Thursday, March 28, 2013
Top 10 junk food, top 10 good food.
From the podcast of Helathy Life Summit with Kelly the Kitchen Cop.
Top 10 junk food:
1. Bad fats, the real artery cloggers, partially hydrogenenated anything, canola, soybean, cotton seed oils. these are fake foods, not traditional, you want to avoid those.
Flax oil, sunflower, peanut oil - good quality oils is ok in small amounts.Canola, soy and cotton seed are not quality oils!
2. High fructose corn syrup: making people so sick, strong link between HFCS and heart desease.
3. MSG: nerve toxin, linked to migraine. Can be found in pretty much all processed foods. Hidden names for MSG, need to become a label reader, google the names to understand which names are actually MSG. Easier thing: don't buy anything that you do not understand, because there are so many names for MSG that it is hard to avoid.
4. Preservatives and pesticides, pesticides aren't on the labels, pretty much anything grown conventionally have used pesticides to kill bugs. Preservatives have weird scientific names, probably want to avoid.
5. GMO products. ALmost all processed food includes GMO (not sure about Europe here, my comment).
Chemicals used to fought off weed on resistant GMO plants, do we really want these chemicals in our system? Can cancer be linked to the increase in amount of chemicals in our food system?
6. Factory farmed meat, cows jammed inside, who knows what they are being fed (corn & soy), those things we do not want to eat ourselves is given to the meat we will be eating. Not living in healthy conditions. When we eat that meat it will be doing the same thing to us (if we eat pastured animal, we are basically eating what they are eating - the grass that is made for them, not they soy and hormones that they are fed).
7. Artificial food dyes and flavors - almost in everything (tooth paste, medicine, candies like skiddos and m&m:s yogurts). Many flavors start off in petroleum refineries in China, many banned but many still being used.
8. Sugar - truvia is ok, but quite strong for baking, she recommends palm sugar for baking. Anything more natural than the refined white sugar. Agave? Some say it is highly processed, stay away but others say certain types are not so bad, it does have a high level of fructose. Honey, maple syrup, traditional sugar are good. Honey stirred in raw milk is really good.
9. Low fat foods are on the baddy list. Have the same feel in the mouth as real food but are actually fake.
10. Soy: not healthy, causes thyroid issues, all fake, better just avoid it.
Top 10 good food:
1. Pastured animal meat ("salad bar beef" - cows eating grass). They are given what the nature intended, loaded with nutrients for us: higher on omega 3 than conventional, higher in vitamine D because getting sunshine, vitamine E. A lot of people not eating meat started off not eating meat because they do not want to eat that factory farmed meat, but real meat is a good option.
2. Raw milk. Ultrapastorized milk does not even need to be in refrigerator, it is dead because all bacteria have been killed. Date of expiration over two months away: unpastorized. BUT Raw milk includes all enzymes that the body needs to absorb it, are still intact. A lot of people who cannot tolerate dairy can drink raw milk because of the enzymes.
3. Animal fats. Probably the best thing about real food diet. Butter is good for you! Add 6 spoon of butter to the potatoes. High in vitamine D, and K. PArticularly good if from pastured animals. good idea to buy a lot of butter in the spring (when it is the best) and freeze it. Regarding butter: research it yourself if you are concerned about the health issues of butter, if you google it and do some research on your own you will find out about butter. Coconut oil is also good.
4. Blue bottle medicine. Cod liver oil and Vitamine D - cure any symptom of flu in high doses. Take a hit, one dose and the next morning it is away. Can also be used for PMS.
5. Produce that is not sprayed. Google "dirty dozen and the clean 15", any kind of berries (very much sprayed), cucumbers are sprayed, salad lettuce is sprayed. Clean 15 are the ones you do not have to worry so much about because they are not so much sprayed (but buy organic if you can afford it).
6. Fermented food. Definite real food, fils the gut with healthy bacteria that kill of desease. Good way to get good bacteria in your gut. Real sauerkraut, (if it has vinegar not the real stuff but made with sea salt then it is good). If you cannot get fermented food - take probiotics (to kids who are not willing to eat fermented food).
7. Bone broth. Not the stuff you poor into the water, but actually boiling bones to get out the good gelatine and marrow out of the bones. Cook your meat with the bones! Don't buy boneless!
