Suzie Carpenter - Cook With Love

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Cooking for a Cause

July 14, 2019 by Suzie

Last week, I participated in a fundraiser for our local soup kitchen. My role was to  plan and cook a meal for 35 people. The catch here is that the recipes needed to simulate meals that the soup kitchen could then take and use to serve to their guests  –  over a hundred people, 365 days of the year. This is all part of the Soup Kitchen’s initiative to incorporate healthier choices for their  guests.

When they asked me to be a resource, I was incredibly excited to help out. Here’s why.

Not only do I love the challenge of figuring out meal ideas based on donations and food inventory, something I do in my own kitchen day in and day out, but also as you know, I am also passionate about the role of diet in our health and happiness.

At the Soup Kitchen, 85% of their guests have some form of chronic disease. Research has clearly shown the benefits of diet in alleviating chronic disease.

Another thing I loved about this opportunity was the integration component – meaning, the idea that we are all connected and all entitled to earth’s bountiful nourishment.

 

So here’s  few notes from this meal:

Incorporating some simple additions like fresh garlic or rosemary totally transforms the flavor of a plain sweet potato.

Tossing green beans with some extra virgin olive oil or Body Bio Balance oil makes a huge difference in flavor and nutrient value.

Timing is important – cooking the beans to the consistency you or your family likes helps a ton too. For example I like my green beans crunchy but Kelly likes hers softer.

Boneless chicken thighs offer a nourishing and delicious alternative to chicken breasts. But the recipe can also be made with boneless breasts.

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

Peel potatoes. Cut into 1 inch chunks and toss with coconut oil, garlic cloves and fresh rosemary.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

See recipe here.

 

Steamed Green Beans

Place trimmed green beans in a pot of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes or until desired tenderness. Drain and toss with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Organic Mixed Greens with Vinaigrette 

Fresh Berries and Sorbet

Filed Under: Dinner Ideas, Main Course, Side Dish, Vegetables Tagged With: chicken, chicken thighs, green beans, roasted sweet potato, sweet potato

The Power Of Sisterhood

April 18, 2019 by Suzie

I spent the past week traveling to Colorado, and it was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had in a while.

The first two days were with one of my sisters in Denver. Then, I spent five days in Aspen with my girlfriends from college.

The organizer and host was the very first person I met when I arrived on campus at Colby College in Maine thirty five years ago, and one of the best friends I’ve ever known.

Needless to say, my soul is sparkling with joy from these dreamy days of sisterhood.

But truly, what made this experience so special for me was PRESENCE, vulnerability, understanding and forgiveness.

Here’s my greatest takeaways:

All the stories we tell ourselves – all the drama in our heads, all the things we imagine about what other people think – like wondering if I’m the oddball, if they think I’m self absorbed, if I’m not a good friend or if I’m too serious – are NOT true!

This what I had been doing – dwelling on how the things I’d done in the past – out of survival or self absorption. Thinking of all the things I thought that made me different, wrong or bad. I held regret in my heart. All of that was swirling in my mind, holding me hostage, until this gathering.

Being together allowed me to release the illusion of separation.

This is what I know to be true:

We need to make space for REAL connection – to give ourselves the gift of time together.

Good friends are hard to find

Good friends laugh and cry with you.

Good friends hold your hand and listen to what’s on your heart.

Good friends support and love you, no matter what you’re going through 😍

Filed Under: Self Love Tagged With: girls trip, reunion, self love, transformation

Turkey Taco Salad With Cauliflower Rice

March 25, 2019 by Suzie

This recipe turns tacos upside down!

Inspired by some rejuvenating girl time, the combination was a spontaneous stroke of genius. Don’t you just love how everything is better when you do it with a friend?

Which by the way, has motivated me to finally start acting on one of my visions – hosting luxurious retreats for cooking, detoxing and igniting the feminine power within. Doesn’t that sound dreamy? (Message me if you would like to be added to the first to know list!)

So back to the tacos……here’s what happened. I wanted an easy yet more complex recipe than my typical weeknight dinner.  My ultimate goal was to not only make our bellies happy with amazingly delicious food, but to also nourish our souls while we shared some rare time together (since we only see each other only once a year or less).

In our house, we haven’t had traditional tacos since we went grain free in 2002. So when Siete Foods came out with grain free tortilla chips, we were beyond excited to eat tortillas again! Not to mention, I make my own seasoning instead of using the McCormick Taco Seasoning packets which I used in the past that contain sugar starch and “natural flavors”, whatever that means……!

