<![CDATA[Sippie's Studio - Blog]]>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:58:25 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Now you know, where do you go?]]>Fri, 24 Jan 2014 19:58:25 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/now-you-know-where-do-you-goI'm talking about gluten.... have you been diagnosed, or only believe you are gluten-sensitive after a lot of trial and error?  Either way, there is a great opportunity coming right up that will help you get healthy. 
   I've been ranting about the value of The Gluten Summit here lately, the 30 hour course I took at the end of last year in which I learned sooooo much about my own family's struggles with gluten intolerance.   Alas, the Summit is over and done with (though the speakers' lectures, all 29 of them, are still available for purchase by going here), but the organizer, Dr. Tom O'Bryan of thedr.com, has now put together a much shorter (90-minute), FREE recap for patients as well as practitioners.  Here's the scoop:

  • CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE

"Now That You Know, Where Do You Go?” is a 90-minute webinar that will guide you though a conversation with your healthcare professional, identifying answers to such questions as:

  • What tests should I take to see if I have a disorder?
  • Could it be gluten? Or dairy? Or another food triggering symptoms?
  • How do I order tests? What if I’m outside of the U.S.?
  • When should I take the tests?
  • How do I interpret the results?
  • What if my results come back positive for a gluten-related disorder?
  • Do I really need to take nutrition? If so, for how long?

DATES: January 30, 10:00 A.M. U.S. EST
             - February 2, midnight U.S. EST
LENGTH: 90-minute audio with video
REGISTRATION: FREE!

]]><![CDATA[Are Texans more gluten-sensitive?]]>Sat, 07 Dec 2013 04:00:22 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/are-texans-more-gluten-sensitive     Okay, I have no real proof that Texans are more at risk for gluten-sensitivity than anybody else.  But there is plenty of proof that gluten-sensitivity is on the rise in the U.S.   Having just attended The Gluten Summit, I know now that there is proof that GMOs destroy our gut lining via the pesticides we ingest, and without a gut lining, the offending gliadin protein from wheat gets free access to our bloodstream where it’s routed through our bodies and ultimately produces disease in the brain, joints, heart or wherever you happen to have a weak genetic link.  

     In addition to the reporting in the summit, this information was recently presented formally in a research paper entitled “GMOs Linked to Exploding Gluten Sensitivity Epidemic,“ authored by several leading researchers including Sayer Ji of GreenMedInfo and Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT).

    To reiterate, a growing body of evidence points to the epidemic rise of gluten-sensitivity very shortly after the introduction of GMO corn and soy into the food supply in the early-to-mid 90s.  Indeed, prior to Monsanto’s grand experiment, gluten sensitivity was unheard of by most medical practitioners outside of an extremely small population plagued by celiac disease.  Many practitioners around the U.S. now estimate that a conservative 30% of their patients are hyper-reactive to gluten.  Early experiments have shown that the rise in gluten-sensitivity is caused by an environmental trigger very likely to be the Bt toxin engineered into GMOs - along with glyphosate, the pesticide in Monsanto’s Round-Up which is directly applied to their GMO crops. Both of these toxins continue to kill micro-organisms after we ingest them, thereby destroying all the beneficial gut flora. These toxins quite literally poke holes in the gut and produce “leaky gut syndrome” which opens the door to myriad health problems.

        But why Texans are so affected?  My theory is because of the typical Tex-Mex diet, one which I lived on for more years than I care to admit. We Texans eat a LOT of corn: breakfast taco on a corn tortilla, the corn chips with lunch at the local sandwich shop, the enchiladas rolled in corn tortillas for dinner. I well remember that the horrid stomach problems (which grew to be so much more) began in the mid 90s in my own family.  But whether you are already symptomatic or not, every single person who consumes GMOs is a ticking time bomb since the destruction of the gut is not selective.  The more GMOs you eat, the faster the damage is done, but it’s being done to ALL of us.
       If you eat Mexican food in a Texas restaurant, (or deli cornbread or even corn on the cob), you are eating GM corn - and you are ripe to develop gluten-sensitivity along with a host of associated problems.  Of course, organic corn does not produce this toxic effect, but precious little of it is available since most researchers estimate that approximately 84% of all corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified.  And restaurants cannot afford to serve organics even it were readily available.  (PLEASE NOTE that Cenote DOES serve organic-corn tortillas made fresh locally!)
 
