H2O is more important than you know!

Hmm. It seems like once you start, you can't stop. 

You can't think about anything else.

You find yourself coming back for more. 

At this point, you are officially HOOKED.

What in the world am I talking about?! 

BLOGGING, OF COURSE!!!! 

:D

Once you get back on the wagon, you immediately remember why you loved it so much in the first place!!

Where am I going with this? 

I've got something exciting to tell you!  

SO, here it is. 

☞"Let's talk about WATER!!!!!"

No, I'm not talking about ocean water. (SHOOOOOT!! Now I've done it. My craving for sandy beaches and saltwater is gnawing at me...)

Really? Seriously? -___- No, I'm not talking about the water in fish tanks either. (BIG dang fish in this tank in particular. WHOAAAAA.) 

I'm talking about the water we DRINK!!!!!!

See that handy-dandy blue book in the middle there? 

Yes, that's the one: "Your Body's Many Cries For Water".

*you can watch a YouTube video of the doctor himself if you click on the link directly above* 

Never heard of it before? Have it down in the basement tucked away with all the other odds and ends that you haven't even glanced at for ten years? Thinking it's probably covered in cob webs by now because you thought the book sounded like a soap opera for biology majors?

GO GET IT FROM THE BASEMENT AND READ IT RIGHT THIS INSTANT AS YOU READ THIS POST.

Can you feel my intensity?

Are you shaking in your boots?

I hope you can!

I hope you are! 

I want you to read this book!!! If you're hesitant, watch the video. 

I GUARANTEE you'll be hopping over to your local bookstore or surfing Amazon for this gem the minute that video comes to an end. 
This book will change your life. 

Water is SOOOOOOOO crucial for our well-being.

I don't think people realize how important water is to our survival. I have to thank my darling boyfriend for helping me drink more water since he seems to have "it" down ("it" being taking in the right amount of water EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!!!!).   

I think people are more concerned with the whereabouts of their iPhone or their hair straightener than of their precious water bottle they should be attached to. 

I watched plenty of "shoot 'em up", desert, cowboy, cactus, emptiness on the horizon, Clint Eastwood movies growing up. I KNOW that a person (usually a cowboy) can go without food for much longer than they can go without water. It's the truth, I tell ya! (And no, I'm not basing my claim solely on cowboys in movies from the 60s/70s...) I'm well-versed in Cowboy Survival Tools 101 (DUH). 

DON'T BELIEVE ME?
I bet you're thirsty right now.
Aaaaand you probably don't even FEEL thirsty because your body has shut off the "signal"! 
I'm going to take a chance and say you probably have not had a sip of water in hours. 
I would be willing to assume that you did not meet your H2O quota for the day.
I think it's safe to say you...
NEEEEED MORE WATERRRRRRR!!!!!!

Give your body what it craves!!!!
Everything in your body needs water.
WE as a species need water to survive. 
Without water, there is no life. 
That really puts it into perspective, doesn't it???
Here's what I'm talking about. 
You can be certain that your body is CRYING for water when...

• Your precious body starts unmasking wounds from this vicious fight for more water (dehydration negatively affects the brain, the mouth, the heart, the bloodstream, the limbs, the skin, and the kidneys).

*you can read more about how these organs are affected here if you'd like*

• You experience symptoms of arthritis and lower back pain.
• You find yourself suffering from excruciating headaches aka MIGRAINES. 
• You have asthmatic symptoms. 
• Your colitis pain is really throbbing.
• You are struggling with obesity. 
• You hear the words "adult-onset diabetes" come from your doctor. 
• Your heart is on fire aka HEARTBURN. 
• You have angina. 
• You suspect hypertension. 
• Your cholesterol reaches beyond the stars.

*I came across this useful information on a wonderful site that you can access if you click here! Thank you for educating us on the dangers of dehydration, Kristen Holmberg!!!!* 
What the HECK is my point here?!
Water is essential if we want to heal our body.
We CANNOT heal without proper hydration.
Period! 
End of story!
If you're like me and you have a leaky gut, you probably shy away from water.
Better yet, you are probably convinced that you're related to camels because you can go SO long without water!! Your body is all puffed up and full of it anyway, right? ;) 
Yes, I know how you feel. 
I've got camel DNA, too!! :P 
BUT, we have to silence our insecurities about blowing up like a puffer fish and DRINK MORE WATER.
If we're all worried about getting humongous because of our leaky guts, then we need to heal our gut! 
That's when chicken soup comes in. 
Drink drink drink!!! 
So, I think the recipe for success looks a little bit like this. 

