The idea behind this series is to avoid information overload and simply look at one small area each week.  It will take time, but eventually we will work our way through the entire home touching on everything from the flours in our pantries to the candles on our mantles. 

I’ve learned so much from all of you along this journey so I hope you will continue to share your own ideas as well as your questions.   The series will officially start Monday, March 7.  If you like it, please feel free to grab my button and share it with your friends and readers.  Thanks for stopping by.  I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

<center><a href=”http://broccolicupcake.com/blog/2011/02/makeover-monday-a-new-series/” mce_href=”http://broccolicupcake.com/blog/2011/02/makeover-monday-a-new-series/”><img border=”0″ src=”http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee381/broccolicupcake/button_makeovermonday.png/></a></center>

This article won’t necessarily answer your questions about dairy, but it will help you understand why it’s so confusing and which resources are reliable.  Here are some of my thoughtson the subject.  I’d also highly recommend Real Food by Nina Planck. 

USDA Sells Cheese While Warning Against Eating It

By Michael Moss

New York Times

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40045686/ns/health-the_new_york_times/

For me, fall is all about crunchy leaves, beautiful colors, brisk jeans and t-shirt weather, outdoor activities and family holidays.  Then the mold and pollen come along and cast a haze over it all. 

Until recently, I was on one pill and two nasal sprays to get me through my favorite months.  Even then, I usually battled 1-2 sinus infections and what seemed like a season long upper respiratory infection.  My oldest son was put on Singulair at two to help manage his allergies and stayed on it for nearly two years.  Without it, every cold, virus or little bacteria turned into a major breathing event.  But I’m so happy to report that although we still feel the impact of the mold and pollen, a few simple lifestyle changes intended to improve our overall health and well-being have helped us manage our allergy symptoms prescription free.  (This process was guided by our doctor.)  Today, we experience minor allergy symptoms and are saving about $70 a month on medication.

Allergies have successfully been treated with natural resources for decades.  Here are just a few of the numerous options available that we’ve found helpful.

1.  Probiotics – When we have insufficient enzymes and good bacteria (probiotics) in our guts we lack the necessary defenses to handle allergens.  Probiotics restore and balance good bacteria and aid in digestion and absorption making our healthy food more effective.   The boys and I take probiotics every day. 
2. Antioxidants – Antioxidants help our bodies in several ways.  They reduce inflammation and eliminate free radicals which destroy our cells.  It’s fairly easy to get antioxidants naturally from our foods.  Fruits like purple grapes, blackberries and blueberries are loaded with antioxidants as is green tea.  While this is a good start, we needed something a little stronger.  We take Thai-Go, an antioxidant juice everyday beginning in August.  Two tablespoons for me and 1 each for the boys seems to help strengthen our immune systems.  Juice Plus also makes an antioxidant supplement and there are several other juices on the market.  Do some research to see which one feels like a good fit for your family’s needs.
3. Saline Solutions– Whether it’s a Neti-Pot or a spray can of Simply Saline this is a must in our house during allergy season.  I like the Neti-Pot for myself when I’m really congested, although it definitely takes some getting used to, but the saline sprays work best for the boys and when your crunched for time.  The goal is to rinse the nasal passages with a salt water solution.  This helps thin the mucus, soothe the tissue and reduce inflammation.  It also rinses pollen and other airborne substances from the nasal passages, promotes drainage and speeds up the healing process.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Help reduce inflammation and quiet allergy symptoms.  Because our allergy season is so long in Tennessee I feel like these really help us.  We take them for lots of reasons, but this is an added bonus.
5. Clean Eating – I believe that eliminating as many processed foods as possible took a lot of foreign substances out of our bodies freeing them up to better handle the naturally occurring allergens like mold and pollen.  Clean eating simply means eating fresh foods like fruits, vegetables and certain meats and fish.  A great tip is to eat out of the fridge or shop the outside aisles at the grocery store.  Avoiding or limiting things like sugar, dairy and wheat can also help depending on the individual.  We eat wheat, but I’m very cautious of our sugar and dairy intake, especially when our allergies our acting up. 

Other helpful tips: Eliminating harmful chemicals from our homes, washing sheets and blankets in hot water once a week, dusting with a damp cloth to collect dust w/o mixing it up in the air, and adding houseplants to naturally filter the air.

