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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Cultured Butter Recipe: In My Kitchen

Cultured Butter: In My Kitchen (a recipe)

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for stronger digestion; especially yeast overgrowth related health issues.

Originally published on November 6, 2018.

I make cultured butter a few times in the year; mainly late summer into early autumn and late spring into early summer when I can more easily source fresh, raw pastured cream. I turn that into crème fraîche and then churn that into sturdy, golden mounds of delicious probiotic-rich butter “a.k.a. cultured butter” (see beginner’s recipe below).

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B.E.D. kids The Body Ecology Diet

Ben’s Breakfast on The Body Ecology Diet

Ben’s Breakfast on The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for healing digestion and yeast/bacterial/viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published on January 29, 2013

Ben's Breakfast!

My son woke Saturday morning and asked if he could prepare breakfast; with the weekend here and our typical daily grind come to a halt, I happily accepted his offer from the comfort of my warm bed 🙂

When I first started on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) in 2010 to heal a stubborn case of yeast overgrowth I was pleased to find both my boys, ages 3 and 8, following along in suit. As a Holisitic Nutritionist, my kids have always been immersed in the world of natural healing using food as our medicine when possible. They watch and help me to culture butter, do a colonic, crack open Thai baby coconuts for yck, and various other kitchen (and bathroom!) tasks. 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Thomas-Luna-cook-kids-2008.jpg

This particular Saturday, I busied myself with chopping vegetables for a supper casserole, while quietly watching my older son, Ben, as he moved about the kitchen with grace and ease; speaking out loud, yet to himself, as he pulled out an assortment of dishes and food from the refrigerator.

Other then asking for my help turning on gas burners, he did everything himself. He decided on the menu, cleaned all the pots he needed, and cut a head of cabbage with my Japanese cleaver. At one point I asked

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Apple Cider Kefir: Probiotic-Rich Recipe

Originally published on August 28, 2019

In Vermont, we press apples into cider well into mid to late September; a fun activity for the kids to participate in the workload at home …. this year was especially abundant, so they pressed for a good 2 hours before coming in to the kitchen with many sticky gallons of fresh-pressed apple cider! I turned a few half-gallons into apple cider vinegar for the year ahead and froze a bunch to pull out for making Apple Cider Kefir.

This kefir is made simply with only apple cider and kefir starter*; a sweet ‘n sour concoction that fizzes like champagne and is pure effervescence! What I am most on about is that inside this beverage lives an abundance of potent probiotic strains that implant themselves into digestive canal of your body, from your mouth down they go to burrow in to the soft tissue lining and keep inflammation down and healing up. These friendly flora also act as a digestive aid to keep gut in good shape.

More benefits here.

If you are looking for an easy, affordable way to get your probiotic dose, this is a great recipe to make. Especially if you have gut issues (i.e., bloating, constipation, Candida, GBS+). 

A refreshing glass of juice kefir is a wonderful, healthy way to kick start the day and keep those healthy internal gut bugs in balance.

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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet

Lunchbox List for The Body Ecology Diet

Lunchbox List for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for healing yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published on January 24, 2019

My son off to school!

If you have a child on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or a ‘gluten-sugar-yeast free’ diet, then you know the effort needed to pack a well-balanced lunchbox. As a mom myself, I will share here some of my family’s lunch ideas to hopefully make your life and mornings easier.

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Probiotic food Recipe

Short-Term Pickle Recipe

Short-Term Pickle Recipe (vinegar-free, raw food)

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Originally published July 9, 2018

A lovely classic pickle you can feel good about ….

In Vermont, pickling cucumbers grow on the vine from July to mid-September; this rush of cucumbers is what inspired me to once and for all find a traditional pickle recipe that did not use vinegar or high heat to preserve one of Nature’s bounty.

I searched for this kind of recipe for many years until one hot summer day when my sister-in-law casually handed me a faded-as-your-favorite-blue-jeans pickle freshly pulled from her ceramic crock. With one bite, I felt memories unleash inside me from years past when my grandmother in Nova Scotia made such pickles with a crisp, clean classic deli taste.

Furthermore, I was pleased to learn these pickles are kept in a raw, live state without using vinegar or high heat to preserve. Winner all around!!

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Candida The Body Ecology Diet

Stage 1 Grocery List for The Body Ecology Diet

Stage 1 Grocery List for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Updated: July 28, 2023.

This grocery list for stage 1 of Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) is a good starting point to begin a concentrated, strict phase of healing; most feel relief from chronic health symptoms within 3-6 months. Yet, everyone responds differently to life and diet changes. More importantly the pace you set is yours …. hit that bullseye!

I offer B.E.D. Support along the way …. how long you stay on stage 1 depends mostly on the severity of the health condition(s) you came into the diet with and what your goal is.

Thanks for my nutritional consult, I feel buoyed with this grocery list! ~ KM, Kentucky

I spoke with Donna Gates, founder of Body Ecology Diet, in 2011 and 2023 to put together the list below. These foods are a holistic, natural approach to addressing yeast, bacterial, and viral infections, give the immune and digestive system time to rest/repair, and for the body as a whole to renew itself to the self-healing organism it is designed to be.

