Saturday, April 5, 2014

Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower "Rice"

Where have I been?! If you have not tried making cauliflower 'rice' this is your chance! As a grain-free family, rice is something that I miss from time to time. Coming from a Latin home, rice is part of almost every dish ans it was hard to give it up. The other day I craved it and finally decided to try making cauliflower "rice". I am always looking for ways to incorporate a large variety of veggies for O. Cauliflower is not one we have often so it was time to add it in. 

So, here is a little taste of my interpretation on "Latin rice" 





Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower "Rice"

Ingredients:
  1/2 head of Cauliflower 
  1/4 cup frozen or fresh Peas
  1/4 cup thinly chopped Carrots 
  Handful of fresh Cilantro
  1-2tbs fresh Lime Juice 
  1/4 cup Onions 
  2 cloves Garlic (minced) 
  1/4 tsp Cumin
  1/4 tsp Sea Salt
  1tsp  of Ghee. Grass-fed Butter or Coconut oil (I used Ghee because if gives it a more savory taste)

Directions:

1. Break off the "flowers" from the core and place them in a food processor and pulse to the desired consistency. I like mine in small pieces for the rice consistency and pulse about 8-10 times. If you do not have a food processor, simply chop it into small pieces.

2. On medium heat, melt the Ghee and add minced garlic for about 15 seconds, add onions and sauté for a couple of minutes until golden in color.

3. Add the cauliflowerc, cumin, salt, pepper, lime juice, and sauté until you achieve your desired consistency. I like if to hold it's shape and to have a little crunch so I cook it for about 5-8minutes. Add Cilantro and mix in one minute before it is ready. Cool and serve! 

Enjoy!

If you have perfected this recipe or have any suggestions be sure to comment below. 
  
~ Blessings to All~ 

Sunday, March 30, 2014

DIY Vision/Planning/Decorative Board




This is a simple, inexpensive, versatile and fun project! You can use any size cork board and it can be adjusted for every room in your home. I came across a $3 36x26 board and I saw lots of potential. All you need is:
  A board
  Fabric you would love to look at on a daily basis
  4-8 Thumbtacks 
  Acrylic Paint 
 and inspiration!

Step 1: Paint the border with an acrylic color of your choice. I chose yellow because it attracts attention and pulls you in. Be sure to paint it outdoors to avoid the fumes or paint in the bathroom with the fan on like I did. Allow the paint to dry. Try adding quotes, words, Flowers or paisleys or stickers. 

Step 2: Iron and cut out the fabric to the size or the board. Fold over the edges on all sides and use a thumbtack on each corner making sure it pulled tightly to avoid wrinkles. Add more thumbtacks to the areas that are needed which will depend on the weight of your fabric. 

That's it! :) 


This particular board is for my 'studio'. I am opening at Etsy shop in April to share my handmade goods with others. I call this my 'vision board'. This will serve a beautiful reminder of what I love, what inspires me which will be my favorite photos of my Son, reminders and quotes that I love. This is my special space that ended up costing me under $10. 


I chose to use thumbtacks to hold the fabric in place because I want to have the option of changing the fabric . A staple gun, hot glue or fabric glue could be used to attach the fabric to the board. 

I hope this inspires you to make a special board just for you!

~ Blessings To All~ 


Thursday, March 13, 2014

"Mommy, Let's Live in the Moment!"



The other day I caught myself missing a beautiful moment with my Son.

The whole Curing Decay journey can be very energy consuming for me as a parent. It is a big part of our daily lives. Protocols, making sure he takes his supplements, adding minerals to the water, rinsing, brushing, etc. I have to keep an eye on the progress and every time it is nerve racking. I am human, and as many of us have my moments of doubt. When these moments arise, I remind myself to "trust the process" but many of us know how hard that can be. I am doing the best I can as a Mother and as a Woman.

