FOOD RESOURCE UPDATE:
MARCH 2015

  RECIPES SECTION: The link to the recipe SANDY'S RICE A RONI WITH MISO AND PEANUT BUTTER in the Index was not functioning.  It is now fixed.

WAYS TO SAVE $$ ON YOUR NEXT SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL:   Give and you shall receive! Honor your friends and family with a subscription to . For your generosity YOU will be honored with an additional 10% off your next subscription or 2 free bars of TMsoap!   Refer a new subscriber and receive an additional 10% off your next renewal or 2 free bars of TM soap! (Shipping will also be free.) To receive your discount coupon, email manager@songofhealth.com and tell us the name of the person you are referring.  Once they subscribe, you will receive your 10% discount or free bar of soap. It’s that easy! To order:  Contact manager@songofhealth.com TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ADDITIONAL DISCOUNTS WHEN YOU RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION. Renew 6 months early and receive additional months and $$ off!  When you renew early you will receive an additional $10.00 off the discounted renewing price plus 1 additional month. If you need help or have any questions, feel free to contact us.

	SUBSCRIBERS SPOTLIGHT STORIES, COMMENTS, AND QUESTIONS

Share your story with others.

SUBSCRIBERS, PLEASE…help others by sharing your story.  When you allow us to publish it in Dragonfly News and Subscribers’ Testimonials, a dedicated section on the website, you provide the opportunity to reach out to those who still suffer but are not confident that our dietary lifestyle will work for them. By hearing and reading about how our lives were dramatically changed we can help others to step through the door toward wellness. WE WOULD BE HONORED TO INCLUDE YOUR STORY about how you came to follow the Carroll Food Intolerance way of life. We reserve the right to edit for grammar and spelling correctness, however we will not change your story content. So, DON'T BE SHY!

IF YOU PREFER US TO HELP YOU WRITE YOUR STORY, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO. JUST ASK!

Please email your contribution to manager@songofhealth.com.

Thank you for helping us to achieve our goal of reaching out to as many people as possible in order to provide help, hope and answers. The more we give away...the more we receive!

A note of encouragement: A subscriber was concerned that her story was uninteresting. There is no such thing as a boring, uninteresting story! We are here to support each other and every contribution helps, no matter how small or large the content. Please don't let that stop you! We invite you to check out Subscribers Testimonials to read what subscribers have shared.

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QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED

Email Correspondence:

Song of Health has been given permission by our Subscribers whose names appear, to share the following with you, so that we may all benefit.  Some have chosen to stay completely anonymous, in which cases you’ll see the name as “Member” or initial.  Other correspondence has been received from outside our membership; however, we feel it is pertinent information to share with you.

From Erin, Jan. 28^th:  I have one question about mustard. There is no additional description for this food intolerance. Other than mustard seeds (also ground), prepared mustard and mustard greens, are there any other foods to avoid with this intolerance?

Thanks, Erin

Reply from Dr. Tish:  That's all we know so far on this category.

From Heather, Jan. 30^th:  Hi Sandra.  I am writing today in hopes of shedding some light on the link between seafood and tomatoes you had discussed last month with Elizabeth.

Several years ago my husband and I were looking to purchase an organic
farm. The farm used organic fish meal as fertilizer. Perhaps this is how the seafood gets into the tomatoes and if that is the case then organic ones could also be a problem.  Hope this may help.  Sincerely, Heather, NS, Canada

Reply from Sandra:  Hello Heather, thank you for your valuable input. Dr. Tish and I actually had this conversation too, regarding potential hazards from even

natural/organic fertilizers.  It was determined that the fish fertilizer does not cause a problem, as it is "digested" from the plant and the DNA of whatever the fertilizer ingredients are does not infuse with the DNA structure of the plant.  Yea!  At least it appears we are safe from that. It is always a good idea to wash produce prior to consuming, as who knows what substances may still be sitting on the

food; it is always possible we could ingest a food intolerance due to this.  I suggest referring to "Sharing Experiences" in January’s newsletter, where the GMO issue is further discussed. The "seafood/tomato" problem is actually a result of infusing DNA cells from winter flounder directly into cells of the tomato, which then

produces mutated offspring from the infused tomato.

