Home Archives for Maria Rickert Hong
April 13, 2013

Creamy Avocado Zucchini Noodles

Creamy Avocado Zucchini NoodlesThis creamy avocado zucchini noodles recipe is GAPS, SCD and Paleo legal.

If you’re gluten- or grain-free, here’s a way to eat some vegan, creamy noodles and get more veggies, too!

Serves:  4

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time:  4 minutes

Source:  Empowered Sustenance

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 4 tablespoons SCD yogurt or coconut milk (if you want a dairy-free version, use coconut milk)
  • 2 medium ripe avocados
  • 4 medium zucchini (shredded with a julienne peeler)
  • sea salt (to taste)
  • 1 medium freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Heat the oil in a saute’ pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and saute’ for 3-4 minutes, until zucchini has softened. Stir often.

While zucchini is cooking, use a fork to mash up the avocado with the yogurt/mayo/coconut milk, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. It should resemble a smooth guacamole. Turn off the heat and toss the sauce in the sauteed zucchini to warm the sauce. Serve immediately.

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Filed Under: OTHER VEGETABLES, RECIPES Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,
April 11, 2013

Asparagus Benefits

Asparagus BenefitsIt’s spring (finally!), and I’m craving fresh vegetables.  I kid you not:  once you eat a cleaner diet, you like the way it makes you feel.

One of my favorite spring vegetables is asparagus.  It’s one of the vegetables that I crave most this type of year.

I read over and over again about “spring detoxes”, and I think there’s really something to it.  I think that our bodies, like the earth, are awakening after a long sluggish season of heavy, winter comfort foods.  Let me tell you about asparagus benefits, as well as those of other bitter vegetables.

The Health Benefits of Bitter Vegetables

Asparagus is a bit of a bitter vegetable, and bitter flavors are excellent for stimulating bile production and flow, which is necessary for proper digestion.

Many times, bile gets clogged and doesn’t flow well for various reasons:  consumption of processed foods (vegetable oils, refined grains, sugar, preservatives, etc.), stress and toxicity are the biggest reasons.

Hardened bile can clog our liver, gallbladder and ducts between each other as well as to the pancreas. These gallstones can limit and impair the crucial function of these organs.  Without their function, our health slowly and steadily declines.

Bitter flavors also help cleanse the liver, and dandelion and artichokes are other bitter vegetables that performs these functions along with asparagus.

Asparagus contains a good amount of cysteine, an amino acid that is, along with glutamine and glycine, used inside the body to make glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant.  Glutathione is essential for detoxing the liver.

So there you have it:  that’s why I crave asparagus in the spring – my body wants to detox!

Filed Under: FOOD AND NUTRITION, FOOD CHOICES, HEALTH TOPICS, VEGETABLES Tagged: , , , , , ,
April 10, 2013

Lentil Salad with Lemon-Rosemary Vinaigrette

Lentil Salad with Lemon-Rosemary VinaigretteThis easy-to-prepare lentil salad works nicely as a main salad or side dish.  It’s GAPS and SCD-legal.

Serves:  8

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time:  45 minutes

Source:  Rustic Italian (Williams-Sonoma): Simple, Authentic Recipes for Everyday Cooking

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 large lemons, freshly squeezed and zested
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (minced)
  • 2 pinches sea salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the lentils:

  • 3 cups carrots (peeled and coarsely chopped)
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 2 large shallots (cut lengthwise into thin wedges)
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil (melted; if you want a dairy-free version, use either ghee or coconut oil)
    sea salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 1-1/2 cup French lentils (small greenish/black)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove garlic (crushed flat but left whole)

Directions

For the vinaigrette:

In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, rosemary and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Let stand at room temperature while you make the salad.

For the lentils:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the carrots, asparagus and shallots to a baking dish and drizzle with melted ghee or coconut oil and toss to coat. Season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and a grinding of pepper. Spread out into a single layer. Roast until browned in spots and tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the lentils, bay leaf, garlic, and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a gentle simmer until the lentils are almost tender, but still slightly undercooked, 12-15 minutes. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, recover and cook until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes longer. Drain the lentils in a colander placed in the sink. Discard the bay leaf and the garlic.

Transfer lentils to a large salad bowl and add the carrots and shallots. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve warm.

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Filed Under: BEANS & LEGUMES, RECIPES, SALADS, SIDE DISHES Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
April 8, 2013

WHERE ARE MY HEAVY-METAL LEVELS NOW?

mercury rippleI’ve been chelating to remove heavy metals for a while now.  I had myself retested back in January 2011, and my levels of heavy metals had declined significantly.

“H” means higher than the reference range, and “VH” means it’s a way-high number.  My initial mercury levels were literally off the charts! Mercury is toxic at one part per billion, which is about the same concentration as one grain of salt in one swimming pool.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: ADRENAL FATIGUE, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, CANCER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DETOXIFICATION, GENERAL, HEALTH TOPICS, HEAVY METALS, LIVER FUNCTION, OTHER DISEASES, TOXINS Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
March 25, 2013

Dandelion Salad with Warm Hazelnut Vinaigrette

Dandelion Salad with Warm Hazelnut Vinaigrette The bitterness of dandelion greens makes them an excellent digestive agent in this dandelion salad – perfect for spring!

