Two Ingredient Berry Dessert

During cold days and nights the only thing I want to drink or eat is something warm.  I wanted to share one of our go-to wintertime nightly desserts!  This was also a hit at our Christmas Party and people couldn’t believe how simple it was! It's the perfect dish to bring to any party or your weekend brunch dates.

What makes it so simple? Frozen fruit and coconut oil are all you need!  

Put a tablespoon of coconut oil in your skillet and fill the rest with frozen fruit.  I used the organic mixed berries from Kroger, but you can get them at any local grocery store.  

Set the stove to low/medium heat and let the berries and coconut oil simmer.  Make sure you mix the berries occasionally because some of the fruit at the top stays cold unless you stir.  

Once everything is nice and warm/steamy (usually takes about 5 to 7 min), pour all the contents (and the juices too!) in a bowl and enjoy!  It will warm you up, give you a healthy 'dessert', and curb your sweet tooth!

Use any frozen fruit- my personal favorites are berries, cherries and mangos (not all mixed together).  You can drizzle with honey if you want it sweeter.  Try topping it with cocoa, coconut flakes or pecans too!  It is also really tasty drizzled over Greek yogurt. 

This is a great option for those on Candida Clear detox too!

It’s simple, tasty and takes no more than 5 minutes to make.  Plus, you get your coconut oil in.   A win win win!  Enjoy!

DIY Cutting Board Cleaner and Conditioner

The cold weather is finally letting up and warm weather is on its way!  Summer is the time where we love to grill out and enjoy the beautiful weather. I'm sure you use a cutting board to cut meat, vegetables, fruit and other items.  It's super important that you keep your cutting board conditioned and clean to ward off germs and bacteria and help make your cutting board last longer.

Did you know you can condition your wood cutting boards with your trusty friend coconut oil!?! Just rub a little coconut oil on the cutting board with a cloth. Not only does it condition the wood, but coconut oil has antibacterial and viral properties that will help to kill off those nasty germs!

Struggling with Breakfast? Check out these recipes!

I'm sure you've heard it before, but breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. We say that for a reason- it gives your body energy/fuel/gasoline to start the day. Think - what if you started your day with just a 40% charged phone? It would die earlier in the day compared to getting 100% charged, like you do with getting a breakfast. Not only does it help with energy through out the day, but jump starts your metabolism and helps with focus and prevents sugar crashes at 10 am where you want something sugary or another coffee because you are actually tired from not giving your body the fuel it needs.

There are a couple main things I look for with a breakfast - protein and fat. Your goal is 30 grams of protein as well as a good amount of healthy fats (like avocados and coconut oil). The fats and proteins are crucial for balancing blood sugar levels and marinating energy. They don’t give you a quick hit of energy like sugar but instead sustained energy throughout the morning.

PS- If you are a breakfast bar person look at the ingredients. 9 times out of 10 they are full of sugars, have very little protein and full of processed junk. Try some of the ideas below! Remember you need protein and a good healthy fat.

Ideas
Eggs, omelets, etc. Load them up with veggies! Do a side of bacon or sausage- turkey is good too! (Look in ingredients and watch out for preservatives like nitrates, -ites that they sneak in there.)

Plantain pancakes with side of protein like bacon/sausage. You can make big batch and store the extras in the freezer and quickly heat up on days you don’t want to make. Plus they are kid approved!  Top with almond/nut butter when they are warm so it melts. Delicious!!

For foods that have very little protein add in Vital Proteins Collagen (2 scoops for 20 grams). It is tasteless (not kidding) and you won’t even know you added it in

Bowl of quinoa or oatmeal topped with walnuts, pecans, almond butter, etc. Sweeten with a little honey or real maple syrup. Stir in collagen for protein.

Quinoa tip- make a large batch and store in the fridge. Then when you want to eat it quickly you can warm up on skillet or eat cold with some almond milk. This saves you A LOT of time by not having to wait 30 minutes to make it.

Plain Greek Yogurt with berries, walnuts/pecans, honey/maple syrup, etc. Add in collagen for even more protein. Get the plain and sweeten yourself- the flavored ones have SO SO SO much sugar.

