Chillblains: it is NOT an INFECTION

So I was walking the other day and realized I had an itchy/burning/stiff toe. I didn't really pay it much mind because, well, it was below freezing outside. Once I warmed up inside the house however, I realized my toe was still itchy. So I removed my socks to find:

Whoops. Swollen itchy stiff red bumps on the second toe.  

That's not normal.

Also that black toenail has nothing to do with the problem, I put activated charcoal on it and it got stained. Stuff is hard to remove...



So due to the panicked family (they were convinced I was going to LOOSE MY TOE if I didn't go to the doctor RIGHT NOW) I rushed to an after hours clinic to get it check out 24 hours after I noticed the symptom.


The doctor at the clinic told me I had an infection in my toes and that if it didn't get better with a course of antibiotics that they would need to remove my toe nail. This was because there was no lesion (no cut, bruise, etc) and it looked like the infection was just below my cuticle. The doctor told me to soak it in vinegar and keep it wrapped in addition to the oral antibiotics.

Suffice to say afterwards I was really upset. I was terrified to have my toenail removed since I had just started walking after dealing with plantar faciitis. I couldn't afford to take time off of work due to injury. Also my family was now convinced that if I had my toenail removed that it would NEVER GROW BACK. Thanks family for calming me down.

I proceeded to visit my primary care physician the following week because I wanted a different diagnosis frankly. Luckily he told me that the toenail won't need to be removed. Antibiotics should clear it right up. I felt very relieved, but still upset nonetheless since I already have sluggish digestion and I didn't want to screw it up any worse.

Whatever. I took the meds, I was in danger of loosing a toe.

In between all of the doctor's visits I was trying my best to self-treat. I wanted to get off of those meds as fast as possible. Herbal treatments can be very efficient at treating infections, so I proceeded to use these in tandem with the antibiotics.

I tried the vinegar soak, in commercial vinegar and homemade sauerkraut (sounds gross I know, but I was terrified). I tried epsom salt soaks twice a day. Warm soaks were painful and made the itching worse, so I kept them cold. I applied oregano tincture since there was a possibility it could be fungal. I tried applying activated charcoal to pull out toxins. I applied local raw honey every 3 hours in a poultice. I tried fresh oregano poultices, fresh sage poultices.

The only thing with which I saw any improvement with was a butternut tincture I made last summer. It got rid of the swelling/itching/heat. So I religiously applied the stuff. It was never not soaked in the tincture. ( I have further learned that butternut tincture is great to apply on any skin condition that feels hot. I applied it on a burn yesterday and the heat was instantly gone. )

After 2 courses of antibiotics and weeks of frustration my rash thing had only gotten worse. My primary doctor referred me to a dermatologist because he was worried it was an allergic reaction.

Unconvinced, (I think I eat a very good diet, and I know what foods I am allergic to. I have noticeable symptoms, so I avoid those things.) I followed through with the referral.

Upon visiting the dermatologist, she promptly told me she knew what I had. She left the office and returned with a textbook. She pointed to a page with a picture and said "see here, this is called chillblains". She proceeded to describe how this condition is just due to poor circulation in the toes so they get too cold and turn swollen and itchy (and they get a bit purple too). The cure she said was to warm them up.

 So all I needed to do in the end was keep my feet warm.

I don't know if I should be angry with my doctor for not knowing a textbook symptom or not. Maybe it is only in dermatology textbooks. I still left him a message with my diagnosis so he will know next time.

Sigh... I want to trust doctors I really do. This kind of thing just happens so frequently, it is hard for me to not get angry with them. I want a primary care physician that will listen to my descriptions without jumping to conclusions. But we have to learn to accept this way of treatment and its limitations, because it is not the doctor's fault, but the medical education system's faulty teaching methods.



Anyways... If you live somewhere cold and you usually have cold limbs, don't panic if you see red itchy and stiff bumps appear out of nowhere on your extremities. Just check for chillblains.

Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal themselves and if you eat a good diet and get good rest, odds are that you can recover from most conditions without additional medical intervention.