Serves:  4

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches dandelion greens
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained, then dehydrated)
  • 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons raw, local honey
  • sea salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions

Wash greens, remove stems and chop into 3/4-inch pieces, then place greens in a large mixing bowl. Heat oil in a sauté pan on medium low, then add garlic and nuts, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, and pour the hot vinaigrette over the dandelion salad and toss well.

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Filed Under: LEAFY GREENS, RECIPES, SALADS Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
March 24, 2013

Cucumber Citrus Seaweed Salad

Cucumber Citrus Seaweed SaladThe sea vegetables in this seaweed salad are an excellent source of minerals, especially iodine, which are extremely important for adrenal and thyroid gland function.

Serves:  8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 medium cucumbers (peeled and sliced into thin rounds)
  • 4 pinches sea salt
  • 1/2 cup dried wakame
  • 1 large orange (zested and juiced)
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (minced)
  • 1/4 cup scallions (chopped)
  • 6 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons raw, local honey

Directions

Place cucumbers and sea salt in a medium bowl. Rub the salt into the cucumbers until water starts to be released. Place a large plate on cucumbers; add a small weighted object on top of plate. Let “press” for 20 minutes.

Soak the wakame in a small bowl with enough water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove seaweed and chop roughly. Discard soaking water.

Place the pressed cucumbers, wakame, orange zest, cilantro and scallions into a bowl. Mix well.

In a small separate bowl, add the vinegar, orange juice, coconut aminos and honey. Stir well. Pour into seaweed salad. Stir well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.

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Filed Under: APPETIZERS, RECIPES, SALADS, SEA VEGETABLES, SIDE DISHES Tagged: , , , , , , ,
March 22, 2013

Acid Reflux Medication Dangers

Acid Reflux Medication DangersBelieve it or not, acid reflux medication dangers are real, and these medications do major harm to your body. Shocking, right?

It’s true.  All of those medications (Prevacid, Nexium, Zantac, Prilosec, omeprazole, even Tums) reduce stomach acid, which is what they are designed to do.

The problem is that acid reflux is actually caused by TOO LITTLE stomach acid, not too much.  Counter-intuitive, right?  So what happens when you have too little stomach acid?  For starters, you can’t properly digest food, leading to nutritional deficiencies, particularly magnesium, calcium and vitamin B12.

A magnesium deficiency is linked to:

  • Anxiety and panic attacks
  • Asthma
  • Blood clots
  • Bowel disease
  • Cystitis
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Heart disease
  • Hypertension
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Inability to detoxify
  • Insomnia
  • Kidney disease
  • Liver disease
  • Migraines
  • Musculoskeletal conditions
  • Nerve problems
  • Premenstrual syndrome
  • Osteoporosis
  • Raynaud’s Syndrome
  • Tooth decay

A calcium deficiency is linked to:

  • Delayed development
  • Dermatitis
  • Lethargy
  • Mental confusion
  • Muscle cramps
  • Numbness or tingling of the fingers
  • Osteoporosis
  • Poor appetite
  • Rickets
  • Skeletal malformations

A vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to multiple neurological disorders, including

  • Abnormal reflexes
  • Anemia
  • Anorexia
  • Apathy
  • Ataxia
  • Balance problems
  • Dementia
  • Depression
  • Developmental delay or regression
  • Difficulty walking
  • Dizziness
  • Failure to thrive
  • Fatigue
  • Forgetfulness, memory loss
  • Generalized weakness
  • Hallucinations
  • Hypotonia
  • Impotence
  • Involuntary movements
  • Irritability
  • Language delay
  • Lower IQ
  • Macrocytosis (enlarged red-blood cells)
  • Mania
  • Mental retardation
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Pallor
  • Paranoia
  • Personality changes
  • Poor head growth
  • Poor motor skills
  • Poor socialization
  • Poor weight gain
  • Psychosis
  • Restless legs
  • Seizures
  • Shortness of breath
  • Speech problems
  • Tremor
  • Unsteady or abnormal gait
  • Urinary or fecal incontinence
  • Violent behavior
  • Visual disturbances
  • Weakness

Not only do acid reducers cause nutritional deficiencies, but they also take away an important component of our immune system.  Stomach acid is used to kill nasty bugs, viruses, parasites and bacteria.  Without enough stomach acid, guess what happens?  That’s right – infection.

By prescribing proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), doctors are putting their patients at a higher risk for infections like pneumonia and gastroenteritis, as well as getting more colds and stomach bugs.

In addition, by taking acid-reflux drugs, you’re more likely to get sick more often because your immune system can’t fight off these offenders.  It also makes the rest of the gastrointestinal tract susceptible to bacterial overgrowth.

