Dear Thyroid^TM

This week I’m introducing you to a lovely lady who’s devoted herself to food and healthy, natural living. Elizabeth Walling, of The Nourished Life is a food blogger, mommy, and traditional foods advocate blogging her way to better health and real food awareness.  And I love her story; it goes like this:

My name is Elizabeth Walling, and I have a passion for finding nourishment in life through food. I believe healthy, nourishing meals are a missing link today – without nourishment our bodies and minds can’t function at their best. It can be really hard to find meaning in life and become who you want to be without nourishment from real food. I know this from personal experience.

Like many people, my journey to health began with the best of intentions, but I was on the wrong path: a path filled with vegetable oils, tofu and skim milk. A path which I discovered to be strewn with misery, self-doubt and anger.

But this all began to change in 2008 when I discovered eating more natural fats is actually healthy. Then I found Nourishing Traditions and a whole new world of nutrition: one that includes butter and raw milk, local meat and eggs, kefir and sauerkraut. And I realized this path was different. It was a path filled with satiation and contentment, joy and laughter. I’d had no idea real food could literally bring a smile to my face.

So I’ve asked Elizabeth some questions this week, in hopes we can learn from her, expand our food knowledge, and determine what plan is best for us.  Here’s what she said:

Q: Your blog is called The Nourished Life. What does this mean exactly and what is your perspective on food?

A: When I first read Nourishing Traditions, the title really drew me in and made me want to start taking care of myself. I wanted to bring that feeling into my blog. And for me, living a nourished life has a lot to do with real, traditional foods, but it also means living in a way that is fulfilling to you. I also use the term “journey” a lot on my blog, because I want to make sure people realize healthy living isn’t something you learn overnight. It’s those small changes which add up over time that make the real difference.

Q: How long have you been interested in food and The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF)? How did you become interested in them?

A: I heard about Nourishing Traditions around the time my son was born about four years ago. My mom gave me a copy of Diana Schwarzbein’s book about the same time. Unfortunately I didn’t pay attention to either of these great books for another two years, when my mental and physical health were going downhill and I wanted some answers. I was already interested in eating healthy, but at the time I had bought into conventional ideas (you know, like don’t even think about touching eggs or real butter). I went to Schwarzbein first, and a few months later got a copy of Nourishing Traditions. I was just floored and fascinated by the wealth of information in that “cookbook,” and that’s when I really began my real food journey.

Q: Do you think food is directly related to health?

A: Without a doubt. I’m living proof: I am a totally different person on real food. Before, when my diet was full of vegetable oil spreads and tofu, I was a mere shadow of myself. I didn’t have a clear idea of who I was or where I was going. Life had kind of lost its luster, and when you’re in your early twenties that’s not a good sign! Food may not solve everything, but I truly believe it is the foundation of successful living.

Q: Do you think we face negative consequences when we put poor quality foods in our bodies?

A: Yes, probably more than most people think. Food used to be considered medicine. Now we just use conventional medicine like prescription drugs to mask the problems caused by a faulty diet. I can’t imagine how many health problems could be solved if more people ate real food!

Q: Do you have any personal experience with good food and better health?

A: Oh, yes. Dieting, over-exercising and stress gave me plenty of health problems. I had digestive issues, acne, embarrassing mood swings, trouble sleeping, feelings of hopelessness and anxiety (to name a few). All of these problems have significantly improved since I’ve started eating more traditional foods.

Q: Among other things, you believe in fermented foods and their health benefits. Do you have any tips or recipes to share with us?

A: For one thing, only do what you can handle at any given time. It’s so easy to jump in head first and burn out. The sauerkraut recipe in Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat, Lose Fat is very easy and great for beginners. It was my first fermented food recipe. All you need is shredded cabbage, sea salt and whey. Then my mom came up with a great idea to add some whey to store-bought organic ketchup and let it sit in the pantry for a couple days. Viola! Easy fermented ketchup that the kids actually like.

Q: Do you find that it’s hard to eat healthy while being busy with work, and family, and life? How do you manage?

