March 11, 2016

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Sauce

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon SauceEating steamed artichokes is a great way to stimulate bile flow and eliminate toxins from the liver. Artichokes are related to milk thistle, which is commonly used to support the liver.
Serves:  4
Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time:  40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 large artichokes
  • 3 medium lemons (quartered and juiced)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1-1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Trim stems and cut off top 1/2 inch of leaves. Cut off top of remaining leaves to remove points with kitchen shears.

Step 2

Place steam basket at bottom of large stock pot. Fill pot with water until just below basket.

Step 3

Add bay leaves, parsley, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon salt to water.

Step 4

Place artichokes and quartered lemons cut side down on steamer basket.

Step 5

Bring pot to simmer. Cover. Cook 30-40 minutes, until an outer leaf easily pulls off of artichoke.

Step 6

While artichokes are steaming, combine olive oil, lemon juice and remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

Step 7

Dip artichoke leaves into sauce and eat! Be sure to cut out the artichoke hearts underneath the spines and eat that too once you’ve eaten all the leaves.

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Filed Under: APPETIZERS, RECIPES, SIDE DISHES
March 11, 2016

Braised Endive and Fennel

Braised Endive and FennelBaking softens the bitterness of endive and brings out the sweetness of fennel. This braised endive and fennel recipe is super-easy to make and delicious!

Serves:  6
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 heads Belgian endive (cut in half, lengthwise through the root)
  • 3 bulbs fennel (cut into thin wedges)
  • 1 teaspoon ghee or coconut oil
  • 1-1/2 cup homemade vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries ((optional))
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400F.
Step 2
Coat inside of 9″x13″ roasting pan with ghee or coconut oil.
Step 3
Arrange fennel and endive in pan. Cover with broth. Add salt. Sprinkle with dried cranberries.
Step 4
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the fennel is tender.

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Filed Under: LEAFY GREENS, RECIPES, SIDE DISHES
February 1, 2016

Fire Tonic

Fire Tonic Fire tonic, also known as fire cider, is a folk-remedy recipe that’s been passed down through the ages.

A tablespoon or so of it a day may be enough to strengthen your body to help prevent colds and flu.

Serves:  64

Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup ginger root (peeled and shredded)
  • 1/2 cup horseradish root (peeled and shredded)
  • 1/2 cup turmeric root (peeled and shredded)
  • 1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 head garlic (cloves peeled and crushed)
  • 2 medium hot peppers (cayenne, jalapeno, etc.) (chopped)
  • 2 large lemons (zested and juiced)
  • 2 large oranges (zested and juiced)
  • 5 sprigs rosemary
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • raw apple cider vinegar
  • raw, local honey (to taste)

Directions

Step 1
Add all ingredients except for vinegar and honey to a half-gallon mason jar. Fill up to top with raw apple cider vinegar. Cover mouth of jar with wax paper, then lid and screw on jar ring over it. Let sit on countertop for a month; shake daily.
Step 2
After a month, strain juice through cheesecloth. Add honey to taste. Store in a glass container and drink a tablespoon daily during cold and flu season.

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Filed Under: JUICES & TEAS, RECIPES
October 1, 2015

Medical Marijuana for Autism and Seizures

Medical Marijuana for Autism and SeizuresI interviewed Thalia Michelle and Amy Lou, co-founders of Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism (MAMMA) about the use of medical marijuana for autism and seizures. You can sign up for the replay here:

Medical marijuana is NOT the same as recreational marijuana.

We’ll be educating you about the safety of medical marijuana for autism and seizures and its anti-inflammatory and other properties.

We discuss CBD, THC and other endocannabinoids and how the human body has endocannabinoid receptors throughout, and especially in the brain and body.

Children with autism and seizures are typically deficient in endocannabinoids. Medicinal cannabis corrects that deficiency, much as taking vitamins and minerals would correct those deficiencies.

In this webinar, we go over symptoms that medical marijuana can help with. We also discuss what the law is in each state that determines your ability to access it.

Thalia and Amy Lou provide a host of resources, doctors, non-profits, advocates, patent information and medical research that specialize in medical marijuana for autism and seizures.

MAMMA seeks to educate legislators, empower other mothers (and fathers) to become advocates, and bring the message of hope and reform.

MAMMA serves as a resource for other advocates interested in autism as a qualifying condition for the use of medical marijuana.

 

Filed Under: AUTISM / PDD-NOS, HEALTH TOPICS, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS Tagged: ,
September 11, 2015

Apricot-Glazed Roast Duck

Apricot-Glazed Roast Duck Roast duck is a delicious alternative or addition to your holiday menu.

This recipe is extremely easy to make, yet your family and guests will love it.

You can substitute fruit spreads in other flavors such as orange or cherry if you don’t have apricot fruit spread.

