Peaceable Eating

Okay, folks, I just have to harp on this for a while and then, I'll be quiet about it...for awhile. I've mentioned it here before, but today, I want this to be our focus.

The last time you ate, was it with anger? Bitterness? Resentment?

Let's face it. There is a multitude in this world over which to be angry. To be 'ticked-off' about. I am guilty. But I am trying not to be. Are you?

I don't ask to pry into your weaknesses. I ask for your health. Anger is bad for us. Chew on it enough and it will chew on your liver...weakening it and therefore chipping away at a major line of defense in the body. A critical organ. We need to nurture our livers as much as possible, abstaining from excesses in alcohol and pesticide-ridden foods. It is part of the reason for the kombucha on my counter and the tibicos in my fridge. It is the reason for much of the change that has come into my husband's and my life over the last few years.

We can make those physical changes and even make them permanent. Once we know how, the effort isn't so much. But there is one great change we can make that we will always, as long as we're in these earthly bodies, have to work to keep. A peaceable attitude. That doesn't mean we don't rise to the occasion when someone needs our protection. It does mean we choose our battles very carefully and walk in as much grace as possible.

That can really be hard for food purists, can't it?

I will post things here that will stir you to indignation, because manufacturers in the food industry really shouldn't dupe us the way they do. But we have to be careful or we may find ourselves projecting anger towards the ignorant. We may find ourselves lumping together all those in certain lines of work and labeling them as 'the enemy'.

Do you know people who like to draw dividing lines between people? ...Maybe even live to do so because of their own personal misery? Come on, you know there are folks who have things going on in their own hearts who will point the finger in any direction away from themselves in the hope that you don't see what's really there. Anything will do...religious differences, political differences, food differences, medical differences....whatever it is, 'they' are the enemy and must be stomped down, stifled or destroyed.

Jesus tells us that we don't have to physically kill someone to kill someone. All it takes is the tongue. So, who have you killed already today? (She asked, with three fingers pointed toward herself.)

The point?

Health.

If we are going to live in constant anger and strife, we will never recover from whatever ailments drove us to find a better way of eating in the first place. Oh, it will most likely work for a while...but it will not 'stick' because the root of the problem may come from repressed or unleashed anger. The thing we have to do is get rid of it all together. Read these words from the author, Sally Fallon Morrell, of Nourishing Traditions:

"To make us healthy, our food must taste good, it must be digestible, and it must be eaten in peace. Even whole foods, properly prepared according to traditional methods, do us no good if we eat them with a grudge; they will not confer health on the person who does not forgive. It is the loving heart who will find, in the pages that follow, guidelines for providing an abundance of all the nutrients we need to live healthy, happy and productive lives."

Grudges aren't just those things we have against a single individual. Those who run the food industry count, too. Under the machine, there is a person. It is a tangled, tangled web that the enemy has spun for us in the world of food and health. It seems that mainstream thought is completely topsy-turvey.

But as the light shines on the dark areas, revealing the truth, we must guard our hearts so we are not further damaged by the effects of this evil. And believe me, Satan doesn't rest with our being affected in only one area...he is not, never has been, and never will be, a 'fair' fighter. He attacks from every angle. We must protect from every angle. Protect ourselves. Protect one another. Go ahead and share information. Sign petitions. Seek to speak, respectfully...always respectfully, to those in position to make the necessary changes. If you come against them accusingly, they will shut you down, first in their minds and consequently in their actions. And your anger will have served only one purpose...self-destruction.

And by all means, do not lump all in the food industry, all in the medical industry, etc, etc, etc, in a single pile. All people are not all alike. Many are trying to make changes. Many are making changes. If our change into traditional 'fooding' takes baby steps, why do we expect those on the other side of the fence to jump on our bandwagon without questions...especially when it may affect their life's work? We have to be patient...with them and with ourselves as we learn and grow and change.

Let me tell you something...for those of you who are here that don't already know me personally very well...I tend to have a short temper. Jesus has been bending and stretching and making me into a sort of Gumby, so I don't display it as often, and he has also, more importantly, been doing major work on my heart. Surgery. Painful surgery. But it's been for a good return of more patience. More love. So, when I talk about this, believe me when I say, I DO get fed up with people's meanness, manipulation and greed. But every last one of them is important, is loved beyond our shallow understanding of love, by God. That means I'd better check my attitude towards them, too.

