Micah and Kai are HOME

We are finally home! My baby boys are such a joy to me! Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Here is Kai enjoying some of mommy's healthy foods. He loves my "Faux" Oatmeal for breakfast with coconut flour. They fed him a rice cereal at the orphanage and this has a consistency that he likes. Click HERE to find why rice cereal is not a healthy option for babies.



This photo is of Thanksgiving morning. We flew in late on Wednesday night so Thanksgiving dinner was anything but traditional. Micah is 28 months and has to hold my hand at all times! This makes cooking interesting! But I love every second!

Craig and I stayed with the boys in May (in Ethiopia) for 1 week. During that time Micah and I bonded so much. He wanted me to hold him at all times. The longer the wait became without seeing him, I prayed and prayed that he would remember me at least a little. My prayers were answered! This video shows me the power of love.

Reunion from Craig Emmerich on Vimeo.

Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini and L-CARNITINE: Fat Burner!

There is no doubt that the most effective means of attaining weight loss is by means of maintaining a "healthified" diet program and having a regular exercising routine. A very effective weight loss supplement that can be used alongside is l-carnitine which is extremely beneficial in increasing weight loss by mobilizing fat in the body and increasing calorie burning. Discovered in 1905, it is a water-soluble, vitamin-like compound that is readily used in the body. Dietary carnitine can be found in a number of foods. The best source is meat, particularly beef, sheep, and lamb. Other animal foods such as cheese and poultry contain somewhat less carnitine.

The function of carnitine is a bit complex. It is an amino acid which aids the breakdown of calories by shuttling fatty acids into the mitochondria which is our ‘fat-burning powerhouse’ in our body. The American Chronicle states there is also another significant reason which makes carnitine stand out among the various other weight loss supplements. Carnitine has the unique distinction of keeping watch and restricting the accumulation of fat around the liver and heart.

This unique supplement also helps enhance muscle strength and aids in reduction of triglyceride levels in the body. Carnitine furthermore helps reduce irritability and anxiety which is a common side effect amongst dieters. This supplement can help increase your energy at same time suppressing your appetite. Also muscular fatigue is reduced, which can help you go longer and harder in your fitness routine.

Nutrition rich foods and animal protein can help to meet basic levels of nutrition in the body. A person who exercises regularly needs lot of carnitine for overall growth and development. One should replenish this supplement in the body before a deficiency is created. Carnitine is suggested by doctors to those who don’t consume adequate amounts of proteins, vitamins, and amino acids to make up for the deficiency. Deficiency of carnitine can lead to low energy levels and muscular weakness. Cramps and sudden weight gain are often a side effect of low levels of carnitine.

Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer's and obesity are some of the diseases which can occur if long term deficiency of carnitine happens. Due to lack of animal protein in the diet of vegetarians they are most likely to suffer from a deficiency. Doctors consider it to be a very effective supplement for vegetarians. To find l-carnitine, click HERE.

In the past carnitine was thought to be involved only in the conversion of fat into energy, but scientists have since discovered that it has many far-reaching actions critically related to your appearance, performance and overall health and longevity. Carnitine has been proposed by doctors and scientists as a treatment for many conditions. To read more on who should take this and how much please check out the chapter on supplements in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.


3 cups diced leftover turkey
10 oz bag frozen broccoli
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 cups Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 packages Miracle Noodles or 4 cups zucchini into noodles
Optional additions: mushrooms, peppers, onions, artichokes

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a 9×13″ casserole dish. Rinse Miracle Noodles under running water for a few minutes then pat them totally dry. OR Peel and cut zucchini into noodles using THIS tool: Joyce Chen Spiral Slicer. Set aside.

In a large saucepan heat cream, broth and egg on low. Add 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, poultry seasoning, garlic powder & pepper and stir until melted. Do not boil. Stir in frozen broccoli and turkey. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile (if adding), melt butter or coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and bell pepper and saute until tender. Then add to turkey mixture.

Place noodles in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper. Pour turkey mixture evenly over noodles and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil the last 10 minutes and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
Traditional Tetrazzini = 504 calories, 20g fat, 34g protein, 44 carbs, 1 fiber
"Healthified" Tetrazzini = 270 calories, 17.9g fat, 26g protein, 3 carbs, 1g fiber

Stuffing and SLEEP

My clients love when I give them the assignment of getting more sleep. One of my clients lost 17 pounds in 6 days just by adding natural sleep supplements. This helped her increase her sleep from 2 hours a night to a high quality 7. I say “high-quality” because a night brought on by Tylenol PM or alcohol is not quality sleep. Quality sleep is when our bodies get into the rapid eye movement state. REM or rapid eye movement sleep is a peak time for growth and repair and if we don’t get enough, our health and metabolism will suffer.