You have brought up a great point worth discussion.  Thank you. In health, Sandra

Heather:  Hi Sandra.  That is just gross!! Fish DNA in a tomato...yuck!

On an unrelated note...I was shopping for heirloom seeds for my garden this year and came across some info regarding jicama.  Dr. Tish had said that jicama should be avoided for those of us with potato intolerance, but what I discovered is that jicama is the root of a vine. I am not saying that it isn't a potato, I am just looking for some clarification on what constitutes something being considered a potato. If someone has a potato intolerance, then why can they eat other nightshades? Inquiring minds need to know...LOL

Thank you for your help.  Heather

Sandra:  Hello Heather, when our doctors evaluate jicama, it “tests” positive for potato.  Some potato intolerants are also sensitive to such foods as Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), while others do ok with it.  Not all the nightshade plants apparently analyze positive for potato when evaluated.  It is a curious phenomenon, to be sure!  It is all about the protein cells of the plant and whether we have the digestive enzymes required to break those cells down for digestion.  So, for our intolerance purposes, we cannot follow the rules of biology, botany, and other scientific modalities as one would expect.

If you are wondering about a product that is not listed in our Food Categories section, it is recommended to submit it to our doctors at Windrose Clinic for evaluation.

Hope that helps.  Just remember, it always goes back to the PROTEIN cells of a product.  In health, Sandra

From Lenore, Feb. 2^nd:  I see that Coombs Family Farm maple syrup now contains fruit. I purchased the Coombs Family Farm Grade B maple syrup before the holidays because it appearedon the resource list. Do you think Grade B is fine? Oh dear. So frustrating sometimes. Best to stay away from everything!

Reply from Sandra:  Hi Lenore, you should be good with the syrup. It is the sugar that has something “fruit” in it. Sandra

Lenore:  Yes, I know, but I'm fruit intolerant. Isn't maple sugar the same as maple syrup?

Thank you.  I love the newsletter.  Much work for you!

Sandra:   Good morning Lenore.  First, thank you for appreciating all the work that goes into continually bringing updated information to everyone.

Second, re maple sugar and maple syrup:  Maple sugar is made by boiling the maple sap for longer than is required for making the syrup.  Without knowing exactly what the producer's every process is, and the evaluating of everything from start to finish to packaging, it is difficult to pinpoint where the "fruit" is coming from in this particular Coombs brand of maple sugar.  That is what makes it so tricky for all of us, especially when a manufacturer may change something in their processing from one batch to another.  It helps if we check the date of packaging on the container and compare it to when it may have been evaluated by our doctors.  I pretty much go by current batch/current evaluation ratio; otherwise, it's as close as I can get if the last evaluation was a while ago.  Then I go by how I feel when I eat the food until a new evaluation is performed.

Hope that helps.  I know how discouraging this all can be.  Stick with what you're doing and do the best you can.  You'll feel better for it!  In health, Sandra

From Dr. Chris Kozura, ND, March 5^th:  I would like to hear your opinion? We have in the state of WA HB-2009 (http://tinyurl.com/kctttwv) that is on the floor of House of Representatives now 3/5/2015, regarding removing personal medical exemption from vaccination. Please feel free to call your representative about your opinion. If you have to pay for this movie and also see me as a patient, I will take the cost of the movie out of the cost of the supplement/service that you buy. Just remind me. Dr. Chris

New BOUGHT Documentary reveals insidious truth behind Vaccines, GMO's & Big Pharma.

OTHER COMMUNICATION

From Senator Jeff Merkley (D., Oregon) in response to a letter written to him, Jan. 29^th: 

Dear Sandra,

Thank you for contacting me to share your support for labeling genetically engineered (GE) foods. I share your support, and I appreciate hearing from you.

