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 The last time I was this concerned about coming down with a debilitating health condition was in October 2018 when I missed two menstrual periods and felt certain I was pregnant. Maybe I was or maybe it was the hormonal part of me speaking. Either way for a few weeks I was concerned about getting hyperemesis gravidarum again. I’ve had this rare prenatal condition (affects 1% pregnant women) three times …. each time was pure hell. …read more.
 I grazed on these capsules all day for a lovely Saturday. My morning apple n nut butter n cup of tea had the addition of 2 capsules and an hour later I welcomed a perfectly subtle hit lasting just two hours. Another 2 capsules brought a gentle, graceful buzz that had me sit up straighter and breathing in deeper.
Another capsule (just 1 this time — THC + saturated fat/cacao butter builds up in body — meaning these capsules are accumulative, so you will feel effects quicker with each subsequent capsule) loosened my thoughts and moved me consciously through the day as I delivered compost to chickens, gathered eggs, walked a backroad, listened to birds chattering, watched white smoke pour from chimneys, felt cold mountain air on my cheek, shoveled snow from our driveway, and made a beautiful meal to share with friends.
These homemade capsules deliver a whole body experience that puts YOU in control of how much THC is delivered to your system. I like the subtle taste and smell of cacao butter and the ‘happy as a clam’ feel I get when I use them …. hence why I am sitting here to share my recipe with you; one I adapted from fresh toast.
Keep in mind that I used an indica strain of cannabis. Indicas are relaxing and mellow, while sativas tend to be stimulating and uplifting. Also, you can turn this recipe into capsules as I will share below or try your hand at making cannabis chocolates … I will try this one day using my raw chocolate recipe ❤
Plant a little seed,
wait a little while,
to grow a little weed.
Cannabis Cacao Butter
Makes: 8-10 ounces
Ingredients
10 ounces food-grade cacao butter* (I use this brand)
14 grams cannabis (I like indica strains, 9# Hammer and Las Vegas Triangle Kush)
1 heaping tablespoon sunflower lecithin (optional, enhances THC)
“00” capsules (I use these)
Capsule machine (I use this one)
Method
- Decarboxylate cannabis same way as always by placing on baking sheet and heating at 240 degrees F for 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Remove from oven, let cool and fine grind with spice grinder/suribachi.
- Melt cacao butter in top part of double boiler (or rice cooker set on warm) with water in bottom; add cannabis.
- Cook over low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Done when thick n slightly green. Watch the water level in bottom pan and replenish if low.
- Strain through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth into pint-sized Mason jar or other heatproof container. The butter will solidify as it cools, so place in capsules while warm or re-melt before using.
- Put 1/4 teaspoon of the warm liquid in empty “00” capsules with an eye dropper or spoon.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- I find that 3 hit the spot, but everyone’s THC tolerance is different, find yours 😉
Tips & Tricks
- Lecithin increases the potency and makes THC come on faster and stronger; a good way to use less cannabis with still all the feels. You can learn more here.
- I bet this recipe would do well in vaginal boluses (even suppositories).
- I have diagnosed ADHD, panic attacks, and PTSD and these capsules help me feel more connected to my body and quiet my mind without dulling senses.
- I have not done a THC check on the strain of cannabis I used, but I read somewhere that a tablespoon of cannabis butter contains 75-150mg THC, depending on strain, so if this is accurate you can figure out how much THC is in each capsule in a general sort of way. See dosage calculator.
- On The Body Ecology Diet? Use this “butter” in the following recipes …. cinnamon kisses, carrot muffins, almond hearts, or raw chocolates.
- Some benefits I’ve felt since taking capsules: glowing skin, no blemishes (knock on desk, lol), whiter eyes, less body pain, NO anxiety, an all over calm.
- If you find yourself outside a comfort zone while figuring out your dose you might want to try amino acids, GABA and Citicoline to come back to center.
*Cacao butter comes from the Theobroma Cacao tree, which produces cacao pods. These cacao pods are cracked open to reveal cacao beans and the actual cacao butter is in the outer lining of the inside of a cacao bean; the fattiest part of the fruit. Cacao butter is made with a cold-pressed method; removing the fat from the cacao bean (the bean is set aside to make cacao powder). Cacao butter has a white color and the texture is rich and buttery hence “cacao butter”.
Resources
https://www.righteouslyrawchocolate.com/cacao-vs-cocoa/
https://thefreshtoast.com/cannabis/tft-how-to-make-this-amazing-homemade-canna-cocoa-butter/
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Disclaimer: Content on this site in the form of opinions, ideas, recipes, and dietary advice are provided for general information only; primarily educational in nature; and should not be treated as a substitute for your doctor’s medical advice or another health professional that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Always consult a doctor regarding any health problem that you have and keep him or her informed as to the opinions, ideas, recipes, and dietary advice offered on this site that you find useful.
May all bellies be happy!
These kisses are easy to make, gluten-dairy-refined sugar free, and the perfect something if you are on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). When I was healing on stage 1 of this diet, I kept a stash (+ other sweet treats) in my freezer to nibble on when I craved sweet …. they are also great for the lunchbox. …read more.
 I’ve been doing colonics since college days, but really got into them in my 30’s when diagnosed with yeast overgrowth. A friend lent me a book called The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) with a chapter on colon cleansing as part of a healing protocol to rid body of excess yeast, bacteria, and viruses. Right up my alley!
