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bee pollen

Bee Pollen Smoothie Recipe: Why Bee Pollen is the New Black

June 28, 2015

BeePollenSmoothie_HealthyStaceyI was in San Francisco at the Ferry Building, caught up in a whirl of fresh-baked smells and friendly local vendors. A cute little pop up stand called “Be Kind” caught my eye. The super friendly girl manning the stand knew more about honey than I realized a girl who couldn’t be over 21 could.

Creamed honey, honey sticks, Manuka honey, honeycomb – I’ve never seen so many variations on the sweet nectar. And then there were the infused honeys – Rosemary Bliss, Lavender Love, Buckwheat?? I had to try them all. I was like a kid in an ice cream shop. The rosemary bliss was DE-licious. 

Alas, right before I was about to check out with my new glass-jarred goodies, I spotted the Bee Pollen. You’re supposed to eat that? I ask.

“Yep!” She said. “It’s actually an amazing source of protein, and ironically, a great allergy reliever. I take it every morning.”

Oh I’m intrigued. A superfood I hadn’t heard of yet. I so desperately wanted to take it home, but I resisted. Partly for sake of suitcase weight and partly because I’d already spent way too much at that heavenly market.

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago at a food photography shoot (for work) did I come across the pollen again. We were making a beautiful Paleo dessert I affectionately named “Rainbow Chocolate Rounds” for one of my favorite clients, Enjoy Life Foods. They were essentially melted dark chocolate (gluten-free, GMO-free, soy-free, dairy-free, you get the picture), topped with dried fruits, seeds and nuts.

SuperfoodMix_HealthyStaceyIn the sea of goji berries, dried blueberries, coconut shreds and pumpkin seeds, was a big bag of bee pollen. I helped myself to a spoonful of it (you know, to make sure it was photoshoot ready) and immediately remembered my moment at Bee Kind.

The photographers were kind enough to give me the barely used bag at the end of the shoot after they heard me gushing about its benefits. And I found a home for it on the top shelf of my refrigerator.

Now I am proud to say it has become a new favorite in my daily routine.

Bee Pollen Smoothie ingredients for Healthy StaceyI put it in my morning post-workout smoothie, I sprinkled it on Siggi’s yogurt, I mixed it with chocolate chips and enjoyed as an after-dinner treat.

Here’s the lowdown on this slightly unconventional supplement, and what makes it so “super”:

VITAMIN-RICH. Bee-gathered pollens are rich in proteins, free amino acids, and vitamins, including B-complex and folic acid.

CANNOT BE SYNTHESIZED. One teaspoon of pollen takes one bee working eight hours a day for one month to gather. Each bee pollen pellet contains over two million flower pollen grains and one teaspoonful contains over 2.5 billion grains of flower pollen. Thousands of chemical analyses of bee pollen have been made with the very latest diagnostic equipment, but there are still some elements present in bee pollen that science cannot identify.

TUMMY FUNCTION. With a high proportion of cellulose and fiber, as well as the existence of antibiotic factors, bee pollen has a positive effect on intestinal function.

CHOLESTEROL. It is reported that bee pollen in the diet acts to normalize cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.

MAKIN’ BABIES! Pollen stimulates ovarian function. It is actually recommended whenever the end result is obtaining eggs for reproduction.

ALLERGIES. Ever heard of desensitization? The idea is that if a body is exposed to an allergen in small doses, it will build up immunity to it (kind of like a vaccine).  Therefore, it can be a very effective remedy for hay fever, allergies and pollen-induced asthma. It has also shown to increase control of bronchitis, ulcers of the digestive tract, colitis, migraine headaches, and urinary disorders.

FITNESS. The British Sports Council recorded increases in strength of as high as 40 to 50 percent in those taking bee pollen regularly. Even more astounding, the British Royal Society has reported height increases in adults who take pollen. Oh God. So I could actually get TALLER by eating this? (I'm already 6' 1").

WEIGHT CONTROL. By correcting a chemical imbalance in body metabolism, pollen can have a strong effect on weight control or stabilization.

CRAVINGS. Because it boosts the value of the nutrients you are eating, it helps to eliminate cravings.  The result of its natural phenylalanine (a man-made amino acid that shows up in weight loss pills – can you guess which version is better?).

