I grew up in the smallest, greatest little town on earth. When I was a little girl I would save my nickels and dimes until I had enough money to walk to the small store. I remember the excitement I would feel as I walked the two blocks to spend my meager savings. My friends would go to the store to buy candy, but not me. I would enter the store, walk past the candy isle, past the chips isle, past the soda isle and finally round the corner and stop in front of the small produce section. I would go to buy and apple. I would spend a few minutes and pick the biggest most crisp apple I could find. I would purchase it, then I would slowly walk home the two blocks and savor every bite of my juicy crisp apple. To this day it is one of my very favorite foods. I love apples! Imagine my delight when I began to learn what a fabulous food the apple really is.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog post- we are all familiar with the old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", I believe this saying is more true than most people realize. We are aware that oxygen is the "Breath of Life". There are five phosphates in an apple that each carry four atoms of oxygen. These phosphates are:
1. Calcium phosphate -for the bones
2. Iron Phosphate -oxygen carrier
3. Potassium Phosphate -nerves
4. Magnesium Phosphate - muscles
5. Sodium Phosphate -acid neutralizer
Phosphates in nature are the great builders of many tissues in the body. Not only does the apple contain all of these phosphates but other oxygen carriers as well. Since oxygen is the greatest purifier, vitalizer, cleanser, neutralizer of acidity, antiseptic, disinfectant, germicide, nerve stimulant and life giver, the apple is second to none for its health giving properties. The Apple is one of the most valuable foods in all of nature. And what other food is so desirable in taste? One very important thing to remember is that all of these fabulous healing nutrients are available in and just under the skin. Always eat the skins of apples. When I see people peeling away all the nutrients off of fruits and vegetables only to throw them into the garbage disposal I wonder if their garbage disposals are healthier than their bodies!
Raw apple cider vinegar is also very healing to the body. There have been many miracles take place with the use of raw apple cider vinegar. It would be very beneficial to your health to continue a study of the great benefits of apples and apple cider vinegar. Because there have been numerous books and articles written about this subject I am going to conclude my writing here. I have not even begun a proper study of this life giving herb that was given to us as a gift from our creator. I recommend a great book by Paul Bragg called The Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Book. Another great place to research is found at this web-site - universal-tao.com/article/apples.html - it contains much information about the healing properties of apples and apple cider vinegar and what they can do for your body. It is worth your time and your health to check these out. It is really quite amazing.
Next time you are bored, walk to the store and purchase the biggest juiciest apple you can find, and slowly walk home savoring every bite!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
RAW FOOD: WHY OUR BODIES NEED MORE!
A lot can be learned by watching animals in nature. When I take the time to sit on my front porch and watch at the animals grazing in our pasture I am always amazed at their beauty. As the horses gallop through the now growing grass I stare at their very large, strong muscles. I wonder- how are they so healthy? How are those strong perfectly shaped huge mucles along their back side so beautiful? They don't eat all of this animal protein that is so common among the american diet whom many, many individuals say is the key to strong muscles. I have been atop a horse that has not been ridden for over a year up the side of a mountain trail, and the horse is strong, swift and able to move easily. I have pondered with wonder how this could be. In part my answer to this is LIVE ENZYMES. I am not talking about the kind you take out of the bottle. I am talking about the kind you eat. Humans seem to be the only living creatures that eat very little raw food. Can you imagine an animal gathering up food, then cooking it over a fire before it is eaten? It seems somewhat preposterous -yet is is exactly what WE do. As if what God created for us wasn't good enough. I wonder again- why do we think we know so much more than the very being who created us?
These Enzymes are literally responsible for all bodily functions. We are All enzyme starved from not eating raw foods. Our bodies are endowed by our creator with limited enzyme producing potential. When we run out of these enzymes we die! Food that has been cooked is dead food. Thus, if this dead food is all we partake of we become what we eat-DEAD . I am not promoting an All Raw food diet, although I think if you can do it and you are trying to over come sickness this is truly the best and most natural way for your body to heal. For the rest of us, our ultimate goal should be at least 60 percent of all we eat to be raw! Fruits and vegetables are the best anti-oxidants available. Anytime we raise the temperature of our foods to over over 118F, we kill all enzyme action in that food and it can no longer be considered raw.