Smoothies- MAKE SURE they have protein in them and aren’t just full of fruit and milk

• Add a green in like spinach or kale
• Add almond butter, nut butters for protein or collagen- blends very easily and tasteless
• Keep banana limited to ½ because it is very sugary- it is great for hiding flavors
• Add avocado to make it more creamy! It is an amazing fat plus it is virtually tasteless
• Add a TBS of coconut oil! It’s a great way to get coconut oil in!

We have great protein powders at the office that taste great and are not full of junk. You can easily hit your 30 grams of protein with any of them. Please look at your ingredients closely when purchasing any protein powders… they can be full of junk!

Almond Flour Bread

• Top with an egg, turkey for more protein
• Warm up bread and top with coconut oil so it will melt. So delicious!

Breakfast hash with eggs scrambled with quinoa
Muffins
There are great paleo recipes online as well as ‘egg’ muffins that are super simple to make!

Sausage and Gravy Recipe- super simple! (And the gravy is only 2 ingredients and 1 of them is water!)

Even chocolate pudding is a good idea! I would add some collagen too or have a side of eggs or other meat to give you more protein.

AND somedays… Breakfast just doesn’t have to look like breakfast!!!

Sometimes I will eat 1/2 pound of deli turkey (again watch for preservatives) on my drive to work and lately been throwing frozen stir fry veggies on the skillet first thing in the morning with coconut oil and eating that. Remember breakfast doesn’t always have to look like it!

I am sure there are a million other ideas but here is just a place to start. If you do have other ideas or tips comment below and let us know what you are doing!

Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

You are working towards your goal of drinking ½ your body weight in water, right?! It is a great, simple, cheap New Year’s resolution and your body, skin and mental clarity will thank you for it. But, if you need a little variety try this!

Grab a Pellegrino Mineral Water (I love this stuff) and add in 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar.

Note: It will fizz up and spill over if you don’t take a couple sips of the Pellegrino first.

Next, add in a TBS of honey. Put the lid back on the Pellegrino and shake up. It has a mild sweet apple taste, but more importantly fantastic health benefits from the apple cider vinegar. You can add more ACV if you would like and just sip on the drink thought-out the day!

Benefits of apple cider vinegar
Improves digestion and helps with GERD and acid reflux!
Improves your energy!!
Balances blood sugar levels and lowers them in diabetics
Revs up metabolism
Keeps your immune system up and kills off pesky bacteria and candida
Helps with allergies! Drink at least 3 TBS and see if it helps!

You can even apply ACV topically for warts, breakouts, and to soothe skin!
 

How much should I drink a day?

Specifically, for digestive benefits, drink 1 tsp to 1 tbs per meal in a small amount of water. Start with a teaspoon and see if you can work up to a tablespoon at each meal.

For overall support, add it to the water you drink throughout the day! Start drinking 3 TBS throughout the day and see if your energy increases.

Tips for Ear Infections in Little Ones

This one is for all the parents! This time of year we see a lot of ear infections in little ones. Below are a couple at home remedies to help ease infection!  

Breastmilk
If you are nursing, a few drops of breastmilk can do wonders!  Breastmilk is loaded with antibodies to help fight illnesses and does wonders against infections and clearing fluids.  For stuffy noses or sinuses, place a few drops into the nostril while baby is lying down.  For clogged tear ducts or pink eye, put the drops into the corner of the eye (Warm breastmilk may be less of a shock to the little one).  For earaches and infections, put a few drops (warmed) into the ear to help soothe and dry up fluids.  There’s a reason they call this stuff liquid gold!

Garlic Oil
I am sure you have heard us tell you many times that garlic is a wonderful natural antibiotic and drainage supplement.  This definitely applies to earaches!  At the onset of ear pain, place 3-4 drops of warmed garlic oil into the ear.  This will help to soothe the pain and dry fluids while fending off any start of infection. Nature Sunshine makes garlic oil in a softgel cap. You can poke a hole with a needle in the softgel cap and put 3-4 drops of the garlic oil in their ear.

Silver
When in doubt, there is always Silver Shield!  Colloidal Silver is a fantastic and effective natural antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and so much more.  For pink eye, place a drop into the corner of the eye.  With an ear infection, drop into the ear.  With any kind of respiratory issue, stop by the office to pick up a nasal spray bottle.  You can put the silver shield into the bottle and squirt up the nose to get directly into the sinuses and lungs.