BEE-UTY. Studies show, unhealthy or aging skin can be dramatically improved by eating more bee pollen. It seems to prevent premature aging of the cells and stimulate growth of new skin tissue. It also offers protection against dehydration and stimulates blood supply to skin cells.

*A warm thank you to Dr. Mercola for your thorough research, as usual. http://www.mercola.com/article/diet/bee_pollen.htm

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, how the heck do I eat it? Here are two of my latest and greatest smoothie recipes – both of them featuring bee pollen, both of them DE-licious. (p.s. I am constantly posting new smoothie concoctions on my instagram profile so follow me for more ideas!)

BEE POLLEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES

BeePollenSmoothie_HealthyStacey

HAPPY TUMMY MANGO BEE SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

HAPPY TUMMY ON VACAY BEE SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

Directions for Both: 

Toss all ingredients in a NutriBullet and pulverize!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because it is possible to have an allergic reaction to the pollen, it is best to start out in very tiny amounts to see how you react to it. Remember, I am not a doctor. Please consult your physician if you have any concern over ingesting bee pollen.  

What do you all think? Has anybody ever tried it before? Are you willing to? Do you have any recipe ideas for how you can incorporate it into your daily routine? Comment belowwwww!

Healthy Body

How I Cured A Cold In 5 Days With 5 Food Medicines and No Drugs

August 25, 2016

AppleCiderVinegarforColds

I have something really embarrassing to tell you.

I, Healthy Stacey, got sick.  

I’m talking runny nose, a throat so swollen it hurt to swallow, dead tired but couldn’t sleep because I stayed up all night long hacking up a lung sick.

I know, I know. But you’re so “Healthy.” How did you get sick? (I’m imagining this in the voice of Adam Sandler, followed by “Hoobidy doobidy.”)

Well, I’ve narrowed it down to either the potentially germ-infested blanket I took from the flight attendant on my way to Mexico or the fact that I got stuck in a torrential downpour on my way to the yoga class that I couldn’t miss, and instead stayed sopping wet through every Chaturanga Dandasana.  

That’s neither here nor there. The point is, I got sick, and then I got better WITHOUT taking any drugs.

I’ve never been a big fan of Tylenol Cold & Flu, Robitussin Cough Syrup or any of the other hard-hitting OTC drugs out there. They make me super drowsy and I hate to think what other side effects they’re having on my body. Oh. And as far as I know (correct me if I’m wrong), cough and cold remedies do not shorten or cure illnesses; they just ease the symptoms along the way. But in doing so, they take a lot more processing from my liver than, say, a spoonful of raw honey would.  

So if I can reduce my symptoms in other more natural ways that don’t make me drowsy, don’t tax my liver AND actually make my immune system stronger for the future, then I’m all for it.

If you take them, I get it. No judgment. Promise. I just decided that me being sick would be a perfect opportunity to do a little self-experimenting for you guys.  

The Experiment: Kick this sucker without meds – just immune-boosting food and supplements, and see how long it takes.   

I dug a box of Tylenol Cold & Flu out of the medicince cabinet and put it on the counter. Partly as an "in case of emergency – pull this lever," but also as an extra boost of motivation. Challenge: accepted.

Here’s how it went down.

Day 1.
Throat is feeling swollen. I can feel something coming on. But it’s not full-blown quite yet. At this point I didn’t know what it was, but I knew that the first thing I needed to drink was bone broth.

Food Medicine # 1: Bone Broth

Bone Broth for colds

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Bone broth is a magical elixir. Simmering the bones of healthy animals releases nutrients and healing compounds that you could NOT get just from eating the meat.

Moreover, whatever foods you add to the broth will be better digested and absorbed into your system. So for my special Get Better Bone Broth, I added a few key nutrients also known to help immunity.

Garlic for its immune-boosting, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. Ginger and cayenne because they are warming to your system and help relieve congestion.

Get Better Bone Broth Recipe:

  • 1 cup of homemade bone broth – see recipe here.
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat up bone broth and coconut oil (I do 1:30 in the microwave, in a mug)
  2. Mix in your sea salt, garlic and cayenne pepper.
  3. Drink up and repeat every day until you feel better (2 times a day if you’re up for it!)