8. Certain breads are better for us than other; true sour dough is better than conventional, if it includes yest it is not a true sour dough! Antinutrients are broken down by the fermenting process in sour dough - easier to digest for those that have problems to digest grains.
9. More local food - has more nutrients than those that have travelled from faraway places. Organic doesn't mean that you are getting nutrient dense food.
10. Organ meats, and sea food - also good stuff.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Skin Care - Glowing from the inside out
Today the Healthy Life Summit podcast marathon started. And I have already listened into two really interesting topics. One from Joel Salatin on how to build a more sustainable world through local farming and raising awareness of the importance of local organically grown foods (this topic is really my favourite now, I could talk for hours...) but I am not going to go into detail on that one right now. I ordered is book "Folks, this ain't normal" so I might do a review once I have read it. No, I am going to do a recap of the second podcast with Liz Wolfe from the blog Cave Girl Eats, she talks about skin issues and personal care items and the importance of good food for good and healthy skin. Here the recap of a VERY good podcast:
Myth number 1: Putting oil on your skin causes more skin problems. Wrong! Oil cleansing is about balancing oil production on your skin. Using the right kind of oil to clean your skin will balance the oil balance in your skin.
Myth number 2: I have skin problems because my skin or body is not clean enough. Wrong! Go gentle, natural inside and outside and that will balance your skin balance.
Myth number 3: I need antibiotics to help with my skin problems. Wrong! Antibiotics works for a period of time, but when antibiotics run out the problem occurs again, maybe even because of the antibiotics. Through antibiotics your are also killing the good bacteria that keep the bad bacteria at bay. If you have hada a lot of antibiotics when kid you might have opened the way for acne (and other) problems because of this killing of good bacteria.
Myth number 4: You need a lot of expensive skin products. Wrong.
All you need is baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil. Everybody do not tolerate coconut oil right away (requires healing) if that is the case, go for olive oil instead. No poo (not using shampooin) = apple cider vinegar + baking soda to balance the Ph of your skull.
Myth number 5: Sweat causes odor and pit stains. Wrong.
There are different kinds of sweat but you can do a lot to conquer odor by only changing nutrition (I know!, my comment). Most conventional deodorants are causing the pit stains. Sweat is a natural thing, biological process, but it doesn't have to stink or stain. It is a way for the body to keep itself cool, detoxify itself (she recognize it is overused). Deodorants are part of the stinky problem...
Myth number 6: Food doesn't help my skin, hair and nail. Wrong.
As the human diet changed, as more processed food entered our food: dental cavities, dental problems were noted. There are thousand different ways bad food and a stressful life affect our body and health, also the skin, hair and nails.
Myth number 7: My doctor knows everything about my skin. Wrong.
We can take ownership of our own physical health, you do not need to wait for a professional to tell you what is going on in your body. Doctors are useful tools but what we should really be cultivating is our own instinct about how to live to improve your health (and your skin).
Myth number 8: My doctor knows nothing about my skin. Wrong.
The doctors go to school for a long time and know a lot, particularly about acute issues (chronic issues is harder for them to address).
Then she moves to talk about what is good nutrition for a healthy body and skin?
- depends on person
- high intake of minerals, fat soluble minerals (A,D, K), no processed foods.
Where do you get the fat soluble minerals?
A) Betacaroten from veggies (carrots) hard to convert to vitamin A, instead animals convert betacaroten from grass to vitamin A for us (liver, grass fed steak, cod liver oil) --> we get it in the usable form, which helps us heal our skin and all sort of issues. Liver is the best source, in contrast to common belief it is not a storage of toxins in the body, instead it strain stuff out, toxins goes through the liver but doesn't stay there. It is a power food for us to eat. Traditional cultures valued it a lot because of its nutrient rich properties.
D) Epidemic of vitamin D deficiency among modern societies, because we are not eating enough food with vitamin D but because we are so afraid of the sun. Something so phenomenal as the sun that gives life to earth, we need it to generate vitamin D. Vitamin D helps with disease an internal antibiotic. Modern sun screen blocks out one type of UVA, not the other, we are creating an unbalance in our system - but health of skin and body is always about finding a balance.