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 Of all the supplements The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) carries, LivAmend is my favorite. Next is Assist Enzymes and if I could weasel in a third, it’d be Ancient Minerals. …read more.
These cookies are perfect for anyone on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D). My kids love them and I like that the dough doesn’t make a sticky mess on the counter when rolling out. Not bad for a cookie without eggs, dairy, or grain 😉 …read more.
Chicken stock, like any meat stock, is rich in minerals, gelatin, and collagen. This elixir keeps bones and teeth strong, joints supple, and hair soft. I have experience with the last one as my hair used to be dry with grey coming …. I started drinking stock and within weeks, my hair softened with much less grey; likely the collagen had a play in that.
As a kid, I remember that there always seemed to be a pot of meat soup on the stove. As I grew up and became vegan in my early 20’s, cooking chicken just wasn’t …read more.
This kefir is made from apple cider and starter; a sour ‘n fizzy concoction with a champagne-like taste …. pure effervescence rich in diverse, potent probiotic strains; basically a bunch of friendly flora that act as digestive aids to keep the gut in good shape. More benefits.
Looking for an easy, affordable way to get your probiotic dose? This might be for you. Especially if you have an issue with your gut (i.e. bloating, constipation) or yeast/bacterial overgrowth (i.e. Candida, GBS+).
No matter what you have going on, a glass of juice kefir is a way to kick start a day and keep the internal bugs in balance. …read more.
 If you get vaginal yeast infections more often then you’d like, I highly recommend The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). I could go on and on about this way of eating. I personally adhered to stage 1 for three years in 2010 after being diagnosed with a systemic yeast infection; which included lots of itching and discomfort ‘down below’.
Hands down, I think B.E.D. is one of the best ‘yeast killing’ protocol out there and my family and I continue to follow it’s underlying principles. …read more.
 I hesitated to write this recipe because it’s so simple. Yet, my husband was nearby and took photo’s too sweet not to share …. plus it’s not everyday we get to bring down our basket of cookie cutters! …read more.
These bonbons are perfect for Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or other gut healing protocol like Paleo or GAPS. They do not contain gluten, yeast, refined sugar, or pasteurized dairy. …read more.
 A Treat Box is basically a Tupperware container filled with non-perishable treats. This box can be kept at school, day-care, summer camp, even a best friend’s home and offered to your child whenever there is a food item that he or she can’t eat (i.e. gluten, dairy) or that you don’t want him or her to eat (i.e. sugar, artificial dye). …read more.
 Wonder what the rave is about with these red pills? They’re a no-fuss, flavorless way to eat liver! Easy as taking a multi-vitamin; hardest part is just getting in the kitchen to make them. See here for how my family eats liver.
It’s very important to source pasture-raised liver for this recipe. Even better, raise the animal yourself or buy from local farmer who freezes the liver immediately after slaughtering.
Do NOT use conventional supermarket liver. You are consuming these raw, and conventional liver can’t be trusted and is a health risk. …read more.
These sweet treats are specially created for those on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D). This unique way of eating is known to help the body heal by reestablishing the inner ecosystem, eliminate dysbiosis, correct nutrient deficiencies, strengthen adrenals, and conquer systemic infections. …read more.
 Journal Entry on September 9th 2010
Today, I found out I have Candida, a.k.a. yeast overgrowth. I’m not to surprised seeing that I have all the symptoms (i.e. cravings, vaginal yeast infections) and the fact it was my idea to ask my Naturopath for test. “Aren’t I going through enough already?” I ask myself. I recently initiated a difficult divorce, started a graduate program, and both my boys start a new school this week. …read more.
 Check out the bubbles! Regular jelly isn’t ‘allowed’ on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D); which recommends to avoid sugar (except lakanto, stevia, ecobloom) until your gut is in a better place. Until then it’s best to kefir jelly with probiotics to reduce the concentrated fruit sugar. Your belly might thank you 🙂 Here’s my recipe for bubbly blueberry jelly
Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two about making probiotic-rich jelly taste good and want to share my tips for getting good results every time: …read more.
 This is a hot topic for parents. For all of us really …. who wants to be told they have a cavity while sitting in the dentist chair?! Getting a cavity is never fun, no matter how old you are.
I am mom of two kids; my youngest, who is now 11, has no cavities and my oldest, now 17, had a tiny one when he was 6. Thankfully, it was on a baby tooth and because of my son’s fear of needles we pulled the tooth ,rather than fill it, as he was going to lose that tooth naturally shortly. …read more.
 These fun, alternative Easter ideas are for The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or another gut healing protocol. My own kids started B.E.D. when they were 2 and 7, so I’ve had years to perfect the holidays; Easter is by far the easiest. …read more.
The day my youngest turned 5, I encapsulated his placenta. Yes, it was ‘old’ with likely next to nil hormones, but I didn’t feel I had anything to lose. A colleague of mine had recently encapsulated her daughter’s two-year old frozen placenta …read more.
 As a woman, I am a sucker for sharing ‘what works for me’ with you. This smoothie is one of those things; easy-to-make, delicious, and the color is vibrant! I heard about green veggie smoothies in 2011 when I started The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). Though it took time to get actually make them, once I did I was hooked. …read more.
 I love watching a person when I tell them what I put in my smoothies. This is good stuff! Had I not tried it, I’d have stuck my nose up at the idea of adding parsley, lettuce, or zucchini for that matter. I’m telling you the blend works and tastes good too.
