Benefits of Raw Milk- Part 2: The evidence

In my previous post, I told you about my story. In this post, I am going to cover the evidence and why you should switch to raw milk.

Invention of pasteurization

Before I get into depth of the topic I would like point out something. Everyone, my ancestors, your ancestors were all drinking raw milk up until pasteurization went main stream. Depending on your personal viewpoints will change the math on my next point.  98 years ago pasteurization was mandated and widely accepted. Let’s say you believe the world was created 6,000 years ago. That would mean pasteurized milk has been consumed for only 2.6 % of the time. Let’s say you believed the world began 10,000 years ago. That percentage now comes down to 0.98% since the world was created, that pasteurized milk has been consumed. Now, if you believe it is older than 10,000 years old, you can do the math but I think you get my point…. Out of curiosity, I did the math on 4.5 billion years ago. It comes out to 0.000002% of all history! :-o…. Please try to remember this information when reading conflicting information about raw milk.

A little history lesson

First and foremost, let’s look at the timeline. The invention of pasteurization was first created by French scientist Louis Pasteur in 1864. Notice I said pasteurization, he wasn’t interested in pasteurizing milk. He was interested in pasteurizing beer. During the time, they were having some issues with beer going bad. Louis Pasteur studied the good beer and the bad beer. Under his investigation, he noticed the bad beer had pathogens while the good beer didn’t. After he heated the bad beer to a high temp, it killed the pathogens.  They begin pasteurizing beer. It took a while before pasteurization hit the dairy industry. Americans didn’t want to have anything to do with the pasteurized milk. They felt it would destroy vitamins, nutrients, and make the milk taste bad. (man, were they not far off)

Between 1912 and 1937, 65,000 people died from contracting tuberculosis in England and Wales. Pasteurization was adopted by the dairy industry in order to prevent the spread of disease. Wait. So I’m telling you should drink raw milk after that many died from a deadly disease carried by the milk?! Yep, and I’ll tell you why. Please keep reading.

A look into the past: Why did we begin pasteurizing milk?

During 1912 and 1937, industrialization caused many people to become urbanized. At first, the travel distance for raw milk was short and caused no issues. As the population grew in urban areas, the road trip for the milk from the dairy man to the consumer became longer. Raw milk was being consumed several days old and I’m assuming with no refrigeration since refrigerated trucks were not invented until 1939. It wasn’t until 1917 that milk was mandated to be pasteurized.

During the time of the development of urban areas, the dairy industry transitioned from small farms to largely produced dairy factories. These dairy factories were pumping out milk in high quantities with a lack of sanitation. They were, gross, to say the least.

“As milk production became factory-produced instead of farm-wrought, little sanitary regulation took place. Milk wasn’t refrigerated, equipment wasn’t sterile, factory-farm owners thinned their milk with dirty water and added things like animal brains to give it body. Cows were fed waste from distilleries (creating “swill milk” or “white poison”.) These city milk centers were often infested with insects and rats and workers were unhygienic.”

Tuberculosis spread through cow’s milk, and epidemics of brucella, botulism and cholera killed many.

The rising use of technology created pasteurization equipment. People no longer had to boil their milk at home. Small farmers were forced out of the industry or absorbed by rising conglomerates who could afford the machinery.

The use of pasteurization made sanitary improvements unnecessary and increased the production of milk through crowded feedlots, cheap and unhealthy grain-feed and widespread use of antibiotics and growth hormones. Today, it is E. Coli, Listeria and Cryptosporidium that are the most common food-borne pathogens and these have only emerged within the past 25 years, after the practice of pasteurization has been established…..” (Dr. Axe.com,Raw Milk Myths, Myth 1:  Pasteurized milk is safer than raw milk.)

I highly recommend you go read the article, Raw Milk Myths, more information about claims by the FDA, food born illnesses due to pasteurized milk are much larger than raw milk, outbreaks from pasteurized milk and so forth.

If you think times have changed, think again. The unsanitary conditions still exist. The dairy man that I purchase my milk from told me a little bit about the large dairy farms. He told me he stopped by a large dairy farm (don’t remember why) and at the entrance was dead cows laying in the pasture. This is by the front entrance, may I remind you. When he spoke to the dairy man, he told him what he had seen. May I add, here in Texas farmers often will tell one another if they see a cow having a calf, cow is dead, etc. They mean no harm by this. They actually prefer this just in case they didn’t see it. It wasn’t uncommon for my parents to call/speak to another farmer if they saw a cow having a calf just in case they didn’t know or my parents received that call. The dairy man’s reply, “Yeah, I know. They’ve been there for a few days. No one comes out here except the milk truck so no one cares.” WHAT!! Seriously?! The dairy man told me and I agree 100% with him, “That is no way to run a dairy nor a business.” Now, like I stated in part 1, I was raised on a small dairy and you would have not seen this or heard this kind of behavior from the farm I grew up on.  This is not to say all dairy farms are like this but you have realize the bigger the dairy, the harder it is to keep up with the sanitation procedures even from the most dedicated. I live in TX and there are a lot of dairies around. As a matter of fact, I live close to the #1 milk producing county in TX. Passing a dairy in my area is not anything out of the ordinary. And let me say, I’ve seen clean dairies and disgusting dairies. Point is, don’t think these conditions don’t still exist. And don’t think your milk isn’t subject to this while everyone else’s is. Once the milk is taken to be pasteurized, all the milk from multiple dairies in mixed together. And if the milk truck didn’t fill up at A-Farms, they stop at B-Farms to fill up.

Clean milk vs dirty milk

So here’s the thing. When I say “raw milk” throughout the post, I am talking about CLEAN raw milk. Milk that has been produced with healthy cows that have grazed from the pasture under sanitary conditions will have the nutritional values that I am seeking and talking about. The raw milk that was contracting tuberculosis in the early 1900s was toxic because it was DIRTY milk. Plain and simple. You take ANY food, produce it in unsanitary and unfavorable conditions, and your more than likely going to get a toxic food. If you leave raw meat on the counter for a few days, what happens? It goes rancid. How about rolling that meat in dirt and then leave it on the counter? It’s going to degrade faster and the smell will curl your nose hairs. You don’t solve the issue by dumping ammonia on it (yes they really “wash” hamburger meat with ammonia hydroxide in the major meat market today). How do you solve the problem? Stop leaving the meat on the counter and rolling it in the dirt. Same thing goes for the milk. Change the conditions and you have a clean nutritious glass of milk.  Clean raw milk doesn’t need to be pasteurized, dirty milk does. 

What about the nutrition?

Before I explain the nutritional differences between raw and pasteurized, we must understand what happens when we pasteurize milk. When milk is pasteurized it is heated to a high temp 285° (Ultra high temp pasteurization, normal procedure for store bought milk) for a few seconds and then cooled. This kills the good and bad bacteria, enzymes, lowers Vitamins A,D, K, B6, and B12, and other nutritional benefits. And if you believe the argument, “Pasteurized milk has the same nutritional value as raw milk,” then why is it necessary for them to fortify (add) Vitamin D, A, and whatever else they decide to add back in? They know the milk isn’t as nutritious otherwise why would they bother to fortify the milk?

