The ovarian – adrenal – thyroid axis (until 5/25 at 12pm EST ONLY!)

Today is the day.

The day I’ve been waiting for on the SexyBack Summit! I’m currently about 15 minutes in to Chris Kresser’s talk about the the connection with the ovaries, adrenal glands, and thyroid and their impact on hormone balance and libido. Chris is like super smart and I wish I had just a fraction of his knowledge on how the body works. He and his wife also had fertility concerns, so he’s also very knowledgeable about natural fertility.

In his SexyBack presentation, you’ll learn:

* The little-known glands that could be quietly killing your sex life…

* Why treating the thyroid without addressing the adrenals can lead to nowhere

* The best way to restore your body’s key systems and get your “mojo” back, in as little as 30 days!

If you haven’t signed up yet for the Summit – make sure you do so today so you don’t miss it! SIGN UP HERE.

And if you have signed up, please make sure you don’t miss this one.

Since finding out how poor my adrenal function was back in March, I’m learning all I can in order to heal this part of my body and get my hormones back in balance. I’m also working on lowering my stress, which is why I haven’t posted since my bundle sale finished last week; I’m letting my body recuperate!

My girl Bridgit Danner is also on the Summit today speaking about Making Super Sperm.

* Why the health of the man is just as important as the woman for making healthy babies

* How men lower the vitality of their sperm (and offspring) without realizing it!

* Health and nutrition secrets that give your sperm the “edge”…

Dr. Carrie Jones, ND is talking about

* The REAL causes of infertility…

* How to set the stage for the healthiest possible pregnancy…

* How to eat, drink, and detoxify to make smart, cute babies!

And Will Revak is talking about how poor oral health influences your sexual organs. Huh? I totally want to hear this one!

All of these talks are free to view/listen to until Saturday May 25 at noon eastern time.

If you can’t catch them, or you’d like to be able to listen to all of the talks that you missed, PLUS get a ton of free stuff. Until Sunday, Sean is selling the summit package at 47% off, just $79.00. I think I might actually do this as I haven’t had much of a chance this week to listen in.

Let’s first talk about the elephant in the room.

I know. This summit is about s@x. And sometimes that topic makes us blush, right? Or am I the only one that wouldn’t think to even chat about it with friends until I have a glass of wine in me?!

So this Summit is kind of a good way to learn more about the factors that inhibit libido and cause hormones to go all crazy-like without having to actually ask your health practitioner some ultra personal questions. (though you should totally ask them too, because that’s what they are there for!)

And there might just be a talk or two that isn’t for you – and that’s ok. We all have different comfort levels for this sort of topic!

When you buy the Summit package you get all of the video slideshow presentations, audio versions so you can listen to wherever (I love giving Todd audio to listen to as he doesn’t pick up the health related books like I do!), transcripts of each talk if you’d rather read them, as well as action sheets for each talk.

You also get free bonuses like:

  • Proven Protocols by Dr. Jade Teta of Metabolic Effect – Here, you’ll get specific, tried-and-true protocols for having healthier, easier, more pleasant experiences during menstruation… reversing menopause naturally… even overcoming PCOS. These protocols are exclusive to Dr. Jade Teta, and extremely effective.
  • Your Guide to Healthy Hormones book by Dr. Daniel Kalish - You’ll get all 136 pages of this powerhouse exposé on all things hormones and why this is the worst time in history for your hormonal health…IF you don’t understand what’s happening. Best of all, Dr Kalish gives you a detailed, step-by-step blueprint for restoring your hormonal health… even if you currently feel low energy, no sex drive, or depression.

I hope you have a chance to listen in on some of these important topics today! I’ve got at least two I want to make sure I get in before the day is over.



All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.

Hormone balance, libido, and the adrenals (free video!)

Life happens.

None of us are immune to the curveballs life hurls our way — traffic jams, deadlines, bills, conflicts, relationships, bosses, in-laws, e-mails, politics…

I’ve been pretty open about my issues with stress and adrenal fatigue, it affects everything from my daily energy level to hormone balance to just trying to think clearly.

Well, the truth is that it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Our bodies — more specifically, our hormonal systems — were never meant to endure the chronic, non-stop stressors of modern times.

If I listed every single disease and health condition associated with chronic stress, this email would end up being way too long. (And that would probably stress you out!)

So today we’ll just focus on one thing —> your sex drive. Libido.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that whenever you’re under a lot of stress, which often happens when dealing infertility, the last thing you’re thinking about is making whoopee. (And that’s probably stressing your partner out!)

There’s a reason for that.

In a nutshell, your hormonal system has these two tiny glands, called the adrenals, that play a major role in the production of stress hormones (i.e. cortisol) and sex hormones (i.e. testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, etc).

When stress gets high, your adrenals likes to crank out lots and lots of stress hormones… BUT at the expense of your sex hormones.

In other words, stress hormones go up while sex hormones go down – and this affects your fertility just as it affects your libido.

The good news is that you can get your libido back and reignite your sex life…naturally.

My friend, and favorite podcaster, Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness is less than a week away from opening the doors to his FREE online SexyBack Summit  with 7 days of presentations from 24 medical doctors, naturopaths, trainers, and nutritionists.

But you don’t have to wait until Sunday to get started. Sean put together a series of free videos called SexyBack Sessions to get you primed for the summit.

In today’s episode, The 2 Tiny Glands that Can Ruin Your Sex Life BIG Time (and ruin your hormone balance), clinical holistic nutritionist Christa Orecchio teaches you…

* Why feeling exhausted all day but having a “second wind” of energy at night is a telltale sign of spent adrenals.

* How refined sugar sends your blood sugar north and your sex hormones south.

* What your digestive health can tell you about your sexual energy. Who knew!?

I just signed up and am waiting for the download to finish. In my quest to heal my adrenals, I need all the help I can get!

When you register to attend The SexyBack Summit, you’ll get instant access to Christa’s video — plus, you’ll receive an email from Sean with links to download your SexyBack Sessions video series as well as info on how the summit works.

Click the link below to get your sexy back and get FREE info on how to help balance your hormones naturally!

SexyBack Summit

The Summit starts next week, and you can be sure I’ll be listening in to the sessions each day – some of my favorite holistic practitioners will be interviewed on the many different ways to help balance hormones and bring your “SexyBack”. After the business of the Natural Fertility ebook Bundle sale this last week or two, I’m ready to just kick back, let me adrenals rest, and listen in on some great content! There are sessions on low testosterone, balancing the woman’s cycle, and more. And it’s all free to listen to the day the video is posted – can’t get better than that.



All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.

Only one day left to purchase the natural fertility ebook bundle! (FAQs)

This sale is now over!

Make sure you sign up for the weekly-ish newsletter if you’d like to be informed of the next sale or project.

 

Over the last few days I’ve had a few questions about the Natural Fertility ebook Bundle; people want to make sure they’re getting something helpful and useful for them. As we’re now in the last 13 hours of the sale, I thought I’d quick share all of my answers with you in case you have the same questions!

