There are a few theories as to why food sensitivities are on the rise:

·         New parents are introducing solid foods to their infant much sooner than is recommended. An infant’s immune system and digestive tract are not fully developed until at least 5 years of age. It is incredibly important to wait and introduce foods that are common triggers later in the development of the immune system and digestive tract to prevent the development of intolerances. One of the most common first foods to introduce to children is cheerios or cooked pasta noodles, both are full of gluten which is a common food sensitivity.

·         Another theory is the amount of genetically modified foods found in our diet. Unfortunately, genetic modification is not a precise procedure. When the DNA of plants is tampered with, the plant begins to produce completely new proteins and compounds unknown to our digestive system. The introduction of genetically modified foods is quite recent, too recent for our digestive systems to have evolved effective processes to digest and absorb these new compounds. And too recent for our immune systems to have evolved successful coping mechanisms.

·         The typical North American diet does not contain a variety of foods. We consume the same foods in high quantities which over exposes or sensitizes our body to the same food compounds day in and day out. When we consume a wide variety of foods, the risk of becoming sensitive to foods is reduced.

·         Yet another theory is the high amount of inflammation we have in our bodies as a result of our diets, medications, intense athletic training, among other things. Here, we have ourselves a ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg’ situation. Food sensitivities cause inflammation within the body, but inflammation within the body can also initiate the development of food sensitivities.

It is most likely a combination of all four theories contributing to food sensitivities. 

How do you know if you have a food sensitivity? The quickest and easiest way to determine if you have a food sensitivity is getting a blood test done. The one I perform is done by Rocky Mountain Analytical (http://rmalab.com/medical-laboratory-tests/allergy/igg-sensitivity). Another way to determine food sensitivities is by doing an Elimination Diet. 

Once you discover which foods are triggering your symptoms, remove them from your diet. With the triggers gone from your diet it is now important to heal the lining of your digestive tract, and get your immune system back on track so that one day you may be able to introduce the offending foods back into your diet. To do this, there are various supplements or herbal teas you can use. Don’t forget to consume sufficient quantities of fibre! These are just a few options that can be used to heal the gastrointestinal tract from aggravating foods and inflammation. 

                                                                    Dr. Brenda Tapp, ND  

Note: The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only, it is not to be used to diagnose or treat your health. It is important to see a Naturopathic Doctor before you start taking supplements to ensure they don’t interact with any medications you are on or medical conditions you currently have. While supplements are natural, they can be dangerous if taken incorrectly. Some supplements also contain additives as preservatives or binders that may aggravate your symptoms. 

Acupuncture has always been on my radar, but it was something I only knew a minimal amount about. I have had numerous clients over the years that loved it, have even suggested it to other clients, but had never gotten up the courage to actually try it myself. What "problem" did I have that could benefit from an acupuncture session?? Could I really lay still with needles sticking in me??? Ahhhhhh, I don't think so!

Then I entered my mid-thirties ... and I now find myself intrigued by and embracing things I have never tried before. It also helped that I met the lovely Dr Brenda Tapp. As a Naturopathic Doctor she is brilliant, but she also brings enthusiasm and the ability to put you completely at ease. So I booked an appointment for an Acupuncture session. Still not completely sure what my "problem" was, but trusting that Dr Tapp knew me well enough to do what was best for me.

Surprisingly I wasn't super nervous coming up to my appointment, more curious about what benefits I might experience. Dr Tapp welcomed me warmly into her clinic and explained exactly what she had planned for our session. She assessed my pulse and tongue, and the results confirmed what she thought and we moved forward to the nerve wracking part ... the first needle, right between my eyebrows. 

With each needle I grew more comfortable, most I didn't even feel. Only one needle caused a sharp burning sensation, but it quickly turned to a light warm sensation. 

Needles in, lights low, warm room, and relaxing music on. Time to just be. For 20 minutes I existed in a beautiful peaceful place. And afterwards ... the only way I can describe how I felt was blissful, euphoric, calm, amazing! 