Dairy Free, Thick and Creamy Broccoli Soup

A great way to re-purpose leftover broccoli! This simple recipe is designed to be adaptable for those with dairy or gluten sensitivities.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz peeled broccoli stems
• 4 oz chopped onions
• some leftover steamed broccoli (optional)
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup beef bone broth (or chicken)
• bacon grease
• 1-2 tbsp butter (or other flavorful fat, I think meat based ones are best)
• garlic salt 
• pepper

serves~1-2

This recipe is a quick and easy way to re-purpose leftover broccoli. For the dairy intolerant, feel free to sub the butter with some kind of other tasty fat. For those that are gluten sensitive, make sure to use gluten free organic oats. If you are avoiding grains entirely, this recipe isn't really for you. The oats can't be replaced because it is the ingredient that causes the soup to thicken properly.   

Instructions:
-Chop the broccoli stems and onions and cook in a pot over a low-medium heat in bacon grease. For greener soups take care to not overcook the broccoli so the color remains.

-This step can be done the night before if desired:
 In the mean time pour your oats into a bowl and cover them with water until there is about 1 in of extra water sitting on top. Work to knead/squeeze the oats with your hands to really break them up and thicken the water. After about 5 minutes of kneading (the water should look very creamy at this point) pour the mixture through a cheesecloth into another bowl. Squeeze out the liquid and set it aside for later. (If the water is not creamy enough, feel free to add more oats and knead. If it is too creamy add more water. Keep in mind this will considerably thicken after it is cooked)

-Once the vegetables are cooked, add the broth and oat milk to the pot.

-Season the soup with spices and butter

-Warm for about 5-10 minutes over low-medium heat to let the oat milk cook and the butter melt. Then transfer everything into a blender and blend until smooth.

-Serve with leftover steamed broccoli pieces. Stores well in the fridge.

White Wine/Beet Vinegar reduction Kidney Beans

~ 30 min prep, 3 hours simmer, serves a LOT of people. I just munch on this throughout the whole week really.

Recently I've been trying to consume more beans and fiber. Since switching to a gluten free diet I haven't been getting enough even with my increased consumption of vegetables. This was primarily spurred by my discovery of the nutritionist Karen Hurd's website that outlines the wonderful health benefits of beans. She discusses how beans clean toxins from the body via the liver and all of the successes she has had treating her clients with them.   

When I set out to do this, I was determined to avoid canned beans. I didn't want to risk BPA overexposure since I already have hormone instability. I know there are some brands without BPA, but to be extra sure I thought I should just stick with dried beans since it was a food I would be consuming frequently.

I soon found out that making a pot of beans that wasn't flavorless required a bit of skill. Not only do you have to add a lot of spices in the correct amounts, but including meat was pretty essential. In addition, I am pretty strict about eating sugar and didn't want to add any to my mixture. So I started with black beans flavored with southwestern spices because its hard to go wrong with chili powder and cumin. However, I still had to use excessive amounts of bone broth to keep the mixture flavorful.

This irked me a bit because I don't make bone broth very frequently so I like to hoard my stock. I just couldn't seem to make dried beans taste good! Luckily, I decided to experiment with a reduction sauce of white wine and vinegar to add some more taste. To my surprise, it turned out really lovely. I honestly expected to ruin the beans and have a horrible tasting goopy mess to deal with. I used beet vinegar instead of corn vinegar and also found that that was a useful addition. The beets actually sweeten the beans perfectly so I didn't need to add any sugar afterward.  

As for the beet vinegar: I don't know if this is sold in stores. I fermented my own. I used a few probiotic pills as starters and left some chopped beets in salt water out on the counter for about a week. Be careful about mold. It is good to start with a small batch of liquid so the bacteria can make vinegar quickly enough to prevent mold from growing. Warming the mixture a bit (no more than 90 degrees or so, you don't want to kill the bacteria) and keeping the vegetables below the liquid surface helps prevent mold growth.
Of course you can instead just throw some beets in vinegar and sit them on the counter for about a week. This is way easier.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag dried red kidney beans
• 1/2 cup white cooking wine
• 1/2 cup beet vinegar (I just ferment my own)
• a few strips of pork back fat or ~ 4 pieces of thick cut bacon
• 2 tbsp meat grease or drippings (if you don't get enough grease from the meat that is)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 of a sweet onion
• fresh ginger ~1/4 cube inch of peeled root
• 1/2 cup of bone broth
• 1-2 tsp celery salt
• 3 pinches of cumin, allspice, turmeric, and marjoram (not sure if these add much, but they didn't ruin the mix)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• water to cover beans 

1. To start, fry the pork or bacon in the meat drippings until crispy over medium heat. 
2. Cut up the onions, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until soft. 
3. Add the wine and vinegar and reduce (over medium heat still) until only a thin coating of the sauce remains (usu when ~1/8 in of liquid evenly coats the bottom of the pan). The sauce is done when the tartness and bitterness become mild to taste. 
4. Reduce the heat to low and add kidney beans then cover entirely with water. 
5. Add broth and spices to taste and simmer until the beans are of the desired softness usu~3 hours.
6. You might need to add water as you keep cooking as the beans will swell. 

