autoimmune

Finding Foods That Love You

Finding Foods That Love You

Do you love a wine and cheese event? A beautiful and tasty charcuterie board filled with cheeses, olives, cured grass-fed meats and dried fruit, complimented with a well paired organic wine is perfect for social gatherings.

Does it love you back, or do you get a bit of heartburn or GERD afterwards? Or maybe a migraine develops.

If you can figure out which food compounds are contributing to your symptoms, you can make better food choices, and eat foods that make you feel better.

Feeding Your Akkermansia: Recipes You (and your Akkermansia) Will Love

Feeding Your Akkermansia:  Recipes You (and your Akkermansia) Will Love

Have you heard of Akkermansia? It’s a beneficial microbe that has been getting a lot of attention over the last few years. What happens when you don’t have enough? How do you increase it in your gut?

Here are some foods you’ll find it in, along with some delicious recipes I’ve created to feed both you and your Akkermansia.

HAZELNUTTY PUFFLES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

HAZELNUTTY PUFFLES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Imagine the flavour of Purdy’s Chocolate Hedgehogs, or of Ferrero Rocher. That’s what this recipe is about. Here’s a healthy holiday treat that combines those two amazing flavours of hazelnut with chocolate!

PALEO, AIP, LOW-HISTAMINE TREATS EVERYONE CAN ENJOY!

PALEO, AIP, LOW-HISTAMINE TREATS EVERYONE CAN ENJOY!

On a complicated diet? I work with a lot of individuals who end up on fairly complicated dietary protocols to address multiple health conditions at once. These diets end up being combinations of existing protocols. The most common combinations I see are Paleo-AIP-SIBO (autoimmune protocol and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), or some variation of Paleo- AIP that includes going low-histamine. SIBO can also trigger histamine issues. Finding new treat ideas, when your ingredient list is limited is always a challenge. I’ve come up with a few things that my son and I enjoy, and I hope you will too!

BECAUSE AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET JUST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH

BECAUSE AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET JUST ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH

There is a lot written about anti-inflammatory diets, and there is a ton of research looking at the anti-inflammatory effects of foods and supplements.  Fish oil and turmeric are examples of supplements that have been extensively researched.  Take a minute and google 'anti-inflammatory diet', or 'top anti-inflammatory foods', and you'll see just how much information is out there.  Dietary approaches that are anti-inflammatory emphasize vegetables, fruit, healthy fats such as olive oil and the omega-3 oils found in fish, and nuts and seeds.  At the same time they eliminate foods that contribute to inflammation such as refined grains, sugars, and deep-fried foods.  The Mediterranean Diet is a good example of a well researched anti-inflammatory diet. But where is your inflammation coming from?

AMAZING, SIMPLE PANNA COTTA YOU'LL LOVE.

AMAZING, SIMPLE PANNA COTTA YOU'LL LOVE.

Sorry I'm a bit later than usual in writing my blog!

As happens in life sometimes,  I've had a really busy couple of months.  Between teaching days and evenings, and giving workshops and presentations on the weekends, there was just no time left to write.  The little time I had left was spent with my family.

When things get that busy, having simple recipes is really important.  My kids like sweet treats (who doesn't!), so Panna Cotta fit my criteria for REALLY SIMPLE.  

3 DIETARY MYTHS BUSTED

3 DIETARY MYTHS BUSTED

MYTH #1 -  I SHOULD EAT A LOT OF FIBRE!
There is a lot of truth to this statement, but not everyone should be eating a lot of fibre.  The benefits of fibre are well documented and include pooping regularly, feeding your gut microbiome, and helping to clear debris and toxins out of your digestive tract.  But fibre can be very irritating to a damaged gut, especially insoluble fibre like that found in bran, whole grains, flax seed and legumes. Find out if you should be eating more or less fibre.

WHERE VEGETARIAN AND PALEO MEET

WHERE VEGETARIAN AND PALEO MEET

A couple of months ago my 15 year old daughter, Anya, decided to become a vegetarian.  This is a reasonably common decision for teenage girls during a developmental period when their empathy grows, and they make the decision to stop eating meat for ethical reasons.  

If you've been following my blog for a while, then you know that I support a Paleo or Ancestral way of eating that is especially focused on restoring gut health.