ENZYMES ARE LITERALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL BODILY FUNCTIONS! Again we came to this life with only so many enzymes in our body. Yet if we continually eat nothing but cooked food, and add into this picture the plethora of processing and chemicals that laden our food, we are looking at a recipe for disaster! One may ask- how on earth do I eat 60 percent raw. Admittedly, it does take a lot of work. But I think it is well worth the effort. Don't start cold turkey with 60 percent as your goal the first day. Start with 40 percent for one meal for a few days or weeks, and work up from there. Once your body is use to it, it will cry for it when you are unable to eat this way. Lots of raw food will be by far your preferred method of eating. Another thing I do to get my family to eat more raw is I always make raw salads to go with our main dish. I am not talking about just green lettuce salads, - I make a lot of these as well- but I also make lots of different kinds of raw sides.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Quinoa and Bean Salad
2 c cooked quinoa
2 c fresh or frozen corn
1 large colored pepper
1 small red onion
1 14oz can red or black beans
3 oz chopped cilantro
Dressing
1/4 dried ground oregano
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
juice of one lime
4 Tbs extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
---------------------------------------------------
One of my kids favorites
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
2-3 stalks broccoli, chopped
3 stalks celery
1 12oz bag frozen peas
Dressing
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup healthy mayo
3 Tab raw honey
1 Tab apple cider vinegar
dash of salt
------------------------------------------------
Of course there is the popular broccoli salad, my kids LOVE that salad I put the same dressing on it as above.
-----------------------------------------------
Coleslaw
add equal amounts of red and green cabbage
a grated carrot or two
Then make the same dressing as above only mix in a 1/2 teaspoon or so of celery seed and add it to the cabbage mix.
My six year old will eat gallons of this salad. I love it because he is getting his probiotics with the yogurt and raw apple cider vinegar, and he is getting his raw enzymes for the meal.
-----------------------------------------------
I will often make a big platter of veggies and have them sitting on the counter when my kids come home from school, If I have some homemade ranch dip to go with them I won't even need to say anything, pretty soon we are all standing around the counter eating and dipping veggies. What a great memory for our kids!
_______________________________
Fresh Salsa with chips
or Fresh Guacamole with chips
And don't forget about the green smoothies! These are one of the best ways to get in raw nutrition packed foods. Happy raw eating! Now is such a great time of year to eat more raw foods! I love it!
These Enzymes are literally responsible for all bodily functions. We are All enzyme starved from not eating raw foods. Our bodies are endowed by our creator with limited enzyme producing potential. When we run out of these enzymes we die! Food that has been cooked is dead food. Thus, if this dead food is all we partake of we become what we eat-DEAD . I am not promoting an All Raw food diet, although I think if you can do it and you are trying to over come sickness this is truly the best and most natural way for your body to heal. For the rest of us, our ultimate goal should be at least 60 percent of all we eat to be raw! Fruits and vegetables are the best anti-oxidants available. Anytime we raise the temperature of our foods to over over 118F, we kill all enzyme action in that food and it can no longer be considered raw.
ENZYMES ARE LITERALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL BODILY FUNCTIONS! Again we came to this life with only so many enzymes in our body. Yet if we continually eat nothing but cooked food, and add into this picture the plethora of processing and chemicals that laden our food, we are looking at a recipe for disaster! One may ask- how on earth do I eat 60 percent raw. Admittedly, it does take a lot of work. But I think it is well worth the effort. Don't start cold turkey with 60 percent as your goal the first day. Start with 40 percent for one meal for a few days or weeks, and work up from there. Once your body is use to it, it will cry for it when you are unable to eat this way. Lots of raw food will be by far your preferred method of eating. Another thing I do to get my family to eat more raw is I always make raw salads to go with our main dish. I am not talking about just green lettuce salads, - I make a lot of these as well- but I also make lots of different kinds of raw sides.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Quinoa and Bean Salad
2 c cooked quinoa
2 c fresh or frozen corn
1 large colored pepper
1 small red onion
1 14oz can red or black beans
3 oz chopped cilantro
Dressing
1/4 dried ground oregano
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
juice of one lime
4 Tbs extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
---------------------------------------------------
One of my kids favorites
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
2-3 stalks broccoli, chopped
3 stalks celery
1 12oz bag frozen peas
Dressing
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup healthy mayo
3 Tab raw honey
1 Tab apple cider vinegar
dash of salt
------------------------------------------------
Of course there is the popular broccoli salad, my kids LOVE that salad I put the same dressing on it as above.