For this reason, when I see, hear or read someone bashing others as 'bad', I now take a second look, guarding my heart, and say, "Maybe not. Maybe not all of them," and for those who are what is accused, I am going to ask God to bring them revelation of the truth in such a way that they will accept it. Revelation of truth with a bat in one hand is no good, people. In fact, it's not even real. What I am seeing is a lot of self-righteous folks with big bats, saying, "You make changes or else!!!" and because anger begets anger, the answer is, "Oh, yeah!? And just who is gonna make me?" And the battle rages, with both sides winning and losing various battles while the enemy of our souls wins the war for our health.

Actually, what I'm seeing is a lot of reverse discrimination. People who were oppressed by slavery for centuries must guard their hearts against discrimination against those who are ancestors of their oppressors. People who have been hurt by religiosity among Christians must guard their hearts against the temptation to accuse and discriminate against all Christians. People who have been duped by the claims of medicine and medical practitioners must guard their hearts against anger and wholesale discrimination towards all doctors and medical facilities. People duped by the processed food industry must guard their hearts against hatred and discrimination towards every person associated with that industry. Perhaps those we perceive as the enemy are merely ignorant. Barring that, perhaps they are in bondage to greed or a great many other ailments. And I understand that without knowing the teachings of Jesus and believing he is who he says he is, you may not really 'get' this post, but I know many readers here are Christians, or claim to be, and my challenge to you is to be what you say you are. 

Let's rid ourselves of our self-righteous anger. I am fully aware that I make a tremendous plea from a tiny blog, but maybe if you read this, you can pass along the sentiment. Jesus rose in anger, it's true. And like mother hens, so should we. But it should always be in defense of others, not just to be right or stir up strife so we can look like some sort of hero to peers of our 'cause'. In other words, not for ourselves...not self-righteously.

So, today's encouragement? Live as much in peace with others as possible, so you can eat in peace and allow God's good food to do it's best work in your body.

Carousel Changes

Just a really quick FYI...I'm excited about just having updated the carousel at the top of this page. I am limited as to the amount I can offer and didn't want to lose some I've been recommending all along. But I just had to add one of Joel Salatin's books, (in my personal opinion, THE sharpest guy out there regarding sustainable farming...and to add to his expertise, the guy's a flat-out hoot!) The hard part was in deciding which one to add. For now, we'll settle with this one...Enjoy as you learn!

I am also very happy to show-off a 5-star-reviewed book on something close to my own heart...URBAN Homesteading. As they say, "You can take the girl out of the country, but not the country out of the girl." Well, I'm glad about that, to tell the truth...and glad to find this book to help us convert our small city back yard into something more on the sustainable, and yes...country side of life.

As always, there is The Book...which is the version of the Bible that drew me to knowing Jesus.

And Nourishing Traditions is a must-have in any traditional foods kitchen.

Education about the truth of fats, the good and the bad, (if not familiar with traditional foods, you may be surprised at the fallacy in what our culture has been taught), is a must for this site, as is the information about real, unadulterated milk. (ie: raw)

Peruse. Click. Read reviews. Choose. Always keep learning!

Book Review Tuesday: "Eat Fat, Lose Fat-The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats"-by Dr. Mary Enig & Sally Fallon

I think the main thing we need to remember is to keep the main thing the main thing. Traditional eating and food preparation is about nutrient-dense eating. Weight loss comes slowly and gradually, as a by-product of this lifestyle and has never been the primary goal.


Eat Fat, Lose Fat is not on my carousel at the top of the page. I could only chose ten books for that, and this one just didn't make it to my 'Top 10' list. However, that's not to say it isn't packed full of some fantastic information.

Eat Fat, Lose Fat is written by the same great authors as Nourishing Traditions, so it has to be good. Dr. Enig is an international expert on fats and Sally Fallon (Morrell) is the president of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

Although much smaller, this book covers much of the same materials as Nourishing Traditions...much of it in more detail. It hones in on the truth about fats and especially applauds the natural goodness of coconut oil. The book is divided into three parts, 'The Truth About Fats', 'Real Foods-for Healing and Health' and 'Recipes and Resources'.