Somewhat crunchy option: Try boiling freeze dried nettles as a tea.  You can buy these at a local health food store.

I went through this same process about this time last year and wrote about the supplements we decided to take.  Since then, I’ve learned a few new things and tried a few new brands so we are making some changes. Below is an updated list of the supplements we’ve settled on and why as well as some tips on where to find them.  In general, I’ve found these are considered universally safe, beneficial and worth the investment.

(Please remember to talk to your doctor before taking any new supplements.  These choices were made based on conversations about our specific nutritional and medical needs.)   

Probiotics: Did you know that 70% of the immune system resides in our digestive system?  (I found that interesting, but I’m kinda dorky like that.)  Probiotics restore microflora (good bacteria) in our guts.   They are especially useful after antibiotic treatments (which kill good and bad bacteria), but can also help regulate bowl movements, boost the immune system and protect against illness. 

Probiotics can be a short term treatment after antibiotics or a daily supplement. We originally started taking them because we had all been on so many antibiotics, but we’ve decided to keep them on the daily supplement list because the good bacteria is essential for digestion, absorption and assimilation.  It seems to me that all the good food we’re eating is more effective when it can be properly digested, absorbed into our bodies.  Our boys also struggle with allergies and eczema, especially in the fall and winter.   Research suggests that probiotics are helpful in treating allergies, asthma and eczema.  They may also be helpful in treating Chron’s Disease, IBS, constipation, lactose intolerance, and may even improve metabolism. 

We’ve been using a new brand over the last month – Vidazorb.  One of my favorite things about it is that it does not require refrigeration, which makes it easier to take with us when we travel.  Most probiotics require refrigeration to keep the good bugs alive, but lab tests of Vidazorb have proven it contains live bugs for up to 2 years (via independent lab testing) without refrigeration.  The tablets are chewable and come in several flavors.  We tried orange/pineapple and I’m a fan.    Bam-Bam (our youngest) wants to eat them like candy, but Nature Boy (our oldest) isn’t a fan of the consistency.  He’s pretty picky that way.  Luckily, they are really easy to crush using the back of a spoon.  If I mix the resulting powder in Nature Boy’s morning drink he doesn’t even know it’s there.   We’ve been taking probiotics for a little over a year and all of the wonderful benefits seemed to continue.  I found the taste really light, not too sweet and more pleasant than swallowing 4 pills of my old supplement.  I just chewed up 1 tablet 3 times a day with my meals. 

GIVEAWAY

(I did not receive any money for this post, but was given a complimentary bottle of Vidazorb® Super C Probiotic Supplement to try.  I was under no obligation to write a review or participate in a giveaway.)

In honor of acidophilus month, Vidazorb is giving away a FREE bottle of Vidazorb® Daily to 5 lucky readers to help families stay healthy.   Readers can enter by doing the following:

   1. Leaving a comment below including your name and email address.
   2. Following Vidazorb® Chewable Probiotics on Facebook or @bellytweet
on Twitter and leave a comment saying that you came from
Broccoli Cupcake
 3. You can get an extra entry if you retweet the following:  “I just entered a giveaway to win a FREE bottle of probiotics from @bellytweet @ http://bit.ly/d1G44W!”

Use the code CBC40 for 40% off the complete Vidazorb® line through August 25. 

 Where to find it:

• Vidazorb – multiple flavors and combinations – online only
• Nature’s Sunshine – Sunshine Heroes Probiotics –online only
• Culturelle for kids – in the refrigerated vitamin section at Whole Foods
• Probiotic Yogurts and Cheeses – at Whole Foods and some other grocers
• Probugs Kefir Drink – at Whole Foods and other grocers

Vitamin D: I think most of us associate Vitamin D with the health of our bones and teeth.  At least I always did.  I originally started taking it because my dad has osteoporosis.  I thought it was a good idea for me to take some preventative measures.  Last year I added it to the boys’ daily supplements at the recommendation of our pediatrician.  I love Vitamin D for its ability to ward off illness, boost our moods, reduce the risk of cancer, quell inflammation, and much more.  Vitamin D may also positively impact high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.  You can check your vitamin D levels by requesting a simple blood test from your doctor.