Sleep deprivation impairs our ability to metabolize carbohydrates and increases our stress hormones. This can lead to high blood sugar, high insulin levels and weight gain. Our society seems to reward people for working more and sleeping less. The pharmaceutical industry encourages this dysfunctional sleep pattern by offering drugs to help you fall asleep and drugs to help you wake up. Chronic sleep deprivation can have a variety of effects on the metabolism and overall health. Here are some problems that follow sleep deprivation:



1. It decreases leptin production, which causes an intense desire for carbohydrates.
2. Reduces human growth hormone production, which is our ‘fat-burning’ hormone
3. Causes imbalances in our neurotransmitters and increases depression and anxiety
4. Increased risk of diabetes
5. Increases blood pressure
6. Increased risk of heart disease
7. Increases obesity
8. Increase rates of breast cancer
9. Increase memory loss
10. It interfere with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates and causes high blood levels of glucose, which leads to higher insulin levels and insulin is our “fat-storing” hormone.

To read more on how to get quality sleep through food and supplements, check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

To find healthy supplements to aid in quality sleep, click HERE.


PROTEIN BREAD:
(or use "Healing Bread" recipe)
3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup unflavored egg white or whey protein
3 ounces sour cream or cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate the eggs (reserve the yolks for cream brule). In a clean and dry bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Then add the whey protein until smooth. Using a spatula, gradually fold the cream cheese/sour cream into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Grease a bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Makes 16 slices.

STUFFING:
1/4 cup onion , chopped
8 oz portabella mushrooms, sliced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 batch of Protein Bread (from above)
OPTIONAL: sausage and drippings

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Sauté the celery, onion and mushrooms in butter and spices until tender and translucent. Cut up the protein bread into small 1 centimeter cubes. Place the protein bread cubes in the pan with the vegetable mixture. Add the broth and mix well (you can add more if desired). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg. Bake, covered, in a greased 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole for 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes until golden brown on the top. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Stuffing = 179 calories, 8.8g fat, 2.9g protein, 22 carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Stuffing = 95 calories, 7.5g fat, 5.2g protein, 2.2 carbs, 0 fiber

The Sleep Chart is found at www.nature.com

Truffled "Potato" Purée with Mascarpone

By now you understand that inflammation in the body is the true cause of disease, and that sugar and starch...even rice causes inflammation (if you didn't please click HERE). BUT so can over-nutrition. Numerous studies show that periodic fasting can have dramatic results not only in areas of weight loss, but in overall health as well. An article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains numerous benefits which include improvement in insulin sensitivity, decreases in blood pressure, reduction in free-radical damage to cells, protein and DNA, and weight loss. If you think about it, our ancestors didn't have access to food at 8am, 12noon, 3pm snack and 6pm dinner every day; they went through regular cycles where food was either abundant or non-existent. This contradicts the idea that your metabolism will ‘slow down’ causing you to gain weight if you don’t eat 5 meals per day. In fact, intermittent fasting is more effective than calorie restriction at reducing insulin resistance.

WHY FAST:
1. Reduces insulin resistance: Insulin is drastically reduced in a glucagon dominant state (Imagine a "see-saw"; one goes up when the other goes down). When insulin is reduced it can't cause inflammation on tissues, which is associated with pain/fibromyalgia/heart disease/asthma/diabetes.
2. Reduces blood pressure: As your insulin level increases, so does your blood pres­sure. Insulin stores magnesium, but if your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your blood vessels will constrict rather than relax, which will raise your blood pressure and decrease your energy level.
3. Reduces triglycerides: Insulin upregulates LPL on fat tissue and inhibits activation on muscle cells. On the other hand, Glucagon upregulates LPL on muscle and cardiac tissue, while inhibiting activation of fat.
4. Weight Loss
5. Reduces cancer: Fasting cleans out damaged mitochondria. It “turns on” certain genes that repair specific tissues that would not otherwise be repaired in times of surplus. Intermittent fasting has also been shown to reduce spontaneous cancers in animal studies, which is due to a decrease in oxidative damage or an increase in immune response.
6. Longer Life: Fasting allows certain cells to live longer (as repaired cells) during famine since it’s energetically less expensive to repair a cell than to divide and create a new one.

So how do you put this into practice? There are a lot of ways. I have them listed in my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

STOP LOSING MUSCLE: If you continue to eat a high carb diet, you will continue to be a sugar burner. As you switch to be a ketone burner, aside from using fats for energy, it also prevents muscle loss because the need for glucose is reduced. Muscle tissue breakdown occurs when there is a need for glucose which exceeds the stores of glycogen. Fasting will also accomplish this. The dominant hormones in a fasted state (Human Growth Hormone, Glucagon, and Adrenaline) are responsible for catabolizing tissue and can aid in the breaking of fats from the glycerol backbone and uses fats for oxidation for energy instead of sugar.

