The Root Cause of Asthma {Video}

Asthma

It is currently one of the most common diseases in the civilized world. But did you know that despite all of our medical advances, the occurrence, as well as complications and deaths related to asthma have skyrocketed? Asthma is more common than it used to be, and it's also more severe. Since 1980, the death rates for asthma have increased by more than 50% [1] In fact, asthma deaths were considered rare in the early 1900's [2]. So what changed?  

There were three major changes:

First, our world became more toxic. The effects of industrialization had taken its toll on our air, water and food. Additionally, we began to manufacture food-like substances to replace real food. These food-like substances are full of chemicals and preservatives, which had an unknown effect on the human body.  

Second, we replaced saturated animal fats with hydrogenated vegetable oils and trans-fatty acids. This was a double whammy on our lungs. We removed the substance it relied most heavily on to function properly (saturated fat) and gave it a replacement fat full of toxins and unknown substances that it now had to deal with.  

Third, medications like bronchodilators and other inhalers were invented. This forces the airways open against the body's desire to close off an area to allow for lung repair. Before medication were invented, asthma rarely caused death and was generally considered a benign condition.   To find out more about the root cause of asthma, and how the body works, check out my new video below!  

References: [1] http://www.asthmamd.org/asthma-statistics/ [2] http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200402-185OE

Raising a Natural Puppy: Diet

I'm getting a puppy! Tomorrow! I'm so excited!

My parents' dogs had puppies 8 weeks ago, and I am bringing one home! This is the first dog I will raise on my own, and I am taking my parental responsibilities very seriously. In addition to the normal attention to training, safety, and love, I want to raise a natural puppy. I carefully care for my body, and I want to do the same for this new puppy. This has led to hours of research. Here are the extra things I'm considering. I'm only going to address ONE today—you'll have to come back for more!

I have 5 major questions:

1. Diet? What type of food and treats should I feed him?

2. Toxins? How do I create a toxin-free environment for him?

3. Skin care? What do I bathe him with, and how often?

4. Shots? What about immunizations?

5. Urine? How do I clean up after him without using chemicals?

Natural puppy Diet

Padfoot is very adventurous. He is ready to meet new people and explore his surroundings. I am excited for this, as I plan to take him many places with me. But with that comes a strong will. A strong will isn't automatically a bad thing, but I need to makes sure he is kind to people and other dogs, and knows I am the pack leader. Consistent training is important, but I also know that his diet will affect his behavior.

Processed food doesn't make me feel very good, so I don't want to feed it to my dog. While I don't plan to breed Padfoot (I feel there is more responsibility to feed your animal properly if you plan to produce offspring), I want him to feel his best.

The famous study done by Dr. Pottenger showed that animals (mostly cats were studied) fed a diet unnatural to their species (cooked meat in the case of carnivores) produced offspring with birth defects including blindness, deformities, allergies, thyroid deficiency, and infertility (Pottenger's Cats: A Study in Nutrition).

The feeding of species-appropriate foods (raw foods) prevented these defects, and revealed an observable difference in temper. Cats feed on cooked meat and pasteurized milk were more irritable. The females bit and scratched more often, and in general were more aggressive. The males sometimes became more docile (passive) and had a tendency to a low or same-sex interest. In addition to irritability, the cooked meat fed cats had increased parasites, skin lesions, allergies, pneumonia, and diarrhea.

I don't want any of that for my precious puppy! So I am planning on feeding him a raw-food diet. And thankfully there are resources out there that tell you how! The diet I am following is in a book called Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet by Kymythy R. Schultze. The major food groups that dogs eat are raw meat, raw bone, raw vegetables, and extras. For extras she recommends kelp and alfalfa, essential fatty acids, and vitamin C. I will be feeding my dog kelp, raw liver, fermented cod liver oil, butter, and fermented vegetables like sauerkraut to get these nutrients. I will keep an eye on him and adjust as necessary. The author also describes how to feed puppies differently than adult dogs. This gives me the confidence to know that my puppy is getting all he needs. If there's interest, I may do a blog post about meal preparation. If you want to see one, comment below.

natural puppy Treats

Padfoot is attentive, but his attention wanders and he thinks exploring is much more exciting than coming or paying much attention to humans (unless you let him use you as a chew toy). I know he's very young still, but I'm anticipating needing to use treats to keep his attention in training.

