The holiday season is quickly approaching. For many, that means food oriented family time. After chaning my diet, I realized just how food oriented people’s lives are. Often times, this can make visiting family for the holidays somewhat difficult. It can be challenging to eat as well as I want to when I’m surronded by people who don’t understand my lifestyle, and who value different things in food than I do.

That being said, you can still have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that’s sure to impress your family, without using refined foods.

This year for dinner, I’ll be making the following:

• Turkey 
• Dressing 
• Sweet potato casserole
• Mashed potatoes  
• Green beans 
• Brussel sprouts 
• Cranberry sauce 
• Sourdough bread 
• Brown butter plum pie
• Cranberry crumble pie 
• Apple Sage Gouda pie 

Full disclosure, we don’t eat like this all the time. The recipes included in this article are much better than your traditional Thanksgiving foods, but are not recommended if you haven’t healed your gut! Having a healthy gut full of good bacteria allows you to eat more foods without as many problems. Don’t forget to eat your salads, folks! 

Turkey

Turkey is one of the dirtiest animals we eat. Read this article to learn more about how to shop for meat in a way that benefits both your health and the environment! I highly encourage you to buy a pasture-raised organic turkey from a small local farm if you have the means. 

For the turkey, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• A whole thawed Turkey, between 12-15 pounds
• Salt 
• Pepper 
• Paprika 
• Turmeric 
• Coriander 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped sage 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped thyme 
• 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley 
• 2 tablespoons of chopped oregano 
• ¼ cup butter 
• 1 quart of chicken stock 
• 4 stalks of celery 
• 4 large carrots 
• 1 large onion
• 4-5 garlic cloves  

Feel free to adjust the quantity of ingredients depending on the size of your turkey. 

Make sure your turkey is completely thawed. Remove the innards and set aside for gravy (if you plan on making gravy). At this point, you can do a salt brine the day before, but it’s optional. 

Chop up carrots celery and potatoes, and put them in your roasting pan before you put the turkey in the pan. I recommend cooking the turkey breast down, to keep the turkey moist. 

Melt your butter in a pan, add your herbs, seasoning, garlic, and onion, 1/2 chicken stock, and sautee. 

Take the liquid from the mixture and inject it into the turkey, and pour the rest over the top. Stuff the herbs and garlic inside the turkey. Pour more chicken broth over the top, about 2 cups. 

Rub the turkey with salt, pepper, and corn starch (corn starch is optional). Put the turkey in the oven at 325 degrees. 

Before the last hour of baking, pull the turkey out and flip it over, At this point, you can rub the turkey down again with a little bit of salt, pepper, and corn starch. Take the juice from the bottom of the roasting pan and inject turkey. Pull the liquid out from the bottom with a turkey baster and set aside for gravy. Your turkey is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165. Allow it to rest before carving.

Dressing 

• 2 loaves sourdough bread 
• 3 links Italian sausage 
• 2 onions 
• 5-7 cloves of garlic 
• 4 large carrots 
• 4 stalks of celery 
• 3 teaspoons chopped oregano 
• 3 teaspoons chopped thyme 
• 3 teaspoons chopped sage 
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt 
• pepper 
• paprika
• turmeric 

Prior to making the dressing, you’ll want to bake two loaves of sourdough bread or buy two loaves of sourdough bread. (For health reasons, we highly recommend making your own.) Start by cutting your sourdough bread into cubes. Lay them flat on a tray and toast them. 

While your bread is toasting, you’ll want to add Italian sausage to a pan on the stove. Chop up your onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Add your vegetables to your pan when your sausage is about ⅔ cooked. I recommend doing this in a deep cast iron pan. Once you add your vegetables, season with salt, pepper, turmeric, and paprika to taste and add fresh herbs. Add chicken stock and let it cook down with the lid off. Once the liquid has cooked out, add your toasted bread and mix to combine. Add a little more chicken stock depending on the consistency you’re looking for in your dressing. At this point in time, you can bake the dressing in the oven, or make it a day ahead of time, put it in the fridge, and then bake it shortly before the turkey is ready. You can transfer your dressing to a casserole dish or bake your dressing in a cast-iron dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 5-6 large sweet potatoes 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of salt 
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 1 teaspoon allspice 
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger 
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (optional)
• ½ cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or a mixture of both

Bake sweet potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees until tender. 

Pull your sweet potatoes out of the oven and allow them to cool slightly before peeling them and mashing them in a bowl. After you mash your sweet potatoes, add butter, vanilla extract, and spices. I recommend salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves, and ground ginger. You can also add a generous spoonful of cream cheese. If you’re trying to be as healthy as possible, I would skip this step, but it’s a great trick for impressing normal people with your cooking. Mix to combine and then spread your sweet potatoes into a casserole dish. You can top with (or mix in) crushed pecans and/or walnuts. At this point, you can either bake the sweet potato casserole in the oven or put it in the fridge if you want to make it ahead of time and bake it the next day. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

Mashed potatoes  

• 8-12 white potatoes (of your choice) 
• 5-6 cloves of garlic 
• ¼ cup butter 
• salt 
• pepper 
• paprika 
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese (optional)

Fill a pot with 8-12 white potatoes, depending on how many people you’re cooking for. Cover with water and boil until the potatoes are tender and bursting out of the skin.

I don’t like to peel my potatoes. It takes 10 times longer to make the mashed potatoes, and I’ve never minded potato skins in my potatoes, but if you prefer them peeled, then feel free to do that.

After your potatoes are cooked, add salt, pepper, paprika, fresh garlic, and butter. This is another case where a generous spoonful of cream cheese will impress your guests, but again, it’s optional. Mix together and mash your potatoes to the consistency you want them to be. Generally, I don’t mind lumps in my potatoes, and I mash by hand. If you cook your potatoes long enough, mashing them by hand shouldn’t be too hard. 

Green Beans 

• 1 pound green beans 
• 3-4 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup sliced almonds 
• 2 pieces of bacon, chopped 
• salt 
• pepper
• paprika 

Cook your bacon in a pan. After the bacon is cooked, chop it up and add it back into the pan with avocado oil. Snap the ends of the green beans off and add them to your pan. Add fresh garlic, mushrooms, sliced almonds, and bacon. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Sautee until tender.

Brussels Sprouts 

• I pound Brussels sprouts 
• 5 cloves garlic 
• 2 pieces bacon, chopped 
• 1-2 tablespoons of avocado oil 
• ¼ cup feta cheese 
• salt 
• pepper

For extra crispy brussels sprouts, I recommend thinly slicing your brussels sprouts, but you can also halve or quarter them. Cut your brussels sprouts up, add salt and pepper, avocado oil, and bacon. Toss to mix well, and bake until extra crispy (20-30 minutes ar 400 works for me). Shortly before the brussels sprouts are done, pull them out of the oven and add feta cheese crumbles. You can also cook them in a cast-iron pan on the stove or cook them on the stove and finish in the oven. Just baking them is a more hands-free option if you have multiple things to cook at once. 

Cranberry Sauce 

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries 
• Juice from half a lime
• One Satsuma (A tangerine or clementine will do, but satsumas are best) 
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
• Granulated monk fruit to taste
• Salt 

Cranberry sauce is best if you make it the day before. Take fresh cranberries, a satsuma, some fresh lime juice, a little bit of cinnamon, and monk fruit to taste. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor and refrigerate until dinner time. 

Sourdough Bread 

This is my favorite sourdough bread recipe. Read this article to learn more about why sourdough is so much better for you than regular bread. Take your loaf of bread and slice it until to the point where you can fan the bread out, but not so far that you have cut it all the way through. Melt butter in a pan on the stove. Add fresh chopped herbs and fresh garlic. Pour over the bread and put it in the oven to toast. 

Desserts

Obviously, Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without pies for dessert, and with my recipes, I promise no one will know they’re sugar-free. I have a couple of secrets to the perfect pie, the first one being the pie crust. I’ve tried gluten-free alternatives and they work okay, but I haven’t been able to achieve that perfect sought-after flakey buttery pie crust using gluten-free flour. The solution? Sourdough pie crust. Instead of using ice-cold water, I use ice cold-active sourdough starter with high-quality organic flour (Bob’s mill all-purpose organic flour if you’re buying from the grocery store). Sourdough breaks down gluten differently than regular yeast bread. Many people with gluten intolerances are able to eat homemade sourdough with little to no problems. Again, this is not a good idea if you haven’t healed the gut. 

