 10 and 40 plus years of my life! I have a wonderful husband that I want to grow old with, I have 2 daughters that I want to see go to high school dances, graduate, drive, go to college, get married and I WANT to be a grandma! Nothing will take that away from me! I’ll do anything to hold on to that dream!!
No the cancer hasn’t come back. My blood work and scans remain clear. BUT I still have breasts! A lot goes on in there that I still have no control of. The bigger concern, my hormones and they are whacky! So here I go continuing to fight! I’m opting to have a bi-lateral mastectomy to protect myself and my future. I’m healthier now than ever with or without cancer. My green juice, green smoothies and healthy food choices have paid off. I’m officially healthy enough to undergo surgery and hopefully heal fast and be better than before.
The fear is still there “what if” I say that a lot. What if they find a cancer cell, what if they find something in my lymph nodes. There are a lot of “what if’s” with this situation but we knew that from the beginning. There is no “what if’s” however about the fact that this will not pull me under! I will not be sick, I will keep going! I refuse to be labeled as a dis-ease! I’ve been dealing with blood work, scans and canSer (I stole that spelling from Kris Carr, she says that gives me control of the word, I like it) for 19 months now. I am a survivor and I will always be!
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, they are all being answered and used up!
Surgery is scheduled for March 1st. If I can figure out how to upload pic’s and post them I will.
I will keep you all posted on my progress and journey here on this blog. Stay tuned………

White Stuff

No not the stuff that goes up your nose, although I don’t have any of that in my kitchen either.  I’m talking about white flour and white sugar.

White Flour –

Most of us all use white flour for our cookies, cakes, and throw a bit in to thicken up our soups and gravy.  Do you know the difference between whole grain flour and white flour?  White Flour is highly processed.  The processing strips the wheat flour of everything useful.  Wheat flour is bleached to make it prettier than it would naturally be and then has synthetic B vitamins added to compensate for what the bleach took.  This whole process also adds to the amount of gluten in the flour.  We’ll chat about gluten later.  End result a bleached product that no longer has the proper fiber that our body needs to push the toxins out.  You can see where I’m going with that.

Refined (White) Sugar-

White Sugar is otherwise known as sucrose.  Brown sugar is refined sugar mixed with molasses.   Both of these are a highly processed product and a chemical product.  Refined sugar is considered an empty calorie because it has none of the natural minerals that the beet or sugar cane has.  Without these minerals it’s impossible for us to digest it so our bodies have to use our stored minerals depleting us of our healthiness!!  So now you see the pattern we eat it again pulling minerals from deep down in our tissues pulling calcium from our bones and teeth, HELLO dentist and osteoporosis!  Too much sugar eventually affects every organ in the body.  It then is stored in the liver (glucose or glycogen) this over consumption of sugar soon makes our liver expand like a balloon!  This causes the liver to push the glycogen to the blood stream as fatty acid then to be stored in our butt, thighs and breasts!  Ladies watch out!  Refined sugar is a very acidic product, guess what happens when we are too acidic?  Dis-ease grows and just a side note here cancer DOES feed off sugar so X it off the shelves!!

You’ll see sugar in our bread, jams and toothpaste!  Does that make sense to brush the sugar off our teeth with sugar?!

Replace your white flour with Whole Grain Flour but read the back and make sure it doesn’t say bleached wheat flour or “added”.  There are several other kinds of flour now so check your natural food store shelves.  You can replace your sugar with Whole cane sugar found at a natural food store or use Stevia or Zylitol.

Splenda is horrible for you as is aspartame I’ll add in about that later.

Check out www.globalhealingcenter.com

 

#3 on my list Hydrogenated oils aka Trans Fats

Hydrogenated oils are liquid oils that are heated and chemically altered into a solid fat by adding hydrogen gas.  Hydrogenated oils are worse for you than saturated fats.  They take over your cells, replacing the good with the bad.  Once you swallow this your body doesn’t know what to do with it, we end up storing it.  I could write a lot about this but to keep it short today.  I’ll tell you what eating anything hydrogenated can cause.

You won’t notice anything at first other than a little weight gain but eventually it’s possible that your children could suffer from autism, there have been reports linking hydrogenated oils to food allergies, autoimmune diseases, cancer, type II diabetes and heart disease.

Common foods you’ll find it in….

Margarine, instant potatoes, shortening, whipped cream, taco shells, cocoa mix, popcorn, bread, cereal, chips, cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, frozen pizza and much more!

You have to read the ingredients.  If you’ve noticed some items will say “trans fat free” on the front of the box but if you turn it around and read the ingredients it will still have hydrogenated oil listed.  This is because the FDA allows a small amount of trans fat per serving in our food.  They are tricking us once again.  Don’t eat the word hydrogenated!

OH! I forgot, go check your peanut butter!