For the Love of Enzymes

Today was one of those days when I just really wanted to make a soup out of what was in the house. So I sauted onions, garlic, and ramps in a huge dollop of home-made butter and some olive oil, then added carrots and celery and cooked a bit more. I then added the various bits of stock I had in my fridge (beef and chicken) and some fresh thyme and oregano and salt and cooked till the veggies were softened. Then I pureed it up in the pot and added some arrowroot powder dissolved in warm stock and a large cup of fresh raw cream. I heated it a little more and served. It was very tasty and nourishing.

I've been reading a lot about enzymes lately and have been reminded of their importance to our health. Since reading Nourishing Tradtions I've made it a habit to start each meal with an enzyme-rich food. For breakfast it's yogurt, for lunch it's home-made raw sauerkraut or pickles or a mayonnaise, ketchup or mustard condiment. For dinner I always have salad with raw vinegar, beet kvass and olive oil and often I add avocado.

All of those foods/condiments are rich in enzymes when prepared properly (raw yogurt, cold-pressed olive oil and avocado are full of enzymes naturally, the other foods I ferment with whey so they are enzyme super-foods).

Because the Western diet is pretty much all cooked-foods, it is basically devoid of enzymes. Our body produces enzymes but apparently we have a limited potential for the amount that can be produced. But everytime we eat these completely cooked meals we are relying on our body's enzymes to digest the food. This puts an undue burden on our pancreas (where enzymes are assembled). However, if we eat foods rich in enzymes then digestion can be initiated even before we put the food in our mouth. And after the food enters our bellies it sits there for awhile before it is passed to the lower part of our stomach. During this time the food could be getting broken down by food enzymes or it could just be sitting there, putrefying (ew). It has been said that life span is inversely proportionate to the amount of enzymes the body needs to produce. So, use those food enzymes, make them do the work and let your body rest a bit.

By the way, this I think was one of the wonderfully beneficial aspects of the raw milk diet. Raw milk is chock-full of enzymes so it is digested wonderfully efficiently by the body, allowing healing to occur.

Day 10: Still Hanging In There

I have a headache. Well, I've had it since last night to be honest. I'm also frustrated because after getting through last week and feeling great on the full-fat milk I just want to keep going. I don't even crave steak or burgers anymore. So it's annoying that again I don't feel well.

I had another cup of beef stock today too. I'm going to run out and since I don't have any more knuckle or marrow bones I'm going to buy a yellow-fin red snapper tomorrow and make some fish stock. The stock feels like rocket fuel when I drink it. It's pretty amazing. I've been reading Nina Planck's book "Real Food" and she talks about the health benefits of stock. The fat gives a huge boost to your immune system, the gelatin helps your body utilize the protein and the whole thing is rich in easily digestible calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. And it tastes good too.

Back to my rich, white, scrumptious milk. It is unfathomable that I still love the taste, smell and texture of the stuff! And the milky milk feeling in my mouth after a nice cold glass. We shall see what tomorrow holds. I hope I feel better.
Oh, I almost forgot, I'm up to 122.5 pounds. Yay!

Day 9: Fat Is Where It's At

OK, I cannot express enough the importance and beauty of fat. I am going to be the world's expert on how NOT to do the raw milk diet by the time this thing is done. Starting with not being on bed rest. But, more importantly, skimming my milk like a dodohead. "Duh", is really the best word that comes to mind.

Now that I am not skimming my milk it's like night and day. I'm not dizzy or weak. I don't feel hungry either. Phew! This thing is actually fun!

I did have some beef stock this morning because I was feeling a little weak. It felt and tasted great. I am still taking this thing day-by-day, if I feel any bit of weak or tired or dizzy I will have stock. If that doesn't help I will have some eggs or meat. But I feel great right now.

I've learned some lessons:
1. Milk is to be drunk with the fat.
2. Listen to your body.
3. Your body needs fat, lots of it (I knew this intellectually but now I know for real)

Indulge No More

Words cannot express how wonderful it is to be eating a nice juicy steak! And this isn't just any steak. It is tenderloin from a pasture-raised cow that has been broiled in garlic, mushrooms, sea salt and sherry, just enough to brown the outside. This delectable delight was served with short-grain brown rice that was slow cooked in butter, beef stock and sea salt. I know your mouth is watering.

