Monthly Archives: October 2011

What are your soy reactions?

October 30, 2011 By in Hidden Soy Tags: , , , , 2 Comments
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Happy Fall ~~~<~@

If you react to soy, what type of reaction do you deal with most?

Thanks for your input! It’s strange the amount of different reactions I’ve heard about from many people with soy issues. Share your story and symptoms by leaving a comment below. (Actually, click the icon to the left of the top of this post to comment, it’s not exactly below like most layouts).

Wishing you a week of excitement and peace of mind,

Bethany xoxo

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Source your fish: Buy wild, not Farm-raised

October 25, 2011 By in Hidden Soy Tags: , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

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After another run-in with soy contamination, I’m needing to remind myself and others; Source everything, especially any animal products you may consume.

The Problem: I would never think to source my fish, but when you’d never think to source it is usually when you have to source it the most. Find out what it’s fed before buying it to avoid wasting time and money.  The latest offender: Meijer brand Tilapia.  It’s farmed, which I knew was worse for the fish, but now I know it’s not ideal for us either. Farmed fish are usually fed a diet of corn and soy, just like all the other conventional livestock in this country. I’m not sure why I originally thought fish would not be included in this. I suppose the idea of fish eating soy seemed so ridiculous to me that I felt foolish for even considering. That ridiculousness has not seemed to cross the mind of large producers of fish for huge grocery chains.

Tilapia fed a corn/soy diet has decreased Omega 3′s, but increased Omega-6′s which is not ideal. Eating unhealthy fatty acids instead of good ones is not why most people eat fish.

Quick and easy fix:  Buy only “wild” fish. It may be a bit more expensive depending on where you buy, but it’s better than waking up at 5:30a.m. to find a lump in the throat from a delayed reaction. Buy wild, and stay healthy.

Leaving you with a thought I find is very true and real:

Every thought I think is creating my future.” –Louise Hay

With love,

Bethany xoxo

P.s. My boyfriend has really been a huge help through all these surprise reactions that find a way to sneak into our home. I was feeling pretty defeated this morning before I could figure out what had gotten me, but he reminded me that even though I was being realistic about the contamination, I had to stay positive. It's much easier with someone as sunny as him helping me. I really don't give him enough credit, so here it is for everyone to see! You rock hunny ;)

6 ways to re-purpose produce usually thrown out.

October 24, 2011 By in Hidden Soy Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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On a budget, it’s best to use everything you possibly can from everything you grow, buy, or cook. Actually, it’s best to do it even if not pinching pennies. Some great ways to use “every part of the cow,” so to speak:

  • After juicing your vegetables, don’t discard the pulp and scraps in the left over compartment. Re-purpose them into homemade vegetable stock to jazz  up your other recipes! Just throw them in a large saucepan with some water, herbs, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for a half hour up to a few hours depending on how strong you like your stock. Turn off the heat. Either strain out the pulp, store and refrigerate or freeze your homemade stock, or even enjoy it right there without straining as a frothy delicious veggie soup. Add the stock to soup recipes or cook your rice in it for savory added flavor.

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  • When cooking squashes or pumpkin, make sure to save the seeds for roasting and toasting. It makes a nice salty, sweet, or savory snack that’s great for your body. Pumpkin seeds are known to have anti-parasitic properties and can help cleanse your system. Wash off the seeds once removed from the squashes’ flesh, soak in water, spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, garlic powder, cayenne (if you like the heat!), salt, and pepper. Bake them in the oven at about 250-275 degrees fahrenheit for 15-30 minutes depending on the level of crunch you enjoy. Watch them closely to prevent burning.
  • Re-purpose your already squeezed citrus fruit peels for zesting (grating into recipes for added flavor). Store peels in ziploc bags in the fridge or freezer instead of discarding them immediately. Fresh zest really adds a punch of flavor to baked goods, frostings, meat dishes, and more. Plus, it’s a gorgeous garnish.

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  • Remember those fresh berries you bought that are starting to look a little sad? Instead of throwing them out, prolong their life and make a yummy and beautiful addition to your everyday drinks or occasional cocktails. Crush the berries and put the remnants in an empty ice cube tray. Fill the trays and freeze. You could also leave the berries intact for a different, elegant look.
  • Reuse old teabags–specifically chamomile, rosehips, and mint– by removing them from the hot water, allowing them to cool slightly, and smoothing them slowly over your face and neck area for a refreshing, revitalizing facial. Rosehips and chamomile really enliven the skin and add a healthy glow. Rosehips is great for wrinkle prevention as well.
  • Don’t let your organic garden get away from you just because winter is on the way! Freeze as much fresh organic grown produce from the rapidly retreating warm weather months. Freezing organic produce saves pretty much all of the nutrients, so you’ll have a healthy abundant organic garden to pick from in the dead of winter–right in your freezer! Seems like a no-brainer right? But you’d be surprised how many of us tend to eat more canned fruits and veggies in the dark winter months instead of fresh produce. Plus, the “fresh” produce offered in the regular grocery stores in the winter is often not very fresh at all. Depending on where you live, it is shipped from warmer regions, losing nutritional impact on the journey. It is best to eat seasonally whenever possible to ensure your best nutrient intake. Buying local is a great way to support this.

