Natural Pink Eye Remedy

This last week, both Austin and I had been a bit run down with a chest cold and pink eye.  We're both feeling a lot better now, after taking a week or so to rest and boost our immune systems.  I've been noticing on our Facebook page that a few folks have been battling eye infections lately, too.  I wanted to share my tips for helping your eyes and body heal naturally.

I don't like to admit this, but I am somewhat of an expert on pink eye and eye sickness.  It is something I have battled frequently for my entire life.  I was born without functioning bottom tear ducts in both of my eyes, so my tears don't drain after being produced.  The constant tear production and pooling process creates the same affect as a stagnant pond in nature.  Without drainage and circulation, bacteria accumulates and thrives.  Growing up, I was in and out of the medical doctor at least once a month for conjunctivitis or some other form of an eye infection.  This was a constant battle for me all the way through my college years.  No one ever explained WHY my eyes were so susceptible to getting sick.

That was until I met my now husband, Dr. Dave.  He was the one person to explain the nervous system to me and its role on allowing my eyes to heal.  I began getting regular chiropractic adjustments in 2007.  For me, that meant 3-4 adjustments per week based on the damage in my neck.  The nerves going to my eyes were literally being pinched off by the bones in my neck due to ligament damage that I had never known about until then.  It took a few months of consistent chiropractic care, but soon I noticed I wasn't getting sick anymore.  For the first time in my life, I had gone 4 months without an eye infection!  And I noticed something else..  My eyes were draining better on their own!  I used to have to wipe my eyes with tissue multiple times in an hour -- often friends or classmates would ask me if I was okay, thinking I was crying.  I realized that not only were my eyes healthier and warding off sickness better, but I was able to wait 2-3 hours without having to wipe my eyes!

Now fast forward six years, after getting my spine corrected, and fully incorporating the 5 Essentials of Health into my life, my eyes have been doing even better!  This recent bout with pink eye is one of maybe 4 times I've had it in the last six years.  Who can complain about that looking back from where I have come from?

All of this said, I want to share my tips for helping your eyes heal naturally without the use of antibiotics.  Something to remember about antibiotics is that they kill both the bad bacteria AND the good.  A man-made antibiotic knows no difference.  Our body needs its good bacteria as it is the foundation for our immune system.  Also, an eye infection is not always bacterial.  My doctors growing up told me "there's a 50/50 chance it could be bacterial or viral," so they would give me an antibiotic eye drop plus some pill for viral infection.  I don't remember the names of the medications, but I do remember thinking how come I needed pills and drops that really didn't help and why couldn't my body heal on its own.  It wasn't until much later in life that I learned that my body CAN HEAL if I just give it the best opportunity to do so.

Here is what I do to fight an eye infection naturally.  It's all about addressing your immune system.  The only time you will get an eye infection is when your immune system is weakened.  Here are my tips to boost you:

1. GET ADJUSTED  Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself.  That power starts in the brain and travels through the spinal cord to every organ and cell of your body.  Chiropractic looks for any interference in the spine which prevents the healing power from traveling to the places it needs to.  Each adjustment to your nervous system boosts your immunity anywhere from 200-400%!  Do yourself the favor and get your neck checked by your Maximized Living doctor.  Getting corrective care adjustments can greatly accelerate your healing when you are sick.  Visit MaximizedLiving.com to find a corrective care chiropractor near you.
2. COLLOIDAL SILVER  This is what I use in place of an antibacterial eye drop medication.  There are two ways you can use this.  You can drop 2-3 drops directly into each eye 3-5 times per day.  Or you can fill an eye wash cup with colloidal silver and wash your eye that way 3-5 times per day.  Make sure you have 10ppm colloidal silver (proven to kill the bad bacteria in 6 minutes or less on contact).  It's best to treat both eyes with colloidal silver in case there is bacteria cross contamination.  Often just as your one eye is healing, the other will get sick.  That's never fun.
   (You can alternatively use a few drops of fresh breast milk directly into each eye to naturally kill any bad bacteria in the eye.  The breast milk will also soothe the irritation.)
   
3. GARLIC  Raw garlic is a natural antibiotic, antihistamine and holds many immune boosting capabilities.  If you can handle eating it raw, pop a couple cloves in your mouth throughout the day, chew and swallow.  Most likely you won't be able to handle this (I know I can't!).  Instead, find raw garlic capsules and supplement that way.  2,000-6,000mg daily is a healthy high dose to boost your immune system.  I'll usually do 2,000mg in the morning and 2,000mg before bed when I'm sick.
   
