Tapioca - friend or foe?

I may not be a doctor, or scientist or medical expert, but what I am is an expert in my own body and what works and what doesn't.

About a year ago it became apparent that I was eating something that I was reacting to - it was interfering with proper digestion and stripping me of vitamins and minerals (again) and reducing the effectiveness of my thyroid medication.

So I started experimenting with food elimination (I should write a book "Everything I learned I have learned from Elimination Diets") and started to pare down what I was eating in 1 week blocks.  By eating only super safe food within a controlled amount of time, I could introduce possible culprits, and gauge the reactions or lack thereof.  After a year of experimenting and eliminating and re-introducing - I found tapioca, and quinoa (a story for another day) were creating problems for me.

Ah, tapioca... in SO many gluten-free baked goods and flour mixes. So many lovely breads - that my family still enjoys, that I have learned to do without.
Which quite honestly, is fine by me - I prefer to feel good over All Else. Yes, I rather feel good than eat the cupcake!

Luckily I found the The Practical Paleo cookbook and PaleOMG and the amazing muffins and cakes that can be made without flours - and without tapioca!

It just makes me wonder how many celiacs and gluten-free intolerants who are still having issues, would improve with the removal of tapioca?
Is tapioca or your friend or foe?

Finding What Makes You Happy

My sketchbook makes me happy.
to work on it
to flip through it
and to catch glimpses of it... all makes me happy!

So I put this practice tile by the kitchen sink with my "possibility' stone.  An uplifting daily reminder.

and I leave my sketchbook out in different locations each day so I can see it when I am not expecting to.  And that peek can turn my day around.

The coasters that I hand draw, paint, letter and stamp are like an extension of my sketchbook, lovely 4" squares of sketchbook stone possibility - and I am loving the process of working on them!

As I dig to discover what about my sketches brings me joy I realize...

it represents freedom, acceptance, fun, courage, exploration, comfort, confidence, abundance, satisfaction, contentment.

All that with a little paper, ink and paint.

I've learned that my sketchbook packs a powerful punch.