-----------------------------------------------
Coleslaw
add equal amounts of red and green cabbage
a grated carrot or two
Then make the same dressing as above only mix in a 1/2 teaspoon or so of celery seed and add it to the cabbage mix.
My six year old will eat gallons of this salad. I love it because he is getting his probiotics with the yogurt and raw apple cider vinegar, and he is getting his raw enzymes for the meal.
-----------------------------------------------
I will often make a big platter of veggies and have them sitting on the counter when my kids come home from school, If I have some homemade ranch dip to go with them I won't even need to say anything, pretty soon we are all standing around the counter eating and dipping veggies. What a great memory for our kids!
_______________________________
Fresh Salsa with chips
or Fresh Guacamole with chips
And don't forget about the green smoothies! These are one of the best ways to get in raw nutrition packed foods. Happy raw eating! Now is such a great time of year to eat more raw foods! I love it!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
WE ARE WHAT WE EAT!
" We are all self made, but only the successful will admit it."
Earl Nightingale
Many people chose not to believe that each of us is fully responsible for our health, our daily habits create the state of our health for good or for bad. Once we admit that we are completely responsible for the condition of our bodies we are already on a better path of health, strength, and happiness.
Your food determines in a large measure how long you shall live-How much you shall enjoy life, and how successful your life shall be. What good are all the riches in the world if we are not healthy enough to enjoy them? A man who has reached his eighty or ninety plus years and still has a bounce in his step, has vitality and strength and truly enjoys his life, his family and the things he has acquired is far more successful to me than the man whose pockets are full of the riches of the world, but has not the strength, energy, or the peace of mind to enjoy them.
So how do we eat so that our bodies and minds can reach their full potential in life?
Lets take a look at the first people that lived on the earth. Their bodies were strong and full of life, their days were long hard and strenuous yet some of them lived to be over one thousand years old!! Can you imagine living for one thousand years? In today's world living for one thousand years may not sound that appealing, but what does sound appealing is reaching eight or ninety years old and not having spent the last years of your life sitting in a wheelchair day after day in a convalescent home, not being able to remember who you are, where you live, the name of your own children, or the great memories your life is full of. Or- not laying on the couch suffering from many illnesses for five long years in pain and agony every day of your life, watching your loved ones living their lives but you not being able to be a part of it, and wishing you could close your eyes never to open them again only to be released from the Hell you are going through.
These are some pretty bleak outcomes in ones life, the latter was an example taken from the life of my own mother. I watched her suffer terribly for 5 long years, spending thousands and thousands on doctor bills, etc, etc, but to no avail. Unfortunately this will be the outcome of many of us!( maybe not these exact circumstances but something similar)! Again I ask, What can we do so our bodies are the healthiest they can be. Again I will go to the the first people on the earth. Can you imagine Adam coming home carrying a pizza for dinner, or Eve, Sara or Rachel, cooking up some white sugar, white flour, chemically laden chocolate chip cookies for their kids. We as mothers think we are being kind to our families when we make these "treats" for them, BUT WE ARE NOT! Teach them what REAL food is, and how to appreciate it.
Lets take a look at a people called the Hunza who are one of the healthiest people ever studied. "Though they didn't live to be over nine hundred years old, like Adam, a great number of them lived to be over a hundred years old. Diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, and many others were virtually unheard of in their society. They were generally healthy, cheerful, and active, even playing games, until the day they finally passed on. Can you imagine what the retirement centers were like there? Volleyball tournaments categorized by age, with seniors (Those between 110 and 120) versus the young-uns (those between 90 and 100)". DRC
Why were they so healthy? Because they ate only those foods they could grow and that were available to them from nature. They ate foods that had been kissed by the sun! No matter how hard we try in this modern world one can never improve on God. Why do we think that we know what is better for our bodies than the very one who created them? He has given us everything we need for longevity and health and the closer we adhere to his guidelines (his guidelines- not our interpretation of it) The healthier we are!
