Top Recommendations for Nutritional Healing

My brother and my mom working in the garden.

I was going through old emails today, and I came across this list that my mom wrote. She emailed it to a friend awhile back who was interested in changing her family's diet but didn't know where to begin. I saved this list because I liked it and thought it was very good. I'm sharing it on my blog in hopes that it benefits others. 

Nutritional Healing

These are my top recommendations for where to begin:

1.    Learn to make bone broth and incorporate more soups into your meal planning. Bone broth is immune boosting. It is rich in minerals, gelatin and other nutrients that are extremely beneficial to your health. (Two resources I highly recommend are the book Nourishing Traditions –see the section on soups and The Healthy Home Economist website thehealthyhomeeconomist.com see recipes and videos section)

2.    STOP drinking pasteurized milk. Buy raw milk and consume it plain or as homemade yogurt or kefir. (Kefir is extremely easy to make. We like it in smoothies and drink one almost every day. I know that the raw milk is more expensive… but we are able to afford it because of the money we save not buying processed foods.)

3.    STOP buying as many processed foods as you can. Begin transitioning into buying only single ingredients: vegetables, fruit, meat, butter, good oils, dried beans, etc. Make oatmeal or granola instead of boxed breakfast cereal. Make your own salad dressing, mayonnaise, catsup, mustard, etc.. 

4.    Eat free-range, pastured chicken eggs as a low-cost alternative to meat.

5.    Buy grains in the most natural state you can afford. (Start with brown rice, oatmeal…down the road, consider getting a grain mill and grinding your own wheat and corn flour. A grain mill is a great investment. It will pay off in the long run.) Eventually you can learn to make sourdough bread instead of yeast bread. Traditional cultures used natural yeast from the air (i.e. “sourdough starter”) to leaven their bread…industrial yeast is a modern invention and is less digestible.

6.    Soak your beans and grains according to the directions in Nourishing Traditions or on The Healthy Home Economist website.

7.    Even if you’re not grinding your own flour, whenever possible make your baked goods with whole ingredients, don’t buy boxed mixes or pre-made baked goods! (bread, cookies, muffins, pancakes, etc.)

8.    STOP using refined oils such as corn, vegetable (which is really soybean) and canola oil! Use only extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and (down the road when you can make it yourself) tallow or lard. I usually buy my coconut oil by the gallon and order with a group to save on shipping. 

9.    Replace refined salt with ancient sea salt. Your body needs the minerals and micro-nutrients that are found in ancient sea salt. It is refined white salt that has given salt a bad reputation. Even white sea salt is refined. Only use ancient sea salt, which will be speckled pink or gray in color. I buy it from a co-op in bulk. 

10.  Replace refined white sugar with raw honey, succanat, or rapadura. Natural sweeteners have not had the nutrients removed…so you are getting nutrition along with the sweetness. Beware of Agave…which is being touted as a healthy sweetener  but is highly refined. (I get raw honey from a local farmer and I buy succanat from a co-op in bulk) Even natural sweeteners need to be used in moderation…no more the 2-3 Tablespoons per day. (One other healthy natural sweetener is stevia leaf which is nice in herbal tea…again be careful because the green leaf stevia is much better than the white powder because it is less refined)

11. There are many wonderful herbal teas that nourish and strengthen the body. Herbal teas can be used as vitamin supplements. I highly recommend the Bulk Herb Store. Check them out at thebulkherbstore.com.

12. Learn to make naturally fermented drinks (such as kombucha and water kefir/natural soda pop) and naturally fermented vegetables (such as sauerkraut and salsa). These will be amazingly healing to the gut due to the large amounts of enzymes, probiotics and micronutrients. They also rid the body of toxins. 

Just think…baby steps! Each step you take is an investment in your health.

Many blessings,

Cathi

Dairy Kefir

Dairy Kefir is a fermented yogurt-like milk. It is slightly sour and not as thick as yogurt, and it contains more probiotics than yogurt. Dairy kefir grains (they are not real grains, but a SCOBY –symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) are required for making kefir. Kefir is alive with beneficial bacteria and yeast which depend and work in harmony with each other. Just as the kombucha culture feeds off of the sugar, dairy kefir grains feed on the sugar in milk (lactose). That is why people who are lactose intolerant are generally able to drink kefir without problems.  

Kefir is one of the easiest and healthiest things you can make. All you have to do is pour milk over a small amount of grains in a glass jar. Cover with a cloth or coffee filter, and let it sit for 24 hours. It’s ready after 24-48 hours, when the milk has thickened. Strain out the grains, and you’re ready to make a kefir smoothie. After you strain off your kefir yogurt drink, refrigerate. It is alive, and it will keep getting stronger in flavor if left at room temperature.

Dairy kefir grains are reusable, and they don’t need to be rinsed between batches of kefir. They multiply slowly over time, if taken care of and fed. They don’t go bad, unless something contaminated the batch and caused mold. Don’t forget that metal will harm the culture. Stir the kefir with a plastic or wooden spoon, use a plastic strainer, and store in glass jars.

Raw milk is best for making kefir, but pasteurized milk can also be used. However, ultra-pasteurized milk will not make kefir. It is dead milk, and won’t ferment correctly. Grass-fed milk is safest for the health of the culture and for you.

Health Benefits:

Raw milk kefir is full of enzymes and vitamins that help with overall health. Kefir can even reverse health problems by healing the digestive tract and restoring proper gut flora. People with lactose intolerance can usually drink RAW milk kefir. Kefir is known to heal heartburn, and heal an imbalanced gut.

The most popular way to drink kefir is in a fruit smoothie sweetened with honey.

