Thanksgiving Food For Thought

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to think about food. Not that you aren't already eating, breathing, sleeping, sweating food through your pores this week. But when's the last time you REALLY thought about the food you're eating?

When it comes to eating, there are many different philosophies about the best way to combine foods. Here's an interesting take that comes from the acupuncture school of thought.

According to Chinese medicine, food has five flavors—sour, bitter, sweet, salty and spicy. Each flavor corresponds with the five elements—wood, fire, earth, water, metal. And they each have their own properties that create specific healing actions in the body. A balanced diet includes a combination of all five flavors. Too much of one flavor can cause an imbalance in the body.

Here's a breakdown on the philosophy behind each flavor:

BITTER/FIRE
Bitter corresponds to the heart and drains things downward. It has a cooling effect on the body. So it helps you sweat and disperse water retention. It also helps to calm down anger. So a bit of bitter gets rid of bitter feelings and water retention? Pretty cool. But before you make bitter your new best friend, you should know too much of it can cause a drying effect for your skin, hair, bones and lungs.

SOUR/WOOD:
Sour corresponds to the liver. It's a stagnation mover and blood activator. Sour helps to contract and gather energy and helps reduce leakage in the body. In other words, it holds things in like moisture. The right amount of sour can help reduce the effects of fatty foods. But too much sour can cause water retention.

SWEET/EARTH
Sweet corresponds to the spleen/stomach/digestive systems. It helps generate moisture and provides a calm, relaxing effect. It helps slow the progression and neutralizes the toxic effects of other foods. We need sweet because humans are glucose machines. But as Americans, the quality of sweets we often eat isn't good for us most of the time. Too much sweet causes weight gain, phlegm and congestion/sickness. 

SALTY/WATER
Salty corresponds to the kidneys. It helps soften hardness and pulls moisture from the body. It also clears out phlegm. As an example, if you've ever gargled with salt water, this is why it works to help you feel better and diminish swelling.

SPICY/METAL
Spicy corresponds to the lungs. It's a tonifying and moving food. It moves stagnation and promotes energy circulation. It also stimulates digestion and diminishes mucus production. It's good to eat spicy things along with dense food to balance it out. Most spices qualify as spicy even if they're not spicy-hot. Chili, ginger, basil, and most other spice fall into this category. For example, a tomato, mozzarella salad is balanced by the basil leaves. Hot-spicy foods can cool your body down by helping you sweat it out. Like Indian foods. But too much spicy can aggravate skin conditions like eczema, acne and dry skin. Too much can also exhaust your energy and blood.

You can have fun experimenting and combining these foods for therapeutic reasons. If you have abdominal bloating and phlegm, eat bitter and spicy foods and herbs. Radish seeds (spicy) are good if you've over-eaten. Bitter melon balances blood sugar. If you are dry, or have a dry cough and irritated lungs this season, eat nourishing and cooling foods like this pear and honey recipe (Courtesy of Bria Larson, MS, LAc):

QUICK PEAR SAUCE
Chop 1 large ripe pear, add 1 teaspoon of honey and simmer both in a 1/2 cup of water for 10-15 minutes until soft. Eat warm or room temp to nourish and moisten the lungs and throat. Serves one.

So as you eat your Thanksgiving dinner today, try to identify each of five flavors. And to get the most satisfaction and balance from your turkey dinner, try dividing your plate into four equal parts: Grain+carbs (stuffing, yams, potatoes, rolls), protein (turkey), leafy greens (brussels sprouts, kale), other veggies (green beans). If you stick to this, you will feel the most satisfied with your meal. But remember to stop when you're 80% full. Let's call it "leaving room for dessert."

Happy Thanksgiving! We are so thankful to have you as our loyal readers. XO - Melissa + Dr. Kim

(Five foods information courtesy of this workshop: Balance Your Turkey, A Holistic Approach to Holiday Nutrition by Bria Larson, MA, LAc and Shanti Pappas, Certified Holistic Health Counselor.)

Healthy Birth Control: When Condoms Or Bust, Goes Bust

We believe condoms are the healthiest, safest and most effective form of birth control. And for us personally, when we're trying to not get pregnant, it's the only acceptable form of birth control. We first wrote about it here.

We get it. Condoms are annoying. Seat belts were annoying once, too. But what's really annoying and even more scary is when they break. So when a new reader wrote us about her condom breakage dilema, we wanted to address it:

"hi! i found your blog through googling about the copper iud.  i really love your blog and outlook and need some guidance. that blog post confirmed my suspicions that anything stuck in there for five years is probably not good for you, but it didn't address emergency contraception.  i've used condoms for two years after a bad time with birth control pills.  i really really really do not want to consume hormones like that.  however, i've been looking at the non hormonal copper iud for more dependability. 

i've had to use plan b twice in the past three months(from condom malfunctions) and i DESPISE it!  it messes me up for the whole month, tons of symptoms, spotting etc.  i just moved in with my boyfriend and have been bloated and bitchy and spotting the whole month lol. my question is, is it better to use a copper iud or take plan b a few times a year if need be?  not taking plan b after a condom malfunction is not an option for me."

Condom malfunctions happen. But they shouldn't be happening this often. Even with rough sex! We unfortunately can't recommend the Copper IUD or Plan B as viable alternatives because neither of them are healthy options. Both do kooky things to your body. Instead, let's talk about a few things you can do to make condoms more effective:

LUBE WISELY:

A high failure rate using condoms can be attributed to the kind of lubricant on the condom or the type of lube you're using in addition to the condom. Your best bet is to stay away from any kind of oil-based lube since it's more likely cause breakage. While you're at it, stay away from anything flavored. You don't want any type of sugar in your pretty parts because it can lead to a yeast infection.

SPERMICIDE:

For a double layer of protection and extra peace of mind, try using a spermicide. These can be purchased at any drug store and are used in conjunction with condoms to increase prevention and guard against pregnancy if the condom breaks.

OH-SO-NOT-SEXY CERVICAL CAPS:

As unsexy as they are, if condoms aren't doing it for you, the safest alternative for your health would be either a diaphragm or a cervical cap. Not the kind laced with synthetic hormones, but the kind that simply provides a barrier so the sperm can't get all up in your cervix. You can even use this along with condoms if you want to make sure there's no way in hell you're going to get pregnant.

THE MUCOUS METHOD:

Track the mucous levels of vaginal discharge throughout your cycle. You should track it for a few months so you can see and feel the difference in the type and amount of discharge during various points in your cycle. When the discharge is thicker and more clear in color, then ovulation is near. So if you're trying not to get pregnant, this would be the best time to fake a headache. 

OVULATION TEST STRIPS:

Women who are trying to get pregnant know these well, but ovulation test strips can also be used when you're trying to not get pregnant. Basically, you pee on a litmus stick every morning and it lets you know when you are near ovulation. When it's positive, don't have sex on those days. If the test is negative, you can be pretty sure you don't have to run out and take Plan B if your condom breaks. You can get the test kits from any drugstore or online in packs of 7 or 20. We like the 20 packs because you get more for your money. If you are going to use this method all the time, you can purchase a more expensive digital kit you can reuse and buy refills of the strips. If you do use this method, make sure it's in conjunction with condoms, just in case.

We hope this helps. Have fun! 

What's Up With What We Eat?

One of our readers, Amy Remondi wrote in and suggested a book, "What To Eat" by Marion Nestle. Amy says the book, "is all about what we are actually eating as opposed to what we think we are eating. What the marketing tells us we're eating, and what the label says versus what it all really means."