Foods listed below are found at a health food store or made at home. Buy or grow organic to avoid pesticides, herbicides, synthetic hormones, and antibiotic residues known to impair healing. Everything here on this list is gluten-sugar-yeast-free, unless otherwise noted. As always, food combine 🙂

Move slowly and with a smile like my rosy-cheeked boy in this photograph, taken in 2010, when we practiced stage 1 as a family.

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Health Conditions Uncategorized

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Overview

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Uncategorized

Red Radish Pickles

Red Radish Pickles: Recipe for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

June 12, 2023

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

This quick and easy pickle is lightly sweet and spicy all at once and aids the digestive system in breaking down accumulated fat and protein buildup. For those on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.), this is best reserved for stage 2. If you are histamine sensitive, then this recipe may bother you.

Red radishes are abundant when Spring comes around and make a vibrant, pink pickle that is crunchy in texture and tangy in flavor. I add them into green salads, sliced meat “roll-ups”, or pop into my mouth as my youngest boy loves to do …. if left alone, he would eat the whole jar 🙂

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Recipe

Traditional Chicken Stock: Recipe

Traditional Chicken Stock: Recipe

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published: September 19, 2019

September 19th 2019

Chicken stock, like any meat stock, is rich in minerals, gelatin, and collagen; all of which can keep bones and teeth strong; joint ligaments supple; and hair soft. I personally experienced my hair improving tenfold!! I started drinking a quart of stock a day and in a matter of weeks, my hair softened with much less grey … thank God for collagen.

There always seemed to be a pot of soup simmering on the back burner of our stove growing up. My mother would toss in a whole chicken, couple of onions, carrots, celery, herbs, garlic and then top off with cold water. The smell, especially of bay leaves wafted up through my floorboards; enticing me down for the day ahead and for breakfast 🙂

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B.E.D. Body Ecology Diet Candida kids My Family Life Probiotic food soaking nuts and seeds Teeth The Body Ecology Diet Yeast Overgrowth

Thumbs Up: Keeping Kids Cavity-Free

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Originally published on April 23, 2019.

This is a hot topic for parents, for all of us really as who wants to be told they have a cavity while in the dentist chair?! Getting a cavity is never fun, no matter how old you are.

I have two kids; my youngest is 15 and has no cavities. My oldest is 21 and had a tiny one when he was 6. Thankfully, it was on a baby tooth and because my son had a fear of needles, we pulled the tooth instead of filling as he was going to lose that tooth naturally shortly.

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B.E.D. Cultured Foods Foods That Heal Intuitive Nutritional Consultations My Family Life Testimonials The Body Ecology Diet The Digestive System The Essentials Traveling

Camping with Kids on The Body Ecology Diet

Camping with Kids on The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Originally published on June 3, 2010

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

I wasn’t planning to camp this summer. My plate is full enough with work, graduate school, moving through a divorce, and raising my boys who are 2 and 7 years old. Most days, I can barely see straight! Yet, I find the flow and direction of life tends to take a turn for what is best for the whole in times of overload. So, when I woke one morning to hear a quiet voice inside me say “take the kids camping by the ocean”, I said yes.

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Pre & Postnatal Period

My Red Yoga Mat

My Red Yoga Mat

Tara Carpenter, NC., CPES.

Originally published on July 15, 2015

My red yoga mat is like a loved teddy bear that has been with me through thick ‘n thin since my 20’s when I taught myself how to do each yoga posture with a little book written by Richard Hittleman.

This was before my children were born and my career had taken off; when the days were seamless, and I went where the wind blew …. one of those places was Esalen in Big Sur; where my love for yoga deepened into the easy practice I continue to this day.

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babies Birth Breech Baby Placenta Encapsulation Pregnancy

Turning Transverse or Breech Babies

Turning Transverse or Breech Babies

Tara Carpenter, CPES.

Bringing hormonal support to new mothers in Vermont since 2011.

transverse

Many pregnant moms become distressed when they find out baby is transverse or breech; often only weeks left before estimated due date (EDD). This puts a spin on things because if baby doesn’t turn ‘in time’ a care provider often recommends a cesarean birth.

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Placenta Encapsulation Pre & Postnatal Period

Channel 3 MiVT: Placenta Encapsulation in VT & NH

Channel 3 MiVT: Placenta Encapsulation in VT & NH

Tara Carpenter, CPES.

Bringing hormonal support to new mothers in Vermont since 2011.

By Gina Bullard

STOWE, VT. 

At first glance it’s hard to tell if Tara Carpenter is a chef or a medical examiner. She’s actually a certified placenta encapsulation specialist.

Carpenter turns a woman’s placenta into pills — post birth.  “I’ve got a nutritional background which brought me to this work,” she said. The placenta contains iron, hormones, protein, B vitamins, and other nutrients to support new moms. read more

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Coconut Roll-Out Cookies for The Body Ecology Diet

Roll-Out Coconut Cookie

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutritional support for yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Most coconut flour cookies I find taste more like cardboard than cookie and I was reluctant to create a recipe for one, yet after being asked to create one for people healing on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) I decided to give things a go 🙂

I am pleasantly surprised how they turned out; they roll like a dream and are as moist as I could get without the dough falling apart. I hope you enjoy this versatile cookie for times when you must avoid refined sugar, gluten, and yeast. This cookie includes eggs. If you can’t eat eggs, then try my egg-free recipe for almond cookies.