The second trick is tapioca starch. I’m pretty sure that most people aren’t new to tapioca starch, but I only came across it relatively recently. Tapioca starch works just like corn starch but it has a slightly sweeter flavor. I add tapioca starch to all my pies.

The third trick is granulated monk fruit. This is what we use instead of granulated sugar, and we use way less than the recipe calls for. If you use high-quality, sweet fruit, you really won’t need much (unless you’re working with something sour like cranberries. Then you might need a larger amount). You can find granulated monk fruit at a health food store if your grocery store doesn’t have it. You may also be able to find it in bulk at Costco.

Full disclaimer, these pies are from the Sister Pie Cookbook. Sister pie is a local bakery not too far from my house that is known for its pies and baked goods. These recipes are tweaked to fit our diet. 

Pie Crust 

Add 2.5 cups of your flour and a pinch of salt (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill organic all-purpose flour) to a bowl, and then add 1 cup of ice-cold butter. Begin to break up the butter and combine the flour and butter with your fingers into smaller pieces, until you have a mixture resembling Kraft parmesan cheese. (This is a tip from my Sister Pie Cookbook. After lots of experimentation, I can confirm that this is the way to achieve the best pie crust.)

Add half a cup of active sourdough starter and mix until combined. Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough. Divide the dough into 2 discs. You’ll want to refrigerate this dough for at least two hours or up to two days. If you’re not planning on making pie within 2 days, you can freeze the pie dough. This makes enough pie dough for 1 double-crust pie or 2 single-crust pies. 

These pie recipes call for brown sugar. To make a brown sugar substitute, I mix a teaspoon of molasses into granulated monk fruit. You can skip this step if you don’t want to use molasses, as it is technically a refined sugar. 

Brown Butter Plum Pie

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup gluten-free flour of your choice (I like chickpea. I don’t recommend coconut flour.) 
• up to ½ cup granulated “brown sugar” monk fruit 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 pounds of plums (Stanley, Santa Rosa, Early Golden, or plutos plums)
• juice from ½ a lemon
• ¼ tapioca starch
• ⅓ cup of granulated monk fruit (more or less depending on how sweet you want your pie) 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese 

I know it isn’t plum season, but we live in a world where you can probably find plums at the grocery store that will do just fine. That being said, the thing that makes this pie so spectacular is the brown butter. I’d never actually used browned butter before making this pie, and have since decided that I never want to use any other sort of butter. 

Before you make the pie, roll out the pie dough into a circle with a diameter of 12-13 inches and fit it into the pie pan. Chill your pie crust in the freezer until you’re ready to bake the pie. 

Start the pie by making 1 cup of brown butter. You can do this a couple of days ahead of time. To make the crumble streusel topping combine 1 cup of gluten-free flour (I generally use chickpea), salt, and up to ½ cup of “brown sugar” monk fruit, and cinnamon. I generally adjust this and use slightly more flour and less sweetener, but it’s a personal preference. Cut the brown butter into cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Break up the butter with your fingers and combine with the flour mixture until you achieve the consistency of wet sand. 

Make the pie filling. Slice the plums and throw them into a bowl. Add lemon juice, granulated monk fruit, tapioca starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss to combine. 

Assemble the pie. Spread cream cheese over the pie crust, pour in your pie filling, and top with your crumble. Leave a hole in the top for ventilation. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees, for about an hour, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling over. Allow it to cool before serving. 

Cranberry Crumble Pie 

• one pie crust
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup gluten-free flour of your choice (I like chickpea, I don’t recommend coconut flour) 
• up to ½ cup granulated “brown sugar” monk fruit 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• compote 
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• ¼ cup “brown sugar” monk fruit (more or less for personal preferences) 
• 1 teaspoon orange zest 
• juice from half an orange (freshly squeezed) 
• 8 ounces fresh cranberries 
• ½ Bosc or D’Anjou pear, grated 
• ¼ cup tapioca starch 
• up to ¾ cup of granulated monk fruit
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon allspice 
• 1 ½ teaspoon of salt 
• 2 tablespoons of cream cheese at room temperature 

Make the cranberry compote first. Combine cranberries, orange zest and juice, and brown sugar in a pan. While I like my cranberry pie on the tart side, not everyone does, so I always taste test along the way to make sure it’s sweet enough. Cook over medium-low heat until the cranberries begin to burst and then set it aside to cool. 

To make the crumble streusel topping, combine 1 cup of gluten-free flour (I generally use chickpea), salt, and up to ½ cup of granulated monk fruit*. Cut the butter into cubes, and add it to the flour mixture. Break up the butter with your fingers and combine it with the flour mixture until you achieve the consistency of wet sand. 

Make the filling. Combine cranberries, pears, cooled compote, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, monk fruit, and tapioca starch in a bowl. 

Assemble the pie. Spread cream cheese over the bottom of the pie crust, pour in your pie filling, and top with your crumble. Leave a hole in the top for ventilation. Set it in the freezer to rest for 15 minutes then bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour – until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling over. Allow it to cool before serving. 

Apple Sage Gouda pie 

• 2 discs of pie dough
• 2 pounds of golden apples
• juice from ½ a lemon
• ¼ cup “brown sugar” monk fruit (more or less depending on how sweet you like it) 
• 2 tablespoons of fresh sage 
• ¼ cup tapioca starch 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg 
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional) 
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter cubed and chilled 

For the apple Gouda pie, I make regular pie crust and add about ⅓ cup of Gouda cheese to the pie dough before I add the sourdough starter.

Cut up the apples and toss with lemon juice in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine monk fruit, sage, tapioca starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside a spoonful to sprinkle over the bottom of the pie crust. Add the rest of the mixture to the apples, and toss to combine. 

Assemble the pie. Sprinkle your monk fruit mixture over the bottom of the pie crust, add your apples, and dot the apple mixture with butter cubes. I like to top this pie with a lattice strip top or the same crumble used in the brown butter plum pie. This article goes into how to do different lattice strips on a pie. Personally, I prefer the thick lattice. It requires the least amount of weaving.

Top with your lattice strips or crumble. Let your pie rest in the freezer for 15 minutes, before baking.

Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes until the pie crust is golden brown (if you topped the pie with dough instead of crumble) and then reduce the temperature to 325. Bake for about an hour, until the juices are bubbling in the center. Allow it to cool before serving. 

Conclusion 

This dinner isn’t gluten-free, or keto. It doesn’t follow any of the specific diet trends that are currently popular. Instead, it focuses on making dinner with the freshest, healthiest ingredients while being as unprocessed as possible. 

This will likely be the healthiest Thanksgiving dinner your guests have ever eaten, but I still wouldn’t recommend this dinner for anyone who hasn’t healed their gut. In preparation for Thanksgiving dinner, I always make sure I’m eating a salad a day and drinking lots of cranberry lemonade.

Sourdough baking is a method of baking that has been around for centuries. We’ve been baking bread, in some form, for thousands of years (at least). The first record we have of the sourdough baking method dates back to around 1500 B.C. in Egypt.

With the use of modern store-bought yeast, sourdough is not as common as it used to be, but it has made quite the comeback in recent years. People have discovered the benefits of sourdough as they discover the problems with regular bread.

I use sourdough starter in much of my baking; I’ve used it to make pie crusts, bread doughs, hamburger buns, and pizza doughs. 

What is Sourdough?

The key ingredient in sourdough bread, what it gives it its texture and sour taste, is the sourdough starter. Sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water (usually 50/50) that has been fed enough to develop its own collection of yeast, bacteria, and lactic acid. Sourdough starter has its own microbiome made up of bacteria and wild yeast collected from its environment. No two sourdough starters are exactly the same. Each one develops its own unique microbiome that gives it a unique smell and taste. 

Sourdough is also unique from other yeasts in the way it develops the gluten in bread. The wild yeast and bacteria in the sourdough starter begin to digest the gluten in the bread during the fermentation process. The longer the dough ferments and the more it rises, the more gluten is broken down. Many people who have previously had problems with gluten have found that, after fixing the gut, they can occasionally enjoy sourdough bread.

Storebought sourdough bread is not the same as homemade sourdough. When you buy sourdough from the store, you have no idea how long the bread fermented or if it’s even real sourdough. If you do want to buy your bread, I recommend looking at a small local bakery or a farmers market where you can ask questions about the baking process.

I’ve linked my favorite sourdough recipes below and given a brief description of our favorite way to use them.

Artisan Sourdough Bread 

This is the classic sourdough loaf of bread.