Treats on a raw food diet may get a little tricky, as I don't really want to carry around a bag of raw steak bits (who knows, I may end up doing it!) But there are other healthy foods that can be used as a treat. Sprouted raw nuts (not peanuts), pieces of their favorite fruits or vegetables, and bones are great treats. I will probably also try dehydrating my own jerky to cut up and use as treats. And don't forget pieces of butter! This is my parents' dogs' favorite treat! I will also use Calcifood wafers (from Standard Process supplement) as treats. These wafers contain large amount of ground veal bone, and are packed full of importantnutrients for a growing puppy (or dog of any age). And like all Standard Process supplements, they are made of raw, real food ingredients.

As much study as I have done, I know all of it is theoretical until I bring my puppy home! I'm sure there will be adjustments, but I'm glad to know that I'm on the right track to have a happy, healthy puppy! And now (like Padfoot), it's time to call it a day!

Onward!

Disclosure: Contains affiliate links, which help support my blogging. Your trust is important to me, and I only recommend resources I trust.

Real Food: More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Every time I learn more about the complex interactions between the human body and different nutrients, bacteria, and dozens of other factors, I am blown away! Not sure what I mean? As an example, this was mentioned in my latest post. A seed has enough intelligence to protect itself from being digested, but then is able to release those protections when the conditions are right to grow! All while it's still a seed! And that complicated process relates only to the seed. We haven’t even begun to explore the combining of that seed with some other food, or in a different form, or after the seed grows up. Not to mention the effect stomach acid levels, digestive enzyme activity, and different gut flora have on that seed. And the list goes on and on. Therefore we see that our bodies, and the processes that happen inside them, are incredibly intricate. And it begs the question:

Are vitamins, or carb/protein ratios really what it’s all about?

Eating real food is more than eating food-shaped packages of vitamins, proteins, and fibers. Real food is dynamic, and what you get from a particular food is conditional, and depends on several factors.

Growing Conditions: The actual nutritional value of that particular piece of food depends on the conditions it was grown in, including sun exposure, water quality, and the amount of vitamins, minerals and healthy bacteria in the soil or food the animal was eating.

Preparation Methods: After it is grown, different ways of preparing food will make it more or less digestible; helpful, stressful, or even harmful to the human body.

Individual Body Status: Even if it’s prepared properly, each individual body's environment has a role in determining the amount of benefit or harm that food will have.

In fact, a food's helpfulness to an individual body is dependent on the season, metabolic needs, current hormone state, and a myriad of other factors that are going on in the body at that moment. So what's helpful to your body in the summer may be harmful in winter. Or what's beneficial to eat at noon may weigh your body down at dinnertime. Every minute your metabolic needs may be different.

This is why "eating healthy" cannot be reduced to fortifying processed foods with vitamins, or taking the "perfect" supplement mix. It is so, so much more! Now that you know all this, eating healthy may sound like an unattainable goal. And in some ways it is. Even if we are extremely in tune with our bodies, it is unlikely that we will think “I need 5.78 mcg of calcium and 4.24 mg of vitamin D at 2:57pm”… and so on. And this is my first point.

There is no magic pill or secret supplement!

Even if the advertised effects are real, it doesn’t mean that it will work for you! Your body may need something else entirely. If anyone tells you that they have the one product that will fix all your ills, run the other way! On the other hand, the innateintelligence inside our bodies does know what it needs, and how to get it. We can work on listening to what our bodies are telling us. I call this becoming an expert detective (for more, see chapter 7 of Notes From A GAPS Practitioner).

As we renew the partnership with our body, we will begin to understand its signals about what foods will best support our bodies at that moment. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride talks about this in a wonderful article, One Man’s Meat is Another Man’s Poison. In it she shares how important it is to listen to your body telling you what food to eat at the moment, and how much of it to eat. Becoming an expert detective does not happen overnight. It is a commitment to observe, experiment, create theories, and modify them as needed. It will get easier with time and experience, and every time you learn something, your health will benefit. And you will have taken one more step in your journey toward better health.