Parsley is an herb rich in vitamin A, vitamin K, folate, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, antioxidants, and essential oil. Health benefits include inhibiting cancer, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, immune booster, building bone, and removing gallstones (contains oxalic acid/kidney cleanser). Traditionally, parsley has been used to remedy anemia, bad breath, and menstrual pain. …read more.
 If you are on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or follow a ‘gluten-sugar-yeast free’ diet then you know what it takes to pack a balanced lunchbox with foods allowed. I put together some ideas here to make this easier… …read more.
 My husband and I decided to go to Attitash Ski Resort for the holidays. The kids are each with their dad which gives us the freedom to celebrate Christmas however we want. And though I’m not big on skiing I am BIG on sweating in the sauna, snowshoeing on back trails, and catching up with my husband slash ski enthusiast for a mid-day meal.
We rented a studio at the base of the slopes that has a kitchenette – fridge and all – so that right there makes traveling on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) much easier. As many of you know, I do a lot of camping in the summer, so this type of traveling is a real luxury … I’m already in awe at how much less “things” I need to bring! Talk about freedom 😊 …read more.
 This photo was taken after a client of mine gave birth via c-section. Before surgery, this mom requested that her doctor insert a piece of gauze into her vagina. This same gauze was used seconds after she gave …read more.
 Celebrating Thanksgiving on a restrictive diet comes with challenges and being on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) is no different. This nutritional protocol is used by many people to heal their body from yeast, bacterial, or viral overgrowth and as wonderful as this way of eating is, it does create a need to be attentive to what you will feast on when the holidays do come around.
One trick to having a great day; one where you aren’t slaving over stove or salivating over sweet potato casserole topped with puffy golden marshmallows, is to plan ahead. By thinking ahead, the food part will not be as big of a deal and you can relax, maybe play some football like we do in my family. Just kick back 🙂 …read more.
 I made pumpkin pie for my son’s 10th birthday party and our 25 friends that came to celebrate him. In true ‘Tara style’, I made five different pies to experiment with; all from different recipes and came up with a couple recipes of my own that are not only ‘body ecology friendly’ but perfectly suitable for any body with any eating style.
This pie is delicate with enough richness to satisfy most any sweet tooth. As with most of my recipes, this is free of refined sugar and common allergens; except nuts, and is especially made for those who practice The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.); you’ll find this to be stage 2 friendly as an occasional treat. You can find a stage 1 pumpkin pie recipe right here.
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 This savory, pancake-like treat is delicious off the skillet or served at room temperature the next day. Eggs are the main ingredient, but the yolk is the only part being used in this recipe. This is because most people find egg whites hard-to-digest. I am all about making food easy to digest … hence my business, Happy Bellies and this recipe does just that 🙂 If you don’t have a problem with egg whites, substitute 8 whole eggs for the 12 yolks and omit the starch. …read more.
 This is for men who want to tailor The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to meet their dietary needs. While I am no guy, I did watch my husband start the diet and have 8 years under my belt with feeding him and my growing boys. …read more.
 In Vermont, pickling cucumbers drip from their vines straight through July into about mid-September. This rush of cucumbers is what inspired me to seek out a traditionally made pickle. A tried ‘n true recipe that stood the test of time and was proclaimed good enough to get passed from generation to generation. I wanted a recipe that did not use vinegar or canning methods/pasteurization to keep the cucumber’s integrity alive and crisp.
After playing with recipes I found online and in cookbooks, my sister-in-law nonchalantly pulled a pickle from her crock one hot summer day. This pickle had the classic deli pickle firmness with a refreshing taste all its own and it was raw without vinegar involved. …read more.
Every now and then I receive a testimonial worthy of sharing with the world. This one here is just that. The lady behind the words is lovely and strong and vivacious and has taken hold of the reigns of her life and experienced a bounty-full of richness and wellness. I am so touched by her kindness.
I discovered The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) at a time in my life when I was stuck in an unhealthy relationship that didn’t feel good and I was stuck in a body that didn’t feel good. I had spent years struggling with my health and various versions of disordered eating. I was 100 pounds overweight, my joints hurt, I was sick all the time, and I had allergic reactions to everything. I was chronically exhausted and had a hopelessly weak constitution, something I feared would last the rest of my life. I was only 23 years old. …read more.
 I could come up with a fancier name for this dressing, but will keep things simple as this one’s rich enough to stand on its own. Drizzle over a build-your-own salad or as a dip 😉 …read more.
 Candida, also known as Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth, is not a germ, a bug, or a disease. It is a serious immune disorder that gets its name from Candida albicans; a family of yeast that are the most common micro-flora organisms that live in human digestive tract.
A healthy bowel contains a 10:1 bacteria to yeast ratio, with good yeast outnumbering the bad bacteria to maintain ecological balance. Certain factors can throw this balance off, including excess stress, sugar, birth control pill, vaccinations, and antibiotics. All of these allow …read more.
 My husband nicknamed this one and I think it is appropriate given that the French origin of the word dandelion – dent-de-lioun – means “tooth of the lion” due to the plant’s sharply indented leaves. This fierce little smoothie contains a handful of dandelion greens, if you want more of a kick, add more leaves.
Our home resides in a community with an Earthship greenhouse and while up there yesterday, I spotted a patch of dandelion greens and thought to myself “why not?”. I love adding greens to my morning smoothies … watercress, parsley, cilantro … and given that we are in the month of April, I figure this is as good a time as any to create a delicious spring beverage for us all to enjoy. …read more.