I get all of my sourdough recipes from Baking Sense, but generally, I don’t follow an exact recipe. I prefer to experiment. I follow this recipe’s measurements, but usually, I mix up the type of flour I’m using. I like the majority of the flour I use to be all-purpose flour, and then I add a little bit of rye flour, bread flour, or einkorn flour (or a mix of all three). Adding a variety of different flours can add nuttiness to your bread that would be lacking if you just used all-purpose flour.

The most important thing, in my experience, is making sure that your sourdough starter is very active, (the recipe I linked goes over this) before baking. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a loaf that doesn’t properly rise. 

We like to make sandwiches with sourdough bread. Generally, we’ll use whatever we’ve got on hand, but whatever we do, we always throw on lots of different vegetables. I’m a fan of caramelized onions with bacon, greens, tomatoes, mustard, and a fried egg. Homemade pesto is also great on sandwiches or plain on toast. This bread is so good, it doesn’t need much else, though.

Hamburger Buns 

I have not eaten storebought hamburger buns since I made my own for the first time. I can’t imagine going back (not to mention regular storebought buns are terrible for you.) I use this recipe from Baking Sense for my hamburger buns. I just skip the sugar and use goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk.

We don’t eat burgers often, but when we do, we eat organic grass-fed ground beef from a local farm and our sourdough buns. Personally, I like to add caramelized mushrooms and onions on top, with tomatoes, greens, cheese, homemade mustard, and an egg. Eggs are a staple. I’ll put eggs on pretty much anything. 

Sourdough Pizza Dough

I use this pizza dough recipe. I don’t even remember what regular pizza tastes like, but I’m almost positive that it’s terrible compared to our pizza. When we do pizza night, we like to do one pizza with pesto sauce and one with tomato sauce. We’ll top the pizzas with cheese, tomatoes, Italian sausage, fresh basil, purple onions, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, and olives. To each their own when it comes to pizza, but we recommend more vegetables, more variety, and less meat and cheese. 

Sourdough Pie Crust 

Sourdough pie crust is, in my experience, the best pie crust ever. The crust is flakey and buttery, but because it uses sourdough starter instead of water, you end up with a much more flavorful pie crust. I’ve also found that throughout my experimentation with different flours, including gluten-free flours, all-purpose flour still makes the best pie crust. 

Add 2.5 cups of your flour and a pinch of salt (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill organic all-purpose flour) to a bowl, and then add 1 cup of ice-cold butter. Begin to break up the butter and combine the flour and butter with your fingers into smaller pieces, until you have a mixture resembling kraft parmesan cheese (This is a tip from my Sister Pie cookbook. After lots of experimentation, I can confirm that this is the way to achieve the best pie crust.) Then add half a cup of active sourdough starter and mix until combined. Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough. You’ll want to refrigerate this dough for at least two hours or up to two days. If you’re not planning on making pie anytime soon, you can freeze the pie dough.

Conclusion

I generally only eat sourdough once or twice a month. It’s a nice treat, but I wouldn’t recommend it every day. If you’re still sick, you should avoid gluten completely until the gut is healed, and then eat it only in moderation.

Learning how to make sourdough bread can be a great way to incorporate more “normal” foods into your diet, while still knowing exactly what’s going into your body. 

I’ve really enjoyed the process of learning how to make sourdough bread and I love sharing it with other people! It’s not only a treat for me, but for others as well. When I cook sourdough for people who don’t eat as healthy as I do, they’re always impressed!

Vitamin C is needed for the immune system, but that is not it’s only claim to fame. Vitamin C is needed for many physiological functions. It is an anti-oxidant. It is a co-factor for eight enzymes, thereby aiding in developing and maintaining scar tissue, blood vessels, cartilage, hormonal stability, biosynthesis of neurotransmitters, and transport of fatty acids into mitochondria.

It’s no surprise that in the middle of a pandemic vitamin C is hard to find. It’s almost always better to get your vitamin C from whole foods, but there’s also a way to make your own whole-food vitamin C supplement that’s probably better than anything you’d find in the store.

Related: How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

Fruits With At Least 50% Daily Recommended Vitamin C

• Papaya (one medium) – 224%
• Strawberries (one cup) – 113%
• Pineapple (one cup) – 105%
• Oranges (one medium) – 93%
• Kiwi ( 1- 1/2 in) – 85%
• Cantaloupe (1 cup) – 78%
• Grapefruit (1/2) – 59%

What may surprise you is the number of vegetables that meet the criteria.

Vegetables With At Least 50% Daily Recommended Vitamin C

• Bell Peppers (1 cup) – 157%
• Broccoli (1 cup) – 135%
• Brussels sprouts (1 cup) – 129%
• Cauliflower (1 cup) – 73%
• Kale (1 cup) – 71%
• Cabbage (1 cup) – 69%
• Bok Choy (1 cup) – 59%
• Parsley (1 cup) – 54%
• Turnip greens (1 cup) – 53%
• Sweet potato (1 cup) – 52%

If you eat well you should be getting plenty of vitamin C. But if you would still like to supplement your diet with extra vitamin C, we recommend not wasting your citrus peels. They’re full of vitamin C! Simply dehydrate them and then grind them up into a powder.

Recommended: How to Eliminate IBS, IBD, Leaky Gut 

Other herbs and supplements you may want to consider for vitamin C include thyme, basil, rose hips and chlorella.

I don’t take a multivitamin but I do use something called Total Nutrition Formula. It’s expensive to buy by the bag but if you can afford the bulk ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs you can make your own and save lots of money.

Total Nutrition Formula Recipe

With this recipe, a “part” means a measurement by volume and not weight. What volume you use is up to you. All ingredients should be organic or wildcrafted.

Available for purchase on Green Lifestyle Market

• 1 part Alfalfa Grass Powder
• 1 part Barley Grass Powder
• 1 part Wheat Grass Powder
• 1 part Norwegian Purple Dulse Seaweed Powder
• 1 part Beet Root Powder
• 1 part Spinach Leaf Powder
• 1 part Rosehips Powder
• 1 part Orange Peel Powder
• 1 part Lemon Peel Powder
• 1 part Astragalus Powder
• 1.5 parts Spirulina Green Algae
• 1.5 parts Chlorella Broken Cell Algae
• 5 parts Yeast Flakes
• 5 parts Yeast Powder

Related: Homemade Calcium and Magnesium

Remember, it’s not how many nutrients you can get into your system, it’s how many quality ingredients your body can absorb and use.

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. You may need a dust mask when mixing, as the powders can get into the air and irritate the nose and throat. We mix ours on a patio when there is no wind where we can easily rinse off the mess.

Yeast (both the flakes and the powder) must be non-active saccharomyces cerevisiae nutritional yeast fortified with B12. Which is safe for patients with Candida albicans. Doc wrote, “I added astragalus as it is the #1 herb for balancing metabolism and blood sugar levels. Without changing my diet one iota, I dropped 10 pounds when I added this little goody to the formula. I also upped the spirulina and chlorella 50% each to increase the protein, and mineral intake.”

Most of the ingredients can be purchased at Mountain Rose Herbs. We plan to offer all of these ingredients at Green Lifestyle Market soon as well so that you can make your own without having to go to multiple stores to get ingredients. Use 1-2 teaspoons as a daily addition to any drink.

Not many people are aware that essential oils can be used medicinally both externally (via diffusers, massages, and baths) as well as internally (via food and drink). When we think of cooking with herbs and spices we usually reach for the fresh or dry versions of those ingredients to add flavor and depth to our culinary dishes. Now imagine enjoying those herbs and spices in a concentrated medicinal form that not only provides an intense spectrum of flavor but is packed with different compounds (some of which cross the blood-brain barrier because of their small molecular size) and medicinal properties in which their usage in your cooking will take your food to new healing heights.

A History of Medicinal Use

Ingesting essential oils is not something new and actually dates back to 3000-2500 B.C. and is believed to have been first used in food preparation and preservation by the ancient Egyptians, although there are references that it was used in China and India around the same time, if not earlier.

Related: Understanding Essential Oils: A Complete Guide For Beginners

In terms of healing properties, Dr. Eric Zielinski states that essential oils “combat pathogens (harmful microorganisms), are a source of antioxidants (needed to prevent and cure disease), and have been shown to contain advanced healing properties in addition to cancer cell cytotoxicity amongst other things.” Also, Dr. Jockers points out that, “since essential oils boost and uplift the mood, they can actively alleviate binge eating and unhealthy cravings.”

