Rashes

Brandon reached into the refrigerator the other night and applied some whey to a rash on his arm. The rash is nothing new. It's been there for more than four years. Fortunately, it has substantially diminished in size. The rash used to go from the top of his arm straight through to the inside of his elbow. Many times I wondered if the pigment would ever return. Slowly but surely, his rash is healing; it's down to a patch at the top of his arm.

Every now and again he'll decide to put something on it, and whey is one of our options.

I had no idea the rashes we experienced while living in our toxic home were connected with our environment. Of course, the skin is an easy port of entry and exit for the body, so in retrospect it's obvious.

Since our detoxification process began three years ago, we've seen some incredible rashes, many of them more dramatic than the ones we saw in the house. I've captured a fraction of them in the slideshow below.

What are some helpful solutions for rashes? These are our top five:

1. Calcium bentonite clay. I keep a jar of liquefied clay in the cupboard. Living Clay offers an excellent quality product. Add clay powder to water at a ratio of 1 part clay to 8 parts water. Calcium bentonite clay can be combined with raw apple cider vinegar for added benefit.
2. Grapefruit seed extract. GSE is antimicrobial and often helps with itching. NutriBiotic offers a reliable option. GSE is best diluted before application.
3. Tea tree oil. Also highly antimicrobial.
4. Whey, kefir. The probiotics in homemade dairy products can be very beneficial and soothing.
5. Coconut oil. Unrefined virgin coconut oil is optimal. Wilderness Family Naturals offers an excellent option.

Kids and Diet

"How will my kids possibly adjust to a life without processed and refined foods?" This was my greatest concern as I moved toward an all-natural, whole foods diet two years ago.

It's not been easy, but our kids' willingness to try new foods has astonished me. Recently Colin (age 12) and Kaitlyn (age 13) were required to write a compare-and-contrast paper about their family's diet versus the typical American diet.

Colin took a somewhat humorous approach, raising only two commonalities: water and onions. As for the contrast, Colin pointed out:

I can't have half of a quarter of the food America eats. Therefore, my differences outweigh my similarities. Like, for instance, take sugar-infested Pop-Tarts. Everybody knows what a Pop-Tart is, and yet I have to miss out on the enjoyment of the soft crunch as you sink your teeth into it. But, I deal with it and continue to move on and stay healthy.

Kaitlyn compared the two diets to high school crowds, with the majority of Americans in the popular group and our family in "the outsiders."

For "the popular ones," it is typical to eat processed foods daily. The normal routine for my family a long time ago was wake up, eat cereal, head out the door, munch on some Doritos for snack, have a Lunchable, and come home to Macaroni and Cheese. This is not the case anymore. We now eat NO processed foods. None whatsoever; zip; zilch; nada. In fact, most of our food is bought from local farmers markets, which introduces the next difference between us, the outsiders, and typical Americans.

Usually, it never enters one's mind that they could get to know their own farmer, but for my family, not knowing the farmer is almost foreign. I have met, chatted with, and even visited almost all of our farmers. We know who we can trust and who we can't, which, I think, is very valuable. I used to pick a package off of the shelf without even thinking about where it comes from or what was in it and drop it into the cart. Most people do. Just like the popular clique in high school. They don't necessarily think deep about their actions; they just. . . jump on the bandwagon.

If I had a penny for how many differences typical Americans have with my family, I would probably be rich. But, money isn't what really matters. People get what's fast and affordable for their own convenience, but, no. My family and I have to do everything the hard way. Trust me, it's not easy, but it is the healthier choice. A while ago, we used to be like that; make food in just a minute. That's the drawback of eating healthy. You must throw all of your conveniences out the window and wait for your food like in a high-end restaurant. If my tummy is rumbling and I long for some food, I can't just pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Instead, I must chop vegetables, get some meat source cooking and fully cook a stir-fry that takes about 30 minutes to make. Although it takes that much time, it is absolutely, positively worth it in the end when I get to taste the spices, vegetables, and meat blended together perfectly and there are no side effects afterwards.

