Dr. Daniel Pompa

A Family’s Healing Journey

I would like to introduce you to my friend Tammy Stewart. Tammy and her family have an amazing healing journey story to share. Her family was able to overcome mold, cellular toxicity, EMFs, and serious chemical sensitivities and get back to a better quality of life utilizing my Multi-Therapeutic Approach.

— Dr. Pompa

A Family's Healing Journey…

Our healing journey started when our kids were in elementary and high school. Our oldest son had gotten sick, struggling with depression. The rest of us suffered with chronic fatigue, weight gain, and moodiness. Our chiropractor was treating the whole family. Our progress was slow and even getting worse. Feeling bad was so usual for us, we didn’t know how sick we were. We didn’t know what true health was. Our chiropractor did. He tested us for inflammation. We all had extreme cellular inflammation. We found mold in our house and remediated correctly.

We didn’t know anyone to teach us how to detox mold or metals.

Healing Journey

I changed jobs and went back to school to learn how to heal my family. It was a significant financial investment. Investment also of our persistence and effort. We underwent huge lifestyle changes. My husband, Dwayne was unemployed. We started our healing journey at this time. We all had to detox from mold. We somehow found money for nutritional supplements for all five of us. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s. My step-father and Dwayne’s father had Parkinson’s. The enormous cost financially and emotionally motivated us to make sure that was not to be our fate. Dwayne and I had metal amalgam fillings in our teeth. We knew we had to remove them. Health was a priority. So, we cashed in our retirement savings to get the fillings removed. Diet is a foundation of health. And yet, optimal health requires a multi-therapeutic approach.

Our healing journey definitely was not easy.

There was no one magic pill or process. What we value most usually requires our greatest sacrifice. We had five different supplement routines. Three different lunches to pack for school using organic nontoxic foods. Huge food and grocery shopping changes. Hard for all of us!!! We changed diets. We made environmental changes to our home to remove toxins. Every year the kids were in a different classroom. They were hypersensitive to cleaning chemicals and colognes. There was often mold in the classrooms. I had to obtain the skill of learning each child’s first toxic symptom so that I would know how to change their protocol to help each child survive each new year. A different cough. An emotional outbreak. Extreme fatigue. It was a challenge, but we made it work. Additionally, we woke up at night every other week for years to take the metal detox supplements. Thankfully, that’s not part of the protocol any longer!

Our children continued their healing journey and healthy lifestyle.

When our kids moved out of our home, we invested extreme effort to find apartments so they could cook healthfully. We even had to get special permission from their college. We analyzed new residences. We supplied each child’s home with products to neutralize EMF exposure. As young adults, my kids have taken ownership of their own healing journey and healthy lifestyle. They eat differently. Clean differently. Fast. Exercise. Commit to dental health.

We All Recovered!

Healing Journey

While our effort was enormous, we are so grateful God brought us to this path. All of us have recovered. We know what it was like to be an unhealthy family, and now know what it is like to be a vibrant and healthy family. As a family, we choose to prioritize healthy living. We take the time, spend the money and make the decisions it takes to do this. When we travel, we have a whole suitcase full of personal care and food products. We ensure that we choose places to stay where we can open windows. We request cleaning ahead with toxin-free cleaners. We try to stay away from hotels, condos that we feel might have a greater chance of mold. We also travel to places where we can enjoy the outdoors as part of our vacation, without stressing about how it will impact our health. Detox takes a decade. To stay healthy is a lifestyle.

Healthy Halloween: Six Treat Re-Makes with Healthier Options

Healthy Halloween: Halloween is undoubtedly a highlight for many of our kiddos, but the sugar crash can very quickly turn it into a parent’s nightmare. This guide highlights some alternatives that keep with the Halloween theme but without all the nasty ingredients.

 

Healthy Halloween: Ingredients to Avoid

The list of genuinely spooky ingredients packed in Halloween candy can lead to an array of short term and long term health complications. From spiked blood sugar to inflammation and allergies, Halloween candy is loaded with junky ingredients.

Some of the key ingredients that can turn a treat into a nasty trick include:

  • Soy
  • Gluten
  • Refined sugars and artificial sweeteners
  • Refined dairy, including milk solids, milk fat, skim milk, and lactose
  • Refined oils, including partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, canola oil, sunflower oil
  • Preservatives, including sodium benzoate, polysorbate 60, 65, or 80, sulfites (sulfur dioxide), nitrites, BHT/BHA, and TBHQ
  • ‘Natural’ flavors and artificial flavors (both which are highly unnatural)
  • Artificial colors

The recipes below use various alternatives, including stevia and monk fruit (low glycemic sweeteners), as well as the natural sweetness of fruit! There’s no reason children can’t enjoy Halloween without having to consume highly inflammatory ingredients.

