Gas prices got you down?

Hold on to your seatbelt. Water may be our rescue from high gas prices after all!

Take a look at this video my daughter in law posted on her blog recently. They are paying over 6.00 per gallon right now in Canada and I fear $5.00 per gallon may hit our pumps in Washington State by the end of this summer. Perhaps there is a good use for plastic bottled water in our cars after all.

Check this link out for more info on possible new forms of energy of the future. They all seem so simple. Could it be true? ....run your car on ....air?

What to do once informed of amalgam dangers!

"Rachel" wrote and asked what basically what to do once we are informed of the dangers of dental amalgams but still need cavity treatment. I thought this worthy of both a long term answer and a short one. Posted below is my short answer for now and I thought that I'd post a long more in depth answer in a week or so once I have had some time to research and articulate my thoughts.

In the meantime, please, all that have dental concerns and questions post a comment and I will try to address them all at once or in a series of posts. I am looking forward to our discussion on this very important health and family issue.

I've included Rachel's post below.

I am a 35 year old heath conscious mother of five girls! I do have Alzheimer's in my family history and have some major dental work that Ihave been putting off for too long. (I am about to loose one tooth and another is on the way) Could you point me in the right direction for safe dental work as I don't want all that mercury in my mouth! Thanks, Rachel

Dear Rachel, Thanks for your question. You have hit at the heart of the struggle that I think many of us feel as we become more and more aware of some of the dangers of modern dentistry practices.I will give you my short answer here and my long answer to your comment in another blog post hopefully early next week.

Immediate plan (my a short answer)
Allow no more additional amalgam in you or your families dental work. Refuse fluoride treatments (Fluoride is one of the most toxic chemicals known to man along with mercury)and allow as few ex rays as possible.

Do get cavities filled as quickly as possible, as root canals bring more health questions and concerns.

Any filling material that is used should be composite (white) materials and preferably non metal in their mix.

Educate yourself so you are armed with conviction and knowledge of what you want from your dentist so you are not intimidated by their "expertise". The assistants DO work for the dentist and therefore have their employers best interest at heart and not always the patients. (exrays make a lot of money for the dental offices)Know that you will get some resistance from dentists and their staff on these issues.

Long term plan. Find a healthy or natural dentist in your area, and being informed- discuss a plan for cavity prevention, amalgam removal, composite tolerance testing and natural treatments for other issues.

Above all DO not blatantly trust your dentist any more than you would unabashedly trust your medical doctor. They do not come from a whole body health perspective but a disease treatment perspective. Being informed and responsible for your own dental health is THE most protective and proactive thing you can do.

My long and more detailed answer will be posted in the next week. Thanks again for the comment, Rachel

Janet Langford
Living a Lifestyle of Learning Daily

It's Not What You Eat But What You Digest that Counts!

Our intestinal lining is populated by millions, and billions of (simply put) good and bad bacteria. But one the the plights of our North American culture is that even though our good bacteria should be about 85% and the bad about 15% to be in balance. Today's diet and lifestyle has caused a reversal of these two figures and we now have about 85% bad bacteria and 15% of the good guys competing and fighting for survival space.

What this means to you and I is that those good bacteria are what aids us in digestion. If we have 85 % bad and that bacteria does not aid in digesting but is completing for the nutrition that you think you are eating, you end up second in line. The bad bacteria is thriving on your grocery bill and you are starving and so compulsively eat more and more in order to get the same nutrition. The result is overweight issues, cravings for sweets and grains, and poor digestion, gas and constipation and usually belly fat in particular.

Poor good bacteria count = poor digestion = gas = malnutrition (and overweight tendencies) = disease.

Improving your diet, as in eliminating the bad diet choices are all important but are not enough for a robust return to good health. You also need to repopulate and maintain a good bacterial count in your intestinal tract.

It has bothered me for years when I heard the phrase, "You are not what you eat, but what you digest." I had no idea what that meant because I was under the understanding that what you put down your throat went into your stomach and was digested. (Where else did it go?)
How on earth do you improve your digestion, I wondered for years? The answer to that question is actually quite simple. Naturally soured fruits, vegetables and grains, and dairy, are the most natural way to aid in digestion by adding those wonderful digestive enzymes and probiotics back into your digestive process, aiding in correcting the imbalance problem.

The obvious benefits will be easier elimination, less gas indicating indigestion, improved digestion and absorption and the desire to eat less and without the heavy long digestion feeling, and ....drum roll please...weight loss.

Adding store bought probiotics is another way to repopulate your intestines, available in the refrigerator section of your Health Food Store, but adding a habit of eating natural probiotics will be even better.