Inside, you will find three options for traditional eating: One is for rapid weight loss, another is for health recovery, and the third is for maintenance of both with gourmet recipes.

My only real objection with the book is in knowing how difficult it could be for the newcomer to traditional foods and traditional food preparation. It's almost as if it were written for those already on the traditional path.  For a newcomer, the changes required to switch from the modern American diet to a traditional diet can be drastic and include a major culling and replacement of pantry foods, learning to plan ahead much more than we do with processed foods, and also learning a new way to prepare and cook these different foods. You have to admit, that's a lot of changes. Changes generally equal stress and stress often triggers us to react in old, unhealthy ways.

The financial expense of a sudden change can be great, and most of the people I know who have successfully  made the changeover to a traditional diet, have done so gradually...My WAPF Chapter Leader and I like to call it 'baby steps'. Eat Fat, Lose Fat  allows a week for the pantry overhaul and gives great details on how to go about it, but to my simple thinking, it's not enough time, so if you feel pressured, I would think this is an area that could be curbed according to your own ability to embark upon a transformed food lifestyle.

For me, it's important to keep transitions as simple and easy as possible, whenever possible. Otherwise, discouragement may set in causing us to stray from new commitments...no matter how healthy that commitment may be.

There may be many who are kitchen whizzes and maybe just a bit more organized with their day than I am, who will get this book and easily follow every page. For the rest of us, who may feel a little overwhelmed, take heart. It really is packed with healthful, helpful information and the recipes are more than just tasty. And there are many testimonies of how well it has worked.

Do be sure to glean the knowledge and information imparted about fats. If you are unfamiliar with these truths, it may take some time to wrap your head around it. You will be pleasantly amazed by the information supplied about the superfood/superfat, coconut, and you will likely learn some new things about the harm that can be and has been brought to our bodies via the supposedly healthy, polyunsaturated fats. You will read firm research and studies as well as personal testimonies. You will also learn the reason behind failure in fad diets as well as the 'made-to-fail-so-you'll-have-to-pay-good-money-to-come-back-and-lose-weight-again' programs.

The 'Health Recovery' section tells about bone broths, how to get non-synthetic, non-toxic A & D into your diet, lacto-fermented beverages that give beneficial enzymes and nutrients, raw foods like milk and marinated meats/fish, superfoods and soaked grains. Here, you will also find listed several illnesses and what they tell us our body needs. It is really quite amazing.

The weight loss section tells how to achieve weight loss and I was relieved that it discusses what is right for us as far as 'correct' weight loss. There are two phases here...a two week plan that goes into a second phase, but only if needed. The 'core principles' here are to eat three meals each day...ALWAYS breakfast, eat traditional fats-including (especially) coconut oil, eat nutrient-dense foods, and moderate...not immense...calorie restriction. There are some other important factors as well: no in-between snacks, listening to your body...head hunger or true hunger? The core principles are explained in detail and 25 ways to incorporate unrefined coconut into the diet are included. Amazing, again.

Phase One, Phase Two and Health Recovery all offer 14 days worth of meal planning, with recipes to all in the back of the book. But be prepared, a recipe often calls for something else that must be made-from-scratch before the recipe can be completed. And this isn't for one meal a day, (many of them are gourmet), but for three. This is where planning comes in, and you will have to be quite diligent in that

Also included in the book is a section full of resources for things like unrefined coconut oil, and why to use unrefined as opposed to refined...and a host of other coconut products. Other resources are for raw milk, Pasture-raised egg and meat products, dolomite, milk and water kefir grains, kombucha mushrooms, lacto-fermented condiments, stocks, acceptable sweeteners, and pages or 'other' food products.

If you buy this book, do so with the consideration that you will need to give yourself time to study it, plan well, buy well, (often via online ordering), and please, give yourself time to learn how to make some of the recipes in the back. I would suggest trying them out before you actually embark on the plan so when you do eat, you'll be choosing the recipes you love. If you haven't set aside a great deal of funds to change the products on your shelves, then start by doing as the book teaches, only do so gradually. Our Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader recently spoke some very wise words to a mutual friend regarding this transition and financial stewardship. She told her not to throw away everything in her pantry, but instead, as items are used up, replace them with those recommended by the Weston A. Price Foundation.  I had already used, and continue to use, that system. I know it doesn't make everything perfect fast, but it is less daunting and certainly spreads the cost out over time. And let's be real, it's less about perfection than progress in the right direction.