Feel free to make these tacos with beef, turkey or chicken. And use whatever veggies or lettuce you want. Top with your favorite toppings – salsa, sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, parsley. And of course, share with a friend 🙂

Taco Meat

2 pounds ground organic turkey meat (I prefer dark meat)
2  teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup organic bone broth
2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
1 – 2 cups grain free chips, broken into bite size pieces

Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the turkey meat breaking it up as you stir. Continue to do this as the meat cooks for about 5 minutes or is no longer pink. Add the spices, broth and tomato paste. Sauté for another minute or so. 

While the meat is cooking, make the cauliflower rice. 

To make taco salad – start with lettuce and any veggies you want to include like shredded carrots, zucchini or cabbage. Place them on the bottom of your plate of bowl. Then add cauliflower rice and top with taco meat. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced ripe avocado. For dressing, I like to use my classic creamy dressing – recipe here or Primal Palate Avocado Oil dressings are great too. Kelly loves their Ranch dressing.

 

Filed Under: Dinner Ideas, Main Course Tagged With: corn free, gluten free tacos, grain free tacos, ground turkey, tacos, turkey

Purple Cauliflower Rice 💜

March 21, 2019 by Suzie

Purple is one of my favorite colors. So when I first discovered purple cauliflower with its radiant and rich hue of purple – all natural, real and fresh from the ground – it was like a dream come true. Its very existence is evidence of super power magic, God’s magic.

While I love plain cauliflower rice, purple cauliflower rice is like the icing on the cake. Purple cauliflower has a sweeter more mild flavor than white cauliflower and is less pungent smelling too. And like many rich colored fruits and veggies, it’s deep purple color signifies added benefits in the form of antioxidants. In this case anthocyanin, which is also find in purple cabbage and red wine. Purple cauliflower also contains 25% more vitamin A than plain white cauliflower.

When I first made cauliflower rice, it was at a cooking class I was teaching long before cauliflower rice became a thing. There were about fifteen ladies in the class, and I made cauliflower rice from scratch. Needless to say with that many people it was quite a feat! I had to use several cauliflower heads and riced them in batches in my food processor.

Although these days white cauliflower rice is available in the freezer section of most grocery stores, I still usually make it from scratch because I enjoy the process.

Purple cauliflower is a stunningly colorful addition to salads, veggie trays and can also be used to make purple mashed potatoes. One of the most beautiful ways I’ve seen it used was in a dish where the chef pureed the purple cauliflower and used it as a layer underneath some grilled scallops. It was absolutely gorgeous, a feast for the eyes.

Cauliflower Rice Stir Fry

1 head cauliflower
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
1 onion, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced 

Cut florets off the head of cauliflower and discard the stems. Put florets into bowl of food processor and pulse until grated. Take grated cauliflower and lay it on a double layer of paper towels. Roll it, wrapping it up in the paper towel and gently squeeze out the excess water by applying pressure to the towels.

In a large sauce pan, add oil and onion. Sauté until onion is tender, for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the grated cauliflower and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes adding more oil or liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Filed Under: Dinner Ideas, Lunch Ideas, Side Dish, Vegetables Tagged With: cauliflower, cauliflower rice, gluten free, gluten free rice, grain free rice, low carb, paleo, purple, purple cauliflower

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

February 26, 2019 by Suzie

Early this morning, I took some grass fed ground beef out of the freezer to defrost. I wasn’t really sure what I would make with it, but figured at the very least burgers would work for dinner.

Then after a full day, all of the sudden it was 5:45 pm. My husband was starting to get the munchies. Meanwhile, I still hadn’t worked out and wasn’t really ready to think about dinner.

Nevertheless I needed to. So here were my options:
Leftover chicken
Chopped Veggie Salad (with or without leftover chicken )
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Stir fry veggies
Burgers

(Take note going out to eat was not on the list……I’d already eaten out once that day 😉)

The other choice was to cook something totally unexpected, that I’d never made before. Despite the fact that I was about to either go to the gym with Kelly or get on the treadmill, trying a new recipe was probably the craziest thing I could do. And yet I decided to do it anyway!