Alternative Recipes for a Healthy Halloween

 

BooNana GhostPops

healthy-halloween

These frozen banana pops are dipped in yogurt and frozen for a spooky, nutritious treat!

Ingredients:

(makes four pops)

  • 2 bananas
  • 1 cup of yogurt (or coconut yogurt)
  • 3 TBS of raw honey (optional)
  • 8 chocolate chips
  • Shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cut the bananas into two, stick wooden paddle pop in the cut bottom half, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes on wax or baking paper.
  2. While the bananas chill, mix the yogurt and honey.
  3. Dip the bananas in the yogurt mixture and place back on the sheet and into the freezer for 15 minutes
  4. Dip once more, and this time add the chocolate chip eyes to the ‘ghosts.’
  5. Can be rolled in shredded coconut as well (optional)
  6. Freezer for another 20 minutes and serve!

Pumpkin Spice Nut Butter Balls

healthy-halloween

Energy balls are an excellent way to have easy and nutritious snacks on hand, and this recipe tweaks a few ingredients to make epic pumpkin-spiced balls that the whole family can enjoy! You can skip all the spices and simply add 2 tablespoons of a pre-made pumpkin spice mix if you have it; just make sure to read the ingredients listed as many of these pre-made mixes sneak in sugar!

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup almond flour (any nut flour will do)
  • 4 tablespoons almond nut butter (any nut butter will do)
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 scoops of collagen powder
  • 2 tablespoons stevia or monk fruit sweetener
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • ⅛ tsp cloves
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon almond milk (any nut milk will do)

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until smooth
  2. Form 1 inch balls, refrigerate 1-2 hours to set

Real Fruit Gummies

healthy-halloween

Gummies usually are filled with refined sugar and artificial colors. Believe it or not, this gelatin-rich recipe is gut healing and supercharged with nutrients. You can up the Halloween ante by buying all sorts of spooky shapes, like worms, bats, or ghosts.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fruit (frozen fruit works great) like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or mango
  • ½ cup of filtered water
  • 2.5 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin powder
  • 15 drops liquid stevia
  • Powdered monk fruit sweetener (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Puree the fruit and water in a high-speed blender
  2. In a saucepan, heat over low heat and stir in the gelatin until it is well combined (no lumps)
  3. Remove from heat and stir in the stevia. Taste the mixture to see if you want to add more stevia (to taste).
  4. Pour the mixture into your molds or into a glass container (you can also cut the jelly into cubes)
  5. Cool completely in the fridge for 3 hours to let the jelly set.
  6. Roll in powdered monk fruit (optional)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pumpkin Cups

healthy-halloween

Chocolate and peanut butter are a Halloween classic, but the classic kinds given out in orange wrappers are filled with ingredients that spike blood sugar, amongst other issues. This recipe gives the originals a serious run for their money, with all the taste but none of the milk solids, preservatives, or refined sugars.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup organic natural smooth peanut butter (the kind with just peanuts)
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or liquid stevia
  • 1 cup dark chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions:

  1. Mix the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut flour in a bowl until well combined, and it turns into a dough.
  2. Shape the dough into flat pumpkins and place in the freezer on a baking tray lined with baking paper for 20-30 minutes
  3. While they are child, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double broiler until melted, and set aside to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Dip the pumpkins in the chocolate mixture and place it back on the tray.
  5. Freeze 5-10 minutes and repeat dipping the chocolate mixture until they are well coated. This could take 2-3 dips!

Healthy Halloween No-Sugar Sugar Cookies

Healthy-halloween

Sugar cookies are a Halloween classic, but this recipe skips the refined sugars in favor of glycemic-friendly monk fruit sweetener. The kids will never know!

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1.5 cup almond butter
  • ¾ cup almond milk
  • 2.5 cups almond flour
  • 1.5 cups coconut flour
  • ⅖ cup of coconut oil (solid)
  • 2 cups monk fruit sweetener
  • 3 tsp vanilla bean or vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 3 tsp cream of tartar
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 3 tbsp powdered monk fruit sweetener (to sprinkle on the cookies)
  • Optional: Halloween decorations (like sprinkles and icing) — opt for the kind you can find at natural food stores without nasty ingredients.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the liquid ingredients (eggs, almond butter, almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract) until smooth. You can use a fork or an electric hand blender.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients (almond flour, coconut flour, monk fruit sweetener, cinnamon, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt).
  4. Using your hands, slowly mix in the liquid into the dry mixture, mixing as you go to form a dough.
  5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
  6. While you wait, mix the topping monk fruit and cinnamon, and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. On the baking sheet, roll out the dough using a rolling pin, and using a Halloween-shaped cookie cutter, cut shapes and place onto a baking tray. Alternatively, you can simply roll cookies into 1 inch balls and press down with your hand to form round cookies.
  8. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes and let cool for a few minutes before serving!

