So what are the symptoms of hypothyroidsim?  Fatigue, inability to lose weight, constipation, dry, brittle hair or nails, always feeling “cold”, depression, frequent infections, poor circulation in hands and feet, edema (swelling), and muscle cramps while at rest.  And while oftentimes, patients with a diagnosed hypothyroidism are prescribed hormones to replace the low output of the thyroid, this is often a band-aid solution at best, as it does not truly identify the mechanism by which the thyroid is malfunctioning.  Again, not the purpose of this article. A great book on this topic is by Dr. Datis Kharrazian, called Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests are Normal?

As a nutritional therapist, I work with many women who have functional hypothyroidism, which means that they exhibit symptoms of low thyroid function without necessarily having a clear diagnosis.  This is due in large part to adrenal stress, impaired digestion, mineral imbalances, and use of exogenous hormones.  All in all, this leads to a lowered metabolic rate, and therefore the “ideal foods” we often think about in the Real Food world (grass-fed beef, lots of cream and good fats, etc.) can actually be counter-productive if the woman has a slow oxidation rate. This is very common in post-partum women as well. 

The hypothyroid state is one of slowed digestion, lower body temperature, and oftentimes, decreased cellular permeability.  Therefore ,many women benefit from eating foods that are not only nutrient-dense, but simple to digest, and which also have a “warming” effect on the body.  Raw food diets, while certainly appropriate for certain times and situations, may not be the most helpful in hypothyroidism.  Because of the sluggish metabolism induced by hypothyroidism, eating a high fat diet is often not helpful as well, since the body is unable to digest fats appropriately.  Therefore, proper supplementation and nutritional support to balance one’s oxidation rate is imperative, (and the goal is always a healthy fast oxidation rate), as well as choosing foods that are warming and digestible. 

Warming foods are red, orange, or yellow in color.  Fruit, however, is mostly “cooling” to the body, and therefore should be used sparingly if one is working to balance out one’s body chemistry.  Fruit today is very hybridized and bred to be higher in fructose, and I don’t think I have to list the numerous reasons why we need to limit fructose in our diets!  Let me know if you need some good reasons…..

Stir-frying or steaming vegetables makes them more warming than eating them raw.  Root vegetables and those in the brassica family such as cabbage are also more warming as they take longer to grow.  Even chewing our food completely makes it more warming.  So based on what I see in my practice, most women do better with more lightly cooked vegetables that are warming, and fat intake based on their oxidation rate, and moderate protein consumption from healthy, sustainably-raised animals, and properly-prepared, (preferably gluten-free) soaked grains.

In the spirit of being Organic and Thrifty, it must be pointed out that those foods which are most warming tend to be the ones that grow well through the cold winter climates–so if you find yourself living in the Northern latitudes, I encourage you to resist the temptation to eat those English cucumbers and tomatoes flown in from down south, even if they are organic.  Eating locally grown-food isn’t just “hip and green”, but it actually makes sense physiologically.  The food that grows in the climate in which we find ourselves living is most likely the best food for us to eat! 

In order to keep myself accountable to utilize what’s in season, I’ve joined a Winter CSA. These are harder to find in Portland, but they do exist, and they will supply you with an endless variety of squashes, kales, onions, sweet potatoes, cabbages, and all the brassicas. 

So as we head into fall and we can embrace the new variaties of food brought forth from the Earth and we can be encouraged to know that the food that is grown locally is the healthiest, not only for the planet and our pocketbooks, but for our bodies as well!

(Did you know that I write customized menus for clients based on their personal metabolic type?  Interested in digging deeper into your own health enigma and getting some answers?  Private, web-based  Nutritional Consultations are available to those needing support along the journey ).

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So today’s post is a simple solution that I think most coffee addicts will appreciate. A brief “commercial” (and my first attempt at videocasting!) on how to make a delicious coffee alternative.  Note: I get no money from any of the companies that produce any of these products. Unless you click on the Amazon link and order something….