1. DRINK your weight in soup
2. HEAL your gut
3. SEAL up the holes in your leaky tummy
4. HYDRATE hydrate hydrate!!!!!

I think we can do it, don't you?
Make a game out of it. 
Turn it into a contest with your best friend, your parent, or your significant other. 
Whoever drinks more water by the end of the day gets to pick the film for the next movie night! 
:D 
Or maybe the winner gets to take a nice, hot salt bath with calming music playing in the background. 
Whatever the prize might be, focus on the goals! 
GO! 
HEAL!
HYDRATE!!!!!!!!!
Until next time, let me know how your quest for proper hydration works out!!!! 
Lots and lots of love, 
Allie
❤️
(P.S. I am NOT a doctor or anyone with a medical license. The stuff on the negative effects of dehydration I posted here was useful information I stumbled upon that I thought might be helpful to others. Please just take this as it is: a helping hand. If you are concerned after reading this/you think this is your problem, don't hesitate to follow up with your physician.) 

Histamine Intolerance (HIT)

Still not feeling as delightful as you think you should?

Are you currently adhering to a "YOU-friendly" version of the SCD/GAPS/some other anti-inflammatory diet but you're still not achieving wellness?

What I'm trying to ask is...Are you on the verge of losing your mind because you've tried EVERYTHING under the sun but you still cannot seem to put these inflammatory diseases behind you????

From one "eager to be well" SCDer to the other, there's something you might want to consider:

histamine intolerance (HIT).

{You- "Histamine intolerance?"}

{Me- "YES, a problem with histamine!! No, I'm not just talking about a stuffy nose or sore throat. For some, symptoms can include hives, migraines, anxiety, acid reflux, skin rashes, vertigo, tachycardia, swelling/inflammation, gastrointestinal pain, sunlight sensitivity, temperature sensitivity (hot or cold), and LOTS of others. Foods can either be high in it or have the power to trigger its production in your body."}

*you can click on this link and it'll take you to a FABULOUS blogger who explains Histamine Intolerance/where I got most of my information. Thank you, miss Low Histamine Chef!!!* :)

Tricky stuff, right?! 

If you click on the hyperlink above, you will see a list of common symptoms for Histamine Intolerance. 

The list is HUUUGE!!!!!!!!!! :(
If you are able to identify with most of those symptoms, we may have just unveiled the missing link to your wellness! *maybe, hopefully!* And right about now, you're probably stricken with excitement and fear and bewilderment at the same time. 

 But...
☞DO NOT PANIC!! 
The best way to treat a histamine intolerance is through a LOW-histamine diet!
You're already an expert when it comes to experimenting in the kitchen, right?
You will be FINE!!!
We can be in the low-histamine club together!! 
If you're ready to move in this anti-histamine direction, here are some baby steps to take:

1. Avoid foods highest in histamine such as seafood, eggs, processed/cured/smoked/fermented meats like bacon or salami, leftover meat (the histamine levels increase as the meat sits), all fermented milk products, yogurt, buttermilk, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, lime), other fruits (grapes, mango,berries, etc.), dried fruit, fermented foods like sauerkraut or kombucha, spinach, tomatoes, artificial food colors and preservatives, spices (cinnamon, chili powder, cloves, cayenne, anise, nutmeg, curry powder), tea and alcohol, chocolate and sodas, vinegar and foods with vinegar like pickles or prepared mustards.
2. DO NOT EAT ANY LEFTOVER MEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
3. Try to avoid extreme temperatures. If you're like me and you swell up when taking a hot shower, switch to cold showers. 
4. Don't spend too much time in direct sunlight if you think you're sensitive to it. (I get a rash if I spend too much time in the sun) 
5. Most importantly, STAY POSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*you can click on this link to see the WONDERFUL blog where I found this list of foods. Thank you so much for the information, Chris Kresser!!!* :)

