The difference between fresh mayonnaise and that horrible jarred stuff is amazing.
Health wise the difference is just as profound. The oil in most commercial mayonnaises is either soy oil (Hellman’s and Miracle Whip) or canola oil. Neither oil is safe for human consumption, both are highly toxic.
And OMG the taste difference! There is no comparison!
Fresh mayo Hellman’s mayo
So how many egg yolks do you think Hellman’s mayo has in it? The yolk, along with a great fruity olive oil is where all the flavor and nutrition comes from!
If you have a blender or food processor you can make mayo in about 3 minutes. But it is easy to over whip it and the mayo will break. If you have a whisk you can do the same with a little arm workout at the same time…my best time is just under a minute.
This is from the Culinary Institute of America’s Cookbook; A little water physically broadens the space between fat droplets, helping them stay separate, If the oil droplets don’t stay distinct from one another and evenly dispersed in the oil, the mayonnaise will break.
Lemon juice and vinegar accomplish the same thing, but if you add too much you run the risk of ending up with mayo that is too tart. A dollop of mustard can help create and hold an emulsion, too, which, beyond flavor, is why many mayonnaise recipes call for it. Adding water also heightens the fluffy factor.
Here is a collection of my favorite mayonnaise recipes;
Mayonnaise
5 large egg yolk
1 teaspoons salt
pinch of black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon water
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1) Using a whisk (my recommendation) or a blender on LOW setting break 5 egg yolks into a bowl or the blender. Add salt and pepper, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar and water.
2) Either whisking or in blender; SLOWLY pour olive oil in a steady stream directly into the middle of the yolk mixture. If you are whisking by hand either use a heavy bowl or sit a wet dish cloth under it to keep it from moving.
Roasted Garlic Mayo- Same recipe as above but add 4 cloves of roasted garlic.
Pesto Mayonnaise – Same recipe as above but add one cup fresh basil and roasted garlic.
Smoked Paprika Chipotle Mayonnaise
16 ounces fresh mayonnaise
1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (La Costena is a gluten-free brand)
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/8 lemon zest- use a microplaner
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and let it run. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
YoFoMat is the world’s first foldable yoga mat, as opposed to your typical rollable ones. According to the manufacturer, it can fold to the size of a book and it offers the same grip as standard yoga mats. The YoFoMat uses an eco-friendly material that is "free of phthalates and heavy metals."
Visit the Website- YoFoMat
Filed under: Food and it's Impact on Our Health, Going Green; How and Why..., Non-Toxic Choices, Nourishment
There has been many articles about the dangers of red meat; that it leads to heart disease, cancer, diverticulitis, weight gain.
I have a huge problem with this advice. These experts NEVER distinguish between factory red meat and grass-fed red meat. Factory red meat is raised with the use of chemicals, fed unnatural feed sprayed with pesticides, and often bizarre feeds like chicken manure, donuts, and candy bars still in their wrappers. Grass-fed meat is raised on green living grass, without the chemicals, and unnatural feed. The difference between these two types of meat is huge, as they are very different in their content and composition. The studies used by these experts for the basis of their opinion NEVER distinguish between factory meat and grass-fed meat, treating them like the same substance. Since over ninety-eight percent of the red meat eaten in the U.S. is factory meat, those studies really only apply to factory meat, not grass-fed.
Our ancestors barbecued red meat all the time. In fact, a huge portion of the meat enjoyed by humanity for thousands and thousands of years was cooked with fire. But until modern times, nearly all of this meat was grass-fed.
To Read Full Article_ CLICK HERE
Full Post is at Tender Grass Fed Meat
Filed under: Environmental Issues, Going Green; How and Why..., Non-Toxic Choices
According to Scientific American you can use more than 40 gallons of water by letting the faucet run while washing the dishes.
Here’s how to use only use about 3 or 4 gallons;
Wash dishes with 2 dish pans in the sink, one for hot soapy water, one with warm rinse water. Do glasses first, pause a moment to let the soapy water drip off, then move to rinse water. Stop when rinse water is almost full and rinse quickly. Repeat with silver, plates, then pots and utensils. All with 2 dishpans full of water. Then I pour the soapy water, with all that organic matter, onto my plants in the garden. It helps repel pests and loosens the soil. And good for the biceps when you carry it outdoors.
Other ways to save water;
1) Use very low flow shower heads. Ace Hardware has a 1.5 GPM with a shut-off valve. Take a 3 minute shower!
