What Sara Uses
I personally use all of the items listed here in my home. My husband and I have extensively researched all of them before deciding on what to buy. Check back often as we are still building out this area of the site.
Note: The descriptions for the items listed here are provided for information only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Please consult a health care professional for matters related to your health and well being.
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Featured Items
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  Wild Salmon OilWhole, unrefined salmon oil is high in astaxanthin (a potent antioxidant pigment that wild salmon get from their diet), and a great source of vitamins A and D and Omega-3s. It is important to get unrefined salmon oil from a clean source, since the chemical or heat refinement process can oxidize the oils and removes a lot of the beneficial properties. I prefer taking the straight oil as I find it keeps better and tastes fresher. Capsules are also available, but I find that the capsules don't keep as well and are better stored in the fridge. |
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Vital Choice Portuguese SardinesSardines are a great source of natural fish oils, and I especially love Vital Choice's sardines for the following reasons: they are certified sustainable, their ingredients are organic, they use natural sea salt, and their canned products are low BPA. Vital Choice tried to make their cans BPA free, but after some testing, they determined that the lids are not BPA free and the product still contains some BPA. I do love that the sardines are packed in organic olive oil or organic tomato sauce. One note -- the Spiced Sardines in Organic Olive Oil contain 1 non-organic hot pepper per can. Incidentally, that is my favorite flavor. The tomato sauce one is delicious as well, but in general, I prefer the sardines packed in oil as I am an oil fiend and olive oil is so good for you. |
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Nourishing Traditional Diets (DVD)Do you know anyone with at least one cavity in their mouth? Chances are, most of the people you know have more than one cavity, even children. But did you know, that one-hundred years ago there were small isolated villages of people scattered around the world who had no cavities, no need for braces and no dentists? They had brilliant, white, and perfectly straight teeth, teeth that truly served them and lasted for a full and long lifetime. Many of these people didn't even brush! This DVD presents the work of Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist from Ohio who studied peoples around the world in various isolated villages, before they had been influenced by modern society. He took photographs of these remote cultures and was astounded by the quality of the dental health and overall health of the people in these small villages. He carefully recorded how these people lived and ate so that the rest of the world could benefit. This video is a fantastic presentation by Sally Fallon on what the traditional cultures ate that gave them such vibrant health, truths about what the best types of fats and foods are, and how to leverage the power of a traditional diet to nourish the body and mind for life-long health. Although he wasn't keen on the book, this presentation really hit home for my husband and did wonders to change his viewpoints on nutrition.
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Kyocera Ceramic Fine MillManufacturer: Kyocera International, Inc. (visit mfg) Model Number: CM-10-WHA salt or pepper mill that has blades made of ceramic. We have two of these housing Celtic sea salt on our dining table so my husband and I don't have to fight over the salt. Since it is ceramic, it won't rust, corrode, or react with the foods. Keeps sea salt in it's natural crystal form without worry about metal leaching. |
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Global 3 1/2-Inch Western Style Paring KnifeManufacturer: Master Cutlery Corporation (visit mfg) Model Number: GS-38This is a must have in any kitchen. This together with a good chef's knife can pretty much fulfill the majority of a cook's cutting needs. Global carries several paring knives, but after handling them, both my husband and I determined that this was the best size and shape for our use. It's excellent for paring, and I use it most for paring ginger and taking ends off tomatoes. My husband likes to use it to cut the woody end off cloves of garlic. A very comfortable, great little paring knife. We fight for it so much I've thought of getting a second one. We got this knife last year for my mother in law since she said she needed a good paring knife and it outperformed all her other knives, so much so that she is using it for everything in her kitchen, including cutting up pineapples. |
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Chile PowderAlso sometimes referred to as cayenne powder, I use chile powder widely in my cooking. I believe this wins hands down in being the most used spice in my kitchen. It has found its way into my taco meat, curries, Italian tomato meat sauce, egg scrambles, breads, raw crackers, and ketchup. I also love using chile powder in various lacto-fermented vegetables such as my cauliflower pickles, pickled turnips and radishes, fermented eggplant, pickled watermelon rind, and of course, kim chi. For non-culinary use, cayenne/chiles are anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and often helpful for pain conditions caused by inflammation such as arthritis or back pain. |
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Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through DietAuthor: Elaine Gloria Gottschall Publisher: Kirkton Press Year: 1994This book explains the principles behind the Standard Carbohydrates Diet. The SCD was created by the Drs. Haas who discovered that their celiac patients responded when they removed certain foods from their diet. The diet however dropped into obscurity until the author of the book, Elaine Gottschall came along. Elaine's young child was diagnosed with ulceritive colitis, and in a last desperate attempt from avoiding surgery to remove a part her child's colon, she found the then retired Dr. Haas, who put her child on the SCD. The child recovered quickly and Elaine then a 40 something housewife, went back to get a Doctorate degree and devoted her life researching and advocating the SCD for various illnesses. This book does a great job of explaining why gut health is so important and why the diet works in a compelling, easy to follow manner. |
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Bob's Red Mill Large Flake Nutritional YeastManufacturer: Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods (visit mfg) Model Number: 1594C08Nutritional yeast is made from the fermentation of yeast, usually Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with sugar and/or molasses. The yeast is deactivated and allowed on many anti-yeast diets, and actually recommended on Bee's protocol for eliminating candida as a B complex supplement. (Make sure it is nutritional yeast flakes -- brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast not in flake form are different.) Nutritional yeast is a whole food that provides a wide range of B vitamins, including B12. It is also a great source of amino acids and minerals. We find it delicious and sprinkle it over soups and cooked greens. We also love to mix it with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and eat it with a spoon. |