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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

3 Croup remedies

Croup can be stressful for parent and child.  The cough is loud and the breathing is hard.  My oldest son woke up in the middle of the night a few months back with the typical "croup" cough.  It was midnight when he awoke from his sleep and I immediately administered these 3 remedies.  Within an hour he was settled back down and back to sleep.  No more "barking" cough.  The next morning he was 100% better.  I always start with aconite and luckily I had the other 2 remedies on hand.  The key is to catch it fast....the sooner the better!   
Homeopaths have three croup remedies that have relieved this 
condition for more than 150 years--Aconite, Spongia tosta and Hepar 
sulphuris.




Dr. Boenninghausen, a renowned German physician born in 1843, treated 
croup exclusively with this trio of remedies. 'Hardly one in a hundred 
children received all three remedies,' his biographer writes, and the 
doctor successfully treated over 400 cases.




First, give Aconite at the onset of croup.
Here the cough is dry, loud and barking and the child is exceedingly 
restless and anxious. If, after 
an hour, symptoms persist, give a second dose of Aconite. This is 
usually all that is needed.


"If, however, after another hour, your child's breathing is harsh and 
hard and the barking, ringing cough continues and breathing is still not 
smooth and easy, give *Hepar sulphuris*.
Here the cough is loose and rattling and deeper toned.

  Rarely do we need more than Aconite in treating croup.  


These 3 remedies can be picked up at any health food store like Nutrition Smart or Whole Foods.  Look for the homeopathy section.  These 3 remedies could save you many hours in an urgent care in the middle of the night, along with a few hundred bucks :)

A healthy alternative to Gatorade

Do you drink sports drinks very often?  Once a week, twice a week, or everyday?  How healthy are sports drinks after all?
Good question.  Gatorade was my"healthy drink" of choice in high school and college.  I remember thinking that I was "healthy" when downing 16 ounces of gatorade after a long run or hard workout.  I thought I was helping my body be a better athlete- like all the commercials seemed to portray.  I was ignorant then, but I am not now.  Gatorade is packed with sugar- which in my day was high fructose corn syrup (most likely from genetically modified corn), artificial ingredients, and food dye (which is disturbingly toxic).  I cringe when I remember drinking tons of gatorade during my first pregnancy.  Is gatorade even a better alternative to soda?  That is a post for another day.  Today I am talking about SueroViv from Beyond Organics.  This is my healthy gatorade.   Of course, I haven't had gatorade on a regular basis for years, and so that is why I am so excited.  If you love sport drinks, you will love this drink.  My favorite is Raspberry Lemonade and it tastes very good.  My body feels replenished after a bottle of SueroViv.  What is SueroViv exactly?

"SeuroViv is a whole food, living cultured beverage that literally means whey of life.  We start with cultured whey and combine it with mountain sprain water, organic juices, organic honey, and organic essential oils for a healthy and delicious beverage that is abundant in electrolyte minerals and B vitamins.  SueroViv is a cultured beverage that contains probiotics, antioxidants and enzymes, along with important nutrients such as Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium."

If only all athletes, young children, and pregnant mothers were drinking healthy and nourishing beverages.  How much better would we all feel by properly consuming beverages that rejuvenate, rehydrate, and replenish our bodies and minds.

If interested in learning more or purchasing check it out here.


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

No more canned soups please!

Make yourself a new nutrition goal today.  One that is simple, but has long term health benefits: No more canned soups.  I guess if you eat them often, cutting back on your consumption by 50 percent would be a great start.  Don't even buy them, because their convenience may be too tempting.  They are loaded with BPA.  In this recent study (here) - BPA spikes 1,200 percent after eating canned soup.  Remember the health problems associated with BPA exposure:
  • -behavioral problems in infants and older children
    -prostate problems in men, problems with mammary glands, and early puberty in young girls 
    -birth defects or reduced birth weight 
    -may also cause the pregnant mother to miscarry. 
    -health problems such as cancer, infertility and breast cancer
    -can provoke chronic toxicity in the human body
    - hormonal disruption
    Better yet- make your own soup.  It is much less expensive and just as quick as grabbing a can- if you make it ahead of time.   Do not reheat the soup in plastic ever.  Make sure you are reheating in glass if you are not able to reheat on a stove.   A little food planning and preparation can go a long way for your health and your wallet :)



Monday, November 28, 2011

Nourishing Soups

"To me, true health is...achieved by following the laws of nature; when you break them, illness results.  Health is not something bestowed on you by beneficient nature at birth; it is achieved and maintained only by active participation in well-defined rules of healthful living... rules which you may be disregarding every day. " Henry Bieler, MD Food is Your Best Medicine (Nourishing Traditions p. 200)

Soups are a great way to nourish the body.  I love adding nutrient dense stock, healthy beef/chicken, and hearty vegetables/grains.  They are perfect for winter time.  It takes Florida a little bit longer to cool off, but when it does I start making soups weekly.  This week I made Potato Leek Soup.  I had a few variations from the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook, but will give you the general guidelines.

