Healthy Food

Pasta and chill

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It is Friday! Although, I do have to be up at 7am tomorrow. Regardless, I am down to have an awesome hearty meal. My husband is taking our daughter to ballet so I can cook, otherwise I would probably order takeout or make something quick and lazy because my back hurts and I am exhausted. I have been thinking about making this all week. The time has come!

In one pan I am sautéeing portobello mushrooms with light olive oil, rosemary, balsamic and pepper. In the other pan I am cooking Gardein vegan “chicken” with turmeric, sage, shallots, garlic, pepper, lemon, oregano and himalayan salt. 


I tend to over season because I am making the sauce from scratch and want the flavors to get picked up after adding unsweetened almond milk.  Earth Balance butter, which is non dairy, is my favorite. The flavor is fucking amazing! My picky daughter loves it. Seriously, look how good the mushrooms look. If your mouth is not watering, please exit this page. You can put whatever you want in the sauce. Tomatoes, zucchini, basil, broccoli. Have fun! You don’t need me to hold your hand. 


I also added chopped spinach and (not pictured yet) sweet peas. I have no idea why but I love peas with my creamy pastas. Just do it.

Follow Your Heart makes the perfect dairy-free parmesan. I love adding lemon pepper and garlic to my “Alfredo sauce.” You will also need to thicken it up with Daiya mozzarella. This makes a rich and creamy sauce that will fucking knock you in bed with some cozy feels. 
Tonight, I am watching  the Netflix premiere of Lady Gaga’s documentary Five Foot Two, which allows us to peek behind the curtain of sweat and fame to see the reality of a young woman battling severe pain and fighting an autoimmune disease. I am so excited that someone with such power can raise awareness to invisible illnesses and chronic pain. It is about damn time. 
Anyway, back to food! I start my sauce by warming up the almond milk. I am not a traditional lady in the kitchen. I just eyeball it for the most part. I would guess I poured 3 cups and a big scoop of the dairy-free butter and you can add a scoop of dairy-free cream cheese. Keep in mind I am feeding an army and used two boxes of pasta. I seasoned the sauce, even though a lot of flavor will be picked up from everything we sautéed. Keep in mind we can always add more! I added rosemary, oregano, pepper, lemon pepper, parsley, turmeric, sage and garlic.


Once you heat it up you can add the entire container of the parmesan. I turned the other burners off and put everything to the side and start on the pasta. Cook the past of your choice as instructed. After it is ready, strain it and put it back in the pot and add all that good shit together, including the mozzarella and stir. After tasting, I decided it needed a hell of a lot more garlic. I thought I had minced but I tossed what we had after the hurricane. I always prefer fresh, of course, but be real… I am not a little farm girl picking my herbs. I am busy as fuck and forget things. 


We also made some bread to soak up all the deliciousness. Now I am signing off! It is time to get in bed and try not to drip food on our new comforter while watching Netflix. You know you do it too. 

Also, we need a new cookie sheet and are registered HERE! Gross! 

* Best served on paper plates to avoid more dishes

Health

Banana Bag Oral Solution – Getting My Life Back

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Banana Bag is an oral solution that you mix in water and drink. It is like getting a bag of IV fluids at the hospital, only without the needles and scary bill. If you are like me and can get dehydrated easily, this is going to be your saving grace! 

Summertime is the worst time for me. I absolutely hate it. Seriously, it is the definition of hell. However, I live in Florida so it is hot most of the year. Let’s face it, I have three kids and live between Cocoa Beach and Orlando which makes it is hard to avoid outdoor activities.  

My daughter is on a swim team and I had to sit in the heat for 4 hours during her swim meets and the first one landed me in the hospital. The second one, I tried Banana Bag and I made it through. This year, my mother treated my family to a day at the water park and I also made it through without getting dehydrated and sent to the ER.  I froze a liter of water with the solution and I put some cherry juice and fresh raspberries in it so that it was a frozen chunk of ice that slowly melted throughout the day for a constantly cold drink. It kept me cool, hydrated and prevented the usual health issues. It does have a vitamin taste so I like to add more water and some juice for flavor but I prefer it over hospitals and sugary sports drinks. It is such a relief to be able to spend time with my family without having to end up in the ER to get a bag of fluids. This is a game changer!



