When You Need A Quick Dessert

In case you haven't figured it out already, I have a monster sweet tooth. Of course, desserts are also crazy fun to make and write about!

However, the main reason so many desserts end up on the blog is because baked goods tend to be one of the most challenging things about gluten free living. I'm not encouraging you to eat a lot desserts, but I know we all need something for special occasions, especially for anyone with children, so I'm trying to make it easier for you.

I'm not crazy about things that come from a box, BUT I know sometimes parents don't have time to bake things from scratch. It's also back to school time and it doesn't always make sense to make a nice birthday cake from scratch like Laure's Chocolate Cake or my Angel Food Cake and then also make 24-36 cupcakes for the classroom. The lesser of the two evils of course is taking a shortcut with the snacks for school, particularly with concerns that a gluten free dessert might not appeal to small children. ***If you or your child don't do well with tapioca (a gluten mimic) or food additives such as guar gum, a box mix is not advised and you should stick with one of the recipes above or another gluten free cake recipe from scratch***

Good news everyone!

The big cake box companies are starting to make gluten free box mixes which can satisfy the need for a quick, inexpensive dessert fix. I wouldn't recommend using them often, but they can help in times of need. For Makena's birthday, we were serving a large, mixed crowd, so Laure and I decided to make two of the cakes from a gluten free box mix...

The cakes rose well, they were mildly dry (but frosting fixed it completely), and people were surprised when we told them they were gluten free! Definitely a success!

Sometimes you compromise and use a little bit of food coloring and candy decorations. Coloring is NOT recommended for children with ADHD or Autism! Not sure why? Read more here

We also made King Arthur Flour's Seven-Minute Frosting, which is a staple in Laure's kitchen for big events. I also think "7 minute" is misleading, a more honest title would be "10  Minute Boiled Frosting". It puffs up beautifully and is dairy free, so you will likely only need one batch for a 13x9 or two 8x8 or 9x9 cakes. That being said, for cupcakes or cakes with 3 or more layers or multiple colors, I would make a double batch. Doubling the recipe is also recommended for anyone who has trouble with crumb coating like I do. You can also make it a few days ahead if needed!

This would also be a great solution to try if you want to make a batch of cupcakes in advance, freeze them, and then send them to school 1-2 at a time so your child has a treat to enjoy when other parents send in desserts that aren't allergy friendly!

King Arthur Seven-Minute Frosting GF DF NF

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cold water

2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2tsp vanilla powder and 1/2tsp vanilla extract)

Instructions

1. In the top of a double boiler (not over heat), combine the sugar, water, egg whites, cream of tartar, and the pinch of salt.

2. Beat with an electric mixer set at low speed for 30 seconds, then set the pan over boiling water (the pan shouldn't touch the water). Beating at high speed, cook the frosting for about 7 minutes, or until it's stiff and glossy.

3. Remove it from the heat, add the vanilla, and beat an additional 2 minutes on high.

4. Use immediately to frost a sheet cake, tube cake, or layers. Or refrigerate in an airtight container and use as needed.
You may be able to add 1-2 drops of food coloring if needed or even better, puree a small amount of fruit such as raspberries, blueberries, or kiwi and mix in to add some color! If it thins the frosting too much, add a very small amount of cream of tartar or meringue powder.

Start with the ingredients away from the heat

Mix while heating over boiling water for 7 minutes

Starts to look like cake batter here

Stiff peaks let you know you're done!

I hope this serves you well!

Dr. Chelsea

Food Sensitivities and Why We Have Them #WellnessWednesday

Thanks for tuning back in for Wellness Wednesday!

How did you all do with your homework this week? Were you able to successfully add in a Paleo recipe to your meal plan? Was it easier than you expected? Did you run into any difficulties? Do you feel like you need more information? Did you enjoy it? Leave me some comments and I'll do my best to address them!

Just to recap, the basic premise of the Paleo diet is eliminating wheat, dairy, processed foods, and refined sugar, instead increasing your intake of fish, well-sourced meats, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy oils like olive, coconut, and avocado.

