Comfort in the Kitchen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leaky Gut Syndrome

This is a very common but often overlooked condition that can just create havoc in one's digestive system, causing problems in nearly every area of one's body and brain.  So, today, I'm going to give Leaky Gut a little attention.  I've battled with this condition relentlessly during my 12 year battle with Lyme.  And due to my delicate system, I cannot tolerate glutamine - the main ingredient in all supplemental formulas to help heal a leaky gut.  So, this makes eradicating it bit more difficult.  Also, I'm an avid cyclist.  I recently read that even physical activity is a form of stress on one's body so eating within an hour post-exercising could lead to a Leaky Gut.  Hmmm...no wonder why my belly didn't digest anything after my long rides.  Here's the scoop on LGS-  

Over a lifetime, the average person ingests more than 25 tons of food that provides nutrients each of us need to survive; however, this food may also contain harmful bacteria, viruses, and toxins, which can be damaging to the system.  Leaky Gut Syndrome, sometimes referred to as intestinal permeability, is a major gastrointestinal disorder that occurs when openings develop in the gut wall.  Harmful microorganism are then able to pass through these openings and enter the circulatory system.  As a result, leaky gut syndrome can lead to and is linked to many systemic inflammatory and immune-related symptoms including: rheumatoid arthritis, autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, eczema, dermatitis, fibromyalgia, Crohn's disease, Raynaud's disease, chronic hives, ulcerative colities and inflammatory bowel disease.

Signs and Symptoms

• Food allergies and sensitivities
• Facial swelling upon exposure to strong smells
• Bloating, gas, and cramps immediately after eating
• Alternating constipation and diarrhea
• Headaches, poor concentration, and irritability
• Insomia
• Anxiety
• Gluten intolerance
• Malnutrition
• Muscle cramps and pains
• Poor exercise tolerance

It has been said Leaky Gut Syndrome affects millions of people worldwide and often goes undiagnosed by the mainstream medical profession despite being a chronic debilitating condition.  The main way to deal with LGS is through nutrition.  It is important to get one's body back to optimum health and avoid the foods or toxins which are causing allergic reactions, so that the damaged villi in the intestine have a chance to heal and so that your liver has the time and energy to detoxify your body.  There is no wonder drug to cure a leaky gut.  Dealing with LGS is about dealing with the causes of the condition.

What causes it?

Inflammation of the gut lining is the root cause of Leaky Gut Syndrome.  Gut inflammation is usually instigated by one of the several of the following:

• Prescription hormones (ie, birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy) and prescription corticosteroids (ie, hydrocortisone)
• Processed food as well as foods and beverages contaminated by parasites, fungus, and/or mold
• Increased amounts of refined carbohydrates (ie, candy bars, cookies, soft drinks, and white bread)
• Shortage of important enzymes resulting from increased intake of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as asprin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen
• Increased alcohol and caffeine consumption

Under the concepts of functional medicine, assessment is oriented toward determining what is impeding your body's ability to function normally.  While some of the conventional medical approaches may help in this determination, they may not necessarily apply to a functional approach.  By working with a functional medicine physician, like Dr. Gulla in Colorado Springs, Dr. Mike Pierce in Denver, CO, or Health NOW clinic in SFO, they will help determine which assessment tools will be most helpful in establishing a treatment strategy specifically geared to creating a solution for your body's needs (IE, food sensitivity, candida or parasite testing).

NUTRITION as a SOLUTION

For many people, eating a proper diet lessens the symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome.  This 'diet' most likely will be based upon one's food sensitivities.  But know sugar is definitely an inhibitor to obtaining good health as it suppresses the immune system. Also, large meals can cause cramping and diarrhea in those with LGS so eating smaller meals more often or eating smaller portions may help to ease the pain.  I personally am eating little amounts all day long.  Since food allergies often times are invovled, discovering the foods which are not healthy for you will also reduce symptoms and promote overall gastrointestinal health. There are nutritional supplements which will help your belly heal quicker, too.  Making a paste with Slippery Elm and 1/4c water first thing in the AM will help coat the intestinal lining.  Aloe Vera juice in small amounts is a great natural remedy as are high-quality probiotics.  

