Check out my new hand-crafted coconut milk soap and moisturizing lotion bars at my Etsy store! Lovingly made with only the best natural and organic ingredients. You
can feel the difference in my products because of the superior
ingredients that I use. I use organic and food-grade ingredients
wherever possible. I don't use any fillers, additives, or preservatives. Most of the ingredients that I use are exactly the same ingredients that I buy to cook with. My products are more
expensive to make this way, but I truly believe that the skin is that
important! It is a tremendously absorptive surface and detoxifying
organ. Whatever you put on your skin bypasses your liver and goes
straight to your bloodstream! If we wouldn't eat it, then why in the
world would we put it on our skin?
Holiday coupons are currently being offered. Get 15% off every purchase, 20% off every purchase over $25 through December 31, 2015.
Hand-crafted, cold-process coconut milk soaps!
Hand-crafted moisturizing lotion bars
- great to keep on a dish at your bedside or next to your kitchen and
bathroom sinks for chapped hands. They can also be used for face, feet,
and body. These have a mild warm spicy holiday scent.
And, for the holidays, candy cane lip balms!
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
My Etsy Holiday Coupons!
My Etsy shop HannahsHealth is offering holiday coupons for great discounts on my homemade all-natural lip balm. Get 10% off EVERY purchase. AND, get FREE shipping on every purchase over $25. Lip balms make great stocking stuffers, party favors, and white elephant gifts! Offers are good through the end of the year.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Persimmon Spice Cookies
Another fall invention. Like all my other recipes, these cookies are GAPS-legal.
Persimmon Spice
Cookies
2 large Hachiya persimmons, very soft
2/3 c. coconut oil
4 eggs
½ c. raw honey
¾ c. raisins
½ t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 ½ t. ground ginger
¼ t. ground cloves
1 vanilla bean, scored and scraped
¼ c. coconut flour
¼ c. unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ c. chopped walnuts
½ t. baking soda
Cut out the stems from the tops of the persimmons. Using a
spoon, scoop out the soft meat of each persimmon into a blender. Add the oil,
eggs, honey, spices, salt, vanilla, and raisins (alternately, raisins may be
added whole later with the dry ingredients). Blend the mixture on high until
the mixture is smooth and becomes of a thickened, whipped consistency. Scrape the
mixture out into a medium mixing bowl using a spatula. Add the coconut flour,
shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, and baking soda. Stir until well
incorporated. Let stand for a few minutes. Cover a baking sheet with parchment
paper or a silicone baking mat. Dab the batter onto the baking sheet, making
about 1-2 tablespoon size cookies. Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes until
golden brown and just cooked through. Check at 20 minutes to make sure they don’t
burn. The texture of the cookies when done should be moist but not gooey. Let
cool for a few minutes and enjoy while warm! Makes about 2.5 dozen.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Book Review: "Brain Maker" by David Perlmutter, MD
David Perlmutter, neurologist, is the New York Times #1 bestselling author of Grain Brain, which came out a number of years ago. This year he released a new book, Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain - for Life, in which he delves into the human microbiome's impact on neurological health. However, I would say this book was more about the microbiome than about the brain.
Summary
In the book, he addresses the relation of the human microbiome to inflammation and the immune system, moods and anxiety, obesity and appetite, autism, autoimmune disease, and more. The focus of each of these topics is on the human gut and "bugs" that live there, regulating and impacting every body system.
The first half of Perlmutter's book is remarkably similar to the first half of NCM's Gut and Psychology Syndrome. However, being more recent, Perlmutter includes some fascinating new information about the human microbiome that has only developed in the past several years. After establishing the point that "you are what you eat,"Perlmutter discusses how our friendly microbes help and protect us throughout our life from birth to death. He emphasizes their many functions, including: aiding in digestion and absorption of nutrients; creating a physical barrier against invaders; detoxifying; influencing immune response; producing enzymes, vitamins, and neurochemicals; helping handle stress; assisting sleep; helping to control inflammatory pathways. Then he goes into more detail about how our microbes specifically impact our brain and neurological health. He addresses several more specific topics over several chapters, focusing on various body systems: the gut, immune system, endocrine system, etc. He discusses a number of case studies he has personally treated - a client with autism, one with MS, etc - who made remarkable recoveries just by changing their gut microbiology. He spends a chapter addressing various assaults to our microbiome: antibiotics, NSAIDS, the pill, environmental chemicals. In the last part of the book, he gives advice for how to rehabilitate a damaged gut. His recommendations are helpful, and in many ways, very similar to the GAPS diet, however, he doesn't take his healing protocols as far as NCM. He finishes the book with some helpful recipes, mostly for fermented foods, some of which look quite good.