A: I think finding a balance between all those things isn’t easy for anyone. Honestly, I’ve managed by making my life very simple. I don’t do a lot of extracurricular activities. We spend a lot of time at home, a lot of time together as a family. I also try to keep meals fairly simple, and I let the kids get their own snacks like leftovers, fruit, nuts or cheese so I’m not constantly preparing food. Doing traditional foods does take up extra time, so I try to focus on just a few areas instead of trying to do everything. For instance, I do make homemade raw milk yogurt (in the easiest way humanly possible for me) and I do a lot of bone broth. Those are doable for me.

Q: Do you have any tips for eating healthy when eating out?

A: That’s a tough one. It’s hard to eat out in a healthy way, so what we do is eat out occasionally and don’t worry too much about it. But I know for many people eating out is a way of life, so in that case it’s good to pick a higher-end restaurant that might actually use genuine ingredients. Otherwise, try to avoid the fried stuff. Those vegetable oils are not your friend.

Q: What’s your favorite food blog?

A: Gosh, it’s not easy to choose–I follow a lot of blogs. I devoured Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Cheeseslave when I first discovered real food bloggers. There’s also a great blog called 180 Degree Health that is entirely unorthodox but inspiring nonetheless, and the comments are as entertaining as the posts.

Q: What’s your (food) guilty pleasure?

A: Mainly chocolate and rich desserts. I can really go for chocolate ice cream sometimes (Haagen Dazs is my favorite) . And then my other weakness is Italian food. Whether it’s pizza or fettuccine alfredo, I can really drool over that stuff. So I indulge occasionally and don’t let myself feel guilty about it. Life’s too short to give up everything!

Were you familiar with “traditional foods”, Weston A. Price, or Nourishing Traditions before reading Elizabeth’s story? If so, what has your experience with them been?  Do you feel better when eating traditional/real foods?  Or, if this is your first exposure, do you think you’ll read more?

Until Next Week,
Love Always,
Liz

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I was speaking to another Dear Thyroid lady this week about candida (that is, my immune system that is slowly recovering from being over-run by the stuff), and the most effective treatments in combating it. I do take several probiotics every day to help with this (I will be posting a resource list for HTKYTA in weeks to come, so you can see just which products, probiotics too, I find most effective and helpful). But, I know, intellectually, that a probiotic is not the best source of beneficial bacteria that I could potentially be ingesting. Naturally fermented foods are actually the best source for this immune-boosting, gut-healing bacteria. This means I have to get over my mental barrier with fermented foods. I may be a very adventurous eater, but I have a real problem with some fermented foods. It’s just a mental block, and it’s keeping me immobilized by candida.

Recently, I started trying (yet again) to incorporate real, healthful fermented foods into my diet — the same foods and the same way traditional cultures have eaten for thousands of years (kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, pickles, etc.). But keep in mind that fermented foods vary and some are pasteurized, heated, or force-fermented and devoid of good bacteria. So today, I’ve compiled a list of probiotics we can acquire from untraditional sources — those other than a pill supplement; that is, from real foods with live cultures.

Zukay sells a line of salsas, salad dressings, and relishes, all full of probiotics and live cultures: carrot ginger, cucumber mint, red pepper cilantro, sweet basil onion, and others. All products are raw and contain no soy. This would be a simple way to introduce fermented foods into your diet — simply add to salads, atop proteins, or dip with chips.

The Body Ecology Diet website (based on the book by author Donna Gates) offers a line of probiotic drinks that are fermented and contain the good bacteria we need, while still being tasty and refreshing. It is interesting to note that many of these drinks are grain-fermented, some from sources of gluten. However, the website claims that due to fermenting, no detectable gluten has been found in the products. Flavors include passion fruit, coconut, dong quai, whole grain, and innergy.

Recently I came across Coconut Aminos (essentially, a condiment that is used as a substitute for soy sauce), at Whole Foods. Besides being raw and naturally fermented, other health benefits include the fact that this product is soy-free and gluten-free (great for thyroid peeps who haven’t found a replacement for soy sauce or other soy- and gluten-derived condiments). The product is also rich in minerals, and essential amino acids that the body requires for muscle rebuilding and nervous system function.