If you’ve been on the fence, get it before it’s gone – over 900 people have currently purchased the bundle!

Is this helpful for PCOS/Endometriosis/over 40/etc?

This bundle is full of practical information about balancing your hormones, regardless of diagnosis or age. Many times we all have the same basic cause, but because of genetic weaknesses, it shows up as different symptoms.

The ebooks in this bundle are written by some of the best fertility authors, including a naturopath and acupuncturist, and the topics span across several medical issues. And beyond the benefit of learning how to balance your hormones naturally, we’ve included meal plans to help you figure out what to eat AND we have 12 different ebooks that will teach you how to prepare your foods and are loaded with recipes. So the benefit of this bundle goes past fertility! Because as most of us know, fertility is not something we can control, yet we can take charge of our overall health and put healing and nourishing foods into our bodies to help facilitate healing.

What people are saying about the bundle

The feedback is by far better than I could have imagined! I’ve been getting emails all weekend about how much people are loving the information in all of these ebooks. We’ve had only one or two negative emails, but those were quickly taken care of as they were just having problems downloading the items (or not realizing the download links were sent to their email address on file with Paypal)!

This is definitely not “to good to be true”, it’s a legit sale, and I’m so thrilled to be able to offer it to you!

Just wanted to send a quick note to say that I purchased the natural fertility ebook bundle two days ago and WOW, it’s fantastic! Information overload!!! – but that’s not a bad thing! Thank you for offering it at such a great price.  I’m going to be one busy lady in the coming few weeks! So much to read and learn! – Margot-

My husband is most excited about the Fertility Smoothies book! I have a hard time getting fruits and veggies into him, so this will be perfect. AND he wants to read some with me! -Amy

I read zero in on ovulation last night and at the end you can send some info to the author… so I did… And she already sent a reply and answered my questions! I couldn’t believe it!! So happy! I also read “6tips to enhance fertility in women with PCOS” and I skimmed through the smoothie book I went to the grocery store today and I plan on trying a smoothie today. I am about to go read Cleansing for Conception book now. I am so thankful for these books thank you so much for doing this!!! – Jessica

With the internet full of quick fix fertility scams, be sure that the information you’re receiving is solid and will be helpful to your overall health, regardless of your fertility status.

Do I have to pay with Paypal?

No – I recently added Google Checkout for those who would prefer not to use Paypal.

Downloading questions

Do I have to have some sort of eReader device?

No! The fabulous thing about this bundle is that all of the ebooks are in PDF format, so you download them directly to your computer, no kindle, nook, or tablet device required. But if you do have an eReader, you can easily send them to your device as well!

How do I download my ebooks?

Using the links above, click on each line where it says “click here”. A pop up should appear and ask you if you’d like to open with Adobe Reader or save file. If you open with Adobe Reader, please make sure you save it to your computer by clicking “file” and “save as” in your menu. If you save the file directly from the pop-up it will most likely be found in your computer’s download folder.

How do I download the audio files?

The audio files are in MP3 format, so you can download them onto your computer. You cannot directly download them onto your phone, but will need to use either iTunes or the program for droid phones to then upload the files to your phone. You can also burn them to a cd and listen to them in the car. (If you happen to not have a smart phone ready radio like I do….)

Can I download them on to my Kindle?

Yes, after the files are on your computer, you can use the send to kindle app from your Kindle account. Please be aware though that since these are PDF files that the formatting for an ereader will not be perfect.

For other readers, follow their instructions, but first download them to your computer as the files are to large to be directly downloaded on the ereader device.

Can I share these ebooks with family and friends?

Each of the books and files in this bundle sale are copyrighted by the author. And even though these are digital products, your purchase does not entitle you to share or upload the files where others can access them. If you have family or friends who would be interested in a specific book, make sure to send them the author’s website and information so that they can purchase it.

 

If you’re still deciding, you can read through all of the books and bonus content again, or you can simply BUY NOW.  Whatever you do, don’t take to long to decide – this sale ends tonight at midnight and there will be no late sales!

 



All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.

Gluten-free, grain-free chocolate chip cookies {recipe}

gfcookie1

I do pretty well staying away from sweets, but there is just something about a chocolate chip cookie that makes me feel like home. And man, oh man does it make my house smell fantastic.

They also have a nice little secret ingredient – a healthy one at that!

gfcookie6

The base of this cookie is the simple chickpea, also known as the garbanzo bean. And to be completely honest with you, I had purchased these to make hummus, but the cookies looked better.

Making these is as simple as whipping up a smoothie since all you need is a blender.

grain-free chocolate chip cookie

And you’ll have the household flocking to the kitchen as they bake, so keep a spatula handy to smack them away until they are cool enough to eat.

gfcookie4gluten free cookie dough bitesgluten free chocolate chip cookies

5.0 from 8 reviews

Gluten-free, grain-free chocolate chip cookies
Author: 
Recipe type: Desserts and Sweet Things
 

Ingredients
  • 1¼ cup cooked chick peas (if you’re using canned it’s just less than one can and you’ll need to rinse them)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • rounded ½ cup of peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch of salt if using salt free PB
  • ½ cup chocolate chips (the darker the better I think!)

Method of Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Blend all but the chocolate chips in a food processor or blender until smooth.
  3. Stir or pulse in chocolate chips until well mixed.
  4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until slightly browned.
  5. Let cool and enjoy.

Notes
If you don’t have honey, you can also substitute a whole cane sugar, though I needed 2-3 Tbsp of milk/coconut milk to get it to blend well.
You can also use crunchy peanut butter if you want a bit more texture to these.
This recipe makes about 12-16 cookies, so double it up if you’re bringing to potlucks and get togethers!

 



All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.

Simple ways to cleanse the body, either before conception to to assist in balancing hormones

Cleansingbook_smIf you haven’t taken a look at the natural fertility ebook bundle that I launched today, you may have missed my new book! It actually comes out later this summer, but those who purchase the ebook bundle now get the first pre-release copies.

The thing is, I see a lot of misinformation out there, especially when people think they need to do this super strict, feel-like-you’re-gonna-die detox before they try to conceive. You must be a lot more gentle on your body prior to pregnancy!

In this 90 and some odd page book, I cover:

 - What cleansing is

 - Why we might need to cleanse

 - Symptoms that show us we might need to cleanse

 - The benefits, safety, and basics of how our bodies cleanse

 - 17 different ways to assist the body in getting rid of toxins (most of which I haven’t    talked about yet!)

 - I talk about the timeline to conception and your fertility cleanse plan

 - I also give you 8 weeks of menus and an example of how I cleanse

Here on the blog, I write a lot about nutrient dense diets and the importance of building nutrients stores for pregnancy. But we also live in a rather toxic load, and not many of us eat the perfect diet. So taking time to allow your body extra energy for detoxifying is crucial.

