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Howtoquitgluten

The document is a collection of healthy recipes, including various snacks, desserts, and meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and often grain-free. It features detailed instructions for each recipe, such as Herby Vege Crackers, Buckwheat Pancakes, and Chocolate Fudge Brownies, along with tips for preparation and serving. Additionally, it includes sections on food types, kitchen health, and gut health.

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martirous1
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
58 views38 pages

Howtoquitgluten

The document is a collection of healthy recipes, including various snacks, desserts, and meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and often grain-free. It features detailed instructions for each recipe, such as Herby Vege Crackers, Buckwheat Pancakes, and Chocolate Fudge Brownies, along with tips for preparation and serving. Additionally, it includes sections on food types, kitchen health, and gut health.

Uploaded by

martirous1
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

contents

recipes
Herby Vege Crackers……………………………………………3

Buckwheat Sprouted Muesli……….………………………..…4

Keeping You Slim & Trim Buckwheat Pancakes……………5

Ginger Crunch……………………………………………………6

Chocolate Banana & Walnut Muffins………….…………….7

Coconut Quinoa Bread………………….……………………..8

Lemon Brownie………………….………………………………..9

Black Bean Brownie……………………………………………..10

Chocolate Fudge Brownie……………………………………..11

Blueberry Friands…………………………………….……….…..12

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Power Cookies………....13

Tropical Orange Coconut Cake………………………………14

Cashew Fruit Drops………..……………………………………..15

Chocolate and Coconut Slice…………….......…………..…16

Armaretti Biscuits……………………………………………….....17

Louise Cake………………………………………………………..18 www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

Chocolate Torte…………………………………………………..20

Vegetable Fritters…………………………………………….…..21

Buckwheat Pasta…………………………………….…………..22

Delish Sesame and Almond Crackers……………………….24

1
mind food
What’s The Go With Paleo ……………..……………….....26

Flours what they taste like and when to use them..…..28

The first seven steps to your healthy kitchen…………….31

The healthy gut……………………………………………......32

Leaky gut/Dysbiosis……………………………………………37

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

2
herby vegetable crackers

1 Cup organic sundried tomatoes, soaked in 1. Place all ingredients in a food processor,
cold water for 24 hours, retain soaking water and blend into a smooth paste. Taste and
adjust seasonings to suit.
2 small dried chilies, soaked in water for 24
hours 2. Place 1/3 mixture onto a sheet of baking
paper and spread lightly, then place another
2 organic carrots, scrubbed and roughly
sheet on top. Using a rolling pin carefully roll
chopped
the mixture evenly into a thin ¼ inch
rectangle.
2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked for 24 hours,
drained
3. Carefully peel back the top sheet and
then smooth down with larger knife.
3 cups golden linseed, soaked overnight with
the tomatoes
4. Score the mixture into cracker sizes and

1 red capsicum place the baking sheet and crackers onto a


baking tray. Repeat with the remaining
1-2 courgettes mixture on two other trays.

2 tbsp unpasteurized miso, optional 5. Dehydrate in a fan oven at 50◦ for 8-18
hours, until crisp. Flip over and break along
Splashing of tamari, or shoyu the scored lines, to speed up the process.

2 tbsp garlic granules or 4 cloves chopped Tip: Add other dried flavours like basil, mixed

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garlic or garlic powder herbs, paprika, cumin, ginger, whatever you
are inspired to add!
1 tsp onion powder (optional)

1-3 tsp cumin seeds (optional)

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 dsp Himalayan salt

3
buckwheat Sprouted Muesli

1 cup organic almonds 1. Soak almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds,


1 cup cashews pumpkin seeds, walnuts, for 6-8 hours, strain,
8 cups raw sprouted buckwheat groats (the rinse and leave to sprout for a day. (I do this
whole buckwheat) all together)
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds 2. Sprout the buckwheat by soaking them for
½ cup walnuts 1 hour, straining, and then leaving them to
1 cup shredded organic coconut sprout for a day. Don’t leave them to soak
4-6 tablespoons ground cinnamon, to taste for too long or they’ll soak up too much
1 teaspoon Himalayan Salt water. Thoroughly rinse the buckwheat can
1 cup goji berries (craisins can be used, but have an odd odour.
not as healthy)
½ cup cacao nibs 3. In a food processor bowl mix cashews,
1 cup dried organic fruit such as mango, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
papaya, pineapple, blueberries cut into and walnuts and the apricots, raisins or
small pieces (optional) dates. Pulse into small pieces but don’t
½ to 1 cup raw honey or yacon overdo it or you’ll end up with flour! You can
200gm melted butter or ghee also leave them whole if you prefer.

4. Melt the butter with the honey or other


sweetener, then whisk in the cinnamon.
Combine all the ingredients to a large bowl

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and mix thoroughly with your fingers to
combine. Lay on baking trays and fan dry at
the lowest oven temperature below 40
degrees C, or add to your dehydrator and
dry at 105 degrees F. Drying should take 18-
24 hours.

5. Store in an airtight jar and serve with nut


milks, fresh fruit and or yoghurt.

4
keeping you slim and trim buckwheat pancakes

Despite the name, buckwheat is not wheat in fact it’s not even grain. It’s a gluten
free fruit seed in the rhubarb family. Highly nutritious, it is high in protein, iron and
potassium. It also has a long transit time in the gut giving it a low glycemic index so
it is great for dieters too!

2 eggs, lightly beaten 1. Mix the buckwheat and amaranth flours


1 ½ cups buttermilk with the buttermilk, cover and leave on the
OR 1 cup milk and ¼ cup yoghurt and 1 tbsp bench overnight.
lemon juice
1 cup buckwheat flour 2. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk.
½ cup tapioca flour
1 tbsp coconut sugar 3. Bring a knob of ghee or butter up to
1 ½ tsp baking powder browning stage in a cast iron pan, then fry ¼
½ tsp salt cup of mixture for about 15 seconds, flip and
Butter or ghee or organic coconut oil for cook about 10 seconds other side, to make
frying crepe style pancakes.

4. These are lovely served with organic B


Grade maple syrup with fresh yoghurt and
blueberries or with yacon syrup and banana.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


Serving suggestion: Stack small pancakes
between layers of blueberries and top with
cultured cream and a drizzle of maple.