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Supplements The Body Ecology Diet

LivAmend for Liver Support

LivAmend Capsules for Liver Support

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutritional support for yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Of all the supplements Donna Gates of The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) created (in blue dress below), livamend is my favorite. Next is Vitality Supergreens then Ancient Minerals 🙂 Like shoes I’d love them all to pick and choose from on a regular basis, tuning in to what my body needed on any given day. Sigh ….

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Uncategorized

Cranberry Smoothie: A Woman’s Recipe for B.E.D.

Cranberry Smoothie for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Cranberries are acidic berries from evergreen shrubs native to North America. First harvested by Native Americans and later Europeans, this vibrant red berry is touted a superfood due to an abundant nutrient and antioxidant properties. Cranberries are especially beneficial to women who are susceptible to urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections, breast cancer, hypothyroid, and weight gain.

The medicinal hero in cranberries is an antioxidant called, proanthocyanin. which prevent certain bacteria from adhering to cells of the vagina/urinary tract and causing infection. Cranberries flush out excess yeast and make urine more acidic, which creates an unfriendly environment for pathogens.

This recipe is perfect while practicing The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)

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Holidays The Body Ecology Diet

Celebrating Easter on The Body Ecology Diet

Celebrating Easter on The Body Ecology Diet 🦋

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Stay light and easy (and colorful!!) as you heal with B.E.D.

Hoppy Easter!!

These alternative Easter ideas are for The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.), a gut healing protocol specifically designed to balance yeast, viral, and bacterial overgrowth. I started B.E.D. when my boys were 2 and 7, the key years for celebrating holidays … I’ll say Easter is by far the easiest.

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Recipe

Salmon Head Stock for Strong Bones

Salmon Head Stock: Recipe for Strong Bones

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published: April 1, 2014

Salmon heads come packed with tender meat and abundant fat along the jawbone. They are prized for making rich fish stock that can be used as a base for soup of all kinds. Salmon head fish stock is shown to contain vitamin A, Omega-3, iron, zinc, and calcium.

I felt apprehensive to make salmon head stock because even though I have experience with chicken and other meat stock, I had never made fish stock and imagined my whole home to smell fishy!

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B.E.D. Candida The Body Ecology Diet

A Woman’s Testimonial: “B.E.D. Support with Tara”

A Woman’s Testimonial: “B.E.D. Support with Tara”

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Every now and then I receive a testimonial worth sharing with the bigger world …. this is one of them. The lady behind the words is a lovely, vivacious woman who took hold of the reins of her life to experience a bounty of depth and wellness. I am touched by her kindness. 

Hannah ….

I discovered The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) at a time in life when I was stuck in an unhealthy relationship that didn’t feel good and in a body that didn’t feel good. I had spent years struggling with my health and various versions of disordered eating.

I was 100 pounds overweight, my joints hurt, I was sick all the time, and I had allergic reactions to everything. I was chronically exhausted with a hopelessly weak constitution, something I feared would last the rest of my life. I was only 23 years old.

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B.E.D. B.E.D. Support Basic Recipes Body Ecology Diet Body Ecology Support Coach Candida Coronavirus detox easy-to-digest Foods That Heal gut health Happy Bellies Personal Chef healing Healing Diet Health Conditions Infection kids Liver Detox My Kitchen Nutritional Consultations Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Parsley Power: Green Smoothie Recipe

Green Smoothie Recipe: Parsley Power

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutritional for people of all ages using The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal yeast, bacterial, & viral infections.

Traditionally, parsley is used as a remedy for anemia, bad breath, menstrual pain, and more; enjoy all the benefits in one glass 🙂 I will go so far to say that within a week of drinking this green smoothie, you may be hooked! The blend works and tastes great. I was surprised myself.

You do not like them. So, you say.
Try them! Try them! And you may.
Try them and you may, I say. ~ Dr. Seuss

💚💚

Parsley is an herb rich in A + K vitamins, folate, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, antioxidants, and essential oil. Some health benefits include cancer inhibitor, liver detoxifier, anti-inflammatory, immune booster, bone builder, and gallstone dissolver (contains oxalic acid/kidney cleanser).   

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The Body Ecology Diet

Meet Nama Shoyu: Traditional Soy Sauce

Nama Shoyu is a traditional soy sauce that is unpasteurized; nama means “raw” and shoyu means “soy”. This soy sauce is made by fermenting non-GMO soybeans with a probiotic fungi called Aspergillus oryzae plus the addition of water, wheat, and sea salt.

This mixture is left to ferment in cedar kegs for 6 to 8 months; sometimes as long as 4 years.

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Teeth

Safer Kind of Floss: Making the Switch

Safer Kind of Floss: Making the Switch

Most floss is made from nylon, a petroleum-based product coated with Teflon synthetic resin – similar to nonstick cookware material – called PTFE (a.k.a. polytetrafluoroethylene). Both are known to be carcinogenic and attribute to cancer, arthritis, altered immune responses, and thyroid/hormone imbalances.

When I first heard this, I thought “how can floss cause this many issues” … here’s the short version; floss with PTFE leaves chemical traces in the mouth that are inevitably swallowed or absorbed into the bloodstream through the thin mucosa lining of the mouth. This raises concern for those of us who diligently floss once or twice a day, year-round.

