Home Archives for Maria Rickert Hong
February 7, 2014

Formaldehyde in Johnson and Johnson Products

Formaldehyde in Johnson and Johnson ProductsFormaldehyde in Johnson and Johnson products? For decades, Americans have come to believe that Johnson and Johnson’s products are perhaps the best choice for their babies.  I know that when my boys were little, I was given lots of little samples of their shampoos, body washes and powders for babies.

Now, Johnson and Johnson is finally yielding to pressure and changing the formulas of their personal-care products to remove known carcinogens:  formaldehyde (released by the ubiquitous quaternium-15) and 1,4-dioxane.  WHY WERE THESE ALLOWED TO BE IN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

I think it’s because we’ve collectively fallen asleep at the wheel.  I think most Americans assume, as I used to, that if it’s sold in a store, it must be safe because surely the FDA has tested it for safety.  NOT TRUE.

Most people don’t know that ingredients applied to your skin bypass the liver, meaning that those toxins are free to float around your baby’s body and inflict harm.

The sad thing is that we’ve placed our trust in this and other companies because we’ve been led to believe, by millions of dollars spent on marketing and advertising, that their products are safe.

The really sad thing is that our children are being born pre-polluted, and adding known carcinogens to their personal-care products is only hastening the time that they reach toxic overload.  This is one of the, if not THE, main reason why there is an epidemic of children’s chronic illnesses today, such as autism, ADHD, allergies, asthma and autoimmune.  As Jon Stewart said, “And that’s just the A’s”.

Filed Under: ASTHMA, AUTISM / PDD-NOS, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, CANCER, CARCINOGENS, GENERAL, HEALTH TOPICS, HEALTHY BABY, OTHER DISEASES, TOXINS Tagged: , ,
January 23, 2014

How Do I Use a Neti Pot?

How Do I Use a Neti Pot?If you have a cold or sinus infection, using a neti pot is one of the best things you can do to relieve your congestion and infection. You’re probably wondering, though, “How do I use a neti pot?”

Salt is anti-microbial, so it’ll help kill the virus causing your cold and the bacteria giving you an infection.  My doctor in New Orleans told me a long time ago that gargling with warm salt water is one of the best things you can do for your cold, and he was not wrong.

Salt is also very drying.  That’s why we put it on eggplant and squash to dry them out before roasting.  It pulls out the moisture in these vegetables, and it does the same for your nose and sinus cavities.

There are a couple of caveats to using a neti pot.  One is that using it can cause a sharp sting in the sinus cavities in your forehead, like the kind you got when you were a kid in the swimming pool and breathed in too much water too fast.

The other caveat is that you MUST boil the water in a cooking pot and then let it cool down before using it.  Boiling it will kill brain-eating amoebas and other nasty pathogens hanging out in your drinking water.

I don’t bother with buying the special salts sold with neti pots because they are a rip off.  All you need is a good sea salt or land salt, and you’re good to go.

What about you?  Have you tried one before?

Filed Under: EAR INFECTIONS, GENERAL, HEALTH TOPICS, SINUS INFECTIONS
January 23, 2014

Birth Practices and Breastfeeding Practices

Birth Practices and BreastfeedingI interviewed Jennifer Margulis, author of “The Business of Baby:  What Doctors Don’t Tell You, What Corporations Try to Sell You, and How to Put Your Pregnancy, Childbirth and Baby Before Their Bottom Line”.

In this webinar, you’ll discover how many common pregnancy practices, birth practices and infant care practices are driven, many times without safety studies, to keep you and your baby as a profit center.  Sign up below for the webinar replay:

Sign up to find out about:

  • The link between ultrasounds and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism
  • Why the maternal death rate doubled in the U.S. between 1990 and 2008
  • Why the C-section rate is so high now and how you’re more likely to have one if you have good medical insurance and at a for-profit hospital
  • Fetal induction and its role in emergency Cesarean sections
  • The link between C-sections and autism, allergies and asthma
  • The link between early cord clamping, anemia and neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD
  • How birth practices and breastfeeding practices can be linked to children’s chronic illnesses and neurodevelopmental disorders

When I was on the way to becoming a new parent, I was like most people out there, who assume that doctors and the healthcare system are looking out for us and have our best interests at heart.