5
ginger crunch
3/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds, raw 1. Preheat oven to 170 C, or 338 F
1/2 cup cashew nuts, raw
2. Grind together in a food processor until
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, raw
breadcrumb size: Sunflower seeds, cashew
1/2 cup sesame seeds, hulled
nuts and pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup coconut flour (chickpea or spelt
may be substituted) 3. In a mixing bowl add the rest of the dry
3/4 cup ground almond ingredients
3/4 cup erythitol or sugar (coconut sugar or
4. Add eggs and butter
rapadura or sucanat is best)
1/2 cup fine organic desiccated coconut,
5. Mix together well and press into a lined
sulphite free
baking tray 20cm x 20cm until its about 1
2 rounded teaspoons ground ginger powder
1/2 cm thick. Ensure you press firmly.
1 tsp each of guar gum and xanthum gum
(or 2 tsp of either) 6. Fan bake for 10 -12 mins until the edges

Big pinch Himalayan Salt are golden and your kitchen smells divine!

2 large eggs
7. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
200gms melted butter or coconut oil
Top with ginger icing.

Ginger Crunch Icing Ginger Crunch Icing


1 1/2 cups icing (powdered) sugar 1. Place the butter and hot water into a
1-2 tbsp ground ginger, to taste bowl and mix to melt butter. Sieve the icing
1 tbsp butter 1/3 cup hot water sugar and ground ginger into the bowl and

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


combine into a smooth icing. If too thick
add more water, if too thin add more sugar.
Smooth onto of crunch and refrigerate to
set.

2. Remove from tray by lifting the baking


paper, cut into small 4cm x 4cm squares,
stack in layers of baking paper and store in
the refrigerator.

6
banana chocolate & walnut muffins
This is a fabulous muffin that is not only dairy and gluten free, its grain free. Sound
too healthy to taste good? Noooo! These are so delicious you will be baking them
all the time!

1 tin coconut cream 1. In a small pot add the coconut cream


1/3 cup Yacon (maple can be substituted) and heat slightly so that the hardened
2/3 cup Rapadura sugar coconut is melted.
4 large eggs
2. Add the Yacon or maple and mix
2 ripe mashed bananas
together until combined.
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups coconut flour
3. Add the well mashed bananas, vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
and eggs one at a time until well combined.
Pinch salt
1 cup 70% dark chocolate cut into small
4. In a separate bowl, sift the coconut flour
pieces, plus 18 whole pieces
then add the baking soda, salt and
½ cup walnut pieces (optional)
Rapadura sugar.

5. Make a bowl in the middle of the dry


NOTE: This can also be used as a cake
ingredients and place the coconut milk
recipe! Serve topped with slivered almonds
mixture in the centre, then add the walnuts
and a dusting of icing sugar.
and chocolate pieces and mix to combine.
Store in an airtight container, or freeze as

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


If the milk is still warm the chocolate will melt
required.
while you combine the ingredients. As with
any muffin don’t over mix or you will lose the
lightness that this recipe is famous for.

6. Dollop into 18 prepared muffin tins and


smooth the tops. Place a chocolate square
on top pressing into the muffin slightly.

7. Bake (never fan bake muffins) at 180º C


for 35 mins, or until they spring back when
touched.

7
coconut bread

This is a bread that has so many wonderful attributes, it’s gluten free, grain free,
dairy free, low reactive, is Genius Diet approved, BED and GAPS approved and for
many who are who are on specialty healing diets, this bread will save you!

It is so simple to make you can whip it up in a couple of minutes and let it bake.
A little coconut flour goes a very long way so try to stick to the correct qualities and
you won’t end up with a dry loaf.

2 cups cooked Alison’s Pantry Tri Quinoa 1. Preheat your oven to 170ºc or 325ºf
1 cup sifted coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder 2. Grease a loaf pan and add a layer of
1 tsp salt (do not use too much salt as the baking paper widthways.
coconut flour takes on the flavour easily)
7 large eggs 1. In a mixing bowl add your flour, salt and
200 gm melted coconut oil, melted butter or baking powder.
ghee
2. Make a well and add the eggs, coconut
oil then whisk briskly until smooth and
combined.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


3. Stir through your cooked Tri Quinoa.

4. Add to your loaf pan and bake for 40


mins or until cooked through.

5. Leave to cool in the pan for a while


before removing to a cooling rack.

8
lemon brownie

Ohhh... so delicious and best of all this lemon brownie stays moist! Naturally it's also
grain and cane sugar free so it ticks to Paleo boxes.

1 tsp baking powder 1. Mix together all the dry ingredients;


1 1/8 cup ground almond flour almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour,
1/2 cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot) baking powder, salt and coconut sugar and
1/2 cup coconut flour lemon zest.
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup coconut sugar (or other sweetener) 2. Mix together all the wet ingredients; eggs,
200 grams melted butter (or coconut oil) lemon juice, melted butter.
4 large eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice 3. Fold dry and wet ingredients together until
2 tbsp fine lemon zest combined.

Glaze 4. Place into a lined square 20cm baking


Ingredients dish, smooth the top and bake at 175 C or
1/4 cup softened coconut oil 340F for 25 mins or until cooked.
1/2 cup coconut butter (see below)
2 tbsp active raw honey 5. Cool in baking pan for 20 mins, then
1 tbp lemon juice remove to cake rack. Once cool enough
1 tsp fine lemon zest you can pour over the glaze.
pinch of Himalayan salt

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


Glaze
Coconut Butter: To make coconut butter 6. Place all you glaze ingredients apart from
place 1 cup of fine desiccated coconut into the zest into your blender and combine until
your high powered blender or food processor smooth.
and leave to run for several minutes until all
the oils are released from the coconut and it 7. Fold in your lemon zest and pour over your
becomes a smooth liquid paste. This is totally lemon brownie to glaze. Top with 1/2 cup of
delicious and naturally sweet! threaded coconut.

8. Store in an airtight container. Will keep for


several days.

9
chocolate fudge brownie

A perfect brownie should be chewy on the outside and gooey on the inside. To
achieve the chewy outside you need the correct amount of sugar, so get the gooey
inside you need to cook it at the right temperature for the right amount of time.

2 cups organic virgin coconut oil (not melted 1. Preheat your oven to 155ºc bake, or 305ºf
but softened is okay, you do not want it too and grease a 20cm x 30cm baking dish.
runny as the sugar will sink and you will not
achieve the right consistency) 2. Chop the palm sugar into smaller chunks
½ plus 1 tbsp cocoa powder and place into a food processer with the oil,
350 grams palm sugar (or coconut sugar) cocoa and salt. Whizz until the sugar is
3 large eggs dissolved. While the processor is running add
Pinch salt the eggs one at a time.