 To say that I was willing to try anything to resolve my chronic health issues is not an understatement. I had tried many things, and as the years went by, I had this feeling that less and less was helping. The year I turned 40 years old, definitely did not help.
By the age of 43, I was as open-minded as they come and so when Transcendental Meditation (TM) was put in my reach. I reached for this programmed method of meditation with both hands. Yes, I had doubts but I was at my wit’s end to resolve what I was ready to kiss goodbye to…namely panic attacks and asthma … both of which hit hard when they arrived and put me under every time. …read more.
 Everyone will experience TM differently, depending on their physiology and past ‘history’. Not everyone has a high level of sleep deprivation prior to starting TM, thus not everyone will go through a period of fatigue-release (a.k.a. sleeping lots). If you do, you will be supported by your TM teacher as you adjust the meditation technique and move forward.
Since learning Transcendental Meditation (TM) in January 2018, I’ve had many changes. One of which is my energy level. When I first took the training I was energized out of my eyeballs; unlike other people’s testimonials about TM helping them to sleep, I felt the opposite. I was abuzz with life with an incredible sense of urgency to get my life in order all at once, no time to waste. …read more.
 I began Transcendental Meditation (TM) in January of 2018. I first heard about this meditation technique when a friend mentioned it might help prevent the panic attacks I was prone to. At that time I was willing to try anything … except take more medication.
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 Here’s a simple breakfast or snack with only 5 ingredients. They are easy to make and freeze well so you can make a big batch ahead of time to eat throughout the busy week.
…read more.
 A soul collage I made on this topic. This is a 10-minute streamline writing, you can check out what that is about here.
…read more.
 Raw, organic cacao powder made with a gut-friendly sugar, like stevia or lakanto, will not necessarily feed Candida, also known as Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth, but can be abrasive to the digestive tract lining.
This is because chocolate contains abrasive ingredients, such as sulfur, phytic acid, caffeine, oxalates, and alkaloids; all which make chocolate an acid-forming and potentially gut-irritating food. …read more.
 The first time I made this recipe was when I celebrated my first Thanksgiving on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). After weeks of avoiding everything sweet, this recipe was a godsend. I have made only mild quirks to the original masterpiece by Donna Gates and am eternally grateful to her, and others that share what works as they heal their bodies from mild or chronic illness.
…read more.
 I like my chocolate sugar-free, raw, and preferably in the shape of a piggie. All of which can be hard to find at a cost I want to pay. So, I got in the kitchen to create a recipe with all the benefits of raw cocoa beans without the sugar. …read more.
 This spirit writing came while I was traveling on my own up the coast of northern Maine. When I solo travel I don’t tend to have a destination nor do I know what I will find along the way. This time I stopped to sleep at Wolfe’s Neck Campground and was sitting in my tent overlooking Casco bay when the back of my head began to buzz and I heard the 1st lines of a writing. Here’s what came through…
Life is not about living in one way or another way. Life is about living life in the only way that feels good and true for you to live. To do so, you must breathe your way through each moment and listen acutely with each of your God given senses. …read more.
 The mom in this photo tested positive with group B strep* infection (GBS+) in her final trimester and received I.V. antibiotics during labor. Group b strep are a pathogenic bacterium that sporadically live in the rectum, intestines, urinary tract, and genital area of all pregnant and non-pregnant healthy people.
These bacteria don’t typically cause problems when kept in check by good flora (a.k.a. probiotics) that naturally live in your body, but when allowed to overpopulate they can cause a mild to serious infection. Especially during pregnancy when more than 25% of women are diagnosed with this infection. This is a concern as a GBS infection can be harmful to both mom and her baby. …read more.
This is a 10-minute streamline writing, more about them here.
I have always taken time to be with myself. I find getting away to be therapeutic, kind of my own walkabouts if you will. Where I just go, get in my car when the weather is right and the kids are cared for. I often don’t have a destination but will drive with the adventure of moving to wherever it feels right to go. Keeps me in the moment when I return to a more predictable way of living, where days are scheduled in days ahead and every morning feels the same. …read more.
Salmon heads are packed with tender meat and an abundance of healthy fat along the jawbone. They are prized for making rich fish stock and soup of all kinds. Additionally, they contain vitamin A, Omega-3’s, iron, zinc, and calcium.
I was apprehensive to make salmon head fish stock though I had a lot of experience with making chicken, beef, and lamb stock. Yet, I had never made stock with fish. The idea worried me that my whole house would smell ‘fishy’ and deter me, and the family, from trying it out. …read more.
This is my husband’s take on making mayonnaise. Before he walked into my life I’d been making my own version of homemade mayo with little to no success; it was either too runny or too bland without enough flavor. In the kitchen he came and blended the perfect concoction here. …read more.
I am not an affiliate for Green Pastures.
Fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) contains fat-soluble nutrients like Omega-3 (DHA/EPA), Vitamin A/D; nutrients that many of us lack, especially as we get older or have digestive issues. If you have ever been …read more.
In the palm of my hand, you are at peace, you are still.
Moments prior you stretched, you kicked.
Exploring you who spent 15 weeks inside me, warm and safe.
Now you are still.
.
…read more.
Kefir means ‘feel good’ which is how most people feel after drinking young coconut kefir (yck). This probiotic-rich food contains raw Thai young green coconuts and high-quality kefir starter*. All you have to do is mix together, culture in a warm spot, and sit back to enjoy a delicious drink …read more.