4. OIL OF OREGANO  Oil of oregano contains natural compounds that combat viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections.  It is a powerful oil and a few drops can go a long way!  One of the most important things to look for when buying Oil of Oregano is the amount of Carvacrol and Thymol. Most of the health benefits of Oil of Oregano are due to these two active ingredients.   Oil of Oregano can come in different strengths.  The higher the carvacrol concentration, the stronger it's antimicrobial effects.  Also, be sure it is organic.  There are two ways to dose Oil of Oregano for an eye infection:  1) Place 4-6 drop sublingually (beneath your tongue) and hold for 30 seconds before swallowing.  Repeat up to 10 times daily.  2)  In a shot glass of filtered water, float 15 drops on the surface.  Take the shot and let the oil coat your throat.  Repeat up to 10 times daily.
5. VITAMIN C  Up to 10,000mg daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin C.  Be sure you are using a high quality and safe brand that meets food-grade standards.  If you're not sure, ask your Maximized Living doctor!
6. VITAMIN D3  Vitamin D3 is a HUGE immune booster, believe it or not.  And we often wonder why we get sick in the fall and winter months more than summer.  Well, it mostly has to do with our lack of vitamin D during those 6 months.  Not only are we not getting outside as much with less skin exposed, but we are farther away from the sun as well so the precious healing rays can't reach us as effectively even if we were outside!  Up to 20,000 IUs daily is a safe high dose for Vitamin D 3 while sick.  On a daily basis in the fall/winter, I take 10,000 IUs daily to make up for lack of sunlight (5,000 IUs daily in the summer months).  Be sure you are using a high quality and safe brand that meets food-grade standards.  If you're not sure, ask your Maximized Living doctor!
7. WATER  Drink PLENTY of pure, filtered water each day.  Normally you want to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.  When you're sick, you need to drink even more!  This does not include tea, almond milk, or protein shakes, etc.  It needs to be pure water to hydrate your cells and help to flush out toxins.
8. PLAIN TISSUE  When dealing with an eye infection, this is a very important step to take.  By "plain tissue," I mean just tissue, not the kind that's got "vitamins or lotion added."  Did you ever think about how they get lotion onto a tissue?  It's definitely NOT natural.  It's actually toxic chemicals that have been studied and shown to make you more sick (so the can sell more tissue?)!  Instead, you should use only plain, uncoated tissue sheets or a handkerchief (wash often).  Unbleached tissue is best, as we all know the dangers of chlorine to our health.  And guess what?  Natural uncoated tissue is actually less expensive than the more commercial 'lotion added' tissues!
9. COLD EYE COMPRESS  I know, I know.  When your eyes are sick with crusty gunk and swollen, we want to use a hot washcloth to soften the gunk away.  What's actually better is using a cold washcloth and actually holding it over your eyes for some time.  A hot compress will actually create more inflammation to your eyes, worsening your symptoms.  Instead run a clean wash cloth under freezing cold water, wring it out well, and hold it on your eyes for 10-20 minutes at a time as many times a day as you can.  I like to do this right before putting the colloidal silver drops into my eyes.  And I usually do the cold compress for 15 minutes 5-6 times per day (about every 2 hours if I'm able to).  It really, really helps you get through the day.
10. EAT FOODS HIGH IN VITAMIN A  Vitamin A is one of the main vitamins your eyes utilize to keep healthy and strong.  Eat plenty of spinach, sweet potato, kale, and more foods found here.

Back from Break and Ready to Cook!!

I'm baaaaack!!!  And so happy to be!  Thank you to all of you for sticking with me during my extended vacation.  I thought I would come back to crickets, but you have been wonderful participating on the facebook page, twitter feed, and commenting on past blog posts.  Thank you!  I loved staying connected with you!

Well, we officially got our new Maximized Living health center up and running in early January and have had a successful first month of business!  We are Triad Health Center, located in Greensboro, North Carolina.  We are already helping so many people in need of natural health care!  But we would love to help more.  If you know anyone in the Piedmont Triad area, we would love to get connected with them and see how we can help them or see who they know that may be looking for a resource like ours.  Email me if you'd like to introduce us to your friends, family, church, or business in the area.

Here are a few pictures of our new space.  We're still getting completely moved in and settled, but it's starting to feel like our second home away from home.  :)

Our welcome desk.  We have filled it in and made it a little more cheery since this was taken!

Sitting area and kids' corner

Grand Opening sign

Exercise area and adjustment rooms along the back.

One of the adjusting rooms.  Where the healing happens!

The start of our product center.

And now, I MUST begin getting through this list of recipes that has built up since Thanksgiving  These are all recipes that you NEED TO TRY!!!  Topping that list is the Mint Creme Fudge Brownie.   To.  Die.  For.  Tastes just like (if not better than) Betty Crocker's!  We enjoyed these on Christmas night with a large mug of homemade hot chocolate.

Mint Creme Fudge Brownie
Makes 25 Bars

FUDGE BROWNIE LAYER
1 baked Healing Cuisine Signature Brownies

MINT CREME LAYER
2 Tbsp organic unsalted butter, room temp (or solid coconut oil)
1 cup powdered xylitol
1-2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
5 drops pure peppermint oil
8-15 drops liquid chlorophyll for green color (optional)

CHOCOLATE LAYER
3 ounces bakers chocolate
15 drops liquid stevia
1 Tbsp coconut oil

1.)  FUDGE BROWNIE LAYER  Prepare and bake my Healing Cuisine Signature Brownies.  Cool completely before proceeding.

2.)  MINT CREME LAYER  In a stand mixer, beat the butter, powdered xylitol, peppermint oil, and 1 Tablespoon of almond milk until smooth.  If mixture needs to be thinned, add the second Tablespoon of almond milk.  Add chlorophyll one drop at a time while blending until the desired green color is achieved.  Spread the mint creme over the brownies and place in fridge for 15-20 minutes while you prepare chocolate layer.

3.)  CHOCOLATE LAYER  In a small pot, over Low heat, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.  Remove from heat.  Stir in stevia liquid until smooth.  Taste and sweeten to desired sweetness with stevia.  Place in fridge for 15 minutes to cool. 

4.)  Once chocolate is cooled, pour it over the mint cream layer and spread evenly to cover all of the mint creme.  Return to fridge to cool completely 2 hours before slicing and serving.

I hope you enjoy these!  They are so easy to prepare and a great accompaniment to coffee or hot chocolate.

6 Ways to Rebalance Hormones Naturally

Hi all!  I'm back and feeling fabulous!  That two week break was much needed and appreciated.  I am still catching up on emails, so please do understand if you haven't hear back from me yet.  There are a lot of questions to answer, some of which are coming up in today's post.

Many of you asked me to share what I did over the past two weeks to revamp my health.  Let me first explain a little of what I've been feeling health-wise and why I felt was time for a revamp.