K) Different types of vitamin K: different form in vegetable based than animal based. The vitamin K in soy fermented products cannot be used efficiently in the body. Vitamin K coming from milk from cows that have been eating growing grass. We do not eat milk from cows that have all the nutrients left (fat) and who have been chewing on growing grass, out in the sun. Drink real milk! For those who cannot eat dairy: eat fermented cod liver oil, great source of A and D and K, or from liver (organ meats). A lot of literature that connects dairy with acne is completely true for modern processed milk - but not raw full fat dairy. Also recommend dessicated liver (in a pill, particularly for those who try to conceive and need more of these nutrients), sea food is important also (here you also get zink which is very important for skin).
Eating well and still having trouble? You can have issues with digestion. You need to have the capacity to take up all these nutrients from the food, stress and antibiotics might have had a toll on your digestion system and then maybe you are not absorbing the nutrients correctly. No matter how much you eat, it won't absorb.
Adequate stomach acid: digestive bitters, supportive substances that are natural and have a long history in human consumption.
Supporting liver: bad bacteria can cause toxins that burden the liver!
Good gut flora: through fermented food, and what to feed the good bacteria once they are in your system.
Three important things: sleep, reduce stress, do not over-exercise!
It is easy to change what we put in our mouth, it is easy to take a supplement - but what is really difficult is to change lifestyle (sleep, stress and doing exercise that actually cause stress).
If you are sleep deprived you will not be digesting your food correctly...sleep is the key in the lock, it is so hard, and a lot of people cannot structure your life to get enough sleep : start with quality sleep, rearrange things, go to sleep early, do things early in the morning instead...going back to how ancestors lived, avoid artificial light, there is a reason to the dark... there is a reason why it is time to go to sleep when it is dark...
Sleep= rest + repair.
Artificial light is really bad - try an experiment, follow the sun (hahah, in Finland yeah right... my comment), rely on candle lights and see what happens to your body.
Stay away from these ingredients in your personal care products:
wheat germ, wheat protein (gluten) - those who are gluten sensitive or celiac, gluten can hide in your personal care products and cause problems.
Triclosan: antibacterial soap, kills good and bad bacteria, encourages surviving bacteria to mutate, instead use hot water or if you need soap use castile soap. When traveling bring with you a probiotic soap.
Bezoncloriumchloride (?): subst itute for triclosan, or usual in alcohol-free products, connected with imperable immune functions. Not necessary.
lost this one, but something about coconut... leftover stuff from coconut products, sold off to be used in other
Propyline glycol: main ingredient in anti-freeze, used to give shampoo smooth texture and keep it from hardening.
Aluminium: number one ingredient in antiperspirants. Problem: blocks sweat. We are supposed to sweat, especially when working out - get over it, let it flow. Natural.
Parabens. Presevatives, extend shelf life, linked to hormone disruptors.
Sodium laureat sulfit - SLS - mutagenic, it is in everything. makes soap foamy but makes skin lose moisture.
Phfalates: hormone disruptors. Hide behind "fragrants". Feed ourselves through skin with these harming ingredients that hide other harmful ingredients.
Skin Problems:
Catharsis pilaris (spelling?): dry skin on elbows or legs has to do with vitamin A and K deficiency.
Cellulite: stimulate circulation, dry brushing, reuse coffee grain leftovers to scrub. Take off constricting clothes when you can: underwear (advice: sleep naked...).
She also talks about menstrual care and birth control pill issues. But I will not go into this one, you might imagine what it is all about but this is way too long already, and if you made it this far I congratulate you!
Good night!
She starts from killing some myths:
Myth number 1: Putting oil on your skin causes more skin problems. Wrong! Oil cleansing is about balancing oil production on your skin. Using the right kind of oil to clean your skin will balance the oil balance in your skin.
Myth number 2: I have skin problems because my skin or body is not clean enough. Wrong! Go gentle, natural inside and outside and that will balance your skin balance.
Myth number 3: I need antibiotics to help with my skin problems. Wrong! Antibiotics works for a period of time, but when antibiotics run out the problem occurs again, maybe even because of the antibiotics. Through antibiotics your are also killing the good bacteria that keep the bad bacteria at bay. If you have hada a lot of antibiotics when kid you might have opened the way for acne (and other) problems because of this killing of good bacteria.
Myth number 4: You need a lot of expensive skin products. Wrong.
