Chia Seeds

I have been obsessing over chia seeds! They are awesome. They are healthy, and I just can't get enough of them. They can be a bit pricey, but they're totally worth it. I really enjoy the drinks with the chia seeds, but here's a recipe for you to try out too! This amazing recipe is from a blog called Oh She Glows. I definitely suggest checking it out.

Ingredients:

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

• 2 (15-oz) cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or 1 vanilla bean, seeded

CHERRY STRAWBERRY CHIA SEED JAM (MAKES 2 1/3 CUPS)

• 2 heaping cups fresh or frozen strawberries (hulled if using fresh)
• 3 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries (pitted if using fresh)
• 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• pinch fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated red beet (I use a microplane lemon zester), adds bolder red hue

OPTIONAL GARNISHES:

• Toasted sliced almonds
• Coconut Flakes
• Lemon Zest
• Fresh cherries

Directions:

1. Chill the cans of coconut milk in the fridge for 12-24 hours so the coconut cream can solidify before use.
2. For the chia seed jam: Add the berries and maple syrup into a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium, and simmer until the berries release their juices and soften, about 10 minutes. After the berries release water you can increase the heat even more to cook off the water. Watch closely and stir frequently. When the berries look a bit soft, stir in the chia seeds. Keep cooking over medium heat until the chia thickens the mixture slightly, about 5-10 more minutes.  Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, vanilla, lemon, and optional grated beet. Pour into a glass container and let it cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes before covering and chilling in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.
3. Chill a medium bowl in the freezer (this helps the coconut cream stay thick while whipping).
4. Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and carefully scoop off the white coconut cream from each can and place it into a medium bowl. You should have 1.5-2 cups worth of cream. You can reserve the leftover coconut water for another use, such as a smoothie or you can freeze it into coconut water ice cubes (also great in smoothies).
5. With electric mixers or a whisk, beat the cream and the cane sugar in the chilled bowl until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.
6. Layer the coconut cream and the chia jam in parfait glasses. Top with optional toasted sliced almonds, flaked coconut, lemon zest, and a cherry on top! Enjoy immediately or cover and transfer to the fridge until ready to serve. The chia seed jam will keep for up to a week in the fridge in an air-tight container, and I expect the coconut whipped cream will keep for at least 5 days.

Tip: If for some reason your chia seed jam didn't thicken enough after chilling (this might be the case if the water wasn't cooked off enough), stir in another tablespoon of chia seeds and chill it for another hour. That should do the trick!

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2015/06/30/cherry-strawberry-chia-seed-fool-with-vanilla-bean-coconut-whipped-cream/#ixzz3fSP5XIAP

Raw Food Diet?

A lot of my fellow fibro fighters have been asking me if it's worth going on a raw food diet. The answer is yes! How long you should do it, and how quickly you should transition, are both conditional. I suggest a simple transition by slowly replacing some meals with raw meals. You will feel all the usual effects of cleansing at first, but when they begin to taper off you know you're ready to replace another meal. Eventually, you'll feel better and have more energy then ever before, and that is when you will be able to go completely raw. I post some recipes on here, but here is a link to a great site for raw food recipes... http://www.rawfoodrecipes.com/

Hemp Seeds

Did you know that hemp is one of the super foods? I just started enjoying this amazing food with yogurt every morning instead of granola. It has a wonderful nutty flavor, and is nutritious. It has tons of protein, omega 3, and is gluten free! It's also really good on salads and fruit.

Alkalizing Drinks

The doctors said that htey didn't think that alkalizing would help my fibro symptoms, but it did! I went from a pH level of 5 to 7.5, and my IBS, heartburn and acid reflux symptoms are gone. The heartburn got worse the first 2 days, but then were gone completely. It's been over 6 months since I've had any of these symptoms, which plagued me for 14 years! I personally prefer the Lemon Water, because it tastes the best. If you don't like the bitter taste you can add 1 packet of Stevia. Next time you get blood work done, or a UA, check your pH levels. If they aren't between 7.0 and 7.5, try one of these drinks once per day and see if you feel better. (These drinks will cause heartburn the first 2-3 days that you drink them, don't drink them if you have an ulcer, and of course always check with your doctor before changing your diet)

Lemon Water: 1/2 Lemon Juice, 1/2 Water

Apple Cider Vinegar: 1/2 Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 Water

Orange Juice: Freshly Squeezed, Organic Oranges

Carrot Juice: Freshly Juiced, Organic Carrots

Breakfast Burrito in Lettuce Wrap

Melt 1 tbsp natural organic unsalted butter in pan. Add diced organic potatoes on medium heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir potatoes, and cook for 10 minutes. Continue this process until potatoes are tender. Scramble 2 organic cage-free eggs. Place potatoes, eggs, Organic Valley Shredded Cheddar, diced organic tomatoes, organic spinach, sea salt, and 100% natural ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup on a large piece of organic lettuce. Wrap into a burrito and enjoy!!

For those who can’t stand long, sit while waiting for the butter to melt, and in between stirring the potatoes.
 
If you prefer a tortilla, then I suggest Sonoma All Natural Gluten Free Wraps.
 
If you are dairy free, then you can substitute organic tofu for the eggs, and Daiya Shredded Cheddar for the Organic Valley Shredded Cheddar.
 