2) Use grey water from shower(I keep a 5 gallon bucket in shower and use it throughout the day to flush the toilet, take what’s left to the flower beds. If you can’t lift a 5 gallon bucket, use a 3 gallon one. You’ll work up to a 5 gallon one in no time, just keep doing it!
3) NEVER buy bottled water. I bought a Kleen Kanteen for each person in the family, we refill and take with us. I’ve had mine over a year.
4) I have an outdoor solar heated shower that I built. May not save water bit is saves electricity!
5) I water my garden with buckets from the rain barrels that are under the eaves of my garage. 10 feet from my garden. The front flower garden gets watered entirely from the dish water.
6) I feel VERY strongly that it is awful to put sewage back in to fresh water. I use a sawdust toilet thus putting no sewage in the system..and makes for great compost (ONLY for high heat composting!).
Like this:
Filed under: Environmental Issues, Getting By on Less, Non-Toxic Choices, Recipes
These energy bars are way healthier than any prepackaged products and let’s you not have to deal with all that packaging too! They are easy to make or you can order them from me. They come by the dozen for $12.00 a dozen.
1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
3 T Almond Butter
2 cups dried cherries
1 cup grated coconut
2 T. Coconut Cream – Available from Tropical Traditions or at your health food store, called coconut butter.
1 T. Raw Chia Seeds
½ t. Stevia
½ T. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
1 T. orange zest- use a microplaner and you will get just zest, none of the pith that is bitter.
Pinch Sea Salt
- Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place parchment paper in an 8-by-8-inch baking pan; set aside.
- Place almonds on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake, stirring halfway through, until fragrant and light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place apricots and dried cherries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until finely chopped, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Place cooled almonds and the cashews in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped and the texture of fine meal, about 25 (1-second) pulses. Add dried fruits and process, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until nuts and fruits are combined are finely chopped, about 45 seconds. Add almond butter, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and process until evenly combined, about 45 seconds. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
- Using your hands, knead the coconut into the mixture until evenly mixed, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to the prepared baking pan and, using your hands, pat it into an even layer to the edges of the pan. Fold the waxed or parchment paper over and press down on it with the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat-bottomed cup until the mixture is firmly packed and the top is smooth. Freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
Like this:
Filed under: Non-Toxic Choices
We have something called the Riverside Arts Market here in Jacksonville. I was recently looking for something to put salt in to sit beside the stove. I have recently found a place here locally that has an amazing array of slats from around the world and have added to my salt collection…That place is Green Man Gourmet.in Avondale.
I found bowls I loved at a vendor at the Arts Market but the bowls were too big. They made me some to my specifications. I love them and they are so beautiful
.
I keep course and fine sea salt and a smoked salt from Green Man Gourmet in them.
Find Wood Turning by Jerry Vaughan at the RAM every Saturday from 10 to 4! Contact them to order by emailing them at jerryandstella@bellsouth.net.
Filed under: Non-Toxic Choices
The world is filled with plenty of myths about health and your body, many of which have been productized. One of the worst offenders is body detoxification, which attempts to sell you products based on the idea that your body is toxic. It’s not, and buying related products is an attempt to fix an issue that doesn’t exist.Brian Dunning of the myth-busting show inFact explains why:
Our bodies have kidneys and livers that remove toxins and other waste from our systems, but in the past few years, clever marketers have said "Forget all that, you need our magic pills and potions to detoxify your body." It should be very telling that they never happen to mention what these supposed "toxins" are, or what your doctor should look for in a blood test to see whether you have them. They simply assert that we’re all full of toxins, and that buying their miracle product is the key to health.
The above video goes on to explain how several detoxifying products actually work to fool you into thinking that something is happening. In reality, the best you can hope for is a placebo effect. So if you’re currently wasting money on this myth, or considering it, now’s a good time to stop worrying about body toxins and just concentrate on a healthy diet.
From Lifehacker
In many countries, it is considered good luck if a ladybug (or ladybird) lands on you and then flies away of its own will. In England and Germany, it’s thought that the number of spots has a bearing on the luck she will bring. But the best thing that can actually be proven about ladybugs is that they are a gardener’s best friend and an aphid’s worst enemy. MORE
Like this:
Filed under: Non-Toxic Choices
From Mother Earth News
Right on the heels of estimates of widespread vitamin D deficiencies in the U.S. population — which most of us get from exposing our skin, sans sunscreen, to the sun — comes the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) 2010 Sunscreen Guide. For this year’s report, the EWG reviewed 500 sunscreens to test the safety of their ingredients and the veracity of their marketing claims. Of those 500, EWG researchers recommend only 39 products. The guide cites false product claims and evidence that some ingredients may even accelerate the growth of skin cancer for those that didn’t make the cut.