I've been bouncing around the internet since I made this discovery. That's truly the best way to stumble upon reliable information on Histamine Intolerance. The "good versus bad" food list varies from site to site, so I would suggest keeping a food diary to figure out EXACTLY which foods are problematic for you. There are too many good sites to name them all by heart!!! Here are some of my favorites:

• http://www.judytsafrirmd.com/histamine-intolerance-gaps-and-low-carb/
• http://thatpaleoguy.com/2011/04/11/histamine-intolerance/
• http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11175/everything-you-need-to-know-about-histamine-intolerance.html
• http://mastcellblog.wordpress.com/histamine-diet/

So, what to do now you ask?
Aside from seeing if this could be the answer to one of your riddles (as it was for one of mine)...
I say this with every ounce of warmth in my heart:

"Stop what you're doing and go watch a funny movie."

Yes, I'm actually serious. 

;) 

Pretty please (with a cherry on top!) stop whatever it is that you're doing and pop in one of the original Pink Panther movies.

I SWEAR it will make you laugh. 

Peter Sellers is just SO FUNNY.

Look, I know it's the middle of the week and you probably have work to do but...Save that work for a rainy day!!! 

Sometimes you have to be spontaneous and put your responsibilities on the back burner. 

Until next time, 
Allie 
❤️
(P.S. I am NOT a doctor or anyone with a medical license. The stuff on Histamine Intolerance I posted here was useful information I stumbled upon that I thought might be helpful to others. Please just take this as it is: a helping hand. If you are concerned after reading this/you think this is your problem, don't hesitate to follow up with your physician.) 

The fruit that kills (and I mean that in a GOOD way!!)

The special Lyme-killing ingredient? That last one- Organic Mangosteen. 

Remember when I said I was going to tell you about new ways to treat Lyme Disease? 

Well...THIS IS IT!! 

☺︎

NO, I'm not talking about an exotic herb that can only be found in Madagascar. 

No, you will not have to travel halfway around the world for it. 

NO, I'm not talking about having to go on an 'Indiana Jones' type of quest to retrieve it. 

NO, you will not have to run FIFTY miles, jump rope for SIXTEEN hours, swim from here to the BAHAMAS, or eat twenty pounds of FRIED CRICKETS. 

All you need to do is order this book!! 

In the meantime however, I'll fill you in on some of the magic within this gem (one treatment in particular). 

Once you've become comfortable with the treatments outlined in this book, you'll be killing bugs by the thousands. *evil laughter in the background*

The first thing you can do?

This is so easy and DELICIOUS that I want to giggle! 

Go out & BUY A KEVITA DRINK- the Blueberry Cherry one. 

"Why should I go out & buy such a treat of a drink to kill bugs?"

Seems a lot like an oxymoron right? A tasty drink that kills Lyme... Okay, sure buddy... Let's be honest & say that's probably the question on the tip of your tongue right now.

Well...

I want you to buy this drink because it contains... 

MANGOSTEEN!!!!!!!!!  

Aaaand now you're probably drawing a blank. 

"What the HECK is mangosteen?!"

I'm SO glad you asked!!! Mangosteen is a fruit! 

This book tells us that mangosteen (ready for this craziness??) acts as an ANTIBIOTIC against Lyme Disease!! 

Can you believe that?! 

An antibiotic without a pharmaceutical affiliation. 

*gasps* 

I'm sure you're all thinking..."BLASPHEMY!!!"

No, I'm actually quite serious! 

This little potent fruit has the power to kill bacteria. 

Yes, I'm telling you there is a fruit out there that KILLS LYME BUGS. 

If you buy these drinks, you'll probably be consuming a small amount of mangosteen. 

If you buy straight-up mangosteen juice, it would be smart to start low & slow with the dosage. If the juice is going to kill bacteria, then it's most-likely going to cause a severe herx reaction/wicked die-off. 

Trust me when I say, "Listen to your body; slow and steady wins the race."

There is no reason for you to go home tonight, order a bottle of mangosteen, wave your magic wand for it to be shipped overnight, then drink half the bottle for breakfast.

(Don't be like meeeeee!!!)  