Hormone imbalance is something I am predisposed to.  I have battled it my entire life.  In 2008, doctors had told me it was unlikely I would conceive.  While I never got a "medical diagnosis," it was likely I had PCOS and possibly cancer cells forming on my reproductive organs.  I decided to take a natural approach to healing.  While taking courses along the way so I could teach the natural detox processes to my own clients, I underwent a year long full body detox process of balancing my hormones and healing my organs.  After going through the completely natural healing process, I finally knew what it felt like to be healthy and living at my optimal potential for the first time in my life.  And shortly after, we were overjoyed to learn that we were expecting our son, Austin.

Since he was born, I have exclusively breastfed my son.  Long story short, after the first few weeks I learned that I wasn't producing enough milk that Austin was asking for on a daily basis.  Trial and error, it turned out I wasn't eating enough carbs.  I was eating Advanced Plan after the birth, but my body needed more carbs to turn into milk.  The things that worked best were oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and sprouted grains.  Eating a serving of one of these with almost every meal was basically essential to making enough milk for my little man.  As long as I did it daily, we had no supply problems come bedtime.  But what I knew is that sugar is a huge offset to my hormonal balance.

My body slips back into hormonal discourse very easily.  I knew what to expect: weight gain, bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and blemishes.   Now, I was not at all concerned with fast weight loss after pregnancy.  I trusted my body and the breastfeeding process.  However, I have noticed I have gained over 15 pounds since a year ago.  The bloating has been particularly bad in the last few months, and my memory is all over the place, which is just not me!  These were my wake up calls.  It was time to get things under control again.

Austin has started eating food in the last 2 months.  He's been pretty good about eating breakfast and dinner with me every day.  We still breast feed at least 3 times a day, but his feeding frequency has cut about in half from where we were 2 months ago.  I figured this would be the perfect time to make some diet changes (i.e. THE ADVANCED PLAN) and begin a few supplements to casually support hormone balance.  (Note: I am not doing a full hormone or estrogen detox.  While breastfeeding, you want to avoid any supplements that will cause your body to dump toxic estrogen from the body, and essentially into the milk your child will drink.)

I wanted to take two weeks for some ME time because I have also been feeling like I neglect myself since becoming a Mom.  I can see your heads nodding.  It's true, once you become a Mom you put your family's needs first every single time.  But, as we teach our patients, if YOU aren't healthy who will take care of them?  It was time for some Elise focus!  Daily devotions and bible time, bath time without baby, meditation time to clear my brain, and exercise every day.  (Oh yeah, I have probably never mentioned how much I HATE working out??  I've never been athletic.  I always had crafts or something indoors I wanted to be working on.  I still cling to that mindset unfortunately.  Blogging, dishes, cooking...there's always something I would rather be doing.)  I usually get a burst workout in about once a week, but in order to keep my hormones in sync and my weight healthy, I needed to get consistent with at least 3 times per week workouts.

Okay, so here is what I did to revamp my health in 2 weeks!

How To Rebalance Hormones Naturally

#1)  Exercise

Exercise is a huge component for hormone balancing.  Weight training in particular causes a lot of healthy hormone reactions that in turn work to reboot and rebalance.  I recommend consistent burst or surge style exercise for maximum rebalancing affect.

This was a huge one for me personally.  It's all about getting into a consistent routine of both aerobic and weight training.  My 2 weeks of health revamp fell perfectly in line with a boot camp a friend who is a personal trainer was hosting near our home.  It was exactly what I needed as far as accountability.  I also learned a lot of new workout moves to keep the variety going.  This was my first experience with personal trainers and I've got to say I really enjoyed it!  If you are like me and need that accountability and/or a little guidance along the way, I highly recommend looking into a trainer.  The boot camp was so fun!  I worked out burst style 6 days per week, and 4 of the days we were required to do 2-a-day workouts.  Cardio in the morning, weight training in the evening.  I thought I was going to die, but actually those days I felt AMAZING!

#2)  Nutrition & Diet

Guide to the Advanced Plan

I don't mean start counting calories.  Focus on clean eating and cutting out sugar, caffeine, bad fats, dairy, conventional meats, non-organic produce, and anything else that contributes to hormone offset or weight gain.  The cleaner you eat, the better your body will be at detoxing naturally.

For me, this meant two weeks of strict Advanced Plan.  I was so happy that my milk supply was fairly steady with Austin's nursing demands after cutting out the grains!   We had a couple nights at the beginning that I needed to have a little more kale protein shake to catch up from all the exercise I was doing, but we figured it out and the rest has been going great!  I've been trying to eat raw as much as possible.  You'll notice the bloat will dissipate quickly by cutting out the grains.

#3)  Reduce Stress & Fill Your Cup

Schedule in YOU time, reduce daily stress, and get plenty of rest.  I've learned that it's so so important to have some time to yourself on a daily basis to "fill your cup."  Do something you love every day to recharge your batteries!  For me, it's trying out a new recipe in the kitchen while daddy watches the baby, visiting a girlfriend kid-free, working on a craft while Austin naps.  Even if it's just 15 minutes of reading a new book, I always feel better after getting some alone time every day.  The happier you are on a daily basis, the better your hormones will be at adapting to the day's stress and changes.

It's also a good idea to incorporate some meditation and/or stretching, or some other way to clear your mind and relax your muscles daily.  For me and many of my female clients in the past, it's hard to reduce stress in our every day lives.  I find my day goes better if I take just 10 to 20 minutes in the morning to pray, dive into a daily devotions book, read my Bible, or look out the window at nature.  This time is for thinking about you, giving thanks, and clearing your head.  Do not think about your to-do list or what the day will bring.  Unplug for this short time and let the stress melt out of your muscles.  I like to get on the floor and stretch out while I meditate on a prayer or happy thought.  Each line of the prayer is a new stretch or pose.

