Eating to Nourish the Body

[PaulaJoAnne]

I was asked to get together some links and helps with regards to old fashioned whole healthy foods.
I am not a professional. But I can attest to the fact that my body is healing as a result of our rejecting modern day food and nutrition standards/rules.

I would first of all, recommend that you at least look through the following link, to get an understanding of where I am coming from.
This link will show you in pictures, what people looked like in villiages that had not been reached by the road system, and therefore had not partaken of modern processed foods.
They will also show you what children looked like, in the same tribes, just on the other sides of the mountains, for example, where the modern foods had been brought in for their parents to consume.

Bare in mind as well, that these people only succumed to the "white mans diseases" only because they had uknowingly allowed their bodies to be weakened by modern foods.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

When I began my traditional foods journey, I was looking at overcoming the following.

I was bred on soy formula, rather then breast milk. Not my parents fault.
We otherwise ate fairly well, considering what we could have been eating.
We made our own instant yeast bread for instance.
In my late 20s I worked in a situation for 3.5 years that taxed my body to the very edge.
How near that edge I had no idea.
I started to get an inkling a couple of months after getting married, and I had my first miscarriage.
several more followed.

One day, at my sil, I saw book called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.
I borrowed it from her, and devoured that book.
It turned everything that I had been taught about nutrition on its head.

I began to research the work of Weston A Price, and that of the foundation tha twas set up to further his work.
We began making the needed changes in our home and our diet.

I learned along the way, that I had a low thyroid, adrenal fatigue (commony called chronic fatigue) and muich later on, that I had Celiacs.

Rather then preparing fast yeast breads, I learned to make sourdough. Celiacs has risen so drastically, because of improper preperation of grains.
Instant yeast allows the Phytic acid in gluten contain grains to remain intact, causing tooth decay and gluten intolerance/allergies.

We began to eat real fats. Butter, raw coconut oil and real unhydrogenated lard.
Did you know that every cell in your body is comprised of 50% saturated fat?
Those cells need nourishment!
We got rid of so called healthy vege oils. You know, the ones that make cleaning the oven hood and your arteries a nightmare?

We switched to whole raw milk.
Here is a nutrition comparison between raw grass fed and commercial processed that I did a few months ago.
http://sustainablefirstfruits.blogspot.com/2010/05/whole-milk-versus-whole-milk-per-quart.html
Sources can be found here.
www.realmilk.com

Living in Alaska, we already were eating wild game and wild fish, so we did not have to make the switch to grass fed and pasture raised.
We did switch to raising our own chickens, for meat and eggs.
We feed them whole Barley and fishmeal and BOSS and all the pasture they can stuff themselves with in the summer months.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

I will put together a list of the Real Food Media, and traditional Food bloggers later on.

Meanwhile, I wold like to tell you, that I am thriving on this way of eating. The way my ancestors ate and thrived.
I do take an all natural thyroid replacer, www.drrons.com (organs and glands) and except for my sourdough bread, I bake with gluten free flours, but avoid the gums and other commercial binders that are normally called for.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I am about to devour the links you posted and try to find that book. We have been slowly, every so slowly making changes after our fourth child. My body and mind were just maxed out and I was so ill. I think what we eat and how we live is the problem. Too much processed foods and too fast a pace in daily life. Thanks for the link.

 

[chicken stalker]

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Fav bloggers

www.kellythekitchenkop.com
http://organicspark.blogspot.com/
http://gnowfglins.com/
www.cheeseslave.com
http://hartkeisonline.com/
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/

Each one of these bloggers has many other links.

Kelly and AnnMarie (Cheeseslave) host Real Food Wednesdays, where real food bloggers can share there insights and recipes.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

True all natural Sweeteners are as follows

Raw honey
Real Maple Syrup
Evaporated Cane Juice (Rapadura or Sucanat)

Real natural fats do not cause weight gain or high cholesteral.
Traditional diets had a calories from fat consumption of 50-80%.
High cholesterol is a result of a body that is not recieving real nourishment.
The body becomes inflamed and the hormone factory no longer functions correctly.
Cholesterol comes to the rescue to try and heal the problems, and to try and raise the hormones.
Its more complicated then that, but the elementary version is easiest to understand

For those worried about the cost, I can assure you that medical and dental bills drop as a result, and you will come out ahead in the end.
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/Budget.pdf


The number one superfood all should take, is fermented cod liver oil. www.drrons.com
This is the real stuff that the Vikings made.
No heat processing, and no chance of toxicity.
Toxicity occurs when manufactured A is consumed.

