R is for Read Labels to Avoid Chemicals

ABCs for healthy living are quick takes on simple strategies for creating a healthier life.

Commercially manufactured bread contains chemical additives.

I used to think that choosing healthy foods meant counting calories, fat grams, and carbs so that I could lose weight. I gave no thought at all to the ingredients used to create highly processed low calorie foods. I compromised my health every single time I ate something that came out of a box or carton no matter how low the calorie count was.

And then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. While searching for ways to improve my symptoms, I learned that chemicals we are exposed to every day in common household products, cosmetics, and processed food make us sick. Exposure to these chemicals has been identified a a causal factor in almost all autoimmune illnesses, including fibromyalgia, as well as Alzheimer's Disease, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and many types of cancer.

Our bodies are designed to break down and utilize real food for energy, stamina, and to maintain health. Our bodies are not designed to deal with artificial chemical ingredients used by big food manufacturing companies to increase the shelf life of packaged products. Most food conglomerates are interested in profit margins, not health.

The label in the above picture is from a typical commercially manufactured loaf of whole wheat bread. When I make wheat bread, I use just a few real food ingredients: flour, wheat, salt, yeast, milk, butter, and a little sugar to activate the yeast.

Look at what has been added to the commercially manufactured loaf. And this is a brand that contains fewer added ingredients than many of the others sitting on the supermarket shelves. Consider just one of the added chemical ingredients. Monoglycerides are additives used as an emulsifier to keep oil and fat from separating. Monoglycerides (and diglycerides) often contain trace amounts of trans fats which have been banned for use in food production but don't have to be listed as a trans fat because of the level per serving calculations.They have been linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and raising bad cholesterol levels.The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has correlated consuming trans fats to increased rates of death.There is no safe level of them to eat.

I don't always have time to make my own bread. So I have become an avid label reader. When I buy a commercially produced loaf of bread, I read the ingredients labels, understand what each ingredient is, and make an informed decision about the purchase. My goal is to eat real food 90% of the time.That leaves 10% leeway for eating some processed food.

I also reduced my exposure to toxic chemicals by eliminating household cleaners that contain harmful ingredients and switching to safer cosmetics. For more info on how to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals, check out these five ideas.

Eliminate These 3 Toxic Things Now

How to Clean Your Entire Bathroom Without Toxic Chemicals

How to Find Less Toxic Cosmetics

Why Fragrances are Harmful to Our Health

3 Nontoxic Household Cleaner Recipes

I was so debilitated from the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia that there were many days I could barely function. I stopped eating most processed food, started eating real food with a lot of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and switched to cleaning products and personal care items with fewer chemicals.It takes time and energy to make lifestyle changes but it is certainly worth the effort. Next month, I will celebrate four years of being completely symptom free.

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H is for Healing

ABCs for healthy living are quick takes on simple strategies for creating a healthier life.

Eat real food for healthy living.

"Four of the top ten causes of death today are chronic diseases with well-established links to diet: coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer." - Michael Pollan

Eight years ago I would have shrugged my shoulders and said, "Who cares?" when reading that quote by Michael Pollan, the best-selling author of In Defense of Food. I ate whatever I wanted without a single thought to the possible impact on my well-being.

Then I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a terrible chronic illness with a broad spectrum of symptoms including severe pain and debilitating fatigue. Suddenly, I was extremely interested in creating a healthier lifestyle. I was desperate to find something that might make me feel better.I was willing to make any changes to my diet and lifestyle that held even the tiniest possibility of improving my symptoms.

I researched what causes illness and how healing occurs. I learned that we live in a toxic world.The food we eat and the household products we use either contribute to our health and well-being or leave our bodies vulnerable to contracting all kinds of diseases. Toxic ingredients in household products and processed food has been linked to the onset of numerous autoimmune diseases and disorders like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), rheumatoid arthritis,and Sjogren's disease.

Based on what I learned, I developed ten strategies for creating a healthier life.The top three changes I made were:

• I quit using household products full of harmful chemicals.
• I stopped eating most highly processed food.
• I started eating real food with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.

I was only hoping to find a way to feel better. I was amazed when I completely recovered. I have had no fibromyalgia symptoms since December of 2012. I continue to follow the strategies that helped me recover to maintain my health and well-being.

Now I read that Michael Pollan quote and applaud. I have firsthand proof that the food we eat and the products we use in our homes and on our bodies can either contribute to disease or lead to healing.

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5 Reasons Why We Keep Eating Toxic Food

Step by step is the only way out of old food habits

Research shows that what we eat has a direct effect on our health and well being. Processed food is full of chemicals, dyes, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that our bodies were never designed to consume. For decades this truth had no impact on my lifestyle at all. I ate whatever I wanted to eat without giving it a single thought. 