Note: Palm sugar can be purchased as Asian 3. Once combined remove blades then add
food stores in small blocks. It is particularly crispy walnuts if you are using them, then
nice in brownies and fudge as it has a very pour into your prepared baking dish.
fine smooth texture once it is whizzed up.
4. Bake for 20 mins, then switch to fan bake
for an additional 20 mins. It will still be soft
but it should have crisped up around the

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


edges and be dry on top.

5. Leave it in the pan to cool, and then


place the pan in the fridge to set. It can be
served still warm but it may be oily. Cut into
rectangles and store in an airtight container
in the fridge.

While this is a healthy version of a brownie,


limit yourself to 1 small square per day as it
still contains sugar.

10
blueberry friands
These are one of the best gluten free treats you can eat. While they are high in fat,
this helps balance the sugar. These are an occasional food – don’t eat them
everyday, but when you do, bless them and enjoy!

180 grams of butter, melted and cooled a bit 1. Preheat oven to 180C.
6 Egg whites, lightly beaten with a whisk, so
they are fluffy 2. Melt the butter slowly in a small pot. Using
1 ¼ cup of ground almond a pastry brush, brush the friand tins with some
1 ½ cups organic icing sugar, sifted, plus of the butter coating them well. If they
extra for dusting. (I use rapadura icing sugar aren’t non-stick, then also use baking paper
made in my blender) around the outside of them.
¾ cup of fine coconut
2 tsp organic vanilla essence 3. In a bowl, fluff up the egg whites with a
1 cup frozen berries whisk, then add the remaining butter and
vanilla essence. Add the sifted icing sugar,
ground almond and coconut and mix to
combine.

4. Pile the mixture into 6-10 friand tins or a


muffin pan. Then press the frozen blueberries
into the bottom of the mixture.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


5. Bake for 25 to 30 mins, until cooked right
through.

6. Turn upside down and dust with icing


sugar.

11
peanut butter & chocolate power cookies

My goodness, these are so delicious they won’t last long enough to cool down! They
are however not cheap to make either so be warned that they are addictive!

This looks like a strange recipe, but they are fantastic and gluten free. They are so
quick and easy to make a child can so them. Perfect to whip up if you don’t have
anything in the cupboard!

1 cup ORGANIC peanut butter (you can 1. Combine all the ingredients together and
use a combination of cashew, almond or then using two spoons, gently place
peanut butter) teaspoonfuls onto a well-greased baking
¾ cup soft brown sugar tray.
1 cup 70% dark chocolate pieces
2 tbsp white rice flour or chickpea flour 2. Bake at 160c for eight mins or until lightly
1 egg, lightly beaten golden and risen.
1 tsp baking soda Be careful not to burn them!
¼ tsp salt
3. Place onto a cooling rack (important if
you don’t want soft biscuits), cool and then
store in an airtight container.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

12
tropical orange coconut cake

Perfect for that afternoon tea where you want to wow your friends and family
with something a little bit different! This cake is nourishing to body and soul.
Serve with a little homemade crème fraiche, yoghurt or whipped cream! This is
also divine straight from the oven served with homemade ice-cream!

1. Preheat your oven to fan bake 170ºc.


1 ½ cups sifted coconut flour
½ cup tapioca flour 2. Grease a 20cm spring-form cake tin.
½ cup coconut sugar
3. In a mixing bowl add your dry
2 tsp baking powder
ingredients. The sifted coconut flour,
1 tsp garam masala
tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking
½ tsp salt
powder and salt.
½ cup dried candied citrus peel
4. In another bowl mix together the wet
1 tsp vanilla extract
ingredients. The eggs, yacon, melted
1 tsp orange essence
coconut oil, vanilla & organize extracts and
6 large eggs, 8 small eggs
the coconut cream, then whisk briskly until
½ cup melted coconut oil, melted butter or
smooth and combined.
ghee, or healthy oil
1 tin coconut cream 5. Fold your wet ingredients into your dry
½ cup yacon syrup ingredients, but don’t over mix.
½ cup desiccated coconut
6. Gently fold through the candied citrus
1 440gm tin crushed pineapple, drained
peel.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


7. Pour your mixture into a prepared cake
pan.

8. Sprinkle with the dried coconut thread


and gently press into the cake.

9. Top with the dried pineapple and press


gently into the cake, so that the pineapple
is just sitting on the surface yet the cake
mixture is supporting it.

10. Bake for 1 hour and 20 mins. Or until it


springs back when touched.

11. Leave for ten minutes in the pan before


removing it to a cake rake to cool.

13
cashew fruit drops
These are the most delicious chewy biscuits and one is simply not enough! And they
are gluten & grain free, baked in true Paleo style, these cookies are your next family
favourite!
Master this whole food cookie technique, then create your own version and flavour
combination!

1 1/2 cups of cashew butter (made from 2 1. Beat all ingredients together until smooth.
cups of cashews whizzed until creamy)
2 eggs 2. Place teaspoonful’s onto a lined baking
1 tsp baking soda tray and make a well with wet fingers.
3/4 cup coconut sugar (or other natural
sugar) 3. Place 1/2 tsp of jam (see below) into the
2 tbsp coconut flour center.
1/4 cup tapioca starch
4. Fan bake @ 165 c or 98 f for 12 -15 mins.
Jam ingredients
1 cup of frozen berries (boysenberries are 5. Place onto a cooling rack to cool, then
lovely!) store in an airtight container.
1/4 cup coconut sugar
To make jam: Place ingredients into a small

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


pot and reduce down until thick. This should
take around 10-12 mins. Ensure you don't
burn them though!

14
chocolate & coconut Slice

1 ⁄2 c u p c a sh e w s 1. Preheat oven to 170c fan bake


3 ⁄4 c u p su n flo w e r se e d
1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds 2. Grind the cashews, sunflower seeds and
1 cup coconut, fine pumpkin seeds together in food processor to
1 ⁄2 c u p c o c o n u t flo u r bread crumb consistency.
1 ⁄2 c u p c o c o a p o w d e r
3 ⁄4 c u p g ro u n d a lm o n d 3. Add remaining ingredients, combine and
1 cup erythitol, or rapadura then press firmly into a lined and greased
2 eggs baking tray 30cm x 20cm.
1 tsp guar gum
1 tsp xanthum gum 4. Fan bake for 15-20 mins. Ensure it doesn’t

1 ⁄2 tsp sa lt burn, but cook until it is no longer soft.

200 gms melted butter


5. Remove from oven and leave to cool for
10 minutes in the tray.

6. Top with coconut chocolate fudge. Place


in the fridge to cool, then remove from the
tray and slice into cubes.