Let’s take a look at raw milk vs pasteurized milk

• When milk is pasteurized, it tuns lactose into beta-lactose. Beta-Lactose is more rapidly absorbed into your body which in turn makes you hungrier faster. Raw milk keeps you full longer. I can personally vouch for the feeling fuller longer.
• 20% of the iodine is killed after pasteurizing
• Pasteurization makes the majority of the calcium insoluble which can lead to all kinds of health problems such as rickets, decayed teeth, nervousness, and other problems
• Pasteurization kills lactic acid bacilli. After the lactic acid bacilli is killed, the milk can’t sour (sour milk can still be consumed safely) therefore decomposing the milk.
• when pasteurized milk is homogenized , xanthine oxidase is created. This can act as a free radical in the body which plays a part in oxidative stress.
• Modern breeding methods produce cows with abnormally large pituitary glands so that they produce three times more milk than normal. These cows need antibiotics to keep them well. Needless to say, the antibiotics they are given wind up in the milk you and your family drink. (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/12/choosing-between-raw-milk-and-a-dead-white-liquid.aspx)
• Pasteurization destroys part of the Vitamin C
• Beneficial Enzymes are killed off during pasteurization (To learn about enzymes, visit http://www.realmilk.com/health/enzymes/)
• Pasteurization decreases manganese value- Manganese is important for formation of bones, connectives tissues, blood clotting, sex hormones, brain function, nervous function.
• Pasteurization decreases copper value- Copper plays a role in the formation of connective tissue, normal functions of the muscles, blood clotting, immune system, and nervous system. Copper also influences the formation of red blood cells, arteries, and functioning of the heart, arteries.
• Pasteurization decreases iron value- iron is required to make hemogloblin. Hemoglobin is what carries oxygen through the blood to your cells. Iron also plays a role in the brain. Neurotransmitters carry messages from one to the other and need iron to function properly.
• Pasteurization decreases the Vitamin A value- Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and skin. It is also an antioxidant. You need both vitamin A and K2 to absorb Vitamin D.
• Pasteurization decreases Vitamin D value- promotes calcium absorption, bone growth, bone remineralization, cell growth, immune function, and reduces inflammation.
• Pasteurization decreases Vitamin K2-promotes healthy arteries and prevents clogged arteries.  K2 is also effective against cancer. Look at study some of the benefits of vitamin K here. (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/03/24/vitamin-k-part-two.aspx)
• Pasteurization slightly impairs the bioactivity of Vitamin B6
• Beta-lactoglobulin is destroyed by the heating process of pasteurization. Beta-lactoglobulin increases intestinal absorption of Vitamin A which can make it harder to absorb Vitamin A
• Cows that graze on grass (most conventional dairy farmer feed them grain and even things like Snickers bars. This is no joke. My sister’s husband delivers loads of feed to cows. He told us he delivered a truck full of candy bars to a dairy as feed for their cows.) contain CLA

Nutrient and Immune Factors	Pasteurized Milk	Raw Milk
Vitamin A	35% Reduction	100% Active
Vitamin C	25 to 77% Reduction	100% Active
Vitamin E	14% Reduction	100% Active
Iron	66% Reduction	100% Active
Zinc	70% Reduction	100% Active
B-Complex Vitamins	38% Reduction	100% Active
Calcium	21% Reduction	100% Active
Enzymes	100% Destroyed	100% Active
Immunoglobulins	Damaged	100% Active
Whey Protein	Denatured	100% Active

(Source:http://draxe.com/raw-milk-benefits/)

Lactose Intolerance

Upon my research, I came across many claiming those who were lactose intolerant could safely drink raw milk without any issues. In one of the conversations between me and the dairy man I purchase my raw milk from, he stated he had customers who were lactose intolerant who were safely drinking his raw milk without any discomforts. He also stated that there is something ( I can’t remember exactly what he called it. He began to lose me when he started talking about the structure of the milk and lots of scientific names that I have never heard of. lol) in raw milk that helps break down the lactose but this substance is not present in pasteurized milk.  I am not lactose intolerant so I do not have a personal testimonial to share with you. But I do find this extremely intriguing. The more I research the more I see lactose intolerant people stating they can drink raw milk but have issues with pasteurized dairy products. I have researched both pro-raw and pro-pasteurized sites trying to see if there was some kind of evidence that proved these peoples claims. The pro-pasteurized sites claim that this isn’t possible while the pro-raw sites claim it is but with no hard evidence.

With no hard evidence available, here are my personal opinions on the subject. There are too many claims for there not to be something to it. I honestly don’t think a lactose intolerant person would decide to drink raw milk just because they want to drink raw milk completely ignoring the side effects they experience. Or better yet, lie about no longer suffering from lactose intolerance when drinking raw milk. What benefit would this do? I could see a business or organization lying in order to benefit from the lie, but not someone who doesn’t receive any kind of benefits. And before you say, “well maybe these individuals are being paid by raw milk producers,” be aware that raw milk producers are VERY small business owners.  Raw milk sale laws are VERY restrictive. To put things into perspective, raw milk sales are only legal “on the farm” in 7 states. Retail sales of raw milk is only legal in 11 states. (To see more about the laws of raw milk sales, visit http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/raw_milk_map.htm.) With that being said, I don’t think the small raw milk farmers have the funding to pay people to vouch for their product. Or at least, not as many claims as I have seen.

Benefits of Raw Milk

So what are the benefits of CLEAN raw milk?

• more than 60 digestive enzymes for digestion, immune system support, and growth
• a wide range of minerals and trace minerals– One serving of raw milk contains 400 mg calcium, 50 mg of magnesium, and 500 mg of Potassium. These minerals are important for cellular function, hydration, building bone density, detoxification, circulation, muscle health, and metabolism. It also has Phosphate which helps the absorption of calcium.
• all 20 standard amino acids
• EFA such as CLA. CLA helps fight cancer and reduces body fat
• lactoferrin, an iron bonding protein that has anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-microbial
• higher levels of fat soluble vitamins A,D, K. These vitamins support brain, nervous system, crucial for development, focus, naturally balances hormones, supports bone density, and brain function.
• higher absorption of Vitamin D. You need vitamin A and K to absorb Vitamin D.
• short chain fatty acids, and Omega 3s– short chain fatty acid reduces inflammation, speeds up metabolism, and helps with stress.
• Probiotics– raw milk contains a small amount of probiotics but if you ferment raw milk such as kefir, cheese, and yogurt, you get the highest form of probiotics. Probiotics protect from parasites and E. Coli. They also help Colon Cancer, Diarrhea, Inflammatory bowel disease, Intestinal bowel syndrone, skin infections, weakened immune system, urinary track infections, and vaginal yeast infections
• Whey Protein and Immunoglobulins– Whey protein is good for burning fat, building muscle, high in enzymes, and proteins
• Reduced allergies
• Easier to digest- Many of those who are lactose intolerant state they can drink raw milk
• greater resistance to disease
• better fertility
• last but not least, the TASTE! It tastes SOOOOOO much better. I won’t even touch the pasteurized milk any more

 

 

The research and information is so vast that I can’t possibly include all the information on my blog post but I highly encourage you to do your own research. Look it up. You have a whole web of information available at your fingertips. And make sure to compare both sides of the argument before making your own personal opinion. If you only look up why you should drink pasteurized milk, you will only get one side of the story.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed. What are your thoughts? Do you drink raw milk? Why or why not?

Benefits of Raw Milk- Part 1-My Story

I have been missing for a while. Between holidays, family visiting, updating my kitchen, researching hypothyroidism, hitting writers block, and just needing a break, I have neglected our blog for a little while. I have been meaning to write a post about the benefits of raw milk and I am just now getting around to it.

Growing up on a Dairy

So here is a little background information about me. When I was a child, my parents owned a small dairy. It was a dairy that had been passed down from my great granddad or at least I think it was, but my point is that it was a family business that was passed down.  Now, they sold the dairy business when I was 8 and my dad became a teacher for 5 years before he passed away. From the time I was born until I was 8, our whole family was drinking…. ready for it…. RAW MILK **GASP**! Yep, I said the evil word, raw milk.

Drinking Raw Milk

We weren’t against pasteurized milk per say but this is how it works on a dairy or how it worked on ours. You milk the cows. The milk goes into large tanks that keep the milk cooled until the milk truck picks up the milk. The milk truck picks up the milk and takes it to a place that pasteurizes the milk. The milk is pasteurized and then packaged, trucked to the store, and sold. On a dairy, you’re not going to go buy milk from the store when you can get milk straight from the cow (figure of speech here, we did not milk by hand like the old-fashioned way. We used bucket milkers that fed the milk into the tank) for free. You simply go down to the barn with your milk jug, open the spigot on the large tank, fill your jug, and enjoy your free, fresh, creamy raw milk. We weren’t scared of the fact it’s raw, we quite enjoyed the milk that our dad, grand dad, great granddad, and generations before have always drank the milk. Just the way God intended for it to be consumed, fresh.