NOW - No Opportunity Wasted

This morning as I was trying to "heal the hurt," but finding it way too hard to get over myself - maybe because I was enjoying feeling sorry for myself??- I opened up my Bicycling magazine to re-focus my attention on my passions. As I was thumbing through the pages, I came across an add for NOW energy bars. Because anything Gluten Free captures my attention, I learned that "NOW" stood for "No Opportunity Wasted." I liked that and soon that thought was rolling over and over again in my head. As it did, not only did I begin to realize I was being way too sensitive (OK -high maintenance) and had been hurt only because I had allowed myself to become easily offended for truth be told the offending party would never intentionally hurt me; but I also realized that the obstacles which stood in my path could be turned into opportunities IF I choose to let them.

Hmmm....this meant wiping away the tears, getting out from under the covers, changing my outlook on life, and taking actions to move myself in a positive direction. And maybe, just maybe if I did this and wrote about it, maybe someone else may read about my story and choose now to be the defining moment in their lives to start living with a NOW perspective....turning obstacles into opportunities, sorrows into brighter tomorrows, and tragedy into triumph.

A month ago I saw an immunologist as I was suffering from some sort of environmental allergies. At the same time, my chiropractic neurologist suggested I take another food sensitivity test as something was irritating my belly as well. While the tests the immunologist ran came back as expected -allergies to some weeds, pollen, mold, and mildew - the food allergy/sensitivity results blew me away. It showed I was now allergic to EVERYTHING I was eating. With the combined results, this meant I was developing allergies to everything in the world in which I live. I was now sensitive to everything I ate, breathed, and sometimes touched. WOW! My main question to all the physicians was, Why? As a Lymie, I wanted to know to what extent Lyme was playing into my new diagnoses, how we could stop the reactions, and what can be done to repair the damage that has been done.

Four weeks later, I had yet to receive any type of answer other than "I don't know how to help you. Our typical approach doesn't work for you because you have Lyme. So it's up to you to find a way to help yourself through your own trial and error." And "You need mental help not medical help. I'll get the names of some good therapists for you. Try them on like you do a pair of shoes until you find a good fit. You'll need to like the one you chose for you're going to need their assistance for many years. You must be depressed and/or suffered some abuse as a child which you've suppressed." HUH??? That's it? Case closed. Moriah's dismissed? I found it quite upsetting that those who ordered the testing did not have answers for me other than to tell me I have a problem for which they do not have a solution. While I did greatly appreciate not being told I was a nutcase by my chiro/neuro, I was feeling pretty down and out as I was left to try to sort through the medical mess on my own - once again.

In my search for a solution, a remedy for relief, I read two very helpful books "The Gluten Effect" by Drs. Petersen and "The Lyme Diet" by Dr. Nicola McFadzean. I learned about Leaky Gut and it's devastating effects on one's body and am reading everything I can find on the internet concerning it. Additionally, I had two phone consults with Dr. Rick and Vikki Petersen concerning may case. While they provided some very helpful information, they weren't sure of how exactly to proceed because - to quote - "your immune system is failing but because you have a very complicated and complex case of Lyme we aren't sure how effective any treatment will be." That was my breaking point. The point at which I crawled under my covers and cried. What was I do to? Everything I was eating was poison to me, yet I couldn't not eat. And no one knew how to help me for sure other than me spending a few more thousand dollars on testing and/or weeks of my own experiments- journaling everything I ate, how much of it I ate, in combination with other foods I ate it, and the time of day in which it was eaten - then eliminating the things I had the most reactions to. With nearly 100 foods to experiment with - this could take months. I don't have time to waste and that approach alone just didn't seem too realisic. As a Lymie - I cannot remember much of anything past a few hours and cannot read my own handwriting most of the time. As a mother of five - well, I find it hard to find the time to sit down and eat for most meals/snacks let alone write about it.

