The Oiling of America, Sally Fallon

A Different Kind of Green for St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day, the day where everyone is Irish, anyone can wear green, and everything is dyed green.

But this St. Patty's Day, let me urge you to put down the green-tinted beer and any other food unnaturally dyed green and exchange it for something really "green."

Eat naturally green foods.
You can't get more Irish in America than Guiness, so drink it as is, rather than tinted green.
Make traditional Irish foods rather than American junk food dyed green.

So, why should we avoid all that green dye:

• Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)
  
  

  An unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice. What it's in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.

• Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)
  
  

  Causes a statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. What it's in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, & other food and drugs.

• Green #3 (Fast Green)
  
  

  Caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. What it's in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet; ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics.

• Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)
  
  

  Yellow 5 causes sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. What it's in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

• Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)
  
  

  Caused adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. What it's in: Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics and drugs.

  For the entire article, and dangers of Red dyes, please click HERE.

  And one more article for you....click HERE.

Unplug That Microwave!

Who doesn't have a microwave? They're in college dorms, kitchens, offices and bachelor pads all over the United States! We can't seem to live without them. We've lost the skill of reheating food in a conventional oven or stove top. We yell at them to hurry up as the seconds tick down. Really, we should be throwing them out the window!

It is pretty much common knowledge now that bottles of formula or breast milk should not be 'nuked. It even says so on formula cans. The general consensus is that it unevenly warms the fluid and can cause burns to baby. However, there's the added researched concern that "Heating the bottle in a microwave can cause slight changes in the milk. In infant formulas, there may be a loss of some vitamins. In expressed breast milk, some protective properties may be destroyed." <Young Families, the Minnesota Extension Service of the University of Minnesota, 1989 radio announcement.>

If that happens to baby formula heated for mere seconds, what does it do to food overall?

In 1991, Norma Levitt was killed during a blood transfusion when the nurse warmed her blood in the microwave oven! The microwaves altered the blood and caused her body to be unable to accept it and use it! (Reference 1 and 2)

Hans Hertel and Bernard Blanc worked together to study the dangers of microwaves. In a controlled study, they found that those who consumed microwaved food had
Significant changes were discovered in the blood of the volunteers who consumed foods cooked in the microwave oven. These changes included a decrease in all hemoglobin values and cholesterol values, especially the HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) values and ratio." (Reference 1 and 2) It also harmed the immune system by decreased white blood cells!

In short, microwaving denatures food. Microwaves work by heating food through friction in the cellular structure of the food....from the inside out rather than conventionally from the outside in. (Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon). This causes deformation within the molecular structures of the food, thus altering fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc etc etc. Some are rendered useless while others are altered and unable to be full assimilated or used within our bodies. Microwaving also breaks down the cells making them more susceptable to dangerous micro-organisms. (Reference 1)

The website: Global Healing Center features a very in-depth article on the dangers of microwave cooking. In it, they list these 10 reasons to toss out your microwave.

Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven

From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following:

1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2. The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4. The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6. The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7. Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10. Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

Ok, so I admit, some of the research presented seems out-dated and some of the history seems more like propoganda to try to add fuel to the fire with emotion-based "facts," but we need to look at the research, the studies, the trials and tests.

Again, microwaves denature food and that denaturing process can cause any number of harmful effects on our bodies. Add that to the processed, chemical garbage present in most microwavable meals and you have double the trouble. And should you choose to use a microwave in a pinch, avoid using any and all plastics within at all costs, even "microwave safe" plastics. (Reference 3)

Reference 1
Reference 2

Reference 3

The Diverse Community of Healthy Living

Those who strive for a healthier life and lifestyle are as diverse as any other entity. It's a beautiful thing to see all these various focuses come together to make the world a better, healthier place. There's plenty of overlap, but when someone makes something their focus, and if we listen, we can learn a lot and gain much.