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Fermented Cod Liver Oil

The Reasons I Like Fermented Cod Liver Oil

The Reasons I Like Fermented Cod Oil

Note: I am not an affiliate for Green Pastures, nor do I receive money to write the articles I do to promote this food. What I am is a firm believer in the stuff and a Group Buyer for Central Vermont, bringing this oil to my community at a wholesale price.

Fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) contains fat-soluble nutrients like Omega-3 (DHA/EPA), Vitamin A/D; nutrients that many of us lack, especially as we get older or have digestive issues. If you have ever been

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Autism Friendly B.E.D. B.E.D. Support via phone or Skype Basic Recipes Body Ecology Support Coach Cultured Foods Foods That Heal Health Conditions Helpful Handouts intuitive The Body Ecology Diet The Digestive System The Essentials

Tips & Tricks to Make Traditional Milk Kefir

Tips & Tricks for Traditional Milk Kefir

I have made kefir for years and learned a lot since I first started in 2011!! Here are my tips and tricks to help you move through your own learning curve that much easier 🙂

See milk kefir recipe here.

#1) I recommend making kefir with Body Ecology starter packets as they contain potent strains of lactobacillus bacteria and beneficial yeast that are hardy and easily travel into your intestines to work their probiotic magic ✨ These probiotics rid of any pathogenic overgrowth in the gut and strengthen digestion. Unlike most probiotics, the ones in this starter aren’t easily destroyed by antibiotics, fluoride, stomach acid, or chlorine. Worth every cent! And much cheaper than any probiotic supplement in the store and more effective on a holistic level. read more

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Recipe

Watermelon Popsicles for FUN

I hesitated to write this recipe because it’s so simple. Yet, we don’t bring our basket of cookie cutters down off the shelf everyday and I got some photos, so here goes an easy-to-make recipe.

True to name, watermelon is an excellent source of water …. one cup contains 20% of your daily value of vitamin C and 14% for vitamin A. Watermelon also has a lower calorie content than most fruit; delivering more nutrients per calorie.

Watermelon Pops

Ingredients

Watermelon

Wooden popsicle sticks (can buy these in a package of 200 for $7 from Amazon) read more

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Woman’s Best Friend: Green Vegetable Smoothie

As a woman, I must share this easy-to-make, delicious, vibrant smoothie 🙂 I first heard about green vegetable smoothies when I was on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal a stubborn case of systemic yeast overgrowth.

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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet

Almond Roll-Out Cookies: Recipe for The Body Ecology Diet

These cookies are perfect for anyone on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D). My kids love them and I like that the dough doesn’t make a sticky mess on the counter when rolling out. Not bad for a cookie without eggs, dairy, or grain 😉

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B.E.D. Yeast infection

Using B.E.D. for Vaginal Yeast Infections

If you get vaginal yeast infections more then you want one then I highly recommend The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). I could go on and on about this way of eating as I personally adhered to stage 1 for 3 years back in 2010 after being diagnosed with a systemic yeast infection (included tons of itching and discomfort down below).

Hands down, I think B.E.D. is one of the best yeast killing, yeast balancing protocols out there.

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Candida The Body Ecology Diet

Healing Journal: My Candida Diagnosis

Journal Entry: September 9th 2010

Today, I was diagnosed with Candida, a.k.a. yeast overgrowth. I had all the symptoms (i.e., cravings, yeast infections) and so asked my Naturopathic doctor for the test.

Aren’t I going through enough already? I ask with my face to the sky. I recently initiated the start of what appears will be a difficult divorce, am attending a graduate program in Holistic Nutrition, and both my boys start school this week.

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Tips for Making Bubbly Jelly ?

See the bubbles?!
Check out the bubbles!

Regular jelly isn’t ‘allowed’ on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D); which recommends to avoid sugar (except lakanto, stevia, ecobloom) until your gut is in a better place. Until then it’s best to kefir jelly with probiotics to reduce the concentrated fruit sugar. Your belly might thank you 🙂 Here’s my recipe for bubbly blueberry jelly 

Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two about making probiotic-rich jelly taste good and want to share my tips for getting good results every time:

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Placenta Encapsulation

The Gift of Placenta Encapsulation

The day my youngest turned 5, I encapsulated his placenta. Yes, it was ‘old’ with likely next to nil hormones, but I didn’t feel I had anything to lose. A colleague of mine had recently encapsulated her daughter’s two-year old frozen placenta

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B.E.D. Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Going Skiing on B.E.D. (Body Ecology Diet) ⛷

My husband and I decided to go to Attitash Ski Resort for the holidays. The kids are each with their dad which gives us the freedom to celebrate Christmas however we want. And though I’m not big on skiing I am BIG on sweating in the sauna, snowshoeing on back trails, and catching up with my husband slash ski enthusiast for a mid-day meal.

We rented a studio at the base of the slopes that has a kitchenette – fridge and all – so that right there makes traveling on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) much easier. As many of you know, I do a lot of camping in the summer, so this type of traveling is a real luxury … I’m already in awe at how much less “things” I need to bring! Talk about freedom ?