Other uses: You can experiment with creating thicker kefir to use as cream cheese or sour cream, by letting it sit on the counter for a couple more days than normal. Sour cream is made the same way as normal kefir, but with cream instead of milk. Kefir cream cheese is also made the same way as normal kefir, but let it sit longer until it separates into curds and whey (a couple days). Wrap it in cheesecloth and hang over a bowl to strain off the whey. Use the cream cheese like you normally would, and use the whey for other homemade fermented foods. Kefir can also be used as leaven in sourdough bread. It can be used in place of yogurt or sour cream in recipes, or used however you like.

There is also a water kefir version of the culture. It feeds off of sugar instead of milk. It’s similar to kombucha, except it is not vinegary in flavor. It doesn’t have the same detoxifying qualities as kombucha, but it contains more probiotics (the same as dairy kefir, but less concentrated). 

Visit Culturesforhealth.com for more information, or to order dehydrated kefir grains. 

Kombucha

What is kombucha?

Kombucha is fermented tea that is full of beneficial bacteria/probiotics and yeast. It is a very detoxifying, energizing, and refreshing beverage. Kombucha’s origins date back to ancient China and Japan. It has been popular in many different countries for its health benefits, and it is known by many names. Before Kombucha was brought to the United States, it was a traditional Russian beverage called “tea Kvass.”

Kombucha SCOBY:

In order to brew your own kombucha tea, you need a kombucha “mushroom” or SCOBY. A SCOBY is a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast. This SCOBY mushroom is what ferments the tea and adds all the health benefits. The SCOBY lives off of sugar (which you add to the tea), the vitamins and minerals found in tea, and oxygen (it needs to breathe). The SCOBY culture looks like a flat pancake or mushroom. It’s not a real mushroom or fungus, but many refer to it as such because of its appearance.

The SCOBY is alive, and fermenting the tea with the SCOBY causes the tea to become alive and full of probiotics. The yeast and bacteria which make up the “mushroom” live in symbiotic harmony and dependence with each other, creating a community or culture. The culture will fight against harmful invaders, and fills your tea with beneficial bacteria and yeast. However, you have to properly care for the kombucha culture or it will die and not ferment tea.

Black tea is traditionally used for kombucha because it has all the necessary nutrients and minerals for the culture. Green tea can be mixed with black tea for a milder flavor. Really, any true tea (not herbal tea) can be used. Oils from herbal teas can damage the culture. Organic tea is best for kombucha, because it is free of pesticides which are harmful to the kombucha culture. Sugar is what the culture feeds on. The sugar isn’t an issue for those who drink kombucha, because most of the sugar is metabolized by the SCOBY. A full term brewing period will result in very minimal traces of sugar. White sugar is easiest for the SCOBY to digest, and that is what most people recommend.

While fermenting and feeding on the sugar, the kombucha tea is transformed into a tea full of vitamins, acids, minerals, enzymes, carbon dioxide, and many different strands of beneficial bacteria and yeast (probiotics). This is great for us, because the beneficial bacteria in kombucha balances gut flora, which contributes to overall health. The tea tastes like a cross between apple cider, sweet tea, and vinegar. Stronger brews taste like vinegar or beer. The makeup and nutrients of Kombucha is very similar to that of apple cider vinegar. Kombucha can become bubbly like soda, because of the carbon dioxide produced. It also contains a trace amount of alcohol (no more than .5%).

Health Benefits:

Some of the health benefits reported from drinking kombucha include energy, overall good feeling from removal of toxins, and improved digestion. It has also been said to clear up acne, aid hair growth, prevent gray hair, and helps with weight loss if taken before meals. It helps athletes recover after strenuous workouts, by eliminating the bad lactic acid (the cause of sore muscles) from the muscles. It is also said to fight against cancer. Kombucha tea is full of B vitamins, folic acid, and L-lactic acid (it removes the bad DL-lactic acid from your body). Kombucha contains glucuronic acid which binds up poisons and toxins and pulls them out of the body. The acids in kombucha are what make it so detoxifying; because the powerful acids are what pull the toxins out. These acids bring toxins straight to the kidneys for excretion. Some people call kombucha a “second liver.” The enzymes in kombucha are what help with digestion. It contains probiotics (but not as many as kefir), and boosts the immune system. Some drink kombucha as a healthy replacement for soda, or as a coffee alternative.

Be careful when first drinking kombucha tea. Start with only a couple ounces a day. Slowly build up to about 12 ounces a day. Drinking too much can cause headaches or nausea, because it will detoxify your body too fast. Detoxing is something that should be done slowly as to not overwhelm your body. Also, there may be a die-off of pathogenic bacteria and yeast in your gut, because the kombucha is replacing it with beneficial bacteria and yeast. This can cause flu-like symptoms if too much kombucha is consumed too soon.

How to Make Kombucha:

You will need tea (black or green),

sugar (white sugar is best),

1 SCOBY mushroom,

starter tea (already brewed kombucha tea),

and purified water (city water will kill the kombucha culture because of poisons like fluoride and chlorine).

Don’t worry about the caffeine or white sugar in the tea, because the SCOBY metabolizes it.  

You will also need a glass jar or bowl, plastic strainer, and glass bottles.

Never let metal touch your kombucha tea or SCOBY. Kombucha will pull out metals and leech plastic. That is why it is so detoxing. It pulls metals and toxins from our bodies when we drink it. Plastic is ok for straining the kombucha. However, kombucha should only be stored and brewed in clear glass. Crystal is also harmful because it contains lead.