Some of you may be thinking, what's the big deal? Grains make up a large portion of the food pyramid! The traditional food pyramid we think of actually dates back to 1992, and there has been much more research in the fields of food and nutrition sciences since then! The CDC currently recommends that grains should only make up one quarter of your plate, equal to or slightly less than your serving of vegetables. Many Americans see that and think “okay, then I'm going to eat a whole wheat bun with my dinner”.

Here's the problem: the way we harvest, store, and process wheat and other cereal grains has strayed away from traditional practices, and they have become inflammatory to many people. Some researchers believe it's because the grains develop small amounts of mold during processing, others insist it's because of genetic modification and too much cross-breeding. Regardless of the cause, we are seeing more and more studies asserting the inflammatory nature of these grains.

If we grossly oversimplify the issue, there are two very basic types of physical characteristics that we will see with food sensitivities. The first person tends to be very slender, has difficulty gaining weight, experiences hair loss, anemia, nervousness, and other symptoms similar to and possibly including an overactive thyroid. Why? Because when her gastrointestinal tract gets inflamed, it speeds up digestion so more inflammatory chemicals don't leak into the rest of the body, and doesn't allow her to absorb the vitamins and nutrients she needs. These cases can sometimes be harder to diagnose because individuals overall look “healthy” because they are slender and don't show as many markers on blood work. The second person tends to be overweight, has difficulty losing weight even with dieting and exercise, and has symptoms similar to and possibly including an underactive thyroid because her body slows down digestion and inflammation builds up. These individuals still may have trouble getting help because their symptoms are written off as being part of obesity, fibromyalgia, or another disorder.

Individuals in both groups tend to experience acne, depression, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, sleep disturbances, joint pain, acid reflux, stomach ulcers, abdominal swelling, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea or constipation or fluctuate between both.

If you're sitting there saying “Wait, this sounds like me, why haven't I been diagnosed with a food sensitivity?” it's because there is very little testing that properly identifies food sensitivities. In my last video, I touched briefly on food sensitivities and how they differ from traditional food allergies, so if you're lost right now, go back and watch that again if you need a refresher. As a whole, medical research tends to focus on food allergies, anaphylaxis reactions, because they are more immediately life threatening and better understood than food sensitivities. On top of that, as we have noted before, inflammatory reactions, which are the symptoms of food sensitivities, are diverse and look very different in each individual person.

I'm not asking you to take my word for it, do an experiment for yourself. Keep following along with Wellness Wednesday and see how you feel. Unless you jump right into strict paleo, it might take a few weeks to notice a difference, be patient. 

This week I want you to incorporate 4 paleo meals into your meal plan! You can do it! It's going to be great! 

Have a sparkling day everyone!

Dr. Chelsea

Need recipe suggestions? Try one of these Simple Paleo recipes!

*Any health topics that are covered should not be considered medical advice. If you have specific questions please contact your doctor or make an appointment with us. You should check with your doctor before making radical dietary changes, particularly if you have heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or are pregnant or nursing.*

Simple Paleo Recipes

There are probably thousands of Paleo recipes on the internet, but if you need a starting block, you have come to the right place. Here are a few simple Paleo recipes with short ingredient lists to get you started. Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to modify your own family favorites as well!

Let me know which ones you fall in love with and if you find any that are even better!

Enjoy!

Dr. Chelsea

Breakfast

Any egg dish with a side of meat and veggies. Omelettes are easy. So are fried eggs with chicken sausage and baby spinach or sauteed peppers.

Twice Baked Breakfast Sweet Potatoes Highly recommend you cook the potatoes the night before!

Sweet Plantain Apple Bacon Hash

Flourless Banana Pancakes I make variations of this regularly, they are my favorite!

Pumpkin Pancakes (21 DSD)

Beef

Mini Pepper "Nachos" I would actually add some more toppings to this like tomatoes, beans, olives, and jalapeños

Mexican Zucchini and Beef

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Chicken

Sweet Potato Broccoli Chicken Bake

Creamy Maple Dijon Chicken (DF)

Whole30 Chicken Tenders

Mustard Glazed Chicken

Seafood

Honey Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli

Baked Salmon with Almond Parsley Salad

Thai Coconut Mussels

Ratatouille (the dish, not the Disney movie)

My favorite thing about summer at the clinic is lunchtime. In the interest of eating well, decreasing stress, and solidifying our relationships, we cook lunch in teams. Every team has a day, so we are constantly eating fabulous, unique dishes and we each only have to cook once per week. Most of the time we also use this as an excuse to try new recipes. It's just another aspect of the wonderful culture that Dr. Frank and Laure have built here at the Frank Clinic!