My outlook on life is unlimited
I have no limits – I am limitless. I decide what I want from life and everything I want is available to me. I believe in me and magic happens.”  -Deepak Chopra.

From scratch, with love,

Bethany xoxo

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Hidden Allergens: What is your meat fed?

October 19, 2011 By in Hidden Soy Tags: , , , , , , , , 5 Comments

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What is your meat fed? Start asking the question if you haven’t already.

Recently, I’d been having small soy reactions but I couldn’t pinpoint the culprit. This led me to the dreaded double and triple checking all over again, but I’ll spare you the details. One of the companies I contacted even though the label stated that the pork sausage was soy free, informed me of the possible risk of cross contamination from the pig feed. I am currently writing them back to let them know that sensitive individuals will and do react to what animals have been fed. I’m going to urge them to relabel the meat as possibly containing soy, as I was sickened from it numerous times.

I am hesitant to post the email I received from the company here, but if you would like me to disclose the details to you personally, feel free to email me at soyfreeglutenfreehaven@gmail.com

Please start contacting your meat provider for details about the feed to avoid more damage to your body. I have yet to find soy free chicken or eggs in the Ann Arbor/Metro Detroit Michigan areas, but the second I do you will be the first to know =)

Have you been sickened or reacted to soy or gluten in meat feed?  Vote below and leave a comment with your story!

Be the change you wish to see in the world, (and the change you wish to see in your health!) 

With love,

Bethany xoxo

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Power Superfoods: Naturally Soy free, Gluten free

October 19, 2011 By in Hidden Soy Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Navitas Chia Seeds

Do your healing body some good and incorporate some super powerful anti-oxidant and nutrient heavy foods into your food allergy or intolerant diet!  There is no real concrete definition when it comes to naming superfoods, but here I list my favorites and the ones I find to be most beneficial. (This is not a medical statement or advice). I don’t list pomegranate below because I seem to react negatively to it, but please note if you’re not sensitive to it, it’s excellent for you!

  • Dark Chocolate (or Cocoa powder) –chock full of flavonols and anti-oxidents, but make sure if you eat it to buy at least 60% cocoa dark chocolate.  The higher the percentage of cocoa the better! Do eat in moderation (if possible) though. I absolutely love Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate bars, and probably eat them more than I should… =)
  • Chia Seeds –I love Navitas Chia Seeds. Who knew your chia pet was delicious? ;) I’ve listed a great recipe from Mimi Kirk and links below to Chia seed inforamtion.
  • Blueberries –Full of polyphenols which help to prevent excessive weight gain, cancers, and brain damage to name a few of the many benefits. Many cancer patients have incorporated blueberries into their diets. Best to buy organic whenever possible.
  • Oats – Gluten free and Certified that is! My favorite brand at the moment is Udi’s Gluten free Vanilla Oats. Add these to plain coconut yogurt with cinnamon and your favorite berries.  You have a powerful breakfast or snack to get you going. Probiotics, fiber, anti-oxidants, and a great B vitamin source.
  • Avocado –Good source of monounsaturated fats (HDL- high density lipoproteins: good fats!) which help to stabilize cholesterol levels and even lower bad cholesterol (LDL -low density lipoproteins).
  • Red Wine –A glass of red wine a day is said to be very beneficial for your heart, among other things. It helps to boost good cholesterol and has a high anti-oxidant content.
  • Kale –We were lucky enough to have these given to us by my boyfriends mother all summer from her organic garden. Thanks Mrs. Charniauski! Great cancer fighting and prevention properties with high anti-oxidants. Read more on the health benefits of Kale here: http://alternativemedicinenow.com/the-health-benefits-of-kale/ We are juicing this stuff a lot these days.
  • Almonds– Make your own almond milk or eat them raw after soaking them to increase your body’s absorption. Great source of good monounsaturated fats.
  • Garlic –A natural antibiotic and great for cancer prevention. It also holds anti-parasitic properties. Try a few cloves of garlic in your tea or raw combined with a few raw cloves to fight off toxins and parasites chilling out in your system. You may feel some die off symptoms at first (worse before you feel better), but you’ll feel way better after the cleanse. I did a small 3 day cleanse and felt amazing afterwards!
  • Apple Cider Vinegar –Also good for cleansing your system and detoxifying. I’m currently looking for a different brand than Bragg’s (Beware! Has soy cross contamination in manufacturing process. From personal experience). I’ll post a good brand as soon as I find one without c.c. About a tablespoon a day added to your water is great from time to time and especially when you’re feeling under the weather.
  • Salmon –In moderation! Fish and seafood can contain mercury, so don’t load up too much. Great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, but be sure to buy wild pacific salmon–Not farmed salmon! 
  • Coconut Oil –I not only add this to my recipes, but put it on my skin too! It really makes your skin glow.  Coconut Oil contains MFCA’s. These are good fat chains that are easily converted into usable energy in your body instead of stored as fats (like animal fats). Incorporate coconut milk, yogurt, butter and oil into your diet and you’ll be feeling healthy and full of energy!

Check out this great video from Mimi Kirk (voted sexiest vegetarian over 50, and she’s 72!)

This video features her Chia Porridge recipe.

Navitas Chia recipes:

Sending you health and good energies,

Bethany xoxo

P.s. Take some time for yourself today. Green tea break? ;)

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