Right on. Sounds like a book worth featuring this week. We've written blogs that cover many of these topics in bite-sized segments, but this is a hearty read if you're looking to devour all of the information at once.

So here's what's up with what we eat according to Marion Nestle. Tidbits of tasty truths summarized from her book:

WHAT'S UP WITH ORGANICS?
It's all about politics and labeling. Like everything else in life.

Did you know organic farms have been shown to be more energy efficient, are just as productive as non-organic farms and leave soils healthier?

Certified organic means: The food is organic and complies with organic standards and the grower has been inspected. The PLU code on the label will start with a 9 (as in, 9XXXX).

Organic standards mean: No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, no genetically modified seeds, no fertilizer derived from sewage sludge, no irradiation, and with recode of everything to show the inspector.

If the label says "organic" but does not have the CERTIFIED ORGANIC label, then it's an issue of trust because only certified organic is certified to have had its farming methods inspected.

If the label says, "Made with Organic Ingredients," it's 74% - 94% organic and can list 3 organic ingredients on the label.

If you can't afford to buy organic at least buy your apples organic. They have the highest pesticide content, as they are very popular with bugs and easy to ruin so farmers spray the crap out of them! If you can't buy organic apples, don't eat the skin, however the skin has 5 times more antioxidants and nutrients than the apple inside.

WHAT'S UP WITH GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS (GMO)?
In America, GM foods do NOT have to be labeled as such because the FDA feels if they are labeled GM, you probably won't buy them.

WHAT'S UP WITH MILK?
Farmers have doubled the amount of milk obtained from cows using a genetically engineered growth hormone. This hormone is specific to cows and won't make you grow. Cows with growth hormones produce more milk, but overusing the udders means they are more likely to become infected and treated with antibiotics. Also the injection sites often become infected and need antibiotics. You drink these antibodies, blood, pus, mucus...gross, huh? Crowded conditions also means bacteria spreads easily between cows.

The dairy industry is VERY powerful. It makes 21 billion a year. They donate money to congress, electoral campaigns, fund the FDA and other government administrations. Because of this political power, dairy producers are protected by a system of government price supports, meaning we pay for milk three times: 1. At the supermarket. 2. Indirectly through taxes that support subsidies to farmers who raise dairy cows. 3. Indirectly through tax supported subsidies to the producers of corn and soybeans used for cattle feed.

Dairy producers have banned together to form a milk cartel. They donate 15 cents for every 100 pounds of milk sold. Last year this generated $160 million for advertising to get you to drink more milk.

The thing is, calcium is not even easily absorbed from milk!! Your body gets more calcium from green leafy veggies and even sesame seeds, because it is a different type of calcium. Cows have lots of calcium and what do they eat—grass, not milk!

And did you know, most people after the age of 5 can no longer tolerate lactose because the body stops making the enzyme needed to break it down? Many people can't tolerate milk but can eat yogurt and cheese—this is because the friendly bacteria in these foods have already broken down most of the lactose for you.

It is currently being researched if the proteins in milk could lead to autoimmune disorders.

Conclusion: drink goats milk, almond milk or at least organic milk, or if you can find it, raw milk. And don't listen to Susan Sarandon—Milk's newest high-paid marketing spokeswoman.

WHAT'S UP WITH SOY?
Soy is the most genetically modified and chemically changed food we eat.

Soybeans have unique phytochemicals called isoflavones that behave in the body like estrogen.

Asians eat soy and they are healthy, but most of us are not Asian. We don't have the same digestive genes as they do.

Soy tastes bad, so it often contains additives to hide the taste, and because it's marketed as a superior, functional food, you will be more likely to buy it for its superpowers.

How did soy gets its said superpowers? Here we go, it's totally logical:

1. Asians have low rates of heart disease, or menopausal, or other health problems.
2. Asians eat soybeans.
3. Soybeans contains proteins, fiber and isoflavones.
4. These soy proteins, fiber and isoflavones must be responsible for the health of the Asians.

Sou companies produce about 25 billion pounds of soy and oil every year for your use, much of it federally subsidized, and they are eager for you to buy it. Plus they all have a program just like dairy that generates $45 million a year, which goes to "research and education"—which is a fancy term for marketing to get you to buy soy.

WHAT'S UP WITH WATER?

The EPA website reports the quality of the tap water in your city. Bottled water is often much less regulated than the tap water which is routinely tested.

The water brands Dasani and Aquafina are actually distilled TAP WATER! Bottled water is terrible for the environment. Don't buy it unless your water isn't safe to drink.

WHAT'S UP WITH BREAD?

Whole wheat bread is often white bread with little cracked piece of wheat, and when it's cracked, it's no longer a whole grain. Look on the label for "100% WHOLE GRAIN." Whole wheat flour will be the first ingredient, it will have 2g of fiber per oz, and the heart disease claim on the label. Everything else is white bread with some whole grains added.

That's what's up.

Marion Nestle also has a website if you'd like to read more: www.foodpolitics.com.

From the Boob to the Food—Feeding Babies 4-6 months

Most pediatric doctors agree six months is a good age to start feeding a baby solid foods in addition to breast milk*. Food given at this point is NOT intended to replace milk or provide any substantial nutrition for the baby. It's simply to get the baby interested in food so they can learn how to chew and process solids. Remember, breast milk contains essential nutrients and you don't want the foods to interfere with the baby getting these.

One last caveat—starting solid foods too early can be harmful to babies, so don't rush them into it. This is not a competition. Early eating doesn't equal any increase in development.

How do you know when your baby is ready for table food? One of the best clues is when they're really interested in what you're eating. You have to be careful with this one though, because as we all know, babies like to put everything in their mouths. This doesn't mean the baby wants to put food in his mouth, but instead, is actually really interested in watching you eat. When your baby starts to drool while you're chowing down, that's usually a sign he wants to start trying foods. But it doesn't mean he's quite ready for a pizza. Other signs of readiness are drooling, making chewing motions, teeth start to come in, can hold his head up unassisted, wants more to eat after feeding and the tongue thrust reflex is diminishing, allowing baby to keep foods and liquids in his mouth.

Once you think your baby is ready for some chow time, let's start with some healthy guru tips on what you can start feeding him. Try one food at a time, every couple of days to make sure baby doesn't have any adverse reactions. Keep a food journal. Space out the foods and watch for any allergic reactions from certain foods. Feed food solids after the baby has finished nursing or his bottle so he receives all his essential nutrients first.

Start by pureeing foods and blending with breast milk. I use breast milk as the liquid because it helps make the transition from breast milk to food. The baby can still taste the milk and it's a taste he's accustomed to. You don't want to give the baby too much water at this point because it can dilute electrolytes and other nutrients in his body.

• Try some organic bananas, mashed up and blended with some breast milk. Be careful with too much banana because it can constipate them. Also, too much fruit when they first start eating might cause them to develop a sweet tooth and it might be harder to get them to eat veggies later on.  

• Egg yolk is one of the healthiest foods you can give your baby. The egg yolk contains so many valuable nutrients for the baby's development, especially for their nervous system. Be sure NOT to give them any of the egg whites, as they are unable to digest it and it can cause allergies. Simply soft boil the egg, making sure that the egg is a little runny on the inside.

• Pureed organic avocados with breast milk. I did this for Enzo was about 6 months old and he loved it.

• Steamed and pureed butternut squash or sweet potatoes mixed with breast milk.

• Explore this technique with different types of veggies and fruits. Babies will like all the different tastes and colors.  