Here is a basic recipe: Boil 2-3 quarts of water. Add 1 cup of sugar, and 4 tea bags. Let it steep until completely cool. Pour the sweetened tea into a glass bowl/jar and add ½ cup of starter (already brewed kombucha tea). Place the SCOBY in the tea mixture, and cover with a cloth or coffee filter. Secure cloth with a rubber band so that fruit flies can’t get in. Let the tea ferment for 7-10 days. It will be ready when a baby mushroom has formed on top of the tea, and the flavor of the tea is slightly sour yet pleasant. Refrigerate your harvested batch of tea or it will keep fermenting and turn to vinegar. Most people like to store their harvested kombucha in glass bottles to retain fizzy-ness. 

Final Brewing Tips and Warnings:

Size doesn’t matter when first starting with a kombucha mushroom. It will eventually grow a baby SCOBY that covers the surface area of your glass container. Holes in the mushroom are fine, and the little strands of brown yeast are normal. On the other hand, mold is bad, and means the culture is sick or dead. If you see mold, throw it away. You should be able to use your SCOBY for a long period of time. It will grow thicker each time you ferment tea. However, you want to replace your mother SCOBY with one of her babies, eventually. A good sign that you need to replace a kombucha SCOBY is when it turns dark brown. The dark brown color means the mushroom is worn out and old.

The kombucha SCOBY is sensitive to light, noise, temperature (ideal is between 70 and 80 degrees), fruit/oils, and environment. It’s best to ferment the tea in a semi-dark and quiet area. The tea also has to be able to breathe while it ferments, and should be covered with a cloth. A batch of tea takes at least 7-10 days to ferment, and a healthy mushroom produces a new baby each time. SCOBYs can’t be heated. Always make sure your tea is cool before placing the mushroom in it. If a culture sinks to the bottom of the jar, this could mean that the tea is still too warm. SCOBYs can be refrigerated in a glass jar if you need to take a break from fermenting.

Other uses for Komucha: You can use kombucha to make a sourdough bread starter, vinegar, or flavored fruit juice kombucha.

You can double ferment you tea with fruit or juice to make it more effervescent, but only after the SCOBY is removed. If you want to experiment with different teas or sugars, use an extra culture that you can discard if it doesn’t turn out. Don’t add it back to the original brew.

Visit Culturesforhealth.com for more information, or to order a dehydrated SCOBY.

Sources: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, Kombucha Phenomenon by Besty Pryor and Sanford Holst, and my personal experience. 

My Favorite Links from this Week #1

I didn't have time to write a blog post this week, so I decided to post my favorite articles from other blogs. This is very random, but I will try to post the links in some sort of order. 

My new FAVORITE website is HealthImpactNews.com. Needless to say, I'm linking to several of their articles. Here they are: 

1.  Enjoy Saturated Fats, They're Good for You!

2.  Cholesterol is Crucial for Healthy Cell Functioning

3.  Is it Safe to Eat Bacon? (Hint: It depends on how it's raised.)

4.  Studies Find Flu Shots Can Harm Your Heart, Infant and Fetus   

5.  Elderberries  (A natural flu-fighting remedy!)

I hope you find these links helpful and informative. Thanks for reading! 

Green Tea and Coconut Oil: A simple remedy for energy, weight loss, glowing skin, & preventing cancer.

Jasmine Green Tea and Organic Coconut Oil

I’ve been re-inspired to blog about the benefits of coconut oil. While I was babysitting the other day, I grabbed my coconut oil book and started reading. My original plan was to skim the book to refresh my memory. As the kids played outside, I ended up filling several papers with notes. Unfortunately, I only got through the first 2 chapters. I hardly scratched the surface.

I’ve realized that I’m going to need to be more selective with my note taking. In order to produce a decent blog post, I only need to highlight the most important things…. But there is just so much information!! It’s all important. --You see, I’m not a good blogger. I start writing books instead of articles. When I realize I don’t have enough time to complete my book-articles, I become overwhelmed. My notes are then saved in my large collection of drafts –never to be seen by the blog world.

However, I’m learning that I don’t need to wait for perfection before I can share my notes. While my exhaustive coconut oil notes sit in drafts (with all the others), I’m writing this simple post about a remedy I love. I’m also linking to other articles which contain the information I want to share. This is my new motto: “a simple blog post is better than no blog post.” So, don’t expect to be impressed! ;-)

 Green Tea and Coconut Oil: A simple remedy for energy, weight loss, glowing skin, & preventing cancer. 

In recent months, I’ve gotten away from the habit of adding coconut oil to my daily diet. Re-reading the benefits caused me to remember that I need to start taking it again. My favorite way to take coconut oil is in green tea.

  

I have multiple reasons for doing this, besides that fact that it’s just plain healthy.

1. Coconut oil helps with weight loss. I’m trying to become nice and slim for my sister’s wedding in May (I'm a bride's maid). Coconut oil helps to control/balance appetite, if taken before a meal or as a snack. I have fewer cravings, because my body is satisfied and nourished by the coconut oil. Articles: Coconut Oil and Weight Loss --Fact vs. Fiction: what you need to know about coconut oil and losing weight!, and Stomp the Weight Loss Accelerator Using Coconut Oil.  

2. Coconut oil is a super energy booster! Try it. It’s not like caffeine. The energy I’m talking about is longer lasting and stable. Coconut oil helps me focus.

3.   Coconut oil makes my skin glow and my hair shiny. Especially if you struggle with acne, try taking coconut oil everyday. I even put coconut oil topically on my skin. Just remember that a little goes a long way. Article: Coconut Oil for Skin Health. 

Some people have a hard time eating coconut oil, but I find it quite enjoyable with a cup of green tea. I stir a heaping teaspoon of coconut oil into a warm cup of tea (so that it melts). I also add a little raw honey to sweeten it. I like to think of my coconut green tea as my special, healthy, beauty drink... :-)

Green tea is an excellent source of antioxidants and cancer-preventing properties. Please take the time to read the Bulk Herb Store’s article about the benefits of green tea. My favorite flavors are Jasmine Green Tea and Pomegranate. Here is the most recent article I found from the American Botanical Council about Green Tea.   

