Saturday, October 29, 2011

My Story

Making the Switch: Moriah's Story

Happy Friday everyone! Today on Making the Switch, Moriah—mom and avid road biker—shares some of the unexpected health and diet-related twists and turns her family has faced over the years—namely type 1 diabetes, food allergies, Lymes and celiac. It's been quite the journey for this Colorado family. I admire how they've tackled it head-on and the suggestion Moriah has for responding in a positive way to some of the unexpected turns we navigate in life. Thank you for sharing your story, Moriah!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Our family's journey “from processed to pure” has had its twists and turns.

Some turns were steady, planned and calculated—like adding pureed veggies into meals, replacing high fat dairy with yogurt, and buying fresh instead of canned. These were dietary changes and turns of our choosing, and were easy to implement and adapt to.

Then there have been the turns and medical diagnoses that have brought us to immediate and screeching halts. These unexpected and crazy turns have nearly caused me to crash and burn—all because of the way I RESPONDED.

I will never forget hearing the words, “he has Type 1 diabetes,” when our son was four (he just turned 19). There was so much to learn, so much to REMOVE, and so much of his health on the line. To say that I was overwhelmed is an understatement. It was not a turn I had anticipated and it was one we had to make in an instant. As far as our pantry was concerned, it was a “White-Out.” Out with the white sugar. Out with the white flour. Out with the white milk. And in with the REPLACEMENTS—raw fruits and veggies and fresh-ground whole wheat flour.

Then it was our daughter. Fatigue, headaches, brain fog, acne, mood swings, and an upset belly led to the diagnosis of a slew of food allergies—another unexpected turn. Talk about a kitchen and pantry overhaul; this turn took the cake, literally. Out with the gluten, out with the raw milk, out with the eggs.

Moriah and crew at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado.

The only thing that saved me from spinning completely out of control was the change in my RESPONSE to these challenging turns. In my own battle with Lyme disease, Celiac, food allergies, and a chronic leaky gut, I have learned how to RESPOND with a plan. My plan for a successful transition now begins with determining how to REPLACE the foods which need to be REMOVED prior to removal and ends with a time to REMORSE over what has been ”lost.” This step has been instrumental in my 13 year old daughter’s journey to health—she, as we all do, needed time to grieve, time to accept the new and say goodbye to the ‘old.’

And just this past week we have two additional hairpin turns that we've had to navigate—the most unexpected to date.

Test results came back showing my gut is still a total mess despite all our efforts to REMOVE and REPLACE so my body can be REPLENISHED (thank you, Lymie bugs). And further tests show that our entire family carries the Celiac gene.

To be honest, I spent two days REMORSING (ok, wallowing in self pity) saying goodbye to my favorite foods. Then I spent another two days asking God for wisdom as I searched for REPLACEMENTS and new recipes, which will bring health and healing to this family.

The hope is always that with the changes, our bodies will be REPLENISHED and RENEWED. REMOVE the ‘harmful-to-us’ foods and REPLACE them with ‘good-for-us’ foods—foods our bodies need to get back in balance.

If there is one thing that I know to be true, it is that obtaining vibrant health is worth overcoming any and all obstacles. If our crew can do this, so can yours. You are stronger than you think; and the benefits of traveling the road “from processed to pure” are worth it no matter why you are on this journey.

For more about Moriah, visit her blog and website:
Blog: www.g-freeliving.blogspot.com
Store: www.laviechocolat.com

__________________________________

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Type 1 diabetes and G-Free living

Due to one of my son's developing Type 1 diabetes at the age of 4, my A1c knocking at the door of becoming Type 1 diabetic (thanks to Lyme), and all of us carrying at least one of the celiac genes, I am very concerned about the potential for any of us to develop either celiac disease or diabetes or both.   I have been consulting with Dr. Vikki at HealthNow Medical Clinic in San Francisco and wanted to pass along some information she has been educating me about.  Dr. Vikki Petersen’s Gluten Blog, it’s packed with great information.  She writes in a way which one can easily understand - it's not filled with medical terminology only physician's can comprehend. I encourage you if you or a loved one has either Type 1 diabetes or Celiac, I encourage you to check out her recent article: Gluten Intolerant Report: If you have diabets, reade this!.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6Ov8iXQzlvI


