Preventing Autism

Since beginning my gluten-free, casein-free and sugar-free diet, I have developed a deep connection in my heart for children with autism. The first cookbook I bought was Special Diets for Special Kids I, a gluten-free and casein-free diet cookbook written by Lisa Lewis, the mother of a child with autism. I needed recipes and this book was like a beacon of hope for me. Whenever I felt overwhelmed by my food requirements, I would think of these families and wonder how they managed this diet with young children. Then I would get over my pity party.

I have always been curious about the similar issues that I have in common with these children and not have autism. It is astounding to know that 100% of children with autism have yeast issues like myself.

Today on my blog, I am featuring a video that answers many questions concerning autism. Donna Gates, the founder of the Body Ecology Diet, explains the diet that she has seen heal children of autism.



With my doctor's recent recommendation, I have been adding fermented foods to my diet as Ms. Gates speaks of in her video. Now I am in love with sauerkraut! My husband made this for me and we ate it so fast I didn't even get a picture to show you. We laugh about the feeling of the cabbage squeaking between our teeth. This is a new sensation I have never experienced with food. How great to find food that heals and tastes so good!

I feel this diet change will greatly enhance my immune system and speed healing. I hope you gain new insight from this video of the power of healing foods...there is hope.

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalms 25:5

Gluten, Dairy, Soy, & Sugar-Free Strawberry Shortcake

This recipe is very easy to make for a delicious dessert!

Refrigerate a can of coconut milk until well chilled. This must be full fat, not the light coconut milk.

Wash and cut up organic strawberries and drizzle with agave nectar and stir together. Put them in the refrigerator until they become juicy.

Bake Millet Drop Biscuits or Shortcakes.

When ready to serve remove the canned coconut milk from the refrigerator. With a spoon remove the fat or solid part of the coconut milk, leaving the liquid behind. Add agave nectar to sweeten to your taste. Whip with a hand mixer until creamy.

Enjoy!

Attitude of Gratitude

I began learning to cook gluten-free late in the year of 2002. At the time I was seeking to understand more about the candida diet when I discovered how gluten grains feed candida. I had been eating a low carbohydrate, dairy-free and sugar-free diet, but not gluten-free . At this point I had been so sick that I was willing to do anything to heal myself of this persistent infection and began attempting to cook gluten-free.

As you may imagine, I experienced many challenges. Internet research was new to me, and I didn't know anyone who had ever done this. I kept working in my kitchen turning out many failures. The bitter taste of too much stevia is forever etched in my mind. Then there were the rock hard biscuits that reminded me of those made by Elly May Clampett from the TV show, The Beverly Hillbillies. Can you hear that laughter? Just ask my kids about the goldfish crackers and they will give you a look with big eyes and a screwed up face and tell you how awful they were. We look back on those days now and laugh, because we all learned a valuable life lesson: our greatest struggles can become our greatest victories - we just need to keep trying and not give up.

It's kind of funny to me that recently Linda, The Gluten-Free Homemaker nominated me for the Attitude of Gratitude award. For you see the week before I received the nomination it had been a very difficult week where I struggled with the symptoms of detoxification. During this process I couldn't find much to feel grateful for when my cognitive abilities were diminished and my body presented with weakness at the shedding of many stored toxins. I'm grateful for making my way through the week and the past years of this process knowing I'm avoiding what could have been something worse down the road.

Now I have the honor to hand this award to one of my friends, Cathy, who writes about her life and beautiful family while going through the process of healing her rheumatoid arthritis with natural supplementation, a gluten-free diet and alternative doctors. I admire her attitude of gratefulness even while she might be in pain. Her friendship is a precious gift that I would never have known if I had not been gluten-free. Thanks Cathy for being an inspiration!

Your instructions are:

• put the logo on your blog or post
• nominate at least 10 blogs that show an an attitude of gratitude
• link to your nominees within your post
• comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
• share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award
• tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

Thank you Linda for nominating me and sharing your story and wonderful gluten-free recipes with us.

Exodus 15:2

The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt him!

Bless you all,

Debbie