When your throat is hurting, you can’t get enough liquids in your system. Not only does it feel good on the throat, it helps loosen congestion. So on this first day, I was always drinking something – whether it be broth, water or my homemade Kick In the Pants Tea made with my good friend ACV.

Food Medicine #2: Apple Cider Vinegar

Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar. It may be acidic, but it actually helps to alkalize our overly acidic bodies. A body that is more alkaline will be better at fighting off colds.

I started taking this concoction years ago when I first found out about the benefits of ACV and it’s never steered me wrong. You’ll see that I’ve used a lot of the ingredients I used in my Get Better Bone Broth for the same reasons (with the addition of lemon for its anti-viral benefits and raw honey for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, throat-soothing benefits, and because it makes EVERYTHING taste better). But this tonic is a little more accessible for those of you who aren’t quite ready to hop on the bone broth bandwagon.

Kick In The Pants Tea

Apple Cider Vinegar Tea

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (I like the Bragg’s brand)
  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped
  • ½ freshly squeezed lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½-1 teaspoon raw honey

Directions:

  1. Boil water in tea kettle
  2. Add all other ingredients into your mug
  3. Pour hot water on top and stir

Day 2.
I get a horrible night’s sleep and my throat feels more swollen the next day. I double up on the bone broth (which feels like heaven on my throat; with just one sip I feel the swelling going down and the sinus pressure easing up).

I supplement my broth drinking with Breathe Easy Tea from Traditional Medicinals. (Another favorite for swollen glands and sore throats is Throat Coat, I just didn’t have any on hand).

That night, I decided I needed something to ensure that I would sleep through the night. Enter saffron.

Food Medicine # 2: Saffron

Saffron to make tea with

You know that spice that comes with your spice kit that kind of looks like red spider legs? That’s saffron. It’s apparently the most expensive spice in the world. That's why they only give you a little bit in each jar. But the thing is, you don’t need much to get it to work. This stuff is powerful.

Yes, I already had some from a spice kit that was gifted to me so, for me, there was no cost. But I looked it up on The Spice House Chicago website, and saw that you can get it by the gram for $12.08. And a gram is plenty for this purpose.

Saffron spice is produced from the saffron crocus flower (Crocus sativus) and it is actually the insides of the flower that catches the pollen. Among its MANY other benefits (used for asthma, cough, loosening of phlegm, gas, depression, Alzheimer’s, dry skin, PMS symptoms, fertility, and more) it has also been shown to have mild sedative properties. Meaning, when you drink this stuff, and put your head on that fluffy pillow, it hits you. Or at least it did for me. I felt instantly relaxed and lulled to sleep.

After a lot of searching around the internet, I came across about nine different people all claiming that they had “the best” way to make saffron tea. So I threw up my hands and just decided to do my own thing.

Using full fat coconut milk (real milk would be even better because it has tryptophan in it, but I didn’t have that), cinnamon for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant qualities, raw honey for its antioxidant, antimicrobial and throat-soothing benefits and cardamom (I’m sure it has benefits too, but I just thought it would taste good with it), I created “the best” Saffron Sleepy Tea.

Saffron Sleepy Tea

Saffron tea for insomnia

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of water
  • 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk or whole milk (ideally grass-fed)
  • 7-10 strands of saffron
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon raw honey

Directions:

  1. Boil ½ cup of water in a pot on the stove
  2. Add saffron and cover pot for 10 minutes
  3. Now add milk, cinnamon and cardamom and turn heat up to medium
  4. Stir until warm
  5. Add in honey
  6. Pour into a mug and sip, repeat and go to sleep.

Day 3.
The snot tap has turned on. The swollen throat has finally released itself and the nose is running like crazy. I have a love-hate relationship with this part. I know that the release of all the fluid means that it’s all coming out and I’m on my way to getting better. But it’s still a disgusting snotty drip.

Quick Defense from Gaia Herbs

My good friend (and supplement superstar), Monica, recommends to me a product called Quick Defense from Gaia Herbs. She says it works like a charm if you take it at the onset of symptoms. A little too late for that, but I figure, it couldn’t hurt and it offered a lot of immune-boosting benefits.