 Here in Vermont, we grow basil in the garden through to mid-September. Truly, there is nothing like fresh, warm from sun basil wrapped in a sandwich roll-up or around a crisp cucumber. I dry a bunch for the spice jar too. Mostly though I make pesto; whatever we don’t eat in a couple days goes into the freezer for the coming winter when vibrant green pesto is most welcome! …read more.
When you’re on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or another gut healing protocol, travel can be challenging. It’s hard to be away from your kitchen comfort zone. The world can feel too big; food choices too slim.
Food is everywhere but your mouth because you can’t eat any of what is available. Coffee brewing, fries frying, and pizza baking can be unbearable; it’s hard to say no on the go. …read more.
Cultured cream is a fancy name for sour cream, a.k.a crème fraiche and is very simple to make …. all you need is a jar, cream, and starter* to break down down the milk protein (casein) and convert the milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid. …read more.
 One way to decrease the chance of group B strep infection (GBS+) during pregnancy is to build up your birth canal with good bacteria that naturally discourage excess GBS overgrowth. The best way to do this is to eat foods that do not ‘feed’ the bacteria and naturally prevent them from growing too large in numbers. …read more.
Most pregnant women are not prepared for a group B strep diagnosis. I know that I wasn’t when my test came back positive at 38 weeks. At that point, I did not have time to reverse the condition and opted for i.v. antibiotics during labor. See here if unborn baby is at risk for GBS+. …read more.
 Nori is grand, nori is sweet.
Nori wraps rice into sushi like no one can beat.
This lean green machine is seaweed no doubt.
…read more.
 Every spring, the liver organ moves into a major detoxification phase. During this brief season, you have the power of nature behind you; making spring a PERFECT time to cleanse.
Any time is a good time to take the burden off your liver. You don’t have to wait for spring. It’s just that during spring your body will naturally go into …read more.
 As a mom, who also wears the hat of a Holistic Nutritionist, I put my foot down on man-made colors. There’s nothing about them that I feel good with and I don’t feed them to my kids, even on celebratory days. So what’s a mom like me to do about Easter eggs?? …read more.
This grocery list is for Stage 2 of The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.); for those of you who continuing onward (and upward) in bringing a chronic health issue, like yeast overgrowth or group B strep back in balance. If you have been practicing B.E.D. for less than 3-6 months, then you may want to stick with stage 1 grocery list. …read more.
This spirit writing came through on Valentine’s Day 2017. I did not edit or change what I heard, you read it as I received it.
What if you love yourself so much so that you stop for a moment as you put on your sock. To let your finger pause just so there on your skin as if it was porcelain. As if your finger had nothing else to do but touch and move with great care, with great love for the simple beauty of skin.
What if you brush your teeth and stop mid-brush to …read more.
 When you were born, and in those first few days, I studied you. I listened to you. Every sound you made. You had your own language and as your mother I learned it.
I remember how my ears would strain on the insides to so finely imprint you into the corners of my brain. You of course, my 7 pound baby, wanted nothing more than to be held and fed.
Each sound …read more.
This is a 10-minute streamline writing, check out what that’s about here.
 No one wants to be a single mom. No little girl plays with dolls imagining what it’ll be like to be a single mom. As if there’s something glorified about the experience. The little girls I know carry baby dolls tenderly, pretend to nurse, and change pretend diapers. …read more.
As a PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulator I get to witness how much a new mother benefits from taking her placenta capsules made with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) method.
Why would a woman eat her placenta? Because during pregnancy, this is the organ that regulates and stores hormones. Once it is expelled after a baby’s birth, we can find that placental tissue is rich in specific hormones that can bring balance to a new mother’s wide open, vulnerable system.
In good time, most mothers find that their pituitary gland kicks back into gear to resume hormone regulation. This process can take longer for some women depending on a women’s general make-up but typically most will feel that the first 6-8 weeks after birth to be a time of great fluctuation.
If this is true during postpartum, then what about during menopause? After doing a fair amount of research, I found that: …read more.
 Meat stock goes back centuries as food with medicinal properties. Whether it’s made with chicken, lamb, beef, or fish – It’s all good stuff. It’s the first thing that we think to eat when we get sick. It’s nourishing, anti-inflammatory, and healing for the digestive system and keeps our bellies happy 🙂
…read more.
I am not an affiliate for Green Pastures.
We take fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) every day, twice a day, year round. My kids started when they were 2 and 7 years old and I’m so glad we did. My husband likes his straight-up without flavor, I like the chocolate butter blend, my oldest likes …read more.
 Tara, PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulationist If you want to have a lotus birth AND encapsulate, here are three ways to do so:
#1 Way) Keep baby connected to umbilical cord and the placenta for up to 4 hours. This is the easiest way to keep the placenta fit for …read more.
 The second week of August is blueberry season here in Vermont …. we get about 2 to 4 gallons to freeze for the rest of year around. Most of them get laid out whole on trays and frozen (easier to separate and eat with fingers) before dumping them into quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags.
I reserve the mushier berries and puree those with chia seeds and pour that into ice cube trays that eventually get popped into Ziplocs as well. The nicest berries are put aside to make jello, almond crusted tarts, fruit leather, and of course blueberry jelly.
I stopped eating normal jelly when I was on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal yeast overgrowth. This gut healing protocol avoids sugar, including fruit sugars. I also really like food combining and find it hard to find anything that jelly ‘combines’ with, though it’s pretty tasty on raw flax crackers with some pumpkin seed butter 😉 …read more.