It is interesting to note, that currently doctors in Europe particularly England, France, and Germany offer their patients a choice between either pharmaceutical drugs or natural essential oils when prescribing remedies for a health condition. That is why essential oils are readily available throughout apothecaries across Europe.

Related: How I replaced Medications with Essential Oils

Already Edible

In the U.S. our food industry uses essential oils in many products ranging from sweets, drinks, and chocolate just to name a few, so as to add intense flavor and strong aroma into the ingredient mixes. Because of their internal usage the FDA has compiled a “GRAS List” for essential oils (generally recommended as safe), whereby the following oils are listed and are considered safe for ingestion: Lemon, Orange, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Peppermint, Ginger, Mandarin, Sage, Tangerine, Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Fennel, Spearmint, Cinnamon Bark, Oregano, Lime, Dill, Rosemary, Clove, Basil, Geranium, Rose, Rosewood, Cumin, Cardamom, Lemon Myrtle, Tarragon, and Mountain Savory.

Approach With Caution

However, please be mindful that not all essential oils are meant to be consumed internally and you must always double check the oil name, bottle description and label recommendation before using any. Also, not all oils are created equally. Many companies use fillers, pesticides, and methods that do not make the oils safe for consumption. Make sure any oils you intend on using internally are 100% pure, organic, and unadulterated. If you are uncertain about specific brands and oil recommendations, consult with a holistic health practitioner just to be safe.

Related: Fight Cavities and Gingivitis Naturally With Homemade DIY Oral Health

Around this time of year, many people wish to keep their immune systems high; their respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular systems optimally functioning; and germs, viruses, and bacteria at bay. Below is my favorite original recipe, immune boosting peppermint essential oil tea I like to drink once a week during this time of year. It is great both for your mind and body. It is relaxing, uplifting, immune boosting, weight losing, and stress relieving all in one.

Peppermint Lemon Tea from the Alma Holistic Health Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1-1.5 cups of distilled water, boiled
• 2-3 teaspoons of raw unfiltered wildflower honey
• 2 drops of food grade, 100% pure Peppermint essential oil
• ¼ frozen lemon grated
• ½ fresh squeezed lemon juice

Bring distilled water to a boil. In a ceramic mug, place honey, essential oil, grated frozen lemon, and lemon juice. Add the hot water to the ingredients in mug and stir. Cover with a small plate for 3-5 minutes. Before sipping, inhale the aroma and reap its benefits first via your nose. Then slowly start to drink the tea and cover your body with a warm blanket and relax on a couch or bed. Feel the warmth and light tingle envelope your throat, sinuses, chest, lungs, and body. Take a nap after if you are able to.

Recommended:

• How To Correctly Use Essential Oils To Prevent the Flu and Other Illnesses
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources

• Ingesting Essential Oils: Are They Safe for Internal Use or Not? – Dr. Eric Living the Abundant Life
• History of Essential Oils – Essential Oils Academy
• The Benefits of Cooking With Essential Oils – Dr. Jockers
• About Essential Oils – Essential Oil Cookbook

Does the simple act of reading that word make you squirm? How often do you find yourself squatting on the porcelain throne, tears streaming down your face, as you strain and push, hoping you aren’t giving birth to hemorrhoids or anal fissures? Do you poop several times a day, or do you go days between the urge?

• Healthy Poop

• What is Constipation?

• How to Eliminate Constipation with Diet and Water

• Supplements For Constipation

Are you’re looking for that one thing, that one trick, that one pill that’s going to have you defecating easily without having to change your diet? We highly recommend permanent, well-researched diet changes with lots of raw produce to permanently alleviate constipation, but for those who don’t feel like this is an option, or for those on medications that slow bowel movements, the one you’re looking for is Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse Formula.

What is Constipation?

Constipation can be defined as having hard, dry, difficult-to-pass stools or by the frequency (or rather infrequency) of passing stools. It can also be indicated by the appearance of the stool and whether the stool is completely evacuated from the rectum after a bowel movement.

You may have heard that it’s within the “healthy range” to have three bowel movements a week or even one a week. We beg to differ. While there will naturally be some variation in frequency, a healthy gut processes food fairly quickly and consistently. A healthy body is efficient when it comes to ridding itself of waste.

Preferably, you want to have a minimum of 1-3 soft, but well-formed, easy to pass bowel movements a day. We contend that the ideal is one bowel movement for every meal. After one eats a meal, the urge for a bowel movement typically comes shortly after food begins to leave the stomach to enter the small intestine. If that sounds like too many, imagine having one bowel movement a week after eating 3 meals a day for 7 days. You’ve been packing that food into your intestines before eliminating any of it. How gross is that? What about 3 day’s worth? That’s still a lot of food waste packed and crammed into your body. Also, when defecation is easy it’s generally very fast. Frequent poopers probably spend less time on the toilet overall than those who need a book to do their business.

Healthy Poop

Healthy poop is well-formed but soft. The Bristol Scale offers a visual of normal stool, constipation, and diarrhea. It’s not always accurate; there are other variables thank can affect density and size, but it’s good to know:

Conventional Relief from Constipation

These methods are just a way to treat the symptoms, not the cause.

Glycerin Suppositories

Glycerin suppositories are tapered pieces of hardened glycerin that are inserted into the rectum. Once inside, body heat melts the glycerin, which provides lubricant to aid in passing the bowel movement.

This seemingly innocuous treatment, which has long been prescribed for babies, may not be as benign as once thought. There are drug interactions, allergic reactions, and other side effects with glycerin, and suppositories are known to weaken the bowel muscles if done repeatedly.

Mineral Oil Enemas

Like with suppositories, there are drug interactions, allergic reactions, and other potential side effects with glycerin.

Other Enemas

Enemas are also known to weaken the bowel muscles if done repeatedly. Body Ecology recommends a variety of enemas to cleanse the colon such as enemas with apple cider vinegar, burdock tea, lemon juice, etc, but we do not recommend regular enemas for health maintenance. Instead, we recommend enemas for acute care only, and we recommend cultivating a healthy ecosystem that does not need to be washed away for health reasons.

Herbal Teas Known to Help with Constipation

• Spearmint Tea
• Senna Tea
• Dandelion Tea
• Licorice Root
• Black Tea
• Peppermint
• Burdock Root Tea
• Green Tea
• Clove Tea
• Tulsi Tea

Exercise

Exercise is crucial to physical health, and it may also help alleviate your constipation. If you are a couch potato, get up and move. Walk, swim, rebound, squat, get moving. If you can squat, squats can help alleviate constipation and other issues as well. If you can’t squat try laying on the floor, getting up off the floor, lying back down, and repeating while alternating how the legs are used. And of course, there’s yoga! meet Adrian. Then follow her on YouTube and do her 30-day challenge. It’s life-changing. A few weeks later and you will love her and you’ll love yourself for doing it.

Eliminate Chronic Constipation For Good

The two most common causes of constipation are the two things most easily remedied – dehydration and a poor diet. If you want to rid yourself of constipation, you must drink enough water, and you must eat a diet filled with real food, optimally, a diet consisting of 80% fresh, raw, organic produce. Yes, real food, not processed garbage out of a box, a can, a jar, or a plastic tray you pop in the microwave. Ok, maybe it’s not an “easy remedy.”

The Constipation Elimination Diet

The recommended daily intake of water varies with gender, age, and other factors including how much raw produce a person eats. Check out this article at Healthline for more on water intake. An additional way to increase your fluid intake is drinking by cranberry lemonade throughout the day. Cranberry lemonade will also help you detox your liver and kidneys, boost your immune response, and improve all major bodily functions.

Raw produce provides the fiber and bulk to create healthy stools, and it provides the fiber needed for a healthy gut. Beneficial gut bacteria thrive when 80% of your diet is made up of raw, organic, produce. And a healthy gut is essential for overall health, proper digestion, and proper elimination.

If you think the 80% number sounds too difficult, eat one super salad each day filled with a variety of vegetables. Your body will thank you. Not only will you be filling your body with nutrient dense foods, you will be naturally detoxing on an ongoing basis through the food you eat. And in between meals, eat a piece of fresh, raw, organic fruit. For more on diet:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

For extra help add several prunes and/or figs to your daily diet.

Posture on the Throne

We weren’t built to poop on a chair. We were built to poop from a squat. You can either squat in the woods or improvise. The knowledge that a squatting position is best for elimination is not news (I learned about it more than 40 years ago). But the idea is gaining in popularity to the point that posture aids, called squatting potties or toilet stools, are now readily available for purchase. Basically, these are footstools designed to raise your feet when you sit on the toilet and slide back out of the way when not in use.