I hope you try this tasty coconut tea blend! Even if you don’t find it tasty at first, you’ll learn to love it. You’ll feel great after drinking it everyday. However, I have one precaution to give. If you’re not used to eating coconut oil, do not eat more than a teaspoon a day. Coconut oil is very detoxing. Gradually introduce coconut oil into your diet until your body adjusts to it.

Coconut oil sources: Tropical Traditions and Mountain Rose Herbs.  

Thanks for reading. 

This post is linked to Natural Living Link-Up!

Simple Country Fried Chicken

So delicious.

I made fried chicken the other night. It was very delicious! So, I’m sharing here. :-)

 My mom and I kind of made up this recipe. The measurements may not be exact, but here’s the general idea. 

Ingredients:

The best quality chicken you can afford (quartered –I used drumsticks and thighs).

Coconut oil for frying! (I used organic expeller-pressed coconut oil. It doesn't have a strong coconut flavor).

Flour, sea salt, eggs, and milk.

Chicken, eggs, flour, coconut oil.

Mix 2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a dish. Next, whisk together 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt. (You may have to double this amount if frying 2 sets of large chicken pieces... like I did.)

Roll the chicken in the flour/salt mixture until coated. Dip the floured chicken into the egg/milk mixture. Roll coated chicken in flour a second time. The chicken should be thoroughly covered in batter.

Heat coconut oil in a frying pan (I prefer an iron skillet). There should be enough oil in the pan to measure about 1/2 inch. Heat oil until it starts bubbling when the chicken in placed in. Gently lay the chicken pieces skin down in the hot oil. Be careful not to let the oil get so hot that it starts splattering. The chicken will probably need to cook for about 10 minutes on each side. Turn the chicken over with tongs. I would use a knife to check the chicken after about 5 minutes. The cooking time really does vary. (My chicken pieces were very large, and they took forever to cook through. I had to turn the temperature down so that the outside didn't get too dark while the inside was cooking.) The chicken is done once it looks like the inside is cooked through, and the outside is brown and crispy. Remove the chicken to a rack or paper towels, so that the extra oil drips off. The fried chicken can be served hot or cold.

That’s it! Enjoy.

A note about coconut oil:

Coconut oil is a much better choice for frying than rancid genetically modified vegetable oil. I've heard that shortening makes crispy fried chicken, but so does coconut oil! Coconut oil is a natural and heat-stable fat. It also will not make you fat, but will satisfy and nourish your body. If I ever have some spare time, I’ll write a blog post about my research on the health benefits of coconut oil. But for now, you’ll have to take my word for it. Or, better yet, Google the health benefits of coconut oil yourself! You’ll be a coconut lover like me.

Edit: Shared with Homemaking Link-Up! and Whole Foods Wednesday

After nearly a year....

So after nearly a year, I’m ready to start blogging again!

Here’s an update on my status: This past year I've continued with my study of traditional foods and alternative medicine. I've enrolled in a couple herbalist courses. The first wasn't exactly what I hoped it would be. However, the second (my current herbal course) goes above and beyond what I was hoping for. I’m a student with Vintage Remedies School of Natural Health. I’m enrolled as a Family Herbalist student, and I’m learning SO much.

Actually, I’m learning so much that I have a feeling it will be spilling over onto this little blog I started last year. As I study, I find myself taking notes that I want to share with other people. If anyone is still reading, stay tuned for blog updates with my thoughts and newly-found knowledge.  

I highly recommend Vintage Remedies to anyone interested in herbs or nutrition. Jessie Hawkins (founder) understands the meaning of holistic health. This is not just any old herbal school! Vintage Remedies does not teach merely how to treat symptoms, but focuses on prevention. They recognize the importance of food and lifestyle as foundational to good health. The information in my course has already caused me to rethink the way I view the germ theory, the common cold, and even how I make bread.

My goals this new year are to complete my Family HerbalistCertification, start an herbal Etsy store, start teaching classes through Vintage Remedies Essential Series, and enroll as a Clinical Master Herbalist through Vintage Remedies.

God bless,

Corryn 

"FRESH" (video)

A friend sent my family a link to a great documentary called "FRESH." It's about sustainable agriculture and raising food naturally. Joel Salatin is featured, along with a really cool urban farm and an "all natural" pig farm. The movie is very enlightening and reveals a little of the mess that goes on in industry farming. Please watch this soon! The movie is only available online until Feb. 1st. 

Watch it here: FRESH the movie 

Enjoy! 

Simple Hot Cocoa Recipe

My sister has been making hot cocoa as a treat for us in the evenings! We love drinking it while watching Christmas movies. It’s made from only a few real food ingredients. It will fully satisfy your chocolate cravings, and it’s a perfect dessert for this time of year. We make it on the stove top, and it only takes a few minutes. This recipe is a much healthier alternative to powered cocoa mix or using the microwave.

Ingredients:

½ cup sucanat or rapadura (or brown sugar)

¼ cup (pure/unsweetened) cocoa powder

A pinch of salt

1/3 cup hot water

4 cups whole milk

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in saucepan; stir in water. (The cocoa mixture doesn’t mix well with the cold milk. That’s why the water is added first.) Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes until mixture is hot. Add milk and stir until the cocoa is hot (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and add vanilla. Makes 4-6 servings (depending on how big your mugs are ;).

Instead of marshmallows, sprinkle ground cinnamon on top. Enjoy! 

This post is linked to Frugally Sustainable and Raising Homemakers. 

