Blog - My DairyFree GlutenFree Life

Diet Deficiencies Affect Mental Health: Easy Fixes You Need to Know

April 15, 2015 By Colleen 8 Comments

Diet Deficiencies Affect Mental Health: Easy Fixes You Need to Know

Your mental health depends heavily on your diet, so deficiencies can affect your mood. However, there are easy fixes for common deficiencies that will restore your sense of well-being. Vitamins, supplements and diet changes can help you improve your mental health.

Vitamin D

A vitamin D deficiency has been linked to problems ranging from depression to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Unfortunately, it is estimated that one billion people are not getting enough vitamin D. A lifestyle that avoids the sun and long winter months contribute to the problem, so doctors recommend taking vitamin D supplements and adding vitamin D rich foods to your diet. Orange juice, oily fish, mushrooms and fortified cereals are some common sources of the vitamin.

Folate

Studies on folate reveal it affects how people respond to antidepressants. Low levels of folate, sometimes called folic acid, are linked to depression. In addition, the vitamin may influence cognitive impairment. You can take supplements, or add more leafy green vegetables to your diet. Folate is found in beans, spinach, broccoli, lentils, avocado and other food sources.

Iron

Iron deficiencies are more common in women, but anyone can be affected by them. The symptoms include being irritable, tired, confused, anxious and depressed. Mood swings are a common issue for people who do not have enough iron in their system. However, deficiencies can be corrected with supplements or diet changes. Iron can be found in seafood, beans, poultry, red meat, leafy green vegetables, dried fruits and fortified cereals.

A Well-Rounded Diet

Diet deficiencies are a common problem and should not be ignored. They can affect more than just your mental health. This is why it is important to have a well-rounded diet that includes the major vitamins and minerals. It is easier to prevent a deficiency than to treat one, so you should focus on eating a variety of healthy foods every day.

Win a Coach Purse!

April 13, 2015 By Colleen 13 Comments

Welcome to our Win a Coach Purse Giveaway!

Are you a gal who loves Purses? No I mean really LOVES purses? Has to buy one every time you go shopping? Or at least check out the purse aisle of every store you go into? Well, one lucky reader is going to get the chance to shop right here online and choose a purse!

Still confused? We have 4 gorgeous purses on hand and in this giveaway we’re giving ONE winner a chance to choose one Coach purse from the purses in the photo above. So which is your favorite among the 4 styles? I’m such an earthy person that I’d have to choose either Number 2 or Number 3. What would you choose and why?

Win a Coach Purse Giveaway:

Giveaway is open to US only and runs from 4/13 – 5/4 11:59pm EST.

Please wait for the rafflecopter to load above. Make sure to come back daily to send your daily entries for more chances of winning.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This blog did not receive compensation for the published material in this post. No purchase required to enter this giveaway and there is a limit of one entrant per household. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning are determined by the number of valid entries received. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be emailed via the email address used to enter the contest. New winner(s) will be chosen if original winner(s) has not responded within 48 hours of email notification. This blog and other participating bloggers are not responsible for shipment of prize(s). Sponsor(s) are responsible for all shipping costs related to prize(s). This giveaway is not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or other social media outlet. Disclaimer is posted in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Plum Deluxe Review

April 13, 2015 By Colleen 10 Comments

I was contacted to review Plum Deluxe teas. I received product in trade for my review and all comments are honest and my own. Check below for the link to enter the Giveaway for a 3 month Tea of the Month Club Membership!

Owner Andy Hayes, has a fantastic take on life. You can see here how his mother, while dealing with cancer, inspired him to begin this company. I love his philosophy “Live a life you love. Make moments that matter. “

About Plum Deluxe

Plum Deluxe teas are made in Portland, Oregon. Each 1oz packet makes 15-20 cups. Plum Deluxe teas have no sulfites, no artificial chemicals, and are non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and organic.

Plum Deluxe purchases all of their ingredients from USDA Organic & Fair Trade Certified vendors. Using organic ingredients ensures you get fresh flavors with no pesticides in your tea blends.

Subscribe

Plum Deluxe has a fun tea of the month club where they hand-blend a special limited-edition tea just for subscribers. Enroll in to secure your spot for their monthly handcrafted creation. You will also receive tips & recipes.

Plum Deluxe Tea Review

I chose two teas to try, Reading Nook Tea Blend and The Self Care Blend Herbal. Plum Deluxe has many varieties of loose leaf teas to choose from that are unique, healing and comforting.

I am a tea enthusiast and love to get the chance to sample teas. Both the varieties I tried were very different from each other and yet great for different needs.