Products Used in Video:

Teecino Coffee-Alternative Beverage (I used 2 T per 4 cups of water in my coffee maker)
Raw Goat’s Milk 
NuStevia Liquid Vanilla Stevia
EcoCup- ceramic reusable coffee cup

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I’ve told you before what a huge fan I am of Elana’s Pantry.  Well, there are several modifications that I made to one of her recipes that I feel qualify me to post it as my own (with much credit to Elana’s inspiration!!)  This grain-free breakfast has only the smallest hint of sweetener, but it is low on the glycemic index and two small scones for breakfast with some kerrygold butter held me over all morning until a late lunch!

Some fun features of this recipe include the use of duck eggs, which I highly recommend for baking. They give rise and fluff like none other!  I also used thrifty Trader Joe’s almond meal instead of the more spendy Bob’s Red Mill or other blanched almond flours.  I find that even though Elana only vouches for the particular brands of almond flour in her book, I find that TJ’s works great.  And at $3.99 per lb, you can’t beat it! I was also really excited to try out my long-searched for find: Coconut Nectar! It’s a great, low-glycemic, minimally processed, low-fructose alternative to agave nectar. I found it when I was in Califoria. Coconut Secret is the brand, but I haven’t been able to find it in any Oregon stores, so I stocked up in California.

Cherry-Chocolate Chip Scones
Makes 14 scones

I used fresh, pitted cherries for this recipe, but dried would be fine as well!

2.5 cups of almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda (not GAPS allowed)
2 eggs
2 TBS coconut nectar (honey works too)
1/4 tsp liquid stevia
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup pitted, fresh cherries
1/4 cup  73% dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or simply grease with butter.

In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until combined. Add melted butter and coconut nectar or honey, and stevia.

Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.

Drop about 1/4 cup at a time of dough onto prepared baking sheets and shape as desired (I like the triangle look personally).

Bake for 15 minutes.  Serve with butter or whipped cream for a delicious, filling, low-glycemic breakfast!

This post has been submitted to Real Food Wednesday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday!

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Today begins a several-part series on nutritional therapy and healing through diet, based on some notes and reflections on my own and my daughter’s health journey for the last five years.  Her story is a living testimony at how damaging antibiotics and processed food can be, and how healing nourishing foods are!  And my story highlights just how amazing and far-reaching the effects of optimal nutrition for energy, weight loss, positive mood, and healthy skin.

Due to the length of this story, I’m sharing the “cliff notes” verson, as I could literally write an entire book about my daughter’s five short years. 

My first pregnancy was “normal” by all outward signs.  I was planning a homebirth with low-key midwives who were pretty laid back and non-alarmist about much of anything.  Although it’s totally normal to worry throughout your first pregnancy, I had serious concerns about the health of my unborn child. I didn’t feel as many kicks as other pregnant mothers seemed to describe.  I was told not to worry.  At 20 weeks, I had passed out in a restaurant and had to be rushed to the E.R. I had a kidney infection and a routine ultrasound (they do that in the ER when you’re pregnant) revealed that my daughter also had a kidney abnormality.  This added to my worry, and when the due date came and went and she went overdue, I really began to panic.  Long story short, she was born 2+ weeks late via emergency c-section at the hospital. 

And I know, I know, sometimes due dates are off….but this child couldn’t have stayed another minute in the womb.  She was born at 5 lbs, 6 oz and my placenta had completely expired.  Obviously I had some significant nutritional issues during prenancy that were “below the surface” and my body failed to properly nourish my dear daughter. 

After the traumatic birth, my body did what so many do post-partum: the post-traumatic stress response.  I didn’t know this at the time, but my adrenals were working overtime. In the 15 months following my daughter’s birth,  my body remained 60 + lbs overweight due to (what I believe) was a metabolic imbalance resulting from the birth of my child. 

