My goal is to learn much more moss material!!! And a couple tricks up my sleeves..... To Be Continued!......
Friday, January 20, 2012
Bryophytes!
My goal is to learn much more moss material!!! And a couple tricks up my sleeves..... To Be Continued!......
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Autumn Moon Lights My Way......
Khalil Gibran wrote,
"In the autumn I gathered all my sorrows
And buried them in my garden.
And when April returned
And spring came to wed the earth,
There grew in my garden beautiful flowers
Unlike all other flowers.
And my neighbors came to behold them,
And they all said to me,
"When autumn comes again, at seeding time,
Will you not give us of the seeds of these flowers
That we may have them in our gardens"
"In the autumn I gathered all my sorrows
And buried them in my garden.
And when April returned
And spring came to wed the earth,
There grew in my garden beautiful flowers
Unlike all other flowers.
And my neighbors came to behold them,
And they all said to me,
"When autumn comes again, at seeding time,
Will you not give us of the seeds of these flowers
That we may have them in our gardens"
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Late Summer Cleansing
Well I went a little wild with my diet over the Summer! 8-) It's been awesome. And I've still done better than any previous Summer! I've avoided wheat now (about 99%) since January! I can practically name the 3-4 times I've had a little bit of wheat through the year..... not anywhere near enough to be a problem!!! Not even a whole slice of pizza's worth.
Moving into September and I find myself wanting to cleanse a bit again... so I took the relaxing day off of work today to drink tons of water and eat way lighter than I've been. (I've been delving into a lot of goat milk products and eggs lately, so I just thought I'd take a vegan day again and do a little cleanse.
Here's what I've noticed: Past times that I've done a "24 hour cleanse" I've always gotten, even if only slightly, a headache or a dull similar pain in my head.... Today I chose not to cut out fruits or juices, and I had a small bit of coconut juice through the day, an apple, and most of a grapefruit. On top of that all I had was a salad for brunch with a teaspoon of dressing (hardly any) and some super fresh cherry tomatoes, and maybe a tablespoon or more of hemp seeds. For a late dinner, I had 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and 1 cup steamed baby broccoli. That's it! Making a cup of Yogi Detox Tea now and have been sipping down a big bottle of water all day.... no headaches! No nausea, no severe cravings... no problem. It reminded me of my astonishing January - May candida diet :-)
Another change is that I didn't try to analyze it too much through the day (waited to write about it til now... focused on meditating through it more and just being present), and I didn't try to do a 60 minute yoga/cardio workout hahahahah I realize I try to overdo these cleanses..... so now I've made it through and feel amazing... though maybe too much energy for getting to bed early :-P
Moving into September and I find myself wanting to cleanse a bit again... so I took the relaxing day off of work today to drink tons of water and eat way lighter than I've been. (I've been delving into a lot of goat milk products and eggs lately, so I just thought I'd take a vegan day again and do a little cleanse.
Here's what I've noticed: Past times that I've done a "24 hour cleanse" I've always gotten, even if only slightly, a headache or a dull similar pain in my head.... Today I chose not to cut out fruits or juices, and I had a small bit of coconut juice through the day, an apple, and most of a grapefruit. On top of that all I had was a salad for brunch with a teaspoon of dressing (hardly any) and some super fresh cherry tomatoes, and maybe a tablespoon or more of hemp seeds. For a late dinner, I had 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and 1 cup steamed baby broccoli. That's it! Making a cup of Yogi Detox Tea now and have been sipping down a big bottle of water all day.... no headaches! No nausea, no severe cravings... no problem. It reminded me of my astonishing January - May candida diet :-)
Another change is that I didn't try to analyze it too much through the day (waited to write about it til now... focused on meditating through it more and just being present), and I didn't try to do a 60 minute yoga/cardio workout hahahahah I realize I try to overdo these cleanses..... so now I've made it through and feel amazing... though maybe too much energy for getting to bed early :-P
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Candida Diet Into the Summer!
