Ya Better Soak That Quinoa!

Source: NY Times

Quinoa!  That healthy grain that's all the rage now among foodies and health nuts.  I'm glad quinoa has gained in popularity, but like everything else that's a fad, you've gotta do your research!  Just because they stick quinoa in this that or the other thing doesn't make it healthy.  (Read my post:  Why Bother With Quinoa Pasta?)

Someone I know was eagerly telling me about this oh so healthy grain and I must try it  "You can get it in the health food section of the grocery store in Rice-A-Roni style box!"  Not one to let a soapbox opportunity about food misunderstandings fall to the wayside, I tried to gently but firmly explain that 1. just because it is in that aisle doesn't mean it's good for you.  2. Putting it in a convenience packaging with a little packet of who knows what's in it flavoring pretty much renders it NOT good for you.  3. You're supposed to SOAK quinoa for at LEAST 12 hours in a whey, lemon juice or vinegar water before consuming it or it's not good for you.

"Ummmm....well, I cook it in water," she responded.  

So, I explained to her what I'm going to explain to you.  Quinoa, like all grains, contain anti nutrients and phytates/phytic acid which are there to keep the grain from sprouting prematurely.  These anti nutrients render grains difficult to digest and block the absorption of calcium, copper, magnesium, zinc and iron, thus causing deficiencies which can lead to intestinal upset, bone loss, depression, fatigue, anemia, and a lower immune system.  (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)

Soaking quinoa and other grains in water with whey, lemon juice or vinegar not only breaks down the anti nutrients, but it predigests some of the gluten (in grains that contain gluten...quinoa is gluten-free) making it easier for your body to handle it.  It also opens the doors for the nutrients it does contain to be utilized more easily and readily in your body.  (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)

So, soak that quinoa for better health!

For soaked quinoa recipes and mountains of information on utilizing food to the maximum, get Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon!

How I am No-Pooing It

Other than a poodle-perm in 7th grade because I envied the girl with the corkscrew curls pony tail, my hair is otherwise untouched by salon chemicals.  In this picture, I just had it washed, trimmed and heat-set curled because I won it in a giveaway!

Growing up, I washed my hair every day with cheap shampoo in hard water.  I wasn't in the best of health for puberty (my diet consisted almost entirely of processed foods) so my hair would get really greasy really quickly.  Shampooing every day didn't help matters, either.

After I began improving my diet, I could go longer between shampoos.  I also learned to wash just the top so as not to dry out and damage the length.  Then, I switched to more natural shampoos.  I tried Scottish Lye Soap, my homemade soap and Dr. Bronner's with mixed reviews.  Some days they seemed to work well.  Others, not so much.  Although around the time I was using the soaps, my water softener broke.  We have ridiculously hard water, so I needed heavy chemicals do clean anything, it seemed.

A couple years ago, I learned about no-pooing your hair using baking soda and apple cider vinegar.  I tried it and hated it and felt like it wasted an awful lot of cider vinegar.  But I also hated that I hated it.  So, I recently tried it again, but changed my technique.

Now, I no-poo once a week and use a Yes To shampoo once on the weekends!

I'm trying to use up what I have in the house, so I've been using *ahem* dry dog shampoo.  Hey, the ingredients are baking soda, corn starch and lavender oil...no weird doggy stuff in there!  Sounds pretty haute for a dog to me!

I rub some of the dry dog shampoo onto the top of my hair and massage it on my scalp.  If the underneath is a bit oily, I do that, too.

Then, I pour some of the dry dog shampoo into a mason jar and add some apple cider vinegar to create a reaction and dissolve the dry dog shampoo.  

Next, I get into the shower and get my hair wet.

Then, I add some of the warm shower water into the mason jar and slowly pour it over my head and let it run down the length of my hair.

After, I massage it through.

Finally, I rinse thoroughly.  

Voila!  Clean, healthy hair!

For added hair health and wellness, you can do a pre-treatment of coconut oil the night before.  Massage coconut oil into your hair and wrap with a head wrap or towel, then no-poo in the morning.

Argan oil makes a luxurious leave in conditioner after no-pooing.

Bulk Herb Store also offers herbal rinses for your hair.  I haven't tried them yet, but if I do, I'll do a review for sure.

Diastasis Recti - Post Partum Abs

Diastis Recti is when your ab muscles separate in the front for whatever reason.  In women, it is usually caused by pregnancy.  I was under the impression that the muscles eventually go back together, but that's not necessarily true!  I suspected I had an issue with DR and sure enough, I have about a 1.5 finger width separation.

My 3rd baby's pregnancy resulted in DR.  After I gave birth to him, I had a very painful umbilical hernia because of it.  Working out helped me lose weight and tone up, but I never fully got rid of the poochiness unless I lost a lot of weight and zipped up my abs as tight as I could all the time.  I also had a lot of problems with my pelvic floor, including bladder prolapse and sexual weakness and discomfort.  (Sorry anyone who knows me personally reading this and finding TMI, but I am trying to be transparent for any mom who's experienced this as well and wonders why).  I also had difficult to correct poor posture and painful problems with my hips.

