If you have a family member or friend who’ll be joining you for the holiday, I’d suggest providing your full, exact recipe to them in advance - they will be able to cross reference and know if/what they’ll be able to enjoy. Many people with food intolerance will bring something to snack on with them to events, so don’t feel offended. It’s safer for their health to bring their own food, and it’s less inconvenience to the cook! Now let’s look at how we can easily modify your traditional Thanksgiving basics….

THE TURKEY

Turkeys don’t have any bread or pasta in them (which is what we typically think of when we think gluten free) but not all turkeys are created equal. Some turkeys are injected with flavorings/preservatives containing gluten, so make sure you read the label or contact the company in advance!

Here’s a great response from a popular grocery store brand, Butterball: “When there are dietary concerns, we advise purchasing Butterball Fresh Turkey and Butterball Fresh Breast of Turkey, which are all-natural and contain no added ingredients.  Individual ingredients (water, salt, sodium phosphate to retain natural juices, modified food starch [corn or potato source], dextrose and natural flavors — no allergenic ingredients) are specified on the labels of all Butterball Frozen Turkeys and Butterball frozen line extension products.”

THE GRAVY

You’ll need to make your own gravy from the turkey drippings, using corn starch or gluten free flour as the thickener.

THE STUFFING

The core ingredient in stuffing is dried bread, so this will need some gluten free modifications. Purchase a gluten free mix from a local gluten free bakery (like Apple Gluten Free Kitchen – tastes great)! You’ll also have to check for gluten in the stuffing’s sausage and get gluten free turkey stock (Kitchen Basic Gluten Free Turkey Stock is available at Jewel).

THE CRANBERRY SAUCE

I can’t promote the use of a sugar-filled, preservative-full fruit sauce that comes from a can. But what I can do is suggest a recipe for a homemade raw cranberry sauce below:

In a food processor, add 1 orange (remove peel and seeds), 1 lemon (remove peel and seeds), 4 dates (pitted and chopped). Slowly add 2 cups fresh cranberries and process until coarsely chopped.  If you like cranberry sauce that is less tart, add more dates! 

THE SIDES

The more fresh, colorful veggies the better! A green bean casserole contains soup (not gluten free) and onion toppings - substitute crumbled “funions” for the onion topping, and get a gluten free soup from your local health food store. In the Chicagoland area, Fruitful Yield will have what you need (including a complete green bean casserole mix)! If you’re serving bread/rolls, gluten free options are available at practically any store. But here’s a better recipe for Thanksgiving green beans:

Steam 1 lb. fresh green beans for about 8 minutes (about half-done). Meanwhile, prepare ingredients for your skillet: 1 tbsp. coconut oil, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, 1/4 cup hazelnuts (finely chopped), zest of one lemon, 2 tbsp. chopped rosemary. Add those ingredients to the skillet, on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add green beans, coat, and cook for about 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy! 

Here’s an easy, gluten free recipe for Butternut Squash I use all the time, but goes great with the Thanksgiving theme!

Ingredients: 1 butternut squash, 1 tbsp. coconut oil, 2 tbsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. raw honey

Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place one half face down in a small glass baking dish with 1 inch of water. Microwave on high for about 6 minutes, to slightly soften the squash. Remove and cool. Remove outer skin of squash, and cut into 1 inch cubes. Add coconut oil to a pan, heat on medium. Add squash, cinnamon, honey. Cook until mostly soft and serve. 

Gluten Free Kale and Cranberries, borrowed from one of my favorite recipe sites ElanasPantry.com. Kale is a very healthy vegetable choice – it’s full of essential nutrients and vitamins, and is naturally low in calories.

Ingredients: 2 large bunches of kale, 1/4 c. pine nuts, 1/4 c. dried cranberries, 3 tbsp. olive oil

Steam kale until bright green. Meanwhile, toast pine nuts until golden brown. Allow both to cool, then mix together in a large serving bowl. Add cranberries and olive oil, serve. 