Sleep is just as important.  When you sleep, your body reboots.  Getting enough sleep each night will give your body the best chance to heal where it needs to.  If you aren't getting enough sleep (6-8 hours a night at least!) then your body will never be balanced.  It's as simple as that.

#4)  Chiropractic & Spinal Correction
Specifically, Maximized Living doctors work to correct the physical structure of the spine when your structure has curved or lacks the perfect structure needed for optimal nerve function.  The doctor can look at your thermal nerve scan or xray and see if your endcrine system or specific reproductive organs are being affected at the root level.  If there is pressure on the nerves, they can then work to remove that pressure and help your body correct the structural problems for a healthier future.  I cannot recommend getting in to see your local Maximized Living chiropractor strongly enough!  If you're going to pick one thing on this list to do, this is the one, because without 100% nerve function going out to your endocrine system, how can you expect anything else on this list to work for those organs?  You don't know until you get checked.  Definitely get checked so you know what is happening inside!

I didn't know until I got checked either.  My first exam warranted a set of xrays be taken.  I had no idea I had a 12 degree scoliosis in my low spine, RIGHT at the nerves going out to my uterus and adrenal glands.  I also had lost the good curvature in my neck, and the straightened out structure was putting pressure on the nerves going to my hypothalamus, pituitary, and thyroid.  It took some time to get my spinal structure corrected, but with each adjustment I felt better.  I had more energy.  I felt like my food was digesting better.  As time went by, my menstrual cycles returned after over 2 years of none.  Weight dripped off my body without even trying to workout.  My metabolism was on the rise!  And my vision improved, I no longer needed to wear my weak strength glasses.  My doctor (aka my husband Dr Dave -- I am so blessed!) monitored my progress along the way.  It was so reassuring to see on the follow up xray that all my hard work was paying off.  I could see the structure correction happening right on the xray!  It wasn't until we had corrected the scoliosis completely that my hormones were completely rebalanced and my endocrine system in sync.  A month after finishing my spinal correction, we conceived.  It was a complete surprise, because I didn't know still if my body would ever be strong enough to hold onto a baby and care for it.  God blessed us powerfully that day!

#5)  Acupressure or Acupuncture

Acupressure and Acupuncture work by stimulating reference points along the body that refer back to specific organs in a means to create healing response.   I really believe in coupling either of these methods with Chiropractic as a method of long term optimal wellness.  Your care provider will be able to specifically focus on your endocrine system, which will help your body put extra attention and energy into those organs and get them working together again faster.

In the past, while trying to beat infertility, I have seen an acupuncturist.  Currently I am seeing a reflexologist.  Both methods are wonderful, but I think I prefer the reflexology personally.  [If you are in the Charlotte area and need a great referral, the woman I see for reflexology is wonderful!  Top notch!  And affordable!! Email me.]

#6)  Supplementation
There are a few more specific supplements than the ones I am about to list that I recommend for hormone balancing and detox.  If you think you are a candidate for a more intense estrogen cleanse or a complete hormone/endocrine system overhaul, please email me to schedule a consultation.  I offer detox consultation packages via Skype or phone.

As I am still breastfeeding, I am taking a very mild approach with my supplements.  I don't want my body to go into full detox dumping mode because any excess estrogen shed will most likely go into my breast milk.  Two weeks ago, and for a while after giving birth, I felt like my body was heading downhill.  I had to be patient and wait to make some changes until Austin wasn't depending on me for food so much.  I wanted to add a few things in to my diet that would stop the downhill progression and help my body to start climbing the other way.  I'm not going for a shock method, but a gradual flip.  I added in:

Nutiva Hemp Oil

-  raw maca powder

-  Magnesium & zinc

-  Vessel Care (the best complete B complex vitamin formulated for optimal methylation; order through me)

-  Phytoganix (my favorite way to get phytonutrients like spirulina and acai; order through me)

-  Estrium (a 'medical food' powder full of herbs and supplements that work to reverse hormone imbalance; order through me)

-  Omega 3s (I added extra raw hemp oil and coconut oil to my diet)

-  And my usuals: Vitamin C, liquid Vitamin D3, probiotics, kombucha and Dynamic Greens (the best organic antioxidant drink I have found!)

Feel free to contact me with any questions.  And again, if you think it's time to take charge of your health and do a hormone reset, please email me to schedule a consultation: elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.

Reworked: The Green Green Smoothie

If you're here as part of the Green Green Smoothie craze....welcome!  Pinterest has opened a whole new portal to sharing my recipes with newcomers, and really for this one I think I need to be thanking a handful of you for originally sharing the Green Green Smoothie recipe on your boards!  (Thank you!!)  I'm used to seeing a few thousand hits on a daily basis here on my site as a whole.  But, the Green Green Smoothie has been blown out of the water with a thousand hits of its own every single day for the past month or so!  Hope y'all are loving the flavor of the smoothie (I think it's superb), and you can't beat its immune boosting power!

I wanted to share my reworked version of the recipe.  This is my Advanced Plan version, and I like it even better than the original.  And Dr. Dave is hooked (always a good sign)!  Tap in and enjoy!

Green Green Smoothie II
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/4 cups cold filtered water
2 handfuls organic spinach
1 organic cucumber, chopped
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
2 organic Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
20-30 drops pure stevia liquid (optional)
2 Tbsp flax seed oil (optional)
2 tsp probiotic powder (optional)
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder (optional) (I use Natural flavor Vega O.N.E)

Add spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, cilantro and parsley to blender.  Pour water over top.  Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth, gradually moving to High speed (that's the trick for getting a smooth blend).  Add lime juice, cayenne, stevia, flax oil, probiotic powder, and protein powder.  Combine briefly on Low until all the protein powder is just dissolved.  Serve immediately.

