Kombucha

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts filtered water
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tea bags (black/green)
• ½ cup finished kombucha liquid
• 1 kombucha mother (SCOBY)

Bring water to boil, add sugar, stir and remove from heat.  Add tea bags.  Steep until water has completely cooled, remove tea bags.  Pour cooled liquid into large container with kombucha mother and finished liquid.  Place cloth over jar and store in warm, dark place.  In about 7-14 days kombucha will be ready.  Transfer to containers and refrigerate.  To make carbonated, leave out in sealed containers for 24 hours before refrigeration.

The kombucha mother will form another “SCOBY”.  Share with friends!

Latin American Saurkraut

Ingredients:

• Cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 2 medium onions, sliced fine
• 1 TBL dried oregano
• ½ TSP red pepper flakes
• 2 TBL sea salt
• Garlic Scapes, chopped

Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Pound with hammer or crush with hands to release juices.  Place in jar(s) and press down until juices rise to the top.  Mixture should be 1 inch from top of jar.  Cover tightly and leave at room temperature at least 3 days, then move to refrigeration.-Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon

Pickled Turnips

Ingredients:

• Turnips; peeled, sliced
• Beets; peeled, sliced
• Onion; peeled, sliced
• Garlic Scapes; chopped
• 1 TBL salt (PER PINT)
• Filtered Water

Mix vegetables in mason jar, press down lightly. Mix water and salt and pour over vegetables.   The top of the vegetables should be at least 1 inch from the top of the jar.  Cover tightly.  Keep in room temperature until desired taste (at least 3 days), then move to refrigeration. -Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon

Beet Kvass 

Ingredients:

• 2 Medium Beets, Chopped Coarsely
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Filtered Water
• Quart Jar

Add beets and salt to jar. Fill with water to top. Cover with lid. Keep at room temperature for two days, transfer to refrigerator. Wait at least one week. Consume!

Benefits:

• Promotes regularity
• Aids digestion
• Alkalinizes the blood
• Cleanses the liver

-Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon

Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, primal, clean diet… the list goes on.  Thousands of individuals are on specialized diets for reasons as varied as weight loss, migraines, digestion, and autoimmune issues.

And most, who I have associated with, LOVE it.

Why so much success with these diets?

1. When following a precise food regime, the individual MUST take notice to what they are consuming.  The act of being aware of what is going in (and coming out) is huge to overall wellness.
2. Individuals who have taken the “paleo plunge” are usually at a state of moderate to severe discomfort in some manner before they start.  Switching to a whole foods diet, often results in an immediate and long-term boost in their health.
3. Finally, these diets eliminate most, if not all, common allergens/sensitivities, providing a huge rest to the body.

Common food allergens/sensitivities:

• Wheat/gluten grains
• Dairy
• Soy
• Corn
• Nuts, including peanuts
• Eggs
• Sugar and artificial sweetener

You might be thinking my throat doesn’t close shut when I eat _____, therefore I have no issue with that food.  Unfortunately, reactions are not always that dramatic or immediate.  Clogged sinuses, prolonged acne, brain fog, mood swings, constipation all could be reactions to food.

Allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances: the game of misused words

Although similar in nature, there is a difference between these three reactions.

Allergy:  characterized by an immune system reaction to a protein in a substance

Sensitivity: may come on gradually, typically do not involve an immune system response, but can still yield a multiplicity of symptoms

Intolerance: unpleasant symptoms that occur after eating a substance, which your body cannot handle because the digestive system does not produce sufficient quantities of a particular enzyme/chemical

Regardless of the origin, if a food is causing you discomfort, it is best to eliminate it, support the body, and reintroduce while noting the response. Still having a problem? The solution might be to find a substitute for that food in your diet.  Feeling A-OK? Go easy on that food and take note of your level of wellness.  You might wish to eliminate it again and challenge its benefits to your health.

Any questions? Send me an email on my contact page!

Stacked Radish 

• Daikon radish sliced thin
• Herbed goat cheese
• Red radish sliced thin

Sandwich it! This is a great alternative for gluten-free diets or those trying to lower processed-carbohydrate intake.

Bright Apple Salad

• 4 Crisp, local apples of choice, diced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Dressing:

• 2 TB local maple syrup
• 4 drops edible-grade Lemon essential oil

Mix ingredients together.  Eat immediately or save in fridge for healthy snack.