I have a rare connective tissue disease called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that I just got diagnosed with this year after struggling with health problems my entire life. EDS is a collagen defect which causes joint hyper mobility (such as being double jointed) and a plethora of health issues including Dysautonomia. People with dysautonomia dehydrate faster.


For me, my dysautonomia comes in the form of low blood pressure, temperature control such as easily overheating and easily cold with full blown shivering,  pre-syncope with waves of lightheadedness, vision loss and numbness, painful kidney spasms, tachycardia, POTS, Neurocardiogenic Syncope and Sinus Node Dysfunction, (pacemaker since June 2017) to name a few. 

I have cut out preservatives, limited sugar intake and eat an anti-inflammatory and autoimmune diet. I take high does of vitamin C and CBD daily. I do not digest meat well so I cut it out and only eat fish and eggs. I cut out dairy because 90% of it gives me migraines with aura and so does MSG and artificial sweeteners. It has also taken me most of my life to learn what I cannot have. If I accidentally consume any of these things, I can guarantee a 4 hour comatose nap and wake up with a migraine and flashing lights, a racing heart and disorientation. This will last all day and sometimes the following day.

 It is also CRUCIAL for me to get all of my minerals, vitamins and electrolytes because I tend to get deficient in quite a few. Vitamin deficiencies can also cause so many health issues and unfortunately get missed and mistaken for other diseases. Vitamin B deficiency, for example, is very common and can cause tingling sensations in your extremities, depression, fatigue, weakness and irritability. 

The cool thing about this product is that it was made by a pharmacist who also made the IV solutions for ERs. It is awesome for POTS, autoimmune diseases, traveling, athletes, hangovers and anyone who is just exhausted, overworked and drained. 

It’s time to start living life to the fullest, which means having the health to do so! I am so grateful to have a home remedy for preventing dehydration and trips to the ER. I feel like I am finally starting to get my life back. 

Health, Healthy Food

Invisible Illnesses Unveiled – Celiac Disease

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Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten ingestion can cause damage to the small intestine and other long-term health issues. 

Theresa Lanno is a hairstylist and my business partner at Bombshells Barbershop & Glam Lounge in Rockledge, Florida. We busted our asses to open our salon. Stress can do a lot of things to our bodies. Theresa was rapidly losing weight without trying. She was coughing up blood and having stomach issues. The first doctor she saw gave her ulcer medication and chalked it up to stress. Can you imagine if she just took those pills and did not push for further tests? She would be damaging her body for many years to come and suffer from more health issues. Many autoimmune diseases are a dominos effect on your health. 

 Long Term Health Effects

Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines that contain gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional serious health problems. These include the development of other autoimmune disorders like Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS), dermatitis herpetiformis (an itchy skin rash), anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage, neurological conditions like epilepsy and migraines, short stature, and intestinal cancers. 
*Read more here.

 

Theresa also had a vitamin D deficiency, which can cause brain fog, bone pain, fatigue, depression and muscle weakness. Deficiencies are common with celiac disease. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and 1 in 100 people overreact to this particular protein, which damages the villi in their small intestines and causes poor absorption of food. Malnourishment can eventually lead to infertility, miscarriage, bone density loss, neurological diseases and certain types of cancer. 

Fortunately, the cure for celiac disease is to completely cut gluten out of your diet. My goal in unveiling invisible illnesses is to push others to be their own advocate and to get answers and not just accept the first guess a doctor quickly throws at you before their next patient. We want answers and and test as well asnproper treatments and not bandages or pills to mask our symptoms. 

Even if you are not Celiac, gluten sensitivities can cause similar issues minus the intestinal damage. Gluten has been know as an inflammatory food. You can read more here about research and references. 


*Photos by Misti Blu





At what age did you discover symptoms and how long did it take to get an official diagnosis?

Theresa: I found out I have Celiac disease in April. I’ve always had stomach aches and low energy.  I never thought anything of it until the past two years when my life got miserable. I couldn’t eat or drink with out feeling sick. I would get migraines, nausea, dizziness,  heartburn, brain fog and joint pain, which ruled my life. 