For an immediate fix, try any low footstool you have on hand or make one with books or magazines. The point is to mimic the squatting position, which aligns the large intestine and rectum for ease of elimination.

Invest in a bathroom stool whether constipation is an issue or not. Correct posture will certainly help to avoid straining and aid in proper elimination.

Supplements That Eliminate Constipation

• Magnesium– 250 milligrams 2–4x daily is recommended, I like this magnesium supplement with calcium and vitamin D
• Probiotics – Check out Abzorb
• Systemic enzymes – Again, check out Abzorb
• Aloe vera juice – Get a different brand if you can, those are ok but not great
• Cape aloe leaf – Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse has cape aloe leaf and more
• More supplements for constipation

Dr. Shillington offers the Intestinal Detox and the Intestinal Cleanse formulas for detoxifying the bowels. If you need to move your poop, there’s nothing more effective than Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse formula. It also kills parasites, heals the intestinal tract, and is a healthy means to promote bowel movements for those who have trouble defecating. Shillington’s Intestinal detox draws out old fecal matter from the walls of the intestine, while it removes poisons, toxins, heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and more (heavy metals are another common cause of constipation). Due to the charcoal and clays in the Intestinal Detox, it actually slows things down a bit, and the two also work very well together to heal the gut.

Abzorb is another big recommendation. It’s a systemic enzyme, so the capsule does not release until it is inside the gut. It’s also a probiotic, and an effective one at that. Taken with food Abzorb makes for a very effective digestive aid. Taken without food, Abzorb will begin to clear away old fecal matter, and it offers a host of other benefits (read more about enzymes here).

Related Reading:

• Fungal Infections – How to Eliminate Yeast, Candida, and Mold Infections For Good
• Natural Remedies for Constipation – With Recipes
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune DiseasesHypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid

I have worked with many doctors, health coaches, nutrition consultants, and other various health professionals who are baffled with a client’s inability, or their own inability to get over certain health issues. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the problem is sugar. We eat so much sugar! But it’s not just sugar. If you’re struggling with your health, and you feel like you’ve learned so much about health but still are unable to reach homeostasis, take a look at these common mistakes people make with their diet.

Contents

• Juice

• Wheat

• Nuts, Seeds

• Beans, Legumes

• Soy

• Agave Nectar

• Honey

• Other Sugars

• Dried Fruit

• Yogurt

• Food Bars

• Smoothies

• Packaged Health Foods

Juice

The sugar within a whole apple will not feed pathogenic gut flora or spike most people’s blood sugar when eaten as an apple. Apple juice, on the other hand, is a refined sugar. Juicing removes fruit sugar from its natural state, which is inside the fruit, surrounded and bound with fiber. If the juice gets hot enough the enzymes are getting destroyed too.

Must Read: How To Heal Your Gut

How to Juice For Health

Use a slow juicer to preserve enzymes and other delicate nutrients. Drink immediately; don’t store it. Use vegetables and herbs. This will not be that refreshing burst of sweetness fruit juicers are accustomed to.  Spinach, lettuces and other lighter leafy greens make for a pretty easy transition. Kale, cabbage, and collards can be difficult to work with (or drink) depending on the juicer and their palate. Try adding them in slowly. Personally, I cannot make collard work to save my life, but I’ve grown accustomed to kale and spinach.

Related: How to Optimize Curcumin Absorption – With Golden Milk Tea Recipe

Cayenne, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and cinnamon are a healthy juicer’s best friend. The herbal antimicrobial properties and some other factors help balance out the effects of the sugars from juicing.

Related: The Best Juicer

Wheat

The food pyramid is not our friend. Meat and grain industries have influenced dietary regulations for decades. How a food pyramid is done right depends on whether one is vegan, a raw foodist, or an omnivore, but the commonality is raw vegetables as the base for a balanced diet.

Related: How to Optimize Curcumin Absorption – With Golden Milk Tea Recipe

Grain has been consumed for thousands of years, but modern wheat is making people sick. There are a few likely reasons for this, including genetic engineering through hybridization (not to be confused with GMOs), glyphosates, unnatural harvesting practices, and the way we handle the modern processing that make the food products. Many who cannot consume wheat are able to eat spelt, Kamut, Einkorn, and some other ancient grains that contain gluten, but anyone with severe gluten issues would be wise to stay away from all wheat and gluten until the gut is balanced and healed.

A proper food pyramid would have raw herbs and vegetables as the most important items, with cooked vegetables and herbs being shown as the second most beneficial, with fruit following close behind. Meat and grains are not necessarily bad for you, but they don’t do nearly as much to heal the body (unless you’re severely deficient in nutrition). Cooked vegetables, meats, and grains have many benefits and can help sustain and build our body, but raw fresh produce and herbs produce the best ecosystem in our gut which equates to a healthy body.

Gluten-Free Grains and Grain Substitutions

• Amaranth is an ancient grain that is very easy to absorb and assimilate and is rich in protein, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. It’s also the only grain that has been documented to contain vitamin C.
• Buckwheat is technically not a grain; this fruit seed is related to rhubarb and sorrel. It’s a good source of antioxidants, fiber, manganese, magnesium, and tryptophan.
• Corn can be problematic for those dealing with inflammation, but it’s a much better choice than wheat for anyone who’s not feeling their best. Corn is a good source of vitamins B1, B5 (pantothenic acid), and C; folate; and phosphorus.
• Millet, “with its many nutrients, has been shown to support the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems. It has the potential to protect against diabetes and cancer.” – Click to read more about millet here
• Montina is flour milled from Indian ricegrass (which is not to traditional rice). It’s rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber and is typically used as an additive to primary gluten-free flours.
• Quinoa is an ancient grain that’s very popular right now. It’s often is used in place of traditional starches, such as pasta, rice, couscous, and cereals. Quinoa is rich in amino acids, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorous.
• Rice. But not white rice. Brown rice contains the bran and germ portion of the kernel and is higher in fiber and other nutrients. Rice is rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc. Rice flour is commonly used for baking with gluten-free products.
• Sorghum is an ancient millet like cereal grain that’s used in baking.
• Teff is an ancient grain that is similar in size to poppy seeds. Teff has a nutty, molasses like flavor is somewhat mucilaginous. It’s can be eaten uncooked, as a cooked grain, or ground and added as part of the flour used in recipes. Teff is rich contains all eight indispensable amino acids, and it’s chock-full of thiamin and contains significant amounts of the minerals phosphorus, magnesium, aluminum, iron, copper, zinc, boron, and barium.
• Wild rice is an aquatic cereal grain that grows wild in isolated lakes and riverbeds in the cold regions of North America. It contains protein, phosphorous, potassium, and magnesium and the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid.

And of course, there are also beans and lentils for gluten free meals. Did I miss any? Comment!

Should I Be Soaking My Grains?

Phytic acid is an enzyme inhibitor of concern for many. Studies on phytic acid reveal that the phytic acid in whole grain can block calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and copper absorption. It doesn’t happen with everyone; some seem immune to these adverse consequences because of a favorable ecosystem of gut flora. In addition, when animal fats that provide vitamins A and D accompany whole grains the effects of phytic acid are lessened.

Despite its potential drawbacks, phytic acid is similar in some ways to a vitamin, and metabolites of phytic acid may have secondary messenger roles in cells.” – All About Phytates Phytic Acid

For those with healthy gut flora, it’s probably not necessary to soak grains before cooking. For anyone suffering health issues, soaking grains and grain flours in an acid medium at very warm temperatures reduces or even eliminates phytic acid. I don’t generally soak grains or grain like products. I also tend to eat grains with raw herbs and vegetables, and I eat more vegetables in a day than I do grains. If you consume lots of grains you may do better with soaking them first.

I do soak legumes and I typically soak most nuts and seeds. I sprout them if I can.

Nuts

Nuts and seeds have enzyme inhibitors, including but not limited to just phytic acid. That’s why they last so long. Nuts and seeds will not break down into their simplest forms during digestion when their enzyme inhibitors are present.

Our pancreas produces our enzymes. Enzymes cause chemical reactions in the body. Enzymes break things down. Enzymes break down food, clots in the blood, they remove waste, break down fibrin, break down proteins and other food components to allow assimilation of nutrients, destroy foreign proteins, destroy viruses, and they are necessary for all bodily functions. Without enzymes we’re dead. Not having enough enzymes will equate to a stroke, heart attack, or some other catastrophic failure very soon.