Delicious Holiday Eggnog

It’s Christmas time!

One of the best (and worst) things about the month of December is all the delicious holiday treats and desserts. Eggnog is one of those special desserts my family enjoys during this time of year.

I have a great recipe for delicious eggnog that is not bad for you.

But first, for the sake of a little extra motivation…

Pick up a jug of eggnog next time you’re at the grocery store, and read the ingredients… Yikes!

Now, after you spent five minutes trying to pronounce those ingredients, put that jug of eggnog back on the shelf! Go home and try this simple recipe.

Delicious Holiday Eggnog:

Soft custard:

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup sucanat or rapadura (or brown sugar)

Pinch of salt

2½ cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

            Ground cinnamon

Mix eggs, sugar and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly (Note: you have to stir the whole time or custard might become lumpy). Once mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Let cool and serve warm, or refrigerate for about 2 hours and serve cold. 

Soft Custard 

Whipped cream:

1 cup cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare Soft Custard (above).

Just before serving, beat cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in small bowl until stiff. Gently stir 1 cup of the whipped cream into custard.

Mixing whipped cream into custard

Top individual cups of eggnog with remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Serve and enjoy! 

We made this eggnog tonight and it was SO good! The flavor of homemade eggnog is very mild compared to eggnog from the store. You can also experiment with this recipe. My recipe book suggests adding nutmeg, rum, or coffee to the eggnog. Mixing a cup of coffee in with the batch of eggnog is a combination I love! 

--Corryn

Do you know about the dangers of genetically modified foods?

Seeds of Deception
by Jeffrey M. Smith

Do you know that non-organic fruits and vegetables sold at the grocery store have a good chance of being genetically modified? As well as vegetable oils, and packaged goods?

Almost all corn and soy (among other things) in the U.S. are now genetically modified. None of these GMO foods are labeled. This gives us no way of knowing if the foods we’re buying were created in a laboratory.

What are GMOs? This quote is taken from the Non-GMO Shopping Guide: “Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are made by forcing genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans, into the DNA of a food crop or animal to introduce a new trait.”

Many animals avoid eating GMO foods when given a choice. There have been several tests to see the effect of GMO foods on lab rats. They all ended up getting sick and dying, or becoming infertile.

One of the scariest things about GMO crops is that they cross-pollinate, by wind and other natural means, with normal crops. This contaminates the normal crops and turns them into GMOs.

Please read these 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs from the Institute for Responsible Technology. Genetically modified foods are dangerous to our health and environment. 

You can also sign this petition for requiring GMO foods to be labeled: Label my Food! If protestors in Europe were able to get their foods labeled, we can do it here too.

Don’t allow yourself and your family to be deceived. We live in the day and age where we buy most of our food from the grocery store from only a few giant corporations… Remember, just because it looks like food doesn’t mean it is. Buy organic when you can, and look for non-GMO seals on foods.

Wishing you health and discernment!

--Corryn

Pasture-Fed, Free-Range Eggs—They’re Worth Gold

An egg laid by one of my hens.
Notice the thick shell and beautiful yolk.

In my post Eggs: A Perfect Food, I talked about some of the health benefits of eggs. However, I left out an important aspect: not all eggs are of equal nutritional quality. In this post, I’m going to talk about some of the differences between eggs from healthy free-range hens and eggs from battery-caged hens (mass-produced).

Pasture-fed, cage-free eggs are nutritionally superior to eggs sold at the grocery store, which are from overworked caged hens. Hens used for commercial production are kept in small cages… or “chicken concentration camps.”  Instead of being outdoors, they are caged inside a noisy crowded chicken house. The hens are kept so close together that they need to have their beaks trimmed in order to prevent feather picking and cannibalism. I have read many horrific details about the way eggs are produced in mass scale… but since I can’t speak for the conditions of every large-scale egg producer, I’m going to focus on how eggs should be raised.

My free-range hens are able to eat grass, scratch in the dirt, eat bugs, and live how chickens are designed to live. Nutrients from grass and insects are what make their eggs so great. My chickens get sunshine, constant fresh air, and room to flap their wings and run. My chickens are also supplemented with high-quality, non-medicated, low soy feed that does not contain preservatives. This ensures they get all the nutritious food needed to produce eggs regularly. This is how laying hens should be raised. Consequently, my chickens are very healthy. They produce excellent eggs which help to keep me and my family healthy.

I don't know why they insisted on using the same nesting box...Haha

My family and I have so much trust in our healthy hens and eggs that we sometimes eat our eggs in raw forms (such as in homemade mayonnaise). Salmonella is only to be worried about when eating eggs that come from dirty crowded hens. Commercial hens are overly fed antibiotics, which causes pathogens to build up resistances and grow stronger. There is nothing to worry about from eggs from my own chickens. My chickens have many acres of woods and grass that they can roam around in all day to keep them healthy. They are disease-free with shinny feathers and brightly colored combs and waddles.

Eggs of different size and color

The appearance/color of an egg yolk and the thickness of the shell is one way to tell the nutritional quality of an egg. Free-range shells are not thin. They don’t crack easily. You should need to gently hit it on the counter a couple times for it to break. 

More importantly, the color of the yolk represents the nutritional quality of the egg.

Eggs from healthy chickens should have yolks which are a rich bright orange color (not yellow). The yolks from healthy chickens are firm, round, and do not break easily (ideal for when you need to separate eggs for a recipe).

I call the eggs I gather from my free-range hens “gold” because their value is truly of the same worth. This is because of the work and time that goes into producing healthy eggs from healthy chickens.