On April 24, 2013, I became an original cosponsor of the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, which would require food manufacturers to inform consumers of GE ingredients in their products. Providing accurate information regarding GE products, which is already done in over 60 countries, is a commonsense way to bring more transparency to consumers so they can make informed decisions about the food that they buy.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) already has the ability to require the labeling of GE products. I am disappointed that even after my colleagues and I have repeatedly urged the administration to take action for transparency, nothing has been done. In the highly polarized world of politics, an issue like this – which over 90 percent of Americans agree on – should be something we can get done.  As we work towards passing legislation, I will continue to urge the FDA to use its current authority.

Please know that I will continue to stay on top of this issue, and I hope you will, too.

All my best,

Jeffrey A. Merkley

United States Senator

Editor’s Note:  Working within the political and governmental system we have, I urge you to contact your representatives, both state and federal levels, on issues pertinent to your health.  YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT IS IN YOUR FOOD AND MEDICINE!

From Environmental Working Group, February 18^th:  Sandra, the U.S. Department of Agriculture just gave Big Ag the green light.

Last week, the USDA approved the marketing of two varieties of non-browning GMO apples, some of the first GMO whole foods to reach the U.S.

Here's the catch: They won’t even be labeled. You can’t tell GMO varieties from non-GMO in the produce aisle.

But there’s something we can do about it! Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) have introduced the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, which would require labeling of foods with genetically engineered ingredients.

If you want to know if your apple is genetically engineered, take action to support this pro-consumer bill today!

Click here to tell your senators and member of Congress that you have a right to know what you’re eating. Tell them to co-sponsor the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act today!

This is only the beginning! Once this GMO fruit hits the stands, it will be more important than ever to have a clear labeling requirement. We deserve to know what we’re eating.

But if the question were left up to the food industry, we would be kept in the dark.

There’s no time to lose, now that even more genetically engineered food is about to appear in stores. You must take action today if you want to know what you are eating.

Click here: Tell your members of Congress today that you stand with more than 90 percent of Americans in support of GMO labeling!

Thank you for adding your voice – together we can win this fight.

- EWG Action Alert

From The Xerces Society, February 18^th:  THE MILKWEEDS YOU NEVER KNEW

The monarch butterfly has flown into the national spotlight, and it's brought milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) along with it. Because they are the host plants for monarch caterpillars, the butterfly's survival depends upon an abundance of milkweeds in the landscape. With countless native plant species under threat from habitat loss and in need of conservation attention, will the public's love of monarchs be enough to save milkweeds, too?

Though milkweeds are sometimes maligned and misunderstood, they are currently some of the most sought-after plants in the country, in large part because their protection and restoration is essential for the future of the North American monarch migration. Despite being saddled with a common name that suggests they are a nuisance, milkweeds are a diverse group of native wildflowers -- over 70 species are native to the United States! -- that grow in a variety of habitats including deserts, prairies, woodlands, and wetlands.

Seeds and plants are widely available for the four most familiar and broadly distributed: butterfly (A. tuberosa), common (A. syriaca), showy (A. speciosa), and swamp (A. incarnata) milkweeds. Here, we'd like to introduce you to a few lesser-known species, for which seeds and plants are becoming increasingly obtainable. These may not be suited for your home region, but if you do live within their natural range, please consider using them to create monarch habitat -- or to diversify the one you've already planted!

Heartleaf milkweed (A. cordifolia)

This native of foothill and lower montane habitats has heart-shaped leaves with a bluish cast and is topped by delicate clusters of deep pink, white-accented flowers. It prefers dry, rocky soils and thrives on slopes and hillsides.

Range: Southern Oregon, northern and central California.

Rush milkweed (A. subulata)

A nearly leafless, desert-adapted species with gray-green photosynthetic stems and waxy, cream-colored flowers. It is an excellent choice for low-water-use gardens. Transplants are currently more widely available than seeds; please see this nursery list compiled by the Southwest Monarch Study.