Jennifer (Dr. Margulis, PhD) shows us how this just isn’t so. She shows us how pharmaceutical companies and medical-insurance companies are not only shaping for the worse what our healthcare choices are but also how there is a revolving door between them and federal government that drives federal healthcare policy.

You and I are looked at as long-term profit centers by the healthcare industry. Food and prevention don’t make a lot of profit, so they’re ignored. I love Jennifer’s quote, “You won’t see a farmer going to a doctor’s office with free kale in the hopes of getting pregnant patients hooked”.

Filed Under: ACID REFLUX (GERD), ADHD, ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, AUTISM / PDD-NOS, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, BIRTH TRAUMA, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, DIGESTIVE ISSUES, ECZEMA, GENERAL, HEALTH TOPICS, HEALTHY BABY, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, PRENATAL HEALTH, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER
January 9, 2014

Sugar and Health: Cut Out the Sugar!

Sugar and HealthI’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  Sugar is as addictive as drugs!  Sugar activates the same pleasure centers in your brain that hard drugs like morphine and heroin do, and you get a dopamine rush from consuming it.  No wonder it’s so hard to give up!

Sugar is pushed on us by an agricultural policy that subsidizes corn and sugar, making it a cheap and addictive additive to processed foods.  Fifty years ago, the average American consumed about 20 pounds of sugar per year; these days, it’s around 130 pounds.  No wonder we’re an obese nation!

I think by now, we all know that sugar and processed foods can lead to diabetes and obesity, but here are some other reasons why you’ll want to cut out the sugar if you’re looking to improve your health.

Sugar and Health

  • Sugar feeds cancer.  Sugar in all of its forms, including high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, agave, etc., feeds cancer because it causes angiogenesis, the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor.
  • Sugar suppresses the immune system.  Glucose, fructose, sucrose and other simple sugars cause a 50% reduction in the number of white blood cells that engulf pathogenic bacteria.
  • Sugar feeds Candida and other intestinal pathogens.  Candidiasis is a systemic, whole-body infection with the Candida albicans yeast.  Sugar feeds Candida and other intestinal pathogens, which in turn suppress the immune system.
  • Sugar causes inflammation.  Sugary foods cause an increase of inflammatory cytokines. An overproduction or inappropriate production of certain cytokines by the body can result in diseases like heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases.
  • Sugar ages your skin faster.  Wanna know why I look 15 years younger than I am?  I don’t eat much sugar.  The free radicals caused by its inflammatory actions age the skin (as well as what you don’t see on the inside).
  • Sugar uses up valuable nutrients to process it.  For example, it takes a LOT of magnesium to process sugar, and magnesium is both woefully deficient in the Standard American Diet and necessary to calm the central nervous system.
  • Sugar causes adrenal fatigue.  Cortisol, made by your adrenal glands, controls blood-sugar swings. Too much sugar can cause excess cortisol production, leading eventually to adrenal fatigue, where your adrenals can’t make enough cortisol to get you through the day with enough energy.
  • Sugar decreases your ability to concentrate.  A high-sugar diet leads to a lack of attention in children (and adults, too!) as well as an increase in adrenaline.
  • Sugar increases your appetite.  Sugar doesn’t tell your brain that you’re full and that you should stop eating, which is why you can scarf down a whole box of crackers or cookies and still be hungry.

Giving up sugar is hard, and sheer willpower probably won’t be enough to do it.  I’ve found that cutting out processed foods while adding in foods made from scratch and whole grains helps.

Let me be clear on what I mean by “made from whole grains”.  I mean food made with the whole brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats grain/kernel, not flakes or flour made by grinding up these grains and seeds.  I mean food made with the whole wheat berry, if you eat wheat, not bread or cookies or waffles or pancakes made from whole wheat flour.  I mean whole oat groats, not oatmeal.  Grinding a grain into flour increases its glycemic load, meaning it can raise your blood sugar very quickly.