Is it worth taking acid-reflux medication?  I don’t think so, and I can tell you that, as a mom, I was furious at the doctors who prescribed them to my boys for their acid reflux after I found out how truly dangerous these drugs are.

 

Filed Under: ACID REFLUX (GERD), ADRENAL FATIGUE, ALZHEIMER'S, ANEMIA, ANXIETY, ASTHMA, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, BIPOLAR DISORDER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DEPRESSION, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, DIGESTIVE ISSUES, ENDOCRINE ISSUES, FIBROMYALGIA, FOOD AND NUTRITION, GENERAL, GUT DYSBIOSIS, HEALTH TOPICS, HYPOTONIA, IBS, INSOMNIA, IRREGULAR CYCLES, LIVER FUNCTION, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES, OSTEOPOROSIS, OTHER DISEASES, PHARMACEUTICALS, TOXINS Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
March 21, 2013

Statin Dangers

Statin DangersStatins are increasingly being prescribed to bring down high cholesterol levels, which are thought by many in the medical community to be dangerous. I disagree.

Your brain and neurological system need cholesterol to function. As Dr. Sherry Rogers says in her September 2007 edition of her “Total Wellness Newsletter” (I highly recommend you subscribe to it to keep yourself updated about how doctors aren’t paying attention to health problems created by toxicity, nutritional deficiencies and side effects of prescription medication):  “Robbing the body of cholesterol synthesis deprives the brain of dolichols, messengers or neurotransmitters, damages our NF-kB production that then ushers in:

She then goes on to say that they can cause sudden amnesia. That’s a scary thing to think about: what if you’re on statins and you’re driving a car and all of a sudden you get amnesia?

Recent research has shown that statins also increase your risk of diabetes.

Remember, cholesterol is NOT the enemy – inflammation is!  Cholesterol is simply the band-aid that is trying to protect your body from chronic inflammation.

In addition, remember that if you’re lowering cholesterol, you’re also lowering levels of hormones that are made from them, like progesterone and testosterone, which is why a low sex drive is also a side effect of taking statins.

Dr. Rogers points out in her February 2011 edition of “Total Wellness Newsletter” that “plasticizers and phthalates… are the number one culprit for a rising cholesterol or other lipid abnormalities. Plus they trigger the inflammation called arteriosclerosis.”

Most doctors simply don’t take into account the effect of toxicity on our health, but the research is there if they look for it.

Here are some great resources for educating you and your doctor further about statin dangers and the demonization of cholesterol.  This is just a small sample of the over 900 studies that have shown the dangers of statins:

 

Filed Under: CANCER, ENDOCRINE ISSUES, GENERAL, HEALTH TOPICS, INFLAMMATION, OTHER DISEASES, PHARMACEUTICALS, PHTHALATES, PHTHALATES, PLASTICS, TOXINS Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
March 18, 2013

HEALING ECZEMA WITH THE GAPS DIET

My sons have had eczema their whole lives.  It has ranged from cradle cap (did you know that was a form of eczema?) to itchy bumps in the creases of the knees and elbows to full-blown bloody red rashes on the arms and legs.

Pediatricians, as usual (sorry!), were useless in treating eczema.  Their standard advice was to “put a little cortisone cream on it”.  I did try that a few times at first with my older son, but I quickly grew worried about the effects of it on his already-poor immune system.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: ADHD, ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, AUTISM / PDD-NOS, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, CANDIDA, DEPRESSION, DIGESTIVE ISSUES, ECZEMA, FERMENTED FOODS, FOOD AND NUTRITION, GUT DYSBIOSIS, GUT-HEALING DIETS, HEALTH TOPICS, LYME DISEASE, LYME DISEASE, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, SCHIZOPHRENIA, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, TOXINS Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
March 13, 2013

Navy Bean Chili

Navy Bean ChiliThis navy bean chili is such a comfort food for me. It’s so easy to make, everyone loves it, and it’s full of antioxidants! It’s also GAPS/SCD-legal.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried navy beans (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)
  • 3 cups filtered water
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 small kombu (kelp) piece
  • 6-8oz pastured ground beef or bison
  • 1 large onion (peeled and diced)
  • 1 large red bell pepper (seeded and finely diced)
  • 2 large carrots (peeled and diced)
  • 2 stalks celery (diced)
  • 3 large tomatoes (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon habenro or other hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (minced)

Directions

Discard bean soaking water. Bring beans, water and kombu to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Reduce flame, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Add 1 tsp. sea salt and continue cooking for 1/2 hour.

In a separate pan, melt the ghee over medium heat. Saute’ the beef and onions, breaking the beef into small pieces. Add carrot, celery, bell pepper tomatoes, garlic, hot sauce and spice. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes.

Combine sauteed vegetables and beef with the beans. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Garnish with fresh parsley.

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Filed Under: BEANS & LEGUMES, RECIPES, SOUPS Tagged: , , , , ,
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