Potato Leek Soup
3 leeks, peeled, cleaned and chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups homemade chicken stock
1 cup pima cream or raw cream/ raw whole milk
finely chopped chives for garnish

Saute leeks until soft in butter and olive oil.  Add potatoes and stock, bring to a boil and skim.  Add thyme and simmer until all vegetables are soft.  Let cool.  Puree soup with a handheld blender.  Chill well.  Process in food processor in batched with pima cream until frothy.  Season to taste.  Serve in chilled soup bowls.

My variations:
I added leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving.  I have a Blendtec and I blended the mashed potatoes and cooked leeks (along with half a cooked onion) with 2 cups of fresh raw milk.    I had the chicken stock already warm on the stove and I added the cool elements to the warmed stock.  Then I left it on low for a few minutes and it was perfect.  I like my soup warm and tasty.  I added some grated raw cheese to the top of it with some ground pepper.

This soup is also very economical.  The leftovers will feed my family for the next 1-2 days.  Depending on how much I eat :)  We added steamed broccoli to the boys dish and it gave it a little more texture- which they love.  Enjoy!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Infusion Process

When I first heard that Beyond Organics was selling water infused with fruit and veggies I didn't really understand what that meant.  Now that I have tasted the water drinks I was even more interested.  What is this infusion process?  Here is a great explanation from one of my team members Wendimere Reilly.  I hope this helps others understand it better!


It is vegetable infusion - it is a technology that concentrates down fruits and veggies at a 500:1 ratio, meaning 500 pounds of beet juice to yield 1 pound of beet juice. That super concentrated liquid is then filtered through extremely tight filters leaving behind "low-molecular weight" compounds from the beet - the antioxidant essence we discuss on the label.

This powder is highly concentrated and low molecular weight and EXTREMELY SOLUBLE, which provided much of the benefit associated with the vegetable itself, but without any calories or sugar.

This is essentially the "infusion" process.

There is actually a noticeable color difference in Infusions, if someone pours into a clear glass and then compares it with Reign Supreme in the same kind of glass for comparison.




Any more questions??? Just leave me a comment and I will answer it :)


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Organic Medicine

I am a concerned health consumer. I am careful about the quality and source of food that comes into my home. I am also concerned about what medicine my family consumes, particularly my boys. We use organic and raw medicine, just like food. Which translates to medicine in its whole and natural state, produced by nature not man, and minimally processed. We use foods and herbs in our family for healing. Some examples are : garlic (antibacterial, anti-viral), ginger (nausea), cayenne pepper (flu), onion (strong immune supporter), oils (olive, tea tree, oregano, jojoba, fermented fish oil), kombucha and kefir (strong immune supporters). We use fresh and dried herbs. We also use homeopathic remedies in our family for healing-for acute and chronic illnesses. We have had outstanding success with certain remedies. One remedy I want to spot light is:
Notatum (Penicillium notatum) - for relief of Cold Symptoms, Earaches, Bacterial Infections and Respiratory Infections.


Notatum is effective for treating all types of bacterial infections and inflammations, especially those caused by staphylococci and streptococci. It also helps resolve urological infections, herpes zoster, otitis, tonsillitis, respiratory infections and acne. This remedy can be prescribed in high doses to eliminate acute infections. In addition, Notatum does not contain Penicillic acid and is safe for patients who are allergic to Penicillin.


You can learn more about the remedy at http://www.naturalhealinghouse.com/sanpharma_notatum.php

This remedy is a great substitute when an antibiotic is needed. I keep it on hand for the first sign of cold or congestion. Also, I use it to prevent a secondary infection from occurring when a virus starts to linger a little longer in myself or my boys. My 4 yr old and 2 yr old have never had an antibiotic thanks to Notatum. I have had a few close calls, but notatum has been a miracle worker in my family. Safe for kids, babies, and pregnant momma's :) Check it out.