So as I enjoy the peace and calm, I am excitedly awaiting my next treatment and even considering the possible benefits for my Son. 

If you are at all curious about Acupuncture I suggest you stop waiting, and start experiencing the benefits.

Picture this ... The kids are bickering again and running to you to referee, the dog is barking to be let outside, dinner is boiling over on the stove, and the phone has been ringing off the hook since you set foot in the door after running the kids to their respective after school activities. Do you feel the dull, aching head pain start? Is there tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of your head? Is your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles tender? If you answered yes, then guess what ... you have a Tension Headache.

Tension Headaches account for approximately 90- 92% of all headaches, making this the most common type. Muscular tension in the neck, scalp, and jaw are generally the root causes of these headaches, but they are usually triggered by environmental or internal stresses. Poor posture, inadequate rest, anxiety, fatigue, hunger, overexertion, and stress are just a few examples of how life can lead to a tension headache.

A typical tension headache can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an entire week! If your headaches occur for 15 or more days a month for 3 consecutive months, your headaches may be considered chronic daily tension headaches and you should speak to your doctor. If they occur less than 15 days a month, your headaches are considered episodic tension headaches and you should focus on ways to manage you stress, decrease your muscle tension and relax.

So what can you do at home to treat a headache? Have a hot bath or place a hot pad on the affected muscles, try diaphragmatic breathing, self massage to tense muscles or ask someone to massage them for you, or pain free stretching and range of motion can help to decrease muscle tension. Holding an ice pack against your forehead while soaking your feet in hot water may stop a migraine,  this should be done at onset.

Massage Therapy can relieve headache-producing tension in the muscles of your head, neck, shoulders, and face. Massage therapy can be effective during a headache to help you relax, decrease pain, and treat any hypertonicity or trigger points that may be present in the muscles of your neck, shoulders and head. Treatment during a headache is generally a lighter, more general massage, as opposed to treatment between headaches which is more vigorous, the pressure may be deeper, and trigger points are treated more aggressively. It is important to remember that regular massage therapy treatments will be more effective at treating and preventing headaches than one single treatment as muscle tension dose not magically disappear. Combining massage therapy treatments with regular exercise, stress reduction, healthy eating and restful sleep will make a big difference in the quantity and severity of your headaches.

If your headache is resulting from a misalignment of the vertebrae in your neck or upper back, which in turn causes tension and irritation of the muscles in your neck and shoulders, a Chiropractic treatment may be able to remove the strain through spinal manipulation and realignment. It can be very beneficial to combine chiropractic treatment with massage therapy as they will work together to alleviate the strain and tension.

There are some things that you can do to decrease you chances of having a tension headache or prevent them altogether. A little self care can go a long way.
·         Avoid your headache triggers  -try keeping track of your headaches in a journal or calendar, this will let you see any patterns and triggers
·         Get enough Sleep  -adults need 7-8 hours per night (some people need more), as well try to be routine with what time you go to bed and wake up
·         Reduce Stress  -get organized, simplify your life and schedule, plan ahead, stay positive
·         Relax  -try meditation and or yoga, listen to soothing music, soak in a hot bath, go for a massage
·         Regular Exercise  -exercise helps to decrease stress and is good for your physical and mental wellbeing
·         Don't skip meals
·         Avoid any food or drinks that trigger headaches

Take a deep breath, there is a light at the end of your suffering, all you have to do is take action.

It is important to seek medical attention if: a severe headache is accompanied by vomiting, limb weakness, double vision, slurred speech, or difficulty in swallowing; your headache is of a kind you’ve never had, occurs first thing in the morning, is persistent, brings on vomiting, you have a high fever, light hurts your eyes, the pain is severe and is accompanied by nausea and a stiff neck; or if after a head injury, you are drowsy, with dizziness, vertigo, nausea, or vomiting.

If you are anything like me, a mid afternoon snack is a must. But fruit alone just doesn't cut it, I end up scavenging through my kitchen for more to eat not long after. So the search began for a protien bar that I could make at home, I wanted one that would be easy to make, be a filling snack when added to fruit and a glass of water, and most important it needed to be made from ingredients I already had in my kitchen.