Also, reading Dr. Vikki Petersen's book, The Gluten Effect, is very informative and educational for anyone suffering from any health issue or auto-immune illness.  More later from me on all of this.  It's my passion to learn and share with others what I'm learning about health and nutrition so they, too, can recover what they've lost and get back in balance - to live a life full of energy, joy, and wellness. :)

Autism and the G-Free lifestyle


Dr. Vikki Petersen, co-author of The Gluten Effect, and co-founder of HealthNOW Medical Center in San Francisco has released a very informative video on the connections of gluten and autism.  If you or a loved one has autism, this is a must see!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pIDBWLr34Ds


Be blessed and be well!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Part 3- Leaky Gut


As I continue to research on how to heal my belly, it's my desire to pass along with you what I've been learning.  I find the information fascinating and actually quite helpful.  What I am personally doing is a bit different due to having a unique set of problems associated with Leaky Gut which have been caused by Lyme disease.  Soon, I'll post that information in case there's any Lymies out there who are searching for the same remedies and I.  However, this information is beneficial to most people and I do hope that means you, too!  To your health and happiness - 
Science-Guided Nutrition - taken from Dr. Akiba Green's Blog
When the lining of the small intestine becomes too porous, it allows entry of toxins, microorganisms, and undigested food particles into the bloodstream and triggers an inflammatory immune response. Intestinal barrier compromise has been associated with multiple food sensitivities, increased inflammation, autoimmune reactions, chronic fatigue, and diverse gastrointestinal symptoms.
RepairVite is formulated to provide key nutrients to help support intestinal barrier integrity. It contains scientifically researched nutrients such as flavonoids, antioxidants, plant sterols, glycoproteins, and saponins to address the complex nutritional needs to support intestinal lining integrity.
  • Provides glycoproteins to cover mucosa called mucin to support mucosal membrane
  • Supports the regeneration and restoration of the intestinal lining as it relates to nutritional balance
  • Provides natural compounds that may aid in reducing intestinal pain and discomfort
  • Provides extracts with high mucilage content to soothe and help the intestines heal
  • Provides phyto extracts to help modulate gastrointestinal motility and secretion of digestive enzyme
Increased Intestinal Permeability Leaky Gut
When the digestive tract mucosa is inflamed, the tight junctions of the intestinal mucosa are compromised as they become widened and permeable to large, undigested compounds, toxins, and bacteria. This is also known as “leaky gut.” The large compounds of undigested proteins that are absorbed are reacted against by the underlying intestinal immune system and promote exaggerated immune response. This creates a vicious cycle of further intestinal inflammation and greater loss of intestinal barrier integrity.
Therefore, as the intestinal tract becomes inflamed from diet, lifestyle, medications, and infections, it causes further intestinal inflammation, feeding this vicious cycle promoted by intestinal permeability. After the intestinal mucosa becomes damaged, the damaged cells become unable to properly digest food and produce the enzymes necessary for digestion. This leads to malnutrition, further intestinal inflammation, further permeability, the development of food sensitivities, bacteria and yeast overgrowths, and impaired intestinal immune integrity. These self-promoting cycles become difficult to unwind unless aggressive dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle strategies are employed.
An Anti-Inflammatory diet means the elimination of any and all food which can cause inflammation in your body and/or brain.  Your personal set of foods causing your system irritation can be identified by taking a Food Sensitivity Test, like the one my chiropractic neurologist Dr. Brad Gulla at n8 Wellness  performs from NeuroScience.  Some main Inflammatory foods are:
Sodas, Coffee and Alcohol
NASIDs
Sugars - cane sugar, corn sugar, honey, agave, candy
Fruits - basically anything but cranberries and Granny Smith apples
Grains - gluten, soy, corn, quinoa, oats, etc..
Dairy
Eggs
Soy
Lectins - nuts, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers
Vegetables - excluding the night shad family
Meats
Processed food
Coconut - milk, oil, etc
Fermented foods - kimchi, pickled ginger, mixed pickles, kombucha tea, coconut yogurt


The supplement Program from Apex Energetics which Dr. Gulla recommends are:


RepairVite - to repair
ClearVite - to remove and replace
Strengtia - probiotics to support the intestinal flora
GI - Synergy - anti-bacterial, anti-yeast, and anti-parasitic
DHA Omega 3
And perhaps NeuroFlam for neuro disturbances like brain fog


And before you freak out thinking you're going to starve for the next few weeks.  Hang on!  There's hope!  Below is a link to all kinds of recipes for the RepairVite diet.  YOU CAN DO THIS!!  It's essential to your health and your immune system depends on a healthy gut system.  Better to endure this for a few weeks than to develop an auto-immune disease which you'll have for life! 