7. Store in an airtight container between

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


layers of baking paper. Keep in the fridge.

15
amaretti biscuits

2 cups ground almond 1. Whisk the egg whites until soft peak stage,
1 cup caster sugar add half the sugar and beat until stiff peak
2 egg whites stage. Gently fold in the remaining sugar
2.5ml/1/2 tsp almond essence and the almond essence.
Icing sugar to dust
Gluten free white flour to dust tray 2. Line a baking tray with baking paper and
dust with gluten free flour, then pip half-
moons or small rounds the size of a walnut.
Sprinkle with the icing sugar and allow to
stand for 2 hours.

3. Bake at 180◦ for 12-15 mins or until pale


gold.

4. Place or a cooling rack and dust with more


icing sugar prior to serving.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

16
louise cake
this is a classic kiwi favourite and this version while the natural sugars make the
meringue brown, does offer a much healthier version that is also fabulous in taste!
This is low is sugars, and is also grain free and gluten free

Base 1. Soften butter and cream together with


100 grams butter sugar until sugar dissolves.
2 tbsp. coconut or rapadura sugar
2 large egg yolks 2. Add the egg yolks and whip until fluffy.
1 cup walnut flour or ground almond flour
½ cup coconut flour (whiz some fine coconut 3. Mix together the walnut or almond flour
until fine) with the coconut flour and whip this into the
butter mixture.
Jam
5 cups frozen berries 4. Press into a lined 18cm-baking dish and
3 tbsp. coconut sugar fan bake at 175C for 5 mins.

Meringue 5. Remove from oven and reduce oven


2 large egg whites temperature to 160C
1/3 cup rapadura sugar
pinch Himalayan salt 6. Spread base with your homemade jam.
(see below)

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


Topping
½ cup coconut 7. Top with your whipped meringue. (see
below)

8. Sprinkle the top with your coconut and


then bake for 15 to 20 minutes ensuring you
do not burn the coconut.

17
Jam

1. Place berries and sugar into a small heavy


based pot and gently simmer until the
moisture from the berries has reduced into a
thick syrup. This should take about 15 to 20
mins.

2. Remove from heat and cool.

Meringue

1. Add the egg whites and salt into your


beater and beat on high for several minutes
until fluffy.

2. Add the rapadura sugar and beat on high


for 10 minutes until the sugar granules have
completely dissolved.

Topping
1. Sprinkle fine or threaded coconut to top.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

18
chocolate torte

This easy recipe came from our friends John & Anna who have a passion for
organic, ethical and good honest food.
It’s gluten free, can easily be made dairy free and is so good you’ll want to keep
making it. And the best thing is that it’s really not that bad for you! In fact it could
be argued that the antioxidants from the chocolate make it good for you.
It’s best served with ice cream of whipped cream, or with a berry compote as a
dairy free option.
It can be served as a cake cold, or as a warm desert in winter. Most 60% plus cocoa
chocolate does not contain dairy so do check if you are dairy intolerant also. I love
to use Rapunzel 85% chocolate but it can be bitter so more sugar is needed.

6 free range eggs 1. Grease and flour 18inc tin


300g Fairtrade dark chocolate (60-85%) 2. Melt dark chocolate with butter
150g butter or coconut oil as a dairy free 3. Beat egg yolks, 20g sugar & cardamon or
option cinnamon
40g organic cane sugar or castor sugar 4. Add melted chocolate and combine
1 1/4 tsp ground cardamon or cinnamon 5. Whisk egg whites & 20g sugar
6. Carefully fold 2 mixes together DO NOT

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


OVER MIX
7. Spoon into baking tin and bake for 20 - 25
mins at 180 degrees c

19
vege fritters
These are so delicious and somewhat addictive! A sure winner for getting vege into
kids and they are gluten free too! The quinoa flour boosts the protein level making
this a really balanced snack.
Make sure the oil is up to temperature so that they don’t soak up too much fat. If
however the oil is too hot is may reach smoking point. If this happens discard the
oil and start again.

2 red onions, finely sliced rings 9. Combine vegetables, coat in water and
2 courgettes, grated rub the flours through with your fingers to
1 tin organic corn kernels, drained combine into a sticky consistency.
1 tbsp ajawain seeds
½ tsp chili powder
10. Fry small soup spoon sixed patties, in
2 tsps dried garlic and paprika granules
organic deodorized coconut oil and butter.
½ cup water, maybe more
¾ cup chickpea flour
½ cup quinoa flour

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

20
buckwheat pasta

This pasta is so delicious! Buckwheat contra to its name is not wheat and does not
contain any gluten, in fact it might surprise you to find out it’s not a grain at all, and
it’s in fact a fruit seed! It’s related to rhubarb and sorrel. So this is a gluten free dish
that is worth making if you have a problem with gluten or not.

There are too many health benefits of buckwheat to note, so to name a few
buckwheat is beneficial in the prevention of Breast Cancer, cardiovascular disease
and in balancing blood sugar levels, making it useful for diabetics. Buckwheat is
high in protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. Buckwheat is also rich in
many B vitamins as well as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and
manganese. And it’s high in Alpha-Linolenic Acid, which is one of the two essential
fatty acids we must have in our diet to be healthy.

2 cups fine buckwheat flour 1. Brown rice flour for rolling


2 tbsps tapioca starch
1 tbsp guar gum 2. Mix together really well and knead for a
1 tbsp xanthum gum few mins until the dough is nice and smooth,
4-5 eggs or using a dough hook in your mixer, add all
1 tbsp olive oil the ingredients and mix for a few minutes.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


½ tsp salt
3. Cover ball in glad wrap and put in the
fridge for an hour to rest.

4. Once the dough is chilled, using a large


rolling pin and brown rice flour, roll out the
dough as thin as you can get it. Then pass
through a pasta machine on the fettuccini
cutter.

5. Place in a pot of boiling well salted water


and boil for 5 mins.
6. Strain and toss through a little oil.

21
buckwheat pasta with asian greens
6-8 large cloves of garlic, sliced 1. Gently fry the garlic in a little of the sesame
few tbsps sesame oil oil, and then add the pumpkin seeds and fry
¼ cup pumpkin seeds them until they pop. Keep stirring.
¼ cup sesame seeds Add the sesame seeds and fry a little more.
good splashing of tamari or shoyu
1 bunch spring onions 2. Add the broccoli and stir fry for a bit, then
½ head of broccoli, cut the rough outside off add the spring onions, keep stirring through
the stalk and then slice stalk and head into to combine. Add a tbsp of shoyu or tamari
small pieces and stir through, cover with a lid for a bit and
2 bunches of small bok choy let the broccoli sweat down for a couple of
mins.