Homemade sauerkraut is so easy to make and is so very nutritious. One of the added benefits to this probiotic feast is that it is by nature still raw and therefore is part of the raw total that you might be keeping a mental note of. (I am) I am now at about 60 - 80 % raw without really much effort at all and that alone is such a surprise that it is so easy. I've lost weight and am feeling great. I'm sold. Now if I can just convince my husband to try it! (another story, another day)

Natural, Simple RAW Sauerkraut

1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded
(a food processor with the "grate" disc does an excellent job)
1 T caraway seeds, optional but is a very nice addition
1 T Celtic or Himalayan salt
4 T whey (whey is the clearish liquid from raw milk when it is set out on the counter for several days until it separates. The term curds (cream or cottage cheese) and whey comes from this process.
or
you can use an additional Tablespoon of salt instead.

-Mix the grated cabbage with the caraway seeds and then pound all with a wooden pounder or mallet for about a 10 min to help release the juices. Place in a quart size jar. One medium cabbage fills a quart jar perfectly.

-Press down firmly until the juices flow to the top of the cabbage, making sure the top of the cabbage stays about 1 inch below the top of the jar.

-Cover tightly and let sit at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. The fridge is fine. (Sample a little everyday until you have acquired a taste for wholesome naturally soured foods.)

Consume a tablespoon or more at each meal, especially at the heaviest or meat meal of the day and enjoy.

For a more complete information on how the digestion/bacteria process works see Dr Mercola's excellent article. (This is also a sales letter and promotion for his probiotic formula-sorry. I haven't used them but I would imagine that they are a good brand)

Living a Lifestyle of Learning daily

12 additives to definately avoid

Here are 12 good reasons to just eat plain wholesome food straight from the garden or farm. The effort it takes to read all the labels and chart what each item is in takes so long that it would be far more efficient just to eat straight from the source, good natural healthy and inexpensive food as God made it for us to eat.

Dr Mercola does it again. He lists the top 12 items that should never be consumed in a healthy diet. I have added my comments in this color.

1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite) This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer. ( It's the meat "products" word that is a give this one away. Altered, often pureed and filled with air that will aid in quick spoilage, not pure fresh meat. Fresh meat does need preserving other than refrigeration or freezing.)

2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body. (Anytime you see these ingredients added to the packaging material "to retain freshness," consider it in the food as well! Don't buy it!)

3. Propyl Gallate
Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer. (note the word "meat products," not wholesome grass fed cuts of meat. If you have to have hot dogs or other processed meats then buy Shelton's brand or any other brand that has a clean conscience. ...those that don't use dangerous additives. They are around, you just have to find them)

4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice. (Watch for all the pseudo names for MSG. It lurks under many names)

5. Trans Fats
Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats. (I would rather go hungry than eat at a fast food restaurant. The more you know, the more it will change your life!)

6. Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations. (This is probably one of the most prevalent additives today and many people blindly accept as safe..or "they" wouldn't put it in pop")

7. Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats. (any artificial chemicalized sweetener is a bad idea. Remember, antifreeze is so sweet that dogs and cats will lick it up if found on a garage floor. They die very quickly and painfully even though the liquid tasted really good!)

8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. (anything that needs to be dyed for eye appeal is obviously not of good food quality anyway so if you see any product that has dye added put it back on the shelf,...an easy way to avoid this one!)

9. Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables. (simply don't eat potato chips)

10. Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans. (grind your own flour, ferment it over night and use the whole grain to make your own great tasting and nutritious breads and baking)

11. White Sugar
Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition. (my note- and of course, don't use it in your own kitchen. (Substitutes are stevia, honey, agave syrup, unsulphered molasses, rice syrup and maple syrup.)

12. Sodium Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. (Use Celtic or Himalayan salt)

Living a Lifestyle of Learning daily

RAW Oatmeal? It's Actually Very Delicous!

This is hardly a recipe as the process is really all there is to it. You will need to use not oat flakes but raw oat groats, usually found at a health food store. This is so that the soaking actually helps to germinate the oats overnight multiplying proteins and other nutrients in the process.

For a serving for 1, (Shown is enough for three)
Soak overnight

1 cup of oat groats

1/3 cup of raw almonds

in plenty of filtered water

In the morning drain and pour into a blender. Process till as liquified or as chunky as you like it, adding water or milk accordingly.

That's it!

For variety you can add a ripe banana, or fresh juiced apple juice and some cinnamon to the blender or keep on top as a garnish. Serve with raisins and raw cream (if you can find it) and a dab of honey or/and butter. Other combinations might be fresh pineapple, mango or chopped dates, (shown in the picture)

(Even though this is delicious, some may miss the piping hot feel of conventional oatmeal. If it is a cold morning and you want to heat it a little, not over 115 degrees or you'll destroy the living enzymes, mply add a little warm water to the blending process and the chill will be taken off. It just takes a little getting used to and warm will feel hot after a while. It really does happen!