So, there I was feeling sorry for myself and simply 'smad' - sad and mad at the same time. Then I saw the NOW ad and my entire focus changed. I will Not waste this opportunity. I will sit down and do the research. I will find ways to help my health improve - physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. I will become a better me because of of my circumstances. I will rise up and meet the challenges to the best of my ability (still thinking meticulous journaling will not happen but will give it a try). There's too much at risk not to. If I chose to allow myself to stay defeated, I will continue to be a collector of chronic illnesses. I will not live life to its fullest. I will live the rest of my days in pain and sorrow. I will most likely become bitter and a person no one wants to be around for I wouldn't be serving any positive purpose in their lives. I will become a miserable whiner and complainer. And I will miss out on all the blessings God has in store for me and becoming all He created me to be.

IF, however, I chose NOW - I chose life. I choose a better quality of life. I choose to get back the momentum that's been stolen from me. I choose to get back what was lost. I choose to get my life, and the way I think, back in balance. I chose to live life to the fullest. I will be a blessing to others and will add value to their lives. I will be a 'multiplier' not a 'subtractor.' The choice was mine to make in that moment, and I chose NOW.

So what do I do from here? I've come up with a plan - a solution as I am a solution-oriented person. I can handle knowing what the problem is. I cannot handle not knowing how to correct or resolve it. This creates frustration and stress and neither lead to anything good. Back to the plan -

1. I'm making a list of the supplements I will need to repair and recover based on all the research I've done myself concerning Leaky Gut and my crazy, messed up immune system (this includes treating parasite infections and Candida - an overgrowth of yeast).

2. I'll make another list for the supplements I will need to help treat Lyme as soon as my gut has been repaired. Since 70-80% of one's immune system resides in the gut, my gut has to be well before attempting to kill the Lyme. If it's not, my system will be overloaded and the treatment will fail. This is most likely why treatments haven't been effective, or remain effective.

3. Not really sure what to do with the diet. Think, by process of journaling, I'll see if my belly is cross-reacting with rice. I have a feeling it is and treating rice as if it were gluten. It's done this with quinoa and I know it's doing it again to something else I'm eating. Rice is my first bet....but it may be the coconut flour. Or even both. As for everything else, well, I think eliminating the main aggrevator(s) will be very helpful and then we'll just have to have a longer recovery process as I need to keep eating. With hypoglycemia, not having proper nutrition opens up a whole different set of problems, which has happened before and caused me to lose my driver's license for 6months after passing out on a sidewalk and taking a trip to the ER via an ambulance.

4. Search the internet for GF/CF/everything free :) recipes for me and my family. As the entire Cameron Crew carries the gene for Celiac we all must cut gluten out immediately. Plus, cooking for 8 (we have an 'extra' coming to live with us next week) requires some sort of planning. While I like to be organized and have everything in its place, planning is no longer a quality my Lymie brain is very good at anymore. BUT will stretch myself and make my brain think in a somewhat organized manner. (Ask my family how conversations with me go....) HA!

5. After printing out recipes and creating my own cookbook - and possibly buying a few real ones off Amazon - I will create a weekly menu plan AND grocery list. I'll save these on my computer so as time goes on, it'll be easy to rotate them and simply print off a list each week.

6. With the new supplement/treatment plan, I'll also have to have a chart as to when I need to take what - with food, not with food, so many hours after a different supplement or another meal, etc... And not eat certain things I love - like all fruit other than cranberries, POM juice, and granny smith apples.

That's it. It's time for NOW. That's my story. And in the posts to come, you'll be learning what I'm learning and able to cook what I'm cooking as I'll post the recipes as well (and if they were 'kid-tested AND approved' or not). Enjoy your day NOW.