Alright it's getting HOT already! And the "you-pick" farms down this way are already bursting with fresh blueberries!
So maybe it's a sign of the times, but this weather has brought on more than an average craving for some fruit in my life again! Sooo! I'm back to some granny smith apples, and I've even had one of those little half-pint (or so) size containers of local organic blueberries :-)
And I even found Deland's gluten-free bread down here, so I've "splurged" and bought a loaf of it and have been enjoying some super tasty HLTs (hummus, lettuce, tomatoooo!)
I guess these "summer" vibes are just attacking on all sides! I was in the French Broad Food Co-Op and found these amazing small little packages of raw macaroons, that only have 5 grams of sugars per macaroon! And the ingredients are clean and good: shredded coconut, cocoa powder, cacao nibs, vanilla bean, and agave nectar. So I've had two of them thus far!
So lots of little re-additions to the diet there, and I think just keeping a healthier attitude about treats (ie not eating an entire package of Pamela's gluten-free cookies or a half pan of gluten-free brownies, etc.....or worse yet, wheat desserts!!) is the way to go right now. I don't even want to get into the chocolate bars that have 20+ grams of sugar, or the juice drinks with 30+ grams of sugar... I'm good right now with a nice small treat here and there, no reason to go to the moon with it all :-)
I still haven't had any dairy in awhile, and my sinuses are thanking me... I thought raw goat milk products would be a bit easier to find down here, but I'm still working on that one!
It's definitely a forever project, and I still feel good about how it's unfolding for me... though I'm in dire need of a 24-48 hour fast if I can grasp enough time! 24 hour fasts are great, but I find they really just tend to give you the weird fast feelings then you're done... I feel like the extra day takes it a step up!
So we'll see..... that's about it for now I think! Hopefully I will write a bit more sooner than later! Thanks for reading!
~DL
So maybe it's a sign of the times, but this weather has brought on more than an average craving for some fruit in my life again! Sooo! I'm back to some granny smith apples, and I've even had one of those little half-pint (or so) size containers of local organic blueberries :-)
And I even found Deland's gluten-free bread down here, so I've "splurged" and bought a loaf of it and have been enjoying some super tasty HLTs (hummus, lettuce, tomatoooo!)
I guess these "summer" vibes are just attacking on all sides! I was in the French Broad Food Co-Op and found these amazing small little packages of raw macaroons, that only have 5 grams of sugars per macaroon! And the ingredients are clean and good: shredded coconut, cocoa powder, cacao nibs, vanilla bean, and agave nectar. So I've had two of them thus far!
So lots of little re-additions to the diet there, and I think just keeping a healthier attitude about treats (ie not eating an entire package of Pamela's gluten-free cookies or a half pan of gluten-free brownies, etc.....or worse yet, wheat desserts!!) is the way to go right now. I don't even want to get into the chocolate bars that have 20+ grams of sugar, or the juice drinks with 30+ grams of sugar... I'm good right now with a nice small treat here and there, no reason to go to the moon with it all :-)
I still haven't had any dairy in awhile, and my sinuses are thanking me... I thought raw goat milk products would be a bit easier to find down here, but I'm still working on that one!
It's definitely a forever project, and I still feel good about how it's unfolding for me... though I'm in dire need of a 24-48 hour fast if I can grasp enough time! 24 hour fasts are great, but I find they really just tend to give you the weird fast feelings then you're done... I feel like the extra day takes it a step up!
So we'll see..... that's about it for now I think! Hopefully I will write a bit more sooner than later! Thanks for reading!
~DL
Friday, May 6, 2011
Turnip & Ramp French Fries!
