Raw Milk / Raw Dairy

One of the best articles I've read yet on raw milk/dairy.  And I've read A... LOT!!!  I couldn't have said it better myself.

All of these years, & I had no idea .  Then I started hearing.  Then I started reading.  Then I started researching.  Then I started taking classes.  Now I humbly know...  I WAS WRONG.  Our grand parents, our great grand parents, and all of their grandparents all the way back... were right. 

Chances are, you drink pasteurized/homogenized milk from the grocery store - OR if you don't drink milk or eat dairy products because of milk allergy / lactose intolerance...  Just take a look at this milk conversion article below.  (And there's a lot more where that came from, if you need it)

IF you don't drink milk or consume dairy because you don't believe in it, then I guess all we can do is agree to disagree.  Right?   I personally believe that we've been blessed with these beautiful animals to provide us with added nutrients through milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, etc...  And our family is grateful for those generous animals.  But if you don't believe in the nourishing foods that come from cows/animals, then there's probably no hope of convincing you otherwise.  However, I do hope you'll read this with an open mind anyway, even if the articles don't change your views at all. :)

Read what Elder Widtsoe had to say about milk in his Word of Wisdom book!!! - - -

"Since the inspired Word of Wisdom says: Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I the Lord have ordained for the use of man, with thanksgiving...  It would follow that the product of the beasts and fowls, milk, and eggs, would be acceptable foods also.  Naturally & emphatically they MUST be produced by healthy animals & cared for in a strictly sanitary way.  That must be understood - for ALL food eaten by man, as well as for milk & eggs. - - - One must remember that not only does milk show a high co-efficient of digestibility, but it is a protein food particularly well adapted for storage within the body.  This is because of its content of necessary amino acids which complement so perfectly those found in whole grains. 

Yet one hears the occasional statement that milk makes mucous & the saying is passed around from one uninformed person to another.  It may do so for a poorly nourished person, or it may seem to do so.  There are people who can't eat wheat in any form - or strawberries make their eyes swell, or produces hives, etc.  Should it therefore be said that strawberries make the eyes swell or wheat gives one hives & therefore no one should eat them?  IF ONE IS COMPLETELY NOURISHED, NO NATURAL FOOD WILL CAUSE THESE ILL EFFECTS."  One of the distinct advantages of milk is that it tends to cleanse the lower bowel or colon...  Milk  should be certified clean and un-pasteurized if possible, & from cows which produce a soft curd & are healthy above all."  


Take a look at this awesome post below:


http://mylifeinapyramid.com/2012/03/my-raw-milk-conversion-why-how-i-decided-to-embrace-fresh-local-milk/

A few more of my favorite references are these:

http://www.realmilk.com/

http://www.naturalnews.com/035130_raw_milk_infographic_pasteurized.html

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-pasteurized-milk/

http://www.westonaprice.org/press/cdc-cherry-picks-data-to-make-case-against-raw-milk

http://www.naturalnews.com/035039_raw_milk_pasteurized_CDC.html

SUGAR!

This is a short entry...  VERY short.  And to the point!  We don't eat white sugar anymore.  Period.

(Now wait a minute... Let me make myself clear on something.  We don't have it in our home.  But if someone brings us treats, or if my kids go to a friend's house or a party/gathering with treats, I let them decide if they're going to eat it or not.  I don't 'BAN' then from eating any junk food at all.  That's what fanatics do.

I know that my kids will once in a while give in & eat junk food.  That's fine.  Ya know why?  Because it's fun.  It's a treat.  It's something out of the ordinary.  Guess what...  On rare occasion, I've been known to cheat too ;)  However,  9 times out of 10, my kids inevitably end up sick to their stomach, or they get a bad headache, or they're grumpy for several hours, or they break out in rashes!  They tell me almost every time (no joke!) that it was good for about the first 3 bites, but then it was just not worth it.  They're choosing themselves to eat less... and less... and less white/refined/packaged/artificial foods, because they now recognize the effects it has on how they feel.  Even my 7 year old son will once in a while say slugging into the room, "Mom, I think I ate too much sugar".  (Not very often, but it DOES happen).

How do we deal with not eating sugar???  Who does that!!!?  I hear people all the time say they could never ever get off sugar.  They like it too much!  It's just a part of our diet.  Give up sweets?  NO WAY. (Believe me.  I know.  We had CANS AND BUCKETS FULL of sugar in our food storage, & I rotated it regularly!!!)