I know you want to be well this very instant but the nature of this ugly beast is the time it takes to tame it. 

You have to just let the treatments take their course, do their thang, & kill the bugs in an orderly fashion (not all one hundred billion zillion of them in one night!). 

You could even try to keep a diary of your symptoms so you can keep track of how this affects you. 

If you drink too much & it derails you, back off a little & try starting with a lower dose. 

Now, as the title clearly says, there are ten highly-noted Lyme treatments within this book. I've only JUST begun to explore the lot of them but since I'm already MADLY in love with mangosteen, I figured I'd start off by introducing you to it & I'll tell you more about the rest as I continue to make my way through this magical text.   

Now that you've placed an order for mangosteen juice or you've made a trip to your local Whole Foods to buy a Blueberry Cherry Kevita drink or you've ordered this heaven-sent book, it's time for you...

to take a SALT BATH!!!!!!!! 

I mean that in the nicest way possible. ;) 

Go get your butt in the tub, relax, sweat a whole bunch, & kill some bugs. 

Oh, & while you're soaking in that luxurious magnesium bath, you can daydream about mangosteen & that magical moment the box of it shows up on your front doorstep! 

See? 

Hear me & my giggles when I say, 

"Lyme treatment can be bubbly, fun, & DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!"

☺︎

Lots and LOTS and LOTSSSS of love & healing vibes until next week's post, 

Allie

♥︎

HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!

I don't even know where to begin. 

We haven't talked in AGES. 

I left you all in the dark; I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. 

LIFE in its most hectic/unacceptable/chaotic/stressful/painful/depressing form happened & the ground crumbled beneath me. 

I couldn't tell up from down, left from right, dark from light. 

I felt like a cupcake without sprinkles; a hot dog without mustard; a morning without sunshine; a Friday without movies; a dinner without chicken; a vacation without beaches.   

The bottom line? Life was bleak & ugly, & blogging was just out of the question. 

BUT, what do you say we start fresh?! 

Great food; cute emoticons; SOULMATENESS (I just sent in a request for that word to be included in the Webster Dictionary...). 

Coming up next?

Some new weapons against Chronic Lyme Disease. 

Perhaps some new recipes as well!!! 

Don't worry; the gap between posts will be teeny tiny! ;)

Lots and LOTS of love & healing vibes, 

Allie

P.S. Thank you followers, for not giving up on me after over two months of silence on my end. :) & if you want any of the recipes for the dishes above, let me know!! 

❤️

Caution: Drinks may cause instantaneous HAPPINESS

ORGANIC. 

PURIFIED. 

VEGAN. 

LOW CALORIE.

GLUTEN FREE.

LACTOSE FREE.

DAIRY FREE.

NON-GMO. 

PROBIOTICS. 

 ALKALINE.

CARBONATION.

REVERSE OSMOSIS. 

 APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.

COCONUT WATER.

OCEAN WATER.

The list goes on. 

I'm talking about KeVita drinks. 

I'm ADDICTED.

I'm OBSESSED.

I'm IN LOVE. 

❤ 

You know the saying, "you had me at hello?". 

WELL, KeVita, you had me at "sparkling". 

  Does your diet need some breathing room?

Do bubbly drinks make you giggle?

Are "good bugs" your superheroes?

Is your body craving a pH makeover?

Are you tired of dreadful drinking-water drenched in chlorine & chemicals?

Do you need a new morning "pick-me-up"?

Try. KeVita.

Make PEACE with your gut.

✌☮

I pinky-promise you that if you start drinking one of these magical drinks every morning/afternoon/evening, 

YOUR BODY WILL GLOW.

☺

 If you aren't busy right now, go to your local grocery store, preferably Whole Foods (that's where I found these gems!). 

If you're reading this post & you have a case of the "Mondays", then definitely buy a KeVita.

A better day with KeVita? 

CHECK!!!!! ✔ 

~LOTS AND LOTS of ❤, allie~

Happy 3rd Birthday, Souper Douper SCDer!!

I KNOW this to be true:

I'm in school.

I have a job.

I know exactly what direction my life is going in. 

I am a SCDer & I run a support page on Facebook for others following the diet around the world. 

