Hot Chocolate Recipe with Protein: Paleo, AIP, Gluten Free, Vegan

I have never made something and immediate written about it.  I'm drinking this all winter!

I used cacao instead of cocoa.  I like the brand TruVibe, when I open the bag I can smell the yumminess.

Benefits of Cacao
Great source of magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium.
Improves mood
High in antioxidants to protect cells from premature aging.
Reduces blood pressure & insulin resistance.
Eases PMS
Heart protection
Reduces risk of colon cancer.
Improves brain function.

The recipe is for 2 servings.  I heat the coconut milk & water for 2 minutes in the microwave, (it's rare but I do use this sometimes!).  Once done, I put this in my Vitamix along with the rest of the ingredients and that's it!  I have topped off with cinnamon, (I use real ceylon cinnamon).  Now if only I could find some healthy marshmallows.  May be my next project!  Enjoy & let me know what you think!

Hot Chocolate Recipe with Protein: Paleo, AIP, Gluten Free, Vegan

Were you always allergic? When did this happen?

I work in corporate america.  Part of my job includes entertainment of my clients.  Going out to lunch is an event that happens frequently for me.  Whether alone or with others, it can be challenging.

What did people with food allergies do before the internet?  What did they do before it was more common?  I live in the south which is full of BBQ and fried foods, neither of which I can have.  So what do I do?  Prepare!

I search "gluten free restaurants" as a starting point.  I'm also allergic to dairy and eggs so to me, this is just the beginning.  I call and or email the restaurant.  Restaurants owners and chefs have been incredibly kind, they will email me the list of ingredients or allergens in items I'm interested in.  My favorite, and probably yours if you're reading this, is the allergen menus which have been popping up all over.

Throughout my inflammation test I found I was allergic to gluten, dairy and eggs.  I avoid soy because can be extremely harmful to those with thyroid issues.  I react to even a little bit of soy.  While I use to eat organic meat, chicken and wild fish, about 6 months ago I started to swell up from these items so I became a vegetarian.  Being allergic to dairy and eggs have made me a vegan.  I call myself a gluten free soy free vegan.  I am not a vegan for fundamental purposes, I am asked this question frequently, and I do hope to try chicken again....soon.

What about when I travel to small towns and there are almost no options?  I bring my own food.  My go to's are Lundberg brown rice stackers which are essentially thin rice cakes.  I bring along avocados and raw almond butter.  In the hot south it can be a challenge to leave food in my car but these have held up.  I have a packet of raw pumpkin seeds, pepitas, which I sprinkle on top of meals for added protein.  Even when I could eat meat, I would choose vegetarian options due to the hormones in the chicken and meat.  I also carry organic apples and pears.  

One item that is always with me are Macrobars.  My favorite flavor is Protein Pleasure and Wholehearted Heaven. Protein Pleasure is my go to, it tastes fantastic, has protein and keeps hunger away.  There have been several occasions where I haven't finished my meal, or picked through it because I could feel a reaction coming along.  I pop in one of these and I can go the rest of the afternoon without feeling hungry.

I started writing this blog because I get the same questions when someone finds out I'm allergic to a list of foods.  "Have you always been like this?", "When did you find out?", "What do you eat?" and the final statement, "I feel SO bad for you".

So this is the deal, no I haven't always been like this, I found out over the past few years and I eat A LOT!  Finally, please don't feel bad for me.  Feel bad for me when I have a reaction, when I can't get out of bed, my eyes and stomach swell up, when I have extreme muscle fatigue or my tongue and lips go numb.  These are just a few of the reactions I've had.  Hands down the worst is when I can't get out of bed.  People really don't get it until it happens to them.  I didn't get it even when it was happening to me.  I am extremely active and when I can't get out of bed and hit the gym I'm not a happy camper.  This my friends is why I am so strict with my food intake.  These are the reasons why I would rather almost starve then have something that may be contaminated.

Vacation Fat

I recently returned from a trip to Arizona with my sister and mom.  We went to my beloved Sedona.  If you haven't heard of this magical city you must check it out.  It is my heaven on earth.  The skies are blue, sunsets are colorful and you are surrounded by lots of greens and mountains.  My favorite part?  I have a list of places I can eat!  From pizza to sandwiches and boy do I indulge.

While you're reading this, remember how I've mentioned I do eat?  Let me tell you, when I can eat, I do, and I did!  So much that I put on 5 lbs.  Now 5 lbs to a "normal" person who's thyroid functions is not bad.  They can go back to a healthy diet and the pounds melt back off.  To those that are hypothyroid or have hoshimotos, that increase can make your heart drop.  

First step?  Drink up, and I'm not talking alcohol.  Water in abundance.  While I typically drink half my body weight in ounces a day, I do about one and a quarter to one and a half.  I add lemons for an added boost.  It helps the detoxification process and increases the speed of my weight loss.  

Second, my diet is clean.  I only eat foods I know will not cause inflammation and I do my best to take my last bite at least 3 hours before my head hits the pillow.  Salt intake is decreased and probiotics increased.  Side note, I recently learned many probiotics are contaminated with gluten so make sure if you're gluten free to verify your probiotics.  Go back to your clean diet, make sure to only put in foods that are anti-inflammatory for YOUR body.  

Finally while you may think this workout girl steps it up and does 2 a days but that's not the case.  With a thyroid condition that can only increase the swelling.  I am guilty of overexercising however I have learned it has the opposite effect.  I will only allow myself to do this if I need an outlet and working out is going to allow me to let go of some stress.  Instead of working out like a crazy woman, I hit the treadmill and break a sweat with walking for 45 minutes a day.  If I decide to do a 2nd exercise, it's yoga.  On the days I don't do my treadmill I will do some light weight lifting, pilates or a Barre class.  No spin classes, crossfit, running or anything else vigorous.  

