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Eating This Can “Tear Holes” in Your Gut

January 22, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 1 Comment

leaky gut horizontal

Leaky gut is a condition that occurs due to the development of gaps between the cells (enterocytes) that make up the membrane lining your intestinal wall.

These tiny gaps allow substances such as undigested food, bacteria and metabolic wastes, that should be confined to your digestive tract, to escape into your bloodstream — hence the term leaky gut syndrome.

Once the integrity of your intestinal lining is compromised, and there is a flow of toxic substances “leaking out” into your bloodstream, your body experiences significant increases in inflammation.

Also, your immune system may become confused and begin to attack your own body as if it were an enemy (autoimmunity).

Most often, leaky gut syndrome is associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease, but even healthy people can have varying degrees of intestinal permeability leading to a wide variety of health symptoms — and this can be influenced heavily by the foods you choose to eat.

Grains Contain Anti-Nutrients

In the United States, we’re told that grains (especially whole grains) are an important part of a balanced diet, necessary for obtaining our daily requirement of healthy nutrients and fiber.

However, according to a growing number of experts, including Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles, humans are NOT designed to eat grains, and doing so may actually be damaging to your gut.

Dr. Cordain explains:

“There’s no human requirement for grains. That’s the problem with the USDA recommendations. They think we’re hardwired as a species to eat grains. You can get by just fine and meet every single nutrient requirement that humans have without eating grains. And grains are absolutely poor sources of vitamins and minerals compared to fruits and vegetables and meat and fish.”

Ironically, since we’re often told that whole grains are the best for our health, the high-fiber bran portion of grain – a key part that makes it a whole grain — actually contains many of the anti-nutrients. But the problem isn’t only that there are superior sources of nutrients; grains actually contain anti-nutrients that may damage your health. Dr. Cordain states:

“Grains are the seeds of a plant. They’re its reproductive material, and plants don’t make their reproductive material to give away for free to other animals. If they did they’d become extinct, and so the evolutionary strategy that many plants, particularly cereal grains have taken to prevent predation is to evolve toxic compounds so that the predator of the seeds can’t eat them, so that they can put their seeds in the soil where they’re meant to be to grow a new plant and not in the gut of an animal to feed it.”

Grains — Especially Whole Grains — Increase Intestinal Permeability

There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that grains, as well as legumes, contain anti-nutrients and other problem substances that may increase intestinal permeability. This includes:

Gliadin

Gliadin is the primary immunotoxic protein found in wheat gluten and is among the most damaging to your health. Gliadin gives wheat bread its doughy texture and is capable of increasing the production of the intestinal protein zonulin, which in turn opens up gaps in the normally tight junctures between intestinal cells (enterocytes).

In celiac disease the body will make antibodies to gliadin after it is digested by the intestinal enzyme tissue transglutaminase, resulting in severe autoimmune damage to the delicate, absorptive surfaces of the intestines. It does not, however, require full blown celiac disease to suffer from the adverse effects of this protein. In fact, it is likely that our intolerance to gliadin and related wheat proteins is a species-specific intolerance, applicable to all humans, with the difference being a matter of the degree to which it causes harm.

This helps to explain why new research clearly shows gliadin increases intestinal permeability in both those with, and those without, celiac disease.

Lectins

Lectins are a key mechanism through which plants protect themselves against being eaten, and are found in highest concentrations in their seed form — which makes sense, considering that seeds are the plants’ “babies” and whose survival ensures the continuation of their species.

When animals consume foods containing lectins, they may experience digestive irritation, along with a wide range of other health complaints. The degree to which the adverse effects are expressed depends largely on how long that species has had to co-evolve with that particular form of plant food it is eating. Since humans have only been consuming unsprouted grains and beans in large amounts for approximately 500 generations, we still suffer far more than certain rodents and birds, who have had thousands of generations longer to adapt to this way of eating.

We are mostly exposed to lectins from grains, beans, dairy products and nightshade plants, such as potato, tomato, and chili peppers. However, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a prominent role to play in lectin-induced adverse effects, due to the fact that it is a relatively new form of wheat, and contains wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) – a particularly resilient and problematic lectin, considering it is not eliminated through sprouting and is actually found in higher concentrations in whole wheat.