And lastly — Rejuvenate Foods.  I’m a fan of the company and have been eating more of their raw sauerkraut recently, as well as on and off in the past. It’s good; yummy in fact, and I can actually feel a difference within minutes of eating — I feel better, and lighter (physically and mentally). Though, they also offer entire lines of other items, including salsas, kimchi, fermented salads and veggies, and various nut and seed butters. I buy their products at my local health food store.

Which fermented products do you use? Do you have a mental barrier with fermented foods too? Would you consider trying any of these, or other products that are fermented and contain good bacteria?

Until Next Week,

Love Always,

Liz

Also, Quin and Ericka, please email me your shipping info — you were announced as last week’s Shakeology winners, but we haven’t heard from you! Email me your addresses to claim your goodies!

There are alot of things I want to say this week and I want to make sure they’re expressed with the kind of urgency and importance with which I experienced them.  It’s poignant stuff, so maybe I should start at the beginning.  The beginning in this case is the Tampa airport at 6:00 am on the-week-before-last Wednesday morning.  It was me, in full travel garb (tank top, sweater, and baggy yoga pants), in line at the security check-through next to an elderly couple and no one else.  The airport is pretty quiet on Wednesday mornings before 7:00 am, I guess, which explains why the security officials all looked so damn bored.

“In order to generate the nude image of the human body, these machines emit terahertz photons — high-frequency energy ‘particles’ that can pass through clothing and body tissue.“

What happened next is, I was forced into one of the new full-body scanning machines.  I say “forced” because normally as a passenger, I’ve been given the option to opt out of being wanded and instead, be felt-up manually (which, of course, is so much less violating and invasive).  But I wasn’t given that option: “Ma’am, I need you to step inside.”

“The manufacturers of such machines claim they are perfectly safe and present no health risks, but a study conducted by Boian S. Alexandrov (and colleagues) at the Center for Nonlinear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico showed that these terahertz waves could ‘…unzip double-stranded DNA, creating bubbles in the double strand that could significantly interfere with processes such as gene expression and DNA replication.“

Because I’d only ever read about the full body scanning machines (and their apparent health risks), but never seen a picture of one, it didn’t register at first what I was experiencing.  Only after the fact, did I understand what I had just stepped into — a tube of radiation, my body in full exposure and in someone else’s control.  Not only was this man exposing my compromised immune system to “harmless” “amounts” “of” “radiation” and cellular damage, but he was also seeing every bump and lump in my body — MY body; you know, MY private property? I happen to be a very modest person, you see.

“And yet no such long-term safety testing has ever been conducted by a third party. There have been no clinical trials indicating that multiple exposures to such terahertz waves, accumulated over a long period of time, are safe for humans. The FDA, in particular, has never granted its approval for any such devices even though these devices clearly qualify as ‘medical devices.”

Afterward, I felt mad, extremely violated, and then got on my flight.  Once I arrived at my destination, San Antonio, about three hours later, I stopped in the bathroom (only because I always stop in the bathroom; it’s my thing… peeing alot, that is).  Because I am very in-tune with my body’s signals, I notice everything.  And as I went to the bathroom, I noticed one big change — uterine bleeding*, coming out from my body.  I wasn’t menstruating and wouldn’t be for two and a half more weeks.  And I never spot.  I was bleeding for “unknown” reasons, from an “unknown” cause.   This continued the entire day.  (*Please note that I think it’s important for me to be very explicit in my description here, because it drives home how serious the situation really is.  If the thought of uterine bleeding scares you, then clearly, my job here is done, because it scares the shit out of me too).

“There, study authors conclude: “Based on our results we argue that a specific terahertz radiation exposure may significantly affect the natural dynamics of DNA, and thereby influence intricate molecular processes involved in gene expression and DNA replication. In other words, millimeter wave scanning devices may damage your DNA.”

I have no proof that being exposed to the full-body scan caused my body to bleed.  But, what I do know is that this had never happened to me before, and there were no other stressors besides the scanner. (Unless the plane ride shook loose my uterine lining, that is.)