Family Sold out of Dairy Business and began drinking Pasteurized

I still remember the first time we began buying milk from the store. I couldn’t stand it. It was watery, bland, and was not the same as the milk I was raised on. Eventually, I got used to it but my dairy consumption basically consisted of using it to cook with or cheese. I didn’t enjoy a glass of milk like I used to. Back then, I didn’t know why the milk from the store tasted different, I didn’t even know the terms raw milk, homogenized,  or pasteurized milk. I just assumed the milk from the store was coming from a different dairy and our milk was superior to theirs LOL. Not knowing the milk at the store is more than likely mixed with our milk so technically, I was probably drinking some of our milk.

I still remember the first time I went to the dentist for a check up. I was about 10 or 11 year old. I can’t remember exactly my age but I know it was either right before or right after my dad passed away. He checked my teeth and told me, “Your teeth are in great condition. No cavities. Keep brushing!” Might not have been exact words but that was basically the sum of his remarks. I simply smiled and inside was smirking. See, here was the thing. I was NOT good at brushing so it definitely was not the brushing that was keeping my teeth in good shape. And when I say I was not good at brushing, I mean I wasn’t very consistent. I don’t like to admit that, despite the evidence and personal experience, but we are taught brushing keeps the cavities away which in fact that is obviously NOT true. Come to think of it, I don’t recall any of my siblings going to the dentist except for my brother who got braces. Until later on down the road.

A look at my health throughout the years

Fast forward, to when I was about 16 years old. I noticed the first forming cavity. I find this very interesting. 8 years of drinking raw milk, no cavities and my teeth were healthy. 8 years later give or take, the health of my teeth begin degrading. I remember when I first saw the cavity, I began to ponder what has changed. I just assumed, it was due to me getting older. It wasn’t until I began researching all the benefits of raw milk that I began to put it all together and thought it could have been my consumption of raw milk that was keeping the cavities at bay.

Looking at it now, I can see how my health began declining after beginning to drink pasteurized milk. From birth to about 10-12 years old, I very rarely got sick, I didn’t have many allergy problems and they were very mild, I was a healthy weight, my hair was shiny and soft (when I hadn’t permed it), my skin looked good, and overall my health was good. About the the age of 13 it seemed as if I was sick more often, for longer periods of time, and when I got sick, I was really sick. Now, I never thought much about it because getting sick from time to time is just a normal part of life.  I began having allergies and it seemed to slowly get worse. I began having cavities. Around the age of 17 is when I began gaining weight. My hair began to lose some of its luster and became frizzier. Overall, my health got worse. None of the signs were huge and was never diagnosed with any health condition until recently when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (I recently said I was Hashimotos but I misunderstood my NP). Now, I am not saying ALL of my symptoms were related to drinking pasteurized milk. I truly think it was a mix of MANY different things but I do think raw milk did play a role into good health.

Drinking raw milk again

After all my research, talking to the milk man and connecting the dots, we have began drinking raw milk again. We found a local dairy that sells raw milk. I take pride in the fact that I know who milks the cows, I pick up the milk on their dairy, I have been in the barn where the cows are milked, I’ve personally seen him fill the milk jug up right before purchasing, and I have literally got milk from him 20 minutes after the cows were milked! To put the cherry on the top, he has also offered to let us come out so he can do a homeschool field trip of the whole process and even look under a microscope at the biology of the milk! He majored in biology, taught high school biology class and knows WAY more about the structure of the milk, cows, etc than I ever will. If you’re a homeschool mom/dad, you probably understand my excitement of all of this! LOL

Stay tuned

That is my story but I know it is going to take more than just my story and my viewpoints to show you the benefits of raw milk so this will be continued in my next post….

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not the gluten, its the glyphosate

I have been looking for some answers regarding why more and more people seem to intolerant to gluten. I wrote of my concerns and reasoning of Why I don’t buy into the Paleo Diet. I haven’t bought into wheat is harmful to the body and our ancestors didn’t eat wheat. I’ve made the comment to my hubby stating it’s not the wheat, it’s something they are doing to the wheat. I had no idea what they were doing and what was causing leaky gut, autoimmune disorders, imbalanced gut bacteria, gluten sensitivities, and all the links between wheat and/or gluten. All I knew was, it’s not the gluten. 

photo credit: Ian Hayhurst via photopin cc

 

 

Gluten and Glyphosate

Normally I wouldn’t be so interested in gluten and/or wheat. I would simply write the Paleo Diet off and go on with my life. The one thing that kept irritating me was every time I researched Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disorder that I recently was diagnosed with), the answer always seemed to be Go gluten free, Wheat is evil, Paleo is the answer, or something along those lines. With all the many sites very avidly suggesting to go gluten free, all I could think was they are missing something.

Today, I was browsing, you guessed it, Facebook and this article was published; The Real Reason Wheat is Toxic (It’s not the gluten). It looks like Monsanto should be up for a world record for most horrible company. The Healthy Home Economist tells about the disturbing process that modern farmers are using to harvest our wheat. Like I said, Monsanto is a real winner.

Standard wheat harvest protocol in the United States is to drench the wheat fields with Roundup several days before the combine harvesters work through the fields as withered, dead wheat plants are less taxing on the farm equipment and allows for an earlier, easier and bigger harvest – See more at: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/real-reason-for-toxic-wheat-its-not-gluten/#sthash.o7C5OuEB.dpuf

Here is a very interesting article from The Organic Prepper. Daisy from The Organic Prepper thought she was gluten intolerant. She had blood work to test her gluten sensitivity only to find out she wasn’t gluten intolerant. While her symptoms said she was gluten intolerant, her blood work said she wasn’t. She also said her friend experience the same issue. Read more about her story at Maybe Your Aren’t Actually Gluten Intolerant. Maybe You’re Just Poison Intolerant.

Make sure to check out The Healthy Home Economist’s The real reason wheat is toxic (It’s Not the Gluten) for the full story. Most of you probably know what Roundup is and what it is used for. While I have done some past research on the harmful effects of Roundup, it wasn’t until reading The Healthy Home Economist’s article that made me re-investigate the whole subject altogether.

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is an herbicide that is used to kill weeds. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup.   The sodium salt in glyphosate is used to ripen fruit . Another interesting factor is GMO foods (Genetically modified foods) are Roundup ready. This means most GMO foods are designed to be sprayed with Roundup. Basically, if you’re eating GMO foods, you are eating Roundup. Is your mouth watering yet? Yeah, I didn’t think so. GMO crops and weeds that are sprayed with Roundup have built up a tolerance to glyphosate. Due to this tolerance, they are having to use more Roundup to kill off the weeds. Looking at the last 5-10 years, they are using 2X more Roundup than they were initially.  In the last 10 years, celiac disease (autoimmine disease where body can’t break down gluten) has doubled. Look at the chart below. Another article to about Gluten intolerance and Glyphosate, check out Mother Earth News article Is Glyphosate the cause of ‘Gluten Intolerance?

What are the dangers of Glyphosate?

If you want a more detailed scientific explanation of how glyphosate causes the problems it does, watch the video above. I’m just going to focus on the issue glyphosate causes. Are you ready for this list?