And for all you career Guru Girls who are worried about finding the time to make homemade baby food, you can fill ice cube trays with a batch of pureed veggies and pull them out as needed. Take a cube out in the morning, let it thaw on its own or place it in a small bowl sitting in a slightly bigger bowl of warm water. Avoid the microwave if possible. Make enough cubes for a 4 day trial period of that particular food. I purchased special freezer food trays with these awesome little containers that kept each portion individually contained with a snap top. I also bought some small glass bowls with lids that I used once Enzo was 8 months old and I had to start making  more complex food recipes and bigger portions.

Buon Appetito Guru-Babies!!

- Dr. Kimberly





*Not all moms are able to breast feed for any number of personal reasons. If this is you, don't beat yourself up over it. There are good formulas out there and certain things you can do to supplement—see our previous baby blog for more info. So instead of blending breast milk with pureed foods, you can do it with your formula.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Free-TaTas

SUMMER FRITTATA

(by Linda Y. Turner)

Summer is officially over but that doesn't mean you can't still eat summer frittatas. The thing about this recipe is every ingredient is real. Real eggs, real butter, real cheese and it's packed with fresh veggies. So don't let the butter and whole eggs part scare you, this is a healthy meal. You can even pair it with a green salad and eat it for lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

This recipe serves a whopping 10 people. So if your breakfast guest list is a bit smaller, cut down the recipe accordingly. For a healthier version, substitute some of the butter for olive oil.

• 4 T butter, divided
• 1 C summer squash, diced
• 1 C onion, (quarter slices)
• 1 C thinly-sliced sweet red pepper
• (cut whole slices in quarters)
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
• 1 lb. baby spinach leaves
• 8 whole eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 C freshly-grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

PREP: 

• In a medium large frying pan, melt 2T of the butter, being careful it doesn't brown.
• Add squash and onions and saute until almost cooked through.
• Add peppers and garlic, saute 2 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat and add remaining 2T butter and spinach.
• Stir to melt butter and coat spinach leaves.
• Arrange the vegetables so they are evenly-distributed.
• Add salt and pepper to the eggs and gently pour eggs over the veggies and return to low heat.
• Cook on very low heat until frittata is almost set but still loose. 
• Sprinkle with cheese and place in a 300° oven. Cook until eggs are just set and cheese has melted. 
• Remove from oven and allow to sit for at least ten minutes.
• Cut into wedges and serve.

NOTES:

Frittata is often served at room temperature, but be sure to refrigerate if keeping longer than one hour before serving. It can be served right from the frying pan, or it can be turned out onto a large platter then cut to serve.

Feeding Guru Baby: 0-3 Months

What does a guru girl feed her brand new guru baby? Here's Dr. Kim on the baby skinny: For the first year, the most important nutrition mom can give her baby is breast milk. Now we know life happens and there are circumstances that might cause mom to stop breast feeding, or not be able to breast feed at all. In this case, the formula should be organic and have no GMO ingredients. I like Baby's Only formula. It says "Toddler Formula" on the can because the company believes only breast milk should be given during the first year, but it can be given to an infant. It's good to also supplement formula with infant DHA (omega 3's) and baby probiotics.   Mama's nutritional intake is extremely important during boob time. Everything mom takes in, good and bad, are transferred to the baby via the breast milk. Breast milk will also contribute to the future likes and dislikes when it comes to how and what the baby eats later in life. If you are what you eat, your baby is what you eat. So here's to hoping your baby is not a Cheeto. A nursing mother should follow the same healthy eating plan as during pregnancy—limit sugars and processed foods, avoid alcohol, smoking (including second hand smoke), preservatives, enriched foods, food coloring, and foods containing MSG. Moms should consult their doctor about decreasing or stopping medications that are not life threatening. Basically follow the Guru Girls eating plan and baby and baby mama are good to go.  Nursing mom's staple foods should include fresh fruits and veggies, preferably organic, lots of clean, filtered or spring water, lean organic meats, and complex carbs like quinoa, couscous, and brown rice. Take a good quality prenatal vitamin and an omega 3 supplement daily. And remember, just because a supplement is expensive, doesn't mean it's always good quality. It often simply translates to having expensive pee. So moms should ask their holistic doctors to recommend a good brand. It's not imperative to take prenatals while breastfeeding, but they are a powerhouse of vitamins that are very well balanced for women, so I personally kept taking them while I was breastfeeding. Since they are high in vitamin B, they were a lifesaver when it came to surviving on 2 hours of sleep per night.   It's important to keep stress levels low during and after pregnancy. Not only is this imperative for health, but stress can also affect the way you absorb vitamins and minerals from food. Stress hormones can also affect milk letdown and can cause mom to have low milk supply. When mom's stressed, her baby picks up on that stress and becomes a baby stress ball, too.  In our next Guru Baby blog we'll cover what to start feeding babies at 4-6 months. Happy feeding!

Hold the French Fries and Accessorize

You've held the french fries, tearfully sacrificed your former favorite artificially sugary drink at Starbucks and perhaps you've even switched to a healthier birth control. We know it wasn't easy. But you did it. And you deserve a little something for all your hard work. Rewarding your own good behavior helps keep you on track so you'll continue making healthy choices. No, this is not permission to order a giant plate of nachos. Instead, go buy yourself a little something that makes you feel hot—a fun accessory that calls attention to the new and improved you.

To help in the fashion department, here's a guest post from our healthy style guru, Amanda. If you haven't met Amanda yet, check out her introduction post and personal health testimonial here.

Ladies, as promised I'm back to talk about fashion! I’m sure you've all been following the healthy recipes and tips each week and have been super active this summer, so you are ready to show off your hot self.

What I want to focus on today is the definition of style. Do you ever walk down the street and feel like every woman is dressed exactly the same as the hottest celebrity or wearing the same trend of the week? She may seem extremely fashionable, but she is simply copying exactly what she has seen on TV or in a magazine. I like to call this cookie-cutter fashion. There is nothing wrong with wanting to emulate what celebs or artists are wearing and what is currently hot, but you also have to make the trend your own. You have to rock your own style! The difference between fashion and style is that fashion is what you see in the magazines and on the runways, and style is being able to take key fashionable pieces and mix and match them within your wardrobe to create your own look that fits your personality. For instance, the military look is super hot for the fall, but not every woman can pull off a green jacket, camouflage purse and super chunky belt. Maybe you prefer leggings and a longer cardigan in the fall…but you can easily add some camouflage heels or a funky camouflage bracelet. You have to figure out your signature style and the basic elements that allow you to feel confident and comfortable. Invest in key pieces like your favorite skinny jeans or black trousers or taupe heels, and seek out less costly picks for trendier items.          

At this point I am sure many of you are thinking, what the heck is my signature style? My suggestion is to spend a few hours (okay at least 30 minutes!) going through your closet and drawers and start noticing patterns. Do you have 25 pairs of dark trousers or 10 white long-sleeve blouses? You will start to get a sense of what you typically gravitate towards when shopping and getting dressed each morning. Hopefully what you typically wear makes you feel extremely confident and amazing. If you’re looking to add some “style” to your wardrobe, my number 1 recommendation is ACCESSORIZE! Throw on a colorful scarf with your black trousers and white blouse or rock some leopard print shoes. I like to call these accents, and they truly can take you from average to stylish. 

My assignment for each of you this week is to incorporate an accent that you typically would not wear like a massive cocktail ring, red patent heels, a snakeskin purse, a tie-dye scarf, etc. I guarantee you will leave the house feeling sassy and may even find the nerve to say hi to the cute guy you always see at Starbucks. Perhaps you can start by offering to buy him an alternative to his usual artificially sugary drink.