Friday, November 18, 2011

The Gut- Brain Connection

I am always talking about the Gut- Brain connection when it comes to health and nutrition.  80 percent of your immune system resides in your gut.  Some nutritional doctors even call your gut your "second brain".  There is a very strong connection between the two.  I think that many doctors will diagnose someone's health condition based one a single area or organ of the body.  But when it comes to true healing, you must look at the body as a whole.  For example, when my computer gets 1 virus, it doesn't take long for the whole system to shut down.  Now if I catch it early enough, little to no damage is done. How many of us go on for years with little annoying "red flags" about our own health that something may be malfunctioning or not quite right?  How long do we ignore these messages?  Are we waiting for our own health crash?  How is your own gut doing... diarrhea, constipation, sick often, sluggish? What about your brain....mood swings, depression, anxiety?  Take a close look at your diet.  You may be surprised.  Poor Diet = Poor Gut = Poor Brain.  Not a good scenario.  Here is an excerpt from an article about the Gut-Brain relationship.


The Gut-Brain Connection : "Most people fail to realize that your gut is quite literally your second brain, and actually has the ability to significantly influence your: 

  • Mind
  • Mood
  • Behavior
But damage to your gut can also, by virtue of the gut-brain connection, alter your mind, mood and behavior all by itself... Anxiety and depression are actually part of the signs and symptoms of celiac disease, for example.
The gut-brain connection is well-recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, so this isn't all that surprising, even though it's often overlooked. There's also a wealth of evidence showing gastrointestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases. With this in mind, it should also be crystal clear that nourishing your gut flora is extremely important, from cradle to grave, because in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment.
Your gut and your brain are actually created out of the same type of tissue. During fetal development, one part turns into your central nervous system while the other develops into your enteric nervous system. These two systems are connected via the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve that runs from your brain stem down to your abdomen. This is what connects your two brains together, and explains such phenomena as getting butterflies in your stomach when you're nervous, for example.
Your gut and brain work in tandem, each influencing the other. This is why your intestinal health can have such a profound influence on your mental health, and vice versa. As a result, it should be obvious that your diet is closely linked to your mental health. Furthermore, it's requires almost no stretch of the imagination to see how improper nutrition can have an adverse effect on your mood and subsequently your behavior."
Dr. Mercola

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Why buy pastured eggs locally?

Why should you buy your eggs from a local farmer that raises them properly?  Organic eggs from the grocery store are not great quality and therefore way over-priced.  This video helps answer those questions.  The industrialized "organic" eggy industry is out of control... just like everything else mass produced.

Scrambled Eggs : here


Monday, November 14, 2011

EatWild.com

Everyone needs to check out a site called Eat Wild here.  Just click on your state and then your area.  Scroll through the farms and you can find many sources of grass-fed humanely raised beef, turkey, chicken, and pork.  I even found a few farms that sell pastured eggs.  It's a great way to support your local farmer and eat better. Let's all set some new food goals for the upcoming year.  Find a new way to invest that hard earned money into food that comes from a local farm.  You can do it! I promise you will meet incredible loving people along the way, but the person you will be helping the most is yourself.  Feed your body food that will strengthen and nourish it the right way!





Sunday, November 13, 2011

Bisphenol A

I just stumbled across this bog called Non-Toxic Kids.  It has some really interesting articles about keeping the environment safe and healthy.  They also have articles about eating Non-Toxic Food that you should check out.


She blogs about big factory farms: "I learned about the connections between factory farming and air pollution. Not only does industrial factory farming increase global warming, pollute ecosystems, and drinking water, it harms our air quality in significant ways."
Read the rest of the article here


Beyond Organics has a water bottle line that is BPA free and 100% biodegradable.  The bottle can be composted.  That is pretty cool.  I have not seen another company that sells water already bottled that is BPA free.  I always buy my kids bottles and plates BPA free and I am so excited to have a pure source of water for the kids that I can carry on the go that is bottled without BPA.  One less thing for me to worry about as a mom :) I love that about this product!