For a thicker smoothie, freeze the veggies and green apple first.  Also, check out my Top 10 Smoothie Making Tips.

Now get pinning this version!  It needs to catch up to it's brother!  You can find my Pinterest Boards here.  If you're a fellow pinner, check out the Healing Cuisine Board and Natural Health Board to stay plugged in,  And follow me, so I can follow you!

Reworked: Mediterranean Salmon-Quinoa Salad

Last night, my husband and I had a booth at a local Family Fun Festival where we put on our "Dr. Dave" and "Health Expert Elise" hats and greeted families in our community to create awareness for our wellness clinic.  A lovely couple, who as it turned out belong to our church (such a small world!), came over to say hello and tell me they are Healing Cuisine followers and their favorite recipe is my Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad.  I told them that is on the top 10 favorites list in our home, too.  And as I told them this suggestion to "rework" the recipe for a little something new, it reminded me I still needed to share it with all of you.  Introducing the One Pot Wonder:

Mediterranean Salmon-Quinoa Salad
Makes 4 Servings

1 cup dry white quinoa, rinsed
2 cups sodium-free vegetable stock
3 5-oz cans wild caught Alaskan salmon, drained and picked for bones
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3/4 cup organic sun dried tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup organic artichoke hearts, diced
1/3 cup organic capers, drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

1.)  Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a large pot.  Add rinsed quinoa to boiling stock.  Lower heat and cover at a simmer.  Let cook for about 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.

2.)  Remove from heat.  Fluff with a fork.  In a large bowl, add quinoa, salmon, onion, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke, and capers.

3.)  In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and pepper.  Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.  Serve warm or cold.

I like to top my plate as the picture shows above: a few dashes of hot sauce (my favorite flavor is Shoot That's Hot!), a couple hefty pinches of nutritional yeast, grated Parmesan cheese, and half an avocado.  SO GOOD!  Enjoy this rework!

Gluten Free Expo 2012 - Charlotte

Who came out to see us this weekend at the Charlotte Gluten Free Expo?  Healing Cuisine was a featured vendor this year, and we were so happy to be involved!  Thanks to all who stopped by to say hi, sample our orange flavored stevia water, and get your nervous system scanned by Dr. Dave Schwartz!

I forgot to get in one of our pictures...  Ooops!

Dr. Dave taking care of Mrs. United States, Shannon Ford

Update #2: We've Got Teeth!

Can you see his pearly whites?

Well, a little extra praising to God is in order, as we made it through the first round of teeth.  Thank you to everyone who wrote in with natural teething relief ideas.  I reallllly really needed to hear your stories of similar situations and the empathy helped me make it through last week.  I liked the creativity in your methods, and definitely learned a few new tricks!

Austin popped out both middle bottom teeth last week after a couple days of misery for all three of us.  I then spent the remainder of last week catching up on backed up laundry, dishes, and other housekeeping.  Finally getting life back into the little routine I had going for us.  Ready to get back to our regular afternoon walks starting tomorrow!  We used to go every afternoon, walking in to Dave's clinic for our adjustments then back home in time to make dinner.  I missed the quiet time in the fresh air.  It's like my anchor every day.  It's some 'me' time even having A with me.  So looking forward to tomorrow's outing!

Out for a walk last month.

If it's a really sunny day, you'll see Austin sporting his shades on our walks.

Oh, and did I mention I started a little garden on our apartment deck?  I'll have to show you what we're up to over here -- my first attempt at anything besides herbs (and usually my herbs die.. I'm not much of a green thumb).  We're using 5 gallon buckets to grow a few different veggies.  So far so good!  More to come on that adventure!  Learning as I go, but so excited to grow our own produce!

Well, a short update is better than nothing.  I wanted to share more, and hope to fill you in on my plan for spring cleaning tomorrow or so (30 Days of Green Spring Cleaning)!  Now, I must crawl into bed.  If I don't sleep while baby sleeps, who knows if I'll ever get any sleep again!

We're Open in Charlotte, NC! Stop in and say Hi!

Dr. David Schwartz

Exciting news for you and your loved ones in Charlotte, North Carolina!  Dr. Dave Schwartz is now accepting new patients.  That's right, we are up and running at Family Healing Chiropractic in South Charlotte!  Come on in and receive the Maximized Living experience, on the house, by mentioning Healing Cuisine.  Learn what makes the Maximized Living approach better than any other health care office you've tried.  Come with your family or a friend NOW thru July 15th, mention Healing Cuisine when you make the appointment, and your consultation and full examination will be complimentary with Dr. Dave!  We are excited to meet you and further you on your path of healing!

Schedule Your FREE Examination:
Call:  704-540-0055, ask for Dr. Dave
Email:  drdaveschwartz@gmail.com

Why you want to get checked:  If you have any warning signs or symptoms (e.g. back pain, headaches, allergies, asthma, high cholesterol, cancer, ADD/ADHD, numbness in fingers, thyroid issues, etc), we can help you.  A new patient exam with Dr. Dave will examine your central nervous system for damage and interference.  Any interference in your central nervous system is the root cause of disease (your signs and symptoms).  Dr. Dave will go thru your results with you (also complimentary by mentioning Healing Cuisine) and make recommendations to help correct any health problems.

Get on track with Nutrition:  If you are in the Charlotte area, I am now available for nutrition consultations near you.  Please email me to arrange: elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.  Don't live in Charlotte?  We can still do an email/Skype/phone consultation as usual.