    Bottom line: Eating gluten-free is simply not enough to safeguard the health of people with gluten problems.  Turns out that it’s absolutely vital to stop the GMOs too.  And with Monsanto’s big bucks and Washington insiders at the helm of the FDA and USDA, it’s an uphill battle.  Don’t trust anyone with your food supply.   Eat local, eat organic. Know where your food comes from.
]]><![CDATA[Gluten Summit Day 6]]>Sat, 16 Nov 2013 14:41:25 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/gluten-summit-day-6Here it is Day 6 of the gluten summit - Today's program starts at 10 a.m. central time, but you can register anytime during the day today and listen to the last 3 days of presentations.  I am learning soooooooooooooo much, far more science-based information (but explained in layman's terms) than I thought possible.

Just for a little example from nutritionist Liz Lipski,
99% of your genes reside in the microbiome (microbes) of your gut.
2/3 of the immune system is in the digestive system.

And from cardiologist Mark Houston:
The latest research shows that gluten is OFTEN the cause of high blood pressure as well as abnormal lipid work (high cholesterol) leading to arteriosclerosis.

from David Perlmutter, M.D. (author of "Grain Brain")
The best diet you can eat contains healthy fats and lots of vegetables.
There is a direct correlation between alzheimer's and other neurological diseases and the inability to digest gluten.

And from researcher Tom Malterre:
There has been a 400% increase in the use of anti-depressants since GM crops have been introduced (anti-depressants are by far the most prescribed Rx in the 18-44 age group)... and yes this DOES relate directly to gluten sensitivity.  Every expert that I've heard thus far into the summit has stated that gluten-intolerance is far more than just a gut disease.  Most readers here surely already know that the Bt toxin in GM foods creates a pesticide factory that resides in your gut, destroying the lining and allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream... gluten is one of those toxins, and where it ends up is where you will have problems ... your joints, heart, brain, kidneys.  The mechanism by which gluten causes disease is explained quite clearly in more than one of these interviews, making this summit absolutely invaluable. 
   
Another tidbit: those with identifiable antibodies to gluten are quite likely to have lost the ability to digest many other foods as well.  Accurate testing is vital as is the proper lab that knows how to perform the tests. 

And from PhD Andrew Keech
Colostrum can HEAL the gut, and peptides from colostrum can be used to "Balance" the immune system.  "Balancing the immune system" is an important distinction from "stimulating the immune system" because some people have an over-active immune system with related problems and some have very weak immune systems.

And from the general array of physician interviews:
Humans have never developed the ability to digest gluten.  For ~70% of the population, gluten can pass out of the gut in about 5 hours, but with today's heavily processed and wheat-heavy diet, there is no five hour window. Gluten accumulates and destroys the lining of the gut over time (aka "leaky gut syndrome"), leading to heart disease, brain disease, neurological diseases, not to mention the initial gut problems experienced by everyone in the early stages of gluten sensitivity. 