- Amanda

Cheating On The Farmers' Market

Seasonal, fresh, local food is the way we SHOULD all be eating. But let's be real. It takes a lot of work and prep to eat the way we should, and being a farmers market freak is frankly not always in the cards. Guru Girls cheat, too. We just know how to cheat healthier. So we're going to start reviewing Guru Girls approved food products for when you have a weak moment and need to gobble a go-to prepared food. If you have a product you'd like us to check out for approval, please email us here.

But first, here's a few Gu-Rules to live by:

• The key is real ingredients, minimally processed, no artificial sugars and none of that soy crap.
• Avoid anything that says "fat free," "lite," "diet" or "sugar free." 
• Eat this stuff only in moderation, meaning seldom, meaning not even once a week.
• Run from anything that says "Lean Cuisine," "Healthy Choice," or "Weight Watchers."
• Don't eat anything that requires a microwave.

And now the moment you've been waiting for—our first approved food from a box. Drum roll please.

WHOLE FOODS 365 FROZEN PIZZA, FOUR CHEESE:
Making your own pizza is pretty easy. But if you're gonna eat a frozen pizza, Whole Foods 365 is the one you should eat. It's a pretty decent option when you're having a no-strings-attached quickie with the frozen foods section. And at 4 bucks and some change it sure beats ordering delivery.

Get the plain cheese kind and add your own toppings, preferably veggies like onions, peppers or mushrooms. For the best pizza taste, place it directly on the oven rack. If you like it extra crispy, cook it for a little longer than the box recommends. Now this is not a personal sized pizza, so no, you do not have permission to wolf down the entire pizza by yourself. Split it with someone else, or save 1/2 - 3/4 of the pie to eat another day.

Then toss a simple salad to help fill you up and pour yourself a glass of red wine to wash down the guilt, cheater.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Super Summer Salads

Summer is prime for produce, which means you can throw just about anything into a bowl, toss it with olive oil and lemon juice and call it a salad. Get creative and make it up as you go. The best part about it is you don't have to cook. Here are some of our summer salad faves:

TOMA-CUKE-ACADO SALAD:

• 1 cucumber peeled and sliced
• grape tomatoes or garden tomato wedges
• 1 avocado sliced or cubed
• lemon juice, olive oil + sea salt

Optional adds:

• fresh corn sliced off the cob
• raw garden green beans
  

CITRUS BUTTER SALAD:

• 1 head of butter lettuce
• 2 oranges cut into bite sized pieces
• lemon juice, olive oil + sea salt

GO GREEK:

• 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
• 1 sliced cucumber
• 1/2 white onion sliced
• 1 bell pepper sliced
• handful of olives (sliced or whole)
• handful of feta cheese
• lemon juice, olive oil + sea salt

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD:

• 1 bag of baby spinach 
• 5 large strawberries sliced
• handful of feta cheese
• slivered raw almonds
• Guru Girls house dressing (1 cup olive oil, 2 tbs sherry wine vinegar, 2 tbs red wine vinegar, sea salt to taste)

SUMMER SALAD SURPRISE:

• arugula
• beets (cubed into small bite sized pieces
• Gorgonzola cheese (or other soft crumbly cheese of your choice)
• sliced strawberries
• walnut pieces
• small orange pieces
• lemon juice/olive oil dressing

* To add protein and make any salad a fill-er-up meal, simply add sliced chicken, shrimp, tuna, steak, chickpeas, beans, hummus, fresh mozzarella, eggs or nuts.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Mango Basil Shrimp

Enjoy this fresh summer recipe while yummy mango is in season. The turmeric adds a super healthy component, so this recipe gets an A+ from us. 

SHRIMP WITH MANGO AND BASIL: 
[Recipe from Eating Well]

• 1 pound raw [wild] shrimp, (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined, tails left on
• 1/4 teaspoon [sea] salt
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large ripe, firm mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (see Tip)
• 1 bunch scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

PREP:

1. Toss shrimp with salt, cayenne to taste and turmeric in a medium bowl. Cover + refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; place the shrimp in a single layer and cook until the undersides turn salmon-pink, about 1 minute. Flip them over and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add mango, scallion greens and basil and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is just cooked and starts to barely curl, 1 to 2 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

• Finish with chopped avocado
• Make into lettuce wraps

TIP: How to cut a mango:

1. Slice both ends off the mango, revealing the long, slender seed inside. Set the fruit upright on a work surface and remove the skin with a sharp knife.
2. With the seed perpendicular to you, slice the fruit from both sides of the seed, yielding two large pieces.
3. Turn the seed parallel to you and slice the two smaller pieces of fruit from each side.
4. Cut the fruit into the desired shape.

Search Bar Surprise!

All healthy people have one thing in common—we tend to ask a lot of questions about health. Sometimes obsessively. This is great because it means we're all striving to be the healthiest versions of ourselves. And while we can't personally answer all reader questions, you may have noticed we added a search bar widget to the right side of our blog. Now you can search for something specific without having to go back and read every single blog. Just type in a word or phrase, and the widget wizard will show you a list of our blogs about that topic.

On the flip side, we get to see everything you search. Don't worry, it's completely anonymous. We have no earthly idea who you are, which is a bonus for those super embarrassing questions. And if we haven't yet written about that certain thing you wanna know, there's a good chance we'll noticed you searched it, and write about it in the future. That said, we thought it'd be fun to let you see what fellow readers are typing into our search bar. We'll also provide short answers to some of the questions:

"do hard boiled eggs help period pain?"
Sounds like one of those health myths passed down from your Nana, doesn't it? But Nana was actually onto something here. Yes, hard boiled eggs do indeed help with period cramps. The main reason is because eggs contain biotin. But the biotin can only be released if the egg white is cooked for a long time; therefore, you must boil the egg until it becomes a hard boiled egg. Biotin helps to digest/metabolize fatty acids (omega 3's, remember how we talked about omegas helping with cramps), which in turn helps to relax muscles. So forget about taking acetaminophen tablets (Tylenol) as muscle relaxants. Another great thing about biotin is it keeps candida in check. Period pain relief plus yeast infection prevention? Perhaps we should listen to our elders more often.

"eggs in grocery stores"
We assume the reader who did this search was asking, "Which kind of eggs should we buy when we grocery shop?" The answer is free-range, organic eggs. We agree, the egg selection in the grocery store can be a bit daunting, so perhaps we'll do an entire egg blog in the future.


"shelf stable bacon bits safe during pregnancy?"
Most store bought bacon bits are imitation bacon and made with soy, so as a Guru Girl you know where we stand on that one. They are also usually loaded with preservatives. So we can't say they're good for you ever, especially not when you're pregnant. Preservatives, colorants, additives, and all chemicals should be avoided while pregnant.

You can make your own bacon bits though, and a little in moderation is not such a bad thing. Dr. Kim says, "I grew up in a family that owned many restaurants and one phrase I heard often was 'Pork Fat Rules!' Being a major fan of Food TV, I have to agree with it to a certain extent. But I am not advocating eating lots of pork, especially the fried kind."

Here's how you make your own: Get a high quality bacon made from organically raised pigs, make sure it does not contain any nitrites or nitrates. Cook to your preference and then blot with paper towels to soak up excess grease. Let them cool down, then crumble 'em up. Store in airtight container in the fridge or freeze some for later use. Again ladies, MODERATION! As in 1 teaspoon of bits for a normal sized salad.