Community Involvement:  We are reaching out to our new community, getting to know business members, community leaders, fellow Christians, and other natural health-minded individuals.  If you (or maybe you know of an organization in North Carolina) are looking to get involved with Maximized Living or Healing Cuisine, please email me at elise@healingcuisinebyelise.com.  These can be churches, small groups you are a part of, corporations you work for, charities you are involved with, anyone you know that needs our help!  Dave and I are on a mission to give back to our Charlotte community by doing health talks, providing free workshops, or simply donating our time.  It all comes back to education and providing the information for others that will enable them to make healthier, greener choices.

We are so excited to be here and helping so many great families!  Many blessings!!

Exercises During Pregnancy

I'm back!  Wah, it's been way too long since my last post!!  Hope you all had splendid Easter celebrations and that spring has graced your backyard by now..  (My poor family and friends in MN and MI are still suffering from snow!)

Well, we made it to Charlotte, NC safe and sound.  And let me say, we are absolutely LOVING it!  The area really reminds us of home with all the trees and how nice the people are.  A big change compared to Orlando area.  I've been absent from blogging while we got situated here.  Dave (Dr. Dave) is in full swing with his practice, which he started last week.  We've also been spending time getting to know the community, finding a church we love, and joining local small groups in hopes to meet people and make some friends.  Looking back, I can't believe all we've done and it's only been about a week!  It's been a lot of fun so far and I'm looking forward to these next few months ahead while we get rooted in Charlotte.

If you or a loved one lives in Charlotte area and you want to get plugged in to Maximized Living (or just meet us!!  Like I said in my last post, we don't know anyone here and would love to get to know YOU!), email me, email Dave, or give the office a call and ask for Dr. Dave: 704-540-0055.  We'd love to hear from you!  We are slowly working on setting up a website for Dave, and will share that as we get our act together.

Now, what I wanted to share today are some exercise tips for pregnant moms.  You can tell where my mind is these days...   :)

Thought this would be a helpful topic for you other expectant moms!  Many of these exercises are beneficial post pregnancy and to help with bladder control.  The more I learn about the importance of strong pelvic floor muscles for woman as we age, I can't help but encourage all women to practice these exercises regularly.

I do all of these exercises every day.  Depending on our burst line up, I'll rotate in other moves, too.  But the ones I'm listing below are extremely beneficial while pregnant and will not only help ensure a healthy pregnancy and easier labor, but will help you to bounce back after birth.

Kegel / Pelvic Floor Exercises

Kegel Exercises are so extremely important!  Kegel exercises help strengthen your pelvic floor, the muscles that support the bladder, uterus, and bowels.  By strengthening these muscles during your pregnancy, you can develop the ability to relax and control the muscles in preparation for labor and birth.

Pelvic Floor exercises are also highly recommended during the postpartum period to promote the healing of perineal tissues, increase the strength of the pelvic floor muscles and help these muscles return to a healthy state.  Another great benefit is increased urinary control.  So if you sneeze, laugh, or cough and a little pee squirts out uncontrollably, you've got a weak pelvic floor and you'll want to start working on that daily.

HOW TO:

To do Kegels, imagine you are trying to stop the flow of urine, clenching in and up your pelvic floor muscles.  When you do this, you are practicing Kegel / Pelvic Floor exercises.  Each time you contract the muscles of the pelvic floor, hold for a count of three and then relax.  While doing Kegels, try not to move your leg, buttock, or abdominal muscles.  In fact, no one should be able to tell that you are doing Kegel exercises.  The beauty is, you can do them anywhere!  You also want to ensure your bladder is empty before practicing the exercises.  Working out with a full or partially full bladder can result in a bladder or urinary tract infection, which can be hard to get rid of while pregnant.

I recommend doing a minimum of five sets of 30 Kegel exercises a day.  More is better if you can get them in.  During the first trimester, I was having trouble remembering to do mine, so what I did was taped a little affirmation to my bathroom mirror to remind me to do my Kegels after every time I go to the bathroom.  I made a point to make it into an affirmation vs just a reminder note so that not only is it reminding me every time, but it's also changing my subconscious every time I read it.  "I will do 30 Kegel reps 5 times each day."  It's been two months since implementing my note, and I haven't forgotten a day since!

Tailor Exercises

Tailor exercises strengthen the pelvic, hip, and thigh muscles.  This can help relieve low back pain in the third trimester and give you strength during labor.

Tailor Sit:  This practice helps to eliminate unnecessary pressure in the pelvic area which improves circulation to the legs.  It uses your sit bones (your pelvis) to support your weight, preventing unnecessary discomfort of using your pelvic floor muscles to support your weight while you sit through the day.  Sitting in Tailor Sit also allows you to lean forward, taking the weight of the uterus off your back.  Tailor sitting also stretches the inside of your legs to help prepare you for second stage labor.

HOW TO:

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat together (alternate option: ankles crossed).  Lean slightly forward, and keep your back straight but relaxed.  Use this position whenever possible throughout the day.

Tailor Press:  This exercise stretches your hip and thigh muscles while strengthening your arm and leg muscles.

HOW TO:

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat together.  Grasp your ankles and pull your feet gently toward your body.  Cup your hands under your knees.  Inhale.  While pressing your knees down against your hands, press your hands up against your knees (counter-pressure).  Hold for a count of five.  Repeat.  You can perform on yourself, or have your partner help you.

Pelvic Tilt

This position helps relieve back pain, a common problem during pregnancy.

HOW TO:

Get on your hands and knees, arms shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart, keeping your arms straight, but not locking the elbows.  Tuck your buttocks under and round your back as you breathe in.  Relax your back into a neutral position as you breathe out.  Repeat at your own pace.