• inflammation
• leaky gut
• autoimmune disorders
• gut flora imbalance
• Gut disorders (Croh’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, acid reflux, celiac disease)
• strong connection with autism (Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide)
• digestive issues
• sulfate deficiencies
• gluten intolerance
• depletes aromatic amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine
• Tryptophan is a precursor to tryptophan>precursor to serotonin >precursor to melatonin)
• Seratoninin deficiency > linked to obesity, autism, Alzheimer’s, depression, and violent behavior
• Melatonin deficiency > Melatonin is important for your sleep/wake cycle
• depletes tyrosine which is a precursor of dopamine, adrenaline, and melanin
• Melanin deficiency >protects skin from UV rays which can lead to skin cancer
• Dopamine deficiency (linked to Parkinson’s disease)
• Methionine deficiency >supplies sulfur to the body >link between sulfur deficiency and Autism
• depletes minerals such as calcium, manganese zinc, cobalt, iron
• disrupts cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes which regulates Vitamin D regulation and activation, cholesterol, sex hormones (can lead to infertility), detoxifies toxins, stabilizes blood (hemorrhaging, and blood clots), and bile acid production
• high serum nitrate and ammonia
• impaired immune function
• chronic low grade inflammation in the brain
• endocrine disruptions
• neurological disorders
• kills good bacteria such as bifidobacteria (converts gluten to less toxic form. It aids in the breakdown of gluten in the body)
• promotes breast cancer
• possible link between Anencephaly (rare disease that child is born without a brain  ) Glyphosate and Anencephaly

“When future historians write about our time, they’re not going to write about the tons of chemicals we did or didn’t apply. When it comes to glyphosate, they’re going to write about our willingness to sacrifice our children and jeopardize our existence, while threatening and jeopardizing the very basis of our existence; the sustainability of our agriculture” – Professor Dob Huber on Glyphosate

Most of my iinformation has been gained from watching the video below. Dr. Stephanie Seneff covers  the harmful effects of glyphosate in her presentation below.

 

 

 What can we do about our exposure to Glyphosate?

If I’ve freaked you out enough, then you probably want to limit your exposure to glyphosate. I knew this was going to be bad as soon as I learned farmers were spraying their crops with roundup but I didn’t realize I was opening a can of worms. I highly suggest you watch the videos, visit the links, and do your own research. Yes, the videos are lengthy and it’s alot of information but they will help you understand the seriousness of our exposure to glyphosate. Anyways, what can we do? It’s been said a million times and I’m going to say it again.

Eat Organic whenever possible. Look for foods that are GMO free. Grow your own foods or buy locally from trusted farmers. Don’t be afraid to ask the farmers if they use Monsanto’s products such as Roundup. In most cases, the farmer will be strongly against GMOs and probably begin to tell why. Or he will try to say something like “We use Monsanto to feed the world.” HA!! By the way, GMOs are NOT a sustainable way of farming. Monsanto’s seeds have to be bought EVERY year and you can’t save the seeds due to Monsanto patenting the genetically modified seeds. Even if you did, they are modified to not sprout the next year. Oh, and skip the Roundup whenever spraying your own lawn.

When it comes to flour, I recommend King Arthur Flour. They are non-GMO and they are of a high quality. I used to think there was no difference in the brand of flours but the first time I used King Arthur flour, I could taste a difference. The texture was also better in baked goods.

Look for the Non-GMO Project Seal. For more information about the seal, visit The Non GMO Project.

 

Support organizations for GMO labeling. There are many people outrage by the GMO foods and strongly want GMOs labeled. The more who fight for GMO labeling, the more pressure we put on politicians to label GMOs.

 

Share the knowledge. Share the link to my blog, share the videos, share the links, and let everyone know about the harmful effects of Roundup.

Before you go, if your new to the harmful effects of GMOs and Monsanto’s role in all of this, check out Food Inc. If you have amazon Prime, you can watch it for free.

And also check out GMO OMG. It  talks about the GMOs specifically. This one is available on Netflix instant queue and DVD.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10

 

Leave your comments below. Did you find this article helpful? What are you thoughts?

photo credit: Ian Hayhurst via photopin cc
 

 

 

Paleo diet and why I don’t follow it

The Paleo Diet seems to sweeping the nation like crazy. It seems to be the diet to be on. I’ve seen tons of new books, articles, magazines, blog posts about how the Paleo Diet is the smart way to go. Well, I don’t buy it. There are parts of the Paleo Diet that I think are wise but part of the diet seems to be unwise.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet claims to follow a diet based off of our caveman ancestors. The diet includes fresh fruit, veggies, fish, and grass fed beef. It excludes dairy, grains, and processed foods.

Haven’t we learned anything?

Through my MANY diet fails I have learned eliminating food groups is not the key to healthy living. Remember when egg yolks were evil? How about the low fat diets ?The Atkins Diet  or The South Beach Diet which pushed low carb, high protein? How about the absurd diets like Grapefruit diet, HCG Diet, or the Cabbage Diet? The horrible calorie counting that is “simply science”? Let’s not even get started on the diet pills or if milk is good/bad for you. Through all these many fads, they always promise results with some scientific evidence that guarantees weight loss and healthy living. But America (which seems to be the place where these “great” diets become very popular) is the most overweight, unhealthy nation. If ANY of these diets would have worked, this nation would be slim, fit, and healthy. But we’re not.

We are SO desperate to lose weight, and look good that we put all of our logical reasoning aside in hopes of a slimmer body. This is called vanity in the Bible. We will go through crazy diet fads in order to drop a few pounds. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for healthy living. Living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of your body brings about a more enriched life, clearer thinking, and you feel better overall. Who doesn’t want to be healthy? It is in your best interest to BE healthy. But these diets are far from healthy. You may drop a few pounds at first and gain all them back plus some in the end. And the cycle starts over again the next time you start the new best diet.

Photo Credit

 

 

But the Paleo isn’t new. It’s the diet of our Ancestors.

Actually, no. Our ancestors ate grains and dairy. Archaeologist have found grinding stones that ancient civilizations used to grind grains. Even without the evidence, think about it. If you were starving (when I say starving, I am not talking about starving from eating lunch and ready for supper) and you tried to go hunt for meat but failed in killing an animal. You then try to find some berries but also are unlucky. You then stumble upon the “all dreaded” wheat or the “evil” dairy cow. Would you eat it or drink it? I know I would. You see, our ancestors lived in a time where they hunted and gathered their own food. They didn’t have the luxury of driving to the grocery store and deciding that grains and milk/dairy was bad for you. You can even look to the Bible to see that as far back as the Egyptians were eating, harvesting grains.

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”  And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” (Genesis 42:1-2)

Remember the story of Ruth in the Bible? She was gleaning grains during the time of the harvest. Don’t believe the bible? Well look at some of the ancient Egyptian drawings. They were clearing harvesting grains and eating them. The Egyptians were also drinking milk. They kept cattle, sheep, and goats. They stored the fresh milk in jars to be consumed immediately. If they didn’t consume it immediately, they processed the milk into quark or yogurt-like labaneh.

Ancient cultures like the Chinese are know for their consumption of rice. The Indus Valley Civilization, Mayans, Egyptians, Chinese, Japenese,  Romans, all ate grains and drank milk. You look at all these different cultures and you will see they all enjoyed both grains and dairy. Can you imagine trying to explain to these ancient cultures how milk and wheat was bad for them?? I’m sure they would glaze over and continue doing what they always had done, eating grains and dairy.

My mom talks about an ancient time (ok, not so ancient but ancient to me haha 🙂 ) when they grew everything they ate. And what they didn’t have, they bartered for. They were very poor. I am talking about a time when they were so poor they actually had dirt floors. No, I am not kidding. They were a family of 12 struggling to survive. They worked hard sun up to sun down. Every single one of them worked hard. She likes to tell me of times when all they had to eat was wheat muffins with honey and washed it down with milk, and how delicious this simple meal was. The milk was freshly milked from a cow or a goat. The wheat muffins were made from fresh wheat they had grown, harvested, and ground. My grandpa had robbed the honey from the bee hive. And the muffins were made from scratch by my grandmother. They were poor, worked hard, ate fresh grains and veggies grown from the soil they tilled, the meat was from the animals they grew on the farm, and most importantly, they were healthy.

But the caveman dated way before Egyptians..

