Manage symptoms of Crohn's and begin to heal your body
This website and blog have been created to help people take control of their own health journey
and to give them tools to accomplish that goal.
I'm going to share one reason why this is a passion of mine.
The health issue that I have struggled with on and off for the better part of 30 years is Crohn's.
That is the medical diagnosis. And the target they want to throw medicines and procedures towards. It is not who I am.
Comparably, my response was mild, but I believe it didn’t get worse because I didn’t jump feet first into entire protocols that actually suppress your immune system instead of improving it. Some don’t feel like they have a choice in taking meds - they spend much time in hospitals, but they SHOULD be educated about the role of foods, vitamins, supplements, and mindset in their healing. I went to a support group right after I was diagnosed to find that education but instead freaked out hearing these people discussing medications, baby food they had to eat, and hospital stays. Nothing natural, positive, or encouraging - or even useful - in that group for me. That's why what I found to be helpful in improving my health at the beginning is being shared here. It's sorely needed.
Mindset is number one in healing from any health issue and is altogether missing from standard treatments. Many doctors talk down to their patients and spend little (if any) of their time sharing info about improving overall health. Those with centralized pain disorder, or chronic pain, are experiencing doctors and family calling them fragile, sensitive, or crazy because it’s a complicated disorder that seeps into every relationship, and is unlabeled pain. When there is chronic pain, they are misdiagnosed or ignored. Enlist support from loved ones who recognize a real health problem, and reframe pain as it is instead of the big, bad possibilities. I'll go into more details about the power of positive thought for healing in my next blog about epigenetics.
After not being able to find a doctor that would listen and not roll their eyes even when they knew I had Crohn's, I feel disheartened for those that don't have the option to find another doctor or have time or energy to research other options.
Crohn’s is an all-over chronic inflammatory disease that affects hair, nails, skin, eyes,
the entire digestive tract, dental problems, achy joints, and heart and lung issues.
It is a symptom of a systemic immune response and gut dysbiosis.
My best top-ten advice for dealing with Crohn’s symptoms:
- Learn breathing techniques to open sinuses, lessen mouth breathing, and calm your anxiety.
- Reduce inflammatory foods and drinks. Start with eliminating high-fat and fried foods, alcohol, and all dairy.
- In the beginning, eliminate acidic foods like coffee, pineapples, and tomatoes, especially if you suffer from reflux.
- Fast, starting with intermittent fasting and working up to water fasts for one to 5 days. If on medications, talk with your doctor first. Water fasts are for a once-in-a-great-while RESET of your gut, not a long-term necessity.
- Introduce or increase high nutrient foods and drinks in easier-to-process ways. Drink smoothies and juices. Cook veggies and blend them into soups. Add microgreens or microgreen powders to your foods.
- Slowly add higher-fiber foods back into your diet.
- Grow fennel, peppermint, spearmint, and use those essential oils internally and topically. Drink teas with those herbs.
- Take enzymes and eat enzyme-rich foods to reduce bloating and assist digestion.
- Take prebiotics and Probiotics to repopulate and improve the good gut flora.
- Eat Mushrooms and mushroom tinctures.
Moving forward and symptom-free! Here to help you on your journey to healing.
Christy
"Fasting is the greatest remedy--the physician within." Paracelsus (1493-1541)
This is part 2 of What Is Intermittent Fasting:
Why should I fast?
A recent blog was about balance. Fasting can help in this area. Not having to prep as many meals makes things more simple. Not having to hyper-focus on which foods to eat keeps it simple.
Healthline.com mentions that "when you fast, human growth hormone levels go up and insulin levels go down. Your body’s cells also change the expression of genes and initiate important cellular repair processes." WOW. That's an incredible reason to try intermittent fasting right away! It even helps to put your body in ketosis if intermittent fasting lasts at least 14-16 hours. Tell all your friends on a Keto diet that this will help them even more!
Common intermittent fasting methods involve daily 16-hour fasts or fasting for 24 hours, twice per week.
These are the most common methods:
- The MOST popular is the 16/8 method: Also called the Leangains protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, such as 1–9 p.m. Then you fast for 16 hours in between. Or the 7-11 Where you fast from 7PM to 11AM. This method seems the simplest and easiest to stick with.
- The 5-2 plan: This may be easier to ease into I.F. if your schedule looks different most days. For 5 days, you eat normally, but 2 non-consecutive days you would eat 1/4 of your normal calories. For example, if you should eat 2,000 calories on a normal day, only have 500 calories on your "fasting" days.
- Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
- OMAD: One meal a day. You have even more time in your day with this one! You need to be very mindful of nutrition to get all your body's needs in one meal.
There is even one type of Biblical fasting, called the Daniel Fast. This one is more about the what vs the when.
More types are discussed in my course, Guided Intermittent Fasting.
What to Expect when Fasting:
When you fast, your body detoxifies and eliminates toxins from your system. This can cause mild discomfort such as headaches and irritability during withdrawal from caffeine and sugars. And naturally, you will have hunger pains. When doing longer fasts, 2 days on up, limit your activity and exercise moderately. Take time to rest.
How to End Your Fast:
Don’t overeat when the time comes to end your fast. Begin eating solid food gradually; eat small portions or snacks. Best to break your fast with fruit which will give you a fructose energy lift and is easy and quick to digest. There is a juice and smoothie recipe unit coming soon that will give you drink recipes that you can use for breaking fasts.
It needs to be mentioned that there are some people who should NOT fast or should fast with caution:
AN IMPORTANT CAVEAT: Intermittent Fasting can be more complex for people who have issues with blood sugar regulation, suffer from hypoglycemia, have diabetes, etc. If you fit into this category, check with your doctor or dietitian before adjusting your eating schedule. It also affects women differently, possibly causing menstrual cycles to stop if you fast for longer time blocks. Pregnant women and those trying to become pregnant may want to avoid fasting.
Join me in the Guided Intermittent Fasting Course group. Tons of information, tips, recipes, and encouragement in bite-sized chunks. See it here.
If you'd like to get some smoothie or juicing recipes, pop over to the Units in my Dancing Through Eden group on Facebook. Get a reset and a good kick in the pants!
Come on the journey with me!
Christy
Who's ready for a change? How about a fast?
I have had several forced fasts in my life. Experiencing the effects of Crohn's disease beginning in my 20's caused multiple days of not being able to eat, or eat any solid foods. When that happened, I was very tired, grumpy, hungry, and feeling poorly. Two months ago, I decided to try a liquid fast to prepare for the usual holiday splurges. I ended up going three days with very little nourishment other than coffee, water, and vitamins. I was surprised to find that I was not very hungry and had good energy. I did a water hydration challenge with my friend, Cassie, the week prior to my fast which I think helped. Since then I have been skipping the first meal of the day, which is a big deal for me. I had believed breakfast was the most important meal of the day and is to be eaten right when you wake. Live and learn. Learn and grow. I hope the information I've gathered for my own knowledge can help you feel comfortable starting intermittent fasting or doing a liquid fast for a day or two. You'll be surprised by the outcome.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
According to Wikipedia, "intermittent fasting, also known as intermittent energy restriction, is an umbrella term for various meal timing schedules that cycle between voluntary fasting and non-fasting over a given period."
Intermittent fasting is more like an eating schedule than a diet. It does not dictate WHAT you eat, only WHEN. It's not a starvation diet either. Starvation is the involuntary absence of food, like being unable to eat due to illness like I was or lack of resources.
Is fasting a fad?
Fasting is not a fad at all. It has been researched for many decades. The New England Journal of Medicine found that simple fasting improves metabolism, lowers blood sugar, lessens inflammation, which improves a range of health issues from arthritic pain to asthma, and even helps clear out toxins and damaged cells, which lowers risk for cancer and enhances brain function.
In fact, everyone of importance in the Bible fasted: Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Anna, Paul, Jesus, and others. When Jesus taught on fasting, He would say “When you fast” not “If you fast”. He assumed we would fast. We were created to fast during sleep. That’s why the first meal is called breakfast – it's when you break your fast.
Fasting is the Biblical way to humble ourselves (Psalm 35:13; 69:10). Esther fasted when faced with danger (Esther 4:16). Ezra fasted for protection (Ezra 8:21-28).
Many people use fasting as time out of their day to pray. Instead of taking time to prep and eat, focus on the one who made you.
Is fasting just for losing weight?
People are using fasting to lose weight, but also to improve their health and simplify their lifestyles. Hippocrates had written, "To eat when you are sick, is to feed your illness." Socrates and Plato were also believers and participants of fasting. It can be observed in nature when an animal is sick. I know when my dogs don't feel well, they will go 24-36 hours without eating. It's an instinct that has been pushed aside or ignored. Let's open our eyes to and remind ourselves of God's obvious tool to simplify our response to illness.
WHAT NEXT?
My next blog goes into more detail about how to start intermittent fasting, what to expect, and who shouldn't fast.