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Birth Pregnancy

Seeding a “C-Section Born” Baby

c-section-photoThis photo was taken after a client of mine gave birth via c-section. Before surgery, this mom requested that her doctor insert a piece of gauze into her vagina. This same gauze was used seconds after she gave

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The Body Ecology Diet Yeast infection

Thanksgiving on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)

Celebrating Thanksgiving on a restrictive diet comes with challenges and being on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) is no different. This nutritional protocol is used by many people to heal their body from yeast, bacterial, or viral overgrowth and as wonderful as this way of eating is, it does create a need to be attentive to what you will feast on when the holidays do come around.

One trick to having a great day; one where you aren’t slaving over stove or salivating over sweet potato casserole topped with puffy golden marshmallows, is to plan ahead. By thinking ahead, the food part will not be as big of a deal and you can relax, maybe play some football like we do in my family. Just kick back 🙂

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B.E.D. Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Pumpkin Pie (stage 2) for The Body Ecology Diet

I made pumpkin pie for my son’s 10th birthday party and our 25 friends that came to celebrate him. In true ‘Tara style’, I made five different pies to experiment with; all from different recipes and came up with a couple recipes of my own that are not only ‘body ecology friendly’ but perfectly suitable for any body with any eating style. 

This pie is delicate with enough richness to satisfy most any sweet tooth. As with most of my recipes, this is free of refined sugar and common allergens; except nuts, and is especially made for those who practice The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.); you’ll find this to be stage 2 friendly as an occasional treat. You can find a stage 1 pumpkin pie recipe right here. 

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B.E.D. Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Zucchini Frittatas: Recipe (gluten-dairy-egg white free)

This savory, pancake-like treat is delicious off the skillet or served at room temperature the next day. Eggs are the main ingredient, but the yolk is the only part being used in this recipe. This is because most people find egg whites hard-to-digest. I am all about making food easy to digest … hence my business, Happy Bellies and this recipe does just that 🙂 If you don’t have a problem with egg whites, substitute 8 whole eggs for the 12 yolks and omit the starch.

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The Body Ecology Diet

Man Food on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)

This is for the men who want to tailor The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to better meet their unique dietary and health needs. While I am not a man, I did watch my husband begin the diet and have 8 years under my belt feeding both him and my growing boys.

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Parsley Dressing: Recipe ?

I could come up with a fancier name for this dressing, but will keep things simple as this one’s rich enough to stand on its own. Drizzle over a build-your-own salad or as a dip 😉

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Candida The Body Ecology Diet Yeast infection

Candidiasis (a.k.a. yeast overgrowth)

Candida, also known as Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth, is not a germ, a bug, or a disease. It is a serious immune disorder that gets its name from Candida albicans; a family of yeast that are the most common micro-flora organisms that live in human digestive tract.

A healthy bowel contains a 10:1 bacteria to yeast ratio, with good yeast outnumbering the bad bacteria to maintain ecological balance. Certain factors can throw this balance off, including excess stress, sugar, birth control pill, vaccinations, and antibiotics. All of these allow

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Dandy The Lion: A Vegetable Green Smoothie ?

My husband nicknamed this one and I think it is appropriate given that the French origin of the word dandelion – dent-de-lioun – means “tooth of the lion” due to the plant’s sharply indented leaves. This fierce little smoothie contains a handful of dandelion greens, if you want more of a kick, add more leaves.  

Our home resides in a community with an Earthship greenhouse and while up there yesterday, I spotted a patch of dandelion greens and thought to myself “why not?”. I love adding greens to my morning smoothies … watercress, parsley, cilantro … and given that we are in the month of April, I figure this is as good a time as any to create a delicious spring beverage for us all to enjoy.

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Health Conditions Intuitive Channel My Family Life TM Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation – Embarking My Mantra

To say that I was willing to try anything to resolve my chronic health issues is not an understatement. I had tried many things, and as the years went by, I had this feeling that less and less was helping. The year I turned 40 years old, definitely did not help.

By the age of 43, I was as open-minded as they come and so when Transcendental Meditation (TM) was put in my reach. I reached for this programmed method of meditation with both hands. Yes, I had doubts but I was at my wit’s end to resolve what I was ready to kiss goodbye to…namely panic attacks and asthma … both of which hit hard when they arrived and put me under every time.

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Health Conditions Intuitive Channel My Story Stories TM Transcendental Meditation

Catnaps with Transcendental Meditation

Everyone will experience TM differently, depending on their physiology and past ‘history’. Not everyone has a high level of sleep deprivation prior to starting TM, thus not everyone will go through a period of fatigue-release (a.k.a. sleeping lots). If you do, you will be supported by your TM teacher as you adjust the meditation technique and move forward.

Since learning Transcendental Meditation (TM) in January 2018, I’ve had many changes. One of which is my energy level. When I first took the training I was energized out of my eyeballs; unlike other people’s testimonials about TM helping them to sleep, I felt the opposite. I was abuzz with life with an incredible sense of urgency to get my life in order all at once, no time to waste.

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B.E.D. Candida Intuitive Channel morning sickness TM Transcendental Meditation Yeast infection

Why I Decided to Try Transcendental Meditation (TM)

I began Transcendental Meditation (TM) in January of 2018. I first heard about this meditation technique when a friend mentioned it might help prevent the panic attacks I was prone to. At that time I was willing to try anything … except take more medication.

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The Body Ecology Diet Yeast infection

Savory Egg Muffins

Here’s a simple breakfast or snack with only 5 ingredients. They are easy to make and freeze well so you can make a big batch ahead of time to eat throughout the busy week.