Range: Southeastern CA, southern Nevada, southern Arizona.

Short green milkweed (A. viridiflora)

A short-statured prairie species with broad, wavy leaves and robust clusters of small green flowers that are distinctively different from most milkweeds. It prefers sandy or rocky soils.

Range: Central and eastern U.S.

Prairie milkweed (A. sullivantii)

This sturdy prairie native with large, bright pink flowers resembles common and showy milkweed in stature but has hairless leaves, stems, and fruits. Its leaves often grow upward at a sharp angle. It does well in sandy, loamy, or rocky soils.

Range: Central Midwest.

To find sources of milkweed seed or plants, please use our Milkweed Seed Finder or contact native plant nurseries in your area. If these four species are not native to your area, find out which species are by consulting these range maps from the Biota of North America Program.  Happy planting!

From Environmental Working Group, Feb. 25^th:  Sandra, it’s one of our favorite times of the year here at EWG – the release of our annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™!

As the winter begins to fade and delicious fruits like peaches and nectarines come back into season, we’re beginning to think about our upcoming grocery lists and all the fresh spring fruits and vegetables we’ll enjoy.

EWG’s Shopper’s Guide is broken down into two easy-to-use lists, the Dirty Dozen™, the top 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticide residues, and the Clean Fifteen™, the least contaminated produce. This year, nearly two-thirds of the fresh produce tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and analyzed by EWG contained pesticide residues.

Click here to check out EWG’s 2015 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ and see which of your favorite fruits and vegetables landed on the Dirty Dozen™ and which made the Clean Fifteen™.

EWG knows that consumers like you want to eat more fruits and vegetables but not ones that have been slathered in pesticides. That’s why we’ve updated our Shopper’s Guide every year since 2004 – so you know if a conventionally-grown food you want tests high for pesticides and when it may be worth going for the organic version instead.

For the fifth year in a row, apples top this year’s Dirty Dozen™ list of most pesticide-contaminated produce, and peaches and nectarines have replaced strawberries and grapes in the number two and three spots. Avocados again top the Clean Fifteen™ and are joined by pineapples and cabbage as the cleanest produce.

With the Dirty Dozen™ and Clean Fifteen™ lists on hand, you’ll know which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and which ones will help you lower your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides.

Click here to check out this year’s updated lists.

Here’s to healthy eating and smarter shopping!

Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst, Environmental Working Group

~~~~~

Editor’s Note:  Be sure to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to share with your fellow Members (Subscribers)!  Also, ask the SOH staff questions, leave your comments and suggestions.  All is appreciated.

FOOD LABEL QUIZ

THE SOAP CORNER

CUSTOM MADE SOAPS AVAILABLE.
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Remember to log in to the Members side on the website to receive your Member discount on your orders of ^TM soaps.  Your special price is automatic at time of payment. You will see the regular price by the “Add to Cart” button.  When you click on the button, you will be taken to the order page; you will then see your actual discounted price.

SAVE ADDITIONAL $10.00 ~ ORDER A FULL 5 LB. LOAF OF SOAP (=16 BARS) AND SAVE $10.00 OFF YOUR ALREADY 14% DISCOUNTED PRICE.

For more information and/or to place your order, please email me at manager@songofhealth.com.  Tell me which ^TM soap you want.  You will be emailed an invoice from which to pay.  Expect curing time of at least 4 weeks from time of order.  It’s that easy!

SOAP NEWS AND UPDATES:

Recent batch of Available March 15th ORDER YOURS NOW TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY.  THEY GO FAST! For those of you buried under snow and ice in the East, our sympathies are with you.  It may not seem like the time to think about Bugs in Springtime, but weather forecasters assure us it’s just around the corner.  For any outdoor “adventure” you partake in, you’ll want to be ready with your bars of Campers Friend to help ward of the little pests. Gardeners, campers, hikers, hanging out on the deck...you’ll appreciate this soap for any outdoor activity. Several ways to use Campers Friend: As a repellent: Rub dry bar on exposed areas of skin.  You do not need to wash the soap off, as it is not irritating to the skin, as our most commercial soaps.  The essential oils in the soap are what help to ward off the bugs.  The natural oils and butters are wonderful emollients. Hair and body cleansing soap. It’s fabulous! As repellant in the kitchen:  Keep this soap at the sink for hand washing and repelling fruit flies and other pesky fly bugs. As repellant in the tent or on the patio or deck:  Hang soap up in one of our organza bags or tied with string in the area where you are.  The scent of the essential oils will chase off those curious little dudes.   Member of    We are dedicated to preserving the environment to the best of our ability. Feel Clean, Revived, & Moisturized!

~ Each month we bring you articles on a myriad of topics regarding health and environmental issues. The main focus of is to avail you of expert information on the Carroll Food Intolerance dietary methods.  This – DIET - is the first step to getting and staying well.  We feel there are also many other interesting and important issues to be aware of, so we share our findings with you, on what may have a cause and effect on our health and lives.  This month…

ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATES FROM THE U.S. EPA:

No article this month

SHARING EXPERIENCES:

Remember that eating our food intolerances can have a dramatic effect on our moods as well as other symptoms we discuss, ad infinitum.

IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE!

By Sandra Strom, CEO of Song of Health

It happened to me last week.  It had been a long time, but I got bit!  A nasty viral bug, basking in its glory of gifts from congestion to exhaustion and crud in between, seriously disrupted my life for a week.  “Where did I go wrong?” I cried.  Our SOH member, Lenore, wrote me, “I had that nasty thing too, but it's a message that we are not caring for ourselves and become susceptible to such things. REST!!”

Lenore is right, especially about getting rest.  Sometimes, though, we do our best to protect ourselves by adhering to basic rules of health, and yet a foreign creep proves to be more powerful than our immune systems.  For me, I can point to a few potential causes for weakening.  I feel pretty confident that I hadn’t been fudging on my food intolerance avoidance, that being the first line of defense for me.  I know my immune system is being taxed due to a neck-and-shoulder injury, for which I am in treatment; it seemingly takes a lot of energy to endure through the healing process.  It is easy to forget that, while going through this more demanding period, I would do well to follow the simple rules of eating more healing foods and less hard-to-digest foods in order to allow the immune system to rebuild.  So this is what I’m blaming my weakened condition on...as good as any, eh?

Once I succumbed to being uncomfortably ill and considerably weakened from this wretched thing, I had to pull out of memory bag (not easy as my brain felt like mush) the most basic remedies I could muster.

• First, I did simple constitutional hydrotherapy treatments by taking a hot bath and then lying down under warm blankets with a cold compress over the torso.  Surprisingly easy and not as uncomfortable as it sounds, this old nature cure aided the body in numerous ways --- a boost to the immune system gave me the feeling of increased energy flow to the circulatory and respiratory systems, along with balancing of the energies.