If you are super excited to get started and want all the information in one place, you can take advantage of my Guided Intermittent Fasting Course. Get more info here.
If you'd like to get some smoothie or juicing recipes, pop over to the Units in my Dancing Through Eden group on Facebook where I'll be sharing several of those, along with a Water Challenge in the Units. Get a reset and good kick in the pants!
Beside you on this journey,
Christy
Give. Take. Accept. Release. Balance.
Do you need better balance in your life? I pray you aren't buying into the need to constantly hustle to prove your worth. Most of us end up spinning in circles, still not getting everything done because of the frantic nature of "hustle". Just like the failure of trying to multi-task well, hustle just means pressure and over-focus with other things falling by the wayside.
The best thing I have done lately is to block my time. Not just a loose plan, like, "I'll do that in the morning, then in the afternoon I'll do laundry." A written schedule of SMALL blocks of time during which I can realistically get the task completed. I usually fiddle around and lose focus of what I thought I had planned. Having it written and in an order that makes me feel accomplished, therefore getting my brain to produce happy endorphins, pushes me to get more done in less time. This way, I have more time for important things like helping my son with his schoolwork or making a healthy dinner in the afternoons. There are several free templates for time-blocking at this link. There's even an optional app if you're techy!
Speaking of meals, balancing a diet is difficult with hectic lives. It's not just the busy-ness that can hinder us, it's also the mixed messages we get while searching for the best way to feed ourselves and our families. "Eat this, not that." "Nope, you can't eat that anymore, it's bad." "Nevermind, it's now a superfood, so we jacked up the price." "Eat none of that." "Don't eat at all sometimes." UGH. It's difficult, but not impossible.
When I first got my Vitamix (check out that blog for more deets), I ended up researching raw foods and fasting. Even those people who eat all their fruits and veggies and supplement every missing mineral and vitamin know that there can be issues that cause them to go too far. One podcaster discussed fasting and how much he enjoyed longer fasts, but could only stick to a week at a time so it didn't become an eating disorder. (If this peaks your interest, look for my next blog, as I'll go through some info on the intermittent-fasting trend.)
Don't let everyone else's "perfect" diet dissuade you from starting to develop better eating habits. You are not them. They don't live in your body or know how you are feeling or what you need. If you are honest with yourself, you can find a way to improve healthy food habits that will make a big difference in your life.
Stick with it, and give yourself grace and the time to find a better balance.
Begin your better life now.
Walking with you,
Christy
As a health-conscious mom, I tried to get my young girls to choose healthier options, but the oldest refused almost all veggies. One fateful day as we wandered around Whole Foods, there was a man demonstrating a Vitamix blender*, showing how to make fabulous and yummy fruit shakes - with spinach! My girls both drank it up! We rearranged the budget on the spot and got the blender. I had no idea what I was about to get into. I was about to follow the beanstalk so far up after that magical seed was planted.
After researching recipes for my new favorite appliance, I came across info on different diets, including the raw diet. After 2 weeks on the raw diet, I felt amazing yet soon had rebounding fatigue. I decided that my body needed more balance. Adding back carbs, but fewer and healthier, and occasional animal products worked best for me.
Adding veggies was a great trick for littles and a boost for my husband and me, but I was still caught up in doing things the way I was brought up. I was supposed to go to the doctor regularly, take OTC meds for any little symptom, and do the same with kiddos. I believed I was doing the best for them but being the obedient follower didn't prove to be prudent.
After my third child had an MMR shot at his 5 or 6-month check-up, he had a febrile seizure. When I connected one with the other and was told how common and expected it was, I sat in that surreal moment and started connecting other dots. The trust I had completely given over to the medical establishment got its first chip in it. After that, I happened across a magazine, Offspring, which was a one-edition wonder that had a controversial article about vaccines (FYI, if you search for it now, there's a magazine with the same name that has blindly pro-vaccine articles). I'm grateful for it to this day as it opened my eyes to the fact that the medical community while being full of good individuals, did NOT always know how to protect their patients or even have our full well-being as their main objective.
Confusing at first, all the conflicting data, opinions, and stories of harm had to make their way through my existing frame of reference and years of deference. Who was I? I had no medical degree. I did have a college degree, a BS, with multiple genetics classes, but I couldn't possibly be able to read the information all by my lonesome to make a decision different than the pediatrician's recommendation, could I? (Oh, and it's not that little paper that tells you what the vaccine is good for, it's a LOOOOOONG piece of paper full of tiny print that includes actual ingredients and warnings. Don't sign the vaccine disclaimer the nurses give you 2 seconds to read until you get it.)
