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!

Prevent Blood Sugar Crashes

Did you know coconut oil prevents blood sugar crashes! For those of you who get blood sugar crashes (aka really tired, ‘hangry’, lightheaded, etc.) or feel like you have to eat every 2 hours or you will crash and burn and feel terrible - this is for you!   

By getting in 1 TBS of coconut oil in the morning and lunch it will stabilize you blood sugar levels and help with all the symptoms listed above as well as minimizing sugar cravings! Since it is a fat it does not spike up your blood sugar but instead gives you slow, steady burning energy throughout the day.  This helps tremendously with energy, focus, attention and emotions when blood sugar levels are stable! 

A simple way to get your coconut oil in is put it in your coffee or tea.  Stir it up and drink away!  You can add it to smoothies or dip almonds in it.  Plus, if you add it to anything that is warm it will melt and you shouldn’t even notice it is there.  Or you can try this homemade chocolate too!  You could have one for breakfast and lunch as a little treat!

Also, if you are prone to blood sugar issues- cut the quick carbohydrates and processed sugars.  Have a protein and fat at each meal and make your snacks protein and fat dense too.  It will help tremendously and prevent needing a quick sugar pick me up where we tend to grab all the wrong things.

Simple Way to Add Coconut Oil to your Daily Routine

By now you all know that we are huge fans of coconut oil!  Coconut oil is essentially a super food for the body. It's great for the immune system, thyroid, liver, digestive system, hair, and skin. It is antimicrobial and will help kill off nasty invaders that get you sick! Its perfect for rashes and skin conditions too! 

Today we're going to talk about simple ways to sneak coconut oil into your diet every morning.  I typically recommend getting 3 tablespoons of coconut oil internally daily. Some people may think I am crazy, but fats (good healthy ones like coconut oil) are AMAZING for you!

Most people drink something warm in the morning- whether it is tea, coffee, hot water with lemon, etc. Just simply add 1 TBS of coconut oil to what you are drinking! It will melt so you don't even know you are drinking it.

The first sip is mostly coconut oil, but if you have expeller pressed you won't taste a thing.  Easy as that! It is a fantastic way to start your morning and give you a little energy boost too! It is also crucial to do when there are so many people sick. Coconut oil tremendously helps out your immune system and I have had many patients come in and swear that coconut oil is keeping them healthy even when they are around sick people. Why not give it a try?!

One TBS down… 2 more to go!

Coconut Oil Pulling

Sore throat got you down? Here is a simple trick to help!

Coconut oil pulling can do wonders during the cold/flu season. Coconut oil is anti-bacterial, fungal and viral which is why it is super important to get it internally (eat it, cook with it, put it in smoothies, or put a TBS to melt in your coffee or tea). If I wake up with a sore throat I will do this simple trick and say goodbye to my sore throat!

To do coconut oil pulling all you need to do is put a tsp or more in your mouth and swish around like mouthwash for 5 to 20 minutes. Yep, 20 minutes may seem like a lot but you get used to it. (DO NOT swallow it. It is pulling toxins and gross bacteria out.)

At first it may seem strange, but once the coconut oil melts in your mouth it’s no big deal.  It will be solid when you first put it in your mouth and then it warms up to your body temperature and starts to turn to liquid. I personally would wake up and walk into my kitchen first thing and scoop a TBS coconut oil and start swishing around during my morning routine which took about 10 to 15 minutes. You want to do it for AT LEAST 5 minutes and can go up to 20 minutes.

Once you have done that make sure to SPIT OIL INTO A TRASHCAN. This is super important because if you spit it in the sink, the coconut oil will turn solid when cold and clog up your sink. So, spit into a trashcan and then immediately rinse your mouth out with hot water with a dash of sea salt or apple cider vinegar.

Swish around and then you can spit that into the sink. Brush your teeth after and you are done! Not only will your sore throat feel better, but your teeth feel squeaky clean. A lot of people do this daily to whiten their teeth. Coconut oil is amazing people!

Optional- add a drop or 2 of melaleuca/tea tree essential oil to the coconut oil before you start the coconut oil pull. Tea tree has great antimicrobial properties that are amazing for when you are sick!

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!

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!

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

Hit a wall between 1 & 3? This post is for you.

Do you hit a wall between 1 and 3 pm?  Many people feel like they either need a nap, something sugary or caffeine.  If you are one of those people, don't reach fall for the cravings.  There are easy natural ways to bump up your energy and help you get through that midday slump.

When you hit this wall or feel like you need sugary foods or caffeine during these hours it means your adrenal glands are tired.  Adrenal glands are considered your stress glands. They pump out hormones to keep you going day in and day out.  They fire up with both good and bad stress, so each time there is a stressor it is like asking them to run a marathon.  Then another stressor comes and they have to run again. It's just an endless cycle!

If you had to run a one marathon after another, you eventually couldn't go anymore, but our bodies are amazing and the adrenals keep working day in and out.  They get tired too, though. When the adrenals are overworked, you feel tired.  When things get really bad, severe adrenal fatigue sets in and you feel overwhelmed very easily.  Another symptom people complain of is mid to lower back pain that feels like a deep bruise or ache that never goes away.