So you mean to tell me that the Egyptians just decided to start eating grains and dairy? The reason I chose the Egyptians is because there is mountains of evidence on the modern science viewpoint and biblical accounts. Like it or not, they are still an ancient civilization.  There is hard evidence that the Egyptians ate grains and dairy. Both the biblical viewpoint and science both recognize the Egyptians as an ancient civilization. There is scientific evidence and the Bible also speaks of their time. I have a very different viewpoint than most. I am a Christian and take the Bible as truth. The caveman era that modern science teaches is off when aligning it to the Bible.  We all know science changes all the time. Simply look at the fad diets and you will see how science isn’t consistent. But that is another rabbit hole I will not go into detail right now. I think there were caveman but the time frame was not as modern science states and they are missing some details. I look to the bible for my answers. If you’re interested, read Answers in Genesis’ article When did caveman live? So to sum it up, the “caveman” can be found in Genesis. Where you can clearly see they ate grains and dairy. Even if you don’t believe the bible, archaeologist have dug up mills from ancient civilizations that they state were during the Caveman era. Like I said above, I have a different viewpoint on the Caveman era. But it still remains that an ancient civilization before the well documented and studied Egyptians, were still grinding grains.

As far as evolution goes. We do not just decide and/or evolve one day to begin eating something we never had to previous times. That is like saying we can evolve to eat grass. Grass has no nutrients to the human body. Our body can’t just automatically begin to need grass. It is undeniable that grains and dairy have nutrients that the body needs. Grass, on the other hand, doesn’t. Think about this for a second. If you saw a man out in his front yard eating grass, what would you think? You would think this man is mentally disturbed. Science would probably say, this man has some kind of disorder. Let’s say he comes to you and says, “Try some, it tastes like chicken.” Would you try it? Probably not but for the sake of argument let’s say he talks you into it. You try it and make a face, spit it out, and realize he is a little crazy. Let’s put that scenario to a “time when they didn’t eat grains and dairy.” Now apply that same scenario to the caveman. Civilizations all around the world would not just decide to start eating wheat and dairy just because they felt like it especially if it didn’t have any beneficial nutrients. It wouldn’t happen. You couldn’t convince civilizations around to world to eat grass so why would you think you could convince them to eat wheat and dairy if they weren’t already consuming it?

We have evolved to drive cars. We have evolved to manufacture food to be sold at the local grocery store. We have evolved to do many things but it does have limits. I do not believe we evolved from monkeys. I honestly think this is a disgrace to man to think we were once monkeys. I mean, monkeys eat their own poop. I am not kidding.  My husband didn’t believe me until I pulled up multiple videos on youtube. Again, another rabbit hole I am not going to journey down today. If your interested and this is a new viewpoint for you, check out Answers in Genesis’s article; Theory of Evolution.

What the Paleo diet got right….

I don’t think all of the Paleo Diet is wrong. I think they got a few things right. Most of our foods are highly processed, genetically modified, growth hormone induced, nutrient lacking, picked before its ripe, sprayed with gas to make it look nice,  and probably a few other problems I’m missing. Our food is literally a science experiment and as far from natural as you can get. We are a nation that is overfed and undernourished. We take supplements to counteract the foods that are seriously lacking vital vitamins and minerals. Our health is declining but McDonald’s is making the big bucks.

Eliminating processed foods and grains that have been stripped of their nutrients, growth hormones, GMOs, choosing organic, growing your own food or buying from local farmers you trust, and avoiding toxins such as pesticides, are all on the right track to eating healthy. Don’t fall into the lies and fad diets that are going to destroy your health even further. Trust me, give it 5-10 years and the Paleo Diet will be tossed out for the next diet that comes along to promise health, weight loss, and some kind of science to back up the claims.

 

When I wrote the blog post, I didn’t know the information I know now. Stay tuned for the next blog post. I will be covering why many are having reactions to wheat. *** Hint*** It’s not the gluten! 😉

So what are you thoughts on the Paleo Diet? Is it a do or a don’t?

 

 

 

photo credit: photobookgirl via photopin cc

photo credit: alexrheadrick via photopin cc

 

 

 

 

Sourdough Bread

The Benefits of Sourdough Bread

 

Photo created using Basic Sourdough Bread-Bread Kneaded by Rebecca Siegel

My story and what lead to researching sourdough bread

About two months ago, I started talking to some friends about some of my weight loss woes. It didn’t matter what I did I couldn’t lose weight, etc. They recommended I go see their physician and told me they had many of the same symptoms.  I had been tested before for hypothyroidism and it was negative so I thought my thyroid was fine. They told me they had been tested before as well but it wasn’t until a full panel was ordered that they discovered they had an under active thyroid. I was a little doubtful but I knew something was not right with my body so I went to the physician. She ran some blood work, told me my hormones were out of whack, deficient in B12, vitamin D, and my thyroid wasn’t functioning properly. She went over all my results and explained everything to me. She then advised me on what to do for treatment. Our hectic schedules were about to kick off again so we were headed to go camping right after the doc appointment.

Hypothyroidism

After we began to get back into our routine, me being me, I started researching hypothyroidism. I wanted to know what it is, what causes it, how to reverse it, etc. Hypothyroid seems to be very complex and can be different for each patient. So I got out the test results and compared it to the my research. And then I remembered she had wrote autoimmune next to the the thyroid antibody. I don’t know if I had been so busy to forget that she had said I was autoimmune, was in disbelief, or I thought maybe it wasn’t any big deal since the physician didn’t seem like it was anything out of the ordinary but I had completely forgot about her stating and writing that I was autoimmune. Of course, I began researching Autoimmune Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody. I quickly learned this was called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Hashimotos

I have spent some time trying to research this autoimmune disorder. I have been reading a book called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause. Almost every article, site, and the 2 books I have read over Hashimotos talks about getting your gut back in check. Many doctors and specialists are making a connection between gluten and autoimmune disorders. The health of your gut plays a big role in your immune system. Last night, I was reading the book mentioned above and it began talking about Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder where the lining of the small intestine is. People with Celiac Disease are also gluten intolerant. They can remove gluten from their diet and see improvements. So what does Celiac Disease have to do with anything? I’m getting there. The book states that in studies, sourdough bread can be eaten safely by people with celiac disease (gluten intolerant) and even in some cases reverse it.

“Traditional bread preparation techniques involved using a “sourdough” fermentation process that would break down the gluten protein. This process involves putting a special types of yeast on the flour that takes about three days until the bread is ready to be baked.

Conventional bread preparation techniques don’t bother with this process and most wheat products in breads, cereals, and processed foods contain gluten.” (Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, Izabella Wentz PharmD , pg 165-166)

Is it the wheat or yeast?

Interesting. This sparked my interest so of course, more research! I’m sure many of you have heard about the Paleo Diet, how wheat/grains are bad for you, etc. Wheat/grains have been getting a bad rep recently. But I have said from word go that I don’t believe we shouldn’t consume grains. People have been eating grain products for a long time. There had to be another connection they were missing. Jesus himself ate bread so I knew wheat was not bad for you but didn’t have any proof.

Funny thing is, about 6-7 months ago, I was talking to my sis and hubby about bread. I asked the question how did people in Biblical times and before mass production make bread. I knew some of them made flat bread but they still used some kind of leaven to make the bread rise. I had also wondered if the yeast purchased from the store was good for you. No one seemed to know and I had lightly tried to research it but I decided maybe I was thinking too much about yeast.

I was also curious what type of leavened bread they were making in Biblical times. Guess what kind of bread it was? Sourdough. Yep. Things are beginning to make sense. And guess what, they didn’t add yeast to the bread to leaven it. The bread made it’s own yeast through the fermentation process. Sourdough bread was made before the industrial revolution and during biblical times. Even the Egyptians used sourdough starter to make bread. They didn’t have a local grocery store that carried yeast in a little brown glass bottle. Making sourdough bread is like going back to the basics.

What makes the difference between regular bread and sourdough bread?

If you’ve ever made sourdough bread, you know it is a lengthier process. You have to have a sourdough starter which can be made yourself (takes about a week) or you are given a sourdough starter from a friend or family member. Once you have the starter, it takes 3 days before you actually bake the bread.  With normal bread, you start it the same day that you bake it and there is no starter involved. Unlike traditional bread, the sourdough bread goes through a fermentation process and it creates yeast from the air. You do not add the yeast to the bread, it creates its own. From what I have read, sourdough bread will taste different depending on your location.

The benefits of Sourdough Bread

1.) Easier to Digest- The bacteria and the yeast in the sourdough begin digesting the starches. This in return makes it easier for us to digest the starches.