Filed under: Non-Toxic Choices
(Phys.org) — As vacationers prepare to spend time outdoors this summer, many of them will pack plenty of sunscreen in hopes it will protect their bodies from overexposure, and possibly from skin cancer. But researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology are discovering that sunscreen may not be so safe after all.
Cell toxicity studies by Dr. Yinfa Ma, Curators’ Teaching Professor of chemistry at Missouri S&T, and his graduate student Qingbo Yang, suggest that when exposed to sunlight, zinc oxide, a common ingredient in sunscreens, undergoes a chemical reaction that may release unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals seek to bond with other molecules, but in the process, they can damage cells or the DNA contained within those cells. This in turn could increase the risk of skin cancer.
Ma also found that the longer zinc oxide is exposed to sunlight, the greater the potential damage to human cells.
"Zinc oxide may generate free radicals when exposed to UV (ultraviolet) sunlight," May says, "and those free radicals can kill cells."
Ma studied how human lung cells immersed in a solution containing nano-particles of zinc oxide react when exposed to different types of light over numerous time frames. Using a control group of cells that were not immersed in the zinc oxide solution, Ma compared the results of light exposure on the various groups of cells. He found that zinc oxide-exposed cells deteriorated more rapidly than those not immersed in the chemical compound.
Even when exposed to visible light only, the lung cells suspended in zinc oxide deteriorated. But for cells exposed to ultraviolet rays, Ma found that "cell viability decreases dramatically."
When exposed to ultraviolet long-wave light (ultraviolet A or UVA) for 3 hours, half of the lung cells in the zinc oxide solution died. After 12 hours, 90 percent of the cells in that solution died, Ma found.
Why does zinc oxide, an ingredient used in sunscreen to help block harmful UV rays, cause cells to deteriorate when exposed to sunlight? According to Ma, when the zinc oxide nano-particles in the solution absorb the UV rays, the reaction releases electrons, which in turn may produce unstable free radical molecules in the zinc oxide solution. Those free radical molecules then bond with other molecules and act as parasites, damaging the other molecules in the process.
Ma and his colleagues at Missouri S&T published their initial research results in the January 2009 edition of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research. The paper, titled "Toxicity of nano- and micro-sized ZnO particles in human lung epithelial cells," was the first comprehensive study ever published on this subject. Lead author Weisheng Lin was Ma’s Ph.D. student at the time. Other authors of the paper were Chuan-Chin Huang, a graduate student in biological sciences at the time, and two members of S&T’s biological sciences faculty, Dr. Katie Shannon (assistant professor) and Dr. Yue-Wern Huang (associate professor).
Now, Ma is preparing to publish his latest research results in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. A publication date has not been determined.
Ma’s research on zinc oxide’s effect on cells is still in the early stages, so he cautions people from drawing conclusions about the safety or dangers of sunscreen based on this preliminary research.
"More extensive study is still needed," May says. "This is just the first step."
For instance, Ma plans to conduct electron spin resonance tests to see whether zinc oxide truly does generate free radicals, as he suspects. In addition, clinical trials will be needed before any conclusive evidence may be drawn from his studies.
In the meantime, Ma advises sunbathers to use sunscreen and to limit their exposure to the sun.
"I still would advise people to wear sunscreen," he says. "Sunscreen is better than no protection at all."
Besides sunscreen, zinc oxide is used in many commercial products, including plastics, paints, ointments and sealants.
Provided by Missouri University of Science and Technology (news : web)
The mainstream media has got news for you these days: Overweight? Try soy! Hot-flashes? Eat soy! Blotchy skin? Rub on some soy! Lactose intolerant? Soy!
With all the ads on TV and all the products popping up everywhere, you’d think soy foods were the answer to everything that ails you. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Despite the well-crafted, expensive PR campaign, soy is not a health food, and people need to know the havoc it has wrought on both our bodies and the environment.
in GREEN PARENTING, VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY
Babies do a lot of pooping. In fact, the average baby goes through 6-8 diapers a day. Unless you practice elimination communication, your baby will use at least 6,500 diapers before potty training around 30 months old. If you use disposables, this costs about $75–$100 a month retail, or $3,000 per child!