I was completely addicted to sugar and subsisted on cake, ice cream, oatmeal, and crackers.  A very high glycemic diet, to say the least.  My hormones were completely wacky and I could not, try as I might, produce enough breast milk to feed my baby exclusively.

Because of the antibiotics administered during the cesarean, I suffered from thrush and candida, and my sugar and starch-filled diet didn’t help that any. Worst of all, I was depressed, lethargic, and stressed about even the smallest things.  No one ever diagnosed me with Post Partum Depression, but I think I had a pretty significant case of the “baby blues”.  Thankfully, I had the support of my amazing family, including my mother who waited on me hand and foot for 2 weeks and has been so helpful all these years. 

Through my Post-Partum Weight Loss Journey I learned many important lessons about how horrible refined carbs were for me, and as I slowly got back to my pre-pregancy weight, I began to feel better and more energetic.  Just good enough to get pregnant again.  In the middle of my second pregnancy, I discovered the Weston A Price Foundation and Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions which turned my world around.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s an invaluable, eye-opening resource that opened the door to the whole notion of Nutritional Therapy to begin with. The idea that what we eat is healing should have been obvious to me, and perhaps it always was. But what Nourishing Traditions points out is so contrary to the “politically correct” nutritional soundbites and really challenges nutritional misconceptions that are preached as dogma.

At any rate, though Nourishing Traditions I discovered the whole world of Real Food. And what better time than during my second pregancy? I consumed grass-fed, raw milk from local farms, cultured my own probiotic-rich kefir, brewed my own enzyme-rich kombucha, soaked my grains and drank my beet kvass.

My second pregnancy was so much smoother than the first, and although it ended in a cesarean, my recovery was much, much quicker and I seemed to be producing more breast milk this go-around.  Unfortunately, I still did not make enough to sustain my son. Jonathan’s story outlines my search for alternatives to commercial, soybean-laden formula and is a testimony in and of itself to the amazing therapeutic properties of Real Food.

As for me, however, I still felt that lack of energy and internally combustable stress; the notion that at any moment it was all going to explode within me.  I can’t explain it any better than that.  I understand it now as an stress response malfunction due to mineral imbalance and it affected the adrenal and thyroid glands rather significantly.

After lots of trips to a naturopath and lots of guessing based on the symptoms I was describing, and after spending lots of money on herbs that didn’t seem  to be helping, I turned to the internet to do some of my own research.

Seek and you shall find.  I came into contact with wonderful people like Cheeseslave who was on her own journey of adrenal recovery, low milk supply, and nutritonal healing for gut and digestive issues.  I started to look into the whole notion of Adrenal Fatigue and the benefits of theraputic diets such as the GAPS diet for digestive healing.  In short, I uncovered something that would change my life: Nutritional Therapy.

How does Nutritional Therapy Differ from Naturopathic Care?

Nutritional Therapy is somewhat unique in that it really addresses the Foundations of Optimal Health, and doesn’t focus so much on symptoms. Masking symptoms with herbs can be helpful, but if that doesn’t work, or stops working, it’s critical to go to the Foundations and restore balance.

The 5 Foundations of Optimal Health:

*Proper Digestion: The first thing to address is digestion and to make sure that the body is properly breaking down the food and properly assimilating it. Without proper digestion, nutrients can’t get to the cells!

*Proper Blood Sugar Handling: This is huge.  Due to very poor USDA food pyramid guidelines, and the prevalance of refined carbohydrates as well as a fast-paced lifestyle that is stress-inducing, a majority of Americans have poor blood sugar handling. This leads to a myriad of problems, including obesity, malnutrition, diabetes, endocrine problems and fertility problems.

*Fatty Acid Balance: Did you get the memo that fats were good for you? Certain ones aren’t, but most natural ones are!  When I started eating more fat and less carbs, my energy levels changed in a very short time.  My weight started to normalize, and *gasp* I wasn’t hungry all the time! Proper fats are needed to make healthy cells, healthy hormones, and for energy.  They can even prevent sunburns!