I doubt Robert Frost was thinking about food choices when he penned The Road Not Taken, but I find his words encouraging.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

As I reflect on Kaitlyn's essay and our decision to return to traditional foods, I am reminded how daunting the road was and still is at times. But our return to real food has, indeed, made all the difference.

New Year's Goals

I’ve set some goals for the New Year (it's never too late). Twelve goals, for each month of the year. Of course I have some relational and spiritual goals as well, but the following goals are related to food, cooking, and health. I've found that one goal per month is realistic and much better than a weekly goal. I've also found that I learn best through my mistakes, so a full month gives me more time for trial and error.

My New Year's goals:

1. Grow wheatgrass.
2. Perfect our soapmaking recipe. (I failed in my first try and moderately succeeded in my second try.)
3. Make natto. (Natto is a fermented soy food—something I'm eager to try with organic, non-GMO soybeans. Proper fermention helps deal with the antinutrients while offering a powerful probiotic. Here is an interesting article on the subject.)
4. Make a liver recipe that my family will eat. (I eat raw liver and make capsules with dessicated liver for my kids, and throw in liver when I make sausage or meatloaf. I have yet to try to make a meal out of liver.)
5. Prepare a 15-meal menu planner.
6. Make pickles that taste as good as Bubbie's.
7. Learn to compost.
8. Make mustard.
9. Make cultured butter.
10. Expand my herb garden to include the herbs used for Four Thieves. (I love cleaning with Vinegar of the Four Thieves!)
11. Make a printable shopping list which includes all the items I order from the food co-op, online, Whole Foods, etc.
12. Make fermented salsa.

I purchased a brand new binder to help me stay focused and organized. I am in the process of collecting information sheets/recipes for each goal. Below is the binder, alongside my first goal: Wheatgrass.

(My first batch of wheatgrass went fine until I overwatered. I tossed the moldy batch and so far so good with batch #2.)

If all goes well I'll head into 2013 with a meal plan, a compost pile, and a shopping list! And some nice fresh wheatgrass, of course.

Toxic Talk Tuesday: Food Edition

Join my husband Chris and me today, January 10,  for another Toxic Talk Tuesday on Chris Fabry Live! With so many of us resolving to eat healthier in the New Year, we'll be talking about the foods we consume and the steps we can take toward a more natural, toxic-free diet. Join us for an encouraging conversation and a few challenging quiz questions to test your food awareness! Tune in live at 2:00 p.m. Central time or visit the Chris Fabry Live! website to listen via audio stream or podcast.

Kitchen Transformation

When our family vacated our home in October of 2008 we left everything behind, including the contents of our spacious pantry. Because of legal action (which has since been dropped), we had our home inventoried. Every item in every room of our five-story home was accounted for and priced. The following is a partial list of the products in our pantry.