Free-range chickens

In conclusion, eating eggs from the store is better than not eating eggs at all. Organic or free-range eggs from the store are better than regular store eggs to an extent. The term “free-range” as used on eggs from the store does not necessarily mean the eggs are truly free-range. The label “free-range” can mean anything from a very tiny door which the hens will not use, to an outside pen that has no grass. Fresh eggs, from a small farmer who provides his/her hens with a yard to forage in, are by far the best you can buy.

That being said, there is a good reason for price differences between store eggs and true free-range eggs. Small farmers can’t compete with large government subsidized corporations. Even organic grocery store eggs, which do not come close to small farm free-range eggs, have to be a higher price due to strict organic feed standards.

High-quality eggs from happy healthy chickens can never be produced on a large-scale. If we wish to stay healthy and for the next generation to be healthy, the solution is to replace cheap, mass-produced, eggs with many small farms of only a small flock of chickens. If you have a yard, the best way to get quality eggs is to raise them yourself! Just a few chickens can provide a family with all the eggs they need, and enough to share.

Support local small farming!

Thanks for reading.

--Corryn 

P.S. This post is linked to Butter Believer, The Healthy Home Economist, and Food Renegade.  

Eggs: A Perfect Food

Eggs from my free-range hens--these are gold!

“Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill.” Job 6:6-7 

In recent years the nutritional value of eggs has been discredited, especially egg yolks. The idea that we shouldn’t eat egg yolks, but instead only eat egg whites in order to lower cholesterol or to loose extra pounds, is simply opposite of the truth. Egg yolks are packed with valuable nutrients and are one of the healthiest things for us to eat. In many traditional cultures egg yolks were considered sacred foods. I was rereading Nourishing Traditions (by Sally Fallon) today and it listed several studies showing that eggs do not raise cholesterol or contribute to heart disease. The results of the studies show that cholesterol levels are lowered when eggs are eaten regularly.

• Eggs are a great source of protein, and are a complete protein. 

• Eggs from healthy chickens contain virtually all known vitamins and minerals (except for vitamin C), including fat-soluble vitamins such as A and D.

• Eggs help with mental/brain development in children, and maintenance for adults.

• Eggs contain proteins that contain sulphur, which strengthens cell membranes.

• Egg yolks have a high amount of choline, which is a nutrient essential for health.

• Eggs (especially free-range) contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Egg Yolks—the Most Valuable Part of Eggs

Nourishing Traditions recommends feeding egg yolks to babies as one of their first foods, based on traditional diets. This is in contrast to the popular recommendation that babies should be fed rice cereal as a first food. Egg yolks are an ideal food for growing and developing children, as well as adults who wish to have vibrant health.

Dr. Weston A. Price’s studies of traditional people groups show that eggs are recommended for couples to eat for several months before conception. Eggs (and other sacred foods) aid in fertility. High quality eggs are one of the best foods for pregnant mothers to eat.

Think about what an egg yolk is used for in nature… it is used to feed a tiny developing baby bird until it’s ready to hatch from its egg. The yolk is so packed with nutrients that it’s all the developing chick needs for the 21 days of gestation. The egg yolk is so rich and nutritious that it can sustain a little baby chick for 3 days after hatching without food or water.

I can’t emphasize enough how important foods like egg yolks are in the development and health of children. Growing children should not be fed a diet consisting of mostly carbs., grains/starches, and sugar (!!!), as is so common. Their brains, bones, cells, organs, digestive systems, nervous systems, developing reproductive systems, etc., etc., need rich healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals found in traditional foods like eggs. Eating high quality eggs and animal fats during the developing years contributes to overall physical beauty as well.

So instead of cereal or toast for breakfast tomorrow morning, have some eggs!

Thanks for reading.

--Corryn 

P.s. This post was shared at Raising Homemakers and Frugally Sustainable.

Video: Introduction to Traditional Eating and Weston A. Price

I just made myself a cup of my favorite spicy chai tea, and sat down at my computer… because I’ve let over a week go by without a blog update! Don’t forget about me. I’ll have more posts up soon. : ) In the mean time...

I’m excited to share this awesome video from the Healthy Home Economist blog!

This short video gives a great summary of Dr. Weston A. Price’s studies of traditional cultures and the foods/food preparations they used.

If you are interested in more videos like this one go HERE.

If you have not previously heard about the Weston A. Price Foundation, I encourage you to visit their website: www.westonaprice.org.

Read a few of their journals for eye-opening and thought-provoking explanations of real nutrition and healthy lifestyles, which challenge conventional beliefs. 

Honey: The Sweetener that Nourishes

Raw Honey

“Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.” Proverbs 24:13

Honey is a natural sweetener that is actually GOOD for us. White sugar can shut down our immune system and pulls nutrients from our bodies. In contrast, honey (specifically raw and local) nourishes our bodies and can be used medicinally. Honey is full of vitamins and minerals. Honey has no side effects, and is known for curing all sorts of ailments. My family makes it a point to use honey in place of sugar in a lot of our baking, cooking, smoothies, and teas, among other things. Honey is truly one of the many naturally occurring (yet underrated) super-foods. It has been enjoyed and appreciated by many people groups around the world for thousands of years. Why don’t we use more of it?

Bee hives in my backyard.
Thank you little bees for all the work you do!

Raw Local Honey

Honey has health benefits even when heated, but raw (unprocessed and unheated) honey is the best for you. Honey is perfect straight from the bee hive.  

Just as pasteurization kills important enzymes in milk, heat kills valuable enzymes in honey. Raw honey is easy to digest, and can aid your body in the digestion of other foods.

Eating local raw honey helps with seasonal allergies. Honey bees find nectar from whatever flowers happen to be in bloom. Nutrients and pollen from these plants get mixed in the honey. Eating bee pollen can help your body build up immunity to the plants causing seasonal allergies.

