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What we eat - dealing with multiple food allergies

11/30/2015

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Over the past few months, we've had multiple people in our family diagnosed with food allergies. At this time we are VERY fortunate to have never experienced anaphylactic reactions... but there had been a marked increase in symptoms and reactions and it was time to do something.  You can't mess around with food allergies.  Finding meals we can eat as a family has been difficult. Since we're finally finding some dishes we can agree on and free from any allergens (any of our allergens, anyway) I thought I'd share it here since so many friends and family members ask, "What DO you eat??".

Allergy list:

Eggs
peanuts
corn
soy
wheat
almonds
rice
oranges
pears
gluten sensitivity diagnosed via blood test 

Other sensitivities:

all legumes (green beans, lentils, chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans)
oats 
apples 
bananas 
garlic 
all dairy 
walnuts 
cashew 
almonds
beef 

The corn allergy is the toughest in day-to-day circumstances. Corn-derived ingredients are everywhere. It means no benadryl for allergy sniffles. No paper plates. No baking powder. No powdered sugar. Nothing made with white distilled vinegar. Nothing labeled 'natural flavors'. Gah!  Corn is everywhere.

The most difficult to deal with in the kitchen is eggs (although there are some great substitutes!) and the grain allergies. We can't grab a gluten-free mix off a shelf because the first ingredient is usually rice flour. The other ingredients are usually xanthan gum (from corn!), garbanzo (bean) flour, and often almond flour. So, also can't use any 'paleo' recipes.  You can only make so many substitutions in a recipe and have it still be recognizable as food!  (trust me. we've had some pretty incredible failures here over the past few months) Rather than telling you all about the failures, here are some things that work for us.

Breakfasts and snacks:
  • Appropriate fruits: we do lots of frozen berries because everyone can have them.
  • Our girls eat peanut butter power balls (pb, oats, honey - mixed and rolled into balls)
  • The rest of us eat larabar copycats (usually rolled into balls). I make multiple batches with appropriate 'safe' nuts for eat of us: they include things like dates, dried cherries, organic cocoa powder, sunflower seeds, almonds or cashews. The batches get labeled in the fridge so nobody eats the wrong ones.
  • Pistachios (or 'pi-cashews' as our youngest calls them!). Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, etc. 
  • Cheese ('regular' cow cheese for those who can have it. Others, like me, have goat cheese.) We actually eat a limited amount of dairy since we cannot currently purchase grassfed dairy. (it is possible that some of us could actually tolerate grassfed dairy where we cannot consume 'conventionally farmed' dairy.)
  • Boiled eggs (chicken eggs for those who can  and duck eggs for those who cannot do chicken eggs. So far we have had no reactions to the duck eggs. Due to the cost, we buy these 2x a month.  We will be raising ducks in the spring.)

Lunches
  • Lunch looks a lot like breakfast. Or like leftovers from dinner. No more pb&j in our house. A food the kids never tire of is hummus. Those who can, eat it with organic corn chips; those who cannot, eat it with sweet potato chips. Or veggies. Or a spoon. 

Dinners (just the main dishes. a few sides are listed)
  • Meatballs with sauce and salad. The sauce is homemade from the tomatoes I canned from our own garden tomatoes.  It cannot include garlic. The meatballs are made with ground pork/chicken/turkey/venison (whatever we have), flax (egg replacement), real salt, oregano. That's about it. 
  • Roast/steak, fried or baked potatoes, carrots, homemade applesauce (which seems to be safe for everyone so far... except me. Beef triggers my migraines so I just eat everything else.)
  • ​Whole roast chicken. (these are the chickens we raised this summer) - usually we have salad, peas, broccoli, or cauliflower.  I make bone broth after we're finished and the broth is used in soup, rice, quinoa, etc.
  • Soup - usually from the chicken on the second day. We found we really like amaranth in it as a substitute for rice or noodles.
  • Sausage and squash - sausage is made from ground meat and seasoned with salt, fennel, and sometimes maple syrup.  I LOVE butternut squash. Hubby doesn't mind it. The kids aren't fond (yet!).  Everyone likes spaghetti squash so that's slowly becoming a staple. (sometimes I make sauce if we do 'spaghetti')
  • Taco night - this one is tricky. I make both beans and meat and we eat what is 'safe' for us.  Sorghum tortillas (that I'm still perfecting!) and regular toppings like lettuce, olives, sour cream.
  • Homemade pizza - another tricky one.  I have to make individual pizzas. Sorghum tortillas again, homemade sauce (canned sauce has garlic, citric acid that is often corn-derived, sugar which isn't labeled as cane/beet/or corn. bad sauces have soybean oil), cheese if you can have it, olives or mushrooms, leftover sausage from another night or bacon (there are only a few 'safe' brands without corn ingredients). Our youngest only likes to eat the toppings so I don't actually make her a pizza.  
  • Beans and rice was a previous favorite of ours. So we modified it to beans and quinoa and that made one little boy very happy! But now someone cannot have beans... so we've been doing rice or quinoa and shrimp. But the kids are getting tired of shrimp. I don't know how. I love shrimp. So, I'm still working on this one.

