Refined & Unrefined Coconut Oil

What’s the difference from refined and unrefined coconut oil? Taste! You don’t want to mix these two up when cooking.

Unrefined coconut oil tastes like coconut flavor and aroma and the refined coconut oil has a neutral taste.

I buy both but use the refined more. The unrefined I usually use when I’m baking a dessert or a sweet treat and I don’t mind the coconut taste.

This is a REPOST

Thought I’d give a quick update. I took Johnny to his pediatrician for allergy tests as well as a celiac test. It’s worth mentioning that this pediatrician doesn’t feel that allergies have anything to do with ADHD so I just avoid the topic with her.

He had to eat lots of wheat, dairy, soy, etc for 14 days. Then his blood was drawn. Of course during these two weeks he was feeling like crap. Headaches, had a bowel movement every 2 or 3 days, he couldn’t sleep, had dark circles under his eyes, his ADHD symptoms all reappeared…the list goes on and on.

The results are back and guess what, he doesn’t have celiac…woo hoo! However, he was allergic to almost everything tested (which I found odd)—wheat, soy, peanuts, walnuts, corn, clams, sesame seeds, & scallops.

He wasn’t allergic to eggs or dairy. The eggs we knew but dairy he has a reaction to. So we tested dairy last week. He ate moderate amounts of milk, cheese, and sour cream (on his baked potatoes and on his tacos). He had diarrhea so badly that he couldn’t stand up without going in his pants. He said it was gooey slug coming out (sorry for being so graphic) so parents please make your decisions by how your child reacts NOT by what a test shows.

The Dr. wanted to do more testing for other foods but I declined—first, my son begged not to have to eat all that food for another 2 weeks, and secondly, I don’t’ really care what the test show…if he reacts to it we plan on removing it from his diet.

Homemade Salad Dressing

Finding salad dressing without soybean oil in it is so hard!

I made this the other night and we loved it! Its super fast and it makes enough for several salads so just stored it in the frig.

Whisk all ingredients together.

2 teaspoons minced onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 cup water

1/8 cup agave

salt & pepper to taste



ADHD Clean Food Shopping List

Of course this isn’t everything, but it gives you ideas.

Remember to make sure these foods are wheat, soy, dairy, artificial food coloring, flavoring, and additives free! When in doubt don’t buy it.

I also buy ORGANIC whenever I can. Especially with meat and eggs.

GRAINS AND NUTS

·         rice (brown, white, wild)

·         quinoa

·         rice noodles

·         black beans

·         cannelini beans

·         pinto beans

·         lentils

·         chickpeas (garbanzo bean)

·         almonds

·         cashews

·         sunflower seeds

·         walnuts

·         almond butter

VEGGIES/HERBS (all of them!)

·         kale

·         lettuces

·         onions

·         garlic

·         cilantro

·         parsley

·         tomatoes

·         broccoli,

·         brussels sprouts

·         sweet potatoes

·         cucumber

·         celery

·         cabbage

·         zucchini

·         lettuce

·         garlic (lots of it)

·         spinach

·         onions 

·         yams

·         artichokes

·         jicama

·         asparagus

·         carrots

MEATS

·         chicken

·         beef

·         turkey

·         lamb

·         salmon

·         bison

·         (anything that you go out and hunt off the land) 

DAIRY

·         eggs

·         rice milk

·         almond milk

CONDIMENTS/FLAVORINGS

·         extra-virgin olive oil

·         coconut oil

·         sesame oil

·       black pepper

·         pink himalayan salt

·         hot sauce

·         salsa

·         turmeric

·         cayenne

·         cinnamon

·         red pepper flakes

·         maple syrup

·         stevia

·         dijon mustard

·         apple cider vinegar

·         red wine vinegar

·         honey

·         agave      

FRUITS

·         lemons

·         avocado

·         apples

·         bananas

·         Pears

·         blueberries

·         raspberries

·        strawberries

·         nectarines

·         plums

·         grapes

·         watermelon

·         grapefruit

·         cantaloup

BEVERAGES

·         coconut water

·         herbal teas  (hot and sun tea)

·         almond milk

~School Lunches~

Looking for school lunch ideas?