I found that I could read and comprehend the info. I have. I will help you to see, understand, and plant a magic bean so that you can also look down from a higher vantage point and see your family's path to better health. Empower yourself.
Start with a smoothie.
Here's the basic recipe that started all this:
2 cups of hemp milk (or almond, or oat milk, coconut water, or filtered water)
1 cup of spinach
1/2 ripe banana
2 cups of frozen strawberries
Get a bit more complicated:
2 cups of hemp (or other) milk
1 cup of sorrel or dandelion greens
a handful of grapes or raisins
1 or 2 scoops of protein powder
2 cups frozen peaches
1T of honey
1-2 drops of Lemon Vitality essential oil
dash of cinnamon
Basically, you can add frozen fruit to a milk choice and go wild with little additions and single drops of citrus essential oils. Blend in order because the softer foods blend better BEFORE the frozen fruits. We like to add cinnamon to balance the sugar in the fruit and milk. I love grapes or raisins in my smoothies because it changes the texture and makes it smooooth! My daughter always adds honey for taste.
Share your own recipes here! I love trying new ones.
*For the sake of transparency, I do receive a commission for qualified purchases from these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I spend a good amount of time pulling together research to get people easier-to-digest chunks of information and only recommend those items I personally have owned or used. We still use that same Vitamix 15 years later!
Man-made EMF or electromagnetic field is creating electro-pollution which is associated with health problems such as cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS, autism, ADD/ADHD symptoms, sleep disturbances, and more.
We are electrical beings with our own frequencies. The 7.8 Hz frequency of the Earth allows us to balance our electrons. Electrons play a central role in biology and health. But when man created all the technology, it is like a wild hurricane of electricity compared to the Earth’s mild breeze.
The World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer classified this created radiofrequency radiation as a probable carcinogen in 2013. It’s labeled a Group 2 Carcinogen. And it’s invisible and all around us. “All cells communicate with each other via subtle electromagnetic signals and biochemical reactions”, and the mechanisms that allow digestion and brain activities to work are the rearrangement of charged particles. Continuous exposure to manmade EMR disruptors and disrupts normal cellular function and leads to disease! (IVC Journal)
“Andrew McAfee, a former music professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and one-time principal horn for the N.C. Symphony Orchestra for 15 years says proximity to cellphone towers, WiFi signals, and wireless utility meters causes a burning sensation on his skin, gives him the sweats, and makes him agitated. ‘The removal of Duke's opt-out fees stops that added insult to injury for many who suffer debilitating electrosensitivity conditions and their associated health costs,’ McAfee said. ‘Most importantly, the NCUC order recognizes our medical doctor's proper role in determining what is healthy, not the FCC.”
“‘More than a dozen individuals, including a physician, stated that they have personally experienced debilitating health impacts from the cumulative impact of RF emissions,’ the Utilities Commission said in its ruling. ‘A few went so far as to assert that RF emissions from smart meters contribute to violence and homicides.’” (Government Technology article)
.’
The commission received a statement from the director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany in New York, co-signed by four other scientists and doctors. The letter said the greatest risk of radio frequency wave exposure is cancer, but symptoms include memory loss and fatigue.
The commission received a statement from the director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University of Albany in New York, co-signed by four other scientists and doctors. The letter said the greatest risk of radio frequency wave exposure is cancer, but symptoms include memory loss and fatigue.’” (TCK Publishing)
What you can do:
- Use headphones with wires instead of putting your phone to your head or using Bluetooth.
- Keep your phone on airplane mode as much as possible.
- Choose a healthy diet and lifestyle with supplements like Ginko Biloba and essential oils.
- Keep 10 feet away from devices, especially when sleeping.
- Don’t keep your phone on your person (like in your pocket or bra) and -easy button- use one of these stickers.
- Use EMF blocking devices or pendants - see links below. Smart Meter EMF BLOCKER *
- Use grounding or earthing mats and tech - see the following information:
Grounding / Earthing
“Earthing restores and maintains the human body’s most natural electrical state, which in turn promotes optimum health and functionality in daily life. The earth is endowed with ‘electric nutrition,’ a virtually limitless supply of mobile electrons that gives the ground we walk on (as well as our lakes and oceans) a natural negative electric charge. When you make direct contact with this negative electric charge you are grounding.”
The process of grounding, also called earthing, is a physical change, a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth.
The influx of electrons gives a powerful boost to the body’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defenses. They rapidly neutralize free radical molecules that create chronic inflammation, arresting the destructive action on healthy tissues, and leading to a reduction of pain.