I make our own safe chocolate now, based on the one Katie from Wellness Mama makes. This is our main source of 'junk' or sugar. But it's only three ingredients. Organic food grade cocoa butter, organic cocoa powder, and organic cane sugar (I would use honey from our bees but we have 2 people healing from a honey sensitivity).  And after trying honey we found that we enjoy the 'crunch' of the cane sugar.  As far as 'junk' food goes, it could be worse.  :)
​
So, you'll notice that there are no chips, cookies, cake.  No more popcorn. No more sourdough bread. Lots more fruits and veggies. I admit, it's tough. Especially when you think you were trying so hard to feed your family well. (free ranged chickens in our own backyard. homemade sourdough bread. homegrown popcorn. canning all our own tomatoes, beans, peppers, and jam. eating organic. avoiding soy and other GMO foods.) But it doesn't matter how good or healthy something is if you are allergic. 

Signs of food issues may include: IBS, diarrhea, constipation, cramps, headaches, rashes like eczema, hives, breathing trouble, asthma, joint pain, sinus congestion, allergic shiners (dark circles under eyes unrelated to sleep), ears that turn red on the tops.  If you suspect a food allergy or intolerance, you can do an elimination diet. Keep a food journal and monitor how you feel. After 30 days, add the food back in (slowly!) 1-2 days per week and see how you respond.  You or your doctor can order the lab kit from Alletess labs. (I'm sure there are others, but we have personal experience with them) Take note. Most likely, this will not be covered by your health insurance.

**these statements are my opinions. nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice (since I am not a physician). **
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Introducing .... thrive herbals

11/27/2015

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We're changing our name!

While we still live in our house on the hill and still make soap... we've outgrown the name!  Hilltop Soaps is now Thrive Herbals!

Why 'thrive'?
THrīv/
1 : to grow vigorously : do well : FLOURISH
We're so much more than just soap! Our line of herbal wellness products continues to grow. Just last month I finally, officially became a certified herbalist. (I am being lazy before throwing myself into my aromatherapist program) While I feel like it's a big personal accomplishment, there are no national standards for herbalist certification or training in the United States... but I know it gives me a solid foundation in western herbalism and traditional and practical uses for herbs.

Therein lies my heart; making herbs accessible and their uses familiar so families choose them first.  Many of these botanical powerhouses are found in our kitchen cupboards and our backyards!  These plants do no heal us, rather, they work with our body by supporting and balancing our body's systems so they can better function.  

I have a few hopes and plans as we change and grow Thrive Herbals.  
*I plan to offer more 'take and make' workshops like the salve class we held this summer.  I have an idea for a Winter Wellness class.
*DIY kits! I have so many customers who are DIY-ers, but I know it can be difficult to purchase bulk oils and butters and jars and tubes just to see if you might enjoy making something.  (and praying the recipe is good!)  
*Backyard herb walks and lectures in the spring.
*Herb seeds so you can grow your own and dried herbs.
*More custom orders. I'm not sure how many people know, but I often will have customers (mostly friends and relatives) ask if I can make something to suit a need. Whether it's a salve for a special need, an essential oil blend to help with a particular problem. Or maybe to alter a regular product to be safe for their family (like a homeopathic vapor rub using essential oils and dilution rates that are safe for infants age 6 months and up). 
*Consults.  I currently do this on an informal basis with friends and family, those whom I am familiar with their medical history. This may be available in the future.