3. Add the spring onions and toss through,


then place the bok choy on top. Cover and
simmer on a low heat for a couple of mins.

4. Meanwhile, bring the pasta water to the


boil and cook pasta as above. Once the
pasta is strained use sesame oil to stir through
to prevent it from sticking together.

5. Stir through another splash of tamari and


add the Asian greens and toss together.

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Serve immediately. YUMMO!

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delish sesame & almond crackers

These are so quick and easy to whip up and you can really play around with the
flavours. Try grating fine shavings of parmesan cheese on top, or a light sprinkle of
garlic granules, or hot smoked paprika. You could even add dried herbs to the
mixture for a different flavour, or replace the sesame oil with olive oil for a lighter
flavour, and you can replace the half the sesame seeds for poppy seeds.

You can easily double this mixture too, they keep well in an airtight container.

1 ½ cups blanched almond meal 3. Mix all the ingredients together well and
½ cup hulled sesame seeds roll between two sheets of baking paper as
1 egg, whisked up til it’s fluffy and pale thin as you can get them. This should roll out
Large pinch of salt to about 45cms in length by the width of the
1 tbsp sesame oil baking sheet. Try to get the sides square by
cutting and pasting.

4. Remove the top layer of baking paper


and sprinkle with any flavours that you like.
Fan bake at 150◦ for 5 mins.

5. Remove from the oven and cut with a

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pizza cutter into small crackers.

6. Separate them slightly and return to the


oven and bake for a few extra minutes until
well dried. Be careful not to burn them. You
are better to fan cook them for longer at a
lower temperature than to burn them!

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What’s the go, with Paleo?

With the rapid increase in food intolerance, digestive complaints, obesity, heart disease and
cancers, traditional diets are taking the world by storm and for good reason. Otherwise
known as ‘Ancestral Eating’ more and more nutritionists are turning back the clock and
focusing on a diet of traditional foods.

So what are the health benefits of traditional diets? Natural weight loss, balanced blood
sugar levels, improved cardiovascular health, more energy that’s balanced across the day,
a strong immune system and increased cognitive ability, balanced hormones and improved
moods. Your diet does dictate your quality of life, so feed your body the highest quality
foods you can and reap the rewards!

While there are a number of different approaches to this, the basis of all these diets is to
eliminate processed foods such as refined sugars, newfangled fats and oil such as soy,
canola, rice-bran and rapeseed oils, as well as chemicals in foods. Where traditional diets
vary is whether or not to consume grains, legumes and diary. The Paleo diet also eliminates
grains, legumes, dairy products and fermented foods. The Weston Price diet allows grains if
they are soaked, fermented and or sprouted first so they are more digestible in the body. It
also allows traditional raw diary, and legumes if they are also prepared properly such as
thorough soaking. This eating style also encourages fermented foods, which offer a rich
source of natural probiotics.

Both diets encourage adequate protein and traditional fats, including animal fats and other
saturated fats such as coconut oil. These fats have been demonized for the best part of the
last century however the scientific community is beginning to take a dramatic turn around www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh
on a stance that many considered the biggest diet blunder in history!

How does this vary from what Dieticians promote to be a healthy diet? Dieticians are bound
by rules that force them to promote the official dietary guidelines. This is a
grain/carbohydrate rich, lower fat diet, which originated at the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA). Many argue it was designed to support grain based agriculture and not
human health. Since it’s origins we have become fatter and unhealthier than ever before.
Apart from the dramatic increase in processed sugars, modern health issues are said to be
due in part to the fact that grains also convert to glucose (sugar), and a diet high glucose
producing foods such as grains, can cause a myriad of health complaints.

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Traditional diets when balanced correctly are naturally very low in the these types of foods
and promote a low to no grain diet, but use plenty of fresh natural foods such as vegetables,
organic meat, poultry, seafood, nuts and seeds including ancient ‘grains’ quinoa, amaranth,
buckwheat (which are actually seeds), natural sugars and some fruit, and healthy fats like
olive oil and coconut oil. While this may sound restrictive, there is no need to miss out on any
of your favourite foods, it’s simply a case of knowing the alternatives. When you know how
to prepare healthy bread, nourishing crackers, delicious cakes and slices; the world of
Ancestral Eating becomes a wonder world of new flavours and tastes. So get experimenting
and open your kitchen to a whole new culinary experience!

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

25
Flour Nutritional information & History Flavour When to use / avoid

Amaranth Amaranth is thought to be first cultivated Farley strong, use Use often although
Flour by the Aztecs 5,000 years ago. It has with other flours. it is quite
outstanding nutritional value including expensive.
being higher than milk in calcium &
protein. It also contains the supporting
calcium cofactors magnesium & silicon.

The world health organisation has been


encouraging the use for the past several
decades, because where the grain is
used there is little or no malnutrition.

Arrowroot Arrowroot is a starch, which is good to Neutral For thickening


Flour use as a substitute for thickening sauces
although it is not as superior as Kuzu in small amounts as
terms of nutritional value. Once an ingredient in
thickened it turns crystal clear. It is biscuits.
however very digestible & soothing on
the digestive system. It is also great for Avoid if following
using instead of baby powder for nappy GAPS, SCD, or if
rash – a great natural home remedy. you have leaky
gut, diabetes or
weight issues.

Buckwheat Buckwheat Contrary to its name Neutral Use often.


buckwheat is not a wheat. It is a relative
to the rhubarb family. In fact buckwheat nutty as the Trying to have 1-2
is not actually a flour, it’s a highly grain, as the flour serves a week.
nutritious fruit seed. Buckwheat has the it does have
longest transit time in the gut & is quite a strong Excellent as
therefore very good for stabilising blood taste which to homemade pasta,
sugar levels. (Low GI) It contains the some isn’t that and in pancakes.
bioflavonoid rutin, which is medicinally pleasant. We
great for circulation. It is also known as tend to blend it
an antidote to radiation including x-rays. with other mild

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In Japanese tradition it is considered flours.
beneficial to the kidneys. In Ayurvedic
medicine it reduces kapha. The best
characteristic of buckwheat however it
the high proportion in it of all eight
essential amino acids, especially lysine,
which tends to be missing in most grains.
It has up to 100% more calcium than
other grains & contains almost the whole
range of B-complex vitamins. It’s also
great for heart health and cholesterol.