Healthy Halloween Candy Apples

This old school Halloween classic is one of the easiest healthy-swaps that skips over the refined sugars in favor of a sticky caramel made with dates and coconut.

Ingredients:

  • 3 small/ medium organic apples
  • 3 sticks to hold the candy apples
  • 16 pitted Medjool dates
  • ¾ cup of coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder (or extract)
  • Optional: 1 cup of crushed almonds to roll the candy apples in)

Instructions:

  1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Puncture the apples through the base of the apple halfway into the core.
  3. Dip the apples into the caramel sauce until it’s fully covered and place them on a tray with baking paper.
  4. Refrigerate the apples for 15 minutes at a time to cool the caramel and dip again until they’re well coated.
  5. Roll the apples in the crushed almonds, and store in the fridge until ready to eat!

Hairy Spiders (Cacao Bliss Balls)

Rolling cacao bliss balls in coconut and making spider legs using all-natural licorice is an easy way to turn a nutritious snack into a spooky Halloween treat!

Ingredients:

  • 15 Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • ½ cup shredded coconut + ½ a cup to roll the balls in
  • ⅓ cup organic coconut oil or cacao butter (melted)
  • ⅓ cup cacao powder (or carob powder)
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 4 or so strands of all-natural black licorice
  • Optional: chocolate chips for eyes

Instructions:

  1. Place all the ingredients (except for the coconut to roll in) in a food processor and blend until dough forms. The pitted Medjool dates can be used straight up if they are soft, but if they are firm, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first.
  2. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls
  3. Cut the licorice into small (about 1 inch) pieces, and stick them into the balls to give each ball 8 legs (4 on each side).

 

Hope you enjoy these spooky treats with a healthy twist. Wishing everyone a healthy and safe Halloween!

Grain-Free Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini Muffins

  • 2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
  • 1/4 cup xylitol
  • 1 tsp. stevia
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 1/2 cup pecans coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup of dried currants
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Grease 1 muffin pan with grapeseed oil and dust with almond flour.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, stevia and xylitol.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil and eggs.
  5. Blend the almond mixture into the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined, then fold the zucchini, pecans and currants (or pumpkin pie spice).
  6. Bake for 50-60 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven.
  7. Let bread cool for 1 hour then serve.

Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 10 tablespoons melted raw butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup xylitol
  • 1 teaspoon stevia
  • 3 tablespoons of coconut flour
  • 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
  2. Slowly melt butter with stevia and xylitol
  3. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
  4. Mix wet ingredients into dry
  5. Form 1” balls and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet
  6. Bake for 7-10 minutes
  7. Let cookies cool for 1 hour then serve.

Faith’s Favorite Kombucha

Faith's Favorite Kombucha

  • 3 organic black tea bags
  • 3 organic green tea bags
  • 2 cups of raw, organic cane sugar
  • 2 galled of filtered or Reverse Osmosis water
  • SCOBY starter
  1. Place all ingredients in a stainless stell or clear glass pot.
  2. Bring to a roaring boil on the stove.
  3. Once noiling, turn off the burner, cover and let stand for 15 minutes (for stronger tea flavor, let steep together)
  4. In a seperate 2 gallon glass container put 2 cups sugar
  5. Stir with a wooden spoon (NO metal or plastic)
  6. Let mixture stand until it reaches room temperature
  7. Once at room temperature, add SCOBY starter.
  8. Cover container with a piece of 100% organic cotton and secure
  9. Let mixture ferment for 7 to 10 days; the longer it ferments, the less sweet the kombucha.

For more information on this recipe and more, click here.

Kombucha Chia Jigglers

Kombucha Jello

  • 16 oz. of kombucha
  • 3-4 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 3 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin
  • Coconut oil
  1. In a stainless steel pan, pour 8 oz. of kombucha. Set remaining 8 oz. aside.
  2. Whisk in gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add chia seeds.
  3. Heat mixture on low setting to preserve beneficial bacteria in kombucha.
  4. Remove from heat.
  5. Pour mixture into bowl and incorporate remaining kombucha.
  6. Pour into coconut oil-greased pan or molds and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until set.
  7. Enjoy!