The toxins we may carry in our bodies can disrupt our fertility and are also being passed on to our babies in utero. What’s really important to note is that during development, their own detoxification systems are not mature enough to handle these chemicals. In fact, the Environmental Working group did a study a few years back that tested the cord blood from 10 infants and they found 287 different chemicals in the blood samples. 

They found seven different types of PBDDs (Polybrominated Dibenzodioxin), mercury, nine different PFOAs (Perfluorooctanoic acid), and eleven different PCDDs (Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins) in the umbilical cord blood.

Many of those toxins have direct links to causing endocrine issue in the body and the toxins we are exposed to and the toxins that our body stores, may be affecting the health of our next generation.

But rather than go to the extreme and buy a yurt on the side of a mountain, far away from civilization, we can put in to practice some dietary and lifestyle changes that will boost our body’s natural detoxification system. Unless of course you want to live in a yurt; in that case I’ll at least have one neighbor!

So if you’re thinking about getting pregnant soon, or have been trying for a while with no results, taking some time to cleanse may be helpful! A short cleanse may also be helpful in cases on hormone imbalance – it’s not just for fertility.

You can buy the bundle HERE and download your ebook today!

 

 



All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.

Natural Fertility ebook Bundle

If you’ve come looking for the Natural Fertility ebook Bundle, I’m sorry I have to be the bearer of bad news – it’s no longer available. This one week flash sale sure went by quickly! You can check out our amazing lineup of authors below and head to their site if you’d like to purchase their books.

You can also sign up for my weekly-ish newsletter if you’d like to be kept on the email list for any future ebooks sales or collaborative projects I may put together. I also send out a link for a few free downloads to subscribers.

 

Preparing for pregnancy can be confusing, and if you’re trying to overcome infertility, it can definitely add to this confusion as well. We all want to be healthy, to have balanced hormones, and to have more stable moods (I’m guessing the husband would give an amen to that!), but finding good, solid information can be tricky.

And it can get expensive.

So today I get to unveil an EPIC project I’ve been busy working on these last few months and one that I am so incredibly excited about -

the Natural Fertility ebook Bundle!

I’ve contacted some of my favorite ebook authors and we’re putting together this fantastic bundle of information for you so that you can save over 92%.

It’s everything you need to know to get your body ready for pregnancy, whether you’re just starting a family, want to add to your brood, or are looking for ways to overcome hormone imbalance and infertility. This bundle is everything I wish I would have had access to many years ago when I first began thinking about trying to conceive.

I’ve worked hard to make sure that this bundle of information includes a bit of something for each of you and a LOT of information for all of you. Instead of paying over $450.00 for all of these ebooks, you’ll pay just $34.95 for:

  • 30 ebooks, spanning fertility information, matters of the heart, real food and recipes, and pregnancy and baby information
  • 1 week long meal plans
  • bonus FREE content
  • and you’ll receive an entry to win a grand prize worth over $1130.00!¹

fertilityebooks

I don’t know about you, but this buying these items individually would be unaffordable to me!

For only 8 days, May 6-13, you’ll get the opportunity to access and download all of this phenomenal information at a killer price. Seriously, you won’t see a natural fertility package like this anywhere and definitely not at this price. Make sure you buy it before it’s gone!

And I should really just tell you what’s in it already, lest I keep using bold font and exclamation points!

Check out what you’ll be saving over 92% on:

10 ebooks about fertility and health

Fertilise Yourself by Natalie Kringoudis of Melbourne Natural  Fertility ($19.95)

This ebook is all about priming your body for fertility, with plenty of tips and tricks for a wellness overhaul, and the ‘how to’ steps to set yourself up to win. If you’re struggling with your fertility, or even just your general health,  this ebook can help you navigate your way to being fueled and fighting fertility fit!

Making Super Sperm by Bridgit Danner of Joyful Mammas ($29.00)

The genetics of your baby are 50% from the dad, and 30 – 70 % of infertility cases involve male factor.  Get a strong start for your baby by Making Super Sperm from the start!

Fertility Smoothies: Elixirs for Optimal Fertility by Hethir Rodriguez of Natural Fertility Info ($19.95)

In this book Hethir shares with you how to create a wide variety of delicious superfood smoothies to help boost your fertility naturally.

Overcoming Infertility with EFT by Sarah Holland of Fertile Mindset ($20.00)

The ultimate guide and practical workbook using the cutting edge technique of EFT for emotional healing on your fertility journey. Includes detailed but simple to follow EFT instructions, and easy to use worksheets to recognize and reverse your own negative beliefs and self-talk surrounding trying for a baby, heal yourself from traumas and damaging experiences that may be harming your fertility and much much more!

Eat Your Way to Parenthood by Gabriela Rosa of Natural Fertility Breakthrough  ($35.00)

Gabriela Rosa reminds us how a balanced and nutritious diet provides the building blocks for a healthy sperm, egg and baby. This book is both a guide to the process of fertility and the basics of good nutrition, as well as a manual of recipes that cleverly combine the scientific research with balanced, tasty and nutritious ingredients.

Maiden to Mother by Stephanie Brandt Cornais of Mama and Baby Love 

The Mama and Baby Love Guide to a Conscious Childbearing Year, containing easy-to-understand information about everything you absolutely must know as you begin your journey to motherhood. Stephanie gives you all the juicy tidbits, and lessons she has learned from working with pregnant couples for the past decade and from her own experience with being pregnant and a new mom.

Zero in on Ovulation by Sally Moran of Get Pregnant Fast  ($17.00)

Knowing when you ovulate shouldn’t be a mystery, but many women struggle to understand when their most fertile time of month is. Learn about the different methods of determining ovulation, what can delay ovulation, what herbs help promote ovulation or cervical fluid, symptoms of ovulation, problems with ovulation (including PCOS and luteal phase defect), the effects of using Clomid or Femara, and more. Bonus sections on male infertility, baby gender selection, frequently asked ovulation questions, as well as one-on-one e-mail consultation with the author.

A Modern Girl’s Guide to Natural Fertility by Marni Hotchkiss of Bridge to Baby ($15.00)

Natural fertility in today’s modern world encompasses the foods we eat, our behaviors, and our thoughts. Take a deeper look into how tools/apps as well as the right foods and other holistic approaches can positively impact pregnancy success.

Cleansing for Conception by Donielle Baker of Naturally Knocked Up ($6.95)

There are times in our life where we need to simply slow down and allow our bodies to clear out the toxins we’re exposed to on a daily basis. One of these times is when you’re thinking about becoming pregnant. This ebook will show you the many ways that you can alter your diet and lifestyle so that your body naturally and gently cleanses in preparation for conception. (pre-release copy – no one else will see it until late summer 2013!)

