It's time for school parties, farms and pumpkin patches and as usual I take on the task of making the Gluten-Free sugar cookies for my daughter's homeschool programs. I've love making paleo sugar cookies, and sometimes the kids look and sniff the goodies I bring to school, but do not try them because they don't look like what they expect. I get it, I'm not the most amazing pastry chef in the world, but I am innovative by any means. I bought a package of the Pamela's Sugar Cookies - but they really are just gluten-free flour and powdered sugar. And the powdered sugar contains corn. Corn is an allergen in my family, as well as others at school so I still had to make my own. The Pamela's cookies I did take out the butter, and instead used the equivalent in coconut oil (8 tbsp) and then 1 tbsp of the Earth Balance Soy-free Vegan Butter. I was told by one mom that it was the best sugar cookie she's every had, and she won't go back to those made with gluten again.

The Paleo Sugar Cookies for Halloween 

Next up was my own cookies. I used the Paleo Parents Not Sugar Cookies as a base design, but I changed a few items. I did add in a about 1/2 cup additional of coconut flour because when I "poured" it out to roll into a log, it really was POURING out. I also added in lemon essential oil because the dough really was bland.



Not Sugar Cookies MODIFED from the Paleo Parents - http://paleoparents.com/2011/not-sugar-cookies-for-the-nut-free-school-dilemma/
Tree Nut Free, Peanut Free, Grain Free (contains eggs but you can use the FYH VeganEgg as a sub)

Ingredients:
1 C fresh, Organic pitted dates
1/3 C extra virgin coconut oil
1/3 C Specturm palm shortening
4 Pastured eggs (see sub above)
1/2 tbsp Soy-Free Vegenaise
1 Tbsp pure vanilla
6 drops lemon essential oil
1 1/2  C organic coconut flour

Directions:
1. In food processor or blender, puree the dates and shortening into a paste. The food processor is easier in my book. The Vitamix wasn't the best first choice.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, essential oils, vegenaise and coconut oil to date paste and pulse until combined
3. Add /1 cup flour and pulse, continue to add up from the 1/2 cup until a thick dough starts to form.
4. Place extra coconut flour spinkles on whatever you are going to roll your dough log into to reduce sticking.
5. Pour dough onto wrap and roll into a nice sized sugar cookie log. Place in the freezer for about an hour to harden.
6. When hard enough you can slice off 1/4" thick slices of cookies and place them on a parchment paper on your baking sheet.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 18 minutes (until edges start to turn golden brown).

If the kids use a frosting on top, the moistness of the cookie is just right and they'll be thrilled. My daughter through they were the best cookies, and that is all that matters, right? Plus I didn't have to bring full bins of cookies home, so they were a big hit! The Harvest Party was a blast.

Happy Halloween & Harvest Love!!  ~ Barbara

Let's talk brain-gut JOY! The probiotic that I love that contains scientifically selected strains to have those happy little ecosystem. Vegan, soy free, gluten free, grain free ... and of course non gmo!



One of the reasons this is a favorite for me is because it contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is often not included in your run of the mill probiotic, but is one of the main bacteria in the gut that produces vitamin K and lactase. A probiotic should readily colonize on the walls of the small intestine and creates an unfriendly environment for bad bacteria. It adapts well to the human body because of its human origin and it is acid- and bile-resistant for intestinal survival.

Most of my favorite doctors agree that mood disorders begin with correcting the gut imbalances. The Gut-Brain-Axis is real. So make your microbiome happy, and choose the right products, one that has the right strains and most importantly one that actually can make it through your stomach to reach the essential digestive areas.

Final note, Lactobacillus acidophilus also has been clinically tested to help with a long list of wellness issues and so I have a link to the Mayo to give you more information. Of course I am always available to chat if you wonder if this would be a great nutritional choice for you.