Our pancreas only produces a finite amount or enzymes. Enzyme inhibitors are hard on the pancreas. Our modern diets are as a whole are very unfriendly to our pancreas. Chemicals that don’t breakdown, food that can’t be properly, fully digested for any reason, and to a lesser but still significant extent, any food that is void of enzymes put a burden on the pancreas. Think of the pancreas as the clock that our life is counting down from. If everything else is as healthy as it can be, the pancreas will still, eventually, stop producing enzymes no matter what else we do. We know that the quality of food can impact our DNA degradation, and enzymes are the other big piece of the longevity puzzle.

Related: Enzyme Supplementation For Disease

The more enzymes we get from our food, the longer our body will be able to produce our own enzymes, the longer we live.

Heat destroys enzymes. Pasteurized nuts are unlikely to sprout. The few that do still have some enzymes, but most do not.

Nuts, seeds, and legumes have natural enzyme inhibitors. Some are worse for us to consume than others, but all enzyme inhibitors inhibit certain enzymes from working. This is great for nuts and seeds so that they can be stored for years without breaking down, but these enzyme inhibitors disrupt our body’s functions.

How To Do Seeds Right

Pumpkin seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, hemp seeds, pecans, walnuts and a few of other nuts and seeds are chock full of enzymes while in their raw, natural forms. Provided they are raw, chewing them well enough can mix the enzymes with the inhibitors, effectively canceling each other out, but soaking and sprouting these nuts and seeds will remove the inhibitors, turning the nuts into enzyme rich, life-giving superfoods. Other nuts, and many legumes, really should be soaked and sprouted due to the nature of their enzyme inhibitors. There’s no need to sprout flax or chia seeds.

Enzyme supplements can also help to properly digest nuts and seeds, and eating them with raw vegetables can provide extra enzymes for digestion too.

Cooking can destroy many enzyme inhibitors but does not destroy all of them. Ideally, cooked nuts and seeds should be sprouted first.

Related: Homemade, Vegan Nut Milk Recipes and More

Soaking and Sprouting Nuts and Seeds

I use warm filtered water and a pinch of sea salt. The warm water will neutralize many of the enzyme inhibitors, but not all of them. I dump the water half way into it, refill, and then dump and rinse well before use. The salt also helps to activate some of the enzymes that deactivate the enzyme inhibitors.

I soak for 12-24 hours, depending on the nut or seed.

What You Need

• 2-3 cups of raw, organic nuts or seeds (I don’t mix them, one kind per container)
• 3-4 cups of warm water (cover nuts +15% for expansion)
• 1 tablespoon of salt

Instructions

1. Place the warm water in a medium bowl or jar that accommodates 2 liters or more
2. Add salt
3. Add the nuts or seeds
4. Leave uncovered overnight.
5. If you’re not sprouting, it’s time to dehydrate them. If I’m sprouting, at this point I soak them for one more round, another 8 hours or so, and then I lay them out on a towel and leave them overnight, damp. Wait until you see sprouting, and then you dehydrate the nuts or seeds.

Here is an article that goes into more depth on how to sprout using a mason jar.

There are preferred individual soaking times, but I just tend to go by size. Bigger nuts get a little more water time.

Sprouting goes a step further reducing the levels of enzyme inhibitors and unlocking other nutritional benefits, even more. But not all seeds sprout. Pine nuts, macadamias, pecans, and walnuts will not sprout, at least in my experience. Don’t even bother with soaking flax or sesame seeds. I like to sprout pumpkin, sunflower, almonds, broccoli, alfalfa, and clover. I can’t get brazil nuts to sprout, but I always treat them as if I could. Judging by the chia pet, it would seem you could soak and sprout chia seeds.

Beans, Legumes

Apparently, our ancestors understood this very well, because grains, beans, nuts, and seeds in their natural form were never consumed without being soaked or fermented first. It was a time-honored tradition of food preparation that kept agrarian cultures thriving. It wasn’t until food mechanization took the reigns and the processing of food became an industry, that soaking and fermenting became a dying tradition.” – Kim, Yogitrition

Do not buy canned beans. Do not trust companies to cook your legumes. Legumes can have intolerable quantities of enzyme inhibitors and dangerous types of lectins that need to be resolved with soaking (and cooking). Check out All About Lectins for more on lectins. Always soak your beans, legumes, and lentils before consuming.

Soak lentils and peas for about 5 hours, and I soak other legumes overnight.

Soy

Soy contains a few enzyme inhibitors including a trypsin inhibitor, that won’t allow nutrients to be properly digested. More than 90% of our soybean crop is genetically engineered. The GMO variety contains 27% more trypsin inhibitor. Soy should be consumed in a fermented form such as miso, tempeh, natto, and tamari sauce. Fermentation reduces soybean’s enzyme inhibitors. Sprouted soy and edamame (green soybeans) are easier to digest.

Asian women have very low rates of menopausal complaints, heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis. The soy industry, with sketchy evidence to support their claims, attributes this to soy being a regular part of the Asian diet. These claims, which have become widely accepted due to massive media campaigns, disregard extensive research that shows otherwise. They also disregard other dietary and lifestyle factors at play in Asian cultures. For example, there are many Asian populations that don’t eat soy as a regular part of their diet, yet still enjoy low rates of the chronic diseases mentioned. Among those who do eat soy regularly, fermented soy products are what is consumed the most. Asians aren’t downing quarts of overly-sweetened, highly-processed soy milk or popping supplements containing concentrated soy isoflavones, which has become popular in the U.S. Soy. In addition, the traditional Asian diet consists of primarily whole, fresh, natural foods including sea vegetables, which are packed with vital nutrients and one of the richest sources of absorbable calcium. They also eat a lot of fish, small amounts of meat, and little to no dairy products or processed foods—in stark contrast to the Standard American Diet, which consists of mostly processed foods high in sugar, fat, sodium, and excessive amounts of meat and zero sea vegetables.” – Family Wellness First: Nutrition

Related: Sprouting to Remove Enzyme Inhibitors

Agave Nectar

The Glycemic Index measures how quickly sugar from food enters the bloodstream. Fructose does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels in the short-term. This is why high fructose sweeteners are often labeled as “healthy.” Agave nectar’s low GI is because the sugar in it is fructose. The harmful effects of agave have little to do with the glycemic index. Glucose is an incredibly important molecule, found in many healthy foods and our bodies produce it. We need it. Every living cell does. The liver metabolizes fructose. When the liver cannot process all of the fructose it turns the fructose into fat, which gets shipped out of the liver as VLDL particles, fatty triglycerides, which raise our triglyceride levels.  Eventually, much of the fat lodges inside the liver, which can cause fatty liver disease.

Related: How To Reverse Fatty Liver Disease (Diet Plan Included)

The sugar in agave also feeds pathogens. It doesn’t take much agave to overwhelm the liver. Agave is probably no healthier than white table sugar and could be worse.

Honey

A little bit of raw honey is good for you. While there’s no scientific determination as to how much is too much, I reckon a tablespoon a day is just the right amount for those who are healthy, and far too much for those without a healthy gut.

Related: Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease

The biggest two problems with consuming honey are:

• It’s not always real honey, and it’s almost always pasteurized
• People tend to cook it even when they buy raw (like when you put it in that coffee or tea)

Cooked honey loses too many of its beneficial properties to still be healthy. Honey should only be consumed raw with the natural enzymes intact.

Other Sugars

Coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice, apple juice, and brown rice syrup are all refined and processed foods. The sugar in fruit juice will have different results than the sugar in whole fruit. You can’t sweeten foods by adding sugar without the consequences of added sugar.

There are also sugar alcohols like maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol, and the most well known, xylitol. Manufacturers of xylitol market the sweetener as derived from xylan, which is found in the fibers of many plants including berries, oats, beets, sugar cane and birch. Sugar alcohols are naturally occurring substances but manufactured xylitol is another matter entirely. Xylitol can be derived from the xylan of birch trees, but xylan is also found in corn. Thanks to our tax dollar subsidies, corn is cheap. Xylitol typically comes from GMO corn to make matters worse.

Sugar alcohols do not break down like food does through digestion. The fermentation of undigested xylitol in the gut disrupts our flora. Studies have shown health issues with mice.

It appears that xylitola may be ok as a sweetener in small amounts, especially for those addicted to sugar. But it’s not healthy. It’s not at all beneficial to our bodies. And in large amounts, sugar alcohols are clearly toxic. For those sweet-tooth’ed ones looking to replace their sugar, there is not substitute without consequences. Sugar, in nature, is hard to come by. We just weren’t meant to eat foods that are so sweet.