What is BPA? Bisphenol A (BPA)
-chief building block of polycarbonate plastic
-hard plastic commonly used to construct water bottles, kitchen utensils, travel mugs, food storage containers and travel mugs
-major element of the epoxy linings found in beverage and metal food cans


Health Problems From Being Exposed to BPA

  • -neural problems in a pregnant woman's fetus 
    -behavioral problems in infants and older children
    -prostate problems in men, problems with mammary glands, and early puberty in young girls 
    -unborn baby may be negatively affected, resulting in birth defects or reduced birth weight 
    -may also cause the pregnant mother to miscarry. 
    -health problems such as cancer, infertility and breast cancer
    -can provoke chronic toxicity in the human body
    Ways To Avoid BPA: from Happy Healthy Long Life Blog
    • Stay away from cans.  That means no soft drinks, no canned beer, no cans of V-8, no canned soups, no canned tomatoes, you name it!  By the way, Japan eliminated 95% of the BPA from their cans 10 years ago.  But stay away from cans from China-it's in theirs.
    • Throw out your hard clear polycarbonate plastics.  All the BPA expert scientists have switched to stainless steel water bottles like Klean Kanteen
    • Don't heat plastic in the microwave.
    • Don't wash plastic in the dishwasher.
    • Don't use harsh detergents on plastic.
    • Don't put hot food or liquids into plastic.
    • Switch to microwave-safe glass for storing & reheating foods. I've been searching all over without luck for those old-fashioned pyrex refrigerator containers.  Thanks to my resourceful daughter-in-law I found out that they're at Crate and Barrel.
    • Seriously consider filtering your water with a carbon filter or reverse osmosis system.  BPA and other estrogenic substances have been found in groundwater from the runoff of discarded plastics, livestock hormones and even oral contraceptives.  Remember the recent reports of pharmaceuticals found in our water systems?  Maybe I'm over-reacting, but the BPA scientists are filtering their water.
    • Stainmaster carpet, Teflon coatings, the fire retardant chemicals on upholstery & in pajamas, and polyurethane foam furniture all have phthalates or PBDE, unless they specifically say otherwise.  Educate yourself!   


    Check out this blog.  He is a scientist and has some great links related to this issue. More here



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Low-fat Dairy linked to reduced fertility in women

"The study showed that women who ate more than two portions a day of low fat dairy foods were 85 per cent more likely to be infertile due to ovulatory disorders than those who only ate it less than once a week.
Conversely they found that women who ate full-fat dairy foods, including ice cream, more than once per day had a 25 per cent reduced risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to those who ate full-fat dairy foods only once a week.
The researchers concluded that "High intake of low-fat dairy foods may increase the risk of anovulatory infertility whereas intake of high-fat dairy foods may decrease this risk".
The researchers suggest that a fat-soluble substance in the full-fat dairy foods could be responsible for improved ovarian function, and that this substance is removed when full-fat dairy produce is converted to low-fat.
There could be other reasons too, to do with hormone balance. For instance, when full-fat milk is processed to give skimmed milk, whey protein is usually added back in to improve taste and colour. In tests with mice, whey protein is suspected of increasing testosterone-like effects."

This last paragraph is what concerns me the most.  Our health depends on hormonal balance.  We need hormonal balance physically -for obvious reasons, but we also need balance for emotional and psychological reasons.  Sometimes we only pay attention to our physical needs, and our other needs take the back seat.  To be "whole", we need to make sure the foods we are eating are not only helping us physically, but mentally too.  Drink Whole RAW MILK and consume full-fat cultured dairy products :) Take charge of your health.

-The rest of the study can be found here





Tuesday, November 8, 2011

One more post tonight-


Confessions of a former Big Food executive
From this blog : here
Q. What are three things you think every consumer should know about Big Food?
A.
  • Big Food is profit-driven. Don't be fooled into thinking a brand or the food company that owns it cares about you or your health.

  • Think critically. Most claims and advertising by Big Food companies are meant to manipulate you, not educate you. Read your labels and do your research.

  • There is no free lunch. Over the long-term, you always get what you pay for. Cheap food is very expensive once you add up the true costs -- like the taxes you pay to subsidize Big Food companies, health consequences like obesity or diabetes, the devastating harm to our environment, and the inhumane treatment of animals raised within the industrialized food system.
No matter how many times I hear this- it still makes me upset each time. Why is the food system so broken? How did greed and carelessness take over these companies and the people that run them? The end result (the food we are eating) is so unhealthy and toxic due to cost cutting which ultimately affects quality and care. The inhumane treatment of animals is disgusting, along with the "fake" food that we all end up consuming.

EAT LOCAL/ EAT RAW/ EAT ORGANIC. Know your food and where it comes from.