Some are dedicated to fitness and the benefits of exercise: Fitness2aT Shannon DelSavio Beachbody Coach CrossFit Jaguar

Some are dedicated to reducing waste and over consumption: Zero Waste Home Tiny House Blog Life Without Plastic

Some are dedicated to nutrition and natural healing: The Healthy Home Economist Bulk Herb Store Food Renegade

Some are dedicated to sustainable farming and farming rights: Polyface Farm Raw Milk Oasis Camel Dairy

Some are dedicated to child care and nutrition: Food For Kids' Health

What is your passion? Do you have a blog or website you'd like to share? If so, please leave a comment!

Raw Camel Milk for Autism and More?!

Mark Rowe from "Dirty Jobs" at America's First Camel Dairy
Oasis Camel Dairy

Hmmm.....if I were to have a camel dairy, I'd name is Drom-e-Dairy! Haha! Get it? Never mind.

All joking aside, twice this week I've come across information online about how beneficial raw camel milk is to people, especially for treating those with Autism. Oasis Camel Dairy lists the benefits on their website. Here are other online links touting the benefits of camel milk:

Benefits of camel's milk for children with autism and neuro-integrational/immunological challenges

5 Days of Camel Milk (Testimonial and Informational)

Camel Milk USA (Promotion for camel milk sales in USA) Includes articles on benefits of camel milk for diabetics and children with food allergies!

Camel Milk: Healing or Hype?

Unfortunately, camel milk, especially raw camel milk (pasteurization may ruin the benefits of the milk) is unavailable in the USA unless you raise and train your own camels. I look forward to the day when we will be able to have these nutritional options available to us. They can dump aspartame and MSG in hundreds of "food" products for us to consume, but we cannot get God-created, natural foods so easily. It's sad, especially when people, especially children, could benefit so greatly from them.

Killer Cosmetics

Baby steps. Baby steps. That's what I keep telling myself, because this is one issue I'm having a hard time with. I am having a hard time ditching my cosmetics, particularly my make-up and nail polish. I've already done away with commerical soaps, shampoos and shaving creams. I use my homemade soap. I've done away with commerical creams, lotions and moisturizers, too. I use coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil or rose hip oil. But, I'm not there yet when it comes to make-up.

In the 18th century, vanity prevailed as men and women powdered their faced with a lead-based powder to achieve the pale-faced look of the era. We shake our heads at their vanity, but are we really so far behind?

On the tail of my post, "Are Your Cosmetics Keeping You From Losing Weight" I offer more information, including an article on the lead content of popular make-up brands, especially L'Oreal Lipstick!

I'm also linking up to Campaign for Safe Cosmetics which has a searchable database to find out about your favorite cosmetics and how good or bad they really are.

A simple google search can help you find sources for organic cosmetics, including hair dyes, nail polish, and make-up.

Saving AG. Is it up to us ladies?

During World War Two, so many British men were taken or volunteered into service that there were few men left to run the great agriculture of the Kingdom. Women stepped into many roles during that time, including the service of Land Girls (as seen in the photo above).

Is it time for the Land Girls to put on the muck boots and step forward again?

I think so.

Agriculture doesn't pay. Did it ever? I'm not sure. But in today's day and age, it really doesn't pay. There are far too many subsidies for GMO's and other questionable AG practices and higher costs for organic farmers. However, I'm sure we can all agree that quality, sustainable farming is VERY important and must be preserved. So, where do we ladies come in?

Farming used to generally be a male occupation. The strappy little wife would contribute more than given credit for and give birth to plenty of little farm hands. Today, though, according to the USDA census, female farm ownership is up 30% from 2002-2007! My own husband and I hope to add to this statistic in the near future.

In order to continue farming and make it work, farming seems to have become a second income for families. At least in our future case, hubby will continue with his career while I take on the ownership and management of our small farm. It'll be my career, our second income. Another scenario to help make farms work is the man owns and runs the farm while the wife carries a second income in the outside work force. Still, I can't help but be interested in the rise in female farmers and applaud the men who support her endeavors.

Magazines and books are catering to this new growth. Resources abound with a simple google search. Even equipment manufacturers are creating tools and machinery more suitable to the strength, nature, design and interest of women.

As an aside, women farmers are taking the world by storm all over the globe! There are funds and charities and ministries to help these women who often face family care alone due to the lack of male support, or the loss of male support in more traditional cultures. Check this out!