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Flour Nutritional information & History Flavour When to use

Chickpea The chickpea provides more vitamin C, Can be strong Often, this is a
(gram) flour nearly double the usual amount of iron, & raw, but once great all-rounder
three times more fat than most legumes. cooked it tends and very good in
It is a high protein flour with a low GI, & is to take on the sweeter foods like
more digestible than soy flour. flavours it is cakes and biscuits.
cooked with. Not great with
Best in savoury leavened breads
dishes although though so use with
can be fabulous other flours in
with sweet as breads.
well.
Coconut This is an excellent flour that should Sweet coconut Often, this is a
Flour become your basic main-use flour at flavour, very fabulous flour to
home. It is highly absorbent so you only pleasant! use daily. It makes
need to use 1/3 cup to replace 1 cup of fabulous bread
standard flour. It is highly nutritious also when mixed with
and is extremely high in fibre with a coconut oil and
whopping 5grams per 2 tablespoons. By eggs, and bakes
adding coconut flour to your baking you delicious muffins
also lower the glycemic index as the fibre and cakes.
will aid in slowing the digestion of the
food down. In fact coconut flour
contains 58% fibre and 14% coconut oil,
the remaining consists of water, protein
and carbohydrate. It is also beneficial for
weight loss as it boosts your metabolism
and it helps you feel full and naturally
keeps blood sugars low.

Cornmeal A great flour for breads, although it does A sweet, corn Blended with other
tend to be high GI & very dry to use in favour, lends flours its okay in
cooking. It will soak up a lot more itself to savoury & small amounts.
moisture than most other flours & sweet.
therefore produce a more crumble Avoid if following
product. GAPS, SCD, or if

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you have leaky
gut, diabetes or
weight issues.

Corn Flour High GI, used as a thickening agent, can Neutral. Occasionally.
be good in GF biscuits & sponges. To get
the white corn flour it is chemically Avoid if following
processed so nutritionally not the best. GAPS, SCD, or if
you have leaky
gut, diabetes or
weight issues.

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Flour Nutritional information & History Flavour When to use / avoid

Kudzu This is the superior thickener. Medicinally it Neutral. Everyday. It is


used in macrobiotics as a cure all tonic. expensive but is
Extremely alkalising on the body. Brilliant one of the best
is a tonic for hangovers. Use 1 ½ tbsp ingredients. We
kudzu powder, 1 ½ cup water or twig use it in Lemon
tea, 1 tsp Umeboshi paste, 1 tsp soy Meringue Pie quite
sauce, ½ tsp freshly squeezed ginger often!
juice or ¼ tsp ginger powder. Bring to the
boil stirring constantly; simmer for a min
until it turns from milky to opaque. Thin is
necessary. Drink hot.

Millet Flour Millet is one of the only alkalising grains The flavour can Often! While this
around, most are acid forming. From this be quite strong. has a high
point of view, it is considered the best to Glycaemic Index is
integrate into any healthy diet. It has a also alkalising so
lovely texture in cooking with a soft unless you have
crumb outcome. It does go rancid quite blood sugar or
quickly & therefore bitter instead of weight issues,
sweet. Discard in this case & buy fresh. millet should be
Best milled fresh. We have puffed millet used often.
for breakfast often.
Oat flour Some Coeliac’s can tolerate small Lovely, sweet. If you can tolerate
(contains amounts of oats. If you have tried & you oats & oat flour,
gluten) can tolerate it, you are very lucky as this use no more than
is fantastic flour for cooking with. Most of once a week for
my muffins contain oat flour. You can gluten intolerant
then also tolerate Scottish oatcakes – people. For non
yummy with blue cheese! Oats are low gluten sensitive
GI & highly nutritious. We often make people, several
100% oat flour pancakes for breakfast. times a week is
fine.

Potato High GI, but very useful in GF cooking. Neutral. Use sparingly, it is

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


starch Great in breads combined with other high GI,
flours.
Avoid if following
GAPS, SCD, or if
you have leaky
gut, diabetes or
weight issues.

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Flour Nutritional information & History Flavour When to use / avoid

Quinoa This is a fantastic flour, very high in protein Reasonably Often.


Flour & it is also considered a complete protein strong flavour,
unlike other grains that lack the essential good in savoury In sweet &
amino acid lysine. This was the mother cooking, muffins, savoury cooking.
grain of the Inca’s & is still used breads etc.
extensively in Peru today. It is not actually Blend with other
however a true grain but rather a seed. flours.
The United Nations World Health
Organisation reports that Quinoa
(pronounced keenwa), is as complete a
protein as milk. Quinoa also contains high
levels of many vital nutrients including
iron, phosphorus, B-vitamins, & vitamin E.
It cooks quickly, prepared like rice. I cook
mine in our rice cooker often in vege
stock for extra flavour.

Rice Flour Brown rice flour is better of course as it is Light, neutral Blend with higher
higher in nutrients & has a lower GI. It has flavours protein, more
a different taste in that it imparts a lively nutritious flours.
seed-like taste. However it is still not a
great flour for protein & I always try to
blend it with other higher protein grains
such as Quinoa & chickpea flour. White Avoid if following
rice flour has a lovely light texture when GAPS, SCD, or if
used in combination with other flours in you have leaky
bread, also as a lovely biscuit flour. gut, diabetes or
Remember though that the GI will be weight issues.
high. Brown rice flour will go rancid
though whereas white flour will not as the
oils have been removed. Rice flours are
essential in GF cooking to improve
texture.
Spelt Flour Spelt flour to me is the best flour in the The best, superior If you are able to
(contains world for taste & texture! It is known as to any wheat tolerate this, only
Gluten) the uncle of wheat & was cultivated prior flour! use once a week!

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


also known to the common wheat available today.
as Dinkle People with a wheat intolerance are
usually fine with spelt. Some Coeliac’s are
able to tolerate spelt as well so trying a
very small amount is worth while
depending on how sensitive you are. It
does contain gluten however so beware!
It seems to be very digestible when
made into a traditionally fermented sour
dough bread.

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Tapioca Tapioca flour is very fine & very white – Neutral. Sparingly like any
Flour which generally means it has been very starch.
refined. It is extracted from a cassava
variety rich in starch. The purified starch Avoid if following
makes an excellent thickener & glaze GAPS, SCD, or if
although once reheated it will thin again you have leaky
like arrowroot does. As it is a starch it is gut, diabetes or
safe to presume it would have a high GI, weight issues.
so combine with other flours & use
sparingly. Good as a part ingredient in
bread.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

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the first seven steps towards your healthy kitchen

1) BACK TO BAKING:
Clear out processed foods and start baking!