In about 20 minutes, I peeled, cubed and steamed two sweet potatoes. Chopped an onion and a few celery stalks, sautéed them with some garlic and coconut oil. Added the ground beef, cooked it until it was no longer pink. Then shredded some zucchini and stirred that into the mix. 

It was bound to taste good I thought. And boy, did it. Wow, was it so good we ate the whole thing!

I’m calling it Sweet Potato Shepard Pie because that was one of my favorite dishes as a kid. Though of course that version had corn and a thick layer of regular mashed potatoes. Mine, on the other hand, is Paleo – gluten, dairy and grain free.

And may I just say that the mashed sweet potatoes a real treat. Our dog Sofie would completely agree. I let her lick the spatula and the pan once the pie was all gone!

Sweet Potato Shepards Pie

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound grass fed ground beef
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, chopped1 zucchini, shredded
1 onion, peeled and minced
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon of ghee
Sea salt 

Preheat the oven to 400F. 

Steam sweet potatoes until soft, about 15 minutes. While sweet potatoes are cooking, make the meat filling. 

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add coconut oil. Stir in the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the celery and garlic, stir and cook for another 3-5  minutes. Add the seasonings and meat. Break the meat up while stirring to combine all the ingredients.  Sauté until the beef is no longer pink. Stir in zucchini and cook for a few more minutes. Add beef mixture to a 9” inch pie plate or baking dish.

In a food processor or using mixer or immersion blender, mash the sweet potatoes with the coconut milk and ghee until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Using a spatula smooth the sweet potato mixture over the beef.

Bake in the oven uncovered for 20-25 minutes.

Filed Under: Dinner Ideas, Main Course Tagged With: beef, grass fed beef, ground beef, hamburger, hamburger pie, mashed sweet potato, Meat pie, sweet potato, sweet potato pie

How To Lead With Love ❤️

February 8, 2019 by Suzie

If you asked me, “Is it possible to love too much?” My first response would be, “Of course not!”

After all, Lead with Love has been my mantra for years while raising two daughters, one with autism.

Yet I think I may be guilty of being too focused on making my loved ones happy. Because of this, I refrain from sharing my honest opinions or knowledge. To be completely transparent, I would say that most of the time I am not even tuned into my own feelings enough to have an opinion. But all of that is changing…..

So, the other day my husband told me, “You know you said something really powerful last night.”

That surprised me. Not because I didn’t believe him, but because often I’m not sure if he’s really listening or getting what I’m saying. You know it’s that Mars versus Venus thing. 

So what did I say that was so powerful?

I said, “Do you think we enable each other……?”

It’s pretty simple on the surface, yet much deeper once you dig in.

Here’s why I brought it up. Honestly, it was an intuitive hit. Once I tuned in and trusted that inner voice, then the thought morphed into a major light bulb moment.  

You see, I want him to be happy. And he wants me to be happy. Which is a beautiful thing because we’ve loved each other very deeply for along time.

But recently, when he was struggling with a decision, I wasn’t being honest with him. I wasn’t telling him what I really thought. And it wasn’t the first time that I held back.

My AHA moment came with realizing that I wasn’t helping by simply giving him the answers I thought he wanted to hear and not sharing my honest opinion. By going along, I am not only placating him, I’m disempowering myself by not revealing my true feelings. 

This happens to many of us, especially those who are weary of conflict or confrontation, are sensitive to others, or fear rejection or abandonment. It happens not only with our spouses or partners, but also with our children, our own parents, friends, siblings and even colleagues. It’s even true for our selves. The same fear that stops us from sharing with others stops us from owning our own truth and power.

If you look up enable in the dictionary or thesaurus, you will see one of its synonyms is empower. Yet, this is surprising. While enable and empower both have positive intentions, they are two very different things. When you enable someone, you are not teaching the other person to be more independent, self sufficient or self directed. Where as, when you empower someone, you are facilitating self competency, self confidence and self direction.

Following this line of thinking, it seems that fear is the force behind enabling another. Where as, love is the force behind empowering another.

While the instinct to help others, especially the ones closest to us, is incredibly noble, it is something that we’ve been taught to do without thinking about what it really means. To put it in perspective, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Do you often ignore your own needs and desires so you can help someone else?

Do you take on responsibility effortlessly but then later resent it?

Do you feel numb to your own emotions or struggle to express your feelings?

Do you continue to offer help even when it’s not being reciprocated, appreciated or even acknowledged?