Three Strategies for Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Russell Davis of The Fertile Mind ($9.97)

Research shows utilizing mind-body techniques can double your chances of getting pregnant. This ebook contains practical steps to get off the emotional roller-coaster, find a sense of peace on your journey and actively utilizing your mind-body link to increase your chances of success.

buynow_2

2 ebooks that speak to the heart

Pain Redeemed by Natasha Metzler of NatashaMetzler.com ($4.95)

The author of Pain Redeemed takes you on a journey through her own walk with infertility and with honesty and raw truthfulness tells the story of God meeting her there, right in the middle.”

Celebrating Pregnancy Again by Francesca Cox of so this is love ($8.00)

This book is to encourage any bereaved mother experiencing pregnancy again, and help her embrace this bittersweet journey.

12 real food recipe ebooks

The Food Healing Recipe Book for Endometriosis by Melissa Meyer of Cure Endometriosis ($27.00)

Specifically chosen recipes to help women with Endometriosis. Having personally used these recipes and this way of eating, I decided to compile some of my favorite recipes. My partner, also happens to be a chef, so they are all tasty and nutritious!

Meal Planning Guide for Healthy Thyroid by Magdalena Wszelaki of The Thyroid Diet Coach ($17.00)

Struggling with meal ideas? No time to cook? Bored with the same menu each week? Confused what you can or cannot eat for thyroid health? Then this guide will equip you with tools to make cooking fun, easy and nourishing. Learn about evolving meals, 15-min meals, dressing ideas, get healthy snack lists and a meal plan.

Thrifty Food Plan Experience by Millie Cooper of Real Food for Less Money ($8.95)

You can enjoy traditional foods while on thrifty budget. 67 pages of thoughts, tips and ideas plus a 2 week menu plan, over 40 recipes and links to many more.

Divine Dinners: Gluten-Free, Nourishing, Family-Friendly Meals by Lydia Shatney of Divine Health From The Inside Out ($14.95)

A collection of recipes that can be paired together to make entire meals. All the recipes are lower in sugars/carbs than that of the standard American diet. Recipes are gluten free and tested time and time again on family and friends with great results.

Lacto-Fermentation by Wardee Harmon of GNOWFGLINS ($20.00)

A 155-page, 23-lesson digital book with detailed instruction on fermenting fruits, vegetables, beans, meats, dairy, and grains. The book will expose you to a variety of fermentation methods — using salt, whey, or other starter cultures. Recipes go beyond fermentation methodology and include spices and seasonings to improve the flavor of the final product.

Real Food Ingredient Guide by Kelly of Kelly the Kitchen Kop ($22.95)

Confused about which ingredients are good for you and which ones to avoid? Get a quick-reference list of what to look for at the store or farm, with many listings including a good-better-best recommendation. Also this newly REVISED edition includes bonus material: Bringing Your Family from Junk Food to Real Food!

The Everything Beans Book by Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship ($8.95)

Fall in love with legumes because they’re frugal and delicious. Kimball’s recipes span everything from appetizer to dessert, and the introductory pages will help you cook dry beans like a pro, understand their health benefits, and even get ideas to reduce the…you know…flatulence often connected with beans.

Just Making Ice Cream my Marilyn Beard of Just Making Noise ($12.00)

Because we all deserve a special treat now and then – but it doesn’t mean we can’t choose to do it in a healthier way! It includes 113 pages and over 70 recipes to choose through all 4 seasons of the year… who says ice cream is only for the summer?!

Grain-free/Gluten-free Baking by Stephanie Brandt Cornais of Mama and Baby Love ($9.99)

If you can’t cook and you can’t bake – this book is for you. I taught myself how to cook, and then I taught myself how to bake. You can too. 20 easy recipes, full of tips and tricks for beginners; recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, pizza crusts and more!

Simple Food for Spring by Shannon Stonger of Nourishing Days ($10.00)

Simple Food {for spring} is a grain-free cookbook that emphasize real food and sustainable living. This 80-page edition contains all of the freshness of spring with a focus on cultured dairy salad dressings, wild edibles, and using all of those fresh greens. Each of the 28 recipes includes full-color photos.

Simple Food for Winter by Shannon Stonger of Nourishing Days ($10.00)

Simple Food {for winter} is the first of what I hope to be four seasonal cookbooks that emphasize real food and sustainable living. This 58 page book contains 30 recipes, 10 full-color photos, and three essays.

Happy Mom, Healthy Family Meal Planning Workshop and eCookbook by Lisa Byrne of Wellgrounded Life ($29.00)

A practical, flexible and enjoyable way to make peace with the task that comes every day: preparing meals. This workshop equips you with techniques to make truly family-friendly, whole-foods recipes through a webinar presentation, meal planning templates & worksheets, demo videos plus a downloadable cookbook filled with 89 tried-and-true delicious recipes. Who could want more? (Besides a personal chef perhaps!)

buynow_8

6 pregnancy and birth ebooks

Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama ($8.95)

If you’re struggling with how to eat healthy to prepare for and during pregnancy, simplify it with this book. There are only two rules: avoid junk, and eat super foods. Plus 30 healthy, super-food-filled recipes!

UnBound Birth by Jenny Yarbrough of UnBound Birth ($4.99)

Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital is an inspiring collection of natural hospital birth stories. With determination, information, preparation, and support, Jennifer offers women hope for the beauty of a natural birth within a hospital setting.

Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama ($8.95)

Make feeding babies easier with this practical guide to healthy breastfeeding, introducing solids, and handling picky toddlers. The book also includes over 30 baby and toddler-friendly recipes.

My Buttered Life: Baby Edition by Renee Harris from MadeOn Skin Care ($5.00)

This ebook includes 5 recipes, each with 5 ingredients or less. The recipes include baby massage oil, baby balm, creamy baby lotion, diaper rash cream and oatmeal milk bath. Each recipe has an accompanying video, a list of where to buy ingredients and supplies, and a cost analysis to compare with store-bought products.

Forty Weeks of Pregnancy Development by Angela England of The Untrained Housewife  ($9.95)

What happens during each week of pregnancy? Now you’ll hear how each week of pregnancy brings changes to both you and your baby! Enjoy the extra information about common issues such as morning sickness, back pain, and more!

Embracing Beauty: practical style for every shape and season of motherhood by Trina Holden of trinaholden.com ($9.00)

A style guide that gets to the heart of beauty, and helps women identify and embrace their personal style through all the changes of motherhood.

buynow_1

Bonus Material

7 week long meal plans

To help you get started on a whole foods diet, we’ve also included a variety of meal plans to fit your needs!

