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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 by Europeans, this vibrant red berry is touted as a superfood due to nutrient and antioxidant properties. The cranberry provides benefits to especially women who are more 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

Recipe for Strong Bones: Salmon Head Stock

Tara Carpenter, NC.

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

Salmon heads are packed with tender meat and an abundance of fat along the jawbone. They are prized for making a rich fish stock that can be used as a base for soup of all kinds and are shown to contain vitamin A, Omega-3, iron, zinc, and calcium. I felt apprehensive to make salmon head stock. I have tons of experience with chicken and other meat stocks, yet had never made fish stock and imagined the house smelling ‘fishy’!!

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B.E.D. Candida The Body Ecology Diet

One Woman’s Testimonial: B.E.D. Support with Tara

Testimonials for Holistic Nutritional Support 

Tara Carpenter, NC.

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

Every now and then I receive a testimonial worth sharing with the world! The lady behind the words found below are from 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’s words:

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 I was stuck 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 and had a hopelessly weak constitution, something I feared would last the rest of my life. I was only 23 years old. 

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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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Candida The Body Ecology Diet

Grocery List for The Body Ecology Diet

Stage 1: Grocery List

The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

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

This grocery list is for stage 1 of The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) and a starting point to begin the concentrated, strict phase of healing. Most feel relief from chronic health symptoms within 3-6 months, yet we are individual in how we respond to the changes in our diet and lives. We are each called into action in our own unique way and B.E.D. gives a blueprint, a guide to your healing journey.

I am here to offer support along the way if and when needed …. click here to learn more about B.E.D. Support. How long to stay on stage 1 depends I find on the health condition(s) you come to the table with and the reason(s) why you stepped into this diet.

The list below is a tool for your toolbox. Feel ready to transition into stage 2? Here is a b.e.d. stage 2 grocery list.

Donna Gates created The Body Ecology Diet as a holistic, natural approach to address yeast, bacterial, and viral infections. This healing diet gives the immune and digestive system a needed opportunity to rest, repair, and renew itself to be the self-healing organism we are designed to be.

Move slowly and with a smile like my rosy-cheeked Thomas seen below in this photograph 🙂 This was 2010 when we practiced stage 1 as a family. 

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Breech Baby Pregnancy

Turning a Transverse (or Breech) Baby

Turning a Transverse (or Breech) Baby

transverse

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

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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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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Apple Cider Kefir: A Probiotic Recipe!

This kefir is made from apple cider and starter. A sweet and sour concoction that is fizzy like champagne …. pure effervescence! The best part is also rich in diverse, potent probiotic strains. The friendly flora within act as a digestive aid to keep the gut in good shape. More benefits.

Looking for an easy, affordable way to get your probiotic dose? This might be for you. Especially if you have an issue with your gut (i.e. bloating, constipation) or yeast/bacterial overgrowth (i.e., Candida, GBS+). 

No matter what, a glass of juice kefir is a way to kick start a day and keep those healthy internal gut bugs in balance.

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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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The Body Ecology Diet

BonBons for The Body Ecology Diet

Assorted Truffles

These bonbons are perfect for Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or other gut healing protocol like Paleo or GAPS. They do not contain gluten, yeast, refined sugar, or pasteurized dairy.

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Candida The Body Ecology Diet

My Healing Journal: 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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kids Teeth

Thumbs Up: Keeping Kids Cavity-Free ?

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

I am mom of two kids; my youngest, who is now 11, has no cavities and my oldest, now 17, had a tiny one when he was 6. Thankfully, it was on a baby tooth and because of my son’s fear of needles we pulled the tooth ,rather than fill it, as he was going to lose that tooth naturally shortly.

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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. The Body Ecology Diet

Lunchbox List for The Body Ecology Diet

Lunchbox List

Tara Carpenter, NC.

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

My son off to school!

If you are on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or follow a ‘gluten-sugar-yeast free’ diet you know what it takes to pack a balanced lunchbox with foods allowed. I put together some ideas here to make this easier.

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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 men who want to tailor The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) to meet their dietary needs. While I am no guy, I did watch my husband start the diet and have 8 years under my belt with feeding both him and my boys.

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Probiotic food Recipe

Short-Term Traditional Pickles Recipe

Short-Term Traditional Pickle Recipe

by Tara Carpenter, NC.

In Vermont, pickling cucumbers grow on the vine from July to mid-September. This rush of cucumbers inspired me to find a recipe for a traditional made pickle; one that stood the test of time and worthy of being passed down from one generation to the next. Most of all, I was interested in a recipe that did not use vinegar or canning methods (pasteurization) to keep the natural integrity of cucumbers alive and crisp.  