I have finally gotten used to not eating bread. I am going gluten-free until after the milk diet because I've read that gluten is a common cause of many health problems, one of which is Hashimoto's (which I have). I also thought that it would be easier to do the milk diet if I slowly cut back on things that I really relish so that I'm not going through multiple with-drawls all at once. I just love having my lovely home-made rolls with tons of butter and raw honey. Oh, I don't even want to think about it. But my cravings for it have passed now (after about a week).

So the gluten thing is a non-issue now (although I hope to be able to tolerate small amounts later on). I'm going to make a nice big batch of peanut butter cookies and carob chews. Those are to be eaten at night with large and luscious glasses of raw milk. Can you hear me sighing?

But, they have to be finished by next Monday because that is when I stop that sort of indulgence. I think that by May 1st, when I start my 2-day fast, I should be over craving those carob chews and peanut butter cookies.

Carob Chews, if you are not familiar, are simply wonderful, delightful snacks. I got the recipe from Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon.

You will need:
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup carob powder
1 Tbls vanilla extract
1 Tbls almond extract
1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
1 cup coconut meat
1 tsp sea salt

First I grind the almonds, cashews and salt in my food processor (mind you I have soaked and dried the nuts beforehand). Then I gently heat the raw honey (just to body temperature so the enzymes stay alive) in a double-broiler. I add the carob and extracts to the honey and mix with a wooden spoon. Then I pour the mixture into the ground nuts and add the coconut meat and mix in the food processor. After, I spread the mixture out on a cookie sheet and refrigerate. When it's cooled I take it out, let it warm a little and cut into little squares and re-refrigerate. They are a great, energy-boosting snack that kids love!

The Cow Said YES!

And yet another move toward the milk month! I have officially gotten my cow to agree to give me enough milk! This was the final step and now that I’ve taken it I suppose there is no turning back. I’m excited and still a little nervous.

Let’s see, I had leftover chili tonight. Oh, but for lunch I had a good one. My special salad (2-3 types of lettuce, avocado, tomatoes tossed with wheat-free soy sauce, beet kvass, raw vinegar and olive oil) with a can of skinless, boneless sardines smothered with my delish home-made mayonnaise. This was an intensely satisfying dish but I was craving a glass of milk afterward and we’re all out.

The funny thing is that about 30 minutes later I was overcome with wave after wave of nausea (something I haven’t experienced much since eating the “real food” way). It was pretty bad so I put a tablespoon of whey (the real stuff baby) in a glass of water, drank it and within 5 minutes the nausea had vanished. Coincidence? Perhaps.....

So I think we are guilty of programming our children to enjoy sweets from very early on. What would you think if you saw a mom denying her child cake at a birthday party? Perhaps you would pity the child for missing out on one of the joys of being a child? Maybe criticize mom for being so rigid?

Why are we so sure this is what kids need? Is it because we want it so badly? Is it possible for us to stop the rampant addiction to sugar by denying it to our children. Do we even want to? Why do people feel compelled to give sugary sweets to kids? I would have to say that there are two distinct groups on this (well there may be more but these are the 2 types of parents I usually encounter). Group 1 tries to avoid giving sugar, somehow fails with all the peer pressure and then feels guilty or uneasy when their little ones indulge. Group 2 has no problem at all with it, thinks it is just part of being a kid and that it probably doesn’t do all that much damage anyway. And I suppose this is neither here nor there but those of us who try to avoid it are really annoyed at Group 2’s behavior. Why do we succumb? Why does a group 2 even exist?

I have to venture a guess to say we succumb because our genes tell us to. Basically, we really do give a s**t what people think about us because societal acceptance is a precursor to survival. Back in the day when we were hunter/gatherers we needed husbands to stick around (or wives or partners) to help keep the kids alive and we needed neighbors and kin around to help us stay alive too. The best way to keep them around was to follow social rules. This present day longing to belong comes from the ancient necessity to belong. So when everyone else is pouring pounds of sugar down their kids throats without a thought we figure that’s the norm so we do it too. OK, this is over-simplified but doesn’t it make sense?

Now does Group 2 exist because of the same reason? Peer pressure? Maybe that was the norm when they were growing up so it will be the norm for their kids? maybe they felt deprived as a child? Of food or love? Maybe they feel guilty for something they are not providing to their child, like wholesome food or love? Maybe they just want to be cool parents?

The only thing I can say is that they surely are NOT setting their kids up to survive. They may have the appearance of being able to survive (popularity brings friends and mates) but their bodies are more likely to be sickly (in the short or long-term).