You may want to cull some things immediately, (we chose canola oils, shortening and boxed cereals first), and replace them with better foods. The trick for some of us is to do what we are comfortable with and then, maybe push a tiny bit more, just to prevent inertia.

Consider the process in the book as an ideal, not a mandate. Consider the information excellent for your health. In this way, you may save yourself from becoming overwhelmed and giving up. Use the marvelous truths found within the text to form better eating habits and reach toward a healthier you. If you eat as prescribed in the book, you will lose weight. But newbies to traditional eating may want to take a little time to get the concepts, (and proper foods), under the wing a bit before trying to fly.

It's Superfood Wednesday!

Welcome to Superfood Wednesday, where I will attempt to share with you what I have learned about Superfoods according to the information I learn from the Weston A. Price Foundation and those following the precepts taught by WAPF.

Today, we won't discuss specifics, however, because I want to first acquaint those as yet unacquainted with what, exactly, a 'superfood' is.

If you have read any of the information in the page tabs at the top of this post, you know that Dr. Weston A. Price traveled the world in search of healthy non-industrialized people groups. He found them, too...and scientifically backed studies of this group brought about revelation that became the foundation of today's pure/clean food revolution.

No one knows exactly why, but even in primitive societies, food with concentrated nutrients have been highly sought after and valued. There were no science teams, no equipment or written record-keeping skills. And yet, these people knew the foods that would keep them in optimum health. Indeed, this was so until some left to join the industrial world. Inevitably, those that returned would do so with diminished health.

Primitive peoples knew, whether by word of mouth or 'instinct', we really don't know, that foods high in fat-soluble vitamins were good for them. They didn't know the foods they were eating had fat soluble vitamins...They just knew things like fish eggs, organ meats, soaked grains, (Yes, they soaked their grains!), and specific herbs were good for their strength, their children, for fertility, stamina and overall wellness.

The foods we consider to be 'superfoods' are those that naturally contain nutrients important to our health. They could, I suppose, be considered supplements, like vitamins, only  far better because, let's face it, God-created is always better than man-created. Man-made vitamins often pass straight through the body with very little actual assimilation. God-made foods have components within them that actually cause that specific food to be more easily absorbed, and thus, used by the body.

Why superfoods? Can't we get everything we need from good, clean foods without adding supplements? Well, yes, we can. But as the adage goes, "Nobody's perfect." Even the most food-conscious blunder from time to time. And I know I still do quite often. In fact, I do my best to eat well while I'm home because I know there will be many occasions when I'm away from home that nutrient-dense foods will not be available to me. I am a Southerner at heart, and that part of me hates to make others around me uncomfortable, especially regarding the issue of food. So, I write about it, I eat the best I can, and unless someone asks in public, I keep my mouth shut...and when they do ask, I try my best to be gracious in my answer. Honey is a very good attractant.

Rambling, yes? Okay, back on track...Let's suppose we know a person who eats perfectly all the time...(I think I may know one)...That person cannot be sure that food ingested was grown in non-depleted soil, or even that none has been touched by additives, sugars, pesticides, refined carbs, or rancid vegetable oils. So, this is the person who could use superfoods...Could that be you?

Or perhaps, you are convinced to try to eat as prescribed by the Weston A. Price Foundation, but there are some habits/foods you don't want to let go...smoking, alcohol...and Starbucks. You need superfoods that help rid your body of toxins, or refill your body with nutrients depleted by these habits.

I will start by explaining all the superfoods listed in Nourishing Tradtions. I have not taken them all, but I will tell you what is said of their value even if I haven't tried them as yet. We do regularly use probiotics, cod-liver oil and High Vitamin Butter Oil as a part of the cod-liver oil. In addition, due to an absence of most of my thyroid gland, I also take kelp and try to eat seafood at least once a week.

So, you've had advance notice and next week, we will begin to explore superfoods, one at a time, in more depth.

Since my husband and I both take it every day, I believe I'll begin with cod-liver oil. There are some surprises about that...