Back to my story, since that conversation with my husband, I have an increased awareness of sharing my truth, even if the instinct is still there to simply indulge him in sweet and sappy unconditional love. Awareness is always the first step towards transformation. Self awareness is super important because more often than not our friends and family will tell us what we want to hear. Just like me, they will enable us even if it is a very subtle thing. And that does not help us to grow, transform or act on our deeper purpose.  Besides, wouldn’t you rather be empowered than enabled?

When we let go of control and surrender to God or the Universe……..when we learn we are not separate from each other or from the Source…………………….then and only then, are we are open to learn the greatest lesson of all ——————

How to love and accept ourselves❤️

Filed Under: Self Love Tagged With: empower, empowerment, getting unstuck, self empowerment, self love, strategy

Success with Tiny Goals

January 24, 2019 by Suzie

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” ~ Robert Collier

When I first started health coaching, one of my clients was a very successful male executive. After several months working with me, he told me, “Suzie you should name your business, Success In Inches.”  That was back in 2009.

While weight loss is one of the outcomes of my program, he wasn’t referring to body measurements. 

What he meant was the success he was experiencing from the small steps we’d been working on together. Steps, that while they seemed tiny at first, were actually making a huge difference in his life.

Like many people, especially those who are type A, he came to me wanting big results and fast. He’d heard how I helped others lose stubborn pounds through my unique approach.

But it took some coaxing to help him relax into a different strategy. To teach him a more mindful, intuitive process where he was tuning into his body like never before. Once he surrendered, he had profound appreciation for the small steps.

While tiny goals don’t always produce immediate gratification especially with tangible measurements like the number on the scale, it’s embracing moving in the right direction while taking those smaller steps that helps achieve the desired outcome. It also distinguishes the difference between crossing the finish line and actually integrating transformation into our being. 

So how do you start small when you are feeling anxious or ambitious?

The key is taking your big goal and breaking it down into tiny goals. 

This takes a leap of faith. Yet, instead of being scary, this is extremely refreshing. Tiny goals make whatever we are working towards – the bigger goal – do-able. Tiny steps do not feel overwhelming. Instead they are quick to complete.  They make you feel like – I can do this!  They build momentum.

One way to craft your tiny goals is through visualization. What you do is visualize the process of reaching the big goal. Break the end result down into the tiniest details like every lap, every stroke, every mile, every ingredient. 

Then when it comes to implementation or action – you start by taking that first step even if you are not sure if it’s the right one or if it will make a difference.

It is imperative that you trust your intuition to guide you. To trust that force that is greater than your thoughts, more powerful than your beliefs and more in alignment with your purpose and power.

It’s also critical that you trust yourself and not just the person guiding you or the excitement of thinking about your success. Believe that you are on the right track even if it feels weird or unfamiliar. Let go of control and of the outcome. Force yourself to be patient, to be in the moment.

Here’s the trick to why this works. When we simply focus on the big goal, that can be paralyzing. When we are overwhelmed, it accentuates the feeling of not being good enough. Then that stops us in our tracks, and often then we end up doing nothing.

Success comes from feeling empowered, from knowing we CAN do our best, no matter what the outcome.

Here’s a plan to get you started:

Write down your ideal vision – or big dream.

Chunk that down into smaller pieces.

Take one and chunk that down even further, into tiny goals.

Write down one tiny goal per day or week, depending the size of the goal and your schedule.

Focus and finish is an excellent mantra that works for completing any size task.

Re-evaluate your big dream and progress daily.

Celebrate your successes every day……xoxo

 

Filed Under: Nutrition tips, Self Love Tagged With: goal setting, Goals, self love, success, tiny steps

Paleo Banana Bread

January 17, 2019 by Suzie

When I first started baking gluten free, grain free treats, I was amazed at how delicious baked goods could be without all the ingredients I’d been baking with for years – butter, sugar and flour.

Almond flour and honey were my two best friends. That was back in 2002, long before the Paleo craze.

It was the Specific Carbohydrate Diet that led me to start baking this way. My daughter Kelly and I were partners on the journey to heal our guts.

At first though, it wasn’t so easy to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet because not only did Kelly have celiac disease, she also had an egg intolerance. Eggs of any kind (whites, yolks, baked, scrambled, boiled) made her throw up!