With how far we have come in the medical field, I ask you to remember that prevention is the greatest cure. Have you ever heard that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" or "To eat an apple on going to bed will make the doctor cry for his bread?" I would like to add to the apple, green smoothies, lots of other veggies and fruit and grains and legumes in their most natural state. All of these are fabulous foods God has specifically created for humans. Be grateful for the bounteous foods he has offered to us. It's not about denial its about abundance! When one begins to eat more foods that have no labels, chemicals or wrapper,- one begins to realize he is living THE ABUNDANT LIFE we were meant to live. Even our very senses become more in tune with the infinite, and we find ourselves more aware of "the good things of this earth" in all aspects of life!
Earl Nightingale
Many people chose not to believe that each of us is fully responsible for our health, our daily habits create the state of our health for good or for bad. Once we admit that we are completely responsible for the condition of our bodies we are already on a better path of health, strength, and happiness.
Your food determines in a large measure how long you shall live-How much you shall enjoy life, and how successful your life shall be. What good are all the riches in the world if we are not healthy enough to enjoy them? A man who has reached his eighty or ninety plus years and still has a bounce in his step, has vitality and strength and truly enjoys his life, his family and the things he has acquired is far more successful to me than the man whose pockets are full of the riches of the world, but has not the strength, energy, or the peace of mind to enjoy them.
So how do we eat so that our bodies and minds can reach their full potential in life?
Lets take a look at the first people that lived on the earth. Their bodies were strong and full of life, their days were long hard and strenuous yet some of them lived to be over one thousand years old!! Can you imagine living for one thousand years? In today's world living for one thousand years may not sound that appealing, but what does sound appealing is reaching eight or ninety years old and not having spent the last years of your life sitting in a wheelchair day after day in a convalescent home, not being able to remember who you are, where you live, the name of your own children, or the great memories your life is full of. Or- not laying on the couch suffering from many illnesses for five long years in pain and agony every day of your life, watching your loved ones living their lives but you not being able to be a part of it, and wishing you could close your eyes never to open them again only to be released from the Hell you are going through.
These are some pretty bleak outcomes in ones life, the latter was an example taken from the life of my own mother. I watched her suffer terribly for 5 long years, spending thousands and thousands on doctor bills, etc, etc, but to no avail. Unfortunately this will be the outcome of many of us!( maybe not these exact circumstances but something similar)! Again I ask, What can we do so our bodies are the healthiest they can be. Again I will go to the the first people on the earth. Can you imagine Adam coming home carrying a pizza for dinner, or Eve, Sara or Rachel, cooking up some white sugar, white flour, chemically laden chocolate chip cookies for their kids. We as mothers think we are being kind to our families when we make these "treats" for them, BUT WE ARE NOT! Teach them what REAL food is, and how to appreciate it.
Lets take a look at a people called the Hunza who are one of the healthiest people ever studied. "Though they didn't live to be over nine hundred years old, like Adam, a great number of them lived to be over a hundred years old. Diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, and many others were virtually unheard of in their society. They were generally healthy, cheerful, and active, even playing games, until the day they finally passed on. Can you imagine what the retirement centers were like there? Volleyball tournaments categorized by age, with seniors (Those between 110 and 120) versus the young-uns (those between 90 and 100)". DRC
Why were they so healthy? Because they ate only those foods they could grow and that were available to them from nature. They ate foods that had been kissed by the sun! No matter how hard we try in this modern world one can never improve on God. Why do we think that we know what is better for our bodies than the very one who created them? He has given us everything we need for longevity and health and the closer we adhere to his guidelines (his guidelines- not our interpretation of it) The healthier we are!