Holy smokes, I just made these and ate them faster than lightning! They are SO GOOD! They are a great potato substitute, with only 4.4 grams (loosely) of carbs, vs. potatoes' 19 grams (per 3.5 oz. serving of each)
So I'm starving and didn't have the patience to bake or broil them, I just heated some olive oil in my steel frying pan and sliced half of a big turnip root into thin french fry-like slivers, and put the lid on for about 5 mins or so. Then I chopped up about 4-5 little ramp 'bulbs' and mixed them into the turnip slices, and simmered for another 5-6 minutes....
When it was all said and done, I added a pinch of sea salt for the real "french fry" effect, and I'll be damned if I'm not about to go make the rest of that turnip root!!
Ramps are so cool, I wish I could have found some in the wild--I know of a great patch of them on the trails by my house back home :-) But the co-op has them in fresh, and they are possibly my favorite "bulb" for cooking!
Needless to say, I'll be buying many more turnips to mix in with my stir-fries soon!! A great potato substitute!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Awesome Candida-Safe Coconut Vanilla "Kheer" Recipe!
I just had to pop on for a late post about this delicious and super-easy "Kheer" (Rice Pudding) recipe that I whipped up yesterday!
I had a recipe from the Candida Diet website, but it was basically just brown rice and coconut oil and maybe some nutmeg or cinnamon..... that was kind of rough....
So, real quick, here goes:
-cooked brown rice
-as much unsweetened almond milk as you'd like the pudding consistency to be
-1 tbsp coconut oil
-vanilla extract to your taste preference
-cardamom seed (whole or ground, to your liking)
-coriander
-cumin
-pinch of stevia
+any other spices or chopped nuts you might like to add! I omit the raisins, candida diet-style, but this makes suuuuuch a good treat.... especially when you haven't had anything sweet including fruit in awhile! I used a few raw macadamia nuts in mine tonight.....nom......
And it's good cold or hot :-D
Tomorrow or Saturday's experiment includes....... khichri! Lentils & rice soup mildly spiced with Indian spices..... I'm already drooooolinggggg.....
A shot of some kheer!
I had a recipe from the Candida Diet website, but it was basically just brown rice and coconut oil and maybe some nutmeg or cinnamon..... that was kind of rough....
So, real quick, here goes:
-cooked brown rice
-as much unsweetened almond milk as you'd like the pudding consistency to be
-1 tbsp coconut oil
-vanilla extract to your taste preference
-cardamom seed (whole or ground, to your liking)
-coriander
-cumin
-pinch of stevia
+any other spices or chopped nuts you might like to add! I omit the raisins, candida diet-style, but this makes suuuuuch a good treat.... especially when you haven't had anything sweet including fruit in awhile! I used a few raw macadamia nuts in mine tonight.....nom......
And it's good cold or hot :-D
Tomorrow or Saturday's experiment includes....... khichri! Lentils & rice soup mildly spiced with Indian spices..... I'm already drooooolinggggg.....
A shot of some kheer!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Candida Diet Week 15! Oxalate Breakdown!
Ever notice how long it takes some things in the body to heal? I've had 2 marks on my face (not that noticeable, thankfully) for awhile now. One since '06! One since just this past December/January..... or consider broken bones or injured nerves...
The body can sometimes take awhile to heal. I plan on following the general candida routine for awhile. With slight variations as I go, but it's such a healthy diet. I've gone all of today without yogurt (which has been the only dairy I've consumed since January) But every now and then I feel it's best to even go without yogurt, and when I'm done with the yogurt I have in my fridge, I'll likely not get any more for at least a week or more.
Also starting tomorrow I'll be not devouring almond butter :-X I'm going to aim for a week without almond butter, and see where I go from there. I feel like it's been too much of a fixation, and I'll be trying to add more beans & legumes into the mix to get the protein. It's gotten so much easier as time's gone by. I know so many more quick and easy recipes and have gained a good knack for how long things take to make and when to prepare them so I'll have them through a long day away from home. Quinoa has been such a great find. I still believe the best philosophy is "Everything in moderation (including moderation!)" A quick read-up on quinoa has the following:
"Quinoa is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of purines. However, like all members of the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae plant family, quinoa does contain oxalates. The oxalate content of quinoa ranges widely, but even the lower end of the oxalate range puts quinoa on the caution or avoidance list for an oxalate-restricted diet. "
So what are oxalates, exactly? Trusty wikipedia explains:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalate
Basically oxalates in food can bind with things like calcium and cause things like kidney stones.
