Mercury Fillings

Here is something that was in the news that I feel everyone should be aware of:

Panel urges FDA to take another look at mercury dental fillings

By Val Willingham, CNN

December 15, 2010 7:44 p.m. EST

Washington (CNN) -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee said Wednesday that the agency should look at updated data on mercury amalgam dental fillings that may indicate possible medical problems for patients.
The panel -- after hearing two days of testimony from experts, members of the public and dental professionals -- recommended the FDA look at information updated since the agency ruled in 2009 that the mercury in dental fillings is not harmful.
Committee members noted, however, that the FDA's decision was solid, based on information available at the time. The committee also stressed that more studies need to be done on amalgam fillings, especially in children.
Public pressure prompted the panel's review, initiated less than 18 months after the agency's decision.
Committee members listened to testimony by consumer and dental groups claiming the FDA used flawed science when it set the current guidelines for mercury safety levels.
"We need to see where the science is and if there are gaps." said the panel's chairwoman, Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat, a dentist and researcher with the University of Pennsylvania.
In its final rule, the FDA concluded clinical studies did not establish a causal link between dental amalgam and health problems in people age 6 and older. But it did add that developing fetuses and young children may be more sensitive to the neurotoxin.
Amalgam tooth fillings are an alloy made up of various metals and 50 percent mercury,
Mercury toxicity has been well documented, but when it comes to amalgam fillings there isn't a lot of data. Many dentists favor these fillings because they are cheap, easy to put in place and durable.
Dental professionals also argue that mercury fillings last longer than resin composites, and are easier on the tooth. The American Dental Association agrees with the FDA that amalgam fillings are safe.
Yet, some experts say mercury from these fillings penetrates into the body and damages human cells, especially in the brain, bones and kidneys. How much damage it is unknown, which is why the advisory committee is revisiting the issue.
In Wednesday's public hearing, 30 people testified for and against the use of amalgam fillings.
Jessica Kerger, an attorney from Toledo, Ohio, said she was a healthy child until she started getting amalgam fillings. As she got older, she faced numerous health problems and a variety of diagnoses. She even had her amalgam fillings removed. It wasn't until a doctor tested her for mercury poisoning that she realized her problem, she said.
Now, after being treated for excess mercury in her body, Kerger said, "I'm an active mother, attorney and I have a black belt in karate. I blame my fillings and I am begging the FDA to get rid of them."
While others testified that mercury in their fillings caused such health problems as loss of memory, impaired vision, miscarriages and paralysis, many dental professionals asked that amalgam fillings remain.
Addressing the board, Dr. Vincent Mayher, a former president of the Academy of General Dentistry, said public accusations that dentists force patients to receive amalgam fillings is exaggerated.
"It's Inflammatory. No dentist I know of forces a patient at any time to get amalgam fillings these days, especially pregnant women and little children." Mayher testified
Andrew Read Fuller, a dental student at UCLA and member of the American Student Dental Association, noted there is no scientific data that amalgam fillings cause the problems some attribute to them, and said that, as a future dentist, he would use amalgam fillings on any of his patients as well as himself.
"In the absence of new evidence there is no reason to question the FDA's decision." Fuller said.
Yet some dentists did say they would avoid using amalgam fillings because of numerous public reports of mercury poisoning.
"I always wondered why we were told by the (American Dental Association) to be careful when disposing of mercury. If it's so dangerous to the environment, why not my patients?" asked Dr. Stephen Markus, a dentist in the Philadelphia area.
The committee also recommended that the FDA come up with models that could be used to look at the effects of mercury vapor exposure from dental fillings. And when designing these models, it said, the agency should take into consideration age, health history and physical makeup of individuals.
There was also discussion that more data needs to be looked at to come up with stronger models, especially those based on younger children and unborn fetuses.
More information on amalgam fillings should be posted for both for patients and dentists, the committee said.
It also noted the FDA's biomarker using urine to detect mercury exposure is not perfect but is the best available for adults. Members also noted that more updated data is needed before the agency can make stronger guidelines on amalgam fillings.

Although the committee's recommendations will go to the FDA board for consideration, the board does not have to follow them. Traditionally, however, it does.