● Learn the art of raw foods to make delicious seeds and nut bars
● Learn to bake new and exciting muffins, sour dough and sprouted breads and pancakes
with coconut flour and almond flour
● Make your own fruit and raw yoghurt rollups in a dehydrator for kids
● Make your own delicious healthy kitchen breakfast cereals

2) MAKE YOUR OWN SAUCES:


Get rid of bottled sauces and packets – especially those containing bad fats, sugars and
MSG (flavour enhancer 621)
● Make your own tomato sauce (tip it takes 2 mins in a Café Series blender to whip up fresh
raw tomato sauce when you need it.

● Make your own salad dressings, vinaigrette, mayonnaise, aioli etc using healthy cold
pressed oils and free-range egg yolks
● Make your own specialty sauces like teriyaki, sweet n sour etc whenever you need them.
DO NOT buy readymade!
3) MAKE YOUR OWN SPREADS AND DIPS:
It’s so much cheaper to make your own fresh dips and spreads than it is to buy them. Most
only take a few minutes to make and you’ll end up with a much higher quality product. DO
NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE ACCUMULATION OF BAD FATS THROUGH CONDIMENTS!
● Make your own hummus with white navy beans or even marrows! Try plain, sundried www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh
tomato, olive, pumpkin and feta, cumin, chili, Moroccan Mix etc
● Make your own pestos & herby pastes
● Make your own raw cheese – it’s so much easier than you might think, start by
learning feta, camembert, ricotta
● Make your own raw yoghurt
4) MAKE YOUR OWN SPICE MIXES:
Spice is the flavour of life! Learn the art of blending spices on the spot when you need them.
Learn the basics of Indian, Chinese, Moroccan, Mexican, Japanese etc
● Blend spices for dips
● Blend spices for lamb, beef, fish, chicken, etc
● Blend spices for marinades
● Blend spices for healthy homemade remedies, herbal teas, common ailments etc

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5) MAKE YOUR OWN BEVERAGES:
Making homemade beverages is both nutritious and satisfying! Do not buy fizzy drinks, energy
drinks, juices (with a few exceptions) etc
● Make your own fizzy drinks – water kefir
● Make your own kombucha tea! Delicious and brilliant for the liver
● Make your own Green Smoothies!!!!
● Make your own cocktails and mixers

6) MAKE YOUR OWN PROBIOTICS


● Make your own probiotic drinks, water kefir, kombucha tea
● Make your own yoghurt
● Make your own kefir cream
● Make lacto fermented pickles
● Embrace Cultured Foods, they feed your body in ways other foods don’t!!!

7) EDUCATE YOURSELF! The first subjects to know and all of which we’ll cover over the coming
months are:

● The Truth About Fats – Forget everything you’ve ever read or heard from mainstream media
and food companies!!!
Any product that is naturally oily, the product will be able to be cold pressed and not
chemically extracted! Oils from products that are not such as rice bran and canola MUST BE
AVOIDED! As a general rule, avoid vegetable oils, especially soy oil, canola, rapeseed, and
non virgin heated oils.
Use the following fats and oil: A rough guide for use is fats for cooking, oils for dressings

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


Butter / Ghee
Coconut oil, cold pressed organic
Duck Fat – wonderful for frying chips (occasionally)
Cold Pressed Olive Oil – Greek and Italian are the best
Sesame oil – small amounts
Hemp Oil
Flax Seed Oil
● The Truth About Sugars –
Use natural unprocessed sugars and use natural raw syrups
● The Danger of Grain (we will be covering this subject in depth next year) DO NOT eat
processed grains regularly, ensure your grains are either soaked, fermented or sprouted first!

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● The Danger of Genetic Engineering – Completely Avoid!

● The Danger of Soy


● The Danger of Aspartame
● The Political Vote Your Supermarket Dollars Make
● Gut & Bowel Health & Inflammation
● Price / Pottenger Foundation – the Grandfathers of Nutrition, the famous scientific studies
that can not be repeated today
● Alkalize the Body
● Quantum Physics and the Healing Power of Water – Dr Emoto’s work
● Be aware of food intolerances and possible allergies! The main food reactions occur with
gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, proteins.
Symptoms can be irritable bowel, constipation, Diarrhoea, headaches, cold sores, eczema,
behavioral issues, depression, mental fogginess, fatigue, sleep disturbances. These are of
course a symptom of something else – imbalanced body ecology.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh

33
the healthy gut

When asked what a healthy diet is I am always cautious giving a reply, because the truth is
usually overwhelming. Most patients I meet believe they have a healthy diet but soon learn
that a media driven ‘healthy diet’ and the facts are miles apart.
Sadly it is often not until chronic disease strikes that most people stop to question their diets.
Why wait? In truth chronic disease is already striking the body, you just aren’t aware of it yet.
When people tell me their families are healthy, and they never get sick, most people don’t
know what it means to be well. To be truly healthy is to be pain free with no niggling aches,
having perfect bowel motions, glowing skin, and a crystal sharp mind. It is to sleep like a
baby and awaken refreshed and inspired about the day. To have a body that’s strong and
fit and never tires. And hormones that are stable with balanced moods and a sense of calm.
Do you know what it’s like to be truly well?

gut bacteria
Wellness and health begin in the gut. Within is a delicate balance of around 500 trillion
microflora, ten times that of the 50 trillion cells in the body.
Highly intelligent and sophisticated bacteria communicate with the gut wall receiving
information from the gut brain as to what the body’s nutritional requirements are then set to
work on supplying these to the blood. This helpful bacteria play a number of vital roles in the
digestion of food, how we absorb nutrients, how we respond and react to foods and most
importantly they control 80% of our immune system. They even produce vital nutrients in
particular vitamin K, and Biotin (B7). They work by feeding off the foods we eat and their
excretions are the very nutrients we survive on. It is my personal belief that beneficial

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


bacteria are the most underestimated health benefit of our time. While we are only just
beginning to understand just how vital a role bacteria play in our entire health system, clinical
trials around the globe are proving friendly bacteria are instrumental in the reversal of many
diseases and disorders.

While it is unknown exactly how many bacteria there are, anywhere between 300 and 1000
can be found in the gut and work in a symbiotic, harmonious relationship to keep their host
healthy. They need us to be healthy as much as we need them to be healthy. When all is
working well this is a marriage made in heaven. This is still a relatively new field of science
with many investigative studies currently being carried out. No doubt we will someday know
more about what many call The Forgotten Organ.