One hot summer morning, I woke and looked out the window ☀ to see ripe, red strawberries in our garden. All I could think was strawberry ice cream …. for breakfast! The kids loved the idea and their response was nothing short of joyful with a splattering of kisses on my cheeks and spins of delight. …read more.
 The snack list below is for those healing with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D). This gut healing protocol is gluten-sugar-yeast free and ideally the food you eat is easy-to-digest. Items marked with an (*) is best saved for stage 2 or as an occasional treat. …read more.
I found lakanto while doing The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal yeast overgrowth (Candida). This healing protocol suggested avoiding honey, white/raw sugar, maple syrup, and other sweeteners I relied on.
After weeks without sweets, I was thrilled to find lakanto to make sweet treats that I could eat! This sugar alternative doesn’t feed harmful pathogens (i.e. GBS+, Candida) nor does it make our blood acidic like most sweeteners do. It’s also safe for diabetics or hypoglycemics as lakanto doesn’t influence insulin or blood sugar levels.
 Seconds after birth, with cord full of blood. When baby is born, he only has 2/3 of his blood is in his body. The remaining 1/3 remains in his umbilical cord and placenta. This blood does not flow into baby until the last stage of labor.
What is the last stage of labor? It is that period of time after baby is born until the time the placenta is born. It’s this stage of labor that the cord actively pumps the remaining blood into baby; blood that is very rich in iron, oxygen, and stem cells. …read more.
This grocery list is for those on the initial 3-6 months of The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). This cleansing stage is a natural approach to addressing yeast, bacterial, or viral overgrowth (i.e. Candida, GBS+). These are your foods people. If you ready to transition to stage 2, then here is a stage 2 grocery list.
B.E.D. was created by Donna Gates to give the gut a chance to rest ‘n repair. Stage 1 in particular is known to jump-start the body’s ability to be the self-healing mechanism it’s designed to be. The foods below are nutrient-dense, easy-to-digest, probiotic-rich, and gluten/sugar/yeast free. Give your gut a break by practicing food combining 😉 …read more.
This recipe uses buckwheat, an energizing grain that warms the body, regulates blood sugar, and balances out the thyroid. It’s also alkaline-forming and increases the circulation to the hands and feet.
I created this recipe while healing yeast overgrowth with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.); which recommends not eating gluten, yeast, sugar, or flour products during stage 1. Once I started, I missed waffles! So, I set out to make some I could eat and that my kids would like too.
We loved them so much, and friends who didn’t have any food issues loved them too, so I made this a ‘cookbook recipe’ …. the batter can be used to make …read more.
This recipe is tweaked from Holistic Squid to suit more specific dietary needs (gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free). My kids love them in their lunchboxes and think they taste better than the frozen kind at the store.
I like them because they don’t contain …read more.
 Traveling – whether by car, plane or train – can mess with our digestive system. Not only are we in a flurry of organizing and packing for our trip, but then we sit for long periods of time as we’re whisked away at unnatural speeds!
…read more.
Is Bragg’s Liquid Aminos a healthy version of soy sauce? The label boasts a wide range of amino acids, that must be a good thing, right??
I’ve personally never been a fan of Bragg’s. After countless clients asking me exactly why I felt this way, I put my head down and researched. As a Holistic Nutritionist, this is what I do; spend hours pouring through nutritional books and googling online. Then I pull everything I find into something that you, the health-conscious reader, can understand.
Here’s what I found so far: …read more.
This post contains photos that may be disturbing, view at own discretion.
On July 27th 2006, I lost a baby girl so tiny she fit in my palm with her legs dangling over. She was 15 weeks with delicate features complete in formation; simply needed time to plump up. She had the beginnings of eyelashes, fingernails, a cleft in her chin.
She fluttered inside me the first time the day before I miscarried. The severe morning sickness I experienced throughout pregnancy had lifted a week prior. I was on the up and up, looking pregnant and feeling a bit more normal, ready to welcome the next phase of pregnancy. …read more.
Many pregnant moms become distressed when they find out baby is transverse or breech; often with just weeks left before their estimated due date (EDD). This puts a spin on things because if baby doesn’t turn ‘in time’ a care provider will often recommend that the woman have a cesarean birth. …read more.
 9 months pregnant in 2002 I love my red yoga mat that is full of stains. Like a loved teddy bear, my mat will have to be in pieces before I let it go. My mat has been with me through thick ‘n thin since my early 20’s when I taught myself step by step how to do each yoga posture with a little book written by Richard Hittleman.
This was all back before my children were born and my career had taken off. Back when the days were seamless and I went wherever the wind seemed to blow. One of those places was Esalen in Big Sur; where my love for yoga deepened into the easy practice that I continue to this day. …read more.
Feeding your baby is one of the most important decisions a parent can make. Breast milk from a nourished mother is the best option, but what if that’s not possible?
A next best alternative is to make your own formula with high quality ingredients – especially fat – to mimic breast milk’s natural fatty acid profile. …read more.
 I learned of ASEA while encapsulating for a mom whose placenta was so vital that I inquired if she had done anything differently during her pregnancy. The one unique thing this mom had done on a regular basis was supplement with ASEA; a bio-active solution containing Redox Signaling molecules that are safe and support the immune system. This natural supplement can be helpful for women in the childbearing years when the body is in a constant state of building itself. …read more.
I am not an affiliate for Green Pastures.