Chiropractic Care
At the onset of an ear infection, chiropractic care can do wonders! It helps the little one’s immune system to function properly as well as ensure their ear is draining properly. If it isn’t it becomes very vulnerable for an infection. So if they start complaining about their ear or in infants start tugging on their ear, get them into your local chiropractor! (Or give us a call!)

If you try these or want additional help please do not hesitate to give us a call and remember we have sick visits where we can quickly see your little ones and figure out exactly what it is they are needing!

How much water should you drink?

Any guesses?! ½ your body weight in ounces of water!

To find that magic number: Divide your weight in half and that is your goal.  For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, then you need to be drinking 75 oz of water.  Not just any liquid, but pure WATER! 

It is so important to get in pure, clean water to help keep your body hydrated and get rid of toxins.  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen patients with fatigue, mental sluggishness, and just feeling run down who have had their lives changed simple by drinking the right amount of water. Their energy increased, they can think clearer, are pooping better and feel better overall!

Its free and super super easy to do, but we just need to do it. I personally get out a 24 ounce mason jar every morning and drink 1 in the morning and 2 in the evening and anything else during the day is bonus!  If I didn’t mentally keep track, I would never drink enough. I would sip on water here and there, but know I would never drink enough especially in the winter months. So keep track somehow- it will really make a difference!

Have fun with it and add fruit or mint to give your water a little more flavor!

Now go get a new cup, create a system and get to drinking… your body will thank you for it!!

Cocoa Chili

Whoa, what a whirlwind the past week has been!  Here's a quick and easy chili to make for dinner this week, for those days that you really don't feel like cooking! You may even have all these ingredients at home already!  This cocoa chili is great for anyone on Candida Clear, or eating paleo or Whole30!  The cocoa gives it a nice little twist and rich flavor. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like chocolate!

Ingredients
1 medium onion chopped
Garlic- 2 cloves minced
3 TBS cocoa powder (unsweetened)
3 TBS chili powder
1 lb ground beef
3 TBS tomato paste
3 cans diced tomatoes

Directions
Sautée garlic and onions in coconut oil for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add in tomato paste, cocoa powder and chili powder.  Stir for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add in ground beef and cook for 5 minutes.  (Not all of the beef will cook and that's okay. The rest will be cooked when you bring the soup to a boil.)
Add in diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Then simmer for 15 minutes.

You can either enjoy right away after it cools down or put in a crockpot on low after it has boiled. I think the longer it cooks the better tasting it is!  

Guilt Free Hot Cocoa

It seems like fall weather is here to stay, so it's time for some warm, cozy drinks!  One of my personal favorites and one of the classics is hot chocolate!  Hot chocolate carries so many fond memories for most people, I think.  The only thing - it's not that healthy for us.  Have no fear though!  A healthy version is easy to make and you can get rid of that instant hot chocolate powder that is made up of all sorts of crazy unnatural, processed junk.  Get ready to get cozy with this simple, healthy hot chocolate!

Ingredients
3 Cups unsweetened Almond Milk
My personal favorite is Whole Foods organic unsweetened almond milk. It seems much creamier and richer than all the other brands I have tried. They are usually available in 2 packs which saves a little money. 

2 TBS Cocoa or Cacao powder
The difference between the 2 is that cacao powder is considered raw - meaning it is subjected to low amounts of heat which does not ‘cook’ any of the antioxidants away aka cold pressed.  Cocoa on the other hand has been processed in heat.  Cacao is very high in antioxidants and is considered a super food for this reason.  Cocoa does not have as many antioxidants due to the heating process.  With this being said, you are heating up your hot chocolate so the cacao does not remain in its raw state.  So there really is no benefit to using the cacao over the cocoa in this recipe.  If you were making a cold drink or not heating or cooking with it, cacao would be a much better option.

2 TBS Honey, Xylitol, or Pure 100% Maple Syrup (Aunt Jemima doesn't count!!)
For anyone using xylitol (people on Candida Clear) it may need a little bit more.  Just do a little taste test to try it out first.
1/4 TBS of Cinnamon

Over medium heat mix the almond milk and cocoa/cacao powder. Let it heat up, but not boil. I probably kept mine on the stove for 10 min total and stirred occasional. After it's nice and warm take it off the burner and let it sit. Add in your cinnamon and sweetener (xylitol, honey, or maple syrup) at this time and stir. The clumps of cocoa will continue to dissolve the longer it warms up. 