2.) Blood Glucose Regulation- Some studies have shown that those who consumed Sourdough bread had a lower blood glucose level vs traditional breads. The results showed that the positive results lasted to hours after the next meal.

3.) Natural Preservative- Sourdough Bread will stay fresh longer because of the natural preservatives; acetic acid and lactic acid. These acids inhibit the growth of mold.

4.) Better absorption of vitamin and minerals- The longer fermentation breaks down the phytic acid. This means better absorbtion of the 18 amino acids, B vitamins, iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and maltase. People with Hashimotos, hypothyroidism, and many Americans are lacking in these vital nutrients.

5.) Good Bacteria- Sourdough bread contains the good bacteria (Lactobacillus) which is also the bacteria found in yogurt, kefir, sour cream, buttermilk, etc. If you buy a probiotic, it will probably have strains of Lactobacillus. Lots of research suggests a good bacteria= healthy gut = a healthy body.

6.) It’s delicious- I’m not going to claim that I bake all the time but I do bake more than most average Americans. About 3 months ago, a friend gave me a sourdough starter. It was different than baking typical bread and seemed like it would be some trouble since it took 3 days before I could bake it. Then I had to feed the starter like it was some little hungry monster growing in my fridge. My husband didn’t understand why he needed to go to the grocery store to buy potato flakes to feed the bread starter! Anyways,  after it was all said and done, it wasn’t that big of deal to make. And I have to say, it was some of the best bread I have ever made and ate. It was delicious and even the texture was better. It makes sense now why it tasted so scrumptious. It’s tastes better because it is better for you!

All wisdom comes from the Father

Maybe my gut instinct (no pun intended) was telling me something when I had questioned commercial yeast. Deep down I knew wheat was not the evil tyrant that diets like the Paleo have made many to think.  I haven’t bought into the Paleo Diet and the statements that come along with it. If you haven’t gathered this from my previous posts or this post, I am a Christian. I believe all wisdom comes from the heavenly father. So it only makes sense for me to look to the Bible for answers. As far as I’m aware, there is no scripture that says sourdough bread is better than modern bread but we can look to the scripture for some clues.

“For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

Jesus was also our greatest example and he ate bread. The bread was also symbolic for his body. When Jesus broke the bread with the apostles, unleavened bread was used. We draw this conclusion since by looking at Matthew 25:1. Some may already know this but “leaven” is anything that is used to make the bread rise. Examples of leaven are yeast, baking soda, and baking powder.

“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)

Jesus also said he was the bread of life. Bread is nourishment for our bodies and Jesus is nourishment for our soul.

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

Here is some food for thought since leaven and bread is the topic here. If you look at Galatians 5:9, Paul referred to leaven as a symbol to sin. Any time you add even a little leaven to bread, you will get leavened bread. The bread is either leavened or unleavened. The same goes for our soul. A little sin makes the person sinful. You can not have even the smallest smidge of sin and be sin free. Many of us like to say “I am a good person,” or “she/he is a good person.” They/I only (insert sin here) a little or from time to time. Truth is, we all fall short of the glory of God. We have to ask for forgiveness for sin and turn from it. When a man called Jesus good, he replied and said, “Why do you call me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. ” (Mark 10:18) It is only through Jesus Christ that can wash away our sins.  Does that mean we can go on sinning? No, there is MANY scriptures that tells us how we shouldn’t sin, what sin is, and how we should be more Christ like.

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”  Galations 5:9

Hope you have enjoyed my findings and find all this information as interesting as I do. 🙂 Leave your comments below.

 

How to make Magnesium Oil

Most people these days are deficient in magnesium. It is estimated that approximately 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is so vital that every major organ in the human body needs it to function properly. The significance of magnesium is so grand that I will save all the details for a later post. But let me just say, magnesium is very important and when one is deficient in magnesium, there are side effects that one will experience.

After I read tons of information about magnesium, I learned magnesium is best absorbed through the skin. This method is called trans dermal magnesium therapy.  I began looking at Amazon for magnesium oil but it is expensive! The Ancient Minerals brand (higher quality) is $36.69 for an 8 oz bottle! This is too expensive for my blood so I researched how to make the magnesium oil yourself.

It is super easy to make and a LOT cheaper!

What is Magnesium good for?

I will try to keep this short, but here is a few things that magnesium does for the body.

• Relieves stress
• Aids weight loss
• Promotes a more restful sleep
• Eases PMS and menstrual cramps
• Prevents Kidney stones and can possibly reverse kidney stones
• Aids in Vitamin D absorption (most Americans are also deficient in Vitamin D as well)
• Helps relieve constipation
• Helps the body adsorb nutrients
• Lowers blood pressure
• Boosts energy levels
• Promotes bone and dental health
• Helps strengthen the immune system
• Can help with disorders like fibromyalgia, diabetes, IBS, ADD, ADHD, insomnia, depression, restless leg syndrome, and more
• Promotes skin health
• Helps promote overall health and wellness

I plan on writing a more in depth post about the benefits of magnesium so stay tuned for the article! If you want to do some research, here is a book that talks about the benefits of Magnesium.

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What you need

• 1/2 c Magnesium Chloride Flakes
• 1/2 c distilled water
• spray bottle (one batch will make about 4 oz of magnesium oil. I keep mine in (2) 2 oz spray bottles)

Cost Breakdown

The Ancient Chloride Flakes (I recommend this brand because of quality) will cost you about $11.05 on Amazon and if you are a Prime member, the shipping is FREE. The bag will make quite a few batches and the batches last for quite some time. The Distilled water costs me $0.99. And I picked up the spray bottles for a $1 each. One 1.65 lb bag of the flakes will make 6.61  batches. So you do the math and that is $1.67 for 1/2 c flakes and $0.03 for the distilled water totaling $1.70. That sure beats $36.69 for the 8 oz bottle!! You could add in the $1 bottles if you want, but the spray bottles are a one time cost.
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How to make

1. Bring water to boil. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in Magnesium Flakes until dissolved. Allow to cool.
3. Store in spray bottle.

How to use

Shake the bottle before spraying. Spray 10-20 spritz on arms, legs, stomach once daily. You will probably have a tingling, itching, sensation. This usually goes away after 20 or 30 minutes. To me, it feels like those tingle lotions that you use for the tanning beds. This is normal and after consistent use, this should go away. I have read that the tingling, itching, actually means you are deficient in magnesium. I want to say this is probably correct. When I first began using the magnesium oil, I had a very strong tingly itchy sensation. I kept using it and it didn’t go away. I actually stopped using it for a while. Then I began using Himalayan salt (read my article about Himalayan Salt) into my diet. I used it again and the tingly, itchy feeling was very low and it subsided after about 1-5 minutes. You will probably want to start out with about 10 spritz and work your way up to 20 spritzes.

 

Let me know what you think and how it works for you!

 

 

FREE Essential Oils Books

I am still a newbie when it comes to learning about essential oils, their uses, and properties. I have learned a little bit here and there but am by far, no expert. I love learning anything I can about essential oils. I also love FREE. Free is the best price.

There are 4 FREE Essential Oils ebooks on Amazon right now so I want to share.  Make sure you download them right now while the price shows $0.00. Amazon often has deals only available for a limited time.

This can be delivered to your kindle. If you don’t have a kindle, you can download the kindle app from the app store, google play, and windows device. Don’t have a smart phone, kindle or tablet? You can download it to your pc. Download FREE Reading App    I haven’t read these books, but I am taking advantage of the freebies right now. Even if they are not that great, you don’t lose anything when they are FREE! Hope you guys enjoy!

We’re all searching

We’re all searching…. searching desperately for the reason to life, the meaning, true happiness, love, or the answer to our problems.

Science tries to make sense of things through investigation of things seen, theologies, and studying life itself. Economical problems look to the government to solve the current economical pitfalls we face as a culture. An alcoholic drowns their sorrows in another beer. An addict feels the next fix is the solution to the problem. A broken heart searches for another to heal their ache. The unhappy seeks to find happiness. The poor seeks to not feel the burdens of poverty and looks to the rich man’s grass and wonders what it feels like to walk in his shoes only to find the rich man is still searching for something. The sick looks for the cure. No matter who we are, we have all been lost at sometime and searched out answers to our problems.