Living a Lifestyle of Learning daily

Another easy RAW Cracker Recipe.

These crackers are predominately flax with a whole bunch of other delicious veggies and nuts added in for flavor and even more nutrition. You will need a good dehydrator and a couple of days and these will be ready to eat and will store well in an air tight container.

Flax is an excellent source of fiber, clean the colon, and act as a very
gentle laxative. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, E, and carotene. The
seeds also contain iron, zinc, and trace amounts of potassium,
magnesium,phosphorus, and calcium.

They also contain up to 100 times
more of the phyto-nutrient than buckwheat, rye, millet, oats, and soybeans. It
appears that lignins flush out excess estrogen out of the body, thereby reducing
the likelihood of developing estrogen-linked cancers, such as breast cancer.
Flax seeds also seem to reduce the incidence of colon cancer. Besides their
tumor inhibiting properties, lignins also have antibacterial, antifungal
properties.(making them a good food on a anti candida diet)

Taken from Carol Alt's The Raw 50: 10 Amazing Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Drinks for Your Raw Food Lifestyle

Kelly's Super Flax Crax
1 pound of flax seeds soaked 4-6 hours and drained
1/4 pound pumpkin seeds
1/4 pound raw pistachios, soaked for 4-6 hours
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1 red bell Pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
3/4 medium onion - roughly chopped
1 garlic chopped
2 T ground cumin
1/4 c dulse flakes
1/4 c Bragg Liquid aminos
2 1/2 purified water
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, stemmed and chopped.

Grind the soaked flax seeds in a blender and transfer to a large bowl. In a food processor combine everything else and process till thoroughly combined. Stir into the flax mixture. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. The batter should be thick (actually quite mucky) and spreadable. If necessary add a little water to increase spreadability.

Spread out batter on a teflex dehydrator sheets and dehydrate overnight. Flip over and continue dehydrating till fully dry and crispy. (maybe only another few hours) Cut into squares with a pizza cutter and store in a sealed container till needed.

These crackers are great with raw cheese, a slice of guacamole, slices of sweet red pepper and sprinkled with raw gomachio. (oh, I guess I need to post that recipe too. Watch in a few days for a great raw seasoning made with sesame seeds)
This cracker makes a great substitute for standard bread. Although it is not soft and fluffy, it is a great dipping cracker or can be used to make an open face sandwiches using many savory toppings and sandwich fillings such as guacamole, sprouts, fresh tomato, sunnyseed spread, etc. The options are as limitless as sandwich bread itself.

Enjoy!

Living a Lifestyle of Learning daily

Create a Housekeeping Franchise.

Systems. Every successful business uses systems. Some of the most successful francises today sell their operating systems for huge fees all based on a system of proven success. The Francise fee is not for a product, stock or anything other than the system, and usually training in that operating system.

Keeping a household is simply a system, too. Setting up that system takes lots of work, thinking, planning and trial and error. I have been working on systems for many years and just about feel like I have it into a workable routine that is both workable and flexible for the days that I am called out of town. The routine must be easily picked up again without much stress and back tracking. I have started keeping a day of the week clip board on the wall of my pantry with job lists and descriptions for everyone's use and referral. Here it is below. Each day should only be about a half hour or less so it fits in with our morning routine before we go for a walk.

Maintenance Monday,
Laundry-all dark colors
I keep a rotating household maintenance schedule including monthly chores like changing the furnace filter, emptying the vacuum tank or washing the car. Each Monday the next item on the list comes up. Once per month I have added jobs to be done every 6 months instead like washing the windows.

Terrific Tuesday
Laundry-all ironing and leftover folding of darks.
It is so terrific because we get all the garbage out of the house and out to the road. All the recycle has to be separated, etc

Wipedown Wednesday
Laundry-all grey colors
All vertical items such as fridge, dishwasher and doors and switches are to be wiped. On another clipboard I rotate less frequent jobs like wipe down the freezer lid in the garage, top of fridge and the monthly wiping of kitchen cupboards, garbage cans. Each week one of the above chores comes up on the chart along with the usual doors, etc).

Thorough Thursday.
Laundry-mending and folding leftovers of greys
This is the day that all the bathrooms get cleaned (by me) but the boys do a though clean up of anything that gets left out during the week. All dusting of horizontal items such as lamps, table tops, etc.

Fun Friday
Laundry- all white or light colors
A final vacuum of the whole house and the boys wash the kitchen floor. We usually try to do something fun as well like go to the beach, or more often, go shopping. In the summer that means garage sale shopping and that really is fun!

That takes us right through all the household chores for the week and if all goes well the house is clean by Friday afternoon. Saturdays are reserved for anything that may come up be it fun or work, or leftover work if we had to travel or got behind during the week.

This works for me!

Living a Lifestyle of Learning daily