How do you know if you aren't getting enough fiber? Check for these signs. Especially if they appear after you begin a gluten-free diet.

17th Century Sweet Potato Pie

~1hr, serves 6-8 (it tastes so good that you may not want to share it with this many people though!)

This is a really wonderful pie recipe that would make a great addition to any Thanksgiving table. The dessert is not overly sweet, but the inclusion of bone marrow and butter make it wonderfully filling, moist, and very delicious. I was surprised at the simplicity and spectacular taste of this historic recipe. The pie is adapted from John Gerard's "The Herbal" located at the Plimoth Plantation website.

John Gerard

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes
• pumpkin pie spice
• dates
• 4 lbs beef bones for marrow (you can find these at a local butcher or purchase from Earthfare)
• 2-3 Tbsp honey
• half an organic orange (you will need to include the peel)

• homemade pie crust from here. 

sauce

• one egg yolk
•  1-2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2-3 tsp cinnamon whiskey
• 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar

-Preheat oven to 450 and heat a pot of water for boiling for the potatoes.

-Put some butter on the bones and cook them until marrow is soft ~15-20 min in a deep dish pan. A lot of fat will melt into the pan and they will start to smell really good when finished.

-Chop the sweet potatoes (without peeling) into thirds and boil until soft but not mushy.

-While waiting on the potatoes and bones to cook, make the pie crust. Make sure to grease the pie pan.

-When the bones are done cooking, lower the oven temp to 400 to cook the crust.  Keep in mind it won't really brown much. Poke it with a fork to check for done-ness.

-Peel and chop sweet potatoes into the desired size, I used ~1 inch chunks.

-Chop dates into small pieces.

-Remove marrow from bones. Chopsticks work well. Save all the grease from the marrow pan.

-Chop marrow into small pieces. I ended up just tearing it apart with my fingers. It was odd to try to cut with a knife.

-When the crust is done pack into it starting from the bottom: a thin layer of dates, all of the potatoes coated in marrow grease, some pumpkin pie spice, the rest of the marrow and grease mixture, and a topping of more dates.

-Sprinkle generously with ~1-2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice and evenly coat pie with ~2-3 Tbsp honey.

-Grate orange peel onto the top of the dessert. Then squeeze the orange over it to add fresh juice.

-Cover with foil and cook for ~10-15 min to let the flavors infuse.

-While pie is cooking make the sauce. Barely melt butter in microwave and combine well with the other ingredients. Make sure to not cook the egg upon incorporation.

-When the pie is removed from the oven, place on a cooling rack for ~10-15 minutes. Just long enough so that it won't bake the egg yolk when added.

-Evenly coat pie in sauce and serve immediately.

Case study #1

I will probably start posting case studies of herbal treatments as I gain permission. Let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Case study #1

Age: 26

Sex: F

Symptoms: intense hormonal acne, irritability, painful heavy menses (however regular cycle), Slight constipation, mild unwarranted depression, currently recovering from plantar faciitis/tendonitis, chronic dry mouth

Basal body temperature ~97.7 (before ovulation)-98.1 (after). Night sweats/heat, cold extremities in the daytime. 

Tongue: hot, liver/heart/lung imbalance, complications in lower burner, lymph weakness (slightly enlarge papillae), slightly dry

Pulse: Deep. Normal beat/strength. No pulse upon light pressure.

Skin: pale, face slightly flushed. Dry. Tans easily.

Sleep: no troubles.

Diet: no dairy as it aggravates acne. Low in grain and sugar.

Medications: history of frequent antibiotic use and mefenamic acid to relieve menses pains.