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Automatic Writing intuitive Intuitive Channel My Family Life spirit writing Streamline writings

The Human Spirit: Preserving Childhood In A Modern Day World ~ 10 minute writing

A soul collage I made on this topic.

This is a 10-minute streamline writing, you can check out what that is about here.

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B.E.D. Candida

Will Chocolate Feed Yeast Overgrowth?

Raw, organic cacao powder made with a gut-friendly sugar, like stevia or lakanto, will not necessarily feed Candida, also known as Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth, but can be abrasive to the digestive tract lining.

This is because chocolate contains abrasive ingredients, such as sulfur, phytic acid, caffeine, oxalates, and alkaloids; all which make chocolate an acid-forming and potentially gut-irritating food.

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Bright Lemon Pie: Recipe for The Body Ecology Diet

Bright Lemon Pie: Recipe for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

I created this recipe in my first year on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). Thanksgiving was coming and after weeks avoiding everything sweet, this recipe was a godsend! I have never felt more inspired to create recipes then during my 3 years on B.E.D.!! I made a few quirks to original masterpiece by Donna Gates and am eternally grateful to her, and others that share what works as they heal their bodies from mild or chronic illness. 

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Raw Chocolate Recipe

Raw Chocolate Recipe for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

I love chocolate that is sugar-free, raw, and preferably in shape of piggies! All of which is hard to find at a cost I am willing to pay and so instead, I got in my kitchen to create a recipe with the benefits of raw cocoa without a sweetener that impacts our blood sugar; important for those healing a yeast, bacterial, or viral infection on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

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Body Ecology Support Coach My Family Life Nutritional Consultations Placenta Encapsulation Streamline writings The Essentials Traveling

Taking Time for Myself: Write in 10-Minutes

This is a 10-minute streamline writing, more about that here.

I have always taken time to be with myself. I find getting away to be therapeutic, kind of a walkabout if you will. Where I get in my car when weather is right and kids are cared for. I don’t have a destination and drive with adventure of moving to where feels right to go. Keeps me in the moment when I return to “home life”, a more predictable way of living with days that are scheduled and mornings that feel the same.

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Miscarriage Pregnancy

Now You Are Still …. Losing My Baby Girl

“Now You Are Still”: Losing My Baby Girl

Tara Carpenter, NC., CPES

I wrote the poem below in 2006 while in the hospital recovering from a sepsis infection I got moments after losing my baby girl. You can read more in detail about that loss here, please know there are photos that may be disturbing to some in that post.

In the palm of my hand, you are at peace, you are still.

Moments prior you were stretching, kicking.

Now, I explore you who spent 15 weeks inside me, warm and safe.

Now you are still.

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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet

Recipe: Young Green Coconut Kefir (fresh or bottled coconut water)

Recipe for Probiotic-Rich Young Green Coconut Kefir

 

This recipe for young green coconut kefir (yck) gives the option of using fresh or store-bought young coconut juice.

Kefir means ‘feel good’ and how most feel drinking young coconut kefir …. this probiotic food contains raw Thai young green coconuts and high-quality kefir starter*. Mix these together, culture in a warm spot, and wait to enjoy a probiotic drink full of enzymes and vitamins 🙂

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B.E.D. Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Basil Pesto Recipe: Kid-Approved & Dairy Free ?

basil-thomasHere in Vermont, we grow basil in the garden through to mid-September. Truly, there is nothing like fresh, warm from sun basil wrapped in a sandwich roll-up or around a crisp cucumber. I dry a bunch for the spice jar too. Mostly though I make pesto; whatever we don’t eat in a couple days goes into the freezer for the coming winter when vibrant green pesto is most welcome!

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Candida The Body Ecology Diet

‘Travel Food List’ for The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D)

‘Travel Food List’ for The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D)

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

When you’re on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or another gut healing protocol, travel can be challenging. It’s hard to be away from your kitchen comfort zone. The world can feel too big and food choices too slim.

Food seems to be everywhere, except in your mouth, because you can’t eat most of what is available … coffee brewing, fries frying, and pizza baking can be unbearable; it’s hard to say no on the go.

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Pregnancy The Body Ecology Diet

Eating to Prevent GBS Infection in Pregnancy

One way to decrease the chance of group B strep infection (GBS+) during pregnancy is to build up your birth canal with good bacteria that naturally discourage excess GBS overgrowth. The best way to do this is to eat foods that do not ‘feed’ the bacteria and naturally prevent them from growing too large in numbers.

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10 Ways to Avoid Group B Strep Infection in Pregnancy

Most pregnant women are not prepared for a group B strep diagnosis. I know that I wasn’t when my test came back positive at 38 weeks. At that point, I did not have time to reverse the condition and opted for i.v. antibiotics during labor. See here if unborn baby is at risk for GBS+.

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A Tale of Nori – best seaweed in town!

IMG_9122Nori is grand, nori is sweet.

Nori wraps rice into sushi like no one can beat.

This lean green machine is seaweed no doubt.

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Liver Detox Nutritional Consultations

10 Tips to Detox Liver

10 Tips to Naturally Detox Your Liver

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.)

Every spring, the liver moves into a major detoxification phase. During this brief season, the power of nature is behind you; making spring a PERFECT time to cleanse. Any time is a good time to take the burden off your liver. You don’t have to wait for spring. It’s just during spring the body naturally goes into

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Easter Natural

Easter Colors…What Would Mary Do?