The Long and the Short of It
Since Dr. Perlmutter's book is more up-to-date with recent research, I was interested to see if it added anything new to my GAPS knowledge. Here is my summary of the similarities and differences between his and NCM's book:
Similarities:
I highly recommend Dr. Perlmutter's book, and am grateful to him and others who are championing human microbiome science and using natural nutrition to heal their patients. You can buy his book on Amazon, or if you are on a budget (like me) you can probably borrow it from your local library. Dr. Perlmutter also has a website with lots of information and summaries of his other books and cookbooks.
Summary
In the book, he addresses the relation of the human microbiome to inflammation and the immune system, moods and anxiety, obesity and appetite, autism, autoimmune disease, and more. The focus of each of these topics is on the human gut and "bugs" that live there, regulating and impacting every body system.
The first half of Perlmutter's book is remarkably similar to the first half of NCM's Gut and Psychology Syndrome. However, being more recent, Perlmutter includes some fascinating new information about the human microbiome that has only developed in the past several years. After establishing the point that "you are what you eat,"Perlmutter discusses how our friendly microbes help and protect us throughout our life from birth to death. He emphasizes their many functions, including: aiding in digestion and absorption of nutrients; creating a physical barrier against invaders; detoxifying; influencing immune response; producing enzymes, vitamins, and neurochemicals; helping handle stress; assisting sleep; helping to control inflammatory pathways. Then he goes into more detail about how our microbes specifically impact our brain and neurological health. He addresses several more specific topics over several chapters, focusing on various body systems: the gut, immune system, endocrine system, etc. He discusses a number of case studies he has personally treated - a client with autism, one with MS, etc - who made remarkable recoveries just by changing their gut microbiology. He spends a chapter addressing various assaults to our microbiome: antibiotics, NSAIDS, the pill, environmental chemicals. In the last part of the book, he gives advice for how to rehabilitate a damaged gut. His recommendations are helpful, and in many ways, very similar to the GAPS diet, however, he doesn't take his healing protocols as far as NCM. He finishes the book with some helpful recipes, mostly for fermented foods, some of which look quite good.
The Long and the Short of It
Since Dr. Perlmutter's book is more up-to-date with recent research, I was interested to see if it added anything new to my GAPS knowledge. Here is my summary of the similarities and differences between his and NCM's book:
Similarities:
- Perlmutter and NCM both start at the same place: with the famous Hippocrates quote, "All disease begins in the gut." Their philosophy of disease and nutrition is pretty much identical. Their focus on the human microbiome for healing disease is the same.
- Perlmutter and NCM agree on the basics of what makes a healthy diet: healthy fat, low carb, moderate protein.
- Perlmutter and NCM have very similar supplement recommendations: a good probiotic, DHA/EPA, coconut oil, ALA, vitamin D. Additionally, Perlmutter strongly recommends turmeric for its anti-inflammatory action.
- Perlmutter and NCM both recommend probiotic enemas.
- Perlmutter and NCM have similar opinions on natural birth, breastfeeding, and antibiotic use.
- Both books are well-documented - there is a long section of notes at the end with citations of research.
- Perlmutter discusses a number of more recent developments and studies in the field of the human microbiome that are helpful. Since his book was written this year, it is obviously more up-to-date on its research.
- Brain Maker strongly recommends prebiotic foods, and discusses how research has shown prebiotics to increase levels of friendly flora while diminishing the "bad guys." This is slightly different from NCM, who recommends a specific carbohydrate diet to reduce prebiotic substances that she believes will feed the bad flora as well as the good.
- Perlmutter's dietary recommendations for healing the gut microbiome are far less intensive than NCM's protocols. For people who aren't yet very sick, this might work; but for those of us who's health is completely broken, it likely won't be enough.
- Perlmutter strongly recommends consumption of tea, coffee, chocolate, and red wine, while NCM is more cautious about adding these to the diet. NCM's protocols advise adding these only in small or weak amounts after some healing has taken place.
- One of the recent medical developments that Permutter champions is the FMT (fecal microbiota transplant). He describes several case studies where patients made remarkable recoveries from neurological diseases in response to FMT treatments.
- Use NCM's introduction diet protocols if you need to do some serious healing (I know I did! I still don't regularly consume all of the full diet foods 2.5 years later!).
- Be more open to adding prebiotic foods at the right time. Let your body tell you when it is ready. If prebiotic foods create symptoms, you aren't ready. But at some point, once you have detoxed a good number of the bad flora, your body needs them to establish and maintain a healthy microbiome.