 

[PineappleMama]

Sonoran mentioned Sprouts, unfortunately there isn't one in my city and I very rarely leave my city. Don't like driving to Dallas, avoid it like the plague due to the traffic... but also we don't have fabulous vehicles and my paranoia about breakdowns keeps me close to home. Doesn't upset me in the least because I LIKE my town, my little corner of it. But it does mean I'll have to be creative or spread out to find good clean food.

I've been hitting up the Arlington Farmers Market... only 2-3 produce sellers and 1 meat seller... but that's only on weeks when I can spare the extra funds. When our grocery money for the week, after bills, is only $40 to provide 3 meals x 7 days x 4 people... 88 plates so to speak, well it's pretty hard to pay $8 for one chicken or $3 for just enough okra for us all to have one portion... I can make a big ol' pot of soup, to stretch that, but still it isn't going THAT far. Not to mention that they're only open on Friday and Saturday 8-1/sellout so buying a week's worth of fruits and veggies isn't really possible. Because they don't use all those chemicals and cheats the food doesn't keep like the freaky grocery store stuff. I'm thinking I need to get more into freezing/canning (just beginning canning) and then I can can/freeze the goods on those days and be okay... but that's going to take some doing, and funds... the major problem is that it is so much cheaper to buy from the store, especially if you've a very tight budget to feed a family... Also, those sellers say they are clean but how do I know? One has a site, and is opening a store so I'm guessing they're certified in some way... but how do you know? At least the ones in store you know jumped through the hoops... maybe.

But now, and I hope no one uses this to commit me, I look at the cereal and ask "is that poison?"... still eat it, have to eat... but I don't enjoy it... I'm not proud of the meal I put on the table now, I'm stressed over it... what did I just tell my kids was safe to eat? And I'm feeling horrible that all these years I've been feeding them these things, and they trusted me to make it safe and I haven't. EPIC FAIL really sums that up. Before I'd read about this or that and it was just this hypothetical, happens to others doesn't effect us, or even can't do squat about it so just ignore it kind of thing and I was able to move on... but this time it's not going away. My stomach is a wreck... you know that feeling you get when you're in the office? Or the officer is walking to your car? That sick feeling of fear... that's what's going on with me. And I can't go more than maybe 20 minutes without it invading my thoughts. I'm going to go stark staring mad if I don't 'fix' this. So expensive or not it's got to be done.

Phew, that was a ramble... anywho, that's why I'm glad to see this topic... I need all the help I can get.

One question I really want to know... just because it says Organic does that mean it Legally Has To Be Hormone Free... or just that they can't add hormones from any OTHER animal. If you give a cow cow estrogen is that okay, legally speaking? It is that species hormones... just not originally belonging to that particular cow... is the legal definition that specific... is Organic safe? Or do you really need to see Hormone Free to be sure? Anyone with experience there I'd appreciate it.

Paula just doing a very quick scan, that first link is scary as all get out. Did NOT help my nervous tummy at all, but I'm thinking the tummy is a good thing if it gets us eating better...

I am not much of a baker anymore, wall oven hasn't worked since we moved here so I just have a toaster oven, but even then I only used the quickie yeast... I'm definitely going to have to check this out... an easy enough thing to switch to since we don't eat a ton of bread or desserts, but if they were healthier maybe we could... definitely an idea.

At the FM I can get fruit, veggies, even some meat but there's no source that I know of for raw milk... closest I think I can do there will be store bought, but switch to Hormone Free...