Dr. Holstein and I make lunch on Thursdays and we always try to come up with something sumptuous but simple. A few of the recipes we have tried out are crockpot barbecue chicken, spaghetti squash with vegan chili, and of course the angel food cake I made for her birthday found its way in there as well.


Like many Disneygenarians out there, I have wanted to try to make Ratatouille since seeing the film. It's naturally paleo and also vegan and is great when you want to feed a whole group of people. This recipe comes from The Comfort of Cooking.

LAYERED RATATOUILLE

YIELD: Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 onion, finely chopped *You won't find onion in any of my recipes, I left this out*
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree
¼ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant, such as Italian or Chinese *I recommend actually getting a small one, the large ones present an issue when you start to layer everything. In fact, try to be sure that all of your veggies are approximately the same diameter*
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 long red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme *We were out so I used rosemary. Basil would also be fabulous*
Salt and pepper

Parchment paper

Look at all of that color!

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, one tablespoon of the olive oil, and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.

Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. Trim the top of the red pepper and remove the core.

On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

*Or if you don't have fancy kitchen tools, do the best you can with a knife. My slices were anywhere between 1/16 and 3/8 of an inch thick*

Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.

Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside.

Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.

If you don't want to get too fancy with it, you can actually just bake the vegetables in a large dish, what some people call "Country Ratatouille". Either way, it's colorful and delicious and is an excellent way to incorporate several different kinds of vegetables. I arranged mine in two different patterns, since cooking at the office required a double batch.

Bon Appetit!
Dr. Chelsea

Easy Nutritional Jello/Gummies (no artificial anything!)

What if I told you that you could make delicious jello and/or gummies for your kids (or yourself!) that were completely free of artificial sugar, food dyes, and flavorings? What if I also told you that it is incredibly easy?

Laure adapted this recipe from the fabulous people over at Bulletproof (yes, the people who put butter in coffee, we will explore this later). This particular version uses their Collagelatin, but with some tinkering can also be made with grassfed gelatin.

Why Collagelatin? It is a readily digested source of essential amino acids (13g of protein per Tbsp), promotes healthy joints and skin, and ignites bone and tissue repair. So who may benefit from it? Everyone! In particular,

• children (especially picky eaters who avoid meat)
• athletes and anyone else who exercises
• post-surgical patients and anyone with a fracture
• people with joint pain or arthritis

This can be made with any kind of fruit, but this week Laure chose blueberries.

Ingredients:

2.5 cups fruit (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup lemon juice (optional-good for berries)

1/4 cup water + 1/2 cup water (separated)

2.5 Tablespoons collagelatin (for jello) OR 3 Tablespoons collagelatin (for gummies)

3 Tablespoons honey or other natural sweetener (buy local whenever possible!)

Instructions:

1. Add fruit and 1/4 cup of water and lemon juice (optional) to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat.

2. To a measuring cup add 1/2 cup of water  and add 2.5 OR 3 Tablespoons of collagelatin (see above) and allow the gelatin to bloom for 1 minute.

3. Add the hot fruit mixture and the gelatin to a blender and beat (or puree if you have large fruit chunks).

4. Add honey and any additional flavorings (stay tuned for coffee gummies) to the mixture in the blender and mix again.

5. Pour into a dish (8x8 or 9x9 works well) and refrigerate until firm.

So what are you waiting for?

**The Frank Clinic of Chiropractic does not obtain any sponsorship from Bulletproof, we simply enjoy their forward-thinking**

Staff Bio Series: Dr. Celeste Holstein

My name is Celeste Holstein and I am Dr. Frank's daughter. Dad says he knew I would be a healer of some kind from a very young age. I was always the child that knew if the dog was sick or if our goldfish was going to die. I was also the child that couldn't be told what to do, and my dad understood that and never pushed me toward chiropractic. I always knew I was going to be a doctor, but what kind was to be determined.