  • Jess Pedersen CHHC of Be Mama Be Well The Be Mama Be Well Meal Planner is an alkalizing plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free plan that excludes highly processed foods. The Be Mama Be Well Meal Planner is meant to help you detoxify your body, cleanse your liver, balance your hormones, eliminate food-induced mood swings, and boost your nutrient intake.
  • KerryAnn Foster of Cooking Traditional Foods The Cooking Traditional Foods’ Menu Mailer covers breakfast, lunch and dinner based on the guidelines in the Naturally Knocked Up Fertility Foods Checklist.
  • Mary Vance of www.MaryVanceNC.com Autoimmune plan for those who have Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis or other autoimmune conditions. Excludes the inflammatory foods most likely to aggravate autoimmune conditions: gluten, dairy, soy, grains (for the most part, at least corn), nightshades, nuts, eggs.
  • Jill Marks of Modern Alternative Pregnancy Proper nutrition plays a vital role in fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. This meal plan is gluten-free with real, whole foods to optimize your health and give your baby a wonderful start!
  • Therese Asmus of Artistta  This menu plan does it’s best to include a variety of meals that aren’t only pleasing to the pallet, but are also excellent sources of the many nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.
  • Amy of PCOS Diva Spring Meal Plan (includes: Getting Started Guide, Recipes and Shopping List)  is a whole food based, gluten-free, processed soy-free, and low dairy (or easily can be made dairy-free) plan.  You don’t need a crazy diet to increase your fertility, you just need to get in the kitchen and start cooking delicious, nutrient-dense meals.
  • Joanna Steven, author of Well-Rounded. Plant based, whole foods based, with a mix of nourishing raw and cooked recipes for the vegan or vegetarian woman.

Bonus Offerings

buynow_7

Giveaways worth over $1130.00!

But that’s not all – it’s $1130.00 times two! There will be one grand prize winner who will receive each and every one of the following products/services.¹ All of which will help you on your way to growing your family. And then we’ll be giving away each of the products separately to individual winners as well, so you get more chances to win these fabulous products.

$25 gift certificate to MadeOn Skin Care ($25.00) – Choose from Simply Soothing Rash Cream, or Beesilk Jr for your baby. Or, shop for you and buy Beesilk hard lotion bars or a pack of tinted lip balms. All products are made with safe and natural ingredients. (includes free shipping)

Fertility Detox Cleanse Program from Bridgit Danner ($125.00) – Get your body primed for baby with this professionally-led detox program (food supplies to be purchased by recipient.)

Still Standing mug from Still Standing Magazine ($13.99) – Still Standing is an online magazine for those dealing with infertility and baby loss, offering resources and hope.

Making Babies DVDs from Bulk Herb Store ($75.00) – Three fun, informational, and colorful DVDs include deliciously healthy recipes, remedies and herbal concoctions that cover the fertility, pregnancy, and post-partum time in your life. At the Bulk Herb Store we want to teach you what we know and inspire you to learn and research beyond that with our homemade herbal remedies, our experiences, and the tested wisdom of others.

ibasal thermometer from FairHaven Health ($59.95) – The ibasal is a computerized digital basal thermometer that helps you maximize your changes of conceiving by accurately measuring your BBT and interpreting this data to produce a fertility prediction in advance of ovulation.

One bottle of FertilAid for Women from FairHaven Health ($28.95) – FertilAid for Women is a fertility enhancing supplement designed to help restore hormonal balance, support reproductive wellness, and optimize your chances of conceiving.

Femmenessence MacaHarmony from Natural Health International ($69.98) – Femmenessence MacaHarmony is a natural approach to hormone balance and supporting fertility without introducing hormones from outside of the body.

Medium Fertility Kit (LH and HCG tests) from Kisses from Above ($18.00) – Includes 30 ovulation and 10 pregnancy tests. Everything you need in one easy-to-order kit! Both the ovulation and pregnancy tests will come in the strip format, as shown in the picture.

Herbal kit from Mountain Rose Herbs ($56.20) – FecundiTea, Nurse-Me Rhyme Tea, “Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Years” by Susun Weed, Evening Embrace Aroma Spray, and 4 oz. each of Red Clover, Dandelion Leaf and Raspberry Leaf.

One bottle of cod liver oil from Green Pasture ($44.00) – Green Pastures is dedicate to providing their customers with high-quality sacred-food oils just as they were made prior to the industrialized food and farming revolution. They are committed to providing the community with nothing but pure, unadulterated, non-industrialized wild-caught fish liver oils.

Set of six essential oils from Plant Therapy ($48.68) – Romance Set Includes 100% Pure, Therapeutic Grade of: Sensual, Peppermint,  Energy, Headache Relief, Tranquil, & Invigor-Aid. 10 ml each

Natural Cycle Relaxation Program from Circle and Bloom ($59.00) – Start today to feel in greater control over your fertility success with our downloadable program which includes 28 unique guided meditations to support you in communicating with your body and tapping into your innate ability to create.

Year subscription to Fertility Flower (sympto-thermal charting) ($40.00) - Fertility charting is simple, effective and teaches you about your body. You’ll have access to advanced features on the Fertility Flower ovulation calendar, such as Chart Compare which allows you to overlay cycles one on top of each other.

Complimentary consultation at the Metabolic Treatment Center ($100.00 value) – Dr. Schuler or another metabolic treatment specialist at Metabolic Treatment Center will review an individual’s history, medication, supplementation, diet, and symptoms and provide an initial assessment review (phone, Skype, or at the Bloomington office).

SpermCheck Kit ($39.99) – The only at-home sperm test for men!  Results in 10 minutes, 98% accurate, private and convenient!

Preseed lubricant from Baby Hopes ($21.50)-  Pre~Seed lubricant replenishes your natural moisture while providing an optimal environment for sperm.

Fertile Soul of Yoga DVD from Nourish and Bloom ($25.00) – Fertile Soul of Yoga DVD offers fertility enhancing yoga, meditation, and abdominal and femoral massage demonstration.

What to Eat & Why audio program by Nichi Hirsch Kuechle of My Healthy Beginning ($197.00) – This program is set up with three modules: Preconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum with nearly two hours worth of content that you can immediately implement.

A Practical Guide to Children’s Health ebook by Kate Tetje of Modern Alternative Mama ($17.95) – A well-researched ebook on raising healthy children.

The Woman Code book by Alisa Vitti ($25.99) – WomanCode by Alisa Vitti will guide you on how to Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source.

Naturally Knocked Up book by Donielle Baker ($18.95) – Your guide to increasing the odds of conception through natural living and nourishing foods.

Rebuild from Depression book by Amanda Rose ($19.97) – This book on depression describes the research basis for the nutrient-depression link, highlighting the nutrients with the strongest basis in research. With seven specific nutrients in mind, the authors review each of the food groups recommending how to improve the diet for the long-term.