So by fasting and not working too hard, we derive energy in the form of fat. You can do anything for one day/week!

To read more on fasting click here: Dr. Michael R. Eades Blog


1 head cauliflower (6 cups)
6 TBS butter
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
Organic Beef broth
2 tsp black truffle oil

Cook cauliflower in pot of organic beef broth OR boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and place in a blender (I used THIS one which purees food like no other!). Return warm cauliflower to same pot. Add butter and mascarpone cheese; mash until smooth. Mix in truffle sauce; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1 cup serving)
Using Potatoes = 245 calories, 25 carbs, 3.6 g fiber
Using Cauliflower = 149 calories, 3 carbs, 1.1g fiber

Green Bean Bundles

A yummy addition to Thanksgiving dinner!



1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
8 bacon strips, lightly cooked
3 TBS butter or coconut oil
1 TBS chopped onion
1 TBS white vinegar
1 TBS Truvia (or a drop of stevia glycerite)
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Cook the beans until crisp-tender. Wrap about 15 beans in each bacon strip; secure with a toothpick. Place on a foil-covered baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is done. In a skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add vinegar, sugar and salt; heat through. Remove bundles to a serving bowl or platter; pour sauce over and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARSION (per serving)
Traditional Green Beans = 189 calories, 16g fat, 8.1g protein, 9 carbs, 1.9g fiber
"Healthified" Green Beans = 159 calories, 12g fat, 8.1g protein, 4.5 carbs, 1.9g fiber

Savory Rolls and ADHD-WHEAT CONNECTION

(Photo with Pesto and no cheese)

Parents who have children with ADHD most often understand they need to cut out the sugar, but grains are often overlooked. Even "sprouted wheat" and "whole grains" are just glucose molecules linked together in long chains; the digestive track breaks it down into sugar. So a sugary diet and a starchy diet are the same thing.

But, let's get back to wheat. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Have you put flour and water together to make your own gooey paste? In Poland, they use this for wallpaper paste. I’m not putting that “gummy” paste in my body; it causes way too much inflammation.

After the digestive tract, the most commonly affected system to be affected by gluten is the nervous system. It is thought that ADHD can be caused by gluten in one of two ways.

The first area addresses the inflammatory changes gluten can cause. A gluten sensitive individual’s immune system responds to the protein gliadin. Unfortunately, that protein is similar in structure to other proteins present in the body, including those of the brain and nerve cells. A cross reactivity can occur where the immune system “confuses” proteins in the body for the protein gliadin. This is called cellular mimicry and the result is the body attacking its own tissues with inflammation resulting.

When inflammation happens in the brain and nervous system, a variety of symptoms can occur, including ADHD. Research shows us that patients with symptoms involving the nervous system suffer from digestive problems only 13% of the time. This is significant because mainstream medicine equates gluten sensitivity almost exclusively with digestive complaints. Please note, that even though most doctors will dismiss a gluten allergy/sensitivity if you don’t have any digestive issues, this is not true. You can have problems with gluten that show up in other parts of your body, not just the digestive track. Gluten can attack any organ: thyroid, gallbladder, nervous system, joints (arthritis), cellular membrane (multiple sclerosis), you name it.

In addition to circulation problems, other research looks at the association between gluten sensitivity and its interference with protein absorption. Specifically the amino acid tryptophan can be deficient, which is essential for brain health. Tryptophan is a protein in the brain responsible for a feeling of well-being and relaxation. A deficiency can be correlated to feelings ADHD, sleep issues and anxiety. 90% of serotonin production occurs in the digestive tract. So it makes sense that food might have an effect, either positive or negative, on serotonin production.

Encounters with allergens stimulate the release of serotonin and histamine from mast cells in the body. This increase affect alters arousal, attention, activity and vigilance. As a result, a highly allergic child can be either quite sluggish or hyperactive, depending upon the system of the allergic reaction. Eliminating all allergens from the diet will eliminate hyperactivity or lethargy and inattention.

So when I tell clients to eat “gluten free” they often grab all the “gluten-free” pre-packaged foods on the shelf, but that most likely will cause weight gain and slow the healing process in your gut. Rice flour, the common flour substitute in gluten-free products, is higher in calories, higher in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients than regular flour. It can cause more inflammation in our body. So my recommendation is to use make your own healthier options by using almond flour and coconut flour, which are very easy to digest. The healthy fats in nuts actually are nourishing to our brain.

To find tons of recipes to feed your family healthy and tasty recipes without gluten or starch, check out my book: Nutritious and Delicious.

(Photo with Olive Tapenade and Cheese)

NOTE: Not all coconut flours are the same, click HERE to find the one I use.