I decided to go into pre-med with the goal of being an OBGYN. I wanted to change the way birth happened in the hospital. While I was at New College we had a midwife give a lecture and she talked about how managed care and malpractice were making the OBGYN's in town all retire because they could no longer practice evidence based medicine and their hands were tied by insurance or hospital policy. She talked about how the midwife model of care was much different than the medical model. Midwives believed that birth was natural and a woman's body was made with the wisdom to birth. It was a light bulb moment for me! It sounded a bit like...<gasp> what chiropractic philosophy says about the body!

I immediately decided to transfer schools to become a nurse midwife. Nothing worked, transcripts were lost, the program was full, etc. While I tried to trudge through I started working with Dad in the office therapy department. I remember spending a lot of time with a few new car accident patients who were in serious pain, out of it, grumpy, maybe even a bit rude. Over 2 months time I saw these people transform into happy, bright, grateful people as they healed. I realized maybe I never knew what Dad was doing in his office in the first place. I immediately asked that he hire someone to do my job, and move me in as his transcriptionist so I could watch what  he was doing. I was immediately bitten by the chiropractic bug.

I changed my major back to pre-med at USF and things flowed beautifully. I graduated with my biology degree and went straight to Life University, dad's Alma Mater. I worked hard, learned everything I could because I wanted to be the best doctor I could, and before I knew it, it was graduation time and the Dean was on the phone telling me to write my Valedictorian speech.

How does this whole story come full circle? Chiropractic philosophy says that the body has the ability to heal itself if we just remove the interference. Our goal is to allow the body communicate optimally from brain to body. No time is this more important than we are growing a new human! The pregnant body undergoes enormous change through gestation and quite a bit of that anatomical and biomechanical change happens to the spine. This is precisely why so many midwives advocate chiropractic care for their patients. Through better spinal and pelvic alignment there are often
easier pregnancies, shorter deliveries with less need for intervention, and less stress put on babies during delivery.

My initial desire to help moms achieve more natural births has been met, just on a different path than I originally expected. Now I see pregnant women from preconception through their deliveries and into their aftercare as a chiropractor. Of course, I also see their newborns and their grandparents as well, but prenatal care will always hold a special place in my heart!

Celeste Holstein, D.C.

Staff Bio Series: Dr. Chelsea

I grew up in a small town in Connecticut where my mom's stories from her job as an operating room nurse were what first inspired me to take a closer look at the human body. At 17, I was already committed to changing the world as a healthcare practitioner and at the time, it seemed the best way to do that would be as a pediatric surgeon. I had done some extensive shadowing in the medical field, including spending a day with my mom in the OR and had no idea what chiropractic was.

The first time I walked into the Frank Clinic that year, I had no idea it would set the stage for the rest of my life; my whole world turned upside down!

My uncle, Dr. Frank explained to me that chiropractors help the body heal itself from above, down, inside, out by removing interference to the communication between the brain and the body, primarily by way of adjusting the spine. No one had ever told me that the body could be helped to heal itself without invasive outside input and it completely shifted my focus. Why should I fight to fix almost irreparable insults to the body with the potential for catastrophic side effects when I could promote internal self-healing? I left knowing with deep certainty that this was to be my path. Two years later I was able to spend a summer off school at the University of Connecticut working at the Frank Clinic and fell in love with the culture of the office.

While I was in chiropractic school at Life University, I continued to follow my passion for pediatrics. I was fortunate to have the privilege to complete extensive coursework in prenatal and pediatric care, particularly for young children with neurodevelopmental issues like Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and other neurological concerns, as well as completing my senior internship with Drew Rubin, D.C. D.A.C.C.P, my professor, clinical instructor, and instructor for the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). I recently completed my Webster Technique Certification for pregnancy, in which I have already had training through my education, but now it's official (Dr. Frank and Dr. Holstein were already certified). Chiropractic care for infants and children looks very different than it does for adults, and often involves using the amount of pressure you would use to touch your eyelid. If you have any questions about chiropractic care for pregnancy and children, please never hesitate to ask, and know that children are always welcome in my office.