THE PUMPKIN PIE

The pie crust is not gluten free, so you’ll need to make some modifications here. I would suggest using crumbled gluten free graham crackers (or gluten free gingerbread cookies) as a substitute in a pie crust recipe. Or, pre made gluten free pie crusts are available at Whole Foods.

Want to try a new, healthier recipe that isn’t a sugar vehicle?  This one is borrowed from PaleoLifestyleDiet.com:

Filling Ingredients: 1 can pumpkin puree (or 1  3/4  c. fresh home made pumpkin puree), 2 eggs, 1/2 c. raw honey, 1/2 c. coconut milk, 2 tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves, 1/4 tsp. fresh grated ginger

Crust Ingredients: 1 c. pecans, 1/2 c. hazelnuts, 4 tbsp. coconut oil, pinch of sea salt

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Process nuts in food processor until flour like consistency. In a bowl, mix nuts, salt, and coconut oil – then spread the crust mixture into a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes. Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl. Fill evenly into the baked crust and bake additional 45 minutes. 

Please remember to read each label carefully, and check for ingredients that are processed in a plant containing wheat. Best wishes for the Thanksgiving Holiday!

What does this look like? Digestive Issues – people with constipation, diarrhea, and diagnosis of IBS or Crohn’s. Headaches. Fatigue. Inability to lose weight despite diet and exercise.  Any inflammatory condition (arthtiris, aching joints, and so forth). Skin problems like acne, psoriasis, eczema, or rashes.  Allergies (sinus infections, ear infections, sneezing, cough).

What foods would most likely cause this? Well, the “heavy hitters” of Food Sensitivities are Gluten, Dairy, and Sugar. Each of those are actually not a single item, it’s a category. Example: Gluten is actually: Barley, Brewer’s Yeast, Gliadin, Gluten, Hops, Malt, Oat, Rye, Spelt, and/or Wheat. Dairy is: Caesin, Cow’s Milk, Egg Yolk, Egg white, Goat’s Milk, Sheep’s Milk.  And if you’re thinking that you don’t even eat these items, think again. Cow’s milk is ice cream. Sheep’s milk is the primary ingredient in yogurt. Eggs are in practically anything that comes in a wrapper or box.

Why do you need a test to find all of this out? Simply because it would be extremely difficult to choose one item at a time and test it out to see if removing it makes a change. AND, if you can be sensitive/intolerant to Cow’s Milk…. Why couldn’t you be to Broccoli? Or Olive Oil? It’s not just foods that are “bad” for you – it can be anything and everything. The testing I use is the gold standard, and it even includes household chemicals, medications, herbs and supplements.

As you have heard me say many times , food is our fuel , like gasoline to a car. If we put junk in, our insides will be junk. So this means that if we want our insides to be alkaline we need to eat a diet that is 70 percent alkaline. Alkaline foods are primarily vegetables … Not always though, so it’s a great idea to check out a handy chart like this one :

Acidic foods tend to be processed, pre made, meats, carbs, and so forth. The average American eats a diet that is 70 percent acidic …. And therein lies the problem. Disease cannot survive in an alkaline environment. In fact, disease and bacteria actually love and thrive in acidity. Having health is not about how we feel or our symptoms. Health is about functioning at 100 percent.

In order for our body to function well and prevent the development of disease and cancer, we need to create the  correct environment. we need to provide it the correct fuel to do it’s job and function well.

Do you know what else affects our body’s pH? Stress level! The more stress we have, the more acidity we create. But that’s a whole new topic for another post….

Please share – What are your favorite alkaline based recipes or foods ?

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5) Each practice member is unique – we are designed to be ever-changing and dynamic, and for that reason, each treatment is unique as well. I also address a practice member’s health from several different areas (physical, nutritional, emotional, and so forth) so each visit is always new and exciting!

4)  I feel blessed to be a part of each of my practice member’s journeys. They share with me their vision boards, their career goals, and their baby news. Wow.

3) I get to talk about my one of my favorite topics all day long – attaining HEALTH!