Green Pastures™ fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) has many benefits. Most of us know this, but don’t always know how much oil to take or to give our kids. I asked Dave Wetzel, owner of this family-owned company for his thoughts and he said “the oil can be medicinal, but it’s not a “one size fits all drug”, it’s up to each person to …read more.
 I don’t struggle so much anymore with digestive issues (i.e. gas, constipation, brain fog) but I did a few years ago when I had a yeast overgrowth issue (systemic candida). After years of cleansing with Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) and making big lifestyle and diet changes I feel a lot better now.
One thing I did during that time was to take …read more.
If you are new to cultured vegetables, a.k.a. cv’s, this is a good recipe to begin with. Everything is laid out step-by-step with just three ingredients …. cabbage, carrots, culture starter. A simple, colorful mixture to light up your taste buds.
Don’t let their simplicity fool you though as this food is potent and can kick-start your gut engine and have you digesting like a rock star ✨ …read more.
I food combine most every meal and every day. It’s the one food secret I wish somebody had told me about way earlier. Before I met ‘food combining’ I wore stretchy pants because I was so bloated that people thought I was pregnant. Now, I fit into jeans I wore in college and feel more slender with curves I thought were long gone. Always a nice thing… …read more.
 Just like earth, the human body has an inner ecosystem that is located inside of the digestive tract. This living world teems with a variety of micro-flora that work day and night to keep the body healthy and in homeostasis.
The inner ecosystem stretches from mouth to rectum and is approximately 30 feet long. Neatly packed in there are millions of micro-flora organisms, both good (probiotics) and bad (pathogens) that intermingle; living in a delicate balance of harmony with one another. …read more.
Sugar cravings are a real issue for many of us and strike at familiar times each day…esp. the late afternoon! Their are many reasons why we experience energy dips yet we’re not getting into that here. Instead I’m going to mention a healthy and doable way to get a handle on sugar cravings ? …read more.
Good digestion is the cornerstone of well-being and part of multiple processes. If your digestion is not up to speed, then the immune/nervous system can be compromised. For ex, weak digestion can lead to …read more.
 Photo Credit lotuscentre.com Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy™ is a traditional Maya healing technique developed by Dr. Rosita Arvigo to restore the position and health of pelvic and abdominal organs. This external, noninvasive abdominal massage is best known for correcting a prolapsed, fallen, or tilted uterus (wandering womb).
Sudden falls, whiplash and bouncing (i.e. running), even just wearing heels can swing the …read more.
This nutrient-dense pumpkin seed butter contains no sugar or icky added oils. It’s also a safe alternative for “nut-free” schools and kids. We spread this one on flax crackers, roasted nori sheets, green apples, waffles, and celery sticks 😊
First we eat, then we do everything else. ~ M.F.K. Fisher
Pumpkin Seed Butter
Makes: 1 1/4 cup …read more.
 Group B strep (GBS) is a transient pathogenic bacterium sporadically present in the gastrointestinal tract and reproductive system. Typically, these microscopic life forms do not cause any harm, yet have the potential to present problems for pregnant women and their growing babies.
If you test positive for GBS infection it may mean you are a group B strep carrier rather than a definitive indication that your baby will become ill. Often, it is the babies that are born to moms with large amounts of GBS who are at the greatest risk of becoming infected.
…read more.
 The perfect treat for a hot summer morning and a sneaky way to get gelatin into you (+ kids). I created this jello while on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D) to heal a chronic case of yeast overgrowth. My kids did this gut healing protocol too, so I had to get creative in the food department 🙂
The B.E.D. protocol avoids all fruit because most fruit contains too much natural sugars, which feeds yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth. The only exceptions to this rule are the acidic fruits like lemons, limes, acai, sour green apples, black currants, cranberries, and pomegranates …. hence this recipe. …read more.
 High quality, unsalted cultured foods can help eczema (dermatitis) and a variety of other skin disorders for at the root of such conditions is often a gut flora imbalance and damaged intestinal lining.
Cultured foods, naturally rich in probiotics, deliver loads of beneficial bacteria to the gut where they quickly colonize – crowding out the pathogenic bacteria, yeast, etc. living there. Not only do friendly flora keep bad guys “in check”, but also maintain a balanced …read more.
 I recently returned from a trip to my sister’s home on the coast of MA. I drove 6 hours each way, and was away for 10 days. In all of those days and nights I did not have one belly-ache. Not even the slightest dull ache. In the past, the traveling alone would have been enough to put me under for days. This is a BIG deal for someone in my shoes! Since healing myself from systemic Candida almost 5 years ago …read more.
Placenta is recognized by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as having strong Qi (life force energy), scientific research also shows placenta to be incredibly nutritious, containing iron, B12 and protein.
Placenta also contains the new mom’s very own hormones. Hormones that are uniquely bio-available to her. A perfect lock ‘n key fit where her body recognizes these hormones and quickly puts them to use.
In fact, many of my clients feel a positive effect within minutes of drinking Mother’s Broth or taking a couple doses of placenta capsules.
When reintroduced to the body, like we do with placenta capsules, these beneficial nutrients have …read more.
 Women who give birth at home have the luxury of being in complete control over the care and handling of their baby’s placenta. A woman who births in a hospital has to adhere to the guidelines and policies in place at their facility of choice. In some cases, there is no written policy, and mothers are then subjected to the whim of …read more.