Outside of the office, I spend time painting, making jewelry, kayaking, hiking, practicing yoga, paleo diet blogging, and spending time with my grandma.

It has been a long journey to end up back at the Frank Clinic, but I feel like I am home here. The fact that up to 5 of my family members show up every day (including Dr. Holstein's daughters) helps, but also our incredible staff have made me truly feel welcome over the past year. Meeting patients, new and old, is a true blessing which I am so thankful for. If we haven't become acquainted yet, I look forward to it!

Wishing you health and happiness!
Dr. Chelsea

Staff Bio Series: Dr. Mark Frank

Greetings Everybody.
This is Dr. Frank answering a question Dr. Chelsea asked about who we are and what we do in the office. To answer this I wanted to talk about the origins of the concepts that I deliver in the office .

I have always loved the multiple approaches that different doctors and healers use to assist in the body's healing. What I have found is every body is created with the ability to heal. As practitioners we have just learned various approaches to nurture and support this inborn healing mechanism. Our goal is to find out what is interfering with this self- healing mechanism in all of us and what can turn it back on.  In fact this has been my passion since 1976 when I was introduced to Paul Pitchford.

Paul was a guest lecturer at University of Idaho where I was studying Wildlife Biology. Paul introduced me to acupuncture and changed my diet from a typical college student diet to a whole foods plant based diet. I noticed immediate benefits. He suggested I attend a week- long conference called the Pacific Gathering of Northwest Healers. It was there that I was exposed to dozens of wholistic health practitioners including Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Homeopaths and Herbalists. Instantly I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. I was told in those early days to get my DC degree first as naturopathy was only legal in 11 states.

I received my degree in 1981 but have continued to study to integrate all those pathways of Chiropractic, Nutrition, Acupuncture and Homeopathy. All of them have amazing contributions to nurture the healing homeostatic force within each of us. Some have much greater application in certain conditions. I have noticed that children respond especially well to homeopathic practice and like taking those medicines where giving an infant nutritional supplements or herbs can be virtually impossible. With future episodes of this question we will explore each modality and where I have found its best applications.

Mark Frank, D.C.

Gluten Free and Media Hype

There has been quite a bit of controversy in the media lately regarding gluten free diets.

Dr. Oz made a comment on one of his programs about gluten free being a scam, and the media jumped all over it. Anyone who tuned in a little longer could hear that he was discussing how gluten free product substitutes (breads, pastas, bars, etc.) have additives, including sugar, and aren't the most healthy for you.

Guess what? Neither are the regular wheat products on the shelves.

Obviously the best thing to do is make everything at home, from scratch, and we recommend this whenever possible. For the busy parent, sometimes sacrifices have to be made, and things must be bought off the shelf. The substitute products should be kept to a minimum, but they are still better than having your child eat something with wheat if they are sensitive (and that product will likely be full of additives too!).

One article I read while witnessing this debacle was strictly inflammatory; it claimed that if you have your child on a gluten free diet, you are limiting him/her from having diversity in the foods that they eat. If you're doing it correctly, eating gluten free should actually increase the variety in your family's diet because you are adding in more fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy fats, and meats to replace the grains that you were using previously. The same goes for vitamins: folate, iron, and thiamin are added to grain products, but that doesn't mean they are in the most easily absorbed form, and they are added, which is never the best option. Concerned your child may have a deficiency? You can create a mixed diet of other foods that contain the nutrients required, or possibly supplement with high quality vitamins if needed.

• Folate               
• Spinach
• Black-eyed peas
• White Rice
• Asparagus
• Brussel sprouts
• Romaine Lettuce
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Green Peas
• Kidney Beans
• Peanuts
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Papaya
• Eggs
• Cantaloupe
• Iron
• Oysters
• White beans
• Dark chocolate (45-69% cacao)
• Beef liver
• Lentils
• Spinach
• Tofu (firm)
• Kidney beans
• Chickpeas
• Tomatoes (stewed)
• Cashews
• Thiamin
• Rice
• Pork chop (bone in)
• Trout
• Black beans
• Mussels
• Tuna 
• Acorn squash
• Brown rice
• Sunflower Seeds
• Beef steak