2) I have the privilege of assisting others with their intention to heal, and function at their optimal level. I am a facilitator for the momentum of healing and health. There is nothing more important than your health – if you don’t have that, what else matters?

1) I have a great team that works beside me each day. Mary Pat at the Front Desk holds down the fort and no detail slides by her! She’s an incredibly warm and caring woman. Joan in Insurance/Billing anticipates every need of the practice, before I even think of it! She is a creative, positive, “bigger-picture” thinker.

Thank you to all who have supported me along the way, and to each person I have the privilege of working with. 

In Health, Dr. Kristen

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There are two types of people who will benefit from juicing. The first is someone who has a lot of health problems and would like to improve or even resolve their health problems (especially arthritis, bowel problems, skin problems, and so forth). The other person is someone who already has a good base of health to begin, and wants to stay healthy and prevent disease. I suppose you could also say that maintaining a healthy weight is a “side effect” of consuming a lot of veggies!

Fresh Juice is designed to be consumed immediately after making. When you expose it to light and air, it begins to

loose nutrients. Storage of juice is not the best idea, but if you make a large batch (to take to work that day, for example) you should store it in a metal container, in the refrigerator. It’s best to consume juice between the hours of 7am and 9am when your Stomach is most energetically active! Juicing is easier and better than eating whole vegetables. You can consume a greater amount, a greater variety, AND research has shown that the nutrients are more “bio-available” to the body in juiced form. With that being said, Juice every day, and the more colorful the vegetable the better!

As far as HOW to juice, it’s pretty simple. Don’t put items in the juicer that don’t have liquid – like bananas, avocado, or thick peels. Most vegetables can be put through the juice with their thin skin left on or their green tops (just make sure you wash it). Depending on your juicer’s mouth opening and strength, you may or may not need to chop your vegetables first.

I have posted a few recipes to get you started from our Juicing Workshop below – give these a try and make sure to let me know what you think!

“The Mojito” (Note: Aloe helps heal the inner lining of our digestive track)

2 green apples, 1 wedge of Aloe (remove outside skin and just use the clear jelly part of the plant), 1 handful of                   fresh mint, Splash of water and ice

Carrot Juice (Note: this recipe is great for the skin or an upset stomach)

3 parts apple, 3 parts carrot, 1 part ginger  

“Basically Green”

1 green apple,   ¼ cucumber (skin on), 1 celery stalk,   ¼ lemon (peel on)

Dilute with an equal amount of H2o.

Detox Recipe 2  (Note: use beets sparingly)

1 beet (raw with skin on),    ½ lemon (can leave skin on), 2 carrots, 1 green apple, 1” piece of ginger

Quick V8 Juice (Spinach: the healthiest leaves are colorful and dark!)

3 carrots, 1 tomato, Handful of spinach

The very first step is to learn more about the health benefits of juicing, and why one would want to do this. If you’ve already done this, keep reading… if not, please click here to watch a brief video.

The next step is to choose your equipment. A juicer is not the same as a blender, so you will need to make a purchase. There are a variety of machines and price points out there – from $35 to over $500. The first juicer I ever owned cost about $35. I would never discourage someone from juicing if this is the level of financial commitment you can make at this time…because doing some healthy things are always better than none!  However, I will say that this is one of those situations where you get what you pay for. This juicer (by Cuisinart) was loud, made of cheap plastic, hard to clean, and was broken in about 6 months. If you are going to start juicing, I would recommend planning on spending about $100-200. At this price point, you will look at a Jack Lalanne, Omega, or Breville, which are available at major stores and online. I have had a positive experience with my Jack Lalanne Power Express, and in fact, I would suggest this over a Breville which I have used as well. Comparably, I found the Jack Lalanne to be sturdier and more powerful. Around the $500 price point, you will encounter the holy grail of juicers – the Vitamix. It is so powerful that it leaves no leftover pulp behind. It even comes with a cookbook and a 7 year warranty! I have yet to meet a person (including myself) that has not fallen in love with this piece of kitchen equipment. 