*Mineral Balance: Essential minerals are needed for all bodily functions, particularly hormone functions. For mothers, healthy hormones are essential for our energy levels, moods, and health.  Our bodies cannot make minerals, we must obtain (and assimilate!) them from food.  Refined foods are depleted of minerals, and futhermore they deplete our bodies of minerals when we eat them.  The importance of minerals cannot be overstated when it comes to restoring balance and rebuilding the body!

*Hydration: Adequate hydration is the missing link in so many of our diets. I’ll admit, I don’t even remember to always drink as much as I should.  You should aim for half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Water is crucial for a healthy blood pressure, toxin removal, cell communication, joint health, body temperature regulation, gastric juice production, and proper nerve function.  Drinking enough water is the cheapest way you can reverse your health in a short period of time.

Once these five foundations are in place, and assuming that the diet is nutrient-dense, full of properly prepared whole foods, you can then work from that point to continue to address specific symptoms that might still be troubling to your health.

I didn’t have my personal “turnaround” until I begin to really address these foundations. Diet is critical, but even the best diet won’t heal you on its own if the foundations are not in place.

My Personal Plan:Here’s what has worked for me, and of course I will expound and elaborate on these in upcoming posts:

*Giving up the grains and focusing on a paleo/primal diet and following the GAPS guidelines.
*Ridding my diet of fast foods and processed foods
*Adrenal Support (A blend of adaptogenic herbs)
*Vitamin D supplementation
*Fermented Cod Liver Oil (See my Resources page for Sources)
*Coconut Oil, Grass-Fed Butter, and cold-pressed extra virgin olive and flax oils
*Mineral Supplementation, including Molybdenum (who knew?)
*Drinking “alive” beverages such as beet kvass, kombucha, coconut water kefir, etc.
*Drinking alkalized, ionized, microclustered water
*Aiming for a a 1:1 ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 Fatty Acids.

A personalized nutritional plan is key to healthy motherhood, and healthy is thrifty.  Healthy equals “no copays”. Yes, there are some supplements to buy in the short-term, but eventually once you restore balance you should do pretty well with a nutrient-dense diet.

This post is not intended to be taken as medical advice, rather you should see a qualified heathcare professional who practices Nutrition-Based Therapy. There are several Chiropractors, Naturpaths, and Nutritional Therapists who utilize this foundational approach. You can find one in your area by going here. 

If you have difficulty finding a Nutrition-Oriented practitioner in your area, I am pleased to say that I am now offering remote nutritional consultations via phone and internet. If you would like to know if my skill set matches your needs, please read about my Nutrition Consultations!

This post has been a part of Real Food Wednesday!

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The last several years have been, quite honestly really difficult for me.  As a (relatively) new mom (I consider a 5 year old pretty new in the whole scheme of things) I have been undergoing a major identity change the last several years. Not only that, but my body changed, my relationship with my husband changed, my job changed, I had major surgery (twice) and, well, I think that all adds up to lots of stress, both physically and emotionally.

Recently some pretty difficult spiritual circumstances were visited upon my family. While really difficult, they ended up being some of the best things that have ever happened because they drove me deeper into understanding who I am as a mom, a wife, a professional, a friend, and most of all, a child loved by God.  Through this journey of self-discovery I realized that my blog was becoming a real stumbling block.

Here’s why.  One thing I’ve learned about myself this past year is that I have a major weakness for pleasing people; everyone, that is, except for the people who matter most and are closest to me.  Because of this, I end up with a lot of “false guilt” and shame that I layer upon myself and I really obsess and tend to be tempted to find great importance in what others think of me.

Well it turns out that blogging is the perfect tool for that passion to be let loose and to grow into quite a bitter enemy to my soul.  But, as with all things, I can take this reality and either run away from it or let it teach me. 