But there is one. The holy grail for health nuts: Stevia. But even this sweetener is not without its problems. True health does not come with a sweet tooth.

Dried Fruit

Speaking of sugar, dried cranberries almost always have plenty of it. Lots of dried fruit has this problem. Why do dried bananas need sugar? Double check those ingredients. Ideally, there should only be one. We suggest making your own.

Yogurt

First of all, the whole probiotic craze negates the fact that our stomach acid is designed to kill bacteria. Most yogurt is made with weak bacteria that would be killed within the stomach before reaching the gut. “Would be…” Most conventional yogurt does not have enough of this beneficial bacteria and what little bit it did have was killed off in the processing.

Food Bars

Sugar, cooked, processed, soy and other sticky ingredients make bars a no-no for anyone trying to heal. I’ve found a few bars that I like, but they aren’t healthy. They are a treat. A much better choice than conventional food, but when you’re not well, you shouldn’t trust a company to make your food. Another common problem with healthy food bars, besides soy and sugar, is they tend to add healthy fats that are highly susceptible to degradation, like chia and flax seeds.

Smoothies

Smoothies are typically too sweet, thanks to fruit juice and lots of fruit. But smoothies can be done right if they are made at home. Check out How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies.

Packaged Health Food

The health food section of any grocery store is where the fresh produce is. That conventional, pesticide laden, perfect looking, 4 month-old apples is going to do most people a lot more good than a box of organic, all natural, free range, grass-fed, non-GMO, small farm, locally grown box of cereal. Healthy people eat lots of fresh, raw produce, and cook food from scratch. Pretenders buy their junk food in the organic section. It’s better than the conventional aisles, but it’s not healthy. Get to know your farmer’s markets and the farmers there. Grow your own. Take things one step at a time. And listen to your body. Forget the health food section, and stick to the produce and bulk sections.

Conclusion

When I do eat foods that aren’t the healthiest choices, I take Abzorb with it. It’s an enzyme and a probiotic. It works well. I use it to help digest the food and keep the gut eco system in check. It’s also useful for beans that maybe didn’t soak long enough. Also, it’s very important to get a wide variety of foods. Try a new food every day. Check out my salad recipe here. I’ll bet you’ll find a few new ones in there. Those salads are better than any supplement on the market. Good, large, diverse salads are the foundation of a healthy and powerful immune system.

Recommended Reading:

• How to Detoxify and Heal the Lymphatic System
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones
• Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease
• Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• How to Cure Lyme Disease and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

Sources:

• Raw Nuts & Seeds High in Enzymes – SF Gate
• Nuts and Seeds: More Than They’re Cracked Up to Be – Huffington Post
• Living With Phytic Acid – Weston A. Price
• Soy—Oh, Boy! Things to Consider About This Not-Always-Healthy “Health” Food – Kelly Hayford, C.N.C.
• Inhibitors – FreeGrab
• Natural plant enzyme inhibitors. Isolation and characterisation of two α-amylase inhibitors from Colocasia antiquorum tubers – Wily Online Library
• Eliminating Anti-Nutritional Plant Food Proteins: The Case of Seed Protease Inhibitors in Pea – Plos One
• Nuts and Phytic Acid – Mark’s Daily Apple
• Another reason you shouldn’t go nuts on nuts – Chris Kresser
• Soaking Nuts and Seeds – Wellness Mama

Nature has given a wonderful gift to mankind in medicinal plants to promote healthy, happy and disease-free life. These plants play a vital role in natural healing. If I were allowed to choose the most amazing medicinal plant to treat medical conditions, it would be Indian gooseberry (amla). This plant has some exceptional benefits to health and our overall well-being.

Amla or Phyllanthus Emblica belongs to family Euphorbiaceae.  It is a small to medium sized deciduous tree found throughout India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, China, and Malaysia. According to the national institute of health, Phyllanthus Emblica is highly nutritious and could be an important source of vitamin c, amino acids, and minerals. It can be used as a medicine and as a tonic to improve vitality and resistance power.  Research shows that a unique complex within Indian gooseberry is super nutritious.  It has more antioxidant activity than blueberries; it has 20 times more vitamin c than lemon juice. It has 30 times more polyphenols than red wine and has more gallic acid (a potent antioxidant) than any other fruit.

What are the uses of amla in traditional Indian medicine? What are the benefits of this wonderful superfood? How can we use it easily at home with simple DIY recipes? Read on to know more.

Related: The Brain Boosting Benefits of Gingko Biloba

Use of Amla in Traditional Indian Medicine

Amla has been used in Ayurveda and Unani system of medicine for the therapeutic purpose for long years. The fruits, seed, leaves, root, bark, and flowers are parts of the plant that used in traditional Indian medicine. According to Ayurveda, amla balances all three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). It contains 5 out of 6 tastes recognized by Ayurveda.

Amla is particularly helpful in reducing pitta because of its cooling energy. It also balances both pitta and vata by virtue of its sweet taste. The Kapha is balanced primarily due to its drying action. It may be used as a Rasayana (rejuvenative) to promote longevity. It also helps in:

• Enhancing digestion (dipanapachana)
• Treat constipation (Anuloma)
• Reduce fever (jvaraghna)
• Purify the blood (Raktaprasadana)
• Reduce coughs (Kasahara)
• Alleviate asthma (svasahara)
• Enliven the body (jivaniya)
• Enhance intellect (Medhya)
• Strengthen the heart (hrdaya)
• Benefit the eyes (chakshushya)
• Stimulate the hair growth (romasanjana)

Nutritional Value of Amla

Amla is reputed for its high ascorbic acid content and antioxidant rich activity. In a 100 gram serving, gooseberries provide 44 calories. Gooseberries are 88% water, 10% carbohydrate and less than 1% each of protein and fat. It is abundant in vitamins and minerals. Apart from being the richest source of vitamin c (27.7%), it also contains other vitamins too, that includes Vitamin A (2%),  thiamine(b1) 3%, riboflavin (b2) 3%, Niacin (B3) 2%, Pantothenic acid (B5)6%, Vitamin B6 6%, Folate (Bg) 2% and vitamin E 2%.

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Minerals: it contain calcium 3%, copper 4%, iron 2%, Magnesium 7%, phosphorus 4%, potassium 4%, sodium 0%, zinc, copper 1%.

Scientific research on Amla (Indian gooseberry)

According to a study published in British journal of nutrition, Morden scientists have studied the amla fruit for more than 25 years and determined that amla’s unique blend may have a positive influence on everything from metabolic syndrome to anti-aging process. Japanese researcher put Sun Amla (a proprietary amla extract) to the test by evaluating its effect on human endothelial cells and in a rat model. In both cases, the amla fruit extract inhibited the biological responses that can lead to inflammation and blood clots. It also works to combat the free radicals and contribute to overall health.

According to center for pharmaceutical science institute of science and technology, a review report shows that several types of research confirmed that various extract and herbal preparation of amla showed potential therapeutic benefits against various diseases and result were similar to standard drugs. Though more scientific research will be needed to confirm this.

Benefits of Amla

Amla is a Great Antioxidant Food

Amla is one of the most antioxidant rich foods on earth. According to some scientific research, it has turned out to be the number one among the antioxidant rich food. Antioxidants protect the body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. This damage is an important factor in the development of different disease conditions such as blood vessels disease, cancer etc.

In a comparative study of Amalaki, the Sanskrit name of the Indian Gooseberry), with spirulina and wheat grass, the vitamin c content of crude amla powder was found to be 5.38 mg. It was also found to be the rich source of phenolic compounds. Because of these constitutes, amla works great as an antioxidant agent and helps in keeping our body disease free. Amla contains various antioxidants that include ellagic and gallic acid, emblicanin a and b, punigluconin, and much more. A detailed scientific analysis of amla shows that this antioxidant provides powerful protection against various diseases and slows down the aging process.

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Amla is a Potent Hypolipidemic Agent

Amla has a great hypolipidemic agent; in simple words, it can produce a significant reduction in total cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, and VLDL.  To evaluate the efficacy of amla as a hypolipidemic agent, a clinical trial has been conducted on 600 patients. Out of total 600 patients, 40 were treated with the Amla Capsule (500 mg (daily for 42 days and 20 patients were given Simvastatin capsule (20mg) daily for 42 days. After analyzing various biochemical parameters, and the value of total cholesterol, LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), HDL (High-density lipoprotein), and VLDL (Very low-density lipoprotein), it has been observed that amla produces a significant reduction in total cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, and VLDL and a significant increase in HDL level. It is concluded with this study that amla produces significant hypolipidemic effect along with a reduction in Blood pressure. With this effect, it can play a vital role in the prevention of development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Amla has Great Hepatoprotective Properties

Scientific studies have shown that amla is effective in preventing the toxic effects of hepatotoxic agents like paracetamol, heavy metals, antitubercular drugs, and ethanol. Amla is also reported to impart beneficial effects on liver function and to mitigate hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome.

