Am I having a Herxheimer reaction? Plus great grain-free goodies

Last week I got hit pretty hard with a Herxheimer reaction.  A what, you say?

A Herxheimer reaction (also called a “die-off” reaction or a “Healing Crisis”) “is the result of the rapid killing of microorganisms and absorption of large quantities of yeast toxins, cell particles and antigens.”  (Virgin Coconut Oil).

Basically what this is saying is that when toxins try to leave the body faster than it can handle, it creates “die-off” symptoms which can vary from person to person.  The symptoms are usually a repeat of symptoms a person already has but they can get worse before they get better.

But it’s a good thing!  It means your body is actually on its way to achieving a new level of healing.  However, it is difficult sometimes to know if you’re simply reacting to something you ate (in a bad way) or if there is actually a healing crisis going on.

For me last week, I felt like I was getting the flu.  My whole body ached, I had a headache, sore throat and a stomach ache.  I also felt like I was in a brain fog for a few days as well as experiencing some emotional ups and downs.  I was also extremely tired and had to rest many times.  It started Tuesday and let up on Thursday, during which time I was pretty sure I was having a “die-off” episode.  I hadn’t eaten anything else that would have triggered an allergic reaction and since I’ve been making a lot of changes in my diet, I almost expected it.

If I had really had the flu, it would have most likely lasted a lot longer.  Instead, it just kind of went away gradually after a couple days.  I also felt wonderful over the weekend, like a new layer of an onion had been peeled off of me!

On another note, you can do things to avoid big die-off episodes such as these!  Like going slow when introducing new foods like coconut oil, fermented veggies, kefir, or bottled probiotics as well as making changes to your diet slowly.  Take these new foods and supplements in very small amounts and then add more and more slowly until you reach the desired amount.

Chicken Soup, nourishing and wholesome
After I started feeling better, I started getting back into the kitchen.  My first stop was a chicken soup.  I first made chicken stock and  followed the recipe in Nourishing Traditions (minus the chicken feet).  I then made chicken soup with fresh garden tomatoes, zucchini and carrots.  It was so simple and so nourishing.  We ate it for several days afterwards.

After making the chicken soup and getting back to my normal speed, I began to bake up a storm in the kitchen using minimal grain-free ingredients.  I had discovered a wonderful new blog called GrainFreeFoodie and I decided to try several of her recipes.

Nut butter muffins (Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free)
These were another wonderful surprise!  Though my son wasn’t crazy about them, I was somewhat surprised that you can make a muffin out of eggs, nut butter, honey, baking soda and lemon juice!  I look forward to making them into apple, pumpkin, banana and other kinds of muffins.  They are very simple and have a great texture!

Banana Pancakes (Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free)
Yummy!  I loved these simple little treats.  Elijah liked these better than the muffins and I again loved making pancakes without any kind of flour!  I’d like to make them with almond or cashew butter next time!

Coconut Crepes (Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free)
These are just completely awesome.  I really can’t believe how good they are.  Teri is exactly right-on when she says these are “company-worthy.”  And I was pleased to see that mine turned out looking very similar to her’s.  I didn’t make any filling for these – I was mostly experimenting with the crepe recipe but look forward to filling them with all sorts of goodies in the future.

Pancake “Bread”
These turned out pretty good, but rather labor-intensive.  I also think I fluffed my egg whites a bit too much but they were still good.  I ended up making most of them into muffins because I was tired of making pancakes.  They turned out pretty good this way but were better as pancakes.

Almond Flour Pizza
Teri’s recipe is for Hazelnut Pizza but the original recipe is from  Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall and she uses almond flour.  I too used my blanched almond flour and it turned out very yummy – better than I had been expecting I must admit!  It is a bit of a dense crust, but very soft, moist and delicious.  A great alternative for people who are grain, gluten, dairy, corn and sugar free.  Yes it does have eggs in it so this may be a problem for some.

I was overall very happy with the results of these recipes!  Thanks Teri!  It gives me great hope that it is incredibly possible AND enjoyable to live grain-free, which is the direction my diet is taking me!

Any other ideas for grain-free baking?  I’d love to hear about them!

Again, this is my weekly submission for the Tuesday Twister Carnival!  Check out all the other great posts at GNOWFLINS.com!