Let it sit for a couple minutes and stir occasionally. Enjoy!!
 

Nashville’s Birthing Centers and Other Options for ‘Crunchy’ Mamas

This past weekend I was talking to my sister back home in Illinois. It is a really exciting time in our family because both she and I are having little girls and are due within just a few weeks of each other. As we were talking, the usual topic of pregnancy and delivery came up and it made me realize how fortunate I am to live in an area that has so many resources for pregnant women and new moms. The town I come from back home has wonderful healthcare, but the network of doulas, midwives, and other birthing resources are really just starting to gain traction. Since becoming pregnant, I’ve had patients ask me many questions about my choices, plans, and options; so I thought a blog post would be a great way to give our patients some resources. It’s a bit long, so grab a glass of water and get comfy!

I grew up with the typical picture in my mind of what delivery looked like. You lie in a bed, get an epidural and then the baby comes out. After becoming more holistic and naturally-minded, I realized there is a whole other world out there. Led by the push from the Vanderbilt Midwives, Nashville has had at least one hospital that has offered laboring tubs for a few years now. In the last couple of years since I had our son, Vanderbilt is no longer the only hospital with that option. Women wanting a hospital birth with a natural approach, now have the option of midwives and laboring tubs at both Vanderbilt and St. Thomas Midtown (formerly Baptist). While you still can’t birth in the tubs at either hospital, I can say from experience the tubs help tremendously with pain regulation during labor. Even if you find yourself not able to get one of the tubs, the midwives staff is very open to letting you walk, move, take a warm shower, and try other means of pain management.

Up until 2013 women in this area had only two options if they didn’t want a home birth and didn’t want a hospital birth-and neither option was very close to home. The Farm in Summertown is a nationally- known resource for natural births and home to the famous Ina May Gaskin-she has a few books that I highly suggest reading if you want a natural birth! While this is a great and valuable option to have so near us, it is still about 65 miles from Cool Springs and this scared me off the first time around. The other option women had was to drive to the Infinity Birth Center in Cookeville-still over an hour away.

In 2013, Baby & Co opened their doors on West End. With their opening, women in our area now have a close option for a natural non-hospital/non- home birth. Women that choose to birth there can labor AND birth in the tubs, the rooms are very ‘home-y’, and your post-partum stay is only 6-12 hours. The center is staffed by Certified Nurse Midwives and one of my favorite midwives formerly on the Vanderbilt team -Lauren Drees - is there and she is so, so amazing. Baby & Co was a serious consideration for us this pregnancy, but because of the trust and relationships I built with the Vandy Midwives last time and the grace they gave to allow me to have the birth I wanted while in a hospital, we stuck with the Vandy Midwives again this time.

The other option women have is a home birth. This option can have the least interventions and the most peace for many mamas. You can truly assemble your birth ‘Dream Team’ and be in the comfort of your home the whole time. Labor tubs are also available for rent or purchase so you can literally birth anywhere you feel most at ease in your home. Women that choose this option most always have a midwife for prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care; a doula; and a support person. I have known friends to also utilize their chiropractors and practitioners of other healing mechanisms like acupuncture to help the ease of delivery, as well. If you know you want a natural birth, don’t want to leave the comfort of your home, and are fine not being in a hospital-this is a GREAT option for you!

With this pregnancy I am using a new resource I didn’t take advantage of the first time-a Doula! Vanderbilt Midwives offer free volunteer doula services during delivery on an on-call basis, so I was exposed to the benefits with the first pregnancy. For whatever reason, I just never hired one and figured we would just use the on-call doula when we got there. My labor wasn’t exactly textbook and didn’t go as planned-I don’t know why I thought it would- so I never got to take advantage of the on-call doula either. This time around I knew it was a must-have and we have teamed with Whitney Cantrell of Nashville Doula Services. We are blessed to have many doulas in the Nashville area. Some operate on their own and others are in a group. We chose Whitney because of a referral from our son’s pediatrician and I must say she is so great!