According to a 2010 study, one-third of U.S. mothers are cutting back on basic necessities (such as food, utilities, and childcare) to buy diapers for their children. But as much as disposable diapers cost individual families, they cost us even more as a nation and as a planet.
For International Real Diaper Week, consider these alarming facts you may not know about disposable diapers:
Disposable Nation
Approximately 90% of Americans use 18 billion single-use, plastic diapers a year. This generates 7.6 billion pounds of garbage each year—enough waste to fill Yankee Stadium 15 times over, or stretch to the moon and back 9 times. Every year.
Disposable diapers are the 3rd largest consumer item in landfills, and represent 30%of non-biodegradable waste. The only other items that outnumber the amount of disposables in landfills are newspapers and beverage and food containers.
Filed under: Environmental Issues, Getting By on Less, In The Kitchen with Millie- How To's, Non-Toxic Choices, Skin Care
By Jennifer - Hybrid Rasta Mama
Coconut Oil – An Overview
Offering a myriad of health benefits, coconut oil is affordable, readily available and completely natural. I use it for EVERYTHING. Literally. I buy it in 5 gallon increments and keep it all over my house. I even have some in the car. So here is a little information to inspire you to check out this amazing oil!
Coconut Oil Is:
- Anti-bacterial (kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum diseases, and other bacterial infections)
- Anti-carcinogenic (coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it effectively prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system)
- Anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast that lead to infection)
- Anti-inflammatory (appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue, and it may also contribute by inhibiting harmful intestinal microorganisms that cause chronic inflammation.)
-
Anti-microbial/Infection Fighting (the medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found in coconut oil are the same as those in human mother’s milk, and they have extraordinary antimicrobial properties. By disrupting the lipid structures of microbes, they inactivate them. About half of coconut oil consists of lauric acid. Lauric acid, its metabolite monolaurin and other fatty acids in coconut oil are known to protect against infection from bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites. While not having any negative effect on beneficial gut bacteria, coconut oil inactivates undesirable microbes.)
- An Antioxidant (protects against free-radical formation and damage)
- Anti-parasitic (fights to rid the body of tapeworms, lice and other parasites)
- Anti-protozoa (kills giardia, a common protozoan infection of the gut)
- Anti-retroviral (kills HIV and HLTV-1)
- Anti-viral (kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other viruses)
- Infection fighting
- Has no harmful for discomforting side effects
- Known to improve nutrient absorption (easily digestible; makes vitamins and minerals more available to the body)
- Nontoxic to humans and animals
Daily Dosage:
Here is a chart outlining the recommended daily dosage of virgin coconut oil for persons over the age of 12. Coconut oil may be consumed by children under 12 but it is advisable to check with a healthcare practitioner on the proper dosage. Any good naturopath will have the information at the ready. (Starting at 12 months of age, I gave my daughter one teaspoon per day and she weighed about 16 pounds at that time.)
Weight in pounds
Number of tablespoons of coconut oil daily
175+ 4
150+ 3 1/2
125+ 3
100+ 2 1/2
75+ 2
50+ 1 1/2
25+ 1
Type of Coconut Oil to Use:
- Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil tastes and smells coconutty and is great for cooking and baking where you want that flavor. You can use it for anything but it will impart a coconut taste (mild) and odor (pleasant in my book)! Unrefined coconut oil retains the most nutritional value and is superior to refined oil.
- Expeller pressed (refined) coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell or taste. It is still outstanding to use but does lose some of it’s health properties during the refining process.
- Food grade should always be used.
Millie; I use Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil and Cream
160 Uses for Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil for Personal Hygiene/Body
1. Age Spots (also known as liver spots) – applying coconut oil directly to the age spot will help it fade.
2. After Shave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores. Great for razor burn!
3. Baldness – apply three times a day to affected area of hair loss. Coconut oil supports cell regeneration.
4. Birth Marks – can be used after a laser removal treatment to aid in healing. Can also be applied after an apple cider vinegar treatment to help support and aid the fading process.
5. Body Scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
6. Bruises – applied directly to the bruise, coconut oil enhances the healing process by reducing swelling and redness.
7. Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
8. Burns – apply to burn site immediately and continue applying until healed. Will reduce the chances of permanent scarring and promotes healing.
9. Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
10. Cradle Cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
11. Dandruff – coconut oil soaks into the scalp moisturizing dry skin and relieves symptoms of dandruff. It also helps to control oil secretion from the scalp, another leading cause of dandruff
Really? Are we so dumb that we can’t figure this out without a post from Treehugger???
How about NOT using ANY? In a public bathroom, don’t use one, shake your hands off.
At home, NEVER use them, never buy them. Use an old fashioned dish towel to dry hands or dishes. Buy cotton terry dish clothes, they really soak up moisture.
To wash dishes, use an old fashioned dish cloth. Don’t buy plastic Scrubbies. It is possible to mostly avoid plastic in the kitchen.
High Fat Food – Straight to Your Bloodstream
We know that greasy burgers and fries are no health food. But in this 2 minute ABC news clip from food coach Lori Corbin, you can actually see how all that saturated fat affects the bloodstream. In realtime.
The fat globules clog the blood vessels, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. But the buildup also has cognitive side effects- look for the rats swimming through a maze towards the end of the video.
Reminder: not all fats are created equally. Fat is an essential part of our diet. You just need to choose the healthy type that is commonly founds in nuts and seeds, avocados, and fish.
To View the Video and read article…
We all know it’s the sugar in children’s cereals that makes them popular. And cereal makers, more than anyone, are aware of the singular appeal of sugar amid the myriad of ingredients in today’s breakfast cereals.
Parents may indulge their children with sugary cereals from time to time, but most parents would forbid a breakfast diet of Twinkies or chocolate chip cookies. But according to a new study by the Environmental Working Group, they may be The three most sugary cereals, Honey Smacks, Wheaties Fuel and Golden Crisp, each contain over 18 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving, which is about 56% of sugar by weight. This is about five teaspoons of sugar – the same amount as a Hostess Twinkie, and more than 5 chocolate chip cookies. And with today’s oversized cereal bowls, a typical serving size is likely to be double that amount, or closer to two cups of cereal.unknowingly feeding their children the equivalent amount of sugar.
Millie; Remember that the cereals themselves are 100% carbohydrates, so along with the sugar you are eating ALL carbs for breakfast.
So…I guess their logic is that ALL that cancer research funded by all those people walking for cancer is going to strengthen someone’s immune system. eh?
We know how to cure cancer, we know how to prevent cancer. It’s very simple. Repair or maintain an intact immune system. Here’s how;
Minimize carbs (yes, ALL carbs, even from fruits and veggies) make them no more than 20% of your daily caloric intake. Lean heavily toward green leafy veggies, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, dark colored berries, peppers.
Get plenty of fat! This is crucial. The right fats contain nutrients that help build an immune system. A cow that has been in the sun for a few years has soaked up all that Vitamin A and D from the sun…you need these specific fats to nourish you. Minimize vegetable oils, NEVER heat or cook with them…and I do mean olive oil as well as any other veggie oils. Eat the foods that these oils come in; avocado, olives, sesame…that way the oils are fresh, not rancid. As soon as the fat molecules in liquid oils are exposed to oxygen they are rancid. This makes them carcinogenic. Then heating them further damages them, making them more toxic to the body.
Eat ONLY grass fed or organic meat. This is so important that even though a vegetarian diet is not healthy and does not meet all of your nutrient needs that if you are going to eat feed lot meat then you are better of being a vegetarian. Feed lot meat is simply too toxic, contains antibiotics and growth hormones and lacks the right type of fats to build an immune system.
You can prevent cancer, or heal cancer…by changing your nutrition, truly meeting your nutrient needs and feel incredibly different along the way. By eating correctly you can all of the energy you need to zip through every day, wake up raring to go and reaching your correct weight. All on 2000 calories a day.
Filed under: Environmental Issues, Getting By on Less, Going Green; How and Why..., Non-Toxic Choices
I posted about Soap Nuts a few years ago, but wanted to update and spread the word about this awesome, all natural solution for laundry soap. I discovered Soap nuts about 5 years ago and am still using them. It is a nut that grows on a tree, is safe, natural alternatives to harmful chemicals. Soap nuts release saponin (an effective, hypoallergenic, biodegradable organic cleaning agent. If you suffer from allergies, have sensitive skin, use cloth diapers, or want to do your part for a greener earth, soap nuts fit the bill. Soap nuts leave laundry clean, fresh and soft; dishes, pots and pans sparkling clean; your hair and scalp healthy – plus offer a plethora of green household cleaning uses.