• 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
• ANNIES HOMEGROWN WHOLE WHT BUNNIES 5 OZ
• ARCHER FARMS BLUEBERRY GRANOLA W/FLAX CER
• ARCHER FARMS ORG. P-BUTTER CHOCO TRAIL MIX BARS 6 OZ
• ASSURED FRESHNESS ITALIAN RICE
• BACK TO NATURE P-BUTTER COOKIES 9 OZ
• BARBARAS LITE RITE ROUNDS 11 OZ
• BARILLA PECCALINI MINI PASTA 1#
• BOBS RED MILL 10 GRAIN PANCAKE MIX
• BOBS RED MILL GLUTEN FREE PANCAKE MIX
• BOBS RED MILL ROLLED OATS 16 OZ
• CAMPBELL SOUP
• CAMPBELL SOUP LARGE
• CAPRI JUICE 10 CT
• CASCADIAN FARMS ORGANIC RASIN BRAN
• CHEX MIX 15 OZ
• CHEERIOS
• CHEETOS 11 OZ
• CHUNKY BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
• CLIFF KIDS ORGANIC Z BARS 7.62 OZ
• CRANBERRY SAUCE
• DICED TOMATOES
• EGGO SYRUP 23 OZ
• EMERALD ALMONDS 11 OZ
• FLORIDA NATURAL AWESUM FRUIT NUGGETS 14.4 OZ 14 POUCHES
• GENERAL MILLS FIBER 1 PANCAKE MIX
• HANSENS ORGANIC JR JUICE
• HUNTS CATSUP 36 OZ
• INSTANT RICE 28 OZ
• ITALIAN DRESSING
• JELLO INSTANT PUDDING
• JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX
• JOLLY TIME POPCORN 20 OZ
• KEEBLER ICE CREAM CUPS 24 CT
• KEEBLER TOAST & PBUTTER CRACKERS
• KIKOMAN SOY SAUCE 20 OZ
• KRAFT BARBQ SAUCE
• KRAFT EZ MAC
• MAC & CHEESE
• MICROWAVE POPCORN
• MUSTARD 14 OZ
• ODWALLA BAR
• OLIVE OIL 16 OZ
• ORGANIC DICED TOMATOES
• ORVILLE REDENBACHER POPPING OIL 16 OZ
• ORVILLE REDENBACHER POPCORN 45 OZ
• PAM 5 OZ SPRAY ORGANIC CANOLA
• PAM 5 OZ SPRAY ORGANIC OLIVE OIL
• PETITE DICED TOMATOES
• PLANTERS TRAIL MIX
• PRIVATE SELECT CORN TORTILLA CHIPS
• PROGRESSO SOUP
• QUAKER OATS YELLOW CORNMEAL
• RANCH DRESSING
• RITZ 1#
• ROLD GOLD PRETZELS
• SESAME OIL 5 OZ
• SOUTHBEACH BARS
• SPAGHETTI SAUCE
• STACY SIMPLY NAKED BAKED PITA CHIPS 14 OZ
• STOVE TOP TURKEY STUFFING
• SUCCESS BOIL IN BAG RICE 14 OZ
• TOWNHOUSE TOPPER CRACKERS 13.5 OZ
• VILLA PASTA HAND CUT FETTUCINI 12 OZ
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE 15 OZ

As I look as this list, I clearly see our dependence on processed foods. Because of our health crisis, I was attempting to make some better choices with the addition of "natural" and "organic" products—but the food was still in a box or a can, with a long list of unpronounceable ingredients.

Re-learning to feed myself and my family has not been easy. I have stumbled along the way. But the subtle health improvements are undeniable, and the benefits of our unexpected journey unmistakable.

Below is a tour of our kitchen now. The contrast reminds me that change doesn't happen overnight. It happens one box of Stove Top Stuffing at a time.

Ten Reasons NOT to Eat "Outside the Box"

With the New Year upon us, many of us are considering a dietary change, one with fewer processed, "boxed" foods. Perhaps chronic illness is a motivating factor. Or a child with behavioral issues. Or simply a general desire to eat healthier.

All sorts of doubts creep in when we make a decision to change. Doubts that keep us from taking action. Below are ten such doubts, along with ten truths to counter them.

1. People will think I'm crazy.
   True.
   People also thought physician Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was crazy when he suggested that hand disinfection played a role in the health of birth mothers. The connection between the food we eat and our health seems equally obvious, but anytime we go against the tide we are likely to experience ridicule and skepticism. This is simply part of the journey.
2. It's expensive.
   True.
   The immediate costs may be higher, but the long-term costs are likely to be significantly lower as we save on doctor appointments, emergency room visits, and prescriptions.
   
   Colleen Huber, a naturopath, contends that eating organically is not necessarily more expensive. She did a comparison several years ago and found the two types of diet economically comparable. Her study can be found here.
3. It might not "work."
   True.
   Dietary change seldom yields immediate results. Completely restored health is not a guarantee. But there is no guarantee with any change we make. Isn't it better to try rather than not try? Why not take the risk of eating healthier? If life gets better, and it likely will, healing may simply be honey on the flax cracker (so to speak).
4. There are so many diets out there. They can't all be right.
   True.
   Some diets say juicing is good. Others say not. Some are vegan. Others are meat-based. Some are raw. Some are cooked. Some include sweeteners. Others do not.
   