Onward!  

Disclosure: Contains an affiliate link, which helps support my blogging. Your trust is important to me, and I only recommend resources I trust.

Why Soak Grains? {Video}

Ever wondered about recommendations like "soaking," "sprouting," "fermenting," or "properly preparing" your nuts or grains? Ever wondered what that meant, or why it's better? I did! In fact, when I first heard about "sprouted bread," I thought it was made-up. But there are real reasons why eating properly prepared seeds is better for your body. Check out the video below to find out why.

Did that make sense?

This is just one example of why food preparation matters. And while food preparation techniques used to be passed on from generation to generation, our modern western culture has largely lost that heritage. But some do remember. And some do research. And some teach. And some write it down for us. That is the entire reason behind the cookbook, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon. Traditional ways to prepare foods in traditional recipes are recorded in this helpful resource. If we want to return to health, we need to start understanding these principles. Our health depends on it! Still have questions? Have another food preparation question? Ask it in the comments below.

Disclosure: The link in this post is an affiliate link. Links like this help support my blogging. Your trust is important to me, and I only recommend resources I trust.

Raw Milk Chocolate Pudding

Some days don't you just miss pudding cups? I know I do.

Now you can make your own! The most frequent comment about this pudding (besides "yum", "delicious", and "mmm...") is that it tastes just like a chocolate pudding cup! This simple recipe is a wonderful treat for you and your family, and because it's made of real food ingredients it can be enjoyed without guilt.

Of course this, like all sweet items, should be enjoyed in moderation and not as a meal replacement. And if you are following a healing protocol, you will need to wait until significant gut healing has occurred before enjoying this.

A note for those on the GAPS diet: While this is technically (advanced) full GAPS legal, not everyone is able to tolerate raw milk, cream or cocoa. Listen to your body and only eat this when it is a good choice for you.

Enjoy this video, then scroll down for the recipe. We hope you enjoy it!

Raw Milk Chocolate Pudding

Recipe by Erin Goodin

Warm on stovetop (medium heat)

• 1 cup raw milk

• 1 TBS gelatin (brand I recommend)

• 1/2 tsp sea salt (brands I recommend)

• 1 TBS butter

Heat to 95°F to activate the gelatin, then remove from heat

In a blender, combine

• 2 cups raw milk

• 1/2 cup raw honey

• 3 egg yolks

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• heated mixture

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend until combined

Pour into desired container(s)

Chill for 12-24 hrs in the fridge

Whipped Cream Topping

• 2 cups cream

• 2 TBS honey

Whip until stiff, then use to top the pudding

Enjoy!

Affiliate disclosure: There are affiliate links contained in the post. The small commission I receive helps to keep this blog going. I do not recommend products that I do not trust.

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Print

Raw Milk Chocolate Pudding

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

Raw Milk Chocolate Pudding

• 3 cups raw milk
• 1 TBS gelatin (brand I recommend)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (brands I recommend)
• 1 TBS butter
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Topping

• 2 cups cream
• 2 TBS honey

instructions:

How to cook Raw Milk Chocolate Pudding

1. Warm on stovetop (medium heat): 1 cup raw milk, 1 TBS gelatin (brand I recommend), 1/2 tsp sea salt (brands I recommend),  1 TBS butter.
2. Heat to 95°F to activate the gelatin, then remove from heat
3. In a blender, combine: 2 cups raw milk, 1/2 cup raw honey, 3 egg yolks, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, heated mixture, 1 tsp vanilla extract.
4. Blend until combined
5. Pour into desired container(s)
6. Chill for 12-24 hrs in the fridge
7. Whipped Cream Topping: 2 cups cream,  2 TBS honey.
8. Whip until stiff, then use to top the pudding
9. Enjoy!

NOTES:

Recipe by Erin Goodin

Created using The Recipes Generator

Take Courage

I had an interesting week last week. For the first time in a while, my body stopped me in my tracks. I'm not saying that I've had symptom-free days every day for the last few months. I have had the occasional headache, been sick with colds, and felt the effect of too much detox or too little sleep.  