Where to find it:

• Cod liver oil supplements – Nordic Naturals
• Calcium and Vitamin D3 supplements – Nature’s Sunshine
• Egg yolks
• Fatty fish like Salmon and Sardines

Omega-3 (DHA and EPA):  Research suggests that most of us are deficient in Omega-3.  I’ve been reading a lot about Omega-3 lately and it is one fat I don’t want to be deficient in.  Omega-3s raise HDL (good cholesterol), Reduce LDL (bad cholesterol), dilate the blood vessels to reduce blood pressure, reduce clotting, inflammation and triglycerides.  The evidence that Omega-3 fats prevent heart disease is significant and growing.  But what really has me sold on Omega-3 is the impact of the fat on our brains.  Omega-3 fats from fish are essential to brain function because our brains cannot produce necessary DHA and EPA from plant oils like flaxseed.  (Other parts of our bodies can benefit from the Omega-3 in plant oils, but not our brains.)  I recently read that in children, Omega-3 fat deficiencies are linked to dyslexia, poor motor skills, and ADHD.  In adults, deficiencies can be linked to anger, hostility and depression.  Omega-3 is brain food and it’s a new addition to our supplement line up.  Our choice is cod liver oil (rich in Omega-3 fats as well as vitamin A and vitamin D).  Choose your fish oil wisely.  It should be wild and unrefined.  I like Nordic Naturals. 

Where to find it:

• Fish and Cod liver oil supplements
• Grass-fed meat
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Kale
• Brussels Sprouts
• Spinach
• Walnuts
• Flaxseed oil

I know that’s a lot to digest (no pun intended).  But it boils down to this. We’ve picked 3 supplements for our family – probiotics, Vitamin D and Omega-3.  Because I take cod liver oil, I can get my Vitamin D and Omega-3s in one supplement, which means all I have to add is the probiotic.  This is manageable for us from a time and money perspective.

What do you think about supplements?  Do you take them?  If so, which ones?

Melissa w/ Thrive Whole Living

experiencing.  For me, it was an eye opening experience.  In just threee short weeks many of my symptoms had dramatically improved or disappeared and I felt amazing! 

A year and half later I’m ready for a refresher.  Personally, I prefer a cleanse that focuses on putting healthy, whole foods into my body.  I’m not a fan of mixing up concoctions or taking powdered drinks.  It makes me nervous when I don’t know what’s in something or how it’s going to effect my body.   This time around I’m planning to ry the 7 Day Whoel Foods Cleanse with Melissa at Thrive Whole Living.  I’ve received a lot of questions from others about why I’m doing it and the safety of cleansing.  Below is a guest post from Melissa explaining the concept. 

What is a cleanse or detox?

A detox, by definition, is the process of clearing, neutralizing, or transferring toxins from the body. Our bodies get sludgy and inefficient with all of the junk we throw back over the days, weeks, months and years of our lives.

A toxin is any substance that causes harmful effects in the body leading to intolerances, allergies, and general illness. They can be found in water, food, air and from our natural bodily processes.

The standard American diet is overloaded with sugar and salt, is highly processed, artificial and devoid of nutrients. Our air and water sources are constantly becoming more polluted. Our bodies were not designed to clear this amount of toxic waste on their own. These toxins can show up as bad breath, body odor, fatigue or skin eruptions. If we never give it a rest and let things balance out, little symptoms could lead to serious trouble. The idea is that by giving our body a break from toxic bombardment, it will go through a detoxification process to clear irritants from our system.  This process happens naturally, we just have to set the stage…

 WHY cleanse? 

Eating the Standard American Diet of fast food, convenience and snack foods can over time make our body under function. Each bodily system needs the appropriate amount of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals to carry out its assigned job well. Whether it is digestion, clearing mucous from the nasal passages and lungs, carrying a virus out of the body, or just maintaining the right brain chemistry to produce positive thoughts, all of these functions need the right support.

Holistic nutrition is designed around the notion that the body can heal itself if we give it half the chance. Bombarding it with gummy bears and beer is hardly the chance it needs. Most foods sold today are cram- packed with artificial colors, flavors, salt, sugar, modified fats (trans fats), and even genetically modified foods. Then they are ‘enriched’ with the vitamins we need to survive. I like to call these Franken foods.