   What do they have in common? No approach invites people to eat unlimited fast food, refined sugar, soda, and boxed food.
   
   But the confusion factor is one of the biggest hindrances toward altering our diet. This is where our intuition is a necessity. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to diet. We're each unique, with our own specific needs.
   
   Don't be afraid to research, study, and ask questions. Be willing to make changes as you go along.
5. It will be hard on my kids.
   True.
   It's also true that it is hard on our kids to continue to eat sugar and processed foods. The evidence for this is mounting. We can't protect our kids from pain; we can only do the best we can with the best explanation we can offer. If a child understands the reasons for the unusual foods, he/she may be more willing to try. Offer a trial period such as 30 days. It's often difficult for a child to think of giving up these refined/processed foods "forever."
   
   Try to find fun, creative alternatives for special occasions like holidays and birthdays.
   
   The movie Breaking and Entering is not kid-friendly, but it does have one scene where Jude Law sits down to a dinner of chicken and vegetables. His wife explains the gut/brain connection and the role diet can play in restoring health to their ill child. The daughter throws a temper tantrum because of the missing ice cream. This scene could help some kids feel less "alone" with their feelings of resentment.
6. I might get sick.
   True.
   Sometimes the body is so worn down it doesn't let us know the food we're eating is doing us harm. If sugar is perpetuating some of the bad "bugs," we often don't know it. When our body "wakes up" and we start feeding it healthier foods, toxins can die and create die-off symptoms, which are often worse than the general feeling of malaise we may have started with. There are numerous ways to get through the die-off, such as Epsom salt baths, activated charcoal, vitamin C, and many others.
   
   If we're willing to get worse before we get better, we may eventually enjoy a whole new level of health.
7. My food might not taste good.
   True.
   Diets high in processed foods "trick" the body into thinking it likes something, when in fact our taste buds are "dumbed down" rather than enhanced. Give new foods a try. Study the taste system and you'll find that we are designed for nutritional intricacy.
   
   Fresh dill pickles on a grassfed beef burger is a flavorful powerhouse because, according to Dr. Catherine Shanahan, author of Deep Nutrition:
   
   Though taste buds may taste one kind of flavor predominately, one bud can in fact detect different flavor ligands simultaneously. It turns out, the more, different kinds of flavors there are, the more we taste each one. When peptides and salt ions bind at the same taste bud, the result is not a doubling of flavor, but a powerful thousand-fold magnification in the signal going to your brain. . . . (This is why hot dogs, for instance—or better yet, actual sausage—taste better with sauerkraut and bittersweet mustard.)
   
   You may be shocked at the foods you will love! And how quickly the processed foods lose their appeal.
8. Extreme dietary restriction isn't necessarily a good thing.
   True.
   Eating good, healthy, REAL food does not need to involve restriction. If you look at the ingredients in a fast food meal, you'll find that corn and soy are behind most of it. In his book The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan breaks down the corn content of a fast food meal this way: soda 100% (since it consists primarily of high fructose corn syrup), milk shake 78%, salad dressing 65%, chicken nuggets 56%, cheeseburger 52%,and french fries 23%.
   
   In contrast, there are more than 70 types of vegetables, numerous varieties of animals, and lots of parts to these animals. There are an abundance of herbs and spices to flavor these foods.
   
   For some people, extreme may not be necessary. Eating less fast food and cooking more from scratch may be enough.
   
   But for those with severe illness, this quote from Hippocrates may apply: "Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases."
   