Lacto-fermented Beverages

Nourishing Traditions is the cookbook that I call my "kitchen bible".  It is my source for making any regular recipe more nutritious.  I especially love the different kinds of nourishing lacto-feremented beverages that are taught in this book.  What is lacto-fermenation?  "Lacto-fermenation is a process whereby special bacteria transform sugar and starches into beneficial acids.  These drinks are valued for the medicinal qualities including the ability to relieve intestinal problems and constipation.  They encourage lactation, strengthen the sick, enhance digestion and promote overall well-being and stamina.  Above all, these drinks are considered superior to plain water in their ability to relieve thirst during physical labor.  Many vitamins and minerals are lost through perspiration.  Natural lactic-acid fermented drinks contain numerous valuable minerals in ionized form and small amounts of natural sugars along with lactic acid and beneficial lactobacilli, all of which promote good health in many ways, while at the same time satisfying the sensation of thirst." 
-Nourishing Traditions p54

These beverages can be made from so many fun things.  They can be made from fruits, milk, sap, herbs, and grains.  We drink kefir and kombucha which are both lacto-fermented beverages.  Here are the Nutrition Facts for Synergy Kombucha (8 ounce bottle) :
Folic Acid- 25%
Vit B2- 20%
Vit B6- 20%
Vit B1- 20%
Vit B3- 20%
Vit B12- 20%
Probiotic content: Lactobacillus Bacterium: 1 billion organisms, S. Boulardii: 1 billion organisms
Antioxidants and Organic Acids: EGCG 100mg- Glucuronic Acid 10 mg, Lactic Acid 25 mg, Acetic Acid 30 mg

This drink is loaded with B Vitamins (most Americans are severely deficient) and strong Probiotics.  These drinks help resolve bacterial infections, viral infections, yeast infections, and parasitic infections.  They help "restore, regenerate, replenish, and revitalize" the immune system.  
Our favorite flavor around here is Grape!

Fun Beverage Recipes to Check out: (from Nourishing Traditions)
1. Sweet Potato Soda
2. Beet Kvass
3. Kombucha
4. Apple Cidar
5. Root Beer



Kidney Stones and diet

My brother was in the ER this morning for kidney stones.  He passed a big stone this time.  If you have ever had a kidney stone you know the pain I am talking about.  It is not a pleasant experience.    I personally used to get them a lot, before I changed my eating habits and diet.  Recurring kidney stones was my first chronic health problem.  This painful condition left me with many unanswered questions.  Did you know that there is no cure for kidney stones?  They don't even really know the reason people get kidney stones.  The doctors left me with no hope of a normal life, just an endless prescription for pain killers.  The pain medicine only made me sicker and more unhappy.

My stubborn personality did not accept this for an answer.  I knew there was a way to heal, even though I didn't know how or what.  That is when I began "looking" as I like to call it, not just listening to what doctors told me.  I started to question diet and the food that I ate.  I was "healthy" from the outside onlooker, but suffered from many inside issues: bad digestion, recurrent infections, adrenal fatigue, allergies, and other issues from a lifetime of stress and chemical exposure.  I realized that diet was my #1 source of chemical exposure.  Toxins are EVERYWHERE: food, water, medicines, household products, personal products, etc.  Just because something is on the shelf at the grocery store, does not mean that it is safe to eat or drink.  What does the word "safe" really mean when it comes to food regulation.  In my opinion, if the FDA approves something they are only saying:"It Won't Kill You Today".  They are not saying: "It Is Safe To Eat or Drink".  Just because something is FDA approved, does not mean it is safe.  We live in a passive society where we trust what agencies approve and disapprove without using our own judgment and common sense.  Follow your instincts and read the labels.

If you can't pronounce the ingredient or you don't know what it means....don't buy it.  It might not kill you today, but it will be killing you slowly over time with: allergies, infertility, bad digestion, acid reflux, cancer, adrenal fatigue, arthritis, and in my brother's case Kidney Stones.  Maybe kidney stones are just hard to ignore, so he has no choice but to change.  Either way, I hope that my brother cleans ups his diet like I did. Eat Real Food! Replace your caffeinated soda with fermented dairy products and cultured beverages.  Heal your "gut".  Take care of your body and your health.  And in my brother's situation, he needs to start with a high dose probiotic and magnesium supplement.   Which can be found here and here.  You can be kidney stone free through diet and proper nutrition :) There is hope.


Sunday, November 6, 2011

What is Publix GreenWise?