More ingredients to stuff your burrito…

• Diced organic bell peppers
• Diced organic jalapenos
• Diced organic onions
• Amy’s Salsas
• 505 Organic Green Chile Sauce
  

Healthy Eggplant Parm

Peel and slice eggplant, dip in eggs, coat in bread crumbs. Lay them out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 until bread crumbs are golden brown. While they're baking, put one can of crushed tomatoes, chopped onion and garlic, and italian herbs in a pot. Stir and boil until breaded eggplants are done. Pour a layer of sauce in a casserole dish, then a layer of the bread crumbs, and keep layering. The top layer should be sauce. Bake for 20 minutes at a time until cooked. I like the edges of mine to be a little burnt, but it's up to you. This served with the tomato and avocado salad is a great meal for guests. It's healthier then most eggplant parmigiana because there it no cheese and it's all baked, not fried. You can add a layer of mozzarella cheese on top if you prefer.

Ingrediants
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Eggplants
3 Eggs (battered to coat)
Italian Bread Crumbs
1 Chopped Onion
4 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)
Italian Herbs

Shredded Mozzarella (optional)

Tomato and Avocadoes

I went to my mom's for dinner yesterday, and we had this amazing salad! It was just cubed avocado, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. She just cut it all into cubes, and mixed it with Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, salt and pepper. It was delicious and simple!!! I think fresh parsley would add an excellent flavor too.

Ingredients
Avocado
Tomatoes
Mozzarella Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Kale Chips

An awesome snack is kale chips. just spread the kale leaves out on a baking sheet, sprinkle on some sea salt, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Just remember that it comes out to be less than it seems when you put it in the oven. I had the whole baking sheet covered but by the time it was done, only half the sheet was covered with the final product.

Ingrediants
Kale
Sea Salt

Potatoes & Veggies in Peanut Vinegar Sauce

This is an easy recipe that is fibro friendly. I just put the potatoes in a pot of water on the stove and set the timer for 30 minutes, then I rest. When the buzzer goes off I check to see if the potatoes are soft. If they're soft enough then I add a bag of frozen veggies and set the timer for 20 minutes, and rest! When the timer goes off, just drain the water and cut up the potatoes. Put a stick of butter in a pan and let it melt. Once it's melted add the potatoes and veggies. Put a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter and mix on medium heat until the peanut butter is melted and all of the foods are coated. Add sea salt to taste, and serve with balsamic vinegar for everyone to mix into their own. I like to let everyone put their own balsamic vinegar on it because if you put it on ahead of time the potatoes absorb it and the flavor is different.

Ingredients
Potatoes
Frozen Veggies
Peanut Butter
Butter
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt

Eat More

Here is a list of things that can help you lose weight, alkalize, and digest better than ever before! This is Super Foods List...

Avocadoes
Chick Peas
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Green Teas
Carrots
Kale
Salmon
Rosemary
Dill
Broccoli
Yogurt (Organic)
Granola (Gluten Free)
Raw Unfiltered Honey
Spinach
Pumpkin
Cinnamon

Salmon Spinach Salad

Frozen Wild Alaskan Salmon is my favorite to use for this recipe. I just put the salmon on a dish that is safe for the oven, place it on the rack, set the oven to 350 and the timer to 20 minutes. Then I rest for those 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, I check to see if it's cooked, and it usually is. Every once and a while I need to put it in for 5-10 more minutes, but I just cut it in the center to make sure it's not still raw. Once it's cooked all the way through, I pull a handful of fresh spinach from the package and put it on a small dish. The spinach goes on top with fresh dill and lemon juice squeezed from one whole lemon. You can add any fresh or dried herbs you want, as long as it's not processed. Sometimes I like to add Soy Sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.  Bragg's Liquid Aminos has a great flavor, and it's really good for you!


Ingredients
1 Filet Salmon
1 Cup Fresh Spinach
1 Lemon
Fresh Dill

Bragg's Liquid Aminos (Optional)

Foods to Avoid

Mainly, everyone should be on a low carb, low gluten, low dairy, pescetarian diet. It's very difficult to stick to, but I guarantee that anyone who follows this diet will actually be healthier and more energetic (after the first three months). The first month most people will be feeling weak and tired, because the body cleanses during that time. Below is a list of foods that should be avoided. Anything in red should be considered very bad for your health, and should be completely cut out of your diet.

Barley
Bran, oat
Bran, wheat
Bread
Corn
Cornstarch
Crackers, soda
Flour, wheat
Flour, white
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Macaroni
Noodles
Oatmeal
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Spaghetti
Spelt
Wheat Germ
Wheat
Black Beans
Red Beans
Rice Milk
Cheese, Processed
Ice Cream
Ice Milk
Bacon
Beef
Carp
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shellfish
Shrimp
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Lard
Sunflower Oil
Corn Syrup
Sugar
Beer
Hard Liquor
Spirits
Wine
Cocoa
Coffee
Pepper
Soft Drinks
Aspirin
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Herbicides
Pesticides
Tobacco

I am not a doctor, all of this is based on 15 years of study and experience, you can check with your doctor if you have doubts. Everything on this blog is at your own risk.

Theory Behind Fibro Diets

There are several theories behind fibromyalgia, but not too many doctors have taken the time to really study and figure out what causes fibromyalgia. The few that have, all agree on one thing--fibromyalgia is caused by a build-up of something in the muscles and body tissue. What they disagree on is what it being built up. Some doctors say it's toxins, some say it's phosphates,  some say it's actually bloating from water, and some say it's due to gluten intolerance. With all of these theories it's no surprise that there are several diets, treatments, medications, exercises, and options for patients to attempt to find relief.

Read about all of the diets here! I combine all the fibromyalgia diets to create healthy meals for every diet. If you have fibromyalgia, know someone with fibromyalgia, or just want to be healthy this blog is for you!