It's important to note that there is a growing body of peer-reviewed literature surrounding "Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)". It's not a gluten allergy (anaphylaxis) or Celiac disease, but a sensitivity to gluten which can produce a variety of symptoms. An article from Scientific American asserted that "If you don't have celiac disease, a wheat allergy or a gluten sensitivity, you're unlikely to benefit from a gluten-free diet.". That may indeed be true, but research from the NIH has concluded that NCGS is difficult to diagnose and is not well understood. We have found that the easiest and cheapest way to see if you are gluten sensitive is to remove it from your diet (minimum 30 days, but some people may not see results for 90 days). It's also true that generally when individuals choose to remove wheat, they tend to eat fewer processed products and may also see positive change related to a decrease in exposure to chemicals such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial coloring, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and more. Weight loss may also be experienced due to a reduction in inflammation in the body, as well as consumption of fewer desserts and snack foods. Regardless of the driving force, for many individuals in our obese nation, weight loss through healthy diet modification may be a positive thing! For individuals who are underweight, particularly children, decreasing the inflammation by removing certain foods may contribute to healthy weight gain, or even assisting with symptoms of certain childhood disorders including ADHD.

What's funniest about the media jumping on Dr. Oz's one negative comment, is that he actually has brought up positive support for gluten free diets more than a few times, including hosting several experts highlighting gluten sensitivity and intolerance and more than one program on "How to eat gluten free the right way". He made an excellent point however, that the gluten free product industry is capitalizing on the number of people making conscious decisions in their lives. The bottom line is, a processed product is a processed product, whether it contains wheat or not, period. "Gluten free" doesn't always mean "healthy". Implementing a gluten free lifestyle may or may not be a choice for your family, but it isn't a decision taken lightly because it involves certain challenges, and it is very admirable when a person decides to take that step for the health of their family. At the end of the day, all you can do is make the best possible decisions for your family from the available resources and implement moderation and variety.

Next time someone tells you gluten free is a fad diet, share this information with them. Maybe they will learn something new!

Yours in health,
Dr. Chelsea

http://www.frankclinic.com/
(813)788-0496

*Any health topics that are covered should not be considered medical advice. If you have specific questions please contact your doctor or make an appointment with us. You should check with your doctor before making radical dietary changes, particularly if you have heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or are pregnant or nursing.*

21 Day Sugar Detox Adventures

21 Day Sugar Detox Adventures

For those of us who have grown up in colder places, November means warm blankets, hot beverages, boots, football, and eating to compensate for calories lost to shivering. Comfort food comes out of its summer hibernation, starches and breads abound, and every recipe calls for butter. Going outside requires bundling up and is not always worth the added effort, so it is much easier to sit inside. Of course, when you're sitting inside, the pantry is much closer, and you have to be sure that no one slipped poison into the fresh batch of cookies. Obviously you must taste all of them just to double check.

November in Florida is very different from November up north. The sun still warms the land to 80 degrees most days and the evenings generally don't dip below 50. You may still find yourself by the pool Thanksgiving weekend (we did!). And yet there is still the temptation to delve into warm, calorie-rich foods, because that's what you do in late fall.

I eat fairly clean to begin with, but my sugar intake is definitely over my recommended daily allowance. Even worse if I include grains and starches as sugar sources, because they are quickly converted to sugar in the body. If all my meals are at home and they are all gluten free, sugar still makes it into every meal I eat. Eating out is significantly worse; food distributors of all kinds add sugar in ways you can't begin to imagine, because it is part of what makes the food delicious and keep us wanting more. It seems like everyone I know complains of gaining 10 pounds over the holiday season, not surprising given that increased sugar consumption decreases the intake of nutrients your body needs for survival as well as contributing to weight gain, according to a 2013 CDC study. So not only are you gaining weight, but your body also isn't getting nutrients essential for health. Do you think that factor and immune suppression from stress might contribute to the increase in flu cases around the holidays?

Five of us decided that this year, our sugar cravings were not allowed to rule the holidays. No more submission to the siren calls of the gingerbread men. No more being enslaved by our food.