My Story

Due to popular demand, Ok, thanks to Emma's mom for your request :) I have returned to blogging. It's been quite some time since I've really gotten into this and I apologize. My computer crashed (but that was expected since I dropped it. Oops!), my oldest son returned home to live (YAY!), summer was very busy with kids and company, my health took a nose-dive, blah, blah, blah. But I want you to know that now that I'm back, I'm back with a passion - with a fire in my belly, with a desire to educate and inform others on the importance of taking control of their own health and making wise decisions on what they eat as it is so true, "you are what you eat." I want others to learn what I've learned - and am continuing to learn - so that perhaps we all can live life to our fullest potential. A life full of health and happiness. My desire is to help prevent disease so that one doesn't have to live the after-affects of its damage and destruction. I have seen the devastation, which most likely led to death in this case, because one was not diagnosed with Celiac- a very controllable illness with simply a proper diet. Something so simple, yet so overlooked in the medical world.

I know this to be true for my own appointments with an immunologist this summer. Upon showing the immuno my results from the IgG NeuroScience Food Sensitivity Test ordered by my chiropractic neurologist (Dr. Gulla at n8 Wellness in Colorado Springs) which showed I was sensitive to 90 foods - everything I was eating - she said, "Those types of tests mean nothing. It's our testing that shows what's important. I wouldn't worry about these results and wouldn't change a thing in your diet, expect maybe reduce your intake of the foods which are high on the list."

While I liked what she had to say for it was a "WooHoo!! I can eat whatever I want to!" I knew in my crazy belly that she was wrong. There was a reason why I was reacting to everything I was eating and that reason couldn't be a good one. In my quest to learn more, I discovered just how far from the truth she was. Dr. Gulla informed me that with results like mine, I had to have Leaky Gut..again, or most likely, still. With Lyme disease, nothing ever stays the same, most conditions remain an unsolvable mystery and just plain complicated, and one will always have issues with their belly. Those darn bugs - and parasites - love to live in one's belly and make a mess of everything they come into contact with. And with leaky gut, this means they can squiggle their way out of one's gut and into the rest of one's body creating even more havoc. To make matters worse, some Lymies - like me - cannot tolerate the tradition treatment (glutamine and aloe) for leaky gut. So, what's one to do? I have yet to find the answer but I'm working on it and promise I will let you know as soon as I find out.

What's the big deal with Leaky Gut you may be wondering? Oh, it's a very, very big deal. Google it and be amazed at what you learn (I'll be posting a lot more on this subject in the near future). Since 70-80% of one's immune system resides in one's belly, it's imperative to one's overall health both today and all tomorrows that one's belly is well. If there's damage to it and it's not able to function properly one can contract not just colds and the flu, but auto-immune diseases of all kinds - including cancer. This is never a good thing. And to have an immunologist look at my report and totally dismiss it is just plain wrong! To think if I listened to her and not Dr. Gulla, I could continue collecting chronic illnesses (I have nearly 20 diagnosis as a result of Lyme), continue to feel sick and tired and be so tired of feeling sick and tired, and may even contract an illness which would take my life away - not just my lifestyle like most the ones to date have done.

So it's out of this my heart is filled with a passion to educate and inform. To provide possible answers and solutions (remember I don't have a medical degree, just am a 'professional patient'), recipes and how-to's, and point people like you in the right direction so that you may recover what you've lost, regain your 'balance' in life, and be restored, renewed, and revived to live your life to the fullest each day.

Create a Plan before taking Action

If there's one thing we've already learned 5 days into dealing with our daughter's food allergy diagnosis is that we should have developed a plan prior to jumping into this. We should have taken her to the local health food store first, finding the various foods she can eat. Thus, finding replacement foods for the foods she's currently eating - ie, a new cereal for her regular cereal, a new munchie to replace her fave munchie, a new non-dairy milk to replace her regular milk, etc...