But this was a little more.

For four days I was out of commission, only doing the bare essentials. I cut out all the “extras" in my diet, ate foods only on GAPS Intro Stage 1, and increased my fat and desiccated liver intake. I went to bed hours early, took naps during the day, and still felt exhausted. I drank enough water and took enough detox baths to dry up a river, and I applied essential oils liberally. Nothing really helped, beyond occasionally providing a few minutes of partial relief.

I am still not sure what exactly was going on, but as best as I can figure, it seemed to be some kind of significant detox reaction. I had a headache that wavered between annoying and a migraine, sore muscles, tinnitus, nausea, VERY tired eyes, and a brain that simply would not focus. None of these were fun, but what brought me to tears was not any of these symptoms.  

It was fear.  

Fear that I had missed something (since I wasn’t sure why I felt so awful).

Fear that I had pushed myself too hard (although I had been pacing myself).

Fear that my headache would never end (this did seem logical at the time).

Fear that my eyesight was failing (my vision was fine two days before).

Fear that I would feel like this forever, I would never again feel well, and I was wrong to think that I could be a “healthy” person. 

And just fear. Fear about nothing.

But these fears were overwhelming my thoughts and reason.

My overwhelming fear only lasted a short time, because I have a great Friend who does not leave me alone. He gives me hope (see post), and I really couldn't do life without Him. He walked with me in that dark moment and let me know He was with me, and that it was going to be okay. That brought me peace, even though I still believed that my headache would be a constant companion for the rest of my life (honestly, I really did).

While it was not all rainbows and unicorns after that, the paralyzing fear was gone. It was good to remember how hopelessness feels, a feeling I have often experienced on my health journey. When it feels nearly impossible to believe that anything could change, that better health could be possible. It's good to be reminded, so I can be grateful, and so I can better help you. It takes courage to go to another practitioner, change your diet yet again, or make another lifestyle change. It takes tremendous courage and strength to keep striving for better health, when health seems to be an impossible goal. If this is where you are at right now, you are so very strong and courageous. I want you to know that.

From years of experience I know that it takes courage to be sick. But over the last few months I have learned that it also takes courage to be well. It takes courage to live outside of the awful (yet familiar) limits of a health condition. Courage to eat a food that is now okay for you, order off a restaurant menu, or eat a food your friend offered without grilling them about ingredients. Courage to let your just-in-case prescription run out. And it takes tremendous courage to live your life in freedom, even when facing (like I did last week) a short illness, detox reaction or bad day. Courage to push the limits because you refuse to be intimidated by them anymore.

And...

...sometimes you melt in the middle of the floor, in tears, because you think your health has collapsed and you're probably going to be blind soon!

That’s okay too!

Courage is not the absence of fear. In fact, without something to fear, there can be no courage.

Don’t be ashamed of your fear, but don’t let it rule you, either. Remember, you are strong, and you are made for more.

No matter where you are in your health journey, take courage!  

As we go, Onward!

Laziness? Or a Change in Priority?

A few weeks ago we talked about consistency being the secret sauce. And that is very true, it is. But I have found that it is incredibly difficult to be consistent in things that I don’t really believe are important. And I think this goes beyond a mental game. To be on the GAPS protocol, or to follow any health choices that are contrary to the mainstream, you have to have a strong mental game. I think all of you show a tremendous amount of will power; I’m not worried about your mental game! Could it be something else?

Consistency... It's the Secret Sauce

On my own health journey, I have found that I will keep a habit consistently (like a detox bath every single day for over a year) and then, all of a sudden, stop doing it. I don’t make a conscious choice, I just start forgetting to do it. Has that ever happened to you? Why do you think it happens? Did you (like most people) beat yourself up for being lazy or undisciplined?

I used to do that as well! But now I have a new theory! I think that it’s more than just getting “thrown off” by a change in routine, or losing our mental “game.” I think that often we stop certain things because that habit has ceased to be a priority. Our body (“innate intelligence”, “subconscious”, or “body-partner”) stops pushing for that behavior because something else has become a priority.