So wow... here's news to my ears too! The more I'm reading, I see a lot of my favorite candida diet foods are pretty high in oxalates! Hahah c'est la vie.... ya just can't win 'em all can you.
Well that's helpful knowledge though, and much more ammo to steer clear from so much almond butter! Apparently almonds, beans, and kale are on the "high oxalate" list. Pardon me while I make a cup of magnesium tea :-X Here is a .pdf describing oxalate foods, if I haven't scared you away already!
http://www.pkdiet.com/pdf/LowOxalateDiet.pdf
Looks like avocado, yogurt, eggs, and lentils are still on the safe side! I've been kicking around the idea of reintroducing some fish into my life, and this seems to send me another step in that direction, as fish has no (or minute) amounts of oxalates, but a great amount of protein.... hmmmm.... we'll seeeee........
But anywho, "everything in moderation" really just can't be stressed enough. These foods high in oxalates certainly offer plenty of other nutritional benefits. If I could work out some type of fast once a month, I think my body would be pretty content.
Here's to my non-planned-yet-Easter-themed Resurrection! Here's to no almond butter all week and another new way of life, as each day is the first day..........
The body can sometimes take awhile to heal. I plan on following the general candida routine for awhile. With slight variations as I go, but it's such a healthy diet. I've gone all of today without yogurt (which has been the only dairy I've consumed since January) But every now and then I feel it's best to even go without yogurt, and when I'm done with the yogurt I have in my fridge, I'll likely not get any more for at least a week or more.
Also starting tomorrow I'll be not devouring almond butter :-X I'm going to aim for a week without almond butter, and see where I go from there. I feel like it's been too much of a fixation, and I'll be trying to add more beans & legumes into the mix to get the protein. It's gotten so much easier as time's gone by. I know so many more quick and easy recipes and have gained a good knack for how long things take to make and when to prepare them so I'll have them through a long day away from home. Quinoa has been such a great find. I still believe the best philosophy is "Everything in moderation (including moderation!)" A quick read-up on quinoa has the following:
"Quinoa is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of purines. However, like all members of the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae plant family, quinoa does contain oxalates. The oxalate content of quinoa ranges widely, but even the lower end of the oxalate range puts quinoa on the caution or avoidance list for an oxalate-restricted diet. "
So what are oxalates, exactly? Trusty wikipedia explains:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalate
Basically oxalates in food can bind with things like calcium and cause things like kidney stones.
So wow... here's news to my ears too! The more I'm reading, I see a lot of my favorite candida diet foods are pretty high in oxalates! Hahah c'est la vie.... ya just can't win 'em all can you.
Well that's helpful knowledge though, and much more ammo to steer clear from so much almond butter! Apparently almonds, beans, and kale are on the "high oxalate" list. Pardon me while I make a cup of magnesium tea :-X Here is a .pdf describing oxalate foods, if I haven't scared you away already!
http://www.pkdiet.com/pdf/LowOxalateDiet.pdf
Looks like avocado, yogurt, eggs, and lentils are still on the safe side! I've been kicking around the idea of reintroducing some fish into my life, and this seems to send me another step in that direction, as fish has no (or minute) amounts of oxalates, but a great amount of protein.... hmmmm.... we'll seeeee........
But anywho, "everything in moderation" really just can't be stressed enough. These foods high in oxalates certainly offer plenty of other nutritional benefits. If I could work out some type of fast once a month, I think my body would be pretty content.
Here's to my non-planned-yet-Easter-themed Resurrection! Here's to no almond butter all week and another new way of life, as each day is the first day..........
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