How do you feel about the healthcare system? 

Theresa: The healthcare system is very flawed. I went through tests for 2 years before getting a diagnosis. Every doctor said I was young and healthy with low vitamin levels & stress. I lost 20 pounds in 2 months. I knew it was something else and not just stress. Thankfully, after many different doctors, I went to a walk in clinic begging for answers. They finally sent me to a gastroenterologist. Even after going through all my tests it took over a month to get a diagnosis. Celiac disease isn’t very common and many doctors still don’t have knowledge about this disease, which is so frustrating. 

Do people have a hard time understanding your illness?

Theresa: Yes!  The worst thing about this disease is that the only way to feel better is by sticking to a strict gluten free diet. Cross contamination is a nightmare, which makes eating out almost impossible. Also, people use gluten free as a fad diet which makes restaurants not take it seriously. I get asked if my body’s intolerance to gluten is “a choice or an allergy.” Why anyone would make this choice for no reason is beyond me. Gluten free is not a fad, actually gluten free breads and sweets usually have more sugar and calories than “regular” things do! 

Do you have a message for people in your shoes who are struggling with this illness?

Theresa: It gets easier! The cravings are part of the disease. Be strong and don’t give into cravings. Celiac disease is strongly linked to cancer, MS, neuropathy, and diabetes. It’s no joke and there are so many people out there who feel the same!

What do you miss the most from before your diagnosis?

Theresa: I miss having a normal dinner with my friends and family.  I was such a foodie! I still am but it’s just harder now.  I don’t want to be the person who asks the waitress a million questions or has to fear getting sick from a chef’s negligence or server error.  But, most of all I miss real New Haven style PIZZA! 
What is your new favorite (gluten free) dish?

Theresa:  I have learned to make almost everything I loved before in a gluten free way. My favorite thing has been chicken parmesan! Barrilla makes the best GF pasta! I love Boars Heads deli meats for lunch and Goodie Girl Cookies are the shit for snacks! Sweets are my weak spot, and the Melting Pot has the best GF spread you will ever see! 

How have you changed or felt since your diet change? 

Theresa: All in all, the sucky diet is so worth the change. I feel so much better. I am down 20 lbs all together.  I still have days where my energy sucks and everything hurts but that is part of the autoimmune thing. No more crippling migraines or joint pain. It sucks sometimes but it could always be worse!

Health, Healthy Food

A Letter To The Restaurant Industry – From A “Picky” Eater

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More than 50 million Americans have food allergies. Is it outrageous to suggest that restaurants should train their staff on food allergies and which menu items may contain certain ingredients? This job is not just about refilling someone’s water or placing an order. Having standards for your employees to know what is in the salad on the menu should be a given but unfortunately, most of the time the answer is “I don’t THINK there is dairy in it.” Why not train your staff to know what is in the food they serve? 

When a customer shits their brains out, gets a debilitating migraine, crashes for 4 solid hours and wakes up to the room spinning, breaks out in hives or whatever other awful things may happen after you collect their tip and they head home, they will never come to your restaurant again. They will associate their post meal reaction with your food and consider it poison. You are now officially blacklisted on one customer’s dining list. Maybe it is just one, no big deal! But I promise this number will grow.

We are not a bunch of picky asshole snobs. Guess what? We can actually see your judgemental face and hear your shit talking in the kitchen. Let me guess… “People who have restrictions should not go out to eat.”  Go fuck yourself! Are you seriously telling me that I have to forgo dinner with friends or the occasional date night or even the last minute takeout order after a long day because you can’t get your shit together? Welcome to the new age, buddy. People have allergies. It is not always a fad diet craze. When someone says no butter, for example, and you bring them their dish cooked in butter anyway, just realize that you could be seriously hurting that person. They may have to call into work the next day or spend the evening watching flashing lights as the room spins while day dreaming about drilling a hole in their skull to release pressure. 