Extra discounts for bundle purchasers

buynow_6

 

Important fine print to read

1) All purchases are non-refundable due to the short duration of this sale and no late sales will be offered. 2) All giveaway products are sponsored by the individual companies, most of which are limited to shipping within the United States. The grand prize package will be shipped by Naturally Knocked Up LLC and is available to US and Canada, excluding the consultation which is available only in the US. ¹To enter the giveaway without purchase send a 3×5 postcard to Naturally Knocked Up LLC PO Box 26 Burnips, MI 49314 by May 14, 2013. 3) All products are downloadable ebooks and audio files. You will not be shipped any physical goods with your purchase of the natural fertility ebook bundle, but will be sent a link where you can download all of the material. 4) It is your responsibility to download all the files before June 1th, 2013. 5) Bonus offers are only eligible once per purchase, expire at midnight on May 31, 2013 and are the sole responsibility of the sponsor. 6) The above links are affiliate links, thank you for supporting this affiliate partner. 7) Please understand the information shared through this natural fertility ebook bundle is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, but rather to encourage perhaps a new  discussion or conversation with your own physicians and health care providers and to inspire you to continue to research healthy alternatives.

If you would like to become an affiliate for this sale, click here – Affiliate Program




All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.

Vitamin D with Dr. Mayer Eisenstein at the GFAF Expo

Just over a week ago, I was able to head to the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo in Chicago and had the chance to listen in on some great sessions. This is one thing I loved about this expo, you got to see some of the companies working to give people with food allergies safe food to eat, but you also get to hear fantastic health information at the same time. My favorite session was with Dr. Mayer Eisenstein where he talked on the importance of Vitamin D.

We’ve talked here on the blog about vitamin D’s connection to fertility, and I recently wrote about how my vitamin D level was quite low (32), and while he only touched on the topic of fertility just a bit, I walked away feeling good about what I’m doing, as well as added inspiration to do more.

vitamin d and infertility

photo credit – daviddehetre

“Vitamin D is NOT a fat soluble vitamin – it is a pre-hormone.” – Dr. Eisenstein

So very true, and yet I always talk about it as a fat-soluble vitamin because, well, it’s just easier and how most people are used to hearing it. One of these days I need to do a lot more research in this area so that I can fully understand it and talk about it intelligently.

“Vitamin D levels should be around 100.” – Dr. Eisenstein

Most medical doctors consider levels below 30 as deficient, and more often than not, functional or holistic doctors consider the correct range to be from 50-100, with a recommendation to get to at least the middle of that range. It was very interesting to hear that he thought a level at or above 100 was actually best!

“We can find vitamin D in wild mushrooms, fish, sun, and supplements.” – Dr. Eisenstein

He seems to be a big fan of supplements, but as he states, nobody eats enough of these foods anymore! I’d also like to add that we can find them in grass-fed animal products as the exposure to the sun also helps the animal build up levels in their bodies.

He also talked a lot about how when you live above 37 degrees latitude, you don’t get any vitamin D from the sun from November to February. So if you live in the northern half of the states like I do, we may become very deficient in the winter months. (I was tested in December, a couple of months in to our cold weather) We’re also only able to get vitamin D from about 10am to 2pm each day.

vitamin d and fertility

When you’re outside, he said that we can get about 5000 IUs of vitamin D if we’re outside with half of our body exposed to the sun for about 15 minutes. And that if you’re outside all day at the beach or park, you are probably getting about 50,000 IUs per day when you don’t use sunscreen. Which lead to …..

“The vacation doesn’t get you pregnant, the sun does.” – Dr. Eisenstein

The part of his talk where he spoke about fertility issues, he mentioned that it was common for doctors to send couples on vacation, south, to a beach. And that this was where the whole “if you relax, it’ll happen” speech probably came from. because doctors noticed that couples were more likely to get pregnant after a beach vacation, so they thought it was just the lack of stress. But Dr. Eisenstein thinks it has more to do with the extra vitamin D that they were probably lacking. He also mentioned that

“The higher the vitamin D levels, the faster the sperm swim.”

His recommendations for vitamin D supplementation were 5000 IUS per day if under 100 pounds and 10,000 IUs per day if over 100 pounds. During pregnancy he increases this to 20,000 IUs per day after the eighth month of pregnancy and through the first year of breastfeeding. (to make sure the breast-milk is not deficient in vitamin D)

Of course, I don’t think any one doctor will have all of the answers all of the time, but he was pretty convincing. It’s also a good idea to base your supplementation on your own test results, so getting a lab test to see what your vitamin D level is, at least a couple of times per year (once in the summer, once in the winter) will help you figure out how much you need to be supplementing. Plus, as we already know, we all live in different areas and have different levels of sun exposure.

Here are also a couple of videos from him:

 Take Vitamin D and Live Longer

Low Vitamin D as a Root Cause of Chronic Illness and Cancer

I also found this podcast from Sean at Underground Wellness, where he talks to author T.S.Wiley about vitamin D deficiency and she goes on to say how it’s not so much about the sun we’re exposed to, but that our receptors never get a chance to reset in the darkness. Awesome information! (Listen to it here – Is Low Vitamin D a Darkness Deficiency?)

As you can see, my time at the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo was time well spent! There are a couple more coming up this year, and if the Chicago speakers are any indication of the others, go check out who is on the speaker list near you!

Have you had your vitamin D levels checked yet? Are they adequate?

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread, artisan style {recipe}

It’s been a bit of time since I posted the gluten-free sourdough starter recipe, and I’ve been promising this sourdough bread recipe for some time now. But life began to happen and I didn’t have the time to test it out over and over as I had wanted to.

But alas, today is the day where I can finally share my gluten-free sourdough recipe!

I’ve tested it a few different times, with multiple different ingredients used as a binder, trying to find the healthiest way to make a tasty loaf of gluten-free bread. I tried egg, guar gum, xanthan gum, and chia seed gel, and the only one that made a nice well-formed loaf was the xanthan gum. So while I don’t like to use it a lot (some people don’t tolerate it all to well, and I don’t think it’s normally found in the same category as “real” or “nutrient dense” foods, but for this bread, it’s needed.

You can check out my experiments at the end of the post!

gluten free sourdough bread

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread, artisan style
Author: 
 

Ingredients
  • 2 cups gluten free sourdough starter
  • 1 cup tapioca flour
  • 1½ cup sorghum
  • 1 cup oat flour (blend oats until they turn to powder)
  • 1 cup millet flour
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • ⅔ cup water
  • ⅓ cup oil or softened butter
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp xanthan gum
  • 4 large eggs, lightly whisked

Method of Preparation
  1. In a large bowl, stir together the starter, water, and eggs.
  2. In a separate bowl (I used my stand mixer), mix together all dry ingredients; all of the flours, salt, xanthan gum, and sugar.
  3. Add the oil or butter to the dry ingredients and mix until well blended.
  4. While the mixer is on low, slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. If you do it all at once or to quickly, you may end up with lumpy dough. Pour just slow enough that it can be gradually mixed, but not so slow that it takes you more than a minute or two. If you are mixing by hand, pour it in approximately a cup at a time and mix as you go.
  5. Let the dough sit out in a warm place for at least a few hours, preferably 6-8.
  6. You may then take out approximately ¼ of the dough to bake if you’d like and place the rest in the refrigerator for later use.
  7. When baking, gently place the dough on parchment paper if you have any (I don’t and it worked fine) on a flat surface. You want to be careful not to disturb the dough to much so that it keeps the air bubbles intact from the sourdough action. Use wet hands to smooth it out if you’d like, and let it rest for 4-8 hours.
  8. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a cast iron dutch oven. You can also use a 1½ quart Corningware casserole dish with glass lid. I used the latter (like this one) since I don’t have the dutch oven and it works just fine.
  9. Once preheated, very gently slice the top of the loaf a few times with a serrated knife and place into the preheated pan.
  10. Bake for 15 minutes.
  11. Take off the cover and reduce heat to 450 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.
  12. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.

gfbread_pin

This bread is great warmed or toasted with a slab of butter, dipped into herb infused oils, or spread with homemade jam.