Studies indicate that it has the potential to contribute to a wide range of adverse health effects, including gut inflammation and damage to your gastrointestinal tract:

Pro-inflammatory–WGA stimulates the synthesis of pro-inflammatory chemical messengers (cytokines) in intestinal and immune cells, and has been shown to play a causative role in chronic thin gut inflammation. Immunotoxicity–WGA induces thymus atrophy in rats, and anti-WGA antibodies in human blood have been shown to cross-react with other proteins, indicating that they may contribute to autoimmunity . In fact, WGA appears to play a role in celiac disease (CD) that is entirely distinct from that of gluten, due to significantly higher levels of IgG and IgAantibodies against WGA found in patients with CD, when compared with patients with other intestinal disorders.
Neurotoxicity—WGA can cross your blood-brain barrierthrough a process called “adsorptive endocytosis,” pulling other substances with it. WGA may attach to your myelin sheath and is capable of inhibiting nerve growth factor, which is important for the growth, maintenance, and survival of certain target neurons. Excitotoxicity–Wheat, dairy, and soy contain exceptionally high levels of glutamic and aspartic acid, which makes them all potentially excitotoxic. Excitotoxicity is a pathological process where glutamic and aspartic acid cause an over-activation of your nerve cell receptors, which can lead to calcium-induced nerve and brain injury. These two amino acids may contribute to neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, and other nervous system disorders such as epilepsy, ADD/ADHD and migraines.
Cytotoxicity—WGA has been demonstrated to be cytotoxicto both normal and cancerous cell lines, capable of inducing either cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death (apoptosis). Disrupts Endocrine Function—WGA may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, and leptin resistance by blocking the leptin receptor in your hypothalamus. It alsobinds to both benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and interferes with the production of secretin from your pancreas, which can lead to digestive problems and pancreatic hypertrophy.
Cardiotoxicity—WGA has a potent, disruptive effect on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, which plays a key role in tissue regeneration and safely removing neutrophils from your blood vessels. Adversely Affects Gastrointestinal Function by causing increased shedding of the intestinal brush border membrane, reducing the surface area, and accelerating cell loss and shortening of villi. It also causes cytoskeleton degradation in intestinal cells, contributing to cell death and increased turnover, and decreases levels of heat shock proteins in gut epithelial cells, leaving them more vulnerable to damage.

 

As we noted earlier, the highest amounts of WGA is found in whole wheat, including its sprouted form, which is touted as being the most healthful form of all … The traditional ways of addressing many of these anti-nutrients is, in fact, by sprouting, fermenting and cooking. However, lectins are designed to withstand degradation through a wide range of pH and temperatures. WGA lectin is particularly tough because it’s actually formed by the same disulfide bonds that give strength and resilience to vulcanized rubber and human hair.

New Report Warns of the Sugar in Cereals Marketed to Kids

One of the most common ways we consume grains is in the form of cereal, many of which are marketed to kids and adults alike as “health foods.” But cereal is anything but healthy, not only because of the grain it contains but also because many (particularly those for kids) contain excessive amounts of sugar.

A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that many popular children’s cereal brands contain more sugar than snack cakes and cookies. For instance, one cup of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks, which is nearly 56 percent sugar by weight, has more sugar than a Twinkie, while a one-cup serving of 44 other children’s cereals analyzed contain more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies.

If you need a recap of why sugar is a health disaster, you can find one here. However, as it pertains to leaky gut, you should know that sugar, like grains, can upset the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract, encouraging damage to your intestinal lining that can lead to leaky gut. So, sugary children’s cereals are a double-edged sword, assaulting your fragile gastrointestinal tract with both damaging sugar and grains. Please do your kids a great favor and offer them a healthier breakfast instead.

Are Grains Causing Your Leaky Gut Symptoms? This Food is the “Antidote”

As you might suspect, leaky gut can cause digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas and abdominal cramps, but it can also cause or contribute to many others you may not, such as fatigue, skin rashes, joint pain, allergies, psychological symptoms,autism and more.

It’s a vicious cycle because once your digestive tract has been damaged, it allows various gut contents to flood into your bloodstream where they wreak havoc on your health. The key to preventing this lies in altering your diet to eliminate the offending foods — including sugars and grains — as well as introduce healthier ones that will support a proper balance of bacteria in your gut. To restore gut health, and prevent leaky gut from occurring, eating traditionally fermented foods is essential.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride explains:

“Fermented foods are essential to introduce, as they provide probiotic microbes in the best possible form … fermented foods will carry probiotic microbes all away down to the end of the digestive system. Fermentation predigests the food, making it easy for our digestive systems to handle, that is why fermented foods are easily digested by people with damaged gut. Fermentation releases nutrients from the food, making them more bio-available for the body: for example sauerkraut contains 20 times more bio-available vitamin C than fresh cabbage.”

On Dr. Campbell-McBride’s web site you can find recipes for many traditionally fermented foods, including sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kvass and more.