What emotions do you have most frequently? Rank most frequent as 1 and least frequent as 6

Joy/Overexcitement (heart)	5
Anger (liver -> stomach and spleen)	1
Fear/sudden fright (kidneys)	3
Anxiety/worry (lungs ->L. Intestine)	2
Pensiveness/intense mental concentration (spleen)	4
Grief (lungs)	6

Personality: high energy levels so uses very intense exercise to relieve stress and jitters. Regulating blood sugar helped with jitteriness a bit. Makes lots of plans/motivated/not very empathetic. Forgetful.

Herbs

Contrained (headache inducing) herbs: licorice, poke berry

Sleep induced very fast by: plantain tea, lavender tea, violet tea

Compatible herbs: red clover (acne clearing), yellow dock leaves (acne clearing), chickweed (acne clearing), flax tea resolves dryness, plantain tincture (2 spoonfuls after meals) fixed issues with menses but did not change tongue.

No or minimal results from: goldenrod, dandelion root and leaf, kudzu leaf, albizia julibrissin leaf.

Acne receded with frequent daily ingestion of beans to remove toxins from bile.

Breakfast Fruit Compote

~ 5min
Serves 1

I don't know what it is about uncooked breakfasts, but I really dislike them. Eating raw fruit, vegetables, or nuts just doesn't seem to cut it in the morning. Not to mention since my foot problems occurred, I've had to cut down on the carbs to maintain my weight since I can't exercise much.

This compote is a good way to eat a warm satisfying breakfast with lots of good fats and low carbohydrates.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large apple
• 1/2 banana
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp shredded dehydrated unsweetened coconut

First melt the oil in a small pot over medium heat.
Cut apple and banana into small chunks and add to the preheated oil. I usually add the apple first and cook it a bit before adding the banana since it cooks faster.

 Stir fry until the apples are mostly cooked.
Add dried coconut.

 Mix and stir fry until the coconut browns. It can burn easily so be careful.
Serve with all of the oil poured on top.

Ginger Asian Chicken Stew

This dish came to me out of necessity really. I got sick; thus I wanted soup. I also didn't have very much chicken stock left in the freezer so I had to make do with less. Feel free to turn this into a full-fledged soup if you want. I tend to like my soups packed full of vegetables so they always turn out more like stews instead.

Ingredients:
1/2 in square piece of fresh ginger (just approximate it)
1 clove garlic
4 -6 oz pre-cooked chicken breast
1/2 tsp sesame oil
cold pressed coconut oil for stir-frying
8 ice cubes of homemade chicken broth (about 3/4 cup)
2 oz chopped onion (or green onion)
1-2 large carrots
1.5 baby bok choy plants
assorted vegetables (I used celery and portobellos) seaweed and brassicas are also good add ins.
optional: soy sauce, shichimi togarashi, cayenne pepper (to clear out the sinuses)

Overall time ~45 minutes

Round up all of your vegetables and chop them. I like to keep the bok choy leaves whole. I just like the texture.

  

 

Peel garlic and ginger and chop them up into very small pieces.

Put about 2 tsp coconut oil into a soup pot. I used a deep dish pan and it was difficult. Don't do what I did! Then add garlic and ginger over medium low heat and stir fry until fragrant.

Add chopped veggies and turn up the heat to medium.

Now it is time to pseudo stir-fry in a soup pot! When you stir fry vegetables normally you want to cook them at a very high heat so they retain their crunch. Here we want more of a mushy soup texture to our vegetables, so we will cook them over a lower heat for longer. However what I really like about stir-fry is the browning that it does to the vegetables. Luckily this can still be achieved at lower temperatures. In order to get some nice browning on your vegetables you need to walk away from the stove. Get your stirring in at the beginning to coat all of the vegetables with oil. Then don't touch them for about 2-3 minutes. Now it is time to flip/stir them once and repeat. You should see a brown color on your vegetables start to appear. Do this until the carrots are the desired texture (taste them to see since they take the longest to cook)

When your vegetables are nearly done chop up some pre-cooked chicken into pieces. I had some left over from a previous meal.

Stir chicken into vegetables and let it warm up for a few minutes.

Turn back to low heat and add chicken broth ice cubes to quench the cooking.

Add spices and sesame oil. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve hot. I like to eat stew with chop sticks. It lets me pick up the bok choy easily and I get to slurp the broth straight from the bowl. Storing extra stew only makes the flavors of the dish deepen and mix together over time. I think it tastes best the next day.

Enjoy!