Holistic doctors have known for years mercury fillings are bad for you. It's nice to see the FDA is taking this into consideration...finally.

Apple Pie

Perfect apple pie for fall. As always, dairy, egg and GF.

Ingredients:

2 recipes No-Roll Pie Crust
3/4 C sugar (I used Stevia in the Raw)
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBS cornstarch
6 apples (I used Golden Delicious, because they were the least expensive) peeled, cored, and sliced thin
1 TBS coconut oil

Mixture for top:
1 TBS sugar (again, I used Stevia)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make one recipe of the no-roll pie crust and press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate. Crimp the edges of the crust. Set aside the crust-lined pie plate. Make the second recipe of pie crust in a bowl. Set aside.

In a two-quart nonstick saucepan, combine the sugar, spices, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Add the apple pieces and toss the mixture to coat the apples evenly. Put a lid on the saucepan and heat the apples over medium heat. As soon as they start to simmer, turn heat to medium-low and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir them once or twice, putting the lid back on each time.

Transfer the hot apples to the prepared pie shell. Dot the top with 1 TBS coconut oil. Crumble the crust in the bowl over the top of the pie and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake the pie until it is bubbly in the center and golden brown on top, approx. 45-55 minutes. Allow the pie to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

(Source: Celebrating Food: 121 Gluten-Free Recipes for a Healthier You by Susan Gauen)

Rotisserie Chicken

I love a good roast chicken. Those kind you get from the grocery store deli? MMMMM...but so bad for you...so here is a homemade version, completely dairy and GF and healthier for you. And think of all the things you can do with the left overs...

Ingredients:

One whole 4-lb chicken
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 1/4 tsp dried basil
1 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
2 TBS olive oil


Directions:

Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water, making sure to remove giblets. Blot dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, mix the spices and oil. Rub the inside cavity and outside of the chicken until spices are gone. Place the chicken breast side up in a slow cooker. Add a little water to the bottom of the cooker. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Enjoy!



You can use the carcass and bones to make your own chicken stock! Just separate the meat from the bones. Put the bones, carcass, 2 chopped carrots, 3 chopped stalks of celery, and 8-10 C water in the slow cooker and cook for 9-10 hours on low. Strain into a big bowl, discarding veggies and chicken remains. Separate broth into Ziploc containers and freeze until ready to use!

No Flu This Year!

Here is an article I found from "Organic Authority" on preventing the flu. I highly recommend this sight, there are a lot of good recipes and interesting articles (like what is REALLY in your McNuggets....trust me...it's not all chicken, or even mostly chicken).

"Did you know that flu shots could actually increase your chance of catching colds? Plus, those things are loaded with funky chemicals. Besides, needles are evil. Instead, take a stab at flu prevention the natural way. These seven foods are some of the easiest ways to avoid the Nyquil grog. Consider the fact that they're all also pretty darn delicious, a little bonus for being so smart and healthy.

Green tea is a personal trainer for your immune system. Tea contains powerful alkylamines that may aid the body in learning how to fight off disease and flu viruses by a type of cell memory. Kind of like my dog and anyone wearing a postal worker uniform.

We often start taking vitamin C once we're sick, and it surely helps (try 800mg every 20 minutes when you've already got a cold or flu), but citrus fruit and juice, a great source of vitamin C, can actually help prevent illness by creating stronger cells that deflect virus and germs.

Sweet potatoes are abundant during cold and flu season and it's a good thing because they're loaded with a healthy dose of beta-carotene, which creates vitamin A in the body. This crucial nutrient boosts immune function by lowering the amount of free radicals, helping to eliminate the cause of sickness.

While you probably won't put them on your pizza, super mushrooms such as cordyceps and reishi have well documented antioxidant and immune boosting benefits. Reishi is actually considered the king of herbs out of thousands in Chinese medicine. You can find them dried or in tinctures.

Boosting your intake of whole grains such as brown rice increases vitamin E, known to enhance production of B cells, which destroy illness-causing bacteria. And pinto beans are a rich source of zinc. You need zinc to fight off the infection before you even know you have it. Who's savoring every bite of a tasty rice and bean burrito now?