If you regularly eat fermented foods such as these that have not been pasteurized (pasteurization kills the naturally occurring probiotics), your healthy gut bacteria will thrive. If these foods do not make a regular appearance in your diet, or you’ve recently taken antibiotics, a high-quality probiotic supplement will help give your gut bacteria the healthy boost it needs. Once your gut flora is optimized, your leaky gut should improve naturally. As Dr. Cordain explains:

” … when we have a healthy flora of bacteria in our gut, it tends to prevent leaky gut.”

Is a Return to the Paleo Diet Right for You?

During the Paleolithic period, many thousands of years ago, people ate primarily vegetables, fruit, nuts, roots and meat—and a wide variety of it. Today, these staples have been largely replaced with refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cereal, bread, potatoes and pasteurized milk products… and a much narrower selection of fruits, vegetables, roots and nuts.

This is precisely the recipe for a leaky gut, and all of its associated health problems, which is why simply returning to a Paelo diet by eating foods that are concordant with your genetic ancestry may help you become healthier. This includes focusing on whole, unprocessed foods including vegetables (except corn and potatoes) and free-range organic meats, while avoiding sugars and grains.

As Dr. Cordain states:

“The nutritional qualities of modern processed foods and foods introduced during the Neolithic period are discordant with our ancient and conservative genome. This genetic discordance ultimately manifests itself as various chronic illnesses, which have been dubbed “diseases of civilization.” By severely reducing or eliminating these foods and replacing them with a more healthful cuisine, possessing nutrient qualities more in line with the foods our ancestors consumed, it is possible to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.”

 

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Filed Under: Natural Living, Nutrition, Paleo Education Tagged With: cure leaky gut syndrome, danger of grains, featured, leaky gut, paleo, primal

All Purpose Healing Salve

January 21, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 163 Comments

When you have little ones in the house, there seems to be an endless supply off boo-boos, bug bites, and itchy skin.  I like to keep things very simple, which is why I really love essential oils. I have, literally, traded so many products over to a very minimalistic shelf with essential oils and some other holistic remedies.

This all-purpose salve is good for so many things. The coconut oil and olive oil bring nourishment, while the beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors. For children, the BEST two essential oils to have on hand are melaleuca and lavender.

Melaleuca (tea tree oil) is renowned for it’s cleansing and rejuvenating effect on the skin.  Lavender is known as a universal oil that is extremely beneficial to helping many conditions. Combine these two together and you have a powerful weapon to aid in relief.

This salve is cloth diaper safe and newborn-safe. The essential oil dosages in this recipe do not exceed the recommendations for a newborn. I highly recommend using a very safe essential oils with therapeutic benefits like these. Keep this salve on hand for ANYTHING!

All Purpose Healing Salve

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil (where to buy)
  • 1/2 cup of Olive Oil (where to buy)
  • 1/4 Cup of Beeswax (where to buy online) – but find a local beekeeper! I got a 1 lb block for $6.99 at a local co-op!
  • 1 Cup of Calendula Flowers (where to buy online) – I got it for $.50 at a local co-op!
  • 15 drops of Melaleuca (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
  • 15 drops of Lavender  (add 10 drops more for children over 10)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put the coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil if it isn’t melted already.
  2. Add the calendula flower petals (dried) and simmer on low for around 2 hours. Make sure to stir a few times during the process. You can also add the oil and calendula to a crockpot and put on low for up to 3 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a cheesecloth.
  4. Now add the calendula oil back to the saucepan and add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add the essential oils and stir.
  7. Pour into a glass jar and store for up to a year! Makes 1 cup!

Healing Salve Recipe
2018-01-16 13:47:10
This all-purpose salve is good for so many things. The coconut oil and olive oil bring nourishment, while the beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
  2. 1/2 cup of Olive Oil
  3. 1/4 Cup of Beeswax
  4. 1 Cup of Calendula Flowers
  5. 15 drops of Melaleuca (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
  6. 15 drops of Lavender (add 10 drops more for children over 10)
Instructions
  1. Put the coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil if it isn’t melted already.
  2. Add the calendula flower petals (dried) and simmer on low for around 2 hours. Make sure to stir a few times during the process. You can also add the oil and calendula to a crockpot and put on low for up to 3 hours.
  3. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a cheesecloth.
  4. Now add the calendula oil back to the saucepan and add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add the essential oils and stir.
  7. Pour into a glass jar and store for up to a year! Makes 1 cup!
Notes
  1. Source for therapeutic grade essential oils: www.thepaleomama.com/essential-oils
By The Paleo Mama
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/

 

Filed Under: DIY Beauty Recipes, essential oils, Natural Living, Paleo Baby, Paleo Toddler Tagged With: all purpose healing salve, diaper rash salve, diy salve, featured, homemade salve

Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies

January 15, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 64 Comments

Sweet potatoes have become a staple in our Paleo kitchen. They are easy to grab, a great recovery food from a hard workout, and loaded with healthy carbs.