After my 4th pregnancy, I wore a post partum binder to help get thing back in place.  I did plenty of kegals and joined the Beachbody program.  I lost most of the weight, toned up, got my guts back in place, but I still dealt with pelvic floor weakness, bad hip joint pain, poor-difficult to correct posture, and a poochy belly.

Now that I've discovered that I have DR, I would like to correct it.

Here are some links to help do that:

http://befitmom.com/diastasis_recti.html?gclid=CMCzheuW27QCFUQw4AodJwwAvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7mb_PPuqA

http://mutusystem.com/diastasis-recti-exercises-what-works.html

Flu Shot

This is my idea of a flu shot.  Just sayin'.

Avoiding My Afternoon Slump

With 4 young children, I can't afford to be exhausted and unable to concentrate.  However, I consistently deal with the afternoon slump.  My mind turns to a haze of jumbled thoughts and I can't seem to focus on any one in particular; and I feel like I could sleep for hours at a rip.

My best guess, according to the reading I've done for myself is that I have a blood sugar dip and possible adrenal issues, so I've begun a list of ways to combat the afternoon slump.

Exercise, especially in the morning.  It boosts blood flow and gets your system in gear for the rest of the day.  Also, exercising when you feel that slump starting can help push you past that slump.

Morning vitamins and protein help fuel the body for the day.  The healthier the fuel, the better your body functions.

Iron!  I'm almost always borderline anemic.  I have to remember to eat iron-rich foods, or drink nettle tea to keep me from being tired.

Small meals!  Eating a heavy, hard-to-digest lunch can slow the rest of your body down as it works to digest that rock in your stomach.  Eat small meals and supplement with:

Protein-rich snacks.  Forget the sugar-rush snacks of empty calories.  Grab a handful of almonds, or an apple with peanut butter or cheese instead.  It'll give your body something to use and fuel you up right.

And I reinterate, little to no sugar!  It makes your blood sugar rise, yes, but then it crashes even harder, plus it gives no nutrition for your body to use and fuel itself.

Stay hydrated.  A body fighting for water is going to wear you down...and probably bring on a headache, too.

Power nap.  If I need to, I take a quick power nap.  It does more for me an an hour or so snooze that I usually wake up just as groggy from.  Sometimes, just laying still for 5-10 minutes helps greatly, or even taking a moment to stretch my body and breathe deeply.

10 minutes of fresh air and daylight every day.  Being outside can help keep our internal clocks working properly.  Our bodies aren't designed to hide under artificial light day after day.

How do you avoid the afternoon slump?

Gluten-Free Almond Butter Coconut Cookies

Gluten-Free Almond Butter Coconut Cookies

1/4 cup organic unrefined sugar (I used Florida Crystals)
Approx. 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup organic almond butter
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup organic buckwheat flour
1/3 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/3 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Enough coconut flour to make a good cookie dough...I think approx. 1/4 - 1/3 cup

Cream almond butter, butter and sugars together.  Blend in egg well.  Mix together with buckwheat flour, powder, soda and salt.  Stir in shredded coconut, then blend in coconut flour until you have a good cookie dough.  You should be able to form balls without the dough being too sticky or too dry.  Form into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 5-10 minutes.

Keep in mind that I'm guessing a little on the measurements because I don't always measure.  I kind of just eyeball it a lot.  I'm also guessing on baking time because I go by smell (my oven doesn't have a timer, or even an oven light or door window!) and my oven is small, so it tends to bake things a little more quickly than average sized ovens.

I'll try to post a picture in the near future.

I'm fairly ignorant on what is truly, I mean TRULY gluten-free, so if any of the ingredients aren't truly gluten-free, then please let me know.  If you need it casein or dairy-free, you could try substituting the butter for coconut oil, but I haven't tried it, so I don't know how they'd turn out.

PS....this recipe is copyrighted by me.  Do not copy without permission.  Feel free to pin it or link to it on facebook, but please don't steal it and submit it as your own recipe.  Thanks!

Inexpensive and Easy Ways to Get Your Nutrients

Ya gotta love it these days.  You wheel your shopping cart into the checkout lane, unload your carefully selected items, the bagger plops a few bags into your cart and you hand the cashier your child's college fund.

Perhaps it is your grocery budget.  Perhaps it is time constraints.  Perhaps you just don't like spending a good portion of your day in the kitchen.  How can you get your nutrients inexpensively and easily?

Herbal teas!
Soups and stews!  (Preferably homemade with bone broth...the store bought stuff is garbage)
Fruits and veggies in season
Oatmeal
Eggs
Yogurt

You could do quite well for a season on these simple, nutrient dense foods.