http://www.neurologichealth.com/repairvite-diet-recipes/

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Comfort in the Kitchen

After a pretty tough week last week, I found myself in the kitchen recreating recipes in an attempt to comfort myself with food.  And the goal was to replicate foods I once loved but can no longer have.  I spent most of the summer trying to do this for my daughter so that when it came time to go back to school she could have 'copy-cat' foods.  I didn't want her to ever feel that just because she has food allergies that she's different and has to live life without. It's been a challenge to make something that brings a smile to her face as she's a very picky eater, but we have had some wonderful successes. :)

Over the weekend, I made some Gluten Free Vegan Crusty Bread from Ginger Lemon Girl along with some Magic Sauce from 101 Cookbooks.  Oh, my, was my belly in heaven!!  The Magic Sauce was so good, I made another batch to take to some of my GFFs (gluten-free friends).  My daughter said the bread was "yummy," which I know she thought so for it disappeared quite quickly. :)  Plus, one of my GFFs said the bread was the best she's tasted since going gluten-free.  It's always fun when you spend that much time, energy, and money into your creations and they turn out better than you could have ever imagined.  I know the days of taking a single bite and spitting "it" out in the trash aren't over, but it's nice that it's no longer the norm.

I also made some Paleo Spiced Nuts from Elanas Pantry.  These were such a hit with all the kids that I had to make three batches!  Half my kids don't even like plain nuts so this non-verbal fact is saying I hit the jackpot....which doesn't happen often enough with now 6 in the mix.  I'm excited to have found such health-ful foods for my family and friends.

Today, I was back in the kitchen trying to recreate graham crackers for my daughter.  She used to love them and I want her to love them once again.  I followed the Grahams Plain and Fancy Recipe from The Sensitive Pantry.  (You should note that I make adjustments as necessary whenever I follow a recipe to adapt them to our likes and allergies so my version may not be exact)  My daughter isn't home from school yet, but I know she will not like them.  The molasses has overtaken the taste and she doesn't care for molasses.  So, tomorrow I will try again, omitting the molasses, or at least toning it down, and using more honey.  However, they taste very similar to my Great Aunts' molasses cookies and, once again, I am a very happy me.  Not just because my belly is happy, but because I found comfort in the memories I have attached to one of my all-time favorite cookies.

My Great Aunt Aggie and Aunt Laura used to make molasses cookies every Christmas.  It was my Grandma's job to ice them.  Since as long as I can remember, that we a task she shared with us grand-kids. I remember anxiously awaiting the day when the cookies were baked and ready to frost.  It was almost like waiting for Christmas morning without knowing which morning Christmas would come.  When 'the day' would finally come, we'd go over to Grandma's house where she had the card table set up with a table cloth, different colored powdered sugar icings and sprinkles.  I remember being in awe at the great job she did decorating her cookies and she would tell us that ours looked better than hers.  For those cookies which we felt didn't make the cut, we quickly ate so that no one would ever see our 'mess ups.' :)

My Great Aunts have passed away and my mom has carried on the family tradition with now my children frosting the cookies.  My Grandma comes over to help 'oversee' the baking activities and to eat some of the 'mess ups.'  Since developing Celiac, I can no longer be around when white flour is in the air or even touch something made of gluten with my bare hands.  So I've missed out on some of the family traditions as I've had to live without - without favorite food, without family fun, without making memories.  And that sadness often led to me hiding out in the bathroom with the Kleenex box.  As time passed, it became easier.  Yet, I still longed for those Christmas molasses cookies and being able to decorate them with my girls and with  my mom as "Grandma."

Today - the graham cracker 'flop' is my Christmas molasses cookie replica!  I have struck gold and couldn't be more excited!  Dancing in the kitchen once again :) And with the successes over the weekend, I realize that I am actually cooking and baking myself to a place where I am just as healthy as I am happy.  I am finding joy in the sorrow - I cannot wait to make these with Christmas cookie cutters in 8 weeks or so - and a hope for brighter tomorrows for the foods I'm now creating and eating actually bring health to our bodies.

With all this said, I hope you, too, find that living the g-free life is truly living!  I must run off now as my GF neighbor is coming over to share a little smackeral of crackers and nuts - the perfect afternoon 'pick-me-up.'