I play the love/hate game when it comes to getting test results back. Are you the same?
I love knowing exactly what is happening with my body (especially the why), as it gives me the opportunity to be the true Taurean that I am and run head first into finding a solution.
Sometimes, however it’s like opening a can of worms.
Needless to say, the list that’s as long as my arm received from my recent visit to my Naturopath of all the vitamins and minerals I’m severely deficient in and the list of all the vitamins, minerals and metals my body is inundated with has left me a little overwhelmed, to say the least.
So I’m taking it a step at a time and thought I’d share my finds with you, just in case you too are a little overwhelmed with it all at the moment.
So first up to the plate, is da da daaaaa…….Potassium.
Pecans. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, they can help decrease “bad cholesterol” and increases “good cholesterol” levels in the blood.
Seriously. A simple nut can help do this?!
They’re also a wonderful nut to consume for those of us suffering the effects of hypothyroidism, as they’re a rich source of manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
About 2 years ago a dermatologist insisted that steroids were the answer to the mind-numbing “scratch till you bleed” rash that was taking over my body (and my patience).
That was the day I left her office in tears (without the prescription) and stumbled across the I Quit Sugar website. I was signed up to the program within minutes, and have never looked back.
By the end of the 8 week program, the rash had all but gone, my eyes shone, my skin glowed and I once again felt in control.
No idea how to celebrate and spoil your mum this Mother’s Day?
Perhaps you’re a little like me and dislike buying “material” stuff that you know your mum doesn’t need or want, but because she’s way too polite to tell you so, she will smile, accept it, display it and then allow it to inevitably end up gathering dust.
My favourite way to spoil people in my life is with either an activity – this could be from a yummy meal out, or perhaps a show or visit to a museum, OR it’s from my heart in the form of food.
I personally love someone else cooking for me (rarely happens, I might add….hint hint), so I love to whip something up for others that can be either serve to them in bed with a big cup of tea, eaten with them whilst sitting at a beautifully laid table with napkins and flowers, or package up with a big red bow.
No matter what toots your horn, your mum will love anything you cook for her…trust me!
A club I have been a part of for quite a number of years, and one I’ve enjoyed immensely.
Having been told I had Hashimoto’s (hypothyroidism) a few years ago, I made the big decision to focus on my health as naturally as possible - speaking with natural practitioners and through the goodness of seasonally grown organic food prepared as nutritionally as possible and with a whole lot of love.
Almond Meal. Probably my favourite gluten-free “flour” to bake with as I substitute it 1:1 with any plain flour recipe.
I absolutely love its soft and moist texture, however sometimes it does need a little hand to hold so it can keep its shape - like adding in a little buckwheat flour or perhaps some brown rice or quinoa flour.
To store, like all nuts, I keep enough almond meal/flour readily available in a glass jar in my fridge. It will last for up to 6 months this way, although mine disappears a hell of a lot sooner as I bake A LOT! The remainder, as I buy in bulk (soooo much cheaper to do so), gets stored in the freezer.
Have you, like me, had to recently say au revoir to gluten?
Also, like me, have you just realised that it's the ANZAC long weekend upon us and ANZAC biscuits, filled with delicious oats, won't be touching your lips?
Crap!
Never fear my friends, I may have just the answer you've been looking for......3 quick to whip up biscuit recipes, filled to the brim with nutritious ingredients and not a drop of gluten in sight. They may not be ANZAC biscuits and they may not contain oats, but they're still bloody good to eat with a hot cup of tea, and really, isn't that all that matters?
I mentioned the other day that one of the most frustrating issues with having Hashimotos is the constant, ever present game I play with my weight. It falls of me within a matter of days, and then what can feel like a matter of hours, be back with a vengeance. No signals, no warnings, no SMS messages.
Sugar (well, the removing of it) was one of the big factors I changed in my “diet”. The other; grains.
The word pretty much sums up it, don’t you think? Simple recipes and delicious food. Really, how could you go wrong?
However, this book is so much more than an everyday cookbook as it is also filled with sustainable practices from how to shop, cook and eat with ease and without waste whilst still nourishing our bodies. It includes tips on how to buy in bulk, freeze, preserve and use up any and all leftovers. An ultimate cooking guide for anyone wanting sugar out of their lives and planet-saving real food to eat.
One of my favourite ideas from this cookbook are the “Yoghurt Pots”.
For those of us living with Hashimotos or any thyroid disorder, keeping the weight off is one of the most frustrating things EVER!
One of the things I’m doing/have been doing/will continue to do is keep off sugar. Did you know it is 4 x addictive as cocaine? Not only does it cause havoc with your blood sugar levels and create a false sense of hunger, it causes considerable inflammation in the gut …. and this includes “natural” sugars.
When I’m not hungry, I know there is something wrong.
It’s a crystal clear sign as normally you’ll find me with napkin and cutlery in place, ready for my next meal before it has even been prepared.
It seems my body has decided to act like a stubborn Taurean and do its own thing, no matter my efforts or good intentions. Basically, my metabolism has taken a hike and extra kilos have decided to pay me a little visit.
Something I read recently … “A healthy thyroid keeps the body warm, youthful, and energized”. Hmmm….this ain't me anymore.
But I’m working on it!
One of the biggest things I decided to change in my diet about a year ago was to go 100% gluten free, and I’ve never looked back. There was an almost instant difference in the way my body felt, especially in both my tummy and thyroid when I made the commitment to stop “fluffing” around the edges. I’m not coeliac (I’ve been tested), but having experimented on myself with this subject for quite some time – gluten will not be passing these lips any day soon……not sure how I’ll go when I head back to France though….hmmmm….
The creative lady behind the blog Making Memories With Your Kidswhere you’ll find loads of kid friendly recipes made alongside her two gorgeous children, in the hopes of providing other mum’s and dad’s with some kid friendly ideas of things to do.
I love that Erin takes every advantage possible to spend time passing on her love of cooking, baking and creating with her children as can be seen from her blog and recipes, which are filled with lots of love.
Autumn is now here in Australia and it’s time for all of my favourite foods, so when I saw this recipe, my decision for April's Secret Recipe Club recipe was made. Yep, doesn’t take me long!
It's an autoimmune disease that affects my thyroid gland. That little butterfly-shaped ball located at the base of my neck where a lot of important activities take place, from controlling metabolism, female hormones and energy levels. Basically, everything that makes you feel good.
Jeez Louise!
One of the first and best things I did when I found out was to QUIT SUGAR (an absolute must, I believe, if you also have Hashimotos). What my research has been teaching me and what my body has been telling me ever since that date is that sugar causes absolute havoc on the digestive tract, leading to “leaky gut” (a joy I’ve been dealing with for the past year) and which in turn can then trigger the development of autoimmune diseases….and round and round the cycle goes.
Did you know that our thyroids cannot function without magnesium? It’s something I’m learning a lot about at the moment.
It’s actually responsible for converting the inactive T4 thyroid hormone into the active form of T3, which is extremely important for those of us out there with hypothyroidism. This is what affects our metabolism and is something I’m working on with my naturopath at this very moment, as it’s a depressing sight when you see your weight increasing as if by magic in such a short amount of time.
A punch of lemon, the crunch of nuts and a soft, sticky texture - these little cakes are pure Summer in a white paper wrapper, waiting impatiently to be de-robed and gobbled greedily.
They stick to the wrappers a little, giving you total permission to indulge in the lady like ritual of "licking the paper". A favourite past time of mine, normally completed behind closed doors, but when taken to a picnic on a hot Summers day.....bring it on, is all I'm sayin'.