Raw honey can also contain bits of propolis—a sticky sap-like substance that bees use to repair their hive. It is antibacterial and fights against viruses.

Note: Do not give honey to babies. It is said that a baby’s digestive system cannot handle some of the bacteria found in honey. However there is controversy over this issue among raw honey activists. Personally, I would be on the safe side by not giving honey to babies, as well as thoroughly researching this topic. 

Raw honey cinnamon toast--YUM!

A few honey remedies:

• When someone in my family starts to feel a little sick, one of the first things we do is take raw honey and fresh crushed garlic on a spoon. We do this a few times throughout the day. More times than not, we fight off the sickness before it even turns into a real cold.

• Drinking lots of liquids is very important when trying to fight off a sickness. Herbal hot tea with raw honey is very soothing when you are sick or have a sore throat. All the great stuff in honey helps your body heal itself quickly.

• Raw honey heals externally. Honey is known for healing open-wound infections and burns.

• Make honey your primary sweetener and you are sure to loose your extra weight, and gain energy.

• Honey makes a great face mask! My sisters and I will rub raw honey on our faces to make our skin soft, or to heal our skin from acne. Let the honey sit on your skin for about 20 minutes. It washes off easily with warm water.

• The combination of honey and cinnamon is one of those “cure-all” remedies. It is said to cure heart disease. For breakfast, I often eat a slice of homemade bread with raw butter, raw honey, and cinnamon on top (check out my picture above). It makes a very healthy and simple breakfast. It’s filling, and packed with lots of powerful nutrients to help me start out my day.

• For a treat, you can always simply eat raw honey right off the spoon.  It’s a great snack, whether you’re sick or just feeling hungry.

Where do I find it?

You can find local raw honey in most health food stores. You can also order it online, but it won’t have pollen from plants in your area.

Tracking down a local bee farmer is your best option. You not only get the best quality honey for the best price, but you can build a relationship with your farmer while being in touch with where your honey comes from. (It’s always a comfort for me to know that my honey does not come from China and has not been messed with.) Here is a website of a small bee farmer in my area: www.fisherhoneybees.com.

Raw Milk Part 3

Nighttime snack... raw milk! (me and my brother)

I’ve talked about some of the benefits of raw milk in my previous two posts: Raw Milk Part 1 and Part 2. It’s amazing the difference milk in its pure, natural, raw form (not from cows that live in CAFOS and which are fed on genetically modified corn and soy, but raised on nutritious grass) can make in your health.

A testimony to the wonders of raw milk:

My Dad has been “lactose intolerant” for his whole life. He couldn’t eat any dairy products without feeling sick.

Unsurprisingly, he can drink raw milk with no problem!

About 2-3 years ago when we switched to raw milk, my mom had my dad drink fermented raw milk kefir to heal his gut and digestive system. Now he can enjoy raw milk, homemade ice cream, and anything else we make with milk.

For me, raw milk was one of the foods that helped me take control of my weight. Until my family switched to raw milk a couple years ago, I would only drink skim milk…

Food that has real substance, like raw milk, satisfies my body so that I don’t need to constantly deprive myself in order to stay in shape.

Where do I find it?

If you have not yet switched to raw milk, I encourage you to seek out a local farmer to find raw milk. Yes, raw milk is expensive compared to low quality milk. Small farmers who sell raw milk must sell their product for the cost, work, and time they put into farming. They can’t come close to competing with giant corporations. Small farmers have to put in a great deal of commitment and labor in order to produce such a high quality and nutritious product as grass-fed raw milk. If possible, sacrificing a little to fit real milk into your budget is well worth it. You can’t put a price on good health!

Here is a link that may be helpful in finding a source for raw milk: www.Realmilk.com.

If truly unable to afford/find raw milk, then it is best to limit drinking milk. However, cultured milk products (whole milk yoghurt, cream cheese, etc.) and butter are better alternative dairy products. Even when produced conventionally, these products are better for our bodies to digest and use. 

Wishing you all the best on your journey to better health!

--Corryn 

Raw Milk Part 2

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Why is raw better?

This quote, regarding good clean raw milk, is taken from the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (I highly recommended it):

“Raw milk contains lactic-acid-producing bacteria that protect against pathogens. Pasteurization destroys these helpful organisms, leaving the finished product devoid of any protective mechanisms should undesirable bacteria inadvertently contaminate the supply. Raw milk in time turns pleasantly sour, while pasteurized milk, lacking beneficial bacteria, will putrefy.” (pg. 34).

Basically, pasteurization kills the milk. It kills the good bacteria that fight bad bacteria. Fallon goes on to explain how pasteurization results in a significant loss of vitamins in milk and minerals. For example, vitamin C is mostly lost after pasteurization, while vitamin B12 is completely destroyed—even the availability of calcium is reduced.

Pasteurization also destroys all the enzymes in milk. High heat kills enzymes. Enzymes are important because they are what help our bodies assimilate and digest nutrients in milk. Synthetic vitamins, which are often added back to commercial pasteurized milk, have their own list of problems and are difficult for our bodies to actually use.

Homogenization is another reason to buy milk from a small farmer and not from the grocery store. Homogenization is when powdered skim milk is added back to milk to create 1% or 2% milk. Commercial dehydrated milk is rancid and harmful to our bodies because it contains damaged cholesterol.  

Note: If you have to buy milk from the store, look for non-homogenized whole milk. Also, do not buy milk that says ultra-pasteurized. This is why you should also avoid organic pasteurized milk, because it is always ultra-pasteurized.

Why is whole milk better?