Dr. Frank, Laure, Kristina, Jessica and I all elected to participate in the 21 Day Sugar Detox challenge starting November 1st. Everyone selected the level of the program that was right for them, and some diets were stricter than others, but we all made it through the 21 days. And...

...We. Had. A. Blast! 

Everyone had an assigned day to make lunch, so we only each had to make lunch once during the work week and we were able to try a wide variety of different recipes! We were surprised to find how many delicious things we could make without sugar, even Pumpkin Pancakes! 

We lost a combined total of 28 pounds!

One participant said:
"My personal experience with the 21 day sugar detox was hard in the beginning but I must say it did get easier after the third day. The reason I wanted to do the detox was to decrease my dependency on sugar. Very often I would depend on a sugar snack to fulfill my cravings for a boost of energy when feeling down, tired or simply bored. I felt that by the second week of the program my cravings were gone. I also noticed that I lost about 10 pounds during the program. The easiest was to complete the program was to have a meal plan in place and during the program be surrounded with people that are going to be supportive and encouraging."

These were Laure's thoughts:

"This past November, the good Dr. Frank and I decided to dedicate 21 days to a sugar free life. When we spoke about it at the office, we were very excited that 3 other office members wanted to join us. I had half halfheartedly participated in the 21 day detox in the past, but this was the first time I fully dedicated myself to follow the program through to the end.  With the encouragement and interaction of our staff members I felt confident that we would all have success!

We all familiarized ourselves with Diane Sanfilippos' 21 Day Sugar Detox manual and cookbook and chose recipes to share with the group. I feel her manual is extremely well written; detailing “the science behind cravings, sugar crashes”, tips on what to expect during the program, meal planning and great recipes for nutritious, delicious meals appropriate for the whole family.

I expected to deal with cravings during the program and truly I did. I had to keep myself out of the kitchen, finding things to keep myself busy until they passed. One of the pearls I came away with was the concept that we were resetting our taste buds. An example is that during the program the only “sweet” foods allowed are 1 green tipped banana or 1 green apple per day. In the beginning, the apples tasted somewhat sweet/tart to me. Much more so than a golden delicious or a fuji. At the end of the program the green apple tasted so sweet and delicious and fruits such as strawberries tasted like they had been dipped in sugar! So not only was this “resetting” of the taste buds a concept, but a true reality!

During the detox I slept better, had no digestive disturbances of any kind, had little or no swelling in my joints (could sugar do that?) and lost 5 pounds. I was ecstatic about all these results and felt I learned a lot about how my body reacts to sugar, and how I needed to re-arrange my lifestyle to limit sugars for good. I will say that I have indulged here and there over the holidays and visits with family etc. but I have kept away from refined foods primarily, and have been careful to watch my quantities of fruits.

I'm happy to do this challenge again anytime I feel like I've gotten off track or someone else needs the support. Cheers to a happy, healthy, sugar free 2016! Laure Frank"

Another participant said:

"Definitely I don't enjoy sugar the way I used to before the detox. I don't put it in my coffee anymore and I don't crave it as much. My clarity is much better and I am not as sleepy as I used to be during the day. In the first few days I struggled with cravings and had headaches while my body was weaning itself off sugar, then they went away. I know I lost at least 10 pounds! I still haven't returned to eating as much sugar as I used to and I'm more conscious, especially watching out for added sugar and sodium in the regular products I buy at the grocery store. I'm also keeping my drinks to coffee and water, I completely cut out soda and I have tea infrequently. When I do, it's half sweet, half unsweet to cut down the sugar. I would do the detox again, it certainly wouldn't hurt!" 

I noticed that I did best with the detox when I supplemented with one serving per day of a gluten free, sugar free baked good like my popovers (recipe to follow soon!) or quinoa. My body is so addicted to grains that it became overwhelmed at times when I had too much fat, and needed the carbohydrates to balance it out. What that actually means is I probably should have detoxed longer, and it's a great reason for me to jump back into it. My absolute favorite part about the detox is I really was able to enjoy eating healthy fats such as avocado and coconut daily. And I was able to eat bacon more often! It was obvious that when I had a sugar craving, I needed more protein and/or fat instead and I felt significantly better and felt satisfied longer than if I would have had a sugary snack. My downfall over the holidays was being at home with family and falling into old patterns.

