The Sickler's Table

I am a young woman living with Sickle Cell Anemia and using food to improve my health. This blog isn't meant to replace any medical advice but I hope that you take a moment to consider the healing power of food.

[chickpeamag]

[thesicklerstable]

Ever since I started making my own granola this past summer, I’ve almost stopped purchasing boxed cereal entirely. My friend’s mother introduced me to her quick and easy recipe and I’ve since added a few ingredients of my own at the suggestion of this Buzzfeed article. 

I buy raw nuts and seeds so that I can mix everything together and make sure they all get coated in the spice mix. Trader Joe’s has a great selection of inexpensive raw nuts/seeds that come pre-chopped or sliced. It takes about 20 minutes to measure and mix everything and another 40-60 minutes to bake at 300-315 degrees. Flat baking sheets work best so you can spread the mixture out in a thin layer and make sure to stir every 20 minutes or so.

3 cups of plain rolled oats 

1 - 1 1/2 cups raw nuts (I like a combo walnuts, almonds, pecans)

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds aka pepitas

1/2 cup raw flax seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger and nutmeg

1/2 cup of honey

1/4 cup of melted salted butter mixed with 1/4 cup olive oil 

1 cup raisins (added after you bake)

Before anyone attacks me for using butter, the debates continue over it’s good/bad properties compared to other oils. I, personally, like the taste component it adds to my granola and if you decide to use butter, read the labels on the kind of butter you buy to make sure it DOES NOT contain trans fats! 

This recipe makes about 7-8 cups of granola so invest in a few airtight containers for storage (my jars are from IKEA). Enjoy as a breakfast cereal with milk, yogurt topping, or midday snack and don’t be afraid to mix it up and try different nut, seed, and dried fruit combos

[thesicklerstable]

(The Hematologist)

Good nutrition habits are only supplemental to my medical regimen so I still like to keep my eyes and ears open for any new developments in Sickle Cell Disease treatment. A good friend of mine, who has Hemophilia and does a lot of advocacy work in the blood disorder community, brought this podcast from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) to my attention. It’s great to hear that they’re working on some new initiatives to advance research and education in the Sickle Cell community. 

[sicklecell101]

Green #barley grass contains every essential amino acid, important enzymes, and 25 vitamins and minerals. Barley grass is a great source of protein and chlorophyll, which has very close similarities to hemoglobin, which is found abnormally in those living with #sicklecell.

#SickleCell101 #SickleCellEducation

[heyfranhey]

This Is How Your Body Detoxes

Nutrition Stripped writes:

It doesn’t hurt to say it again, but our bodies already detox and don’t get miraculously “cleaned out” in a week. All we can do is support our bodies in doing what it already does so well every single day, through our liver, kidneys, digestive system, lungs, blood, and just about every cell in our body. You can support your body’s natural detoxification channels through eating whole foods, managing stress, sleeping, moving/exercising, daily bathroom breaks (bowel movements, urination), deep breathing, dry brushing your skin, putting natural products on your skin, sweating, drinking enough filtered water, and so on. It’s your DAILY habits in the larger picture of your lifestyle that matter most than a 7-day juice cleanse.

Something I often see during this time of year, is a period of indulgent (binge) and cleanse/detoxes (restrictive) behaviors that creates an unhealthy cycle that’s reminiscent of disordered eating habits. I just want to give you a friendly reminder that it’s not healthy from a physical, mental, and emotional standpoint – you owe yourself better care than that. You can give your body a simple whole food reset just by going back to basics and eating more whole foods and challenging yourself to change lifestyle habits for the better than you can use for life. This may look like managing stress, moving your body, breathing fresh air, getting rid of negative energy and emotions in your life, finding better support, and lessening time in the digital world. It’s a simple yet effective recipe for success. Detoxing happens every single minute of every day, and it’s our job to oil and fuel the intuitive machine that’s our body for better health from a whole body perspective.

Here is how your body detoxes:

[sicklecell101]

There are numerous benefits to drinking #water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. #SickleCell101 #sicklecelleducation

[heyfranhey]

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Hello Glow writes:

This super easy slow cooker split pea soup is as comforting as it is delicious. With a hint of curry and loaded with veggies, it’s a healthy meal you can feel good about eating.

Find the recipe here.

[prettypasta]

Clean The Fridge Lo Mein

[sicklecell101]

Visit Original Link

Mattie Robinson lives with sickle cell disease.

Learn about her journey to becoming vegan, and how it has improved her health.

[thesicklerstable]

There has been a lot of research in favor of plant-based diets over the years and it’s great to hear Mattie’s success story. My philosophy is that everyone should do what feels right to their body and ignore whatever diet seems to be trending. “Do it for yourself!” 

You can experiment with an elimination diet like Mattie did before becoming a vegan or simply cut back on how frequently you eat meat like I’m trying to do. No matter what diet you choose to follow, adding more vegetables to your meals is a great idea in general. 

[thesicklerstable]

A little Sunday stir-fry with fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, onion)! 

I’ve been under the weather recently and wanted something quick and healthy so I defrosted some shrimp, chopped some vegetables, and made a sauce with things I luckily had in stock. I hope you’re all taking care of yourselves in these trying times! 

(SC: delio33)

[healthy-deliciousfood]

[bursting-rainbows]

[happilywholesomeandhealthy]

How to Make a Salad Taste Awesome (Infographic)

[healthy-deliciousfood]

[thesicklerstable]

Lentil Stew with Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potatoes

If you live in an area where “winter” means cold weather, then you’re usually thankful for warm meals like soups and stews. I recently had one of those moments and after a Google search involving things in my pantry and fridge and came across this Real Simple recipe for a lentil stew. It’s a very easy one-pot meal and you can omit the sausage if you want to make it vegetarian. Lentils alone are a great source of protein as well as folate, iron, and magnesium which are all good for blood flow.

My substitutions/changes: 

I didn’t have Italian sausage on hand so I made my own with some ground pork I had in the freezer. All Recipes is a great site because of the rating system and you can also adjust your serving size so the measurements are accurate. 

I used kale instead of Mustard Greens, but kale cooks pretty quickly so maybe add this last when the sweet potatoes are almost done.

I omitted the extra salt since the sausage has it’s own added salt. 

I took a short video on my phone after I’d added the broth and kale (I did this on a whim so pardon the small size). After this, it simmered for about 35-40 minutes until the lentils and sweet potatoes were soft. Enjoy right away but don’t burn your tongue!

[ahealthblog]

Almonds help prevent carbohydrates from being absorbed ➡ http://www.aboutnutritionfacts.com/health-benefits-of-almonds.html 

[foodplus]

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Greek Salsa and Orzo

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Greek Salsa and Orzo Yield: 4 servings