Serves:  6
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour, 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 4-1/2 to 5 lb. duck
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • sea salt
  • 1 cup apricot spreadable fruit
  • 1/2 cup raw, local honey

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 450F.
Step 2
Dry duck with paper towels. Sprinkle sea salt and rub garlic onto duck skin. Place in a roasting pan.
Step 3
Place in oven. Lower temperature to 350F. Roast 20 minutes per pound.
Step 4
Mix preserves and honey in a bowl. Brush onto duck skin 15 minutes before duck is done. Return to oven and roast for remaining 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

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Filed Under: MEATS, RECIPES
September 8, 2015

Essential Oils for Autism

I am fascinated with the use of essential oils (EOs) for feeling better physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Even the late Dr. Jeff Bradstreet gave a nod to them during one of his presentations at this year’s AutismOne conference.

In fact, Dr. Bradstreet said that certain essential oils for autism can modify the endocannabinoid pathway, an all-important biochemical pathway that is turning out to be a master regulatory pathway in the body.

Medicine is now seeing that an endocannabinoid deficiency is common in children with autism and other spectrum disorders.

Dr. Bradstreet noted that lavender, rosemary, hops, cloves, cannabis and black pepper essential oils for autism can modify this pathway. Cloves and black pepper EOs are high in beta-caryophyllene, a sesquiterpene.

Look for me to fill you in on more biochemistry of EOs in the future, but in the meantime, if you’d like to experience them yourself, you can click here (use code #1799845) to sign up as a distributor and save 24% off retail (they’ll need your social security number for tax purposes) or to simply buy them at retail (you won’t need to provide your social security number).

If you do sign up as a distributor, you’ll need to purchase $50 of product per month to stay active. Because I have fun playing around with essential oils, I found that I easily met this goal.

Filed Under: AUTISM / PDD-NOS, HEALTH TOPICS, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES Tagged:
June 24, 2015

Brain Based Physical Therapy with Janessa Rick

Brain Based Physical Therapy with Janessa RickI interviewed Janessa Rick of Body4Brain, a brain-based assessment and therapeutic treatment approach in Greenwich, CT.

Sign up below for the replay:

Janessa’s approach brings together brain based theory with her 25 years of experience as a physical therapist and holistic body worker.

This approach can help children with their academic, behavioral and developmental skills. It can also help children and adults with rehabilitation needs.

Janessa Rick helps individuals with sensori-motor processing disorders such as autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder.

She uses techniques including NDT, Myofascial Release and Pilates. She creates an energetic, fun and most importantly, successful treatment for you and/or your child.

In this webinar, we also talked about hypotonia, retained reflexes and developmental delays. We also discussed the therapy-based school that Janessa plans to open in the fall of 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: ADHD, AUTISM / PDD-NOS, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, HEALTH TOPICS, HYPOTONIA, LEARNING DISABILITIES, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, RETAINED REFLEXES, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER
June 10, 2015

Safe Sunscreen

Safe sunscreenAs a redhead with blue eyes, I have to be very careful about going into the sun. I don’t tan; I burn!

I’m very wary about the chemicals that are used in typical sunscreens. Many of these chemicals, such as oxybenzone, vitamin A (retinyl) palmitate, fragrance, parabens and phthalates, cause endocrine or neurological damage.

However, I believe it’s important to get some sun so I can activate the cholesterol in my skin and turn it into vitamin D. There’s a vitamin D deficiency in this country that is especially high in kids with autism as well as other autoimmune diseases.

The trick is to get a little bit of sun for maybe 10 minutes or so, right before my skin turns pink, and then put some safe sunscreen on.

How do you know if you have a safe sunscreen? Check out the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Sunscreens. The EWG is my go-to source checking the safety rating of personal-care products, cleaning products, cellphones and produce.

About two thirds of the sunscreens tested contain toxic ingredients!

 

Filed Under: AUTISM / PDD-NOS, CARCINOGENS, GENERAL, HEALTH TOPICS, HEALTHY HOME, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, TOXINS
April 15, 2015

Maria’s Paleo Morning Smoothie

Maria’s Paleo Morning Smoothie I’ve created a Paleo morning smoothie recipe that is LOADED with super foods like spirulina, chia seeds, chaga, reishi, barley grass juice powder (it’s gluten-free, no worries) and flax oil.

Not only is this smoothie highly alkalizing, it’s delicious

Ingredients

  • 1 medium banana
  • 1/3 cup wild blueberries
  • 1/3 cup cherries
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds (soaked for 2 minutes, then stirred)
  • 1 tablespoon nut butter of choice
  • 2 teaspoons barley grass juice powder
  • 1 teaspoon chaga powder
  • 1 teaspoon reishi powder
  • 1 teaspoon flax oil
  • 1 heaped tablespoon spirulina powder
  • 1 tablespoon nut butter
  • 1 teaspoon flax oil

Directions

Step 1
Place all ingredients except for flax oil into a blender; process until smooth.
Step 2
Pour blended ingredients into a glass. Stir in flax oil.

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Filed Under: BEVERAGES, BREAKFASTS, JUICES & TEAS, RECIPES Tagged: , ,
March 5, 2015

Roasted Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus The bitter flavor of roasted asparagus is excellent for stimulating bile production and flow, which is necessary for proper digestion and detoxification.

Ingredients

  • 1lb asparagus (tough ends chopped off)
  • 1 medium lemon (juiced and zested)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Step 1
Place all ingredients in a baking dish; toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes at 350F.

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Filed Under: OTHER VEGETABLES, RECIPES
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