Food Medicine #3: Green Drink

Green Vibrance Powder Mix

Like magic, my Green Vibrance just happened to arrive in the mail that day. I had ordered it a week or so ago as an addition to my Fertility Diet. Again, this came highly recommended to me from my supplement superstar up there. Monica recommends it to everybody she knows because of its high quality ingredients and the marked difference she feels in her energy levels when she takes it in the morning. One of her friends who suffered from a lower immunity started taking it per Monica’s recommendation and found a huge difference. In fact, it’s only when she stops drinking it that she gets sick again.

Hmmm. Fertility food AND immune booster. What is this stuff?

Well, in a really small nutshell, it’s a greens powder. But the makers of this particular product have gone to town with the types (and high concentrations) of nutrients they've packed into each scoop. Organic kale sprouts, organic broccoli sprouts, organic spirulina, chlorella, organic beet juice, organic parsley, organic spinach, organic carrot, green bean, zucchini and Rockweed sea vegetable are just the beginning. It also offers a host of other supplements to support digestion, bone strength, circulation, liver and immunity. It’s kind of like taking a multi-vitamin, a green smoothie and NZT all in one. Just kidding about the NZT (5 Gold Stars to anybody who can name this movie reference in the comments).

What I love about this, is that it takes out a lot of the thought that goes into smoothie making. I personally like to add a lot of extra boosts to my smoothies beyond the greens and the fruits. But not everybody has the money or the patience for that. Especially when sick.

Sicko Smoothie:

Green Smoothie For Colds

Ingredients:

  • 1 scoop of Green Vibrance
  • 1 inch of turmeric root
  • Dash of pepper
  • 1 inch of ginger root
  • 1 teaspoon bee pollen
  • 2 scoops of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
  • Frozen pineapple
  • Almond Milk/Coconut Water (I mix the two together)
  • Optional: Superfood toppings becasue it makes it fun to drink (I used my favorite Superfood Crumble from Elemental Superfoods)

Directions:

  1. Put almond milk/coconut water in a high speed blender
  2. Add in Collagen Peptides and Green Vibrance
  3. Add in remaining ingredients
  4. Pulverize until smooth
  5. Add toppings
  6. Drink up, breathe in, breath out, feel better!

Day 4.
Feeling better today. Nose is still running, but the glands in the throat feel back to normal and I can see the end of the rainbow. Last night, I did some extreme self-care. Meaning, I put all my energy into myself – and put everything else on hold.

Food Medicine #4: Homemade Soup (with a side of Self-Care)

Self-care. It's a real thing. Seriously. When you take care of yourself first, everything else falls into place.

I don't do it very often. It usually takes extreme cases like me being sick for it to happen. So I went to town. I canceled plans with friends. I slowly and gently cleaned up things that I no longer needed and replaced batteries to a clock that stopped ticking years ago. I put my favorite men on Spotify (Sinatra and Mayer) and watched girly, cheesy movies without shame. I nestled into my rattiest but softest sweat pants. And, finally, I made myself this very special soup just for me.

Dreamy Creamy Carrot Soup

Paleo Carrot Broth Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots
  • 1 teaspoon ghee
  • 1 inch of turmeric root
  • 1 inch of ginger root
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/3 can of full fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup of homemade bone broth
  • Sea Salt
  • Pepper
  • Optional toppings: Crispy chicken and chopped scallions

Directions:

  1. Peel and chop carrots
  2. Saute in ghee for 5 minutes-ish, until softened and a little browned
  3. Heat bone broth up on stove, bringing to a simmer over medium heat
  4. Stir in remaining ingredients
  5. Pour in high speed blender and pulverize until smooth
  6. Add toppings of your choice (I happened to have leftover chicken that I sautéed in more ghee until it was crispy, plus a dash of chopped scallions to add a bite)

Day 5.
I feel SO much better. I literally woke up, inhaled through my nose, and clapped my hands because I could smell again! My friends, I swear, I felt better than I did before the cold even began.