You are not destined to feel this way forever- by supporting your adrenal glands it is amazing how much better you can feel. I see this multiple times a day and it still amazes me how much better people feel by adding in the correct support. Many patients come in lifeless and ‘down’ on their first visit and by the second visit you can see their face get brighter, have happier dispositions and just feel better in general. It takes a lot time to rebuild, but getting on the right support can make a HUGE difference.

What can you do?  
Try to avoid stress! That is what most people say, but how realistic is it?  Not very - but you can choose to minimize it.  Do not say yes to everything and everyone - you will wear yourself down. Create boundaries and make time for yourself daily, even if it just 10 minutes a day.

Eat an avocado a day - great hormones and fuel for the adrenals
If you hit a dip in the afternoon, drink hot tea with 1 tbs of coconut oil - this keeps your blood sugar levels stable and doesn't spike them which stresses the adrenal glands even more
Keep your protein intake up - make sure to get 30 grams of protein in for breakfast.  I do it through a smoothie or eat turkey, chicken sausage, etc. with eggs for breakfast. You want to have protein at each meal.
Snack on nuts and seeds
If you are craving sugar - eat some protein first and a glass of water, then wait 15 minutes before indulging.  If you have to indulge try natural sugars like honey and maple syrup in moderation.

You can also support your adrenals through great supplements that we commonly use in the office. These are just a few of the many ones we use. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system - so we have to look at everything and not just single out the adrenals!

• Adrenal Support by Nature Sunshine
  • Great to take a bottle when big stressors come up or life throws you a curve ball
• Nervous Fatigue TCM by Nature Sunshine
  • Great for maintenance and protection of the adrenals
• Mineral Chi Tonic by Nature Sunshine
  • Minerals are fuel for adrenals and this also has other great herbs for them too.  Its is a liquid which is easy to mix or take straight (not the best tasting thing but you can do it :)
• Adrenal Desiccated by Standard Process
  • For very severe cases
• Drenamin by Standard Process
  • Whole food based supplement for the adrenals
• Min Tran by Standard Process
  • Relaxing minerals to relax the body and adrenals; Great for when the mind starts racing when you lay down to go to sleep!

Again there are SO many other supplements we use, but this is just a quick overview.  If the symptoms above sound like you, give us a call and we can help out.  You don't have to live run down or in a constant state of feeling overwhelmed. 

For order instructions on Nature Sunshine click here and for Standard Process visit the office or call 615-656-3558.

Photo Source.

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!

Homemade Face Wash + My Beauty Routine

Some of you may have heard of Bronner's Magic Soap, or seen in it in the store but have no idea what to do with it.  That used to be me too!

Bronner's is a castile soap which is made of natural oils and essential oils.  They make all different kinds ranging from peppermint to eucalyptus to lavender to unscented.  On the bottle is says it has 18 different uses, however one of my favorite uses is for face wash! It leaves my face feeling very clean and like there is no left over residue.  It lasts forever and you don't need to use very much at all.

I use a small squirt bottle and fill it half way up with the liquid Bronner's and half up with water.  I just need one pump for my face, so my mixture lasts forever!  It lathers up great and makes my face feel so clean.  It’s great for people with normal to oily skin, but may not be the best for those with dry skin.

Three times a week I use the exfoliating face wash by Beautycounter. I find that it makes my face super smooth and helps to get rid of the dead skin. You don’t have to use it every day, but it is a good addition to your weekly beauty routine. (P.S. all Beautycounter products are amazing!)

And don't forget to moisturize! Coconut oil is a great moisturizer, or Beautycounter has some great options as well.

Easy Asian Stir Fry

This asian inspired stir fry is simple, healthy, and totally yummy!  I love sharing recipes that are easy to make because sometimes life gets too busy to plan out an elaborate dinner.  For this recipe, you only need 4 ingredients! Are you ready!?!

Ingredients
Broccoli slaw (found at Kroger and Trader Joes
1-2 eggs
Coconut Aminos (soy sauce replacement)
Cashews

Place broccoli slaw in skillet with coconut oil and cook on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes (until veggies start to get soft).  Then add 1 to 2 eggs (1 for small skillet and 1/2 container of broccoli slaw and 2 eggs for entire container of broccoli slaw).  Stir around to mix the egg in.  

Next, add a large handful of cashews.  Let everything cook for another 5 minutes or so (stir around occasionally) which allows the cashews to get warm and slightly toasted.

Put in a bowl and top with Coconut Aminos!  That's it, and it's husband approved!

You can cook chicken to add in or just eat as is.  It is such an easy recipe to customize to your liking.  I hope you like it is as much as I do!

Enjoy!

Sunburn Relief

We all love to spend time in the sun during the summer to get that perfect sun kissed look.  Sometimes suntanning turns into sun damage and leaves us searching for relief.  Instead of turning to products full of chemicals and additives, there's a simple, natural solution to soothe the skin.  I bet you already have this product in your pantry!

Coconut oil has many uses whether it's for cooking, cleaning, beauty or health products.  When you've spent too much time in the sun, use coconut oil on that painful sunburn.  Use multiple times a day to soothe and help the skin heal more quickly.

Cheap, simple and natural solution to help you and your family this summer!