Black rice, Radish pilaf

• Olive oil
• Green garlic, sliced thin
• Red radish, diced
• cayenne pepper (to taste), 1 tsp sea salt
•  juice from one lime
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups, Forbidden Rice cooked

Sautee green garlic, cayenne and salt in olive oil.  Add diced radish and lime juice, cook until still slightly crisp.  Remove from heat and add to cooked rice, along with cilantro.  Drizzle with extra olive oil if desired.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want tips on how to eat local this season!

 Modern toilet facilities have only be in existence since around the 19^th century.  Although this has provided numerous advantages such as public sanitation, it has changed the traditional position to eliminate: squatting.  When in the squat position, it opens up the recto-anal angle, resulting in less strain. Sitting down, on the other hand, constricts the passageways and requires more straining to push things through.  Check out this video by my health guru Sean Croxton on the benefits of squatting and the popular product Squatty Potty.

Although position is important, healthy elimination is still possible in our modern era.  Are your poops up to par? The quantity and quality of your poop can say a lot about your diet and your digestion.  A popular evaluation tool used is called the Bristol Scale.  Stool is categorized by both texture and consistency.

• Type 1-2 may indicate constipation
• Type 3-4 are ideal
• Type 5-7 may indicate diarrhea.

Other important signs to consider?

• Food particles left in stool could be a result of low stomach acid and malabsorption.  Don’t forget to chew your food!
• Strong smell may be a result of fermenting food in the colon.
• Itchy anus could indicate yeast or parasite overgrowth.
• Floating stools may be a sign of fat malabsorption.

Interested in tracking your transit time?

• Simply eat a large serving of fresh beets with your meal.  When it is eliminated, you will know by the bright color in the bowl.

Now that you are an expert in examining your waste, it is time to start improving it!  Taking a few simple measures can greatly impact your digestion:

• Rule out any food allergies or sensitivities. Contact me to find out how!
• Relax while eating.  Sit down, turn off electronics, and enjoy the meal.
• Digestive aids such as hydrochloric acid, bitters, or apple cider vinegar may help break down food in the stomach.
• Do not overeat; eat only when hungry.
• EAT REAL FOOD.

Next time you head to the bathroom, leave the newspaper, air freshener, and laxative out! Take a deep breath and give thanks to the meals of the past.

 Change can be scary, uncomfortable, and mostly likely inconvenient at first.  The hardest part is usually the day before you decided to alter some habit, lifestyle, or relationship pattern.  From then on, it is a learning experience filled with achievements and setbacks

In the past, I have had an interesting relationship with change, particularly when it comes to diet.  Believe it or not, I’ve been known to be an all or nothing type in the world of food.  Sometimes it has been helpful, such as when I eliminated not only gluten but also all grains for a period of time.  And other times not so great, such as when I felt so revived eating meat after years of vegetarianism that I forgot other foods existed (!).

Although at times unnecessarily dramatic, I have grown, matured slightly, and gained greater insight from every change.

And with that, I have come to this rationalization: my health is an onion.  That’s right, Allium cepa, the lovely vegetable that makes you cry at the cutting board and gives your breath a delightful and distinctive smell.

Health is all about the layers; keep peelin’ them back.  New to natural health? Try one small change a day towards transitioning your current diet to a whole foods diet. Once you have that mastered, move to the next layer.  This could be digestion, hydration, blood sugar balance, lifestyle, or any health promoting adjustment.  With each peel, you will feel more confident, vibrant, and youthful.

Not sure what your next step should be? Look at your current lifestyle and food habits and raise the bar.  Here are some helpful, simple changes that can boost your wellness:

• Swap conventional produce for local and organic
• Replace tap water with filtered, mineral, or spring
• Add fermented foods to each meal
• Eliminate factory-farmed meat and opt for local and organically raised
• Eat your lunch outside in the sun
• Walk to the store or a friend’s house instead of driving
• Enjoy meals together
• Notice and appreciate nature

Any positive action, big or small, is monumental to overall wellness.  Remember, we are all onions; some layers may be thicker than others.  Embrace the changes, acknowledge the mistakes, and enjoy the experience.

And I still do.

But I try, most of all to listen to my body. 

The act of listening to my body AND responding in an appropriate and healthful manner is a skill I have been striving to master.

However, it is not always easy! We, as consumers, have been bombarded with food and product advertisements since birth.  Millions have been trained to reach for a Gatorade when dehydrated, a Snickers bar during an energy slump at work, and Hamburger Helper for a quick meal.  This game of advertisements is common throughout any large grocery store.