Fyi - even if you purchase milk straight from the cow, per se, if you're allergic to casein, you'll still have an allergy to the milk as it's the protein, not the sugar (lactose) in the milk. And Ghee is a wonderful butter replacement as it's casein free. Back to the plan of action -

This would have eased her mind about what she was going to eat next, especially as we found out she was anxious if she'd be able to eat anything the next time her belly rumbled. We did take her to the store yesterday and spent $70 as we purchased everything she thought she might like to try. While this may seem expensive - it is. The gluten-free diet costs nearly 3xs as much as the tradition American diet. However, her choices were very, very limited due to no corn, diary, or eggs as well so I know we could have spent much more if this were not the case. With her allergies, just like mine, we basically need to make everything we eat. There's not a lot of pre-made anything for us. For me, this isn't the end of the world - for a teenager who wants to fit in and doesn't want strange foods in her lunch - it's like the end of the world.

At this point, it doesn't matter if she hates anything we buy or make. We need to her to have the courage to try new things so we can discover what she likes. Once we have that down, life will be a bit easier. I've also purchased two new cookbooks (by the "spunky coconut") as her likes and allergies differ from mine. This will bring provide more variety to her new diet.

While I know exactly how to cook for her (Thank you, God! as that's 75% of the battle), wouldn't you know our 3-yr-old oven's panel control board decided to burn out?! And it quit while I was baking some cinnamon coffee cake for her for breakfast yesterday (she was so looking forward to it). The part alone will be $606 and has to be ordered from TX. The technician said maybe by Monday my oven will be working. Grrrr... But, all things aside, we should have developed a 5-7 day meal plan as well. This way we could have purchased the needed ingredients prior to starting this 'diet/lifestyle overhaul' and been more prepared when she asked, "What am I to pack for lunch?" So, even though we've been through this before - we're still learning and sometimes the hard way.

This is not easy!!! There were a lot of tears and louder voices due to frustration and confusion over the weekend. While it's a good-thing -and will most likely keep us all from contracting an illness later on due to all the bad things in our foods - this is now and today is hard.

What then shall I eat???

Our 13 year-old daughter was just diagnosed with a variety of food allergies. And to make things even more interesting here at home, some of hers are different than mine. While I hate to see her struggling to make the necessary changes, I am very proud of her happy attitude and efforts to ensure she does not eat anything on her "Do not eat" list. The problem is finding suitable alternatives as the words corn, dairy, soy, yeast, and egg are typically hiding somewhere in nearly every mix or recipe - even though they're gluten-free.

Fortunately, I'm in the position of telling her that she's not being punished or should not feel as if she is no longer 'normal' because she cannot eat 'normal' foods like pizza, cereal, Mac and Cheese like her 'normal' friends - but that she's one of the "lucky" ones. The typical American diet leads to sickness, disease, and even death as it's filled with toxins, chemicals, heavy metals (there's mercury in high fructose corn syrup, my friends). In fact, recent research stated that 80% of what is sold in 'normal' supermarkets is poison for the body as it is nutrient deficient, genetically modified, full of hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, and only God knows what else. As I've told my daughter, her new 'diet' is a diet that everyone should follow if they want to live life without serious health problems. Her 'diet' is what is going to keep her, and the rest of our family, living life abundantly.

While making the transition may be difficult, it will be well worth it in the long run.

To make this more applicable to you, here is a list of foods I believe are healthy for most people, especially when organic: (NOTE: Please have a personal food allergy test done to ensure these healthy foods are truly healthy for you. click here to find out more information)

• low to moderate glycemic-index fruits
• Veggies except those belonging to the nightshade family
• Olive, grape seed and coconut oils
• Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, and most other nuts (except peanuts and if you have a an allergy)
• Nut butters without additives
• Farm-fresh eggs (unless have an allergy)
• Grass-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free meat
• Wild-caught fish
• Legumes (not canned)
• Spices (ensure gluten-free or if have an allergy)
• Coconut, almond, cashew or rice milk
• keifer
• Brown rice and other kinds of rice except white
• Gluten-free and even grain-free breads, crackers, cookies and desserts
• natural food bars