In my beginning days of eating healthy I would buy Publix GreenWise.  What is Publix GreenWise?  Doing a little research I found this little golden nugget.


Facts about Publix GreenWise Market Chicken:
1. No antibiotics and hormones are ever administered.
2. Raised entirely on a vegetarian diet, primarily corn and soy (Not Organic?!?)
3. Air- chilled for less water retention and a more natural flavor.
4. All Publix GreenWise Market Market Chicken is from Florida.

What does #2 really mean? All vegetarian diet means soy and corn, in this case.  Not Grass-fed or Green-fed.  Not even organic soy and corn.  Could it be GMO soy and corn?  My guess is YES!  I don't even want to think about the diet that these cows and chickens are being fed.  I am very glad that they are not using hormones and antibiotics, but what about vaccines and de-wormers?  You are paying twice as much money for something that is not twice the value.  Do not waste your hard earned money.  Buy local beef and chicken here.  Florida has some great farms where you can buy grass-fed beef.  We have been buying local beef for about a year now and it is so much better.

Or buy from Beyond Organics here to have it delivered to your door.  For now they offer hamburger and hot dogs.  They will be adding more products as they grow.  Remember know your food!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Whey Drinks

What are whey drinks?  Whey is the liquid that forms at the top of yogurt.  When you strain homemade cream cheese, it is the liquid that drips down off the solid part of the cheese.  It is the part of fermentation that "stinks".  These are drinks that are not common in the United States.  I discovered them about 2 years ago thanks to the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook.  The founder of Beyond Organics, Jordan Rubin, used whey drinks to heal his Crohn's Disease.  We have used whey in our family to heal many digestive and health issues.

Let me give you a little history from Nourishing traditions on whey drinks (p 614) "Using cheese whey as a beverage in human nutrition, especially for therapeutic purposes, can be traced back to the ancient Greeks.  Hippocrates, in 460 BC, prescribed whey for an assortment of human ailments.  In the Middle Ages, whey was recommended by many doctors for varied diseases; and by the mid 19th century, whey cures reached a high point with the establishment of over 400 whey houses in Western Europe.  As late as the 1940's, in spas in Central Europe, dyspepsia, uremia, arthritis, gout, liver diseases, anemia, and even tuberculosis were treated with the ingestion of up to 1500 grams of whey per day." 


Whey Drink
1/2 cup whey (raw whey from yogurt or cheese)
1/2 cup filtered water
juice of 1 lemon


Mix all ingredients together and drink immediately.

Warning: This drink will not taste very good at first.  With time it gets easier.  Check out Beyond Organics for flavored whey drinks called Suero Viv- 3 flavors.  Same benefits.  Great Taste.  Delivered to your home.  Here

Health Benefits of Grass-fed Red Meat

Red meat is an excellent source of both macro and trace minerals, particularly zinc and magnesium.  In meat, these minerals exist in a form that is much easier for the body to break down and utilize than the minerals in grains and pulses.  Red meats are rich in Vitamin B12, so important for a healthy nervous system and blood; and in carnitine, which is essential for healthy functioning of the heart.  Beef and Lamb fat contain fat-soluble vitamins and small amounts of essential fatty acids, especially if these animals have been allowed to graze on green grass.  These fat-soluble vitamins are what your body needs to utilize the minerals in all foods.  In animal studies, beef fat has a cholesterol-lowering effect.  Lamb and beef fat contain palmitoleic acid, which protects us from viruses and other pathogens.  (Nourishing Traditions 330)


Compared to grain-fed cattle, grass-fed beef is:
  • Two to four times richer in heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
  • Higher in "good" unsaturated fats and lower in "bad" saturated fats.
  • Three to five times higher in CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) content.
  • Loaded with over 400% more of vitamin A (as beta carotene) and E.
  • Virtually devoid of risk of Mad Cow Disease.

Feeding dead cats and dogs to cattle was legal in the US until 1997 when the government banned the practice because of fears over mad cow disease. Dead horses and pigs, however, are still occasionally ground into cattle feed.

One quarter of America's minced beef, writes Schlosser, is made from worn-out dairy cattle, likely to be riddled with disease and the meat containing antibiotic residues.

Grain feeding promotes the growth of dangerous E. coli that is more likely to pass through your stomach and infect your colon. When cattle are fed grass, the amount of dangerous E. coli decreases dramatically. (Microbes Infect 2000 Jan;2(1):45-53).