I take Epsom salt baths every week. 

I have learned the dos & don'ts of my gut. ;) 

I think of bubbly water as a sweet treat/dessert.

I think of chicken soup as my secret to lifelong happiness. 

Zucchini pasta is my FAVORITE Italian-ish dish. 

I know how to use cauliflower to make a to-die-for pizza crust!!! 

Banana pancakes are a fun, SCD-friendly dessert in my house that everyone enjoys!!

I promote the power of SIMPLICITY when it comes to food. 

I'm on a quest to KILL AS MANY BUGS as I possibly can. 

I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get through this Chronic Lyme treatment. 

My world is bright, sunny, & exploding with daily giggles. 

The thought of "giving up" is now a foreign language to me. 

I'm OK with growing up as an adult with two full-time jobs: achieving/then maintaining wellness AND working with animals. :) 

It's been a rather bumpy ride but I wouldn't want it to have unfolded any other way.

I've become more comfortable with the new life I've been forced to live. 

I find peace in calming music or a salt bath. 

I think of my new friends as my favorite form of medicine. 

I don't go looking for a red EXIT sign anymore. 

I have no need for Harry Potter's invisibility cloak anymore. 

I found myself & never want to go missing ever again. 

I wasn't able to say any of these things three years ago.

Everything about my life has changed for the better since I first launched this blog. 

I don't know ALL the answers & I'm not an expert on how to treat Chronic Lyme/autoimmune diseases BUT I've learned how to face these medical monsters with determination & a stubborn will to succeed. 

I started this blog to help others achieve wellness & as it turns out (prepare yourself for some ULTIMATE cheesiness), it has helped ME achieve wellness, too.

I never thought treatment for chronic diseases could come in the form of an Internet diary with followers from all over the globe. 

I'm so incredibly grateful for what this blog has done for me from the times it helped me cease the tears, to the times it listened when I was only able to get out a teeny tiny whisper. 

While this blog was my only companion for a good chunk of the last three years, it has helped me find the strength to gain some real friends. 

Real face-to-face friends I can be my REAL self with (even if those face-to-face moments are via Skype!). 

The people I've learned to let into my life are my treasures & I will forever cherish their healing presence.

Where will the blog go from here?

I don't know exactly. 

I'd just like to keep it by my side & see what happens. 

When something is going right, whatever you do, DON'T change it. 

This is working. 

This is helping me heal.

SO, I'll leave it at that & keep doing what I'm doing. 

;) 

To all of you who have been a part of this wildly colorful, sometimes rough, often bumpy, very emotional, possibly ugly, incredibly muddy, extremely beautiful journey, 

thank you. 

I would not have made it this far without you. 

Lots & lots of endless love, 

Allie

❤

VACATION in a cup

BANANA.ALMOND MILK.IMAGINATION.

BAM!!!!!!

BANANA MILKSHAKE.

Vacation in a cup. 

I'm telling you...

Two ingredients.

Does it get any simpler than that?

Here's how to make Homemade Almond Milk. 

~Soak ONE cup of almonds (*preferably organic*) with TWO cups of water (the best quality if you can) for 1 to 2 days, changing the water halfway through

~After the almonds have taken their extra-long water bath, drain & rinse

~Add NEW water to the ONE cup of almonds

~Pour the new almonds & water mixture into a POWERFUL blender

~Pulverize the stuff!! (I use a Bullet)

~Take the blended mixture & strain it through a cheese cloth to squeeze out the milk

~Keep the milk in the fridge for ONLY a couple of days or else it'll go sour! 

~Now you have leftover almond "pulp" you can either use to bake cookies or maybe even as a coating for a SCD "fried chicken". Who knows!! There's no harm in experimenting. :D

FOR THE MILKSHAKE?

(that's the picture tantalizing you at the top of this post; I know you're going out to buy organic almonds tomorrow...SCD MILKSHAKES ARE IN YOUR FUTURE)

~Add some very ripe frozen banana chunks to your almond milk & toss that in your blender.

You're going to the islands for dessert tonight. 

***Here's a video on Youtube in case you want a visual of how to make "Homemade almond milk"***

LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE, 

Allie

❤