   Sometimes a strong message to the body can lead to a big change.
9. I don't think I can get my spouse or older children on board.
   True.
   We can't control others, in any area of life. We can, however, do our best to educate and explain. We can lead by example. We can try. A slow transition is often better than an abrupt, unwelcome change. Introduce one food at a time and try to find satisfying substitutes for their favorite foods. Ask for a family experiment. Initiate challenges. Make the change as exciting as possible.
10. It will be difficult.
    True.
    There's simply no way around this one. It is hard to change patterns, food patterns especially. Good things don't come easily. There's no magic pill when it comes to health and diet. Convenience foods are just that: convenient. But there is something gratifying and empowering about this kind of hard work.

In summary, there are plenty of reasons to stick with the "old way." Plenty of reasons not to step out and try something new. This quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes offers some powerful inspiration:

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it—but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.

It's a New Year with new possibilities. The perfect time to set sail.

Joan's Reflection

This is a beautiful follow-up to Joan's story (see previous post).

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God's Grace

The silence was deafening. I lay in my bed, consumed with so many questions. "God, have I not been faithful, have I not loved you with all my heart? Why would you take my son, my golden child, Manny? His hair would shine gold when the sun kissed him. Lord, I never saw his first steps, heard his first words, saw his first day of school. I will never see him as a teenager, his prom, or his wedding day..."

Praying, I began to drift off, questioning if God really existed. Did Jesus and the Day of Calvary really occur? My heart then skipped a beat. Was Manny really okay and at peace? I continued to pour my heart out to the Lord as I fell asleep.

I found myself wandering some unknown streets. As I tried to understand what was happening, I saw a teenager walking toward me. I did not know him. He was wearing a white tee covered by a flannel jacket and loose-fit jeans. His brown hair was cut short on the sides with the top strip long and pulled back in a ponytail. And then I noticed his eyes. My breath stopped. They were the deepest blue, that sparkled and pierced into your spirit. Manny's eyes!

"What are you doing here?! Are you okay?"

Although his lips did not speak, Manny answered me with a chip on his shoulder. "Mom, you know better." He looked up to the sky and saw something that I could not. Then he looked at me and smiled with so much love and awe. "Heaven is beautiful, Mom. Don't worry about me. I love you. Heaven is beautiful."

He looked up as if he had to go. As he left he kept reassuring me over and over that heaven is beautiful... heaven is so beautiful...

I woke up trying to wrap my mind around what had just really happened. Some may say it was just a wishful dream of a grieving mom, but it was more than that. The detail. My senses were filled. It was as if you were standing in front of me sharing a normal conversation!

I put my hands together in prayer and wept. This precious moment was bittersweet. The grief from this tragedy was overwhelming. Yet God was willing to move Heaven and Earth to give me this very amazing gift. I saw Manny as a teen. I was given the undeniable peace that he was more than fine, and one day we will be reunited in the presence of our Almighty Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in a Heaven that is "so beautiful!"

It has not been an easy road, not one I would have chosen. I have been condemned and mocked. My body has been devastated by this mysterious biotoxin illness. But God has graciously spared me and my surviving children. We all have struggles, but there is no denying the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. I thank Him for my husband, Bobby; all my children, Jordan, Angel, Manny, Nevaeh, and Ixchell; and the living angels He has sent to comfort me. One day I will kneel before Him and thank Him for carrying me when I could go no further, lifting me when I had no more fight, wrapping His arms around me in reassurance, and continuing to bless me on my journey with comfort, peace, and favor that only His children can understand.

So today, this New Year's Day, this fifth anniversary of Manny's passing, even as my heart aches from missing him, I will rejoice that eternity with God is everlasting! Psalm 118:24: "This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." I look to the future, to greater days and hold fast to God's promises. Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

In loving memory of Robert Manuel James Frederick

"Shining for I am with God"

11/17/06 - 01/01/07

May this also encourage those who have walked this path. We are not alone in our journeys! Praise Jesus!

Many blessings~
Joan Frederick

One Military Family's Heartache

Joan, her husband, and their two children were stationed in Hawaii in the spring of 2006. Upon seeing their prospective military home, Joan noticed mold in the cabinets. She mentioned the mold, was dismissed, and thought nothing of it.