I cannot recommend this summit enough.
Update: The live summit is now over, but you can purchase all 29 interviews in digital format for only $97 (the "professional" version with DVDs and reference material is $497) by going here.
]]><![CDATA[The Gluten Summit]]>Mon, 28 Oct 2013 02:56:36 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/the-gluten-summit       I realize I have been very lax in keeping this blog updated, but something has crossed my inbox recently that I think will be very interesting for readers of Sippie's Studio, gluten-free advocates who know that eating gluten causes myriad health problems.  But having just finished the book Grain Brain by David Perlmutter, I am absolutely shocked at the new information being published.  And to that end, a group of researchers (Perlmutter is one of them) are putting on a free online "summit" to educate all of us.  I share their post with you here:
       "What if gluten is the cause of your health issues?" That's the question more patients and healthcare professionals need to ask. Yet, so few are doing so! That's why I'm attending A Grain of Truth: The Gluten Summit; the world's first FREE, ONLINE event bringing 29 experts together to discuss exactly why we should ask this question sooner rather than later. You won't want to miss it! November 11-17. Register for FREE today! http://theglutensummit.com]]><![CDATA[Salsa Verde]]>Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:07:55 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/salsa-verde
Picture
My apologies for the lack of attention to this blog for this entire month.  Mexico turned out to be quite an adventure as it neared the end.   Although we were in a safe spot, we were burglarized 4 days before departure.  The ladron (thief) got my computer with my whole entire life on it (with no backup!  I know, I know...) (including Sippie's Studio labels which took me forever to create!) as well as phone, cash, coat, and... o yea, a suitcase to put it all in.  The good news is that nobody was home when it happened.  And even better news is how we were helped by sooooo many wonderful Mexican people who even walked the streets on our behalf, going door to door in one neighborhood to try and find the culprit.   Despite this unsavory ending to a great trip, I would go back in a heartbeat - and certainly will when I get the chance.
   One of those wonderful people who helped us was a woman named Josefina with a heart of gold; she's a new friend for life.  In mid-January she taught me her method for salsa verde which I share here:

These amounts will make you about 2 cups of salsa:
Ingredients:
   12-15 small tomatillos                    1-2 cloves garlic
   1/2 bunch cilantro                        sea salt to taste
   1 jalapeno or serrano pepper (you will use only as much as your tastebuds can handle; just make sure you use a green colored hot pepper or your salsa will not be "verde" !)
   2 tsp olive oil
  
Peel and wash the tomatillos.  They tend to be sticky once the peel is off so you might want to soak them awhile, then rub the skins to eliminate that stickiness Cover with fresh water, add a dash of salt, and heat to boiling (about 15-20 minutes).
 
Meanshile, place your pepper(s) whole down on a hot griddle and broil til the color starts to change.  Chop it in half or quarters along with the garlic and place both in a blender with salt, oil, and cilantro.  (You might have to add a little water to get your blender to grab them all, but no harm done, as some people dilute their salsa at the end anyway.)  Pulse these ingredients until liquid, then add the cooked tomatillos and pulse again until all is liquified.  It will be slightly thick, and you can add as much water, as much salt and/or hot pepper to taste at this point.  

This salsa will keep in the fridge for at least 4-5 days, and I find myself pulling it out for everything from huevos rancheros to spicy dip for chips.

Note:  I've found that back in the States the peppers are not as hot as in Mexico so I'm using a whole pepper and still not getting a super picante HOT sauce.  Maybe that's a good thing as I'm back in gringolandia where we gringos shy away from the burn.   This salsa will now be featured at Thursday night taco night at Cenote on occasion.

]]><![CDATA[Sippie's in Mexico]]>Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:55:50 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/sippies-in-mexicoPicture
The gluten free bakery is not totally closed while I escape Austin's cedar fever this year.  You should still be able to find gluten free blueberry muffins, oatmeal-raisin and chocolate chip cookies provided by my right-hand man, Spice Bakerman.
    Additionally, Misty Morning Bakery is well represented at Cenote as well.  Their gluten-free breads are especially delicious and are available as a gluten-free option for every  sandwich from Cenote's kitchen.
   I wish I could say that I really miss Austin right now, but ... well, that would be a lie.  Guanajuato has never been more beautiful, especially this year with temps in the high 70s in the day and down to low 40s at night. Perfect weather here (so sorry if it sounds like I'm rubbing it in!), but we all need a little 'vacaciones' now and then.  Hasta febrero!
]]><![CDATA[Tomato-Cage Christmas]]>Mon, 24 Dec 2012 15:12:51 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/tomato-cage-christmasPicture
Christmas has rolled around, snuck up on me, and in the spirit of non-consumerism I refuse to buy a dying tree no matter how festive it is.  Plenty of years I've been there, done that and am left feeling a bit guilty at the end of the day.  At left is my tomato cage tree, wrapped first in chicken wire, then in lights, and draped with a lot of homemade decorations collected and made over a lotta lotta years.   (Okay, so it's a little hard to appreciate in a photo, but I assure you that it looks perfect at night with the lights on.) 