For one of my experiments, I tried out four different “binders”;

  1. egg,
  2. egg and chia,
  3. chia, and
  4. egg and xanthan gum.

gluten free sourdough 1. egg

I omitted the xanthan gum for this test. This dough was very wet and I had to add an additional 1/2 cup of rice flour to get it to the right consistency for gluten-free bread. The loaf also fell completely flat and the chickens got to eat it as we only ate enough to test it out.

As a muffin, this was Todd’s favorite.

gfbread_test2

2. egg and chia

I omitted the xanthan gum from the recipe and instead used 1/2 cup chia seed gel. This dough was again very wet and needed and additional 1/2 cup of rice flour and it fell completely flat.

As a muffin, this was my favorite.

gfbread_test3

3. chia seed gel

For this loaf I omitted both the egg and the xanthan gum, using 1/2 cup chia seed gel in the recipe and cut out both the egg and xantahn gum. I was really hoping that it would work better than it did as I currently know a lot of families that can not have eggs. The loaf was not good at all and hard to handle (with a spoon), though the muffin was decent even though it didn’t rise as much as the first two.

gfbread_test4

4. egg and xanthan gum

This was the recipe for the loaf posted above and made a great loaf. As a muffin it seemed a bit dense.

I’ve also tried guar gum in place of xanthan gum and it resulted in a dismal failure for a loaf as well as my pizza crust. I don’t recommend it!

Have you ever tried a gluten-free sourdough recipe? Tell me about it!

 

The recipe is adapted from the Gluten-Free Crusty Boule from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes.

The chia seed gel idea came from the GNOWFGLINS sourdough ebook.

Love your liver to love yourself

The following article is written by one of my affiliate partners, Magdalena Wszelaki (thyroid nutrition coach) and Josie Lincoln (detox expert), from the Thyroid Diet Coach.

Learn how early signs of a toxic liver could free you from access weight, depression, skin problems and so much more.

Liver is the most underestimated organ which suffers in silence until it’s too late.

Have you ever wondered what your liver would say to you if it had a voice?  Most livers would have a lot to moan about given half the chance.  The truth is our livers almost always suffer in silence and rarely express their stress.  When they do, it often occurs in ways which we do not associate directly with this vital organ.  So, instead of making a big fuss the liver slowly starts to tire (sluggish liver) and this can have a massive affect on our overall health.  This may sound scary but the magical factor to remember is the liver has a miraculous ability to heal and regenerate when given the right conditions.  The good news is that taking a few simple steps makes the world of difference and it is within your power to make your liver smile again.

Your liver does so much more than you imagined.

The liver is responsible for over 200 functions in the body and is the largest internal organ, weighing in at about  55oz (or 1.5 kg).  It is central to so many of the body’s functions and most people are unaware of how vital it is to good health.  Some of the major functions of the liver are:

  • purifying our blood (50 oz or 1.4 litres a minute),

  • regulating the metabolism (through bile production),

  • storing minerals and fat soluble vitamins, protein synthesis, glycogen storage and conversion (energy production),

  • cholesterol production (which is a good thing! Cholesterol, contrary to Western medicine’s believes, cholesterol necessary as it is the precursor for our steroid hormones, it manages our brain function, nerve function and hormone transportation),

  • parasite protection (by filtering protazoa) and…

  • more famously… detoxification!

Although the liver is wonderful at healing and amazing at self-recovery, it does take a great deal of abuse in our Western lifestyles.  Some of the choices can be fairly obvious (like eating non-organic food, living in a polluted area, drinking contaminated water) but many other choices (like skin care products, house cleaning products, drinking tap water or prescription medication) can create further load which we might not even be aware of. According to the EWG (Environmental Working Group), studies show that an average American is daily exposed to 200 chemical toxins and carries as many as 91 of them.

Where is all the toxicity coming from?

There are a lot of factors which affect whether the liver performs its critical functions effectively and often poor lifestyle choices can put too much pressure on this delicate organ.  Here what contributes to our toxic load:

  • non-organic food (think: mercury, lead, PCBs and over 130 pesticides)

  • air pollution (a long list)

  • tap water (think: fluoride, chlorine, PCBs, mercury, lead, parasites)

  • skin care products (think: phthalates, BPA, triclosan, parabens)

  • house hold cleaning products (think: triclosan, phthalates, parabens)

  • medications; both recreational and prescription, including commonly-used ones like corticosteroids, tetracycline and aspirin

  • plastics (think: BPA, PFOA)

  • cookware like non-stick pans (think: PFOA)

  • stress

  • alcohol

  • coffee

Our body is designed to excrete them. We have a few detoxification organs, namely: skin, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract and, of course, the liver. They are all capable to perform the beautiful job of freeing us from these toxins – the challenge is: when the load is higher than what they can handle, this is when toxicity takes a toll on us.

Early signs of liver problems.

So what symptoms can we expect to experience when our liver is tired?  We commonly hear about cirrhosis (permanent scarring) of the liver and the increase in liver disease in the Western world. It’s completely possible to determine them by doing the right blood work and testing for markers like aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT). The challenge is: by the time they are raised, much of the liver damage has already been done.