Great Links: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4372813/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/acidophilus/evidence/hrb-20058615

http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/why-mood-disorder-treatment-should-begin-with-gut-bacteria

Now personally I have to say that I have used probiotics in the past, but never given them much thought until I got some bad bacteria in a smoothie mix about six months ago. I have a different way of looking at those of you that suffer from acid reflux now than I used to. You don't know until you know, right?

So I suddenly couldn't eat anything without getting horrible, can't sleep, try anything you can burning in my chest. I did the apple cider vinegar, and the baking soda, the all natural gerd chewables, and TUMs... and that means you know I was getting desperate. I can't take the OTC acid reflux pills due to allergic reactions to them from when they were trying to diagnose my IBS when I was in my early 20's. Finally I started on the probiotics, and that was the only thing that gave me relief. And it was funny that all of that depression came back with the bad bacteria. As well afterwards my adrenals started acting up... but that's another story.

I know how digestive problems feel, and I know how amazing if feels when they're gone. WebMD says, "Many people use probiotics to prevent diarrhea, gas, and cramping caused by antibiotics. Antibiotics kill "good" (beneficial) bacteria along with the bacteria that cause illness. A decrease in beneficial bacteria may lead to digestive problems. Taking probiotics may help replace the lost beneficial bacteria." So why not give probiotics a try? I take them usually encapsulated vegan probiotics, but you can also get a great vegan powder probiotic form and add probiotics to your green smoothie.

Learn a little more through my Increase Your Vitality Receptors training where I really dig into our microbiome at a higher level....

DISCLAIMER: Barbara Christensen, the owner of this website, is not a medical doctor. The author of this post is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained within this work are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. I shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions within this email. You, as someone that has reached out to me as a life coach, are totally and completely responsible for your own health and healthcare. Barbara Christensen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. She also has a partnership with a variety of wellness companies and clicking on any links and making a purchase could result in her making money.

I was talking with a functional nutrition doctor yesterday because I had heard him say that using suma root for women in the morning will help you sleep better. He explained that suma root will help your body normalize blood sugar levels so that you aren't waking up from a spike during the middle of the night. Suma is a large ground vine native to Central and South America; it is most notably from Brazil and often called Brazilian ginseng. My husband takes suma for weight lifting, so I sort of felt like "WFH" when he said I should take it because I do not want to bulk up. But then I saw this article on suma for women - http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/4-benefits-of-suma-root-for-womens-health/

I am wondering if suma would help some of you with those strong carb cravings. This is the liquid I was recommended to use - http://bit.ly/SumaTincture

I know that cortisol spikes blood sugar - and my cortisol spikes at night. I've started drinking a detox tea that is nettle infused at night to help with that. I was taking a cortisol manager supplement but it's like a horse pill. Even cut in half it's gigantic. Another great quality of nettles is their ability to lower SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), which is a globulin that binds into your free testosterone molecules making them “unavailable” to be used by your body. This is important for women with PCOS.

Why you ask?

Polycystic ovaries develop when ovaries are stimulated to produce excessive amounts of male hormones, particularly testosterone. This stimulation is caused by excess LH produced by the anterior pituitary in response to increased gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulsatility, or through high levels of insulin caused by insulin resistance. High insulin levels also suppress hepatic production of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) leading to higher levels of free circulating androgens, further adding to the hyperandrogenaemia. Hyperinsulinaemia goes on to cause dyslipidaemia.

So you can use the Organic Detox Tea at night before bed, and again first thing in the morning, or you can use this liquid nettle root and see if helps you. http://bit.ly/LiquidNettleRoot

I keep reading all of these great reviews on this Organic teas online, how the After Dinner Tea helps avoid the bloating. UK VOGUE magazine named this Vitality tea one of the the 10 Best Herbal Teas. The Organic Vitality tea is infused with schisandra to aid in concentration, plus siberian ginseng and rhodiola for an endurance boost and function as antioxidants. For me it's a good daytime tea to help me in the afternoon to have one more support tool to keep my cortisol from spiking at night. Once my cortisol spikes it's very hard to get to sleep and stay to sleep. And we know that sleep is a very essential part of our healthy lifestyle plan.