End of year update: This seems a good time to update anyone interested on the progress, or lack thereof, of the garden at Cenote.  If you've ventured over to have a look, all you'll see is a bunch of dirt and leaves in the four raised beds, not a leafy green to be found.  Though we planted our garden at home on the very same day as Cenote's gardens with the very same seed and were eating fresh lettuce out of it about four weeks later, Cenote's plants never got bigger than sprouts!  The difference?  SOIL!   I will not name the vendor who supplied the soil but suffice it to say, the soil was not what it was cracked up to be.  Not even close since it actually contained the word "compost" in the name of the mix.  Sadly, this was not compost.  We've resigned ourselves to the fact that for this season, we are building soil only, providing it with coffee grounds and cardboard (carbon and nitrogen) in the hope of creating true compost in which to plant when February (next planting time) rolls around.

Finally, at the end of each year I try to stop and make note of the things that I tend to take for granted.  Gratitude time: I am so so so grateful for all the new young friends I've made at Cenote this year.  Here I am in the autumn of my years (early autumn I hope), and I'm surrounded by all these incredible young souls.  I'm so grateful to have had the chance to get to know them all this year.  Best present ever.
]]><![CDATA[Congrats on Chronicle win!]]>Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:14:30 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/congrats-on-chronicle-winShanon and AltonShannon and Alton, all smiles!
Congratulations to Cenote for winning the Austin Chronicle's Best New Coffee Shop category for 2012! Needless to say, it came as no surprise to me since I'm up there all the time and see just how incredibly special this place is.  From Chino's handmade kitchen delights with daily specials made with local garden produce - to the historic building saved from the developers' wrecking ball and renovated into the most unique and beautiful shop anywhere to be found (they received an award for historical renovation) -  to the absolutely incredible staff, all of whom I have come to adore very much.... Cenote is truly a very special place. 
   And speaking of staff, a few special people are pictured here.  Some were experts in all things coffee already, having served up coffee in Austin for several years before Cenote was a twinkle in Cody's and Mary's eyes -- I'm thinking specifically of Shannon here who is pictured above with Alton Jenkins, Cenote drummer-in-residence who takes and delivers your order with the best smile on the planet. 
    But even the veteran Shannon (who makes Cenote's home-made chai - and it's soooooo good!) admitted to me that she truly enjoys the ongoing barista education offered by Cenote in conjunction with local roaster Cuvee, purveyor of fair trade and organic coffees purchased often IN PERSON from the farmers themselves throughout Central and South America.   (Cenote took home the Statesman poll award for 'best coffee' just three months after it opened, so I think that pretty well says it all about Cuvee's attention to good coffee.)
PictureZac Collier whipping up a latte.
    And then there are others behind the counter like Zac Collier pictured at right who took the barista training and became barista extraordinaire before he even turned 21!  (He makes a killer 'Australian Americano'!)  Zac is also famous for being one of the only ones who can figure out the very unique ratio of carbon dioxide to brew when setting up and maintaining the iced-coffee-on-tap, which as far as I know is completely unique to Cenote at this point in time.  (omgoodness, it is THE BEST thing on a hot Austin summer day!)
      