Squatting

Squats are so simple to perform and can be one of the most powerful exercises to prepare your body for birth.  I recommend any pregnant woman squat every day to relax and open the pelvis.  This will provide easy relief as your belly grows.  But more importantly, over time the squats will strengthen the upper legs which are crucial for use during labor.  As you start to feel heavier in pregnancy, use props such as an exercise ball between you and the wall for stability.

HOW TO:

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed outward.  Contract your abdominal muscles, lift your chest, and relax your shoulders.  Lower your tailbone toward the floor as though you were going to sit down on a chair.  Find your balance — most of your weight should be toward your heels.  Take a deep breath and, exhaling, push into your legs to rise to a standing position.  Focus on relaxing and letting your breath drop deeply into your belly.

Prenatal Yoga & Stretching

Prenatal Yoga comes highly recommended from many friends who have had beautiful births.  I had  tried a few classes in Orlando as the studios let me attend for free.  However, it can be a bit on the pricier side, especially if you go to someone specifically trained in prenatal yoga techniques.  You want to look for a yoga studio that specifically offers a prenatal/postnatal class.  This ensures the instructors are educated on various poses you can do safely as you progress in your pregnancy and your tummy grows.  I also recommend emailing or calling the yoga studio before attending.  I was offered a free class at all three studios in Orlando that I contacted so I could try prenatal yoga out first and see for sure that I liked it and would want to continue through my pregnancy.  This is great, because you can get to know the instructor, feel the energy of the class, and meet some of the other great moms-to-be in the area.

While I loved the yoga sessions and appreciated the group setting (you can really learn from the others in the room, and meet other moms-to-be like you!), it's unfortunately not in our budget right now to continue with the yoga sessions.  So, I did some research online for the best rated prenatal yoga DVDs.  I found two gems that I alternate using daily:  Healthy Mom, Happy Baby and Prenatal Kundalini Yoga.  Both DVDs were $20 each, well worth it as you can use it thru your entire pregnancy.  I love them both for different reasons.  Healthy Mom, Happy Baby is more focused on the poses, helping you get them right, and giving tips on how to do them correctly as your belly grows.  Prenatal Kundalini Yoga is more focused on the meditation process thru the poses (something I really needed help with).  I alternate each DVD daily so I get a well rounded experience.  I love it!  Highly recommend either or both of these!

If yoga just doesn't sound like you, then I really urge you to do at least some simple stretching a few times a week.  Yoga and stretching will enhance your flexibility, prevent your muscles from tightening, and make you feel looser and more relaxed.  All of this is in preparation for the birth.  Be sure to breathe deeply and regularly as you stretch.  As you progress in your pregnancy, your ligaments will become looser and more relaxed naturally.  Stretching will help to take the tension off, release the stress of weight-bearing ligaments, and prepare the body (especially your pelvic area) for the birth.

Here are some simple stretches you can do every day at home:

Shoulder Circles

While seated or standing, rotate your shoulders backwards and down in the largest circle you can make.  This opens the chest, counteracting the rounded shoulders so many pregnant women get.

Chest Stretch

Standing in a doorway, place both hands at shoulder height on either side of the doorway, elbows bent.  Step your right foot forward until you feel a slight stretch in the chest muscles (being careful not to stretch too much).  Hold for 30 seconds.  Switch feet, stepping your left foot forward.  Hold for 30 seconds.

Roll-down

Stand with your back against a wall, your feet about shoulder-width apart a comfortable distance from the wall, knees slightly bent.  Inhale, then as you exhale, draw in your abdominal muscles, moving your chin toward your chest as you roll your torso down one vertebra at a time.  "Roll" as far down as you're comfortable going.  Keep your weight centered between your feet.

Inhale at the bottom of the roll-down, and as you exhale, roll back up, trying to "print" each vertebra on the wall.  As you return to an upright position, make sure your head is the last part of your body to uncurl.  Repeat.

These are my pregnancy exercise tips.  Hope you found something to add to your daily routine!

We are moving!

Charlotte, North Carolina, here we come!

Ever since we found out Baby Schwartz is on the way, we've been doing some hard thinking and praying about our career plans and life in the next 9 months (now down to just 5 months left til baby arrives!).  God has definitely been guiding us.  Pieces of life's journey have been coming together for us week by week.  I am very excited.  Dave is SO excited!  And yes, we'll be moving to Charlotte, NC the end of this month! :)

We're planning to take a little career detour.  Instead of jumping right in to opening his own practice in North Carolina right away this fall, which was our original plan, Dave will be going to work within a Maximized Living clinic in Charlotte for some time.  This is a huge blessing, because while he will have his own client base, we won't have to stress about the cost of opening a small business right away, the same time baby is due to be born.  I am so happy for Dave, my Dr. Dave.  :)  He still gets to live out his dream as a Maximized Living chiropractor, transforming and saving lives every day.  It's going to be great!

Here is the shocking part.  I'll be taking some time off from working.  I'm a little nervous about this, because I'm usually the type of person who has two or three jobs going on at once along with little projects.. I'm worried I might get bored.  But at the same time, I've got a stack of baby books to read, need to catch up on yoga, and need to nail down a daily routine for practicing my birth affirmations and relaxation techniques.  Honestly, I haven't been able to commit enough time every day to myself and baby that needs to happen for a safe and peaceful birth.  So all in all, I think this will be a good thing for all three of us.  Happy wife, happy life, right?  ;)

I'll still be keeping up my website tho, and I'm sure the relaxed schedule will allow for some tasty recipe creations in the coming months!  And consults, I'll still be able to do those, too.  Feel free to contact me if that is something you are interested in.  We can arrange a time to meet or Skype/talk via phone.