So for an egg replacer, I used flax meal or applesauce in my muffin and cookie recipes. They didn’t have the fluffy cake like texture, but thankfully still tasted good enough to keep us going……

Fast forward to fifteen years later, Kelly can now tolerate eggs, fortunately for her and me as her baker.  So I’ve been readjusting my recipes with the addition of eggs and having fun with some new creations. I also started using coconut sugar as an alternative to honey, which Kelly seems to like better.

This banana bread is a big hit in my house. It is the perfect treat if you are trying to avoid dessert (wink wink 😉) because it tastes almost as good as cake. I use Lily’s chocolate chips which are stevia sweetened and just as tasty as Enjoy Life chocolate chips.

This bread is best warm out of the oven, but tastes delicious for a week when stored in the fridge. Though in my house it doesn’t last more than a few days between my hubby, me and Kelly!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas
4 organic eggs
1/3 cup cashew or other unsweetened nut butter
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 – 3/4 cups stevia sweetened or other chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease a 9” loaf pan.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine bananas with almond butter, mashing until combined. Add vanilla, eggs and coconut sugar. Stir until eggs are incorporated and mixture is relatively smooth. 

In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Stir until combined then add to the wet ingredients. Mix until incorporated, don’t over mix. Gently stir in the chocolate chips. 

Pour into pan and place in preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Snacks Tagged With: banana, banana bread, bread, breakfast bread, gluten free banana bread, gluten free bread

How to Fight a Cold Naturally

January 15, 2019 by Suzie

Colds suck. There’s just no two ways about it. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to stay healthy, you still end up with a sore throat, sinusitis, or coughing so hard it you wet your pants!

The worst part is that we are never “prepared” for a cold.  Being sick throws off our entire routine, our mood and productivity (one of the things I think we multi-tasking moms value most!)

This was me a week ago. Just as I was getting into my New Year Groove, feeling energized and emotionally pumped, I got slammed with congestion so bad I couldn’t breathe.

So while I was sick and it was fresh on my mind, I decided to put together a list of all my favorite remedies – so that you can pick and choose what speaks to you and makes the most sense for your life. 

The three key components are rest, hydrate and nourish.

While supplements are instrumental as a regular immune boosting routine to avoid getting sick, they are also helpful right when you start to notice the symptoms of  cold. Often they aid in protecting your body from bacteria and viruses, and if that doesn’t work, supplements usually help by shortening the duration of the virus or even lesson the symptoms.

Of all the possible cold busting strategies, it is super important to tune in and listen to your body. 

For example, you may be craving oranges when normally your body can not stomach them or you’re slurping up chicken soup when usually soup isn’t your favorite food. Honor the body and it’s cravings even if they are weird or unusual.

So often we hear people use the word fight when it comes to sickness – “fighting it off” they say. While that feels good to think about protecting yourself, it can contract the body and create more stress, thus weakening the immune system and mind body connection. My very best advice is this:

Trust the body to heal itself. Given enough time that is exactly what our magical bodies are built to do. Knowing this will relax you into being in healing mode 😉😘

Here’s a few ideas based off of my own regimens:

SUPPLEMENTS 

Vitamin C – 1000 mg two to three times a day

Astragulus, Black Elderberry or Oil of Oregano are all herbal immune boosters

Vitamin D – Ask your doctor to get your Vitamin D levels checked. Many of us are deficient in Vitamin D for many reasons.

Zinc – I use Body Bio liquid zinc drops that I add to my Vitamin C mixture. Cold Eeze is also a nice option.

DIET 

Maintenance, to avoid getting sick and strengthen your immune system:

Eat less sugar and processed foods

Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Boost your intake of nutrient dense foods like seeds, healthy fats and quality sources of protein

Double your vegetables

Incorporate fiber rich foods like chia seeds, flax seeds or lentils and beans

Stay hydrated with plenty of fresh filtered water, 10 or more glasses per day

pureed veggie soups are the best when you are sick or a chunky veggie chicken soup is great too.

When you are sick:

Drink lots of fluids. This can be hard if you don’t feel like it or your usual glass of water doesn’t taste so good anymore. So, I add fresh squeezed lemon to my water when I’m sick and then I’m able to drink much more of it. Or I add some unsweetened cranberry juice.

Chicken Soup or Bone broth. Sip this throughout the day. I add electrolytes and bio-available oils to mine to make it more tasty and satisfying. 