Sweet potatoes: 

  • Have massive amounts of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant
  • Contain twice the amount of fiber as white potatoes
  • Have high levels of B6 and Potassium
  • A potent source of manganese (helps stabilize blood glucose levels)
  • Are rich in vitamin C and E
  • Contain iron, magnesium, and vitamin D

Eating Paleo can be challenging when you are on-the-go, or when you just had an intense workout…but it’s not impossible. It takes a little planning ahead. I love to make these delicious breakfast cookies for times when I’m out-and-about, or I need to grab a quick snack or breakfast before running out the door.

The original recipe from The Preppy Paleo uses pumpkin, which is delicious! But, I wanted to throw in my favorite tuber and see if it still came out as amazing as always…and it did! I make 2-3 batches at a time because we just love them and the kids eat them too. I feel good providing a healthy snack for their growing bodies.

I want to send out a BIG THANK YOU to The Preppy Paleo for allowing me to share this with my readers!

sweet potato cookies 22

Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies

(adapted from The Preppy Paleo with Permission)

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 1/2 cup of Almond Butter (where to buy)
  • 1/2 cup of pureed Sweet Potato – Roast them in the oven to soften or throw them in the microwave for 6 minutes (GASP…don’t hate me for still using my microwave!)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or raw honey (where to buy)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (where to buy)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (where to buy) or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg 
  • 1/2 teaspoon of real salt (where to buy)
  • 2-3 cups of mix-ins of choice*

sweet potato cookies 1

DIRECTIONS: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. Combine all the ingredients in a  large bowl.
  3. Drop by TB-2 TB onto a greased or silicate-lined baking sheet. Press down slightly with your palm.
  4. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
  5. Makes 12 large breakfast cookies!

***Mix-in Ideas: 

  • coconut shreds/chips (I like these)
  • Chocolate Chips (I like these)
  • Raisins
  • Almond slivers
  • Walnuts
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Hemp Hearts (where to buy)
  • Cranberries

CLICK HERE to Pin this Recipe!  

sweet potato cookies vertical

Filed Under: My Recipes Tagged With: breakfast cookies, featured, gluten-free, grain-free, kid friendly, paleo, primal, sweet potato cookies

How To Give Your Kids a Detox Bath

January 7, 2014 by Jackie Ritz 127 Comments

Lately, my kids and I have become quite addicted to our nightly detox baths. There’s nothing like taking a hot bath, lighting a few candles, and allowing the troubles of the day to simmer away. This is my ultimate way to unwind. Kids benefit from the nightly ritual, as well. And when you throw in some epsom salt or magnesium flakes, some coconut oil, and a little bit of some essential oils, you have a recipe for a deeply healing bath that promotes healing and relaxation. Before I explain how to give your kids a detox bath, let me dive into why you should be giving them detox baths.

Why Give Your Kids a Detox Bath?

  1. To flush out toxins that have built up in our body. THIS is a great article on how and why we should take detox baths.
  2. To strengthen our immune system. 
  3. To promote sleep and relaxation. 
  4. Help muscles and nerves function properly. Great for growing kids.
  5. Helps promote concentration.

“While increasing your magnesium levels, Epsom Salt also delivers sulfates, which are extremely difficult to get through food but which readily absorb through the skin. Sulfates serve a wide variety of functions in the body, playing a vital role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the mucin proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. Sulfates also stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are believed to help detoxify the body’s residue of medicines and environmental contaminants.” (source)

How to Give Kids a Detox Bath:

Materials Needed: 

  • Epsom Salt (where to buy) or Magnesium Flakes (where to buy)
  • Hot tub of water
  • Baking soda if water is unfiltered
  • High Quality Essential Oils (where to buy)
  • Coconut Oil or Olive Oil (where to buy)
  • cranky, wired, sick and adorable kids!

STEP ONE: Add the Epsom Salt to a tub of hot water

Epsom salt dosage: 

  • For children under 60 lbs, add 1/2 cup to a standard bath.
  • For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 1 cup to a standard bath.
  • For people 100 lbs and up, add 2 cups or more to a standard bath. (source)

STEP TWO: Add the baking soda (optional)

Adding baking soda to a detox bath helps to neutralize the chemicals in the water, especially chlorine. I have well water, so I don’t need to do this. But, if you unsure about your water, or if you know that it is not filtered, then add in some baking soda.