Doulas are a valuable asset during delivery to help you with different birthing positions, natural pain management options, and to be that voice of reason and knowledge when you and your partner are in the thick of things. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t remembering every birth wish and desire I had in our birth plan when we were in hour 20 of active labor. Nashville Doula Services also has other services they offer and packages to take advantage of on their website (I will list all resources at the end of this post). One thing I haven’t stopped bragging about to my sister is the Postpartum Care. With my first delivery, I was very blessed to have my husband home for a week, my mother-in- law stay with us for almost a week, and my mother stay with us as well. All were very helpful while I adjusted to this new life. My only hang-up was the lack of time alone and independence I had during that time. With Nashville Doula Services, I am using a package that offers postpartum care along with the family help. You can use it in chunks of time with a minimum of 4 hours each time. The doula comes over to help watch the baby while you shower, sleep, stare out the window, or… stuff your face with chocolate. She will also help with light household items like putting dinner together for you.

We’ve covered many of the prenatal and birthing options that are at our fingertips in the Nashville area. No matter what location you choose to birth in, make sure to write down a birth plan that you feel confident with. One that includes the atmosphere/vibe you want in the delivery room, your wishes for pain management, your wish for or against an episiotomy, and what you would like to happen immediately after the baby comes. There are many templates out there to work from. Just Google ‘Birth Plan’ and find one that flows well for you. Some ideas for your birth plan that I used are:

‘low lights’
‘calming music’
‘ability to eat light snacks and drink water when desired’
‘labor in the tub’
‘no one speak directly to me about epidurals, relay everything through my husband’
‘ability to push in any position I find comfortable’
‘skin to skin for at least 30 minutes with delayed cord-clamping after baby’s arrival’

Whatever location you choose is right for you, ask many questions and make sure you feel confident and comfortable with your choice. The biggest thing for me was to make sure I felt listened to and respected going into the delivery. I didn’t want to feel forced into anything. Thankfully I never felt that way and the Vandy Midwives supported me even when there was a push from an OB for a C-section almost 24 hours after arriving at the hospital. Most importantly, if your delivery doesn’t go as planned and you end up with an epidural or a c-section- DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP! You are still an incredible mother that carried your baby for 9 months, made positive choices for his/her care, and did what you could to birth as naturally as you wanted.

Stay tuned for the follow up post on birthing classes, lactation consultants, vaccines, and other postpartum choices!

Vanderbilt Nurse Midwives
www.vanderbiltnursemidwives.com/

Infinity Birth Center-Cookeville
www.infinitybirthingcenter.com

Baby & Co
www.babyandcompany.com

Nashville Doula Services
http://nashvilledoulaservices.com/

The Farm-Summertown
http://thefarmmidwives.org/

Natural Makeup Remover

Our old trusty friend... coconut oil! Can you tell we're a huge fan of this stuff?

It works better than any makeup remover I have ever used, especially with the black eyes I get from my mascara.  It's cleansing and moisturizing - all in one!

To start, rub coconut oil on your eyes, lips, or all over your face.  Then, take a warm washcloth and let it sit on your face for a bit.  This will help to melt away any excess oil.  I usually do this a couple times, then wipe everything clean. All the makeup will magically disappear!

It makes your skin super smooth and refreshed. Plus, an added bonus of being very nourishing to your eyelashes too. A win, win!

Guilt Free Sausage and Gravy

We live in the south and Southern food is always a weakness, but not always the healthiest.  Here's my take on a healthy sausage and gravy!

This is quite possibly one of my favorite recipes for 2 reasons:
1. It tastes AMAZING and is so easy to make.
2. Sausage and gravy is such a classic Southern food that I thought would be hard to duplicate, let alone with only 3 ingredients.  

I have made it multiple times for people and they can never believe it tastes so good. I have even been told it tastes better than regular gravy! Plus, you don’t get the bloating that comes along with eating regular gravy.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup raw cashews
2 cups water
1 pound of sausage (make sure it has no preservatives in it- nitrates, nitrites, sulfites, sulfates)

Soak your cashews in warm water the night before.  I just took a mason jar and filled it with my cashews and covered them with warm water to sit overnight.  In the morning, drain the water out and put the cashews in a blender or food processor.  

Put 2 cups of fresh water in with the cashews. Blend until creamy.  It took about 30 seconds in my food processor, but just make sure it is ALL blended. It shouldn’t be grainy at all.