The Self Care Blend Herbal:

This tea was yummy! It was earthy, grounded and full body with a hint of apricot and fruit flavors. Some teas can have an overpowering apricot flavor but this was very illusive. Although Elderberry is a tart berry, there was no bitterness just a very nice smooth taste. Elderberry is believed to help us tap into our inner magic – helps expel toxins and helps with colds and viruses, and apricot is believed to be one of the most healing fruits in nature. This is a great combination of ingredients for a great tasting tea.

Ingredients: Honeybush Tea, Elderberries, Apricots, Apple Pieces, Sunflower Petals, Natural Apricot Essence, Love, Gratitude.

Reading Nook Tea Blend:

This is a black tea base and I was surprised when I tasted it because it has a creamy light fruity flavor and almost a green tea influence. I never would have guessed it had a black tea base if I hadn’t known. Cream is light in flavor but is stands out the most with a hint of rose and tea flavor. I can also faintly taste the Chamomile in it. It has a relaxing ambiance to it.

Ingredients: Rosebuds, Cream Black Tea, Passionflowers, Lavender, Chamomile

Please note* Cream black tea is a style of black tea – there is no dairy product in it!

3 Month Membership to Plum Deluxe Tea of the Month Club:

Plum Deluxe is also offering FREE 3 month membership in their Tea of the Month Club and one lucky reader is going to win this giveaway! Head on over to the Giveaway and enter!

Plum Deluxe 3 Month Tea of the Month Club Giveaway

April 13, 2015 By Colleen 3 Comments

Plum Deluxe 3 Month Tea of the Month Club Giveaway

Plum Deluxe is offering to one lucky reader a 3-month subscription to the tea of the month club! If you love teas you will want to enter below for your chance to win! You can see my review of their tea here.

The Plum Deluxe Tea of the Month Club offers 1-2 oz of a hand-blended special limited-edition tea with brewing tips and recipes just for subscribers.

About Plum Deluxe Tea: Teas come from Portland, Oregon. Plum Deluxe teas have no sulfites, no artificial chemicals, and are non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan. They purchase all of their ingredients from USDA Organic & Fair Trade Certified vendors. Using organic ingredients ensures you get fresh flavors with no pesticides in your tea blends.

“Buying from fair trade vendors ensures the workers on the farms we buy our tea from are fairly compensated for their hard work.”

The photo below show just a couple teas that have been specially made for the tea of the month club:

Giveaway is open to US only and ends April 24, 2015 at 11:59 PM EST

Enter on the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This blog and any participating blogs did not receive compensation for the published material in this post. No purchase required to enter this giveaway and there is a limit of one entrant per household. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning are determined by the number of valid entries received. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be emailed via the email address used to enter the contest. New winner(s) will be chosen if original winner(s) has not responded within 48 hours of email notification. This blog and other participating bloggers are not responsible for shipment of prize(s). Sponsor(s) are responsible for all shipping costs related to prize(s). This giveaway is not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or other social media outlet. Disclaimer is posted in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

A Dr. Mercola Sprout Doctor Starter Kit Review

April 12, 2015 By Colleen 8 Comments

I was contacted to review a Dr. Mercola Sprout Doctor Starter Kit. I received the product to facilitate this review and all comments are my own and not influenced by the company.

I had always thought of growing sprouts in a glass jar but when I received my kit and there was soil and a large container to hold the soil for sprouting I was a bit confused. I had never done any sprouting before and had never seen it done in soil.

Here are the products I received, I have to mention that I love High Mowing Organic Seeds and order them for my home garden use! I was so happy to see them in Dr. Mercola’s Sprout Doctor Starter Kit!

I chose to sprout the pea shoots. I put the seeds, as instructed on the package, in the potting mix in the pan that was provided. As you can see they are very healthy looking.

The photo below is after I have already taken 1 cutting. I was letting it continue to grow to see if how many cuttings I could get from this planing. The instructions that came with the kit just indicated to cut and use. They didn’t say anything about letting them regrow and cut again. So you can see below that they continue to grow. The white you see is a growing light that I had suspended from a shelf that the seeds were sitting on.

This is just a close up so you can see how they really regrow well after a cutting.

I haven’t tried growing sprouts in the jars yet since this way is extremely easy. I had sprouts, actually growing in dirt they are called shoots, coming out my ears! We had shoots in salads and in smoothies. I even froze some to use in smoothies later.

I had no idea what to expect for flavor since these shoots ( not really sprouts ) were something I had not used or eaten before. The flavor was out of this world fresh and so green pea tasting. It was just like I was eating a pea pod pulled from the garden but wasn’t as crunchy. It was very delicate and yummy. My husband would pick them and just eat them like candy. He loved them.