I still start my day with Gaia Quick Defense and a cup of bone broth for good measure. Then make another Green Vibrance smoothie for breakfast. I stare at the Tylenol Cold & Flu that has been sitting on the counter just in case of an emergency, and stuffed it back in the back of the cabinet where it belonged. Then did a little happy dance because DAMN, I’m good.

Alrighy folks, what do you do when you get sick? Do you feel the same way I do about OTC medicine? Or are you all about it and want to prove me wrong? Bring it on. Comment below.

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

p.s. The links I provied are affiliate links. But because my Amazon Affiliate account lay inactive for too long, they've kicked me out. They may work in the future, so I still feel like I should let y'all know. Hot mess. I know.

p.s.s. Pin this baby! You know you'll need it come Cold & Flu season!

Natural Cold Cures

What Do I Eat On The Paleo Diet?

July 11, 2016

I still get weird looks when I tell people I’m paleo. Either it’s because they don’t know what that means. Or because they do know what it means, and are thoroughly confused as to how I get by every day with such a "restricted" menu. They always ask, without bread, grains, beans or dairy*, what do you eat?? The answer: A LOT.

*Note: I am paleo-ish, so at times, I do eat dairy, quinoa, hummus and trial bites of my husband's burger pretty much every time he orders one 🙂

So I thought that I’d share with all of you who are curious – what does this paleo girl eat in a day?

— June 24 —

First Thing: Turmeric Bone Broth

This is paleo bone broth with a touch of turmeric and salt and peper

If you read my last post on how to make bone broth, you know how I'm a big fan of sipping the golden juice daily (or at least a few times a week) for preventitive care of joint pain, inflammation, indigestion and tons of beauty benefits. Any way I can get turmeric in my day is a good thing. So this  morning, I tried a simple combo of turmeric, salt and pepper + coconut oil. Remember, turmeric is much more effective if it's taken with pepper and fat.

Ingredients:

Breakfast: Booger Smoothie

PaleoSmoothie

You can't get away from the ugly colored smoothies when you've got greens in your juice, but you can make it prettier by adding pretty healthy toppings like bee pollen and goji berries. I've already told you all about why Bee Pollen is the New Black and why Turmeric is my Favorite, but there are some other gems in here like Ginger Root (good for inlammation), Wheat Grass (known to be a healing agent, but not to be used in mass amounts on a regular basis) and Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (my favorite – and the most natural way to get extra protein in my smoothies). I was particularly proud of this combination of fruits and greens, as the flavor turned out delicious – which is not always a guarantee when your as ambitious as I am about stuffing every fruit and veggie imaginable into one Vitamix.

Ingredients:

  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Ginger root
  • Turmeric
  • Pepper
  • Frozen Pineapple
  • Frozen Mango
  • Coconut Water
  • Bee Pollen
  • Wheat Grass
  • Vital Proteins Collagen
  • Goji Berries

Lunch: Fruits from my Roots Salad

PaleoMangoAvocadoSalad

I have a salad almost every day. I know to some that sounds boring. But I don't see it that way. With the pure number of fruits and vegetables, spices and seasonings, and nuts and seeds in this world – there are endless combinations to what you can stuff in a bowl. This particular one reminded me of my childhood because I used two fruits that were staples in my house growing up – Avocados and Mangos. My Barbados-born dad was adamant about never wasting ANY of the fruit. So I'd always have to scrape that mango dry before I threw away the skin. Don't worry Dad, I made sure to get every last drop 😉

Ingredients:

  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Sliced Cucumber
  • Chopped Mango
  • Chopped Avocado
  • Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette (Balsamic Vinegar + Red Chili Pepper + Salt + Pepper + Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

 

Dinner: Hormone Balancing Meatballs + Paleo Pasta

Paleo meatballs with zucchini pasta and sweet potato pasta created in a spiralizer PaleoPasta

You guys have already heard me sing the praises of my hormone balancing meatballs. You'll see these pop up on my dinner table (and my Instagram feed) often because they're so easy and so damn good. I love coming home from work, and pulling out a few already-made delicious meatballs from the freezer. All I have to do is simmer them in bone broth for 10 minutes or so in a saute pan. They are part of my fertility diet, but I highly recommend them to anybody who is looking to balance their hormones. My favorite thing to top them with is "Paleo Pasta" which is really just a combination of any vegetable I can spiralize. In this case, I used a Sweet Potato, Zucchini and Yellow Squash.