 The thing is, this diet of ours… the Standard American Diet if you will, is not feeding us what we need to feel our best. We are over-stuffed with calories and junk and under-nourished of the vital ingredients that make us thrive.

SO why cleanse? 

To give your body a break from having to clear out these frankfoods or junk from your system everyday. Your body’s elimination system is probably running overtime. And if it is… you’ll know it.  You’ll experience:

• bad digestion
• gas, bloating
• diarrhea several times a week
• acne
• rashes
• psoriasis
• sinus congestion
• frequent colds
• allergies
• kidney infections, etc.  

What’s in it for you?

Key Health Benefits of Detoxification:

• Feel young, look great
• Increased vitality, energy, and stamina
• Reduction of allergic symptoms
• Improvement of digestive functions
• Better concentration, clarity and mental focus
• Enhanced mental performance
• A sense of calm and ease
• Increased resistance to illness
• Reduction in risk for many chronic diseases
• Reduced symptoms of chronic toxicity
• Weight loss

So what to do? 

• Do your research
• get support
• make a plan 
• get prepared

Choose a cleanse that feels right to you and learn all you can about it. Think seasonally and get intuitive about what your body needs.

Getting support while cleansing is VERY important. Changing your food habits can be one of the hardest things you do. It is easier to give up when it only affects yourself. Doing a cleanse with a friend, partner, family member or group will hold you more accountable and help you make it through. Enlist professional help like a health coach or expert in the type of cleanse you choose to do

After going through this process you will feel lighter, more clear and present. Imagine a shiny, happier you! If this sounds great then pick and plan to do your cleanse soon. It’s definitely worth the effort!

Broccoli Cupcake – Think Fit Interview

I didn’t take a before and after photo of myself because I’ve been using coconut oil as my moisturizer for months.  But I recently had a college student mistake me for a fellow student and ask for skin-care tips when she learned my age.  I took that as a compliment and invited her to join the challenge. 

Since I started cooking with coconut oil about a year ago (and eating a diet of fresh, whole foods) here are a few of the positive changes I’ve noticed.  I lost close to 10 pounds when I first started and my weight has stabilized.  It now fluctuates in ounces instead of pounds.  My digestion has become more regular.  I feel healthier overall.  Most important, I’m not afraid of oil anymore, which makes cooking easier and more enjoyable. 

It wasn’t a controlled experiment so I can’t say without a shadow of a doubt that these are a direct result of the coconut oil, but I believe it has positively impacted my health and combined with a diet of fresh, whole foods has helped my body heal from the inside out. 

What did you find on your 30-day challenge?  Leave a note in the comments or link up to your blog.

Enjoying our new houseplant

With our history of upper respiratory infections, breathing issues and allergies, I recently became interested in the benefits of adding live plants to our home.  I’ve always been hesitant to spend the money on plants because I lack the necessary green-thumb to keep them alive.  But I’m determined to overcome this challenge so we can enjoy the many benefits of houseplants. 

So far, it’s been a bit of a challenge to keep them healthy, but I’m enjoying the learning process and the aesthetic value the plants add to our home.  Here are a few reasons to add live plants to your décor.

• Plants add oxygen and humidity to our air.  Both of these processes make the air healthier and easier to breath.
• More importantly (in my opinion) they clean the air.  Houseplants are known to remove toxins from the air including those given off by materials used to build such as formaldehyde and benzene.  This one really got my attention since we live in a new home in a new development and all of our breathing issues and allergies were originally magnified when we moved in.
• Plants also reduce air pollutants and dust particles including those released from our stoves and furnaces.
• Plants add asthetic value to our homes enhancing the appearance of a room.  Bascially, they’re just nice to look at.

Research shows that one large or two small houseplants per 100 square feet can enhance the air quality in our homes.  I’m starting with two large plants while I work on my foliage nurturing skills.  Once I’m more confident in my abilities I plan to invest in additional houseplants, especially for our bedrooms. 

Here are a few plant varieties that have a reputation for being easy to care for and hard to kill.