“Medical thermal imaging has shown decreased inflammation in minutes after people are grounded. It restores and stabilizes the bioelectrical circuitry that governs our physiology and organs by recharging and thinning our blood, enhancing immune function, and powerfully and quickly knocking down inflammation and pain.
Because we no longer sleep on the ground or walk barefoot everywhere we go, we have disconnected ourselves from this major, and very necessary, source of healing. Grounding restores an essential electric connection that we've lost and that we need to keep inflammation at bay.
Grounding is accessible to everyone. It's as simple as walking or sitting barefoot outdoors. If outside is impossible and/or you need more time grounded each day (which most people do!), using indoor Earthing® products to connect to the earth while you sleep, relax, or work is critical.” (earthing.com)
“Earthing connects us to Nature and Nature is the ultimate source of health and healing."—JOHN GRAY, PH.D
Resources:
"Don’t Want a Smart Meter? Get a Doctor’s Note." Government Technology. https://www.govtech.com/health/Dont-Want-a-Smart-Meter-Get-a-Doctors-Note.html
“Smart Meter Health Stories." Michigan Smart Meter Education Network. http://smartmeterhealth.blogspot.com/
Products:
emf-harmony.com for blocking emfs from computers, phones, smart watches, etc.
**Use the code: CHRISTYL for 10% OFF
**Christy LaStrapes is a participant in the GoAffPro Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the partner site.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dancing through my garden the other day, I was thinking about how God forces us to accept the cycles of life and death, seasons of abundance and of want, and what a blessing it is.
The fall season shifts the thriving plants in my garden. My tomato plants were eaten up by giant hornworms, gave 4 or so more cherry tomatoes, then started dying back. Cantaloupes are done. The last cucumber was picked 3 days ago. I’ve now planted 4 different types of greens: arugula, mustard, red kale, and swiss chard. The onions and leeks will keep hanging out. Okra will be cut back and keep producing until frost. Seasons change.
The chickens are still on strike except for one. I get one egg every other day. I’m so thankful for that ONE. Chickens oftentimes stop laying when the days get shorter. They respond to the number of daylight hours. People that rely on egg production need to add artificial lighting to “extend” daylight hours. I choose not to do that. They are born with the eggs they will lay. I appreciate the need for a break. I don’t cull them regularly, allowing them to hang out and lay a few eggs as long as they can. Seasons come and go.
My father passed away in March. This is the first year he missed his birthday, his wife moving out of their home, our going through his treasures, my birthday, my son buying his own fixer-upper car, and the upcoming holidays. I have beaucoup feelings about it. Waves of emptiness, regret, happy memories. I have dug into some past emotions that I thought I had moved beyond. I am working to embrace those feelings, saying, “it’s ok to feel this, but it’s not allowed to define my mood, day, relationships, or future”. This is a new season.
Moving into business mindsets with a coach is opening up an amazing season for me. I’m seeing new ways to serve others and improve our family’s financial position. Future seasons.
Recognize. Accept. Embrace. Let go. Move forward.
And just because I love the cooler weather and all the fall things, here are 2 DIY Fall things for ya:
Pumpkin Mask
Why Pumpkin? Did you know that pumpkin is packed with fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids that increase cell turnover, leaving the skin brighter and smoother? Or that pumpkin has vitamins A and C that soften and smooth the skin and may boost collagen production? Pumpkin has a small chemical structure that penetrates deep into the skin, bringing all of the benefits with it. This makes pumpkin the perfect ingredient for a face mask
Worried about acne? Pumpkin seeds are a delicious source of zinc, which regulates hormone levels and controls oil on the skin. They also contain vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which are necessary to maintain the skin barrier function and regulate oily output. That’s why this pumpkin mask is a must this fall.
Trust me on this DIY. You have never had such buttery soft and smooth skin. Are you going to try it?
Ingredients
4 tablespoons pumpkin purée
4 tablespoons raw honey
8 drops copaiba essential oil
4 drops orange essential oil
Instructions:
Whisk all ingredients together, and store in 4 oz. jar.
To use the pumpkin mask, spread a small amount on your face and neck.
Allow to soak for 10 minutes before washing off.
credit to Lindsey Elmore
Changing Leaves Diffuser Blend
Individual diffuser:
6 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
2 drops Wintergreen
2 drops Eucalyptus Globulus or Ravintsara
For easy diffusing, just 10X it in a 15ml bottle or other easy to use container:
60 drops Northern Lights Black Spruce
20 drops Wintergreen
20 drops Eucalyptus Globulus or Ravintsara
Here’s to fall and embracing the change!