Looking for some dessert recipes that aren’t too sweet and don’t have too much sugar?  Try out these favorites:

Filed Under: ADRENAL FATIGUE, CANCER, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, DIGESTIVE ISSUES, FOOD AND NUTRITION, FOOD CHOICES, GENERAL, GUT DYSBIOSIS, HEALTH TOPICS, INFLAMMATION, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES, OTHER DISEASES, STANDARD AMERICAN DIET (SAD), SUGAR, TYPE 2 DIABETES
December 15, 2013

Grain Free Brownies

Grain Free Brownies These gluten-free, grain-free brownies are more of the cake type. I’ve substituted a low-glycemic sugar (palm sugar, coconut sugar, succanat or rapidura) for regular sugar.

Make these an occasional treat, not an everyday snack or dessert.

Serves:  16

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup ghee or coconut oil (melted)
  • 6 large pasture-raised eggs
  • 1 cup palm sugar, coconut sugar, succanat or rapidura
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder (sifted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour (sifted)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8″ x 8″ baking dish.

Whisk cocoa powder, coconut flour, salt and sugar together. Blend in coconut oil.

Whisk eggs and vanilla together. Mix with dry ingredients.

Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

See Also

Dairy-Free Recipes

Egg-Free Recipes

Gluten-Free Recipes

Sign up for my best gluten-free, dairy-free recipes below:

Filed Under: DESSERTS, RECIPES Tagged: , , ,
December 4, 2013

Gluten Free Hype?

Gluten Free Hype?A lot of people are going gluten-free these days – is gluten free hype or a real and growing trend?

I would argue that it’s a real and growing trend, and it’s not just because the number of patients diagnosed with celiac disease is growing.

Gluten Isn’t What It Used to Be

A whole host of publications have come out recently that argue against gluten in the diet (“Grain Brain“, “Wheat Belly” and “The Dark Side of Wheat“), mainly because the gluten we eat today, which comes mainly in the form of wheat, is not the same as what our grandparents ate.

Wheat has been hybridized and genetically manipulated to the extent that our bodies recognize it as foreign and unfriendly.

In fact, recently there was an online “Gluten Summit“, in which celiac researchers, functional-medicine doctors and holistic nutritionists collectively agreed that gluten should be removed from our most, if not all, of our diets.

Effects of Gluten on Our Bodies

As more and more people discover that their allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders are exacerbated by food allergies and intolerances, these people discover that removing allergenic foods, such as gluten, from their diets makes them feel better.

Removing gluten from your diet can relieve you from a lot of symptoms that you might typically take an over-the-counter medication for such as bloating, headaches, constipation, diarrhea, inability to focus, fatigue and joint pain.

The best way to know if gluten is affecting you is to be a food detective.  Eliminate all forms of it (wheat, rye, barley, soy sauce, non-gluten-free oats and more) from your diet for at least a week, then add it back in.  Beware of hidden sources of gluten, such as those found in salad dressings, soups, puddings, processed meats and ice cream.

Keep a food journal and keep an eye out for any unusual symptoms, such as the ones I described above.  They might not just be a coincidence, and they might take 2 or 3 days to reappear, so be patient.

Working Gluten-Free Foods into Your Diet

I don’t recommend that you replace all of your gluten-filled foods with their gluten-free counterparts.  Doing so will get you a lot of gluten-free junk food.  Typically, these pancakes, cookies, waffles, breads, etc. are loaded with corn and potato starch as dough softeners, and adding more of these high-glycemic starches to your diet can adversely affect your blood sugar.

Instead, I recommend adding in gluten-free whole foods into your diet:  brown rice, wild rice, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, non-GMO corn and potatoes are great starting points.  If you’re baking, my favorite grain-based gluten-free flour is sorghum, or you could try non-grain flours made from coconuts or nuts.

Here are some easy gluten-free recipes for you try out this holiday season:

 

 

Filed Under: ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, CELIAC DISEASE, DIGESTIVE ISSUES, FOOD AND NUTRITION, FOOD CHOICES, HEALTH TOPICS Tagged: ,
November 25, 2013

Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes

Thanksgiving day

My favorite Thanksgiving dishes are all gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free and soy-free. For the most part, they’re also full of vegetables!

[listly id=”BTZ” layout=”full”]

Filed Under: DESSERTS, OTHER VEGETABLES, RECIPES, SIDE DISHES Tagged: , , , , ,
November 25, 2013

Dairy Free Sweet Potatoes

Dairy Free Sweet Potatoes I use Hannah yams instead of sweet potatoes in this dairy free sweet potatoes dish because they’re creamier and not as sweet as regular sweet potatoes.