With how far we have come in the medical field, I ask you to remember that prevention is the greatest cure. Have you ever heard that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" or "To eat an apple on going to bed will make the doctor cry for his bread?" I would like to add to the apple, green smoothies, lots of other veggies and fruit and grains and legumes in their most natural state. All of these are fabulous foods God has specifically created for humans. Be grateful for the bounteous foods he has offered to us. It's not about denial its about abundance! When one begins to eat more foods that have no labels, chemicals or wrapper,- one begins to realize he is living THE ABUNDANT LIFE we were meant to live. Even our very senses become more in tune with the infinite, and we find ourselves more aware of "the good things of this earth" in all aspects of life!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
That sweet stuff we all Love! SUGAR
After starting this round of FGI8 one of the first questions many people asked me was-"What is a good sugar substitution"? To adequately answer that question I must first answer the question of "Why is sugar bad for us"? I know this is not a very fun subject! Some people may have the attitude that ignorance is bliss when it comes to sugar in our bodies. However, I feel that if you are going to put something into your body you ought to have some background on what that substance does to your body! I hope you will read the entire thing! I'll try to make it fairly short and sweet. ha ha
It always makes me laugh when I see "ALL NATURAL" on the label of something and then I turn it over and sugar is the first or second ingredient! White sugar is ANYTHING but natural!!!! Sugar goes through about 17 different chemical processes. As we eat those yummy valentines cookies loaded with white sugar we are not eating a food that our bodies even recognize. Because of this within 30 minutes of consuming sugar our immune system becomes suppressed and our white blood cell activity is reduced significantly. Diseases of every kind thrive when the immune system is suppressed.
A health care professional whose opinion I admire and respect very much once said this of white sugar-
"The worst plague to ever come upon modern man is not AIDS or cancer it is white refined sugar! It is not neutral in it's effects on the body- it is actually destructive. It destroys the teeth and stomach lining. It leaches calcium from the body destroying the tissues and bones, it destroys the delicate balance between calcium, phosphorus, and B vitamins leading to nervous breakdowns, mental illness, heart problems, constipation, cancer, mouth and skin disorders, etc. etc. etc. Can anyone really think a so called food such as sugar is any less a poison that arsenic just because its affects are more subtle to begin with? Sugar's cumulative effects become more devastating over the years and at the end of our seventy-seven (+or-) years we are crippled, blind and crazy!" Paul Leatham
Why is sugar so hard on our bodies? As I said earlier it is not a natural food that our bodies recognize. "Refined sweeteners have been extracted and isolate through various processes that strip the sugars of the balancing nutrients that accompany them in nature. When consumed they produce an imbalanced state in the body, and the body seeks to reestablish the natural equilibrium that is normally found in nature. The resources used to establish equilibrium are none other than the bodies own reserve of vitamins and other nutrients."James Simmons
Another thing to think about- The PH balance in our bodies are very important. Our bodies should have a slightly alkaline PH. The Average American diet is very acidic, fattening, and leads to the highest rate of disease and premature death in the world. Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners are very acidic in our bodies.
As mentioned above sugar destroys the calcium in our bodies. Calcium is very important in our bodies, it is the binder in our tissues. It makes our tissues elastic and strong. This includes the brain and all of our five senses. It is imperative for proper colon function, good eye sight, hearing, digestion, growth and metabolism. Calcium is depleted from our bodies at a very fast rate by acidic foods. Remember sugar is one of the most acidic foods we can eat.
Of course this is a very short answer to a very in depth subject.
Now for the good news. There are many natural sweeteners that are available for our use that are not harmful to our bodies. My favorites are- stevia, xylitol, honey, and brown rice syrup and black strap molasses. I also use evaporated cane juice, and agave which acts just like sugar in recipes but is not harmful to the body. However if you have diabetes honey, brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice etc. will still raise your blood sugar and they have a varying amount of calories in them. I personally LOVE honey (but I still use it sparingly). I think it is one of the purest most amazing foods on earth -IF it is raw, unprocessed, unheated, and unfiltered. Which is very hard to find in stores. But can be found directly from bee farmers or on the internet. Most honey sold in stores also has water added to it. If your honey doesn't get hard it is not good honey. Be proactive when it comes to what you put in your body. You only get one! Find out where your food comes from. Black strap molasses is another sweetener that is actually good for you. It has minerals and trace elements that our bodies need. Stevia and xylitol are the two sweeteners I probably use the most. They have low calories and a low glycemic impact. I have also found that a mixture of either stevia and xylitol and another natural sweetener is a good way to go as far as taste and texture.