Ingredients:

  • Spiralized Sweet Potato >> sautéed in Dr. Bronner's coconut oil and sprinkled with Salt, Pepper and Cinnamon.
  • Sprialized Zucchini and Squash >> sautéed in Dr. Bronner's coconut oil and sprinkled with Salt, Pepper and Herbs de Provence.
  • Hormone Balancing Meatballs, defrosted from frozen by simmering in Bone Broth for 10-ish minutes.

Alrighty folks, that's all she wrote. Question: Did you like this post? Would you like to see more of what I eat in a day? Or could you care less? Comment below and let me know!

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

Healthy Body

Food & Fertility Series: What I Eat

July 1, 2016

Paleo Fertility Food Guide

Whether you are trying to have babies or not, hormone balance is INCREDIBLY important.

How do you know if you have un-balanced hormones? Here are a few hints:

  • You are moody a lot
  • Your weight fluctuates (and not necessarily because of changes in diet)
  • You have a lot of digestive issues
  • You have a low sex drive
  • You have un-reliable periods
  • You are tired all the time
  • You've experienced early hair loss or thinning

The foods that I am eating right now for fertility are the same foods I should be eating to solve any hormone balance issues. Strange coincidence? I think not.

Yes, eating them will help put my body in the best condition to conceive. They will help with morning sickness, cravings, food aversions, and varicose veins. And they will later make my pregnancy go smoother, my baby's health better and breast-feeding easier.

But they will also help boost metabolism and promote weight loss, combat stress and reduce inflammation, AND increase sex drive (which will, of course, also help with making babies too).

And before you wonder to yourself, the answer is NO. Eating these foods will not MAKE you get pregnant, as long as you are following birth control methods. Silly.

What we’re looking for in fertility and hormone-balancing food:

  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin B6
  • Folate
  • Long Chain Fatty Acids
  • Sources of Omega-3
  • Adaptogen Herbs

With that in mind, I’ve created a fertility food plan for myself. The plan is based on Weston A. Price’s fertility diet, but I’ve taken it down a couple notches, added a few of my own special touches, and tried to make it a little more realistic for people.

Without further ado, here it is…

EVERY DAY:

2 or more eggs, preferably from Pasture-raised chickens.

Where to get them: I love Vital Farms eggs because you can get them from most Whole Foods and Weseda Farms eggs from my favorite, Local Foods. But since it’s Farmer’s Market season, I highly recommend picking up a couple dozen from your local farmers.

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil, used in cooking, smoothies, or bone broth.

Where to get it: I love Dr. Bronner’s. You can order it at Thrive Market, pick it up at Whole Foods or order it online.

Pasture-Raised/Grass-Fed Beef, Lamb or Chicken.

Where to get it: Both Marianos and Whole Foods will carry some Grass-Fed meat. But if you live in Chicago, my market of choice is Local Foods as I wrote about in this post. Why grass-fed? I explain it all right here.

1 cup or more of bone broth, used as a morning drink in soups or in cooking.

Where to get it: My first recommendation would be to make your own (I will be showing you how in a future post). It's a lot less expensive and you have more control over the ingredients. But in the meantime, I’m a big fan of the Kettle & Fire brand and they are now offering it for a discounted price at Thrive Market.

Fermented everything: Beverages (Kefir, Kvass, KOMBUCHA!!), Vegetables and Condiments.

Where to get Kombucha: My two favorite Kombucha brands are GT (available at any Whole Foods, most Marianos, and some Jewels, and even starting to be available at cafes like Hannah's Bretzel) and Health-Ade (harder to find in the Midwest, but available at Fresh Market and recently spotted at Le Pain Quotidien). And get this, now there is even a starter kit that makes it really easy to make on your own.

Where to get Kefir: Available at most grocery stores in the refrigerated section next to the yogurt. Try to steer clear of the ones with lots of added sugar, and instead get plain WHOLE MILK kefir and add your own mix-ins or put it in a smoothie. And just like the kombucha, there is a cool culture kit to make your own.