So that's it!  Sounds easy yet the journey can be a challenge if you're type A and impatient.  Allow your body to let it go, realize and know you've done it before and can do it again!  

Cassava

Cassava isn't just a fun word to say, this vegetable is packed with a long list of vitamins and minerals.

I had never heard of cassava until recently.  I was craving wraps of some sort and on a recent grocery trip I found brown rice papers.  I looked at the ingredients, green tea, brown rice, sea salt and cassava.  I had never heard of cassava so I left the store and went home to do some research. Before I put anything new into my body I do my research.

To my utter delight I found some incredible benefits from this tropical tree root.  Cassava has a variety of B vitamins including folates, pyridoxine, (vitamin B6), riboflavin, pantothenic acid and thiamin.  It's an excellent source of Vitamin C and protein.  What else?  It also has minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese and potassium.

To truly understand your vitamin profile, I recommend getting a panel done by your doctor using the Spectracell Micronutrient test.  On my recent micronutrient results, I was deficient of several of the vitamins and minerals that are present in cassava and I would much prefer to eat a food rather than take a supplement.

The brown rice papers are easy to use.  Simply dip them in warm water until they become clear, add some vegetables and roll up.  They can be eaten just like that or baked.  I put mine in the oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until light brown, let them cool off for 5 minutes and enjoy.

I've made these Black Bean "Flautas" with Avocado Dipping Sauce and substituted the brown rice papers for corn tortillas.  The avocado dipping sauce is fantastic and I've used it when I've made vegetable wraps.  There are several other recipes on my  Pinterest Recipe Page.  Don't be afraid to alter recipes so they work for you.  One of my most frequent substitutions is Coconut Aminos for soy sauce.  Coconut aminos can be used by itself as a dipping sauce.

If you're not following the inspirational and wise Dr Wayne Dyer, I suggest you do. His post today is exactly why I am so passionate about helping others with thyroid and hormonal issues. I've been able to heal myself by creating a strong mind body connection to understand what foods my body likes and those my digestive system cannot handle. Through this, I have reduced my medication and almost eliminated side effects of my hypothyroidism. It took me years of research not only reading but experimenting with various "diets" and cleanses to truly understand that food can either be your best form of medicine or worst form of poison.

All about juicing.

How are those New Year's Resolutions going?  Did you hit the gym? Go on a "diet" or start a juice cleanse?  Ahhh the infamous juice cleanse.

Benefits:

1.  Gives your digestive system a break.
2.  Helps to get out toxins.
3.  Reduce cravings.
4.  Gives your body a jump start.

Cons:

1. Weight lost is typically water weight and almost always gained back.
2.  Some gain weight on a juice cleanse.
3.  Too much sugar in some juices.
4.  No fiber.


My thoughts, if you're going to do a juice cleanse, incorporate some food. Stay vegan, clean and low fat.  Typical juice cleanses are high carb and some end with high fat drinks, I don't agree with these cleanses.  A mix of high carbs/sugar and fat is not good for the digestion.  I have learned from experience being a raw vegan.  Douglas Graham has a great book on the 80/10/10 raw vegan lifestyle and explains why high fat and carbs/sugar do not mix well.

Tips:

1.  Beware of a sugar overload.  Include organic fruits but don't go overboard.
2.  Use the Cronometer, (https://cronometer.com/), to track calories.  Make sure to have 80% carbs and 10% fat & protein to keep your digestive system working properly.
3.  Add some steamed organic vegetables and steamed organic brown rice in the evening.  Keep the spicing to a minimum, enjoy the natural taste of the food.
4.  After the cleanse ease your body back into foods, wait a few days to add meat, poultry and fish back into your diet.
5.  Listen to your body, if you are gaining weight on the cleanse your body is telling you something.  Feed it!

Do as I say, not as I do....

The most common question I get asked, "What does your diet consist of?"  I am always hesitant to respond.  To me, diet is almost like a fingerprint.  It is unique to you and what your body "likes". When you learn to listen to your body, you'll learn what your friendly foods are.   That's what I help teach my clients through elimination and testing.  Most people aren't able to test foods until they eliminate the common culprits.  Someone that has hypothyroidism will have a different starter plan than someone with diabetes.

I have gone through various diets.  I listen to my body and eat what I crave.  I'm able to do this because I've eliminated the "bad"cravings from my body.  Once the 21 day initial phase is completed, cravings are diminished and while you continue on your new lifestyle they decrease even further.   Different seasons seem to bring on different cravings and even more, I can sometimes eat foods that I previously reacted to!  For example, cucumbers. I can eat them in the summer months but in the winter my digestive system is not a fan.  In the winter I can drink coffee, (mind you it's organic & GMO free).  In September of 2014 I simply stopped eating meat and I have zero desire for chicken or fish which was previously something I ate 5-6 times a week.  I may go back to eating fish and chicken and I may not.  As of now I'm a gluten & soy free vegan who's main staple is brown rice.

I get my vitamin levels checked at least once a year.  My favorite test is the SpectraCell Micronutrient test:  http://www.spectracell.com/clinicians/products/mnt/  Using these tests, I add vitamins & minerals my body is missing.   It is an incredible and comprehensive test that will also show how much of a vitamin or mineral your body needs.  This test along with listening to my body is what my "diet" consists of.