My Son and I were having a conversation a couple of weeks ago. He laughed and I automatically glanced at his top 4 teeth. Peeking and seeing how things were going. Is there more decay? Any chips? Discoloration? No. All is well. Back to my Son. By the time I was done peeking, he was ready to walk away. I missed the eye contact. That moment of connection, joy, happiness and that fuel that a parent gets from seeing their child happy. That moment will never be back. I realized that my worrying (which is pretty normal Mommy life) and thinking of the past and the future was taking time from NOW. How did I drift off like that? It is a feeling that I do not want to experience again.  When I see myself drifting off, I remind myself to come back. "LIVE IN THE NOW!" I am going through the most amazing time of my life seeing my Beautiful little man grow. Everything else, comes after. 

Will I ever experience Motherhood again? I am not sure. What this taught me is that this experience came to us for a reason as with everything. It came our way to simply teach and push me to be a better, more conscious parent. Our lives, diets and knowledge of how the human body works naturally keeps expanding. It is my duty to educate myself and teach my Son what good, holistic oral health consists of. Could if have taught him this without the decay? Maybe since holistic dentistry it is something that has always has intrigued me. After all, I am grateful that his little body was able to signal his deficiency early on. 

Mamas: Look up. Look into your Child's eyes. Live that moment. Take it all in. They are telling you that it is all okay, that it will all work out and most importantly that they love you.

We are doing the best we can and that is simply all we can do. Let's live in the moment and keep pushing with LOVE.





~Love to All~

Thursday, February 13, 2014

RAW Cacao-Maca Covered Strawberries






With Valentine's day being tomorrow and organic strawberries on sale, I decided to whip up a special treat for Papa and I. Organic, Raw Cacao-Maca Covered Strawberries! I love chocolate. I admit it. Raw Cacao, that is! It is a nice, homemade treat without the junk! The Chocolate is RAW dairy-free and sweetened with raw, local honey. Depending on the type of raw honey available to you, the consistency of the Chocolate may change. The honey I use is raw, unfiltered and pretty thick which is great for this type of treat. 


Let's get started!


You will need:
  • Parchment Paper
  • A plate or small flat container 
  • A double-boiling system. I don't have one so I simply use one smaller Pyrex pot inside the other. Improvise! 


Ingredients:
  • 6 Large Organic Strawberries
  • 2 TBS Raw, unfiltered Honey
  • 2 TBS Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 Tsp Vanilla Extract OR 1/4 tsp of Vanilla Bean (what I used)
  • 3 TBS Raw Cacao powder
  • 1/2 TBS Maca Root powder
  • 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
  • pinch of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

Directions:
  1. Get your double boiler setup and turn on the stove to LOW/MED heat and let is sit for 5mins, then down to LOW. If you are not familiar with the double boiler setup, simply fill  a large pot with about 1/4 water. Then, place a smaller pot inside the larger pot. 
  2. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. 
  3. Wash Strawberries ;-)
  4. Add Coconut oil  to the pot and allow it to melt.
  5. Add Honey and stir until mixed well into a creamy consistency. 
  6. Add Vanilla, Cacao, Maca, Cinnamon, & salt slowly while stirring. This may require that you remove the small pot onto a stable surface. Mix well until until completely blended in. Taste test! Make sure it is sweet enough and perfect for you. :)
  7. Get your dish ready with parchment paper (I taped the sides to ensure a flat surface)
  8. Dip the strawberries in the chocolate and use a spoon to set it where you want the chocolate to be. You can drizzle or simple dip them as I did. 
  9. Set the tray in the freezer for 5 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator.  

REMEMBER: Coconut Oil melts at 78 degrees F. Keep them in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

ENJOY!

~ Blessings & LOVE ~ 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Curing Toddler Tooth Decay Naturally




First, I want to start off by saying that I believe that every situation that comes my way is one to challenge my beliefs, to help me grow and learn. This is how I choose to take this experience. I am sharing our personal story to help and inspire other parents who are faced with the same situation to seek alternatives and do research. There is information out there. There are alternatives and ways to help your child’s teeth. There is support.