"is Ezekial bread alkalizing?"
Yes it is alkalizing because it's made from sprouted grains. It's not as alkalizing as green leafy veggies, but at least it's not acidic.

"heating pad"
Dangerous!! Get rid of them. Use a hot water bottle instead. Heating pads have electrical currents that interfere with your body's electrical system.

"do roasted nuts have goitrogens?"
This is for people who have thyroid issues. Anyone with thyroid problems needs to stay clear of all soy and soy products which really interfere with thyroid function. We usually recommend eating raw nuts, but people with thyroid issues need to be careful of raw nuts because of the goitrogens. Raw cashews are an exception. Walnuts should not be eaten close to the time a thryoid medication is taken. Thyroid conditions are very serious and patients should talk to their doctors in regards to specific diets and foods to avoid.

"salad dressing"
A lot of you searched for our homemade dressing recipe. Here it is again:

Guru Girls House Dressing:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 2 tbs sherry wine vinegar
• sea salt

"is agave safe during pregnancy?"
We unfortunately had to break the devastating news about agave in a previous blog. We can no longer recommend agave. Please read it because you do not want to raise your sugar levels during pregnancy. You really want to limit sugars, fructose, and other derivatives during pregnancy for the sake of your health and the health of your bambino. Pregnancy diabetes is at extremely high levels these days and is dangerous for both the mother and the baby.

"brand hospitals use most"
We wrote about Tylenol here.

"soy"
...sucks. It's super processed and most often a GMO food. Here's an excerpt from one of our blogs about soy: 99% of soy is genetically modified and it has one of the highest percentages of contamination by pesticides of any of our foods. Soy contains goitrogens--substances that depress thyroid function. The soybean contains large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients." It also contains growth inhibitors and phytic acid which is a substance that can block the uptake of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc, in the intestinal tract. ["Cinderella's Dark Side" by Sally Fallon & Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.]

"splenda"
...will kill you. Here's why.

"microwave"
We don't use them. Here's why.

"fibromyalgia"
Fibromyalgia is a debilitating painful disease that is commonly misunderstood and generally treated with antidepressants in the medical world. A relatively new condition, it's now become one of the most diagnosed diseases. It's a good idea for a blog. Thanks for the search!

"LED light therapy"
Light therapy is not a new therapy but is now more widely used so we're hearing more about it. It's usually used in the beauty world but can also be found in the rehabilitation arena. It works on healing at the cellular level. Light therapy rejuvenates the skin by promoting collagen and elastin in the skin, which is why it is used for skin ailments for beauty. In rehab conditions, it helps to heal soft tissue and scar tissue.

"shopping list"
Here's ours.

"garlic"
Rules!

"sexy hot girls"
Why thank you!

Thanks for searching!

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Roasted Veggies

ROASTED VEGGIES:

Use as many of each veggie as you wish. Cook'em on the grill or in the stove. Depending on the time of year, you can substitute for in-season veggies:

• Eggplant sliced into 1/4-inch lengthwise pieces
• Zucchini sliced 1/2-inch pieces lengthwise
• Red onions sliced into 1/2-inch rounds and halved once
• Sweet potatoes sliced into 1/2-inch lengthwise pieces
• Yellow squash sliced into 1/2-inch lengthwise pieces
• EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
  Fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, thyme
• Sea salt + black pepper
• Goat cheese 
• Whole wheat pita bread or Panini bread (if you want to make a sandwich)

PREP:
Heat oven to 400F. Mix all the veggies together in a bowl, drizzle EVOO to coat, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop up the fresh herbs and add to veggies. Spread the veggies onto to a large baking pan and place on middle rack of oven. Cook for approx. 20-30 minutes. Turn veggies over and cook for another 15-20 minutes til they are tender.

If grilling, place veggies directly on the grill or in tinfoil. 

About 5 minutes before the veggies are finished, place the whole grain pita bread on the grill or bottom rack of the oven until toasty, not crunchy or it will be too hard to eat. It should still be soft but a little crispy on the outside. Take out the bread and spread the goat cheese to cover the surface of the bread. Top with roasted veggies and chow down.

VARIATIONS:
For a hearter dinner idea, try these roasted veggies over brown rice or whole grain pasta tossed with a little olive oil. Or use them as a side dish to accompany fish or lean meat.

How Healthy Is Your Home?

(This blog was inspired by a reader request. Thanks, Michelle!)

How many times have you dropped food on the counter and eaten it? The counter was clean. Three second rule. No harm done, right? Well, that depends on which cleaning product you used to clean your counter.

Cleaning products contain so many caustic, cancer causing chemicals, it can be extremely dangerous for you and your family's health. Every time you scrub your home with these products you're essentially trading your health for a spotless house. So we're going to fill you in on how to make your own cleaning supplies. They'll make your house so clean and safe, you really will be able to eat off your own floor.

To start, all you need are a few basic key ingredients. These simple, safe, effective and earth friendly ingredients will clean almost every surface in your house, and they'll save you money.

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Squirt bottles

Vinegar and baking soda are are really all you need. But if you're feeling fancy, some of the cleaning recipes below also call for these:

• Washing soda (Arm & Hammer makes one)
• Clear liquid detergent (laundry or dish)
• Tea Tree oil
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil or Jojoba oil
• Rubbing alcohol
• A few drops of essential oils to add natural fragrance to your cleaning products (optional)

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER:

• Mix a 1:1 ratio of white distilled vinegar to water.
• Pour it into a spray bottle and voila, you have a cleaner for all your counter tops, sinks, stoves, floors, toilets and more. You can spray it on cutting boards, too.

We use this one daily. Vinegar usually loses its smell after it dries so don't worry about your home smelling like you've been dipping Easter eggs in every room.


ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER 2: (Recipe from care2.com)
Mix in a spray bottle:

• 1/2 teaspoon washing soda
• A dab of liquid soap
• 2 cups hot tap water

STRONG ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER: (Recipe from Organized Home)
 Mix in a spray bottle:

    •    1 Tablespoon clear, non-sudsing ammonia
    •    1 Tablespoon clear detergent
    •    2 cups water


UNDILUTED WHITE VINEGAR: (Recipe from Organized Home)
Undiluted white vinegar--straight from the jug--makes quick work of tougher cleaning problems involving hard water deposits or soap scum.

• Use undiluted white vinegar to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl. Before you begin, dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.

• Clean shower heads that have been clogged with mineral deposits with undiluted white vinegar. Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish.

• Add one cup of undiluted white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle instead of commercial fabric softener. White vinegar softens clothes and cuts detergent residue--a plus for family members with sensitive skin.

WINDOW CLEANER:
Mix in a spray bottle:

• 1 gallon of water
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)

Some people also like to add a little natural clear dish detergent. Wadded up pieces of newspaper are the best way to keep your windows lint and streak free.

The above recipe is the one we use. But if you're down for trying some others, here's a bunch more from tipnut.com, as well as a couple more below.

RUBBING ALCOHOL WINDOW CLEANER: (Recipe from Organized Home)
Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol provides the base for an evaporating cleaner to rival commercial window and glass cleaning solutions. Use this glass cleaning spray recipe for windows, mirrors, chrome fixtures and for a shiny finish on hard-surface ceramic tiles:

Mix in a spray bottle:

    •    1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
    •    1 cup water
    •    1 tablespoon white vinegar


STRONG GLASS CLEANER: (Recipe from Organized Home)
Mix in a spray bottle:

    •    1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
    •    1 cup water
    •    1 tablespoon clear, non-sudsing ammonia

A MUST FOR MILDEW AND MUST:

• 2 teaspoons Tea Tree Oil
• 2 cups water

SCOURING THE REALLY DIRTY DIRTIES: 
Baking soda is a very strong alkalizer and can be used as a great scouring cleaner.