We need the whole food to digest it properly and absorb nutrients. Lactose (what many people can’t tolerate) is milk sugar. If we only drink skim milk without the milk fat we are not able to absorb the nutrients, and we are left with mostly milk sugar. Pasteurized skim milk is pretty much watery, dead, milk sugar. Cream in milk should be the most valued part. Our cells need animal fats to stay healthy and to function properly.

Besides all the health reasons, raw milk tastes great! : )

In my next post I will give a short testimony of how raw milk has helped me and my family.

--Corryn

Edit: This post is linked to Sunday School at Butter Believer, The Healthy Home Economist, and Raising Homemakers! : )

Raw Milk Part 1

"Not for human consumption!"

There is a lot of controversy over drinking grass-fed cow’s milk in its natural form. In some states it is completely illegal to sell, and many farms have been raided by the FDA. Other states, such as Florida, allow raw milk to be sold as pet food only. If one wishes to purchase a gallon of fresh raw milk, it will have the label “not for human consumption” clearly written on the container. Is raw milk really as dangerous as it’s made out to be?

Raw milk, raw butter, raw fermented dairy products, and raw cheeses are foods that have been eaten by people in cultures all over the world since… forever. The Bible even talks about the Promised Land of Israel being a land flowing with milk and honey. If God used those foods to describe a land he had blessed and chosen for his people, that should be saying something to Christians. In describing the richness of the land he wanted to bring his people to, God chose to use those foods which bring blessings and health to our bodies. 

Less than 100 years ago raw milk was still a regular part of the American diet. It hasn’t been until recent years that Western cultures labeled this wonderful super-food as “unsafe” and “fattening,” along with other sacred foods like butter and egg yolks. Processed foods now make up the majority of the American diet. Low-fat foods are considered “healthy.” Interestingly, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, liver problems, thyroid problems, digestive issues, allergies, difficult pregnancies, and infertility, to name a FEW of our modern sicknesses, have skyrocketed in just the past few generations. 100 years ago heart disease and cancer were very rare! Everyone needs medication (or many) nowadays, to help with all our problems.

Getting back to raw milk…. Let’s compare natural cow milk to CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) milk.

Cows should be fed green plants such as grass. This is what their bodies are designed to eat and what they thrive on. CAFO cows are fed exclusively grains and soy feed, which changes the milk protein. On the other hand, nutrients and vitamins found in the grass free-range cows eat are transformed into something humans can digest, which is milk. We are able to get the nutrients from the grass, but in a form our body can use. 

 Grass-fed dairy cows give 1-2 gallons of milk a day, but commercial cows give 3-4 times as much. They are fed growth hormones in order to produce so much watered down milk. The CAFO animals are given antibiotics because they are sickly. This is why conventional milk must be pasteurized. If milk is not produced from a clean and healthy cow in a clean and natural environment, drinking the milk raw will make you sick for sure! Commercial cows are not able to access the green grass they need to be healthy. This “grass-fed” aspect is important because healthy animals make healthy people and vise versa.

In my next post I will talk about the benefits of grass-fed raw milk in greater detail.

--Corryn 

Introduction

Picture credit: a friend : )

 This blog is dedicated to “real food”, natural healing, and healthy living! This is my first blog, so please bear with me while I get it going.

My goal for this blog is to educate my readers by sharing my knowledge and experiences of traditional foods and food preparation. I plan to suggest effective alternatives to everyday toxic beauty and household products. I’m also excited to share my newly found love of herbs and essential oils.

I would like to begin this blog with a general explanation of why I believe in getting back to a more traditional way of eating and treating sickness.

            There are so many health problems in the United States—it is unprecedented. Much of this has to do with what we eat and put into our bodies. It is time we question modern conventional beliefs pertaining to health. We need to think about exactly where our food comes from. We cannot trust the giant food corporations and mass production industries, or government agencies like the FDA, who are motivated by money, to produce safe and healthy products for us and our families. I believe in getting back to natural foods, food preparation of traditional cultures, and holistic healing. Eating natural and traditional foods prevents and reverses most modern health problems (even things we have come to consider “normal”). Natural healing is a lost art. Many people resort to medications with very harmful side effects to “cure” their ailments. I believe in treating the body as a whole—not just covering up symptoms, but getting to the root of a problem. 

            Our health affects our ability to serve others. The proper nutritional foods enable us to be healthy, active, and productive individuals. Furthermore, what we eat/put into our bodies not only affects our individual health but that of our posterity and the generations to come. Certainly foods made by God are a better choice than processed foods, synthetic chemicals, and foods grown in artificial conditions.

(Just to clarify: God is ultimately in control of our health. He sometimes allows and uses sickness for a greater purpose than we can understand. Nonetheless, we need to do our part by taking care of our bodies, and being good stewards of the land.)

            The future generation is especially important to me as a Christian. The choices we make always affect others. If we are living to serve Christ and be a light to the world, it is important that we raise a healthy godly generation who will have the physical capability to raise their own healthy families and spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Natural food choices help to heal the land. In order to be good stewards of animals and resources, we should be raising the plants and animals that we use for food in their natural environment (in symbiotic harmony with nature).

The purpose of this blog is to share my knowledge regarding healthy living that I have been studying over the past few years.  I hope to share practical steps of how my family achieves a healthier lifestyle. Things like cost, time, and not knowing where to begin make the idea of a change in diet or lifestyle very daunting. I hope to encourage my readers to start eating traditionally by providing information and simple steps! The great thing about eating the way I believe God intended (more on this later… I have Bible verses to make my case ;) is that it is fully satisfying and you are never deprived. For example, eating natural fats like butter and coconut oil satisfies your body and gives your body the natural fats it needs for repairs and feeling great.

I very much welcome comments and followers! My hope is that my readers will find this blog to be enjoyable and informative. Thanks for reading! :-)