After playing with various recipes, my sister-in-law pulled a pickle from her crock one summer day; the taste had the classic deli pickle firmness and was raw!! With no vinegar or heat involved.

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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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Lemon Pudding ‘n Pie: Recipe for Body Ecology Diet

The first time I made this recipe was when I celebrated my first Thanksgiving on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). After weeks of avoiding everything sweet, this recipe was a godsend. I have made only mild quirks to the 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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The Body Ecology Diet

My Raw Chocolate Recipe ?

I like my chocolate sugar-free, raw, and preferably in the shape of a piggie. All of which can be hard to find at a cost I want to pay. So, I got in the kitchen to create a recipe with all the benefits of raw cocoa beans without the sugar.

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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 A Baby

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

Moments prior you stretched, you kicked.

Exploring 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)

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; food choices too slim.

Food is everywhere but your mouth because you can’t eat any 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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B.E.D. Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Probiotic-Rich Cultured Cream

Probiotic-Rich Cultured Cream: Recipe

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Holistic Nutrition for healing yeast, bacterial, and viral infections with The Body Ecology Diet.

Cultured cream is a fancy name for sour cream, a.k.a. crème fraiche and simple to make …. all you need is a jar, cream, and starter* to break down milk protein (casein) and convert milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid. 

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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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B.E.D. B.E.D. Support via phone or Skype Body Ecology Support Coach Cultured Foods Foods That Heal Health Conditions Home Remedies My Family Life Nutritional Consultations Pre & Postnatal Period The Body Ecology Diet The Digestive System The Essentials

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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Allergen Friendly Autism Friendly Basic Recipes Foods That Heal intuitive My Family Life Nutritional Consultations Stories The Essentials

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 Ways to Detox the Liver

Every spring, the liver organ moves into a major detoxification phase. During this brief season, you have the power of nature 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 that during spring your body will naturally go 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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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet

Stage 2: GROCERY LIST The Body Ecology Diet

Stage 2: Grocery List

The Body Ecology Diet

Tara Carpenter, NC.

This grocery list is for Stage 2 of The Body Ecology Diet (stage 1 grocery list. 

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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)

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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: A Probiotic-Rich Recipe ?

The second week of August is blueberry season here in Vermont …. we get about 2 to 4 gallons to freeze for the rest of year around. Most of them get laid out whole on trays and frozen (easier to separate and eat with fingers) before dumping them into quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags.

I reserve the mushier berries and puree those with chia seeds and pour that into ice cube trays that eventually get popped into Ziplocs as well. 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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Autism Friendly B.E.D. B.E.D. Support B.E.D. Support via phone or Skype Basic Recipes Body Ecology Diet Body Ecology Support Coach Cultured Foods Dessert easy-to-digest Foods That Heal gut health Healing Diet Healing Foods kids My Family Life My Kitchen Nutrition Nutritional Consultations Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Cultured Strawberry Ice Cream

Cultured Strawbery Ice Cream: Recipe

Tara Carpenter, NC.

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

One hot summer morning, I woke to see out my window ☀ tons of ripe, red strawberries in our garden. My thought was “let’s have strawberry ice cream for breakfast!” The kids loved the idea and responded fully with joyful glee and a splattering of kisses on my cheeks and spins of delight 🙂

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Snack Ideas for The Body Ecology Diet

Avocado BenThe snack list below is for those healing with The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D). This gut healing protocol is gluten-sugar-yeast free and ideally the food you eat is easy-to-digest. Items marked with an (*) is 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: Recipe (grain, gluten, corn free)

This recipe is tweaked from Holistic Squid to suit more specific dietary needs (gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free). My kids love them in their lunchboxes and think they taste better than the frozen kind at the store.

I like them because they don’t contain

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B.E.D. The Body Ecology Diet Traveling

Travel Tips for The Body Ecology Diet

sleeping on car tripsTraveling – whether by car, plane or train – can mess with our digestive system. Not only are we in a flurry of organizing and packing for our trip, but then we sit for long periods of time as we’re 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

 

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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Pre & Postnatal Period

My Red Yoga Mat

Yoga 02
9 months pregnant in 2002

I love my red yoga mat that is full of stains. Like a loved teddy bear, my mat will have to be in pieces before I let it go. My mat has been with me through thick ‘n thin since my early 20’s when I taught myself step by step how to do each yoga posture with a little book written by Richard Hittleman.

This was all back before my children were born and my career had taken off. Back when the days were seamless and I went wherever the wind seemed to blow. One of those places was Esalen in Big Sur; where my love for yoga deepened into the easy practice that I continue to this day.

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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…

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Candida The Body Ecology Diet

Inner Ecosystem: A Living World Inside You

inner-ecosystemJust like earth, the human body has an inner ecosystem that is located inside of the digestive tract. This living world teems with a variety of micro-flora that work day and night to keep the body healthy and in homeostasis.