Let’s use the example of a detox bath, because it has made this idea most clear to me. Although I am a fairly disciplined person in general, there was another reason why I took a detox bath every night. Namely, if I didn’t, I would get a migraine the next day. Almost guaranteed. So of course I prioritized taking a detox bath. But, when I stopped taking them every night, the migraines didn’t come! My body was better able to handle detoxing, and no longer had to rely so strongly on the assistance of detox baths, so it “stopped being a habit.” Now I would say that I stopped taking a detox bath every night because I no longer needed to take one every night. There were other things that my body knew was more important to do with my time and energy. It could handle the toxins.

I imagine some of you are practically jumping out of your chair right now in protest, and shouting: “Are you saying that we don’t have to work at all to begin or maintain habits? We should just do what feels right and easy?” Ok, maybe you aren't quite doing that...but maybe wondering what I mean?

This is not quite what I am saying. Of course we have to be purposeful and invest energy in habits, especially new ones. And yes, there are times that we (wrongly) stop doing good and necessary things just because it’s easier or more comfortable. We were given will power for a reason. And there are times when we need to use it.

What I am saying is that some of the habits we choose, and put tremendous energy into, are not best for our body. These are the ones we failrepeatedly in our attempts to establish. Sometimes they are rightly not a priority for us. And sometimes they are actually bad habits disguised as good ones (that’s another blog post). And sometimes we need to power through and do them. It depends.  

So stop beating yourself up for failing again. Evaluate the habit and see if it’s actually a priority for your body. (Stay tunes, next time we will talk about how to do that.) Then work with your partner (your body) and use your energy and will power to maintain the important habits. You will be kinder to yourself, and feel and experience more success in your journey towards better health, which is the real goal!

Onward!

GAPS Milkshake

Our recipe this week is a simple, but powerful one! It is called the GAPS™ milkshake, and it packs a powerful punch! This delicious, satisfying and helpful beverage is a wonderful way to daily consume your freshly-pressed juices, and can even be a meal.

The GAPS™ milkshake is mix of juice, protein, and fat. Because it is easily digested, usually in about 20 minutes, it can be eaten when you don't have much time to sit and digest. But because it contains fat and protein, as well as sugar, it can sustain you for a while, often a few hours.

Let's get down to making it! You need a few simple ingredients.

1. Freshly pressed juices (I like carrots, but you can use any juice mixture)

2. Sour cream (creme fraische), coconut oil, or another fat

3. Raw egg (whole or just the yoke)

4. Raw honey (optional, and only a little!)

Juice the carrot (and/or other vegetables and fruits). I use organic vegetables so I just rinse them off (sometimes). You can see my (not) high-end juicer in the picture! But it works! Don't feel like you have to spend hundreds of dollars to juice (this one was about $40). It is a centrifuge juicer, and I try to consume the juices within 15 minutes to get the most enzyme activity, but again, it works! Successful GAPS is not about perfection, it is about action!

Once you have your juice in a glass, you are ready to add your other ingredients. Add 1-2 raw egg yolks or whole raw eggs. If you do add the white, I recommend using a spring whisk or a blender to break up the white--that is a hard texture to get down! With raw eggs, it is also important to know the source of your eggs (were the chickens healthy) and try not to touch the shell with the egg. If there happens to be any salmonella present, it is likely still on the outside of the egg, not the inside. Of course, there is no guarantee, especially if the eggs are washed (this breaks down the protective layer around the egg), so consume at your own risk! But I have yet to get sick, even using store bought eggs sometimes.

Add the sour cream (a good-sized dollop). The sour cream is there primarily to slow the absorption of sugar from the juice—add to taste. You can also add coconut oil if you are not tolerating dairy (technically this makes it a GAPS Smoothie) Stir, whisk or blend together.

You can add a little honey if you need to. It is better to add some fruit to your juice ingredients instead of honey, but that isn't always an option, especially on early stages. I have found that the egg whites are a little bitter, and when I add a whole egg instead of just the yolk, I often need a little honey to help it go down. That's it! All that's left is to enjoy it!