Amla has a Good Anti-Diabetic Effect

Amla has anti-diabetic properties. Scientific studies have shown that amla or some of its important constituents (including Gallic acid, gallotannins, ellagic acid and corilagin) possess antidiabetic effect through their antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. It also helps in preventing hyperglycemia and diabetic neuropathy. More scientific evidence is needed to confirm this study.

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Amla is Good for Hair

As it contains a lot of vitamin c, minerals, and antioxidants, amla helps in promoting hair growth and work as a tonic for hair health. It reduces hair loss, strengthens hair roots, and enhances the natural color of your hair. It also works as a natural conditioner for hair and helps in preventing premature graying of hair. This amazing health benefits for hair could be obtain

• Either by eating gooseberry fruit
• Applying amla paste on hair roots
• Using amla hair oil for nourishing hair

According to a recent survey on the use of hair oils for hairdressing by the Indian population revealed that amla oil is extremely popular for hair and used equally by men and women. It is the most effective oil in controlling hair parasites. It has been proven to be the most toxic for hair parasites and most effective at keeping hair parasites free.

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Amla Helps in Treating Bone Disorders Including Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoporosis

Osteoclasts are involved in rheumatoid arthritis and in several pathologies associated with bone loss. According to a scientific study, extracts of Emblica Officinalis were able to induce programmed cell death of mature osteoclasts, thus potentially limiting the damage they can do to our bones and joints. Accordingly, the study suggests Amla extracts could be an alternative tool for therapy applied to bone disease.

Amla Helps in Treatment and Prevention of Cancer

Amla is wonderful in the treatment and prevention of cancer. The fruit is used either alone or in combination with other plants to treat many elements. It has great anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, cardio protective, anti-anemic, antipyretic, and many more awesome healing properties. Experimental studies have shown that amla and some of its constituents (like pyrogallol, gallic acid, and ellagic acid) possess anti-neoplastic properties. Especially pyrogallol (an active component of Emblica Officinalis extracts) has an antiproliferative effect on some human cancer cell lines.

Apart from all these wonderful benefits, amla

• Helps in slow down the aging process
• It improves digestion and prevents constipation
• Improve eye sights and helps in treating eye disorders
• Boosts immunity and protects our body against infection through its antibacterial properties.
• Increases diuretic activity and helps in elimination of toxic products from the body.
• Great for skin, it gives you radiant skin and also keeps it hydrated.
• It is also a good blood purifier. Regular consumption of amla powder helps in increasing hemoglobin naturally.

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Different Ways Amla Can Be Used as a Remedy

Of course, eating the fresh fruit is the best option to get the nutritional benefit of this super fruit, but it tastes quite sour and so many people might struggle to eat this as a fruit. Second, not all of us able to get the access to fresh fruit all the time. Here are some super easy ways to use amla at home easily.

Before making any recipe with Indian gooseberry it is very important to select a good quality of fruit. Here are few tips to select the good quality fruit.

It should be properly ripe, fresh, hard, well skinned, bright yellowish green in color and medium in size. Avoid buying bruised, raw, too green, wrinkled, spotted, infected, or bad smelling fruit.

Amla Juice

Amla juice is easiest option to add amla to your diet. The regular consumption of gooseberry juice prevents many diseases and empowers the strength.  And personally, I prefer to use it.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 amla
• Grinder, juicer or mortar and pestle
• Salt (optional and according to test)
• Grated ginger, raw honey (1 teaspoon, optional)

Instruction:

• First, select a good quality of amla
• Soak amla in salted water for a while to remove any unwanted residue before using
• Wash the amla
• Dry them with a cloth
• Grate or cut the amla in finer pieces
• Now, you can use either grinder, juicer or a mortar and pestle. Grind the amla with the help of little water, strain the mixture through a strainer. Strain and squeeze the pulp to get the juice. For adding extra taste and flavor you add a pinch of salt. If you are hypertensive, it is best to avoid salt. If you are diabetic, avoid honey.
• Otherwise, 1 Tsp ginger and raw honey can be added if you like.

Benefits:

• Help in weight loss (especially when you drink it with honey)
• Improve metabolism and digestion
• I usually had better hair health after using it.
• Skin texture will improve.
• Increase immunity and reduction in routine infections

Amla Powder

The second way to use amla at home is also very easy; you just need to dry the amla in shade for few days and then grind it in a grinder. After grinding, you may use a sifter for getting a more powdered form.

Of course, amla powder is great for our health, but for getting better result you can take Triphala churna (powder). My grandma used to take this powder for long years as a routine for her digestion. It is easily available at the local store (in India) and you can order it online too. Triphala is a staple of Ayurveda medicine in India. It is considered one of the greatest herbal preparations that provide excellent results.

Triphala churna or powder is made from three fruits: amla, haritaki or Harda, and bibhitaki. Apart from getting some common benefits such as good digestion, weight loss, this churna helps in balancing the doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) of our body.

• Amla helps in balancing the pitta dosha
• Haritaki helps in calming the Vata dosha
• Bibhataki benefits to the Kapha dosha

It is usually taken empty stomach with lukewarm water. You may also make a tea by adding the 1 teaspoon powder in boiling water. Capsules, tonic, and tablets are also available. As a general rule, when you start consuming a new product you should go slow and observe any changes if you had. But if you had any existing medical condition and if you are taking any medication it is always advisable to take medical advice.

Dried Amla

This is the third easiest way to include amla as a part of your regular diet. This easily prepared and crunchy amla tastes so good and provides excellent nutritional benefits to your body.

Ingredients:

• 10-20 amla
• Salt and turmeric (according to taste)
• Lemon juice (2-3 Tsp)

Instruction:

• Wash the amla properly and wipe them with a clean kitchen towel.
• Cut them in thinner slices and discard the seeds (you may grate them if you like a finer texture)
• Toss the sliced amla with salt, lemon juice, and turmeric
• Spread them on a large plate and cover with a thin cloth.
• Let them sun dry for few days (7-8 days are good enough) or until there is no moisture left in the amla. Once, they become crispy, store them in a clean and air tight container.
• Eat after every meal.

Benefits:

• It is great for digestion and tastes so good. Even kids would love it.
• It could be used as a healthy snack especially during winter.
• It is hassle free and could be prepared in large quantity.

Side Effects of Amla

Like any other herbal or Ayurveda preparation, amla may interfere with the action of the certain medication. It may cause some side effects. Such as:

• It may cause hyperacidity in the sensitive individual.
• It may increase the risk of bleeding if you are taking any blood thinning medication or suffering from any kind of blood disorders, you need to take extra precaution while consuming it.
• If you are diabetic and taking anti-diabetic medication, it is best to consult your physician before consuming it. It may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar level.
• There is not enough safety data available to use it during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is best to avoid its use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• As it may increase the risk of bleeding, it is advisable to discontinue its use 2 weeks prior to scheduled surgery.

Why It Matters

No doubt, amla is a super nutritious and had amazing healing properties, but at this time there is not enough scientific evidence to support the efficacy and safety of it, it is best to consult with your doctor before consuming it. Did you have observed any amazing healing property of this super fruit? What was your experience? Please share with us.

Recommended Reading:

• Mental Health, Physical Health & B Vitamins – Nature’s Valium
• How to Detoxify and Heal the Lymphatic System
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources:

• Phyllanthus Emblica-Wikipedia
• Evaluation of antioxidant profile and activity of Amalaki – NCBI
• Hepatoprotective properties of Indian gooseberry – NCBI
• Anti-diabetic effect of Indian indigenous fruit Emblica Officinalis – NCBI
• Amla, a wonder berry in treatment and prevention of cancer – NCBI
• Induction of apoptosis of human primary osteoclasts treated with the extract from the Emblica Officinalis – NCBI
• New research may explain some of the amla fruit’s legendary health benefits – Taiyo International
• Current trends in the research of Amla – Global Reseach Online
• Superfood that may slow down the aging process – Dr. Axe
• Indian gooseberry- An overview – Web MD