Baking Soda Dosage:

  • For children under 60 lbs, add 1/4th cup to a standard bath.
  • For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 1/2 cup to a standard bath.
  • For people 100 lbs and up, add 1 cup to a standard bath.

STEP THREE: Add the coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

I like adding coconut oil or olive oil to our detox baths for a few reasons. One, it helps the essential oils to bind to the coconut oil and stick to my kids skin which helps moisturize their skin. Two, it keeps the essential oils from sticking to the side of the tub. And lastly, it clings to skin even after you get out of the tub.

Coconut Oil or Olive Oil Dosage: 

  • For children under 60 lbs, add 1 tablespoon to a standard bath.
  • For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 2 tablespoons to a standard bath.
  • For people 100 lbs and up, add 3 tablespoons to a standard bath.

STEP FOUR: Add the Essential Oils

Whenever I mention essential oils, I am referring to only the top quality, therapeutic grade oils. I don’t recommend purchasing any other kind. Click here to see which oils I recommend. The great thing about essential oils is that they can be used for a variety of different reasons.

Essential Oil Dosage: 

  • For children under 60 lbs and over 2 years old, add 4 drops to a standard bath.
  • For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 6 drops  to a standard bath.
  • For people 100 lbs and up, add 10 drops to a standard bath.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use essential oils in a detox bath for my kids.

Essential Oil Suggestions: 

  • Calming and Relaxing: Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile, or Cedarwood 
  • Bonding: if you would like to jump in with your baby or child, I recommend frankincense to help promote bonding.
  • Immune Boosting: Protective blend or Wild Orange
  • Respiratory Support: Eucalyptus, Peppermint, or a respiratory blend
  • Digestive Support: Peppermint, Cardamom, Lemon or Peppermint.

 *A Few Tips: 

  • Don’t wash your children’s hair on detox bath night! The coconut/olive oil makes it very greasy and hard to get out.
  • Don’t wash their body with any soaps or harsh cleansers with chemicals. Their pores are open and you want them to absorb the magnesium and oils. I recommend using something like Dr. Bronner’s Baby Soap or a bar of castile soap if you must wash them. Otherwise skip the soap.
  • Try to keep them in the bath for 20 minutes to get all the benefits of the bath.
  • Lather them up, if you wish, with a natural moisturizer like coconut oil. I add in a few drops of lavender and give them a light massage as I’m putting on their clothes.
  • Give them some water or leave some beside their bed. Detox baths can make you thirsty.
  • Cuddle on the couch and read a good book before kissing them goodnight! Magnesium promotes sleep so they should sleep very good for you!
Detox Bath Recipe
2018-01-24 11:20:56
Throw in some epsom salt or magnesium flakes, some coconut oil, and a little bit of some essential oils, you have a recipe for a deeply healing bath that promotes healing and relaxation.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. Epsom Salt or Magnesium Flakes
  2. Hot tub of water
  3. Baking soda if water is unfiltered
  4. High Quality Essential Oils
  5. Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
  6. cranky, wired, sick and adorable kids!
Instructions
  1. STEP ONE: Add the Epsom Salt to a tub of hot water. Epsom Salt Dosage: for children under 60 lbs, add 1/2 cup to a standard bath. For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 1 cup to a standard bath. For people 100 lbs and up, add 2 cups or more to a standard bath.
  2. STEP TWO: Add the baking soda (optional). Adding baking soda to a detox bath helps to neutralize the chemicals in the water, especially chlorine. I have well water, so I don't need to do this. But, if you unsure about your water, or if you know that it is not filtered, then add in some baking soda.
  3. Baking Soda Dosage: for children under 60 lbs, add 1/4th cup to a standard bath. For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 1/2 cup to a standard bath. For people 100 lbs and up, add 1 cup to a standard bath.
  4. STEP THREE: Add the coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil). I like adding coconut oil or olive oil to our detox baths for a few reasons. One, it helps the essential oils to bind to the coconut oil and stick to my kids skin which helps moisturize their skin. Two, it keeps the essential oils from sticking to the side of the tub. And lastly, it clings to skin even after you get out of the tub.
  5. Coconut Oil or Olive Oil Dosage:  For children under 60 lbs, add 1 tablespoon to a standard bath. For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 2 tablespoons to a standard bath. For people 100 lbs and up, add 3 tablespoons to a standard bath.
  6. STEP FOUR: Add the Essential Oils.
  7. Essential Oil Dosage: For children under 60 lbs and over 2 years old, add 4 drops to a standard bath. For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 6 drops  to a standard bath. For people 100 lbs and up, add 10 drops to a standard bath.
Essential Oil Suggestions
  1. Calming and Relaxing: Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Roman Chamomile, or Cedarwood
  2. Bonding: if you would like to jump in with your baby or child, I recommend frankincense to help promote bonding.
  3. Immune Boosting: OnGuard or Wild Orange
  4. Respiratory Support: Eucalyptus, Peppermint, or a respiratory blend like Breathe.
  5. Digestive Support: Peppermint, Cardamom, Lemon or Peppermint.
By The Paleo Mama
The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/