Ben Easter Eggs-2006As a mom, who also wears the hat of a Holistic Nutritionist, I put my foot down on man-made colors. There’s nothing about them that I feel good with and I don’t feed them to my kids, even on celebratory days. So what’s a mom like me to do about Easter eggs??

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Intuitive Channel My Family Life Pre & Postnatal Period Stories

Learning A New Language: Becoming a Mother

When you were born, and in those first few days, I studied you. I listened to you. Every sound you made. You had your own language and as your mother I learned it.

I remember how my ears would strain on the insides to so finely imprint you into the corners of my brain. You of course, my 7 pound baby, wanted nothing more than to be held and fed.

Each sound

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menopause Placenta Encapsulation

Beat Menopausal Blues with Placenta

As a PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulator I get to witness how much a new mother benefits from taking her placenta capsules made with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) method.

Why would a woman eat her placenta? Because during pregnancy, this is the organ that regulates and stores hormones. Once it is expelled after a baby’s birth, we can find that placental tissue is rich in specific hormones that can bring balance to a new mother’s wide open, vulnerable system.

In good time, most mothers find that their pituitary gland kicks back into gear to resume hormone regulation. This process can take longer for some women depending on a women’s general make-up but typically most will feel that the first 6-8 weeks after birth to be a time of great fluctuation.

If this is true during postpartum, then what about during menopause? After doing a fair amount of research, I found that:

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Nutritional Consultations Recipe

How My Family Uses Meat Stock

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMeat stock goes back centuries as food with medicinal properties. Whether it’s made with chicken, lamb, beef, or fish – It’s all good stuff. It’s the first thing that we think to eat when we get sick. It’s nourishing, anti-inflammatory, and healing for the digestive system and keeps our bellies happy ?

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Fermented Cod Liver Oil

How We Take Fermented Cod Oil (FCLO)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Note: I am not an affiliate for Green Pastures. I am a group buyer to bring my community this oil at a reduced price.

We take fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) every day, twice a day, year round. My husband likes his straight-up no flavor, I like the chocolate, my oldest likes

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Placenta Encapsulation

How to Lotus Birth & Encapsulate Placenta

Tara, PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulationist

If you want to have a lotus birth AND encapsulate, here are three ways to do so:

#1 Way) Keep baby connected to umbilical cord and the placenta for up to 4 hours. This is the easiest way to keep the placenta fit for

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The Body Ecology Diet Yeast infection

Bubbly Blueberry Jelly: Probiotic-Rich Recipe

Bubbly Blueberry Jelly: Probiotic-Rich Recipe

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Originally published September 10, 2016

Early to mid-August here in Vermont tends to be blueberry season here in Vermont where I live, and my boys and I pick up to 4 gallons most years. We can only eat so much before our teeth start to hurt (!!), so I end up freezing the bulk of them.

Here is my method to freeze blueberries …. lay berries out whole on as many trays as you need, and then double bag in Ziploc freezer bags. This way, the berries won’t stick together when you go to use them later.

I reserve any mushy berries to puree with chia (or flax) seeds and pour into ice cube trays that go in freezer too. The nicest berries are put aside to make jello, almond crusted tarts, fruit leather, and of course blueberry jelly 🙂

I stopped eating normal jelly when I was on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal yeast overgrowth. This gut healing protocol avoids sugar, including fruit sugars. I also really like food combining and find it hard to find anything that jelly ‘combines’ with, though it’s pretty tasty on raw flax crackers with some pumpkin seed butter 😉

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Cultured Strawberry Ice Cream: Probiotic-Rich!!

Cultured Strawbery Ice Cream: Probiotic-Rich!! (B.E.D. Friendly, stage 2)

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for people of all ages healing a yeast, bacterial, or viral infection with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

One hot summer morning, I woke to see out our window several red strawberries in our garden. My immediate thought was “strawberry ice cream for breakfast!” The kids loved the idea (of course…) and responded with joyful glee, a splattering of kisses on my cheek, and spins of delight 🙂

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Snack List for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutrition for healing yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

Avocado BenThis snack list is for those on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D); a gut healing protocol that is gluten-sugar-yeast free and uses principles such as 80/20 and food combining for meals that are easy-to-digest.

Items marked with (*) are best saved for stage 2 or as an occasional treat.

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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet

Lakanto: A Sugar for Diabetes & Yeast Overgrowth

I found lakanto while doing The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to heal yeast overgrowth (Candida). This healing protocol suggested avoiding honey, white/raw sugar, maple syrup, and other sweeteners I relied on.

After weeks without sweets, I was thrilled to find lakanto to make sweet treats that I could eat! This sugar alternative doesn’t feed harmful pathogens (i.e. GBS+, Candida) nor does it make our blood acidic like most sweeteners do. It’s also safe for diabetics or hypoglycemics as lakanto doesn’t influence insulin or blood sugar levels.

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Birth Pre & Postnatal Period

Benefits of Delayed Cord Clamping

close up of an umbilical cord still attached
Seconds after birth, with cord full of blood.

When baby is born, he only has 2/3 of his blood is in his body. The remaining 1/3 remains in his umbilical cord and placenta. This blood does not flow into baby until the last stage of labor.