Recipe in hand I began test batch number one...instead of making a pan of bars that I would need to cut into equal portions, I decided to use my mini muffin pan (with paper liners). Surprisingly the first batch turned out pretty good, although I did do a little tweaking before making the second batch.

The big change I made was changing protien powder for hemp hearts, I was really surprised to find out that the hemp hearts added more protien to the bars than the protien powder did, and they are less processed which is always good.

I hope that you enjoy these as much as I do. They are a staple in my kitchen now.

Peabutter Protien Cups

1c Peabutter (nut butter or nut free alternative)

1/2c honey

10tbsp hemp hearts

1c GF oatmeal (or oat alternative)

Salt

Vanilla

1/4-1/2c water

-melt honey and peabutter

-add vanilla, and mix together well

-mix all other dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (or mixer), add honey mix and water to dry ingredients and mix really well

-press into lined mini muffin tins, each cup holds about 1tbsp of mix

-chill, and store in fridge

-enjoy

Tortillas were something that BA (before allergies) I greatly enjoyed. They were such a versatile food that we used for everything from a wrap for lunch, to an apple dessert, and even cut and fried as chips. When food allergies changed our world, tortillas dissappeared from our kitchen ... They were either grose tasting, nearly impossible to find, or had parabens in them (YUCK!). So the only consistent option was to try making them myself.

Armed with a corn tortilla mix and a tortilla press I tried, and tried, and tried to get them to work. In the end I was frustrated, covered in dough and mix, and left with only a handful of small edible tortillas. Not a successful endeavor in my books.

Now, almost 2 years later, I seem to be drawn to tortillas again. This time however, I figured I would play it safe and use a recipe from the same book my flour recipe came from. Finally, Success!! Not only were they easy to make, but the turned out perfect on the first try. The only thing I changed was the size of the tortillas, the recipe originally made 8, but in an effort to make them more WW point friendly and to make them a more kid friendly size I made 12 - 8.5" tortillas. My only other suggestion ... make lots, they 12 I made have dissappeared from my fridge rather fast (lol).

Gluten Free Tortillas

- makes 12 tortillas @ 3WWpts each

2c GF flour

3/4tsp salt

4tbsp margarine (or shortening)

2/3-1c very warm water

-combine flour, salt & margarine; mix until it looks like a fine meal (margarine should be evenly distributed)

-mixing on low, slowly add 2/3c + of water until dough forms a ball

-divide into 12, flatten into discs, set aside covered for 30 min

-heat griddle or large frying pan to medium-high heat (*do not add any oil to pan*)

-roll dough to the thickness of traditional flour tortillas, you will be able to roll them to slightly larger than a lunch plate (This dough is really easy to roll without ripping, just make sure you flour the board and rolling pin well); place an 8.5" lunch plate on top of dough and trim rough edges to make a neat round tortilla

-gently transfer tortilla to frying pan and cook until tortilla starts to bubble, flip and cook on other side as well (it will take less time to cook than you would think)

-cool completely on a wire rack

-store in fridge or freezer with tortillas separated by layers of parchment paper

-Enjoy!

I will start by telling you that unlike most of the recipes I have discovered, and have started to share with you, this pita bread recipe idea didn’t come from one of my kids asking tearfully for me to make something that they loved to eat before allergies, it kind of came out of the blue (and out of some quick searching on pinterest). That being said, once the idea took hold, my brain started cranking out school lunch ideas that involved pitas.

Armed with a recipe I thought looked like it would work, I gathered my ingredients and started the process of making homemade pita bread. Thankfully I have gained enough knowledge from my bagel making endeavours to realize that
there were some seriously important steps missing from the recipe sitting on my kitchen table. So the tweaking began ...