My favorite non-denatured whey shake is the moringa oleifera shake, and my husband goes that direction. It's pretty tasty, and you can easily add in your keto supplementation to lean into ketosis after your workout. The keto supplementation we use is specially formulated to support the body’s natural metabolic processes. They created the macros with amazing ingredients with macronutrient ratios that support ketosis. Bioavailability and absorption are also the big keys to a good whey protein supplement. A supplement is not a food. Unlike food it should be absorbed quickly and efficiently. Try to remember when looking at products on the market that concentrates vary in quality. This whey concentrate is non-denatured and has a full array of natural proteins. Because it is non-denatured, it is absorbed quickly and bio-availability matters.

Of course I use a vanilla plant based protein (non-GMO) which is created similarly and comes out with a 26% fat content and no junk added. Also has the MCT powder which is manufactured in a way to protect the lipids from the attack of lipoxygenase and free radicals by adsorbing at the oil droplet surface. It mixes amazing. I also use the moringa mixes, and if you wanted to get away from a shake you could use the ZXM+ energy mix and add some keto supported microgreens or keto base to your shake to really rev up your morning.

When combined with a healthy diet and exercise, using supplementation promotes high-impact fat loss, energy production, blood sugar support, and better mental and overall health. Most guys are probably doing 2 scoops after their workout, but most of the women I know find that they feel better if they do 1 scoop in a shake once or twice daily depending on what they are going after for their program. So it's up to you.

Ketosis is a natural state for the body, when it is almost completely fueled by fat. Something that I tried before and ended up gaining weight instead of losing weight. I believe that my adrenals played into that. Then I discovered Thrive algae oil, and it became a part of my every day life as I worked on lowering my bad cholesterol. I did drop my bad cholesterol from High to Normal in just three months. 47 points gone, and continued. We have to listen to our bodies, and change up nutrition where needed. Because of my allergies I have been low-fat just because of natural choices, and it didn't do a lot. I was probably at the at least 20% fat that the World Health Organization recommends. But increasing my fat I stopped gaining menopausal weight, lowered bad cholesterol, started feeling higher energy as well. Now you can do this Vegan using a combination of the a vegan protein shake + calcium salts. Also I love the newer vegan base you can add to anything to increase your ketosis and they have flavors like chocolate sea salt, peaches and cream, coffee and vanilla. You can even go green with the ketogenic microgreen powder. That and supplementation with whole foods is really essential if you are diving into this change of diet with the already paleo and vegan diet.

My favorite smoothie recipe is:
2 cups full-fat coconut milk
1 cup strawberries
1 scoops chocolate ketosis supplement

I was asked to find an Advocare Spark natural alternative, and I did find a few really healthy alternativse. Let's start with the ingredients comparison. And how few ingredients there are in the alternative compared to Spark. 

Megafood Daily Energy Booster: Beets, Green Tea, Ginseng Root, Vitamin B12, Eleuthero Root, Ashwagandha Root.

ZXM+: Purified Spring Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Proprietary Blend (five parts of the Moringa oleifera tree), Natural Green Tea Concentrate, Fruit Pectin, Citric Acid, Natural Desert Tea, Natural Caffeine, Trimethylgycine, Ginseng, Natural Flavors.

Spark Ingredients: Vitamin A (as beta-carotene), Vitamin B-6 (as pyridoxine HCl), Vitamin B-12 (as cyanocobalamin), Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl acetate), Thiamine (as HCl), Riboflavin, Niacin (as niacinamide), Pantothenic acid (as calcium pantothenate), Zinc (as zinc monomethionine), Copper (as copper glycinate), Chromium (as chromium citrate), Choline (as bitartrate and citrate), L-Tyrosine, Taurine, Caffeine , Glycine, Citrus flavonoids, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), L-Carnitine (as tartrate), Inositol, Maltodextrin, citric acid, sucralose, silicon dioxide 

So what do all of those energy drink ingredients mean?