So this is our latest big news.  Wanted to share, as my posting might be a little sporadic here in the coming few weeks until we get settled in Charlotte.  If any of you are from the Charlotte area, please please email me!!  We don't know anyone the area, let alone NC, and would love to talk to you!

And had wanted to post a baby belly pic today, but camera is in need of a charge.  We snapped one today -- entering week 19.  Belly is getting bigger every day it seems!  Dave says I still look tiny, but let me tell you, I feel big.  It's just so exciting to have a little person in there!  :)

Hope you all have a fabulous rest of your weekend!  Blessings!

Product Review: Seventh Generation & GIVEAWAY!!

If you've been following Healing Cuisine for long enough, you know that I am very passionate about not only organic eating, but organic living as well.  Whether it's healing from illness naturally, eliminating plastics or other toxins from your home, or using all-natural eco-friendly cleaning products, it's what I love to do and thus advocate taking these steps.  In fact, Dr. Dave and I are hosting our Defeating Toxicity workshop on Tuesday, March 15th at 6:00pm at our Maximized Living Health Center.  If you live in the Orlando area, sign up and come on over to dive into a wealth of knowledge on how toxicity affects our lives negatively, the best and worst products for you and your family, and ways to detox your body naturally!  We'll give you all the tools and solutions you need to clean up your daily routine!

Today, I want to talk about a company on a mission to green our day-to-day lives.  Seventh Generation provides user-friendly products specifically designed to fit our needs while protecting the health of our environment and us (the consumer) at the same time.

While I could go on and on about the dangers of cleaning products, and the chemicals in our baby diapers and wipes, and the fragrances and dyes and chlorine and pesticides, etc, etc, in our laundry soaps and feminine products.  Instead of focusing on the bad and the ugly here, come to our Toxicity workshop.  Not in Orlando?  Visit the Environmental Working Group's website and become an educated consumer.  Here, I want to focus on the solution to the problem.  If you are ready to cut out the hazardous chemicals from your life and switch to all-natural options, SAFE for not only you but your children as well, then I encourage you to try the Seventh Generation product line.  The company was so kind so send me a Healthy Home Starter Kit, so now I can proudly say I've tried just about every product they have to offer!

The Healthy Home Starter Kit includes: Disinfecting Multi-surface Spray, Disinfecting Bathroom Spray, Disinfecting Wipes, All-purpose Free & Clear Spray, Glass Free & Clear Spray, Shower Spray, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Tub & Tile Spray, Natural Paper Towels, and a Seventh Generation recycled shopping tote.

I mean, WOW!  I got to try it all, and can I tell you, IT WORKS!  I had been a huge advocate of the disinfecting wipes, toilet bowl cleaner, and the free & clear all-purpose spray in the past, I even use these products to clean our clinic.  Now that we've relocated to Orlando and we are living with 4 other people who share our bathroom, it was time for a true test for the Seventh Generation cleaning products.  I am so pleased!  They work wonders!  The glass spray is a new found favorite, as well as the tub & tile spray.  And what's the greatest part?  All of the Seventh Generation products are made free of harsh chemicals, scented naturally, plant-based, biodegradable, hypo-allergenic and non-toxic.  AND, Seventh Generation discloses all of its products' ingredients right on their labels (did you know there aren't laws in effect that mandate this measure??).  Label reading doesn't just apply to food.  It MUST apply to every purchase you make, food, clothing, body care products, and cleaning products!  In my opinion, this gives Seventh Generation a huge boost in the credibility and consumer safety departments.

I also love what Seventh Generations stands for.  From the Great Law of the Iroquois: “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”  Seventh Generation firmly believes in this philosophy and thus derived their company name from this principle.  From their non-toxic products to their 100% recycled paper products to their recycled and recyclable packaging.  Their mission is, “To inspire a more conscious and sustainable world by being an authentic force for positive change.”  Every Seventh Generation product that you purchase and use will help save natural resources, reduce pollution, and keep harmful chemicals out of our environment.  I encourage you to try your first Seventh Generation product, if you haven't experienced the company yet.  Or, expand your scope.  Maybe it's time you switch to their natural feminine care products or their recycled paper towels.  Take that next step to further clean up your life!

Guess what?  YOU can try it all, too!  Seventh Generation is hosting a GIVEAWAY right here at Healing Cuisine!  You could WIN your very own Healthy Home Starter Kit, shipped direct to your door!  Contest is open NOW thru Thursday, March 3rd at 11:59pm.  Open to U.S. residents only.  I will use Random.org to select a winner.  Winner will be announced HERE at Healing Cuisine on Friday morning, March 4th.  Winner has 24 hours to email me with their contact information or a new winner will be selected.  Limit one entry per contestant.  How to enter:

1)  Become a Google Follower of Healing Cuisine AND visit the Seventh Generation website.  Leave me a Comment at the bottom of this post about one product they carry that you didn't know about or hadn't tried before.

2)  Follow me AND Seventh Generation on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway:  #Win @SeventhGen Healthy Home Cleaning Kit http://tinyurl.com/4n2ak5k @EliseJSchwartz #Giveaway

3)  Click the "Share on Facebook" button at the bottom of this post, @ mentioning me (@Healing Cuisine or @Elise Schwartz) so I see you've shared the contest!

Best of luck to you all!  Excited to announce the lucky winner of this amazing prize package later this week! :)

You can purchase Seventh Generation products at your local grocery store, Target, Walmart, or online at Vitacost.com or Amazon.com.  You can also find money saving coupons online at http://www.SeventhGeneration.com/.