Apparently I am turning into a pretty knowledgeable baker, because all of the tweaks and adjustments I have made to the recipe worked like a dream! So far we have used the pitas with pulled pork, burgers, toasted with jam, dipped in soup, as a deconstructed sandwich (Violet), or just slightly warmed from the microwave. They really are easy to make. I hope that you enjoy these delicious pitas as much as we do.


Pita Bread
 1 2/3c hot water
 1 ½ tsp yeast
 1 tsp sugar
 1 tsp salt
 1 tsp oil
 3c GF flour mix (or 2c GF flour mix + 1c quinoa flour + 1 tsp 
        xantham gum) 
 
1. Place water, yeast, and sugar in mixer bowl and let sit for 5 min

 2. Add flour, salt and oil, mix until fully incorporated; let mixer knead dough for 8 min (knead for 10 min if you are using muscle power)

 3. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and proof for 1 hour (I heat my oven to 200F, turn it off, place bowl in oven, and prop the door open)

 4. After dough is done proofing, turn oven on to 500F, heat up your baking stone while the oven heats up

 5. Divide dough into 16 equal parts, shape into balls, and then press into flat discs using your fingers (mine ended up at about 4-4.5” diameter after they were cooked, so say
4.5-5” raw)

 6. Bake for 5 min one side then flip and bake for another 2.5 min ... if you are fortunate enough to have a convection oven, bake for 4.5 min one side then flip and bake for another 2 min (convection will brown your pitas slightly, where as normal bake probably wont...makes no difference to the taste)

 7. Cool & Enjoy! ... store in the fridge or freezer (mine stay nicely in the fridge for about a week, if they last that long lol)

FYI - if you make 16 pitas they will be 2 WWpts each
      - if you make 8 pitas they will be 5 WWpts each

Happy Baking!!

Every once in a while, my son comes to me asking if I can make an allergy friendly version of something he used to eat BA (before allergies). Last year he requested bagels ... not stopping to question what I might be getting myself into, we jumped on the internet and started searching. Armed with a recipe and all the ingredients I dove in head first and made my first batch of bagels ever!

They turned out to not only be heavenly to eat (when you have gone over a year without good bread the smell alone can start you salivating...and that's before you ever take the first mouth watering bite), but they are also easy to make (just a little time consuming), and WW points friendly at only 4 points per bagel.

We now typically make  a dozen bagels every week (I have made them so many times I have the recipe committed to memory, lol), and use them for everything from sandwiches to pizza to burgers, and especially toasted with jam as a snack ... these are probably the most versatile recipe that you can make, and is an essential in any GF household . Next on my list of ways to try this recipe is to form them into hotdog buns rather than round bagel buns, yumm.  

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Happy Bagel Baking!!

1 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar ( or cane sugar)
1 3/4 cup hot water
4 cup gluten free flour mix
1 tbsp. salt

1. put sugar, yeast and hot water into mixing bowl; let sit for 5min

2. add flour and salt, mix until everything is incorporated and dough forms a ball (add extra flour or water if needed)

3. if you are blessed enough to have a stand mixer, using a dough hook, let mixer kneed on low for 8min ... if good old muscle power is what you have, kneed dough for 10 min ... in either case the dough should be smooth and elastic

4.place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let proof for 1 hour in a warm place (dough should double in size) ... when the A/C is on I heat my oven to 200, turn it off, place bowl in oven, and prop the door open

5. place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal parts (as you are forming bagels you can adjust sizes if they are not equal)

6. gently form the dough into rounds, cover with a clean towel, and let them rest for 30min ... keep in mind that GF dough when over worked becomes very tough, so treat it gently and work it as little as possible

7. form the hole in each bagel by gently pinching your thumb and middle finger together through the centre of the bagel, wiggle your fingers around until the hole is the desired size (you will probably need flour on your fingers) ... if you are making these into burger buns, skip this step and go right on to boiling

8.cover bagels again and let rest for another 10min

9. fill a large pot 1/2 full of water & boil; turn on oven to 400F

10.once the water is boiling (and after the 10min rest) drop bagels 4 at a time into the water; boil for 2min, flip, and boil for another 1min

11. use a slotted spoon to transfer bagels to paper towel to drain then place on baking stone (I usually let them drain until the next batch is almost ready to come out of the water)

12. Bake for 24 min, cool completely, toast and enjoy ... these bagels freeze really well and travel really well too!

Special Thanks to my wonderful husband for assisting with the photography for this blog and to my kids who inspire me to try making favorite foods allergy friendly. They are my Allergy Free Inspirations!

Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me! After spending the winter months hibernating, it feels soooo good to feel the warmth of the sun on your face, but too much of anything is never good, and that includes time in the sun.

Being a redhead, sunscreen has always been a part of my summer routine (along with a hat, shirt, and some shade). Now more than ever we are concerned with protecting ourselves and our kids from the damaging effects of the sun, but is the chemical concoction that is sunscreen better than being sun safe?? How do you know that the sunscreen you choose is actually going to do what it says and isn’t just giving you a false sense of security?? It’s time to educate yourself!!!

About 5 years ago, when I started to educate myself on the harmful effects certain chemicals have on your body, I looked to the EWG’s skin deep data base to find out just how good or bad our skin care products really were. Now the EWG looks at almost all of the sources of harmful chemicals in our lives, and they even publish an annual sunscreen guide. They look at and rate sunscreens based on UVB protection, UVA protection, UVA/UVB balance, sunscreen stability & other health concerns. Finally!! An effective way to evaluate your options and make an informed decision about sunscreen that has nothing to do with pretty labels. You can even type the name of your favorite sunscreen into their website or phone app and see how it rates. If you are like me, you look at the rating for what you used to use and then start scanning the alphabetical listing for a better option, lol. I have even been known to use the app while standing in front of the sunscreen display trying to decide what to buy. Not only does the EWG have a database of products, they also have a ton of information (that is based on actual research) so that you can begin to educate yourself and your friends and family.

So what do you need to do to protect your family from the damaging effects of the Sun??
-Wear a hat & clothing to shield yourself from the sun   
-Relax in the shade, make shade if you need (try using an umbrella)
-Avoid spending too much time out in the sun when UV is high (afternoon), plan your activities for morning, later afternoon or evening instead    
-Don’t use sunscreen as a tool to prolong your time in the sun
-Buy a better sunscreen ... choose something that has broad spectrum protection; water-resistant; 30SPF...avoid anything that says over 50SPF (most cases it’s a false SPF)...avoid chemicals like oxybenzone& vitamin A (aka retinol or retinyl palmitate)

In my research for this blog, one of the articles I read was the EWG’s 9 Surprising Facts about Sunscreen. Some very interesting and surprising information can be found in this article. Here are their 9 surprising facts (to learn more click here and read the full article) ...
1. FDA’s sunscreen rules have changed but products haven’t improved.
2. There’s no proof that sunscreens prevent most skin cancer.
3. Don’t be fooled by high SPF
4. The common sunscreen additive vitamin A may speed development of skin cancer.
5. European consumers can get better sunscreens.
6. Sunscreen does not protect skin from all types of sun damage.
7. Some sunscreen ingredients disrupt hormones and cause skin allergies.
8. Mineral sunscreens contain nano-particles.
9. If you avoid sun, check your vitamin D levels as vitamin D can actually reduce your risk of several types of cancer (among other things).
 
What do we as a family predominantly of gingers do? As a general rule we don’t use sunscreen on a daily basis (other than on Oliver’s neck/ face/ears, when he is at school as there is no shade on the school yard, but that sunscreen has a rating of 1 by the EWG), instead we wear hats, shirts with sleeves, and we limit the time spent out in the direct sun ... we avoid spending too much time outside when UV is the highest... we wear sun shirts at the beach or pool along with hats... and when we just can’t avoid it, we use a good sunscreen that has a low or low-moderate hazard risk... the sunscreens we prefer are from Badger and Kynesis (see the top photo).

When it comes to spending time outside, protect yourself and your family. Don’t fall into the trap of spending more time out in the sun just because you have sunscreen on. You may prevent a sunburn by using sunscreen properly, but in the end you will have accumulated higher exposure to UV rays which cause their own damage. Be sun smart!