As I look around, I see a broken society. I see people getting divorced left and right and a shattered home is what is left. The parents are so banged up from the emotional and financial stress, they are simply broken. The children have felt the enormous weight and have no idea how to fix the problem. They are caught in the whirlwind of the war and have nowhere to turn. The parents, after some healing, seek out a new partner to heal their sorrow. Sometimes, the marriage withstands but other times, it is only ended in another broken home.

Children seek to their friends, parents, tv, society for the answers. Many children are not guided these days and the world teaches them its ways. They teach them how to be of this world but the world is broken.

Debt in America is SO huge, we think well if we can somehow climb out of this enormous debt we have created, things will be good again. As time passes, we just keep passing our debt on to the next generation and creating a bigger mess. Maybe the next president can help us. Maybe he has some answers.  Or maybe this other guy knows what he is talking about. Maybe he has the answers.

Science thinks they have it all figured out until, they don’t. They are looked to have all the big answers when all they have is evidence of things they can study right here and now. They can’t explain how the world really began and most don’t want to look to a Intelligent Designer to try to explain the unexplained. They can study, and study, and study, and when they die, there will still be problems they can’t explain. The Big Bang, Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and other theories that are being taught as truth to young children  have caused many to stumble in their faith. Don’t get me wrong, science has did many great things but the theories are only theories. A theory is an idea in which the person suspects. A thesis, hypothesis, and a theory all have to proven before it makes it true. So why is it Darwin’s theory of Evolution is said to be fact? Evolution does occur but it has it’s limit. The definition of theory is a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained. “Darwin’s theory of evolution” No, I did not add the last part. That was the example given (see the picture below). 

Darwin studies the different beaks of the finch. And we can clearly see how things can adapt. But never has anyone seen any sign that we evolved from a monkey. A human has always been  a human. A monkey has always been a monkey. Science is putting their faith in science, man’s theologies, and denying God when they teach/believe these types of theologies that contradict God’s word. In the 2 Timothy, we read;

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. (2 Timothy 6:20-21)

The poor see the rich man driving these nice vehicles, living in these nice homes, and thinks “If I could make a little more money, my problems would be solved.” The rich man is looking to the richer man and thinking the same thing.

One who always seeks money will never be satisfied. If your heart craves the riches of this world, you will spend your whole life chasing after more money. There is many verses in the bible about the love of money and here is a few.

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) 

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Some people look to religion, denominations, to find the key to this life. Maybe this religion over here is on to something. Maybe that denomination over there is better than the last one I was apart of. Some turn bitter before they truly find the true hope they were looking for.

The bible warns us that there will be many false teachers, false religions, and false doctrines. If we do not study for ourself we can not know which religions are false. Being a Christian is more than just going to church every Sunday. The Bible instructs us to take up our cross daily. The only way to know the Lord, we must dust off that Bible and study it for ourself.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17)

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” ( 2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

“For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:33)

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:15-23)

Throughout all the history of mankind, we have searched for these big answers to the answers to life. As a Christian, I see the brokenness of the world and want to tell them the answer. I want to tell them about the enlightenment of my hope, my faith, the love of Jesus Christ, and our heavenly father. I want to shout out to everyone but no one wants to hear it. I was once deaf but now I hear.

I can see divorce is not the answer. Science is not the answer. More money is not the answer. Man-made religions, violence, cruelty, drugs, alcohol, stealing, lying, cheating, government, gossiping, food, new shiny thingies, fighting, and whatever else we use try to fix the problems.   I see all these things that we have tried to fit into the blank and have not worked but yet generation after generation, we think well maybe, it’ll work this time. I want to show them the answer but no one wants to see….. I was once blind but now I see.

I truly believe we are born with the desire to seek out the Father. We have it instilled in us but on our journey, the devil pulls us down all the confusing paths and we get lost. He holds up a sign that says “Here are the real answers. ____ is the answer. Follow me.” Some will find it for a short period of time only to pulled right back into the ways of this world. And many will wonder around this earth and never find it. Very few will find what really fills their soul. Through all the ups and downs of this life, they have that solid ground to withstand all the ammo the devil has to fire.

As a Christian, it is disheartening that no one wants to hear about this awesome thing you have found. When you buy this new thingy that is the coolest thing since sliced bread, people want to know about it. They rush out and buy it. Not giving it a second thought. But when you have found the best treasure your have EVER found, you’re just religious.

You have found this hope in the bleakest of times. You have this new sense of life. You have found the real reason, the real answer, and this amazing love. And through this amazing love, you have felt love deeper than you ever have. It has changed you for the better. You want to do good things. And while others see the great news as only a set of rules to follow that only chains one down, you feel free. Your chains have been broke from the bondage of sin.  And not only are you free, you have this sense of peace even in a raging storm. You have the best news ever! You want to share it with everyone but very few will have an ear to hear or eyes to see.

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:34-36)

 

You can see the destruction your own selfish desires can bring. You see why God says not to do certain things. He says it for your own self good. And just like any good father would do, he warns you of these ways.

The answer is the Lord. His ways are good. He is good. He is love. He is the way, the truth, and the light.He is the beginning and the end.  If we try to live by the moral ways of the Lord, our ways will be right. As a human, we often like to justify our ways to our own self desires. Our morals began to crumble if we all do this. What might be right in one’s eyes might be wrong in another. Suddenly things that were once wrong seem ok. Our society is broken because our foundation is no longer standing on a firm ground. Our nation was once a great nation that was built with Christ as the foundation. But slowly, Christ is being pulled out from our nation.

America’s  founding father’s set up on nation on the morals of God. In the beginning of the school systems, our own government printed the Bibles to be used in the classroom. Now, we can’t say a prayer before a football game. (I recommend watching Monumental. If you have Amazon prime, it is free. If not, you can buy Monumental for $10.69 or you can rent Monumental for $3.99) If you seek the Lord, live by his ways, society is better as whole. The bible tells us not to lie, cheat, steal, murder, gossip, be unjust, not to hate anyone but love one another, help one another, give to the needy, respect the elderly, and do good things. And then, we are to teach them to our own children. If we were all to follow this rule, this world would be a better place.  Each person would be a better person. Our nation could be great once again. You see, the answer is the Lord.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Own Worst Enemy

When you think of your own worst enemy, you probably think of someone who has insulted you, dislikes you immensely maybe even hates you, calls you names, looks down on you, sees all your flaws, speaks of you badly, and thinks you’re worthless. Sometimes, your own worst enemy is you.

How many times have you looked in the mirror and saw nothing but your flaws? How many times have you called yourself names such as ugly, fat, stupid, weird? How many times have you thought you’re worthless? Have you ever made a mistake and beat yourself up over it? If I was to bet, we all have done these things to ourselves. We treat ourselves like we are our own worst enemy.

Your soul is valuable to the Lord so why do we doubt our worth? Maybe we forget what the scripture says, never read it, or maybe we have been told a lie so many times, we begin to believe it.  Your soul is worth more than all the riches of the world, all the animals, and above all the lavish things of this world. Your soul is worth the price of Jesus’s blood.

Whenever you start to forget your worth, here are some scriptures to remind you.

“I’m worried about something…”

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil therof. (Matthew 6:34)

“I’m afraid or fearful….”

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalms 27:1)

“I’m feeling alone.”

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrew 13:5)

“I’m broke and have no money.”

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” (James 2:5)

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” (Matthew 6: 19-20)

“I want”/ “I need….”

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:25-33)

“I’m ugly, wierd looking, or physcially unattractive…”

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

“I have done so many horrible things. How can I forgive myself? How can God forgive me?”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“I’m worthless…”

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John3:16

“I’m weak…”

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. ” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

These are just a few reminders of how much we are worth. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5: 6-9) 

As I was playing with photoshop creating the image to go along with this post, the song “You are more” by Tenth Avenue North and I really feel it goes with this topic. The song goes like this;

Don’t you know who you are, what’s been done for you?