Cook your sausage on medium heat.  When done drain excess grease.  Then put pan back on low-medium to medium heat and add your ‘cashew gravy’. Stir until warm.  You can also add more water at this time to thin it out, your call!

Add pepper or any other seasonings you want.  Try it and feel free to be skeptical like I was, but I can guarantee you won’t be let down.  Add it to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner menu!

Super Easy Breakfast Cupcake

If we're all being honest, most of us probably skip the most important meal of the day.  This breakfast ‘cupcake’ is incredibly easy to make and takes just a couple minutes to make. Plus, if you make 12 of them you should be set for almost a week! These are perfect for anyone, especially those on Candida Clear!

Ingredients
12 Eggs
12 Pieces of Bacon or Turkey Bacon (avoid brands that use preservatives... aka nitrates, nitrites, sulfates, sulfites in the ingredient list)
Optional: Garlic or your choice of spices, mushrooms, green onions, etc.

Grease cupcake tin (best to use coconut oil).  Wrap each piece of bacon around each of the cupcake holes - 1 piece of bacon per 1 cupcake hole.  

Then crack and put one egg in each cupcake hole.  You could also add different spices or garlic to them to make them more flavorful!

Bake for 20 minutes on 350 degrees or until the eggs are solid.

Let them cool and then spoon out and enjoy!  Store them in the fridge and enjoy throughout the week for an easy breakfast on the go!

Natural Ways to Fight the Flu

I post and update this blog every year because I get A LOT of questions about the flu shot this time of year- "should I do it?"  "What are the risks?" "It's free to get it- why not?" 

Some people feel pressured into getting it by their medical doctor, employer, insurance company, family member, etc.  Others are fearful of the flu or getting sick.

I am not going to get into whether you should or shouldn't.  I will just tell you what I choose to do during flu season! 
1) Skip getting the flu shot
2) Have supplements on hand in case I do get sick
3) Eat 3 TBS of coconut oil a day and try to do a daily coconut oil pull
4) Eat lots of fruits and veggies

First, you need to understand that if you get sick and let your body fight it off, your immune system actually gets stronger.  That means the next time you get exposed to a bacteria or virus it will be stronger and more equipped to fight!  

Secondly, if you keep supplements on hand and eat good foods (plenty of fruits, veggies and protein) you will get vitamins and minerals that are fuel for your immune system.

Lastly, our trusty friend coconut oil is antibacterial, viral and fungal.  It helps to kill off invaders that would get you sick and it helps to boost up your immune system!

The supplements I always have on hand:
1) Immuplex- Take 6 per day when sick (Mainly for Viruses)
2) Silver Shield- take 3 to 6 TBS when sick (Works on bacterias and viruses) 
3) Elderberry Defense- Take 6 to 9 per day when sick- This also has vitamin D in it which is crucial for your immune system (Mainly Viruses) and notoriously low during the fall and winter months due to lack of sunshine exposure.
4) Congaplex- Take 6 per day when sick (Mainly for Bacteria; Great for sinus issues)

OTHER:
-Herbal Throat Spray- Perfect for sore throats
-High Potency Garlic- Antibacterial, fungal- great for sinuses and congestion
-Astragalus- Antiviral, but overall immune support (GREAT if you had MONO in the past)
-Olive Leaf Extract- Antibacterial, viral and fungal- It has been working great this year
-Thymex- Overall immune support 

What I Take Daily for Prevention:
-Usually 3 Astragalus and 3 Immuplex (I’ll switch between Immuplex and Congaplex) 
-If I feel something coming on I use my arsenal above

Standard Process is carried by health care practitioners only. We carry it at our office, or if you are not local, click here to find the closest practitioner to you. Do not order on Amazon - first it’s illegal for us to sell Standard Process on there and people who do have the prices double or triple what you would find in our offices.

If these do not help, let us know and we have many other great supplements!  These are not the end all be all, but they can REALLY help during the cold/flu season.  With good nutrition and preventative supplements (and the right ones when you do get sick), you have a great foundation.  If you have any questions or these don't seem to help - call us!  We can get you in the same day for a sick visit and figure out the exact supplement you need to be on!

ALSO- This is my personal flu fighting remedy.  I never pressure any patients or make anyone feel bad for their choices.  I want to help you find a course of action that best suits you!  Learn other options no matter what they are, educate yourself and then choose what is best for you!