As I said, this is a great "meal" for those on-the-go mornings. Especially if you are hungry early in the morning, this is a great thing to drink, as it is not a burden to the digestive system. The juices support your body's cleansing processes, which are often happening from 4am-10am every day. You could also add beet kvass to this beverage as an extra liver cleanser. It can overwhelm the flavor, so I prefer to drink mine separately. Experiment with your preferences, and with the recipe! Let us know how you like it best!

Onward!

GAPS Milkshake

• Freshly Pressed Juices

• Sour cream, creme faiche, coconut oil, or another fat

• Raw Egg ((whole or just the yoke))

• Raw Honey ((optional and only a little))

1. Juice the carrot (and/or other vegetables and fruits).

2. Add 1-2 raw egg yolks or whole raw eggs. If you do add the white, I recommend using a spring whisk or a blender to break up the white–that is a hard texture to get down!

3. Add the sour cream to taste. The sour cream is there primarily to slow the absorption of sugar from the juice.

4. Stir, whisk or blend together.

5. Add a little honey if you need to

With raw eggs, it is also important to know the source of your eggs (were the chickens healthy) and try not to touch the shell with the egg. If there happens to be any salmonella present, it is likely still on the outside of the egg, not the inside. Of course, there is no guarantee, especially if the eggs are washed (this breaks down the protective layer around the egg), so consume at your own risk! 

I have found that the egg whites are a little bitter, and when I add a whole egg instead of just the yolk, I often need a little honey to help it go down.

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Print

GAPS Milkshake

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• Freshly Pressed Juices
• Sour cream, creme faiche, coconut oil, or another fat
• Raw Egg ((whole or just the yoke))
• Raw Honey ((optional and only a little))

instructions:

How to cook GAPS Milkshake

1. Juice the carrot (and/or other vegetables and fruits).
2. Add 1-2 raw egg yolks or whole raw eggs. If you do add the white, I recommend using a spring whisk or a blender to break up the white–that is a hard texture to get down!
3. Add the sour cream to taste. The sour cream is there primarily to slow the absorption of sugar from the juice.
4. Stir, whisk or blend together.
5. Add a little honey if you need to

NOTES:

With raw eggs, it is also important to know the source of your eggs (were the chickens healthy) and try not to touch the shell with the egg. If there happens to be any salmonella present, it is likely still on the outside of the egg, not the inside. Of course, there is no guarantee, especially if the eggs are washed (this breaks down the protective layer around the egg), so consume at your own risk! I have found that the egg whites are a little bitter, and when I add a whole egg instead of just the yolk, I often need a little honey to help it go down.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Action Conquers Fear

"Action conquers fear." -Peter Nivio Zarlenga

I read this inspirational quote for the first time a while back, and it stuck with me--it was what I needed just then.

Fear

Maybe you don’t think you are fearful person. Or you're afraid that you are. Fear manifests in many different ways. It is not just being jumpy, or afraid of zombies, usually we fear more abstract things.

Fear of failure.

Fear of other's opinions.

Fear of giving too much, or being too tired.

Fear of rejection.

Fear of disappointment.

Fear of success.

The list could go on and on…

According to Oxford dictionary, there are many definitions for the noun and verb fear:

• An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat:

• (fear for) A feeling of anxiety concerning the outcome of something or the safety and well-being of someone:

• Be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening:

• Avoid or put off doing something because one is afraid:

• Used to express regret or apology: "I fear I have not completed the project per your expectations"

I think it's interesting that we even use the word fear when we express regret. I believe this shows our deep thoughts--when we do and don't take action.

"Action conquers fear."

Don't get me wrong... I am NOT saying we should never think before we do things, or that we should rush ahead without forethought (usually). But neither should we spend all our time thinking and analyzing. To understand myself better I need to sort out and acknowledge what the fears are that keep me from doing/achieving/being. But in the end, knowing will not remove the fear. What does? Taking action. You can take action even without knowing why you are afraid. It is the shortcut to overcoming, and the most successful way to accomplishment.

Onward!