Elizabeth Yarnell, Author, Innovator, Naturopath, Speaker
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Girl Scout Cookies… Curse Them!

Like anyone else who grew up in America, I’ve looked forward to and enjoyed the annual appearance of Girl Scout Cookies. Heck, I even sold a bunch of boxes when I donned that green sash myself in elementary school. But, now that I am a label-reader, these cookies break my heart for what’s in them.Girl Scout Samoas cookies

In my favorites, the Samoas, “crisp cookies coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and striped with dark chocolaty coating,” not only is sugar the first ingredient, but trans-fats are the second (partially hydrogenated palm kernel and/or cotttonseed oil, soybean and palm oil), and then there is also corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk, and artificial colors. We know that most of the corn, cottonseed, and soy in this country are now GMOs, and since the box does not bear the Non-GMO Project seal, we must assume these cookies are full of GMOs, too.

Not that I should be surprised that 2 small cookies deliver 11 grams of sugar; I mean, after all, they are cookies. What can you expect? It’s just that I would have hoped the Girl Scouts would hold their cookie bakers to higher standards with their ingredients over higher profits, albeit much of these profits go to support Girl Scouting. It just makes me sad.

I didn’t get any other types of Girl Scout cookies this year because I remember thinking that the ingredients list for the Samoas was the most acceptable to me and I stopped getting the other kinds. My family is complaining; they want Thin Mints.

Not that this information going to keep me from eating just a couple of Samoas. For old times’ sake.

How to Stop A Dog From Itching

It seems as if more and more dogs are having sensitivities these days, just as it seems like more and more people are suffering from undiagnosed sensitivities. In dogs, sensitivities can manifest as excessive itching, often to the point where there are bald, raw, irritated spots. Constant chasing of his own tail, tremendous anxiety, and chewing on furniture can also be signs of food and chemical sensitivities in a pet.dog dermatitis treatment

Perhaps more dogs are suffering these days because we are feeding them the wrong foods such as grains, GMOs, and other fillers in our commercial dog foods? Just a theory.

Here are some things you can do to help relieve your doggy of his incessant itching and scratching.

Hypoallergenic Dog Food

If your dog is suffering, the first thing to try is a hypoallergenic dog food that is simple with only one carb and one protein, such as potato and lamb. Try a natural pet foods store for a good selection, or make your dog a Glorious One-Pot Meal! One friend prepares simple Glorious One-Pot Meals for her older dogs who have sensitive systems, and feeds them real foods without any processing.

Fish Oil

Depending on the size of your dog, pour a tablespoon or so of fish oil on his food every day (not in his water, as he will pee nonstop until it all comes out!). Fish oil and its omega 3 fatty acids is helpful not just for skin conditions, but also for doggy arthritis and mental clarity. If the fish oil makes your pup too loose in the stools, dial it back until you find the right amount that he can tolerate. The fish oil should also give him a shiny coat.

Probiotics

Yup, animals need to have a healthy population of gut bacteria just like we do. Check that same natural pet foods store, or often even the big pet supply stores will often have a pet probiotic. Instead of forcing a pet to take a pill (one of my least favorite activities!), I will open the capsule and mix it in with wet pet food that I know will be eaten immediately.

Often pets will respond to the same therapies and supplements that people will. After all, we’re all mammals with the same basic functional systems. A few years ago, I learned how to manage my cat’s feline chronic renal failure (CRF) with a dietary change and strategic supplements. Today, she’s a healthy and kicking 15-year old cat who pees only in her litter box and is vocal about her other needs (mostly for open doors and love and attention!). All I did was treat her as if she were a human patient, and she bounced back from the brink.

I am constantly amazed by the power of mammalian bodies to heal when given the opportunity.

“Meaty” Vegan Chili Recipe

In my family, finding a meal we can all eat can be tricky. Make-your-own-burritos can be a good choice, but I had an itch to make a pot of chili when my brother and one of my sisters came for dinner last week. I knew I wanted it to be a bean-based stew, but I also wanted that meatiness of meat, even though my brother doesn’t eat any meat or poultry. And, finally, I wanted it to be chock-full of vegetables and nutrition without adding any grains.Mycoprotein meat substitute

This was the first time I’ve cooked with Quorn TM Meatless & Soy-Free Grounds made with mycoprotein from mushrooms. The only other ingredients are egg white and malt, and they turned out to be a delicious wheat-free meat alternative in the chili!

I also had to accommodate my son, who will reject a meal if he sees an onion or a chunk of cooked tomato, so I pureed an onion into an unrecognizable pulp and only used pureed tomatoes.  If you use canned beans, be sure to rinse the beans well to remove the BPA from the can lining before adding them to the pot of chili.

And, my daughter, who doesn’t like things too spicy. I offered a bottle of Siracha red chili sauce to anyone who wanted more fire.

You might notice that I didn’t use garlic or whole chile peppers in this version; you, of course, are welcome to add whatever you want to your own pot!

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Meaty Vegan Chili

Feeds 6-8 hearty eaters.Meaty vegan chili recipe

  • Olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • pureed or diced tomatoes
  • 8-10 Crimini mushrooms, trimmed, sliced
  • 4 carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and sliced into coins
  • 2 parsnips, scrubbed, trimmed, halved and sliced
  • 1 turnip, scrubbed, trimmed, quartered and sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. dried basil
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp. mild chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I like to use Aleppo red Pepper Flakes, Crushed)
  • 3/4 lb. kidney beans, soaked and drained
  • 3/4 lb. black beans, soaked and rinsed
  • 3/4 lb. pinto beans, soaked and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar (optional)
  • 1 bunch spinach leaves, cleaned and roughly cut

Heat olive oil in a soup pot and saute the onions for 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes, vegetables and spices and reduce the heat. Simmer until the root vegetables are soft and the tomatoes lose their iron-y flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings, then add the beans to the pot. When heated through, add the balsamic vinegar to brighten the flavors and sugar if still too iron-y tasting, and stir in the spinach until wilted. Serve with rice, tortillas, or a crusty loaf of bread.

Avoiding the Flu

Avoiding the flu seems to be a popular topic these days, not surprising as flu has now been reported in almost every state!avoid getting the flu Today, Mile High Mamas, an entertaining and informative online resource for Colorado parents, re-posted my article on 10 Things You Can Do to Avoid Getting the Flu.

Looking back at recent posts, I can see the flu has been on my mind as well:

• Homeopathic Flu Remedy: Oscillo

• 5 Things You Should Keep Clean To Avoid or Recover From the Flu

• Why You Should Close the Lid When You Flush

• Natural Sinus Remedies for Stuffy Noses and Colds

Next, I’ll be hitting the tv airwaves on CBS4 to talk about common sense ways to avoid getting the flu. I’ll let you know when it will air!

Why You Should Close the Lid When You Flush…

close the lid when you flush…because fecal matter and vomit can become aerosolized and molecules, including those carrying virus cells from flu or norovirus (better known as the winter vomiting bug), and these airborne cells can be breathed in or land in food or drink, contaminating a new person. Airborne fecal or vomit cells are a known viral transmission method.

Eeeewwww.

So close the lid whenever you flush and keep food and drink out of a bathroom, especially when a family member is already suffering from a virus! Store any bathroom cups upside down to ensure they stay clean, and utilize the fan after stinky sessions to remove any stray airborne molecules.

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