Much thought and prayer have gone into the reworking of the business. Please, have patience with us as we slowly change over labels, the website, signage and more.


I hope you are as excited about all the changes as I am!

Thank you for your years of support.
xoxo
~Jill Barnett 


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Magnesium

11/4/2015

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Why magnesium? The mineral magnesium is essential for more than 300 chemical reactions in the human body and is necessary for detoxification. It lowers stress, promotes better sleep, helps the body rid itself of toxins, and more. Studies show that the majority of the population is magnesium deficient. 

Do any of these conditions sound familiar?
Suffer from muscles cramps or spasms? Magnesium loosens tight muscles.
Insomniac? Magnesium helps you sleep - melatonin production is disrupted if magnesium is out of balance. 
If you suffer from anxiety or depression you may be magnesium deficient. Serotonin production is magnesium dependent. Serotonin relaxes your nervous system and  helps increase your mood. 
Bowel diseases, constipation? Magnesium helps keep everything moving along.  ;)

Migraines, menstrual pain, asthma, fibromyalgia, fatigue? Symptoms from these inflammatory conditions may also be alleviated by having sufficient levels of magnesium.

WebMd states: "Magnesium is also used for treating attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, leg cramps during pregnancy, diabetes, kidney stones, migraine headaches, weak bones (osteoporosis), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), altitude sickness, urinary incontinence, restless leg syndrome, asthma, hayfever, multiple sclerosis, and for preventing hearing loss."

​
Magnesium (and other herbs or supplements) do not heal you. So many essential body processes are reliant on adequate levels of magnesium. With proper supplements, we can balance out our body's systems and find relief. Our body can function as it is meant to function. We can be well.
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Your body can better utilize magnesium that is absorbed into the skin than through an oral supplement. That's why epsom salt baths and magnesium oil are so important! (magnesium oil isn't actually an oil at all. It is a solution of distilled oil and magnesium chloride flakes. Magnesium chloride flakes contain more magnesium than epsom salts and is more efficient in raising your magnesium levels).

Adjusting your diet to contain more magnesium-rich foods is the BEST way to increase your magnesium levels, and, your wellness.

Here's a great list of dietary sources of magnesium. Unless you are like our family and have allergies to: wheat, soy, multiple nuts, blood-diagnosed gluten intolerance, legume allergies, and more!
Dietary Sources
Rich sources of magnesium include:
  • Tofu
  • Legumes
  • Whole grains
  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Wheat bran
  • Brazil nuts
  • Soybean flour
  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Blackstrap molasses
  • Pumpkin and squash seeds
  • Pine nuts
  • Black walnuts
Other good dietary sources of this mineral include:
  • Peanuts
  • Whole wheat flour
  • Oat flour
  • Beet greens
  • Spinach
  • Pistachio nuts
  • Shredded wheat
  • Bran cereals
  • Oatmeal
  • Bananas
  • Baked potatoes (with skin)
  • Chocolate
  • Cocoa powder
Also, many herbs, spices, and seaweeds supply magnesium, such as:
  • Agar seaweed
  • Coriander
  • Dill weed
  • Celery seed
  • Sage
  • Dried mustard
  • Basil
  • Fennel seed
  • Savory
  • Cumin seed
  • Tarragon
  • Marjoram
  • Poppy seed
  • (source: https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/magnesium)

*As always, I am NOT a physician and this is NOT medical advice. Please, research the topic (and follow the links in the comments) and discuss with your doctor if this may be a supplement that is right for you.
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    Author

    Hello, there!  I'm Jill.  Just Jill. Plain and simple.  I'm a follower of Jesus, a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, home school teacher, business owner. We have numerous food allergies in our house so I often experiment in the kitchen. I also enjoy getting my hands dirty in the garden. Herbalist, plant lover, medicine maker, student of nature.

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