Dr. Mercola is giving away a Dr. Mercola’s Sprout Doctor Starter Kit to one lucky reader! Please go to the Giveaway Post & enter the giveaway!

Dr. Mercola’s Sprout Doctor Starter Kit Giveaway

April 12, 2015 By Colleen 3 Comments

Dr. Mercola is giving away a Dr. Mercola’s Sprout Doctor Starter Kit to one lucky reader! Please go here to read my Review of Dr. Mercola’s Sprout Doctor Starter Kit.

You can also check Dr. Mercola’s Sprouting Seeds Page for all kinds of information about this product! I’ve included a video that explains how to use the Giveaway Prize:

One lucky reader will have the following shipped to their home!

Here are the items included Dr. Mercola’s Sprout Doctor Starter Kit Giveaway:

(1) Broccoli Sprouting Seeds
(1) Pea Shoots Seeds
(1) Sunflower Shoots Seeds
(1) Sprouting Tray Top (10″ x 20″)
(1) Sprouting Tray Bottom (10″ x 20″)
(1) Sprout Doctor Soil Enhancement 11.01L

Giveaway Starts April 13, 2015 at 12AM EST and ends April 24, 2015 at 11:59PM EST

Giveaway is open to US and Canada where not prohibited.

Enter on the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This blog and any participating blogs did not receive compensation for the published material in this post. No purchase required to enter this giveaway and there is a limit of one entrant per household. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning are determined by the number of valid entries received. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be emailed via the email address used to enter the contest. New winner(s) will be chosen if original winner(s) has not responded within 48 hours of email notification. This blog and other participating bloggers are not responsible for shipment of prize(s). Sponsor(s) are responsible for all shipping costs related to prize(s). This giveaway is not administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or other social media outlet. Disclaimer is posted in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Banana Cream Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

April 12, 2015 By Colleen 109 Comments

If you’re looking for a delicious dessert that’s also healthy, look no further. This Banana Cream Chia Seed Pudding is vegan, gluten free and loaded with protein and fiber. It’s so incredibly rich and creamy, you won’t believe it’s only made with three healthy ingredients. If you leave off the coconut whipped cream there is no sugar added, but it’s so good with it on!

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Chia Pudding Recipe

Have you ever made chia seed pudding? If not you will be amazed at how the seed turns the milk into a creamy, tapioca-like custard, and how easy it is to make!

Despite their tiny size, chia seeds are highly nutritious. They’re packed with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various micronutrients. They plump up like tapicoa does making a thick custard texture.

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:

These seeds are high in antioxidants. Their compounds help protect the seed’s delicate fats while also offering us health benefits.

Chia seeds are high in protein and fiber, both of which have been shown to aid weight loss. However, studies on chia seeds and weight loss have provided mixed results.

The seeds may reduce the risk of heart disease, likely due to the fiber and ALA they contain. However, more human research is needed.

Chia is high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and ALA. All of these nutrients have been linked to improved bone mineral density.

Animal studies suggest that chia seeds may help with blood sugar management, but more human research is needed. Chia seeds are easy to prepare and often used as an egg substitute and added to oatmeal or smoothies.

Chia Seed Custard Recipe

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Banana Cream Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

This Banana Cream Chia Seed Pudding is vegan, gluten free and loaded with protein and fiber. It's so incredibly rich and creamy, you won't believe it's only made with three healthy ingredients.

Prep Time2 10

Total Time2 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Pudding

Servings:

Calories: 624kcal

Author: My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/4 cup almond milk
1 ripe banana
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can full fat coconut milk refrigerated
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

Cut banana in half - mash half and save the other half to serve on top of pudding.
Put chia seeds in a small dessert dish or jar, top with mashed banana
Add almond milk and vanilla and mix well.
Refrigerate overnight (or at least two hours)
Before serving whip coconut milk and maple syrup
Top pudding with coconut whipped cream and sliced banana

Notes

Prep time includes 2 hours chilling time.

Each recipe makes one serving, however there will be enough coconut whipped cream for 4 servings, or 2 if you like to heap it high.

Nutritional values are based on one serving

Nutrition

7 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water every Morning

April 9, 2015 By Colleen 2 Comments

7 Benefits to Drinking Lemon Water Every Morning

We all need to form habits that will make us healthier. Drinking a glass of lemon water each morning is an easy habit that will be very useful! With its list of benefits that I have listed below, you’ll be doing your body a favor by drinking fresh water with lemon on a daily basis. The best way to drink lemon water is first thing in the morning, 30 minutes to 1 hour before eating breakfast.