3 eggs
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup olive tapenade OR PESTO
1/2 cup goat cheese (optional)
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and the eggs. In another bowl mix together the coconut flour, almond flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir until a thick dough forms. Cover and place in fridge to chill the dough for 1 hour or overnight.

Place a sheet of parchment on counter, then spray with coconut oil spray. Place dough on greased parchment, push the dough down a bit, and spray with another layer of coconut oil. Top with another sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until a long rectangle shape (9x12) or so. Then remove the top layer of parchment.

Spread olive tapenade or pesto over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Sprinkle with cheese and rosemary. Gently roll up dough, starting at 1 long side. Cut into 12 (1 1/4-inch-thick) slices. Place slices in a lightly greased 9-inch round cake pan. Brush top of dough with melted butter if desired. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per roll)
Traditional Rolls = 253 calories, 15.5g fat, 3g protein, 23 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Rolls = 197 calories, 16g fat, 6.4g protein, 4.2 carbs, 2.3g fiber

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

Sadly, parents often think that rice cereal is the first food to introduce to a baby. Dr. David Ludwig of Children's Hospital Boston, a specialist in pediatric nutrition, says some studies suggest rice and other highly processed grain cereals actually could be among the worst foods for infants. Babies don't even produce the enzyme amylase, which is the essential enzyme for breaking down starch. The baby's small intestine basically only produces one enzyme for starch, lactase; which is for the digestion of lactose. Feeding grains too early will cause food allergies later on in life because the protein in the grains sit in the stomach too long. This will cause the baby to have acid reflux.

SO, parents desperately go to the doctor for help; most likely putting the baby on acid blockers. This is the WORST thing to do because the stomach is a very acid environment with a pH at 2 or less. Stomach acid is essential for to absorb vitamin B-12 and minerals that allow you to release hormones from the pancreas, without which can lead to development of diabetes.

Stomach acid also helps breakdown protein. When you don't have stomach acid to breakdown food, undigested proteins sit like a rock in the intestines. This slowly eats holes in your intestines and this inflammation begins a detrimental snowball effect. When you start to have holes in your intestines, food starts to leak into your bloodstream (leading to leaky gut syndrome). This is awful because the immune system goes into overdrive to kill the unknown substances in the blood...NOW we have food allergies! So if you are feeding the baby grains and cow's milk, they will most likely develop a wheat and dairy allergy...oh boy!

If you have a child or YOU are suffering from acid reflux, click HERE for natural supplements to heal your gut. Please contact me for a consult for additional help!

There has recently been a 16X increase in the use of acid reflux medicine in infants. Even though a study showed that there was no difference in infants from a placebo! When families eliminate common allergen such as dairy, soy and wheat from the baby's and breastfeeding mother's diet, by day 3 or 4 the infants no longer suffer from acid reflux. This means a total elimination! Not just the 80/20 rule. It takes a lot of commitment by the family, but it is well worth the effort.

Milk based formulas often cause allergies while soy based formulas contain growth inhibitors, mineral blocking phytic acid, and plant forms of estrogens that has adverse effects on hormonal development. Soy formula is also devoid of cholesterol which is essential for the brain (our brains are 60% cholesterol!) and nervous system.

To read more, click HERE.


My family always has crescent rolls at Thanksgiving. When these came out of the oven, the smell reminded me of a buttery roll on Thanksgiving morning...they tasted great too. The flavor reminds me of my past life of KFC buttermilk biscuits.

1 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
4 egg whites
2 TBS chilled butter (cut into pieces)
OPTIONS: add 1 tsp of garlic or your favorite spice.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or muffin pan with coconut oil spray. Whip egg whites until very fluffy. In a separate medium bowl, mix the baking powder into the almond flour. Then cut in the butter and salt (if the butter isn't chilled, the biscuits don't turn out). Gently fold in the dry mixture into the whites. Dollop the dough onto the cookie sheet (or muffin tin) and bake for 11-15 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
KFC Biscuit = 220 calories, 24 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Biscuit = 113 calories, 3 carbs, 1.5 fiber

I know my recipe sounds a little crazy, but it tastes awesome. The cream cheese makes it so thick. This added an amazing flavor without extra calories. Since cream cheese is so thick, you can add a flavorful broth to thin the gravy and you save a lot of calories.

GRAVY:
10 oz Organic Prairie pork sausage, crumbled
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup organic beef or chicken broth
Celtic sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Gradually add cream cheese and broth; cook until mixture comes to a soft simmer and thickens, stirring constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Split biscuits in half. Place 2 halves on each of 8 plates; top with about 1/3 cup gravy. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Biscuits and Gravy = 353 calories, 19g fat, 9.8g protein, 31 carbs, 0.5g fiber
"Healthified" Biscuits and Gravy = 345 calories, 29.9g fat, 14.6g protein, 4.9 carbs, 1.5g fiber