After  my Son’s 1st birthday I started to notice that something was off with his top 4 teeth. A couple of weeks later his right incisor chipped and his teeth felt soft when I put pressure on it with my nail. I immediately made an appointment with a local Holistic Dentist to confirm my suspicion of tooth demineralization. We saw the dentist but the consult was completely discouraging. The Dentist took a quick look and asked if I gave him fruit juice on a regular basis. I never had! He was exclusively breastfeed up to that point and was not interested in food. She proceeded to tell me that his teeth would get worse, turn dark and that in fact there was Demineralization. The Dentist blamed it on the night breastfeeding. Wait. How? What? Why are there so many children that night nurse all over the world that do not see tooth decay? What was I doing wrong? I mentioned our healthy diet because I knew that our bodies are able to regenerate and heal when properly supported. I also mentioned how he started taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil and how we were starting to incorporate some of the things the Weston A. Price Foundation recommend. I also mentioned that there was a book named "Cure Tooth Decay”. During the Dentist's many years of practice,  she had never seen a case where tooth decay was reversed with diet. I was told that my Son’s teeth were going to get worse and dark. That I also had to stop the night nursing and co-sleeping.  I left that office in tears. I cannot explain the feeling of having failed my son with something so basic. The helplessness and frustration took over me. I didn’t understand. We eat organic, clean food. Why?  That evening,  I sat down, got myself together and reminded myself that our teeth are living organisms just like our skin, our organs and our hair. I knew there was a way to bring them back and was determined to do my best. But before that, I had to figure out why and how this happened so I spent many, many late nights reading and researching.

There is no better detective than a worried, determined mother.

The Pediatric dentistry information I came across is very vague. I came across a lot of information that blamed it breastmilk. This just didn’t sound right to me. I read this article which proves that wrong. Breast milk actually helps clean the mouth. As a mother with a child with tooth decay, I was faced with two options. 

1. Allowing the teeth to get worse and have them pulled later on or 
2. Get teeth filled. 

Both these options require local anesthesia and that simply was not an option for us. It is way too risky to put a child under at his age. There had to be something else out there!


I started immersing myself in information on healing decay, reading success stories and connecting with other mothers in the same situation. I had heard of the “Cure Tooth Decay” book a couple of  years ago and was so intrigued then. Healing cavities naturally is not something that is talked about regularly. There is no money involved or profit to be made by healing naturally so it is kept under the radar as most natural forms of healing. Most folks go in, get their teeth drilled, filled, pay a lot of money and go on with their lives. Months or years later, you go in and get some more drilled. Something is wrong with this picture. You only have one set of teeth. Why drill away? Cutting things off my body is just something that has ever resonated with me. I am saying this as a person who has had many fillings, braces and not the best history of oral health.  I finally got the “Cure Tooth Decay” book from a Mom in the same situation. She mailed the book to me and in the cover wrote that she would pray for both of our families on this journey. That melted my heart and gave me a lot of strength. I knew she had felt what I did at a point and that support really gave me an extra boost to keep pushing. Thank you, Katie! I devoured the book within a night and applied everything I could right away.

Tooth decay is attributed to many factors. It can be attributed to genetics, a diet high in Phytic Acid with grains and gluten, a diet high in processed sugar and fruit sugar as it can have the same effect. It could also come from a gut issue with unbalanced gut bacteria or from a mother who was deficient in nutrients while in utero. I will share what I believe to have caused MY Son's but please do your own research. I can only share what applies to us. I ended up doing the diet with my Son at the begining. I had nothing to loose and everything to gain.

He was already Gluten and Grain-free. Our family used Fluoride-free toothpaste, we drank and bathed in clean water, ate Organic, local and clean sources of meat and dairy so we were already doing many things right. I attribute my Son's tooth decay to 3 things

You can read details about our protocol here.

Fruit Sugar
This whole breast milk thing had me reflecting on my diet. Was I providing the healthiest of milk for him? I came to the realization that I was taking in way too much fruit. You see, it was the middle of the summer where local cantaloupes, watermelon, peaches and nectarines were abundant and cheap. I could eat fruit all day! But it is fruit. Isn't fruit GOOD for you? It is still sugar. My Son consumed a couple of pieces per day just like I did and he loved it. Unfortunately, that did not help his already weak teeth. The busy SAHM lifestyle and the quick, easy meal to go was ideal for these situations. Can you say 5 bananas a day? Oy! We also used to snack a lot. Once on our protocol to heal tooth decay, fruit was completely cut out from both of our diets. We also condensed meals to three times per day and did not snack. Fruit sugar can throw off your blood sugar levels and your body needs to leach phosphorous and calcium from your bones in order to balance out. Teeth are usually the first place where those minerals get leached from. Aha! 