If you do not have lemons available all the time you could substitute Lemon Essential Oil in your drinking water. Lemon essential oil provides antioxidants that help support the cleansing organs to remove even more toxins out of your body.

Squeeze the juice of a fresh lemon directly into 1 cup of warm water or use 1 – 2 drops of lemon essential oil, and enjoy these seven benefits of drinking lemon water every morning!

1. Rehydration – When you wake up in the morning, you’ll likely feel parched. Your body hasn’t had anything to drink for several hours. Lemon in your water provides your body with the electrolytes needed for proper hydration. Sure, you can rehydrate with plain old water, but lemon will give you even more of a boost.

2. Joint Health – It’s possible you get out of bed with your body aching from being sedentary all night. Or, you may still be feeling the aches and pains of overdoing exercise or work the day before. Lemon in your water will help eliminate the uric acid, which collects around your joints to cause discomfort.

3. Digestion – Lemon water starts up your digestive tract so that when you eat breakfast, your body is ready to break down the food. Enzymes in the fruit help your body produce gastric acids, assisting your body to properly metabolize foods.

4. Immune Health – Starting your day with a glass of lemon water helps build your immunity. Since lemons are packed with Vitamin C, regularly consuming the fruit will help your body ward off germs, or fight a cold if you happen to catch one.

5. Weight Loss – When drank on an empty stomach, lemon water will boost your metabolism. This allows your body to start burning calories before you take the first bite of breakfast. Also, the pectin fiber in lemons will help you fight hunger cravings, reducing the amount of food you eat each day.

6. Energy Booster – Since your metabolism is activated first thing in the morning, drinking lemon water will give you more energy. As your body is burning off fat storages, you’ll be more energetic and ready to take on your day.

7. Oral Hygiene – The antioxidants packed in lemons help promote good oral health as you consume the juice each morning. It can wash away the causes of bad breath, and also help with gingivitis and plaque. You’ll want to rinse your mouth with plain water after consuming lemon water, to avoid damage to your enamel.

Chocolate Pecan Flourless Cake Recipe

April 7, 2015 By Colleen 17 Comments

This recipe for Chocolate Pecan Flourless Cake is gluten free, dairy free and super tasty! It will become a family favorite!

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Chocolate Pecan Flourless Cake Recipe

I have a very yummy Chocolate Pecan flourless cake recipe to share with you! I will be showing photos below of how to make the cake starting after you have separated the eggs and already whipped the egg whites. Then I have posted the ingredients and instructions below the photos. I am so happy to find great flourless baking recipes and love to share them with you. Enjoy!

Recipe for Chocolate Pecan Flourless Cake:

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Chocolate Pecan Flourless Cake Recipe

This recipe for Chocolate Pecan Flourless Cake is gluten free, dairy free and super tasty! It will become a family favorite!

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Cake

Servings:

Calories: 361kcal

Author: My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life

Ingredients

6 Organic Eggs separated ( you will be whipping the egg whites separately )
¾ Cup Organic Sugar
¾ Cup Butter Substitute or Organic Butter softened
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ Cups Pecans chopped fine
1 ½ Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips melted and cooled slightly ( I use the Enjoy Life brand of chocolate chips )

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350˚
In a bowl whisk the Egg whites until they form a white foam then slowly add in ¼ cup of sugar. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl combine the Egg yolks and ½ cup of sugar and mix until smooth.
Stir in the Butter substitute or Organic Butter until well incorporated.
Add in the Vanilla, chopped Pecans and Chocolate and stir to combine.
Spoon in 1/3 of the Egg whites at a time folding to incorporate between each addition.
Pour the batter into a sprayed spring form pan and smooth to the edges.
Bake at 350˚ until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
It is yummy as is but adding a scoop of coconut ice cream ( any flavor you like ) just puts it over the top! Enjoy.

Notes

Nutritional values are based on one serving

Nutrition

More New Things Happening

April 5, 2015 By Colleen Leave a Comment

More New Things Happening

Last week I shared about the new blog design and the new things happening here and in my life. I appreciate every one of you who stop by to read the blog and I want to hear from YOU! So keeping with all the new things happening I have put together a Reader Survey to help me get to know more about you and what you’ve liked about our site and what you want to see more of in the future. In all honestly, if my blog is not bringing value to YOUR life, then it’s not serving the purpose I’ve intended and I want to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time here!

The survey below is 100% anonymous! And please feel free to skip any questions that you feel aren’t applicable to you or just plain don’t want to answer! Thank you for taking the time to help make this a better blog! Next week I’ll share how my nutrition consult with Kirstin, a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Owner of Nourish in AZ, is going. But until then, the easy survey is below! Thank You for participating.

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