Flax oil is loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. This important oil boosts production of phagocytes, which like to eat foreign bacteria. Flax oil is also great in easing the effects of infection on the body. It also boosts brain function so you'll remember that the number one way to avoid colds and flus in the first place is by regularly washing your hands, especially if you have any plans of putting them anywhere near your eyes, nose or mouth."

Now, I don't drink green tea, but there are a lot of herbal teas out there that are good for you as well. I regularly drink herbal teas of all kind, but when I start to feel sick I immideiately pull out my "cold and flu" tea. It is a medicinal herbal tea that works wonders. I also take 1/2 tsp of liquid silver a day to help with my immune system, as well as a multi-vitamin liquid called "Buried Treasure VM-100 complete" and vitamin C tablets. Load up on those vitamins and fruits and veggies! They are super good for you and you will feel the difference!

Cantonese Shrimp

This is a yummy recipe I adjusted from the magazine "Family Circle." It is fast, easy and delish! (notice how I love recipes where those three words are in it?) *This recipe isn't technically gluten free because there is soy sauce*

Ingredients:

1 C vegetable broth (You can make your own with water and vegan bouillon)
2 TBS light soy sauce
1 TBS corn starch
1 TBS oyster sauce
2 TBS olive oil
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 pound snow peas
1/2 TBS ground ginger
1 can corn (frozen or fresh corn would work well too, this is just what I had on hand)
Gluten free spaghetti (I like the quinoa kind)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and oyster sauce. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over med-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 4 minutes, or until opaque and done. Remove shrimp to a plate and keep warm.

3. Add remaining TBS of oil to skillet and add snow peas and ginger. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add corn and broth/soy mixture. Simmer for 2 minutes, until thickened. Add shrimp and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve over cooked spaghetti.

Easy Salmon and Orange Salad

This is super fast, easy, and has a nice tangy taste to it.

Ingredients:

4oz Wild Salmon Fillet
1 small orange
2 big handfuls spinach
lemon juice
seasoning


Directions:

Season salmon fillet (I used Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper). Grill 4-6 minutes, or until done. While the salmon is grilling, peel the orange. Place the spinach and peeled orange in bowl or on plate. Add salmon. Pour lemon juice over salad to taste.

Lemon Meringueless Pie

This pie is absolutely delish! Egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free...but you sure can't tell!

Ingredients:

one recipe for No-Roll Pie Crust for a 9-inch pie, baked and cooled
2 1/2 C cold water
1 3/4 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/4 C cornstarch or tapioca flour
1 1/4 C granulated sugar (I did half sugar half stevia)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C lemon juice
1 TBS grated lemon peel
1 TBS coconut oil

Directions:

Prepare and pre-bake the no-roll pie crust according to the recipe directions. Cool the crust and set aside.

In a two-quart saucepan, combine the water, gelatin, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Whisk the liquid occasionally over medium heat until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and add lemon juice, lemon peel, and coconut oil. Whisk the mixture to blend it.

Slowly pour the lemon filling into the cooled pie crust. Leave the pie on the counter for about an hour to allow the filling to cool. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and chill overnight.






From: Celebrating Food: 121 Gluten-Free recipes for a Healthier You! by Susan Gauen

GF No-roll Pie Crust

This pie crust can be frozen! Hooray!

Ingredients for 9-inch bottom crust:

3/4 C Pancake and Baking mix
1/4 C plus 2 TBS oat flour
2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar (You can also use Stevia in the Raw)
1/4 C plus 2 TBS oil of choice
2 TBS plus 1 tsp non-dairy milk (I use rice milk)

Directions:

Measure all the dry ingredients into a clean pie plate and mix them together with a fork.

Whisk oil and milk together in a separate bowl, then add them to the dry ingredients, once again mixing with a fork. Use your hands to press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Crimp the edges with your fingers.

If the pastry must be baked before the filling is added, bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 24-26 minutes or until the crust begins to turn golden. Let cool.

If you don't need to bake the pastry, add the pie filling and bake the pie as the directions require. What the pastry should look like before baking.