Where is your beef coming from?  Is it grass-fed, soy fed, or even worse GMO fed?  Know your farmer and know where your food comes.  

If you want grass-fed beef delivered to your home click here.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Honesty is not the best policy- for food sales.

My friend on facebook posted this picture today. It is an awesome example of what food companies DO NOT do. How many food manufacturers are really honest with their labels? There is a whole multi-billion dollar business in hiding ingredients.  How much healthier would we all be if labels were straightforward like this one? Besides buying, local, raw, organic; I also try to follow the "5 ingredient rule".  If I do buy something that is processed, I try to buy the item with the least amount of ingredients.  One of my favorites is Haagan Daaz ice-cream- only 5 ingredients! It passes :)  Healthy Eating 101- NEVER buy anything that has the word imitation in it!  Thanks Nikki for the pic.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

What is Amasai?

  • Green Fed – No Grain
  • Cultured with over 30 Probiotics
    Inspired by Traditional Recipe of
    Africa’s Masai Tribe
  • Unique profile of true whole milk nutrients created through select heritage dairy breeding, green grazing and feeding program and olde world culturing and production methods for
    a delicious, highly digestible cultured dairy beverage.
  • Launching with 3 Flavors –  Plain, Milk & Honey, Berry
  • kaley.mybeyondorganic.com
Amasai: Fermented Milk
In 2004 Richard Mokua, a Wisconsin Master’s student in Food and Nutrition Sciences, studied the benefits of a traditional food of his Kenyan community, a fermented milk called “amasi.” Mokua had grown up in Kenya and observed that the children who consumed amasi were less prone to diarrhea. His observation gave him an idea for a study for his Master’s thesis, a study which leaves us with intriguing results.

Benefits of Amasai

Because of the high lactic acid content of amasi, it may have some of the recognized benefits of probiotics.
  • Improved absorption of vitamins and minerals.
  • Reduced cellular-level inflammation.
  • Improved digestion.
  • Better recovery after the use of antibiotics.
  • Reduced rates of diarrhea.
  • Improved immune response.
read the rest article here: here    

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Beyond Organic Standards.


1)  Green-Fed
2)   Pesticide/Herbicide/Fungicide/Chemical Fertilizer
Free Grazing
3)  Chemical Medicine Free
  - No Antibiotics, No Hormones, No de-wormers, No Vaccines
4)  Kind Treatment of Animals/Animal Friendly
      5) Sustainable Land and Soil Management


Unless you are ordering your food directly from your farmer (and you know his/her farming standards), you are not getting this quality.  Did you know that to be called "green wise" or organic for meat- the animal only needs to be fed a diet that is 30% or more organic.  So you are paying a top dollar for something that is 1/3 organic! That is crazy! And a rip-off! If you are paying top dollar you should get top dollar! This meat is 100% grass-fed and green fed.  No "organic soy" feed here.  Check out these healthy and happy ladies :)


Fermented Foods and Gut Flora

I am a HUGE fan of fermented and cultured foods.  We must be eating foods daily that help our bodies fight off illness and bad bacteria.  We do this by eating foods containing probiotics and good bacteria.  Fermentation helps restore good bacteria to our bodies and also predigests our food before it even enters our mouths.  This make digestions easier on our sometimes sensitive stomachs.  Talk about strong little "buggies" :) I try to include something fermented in 2 of the 3 meals a day.  And then with drinks throughout the day.  Fermented foods that the boys and I eat/drink daily: kombucha, keifer, yogurt, fermented grains (rice, quinoa, wheat), and fermented condiments.  Last night I fermented the pizza dough by replacing a cup of water with whey and letting it sit a little longer.  It was so good :) Even John was pretty impressed, which is tough to do because he comes from a  family of amazing dough makers!  It is such an easy step, but the rewards are ten fold for your health and your gut! We use the word "gut" around here a lot.  Just get used to it.  Did you know 80% of your immune system is in your gut??? So if you are sick a lot, you can pretty much assume that your gut flora is not doing too well either.  Get it.  Got it.  Good!

Here is an article in The New York Times that talks about the overuse of antibiotics and the dangers associated with it. "Overuse of antibiotics has led to the creation of drug-resistant bacteria — so-called superbugs, like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. But now some researchers are exploring an equally unsettling possibility: Antibiotic abuse may also be contributing to the increasing incidence of obesity, as well as allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and gastroesophageal reflux."