     Many more people to mention here, and I'll get around to posting more of their photos soon.  Needless to say, they're all very special folks.  I love these people!!
]]><![CDATA[review: Confessions of ...]]>Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:56:33 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/review-confessions-ofSometimes you just get a feeling inside that things aren’t what they seem.  Such was the case with me when a friend invited me onto Kiva, the online microfinance website that promotes itself as bringing real connection between borrower and lender. It sounds so good, so easy - just loan $25 or more directly to a needy person of my choosing whose pictures are provided along with select personal data.  Kiva’s website tells you that it works with ‘organizations in the field’ to actually disburse my loan and that I will get all of my money back (without interest) when the loan is repaid by the new friend I have made -- who is ever-so-grateful that I have chosen him/her as the recipient of my loan.  

And in case you’re unfamiliar with microfinance, in a nutshell it’s a way of providing loans to poor people so they can lift themselves up out of poverty. Sometimes this means a loan to purchase goods to re-sell, sometimes a sewing machine to help increase a hand-sewer’s productivity, sometimes a couple of goats so a small farmer can sell goat milk in their community. It all sounds very simple -- the loans are usually repaid within a matter of months, all scheduled and carefully monitored by the non-profit lending institution in the field (meaning the partner institution located in the country where the loan is made).  

I need to back up a bit here and say that my interest in this issue became personal years ago when a friend fresh out of college set up a non-profit microfinance institution (MFI) and asked me to donate (please notice that my friend’s org depends on donations, not loans, which makes its operating model different from most of the other players).  Knowing this friend has a heart of gold, I didn’t hesitate and have followed the growth of my friend’s org from a one-person show involving repeated trips to one of the poorest spots on the planet to disburse donated funds to what is now a large, well-funded (donations, interest, and loan repayments) organization with celebrity supporters and fancy parties.  My friend’s involvement has dwindled to that of adviser after holding every position imaginable over the years, and financial ‘experts’ make up a board of directors who are set "to guide the organization to the forefront of microfinance." 

Uh... wait a minute.  Where’s the part on the website that tells me what sort of interest rate they are charging these people?   Additionally, they say there’s a “savings component” that requires each borrower to place funds in the care of this microfinance organization, ostensibly as collateral that will earn interest for these poor people.  But how much funds/savings are they required to deposit?  And how much interest do the borrowers earn on this savings account?  How much interest does the org earn while they’re keeping it safe for them?  I’m not seeing transparency here, and that makes me nervous.  

And then recently I got this invite to become a lender through Kiva, an MFI based in California with a novel means to attract capital via a website  ... I perused the website for answers to the same types of questions.  Nothing specific (to be fair, they do post the “average” interest rate used by their many partners in the field), but plenty of photos of poor people smiling with names and locations and types of businesses they want to promote.  Bingo. I have an emotional connection!  And the invite said that I wouldn’t even have to loan my OWN money because some anonymous donor wants to promote Kiva by giving money to people like me so I can learn about Kiva and become a lender in my own right.  Whew, how philanthropic of Anonymous!

My worst fears about microfinance were recently realized after reading Confessions of a Microfinance Heretic by Hugh Sinclair, a long-time veteran of the industry who became extremely unpopular for blowing the whistle on the dubious practices within the industry (the BIG industry).  His book has only just been published, and he sees it necessary to “lay low” for awhile given the fact that his life has already been threatened for exposing some very profitable players in the microfinance sector along with some creative and unethical practices.  I couldn’t begin to explain here all the schemes employed by those with fancy credentials who extort money from the poor, but here are a few highlights from Sinclair’s book:

1) In 2009 a Kiva website user discovered 2 photos of the same poor person on different pages of the Kiva website where they were given different names and profiles. One photo was cropped slightly different than the other, and they were time-stamped only one minute apart. 

2) Despite all sorts of evidence of fraud and direct notification of that fraud to investors, large pension funds (yours perhaps?) continue to invest in a Nigerian MFI known as LAPO that charges up to 150% interest (even more on occasion) on loans to the poor in that country.  Why would these large 1st world pension funds continue to support such blatant misuse of pensioners' dollars?  Because LAPO successfully repays the investor loans at a high interest rate.  And of course, it’s not really about the poor at all.  As you might guess, some of these MFIs collect debts by threatening their debtors.  One debtor sold her child into prostitution in order to pay up. And a rash of suicides by borrowers in India made headlines.