Now that you have chickens, you will be getting your own chicken eggs...
How do you handle them?
When your chickens have matured and are ready to lay their eggs, their combs will turn red. Then you'll need to start searching for their eggs. They'll usually sing their "egg song", that unmistakeable song that is echoed by the other chickens and roosters too (don't know why that's a thing for the guys, but I understand the girls singing - 2 of my kids were unmedicated births😜). You'll want to get some kind of basket or egg apron to collect so you don't leave a trail of broken eggs back to your kitchen.
Eggshells are porous, but God designed them to have a micro membrane coating on them called “bloom” to keep potential baby chicks and their environment safe and clean.
Bacteria have a hard time getting inside a dry egg. Washing dirty eggs removes the bloom and invites bacteria to be drawn inside the egg. And washing eggs in cool water actually creates a vacuum, pulling unwanted bacteria inside even faster.
(Of course, not all bacteria is bad, but you never know what may be lurking on the outside, so better safe than sorry.)
So, what do we do with those less-than-shiny eggs?
First off, the easiest solution is to prevent dirty eggs in the first place.
1. Clean your nesting boxes often. Personally, I’ve found that keeping a constant supply of fresh shavings in each box goes a looong way in keeping my eggs clean (though, I’ll freely admit that this does not happen every day at my homestead!).
2. Place your roosting areas HIGHER than your boxes. Chickens like to roost in the highest part of the coop that they can. Build roosting areas higher than your nesting area to discourage them from roosting in and soiling their boxes.
Even with the cleanest boxes, you will still end up with a dirty egg from time to time.
So your options are 1: throw them at cars 2: practice juggling or 3: carefully clean them.
Let’s go with 3, shall we?
Egg Wash options:
1. Sandpaper. Use fine-grit sandpaper to gently sand off any soiled areas of the egg. While this still damages some of the bloom coating, it keeps the egg dry, helping to prevent the “vacuum” effect.
2. Warm/Hot water. Wash the dirty eggs in water that is approximately 20 degrees (or more) hotter than the egg - the hotter the better- and I try not to allow my eggs to soak in any standing water. I moisten them until the dirty spots soften, wipe, and dry. Now they have to go in the fridge. Also, it’s a good idea to use washed eggs before unwashed ones.
3. Bleach/Dish Soap. I’ve seen many sources mention bleaching or cleaning eggs with “solutions”. I try to steer clear of any of these methods, especially the bleach. I suppose if you are running a commercial egg operation, then this is something you need to consider, but for my informal egg collecting? I just use plain ol’ hot water. (If I WERE to use some sort of “soap,” I would definitely stick with something on the natural side).
My personal method? I only wash eggs that are visibly soiled. Anything that comes in the house already clean is left alone. If they have a bit of dry manure or shavings stuck on them, I try to flick those things off before bringing them inside.
So, my egg cleaning routine is informal, but I’m happy with it. I also have peace of mind knowing that our chickens are healthy, happy, and fed a better quality diet than commercial chickens. Those things go a long way in keeping your eggs safe to eat. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
When your flock has grown and you get too many eggs to eat before they go bad, you can try freezing them! This way you can let your hens rest during the winter and you'll still have plenty of egg to eat.
How to Freeze Eggs
Decide whether to freeze yolks and whites separately or together. I freeze the whole egg together.
Crack as many eggs as you wish into a freezer-safe container. (You can use a Tupperware container with lid and put in 2 cups/container).
GENTLY stir yolks and whites together to avoid a lot of extra air in the mixture.
(Optional Step) Add 1/2 teaspoon of honey OR salt to each cup of whole eggs to help stabilize the yolk
Label and freeze up to 6 months.
When you are ready to use them, thaw in the fridge.
(3 Tablespoons of the egg mixture = 1 egg in recipes)
A clean coop makes for clean eggs. Keeping it clean makes it smell better too.
Here is an easy great-smelling spray you can put together in a couple minutes for safe and non-toxic cleaning:
DIY CHICKEN COOP CLEANING SPRAY
16 oz spray bottle
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup distilled water
25 drops lemon essential oil or 10 drops lemon, 10 drops peppermint and 5 drops tea tree oil
Put water, vinegar, and oils in the bottle and shake.
Spray as needed. Allow chickens to move out of the coop during cleaning and air dry before they roost for the night.
Do you wash your backyard eggs? What is your method?