From: Celebrating Food: 121 Gluten-Free Recipes for a Healthier You! by Susan Gauen

Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix

This mix I found in the book "Celebrating Food: 121 Gluten-Free Recipes for a Healthier You" by Susan Gauen. This book was a gift to me from my mother-in-law. It is AMAZING. The recipes are superb, easy, and fairly cheap. I love this flour mix mostly because it doesn't contain bean flours, which can be bitter. When measuring, spoon into measure cups and scrape over the top with a knife. This is important, otherwise your measurements will be off. Be sure to mix in the order given, and mix VERY WELL. This makes approx. 29 cups of flour mixture.


Ingredients:

8 1/2 C Brown Rice Flour
1 C Potato Starch
3/4 C plus 2 Tbs Baking Powder
3 Tbsp Salt
1/4 C plus 1 Tbs Xanthan Gum
4 C Coconut flour, almond meal, cornmeal (fine-ground), or oat flour (I used oat flour, because it was the least expensive)
4 1/2 C White Rice Flour
6 1/2 C Sorghum Flour
4 1/2 C Tapioca Flour (aka tapioca starch)


Directions:

Place the brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum into a large (very large) bowl in the order given. Use a large spoon to turn the mixture over and over, turning the bowl and scraping across the bottom of the bowl each time. Baked goods will only turn out correctly when the baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum are evenly distributed throughout the mix, so good mixing is important.

Add all remaining ingredients and do a very thorough mixing again (At this point I combined everything in the big bucket storage container I was going to store it in).

To ensure ingredients trapped in the bottom of the bowl are well mixed, tip the mixture into a different large bowl and mix thoroughly yet one more time (I just put the lid on and shook the bucket, then stirred more). Now the mix is ready to be used.

Storage:
Store in gallon jars, zip-top bags, or canisters with snug-fitting lids. If the mixture will not be used within one month or will be used in a humid climate, store in the refrigerator. The contents of the mix settle during storage, so use a whisk or fork to fluff it up each time before measuring.


*I store mine in my box-freezer, to save room in the fridge. It works just as well.*

I will post recipes using this flour, so stay tuned!

Beef and Vegetable Stew

I LOVE homemade soups. They are the best, especially once fall/winter rolls around (and also much healthier than store-bought soups). I also love crock pots/slow cookers. The convenience of putting dinner on in the morning while baby is napping and the wonderful smells emanating throughout the house during the day is wonderful. This combines BOTH, making it a super fantastic recipe. Plus it's PACKED with veggies. Yum!

Ingredients:
1 lb stew meat, lightly browned but not cooked through
2 stalks celery, diced
3 tomatoes, diced (you can also use canned diced tomatoes, just drain them as best you can)
1/4 lb green beans, snapped and cut into pieces (one can of green beans, drained, works as well)
2 potatoes, diced
1/4 onion, diced
1 zucchini, sliced into small pieces
1 very large carrot, cut into small pieces
8 cups water
reduced sodium beef bullion granules (yes, they exist...check your local co-op or health food store)
basil, oregano, parsley, pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat water until simmering. Add the appropriate amount of bullion to water, stir to mix, creating broth (for mine it was 1 tsp bullion per 1 C water...so 8tsp bullion). Put all ingredients but broth and spices into a slow cooker. Add basil, oregano, parsley, and pepper to taste. Add the broth. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high 4-6 hours.

You can freeze leftovers in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.

My Green Drink Blunder

So I am trying this new thing....60-80% of what I eat will be raw and the other 40-20% will be whole foods and lean meats ONLY. (well...maybe the once-in-a-blue-moon gf ginger cookie will make it's way past my lips...)

So in order to do this, I have discovered the power of: GREEN DRINKS! Oh yes...they are simply amazing. They make it easy to get all your veggies and fruits in as well as give you TONS of energy to fit everything you need to into your day....plus you feel great!