**Quick note on coconut oil pulling: Take 1 spoonful of coconut oil and swish around in your mouth like you would mouthwash.  You can start with a small amount if you are new and work up to 1 TBS. The goal is to do this for 15 minutes, but again if you are new start with 5 minutes. I have been adding in 1 or 2 drops of melaleuca (aka tea tree oil) for more antibacterial effects. DO NOT swallow the coconut oil- it is pulling out bad bacteria and toxins!

After you have swished it around in your mouth spit it into a TRASH CAN! This is very important because the coconut oil will get hard when its cold and clog up your drain. After spitting out the coconut oil, rinse your mouth with hot water with a little apple cider vinegar or 1 tbs of salt (this can be spit into a sink). Once you are done with that brush your teeth and you are good to go! Your teeth will feel squeaky clean and sore throat should be gone or drastically decreased.

If you want to read more into the flu shot read this blog post by Lindsay Bentley.  Or The Pill Profit.  They are great posts!

Quinoa Oatmeal

Oatmeal is something that can give people a carbohydrate rush (that 30 minutes to an hour energy rush) and then a crash and burn in energy 1 hour later. One of my biggest suggestions for oatmeal lovers is try to make it gluten free.  Then, make sure to add a protein. I love to add in a couple scoops of almond butter or huge handful of nuts. An even better addition is something called collagen!

Vital Proteins collagen is tasteless and has 20 grams of protein in it. It dissolves quickly and you can mix it in to whatever you are eating! This will give you enough protein to prevent the blood sugar crash in 1 hour and help sustain your energy. Plus, collagen helps joint aches/pain.  We have had amazing success stories with people adding this to their daily routine! Collagen is also anti-aging.  It helps restore the collagen in your skin, which over time starts to break down and cause wrinkles. Joint support, sustained energy and anti-aging? Sign me up!

Another option for oatmeal is to make it with quinoa. It has more protein than oatmeal which means it helps sustain your energy longer after eating it, plus you feel fuller quicker. What I do is make a large batch of quinoa and keep it in the fridge to heat up when I need it. It's so much easier to substitute oats with quinoa when it's already pre-made and waiting for you!  So make a big batch and keep in the fridge for quinoa ‘oatmeal’ or add to dinner dishes.

For the quinoa oatmeal- warm it up with some almond milk in a pan on the stove. Add in your favorite toppings like cinnamon, walnuts, honey, PURE maple syrup, almond butter, etc. Add the collagen to make it even more protein packed!

Deep Moisturizing Treatment

Coconut oil is amazing for many reasons, but did you know it could be used for a deep conditioning hair treatment? It will make your hair so silky, smooth and it's great for dandruff suffer! All you need is coconut oil and a shower cap.

When your hair is dry, completely cover it from root to tip with melted coconut oil.  Make sure you massage it in the scalp, too.  Once your hair is all greased up, put on a shower cap for an hour or longer.

When you shower, make sure to put shampoo in your hair before you get it wet.  This step is VERY IMPORTANT.  You will have no problem getting the coconut oil out of your hair if you put shampoo on it before it's wet. 

This treatment will help your hair be silky smooth and even helped my split ends.  

Try it and see how it works for you!

Photo: Authority Nutrition

Quinoa Fried Rice

We all crave the comfort of high sodium, bad for you foods, but most of these are packed with preservatives!  Here is a simple and delicious quinoa fried recipe!  The perfect, healthy alternative to take out.

When I first discovered this I made it for 4 days in a row because it tasted so good!  I haven't had Chinese food in years and was so happy to discover this alternative. It’s perfect for anyone, especially those on Candida Clear where you can have quinoa in place of rice!

All you need is quinoa, frozen veggies, a couple eggs and coconut oil! 

Cook your quinoa.  I sometimes will make a large batch and keep it in the fridge until I am ready to warm it up. Then, when I want to make something, I just quickly heat it up in the skillet with coconut oil.

Make your frozen veggies.  I get mine at Costco- great price for how much you get.  They are organic too!

Now put it all together.  In a large skillet (on low/medium heat) put 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, quinoa, mixed veggies and 1 to 2 eggs.  In a smaller skillet you can use 1 egg and larger skillet 2 eggs.  Once the eggs start to slightly cook mix them around with the quinoa and veggies.  Keep slowly mixing everything until the eggs are pretty well done.  Add in a little bit of sea salt and pepper for a little more flavor. There you have it!  Dinner is ready!

