Pharmer Wellness
The Story With Gluten
By Dr. Susan Blum
Celiac disease is a very specific autoimmune illness that is defined by damage to the villi of the small intestines. The trigger for this damaging immune reaction is gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, spelt, rye and kamut. The conventional dogma is that if you don’t have this intestinal damage you don’t have a gluten problem. Wrong! It turns out that gluten can trigger other immune reactions and symptoms without any damage to the small intestine, thus you can test negative for celiac, but still be gluten intolerant. And there is good evidence that gluten is associated with other autoimmune diseases as well, like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves disease.
Organic Pharmer is Packing in the Protein
By Dr. Susan Blum
Big news! Organic Pharmer is adding a few fish and chicken items to the menu. Although we believe strongly in plant-based diets, some of our customers have asked for dishes that contain more protein. There are also some that can't tolerate legumes because of digestive issues.
Get Healthy Skin from the Inside Out
By Dr. Susan Blum
Spring has sprung – almost – so it’s time to peel off the winter layers and give your skin a little TLC. Of course that means using different topical products but it also means treating your skin from the inside, too. At 22-square feet, it’s your largest organ and an active, living part of your body. Because it is constantly exposed to the environment, your skin can get damaged from the sun, pollution, cold and hot temperatures and wind, among other things. To help it recover and stay healthy, you need to eat lots of healthy fats and antioxidants because these nutrients feed your skin cells through the blood stream. Foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut oil and flaxseed oil can hydrate dry skin while antioxidants protect it from free radical damage and aging.
And Best Dressed Goes To...
Last night’s Oscars broadcast may have brought out the best dressed in Hollywood, but when it comes to ‘best dressed” we think our organic house-made salad dressings should have a red carpet of their own.
Go (Omega) Red for Heart Health
By Susan Blum, MD, MPH
When it comes to nutrients that are important for heart health, antioxidants top the list. In general, they provide all your tissues and cells with the ultimate protection from something called free radicals.
Organic Pharmer's Lee Gross Shares Inspiration for Heat & Eat Meals
I remember, it was almost three years ago now, during one of the very first menu meetings between myself and Dr. Susan Blum, when we discussed the possibility of offering a line of Heat & Eat meals. Since then, the awesome Organic Pharmer culinary team has crafted a varied menu of Grab & Go and Made-to-Order foods that fulfills Dr. Blum’s mission of offering “Food as Medicine To-Go”.
Sorghum Bread & Wild Rice Stuffing Made With Gluten-Free Croutons
Recipe from our chef Lee Gross
6 - 8 servings
Ingredients;
1/3 cup organic, fruit-juice sweetened dried cranberries
¼ cup Defense+ Cold Pressed Juice-Infusion* (or spiced apple cider)
3 cups Dr. Blum’s Detox Broth*
½ cup organic quick-cooking wild rice
1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
½ cup organic leek (white part only), chopped
½ cup organic celery, chopped
1 Tbl organic parsley, chopped
3 cups Gluten-Free Croutons*
½ cup organic cooked chestnuts, broken into pieces
½ cup organic golden delicious apple, chopped
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Do A Cleanse, Get A Gift!
Why Do A Cleanse?
Every day we are exposed to toxins, which stress your liver, the body’s main detoxifying organ. A cleanse can help the liver do its’ job better by reducing the toxic load in your body.
Our cleanses are designed by our Co-Founder, leading Functional Medicine pioneer, Susan Blum, MD, MPH with our Chefs Lee and Darleen Gross, and focus on helping your liver function better. We offer a choice of a Juice only Cleanse or a combination of Juice + Food, to help reset your body.
The Anti-Inflammatory "Diet"
“ I recommend that all of my patients adopt an anti-inflammatory approach to eating. This is not a meal plan but a way of life. Because inflammation is the driver for all chronic diseases, it just makes sense to eat more of the foods that decrease inflammation and to eliminate the foods that increase it, no matter whether you have an already diagnosed illness or simply you want to prevent one.” Dr. Susan Blum The Immune System Recovery Plan (Scribner 2013).
What are Nettles?
"Nettles are an herb and considered an all around tonic for the body", says chef Darleen Gross, mastermind behind all of our cold-pressed juices. They provide a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals, and can help joint pain, allergies, and hay fever. It is a tonic for the reproductive system of both men and women, but most importantly for our purposes, has a positive effect on the liver.
A Matcha Made in Heaven
You could say we have a thing for healthy beverages. Refreshing, healthy, superior quality, and delicious taste are our number one standard. And now that you know why organic coffee is important, it’s time to visit the many health benefits of Matcha.
For The Coffee Lovers
Coffee. Piping hot, cold brew, espresso, pharmaccino…you name it, we drink and enjoy it. But with one caveat: it must be brewed from organic coffee beans.
Coffee consistently tops Americans choice for favorite beverage while simultaneously topping the Environmental Working Group’s list of contaminated foods. Which means many of us are sipping brew from beans grown from synthetic fertilizer, or sprayed with chemicals like pesticides and herbicides.