Well, I decided to make my own green drink...without a recipe to go off of. HAHAHAHAHA. SO...being very inexperienced at this whole thing, I took: 4 over-stuffed handfuls of spinach, 3 leafs/stems of kale, 1 cucumber, 1 lemon, 1 bunch of parsley, 2 cups of water, and put it in the blender. At the same time. This is what happened:




Looks gross, huh? Well, for starters, I had to eat it with a spoon. That's right. A spoon. Secondly, it tasted like MUD. NOT an exaggeration. It was clearly a disaster. So I e-mailed a dear friend of mine who is great at this stuff, and she shared a recipe with me. I didn't have everything for it (aka flax seed oil) and there were a lot of options as to what veggies and fruit to add. Here is what I did:

1/4 lemon (including peel)
21/2 cups of water
1/2 Tsp stevia
1/2lb of spinach
1 avocado
Beat for 90 seconds on high
Add fruit:
1 banana
5 frozen strawberries
Beat til smooth--about two minutes.

This is what came out of the blender:



MMMMM! SO GOOD! The avocado made it creamy and the banana added a nice sweetness to it. I did taste the drink BEFORE adding the fruit, and it was super good too, so tomorrow I think I will try another recipe that does not include fruit and see how it tastes.

I have been drinking this drink all day and it's almost all gone...I am saving a bit for the hubby to try when he gets home. Super good, super in-expensive, and super good for you! Bon appetit!

3 Favs

These are 3 of my favorite allergy-friendly foods I don't think I could live without!

First: SUNBUTTER! For all allergic to nuts/peanuts, we CAN enjoy a "peanut butter" and jelly sandwich...without the anaphylactic shock! This wonderful substance is called: "Sunbutter" and as it suggests, is made out of sunflower seeds. You can get it in crunchy, creamy, or natural. So good!



Second: Rice milk. It is sweet, dairy free, gluten free, and good for you! I use it as a substitute for anything requiring milk.




Last but not least is...VEGANAISE! Absolutely LOVE this stuff! It is egg free, dairy free, gluten free, and FABULOUS! I put it on sandwiches, use it in recipes, even make my own allergy-free RANCH DRESSING with it! (Disclosure: Dressings, especially in large quantities, can be bad for you...eat wisely!)




Mmm! Isn't it so great there are so many options out there?!

Quinoa Salad

I have but one word for this: DELICIOUS!




(Please don't let the list of ingredients scare you...it's really not hard to make at all!)

1 C Quinoa
1 1/2 C cold water
1 C snow peas
1 C chopped celery
1 small carrot, sliced thin
1/2 green pepper, sliced thin
1 medium ripe tomato
1 medium cucumber, diced
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
1/2 C sunflower seeds

Dressing:
4 tbs lemon juice
1/4 olive oil
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste

Soak quinoa 15 minutes in cold water. Rinse thoroughly. Place in 2 qt pot with the water and bring to boil. Cover and cook on low for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes with the lid on. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool.

Steam the carrots and green veggies for 5 minutes.

Chop the tomato, herb, and cucumber.

Blend dressing ingredients in small bowl.

Gently combine veggies, sunflower seed, quinoa, and dressing in a large bowl.

Eat now, or refrigerate and eat later! No re-heating required!



Variations:
All of the following also work well in this salad:
Shell peas
Green Beans
Parsley
Cilantro
Dried cranberries, raisins, apricots
cayenne pepper
minced ginger

Just experiment and have fun!

Yummy Pico de Gallo

This dish is a favorite at my house. I don't follow measurments- I just make it up as I go along. It changes every time! I tried to put approximate measurements for you...just have fun!

3-5 tomatoes, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 serrano chillies, seeded and diced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
cayenne pepper to taste
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste

Mix together. Let sit in fridge 2-4 hours to blend flavors. Serve with chips, or eat with a spoon! I also sometimes mash avocado and mix it in...mmm!

Healthy Eating

Gluten-free. Dairy-free. Egg-free. Soy-free. Nut-free.

Sounds like it would all taste like cardboard, huh? WRONG!!!!
I have been eating this way for YEARS and I have yet to miss out on anything yummy.

Now, the only death-allergy I have are nuts/peanuts. BUT I have found I do not tolerate wheat (or gluten), dairy, soy or eggs (I get super sick). So I pretty much follow allergy-free cooking, for my own comfort and health.

So here is a blog. A blog to share yummy, allergy-free and HEALTHY recipes...tried and tested by yours truly, for your enjoyment. Here goes!