And as SS said there's more than likely soy in the feed we've been using so I'll have to try and do something there. Ours CAN'T freerange... besides our dogs there are the neighbor's who can, and has, smashed through our fence AND more recently just climbed right over it! So that's pretty well out... maybe I could do the mealworm thing? That's a project the kids (at least DS) would prolly go for... and I do have this spare aquarium just laying around... would that be a decent protein source... worth it? I'ma have to see what's available at my feed store too... they sell bags, but also loose feeds too so who knows what all might be possible.

Can't raise our own meat, as yet, but maybe making some little dents where I can might help some.

Oh... and isn't Cod Liver Oil that really really gross stuff that mother's used to torture sick kids with?! Or is that whole 'bad taste' just a load of hooie? Every kid (and parent for that matter) looks at mine like they're nutso for actually liking spinach, broccoli, and asparagus so prolly wouldn't be near the ordeal I'm picturing in my head. Oh, they'll eat brussels too, but only because I like them and thus now and again I make them.

OHHH and another one. I can grow trees in my flowerbeds... and dandelions in my grass... pretty great at that actually... but other than that my thumb isn't green so much as brownish black... any hearty... as in near bomb proof... varieties that anyone can recommend? Remembering that our yard is mostly shade... and I doubt our landlord would appreciate us hacking down his trees to make more so plants you only need a few of to provide a crop enough for four people would be awesome.

Edit... an interesting little list... http://finance.yahoo.com/career-wor...orporate-giants?mod=career-salary_negotiation

 

[HeatherLynn]

Grow winter squash next year. My kids grow ours for us. They plant them in manure enriched beds and then promptly forget about them. Instead of buying seeds to get new varieties I bought some new varieties, scrapped out the seeds, washed them and laid them out to dry, we ate the squash to make sure we liked it and then labeled a paper envelope and dumped the seeds in.

I grow zuccinni and yellow squash. Its pretty easy. I am not a great gardener either so I go for easy. I've had no luck with sweet potatoes and only marginal luck with potatoes. Dang potato bugs. If you do beans do bush beans. I totally forgot them for a couple weeks and I still got beans. I tried pole beans and I got nothing. I mean nothing. very dissappointing.

If you can get everyone used to oatmeal that is a better option than regular cereal and its cheap. We buy oatmeal bulk even. Its cheap and you can make soup or breakfast with it. ( my mother lived through the occupation in austria so she has taught us so many ways to eat on the cheap) The only thing I cannot make cheaper than they sell it pre made at the store is bread. When I can get whole wheat loaves for .50 thats just hard to beat price wise.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Yay! I'm glad someone started this! I try to do the best that I can. And I learn more and more all the time. We try to live as sustainable of a lifestyle as we can (and I know we can do even better), which, to me includes this way of eating. I can alot and freeze what I can grow or buy locally. We also raise our own antibiotic free, free range meat birds and eggs. We buy beef and pork locally, too. I hate it when winter comes and the fresh veggies and fruit that I do have to buy are not what I really want to be putting into my body or my family's bodies. The processed foods went out the door about 2-3 years ago in this house.

Paula -- where are you finding the unhydrogenated lard? Are you making it? I make a lot of my own everything, but I haven't done that. Right now I am busy making pumpkin puree from my own pie pumpkins (spray free, of course).

I grew up eating processed foods -- mom used Hamburger Helper, etc at home and we ate out alot. We were allowed to have pop and alot of junk food. My kids aren't. Most things are made right from scratch in my home. My daughter does not get hot lunch at school -- always takes her own. The hot lunch food disgusts me!!!! I do understand that's the only meal that some children have, though. I do think that they should make it healthier and not so processed for the kids, though.

One thing that I'd like to change is buying raw milk or organic milk. The cost is huge to buy organic milk at the store. So I reluctantly buy the regular old milk (I do make sure that it says not hormones were used, though).

Oh, I could go on and on .................... the gmos, the pesticides, and like Pineapple said -- am I poisoning my family? Eek!!!!!!

I have a blog, too. It does have all different kinds of ramblings on it www.clutehomestead.blogspot.com. Not all of them are related to this topic, though.