• Pour a 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bucket or bowl and add some water or liquid dish detergent to make a paste. Put some on a sponge and go on down to clean town. Great for bathtubs, showers, grimy stove tops and frat house toilet bowls. You can also simply sprinkle it on dirty pans, sinks, stove tops and counters and wipe off with a wet sponge.

SMELLY TRASH CANS:

• Baking soda will kill off many of those unexplained, lingering odors in your house. Rinse out your trash cans with a solution of baking soda and water to keep those foul odors in check.  

OVEN CLEANER: (Recipe from Care2.com)

• 1 cup or more baking soda
• Water
• A squirt or two of liquid detergent
• Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn’t work for you it is probably because you didn’t use enough baking soda and/or water.

FURNITURE POLISH

• 1 cup olive oil or jojoba oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
• Use a soft rag to wipe onto wood surfaces

Tip: If you use olive oil, make a fresh batch every time you clean to keep the olive oil from going rancid.

There are also quite a few natural, non-toxic, environmentally conscious products in stores, although they're often more expensive. You can find them at places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. But these homemade cleaning products work just as well as the store bought stuff, and they're friendlier on your wallet. It might even save you enough to justify that post-cleaning mani-pedi.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Fresh + Fruity Summer Desserts

Summer is officially here and there's no better way to celebrate with some fresh summer desserts. Seasonal fruit can be a healthy dessert in itself and always tastes and smells the best when kept at room temperature. Remember to stick with organic produce and if available, support your local farmers market.

Here are some fresh + fruity crowd pleasers:  

• Make a batch of our morning smoothie recipe and freeze it into healthy smoothie popsicles. You can use popsicle molds or ice cube trays. Or line a muffin pan with cupcake papers, fill each with smoothie, stick toothpicks in the middle of each one and freeze.

• Fresh squeeze citrus fruits and make them into popsicles. If using other fruits, it's easiest use your juicer.

• Gather a bowl of berries, cut up peaches or nectarines and add a dollop of plain whole milk yogurt or sheep's milk yogurt and sprinkle on some natural granola for an instant parfait.  

• Make a colorful fruit salad. Squeeze a couple oranges over the cut fruit or even some wine. Acidic juice from oranges or lemons will keep your cut fruit like apples from turning brown.

• Cut up strawberries and serve in freshly squeezed orange juice. Mix in a few mint leaves for a little fresh kick.
  

• Slice some peaches, add some red wine and chill before serving.

• Slice some orange rings and sprinkle with a little extra virgin olive oil and fresh cracked pepper.

In the mood for something a little sweeter? Try some Tangerine Ice. Yes, these have sugar, but if you're going to indulge, it's much more rewarding to make your own with the best ingredients.

TANGERINE ICE
[from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters]
Makes 4 servings

Wash and dry:

• 3 pounds tangerines or mandarins

Grate the zest of 2 tangerines into a saucepan.
juice the tangerines There should be about 2 1/4 cups of juice. Pour 1/2 cup of the juice into a saucepan with the zest and:

• 1/3 cup of sugar (Guru Girls use raw sugar or stevia) 

Heat, stirring, just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into the remaining juice. Taste the mixture and add:

• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)
• A tiny pinch of salt (Guru Girls use sea salt)

Taste and add more sugar if needed (but not too much!). Pour into a shallow nonreactive pan and freeze. Stir after 1 hour or when the sides and top have developed ice crystals. Stir again after 2 hours or when slushy. chop when solid but not hard. Transfer to a chilled container.

VARIATIONS

• To make sherbet, increase the sugar to 1/2 cup and chill well. Freeze according to the instructions for your ice-cream maker.
  
• Save the tangerine halves. Scrape out all the membranes and freeze. Scoop frozen sherbet or chopped ice into them and freeze until it's time to serve.
  

Goodbye, UTI—Natural Cures for Urinary Tract Infections

To read part 1 of the UTI blog series, click here.

Sometimes being a woman can be a real pain in the pee hole. Antibiotics tend to be the method of choice when it comes to dealing with UTIs. But as you know, antibiotics will kill off  both the good and bad bacteria, which will just cause more chronic infections later on. If this doesn't ring a bell, stop now and reread our antibiotics blog. So just in case the UTI discomfort wasn't enough, there's a good chance a couple o' rounds of antibiotics will invite another fun surprise guest—a yeast infection. Not exactly the kind of party you want in your pants.

That said, there are times where you will need to take an antibiotic, and in those cases it can be life saving. We just want to limit the times you have to take them. The goal is to prevent UTIs from ever happening, but if you do get a UTI, try D-Mannose first (see below). You will still have the option of bringing out the antibiotic big guns, should you need it.

D-MANNOSE
One of the best weapons women have against UTIs is a supplement called D-Mannose.
Taken in high amounts at the earliest onset of a UTI, it'll kick the crap out of your UTI. It comes in capsules or a powder you mix with water. We take a high-quality one called U-Tract—developed by a Urologist MD who was tired of giving his patients antibiotics for chronic UTIs.

D-Mannose is a naturally occurring sugar, but it's amazing because it helps prevent bad bacteria like E. coli from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract + bladder. Those E. coli buggers are sticky because their cells are coated with numerous, tiny glycoprotein projections. That's a fancy biology term for sugar proteins, and that's what makes them sticky. These teeth-like projections allow them to hold strong onto the structures of the urinary tract even when you're peeing. Not only do they latch on to the walls, they try to scale those walls and crawl their way up into the kidneys. Without these projections, the E. coli would wash down the tract along with everything else.

When you take D-Mannose, it coats the E. coli, making the bladder and urinary tract walls slippery so they can't grab on anymore. So when you pee, they slide off and get flushed down the urinary tract and into the toilet where they belong. And for all you smart Guru Girls out there asking, "But what about the good bacteria, won't they get wiped away, too?" The answer is no, because the good bacteria are usually located in the colon and D-Mannose doesn't go there.

D-Mannose should be in every Guru Girls supplement arsenal. We personally take it even as a prevention measure. If we think we might be coming down with a UTI or if we're doing things that might increase the chance of a UTI—sex, eating lots of sugars, stressing out—then we'll take a couple D-Mannose capsules daily to keep any colonization from happening.

You can get D-Mannose at health stores that sell supplements, but as with all supplements make sure it's a high quality grade. Not all supplements are made equal. If you live in the Los Angeles area, feel free to drop by Synecare and buy U-Tract at reception.

PROBIOTICS
If you do end up taking an antibiotic for a UTI, do yourself a huge favor and replenish your good bacteria with probiotics during and after your antibiotics course. We wrote about it here. Here's some additional research specifically about probiotics and urogenital health from the Harvard Medical School's Family Health Guide:

Probiotics may also be of use in maintaining urogenital health. Like the intestinal tract, the vagina is a finely balanced ecosystem. The dominant Lactobacilli strains normally make it too acidic for harmful microorganisms to survive. But the system can be thrown out of balance by a number of factors, including antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotic treatment that restores the balance of microflora may be helpful for such common female urogenital problems as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, and urinary tract infection.