- Be more open to tea, coffee, chocolate, and red wine as tolerated.
- Definitely incorporate probiotic enemas into your healing regimen.
- Consider FMT as a viable option when other means fail.
- Be encouraged that the science of human microbiome manipulation for healing of disease is developing rapidly. NCM is definitely not alone. There is significant research backing this approach to nutritional healing. Don't let your doctor tell you otherwise.
I highly recommend Dr. Perlmutter's book, and am grateful to him and others who are championing human microbiome science and using natural nutrition to heal their patients. You can buy his book on Amazon, or if you are on a budget (like me) you can probably borrow it from your local library. Dr. Perlmutter also has a website with lots of information and summaries of his other books and cookbooks.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Cold Pumpkin Pudding Dessert
Another recent invention and instant family favorite to get you ready for Thanksgiving!
Cold Pumpkin Pudding Dessert
Cold Pumpkin Pudding Dessert
4 c. cooked pumpkin puree*
2 c. coconut milk
2 egg yolks
½ c. honey
¼ t. cloves
¼ t. nutmeg
1 t. ginger
2 t. cinnamon
1 vanilla bean, scored and scraped
1/8 t. salt
2 T. plain gelatin (with about ¼ c. room temperature water,
and about ¼ c. hot water)
Coconut cream, walnut pieces, and cinnamon for topping,
optional
Heat the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, spices, vanilla, and
salt gently on low heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat. Add honey
and egg yolks, stir well.
In a small bowel, temper gelatin with about ¼ c. room
temperature water, mixing quickly into the water until thick. Immediately add
about ¼ c. very hot water and stir until dissolved with no lumps. Add to the
pumpkin mixture and stir until thoroughly incorporated.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into a 9x13-inch pan or glass bake
dish. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Top with coconut cream, walnut
pieces, and/or cinnamon as desired.**
Makes about 8-10 servings.
* May substitute other sweet winter squash
variety - I use freshly cooked squash that has been baked face-down in a
bake dish with a small amount of water to keep it from sticking, baked
at 400F until a fork can be easily inserted into the flesh. I then cool the
squash, scoop it out of the skin into the blender, and blend until
smooth.
** If desired, may make candied walnuts for
topping by mixing together: ½ c. walnut pieces, 1 T. lard or butter, 1 T. honey, and ½
t. cinnamon. Bake on top of foil on a cookie sheet at 400F until browned and crunchy.)
GAPS Pumpkin Nut Bread
This recent creation was an instant hit, and just in time for the holiday season!
GAPS Pumpkin Nut Bread
1 ½ c. cooked winter squash puree
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
2 T. honey
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. cloves
¼ t. ginger
½ t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. coconut flour
1 T. butter or lard
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vinegar
Topping:
½ c. crushed walnuts
1 T. butter or lard
1-2 T. honey
½ t. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375F. Heat small glass bake dish or loaf pan
and melt the lard/butter into it.
GAPS Brownie Cookies
In the spring, I get the gardening fever, and in the fall, the baking fever. Here's another personal favorite, for dessert.
GAPS Brownie Cookies
1 large avocado, very ripe
½ c. Cacao butter, melted
¼ c. Butter
3 Eggs
½ c. Honey
1/8 t. Salt
1 Vanilla bean, scraped
½ c. Cacao powder
3 T. Coconut flour
GAPS Shepherd's Pie
There's nothing like fall for a homey baked dish like shepherd's pie! Try my GAPS-legal version using a coconut-flour batter. This recipe can also be tweaked into a chicken pot pie.
GAPS Shepherd’s Pie
Filling:
3 lbs ground beef (or may also use lamb or chicken, chopped small)
1 lb. carrots, chopped fine
1 bunch spring onions, chopped fine
½ yellow onion, chopped fine
1 ½ tsp. thyme
1 T. rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
~1 c. water or broth
Cook lightly in a large pot until almost done, leave meat slightly pink and
carrots slightly crunchy. Pour into 9x13-inch bake dish and spread evenly.
Pre-heat oven to 375F. While oven is heating, make the topping, below.
Topping:
1 c. coconut flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. rosemary, ground fine with mortar and pestle to bring
out the flavor
5 eggs
1 2/3 c. coconut milk (or other nut milk)
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowel. Whisk wet ingredients together
separately in a four-cup bowel or Pyrex, including the crushed garlic. Add wet to dry and mix thoroughly.
Let stand for a few minutes so the coconut flour can soak up the liquid.
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