Shaved Cauliflower Salad

Shaved Cauliflower Salad

• One head cauliflower, shaved (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup chopped or sliced brussel sprouts
• 5 green onions, sliced thin
• ¼ cup pecans or sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Pinch of Himalayan Pink sea salt 

• Pinch of black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:
Place prepared cauliflower, brussel sprouts, green onions, pecans, and cranberries (optional) in a large bowl. Toss gently. In a separate small bowl or dressing bottle, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine. 

Allergies, Food Intolerances & Sensitivities

Eating foods that you are allergic or sensitive to creates inflammation in the intestinal lining. When the intestinal wall is damaged and undigested food or toxins are leaked into the bloodstream, an allergic immune response occurs throughout the body.

The allergic immune response in the body affects the digestive system, thus creating a vicious cycle of further potential problems, including food allergies or intolerances, environmental allergies, asthma, hives, eczema, and psoriasis.

Common symptoms of food intolerance:

• Congestion (sinus/chest)
• Headaches
• Joint aches
• Digestive issues
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Poor sleep
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Skin rashes
• Lethargy
• Mood imbalance (depression/anxiety)
• Insomnia

In order to heal the gut, it is important to eliminate the foods that you are allergic and sensitive to, but with a mixed diet, since it is often difficult to know which foods are the culprits. An elimination diet is a helpful diagnostic tool if you know which foods are wreaking havoc on your body that is causing the allergic immune response.

Remember, inflammation starts in the gut and is driven by the immune system. Always look for the root cause of the issue.

Nourishing Your Gut

The gateway to your health is your gut. The digestive tract starts in the mouth and ends at the anus. Many people suffer from digestive upset somewhere along the tract, whether it's acid reflux, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, or stomach cramps.

Your healthy gut is important because it:

• promotes immunity
• prevents gastrointestinal infections
• reduces inflammation
• regulates body weight
• synthesizes nutrients such as vitamin K, B12 and short-chain fatty acids
• protects the integrity of your gut lining

Ninety-five percent of serotonin is manufactured in your digestive system. Where there is imbalances in your gut, you may experience the following:

• IBS
• GERD
• Celiac disease
• Food sensitivities
• Food allergies
• Colitis or ulcerative colitis
• Some cancers
• Inability to lose weight
• Heart disease
• Neurological disorders like anxiety and depression
• Skin problems

Why does the gut get out of balance and toxicity creep in?

• Diet high in sugar
• Diet high in processed foods
• Diet low in minerals
• Toxicity in the foods you eat
• Years of taking antibiotics and birth control
• Eating foods that inflame the body

By strengthening your gut, adding good bacteria, denying and eliminating the problem foods, and supporting the immune system, you can reduce inflammation and the symptoms associated with it.

Nutritional Tip: Eat Red Foods

Fresh Beets

A fresh beet every day is your lymph’s best friend.

All red-staining foods tend to be great lymph-movers. Berries, cherries, pomegranate, beets, and cranberries were all traditionally used as dyes and as natural lymph moving and detoxifying agents.

Beets in particular also have one other very important property that make them the top food on my list right now. They thin the bile. Bile is responsible for about 80% of the immune response in the gut, it regulates the stool, digests good fat and gets rid of bad fat. Beets also scrub the villi of the gut, which is where the digestive lymph originates. Beets make a great food for your lymph.

Make sure you eat your red foods for optimal lymph function!
~Dr. Mark Hyman

Go Beyond Salad...Eat Root Vegetables

When you think about healthy eating, salads and green vegetables usually come to mind. But how about adding a little more variety to your plan?

Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips, are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods do, they help regulate them.

Why Eat More Root Veggies?

Long roots – carrots, parsnips, burdock, and daikon radish – are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body. Round roots – turnips, radishes, beets, and rutabagas – nourish the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs.
Which root vegetables do you eat most?
If you’re like most of the world, it’s carrots and potatoes. Here are a few others to explore:

·       Beets contain an abundance of antioxidants and are highly detoxifying.

·       Burdock is considered a powerful blood purifier. This long, thin veggie is a staple in Asian and health food stores.

·       Celeriac, also known as celery root, is rich in fiber and has a respectable amount of antioxidants.

·       Jicama is crunchy and refreshing and contains a generous amount of vitamin C. It’s a favorite in its native Mexico and South America.

·       Onions are rich in antioxidants and other phytonutrients, making them prized for their ability to strengthen the immune system.

·       Parsnips, which look like giant white carrots, boast a sweet, earthy taste. They’ve also got plenty of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, niacin, thiamine, magnesium, and potassium.

·       Radish is an excellent source of vitamin C. It’s also rich in calcium, molybdenum, and folic acid.

·       Sweet Potatoes contain unsurpassed levels of beta-carotene and are also rich in vitamin C, phytonutrients, and fiber.

Excited to add more roots to your diet? Here’s a fun, easy recipe:

Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

·       1 sweet potato

·       2 parsnips

·       2 carrots

·       2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga

·       1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in other favorites, like squash)

·       extra virgin olive oil

·       salt and pepper

·       herbs: rosemary, thyme, or sage (fresh if possible)

Directions:

·       Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

·       Wash and dice all vegetables into bite-sized cubes.

·       Place in a large baking dish with sides.

·       Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs.

·       Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.

Tip: any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky Gut Syndrome...when the intestinal wall becomes leaky allowing undigested food particles and bacteria to enter into your blood system. It wears down your immune system and leads to disease, illness, cancer because 70-80% of your immune system is in your gut! 

Leaky Gut causes many problems:

•Depression •Dark circles under eyes
•Autoimmune •Edema
•Insomnia •Yeast infections
•Skin problems •Candida
•Sinus nasal congestion •Joint pain
•Indigestion •Headaches/migraines
•Digestive problems
•Mood swings