 CLICK HERE to Pin this Article!

detox bath vertical kids

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

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Filed Under: essential oils, Natural Living, Paleo Baby, Paleo Toddler Tagged With: featured

How I’m Healing My Cavities Naturally

November 26, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 221 Comments

Six months ago I walked into a routine cleaning at the dentist and walked out with a hefty quote for dental work to be done on SIX cavities they found in my teeth. It seems pregnancy does this to a lot of women. 

I started reading and researching natural ways to heal your teeth. I read the book, Cure Tooth Decay: Remineralize Cavities & Repair Your Teeth Naturally With Good Food  and my mind was blown. I can remineralize my teeth without having thousands of dollars of dental work done? I can heal my cavities with proper diet? I’m in! This post is about a holistic protocol I used to remineralize my teeth. However, to fully understand how to heal your cavities, we must take a look at what is the root cause of tooth decay.

Root of Tooth Decay = Lack of Nutrition

A prominent dentist, Dr. Weston A. Price,  and author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, set out in 1915 to discover the cure for tooth decay. He studied groups of people from different parts of the world. His field studies took place in many indigenous areas (where modern toothbrushes and floss are nonexistent) and the discoveries he found in these countries are astounding. His conclusion:

“All groups having a liberal supply of minerals particularly phosphorus, and a liberal supply of fat-soluble activators, had 100 per cent immunity to dental caries.”

Dr. Price determined that tooth decay was a result of a lack of nutrients in the modern diet and modern diet does not even meet the MINIMUM standards for proper nutrient intake (1).

The Two Major Suspects of Tooth Decay: 

1. Lack of Adequate Fat-Soluble Vitamins in the Diet– Fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K are found in fat and let’s face it, with the low-fat lifestyles that most of us believe in, we are deprived in these vitamins. Dr. Price discovered that all the indigenous groups he studied had the highest immunity to tooth decay. Why? Because they, liberally, ate foods that are high in fat. Their diets consisted of organs and meat from land animals, fish, and shellfish…all containing generous amounts of fat-soluble vitamins.

2. Lack of Activator X in the Diet – Dr. Price discovered that Activator X, a hormone similar to vitamin D, is the missing nutrient in modern diets. Activator X is found in the grassfed dairy of animals that are grazing on rapidly growing green grass (grass grown from May through September). Butter that has a deep yellow or orange color, has more Activator X in it is produced from grassfed milk that is from cows that are grazing on rapidly growing grass.

Other Notable Suspects: 

  1. Lack of Proper Minerals in the Diet – Calcium and Phosporus are vital in tooth remineralization and their levels in the blood need to be balanced (2).
  2. Hormones are Out of Balance – When our endocrine glands are out of balance, we are more susceptible to tooth decay. Common influencers of hormone issues are prescription drugs, birth control pills, and other toxic/or stress factors.
  3. Too Much Phytic Acid from Grains in the Diet – Prior to the cultivation of grains, corn, and rice, human fossil records show that tooth decay was virtually unheard of (1). Phytic acid is significantly shown in grains, nuts, corn, rice, beans, legumes and seeds.

The Missing Link in Our Diet:

The absence of fat-soluble vitamins is THE PRIMARY cause of tooth decay. You need Activator X and liberal amounts of vitamin A and D to properly reverse tooth decay. The simplest and most effective way to add fat-soluble vitamins to your diet is by adding in extra-virgin cod liver oil and extra-virgin butter oil (1).

Extra-Virgin Cod Liver Oil (EVCLO) – Extra-virgin cod liver oil  real Norwegian cod liver oil that is fresh, raw & handcrafted from wild livers using a very rare ancient extraction technique which uses nature to separate the oil from its liver. EVCLO has a pale/golden color and a very mild, fishy taste (unlike fermented cod liver oil.