To a lesser, but still notable, extent this phenomenon occurs in the health food industry.  Whether it is the latest raw chip, superfood, or oil blend, there is money to be made and consumers to be won.   In defense, I do not believe that most health companies try to deceive their customers or only care about profit.  It is to their best interest to highlight the properties of their particular product.

However, the benefits of a product or food item vary, sometimes drastically, from individual to individual and change throughout that person’s life as well.  Feeling sluggish? A health energy bar may not always be the solution.  Low energy could be a result of anything from improper carbohydrate to fat ratio, sleep deprivation, stress, or food allergies.  It is wise to be conscious of certain health claims, but even wiser to be conscious of one’s own body.

Where to begin? The first step is to stop and truly listen to your body; it has a multitude of information to share.

Signs of a healthy body

• Proper Digestion
• Regular elimination
• Shiny hair
• Consistent energy/mood levels
• Clear skin
• Clear eyes
• Proper posture
• Sleeps well and awakens feeling rested
• General feeling of content

Signs to investigate:

• Bloating or cramping
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Dry hair and skin
• Acne
• Dark circles under eyes
• Energy and mood swings
• Cravings
• Brittle, chipping nails
• Coated tongue/bad breath
• Brain Fog
  

Now that you’re listening, your body probably has a lot to say.  This is the time for investigation and experimentation to begin.  Keeping a food journal is one of the best ways to link “body talks” with particular foods.  It may be necessary to follow an elimination diet in which certain common allergens are removed temporarily and reintroduced for a trial period.  Otherwise, if your diet is too complicated, it may be difficult to find the true culprit of your dysfunction if food related.

The signs and symptoms of healthy function and dysfunction can be evident daily, if one is willing to recognize them.  The human body will never be in a “perfect” state because we do not live in a “perfect” world.  It is, however, strong, adaptable, and beautiful with the right support.  The ability to understand and react appropriately to one’s dysfunction is a skill that can be learned over time with practice and patience.  Next time, before listening to the health gurus and manufacturers, I encourage you to listen to the expert of your own body: you.

On my quest to incorporate real food into my diet, I hit a roadblock.  It wasn’t difficult for me to shop at our local farmer’s market and prepare fresh meals at my home.  Sure, I’ve had my trials and tribulations learning skills in the kitchen, but the real issue involved dining out.

Luckily, with the local food movement growing in NE Ohio, some establishments are providing their customers with real and local options.  One gem located on State Street in Cuyahoga Falls is The Blue Door Café.  I was fortunate enough to talk with owner and pastry chef Michael Bruno about his popular restaurant.

NW: Why do think it is important to use local and seasonal ingredients in your restaurant?

MB: In a nutshell, I am kind of bluntly anti-corporate America.   I believe it is wrong to do things just for the money and I’m not just doing this for the money.

It’s important, even more so, for meats.  It’s really hard to find humanely raised livestock, so getting locally, I know where the stuff is coming from. You know, I went over to Brunty Farms when I wanted to order a turkey.  I went there and saw the turkeys, they were still alive! With big business, it’s only for profit.

NW: Do you have any favorite producers in this area?

 MB: Absolutely! I use Brunty Farms, another little farm is TLC farms, I use Breakneck Acres when I need flour, Sand Farm, Morning Side farm, Stutzman Farm, Snowville Creamery, Velvet View Farms, Hattie Larlham at Crown point…

The difficulty with using local is sometimes farms are short-staffed.  It’s sometimes a 50/50 chance if they can bring it to me. For a restaurant it’s really difficult to get local products because of the logistics.

 NW: What developments in the NE Ohio local food scene would you like to see happen?

 MB: Vegetables are not a problem, we get a variety. Fruit is another story. And also organically grown fruits. It’s hard for us to get local fruit.

At the same time, we are also trying to get local beef.  Pork is not so much of a problem, beef has been.

  NW: Congratulations on reaching over 3,000 likes on Facebook! What do you think draws customers to your location?

 MB: I think that it’s the combination of what were doing:

• Bakery and café together is something no one else does.
• Also trying to be religious about getting local stuff and pesticide free and/organic.  We do pay attention to the quality aspect.
• I have a great staff.  The other chefs are good and try to do their best.

Having a combination of those three things is key.

NW: What are you most excited about in the future of your business?