It is your job. Take people’s requests seriously or change your job position to the dish pit or try retail if you can’t be open minded to the fact that allergies and food sensitivities exist. You are in the wrong industry if you are going to be an asshole about a food modification for someone’s dietary needs. 

Also, latex gloves. If you still carry latex at your restaurant, you should know that hospitals have banned latex years ago and you can find information here to educate yourself and staff on that. Latex is also a common allergy. If hospitals no longer use it, maybe it is time you consider switching. 

Perhaps you want to gain a few more customers? Make a small side menu for gluten free or dairy free items so that your food allergy customers can have an option besides a side of lettuce. They will tell all their friends and possibly specifically come to your restaurant because they feel like they are not being treated like garbage and will now keep you on the rotation. 


Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope that you will think about not discriminating your next customer who has “annoying” special requests. Treating customers with great hospitality is your job and I hope the tips flow even better now that you are a little more informed on how to treat people and that for some people, dairy or wheat may not close up their throat but could make them feel like they got hit by a semi truck while being forced to trip on shrooms. 
*Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where gluten damages the small intestines. For others, gluten may not be an allergy or have as severe reactions as Celiacs but can cause an autoimmune response as it is considered an inflammatory food. For others, dairy may not be a lactose intolerant issue but an actual allergy that can cause a number of issues. For me, it causes tachycardia, vertigo, nausea, joint pain, fatigue, brain fog and sometimes other cardiac issues. 

Health

Day 5 Postoperative Pacemaker Update 

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The past couple of days have been rough.  I have had sugar the last two days when I felt worse so I am hoping eliminating sugar again will help. I usually don’t have sugar in my diet but caved and had some dairy free Ben & Jerry’s almond ice cream. Basically, I have been having PACs, which feel like extra heart beats and bouts of Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. I have had these issues prior to the pacemaker that I just got on June 8th (2017) but was unable to take medication due to chronic Bradycardia, a slow heart rate. Now that I have the pacemaker as a safety net, I am able to take medication to help with the other issues. At this point, I have to wait 6 weeks to let the pacemaker fully heal and the meds to kick in and then we can re-evaluate the situation and discuss a possible Cardiac Ablation, which would be my 5th. I would then be 100% paced. I am trying to be positive and hope that avoiding sugar will help calm things down and that my heart is just angry and still needs to heal and adjust. In these last two days I have had PACs every single minute, sometimes more, sometimes less and about 5-10 episodes of Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia (IST) each day. The IST will kick in randomly, often when I lie down from sitting up. My heart rate goes from 60s to 140s in seconds and my chest feels tight and constricted while my lips get cold and tingle or go numb. It is VERY uncomfortable and annoying, to say the least. The PACs sometimes will feel so strong that they jolt me out of bed. 

 I saw the doctor today and am still paced in the 80 percentile and they were surprised to see how often it kicked in. When my heart rate was higher from walking or with activity, it would have dropped and I could have passed out had the pace maker not been there. That is called Neurocardiogenic Syncope, which was confirmed in a Tilt Table Test I had a few weeks back. I am suffering from Dysautonomia but have not found the right doctor to determine why. I am currently trying to find a good rheumatologist to look into a proper diagnosis. Most signs point to Lupus (SLE) but nothing is set in stone. I definitely can tell how beneficial this pacemaker is and a life changer at that, I just really need to get the the bottom of what is causing my body to suffer. 

​​

I guess I just get worried because I also have had open heart surgery in 2011 for severe Aortic Insufficiency. I had my valve repaired and currently all 4 valves have mild insufficiency. I also have thickening on my aortic valve and a thickened heart muscle with slight left ventricular enlargement. With all of this and an undiagnosed auto immune disease, I sometimes have a hard time keeping my chin up. I also have recently discovered that I have multiple complex cysts on my thyroid, which will need to be biopsied for cancer. 

Never take your health for granted. It is really tough being patient and waiting AND WAITING for answers. In the mean time, I am home in bed and away from my salon. I would love to be back to work and travel and run around and feel free again. I am currently trying to get disability so that I can ensure medical coverage (since there will likely be billions of dollars in cuts for Medicaid) and qualify to go to the Mayo Clinic so that I can get the proper care and treatment that I have needed for a decade or so.