“What if the experts are wrong about their safety and ten years later we find out that there is cumulative DNA damage that causes infertility and cancer? What if air travelers who subject themselves to this radiation wind up suffering some currently-unknown health condition as a result? At no time in the history of human civilization have large numbers of humans ever been subjected to terahertz bombardment of this type and frequency.”

Even more than a week later, I still feel very violated, and in many ways, raped: raped of my highest health potential; raped of my own sovereignty over my health; raped of my choice in deciding what I do with my body.

“As the security screening woman felt me up, I mentioned to her that I have an implant, the result of mastectomy. She relayed the information to those unseen through her microphone. A few seconds later, she sent me on my way. And I tweeted and Facebooked about the experience. A friend in Tallahassee mentioned that friend of his had to lift his shirt to expose his colostomy bag to the TSA in Philadelphia.”

We can say small amounts of radiation are harmless, but not in a body with a weakened immune system; not in a body with a pre-exisiting health condition; not in a body with chronic infection.  No one asked if I was sick or had ever been sick; it is simply irrelevant to them.  Let the decision makers at the TSA get their fill of radiation for sake of traveler security.  For me, I choose ZERO radiation for my body and fragile system.  And I should be granted that choice.  A strip search in a stark, cold room with a stranger in latex gloves would have felt less invasive and violating — at least then I would be assured my health wasn’t being compromised.

“The takeaway here is, if you have fake body parts, you should be prepared to explain them to the full-body screening folks at the TSA.”

But the problem is bigger than the damaging/”unzipping” of DNA or radiation.

“Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. EPA sets standards for approximately 90 contaminants in drinking water. EPA’s standards, along with each contaminant’s likely source and health effects, are available at www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html.“

When I fly, I can’t even get clean drinking water.  Airports sell polluted water and beverages, and because passengers are not legally entitled to bring our own fluids, I abstain.  I drink no fluids for hours at a time when traveling. I refuse to pollute my body with chlorine, fluoride, and pharmaceutical remnants.  One swig sets my health right back at square one; a swig of chlorine and I wind up with a massive infection.  A few cups of tap water pharmaceuticals and I get massive dizzy spells; my vision goes black before my eyes and I end up on the floor in a panic.

“Total Trihalomethanes. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of EPA’s standard over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Haloacetic Acids. Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of EPA’s standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Bromate. Some people who drink water containing bromate in excess of EPA’s standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Chlorite. Some infants and young children who drink water containing chlorite in excess of EPA’s standard could experience nervous system effects. Similar effects may occur in fetuses of pregnant women who drink water containing chlorite in excess of EPA’s standard. Some people may experience anemia.

Chlorine. Some people who use drinking water containing chlorine well in excess of EPA’s standard could experience irritating effects to their eyes and nose. Some people who drink water containing chlorine well in excess of EPA’s standard could experience stomach discomfort.

Arsenic. Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of EPA’s standard over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Fluoride. Many communities add fluoride to their drinking water to promote dental health. Each community makes its own decision about whether or not to add fluoride. EPA has set an enforceable drinking water standard for fluoride of 4 mg/L (some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of this level over many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones). EPA has also set a secondary fluoride standard of 2 mg/L to protect against dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should not drink water that has more than 2 mg/L of fluoride.“

Unfortunately, this is not unique to airports.  My daily life is polluted too, and my health is often not my own — someone or something else influences and owns it (I am never not in contact or close proximity to man-made chemicals or “technology”).  My question to you this week is, have you ever felt like your health is not your own?  Do you ever feel you have no sovereignty over your health because our environment and food and water are so polluted? Would you have a problem with the full body scanners too?

I’ll end this week with this: I believe that good health is the basis for all good things in life.  I grasp at any good health I can get.  I hold on to any good health like it is gold-plated, diamond-studded, the most valuable thing in the world.  Without good health, it is so very difficult to have and appreciate other good things in life.  I want good things in this life and it starts with good health.  I ever can’t let someone take that possibility away from me again.

And you can be sure the TSA will be receiving a scathing, very detailed letter from my uterus.