What is the last stage of labor? It is that period of time after baby is born until the time the placenta is born. It’s this stage of labor that the cord actively pumps the remaining blood into baby; blood that is very rich in iron, oxygen, and stem cells.

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Buckwheat Waffles (dairy, gluten, flour, egg-free)

This recipe uses buckwheat, an energizing grain that warms the body, regulates blood sugar, and balances out the thyroid. It’s also alkaline-forming and increases the circulation to the hands and feet.

I created this recipe while healing yeast overgrowth with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.); which recommends not eating gluten, yeast, sugar, or flour products during stage 1. Once I started, I missed waffles! So, I set out to make some I could eat and that my kids would like too. 

We loved them so much, and friends who didn’t have any food issues loved them too, so I made this a ‘cookbook recipe’ …. the batter can be used to make

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B.E.D. Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Chicken Nuggets for The Body Ecology Diet

Chicken Nuggets for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

I tweaked this recipe from Holistic Squid’s version which contain almond flour. One of the main principles on The Body Ecology Diet is proper food combining; unfortunately, that means avoiding nuts and meat on the same plate.

This recipe is suited to meet the specific dietary needs of this healing way of eating and is gluten/dairy/grain-free. My kids love them in the lunchbox and say they taste better than frozen nuggets from the store.

I like that they don’t contain

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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet Traveling

Travel Tips for The Body Ecology Diet

Travel Tips for The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic nutritional support for healing yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth-related health conditions with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.).

sleeping on car tripsTraveling – whether by car, plane or train – can interfere with our digestive system working well. Most of the stress we encounter when traveling is beforehand with the organizing and packing and getting out the door. We in a flurry for our trip and then we sit for long periods as we are whisked away at unnatural speeds ….

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Nutritional Consultations

Bragg’s Liquid Aminos: Healthy Soy Sauce Alternative?

Is Bragg’s Liquid Aminos a healthy version of soy sauce? The label boasts a wide range of amino acids, that must be a good thing …. right??

Personally, I am not a fan of Bragg’s. After countless clients asked why that is exactly, I finally put my nose to the grindstone to focus and research the topic properly. 

Below is what I have found thus far …..

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hyperemesis gravidarum Pregnancy

Miscarriage: A Mother’s Love Never Dies

Miscarriage: A Mother’s Love Never Dies

Tara Carpenter, NC., CPES.

This post contains photos that may be disturbing, view at own discretion.

On July 27th 2006, I lost a baby girl so tiny she fit in my palm with her legs dangling over. She was 15 weeks with delicate features complete in formation; simply needed time to plump up. She had the beginnings of eyelashes, fingernails, a cleft in her chin.

She fluttered inside me the first time the day before I miscarried. The severe morning sickness I experienced throughout pregnancy had lifted a week prior. I was on the up and up, looking pregnant and feeling a bit more normal, ready to welcome the next phase of pregnancy.

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B.E.D. Placenta Encapsulation

ASEA: Natural Supplement for Women

Laura_Flynn (1)I learned of ASEA while encapsulating for a mom whose placenta was so vital that I inquired if she had done anything differently during her pregnancy. The one unique thing this mom had done on a regular basis was supplement with ASEA; a bio-active solution containing Redox Signaling molecules that are safe and support the immune system. This natural supplement can be helpful for women in the childbearing years when the body is in a constant state of building itself.

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Fermented Cod Liver Oil Foods That Heal

Suggested Dosages for Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Note: I am not an affiliate for Green Pastures. I am a group buyer to bring this oil to my community at a reduced price.

Green Pastures™ fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) has many benefits. Most of us know this, but don’t always know how much oil to take or give our kids. I asked Dave Wetzel, owner of this family-owned company for his thoughts and he said “the oil can be medicinal, but it’s not a “one size fits all drug”, it’s up to each person to

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B.E.D. Foods That Heal Health Conditions Home Remedies Products Supplements Testimonials The Body Ecology Diet The Digestive System The Essentials Traveling

Digestive Enzymes: Goodbye Bloating!

assist-digestive-enzymes-imageI don’t struggle so much anymore with digestive issues (i.e. gas, constipation, brain fog) but I did a few years ago when I had a yeast overgrowth issue (systemic candida). After years of cleansing with Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) and making big lifestyle and diet changes I feel a lot better now.

One thing I did during that time was to take

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Unsalted, Cultured Vegetables: Beginner Recipe

Tara Carpenter, NC.

A good recipe to begin with if new to making unsalted, probiotic vegetables! Also lovingly known as cultured veggies or cv’s. I have laid everything out in step-by-step fashion with only 3 ingredients … cabbage, carrots, and culture starter.

Don’t let simplicity fool you though, this food is potent with ability to kick-start near any “gut engine” back into working gear and have you digesting like a rock star ✨

A simple, colorful mixture to light up your tastebuds.

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Food Combining Foods That Heal Nutritional Consultations The Body Ecology Diet

The Skinny on Food Combining

Example of really bad food combining

I food combine most every meal and every day. It’s the one food secret I wish somebody had told me about way earlier. Before I met ‘food combining’ I wore stretchy pants because I was so bloated that people thought I was pregnant. Now, I fit into jeans I wore in college and feel more slender with curves I thought were long gone. Always a nice thing…