I think that is all for now. Rubix cube still being solved. To be continued….

Health, Healthy Food

Nutrition In Healthcare 

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Why do hospitals have prison grade nutrition for patients? Think about it. You are sick and vulnerable and trying to get healthy and they load you up with sugar, salts, preservatives and basically nothing of nutritional value. 


I am in the hospital today and have a dairy allergy and as usual get a tray full of dairy products. Sorry to be a pain, but most dairy gives me debilitating migraines with aura and a comatose crash for 3 hours. My body hates meat and makes my digestive system shut down. Sugar makes me sick and crash very hard and I already tend to run high on glucose levels. And coffee? I am here for tachycardia and arrhythmias so why would that even be a good idea? I also try to avoid gluten because it does not follow an anti inflammatory diet but I can’t imagine this hospital having those options. To most, I sound like a picky bitch. I have an autoimmune disease. I will have a flare up, tachycardia, migraines and nausea and joint pain. 

None of the food provided is nutritional and it is heartbreaking that sick people are not fed anything fresh, just boxed, frozen or canned garbage. I was asked if I wanted red jello for desert. How about fresh fruit? 

In all of the money made in healthcare, no one has ever decided to stand up and ask why we feed patients garbage? It is not even really a financial thing. I have mastered eating healthy on a budge and don’t spend any more than I would eating meat and dairy. It is this country’s lifestyle. We accept convenience over anything else. We are set in our ways. Everything they have told us must be true. 

Health

CBD Oil: Who, When, Where, Why, How?

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Who?

Anyone can try CBD oil. Even kids and pets! CBD oil is safe and has been used medicinally for decades. CBD provides the medical benefits of the marijuana plant without the psychoactive effects and high produced by THC. 

Here is an example of a case study of a young girl with PTSD from sexual abuse: Pediatric Anxiety And Insomnia

CBD can be used for PTSD, insomnia, anxiety, menstrual pain, migraines, nausea, inflammation, IBS, Chron’s, autoimmune disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and much more. It is my go to for all of my ailments. 

What?

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD,  is a cannabinoid in cannabis. CBD makes up 40% of the plant extract. It is the second most medically beneficial cannabinoid, after THC. CBD can actually counteract the psychoactive effects of THC. 

When?

What I love about CBD is that I feel like I am in control of my symptoms instead of my symptoms controlling me. Most medication are taken every 6-8 hours, have side effects, can be addictive, cause withdrawals or long term effects such as damage to your liver. With CBD I can take it whenever and as needed. For example, the other day was very rough for me. I had a splitting headache, intense nausea, felt like I had just fallen from a three story building and increased heart rate. I felt aweful. I had doses every few hours or so and made it theough the day. Some doses even back to back. You could NEVER do that with pain medication or most medications. Then, I have days that are not so bad and might just skip doses all day and have one dose in the evening. 

Where?

CBD is legal in all 50 states as long as it meets the requirement of containing no more than 0.3% THC.  

Follow Blu Dream Health Collective on Facebook for more information or subscribe to this blog for updates and how to purchase CBD oil. 

Why?

There is a High Times article on 10 Little-Known Uses For CBD states that CBD can curb nicotine addiction and also help with acne. CBD is a huge anti inflammatory! Washington Post has plenty of doctors stating the anti-cancer properties and powerful positive effects for epileptic patients. Cannabis can suppress a hyperactive immune system and lower inflammation, which are two important concerns in Autoimmune Diseases.

CBD is safer than aspirin. There are overwhelming studies that prove just that. Medical cannabis has never killed a single patient. 

How?

CBD can be vaped, ingested transdermally, sublingual or in edibles. There are capsules, creams, salves and so on. I strongly suggest that you do your research and get the best product available. I only use Fountain of Health CBD because it is Colorado grown, non-GMO, vegetarian, alcohol-free and coconut oil base. Many companies do not even list their ingredients. This is also the highest strength for the best price available on the market. I carry the 1/2oz size in my shop and online store [link available soon] and it is 1,000mgs. You only need 2-5 small droplets under your tongue (sublingual) and it takes effect within minutes.