Johnny loves these foods and doesn’t have a reaction to them. They are quick and easy to toss in a bag for on the go!

I love these small guacamole packets.

 

I just found these hot dog at COSTCO

 

 

This organic popcorn is perfect to snack on! I got it from Trader Joe's.

 

 

And don't forget the applesauce!

 

Toss in a piece of fresh fruit or veggies and some water and you have a quick lunch you can take on the go or send to school with the kiddos!

 

If you are looking for a good sweet to send to school these lollipops are perfect. Especially for those teacher’s that like to reward with a treat…bring them a bag of these. I’ve bought them a several different stores, Target, TJ Maxx, and Amazon. And they are inexpensive! We’ve only tried the lollipops but they have other items too (be sure to read the ingredients). Actually, here’s a list of ingredient for all their items, Yummy Earth

 

ADHD and Leaky Gut

I’ve been reading a lot of studies that suggest that ADHD is associated with a leaky gut. 

What is leaky gut?

 

The cells that line our intestines are closely knit together and have a glue-like substance that keeps the space between these cells secure, which makes sure the barrier function of our intestines is working optimally.  The good bacteria that fills up our intestinal lining (100 Trillion of them) help to make sure this glue and barrier are working.

In some cases, this glue between our cells breaks down and causes openings between the cells which allows yeast, undigested food particles and bacteria to leak into our blood stream and is identified by our immune system which lies beneath the surface of the intestinal lining. This is called Leaky Gut Syndrome.

When we have an overgrowth of yeast, parasites or harmful bacteria or we don’t have enough good bacteria in our guts, we have what is called Dysbiosis and this is what can lead to a leaky gut.

 

When Johnny was born I tested positive for group b strep (every woman is checked for this). That means I was given an antibiotic during labor. That antibiotic given to me intravenously is then passed onto the baby. This ties into leaky gut because all Johnny’s bacteria (good and bad) were instantly wiped out the moment he was born. This triggered an imbalance in his intestines/gut causing him all sorts of symptoms associated with leaky gut—Autism, ADHD, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn's disease and colitis stem from the inflammation triggered by a leaky gut. Malabsorption of nutrients, candida and parasitic infections along with food sensitivities and allergies are also connected with this syndrome. Inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and acne indicate a leaky gut too.

 

It would be interesting to see how many ADHD children were born to mothers who were give antibiotics (for whatever reason) during labor or pregnancy.

 

Here’s what you can do to help leaky gut:

1) Take a daily Probiotic Supplement to promote good digestion, facilitate absorption of nutrients, boost the immune system, and help prevent an overgrowth of more harmful organisms in the digestive tract. Read the label—to make sure the product contains live cultures and check with your doctor for the optimal dosage.
2) Try an elimination diet to test for food sensitivities –  gluten, dairy, yeast, corn, soy and eggs are the most common foods that cause problems.  Eliminate one at a time for a week or two take note of how your gut feels and what happens to your other symptoms. *The foods you crave are usually the ones you are sensitive to.
3) Eat alkaline, fiber, and mineral rich foods such as: leafy greens (kale, lettuce), fruits (apple, berries, tomatoes, lemons), seeds and nuts (almonds, walnuts), and beans.
4) Take extra omega 3 fat supplements, which help cool inflammation in the gut.
5) Add multivitamin and Vitamin B12 supplement to restore deficiencies caused by the leaky gut. Good gut flora is important for synthesizing B Vitamins, which are crucial for a healthy metabolism, growth, calcium absorption, nervous system and more. Many children with ADD/ADHD are deficient in B vitamins

We have eliminated most of the suggested items however I’ve never given Johnny a Probiotic before. And the fact that he was born with all his good bacteria destroyed it make sense that it needs to be replaced / built-up (even if it’s years later! It’s never too late!)

This is the Probiotic I’m using. I got it at Costco.

I am also giving him a B complex vitamin too.

This leaky gut has me wondering….if we cure the leaky gut would his body then be able to tolerate wheat, dairy, and soy?

Remember Johnny was born with these issues…could it simply be because all his good bacteria was damaged when he was born so he wasn’t able to tolerate much in is gut and that the triggered an array of symptoms, intolerances, conditions, etc…?