Your vagina is a finely balanced ecosystem. Remember that. Here's another one from the Indian Journal of Urology:

The spiraling costs of antibiotic therapy, the appearance of multi-resistant bacteria and more importantly for patients and clinicians, unsatisfactory therapeutic options in recurrent urinary tract infection (RUTI) calls for alternative and advanced medical solutions. So far no sufficient means to successfully prevent painful and disabling RUTI has been found. Even though long-term oral antibiotic treatment has been used with some success as a therapeutic option, this is no longer secure due to the development of bacterial resistance. One promising alternative is the use of live microorganisms (probiotics) to prevent and treat recurrent complicated and uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI). 

The human normal bacterial flora is increasingly recognised as an important defence to infection. Since the advent of antibiotic treatment five decades ago, a linear relation between antibiotic use and reduction in pathogenic bacteria has become established as medical conventional wisdom. But with the use of antibiotics the beneficial bacterial flora hosted by the human body is destroyed and pathogenic bacteria are selectively enabled to overgrow internal and external surfaces. The benign bacterial flora is crucial for body function and oervgrowth with pathogenic microorganisms leads to illness. Thus the concept of supporting the human body's normal flora with live microorganisms conferring a beneficial health effect is an important medical strategy.

WHAT ABOUT CRANBERRY JUICE?
Cranberry is considered to be an effective means to prevent and help clear UTIs. The cranberry tannins help prevent bacterial adhesion in basically the same way as D-Mannose. Since it prevents E. coli adhesion, the bugs can't colonize and hit you with a UTI. Now the thing we should mention is almost all the research out there refers to the cranberry juice verses just the cranberry.

So yes, you can minimize the amount of UTIs you get with the juice, but then you're blood sugar levels go through the roof. So now you're susceptible to diabetes, which ironically increases your chances of getting a UTI. Plus, the extra sugar can make you more prone to getting a yeast infection. So ladies, if you're going to use this method, drink the pure, very tart, pressed cranberry extract juice with no added sugar, not from concentrate. You can mix it with water if you prefer. Or you can try the cranberry supplements and see if those work for you.


OTHER WAYS TO PREVENT + MANAGE UTIs

• Plain whole milk or sheep's milk organic, minimally processed yogurt (for the probiotic benefit)
• Alkalize your internal fluids (we wrote about alkalizing here and here)
• Calcium/Magnesium Citrate
• General oral probiotics will help prevent UTIs from occurring in the first place. There are also probiotics that can be inserted into the vagina, if you are suffering from a UTI and need immediate help. It will help balance out the flora to rid the infection. The same remedy also applies to yeast infections.
• Homeopathics can work wonders in managing a UTI. We recommend you seek out a homeopathic practitioner. There are many remedies that can be useful in a UTI situation so finding the most appropriate one is a daunting task. The most commonly used homeopathics for this condition are belladonna, clematis, sarsaparilla, cantharis, lycopodium. Each one of these remedies works based on which particular symptoms you are exhibiting.

UTI's can be serious business so you really need to be proactive when it comes to preventing them. As a bonus, many of the natural remedies that help prevent and manage UTIs are also great for your overall health. The only downside? You now have one less reason to take a legitimate sick day.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Roasted Eggplant Spread

EGGPLANT SPREAD:
[Recipe sourced from "Conscious Cuisine" by Chef Cary Neff]
This is a tasty spread that goes well on top of everything! We use it as a Bruschetta-type topping for appetizers, but you can eat it with crackers, too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large eggplants, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 cup vegetable stock

PREP: 
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until eggplant is lightly browned and softened.

Combine the eggplant with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. The spread will keep for up to 1 week in an refrigerated airtight container.

UTI Ay Ay!

Urinary tract infections = a very sucky part of being a woman. What can we say? Our urethras and our anuses share the same plot of land. There's bound to be some neighborhood scuffles.

A UTI is a bacterial infection in the urinary tract, bladder, urethra, ureters, and sometimes involves the kidneys. E. coli is the most common culprit, but it's not the same kind that causes food poisoning. E. coli is naturally found in our normal intestinal flora. Problems like UTIs happen when E. coli escapes the intestines, crosses the fence and makes a run for the bladder. Although bacterial E. coli is the most common cause, UTIs can also be viral, parasitic and fungal in nature.

WHAT DOES A UTI FEEL LIKE?
If you've ever had a UTI, you've probably felt a painful burning sensation—like Piranhas swimming in your urethra when you pee. And then there's the persistent urge to pee—except when you get to the toilet, only a couple of trickles come out. Some other symptoms include cloudy urine, foul smelling pee, fever, abdominal pain or blood in the urine (hematuria).

As long as a UTI stays in the bladder, it's easiest to take care of right away. Things start to get a whole lot more serious if the infection spreads to the kidneys (acute pyelonephritis). It can quickly escalate and cause radiating upper/mid back pain around the sides and front of the body. It can also cause high grade fevers, chills, nausea, and vomiting. Basically it feels like you're coming down with a very strong flu with back pain.

UTIs are very serious and can lead to major complications. So if you get one, you should see a licensed professional. If a person suffers from chronic UTIs, chances are it has spread to the kidneys, causing scarring of the kidney tissues. This can cause a decrease in kidney function. If a pregnant woman gets a UTI, it can also affect the unborn baby.


HOW DO YOU GET A UTI?
Beyond the overgrowth and migration of E. coli, you can get a UTI in other ways:

• Having sex can trigger a UTI because there's a hot mess of fluids going in and out of all sorts of holes down there. To decrease your risk of infection, make sure you go pee immediately after you have sex. That'll wash any bacteria out of your urethra before it has a chance to cross the border and cause a security breech.
• Spermicides and other types of birth control (especially insertable ones), can also increase your risk and frequency of infections. If you haven't read our birth control blog, you can check it out here.
• Diet, stress and dehydration are leading causes.
• Hygiene also plays an important role. It's common sense that too little hygiene will cause UTI's, but too much hygiene will just as likely cause them. What we mean is, nobody likes a douche. Especially not your vagina. Douche products disrupt our normal flora and vaginal environment which leads to bacterial overgrowth and UTI's.  

HOW TO PREVENT UTIs

• Make it a habit to drink tons of of pure water throughout the day.
• Wipe your girl parts from front to back.
• Go pee right after you have sex.
• When you gotta go, go. When you feel the urge don't hold it in.
• Ditch the douche.
• Take probiotics.
• Stress less.
• Eat less sugar.
• Don't eat or drink artificial sweeteners, processed or packaged foods.

ANTIBIOTIC OVERKILL
Most medical doctors give antibiotics routinely for UTIs. Which means if you have chronic UTIs, you're likely getting lots of rounds of antibiotics. Problem is, antibiotics kill both the good and bad bacteria in your body. Guess which ones grow back first? The bad ones. This means after a round of antibiotics, you'll likely come down with another infection within a relatively short period of time. This is why women who treat their UTIs with only antibiotics, will often suffer from them over and over again. You don't want to get into this vicious cycle.

It's rare a woman will have just one UTI in her lifetime. If you do end up taking an antibiotic for a UTI, make sure you take probiotics at the same time to replenish the healthy flora being exterminated. Then continue to take probiotics after you're done with the antibiotics. This would be a perfect time to reread our antibiotics blog to better understand this subject.

But you don't always need to take antibiotics. There are natural ways to prevent, manage and cure a UTI. We personally take a wonder supplement called D-Mannose. We'll tell you all about it and other natural UTI remedies next week.

Until then, tell your anus to keep off your urethra's lawn or you're calling the cops.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Hummus

Who doesn't love hummus? Here are three different variations for you to try.

HEALTHIER HUMMUS:
Here's a hummus that doesn't use oil or tahini. 