Where to get Fermented Vegetables and Condiments: Naturally fermented pickles, sauerkraut and carrots are becoming more and more widely available. Check out the refrigerated sections of Trader Joe's, Marianos and Whole Foods. One of my favorite brands is Bubbies.

Pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle it on your salads, make healthy cookies or bars, eat it straight, whatever floats your boat.

Where to get it: Most grocery stores will carry pumpkin seeds, but I highly recommend looking out for the sprouted nuts and seeds. Why sprouted? The process multiplies proteins, enzymes and minerals making food easier to digest and allow the nutrients to be more easily absorbed in the body. I love the Go Raw brand – available at Whole Foods, Marianos and Thrive Market.

2 Capsules of Fermented Cod Liver Oil every day OR 1 Teaspoon of Fermented Cod Liver Oil.

Where to get it: Green Pasture is the only brand I've ever found that carries the fermented kind. This is different than fish oil capsules; it's much more nutrient-dense and your body will absorb it MUCH BETTER. Here are the Capsules and here is the Oil.

1 Vitex pill.

            Where to get it: It’s actually pretty widely available at grocery stores, but if you want to order it online, this is the one I use. Bonus: totally affordable. 

EVERY WEEK

Seafood, 2-4 times/week (wild salmon, fish eggs, mollusks, shellfish, canned sardines, canned tuna).

  • Where to get it: Wild salmon as well as mollusks and shellfish is available at most grocery stores. My favorite canned fish brand is Wild Planet which you can get the cheapest from Thrive Market. I eat my sardine salads with this stuff at least one time a week. It’s my fast, cheap and easy way to get my seafood intake in. Don’t knock it till you try it J.

Liver, 1-2 times/week. Visit my Paleo Hormone Balancing Meatball post to better understand why you need liver for ideal hormone balance, and discover a really delicious way to get it into your diet.

  • Where to get it: Ask your butcher if he can put some aside for you if he doesn't already have it. Whole Foods keeps it in plastic containers in the refrigerated section next to the bacon. Keep in mind, though, just like any other animal protein, where it came from matters. Local Foods is a whole animal butcher so it keeps EVERYTHING from all the animals so you can choose your pick between Chicken livers, Pig livers or Cow livers. Stop making that face. It's worth it. Promise.

Superfood Smoothies packed with hormone-balancing nutrients like Goji Berries, Bee Pollen, Turmeric, Ginger, Camu Camu, Wheat Grass and Grass-fed Collagen Powder. I'll go into more details about superfoods in a later post, but I nudge you to try some in your next smoothie. You can actually feel their benefits happening right away, I think.

  • Where to get: Thrive Market is a great place to shop for discounted prices on superfoods like goji berries, cacao powder, maca and matcha. Otherwise, Whole Foods and Marianos both have sections in the store dedicated to these types of foods.
  • Where to get recipes: I have been posting fertility smoothies non-stop on my Healthy Stacey Instagram page. If you want to see more, follow me! (please 🙂

1 teaspoon Royal Jelly, 2-4 times/week. This stuff is gold. It is the Queen Bee's primary source of nutrition and the reason she lives longer, stronger and bigger than any of the other bees in the hive. (5-6 years vs. 30-40 days!!). With it she produces approximately 250,000 eggs in one season, producing as many as 200 eggs/day. Bonus: It’s mixed in with honey and tastes DELICIOUS. Every time I take it, I can’t believe it’s part of my “supplements.”

  • Where to get it: Not easy to find locally here in Chicago, unfortunately. So where else? Amazon. The brand in my link came recommended to me by a sweet old beekeeper named Bob that I met at the Daley Plaza Farmer’s Market.

p.s. Love reading reviews on Amazon like this, don’t you?

Lots and lots and lots of greens. No explaining necessary. You guys know the drill.

I’m trying to shorten these babies up a bit. I tend to go on and on and on. There’s just so much to say! This post was originally twice the length because I also was trying to explain why everything I was recommending was good for hormone balance. Instead, how ‘bout you guys send me an email if you’d like all that info as well and I’d be happy to provide it?

Alrighty. What do you guys think of all this? Are you overwhelmed? Are you excited to try some of it? Comment below…

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Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

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