Nama Shoyu is a traditional soy sauce that is unpasteurized; nama means “raw” and shoyu means “soy”. This soy sauce is made by fermenting non-GMO soybeans with a probiotic fungi called Aspergillus oryzae plus the addition of water, wheat, and sea salt.
This mixture is left to ferment in cedar kegs for 6 to 8 months; sometimes as long as 4 years. …read more.
 These crackers are rich in flax seeds which are full of fiber and omega-3’s. They’re also crispy, easy to digest, and can relieve constipation; one of Nature’s digestive cleansers.
Onions are a main ingredient because they have antibacterial properties that stimulate gastric juices to get things moving. Sound yummy?? They are …. and they can make your belly happy too 🙂
I created this recipe while practicing stage …read more.
My son woke on Saturday morning and asked to prepare breakfast. With our weekend here, and typical daily grind at a halt, I happily accepted his offer.
I started The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal my yeast overgrowth in 2010. Naturally, my kids followed suit. I’m also a nutritionist, so my boys have always been immersed in the world of healing. They often find me culturing butter, doing colonics, and cracking coconuts for yck.
On this sunny Saturday, I busied myself with chopping vegetables for a dinner casserole, while quietly watching from the corner of my eye. Ben moved about the kitchen with grace and ease; speaking out loud, yet to himself, as he pulled assorted dishes and food from the refrigerator.
Other then asking for my help with turning on gas burners, he did it all. He decided on the menu, cleaned all the pots he needed, and cut a head of cabbage with my Japanese cleaver. At one point I asked …read more.
Bone marrow is fatty, nourishing, and a remedy for healing the digestive/immune system. It is a primal super-food that was once considered ‘brain food’ by our ancestors whom relied on it for healthy fats plus protein and minerals.
What is bone marrow?
Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside of bones. Think, an animal’s leg, hip, or thigh bones. Marrow contains a variety of valuable bone-building cells that can help to revitalize your body and promote good bone growth among many other things.
…read more.
This is the question that I get asked the most in my cultured food workshops. People are always stumped as to how cultured vegetables will stay fresh and safe if they don’t contain salt. The short answer is that they do.
The cultured vegetables that I refer to are fairly new to our modern day culture. Yet, they’re really a long lost food that we’re bringing back to the dining room table! Everyone knows what sauerkraut is and many people eat it to get their daily dose of probiotics.
Here’s the thing…’sauerkraut’ (German for ‘sour cabbage’) didn’t originally contain salt. It was only when natives of Poland, Germany, and Russia began to travel to America by ship and added salt to preserve the kraut for the long travels. Somehow this way of doing it stuck.
…read more.
 This is a delicious spread for waffles, pancakes, or crackers. I created this recipe during my early days on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) while healing a systemic yeast infection with digestion that was way off track. One of the principles of this gut healing protocol is to practice food combining; which I did (and continue to do) to a “T”.
I had two young boys at the time who both loved waffles and pancakes, and I was stumped as to what to top them with that would be a good food combination and taste good. Enter creamy carrot butter; simple ‘n delicious all at once.
Take things a step further and add a chunk of cultured butter, a dollop of pesto, and sprinkle the whole thing with hemp seeds … YUM.
Creamy Carrot Butter
Serves 4
Ingredients
5 cups carrots, cut in 1″ chunks
1 cup water …read more.
 I love this picture. I think it really shows my boy’s inner joy and health!! This child of mine who once upon a time had a bloated belly, a face full of rashes, runny nose and mini seizures from his 1st week of life.
Look at him now!!
…read more.
 Gelatinous Gelatin Gelatin gets a bad rap. Yet, the benefits of traditionally made gelatin are HUGE. Many of us simply have no idea. Suffer from leaky gut, allergies, tooth/bone decay or joint pain? Check out the many gifts of this healing food. …read more.
The following home remedies are simple and can help relieve both Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus: …read more.
Where I live in the valley of Vermont, spring is a combination of muddy roads and loads of snow melting into the rivers from the mountains above.
Cooking takes on a whole new feel when spring rolls around. All I want to do is be outside and when I do venture in the kitchen, I simplify the menu and change up my cooking styles to reflect the coming warm winds and new growth and cool rains 🌦 …read more.
 Bone stock has been used for centuries as a folk remedy with many healing properties. It’s made by simmering animal skin and marrow bones. The result is stock which provides a basis for countless recipes. Or, on its own in a big mug with a pinch of salt added ?
Stock contains collagen, gelatin, omega-3 fats, essential minerals (calcium, magnesium), amino acids and electrolytes. …read more.
Vaginal yeast infections are often the result of a type of micro-flora called Candida albicans that have grown out of control. This type of flora typically lives in harmony with other types of flora in the digestive tract; from the mouth down and out the genitals.
Problems occur when this delicate balance gets out of whack. When that happens, the Candida breed quickly and overtake the good flora living in the body; including the birth canal.
…read more.
I dove in to get personal with my husband in order to help other couples better understand each other when one, or both, is healing on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). In the interview below, I explore back when we first started dating and I’d been on stage 1 of B.E.D. for a year at that point to clear up a systemic case of yeast overgrowth that was causing me multiple health issues.
…read more.
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The last time I was this concerned about coming down with a debilitating health condition was in October 2018 when I missed two menstrual periods and felt certain I was pregnant. Maybe I was or maybe it was the hormonal part of me speaking. Either way for a few weeks I was concerned about getting hyperemesis gravidarum again. I’ve had this rare prenatal condition (affects 1% pregnant women) three times …. each time was pure hell. …read more.