First of all, if you just stop eating it, your craving for it WILL go away.  In just a few days, or a couple of weeks at most!  Second of all, it is making people sick.  It is over time... killing people.  It is poison. Did you know that there are people that are so addicted to sugar, that when they get off, they actually go through withdrawal period and feel WORSE than they did when they ate it!? Most people don't feel that.  So don't worry, it probably won't happen to you.  But if it does, it IS temporary.  I promise.  That said, here is our solution to no white sugar (or brown sugar) in our home:

If a recipe calls for "white sugar", we use all xylitol, OR 1/2 organic coconut palm sugar & 1/2 xylitol!

If a recipe calls for "brown sugar" (white sugar with molasses mixed in), we use either brown xylitol or organic coconut palm sugar, or a mixture of both.  You can't tell the difference, & it's full of nutrients!  (To make brown xylitol - mix 1 c. xylitol with 1 Tb. un-sulfured molasses & mix!)

Other sweeteners we use are Stevia, organic agave nectar (raw is healthiest, but harder to find), organic 100% maple syrup, brown rice syrup, un-sulphured molasses, & rapidura (unrefined crystallized cane syrup with nutrients still in tact :)

See the 'sweeteners & stuff' page for more info on the benefits of natural sweeteners.  (PS: White & brown sugar are not natural.  Mother Nature does not recognize them!)

Soon, I'll be posting about an awesome whole grain - nutritious substitute for white flour that you can use in cakes, cookies, & more!

Nourish & Strengthen Us?

Just being a little bit of a smirking pessimist today :)  - You know what gets to me?

When we Mormons have our ward potlucks & primary / youth activities and serve loads of refined & sugary junk foods, soft drinks, jello salads with marshmallows, chips, brownies, pies, cake, cookies, foods with white refined flours & grains - - but almost no whole grain dishes, whole vegetable dishes, whole fruits, bean dishes, etc.) Drives me crazy!  And you know what gets me even worse?

WE BLESS IT!

Potato chips & doughnuts w/ hot chocolate... & we ask Heavenly Father to bless it to nourish & strengthen us?

Seriously...  It even drove me nuts years ago, before I ever began my big Word Of Wisdom venture.  I can remember when my kids were teeny tiny, & even back then when I didn't care as much, it still bugged the heck out of me.

WAIT...  ON SECOND THOUGHT, that poor sadly "food" probably DOES need blessed.  It needs ALL the help it can get, because it surely is not nourishing us, making us stronger, or doing us any good... (physically OR spiritually).

Ok. Let me redeem myself just a little...  An occasional treat after a fireside, or for a wedding reception... or even a few sweet desserts at a pot luck isn't necessarily going to kill a person.  But almost ALL we bring to church functions anymore is tons o' meat (fatty ham being a main one...) white pasta, white rice, white flour, white refined sugary foods, white refined salty foods, etc., etc., etc.  I think it's something we should all be seriously thinking about a bit more.  I thought it was just my own opinion, but I'm finding out more & more people are thinking along the same lines.

Recently I read an article on families.com about Mormon potlucks & all the junk food (& lack of healthy food) that's brought to them...  Interesting!!!

Here's a super duper link to Green Smoothie Girl's blog post on this subject.  I agree with EVERYthing she had to say.  My favorite part of the whole post, (because it's exactly what I was thinking & feeling before I read it), is THIS:

"I have two theories about this.  First (this one is a no brainer), at the time of the revelation in 1833, white flour and sugar were virtually unknown.  More importantly, we cannot be given a higher law until we’re living the lower law.  Bluntly: we are not living the lower law.

Many of our children are on drugs.  Utah (the highest LDS population) abuses prescription drugs more than ANY other state in the nation.  We eat tons of animals and ignore and rationalize away verses 12-15 of D&C 89 (see the part on God approving of eating animals sparingly in times of winter, cold, famine).  

We eat to excess and have obesity rates similar to the national average.  All of these are gross violations of the law that is supposed to be for the “weakest of the Saints.”

I personally am ready for a higher law. I don’t say this to be arrogant.  I say this because I crave further light and knowledge;  I have a lot of questions.  I wonder, what would God tell us regarding lifestyle and diet, IF WE WERE CLEARING THE VERY, VERY LOW BAR He is currently holding for us to clear? - - - A Word of Wisdom 2.0, if you will."

HERE'S THE PART WHERE I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO READ WHAT BRIGHAM YOUNG HAD TO SAY ABOUT EATING & NUTRITION...  IT'S LOCATED ON THE WORD OF WISDOM - 2.0  PAGE.  I THINK YOU'LL BE QUITE SURPRISED AT THE PROPHET'S WORDS...