Extra-Virgin Cod Liver Oil is fresh and a rich source of vitamins A, D and Omega fats. Cod liver oil tops the food chain with the highest levels of Vitamin D AND Vitamin A. Following closely behind for Vitamin A is liver; and for Vitamin D is high vitamin butter oil.

Extra-Virgin Butter Oil (EVBO) – Extra-virgin butter oil is is one of the most stable, flavorful nutritional oils produced today – although it has an old world traditional feel and taste. It comes from grassfed cows that are grazing on rich pasture grass. It takes 26 days of grazing on rich pastures for the milk to test out at its peak and only then is the milk considered ‘high vitamin’ for use in Extra-Virgin Butter Oil. 

Unlike many brands of Ghee and clarified butter that use high heat to extract the oil from the milk solids, destroying the lower fatty acid chains, EVBO is processed minimally to preserve all of the nutrients, freshness, aroma and color. Many lactose-intolerant people find no difficulty digesting EVBO.

EVBO is a natural source of vitamin A, E, K2 (MK-4), Butyric Acid, Wultzen Factor and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). It is extremely potent it its levels of Activator X and Vitamin K2. Foods that are also high in Activator X are the innards of crab and lobster, skate liver oil, bone marrow, and animal glands. Yea…those foods aren’t on my menu, so I choose to supplement with extra-virgin butter oil. Butter is one of the top 10 foods with the highest amounts of K2. There are no solid sources that know the ratio of butter to extra-virgin butter oil when it comes to figuring out the K2 content, but most believe that it’s a 1:8 -1:10 ratio. This would make high vitamin butter oil top the list with Natto, goose liver paste, and hard cheeses like Gouda (3).

Since that day at the dentist when I was told I had 6 cavities, I have been diligent in pursuing the complete healing of my cavities. I cancelled my appointment to have my teeth all drilled and filled, and I began my journey into curing tooth decay with proper nutrition. And my journey has been successful!

Why Did I Have Cavities?

  1. My diet was missing the fat-soluble vitamins found in extra-virgin cod liver oil and extra-virgin butter oil. I have since started taking this powerful duo, as well as the rest of my family for added nutrition.
  2. I had been dairy-free for over a year and did not focus on my intake of calcium and phosphorus. Since discovering my tooth decay, I have since added back raw milk from grassfed cows and goats into my diet as well as many homemade cheeses.
  3. I, most likely, had been consuming high amounts of phytic acid in nuts and seeds. Since learning of my cavities, I have minimized my intake of nuts and seeds, and have become diligent about properly soaking them to help neutralize phytic acid. 

 What Have I Been Doing to Heal My Tooth Decay? 

  • I take extra-virgin cod liver oil daily.  I take 1 teaspoon a day. The kids prefer their’s with a dash of raw honey mixed in.
  • I take 1 teaspoon of high-vitamin butter oil daily.
  • I take Skate Liver oil daily.
  • I drink 3-4 cups a day of raw goats (or cow) milk per day.
  • I drink 1 cup a day of homemade bone stock and use collagen (tasteless and odorless) to cook with and add to beverages.
  • I eat liver once a week. If this grosses you out, you can take desiccated liver tablets.
  • I use liberal amounts of grassfed butter and ghee in my foods and recipes. As mentioned in the post, this is NOT a substitute for extra-virgin butter oil. 
  • I oil pull with coconut oil. Not sure what oil pulling is? CLICK here to learn more.  
  • I avoid any toothpaste with glycerin, as it counteracts remineralization. I make my own toothpaste using bentonite clay or I buy this one. 
  • I, normally, don’t eat any many grains or foods high in phytic acid. I make sure my nut butters come from a trustworthy source and are soaked. If you are not willing to give up your grains, look into supplementing with Vitamin C to help neutralize phytic acid.

Where to get the best fermented cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil: 

Perfect Supplements carries the most trusted brands of extra-virgin cod liver oil and extra-virgin  butter oil on the market. They are a One Stop Shop for products and resources for optimal oral health and more! They, also, carry skate liver oil, grassfed beef gelatin, ghee, desiccated liver capsules, and the coconut oil I use in my remineralization protocol. Cure Tooth Decay was the book that changed my life and showed me I could take healing my cavities into my own hands!

