Dr. Tracy's Blog

Ever have a bunch of kale in your refrigerator that was just past its prime? Not sure how to eat this kale because it's not quite fresh enough for a raw kale salad or smoothie and not crisp enough for kale chips...try a wilted kale salad. Wilted Kale Salad zest and juice of one small lemon 2 tsp olive oil ¼ tsp Dijon mustard ¼ tsp sea salt pinch of thyme ¼ cup raw pecans 1 tsp coconut oil 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped 4 cups baby spinach leaves 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1 grapefruit, sectioned 2 roasted beets, sliced In a large salad bowl combine lemon zest and juice with olive oil, mustard, sea salt and thyme.  Toast the pecans over medium heat on a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant and then set aside. Melt coconut oil in skillet and then add kale, cook the kale for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until just a bit wilted. Toss spinach and kale with the lemon dressing Add onion, grapefruit and beets to the...

Although September means back to school or work for many people, we are lucky enough to still be enjoying summer sunshine and temperatures. Beat the heat with this refreshing high fiber protein shake. Blueberry Lemonade Hempshake: 180 calories with 25% of your daily needs of each Iron and Zinc! 12 grams of protein 16 grams of fiber 4 grams healthy fats 18 grams of sugars (12 grams from the blueberries and 6 grams from the lemonade) 500mg Vitamin C, 500mg Calcium, 200mg Magnesium (if using calcium powder) Recipe: 1 cup frozen organic blueberries 3/4 cup Trader Joe's low calorie Lemonade 3 tablespoons hemp protein powder 1 scoop Thorne Research Calcium Magnesium citrate powder  Combine all ingredients in a blender, adding water as needed to achieve the consistency you prefer.

A few weeks ago I went to a bridal shower and besides catching up with old friends I don't get to see often, “oohing” and “aahing” over place settings and wine goblets, my favorite part of the shower was the kale salad. The shower was catered by The Kitchen in Portsmouth, NH and I strongly recommend checking them out because everyone was raving about their sandwiches and the other non-vegan choices that were served. However, I don't make it up to Portsmouth often so I was inspired to create my own version. It's a bit messy to make, but worth it! Sesame Kale Salad 6 cups kale, stemmed and torn into 1-2 inch pieces 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 tsp low sodium tamari or coconut aminos 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 2 carrots, shredded 1 cup shredded purple cabbage 4 green onions, chopped Here's the messy part: in a large bowl add sesame oil and tamari to the kale pieces, massage with your hands for a few minutes until the kale has softened a b...

Recently I fell victim to what I call Busy Lady Syndrome (BLS). Do you have BLS? Symptoms vary per individual, mine were: Almost obsessive list making - if you don't write it down, you may forget... Wishing there were 30 hours in the day instead of 24 Reduced frequency of exercise Daydreaming about 85% dark organic chocolate and indulging in it Normally well stocked refrigerator and pantry were bare, what's a vegan to do? Misplacing your keys, sunglasses, phone, etc. Running 10 minutes late...all day The good news is my BLS was short-lived and it prompted me to find resources to manage my process through BLS so I was not suffering for long. As someone who normally cooks from scratch, follows a vegan diet, uses yoga and exercise as stress management and thrives on a high level of organization, time wasn't always on my side this Spring when we moved  office locations however now I feel settled in the new place and getting back to my organized, productive ...

Leafy green like kale, collard greens, chard and spinach are a cornerstone of healthy diets because they have qualities that reduce inflammation, improve detoxification and protect your cardiovascular system. But if you need more evidence to increase your consumption of powerhouse greens, check out these nutritional research results: Greens contain a form of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol that has been shown to reduce risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer in people who ate them regularly. Vitamin E supplements and multivitamin pills rarely contain this form of vitamin E, they are mostly alpha-tocopherol which does not have the same health benefits. Higher quality supplements will contain mixed tocopherols and/or gamma-tocopherol however they are missing the fiber, chlorophyll and beta-carotene that leafy greens have so they too pale in comparison. Greens also contain the eye protective nutrients lutein and xeazanthin in much higher concentrations th...

There are many reasons to adopt a low sugar or no sugar diet. Because sugar slows down the protective actions of our immune system and our ability to fight infections, you may want to avoid sugar for a short period of time such as during a cold, ear infection, urinary tract infection, yeast infection or while following a detox program such as the Whole Health Detox . Besides improving the function of your immune system there are many advantages to a low sugar or no sugar diet especially with managing chronic conditions such as yeastovergrowth or candida, chronic Lyme disease, reducing inflammationthat worsens autoimmune diseases and it's an easy way to reduce extra calories when trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. It seemed like in 2007 and 2008 I was seeing a lot of people in my practice with chronic yeast overgrowth and this has recently been coming up frequently in my practice again. There are many versions of anti-candida and anti-yeast nutritional plans ...

Essential oils are powerful components of natural cleaning products, body care and skincare products. Peppermint oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and ant-fungal which lends to it's many uses in homemade household products like room freshening spray, mouthwash and deodorant. Room Freshening Spay "You're office smells so nice." I have the pleasure of hearing this comment often throughout the day because between visits I freshen the air with my home made spritzer: Fill a spray bottle with 2 ounces of filtered water and add: 15-20 drops peppermint essential oil 10-15 drops lavender essential oil 1/8 tsp vanilla extract 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol, this helps the spray disperse in the air better Shake the bottle before each use Brightening Mouthwash Take advantage of peppermint's ant-microbial properties to keep your mouth feeling fresh. Rinse for 30 seconds after brushing but do not swallow this mouthwash. 2/3 cup filtered water 1/3 c...