The only reason I started investigating the relationship between what I eat and how I feel is because my fibromyalgia symptoms were so severe that I was turning into a housebound invalid. I had severe pain in multiple muscles and joints, frequent bouts of spiking pain in my knees, elbows, and feet, pain that increased with changes in the weather, pain so severe it woke me up at night, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, never feeling rested even when I managed sporadic sleep, unremitting fatigue, difficulty completing even the simplest tasks of daily living, loss of focus, an inability to concentrate, and feelings of hopelessness.

The most hopeless feeling of all was that I would have to cope with this disease for the rest of my life. After an entire year of misery and despair, I started looking for a way to feel better. After reading everything I could find on fibromyalgia, chronic illness, and the impact of processed food and chemicals on our health, I developed a plan that involved making three primary lifestyle changes. 

• I eliminated as many chemicals as possible in my home.  
• I stopped eating processed food that is full of toxic ingredients.
• I started eating real food that contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients

When I started reading everything I could find about my illness, I was only hoping to discover a way to feel well enough to function every day. I was amazed that I not only found a way to feel better, but my symptoms completely disappeared. Is this a cure or is the disease just in remission?  All I can tell you is that when I made these changes in my life I got well. I have been symptom free and feeling great for almost three years.

Researchers who are studying the relationship between exposure to chemicals in our environment and chemicals in our food have found links to a host of illnesses including fibromyalgia, arthritis, lupus, Sjogren's syndrome and other illnesses like heart disease, depression, and cancer. So why isn't every person with fibromyalgia or another chronic illness getting rid of chemicals in their environment and food and eating whole foods? I suspect it is for the same five reasons I was slowly killing myself with food and chemicals for over half a century.

Habit.  When you are used to doing things a certain way, it seems simpler to keep on doing them that way than to change. So we keep using the same cleaning products and personal grooming products. We keep spraying our homes with scented products full of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) We keep eating things out of packages and boxes. We drink soda and stuff our faces with candy, cookies, and chips. It is what we are used to doing.

Lack of Information.  We don't educate ourselves about the harm processed food and environmental chemicals can cause. In the past, perhaps this information was hard to find. Now it is everywhere. You can get online, type a key word or phrase in your favorite search engine, and have hundreds of scientific articles right in front of you in a matter of minutes.The truth is out there.  

Disbelief.  Even when we have the information and read every article and book about the harm environmental chemicals and processed food cause our bodies, we just don't want to believe this could be true. We had rather believe there is some other cause, pop a pill, and hope for the best. Even some physicians are still not paying attention. I am grateful to have met many who are wholeheartedly behind the movement to eat well to live well. 

False Sense of Trust.  If it is available on our grocery shelves, we think it must be safe to eat. Nothing could be further from the truth. Giant food corporations have only one motivation for producing processed food products. And it is not our well-being. It is profit. Read the book "Salt, Sugar, Fat" by Michael Moss for an eye opening look into the world of manufactured food.

Unwillingness to Change.  Even when we know the truth and believe the truth, sometimes we just don't want to change our lifestyle. We don't want to give up soda or packaged cookies. We don't want to switch to safer organic chemical free cleaners. We just don't want to change our ways. It took me six months after I started finding out the truth to finally summon up the determination to take action and make the changes I needed to make.

If I had not made those changes I would still be dragging myself out of bed every morning just hoping for a low pain day, glad if I had the energy to take a shower and make it to the couch. Instead I am traveling, writing, camping, playing with my grandchildren, and living each day with joy and gratitude. Don't let chemicals and processed food rob you of your potential to live a life that is full of hope, promise, and possibilities. 

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Surprised by Recovery from Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia produces a cascading torrent of symptoms.

I know the exact moment my encounter with fibromyalgia started.  On December 21, 2009 I had a severe allergic reaction to shrimp. I went into anaphylactic shock, had difficulty breathing, was taken to the emergency room, and was given three doses of epinephrine before my lung function returned to normal. I was kept in the ER for observation and then sent home to rest and recover. A week later I was still resting but I was not recovering at all.

I felt extremely fatigued all of the time. About a month after the shrimp episode, I developed muscle and joint pain all over my body. At first I thought it was just taking a long time to recover from the anaphylactic reaction, all that epinephrine, and the hectic Christmas holiday season. But the symptoms persisted and grew worse each day.