Vegan Diet
Yes, I am going there.  Prior to my pregnancy, I was Raw Vegan for 1.5yrs and vegetarian prior to that. I had sensitive teeth for most of the time which is thought to be “normal” for that diet from what I read. I was adviced to cut down on fruit and rinse often.  Little did I know there was a underlying issue. I cleansed and detoxed so much for so long and didn't replace the minerals. When I was pregnant and up until my birth I really wasn't fully comfortable eating animal products until today. I felt amazing while vegan for the first year on the diet but after that something began to happen. I craved eggs, fish and cheese. I have always loved those three things but remained committed to my diet. Little did I know that all that time my body was craving Healthy fats, calcium, K2, vitamin D and minerals that it needed. At the beginning of my pregnancy I was tested for Iron and vitamin D. Both came back extremely low so I began to supplement both while still mentally trying to maintain a vegetarian diet. This was a huge shock because I  ate very well, supplemented and kept on top of that stuff.  Later on, I realized that a diet lacking animal products while pregnant was not safe for ME. Yes, there have been women who have had healthy children while vegetarian, vegan, raw, etc. For me, this was not the way. I had to change. My body was craving it and I had to put my beliefs aside and nourish my growing Baby.

FAT SOLUBLE vitamin D, A, K2, and cholesterol are vital for healthy, strong teeth. These vitamins are found in grass-fed animal products, raw dairy, seafood and organ meats. Animal products nourish the body while vegetables cleanse it. I realize that now. You do not have to agree with me on that. I also don't feel like I should be supplementing things that I can get from healthy, clean sources. 

I was low in minerals - now I drink bone broth! I was lacking most of these important vitamins. I also learned that the top 4 teeth are formed in Utero at around two months. If the mother is lacking nutrients around that time, the child may also.

Unbalanced gut bacteria at a young age or while in Utero and may also cause decay which is the case of many other Mothers I have met. This is caused by taking antibiotics while pregnant, or the child being put on antibiotics at a young age for ear infections. Balanced gut bacteria is vital to healing decay.  We make sure to take a form of Probiotics daily and rotate often. 

Upper Lip Tie
My Son had an undiagnosed Upper Lip Tie that was missed by his pediatrician and the first Dentist. What puzzled me about his decay is that it was only the top 4 teeth that were affected. It was mysterious. The top bottom 4 teeth were white, strong and in great shape. While conducting my research I came across many similar cases. All of them had one thing in common. An Upper Lip tie! These are diagnosed along with tongue ties early if there is nursing trouble. Since we had no trouble and I had a very forceful letdown A lip tie did not cross my mind. I DID notice that his upper lip was a little tight when he smiled.  Also, many children live with lip ties and don't experience decay. The skin stretches or naturally tears during the toddler years (which is what happened with my Son at 2yo). Dentists do not really look for it either. I had to ask the dentist about it for him to even look at it. In most cases, these are corrected by putting the child under and snipping it or by a child being held down for a 5 minute lazer Frenectomy. Both of those were not options for us. No, I was not going to put him through it unless I really had to. I knew that there was an underlying nutrition and hygiene issue in our case. Once the nutrition was corrected and with now being aware of the Lip tie, I took extra precautions. After every meal, before a nap and before bed I make sure he rinses with water and I clean under the lip and apply coconut oil. That has worked very well for us.  

Could Breast milk and an upper lip tie cause the decay? The combination may contribute to the decay IF there is a nutritional deficiency in my opinion. That upper lip area needs to remain clean and rinsed after meals and before naps and bedtime. I always add a little magic antibacterial and antifungal coconut oil to the affected area.  