MB: We are always trying to move forward and adapt and change and grow. I’ve been talking to our CEO about getting one of their master chefs to come here and do a 2-day consulting program for the kitchen staff.  We have talked about doing dinner service and have done one officially so far and that worked out real well.

I’m excited about getting different furniture, new lighting, new ceiling, and a new bathroom. It’s just we are not there yet.

We are moving forward and getting to the level I think the restaurant needs to be!

Many people feel they need to compromise health when it comes to dining out.  This does not have to be the case.  As the demand for local and real food increases, restaurants will have to evolve.  If you have not had the pleasure to check out The Blue Door Café, I highly recommend it.  There current hours are: Wed – Sun: 7:00 am – 3:00 pm at 1970 State Road, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44223.

According to the FDA website, “it is difficult to define a food product that is ‘natural’ because the food has probably been processed and is no longer the product of the earth”.  In addition, they state “that the agency has not objected to the use of the term (natural) if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances”.

Don’t be fooled, natural does not always mean healthy.  Some commonly used natural ingredients include high-fructose corn syrup, high-maltose corn syrup, and maltodextrin along with the mysterious natural flavorings ingredient.

Another issue with many processed foods is their lack of consistency in the use of certain ingredients.  Commonly used phrases on many processed foods items include: “____AND/OR ____oil” and “CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING OILS”. Canola, peanut, corn, sunflower, cottonseed or soy oil, you pick!  Any of these refined oils could be used in your processed food.

Why do companies do this? Apparently, the reason labels aren’t more specific is that it gives the food companies freedom to substitute shortenings depending on availability and price without having to change labels at the same time.

To me, it is just another reason to cut processed foods out of the diet.  If companies don’t know exactly what’s in their product and simply bid for the cheapest oil, this is an indicator of low quality and lack of consideration for their consumer.

Compare this to any passionate baker, cheese maker, brewer, farmer or artisan producer.  They are proud to share with you the ingredients, process, and love that went into each batch.  The difference in quality is apparent and the health giving affects will be too.  Keep this in mind next time you reach for your favorite bagged snack and consider enjoying an unprocessed alternative!

As a reminder, some of the many benefits of fermented foods include:

• the breakdown of hard to digest proteins and sugars in dairy, grains, and soy.
• introduction of helpful probiotics into the gut
• production of vitamin K
• help improve the immune system
• alleviation of IBS symptoms and bowel dysfunction

However, as with all things in life, bacteria must be in balance. Katz explained that the importance of beneficial bacteria lies in their diversity.  Popping a probiotic supplement of a single strain of bacteria or yeast may not give you the results you hope to achieve.  It is within the power and beauty of diversity that a body will flourish.  Our bodies need a vast array of foods (both fermented and otherwise) and nutrients to remain happy. No single food is the best all the time! Depending on the season, the body’s condition, and lifestyle different foods work for different times.

How to know what’s right for you? Take time to listen to your body and focus on local and organic whole foods.  Finding the correct balance of healthful fats, proteins and carbohydrates, supplemented by the benefits of fermented foods, will keep you feeling satiated and energized. Spring is quickly approaching and an abundance of fruits and vegetables will soon be available in our area.  Embrace this diversity, experiment with your own favorite fermentation recipe and add color and flavor to your meals!

Want to eat like a traditionalist, too? Here are some easy and extremely healthful tips:

1. Eat seasonal foods in their whole and natural state from the best sources possible!  Local and organic is KEY! Nutrients in the soil are necessary to be transferred into nutrients in your food; freshness is important!
2. Use only traditional fats.  This includes butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, sesame, flax, and coconut oil. Avoid hydrogenated oils at all costs.
3. Include live fermented foods in the diet – sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, yoghurt, and pickles.
4. Prepare mineral rich bone broths, stocks, and sauces. 
5. Soak or sprout whole grains and nuts to reduce phytic acid (a naturally-occurring digestion inhibitor) content.
6. Consume natural, free-range poultry, beef, lamb, organ meats, eggs, and wild-caught fish and seafood.
7. Eat with gratitude!

Wondering where you can find these healthful and delicious foods?  Right here in Portage County we have many resources. These include: Haymaker’s Farmer’s Market, Kent Natural Food Cooperative, Breakneck Acres farm store, and your own personal garden!

Interested in finding out how I can help you find your inner traditionalist? Contact me at nichewellness@gmail.com.