Your body is worth the time, effort and the extra money it will take to make the switch from white sugar to sugars that are not harmful or destructive. Take the time and effort. When you reach those seventy-seven plus years and you are not crippled, blind, and crazy, you'll be glad you did!
It always makes me laugh when I see "ALL NATURAL" on the label of something and then I turn it over and sugar is the first or second ingredient! White sugar is ANYTHING but natural!!!! Sugar goes through about 17 different chemical processes. As we eat those yummy valentines cookies loaded with white sugar we are not eating a food that our bodies even recognize. Because of this within 30 minutes of consuming sugar our immune system becomes suppressed and our white blood cell activity is reduced significantly. Diseases of every kind thrive when the immune system is suppressed.
A health care professional whose opinion I admire and respect very much once said this of white sugar-
"The worst plague to ever come upon modern man is not AIDS or cancer it is white refined sugar! It is not neutral in it's effects on the body- it is actually destructive. It destroys the teeth and stomach lining. It leaches calcium from the body destroying the tissues and bones, it destroys the delicate balance between calcium, phosphorus, and B vitamins leading to nervous breakdowns, mental illness, heart problems, constipation, cancer, mouth and skin disorders, etc. etc. etc. Can anyone really think a so called food such as sugar is any less a poison that arsenic just because its affects are more subtle to begin with? Sugar's cumulative effects become more devastating over the years and at the end of our seventy-seven (+or-) years we are crippled, blind and crazy!" Paul Leatham
Why is sugar so hard on our bodies? As I said earlier it is not a natural food that our bodies recognize. "Refined sweeteners have been extracted and isolate through various processes that strip the sugars of the balancing nutrients that accompany them in nature. When consumed they produce an imbalanced state in the body, and the body seeks to reestablish the natural equilibrium that is normally found in nature. The resources used to establish equilibrium are none other than the bodies own reserve of vitamins and other nutrients."James Simmons
Another thing to think about- The PH balance in our bodies are very important. Our bodies should have a slightly alkaline PH. The Average American diet is very acidic, fattening, and leads to the highest rate of disease and premature death in the world. Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners are very acidic in our bodies.
As mentioned above sugar destroys the calcium in our bodies. Calcium is very important in our bodies, it is the binder in our tissues. It makes our tissues elastic and strong. This includes the brain and all of our five senses. It is imperative for proper colon function, good eye sight, hearing, digestion, growth and metabolism. Calcium is depleted from our bodies at a very fast rate by acidic foods. Remember sugar is one of the most acidic foods we can eat.
Of course this is a very short answer to a very in depth subject.
Now for the good news. There are many natural sweeteners that are available for our use that are not harmful to our bodies. My favorites are- stevia, xylitol, honey, and brown rice syrup and black strap molasses. I also use evaporated cane juice, and agave which acts just like sugar in recipes but is not harmful to the body. However if you have diabetes honey, brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice etc. will still raise your blood sugar and they have a varying amount of calories in them. I personally LOVE honey (but I still use it sparingly). I think it is one of the purest most amazing foods on earth -IF it is raw, unprocessed, unheated, and unfiltered. Which is very hard to find in stores. But can be found directly from bee farmers or on the internet. Most honey sold in stores also has water added to it. If your honey doesn't get hard it is not good honey. Be proactive when it comes to what you put in your body. You only get one! Find out where your food comes from. Black strap molasses is another sweetener that is actually good for you. It has minerals and trace elements that our bodies need. Stevia and xylitol are the two sweeteners I probably use the most. They have low calories and a low glycemic impact. I have also found that a mixture of either stevia and xylitol and another natural sweetener is a good way to go as far as taste and texture.
Your body is worth the time, effort and the extra money it will take to make the switch from white sugar to sugars that are not harmful or destructive. Take the time and effort. When you reach those seventy-seven plus years and you are not crippled, blind, and crazy, you'll be glad you did!
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