• With that little feeling of renewal, I was able to make myself broths, teas, and hot water --- lots of liquids.  Nothing sounded appetizing, so it was easy to keep “meals” simple without feeling begrudged of hearty courses.  Ginger in tea with raw honey, and ginger, garlic and leek in simple miso broth were my main sources of nourishment for a couple days.  I wasn’t exercising so I sure didn’t need extra calories in my diet --- a win-win for the condition!
• Rest...lots and lots of it...until I was sick of indulging in it...I believe is the key for having gone through each stage of the healing process as quickly as I did.  I know that a week sounds like a long time in this day and age, when our society pushes us to go to work, sick or not.  Yet, it takes time for things to course through the body and be eliminated.  Stuffed up sinuses and nasal passages, to bronchial congestion, to digestive disruption --- it all takes time for cleansing and then rebalancing.  When we allow our bodies to deal with the process as it should, everything becomes stronger for it in the end.  Working from home, I indulged myself in the healing process as I was never allowed to when working elsewhere.  I forced myself to be patient (I’m a lousy patient!) which is not my long suit.  I read books and watched movies without guilt.  The house continued to need cleaning; my neighbor reminded me that the dust would still be there waiting for me when I was well!  I sucked in my pride and closed my eyes to what I wasn’t able to do; I felt like the world had left me behind, but knew it would be short-lived in the whole scheme of things.

I have no idea if you find any benefit, whatsoever, from me sharing with you my last week of forced solitude.  Just remember, if you find yourself in compromised health even though you are doing everything in your power to live a healthy life, not to beat yourself up.  It happens!  Be good to yourself and don’t feel guilty about doing so; do what you need to allow your body to go through the process as it should.  Most importantly, contact your doctor for the best remedies for you.  This too shall pass!

To All My Relations, Sandra

“Every dis-ease known to humans is created in our digestion system” (Dr. Harold Dick, N.D.)

NEW RECIPES

Each month new recipes are published in the Recipes section at .  In the newsletter they are listed and linked so you can easily go to them in the Recipes section.

 The ingredients for all the recipes are coded for food intolerance items.

Click on the recipe link to go directly to it in the RECIPES SECTION, or copy and paste the "url". Remember to log in first!

PIES, PASTRIES & COBBLER:  APPLE OAT & BISCUIT CRISP

The most difficult part of sharing my baking creations is to specify exactly how much of an ingredient to use.  I cook and bake (the old fashioned way) by a pinch of this and a handful of that!  I think you’ll find this delectable dessert is a hit, no matter how much of this-and-that you use! 

Fruit intolerants, you can substitute rhubarb for the apples.

Check out the Recipes category in The Forum for recipes that fellow Members have been gracious enough to share! 
Plus, cooking and baking questions are asked and answered.

Is there a recipe you would like to have, or need help adapting?  I'm happy to help! Contact me at manager@songofhealth.com.

*About this month’s picture:  Primroses are one of the first beautiful perennials to gift us with Winter splashes of color, continuing into Spring!  To ensure continued blooms, pinch of finished flowers.  Easy to grow in most locations, treat yourself to a few plants in your flower bed and enjoy them year after year.

FOOD RESOURCE LIST UPDATES

THE FOOD RESOURCE LIST ON THE WEBSITE IS AVAILABLE IN PRINTABLE VERSION. JUST GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AND CLICK ON "SOH RESOURCE LIST PART 1 OR PART 2" FOR THE VERSION IN .PDF FORM.

Use the codes below to translate the Results Column.

HOW TO READ THE FOOD RESOURCE LIST AND USE THE KEY:

 As items are submitted and analyzed by our staff doctors, they are then added to the Food Resource List on the Song of Health website. We compile the updated lists to email to you as well.

 The items are listed per category.

 By listing the “Date Evaluated” you can be assured of the most recent updates.

 Under the “Evaluated For” column, “ALL” signifies that the product has been analyzed for all food categories included in the Carroll Food Intolerance Evaluation Method.

In some cases, you will see ingredients listed in the “Results” column that are ot included in “Evaluated For.” This is due to: 1) the ingredient has been listed on the packaging; 2) or it is obviously in the stated category; 3) or our doctors evaluated for more than what was asked for. For example, results for milk will be “dairy (D).”

 Under “Purchased At” we no longer furnish where the product was purchased; however, if the product was purchased outside the Pacific Northwest area, the region will be noted.  Sometimes, I will be able to locate a place to purchase a product for you, if requested.

If you have any questions, please contact us at:
manager@songofhealth.com. We are happy to help!

SHOPPING SUGGESTION: Do you have a smart phone? You can log on to Song of Health.com, The Food Resource List, and look up items while you shop!

FOOD RESOURCE LIST
FEB~MARCH 2015

NOTE: The RESULTS column will show the "basic" food intolerance categories:  Cactus, Dairy, Egg, Fruit, Grain, Honey, Meat, Potato, Sugar, Seafood, and Soy. Be aware that the less common categories are not shown.