The inner ecosystem stretches from mouth to rectum and is approximately 30 feet long. Neatly packed in there are millions of micro-flora organisms, both good (probiotics) and bad (pathogens) that intermingle; living in a delicate balance of harmony with one another.

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B.E.D. Body Ecology Support Coach Cultured Foods Health Conditions Nutritional Consultations The Body Ecology Diet The Digestive System The Essentials

Stop Sugar Cravings with Cultured Food

Sugar cravings are a real issue for many of us and strike at familiar times each day…esp. the late afternoon! Their are many reasons why we experience energy dips yet we’re not getting into that here. Instead I’m going to mention a healthy and doable way to get a handle on sugar cravings ?

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The Digestive System The Essentials

The 4 ‘Rs’ for Strong Digestion

Good digestion is the cornerstone of well-being and part of multiple processes. If your digestion is not up to speed, then the immune/nervous system can be compromised. For ex, weak digestion can lead to

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Health Conditions Pre & Postnatal Period

Maya Abdominal Massage

Photo Credit lotuscentre.com

Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy™ is a traditional  Maya healing technique developed by Dr. Rosita Arvigo to restore the position and health of pelvic and abdominal organs. This external, noninvasive abdominal massage is best known for correcting a prolapsed, fallen, or tilted uterus (wandering womb).

Sudden falls, whiplash and bouncing (i.e. running), even just wearing heels can swing the

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B.E.D. B.E.D. Support via phone or Skype Health Conditions My Family Life Pre & Postnatal Period The Digestive System Yeast infection

Is Your Unborn Baby at Risk for GBS+?

Group B strep (GBS) is a transient pathogenic bacterium sporadically present in the gastrointestinal tract and reproductive system. Typically, these microscopic life forms do not cause any harm, yet have the potential to present problems for pregnant women and their growing babies.

If you test positive for GBS infection it may mean you are a group B strep carrier rather than a definitive indication that your baby will become ill. Often, it is the babies that are born to moms with large amounts of GBS who are at the greatest risk of becoming infected.

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Recipe The Body Ecology Diet

Pomegranate Jello Recipe

013The perfect treat for a hot summer morning and a sneaky way to get gelatin into you (+ kids). I created this jello while on The Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D) to heal a chronic case of yeast overgrowth. My kids did this gut healing protocol too, so I had to get creative in the food department 🙂

The B.E.D. protocol avoids all fruit because most fruit contains too much natural sugars, which feeds yeast, bacterial, and viral overgrowth. The only exceptions to this rule are the acidic fruits like lemons, limes, acai, sour green apples, black currants, cranberries, and pomegranates …. hence this recipe.

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Cultured Foods Health Conditions

The Eczema Battle – Call in the Cultured Troops!

 

High quality, unsalted cultured foods can help eczema (dermatitis) and a variety of other skin disorders for at the root of such conditions is often a gut flora imbalance and damaged intestinal lining.

Cultured foods, naturally rich in probiotics, deliver loads of beneficial bacteria to the gut where they quickly colonize – crowding out the pathogenic bacteria, yeast, etc. living there. Not only do friendly flora keep bad guys “in check”, but also maintain a balanced

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Traveling

I Am Well

June 2013 - Scituate 087I recently returned from a trip to my sister’s home on the coast of MA. I drove 6 hours each way, and was away for 10 days. In all of those days and nights I did not have one belly-ache. Not even the slightest dull ache. In the past, the traveling alone would have been enough to put me under for days. This is a BIG deal for someone in my shoes! Since healing myself from systemic Candida almost 5 years ago

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Foods That Heal Health Conditions Home Remedies Intuitive Nutritional Consultations My Family Life Placenta Encapsulation Pre & Postnatal Period Supplements The Essentials

The Placenta – A Hormonal Bomb?!

Placenta is recognized by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as having strong Qi (life force energy), scientific research also shows placenta to be incredibly nutritious, containing iron, B12 and protein.

Placenta also contains the new mom’s very own hormones. Hormones that are uniquely bio-available to her. A perfect lock ‘n key fit where her body recognizes these hormones and quickly puts them to use.

In fact, many of my clients feel a positive effect within minutes of drinking Mother’s Broth or taking a couple doses of placenta capsules.

When reintroduced to the body, like we do with placenta capsules, these beneficial nutrients have

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Placenta Encapsulation

Hospital Release of Placenta

Hospital Release of PlacentaWomen who give birth at home have the luxury of being in complete control over the care and handling of their baby’s placenta.  A woman who births in a hospital has to adhere to the guidelines and policies in place at their facility of choice.  In some cases, there is no written policy, and mothers are then subjected to the whim of