Don’t you know who are.

You are more than the choices that you’ve made.

You are more than the sum of past mistakes.

You are more than the problems you create.

You’ve been remade.

This is not about what you’ve done.

But what’s been done for you. This is is not about where you’ve been. 

But where your brokenness brings you to. 

This is not about what you feel. 

But what He felt to forgive you. 

And what He felt to make you loved

Why I Switched to Himalayan Salt

Our bodies today are missing many of the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to function properly. Salt is a vital nutrient that is used in our bodies to carry nutrients in and out of our cells, regulates a proper blood pressure, detoxes your body, normalizes muscle and nerve function, and more. Media has pushed the idea, “beware of salt, salt is bad!” However, an unrefined, unprocessed, God- made salt is good you.

The history of salt

I won’t go into ALL the details of salt but here is a brief history of salt. To all the homeschooling mamas or daddies out there, this might a topic for homeschool! Belief it or not, there is alot to know about salt!

The Egyptians use salt in their sacrificial offerings, trade, and  a means of preserving. They traded salt between the Phoenicians and the Mediterranean empire. In Greece, slaves were exchanged for salt. Back in the Roman’s time, salt was used as a form of currency. It was highly valuable and the soldiers were often paid by giving them salt. The word salary comes from the Latin word “salarium.” Salarium means payment in salt. I won’t include all the historical data regarding salt but as you can see, salt was the “white gold” to many civilizations.

Fast forward to today’s  manufactured salt. When salt was first manufactured, they realized their customers preferred a pure white salt over the natural off-white color. In order for them to get the pure white salt that we know today, they have to highly process it. The process includes bleaching, stripping the salt of all beneficial nutrients, heating it to a very high temp, and using toxic chemicals. The processed salt is missing 80 beneficial minerals and they only add one nutrient back in! All this boils down to a very toxic salt.

Not too long after they began doing this, people started developing diseases such as goiter. Goiter is caused from iodine deficiency and is easily recognized. A big lump protruding from your neck sends a big signal. Then they began adding iodine back into the the salt. Over 80+ beneficial properties and only 1 nutrient is put back in.

What does the bible say about salt

Jesus spoke about salt in the bible. Many times when Jesus would speak, he spoke in parables. Here is what he says;

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” (Luke 14:34)

He says salt is good. I find this absolutely interesting. I have probably read over these verses a ton of times. I was actually looking for the following verse when I stumbled across the 2 previous verses. Now, I know this is a parable and it has a deeper meaning than salt is good but I always caught the deeper meaning without realizing Jesus said salt is good. Let’s look at the recording in Matthew.

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matthew 5:13)

Clearly, salt in these verses are representing the righteous. Jesus used symbols to teach those “who had ears to hear” to get his message across. Even though we know when he is talking about salt, the deeper message is the saints, but if salt was bad, he would have simply chosen another example for his parable. What is the take away? Salt is good. 

We must keep in mind, salt during the time of Jesus wasn’t manufactured. It was in its purest form just the way God made it. It had not been refined and corrupted. I know, most of you are going to be thinking, but science says salt is bad. Let’s look at the verse in 1 Timothy about science.

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

Timothy is warned to avoid false science. The KJV is the only one (that I’m aware of) that uses the term science. Many other versions say knowledge. Science is usually wisdom in most eyes. The archaic definition of science is; knowledge of any kind. Science is often looked to for all the answers. By looking to science, we are putting our faith in men instead of God.  We all know men are not perfect therefore neither is science. Science has been wrong time and time again so it still baffles me to why many think science holds all knowledge. Don’t get me wrong, science has brought many great inventions but only after tons of trial and error.

All knowledge comes from God. Wordly wisdom is simply foolishness with God.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Corinthians 3:19)

With all that being said, science says salt is bad. I agree with them to an extent. The salt that science has refined and processed, is bad. The salt in its natural form is good.

Not all salts are created equal

Through the manufacturing process natural salt has been so heavily processed that is removes all minerals and trace minerals leaving only sodium and chloride. This is NOT only iodized salt. This is also done to those brands labeled as Sea Salt.

All salt is sea salt

All salt comes from a salted body of water. It can be from what we typically think such as the ocean or can be a salt-water lake. It is derived from water or deposits from the sea. It can also be derived from deposits that have evaporated from the oceans during periods of time. The Himalayan Salt is an example of deposits evaporated from the ocean during an earlier time. All salt is sea salt. Table salt, sea salt, Celtic salt, Himalayan salt, and whatever other kind of salt there is.

Packaging can be deceiving

The type of Sea Salt that I have on hand is one of them. It states on the packaging “100% Natural,” “made naturally from the sea and the sun,”  and ” this salt does not contain iodine, a necessary nutrient.” Clever right? I purchased the salt after hearing the uproar about how evil table salt was and how great sea salt is. The packaging is obviously targeted towards those trying to make the switch to a natural alternative but in return are basically getting the same thing with a heftier price tag. How do I know this? Simple, a natural salt would have iodine in it. How do they do this legally? Well, it is all in the advertising game. Technically, they are not lying. All salt is natural, made from the sea and the sun. Every bit of salt is comes from a salted body of water. I completed 90 credits towards a Bachelor’s in Advertising and dropped out because of moral reasons. So trust me on this. Here is another example of Advertising at it’s best. You know those Natural-Cut French Fries from some fast food joints sell? To the normal consumer, they order these natural-cut fries thinking they are a better alternative to the typical french fries. Are they? No, in fact they are no better than the regular ole fries. If you pay attention to the wording, it is natural-cut fries. That little hyphen between the natural and cut is connecting the natural to the word cut. In other words, it means they are naturally cut. Crafty right? And incredibly misleading. Now you can probably understand my decision to get out of the degree.

Check the color of your salt

So if sea salt is as bad as table salt which one do you use? You want to find a salt that is unrefined, unprocessed salt. One way to tell is to go for a salt that is not a pure white. Salts come in a different colors from an off white, sandy color, black, and pink. Rice is kind of the same case. Your brown rice is healthy while your white rice (highly processed, with nutrients stripped and then added back) is not good for you. But like other products, you might want to research the brand you choose to make sure they are not giving you a fake. I just purchased the 5lb bag of San Francisco Salt Company Co Himalayan Salt and I am splitting it with my sister. I’m still checking out the validity of this salt as well as other Himalayan Salts.

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Himalayan Salt

The Himalayan Salt is a variety of different colors of pink. This pink color denotes the 84 minerals and trace minerals that present in the salt.

Himalayan Salt is mined from (you guessed it) the Himalayan mountains. It is said to be one of the purest forms of sea salt, untouched and unpolluted. This salt is said to be deposited in the mountains before the oceans were polluted with PCBs, pesticides, and other pollutants.

You can make “sole” (a health drink), put it in your baths, and use it to season your food. There are also salt lamps that can purify your air. Depending on the purpose you plan on using it will depend on which coarseness you will want. I personally prefer the taste of the Himalayan Salt. I use salt very sparingly and never thought I would be writing about any kind of salt.

Benefits of Himalayan Salt

• 84  minerals and trace minerals
• unrefined
• unlike refined salt, Himalayan salt can actually lower blood pressure
• promotes ph balance in cells
• promotes sleep
• supports libido
• supports metabolism
• prevents muscle cramps
• promotes sinus health
• promotes vascular health
• promotes healthy blood sugar level
• balances your electrolytes
• reduce acid re flux
• helps the intestines absorb nutrients
• overall health
• naturally balances hormones
• Tastes better (my opinion)
• some studies suggest natural salt can reduce cellulite

For me, I see no reason not to switch to Himalayan salt. The health benefits are substantial. During my research, I read that by switching to Himalayan salt your cravings for salty foods will decrease, since your body is craving the necessary nutrients that are in salt but are missing from the salt you are ingesting. I am one that tends to crave salty junk food so we will see if this is true or not.

What are your thoughts on the subject? Will you be switching to Himalayan salt? Why or Why not?