After about a month of following the protocol, I began to see positive changes. His teeth began to look strong and shiny and less chalky. The color started changing to a more of a white tone and since then I have not seen the decay get worse. With child tooth decay, things happen very quickly. I learned to identify the stages of decay and how to tell if it was active or not by how hard or soft the area was. Baby teeth are not as strong as adult teeth and more susceptible to decay. After about 4 months I compared photos from previous months and was ecstatic! I saw growth above the decay that looked white, strong and healthy. What was even more amazing was that the area of decay started to fill in with new enamel. Could this really be what I thought it was? I decided to share it with my Mommy tribe and they confirmed my suspicions! It was NEW growth. Healthy and strong! I began searching for an open minded local dentist that would simply confirm what I was witnessing.  I finally got a recommendation for a mainstream but open minded dentist. I had to know and finally took him in.

I went in to that office not expecting anything but also prepared not to be walked over. I knew than many Dentists aren't aware of the protocol and simply don’t believe that teeth can REminiralize. At the beginning of our visit, he looked in my Son’s mouth and I pretty much felt like our first visit. He blamed the decay it all on breast feeding and advice that I take him to the local Children’s hospital to put him under anesthesia to get those filled. He chuckled when I told him I had been following a protocol to heal his teeth. Once he asked what we were eating everything changed. I explained how we were eating a WAPF diet of healthy fats, clean water, grass-fed meats, pasture-raised beef and tons of vegetables. Then, I decided to show him a of photos above and he was amazed. I took a minute to ask what the white line above the decay was and he confirmed my suspicion. NEW, HEALTHY growth! He told me to keep doing what I was doing, that I had nothing to lose and all to gain. I walked out of there with the biggest smile in my face. It was all worth it!

My Son is worth it. His teeth are worth it. There are other options out there. His Baby teeth may never look the same way they used to. But I know that the decay is halted, that healthy growth is coming in and that I am doing all I can to ensure that his adult teeth are nice, strong and decay-free. 

He is perfect to me. We are happy, hopeful, continue to nurse and have kept his body intact. 

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Coming Full Moon into Motherhood



How do you find balance between who you were before motherhood and who you are now? You ride the wave. You learn. You experience and live. Live through the struggle of confusion. Learn through living off 5hrs of sleep. Through those days where you don't feel your best. Those days full of exhaustion where you cannot take off because you are a mother. Those days where you just need to walk away and be with yourself. 

2013's winter solstice brought a lot of clarity my way. I felt energized, renewed and ready for a change. It brought with it the realization that in order for me to take care of others, I must put myself first. Growing up, my vision of motherhood was sacrifice. Somehow I subconsciously felt like I had to give up myself and serve, serve and serve. Do most mothers go through this? I am not sure. All I knew is that something did not feel right.

I realized that I have to do things that make me happy and complete. Things that make my body feel good and healthy. Things that nourish my soul. I had to do this not only for me, but for my Son. I had to do some time traveling to the zen-me a couple of years ago. Spiritually I was at a beautiful place. What happened? Well, I was stressed. Let's face it, Motherhood rocks your world! In a good way, of course. In that transition, I let go of the things that brought me peace because time for yourself is very limited. Your priorities completely change. You forget about yourself. I left meditation, yoga, painting, crafting, working out and being on top of my diet. Once I traveled back to that place I realized that I am still ME. That those things are still part of my life and that motherhood has just made me stronger, wiser and more confident. 

I love myself enough to make the effort and make myself happy because that is the only way to give the best of me. I love myself enough to wake up at 5am and dedicate an hour to my soul. I love myself enough to work on making myself happy and complete so that I can in return provide that to my Son and partner. I am worth it. I love myself enough to commit  at least 15minutes to moving my body, to slow down, to meditate and relax. 

I commit to myself because I am worth it. 

You are worth it, Sisters! Love yourself. Take care of yourselves. Treat yourselves with love and compassion. Fall in love with the experience, the ups and downs. Take good care of the vessel you are in now. It is the only one you have. You are worth it! 


Watch out, Universe! Here come many more confident, empowered Mothers! 


~Love to All~