Joan was five months pregnant when they moved in, and within six days found herself in the emergency room with severe vision issues. She felt like she was going blind. "It felt like someone put Saran Wrap over my eyes," she says. "Everything was blurry, and there were lights in my vision." Doctors found nothing wrong and sent her home. The vision disturbances continued with no explanation.

After two months in the home, the downstairs bathroom toilet overflowed. Raw sewage covered the carpeting. The housing maintenance workers steam-cleaned the carpets and left. Now seven months pregnant, with her husband deployed to Iraq, Joan requested that the carpets be replaced. "There were things growing underneath," she recalls. She asked to be moved, but her request was denied. The manager insisted this was not his responsibility. "He told me it was my job to clean it up," she says. Leaks from the upstairs bathroom into the downstairs were ignored or improperly fixed.

After a troubled pregnancy with repeated trips to the hospital due to early contractions, Joan's third child, Manny, was born. Joan hoped that the tough days were behind her. Her two older children, however, continued to show signs of ill health. Her five-year-old son would complain of severe abdominal pain and headaches. Her 15-month-old daughter would hold her legs and scream because of leg cramps. Joan stopped going to the emergency room for her vision because "they told me I was crazy."

Her husband returned from Iraq for Christmas, and on New Year's Eve Joan and her family attended a New Year's gathering. Manny, now six weeks old, was pale and needed constant burping. He was gassy and cried from the discomfort. His nose was stuffy, and Joan assumed he was coming down with a cold.

When she laid Manny beside her at 3:30 that morning after a long New Year's Eve, Joan assumed his cries would awaken her in a few hours. At 6:30 a.m., Joan awoke and discovered that Manny was unresponsive. Alerting her husband to call 911, she began CPR, continuing until the medical team arrived. Manny never responded. He died on New Year's Day 2007, cause of death undetermined.

Stricken with grief, Joan wanted to know why he died. The investigators suggested she rolled over onto him, but his symptoms didn't match. The medical examiner found blood in his lungs, in his brain, and in his heart, and massive congestion in his lungs. The cause of death remained undetermined.

In February, with her husband redeployed to Iraq, Joan awakened her daughter from a nap and noticed how white she looked. "Even the pupils in her eyes lost color," she recalls. They rushed her to the ER. By the time the staff got to them, her daughter's color had recovered. "Have you sought counseling?" the staff asked Joan.

Soon after this, Joan's girlfriend saw a news story on toxic mold. "It matches what you're going through," she said.

Joan hired a mold inspector.

"Your home is very toxic," he said. "Can you get out of there?" Joan told him of her attempts to leave. "Try to stay away from home as much as possible, and open all the windows," he urged.

She took her two remaining children to mold specialist Dr. Vincent Marinkovich in California. Based on blood samples taken from the kids, Dr. Marinkovich concluded that Joan and her family were being severely poisoned.

Joan demanded another home, and the military provided a temporary apartment. She left most of her family's possessions behind.

Joan is now on the other side of her tragedy. Recovering her health has not been easy. She still struggles with brain fog, fatigue, and abdominal pain. Her oldest son has auditory problems. Her daughter goes white whenever exposed to mold. All have food sensitivities.

Still, Joan is ready to share her story.

I don't want my son's memory to die with him. I want people to know that he died because they (the military) were negligent. I continued to ask them to move me, and they didn't. Now I'll never be able to hold my son on this earth again. Secondly, I would like them to start cleaning up these homes. Start giving mold victims the medical attention they need.

There are so many moms out there who have gone through this. They feel lost. Doctors are telling them they're crazy. I want them to know the truth. For the people who are in the beginning stages of this, I hope they're educated enough to get out before they lose a loved one. I want people to know the truth and in doing so, spare them a lot of heartache.

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To listen to my audio interview with Joan about her family's tragic story, visit the Personal Stories section of the momsAWARE website.

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