One of the quirks of the Paleo diet is that sweet potatoes are legal, while regular potatoes are not.

Because the Paleo diet excludes many carb sources, this is a tasty way to get necessary carbs into your diet.

Serves:  8

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time:  1 hour, 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 large sweet potatoes (I prefer hannah yams. They’re creamier and not as sweet as sweet potatoes.)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil or ghee
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup applesauce (preferably homemade)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 large apples (peeled, cored and sliced into 1-inch slices)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet or Silpat and bake until until tender, 80-90 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Scoop out insides of potatoes and place in electric mixer bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and coconut milk, and mix on medium speed with paddle attachment until smooth. Add in applesauce, ginger and salt.

Transfer mixture to baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Cook apples in remaining coconut oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Place apples on top of sweet potato mixture and serve.

See Also

Dairy-Free Recipes

Egg-Free Recipes

Gluten-Free Recipes

Sign up for my best gluten-free, dairy-free recipes below:

Filed Under: OTHER VEGETABLES, RECIPES, SIDE DISHES Tagged: , , , , ,
November 24, 2013

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie Cardamom is a nice addition to this grain-free pumpkin pie that is gluten-free and dairy-free. It’s also GAPS/SCD and Paleo-legal.

Serves:  8

Prep time:  30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1-1/2 cup almond flour
  • 3/4 cups whole pecans (soaked overnight, rinsed, drained and dehydrated)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons raw, local honey
  • 1 large pasture-raised egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I prefer Celyon cinnamon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

For the filling:

  • 1 medium pie pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk
  • 3 large pasture-raised eggs
  • 1 large pasture-raised egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I prefer Celyon cinnamon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup raw, local honey

Directions

For the crust:

Add the pecans to a food processor and process until they have turned into a coarse flour. Add the rest of the crust ingredients and process for 15 seconds, until a dough forms.

Press the dough into a pie plate, spreading it up the sides and covering the bottom. Price a few shallow holes in the crust with a fork to keep it from bubbling when baking.

Bake the crust at 325F for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and cool for 10 minutes, then place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

For the filling:

Cut pumpkin in half; scoop out seeds. Place halves in a steamer basket and steam on the stove over for 20-30 minutes, or until soft. Scoop out filling.

Put 2c. of pumpkin filling into a medium bowl; freeze the rest for later use. Whisk remaining ingredients together with filling. Pour the filling into frozen pie crust.

Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until the custard has set but is still slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and refrigerate until chilled.

See Also

Dairy-Free Recipes

Egg-Free Recipes

Gluten-Free Recipes

Sign up for my best gluten-free, dairy-free recipes below:

Filed Under: DESSERTS, RECIPES Tagged: , , ,
November 21, 2013

Wild Rice Dressing

Wild Rice Dressing If you’re looking for a gluten-free, savory side dish to add to your rotation or holiday table, try this easy and satisfying wild rice dressing dish.

Serves:  12

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time:  1 hour

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cups wild rice (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)
  • 3/4 cups brown basmati rice (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)
  • 4 cups cold, filtered water or homemade broth
  • 1 piece kombu (kelp)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup pecans (soaked overnight, rinsed, drained and dehydrated)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or ghee
  • 1 medium onion (peeled and diced)
  • 3 large celery ribs (diced)
  • 8oz shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 1-1/2 tablespoon fresh sage or thyme (minced)
  • 1 large carrot (peeled and diced)

Directions

Combine rice, broth, kombu and sea salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes. Drain grains and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325F. Adjust oven rack to middle shelf. Spread pecans on a cookie sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Coarsely chop.

In a wide heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil. Saute onions over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent stick. Add carrots and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in celery with a pinch of sea salt; continue cooking another 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage; saute another minute. Remove from pan.

Wipe out pan and heat another 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add in mushrooms and saute until light brown. Add in other vegetables, rice, pecans and parsley. Stir to combine.

See Also

Dairy-Free Recipes

Egg-Free Recipes

Gluten-Free Recipes

Sign up for my best gluten-free, dairy-free recipes below:

Filed Under: GRAINS, RECIPES Tagged: , , ,
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