I had been working part time for four to six hours a day four days a week. I began to cut back on my hours until I was working only two or three hours a day. Eventually, I no longer had the energy for even that and had to quit my job. Prior to the onset of this mysterious cluster of symptoms I was an energetic,outgoing, generally cheerful person who thrived on being involved in many things at one time. But now it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to complete the basic tasks of everyday living. My doctor did laboratory analysis and evaluation which came back within normal limits. After the symptoms had persisted for six months and other possible causes had been ruled out, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. 

I was tried on several different medications used to help control fibromyalgia pain but I had side effects with each one and couldn't take any of them. I was going to have to somehow find a way to live with constant pain and debilitating fatigue. 

For the next twelve months, I spent most of my time lying on the couch. I got up to make occasional forays to the grocery store and wander into the utility room to try to keep up with the laundry. Everything I heard was discouraging. I was told there was no known cause or cure for fibromyalgia, that it would probably last the rest of my life, and that I might as well get used to feeling horrible every single day.

My usual coping mechanism is to confront a problem head on, brainstorm creative ways to resolve the issue, and jump in and do whatever it takes to make things better. I barely had the energy to stand up and shuffle around the house, much less do any jumping, but I jumped in anyway. I started reading everything I could find about fibromyalgia. 

It took another year to discover everything I needed to know to feel better. Over time, I developed a plan that involved making three huge changes in my lifestyle. I got chemicals out of my home environment, stopped eating processed food, and started eating whole foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. My fibromyalgia symptoms have completely resolved. I haven't had any pain, fatigue,insomnia, fibro fog, or other fibromyalgia symptoms for over a year and a half. 

Before I got well, if anyone had told me it was possible to recover from fibromyalgia, I would have said they were nuts. I still wouldn't believe it even now except for this: it happened to me. 

Did you experience any traumatic physical, spiritual, or emotional event before you got sick?

Have you found anything that has helped improve your fibromyalgia symtpoms?

Healthy Valentine Sweet Treats

I have been focusing on eating whole real food as part of my chronic illness recovery plan. I suffered from severe fibromyalgia pain and debilitating chronic fatigue syndrome for three years.  Since changing my lifestyle, I have been symptom free for one year and two months.

I have found that if I eat whole real food 95% of the time, then I can give myself some leeway the other 5% of the time. Fresh fruit and whole unsalted nuts are my usual snack choices.  It is important to be practical as you move toward recovery from chronic illness. And every now and then part of that practicality for me includes indulging in a little sweet treat.  

From November to February we are plunged into several food-centric events: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Super Bowl Parties, and coming up soon - Valentine's Day. 

Processed food and calorie laden options abound during these holidays and celebrations. But there are many ways to enjoy healthier choices and still not feel deprived of sweet treats. One of the most delicious treats you can make is fresh fruit dipped in chocolate. There are many organic chocolate choices.  I like to use Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips for dipping, coating, and baking. Enjoy Life chips are organic and they are dairy, soy, and gluten free. Strawberries are my favorite fruit to dip in chocolate. 

Select fresh firm looking berries.  Buy organic strawberries if possible.  If you buy the berries at your local supermarket there is an easy way to remove some of the chemical residue from the fruit. Fill a large bowl with 1/4 c of vinegar and 2 quarts of cold water. Add the strawberries and soak them for twenty minutes.  Drain the berries in a colander and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Let the fruit air dry for fifteen minutes.  Pat dry with paper towels.   Store in an airtight container or bag with a paper towel placed on the bottom to soak up any remaining moisture. This method keeps the strawberries fresh and firm for one to two weeks.  I also use this vinegar soak to remove chemical residue from other fresh fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, apples, lettuce, grapes, etc. 

Take out the number of strawberries you want to dip in chocolate.  One cup of Enjoy Life mini chips is enough chocolate to coat one large container of strawberries.  Melt the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Stir the chips frequently until completely melted. Keep the melted chocolate over warm water while dipping the berries. Dip the bottom half of each berry in the melted chocolate.  Shake to remove excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper or on a cooling rack and leave until the chocolate is firmly set.  Serve immediately.

I have modified many other dessert recipes to make them more healthy.  I do not eat dairy and I have family members who do not eat gluten, peanuts, or soy.  When I am making sweet treats for my family, I make our favorite recipes changing some of the ingredients to make them fit our dietary needs.

You can make any cookie or candy recipe healthier by adding whole rolled oats, dried fruit, almonds, walnuts, and milled flax seed.  Here is a list of things you can substitute in recipes to make a healthier version of your favorites.

Flour.  Use whole wheat or unbleached instead of white flour.  Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milled flax and 1 tablespoon of organic wheat germ to each cup of flour.  Substitute whole rolled oats for half of the flour called for in a recipe.