I use them for laundry primarily. In cold water I just put them in a small muslin bag (comes with the nuts) and wash a few loads with them. For hot water washes I make a liquid by pouring boiling water over a handful of nuts and let it sit over night. It makes about a quart, which I keep in the fridge. That amount will do about 20 loads of laundry.
You can use this liquid for a Mosquito Repellent, for hand soap or shampoo.
To BUY…
From Google
From Laundry Tree
From NaturOli Organic through Amazon
Here’s a Guide on Growing Soap Nuts
I have asked both Grassroots Market and Whole foods to carry these..so far no luck. BUT, if you ask each time you go in and they continue to get requests, perhaps they will get them in for us!
Like this:
I recently asked a blogger to feature my book, The Criterion Diet (shameless promotion here…click here to buy it) on his blog. He wrote me back and said, “I don’t promote gluten free websites any more because you people are all crazy, all you do is focus on carbs, carbs, carbs…”.
He was, mostly, correct. Almost every site you go to on the web gives you TONS of recipe desserts, waffle and pancakes…every way to replace the gluten free items you were eating that made you sick …with ones that will not cause the bloating, tiredness, dizziness, fibromyalgia, weight gain, depression etc., that glutens cause.
I politely pointed out to him that if he had he actually looked at the book, peeked inside…or even read the description, he would have realized that that is not what my book was about. I teach a Paleo diet, am a proponent of a low carb diet. I don’t teach low carb so that people can lose weight (although that is a delightful side effect of becoming well nourished and healing).
I teach low carb because it is healthy. Carbs are carbs, whether they come from a gooey cinnamon roll or an organic piece of fruit…an excess of them does damage;causing heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, mal-nutrition, weight gain, diabetes. When you take in an excess of carbs, you take in less fat and protein. And therein lies the problem.
You need a full 50% of your calories each day to come from fat; healthy, saturated fats from organic sources in order to meet your needs for the nutrients you get from that fat (Vitamins A, D and E primarily).
You need 30% of each days intake to be high quality, organic protein from grass fed animals, cage free poultry and eggs, organ meats, Traditional Bone Stocks.
The remaining 20% should be from low glycemic vegetables; green leafy vegetables should be the biggest part followed by onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, lettuces. A small serving of organic fruit, the darker colored the better (berries give a lot of nutrients making the carbs worth it!).
Notice that I said all carbs are bad for you in excess. That is a large part of the problem when people learn that they need to stop eating gluten containing foods…and all humans feel way better off of ALL grains, not just the ones that contain glutens. The focus for most people in the beginning is that they focus on all the “products” out there that are alternatives to their gluten containing counterparts.
Yes, you CAN get gluten and lactose free Oreos, Pop tarts, Cookies, pastas, cheeses, chips, cakes, mixes to cook with. But SHOULD you? No, you shouldn’t except occasionally. We all have birthdays, weddings, occasions we want top celebrate. And of course we are going to bake and celebrate in a traditional way…but on a day to day basis we need great nutrition.
So baked goods, Ezekiel Bread, gluten free cookies are all recreational foods…treat them as such, enjoy them occasionally. And use them during the time you are transitioning to a gluten free diet, they will help tremendously with the craving for glutens as the body gets rid of the mucus and our immune system calms down.
I offer a line of gluten, lactose and soy free desserts myself…for those special times. Do I eat them often? No, I do not…I eat almost perfect 98% of the time and really enjoy the great health and extremely high energy that is the result of that choice.
Photo from All About GardeningWhat do plants eat? They eat dead animals; that’s the problem. For me that was a horrifying realization. You want to be an organic gardener, of course, so you keep reading ‘Feed the soil, feed the soil, feed the soil…’
Alright. Well what does the soil want to eat? Well, it wants manure, and it wants urine, and it wants blood meal and bone meal. And I…could not face that. I wanted my garden to be pure and death-free. It didn’t matter what I wanted: plants wanted those things; they needed those things to grow…
So, I sort of played a moral hide-and-seek in my mind. I was left with this realization that I could eat an animal directly, or I could pass an animal through a plant and then eat it, but either way there were animals involved in this process. I could not remove animals from the equation.
I had to accept on some level that there was a cycle here, and it was very ancient, and ultimately very spiritual. It was really hard for me to accept the ‘death’ part of that equation. Years. It took me years to finally face it. But there wasn’t any way out of it if I was going to grow things.
Lierre Keith, on gardening as a vegan; October 8, 2009 on Underground Wellness Radio