It’s key to be proactive, educated and step into a preventative mode. How often do you hear about the common symptoms which are associated with liver fatigue as a result of a toxic or stressful lifestyle?  You certainly won’t be hearing about them from your doctor.  Here are some common symptoms which may be related to sluggish liver detoxification and function:

Hormonal imbalance

  • Intolerance to HRT (hormone replacement therapy)

  • Severe menopausal symptoms

  • PMS

  • Estrogen Dominance

  • Mood Swings

Blood Sugar Problems

  • Sugar Cravings

  • Hypoglycaemia

  • Type 2 Diabetes

  • Energy slumps

  • Waking in the night

Immune dysfunction

  • Allergies/ Skin rashes

  • Chemical sensitivities (think: someone who can’t stand fumes or perfumes)

  • Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia

  • Frequent illness

Nervous System

  • Depression

  • Anger and irritability

  • Foggy brain

  • Overheating

  • Frequent headaches

Digestive Problems

  • Gall stones

  • Intolerance to fat

  • Sensitivity to alcohol and/or caffeine

  • Acid reflux

  • Bloating or constipation

  • Irritable bowel syndrome

External signs

  • Furry tongue

  • Bad breath

  • Acne and rosacea

  • Yellow, red or itchy eyes

  • Rashes

  • Easy bruising

  • Brown spot on hands, back and face

Abnormal metabolism of fats (lipids)

  • Abnormal level of fats in the blood, e.g. high LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and reduced HDL (“good cholesterol”)

  • Elevated triglycerides

  • Blocked arteries leading to hypertension, heart attacks and strokes

  • Fatty liver

  • Obesity

The job of the liver

Most of us know that our liver is responsible for processing alcohol, but the liver is also in charge of detoxifying all waste materials in the body, both those from our environment (exogenous) and those that are made through everyday bodily processes (endogenous).  If the liver is too overburdened to process them all effectively, our blood remains high in toxic waste materials and our whole body is fueled by waste – no wonder we start to feel unwell.

Phase One and Phase Two of liver detoxification.

The liver’s detoxification method includes two phases which are referred to as Phase One and Phase Two.

Phase One is known as oxidation and Phase Two as conjugation. In Phase One, the liver uses oxygen and enzymes to burn toxins. This process is called oxidation as it makes the toxins more soluble in water so they can be more easily excreted from the body by the kidneys and the liver. Most environmental toxins are fat-soluble to start with, and therefore difficult or impossible to eliminate without the liver’s help. Did you know that the chemicals produced in Phase One are more toxic than those which originally entered the body?!  

This phase of liver detoxification is inhibited by nutritional deficiency, toxic exposure and medications such as acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol), alcohol consumption, and low protein intake that deplete glutathione which is needed for acetaminophen detoxification.

To free itself of toxins produced by Phase One detoxification, the liver performs a Phase Two called conjugation. In this phase, oxidized chemicals are combined with sulfur, specific amino acids or organic acids, and then excreted in bile and urine.

Both phases are dependant on vital substances which are required to activate the catalyst for toxin conversion and they must work in balance so that no harmful toxins are left to circulate.

There are six pathways in Phase Two and each one is responsible for converting a different set of substances (e.g. estrogen, thyroid hormones, heavy metals, histamine, phenol, salicylates, biliruben, nicotine, bacterial toxins, caffeine).  The six pathways are called:

1. Amino Acid Conjugation pathway

2. The Glutathione pathway

3. The Sulphation (sulfation) pathway

4. The Methylation pathway

5. The Glucoronidation pathway

6. The Acetylation pathway.

Methylation and sulphatation pathways explained.

For an example of how these pathways work let’s look at the methylation pathway in more detail.  This allows methyl groups to pass through the liver and out of the body safely.  This pathway detoxifies estrogen, dopamine, histamine and heavy metals.  To support this pathway we can increase our intake of choline (avocados/eggs/non-GM soy lecithin) and B vitamins.

The sulphation pathway detoxifies excess neurotransmitters, steroids, thyroid hormones, phenol and excess bile acids.  This pathway is often burdened by frequent use of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).  We can support this pathway through an increase in high sulphur foods (e.g. egg yolk, broccoli, onion or MSM).

If Phase Two is not working effectively then the highly toxic chemicals formed in Phase One cannot be converted and this can cause a lot of toxicity issues in the body such as tissue damage or disease.  It may also cause excess hormones to circulate through the bloodstream instead of being excreted and this can lead to hormonal imbalances which may affect the thyroid gland or our estrogen levels.

Healing Powers of the Liver and Diet

The most magical point to remember when we learn about the liver, is how effectively it can rebuild itself.  By giving it the right tools nutritionally and following a lifestyle plan that avoids nasty environmental toxins (which confuse and hinder the liver), we can literally regenerate this wonderful organ.

By detoxifying the body and giving it the right nutritional tools, your liver’s functions may be restored to full health.  Foods and herbs which support liver healing and detoxification can be used to make dramatic changes to symptoms associated with a sluggish liver and give long lasting healing effects.

In the upcoming Thyroid Detox (May 11-22, 2013), we will utilize and help you implement the full Liver Protocol that consists of:

  • Food that supports the Phase One and Phase Two detoxification

  • Natural sources of amino acids that support Phase Two Detoxification

  • Herbs that revive the liver

  • Lifestyle changes, like the right sauna, oil packs and lymphatic massage that help open up the pathways.

Once you feel the benefits of a functional and happy liver, you will never want to go back to your old ways. Learn to take advantage of the beauty and power of food and herbs to heal yourself – they are far more potent and safe than countless supplements and magic powders sold in the market.

 

About the Authors and Thyroid Detox Program

The authors of this article, Magdalena Wszelaki (thyroid nutrition coach) and Josie Lincoln (detox expert), are launching an information-packed video series and a guided Thyroid Detox program for people with thyroid conditions, autoimmune conditions and hormonal imbalance where they continue exploring detox strategies and practical solutions beyond the ones included here.

To listen for FREE to the Thyroid Detox Video Series, go to and discover how revitalizing your gut and liver the right way can improve your hormonal balance and make you feel energized, clear-minded, optimistic, inspired to heal further and lose some of that impossible weight.

From infertility to pregnancy virtual conference

If you have been trying to have a baby for a while and things are not going as planned, it’s so important to understand that you have options.

Would you like to have new tools and strategies to add to your fertility regimes that may increase your chances for having a baby, as well as your quality of life while trying to conceive? If so, I would love for you to join me for the “From Infertility to Pregnancy Virtual Conference”. I’ll be speaking during the second week on aspects of non-toxic and natural living.

This conference is completely FREE and even better, no travel is necessary. All you need is access to a telephone or your computer.

The journey begins April 21st at 1 pm PST, the first day of National Infertility Awareness Week. Every day, for 14 days, some of the world’s top fertility experts will be sharing their best tools, tips and techniques to support you on your journey to pregnancy and parenthood.

Join thousands of others to learn…

-How to increase your chances of pregnancy through natural conception and treatment cycles.

-How your age is “really” impacting your ability to become pregnant.

-How understanding nutrition can balance hormones and increase your fertility.

-How to increase your egg and sperm quality at any age.

-How to eliminate feeling overwhelmed and stay balanced while trying for a baby.

-How a less invasive approach to fertility may be the way to go.

-How to get your sexy back and reintroduce intimacy into your relationship.

-How Eastern and Western medicine are working together creating incredible results.

You can sign up here and check out the line-up of speakers!



All images and content are protected under US copyright laws, please do not copy and paste.

Links in the post above may be affiliate or referral links - meaning that through a sale I may be given monetary benefit. I blog with integrity and only endorse companies and products I love.

I am not a doctor and don\'t pretend to be one. Use everything you read only to inspire you to do your own research and be an advocate for your own health. Please read my disclaimer in full.