Bonnie Bassler a molecular biologist from Princeton University has discovered that bacteria
communicate by excreting chemical signalling molecules called autoinducers. They have

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one type of language used amongst their own species like a secret code, and another
which enables them to communicate in a universal language amongst bacterial species.
This communication is called quorum sensing and it essentially enables bacteria to function
as a multi-cellular organism. Collectively bacteria are able to influence genetic expression.

Individually bacteria are considered not to have any influence over the human body, as
they are far too small compared to their giant host. However they are constantly splitting
and dividing enabling them to multiply rapidly in numbers, and scientists now believe that
once there are enough of them they are able to have dramatic influences over their host.
It’s as though they wait patiently for enough of them to gather before manifesting their
potential on the organism.

Unfortunately while there are good healthful bacteria, there are also opportunistic or
pathogenic bacteria that cause more harm than good which also communicate via
quorum sensing. The number one way to protect ourselves from these pathogenic bacteria
is through eating a diet rich in cultured and fermented foods in order to keep these
pathogenic bacteria at bay. Many chronic diseases are linked to pathogenic bacteria, one
way healthful bacteria work to keep the immune system healthy is to fight off these
unwanted invaders. However given the right conditions these pathogenic organisms can
overload the gut and hijack the immune system which also has a negative effect on the Gut
Brain.

the gut brain


There is a new field of medicine called Neurogastroenterology that studies the
Enteric Nervous System – Gut Brain. Just like the larger brain in the head this system sends
and receives impulses, records experiences and responds to emotions. It’s nerve cells are www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh
bathed and influenced by the same neurotransmitters. The gut can upset the brain and the
brain can upset the gut. In fact holistic medicine would seek to treat these individual organs
as one.

The Gut Brain is embedded in the gut wall and participates in a rich dialogue with the brain
during the entire journey of food through the 30-foot-long digestive tract, from the
oesophagus to the anus. It is a network of 100 million neurons, more than the spinal cord. It
has neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between these neurons along neural
nets like those found in the brain. It remembers, learns and produces ‘gut feelings’.

Importantly, neurotransmitters are in the guts brain, serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and
glutamate in fact 30 neurotransmitters are used by the gut. Two dozen brain proteins called
neuropeptides are found in the guts brain. In fact they have even found a type the body’s

35
natural opiates are in the gut, there’s even a rich source of Benzodiazepines that have a
similar effect as Valium and Xanax. Scientists don’t know yet how these Benzodiazepines are
produced. It’s possible the gut bacteria make them, or certain foods produce them.

The guts brain plays a major role in our happiness and misery.

Many gastrointestinal disorders like colitis, IBS originate from problems within the guts
brain. Indigestion and acid reflux are symptoms the gut isn’t functioning correctly.

What you eat has a direct effect of the Gut Brain just as much as what you eat has a direct
effect on your Brain. This is a new field which I believe will unravel the mysteries of foods and
moods and why some bring us up while others take us down!

other living organisms in the gut


Not only does our digestive system require symbiotic colonies of healthful bacteria to keep us
healthy, it also requires small amounts of fungus and parasites to remain balanced also. If
our systems are too clean and our immune system never gets stimulated, this may have a
negative impact on our health also.
An example is this is Candida. In small doses Candida is thought to harmless, even beneficial
yet once the balance of yeast to bacteria is affected usually through the use of antibiotics,
Candida overgrowth occurs. In fact there are over 20 species of Candida, the most
common one is Candida Albicans, this mutates from the healthy yeast into opportunistic
yeast that has been linked to hundreds of chronic diseases. Likewise we are discovering how
certain parasites may be healthy for us, especially in the case of auto-immune diseases such
as MS. The parasites are thought to somehow balance the immune system.

www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh


Think of your gut as one giant universe, when all is going well, your universe is at peace with
helpful colonies of soldiers working to restore order. When we are at war, these colonies
declare war. Interestingly, Quantum Physics is now uncovering the possibility that within our
very own consciousness and thought processes we are determining peace or war literally
within our very own body. This makes total sense when you contemplate illness. It is always
linked to an underlying emotional or spiritual message.

My yoga teacher once told me that Buddhists Monks would never take an anti parasitic herb
to kill parasites, they would simple meditate and raise their vibrations to a point the parasites
were no longer a match and would decide to leave voluntarily. I love the thought of that!

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leaky gut / dysbiosis
Dysbiosis is commonly referred to as Leaky Gut and it is just that a gut that leaks. In the gut,
the single cell wall of epithelial cells should be joined tightly together to create the only
barrier from whatever is in the gut. If the barrier is damaged, undigested fats, toxins, some
bacteria and foreign proteins in the gut may penetrate through the wall of the unhealthy gut
causing an inflammatory response throughout the body.
Two major proteins we know about are Casein (dairy protein) and gluten (found in wheat’s,
barley, rye and oats). Both these proteins leach through the wall of an unhealthy gut. The
body recognises these as proteins, instead of being properly broken down into amino acids,
they remain whole. The body, unsure what they are, perceive them as possible pathogenic
bacteria or virus and acts as though a foreign invader is coming in for attack. The body’s
natural response is to attack back. In the process the immune system goes into overdrive to
fight off the invading proteins. This can result in serious infection, inflammation and/or
activation of the immune system. This can also result in autoimmune diseases, food
sensitivities, mal-absorption of nutrients leading to various diseases, joint pain including
rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions, asthma, eczema, heart disease, inflammatory bowel
disease and dozens more.

dairy and gluten proteins


Gluten and casein peptides called gluteomorphins and casomorphins are a kind of opiate
from the same family as morphine and heroine. Opiates from milk and grains are thought to
cross the blood brain barrier and block certain areas of the brain like morphine or heroine
would do, they become neurotoxins and excitotoxins and can have a detrimental effect on
learning, mood, behaviour and development.
This occurs when the stomach pH is too low and proper break down of these proteins doesn’t
occur. Most babies are born today with weakened digestive systems, low beneficial bacteria www.wholefoodsecrets.com © copyright Deborah Murtagh
and overgrowth of Candida Albicans fungus, where these opiates cause a myriad of
problems in the body. Based on the mothers diet babies may be born highly addicted to
grains and dairy because of the opiate effect on the brain and because of the bacteria and
yeast inherited by their mother. (More about that later)

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Dear Student
Thanks for supporting the movement towards a healthier and
happier world!

Join us on facebook: www.facebook.com/wholefoodsecrets

Join our mailing list www.wholefoodsecrets.com

And don’t forget to check out our other Udemy Courses – more
coming soon!

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And our apps at your app store! Search Whole Food Secrets

Thanks again for joining me, I look forward to connecting with you
online!

Love, Deborah xxx

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