So, even though I’m in the midst of figuring out what Organic and Thrifty is really going to be about, I haven’t arrived there.  This isn’t a home buisiness. If it were, I’d be making like a dollar an hour.  I didn’t start this blog hoping to make money or make it big.  And it’s a good thing I didn’t because I know it wouldn’t have been good for my soul at the time.

I write this blog to share the lessons and insights and tips I’ve learned along the way. I don’t consider myself a really great writer, but I must admit that I think of myself as pretty important some of the time and I figure that others need to know what I know.  Yeah, that’s something I’m sort of working on with God. The whole “self-importance” thing.  Instead of thinking that everyone needs to know what I know, I instead offer all that I’ve been taught to go on record for anyone else to glean.

Take what helps you, leave the rest.

I wish I could promise that I’ll be posting the perfect organic deals every day. Or posting elaborate recipes, or cheap dinners, or menu plans.  I’ve been there, done that, and will do it again. But I will not put a strict, stressful timeline on myself and get all obsessed with my blog like I have in the past.

But I won’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Organic and Thrifty is here to stay. If for nothing else, then to be a resource of meal plans, recipes, nutrition articles, resources, and stories of healing.

I plan to continue to post regularly but the focus will probably begin shifting more towards nutrition and how to practically and affordably apply the lifestyle and diet principles of Nutritional Therapy to your everyday life.

Right now I’m in the midst of discerning the next steps for me in terms of my Nutritional Therapy Practice that I’m in the process of beginning right now.  I am trying to maintain balance in my life as a homeschooling mom who still cooks nearly everything from scratch.  We now own a dairy goat, which provides a lot more structure to the day (and early, early mornings!) as well as lots and lots of milk to make yogurt, kefir, and cheese out of.  And there’s the garden which is growing very well this year, yet needs an occasional sprinkle of water or two!  Oh yes, and there’s my marriage and relationships with friends. And God.  And learning. Always learning.

So now I feel that I’m starting a New Chapter at O & T.  I feel different inside. I’m re-oriented and more at peace with what I’m doing here.  Not because I think I have something particularly unique, insightful, or important to say.  But because I need to practice saying it.

By they way, if you’d like to know more about my Nutrition Consultation services (and I promise this blog won’t become a shameless plug platform for my practice!) please check out my consultations page and drop me a line for more info!

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If you have teenage children, consider offering this ecourse to them as a great “summer enrichment” exercise in Nourishing Foods.  This would be an AMAZING resource for parents whose teenage children attend schools where Home Ec has been cut.  I can’t tell you how much I would have appreciated a course like this as a teen!

If you would like to take the ecourse, here are some details you should know:

Classes Begin: June 1
Cost: $120 for 12 weeks (that’s $10 per class!)
To Register:  The Nourished Kitchen E-Course

You’ll never look at food the same again!

Please note: I don’t promote anything on this blog that I don’t fully endorse or agree with. This course may include some instruction that is not completely relevant for those on a grain-free diet (there is one lecture on grains), but all of the information is very valuable and foundational to healthy eating. If you or someone you know could use this information, please encourage them to take the class!  I am required by the FTC to also disclose that I earn a small commission for every reader that signs up for the E-Course through my blog. In spite of this, please know I am very selective about what I promote, regardless of whether I get compensated! Thanks!

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Waffles have got to be the hardest thing to give up when you go off of grains, but no longer!  I’ve been experimenting with grain-free waffles for a while, but it’s really hard to find a good texture and taste that works.  But I think I’ve landed on a winner!Angela, a friend of mine (whom I met through this blog!) is the amazing mother of two children on the GAPS diet.  She shared this recipe with me, inspired by one found at Mark’s Daily Apple, another great grain-free blog!

These waffles are a great protein-rich way to start the day, with good fats and a negligible amount of carbohydrates.  Top with fresh sliced fruit, butter, a little whipped cream…..or just eat plain!

