Is the GAPS Diet For You?

Listen as Holistic Nutritionist Brooke Kaufman & Tender Foodie Elisabeth Veltman discuss the main points of the gut-healing GAPS Diet. If you would like to be notified of our next GAPS Challenge (coming in Sept./Oct.), please contact Elisabeth here. She will email you the next dates of the challenge!

Purchase Milled items from Dedicated Gluten-free Facilities

When newly diagnosed, it is tough to figure out what type of products you need to buy from a dedicated gluten-free facility.  I mean, not all products are processed in dedicated facilities, and not all need to be.

One quick rule of thumb is to highlight anything in your pantry that uses flour, or that could be processed with grains.  Flour lands on, gets stuck in, and coats whatever it falls on after it floats through the air, so if you have flour or grains being processed in the same plant as dried fruit or nuts, for instance, your dried fruit is not gluten-free. Facilities that process gluten-based grains, have a LOT of flour in the air.

So, the safest route is to purchase any and all gluten-free flour, and any item that could be milled from a dedicated, gluten-free facility and one that tests and is certified to less than 20 parts per million (ppm).  Bob's Red Mill, for instance, has two factories (watch their video about this), so make SURE to look for their "gluten-free" label.  They  process buckwheat, for instance, which is natrually gluten-free, but it is processed in their regular facility because they may not have been able to find a farming source that is gluten-free. Yes, cross contamination can happen on the farm.

This simply begins our research (sorry), it doesn't end there, because gluten is found in very surprising places, and is not always labeled properly.

Kid Tip: Roll Slippery Foods in Organic Banana Flakes!

Edison Grainery Organic GF Banana Flakes

Wondering how to teach your toddler to eat nutritious but oh-so-slippery slices of avocado, banana or mango?  Roll each slice in Edison Grainery’s organic, gluten-free banana flakes.  Certified gluten free and packed with fiber and Vitamin C, the flakes stick to the slippery surface so little fingers can them up with ease.  Plus, the tiny bit of texture helps children feel the food in their mouths, making it easier to manipulate for chewing.

Today's Tip brought to you by My Munch Bug!

 

Garden Tip: Boost Your Greens & Tomatoes w/ Azomite

Turnip GreensI've tried to grow dandelion greens in my organic garden for a few years now (they are very good for you!).  But my success at growing this nutritious weed has been shockingly limited.  I asked Rick Vyust, CEO of Fruitbasket Flowerland for some advice.  He said one word, "Azomite".

Azomite is a natural product which contains up to 70 trace minerals and is naturally mined in from an ancient mine in Utah.  Rick also said that it has a great history, so I looked it up.  Not only does it re-mineralize soil (something my garden could sure use right now), but Azomite is also used in animal feed and is thought to improve the immunity of the livestock.  Azomite improves root systems, increases plant vigor, and improves plant immune function as well, especially in all greens and "fruiting" plants like tomatoes.  Why?  This statement, taken from www.azomite.com is fascinating:

Justus von Liebig developed the "Law of the Minimum" which is important in understanding what AZOMITE® does. The Law states that plant growth is determined by the scarcest (or minimum) nutrient available to it. If just one of the many required nutrients is deficient, the plant will not grow and produce at its optimum.

Conventional fertilizer programs focus on the macronutrients like Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). However, if one of the many essential trace elements is deficient in the soil, the plant will not perform at its optimum, affecting yield and immune function. AZOMITE® replenishes these essential trace minerals through a 100% naturally derived source.

Humans need trace minerals, too.  If our plants and animals are heatlhy, we will tend to be healthier, as well.  The above statement perhaps speaks to why so many physicians are recommending trace minerals to their immune deficient patients.  The fact that so many of us are struggling with immunity, might also be another reason to look at how we raise our food.

Just a thought.

Healthy Tip: Increase your water intake as weather warms!

As the weather turns warmer, don't forget to increase your water intake. It can change our energy, your mood and your ability to concentrate. Make it filtered, and mmm, proper hydration is good.  Your cells will love you.