INGREDIENTS:
    •    1 15-oz can cooked chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
    •    1 or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
    •    1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
    •    2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
    •    1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
    •    1/8 teaspoon white pepper
    •    1/2 cup celery, chopped
    •    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    •    reserved liquid from the chickpeas
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

PREP:
Place the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and salt in the food processor. Process until the beans start to break up (about 1 minute). If mixture is thicker than you like, slowly add reserved chickpea liquid. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides to ensure all the beans are pureed.

 

Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika for extra flavor and color. The spread will keep for up to 1 week in a refrigerated airtight container. 

Serve with raw veggies like cukes, celery, cherry tomatoes and carrots for dipping.

EDAMAME HUMMUS:  
[Sourced from Food Network Kitchens cookbook, Get Grilling]  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2  pound fresh or frozen shelled edamame (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tbs)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 4 Tbs EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREP: 

Boil the edamame in salted water until tender (about 4 minutes). Puree the edamame, water, tahini, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander in a food processor until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 3 Tbs of EVOO and process until smooth. Transfer the hummus to a bowl and stir in the parsley. Cover and set aside at room temp for about 1 hour to let flavors develop. Before serving, drizzle with the remaining EVOO. Serve with sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, small tomatoes, or other raw veggies. 

TRADITIONAL HUMMUS:
[Sourced from Paula Wolfert's book, The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean]

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas 
• 1 small onion, peeled
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste) 
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ground cumin, paprika, or pomegranate seeds for garnish 

PREP: 

• Put the chickpeas in a pot and cover with water. Soak overnight.
• Drain, rinse and cook with the onion in water to cover until the chickpeas are very soft. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid for the dip. Set aside 1/4 cup of chickpeas for the garnish. Discard the onion.
• Stir the tahini in its jar until the oil is well blended. Place tahini in the blender or bowl of the food processor. Blend the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice until the mixture becomes white.
• With the machine running, add the reserved cooking liquid. Add 1 3/4 cup chickpeas and process until well blended. Add salt and lemon juice.
• Let it for 1 to 2 hours at room temp. 
• To serve, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with ground cumin, paprika, or pomegranate seeds.

Kelly's Story: See Ya, Secondary Amenorrhea

Kelly is another one of Dr. Kim's patients. We're not going to use her last name due to the personal nature of her testimonial. But boy does this girl have an amazing story to tell. Here's how holistic healing changed Kelly's life:

My History of Secondary Amenorrhea – CURED

My hormonal levels as a teenager seemed to develop normally. I started my first period shortly before my 14th birthday, and had a regular 21-day/5-day menstrual cycle by the age of 16. By 17-years old, I started taking the birth control pill and stayed on the pill (with regular menstrual cycles) until I was 25. 

At the age of 25, I stopped taking the pill and my period stopped with it.

My conditions were as follows: I was on the slimmer side (120 lbs.5'7"), but within the healthy weight for my height and age. I have always played sports, but nothing excessive. I had a lot stress in my teens due to my mother's death and had an abusive father who separated me from my siblings. I had stress again at 23-years old—I was passenger in a near-fatal car accident and I left my fiancé who was the drunk driver.

After a few months of no period, I went to two gynecologists and was diagnosed with Secondary Amenorrhea. They both did medical tests, and told me they could not find the cause. They both said, "sometimes this just happens" and as long as I am otherwise healthy, I should not be concerned. One of the gynecologists told me I should be thankful, most women would love this! The other gynecologist suggested I go back on the pill if I wanted a menstrual cycle. I was not comfortable with this abnormality and could not settle my concern. I didn’t go back on the pill.

When I was 26, I started seeing a new chiropractor, Dr. Kimberly. During our initial consultation, when I filled out my routine paperwork, I mentioned I hadn't had a period for a year and a half, not expecting a chiropractor would concern herself with non-spinal issues. Much to my surprise, she was interested in this condition so I further explained my history. I felt very comfortable with Dr. Kim’s interest in my overall health. She made everything seem like common sense. She used simple analogies to explain medical symptoms, and I often responded with, “Aha, that’s my body, that makes sense!” I knew immediately I would connect with this thought process because I felt she was interested in helping the cause of medical problems, rather than treating the symptom (such as going back on the pill).

I had never experienced B.E.S.T. technique nor did I know anything about it, so initially I was a little skeptical. But after a few sessions, it was clear this was my opportunity to let somebody help me to help myself, through subconscious and conscious resetting.*

Within a few sessions, I felt a noticeable difference in my back pain, which is why I thought I went to the chiropractor in the first place. But she helped me with so much more. I noticed my emotional health was changing. My sense of well-being slowly grew and I became more mindful of my health.

Initially I had sessions with Dr. Kim two times per week, for approximately two months.  Then I had sessions once every week for a month or two more. Depending on how my back felt, I saw her every 2-3 weeks thereafter. 

Approximately one year after I began my sessions with Dr. Kim, I got my first period in two and a half years! I was thrilled and immediately made an appointment with Dr. Kim.  When I walked into the office, Dr. Kim stopped what she was doing and came straight over to talk to me. Almost like she knew I had wonderful news before I had the chance to tell her! With tears of joy and thankfulness, I told her, knowing Dr. Kim had taken this health journey with me.

When I got Secondary Amenorrhea, and ever since then, my gynecologist told me it may be very difficult to become pregnant without the assistance of medical technology. Well, I am proud to announce I have naturally conceived and will soon be a proud mother!

I hope to continue seeing Dr. Kim throughout my pregnancy and with my child after he/she is born, to continue a lifestyle of natural holistic health.

Thank you, Synecare.

*Dr. Kim uses many different chiropractic techniques in her practice. With Kelly's situation she used specific manual chiropractic adjustments, B.E.S.T. (Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique), TBM (Total Body Modification), basic Network chiropractic, and a little AK (Applied Kinesiology). The main goal with these techniques was to reset Kelly's subconscious and conscious mind/body, balance her parasympathetics/sympathetics, stimulate viscerals (organs), and remove interferences in her nervous system so her body could function at its optimal level. And ultimately, to get Kelly's period back.

A Healthy Recipe A Week: Pineapple Wraps

We received such great feedback on our breakfast, lunch + dinner blogs, we decided to start posting a healthy recipe a week. We want you to try these recipes and tell us what you think in the comments section below. If you have any healthy recipes you'd like to share, please let us know and we'll use it for a posting. Even if there are some not-so-healthy recipes you have, send them to us and we'll translate them with healthy substitutions to make a better-for-you version.

Let's start with an easy breezy summertime dish we love.

PINEAPPLE WRAPS: 
(From Food Networks "Get Grilling") 

Makes 12 wraps

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tsp. raw sugar
• 2 tsp. chili paste like Sambal Oelek
• 2 tsp. fish sauce (Sounds fishy, but it's good. Trust us.)
• 2 cups roasted cashews, roughly chopped (The recipe in the book says either peanuts or cashews, so of course if you're a Guru Girl, you know we'll be using the cashews. And yes, their roasted, but this is a snack so we can let it slide. You can also use raw cashews if you're feeling super healthy.)
• 2/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 12 bibb lettuce leaves (1 head)
• Half a medium fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-size chunks (3 cups)
• Kosher salt (We use sea salt.)

PREP:

• Whisk the lime juice, sugar, chili paste, and fish sauce in a bowl until sugar dissolves.   

• Add the cashews and cilantro and stir until evenly dressed with the sauce. 

• When ready to serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter. Put about 1/4 cup of pineapple in each leaf and season with salt to taste. Top the pineapple with the nut mixture. Serve and let your guests wrap each lettuce leaf to enclose the filling.