Raw Apple Cider vinegar – 1-2 tablespoons in hot water with a teaspoon of raw local honey. A great way to soothe a sore throat, calm a chest cold or alleviate a sinus headache.

Lifestyle Tips:

Get 7 or more hours of sleep a night

Meditate for at least 5 minute a day 

Deep breathing at least twice a day

Go outside for a walk at least once a week (fresh air is key here!)

Try using a humidifier if the heat in your home is dry heat

Use Essential oils like Theives, Peppermint Oil or ImmunePower by  Young Living is 100% Therapeutic grade 

Hot bath – bonus add a cup of Epsom Salts

Wash your hands frequently

Any statements or claims about the possible health benefits conferred by any foods or supplements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.

Filed Under: Nutrition tips Tagged With: cold remedies, immune support, supplements, vitamins

The Body Does Not Lie

January 8, 2019 by Suzie

This cold and flu season, I invite you to look at your body’s defenses in a new light. 

And here’s why.

Of all the reasons why we get sick there is one that is often overlooked or discounted. 

It is the mind body connection. 

But first let me back up for a second. Most of us believe, based on what we’ve been taught for years, that colds and flu are caused by germs or viruses, viruses that surface or penetrate when our immune system is weak. 

And there are many things that affect the strength of our immune system, including what we eat, drink, our environment and biological factors. 

For example, I have leukopenia, which is a chronic low white blood count. Since white blood cells are critical to our immune system, having too few of them means the body is much less able to fight off viruses, bacteria, or infections.

As a child, every year I had strep throat at least once sometimes multiple times, and I was always tested for mono. In my late teens and early twenties, I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Epstein Barr Virus among other auto-immune issues like Raynaud’s syndrome and chronic pain.

In my early thirties, after having two children one diagnosed with autism, I decided to change my diet. I broke up with my beloved addiction to sugar. Once I eliminated sugar, gluten and processed foods from my diet, many of my symptoms improved dramatically. Not only did my energy soar and my thoughts become clearer, I also rarely ever get sick despite my low white blood count. 

Now you’ve probably heard this story before. And I also must admit as I write this I am suffering from a horrible cold! So let me get to the real juice of the story.

Like many things, there are mysterious reasons why sickness happens. This is where the mind body spirit connection comes in. Louise Hay was a master at this. In her book Heal your Body, Louise ties common physical symptoms in the body to emotional or spiritual situations. 

For example, she says sinus problems relate to being irritated with someone else, usually someone close to us. This can even be yourself. (That’s so me right now….) A sore throat is about holding on to anger, feeling unable to express the anger or honor yourself. And coughs and upper respiratory illness are related to overwhelm, too much going on at once and the resulting mental confusion.

In addition to this fabulous insight, Louise also offers some beautiful mantras for connecting mind body and spirit. 

So while I’m pumping myself with vitamin C, Black Elderberry, Cold Eeze, hot tea, lemon water and chicken soup, I am also taking time to look at what  I need to process or release emotionally.

So this cold and flu season here are a few questions to contemplate:

Are you craving some alone time, time to yourself to adjust, assimilate something new or organize a vision for the future?

Do you feel taken for granted? Could being sick be a desperate cry for help or attention from those who may be taking you for granted?

What emotional baggage have you been stuffing, ignoring or avoiding dealing with? What do you need to say that hasn’t been said? Or is there another way to say it so that you can be heard more clearly?

Is anger something you fear? Do you feel guilty if you are angry? Like you may be hurting someone else and therefore deny yourself the ability to feel the anger?

New Though Patterns:

Sinuses – I am one with all of life. No One has the power to irritate me unless I allow it. Peace, harmony. I deny any beliefs in calendars.

Throat: I can speak for myself. I express myself freely. I am creative. I speak with love.

Lungs:  The breath of life flows easily through me. Peace. No one can irritate me. I am free to take charge of my life.

Filed Under: Self Love Tagged With: cold, flu, healing naturally, louise hay, mantras, viruses

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"A compelling memoir! Every mother should read this book." - Liz Feld, President, Autism Speaks


Hi, I'm Suzie. I love food. Simple, delicious, clean food. Mostly plants, some meat, usually organic. As a health coach I specialize in happy bellies and yummy recipes without hidden food triggers like gluten, dairy, soy and sugar.

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  • The Power Of Sisterhood
  • Turkey Taco Salad With Cauliflower Rice
  • Purple Cauliflower Rice 💜
  • Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

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