Grain-Free Waffles
-Makes 4 Waffles-
(Adapted from Mark’s Daily Apple)

4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup coconut milk (full fat) or dary milk

1. Scramble the eggs. 

2. Add the vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, and milk.

3. Add the coconut flour and mix until there are no more lumps.

4. Pour into hot waffle iron and cook for about 5 minutes, until done.

5. Enjoy!

*These freeze well; make a large batch on Sunday or Saturday and have quick, grab-and-go frozen breakfasts throughout the week!

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I had never even attempted to make Creme Brulee before I came across a great recipe for it in a Crockpot cookbook of all places!  Yes, I’ve adapted this from the wonderful Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cookbook by Stephanie O’Dea of  365 Days of SlowCooking. You can read my review of it here. 

I adapted the recipe (and doubled it) to be free of sugar and low-carb.  Oh, and I didn’t do anything involving a kitchen blow-torch on the top of it, so I guess this is not truly “creme brulee”. 

I used Truvia (a stevia-erythritol blend) instead of sugar.  By the way, I’m not 100% confident that Truvia is the best thing in the world, the jury is still out. I do trust it far more than any artificial sweetner, but if you’re concerned you can simply stick to your favorite form of stevia and add it to taste. There are lots of different Stevias out there, so go with what you prefer. In this household, right now we’re hooked on Truvia. But I don’t always trust things that are made by Cargill and white.

Creme Brulee

2 cups of heavy cream (preferably grass-fed, like Strauss)
5 egg yolks (Coscto now has 18-ct Organic, Cage Free Eggs for a little over $4! Not bad!)
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3-4 packets of Truvia (or your preferred form of Stevia, to taste)

1. Blend all ingredients together.

2. Place in individual ramekins or a large casserole dish. 

3. Place in crockpot. Fill crock with water to come up halfway around the dishes (like a hot water bath).

4. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours.  Remove and let cool completely.

5. Transfer and chill in the fridge overnight. It will be a little “jiggly” before you chill it. Don’t worry.

6. Serve topped with sliced strawberries (preferably organic) and enjoy!

Check out some other sugar-free recipes at Naturally Knocked Up. Not all are gluten-free or even grain-free, but they are all at least free of refined sugar and look great!

Photo credit

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Organic cleaning products can be so expensive!  For those of you who haven’t taken the leap to simply rely on water, vinegar, and essential oils for cleaning, this is a good time to stock up on some earth-friendly cleaning products!  I personally like to buy Seventh Generation’s Dish Soap, but I also have been very pleased with their other cleaning products.  Seventh Generation seems to have launched an enormous marketing plan which includes generous deals and coupons, and now they have a rebate going, making it very affordable (even free in some cases!) to get these products.  I love how organic products are becoming more affordable with demand!!!!

Seventh Generation is running a generous rebate right now, and with coupons and deals going on all over the place, it’s very likely that you can score these products for free!  For the rebate you need to purchase any 3 Seventh Generation Products. 

You can find a manufacturer’s coupon here for Seventh Generation Products.

Additionally, here’s where you can find some good deals on Seventh Generation Products:

Albertson’s

Here in the NW, Albertsons is selling some of their Seventh Generation products on clearance for $2.00 each.  Paired with a coupon and the rebate, you could get some free cleaning products!

Babies R Us

I have heard reports from a few sources that Babies R Us also has Seventh Generation Products on Clearance. It’s worth checking out if you live close to one!

Fred Meyer

Freddie’s (a Kroger affiliate) has all of their Seventh Generation Cleaning items on sale for 30% off.  The prices will vary, but this is a great time to match up a manufacturer’s coupon with a sale AND a rebate!

Target

Last I checked, Seventh Generation cleaners were priced at $2.99 each.  That was last Tuesday (but that was the regular price as far as I could tell).  If you purchase 3 and use 3 $1 off coupons, you would pay about $6 out of pocket and get a $5 rebate, which is not quite free but almost free.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods also has an internet store coupon for $1 off 7th Generation products!  Match it with your manufacturer’s coupons and the rebate for a great deal!

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