Another option would be to throw in some chicken, shrimp, or steak!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Almond Flour Bread

This gluten free bread has been a game changer at our house!  Regular bread (even wheat) spikes your blood sugar, contains minimal nutrients and usually contains gluten. Gluten creates inflammation in the body especially to the digestive system and really stresses the thyroid out.

If you are wanting to loose weight, have digestive or suspected or known thyroid issues, drop the store bought bread and pasta (sprouted bread is okay but I believe this recipe is even better). This is a perfect alternative that won’t spike up your blood sugar and contains protein and healthy fats that will leave you more full after eating it versus craving more bread.

Ingredients
2 cups almond flour (Or put almonds in food processor/ninja and blend into flour)
2 TBS coconut flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed (Or put flaxseed into food processor/ninja and pulse till it is ground- doesn’t take much)
½ tsp baking soda
5 eggs
1 ½ TBS honey
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 325. Grease up loaf pan with a lot of coconut oil. Make sure it is completely covered because this bread can stick to the pan pretty easily after its cooked.

First add in all the dry ingredients (almond flour, ground flax, coconut flour, baking soda) and pulse in food processor. Then add in the wet ingredients and pulse to blend into batter.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan.

Bake for 20 minutes. THEN take a piece of foil and place on top of the loaf pan and bake for 10 more minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (it took my oven about 15 to 20 minutes).

Cool your bread for 20 minutes and enjoy!  Keep leftovers in the fridge to make it last longer.

Top with homemade jam or your favorite nut butter! This even makes for great sandwich bread.

DIY Hand Soap

Bronner's is a home's best friend.  Remember Bronner’s Castile Soap from the facewash post? Well, another handy tip is that you can use castile soap for hand soap too!

 You just fill ¼ of your soap container with Bronner’s Castile Liquid Soap (personal favorites are peppermint and lavender) and the rest with water. That is it! It makes for a nice and foamy hand soap that lathers really well. Simple, multifunctional, inexpensive castile soap for the win! Plus no added synthetic fragrances and toxic additives (avoid triclosan and triclocarbon listed in ingredients). Good ol’ castile soap will do the job!

Interesting info from Environmental Working Group

‘Anti-bacterial soaps do kill bacteria and microbes -- but so do plain soap and water. A U.S. FDA advisory committee found that use of antibacterial soaps provides no benefits over plain soap and water.

The main reason to avoid anti-bacterial soaps is its active ingredient: triclosan (and the related triclocarbon). Triclosan is an anti-bacterial chemical found in many consumer products, and it's nearly ubiquitous in liquid hand soap. It is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity, and even low levels of triclosan may disrupt thyroid function. Further, the American Medical Association recommends that triclosan not be used in the home, as it may encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics.’

For the full article and more information go to: http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home- tips/tip-5-wash-those- hands-avoid- triclosan

Healthy Cool Whip

This cool whip is delicious and is only 2 ingredients!  It takes 1 minute to make and taste amazing! All you need is a can of coconut milk (not what you find in the refrigerated aisle).  It can be found at Kroger in the health food section or in the international aisle.  Put a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight (or at least 8 hours).  This will allow the water and cream to separate which leaves a whipped cream consistency on top and a watery part on the bottom of the can. 

Once refrigerated take the top section out of the can.  You can throw away the bottom watery section.  Next add your sweetener.  I added 1 Tablespoon of honey, but maple syrup or xylitol are other options. You could even add a teaspoon of vanilla to give it a little more flavor too! Mix up and that is it! 

Enjoy! Try dipping your strawberries in it or add it to plantain pancakes! 

Easy, 3 Ingredient Pesto

I made this pesto on a whim because I didn't have pine nuts or olive oil.  I also wanted to stay away from the typical parmesan cheese, so I had to get creative and it worked!

This pesto recipe requires only 3 ingredients: Walnuts, Coconut Oil (Melted), and Basil!

In a food processor, throw in around 4 tbs of melted coconut oil, a large handful of walnuts and a large handful of basil and blend.  That's it!  It's the perfect addition to any meal.

Enjoy!