Resources:

• Cancer Risks Debated for Type of X-Ray Scan
• Full-body scanners used on air passengers may damage human DNA
• My Left Breast Put Fancy TSA Scanner to the Test
• EPA’s list of ground and drinking water contaminants
  

Until Next Week,

Love Always,

Liz

Also, before you leave — we’re announcing the two winners of the giveaway from Shakeology that we’ve been hosting for the last two weeks.  The winners, as chosen by Random.org, are Quin and Ericka!!!!!!! Ladies, please contact me at Liz@DearThyroid.com with your shipping info and I will get it over to Beth, who will be sending you your Shakeology goodies!

I’ve been reading a bunch of 2010 top food trend predictions this past week and they got me thinking. I decided to make a list too. While everyone else may be predicting the most popular conventional and consumer-driven food choices for this upcoming year, I’d like to make some health and food predictions that I hope will become popular — especially in our lovely little (or, not-so-little!) thyroid community.

1. Superfoods are trendy these days, and usually happen to be exotic, inaccessible foods that most people have never heard of, let alone are willing to track down at the health food store and shell out the money to purchase. But we’re all familiar with coconut, and I truly consider it to be a superfood. Healthy variations of coconut (preferably organic, minimally-processed, unsweetened) are widely available on the internet and in grocery stores. Though coconut products are not recommended for hyperthyroidism patients, as coconut is known to speed the thyroid, those with hypo symptoms can use it liberally in their diets. I use coconut shreds in my salad for lunch everyday, and coconut oil in my cooking at night. Because it’s full of fat (good, plant-based fat), it satiates and leaves me feeling full and satisfied, and stabilizes my blood sugar so I’m not hungry an hour later and also don’t get the shakes. It’s good at speeding up the thyroid, aiding in weight loss, and treating underlying infection, all while strengthening the immune system.

2. Let’s kill “everything in moderation” this year. A little endocrine disruptor here, and a few bites of soy there — we may put it out of our minds, but it still does affect our bodies. Instead of believing everything in moderation is okay (ie: “a little can’t hurt you”), let’s remember that our bodies are already sick. Anything we can do to lighten their load is worth the effort.

Though, I also don’t think we need to get down on ourselves (or get neurotic). What I’m talking about here are the conscious choices we make that we know aren’t good for us. We simply cannot possibly avoid every chemical in the air, water, food, food packaging, etc. around us. It is so pervasive. But, when we can choose — when we have the conscious choice — let’s choose a lower toxic load for our bodies.

3. More and more of us have decided to go gluten-free, and also identify and eliminate other food allergies. For most of us, these choices have equaled big health gains. My hope for the New Year is that we’ll keep spreading the good word, providing our fellow thyroid patients with sound gluten-free (and food-allergy) resources for them to determine if adopting a GF lifestyle is for them. And hey, gluten-free eating is becoming very mainstream. Even those who aren’t “sick” are finding they feel better when eliminating wheat and other grains from their diet.

4. And finally, this year, I’d like to see the creation of a patient-centered symptom list. I’ve mentioned it over and over — the “acceptable symptoms” list for thyroid patients and the various incantations of thyroid disease is limiting, misleading, and exclusive. I’d like to propose that we create our own list. Meaning, share your symptoms with us — all of them. Whether you just have thyroid disease, or you have two or three or four other diseases and conditions to contend with… what are your symptoms? Because many of the symptoms we experience can be things we don’t want to talk about openly, I propose we keep it anonymous. I’m going to be ironing out the details in weeks to come, but for now, if you feel comfortable, email, Twitter, Facebook, or comment some of your symptoms — whether they’re on the “acceptable list” or not; whether you think they’re thyroid-related or not. Make sure to mention that it’s a symptom you want to add to our list. I’d like to display this somewhere for those pre-diagnosis, or those new to thyroid disease to learn from, and use as a legitimate resource, versus the ten-bullet symptom list they’ll find at their doctor’s office. It can also be used as a resource when their doctor tells them their symptom is “simply not related to thyroid disease”.

What are your health resolutions for the New Year? What trends do you hope catch on? What symptoms do you experience that you think need added to the list?

Until Next Week,

Love Always,

Liz

Have a question, comment, story, love letter, or rant/rave to send me?: Liz@DearThyroid.com