Substitutes, for foods you are sensitive or intolerant to, Part I

Baking Powder:
• 1 part potassium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda); 2 parts cream of tater or 2 parts any starch (arrowroot, rice flour etc.) mix thoroughly & store in a covered container:
• I cup water and 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed bring water to rolling boil, add flax and simmer for 5 minutes, you can strain out seeds; ½ tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cream of tarter equals 1 tsp baking powder. Add to liquid just before baking. Adjust liquids.
• ¼ baking soda, ½ tsp. any acid (lemon or lime juice, cream of tarter or vitamin c ascorbic, Good for muffins.
• Guar gum


Beans (in chili): Use frozen tofu partially thawed, squeeze out water, and cut into cubes. Put into chili. Let set 1 day in refrigerator before serving for better flavor.


Butter: Goat butter; Spectrum Spread; Spectrum Naturals Essential Omega Spread (flax&soy), coconut oil


Buttermilk: Use non-dairy milk with 1 tbsp. lemon juice per cup


Cheese: Almond or mashed avocado, or goat cheese, sheep cheese

 Chocolate/Carob (1chocolate baking square = 3 tbsp. carob & 1 tbsp. water & 1 tbsp. caffee substitute) cocoa or organic cocoa or unsweetned chocolate if not substituting due to intolerance. Also see “I can’t believe it’s not chocolate” recipe. 


Chow Mein Noodles: Slivered almonds


Cinnamon: Cardamom


Corn Starch: Arrowroot, Guar gum (see package directions)

Cleansing Response part V, what to do "5-7”

5. Exercise. Pick an amount and type of exercise that’s appropriate for your state of health (check with your doctor if you have any doubts). For most people, walking at least 15 minutes a day is a good way to start. Exercise increases circulation, respiration and cellular metabolism. It helps the body burn off toxins and wastes and/or pump them out of the system. 

6. Listen to your body and do whatever you need to do to stay within a manageable comfort zone. You may find that a smaller helping of a particular nutritional product is better for you, either temporarily while there’s a strong cleansing response, or long-term due to your individual body chemistry. You may even decide that a particular supplement simply isnt right for you.

If a cleansing reaction is too strong, you can reduce or even stop taking the supplements for a few days until you feel better, and then gradually build back up to a regular daily amount. (Some people need to go very slowly, using very small amounts for a while. These are often the people who eventually have the most dramatic transformation in well-being if they follow through) You may need to repeat this cycle more then once.

7. If a symptom causes concern, check with a health professional. Some symptoms maybe be unrelated to the body’s healing response, or the healing response itself may draw attention to an underlying problem.

Cleansing Response part IV, what to do "1-4”

These suggestions are good for everyone, regardless of whether you’re experiencing any discomfort.

1. Drink plenty water (purified, if possible) everyday. One quart per 100 pounds of body weight is a good rule of thumb. This helps flush the toxins from the cells, and it helps the kidneys with their natural cleansing function. 


2. Include fiber-containing foods in your diet, especially fresh vegetables and whole fresh fruits. You maybe choose to use a dietary fiber product containing psyllium or other bulk-forming fiber source. The fiber helps to absorb toxins and “sweep out” the digestive tract.


3. Try to eat mainly fresh, whole foods. Avoid processed foods, refined foods and foods containing toxins and “anti-nutrients” (sugar, caffeine, alcohol, artificial flavor and colors, chemicals, etc.). This will reduce the work of processing unhealthy foods, and it will increase the available nutrition of the body to rebuild itself. 


4. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants. Allow plenty of fresh air in your living and work places, avoid fumes from strong-smelling products, reduce your exposure to cigarette smoke, etc. Reducing your daily load makes it easier for your body to get rid of old toxins.

Cleansing Response part III, Cleansing “reactions”

For some people, however, the process of eliminating for stored toxins is uncomfortable enough to warrant attention. These are often the people who can gain the most from taking steps to rebuild their health. It often happens that someone who feels worse after starting a nutritional program eventually feels much better after the initial cleansing reaction is completed. 

Fatigue, headache, flu-like symptoms, skin reactions, mood changes, changing sleeping patterns, digestive reactions, aches and pains, allergic symptoms, etc. maybe occur or increase during the cleansing process.

What type of reaction occurs depends on the unique body chemistry and state of health of each individual. While most people notice no reaction at all, some do experience one of more of these listed- or some other reaction, according to their body’s own functioning. 

Cleansing Response part II, Detoxification

Over time, our bodies accumulate toxins – from pesticides and other chemicals in processed foods, from impure air and water, from medications, from poor digestion and elimination, etc. 

Whenever the metabolism isn’t able to remove a toxic molecule, it must store it in the body, typically in the liver or fatty tissues. Later, when the metabolism is stronger because of better nutrition, exercise, improved hormone balance, reduced stress, ect. it will start to flush out the stored toxins. This “cleaning response” is part of the body’s natural health building process.

For most people, this process presents no problem. They notice only positive benefits or slightly temporary discomfort and then positive benefits predominate.

A few people find they don’t notice much at all for up to two to four months of taking supplements. Then there is often a major shift in how they feel.  The initial cleansing response explains how this can happen. 

Cleansing Response part I

When you begin to use nutritional supplements that support the endocrine and immune system and cell-to-cell communication, and when you adjust your diet according to your individual metabolic type, you body will begin to make positive changes. 

For most people, these changes will be comfortable and benefits will be noticed from the start. Common effects include more energy, greater will-being, reduced discomfort, relief from acute and chronic problems, more mental clarity, improved performance, ect. 

Because everyone’s body is unique in the way it uses nutrients, the timing and nature of the changes that occur will be different of different people. 

digestion and food portions

If you eat larger portions then you can digest, the body assimilates only a small amount of nutrient. The food that cannot be digested is fermented and putrefied by organisms in the digestive track. Fermentation and putrefaction turn food into toxins that the body absorbs. If the elimination process of the body is slow, this leads to many problems. Toxins rob digestive energy so the digestion becomes poorer and poorer over time. Now the person is in a vicious cycle of eating, poor digestion, toxins, poorer digestion; becomes overloaded with toxicity, which causes illness and/or weight gain. 

Practice eating just enough to stop the hunger signal. Wait 20 minutes to see how full you are. Eat again when you are hungry. Learn to enjoy the slightly hungry feeling. Notice whether you try to “eat” stress away. If so, distract yourself or rest instead (I e get moving, exercise, do something, rest, nap, take a hot bath act. – anything but eat). Find out how little you can eat sustain yourself. Studies show that slightly hungry animals live longer and healthier. (Because they are absorbing all the nutrients they bring in and not overloading the digestive system)

It is also important to monitor your thoughts….if you are thinking about food all the time you will be hungry all time. Take the focus off food and put it on other things in your life that bring you joy and peace.

Portioning properly is critical to good health. It does take practice and persistence, but can be easier if you know how to eat to your particular biochemistry.

Debbie Cyrel - Holistic Nutritionist