3) Due to a clause in microfinance regulations, the same fraudulent Nigerian fund recently employed an option called “transformation” that allowed it to (presto!) become a bank and disburse a percentage of their holdings to the CEO and shareholders.  This option is open and available to any MFI that wants to go there.

4) Kiva’s number one partner in the field is the very same Nigerian MFI mentioned above.  (Thus Sinclair reveals that those whose emotional buttons have been moved to lend may inadvertently be condoning fraud, intimidation, and absurdly high interest rates on loans made to the poorest of the poor.)

5) In 2010 Kiva held $42 million in idle cash (money waiting to be loaned or returned), none of which belongs to Kiva but from which Kiva earns a very tidy interest income for itself.  Much of that money comes from Wal-Mart ($1million), Microsoft ($65,729), Visa ($1million), Google ($58,303) (figures from 2007), and from people like me who gave $4,850,507 in 2010.

6) A good portion of loans to the poor are not made to lift people up out of poverty but are consumer loans, used to purchase such things as televisions.  Exact percentages are hard to come by since documentation is not usually a requirement for a loan.  (There are exceptions to this, and Sinclair is quick to note that not every MFI operates so carelessly.)

Despite all this, I just might hesitate to pass along this criticism of microfinance IF there was evidence that it actually helped people escape poverty.  But in fact, very little evidence exists at all to show that microlending has any effect -- though Sinclair points out that microfinance can and does work in the very small percentage of organizations that adhere to their actual mission statement. (He mentions Mongolia and Ecuador as places where he has witnessed ethical and honest lending.)  But as David Korten, one of my favorite thinkers, notes in the foreword: “...many microcredit programs are nothing more than predatory lending schemes rebranded as socially responsible investment opportunities.”

Though it’s still relatively unpopular to criticize microlending, the NY Times has done it, and more and more whistleblowers like Sinclair are stepping forward.  By reviewing Sinclair’s book (which is thoroughly documented in the bibliography, btw) I’m effectively adding my voice to the fray.  Next time I travel to a third world country, I will look for a real person who could perhaps use a hand up and offer her/him mine - up close and in person.
]]><![CDATA[little ways to build community]]>Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:06:16 GMThttps://www.sippiesstudio.com/blog/little-ways-to-build-communityThe Daily Good has a story today about learning how to love where you live by making some changes in normal neighborhood layout and activity.  As I read, I noticed that most of them are about building community - even "serving" your community - more than loving where you live (though they certainly do go hand in hand).  This is something that can't happen soon enough as far as I'm concerned, so I share with you some of those ideas here

* Plant a vegetable garden in your FRONT yard, and put a picnic table smack dab in the middle.  The idea is that passers-by will stop to snack, help harvest, or dream up a potluck with the bounty
* If your backyard neighbor is a friend and is willing, take down the back fence and share your backyards - or make a shared backyard retreat in one corner surrounded by plants and comfy chairs - or at the very least create a little walking path from door to door so you can borrow a cup of sugar more easily (this opens up a whole street to you!)
* Build a register of neighborhood tools and equipment (such as lawnmowers, clippers, hammers, saws) that neighbors are willing to share.  Operate it as a library so you'll be able to keep track of who has what checked out at any given time so the next person who needs something will know where to go look.
* my favorite: Somewhere near the street, place a little covered/waterproof box on a pole at eye level (i.e. something like an extra mailbox) for a book and magazine exchange.  When someone walks by, they can take one, leave one at will.  Great way to share books you love or magazines that might be of interest to someone else before they're recycled.

Of course these ideas will only work if your neighbors are kind and like-minded enough not to sneer at you for even proposing such things.  I do think there are plenty of places that are ripe for this.  I'd love to hear from anybody that has other ideas OR anybody who is already doing some of these.  Let me know.
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