Thanks to the EWG for providing all the research I needed for this blog and then some!

After being eaten alive on the long weekend by killer mosquitoes, I knew that we needed to go on the hunt for some bug repellent so the mosquitoes won’t carry off my kids. Standing in shoppers drug mart, my husband and I began
reading labels. We very quickly found no ingredients on most of the name brand containers, warnings about not using near plastic furniture, and warnings not to use on kids under 12 years old. If it’s going to eat your plastic lawn chair, what the heck is it doing to your body and why on earth would you use
it???

So we headed to our local health food store to see what we could find. They had a couple of really interested options ... essential oils, patches and even a homeopathic remedy. We decided to give essential oils a try since we needed them anyways. One recipe we found in the store used lavender, lemongrass and peppermint essential oils.

When we got home with our small baggie of essential oils I started mixing. In a small spray bottle I put some water (I used RO water but you could use distilled water as well), next I added approximately 30 drops of each oil (lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint), fill remainder of container with water, put on the lid and shook really well before taking aim.

The big test came at Violet’s school picnic ... 3 hours spent in a park, after some rain, walking in long grass and treed areas ... a recipe for hungry mosquitoes.

The results ... other than on my right elbow (which got a crazy number of bites as I forgot to spray it), this recipe seemed to help deter the bugs. And it definitely helped to keep the bugs off my kids. As with any bug spray (even the nasty ones that contain deet) you will need to reapply when the bugs start biting you again, so use a small spray bottle that can easily be carried with you.

So would I tweak my next batch?? I’m not sure yet, we want to give this recipe another try but here are some suggestions for how to keep the bugs at bay....Some of the information I found suggested that the more essential oil you use, the stronger the smell, and the more repellent it is. You could change up the oils you use with some of these essential oils – citronella, clove, rosemary, tee tree, cajeput, eucalyptus, cedar, or mint. Try wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts that are of tightly woven fabric in light colours. Mosquitoes are at their worst at dawn and dusk, so aim to spend those times indoors. And below are the directions for a mosquito trap (going to try this too), placed under you picnic should keep the mosquitoes away from those tasty ankles.

What’s next on my list of things to make this spring?? Something to take away the itch when you do get bitten ... my mosquito bites (from the long weekend) are starting to drive me crazy!!!!  

Core strength is something we have all heard about, but most of us are sorely lacking. So how do you know if yours needs work?? Is your six pack in a cooler or worse a keg? Do you have poor posture? Find yourself slouching? Or suffer lower back pain? These are just some indications that you have some work to do.

Do you know what muscles make up your core? Most people immediately think abs, but your core is actually made up of over 17 muscles in you abdominals, pelvis, back, and gluteus (some people also include the chest muscles). 

What does your core really do for you? After supporting the weight of your upper body, the two most important roles of your core are the protection of your inner organs and central nervous system. Think of your abs like a corset that holds in all of your organs, if its strong and tight all of your organs are held in where they are supposed to be and can work properly, but a weak or lose corset would mean that your organs would spill out and sit wherever (not good). Strong back muscles will support your spine thus protecting the fragile nerves of your spinal cord from damage. Having a strong core is also important for good balance, stability, flexibility and makes it easier to do every physical activity from bending down to tie your shoes to swinging a golf club. Not to mention that a strong core will help prevent injury, banish back pain and give you a strong confident posture.

So what do you need to do? Start to include exercises like these into your daily routine: plank, side plank, Russian twist, bridge, superman, quadruped, lunges, dead lifts, basic push up and crunch, squats, etc. Make sure that you are strengthening in all planes of motion – front to back, side to side, and rotation - by choosing an exercise that will strengthen each of these motions. Combining three exercises, one for each plane of motion, would be a great start to an all around strong core.

Having a strong core can make a huge difference in every aspect of your life, so take charge and keep it strong!


Will you join me and commit to doing a plank a day?