Now, we need to explore the recipes. Start with simple recipes that have minimal ingredients! Keep your focus on vegetable recipes (as opposed to fruit) because that is where the health benefits are!

Please read Part 2 of this article next week as we continue to explore the beginning stage of becoming a healthy juicer…. And don’t forget to leave a comment or question!

Because tea is made from leaves, herbs, roots, flowers and spices, it has beneficial health proprieties. Tea contains antioxidants, or polyphenols, which have been proved to reduce the risk of cancer, lower cholesterol levels, and prevent blood clotting. Studies have shown that tea may even protect tissues from tumor development. Because we drink tea, these antioxidants are easily and quickly absorbed.  

Green tea does contain caffeine, but much less than coffee. (According to the American Dietetic Association, a cup of tea contains an average of 40 mg of caffeine, compared to 85 mg as found in a cup of freshly brewed coffee.)

There is evidence that suggests that drinking green tea might help protect the skin from sun damage and sun burn, protecting our cells from damage. Regular green tea consumption is also associated with decreased bad cholesterol, increased good cholesterol and reduced free radical damage, promoting active detoxification.

Green tea has been consumed for thousands of years throughout Asia to promote longevity, improve mental function, and to prevent disease.

Black Tea leaves are fully fermented- they are the most processed and therefore the most intense in flavor. The health benefits include possible reduction of heart disease risk due to its partial prevention of cholesterol absorption. Black teas are good for blood sugar level and blood pressure regulation, for gingivitis and tooth decay prevention.

White Tea comes from the bud of the plant rather than the leaf and is, like Green Tea, unfermented and the least processed. The buds are withered and air-dried producing a light, clean and slightly sweet cup of tea. The antioxidants in white tea may help prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes, and may even help slow down the aging process.

Herbal tea is any type of non-tea herbal infusion. While these teas don’t come from a tea leaf, they contain many medicinal proporities.Chamomile tea is calming and contains anti-microbial properties. Peppermint Tea works as a digestive aid, is antiviral and contains antibacterial properties. Hibiscus tea effects mood and blood pressure (a study found three cups a day lead to a reduction in systolic blood pressure)

Red or Rooibos tea, an herbal tea native to South Africa, is made from a bush containing needle-like leaves and colorful flowers. The “leaves” and twigs are washed, fermented and dried. This tea contains no caffeine and is lower in antioxidants, but does contain a relatively high level of vitamin C.

Following water, tea is the most popular beverage consumed in the world and it’s no wonder why!

Try it Iced: By now, the steamy summer weather has set in and a cup of hot tea probably sounds unbearable. Now is the perfect time to make a pitcher of your favorite tea, iced!  For those trying to shed pounds, skip the Frappuccino from Starbucks and try a flavorful, fruity iced tea blend. Tea is a low-calorie, refreshing option!

Summer Recipe: 

Honeydew Green Tea

Brew up a pot of your favorite green tea and let it cool. In a pitcher, add chunks of honeydew melon, pealed ginger, wildflower honey and ice. (You might find it easier to sweeten the tea with honey while it’s still warm.) Enjoy!

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In Chiropractic, we bring alignment to the spine to allow the optimal function of the Nervous System. You may be surprised to learn that the spine and Chiropractic isn’t just about back pain! Let’s take the example of having allergies and see how this system works.

The neck (cervical spine) is where the nerves that control our face/head are located. So when the brain wants to send the message to your sinuses, nose, eyes, and ears, that message must go in this order:

Brain > Nervous System> down the spine/neck > message arrives at the sinuses

And conversely, the messages from the sinuses, telling the brain that it’s having difficulty processing outside allergens, go in the opposite order back up to the brain.

If the neck is out of alignment, that message can’t get through. You might be wondering “well, my neck looks and feels normal – how bad could it be?” Studies show that the weight of a dime sitting on your skin will decrease a nerve’s ability to function from 100% to 40%. Meaning – when your brain sends the message to the sinuses to get rid of that congestion and mucus – it’s only working at 40%. As Chiropractors, this is what we do – we allow the Nervous System the opportunity to function optimally at 100%.