• Aloe Vera
• English Ivy
• Peace Lily (we have one of these)
• Boston Fern
• Philodendron

You can also improve your air quality by making a few changes to your cleaning products.

Do you have houseplants?  What varieties do you recommend?

Wow!  I think it’s going to take some time to digest (no pun intended) all that I took away from Food Inc.  I don’t think anyone can watch this movie and not be moved to take some sort of action – whether it’s at home – or on a larger scale.  I pray that I can convince my husband to watch it.  I’m sitting here with so many thoughts going through my head about positive changes we can make that aren’t a huge stretch from where we are now, but then I remember how picky my husband and son are and how hard our healthy new habits are for them.  To put it in perspective, my husband lost a bet at work, to pay up had to eat 5 bites of vegetables chosen by the winner.  He couldn’t swallow any of them without gagging and they cut his penalty to three bites to keep him from throwing up all over the cafeteria.     

It has taken time, but I know we are on the right track to improving our health and I believe there is more we can do as we continue to learn.  The more I read the more I understand how important what we eat is to our health and the health of the environment. 

I have to admit that after watching Food Inc. I wanted to forego my “everything in moderation” philosophy and try to eat solely off our (soon to be planted) garden and CSA share.  I seriously considered trying to feed my family without going to the grocery store at all.  Don’t worry.  I slept on that idea and came to my senses.  That’s not realistic for our family or for me.  We haven’t even been able to make it a month without eating out!    So here’s what we can realistically do.  The Food Inc. website lists 10 simple things anyone can do to change our food system.  I’ve listed them below with my notes on what we’re already doing or planning to do to meet these.  I think this is a solid start for now. 

Have you tried to implement any of these into your life?  How did it go?  What else are you doing to improve your family’s health?

1.  Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages. – We’ve done this for the most part although we still have an occasional soda when out to dinner or on a road trip.  I’m going to work on eliminating even the occasional soda from our diets. 
2. Eat at home instead of eating out. – I’m proud of the progress I’ve made in this area because we used to eat out ALL the time!  We’re down to an average of two times a week, but this is still a lot.  I’m working on my meal planning skills and time management and working toward saving meals out for special occasions and date nights.   
3. Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards. – Click here to learn more and sign a petition to support this legislation. 
4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks. – Visit Chef Ann Cooper, Renegade Lunch Lady, for ideas on how to improve school lunches (brown bag and cafeteria).  I’m planning to talk to the director at my boy’s school about a garden.  If you’d like more information or ideas about starting a garden at your child’s school email me at calie@broccolicupcake.com.    
5. Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week. – I know I have days where I don’t eat meat, but I can’t say the same for my husband and oldest son.  We’re going to work on going 100% meatless on Monday’s and build from there.  If you have yummy (and simple) meatless recipes please post them below.  I’ll share mine as I discover what works for our family.
6. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides. –Because we’re cutting back on meat I’m going to apply the money we save to upgrading some of our fruit and veggie choices to include more organic options.  We’re also planting a garden at the end of the month and will be participating in a local CSA.  These options will help us get the majority of our fruits and veggies pesticide free.  For many families, this is a financial issue so simply commit to doing what you can.  If you’re following tip #1 and giving up soda, apply the money you save to upgrading a few key veggies to organic options.  Plant a garden or look for a community gardening project you can join.  You may not be able to buy everything organic, but if you eat a lot of apples start there. 
7. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer’s market.- We discovered that the local farmer’s market is a really fun family outing.  They usually have live music, animals to visit, delicious breakfast or lunch options and lots of products to buy and sample.  Here’s a link to find a farmer’s market near you. 
8. Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.-  This can be extremely overwhelming so I like to look for a few key words on my packaged products.  Local, organic, and humanely treated are few that let me know the item is worth a closer look. 
9. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you. – I wasn’t sure where to start with this, but then I found there are lots of organizations already working on it.  Rather than write my own letters and researching where to send everything, I’ve looked for relevant campaigns that I can join by signing online petitions or copying pre-written letters to send to my local representatives.  Here’s a link to get started.  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/899970673
10. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections. – I honestly wasn’t sure where to start here, but the Food Inc. website linked to the United Farm Workers site so I’m now following them on Twitter and Facebook to learn more.