Sources:

  • (1) Nagel, Ramiel. Cure Tooth Decay
  • (2) Page, M. Abrams, L. Your Body is the Your Best Doctor.
  •  (3) https://www.westonaprice.org/fat-soluble-activators/x-factor-is-vitamin-k2#interactions

Filed Under: Natural Living Tagged With: featured, fermented cod liver oil, healing your cavities, high vitamin butter oil, how to heal tooth decay, paleo, radiant life, weston a. price

50 Healthy Foods Found at Costco for CHEAP!

February 11, 2013 by Jackie Ritz 171 Comments

costco paleo mama

YAY!!! There is finally a Costco near me now!! I have heard so many great things about the organic choices that Costco offers, but we didn’t have one near us in Georgia. Since we moved to Florida, I have 3 Costco’s near me!!! So, I went hunting today to see what they had to offer and I found a TON of great things.I’m going to list what I found and the price, but, keep in mind, that most of these are the organic option or other Paleo-worthy items.  There are much, much more non-organic options too that I did not take the time to write down.

Here’s 50 REAL food, Paleo, food items I found:

  1. Kerrygold Butter: 3/8oz bars for $6.79 ***Make a Bulletproof Coffee with Kerrygold***
  2. Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese: 2.18lbs for $12.99
  3. Aidells Sausage: 3lbs for $13.49
  4. Rotisserie Chicken (no pres., MSG free, gluten free): $4.99
  5. 2lb dates: $8.69
  6. Wholly Guacamole: 4/12oz for $8.49
  7. Zico Coconut Water: 6/1 litters for $14.99
  8. Organic Carrots: 10 lbs for $6.99
  9. Organic Spinach 1lb for $4.79
  10. Organic Spring Mix 1lb for $4.99
  11. Organic Ground Beef 85/15%: 4lbs for 16.99
  12. Kirkland Low Salt Bacon (no sugar): 4/1lb for $13.69
  13. Cascadian Farms Organic Frozen Berry Blend: 3lbs for $10.99
  14. Organic Green Beans: 5lb for $6.79
  15. Organic Broccoli: 4/1lb for $6.49
  16. Organic Butter Sticks: 2/1lb for $7.69
  17. Mayorga Organic Coffee Whole Beans: 2lbs for $13.99
  18. Organic Carrot Juice 100%: 2/1 liters for $8.59
  19. POM Juice: $8.99
  20. Carrington Farms Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: 54oz for ONLY $15.99
  21. Organic Quinoa: 4lb for $8.79 (yes this is Paleo “gray” food but it is a seed)
  22. Organic Blue Agave: 2/36oz for $9.99 (however I don’t suggest using Agave)
  23. Organic Honey: 2/24oz for $8.99
  24. Organic Maple Syrup: 1 liter for $13.99
  25. MaraNatha Roasted Almond Butter: 26oz for $6.29
  26. Organic Golden Flax Seed: 48oz for $7.99
  27. Organic Diced Tomatoes: 8/15oz for $5.99
  28. Organic Stewed Tomatoes: 8/15oz for $5.99
  29. Organic Tomato Paste: 12/6oz for $5.99
  30. Sun-Dried Unsulphured Figs: 40oz for $9.79
  31. Organic Sugar: 10lb for $8.99 (KOMBUCHA users!)
  32. Whole Almonds: 48oz for $12.79
  33. Sliced Almonds: 32oz for $7.99
  34. Sun Dried Tomatoes: 32oz for $8.99
  35. Fire Roasted Red Peppers: 35oz for $3.99
  36. “Natural” Olives: 6/60z cans for $7.29
  37. Wild Sockeye Salmon: 3/6oz cans for $10.99
  38. Wild Alaskan Tuna: 6/5oz cans for $14.99
  39. Sardines:5/3.75oz cans for $7.99
  40. Organic Chicken Stock: 6/32oz for $10.99
  41. Lara Bar: 18ct Box: $15.79
  42. Freeze Dried Fruit: 20ct bags for $14.99
  43. Macadamia Nuts: 24oz for $17.69
  44. Cashews: 40oz for $14.99
  45. Pistachios: 48oz for $15.79
  46. Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa (no sugar): 32oz jar for $6.49
  47. GoGo Squeez Apple Sauce: 16/3.2oz pouches for $4.69
  48. Kirkland Steak Jerky (gluten-free): 12oz bag for $8.99
  49. Organic Spices for cheap. Too many to list
  50. Organic Cage Free Eggs: 2 dozen for $5.99

That’s it! These are the BEST real food, Paleo deals I found and the price is amazing! The membership is $55 for the year and, definitely, worth it!

costco paleo mama vertical

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Filed Under: Paleo Education, Starting Paleo Tagged With: bargains, costco, dairy free, featured, gluten-free, paleo, primal, real food

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Hi, I'm Jackie Ritz and welcome to The Paleo Mama! I'm a published author, certified herbalist, and voracious researcher of natural medicine and nutrition. I'm glad you're here and I hope you stick around for awhile!

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