Studies also show that Chiropractic care boosts the overall immune system, making us less susceptible to getting sick. If you suffer from allergies, get sick each year, and have tension in your shoulders – I’d look to the spine as a potential cause of your suffering!

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1. Use natural food remedies to your advantage

Peppermint and Ginger are great for nausea and motion sickness. Stash some peppermint candies or ginger chews in your bag. Medicinal teas are also available in these two “flavors” for at home use.

2. The power of smell

Essential oils are a powerful tool for nausea in general. Get a small bottle of organic peppermint essential oil from your local health food store, and apply a dab on the inside of your wrist and sides of your neck. Breathe deeply and slowly! Note: some esential oil companies will even create blends of oils designed for traveling, in convienient roll on applicators.

3. Speaking of breathing… 

My favorite deep breathing technique is called “Four Square Breathing.” It’s very simple and can be done discreetly at any time. For a count of four, breathe in deeply through the nose, and out through the mouth for another count of four. The breathing should be slow, and deep down into the belly. This breathing activates

our Parasympathetic Nervous System which in turn tells the body to get into

“rest and digest” mode; literally instructing our body to calm down.

4. Acu-Points

Stimulate the Acupressure Point located in the soft web between our thumb and first finger. Hold moderate pressure here for thirty seconds at a time, and repeat!

If you have any natural tips for travel or motion sickness, please share. Happy traveling everyone!

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The actual definition of health, according to reliable sources such as Gray’s Anatomy (the textbook serving as the basis for the entire medical community, not the TV show) and Webster’s Dictionary is: The ability to function at 100% physically, mentally, and socially. So, health IS our ability to function. Health is not about symptoms, its about how well our body works for us. It would also logically follow that health is therefore not available in prescription bottles, it comes from what’s happening within.

I am notorious for saying “FOOD IS FUEL” – like gasoline to our cars. It’s what makes our bodies run, down to the the cellular level. When we eat/drink, our body breaks down that food, uses the nutrients as building blocks for our cells, and processes the waste. What do those important cells even do ? Good thing you’ve asked…. They can either promote health by repairing tissues and working as an incredible machine, or …. they can destroy health by being damaged and disease ridden. So what we eat/drink is actually quite important.

The typical American diet is seriously lacking in nutrients and quality. One of my favorite ways to bring large amounts of macro nutrients from veggies into the body is Juicing!  Juicing can reduce your risk of cancer, improve the immune system, remove toxins from the body, improve digestion, and help you loose weight. Sounds good right?

But, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “Well I am healthy already, I eat plenty of fruit.”  The truth is that we should not be consuming much fruit at all. FRUIT IS SUGAR, no matter how natural or healthy or organic. And what does sugar do in the body? It slows its function down, leading to a lower quality of health, and converts into FAT. Vegetables are the most important food we can consume, and have the most valuable nutrients to promote health.

Why is Juicing better than consuming vegetables by chewing? It allows your body to absorb more nutrients, as well as giving it a break from the work of breaking down and digesting food.

Juicing is not as difficult as it sounds. I find that my juicer is quiet, easy to use, and easy to clean. The majority of my recipes are actually quite tasty too!  I’ll share two of my favorites below….

“The First – Time Juicer”  is 3 parts apple, 3 parts carrot, 1 part ginger. Note: This is a great recipe for an upset stomach, or promoting clear skin. 

“The Detox Juice” is a great recipe for detoxing the body:  1/2 green apple, 1 lime (can leave skin on),  1/2 beet (raw with skin on),  2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1” piece of ginger.  Note: Ginger is great for digestion! Beets (use sparingly, they can be dangerous) help our liver to detox toxins and waste from the body, and carrots are great for the eyes and skin. 

Advice in these articles does not substitute working with your physician on your personal nutritional status. Please comment with questions or recipe suggestions!

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