So why am I writing about this now, months later? It's April and we are heading into beach season. Now is an amazing time to say goodbye to bad habits, lose some weight, and start fresh for spring! If we do another detox in the next month, can we count on you to join us?

Call the office at 813-788-0496 so we can embark on this journey together!

If you have Diabetes, are pregnant or are nursing, you should not begin a diet without first consulting with your doctor. 

Any health topics that are covered should not be considered medical advice, if you have specific questions please contact your doctor or make an appointment with us. 

Who doesn't love bread?

One of the complaints we hear most often when recommending a gluten free diet is that people have trouble giving up flour-based products such as bread, pasta, and baked sweets. On one hand, it is actually beneficial to decrease the amount of those products in your diet anyway, trading them for vegetables, fruit, nuts, and lean meats. However, if you absolutely have to grab a piece of toast now and then, you do have options.

As food sensitivities continue to rise in commonality, so does awareness and a demand for alternative products. We all know that where there is demand, a supply will be created, so POOF! all of a sudden you can find gluten free alternatives in your local grocery store. Some areas are better than others, but things are definitely getting better!

As common brands are expanding into the gluten free market, make sure you are actually purchasing the gluten free product. Most importantly, **READ THE LABEL!** Oats are contaminated with wheat in processing and MUST be labeled gluten free to be considered safe. Also, gluten free does not guarantee dairy free or soy free. If you are particularly sensitive, you may also have to watch out for Tapioca flour and Xantham gum. There may also be increased sugar content in these products to help with flavor.

Stumped where to find them? Check the freezer section. I leave my bread in the fridge and lightly toast a few slices if I'm making a sandwich or french toast, or fully toast them if true toast is what I'm after.

Some gluten free breads we love:

1. Homemade from scratch

2. Homemade from a mix such as Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur Flour

3. Sami's (Sami's Bakery, Chuck's Natural Fields, Rollin' Oats)

4. Canyon Bakehouse

5. Rudi's

6. Udi's

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! We are more than happy to discuss these options with you! Catch us in the office or shoot us an email at frankclinicofchiropractic@gmail.com.

Let me know what your favorites are and where you find them in your area!
Dr. Chelsea

Welcome to Our World

As chiropractors, we live very different lives from most of the population. We get adjusted to stay healthy, don't take prescription drugs except when absolutely necessary, and make dietary decisions based on what is nourishing to our bodies rather than simply what is delicious (although we like that too!).

We are proud to be celebrating 34 years of excellence servicing Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, and surrounding areas of Florida!

We are a family practice focused on bringing holistic health care to you. We offer Chiropractic care, rehabilitation, soft tissue therapy, metabolic and nutrition counseling, and spinal decompression. At our core we believe that health comes from within, and the body will heal itself if interference is removed. 

In practice, we strive for excellence through superior patient treatment and patient education. We frequently help people overcome neck and back pain, headaches, sports injuries, sciatica, herniated discs, etc. but we certainly don't limit our care to just those conditions. The benefits of chiropractic care are as far reaching as the nervous system itself! 

We also offer nutritional counseling one-on-one or in group settings. 

Welcome to the wonderful world of holistic health!

Dr. Mark Frank, D.C., Dr. Celeste Frank Holstein, D.C., and Dr. Chelsea Drda, D.C. and our fabulous office staff at The Frank Clinic of Chiropractic

Dr. Holstein and her father Dr. Frank in our waiting room

Did you know Dr. Chelsea is Dr. Frank's niece?

Disclaimer:

Let's be honest, in 2015, there are very few recipes that are completely original. We will only post recipes that are publicly shared on the internet, give credit to the source, and then explain how we have adopted those recipes, what we thought worked and what didn't, etc. If no source is listed, it's a recipe we have experimented with quite extensively and can no longer link it back to any one source. If you believe we have used your recipe unfairly or in violation of a copyright, please contact us at frankclinicofchiropractic@gmail.com. 

Any health topics that are covered should not be considered medical advice, if you have specific questions please contact your doctor or make an appointment with us.