Gluten free flour. I have had the most success with mixing alternatives to wheat flour rather than using just one kind.  My favorite combination is for each cup of flour called for in a recipe use 1/3 cup of almond flour, 1/3 cup of coconut flour, and 1/3 c of gluten free flour.  I like King Arthur's but there are several brands to choose from.  

Sugar  Instead of white refined sugar, use unrefined organic raw sugar and raw local honey. For every cup of sugar called for in a recipe, I use 1/2 cup of raw sugar and 1/2 cup of honey.

Butter and solid shortening.  For every cup called for in the recipe substitute 1/3 cup of solid coconut oil, 1/3 cup of Earth Balance butter substitute, and 1/3 cup of olive oil.  I like Earth Balance because you can use it to bake, saute, or spread on bread and it comes in a dairy free and soy free version.  Olive oil is the healthiest oil you can use. 

Peanut butter.  Use the same amount of almond butter instead of peanut butter. Almonds are packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and protein. 


Milk.   Use almond milk in equal amounts to the milk called for in your recipe.

If I want to make sweet treats when  I do not have a crowd coming over to help us eat them, I make a batch of brownies or cookies and freeze them for my husband and me to eat.  I take out only one brownie or cookie at a time for each of us to defrost and enjoy. Eating them at this rate, one batch of cookies or brownies lasts us a month or more.  I like to make brownies using the substitutions listed above.  I add several kinds of chopped nuts, milled flax seed, and almond butter to make them more nutritious.  Our favorite cookie is oatmeal chocolate chip.  I add lots of nuts, whole rolled oats, dried fruit, and organic chocolate chips to my favorite cookie recipe to make a healthier version.

My Valentine wish for all of my friends who suffer from chronic autoimmune diseases is that you will find ways to get healthier and feel better.  That happened for me when I eliminated chemical products from my home, stopped eating processed food, and started eating whole foods rich in nutrients.  

Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for the Allergy Crowd

I am putting the final touches on my Thanksgiving menu plan.  My fibromyalgia symptoms have been in remission for almost a year now so making sure I have plenty of whole healthy foods for everyone to enjoy is important to me.  I recovered from my severe chronic illness when I eliminated chemicals from my environment, stopped eating toxic processed food, and started eating real, whole foods rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.  I want to keep right on feeling great during this wonderful food-centered holiday.

Dealing with my personal food needs is not the only obstacle I face in planning our Thanksgiving dinner. I am looking forward to having four generations of my extended family gathered around my table.  There will be laughter, hugs, long talks, games, and plenty of counting our blessings.  But there will also be enough of us in the room that have food allergies and food sensitivities that we could do group Public Service Announcements for the National Allergy Board.  One or more people in my family cannot eat dairy products, gluten, beef, nuts, corn, foods with a lot of roughage, bananas, spicy food, shellfish, pork, citrus fruits, kiwi, avocados, soy, or anything prepared in a facility that also prepares peanuts.  It's a good thing I like creative cooking and relish a challenge.

I want to encourage you that you can make healthy meals even during the holidays.  If I can prepare a delicious Thanksgiving meal for my food allergy bunch, I know that you can come up with some smart choices for you and your family too. You can eat healthy foods every day of your life for the rest of your life if you make eating well a priority. 

Here are a couple of ideas if you are cooking for a crowd that has food limitations.  

***Have one entree that everyone can eat and plenty of side dishes so that everyone can choose at least two additional foods.  If I tried to make every single dish something that every single person could eat, we would mainly spend the day sitting around the dining room table imagining what dinner might look like because it would be pretty much invisible.  

***Enlist some helpers.  My daughter is making two side dishes and a dessert.  And my mother is bringing four loaves of her wonderful homemade Portuguese country bread.

Thanksgiving Menu 2013

Roasted Turkey.  I fill the cavity with apple slices, onion, garlic and spices and baste with olive oil and everyone can eat it.

Crockpot macaroni and cheese.  The lactose intolerant folks have to pass on it but all of my grandchildren adore it.

Portuguese country bread.

Portuguese Country Bread

Baked sweet potatoes.  I serve them plain with a choice of toppings that include butter, soy- free dairy-free butter substitute, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.  

Squash casserole without the cheese.

Fruit plate with enough choices that everyone can eat at least one of the fruits.

Salad greens with kale, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Apple, pear, cranberry crisp with oatmeal topping but no nuts.

Brownie pie with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Chocolate almond pie that is dairy free, soy free, and gluten free.

Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Pie

And there you have it:  a Thanksgiving feast we can all enjoy.  Oh, and by the way, my family will be here from Wednesday until Sunday so I will be cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the allergy crowd for five days.  And I will love every minute of it.  Because spending time with people you love is a gift.  And Thanksgiving is the perfect day to smile and count your blessings.