All you need is baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil. Everybody do not tolerate coconut oil right away (requires healing) if that is the case, go for olive oil instead. No poo (not using shampooin) = apple cider vinegar + baking soda to balance the Ph of your skull.
Myth number 5: Sweat causes odor and pit stains. Wrong.
There are different kinds of sweat but you can do a lot to conquer odor by only changing nutrition (I know!, my comment). Most conventional deodorants are causing the pit stains. Sweat is a natural thing, biological process, but it doesn't have to stink or stain. It is a way for the body to keep itself cool, detoxify itself (she recognize it is overused). Deodorants are part of the stinky problem...
Myth number 6: Food doesn't help my skin, hair and nail. Wrong.
As the human diet changed, as more processed food entered our food: dental cavities, dental problems were noted. There are thousand different ways bad food and a stressful life affect our body and health, also the skin, hair and nails.
Myth number 7: My doctor knows everything about my skin. Wrong.
We can take ownership of our own physical health, you do not need to wait for a professional to tell you what is going on in your body. Doctors are useful tools but what we should really be cultivating is our own instinct about how to live to improve your health (and your skin).
Myth number 8: My doctor knows nothing about my skin. Wrong.
The doctors go to school for a long time and know a lot, particularly about acute issues (chronic issues is harder for them to address).
Then she moves to talk about what is good nutrition for a healthy body and skin?
- depends on person
- high intake of minerals, fat soluble minerals (A,D, K), no processed foods.
Where do you get the fat soluble minerals?
A) Betacaroten from veggies (carrots) hard to convert to vitamin A, instead animals convert betacaroten from grass to vitamin A for us (liver, grass fed steak, cod liver oil) --> we get it in the usable form, which helps us heal our skin and all sort of issues. Liver is the best source, in contrast to common belief it is not a storage of toxins in the body, instead it strain stuff out, toxins goes through the liver but doesn't stay there. It is a power food for us to eat. Traditional cultures valued it a lot because of its nutrient rich properties.
D) Epidemic of vitamin D deficiency among modern societies, because we are not eating enough food with vitamin D but because we are so afraid of the sun. Something so phenomenal as the sun that gives life to earth, we need it to generate vitamin D. Vitamin D helps with disease an internal antibiotic. Modern sun screen blocks out one type of UVA, not the other, we are creating an unbalance in our system - but health of skin and body is always about finding a balance.
K) Different types of vitamin K: different form in vegetable based than animal based. The vitamin K in soy fermented products cannot be used efficiently in the body. Vitamin K coming from milk from cows that have been eating growing grass. We do not eat milk from cows that have all the nutrients left (fat) and who have been chewing on growing grass, out in the sun. Drink real milk! For those who cannot eat dairy: eat fermented cod liver oil, great source of A and D and K, or from liver (organ meats). A lot of literature that connects dairy with acne is completely true for modern processed milk - but not raw full fat dairy. Also recommend dessicated liver (in a pill, particularly for those who try to conceive and need more of these nutrients), sea food is important also (here you also get zink which is very important for skin).
Eating well and still having trouble? You can have issues with digestion. You need to have the capacity to take up all these nutrients from the food, stress and antibiotics might have had a toll on your digestion system and then maybe you are not absorbing the nutrients correctly. No matter how much you eat, it won't absorb.
Adequate stomach acid: digestive bitters, supportive substances that are natural and have a long history in human consumption.
Supporting liver: bad bacteria can cause toxins that burden the liver!
Good gut flora: through fermented food, and what to feed the good bacteria once they are in your system.
Three important things: sleep, reduce stress, do not over-exercise!
It is easy to change what we put in our mouth, it is easy to take a supplement - but what is really difficult is to change lifestyle (sleep, stress and doing exercise that actually cause stress).
If you are sleep deprived you will not be digesting your food correctly...sleep is the key in the lock, it is so hard, and a lot of people cannot structure your life to get enough sleep : start with quality sleep, rearrange things, go to sleep early, do things early in the morning instead...going back to how ancestors lived, avoid artificial light, there is a reason to the dark... there is a reason why it is time to go to sleep when it is dark...
Sleep= rest + repair.
Artificial light is really bad - try an experiment, follow the sun (hahah, in Finland yeah right... my comment), rely on candle lights and see what happens to your body.
Stay away from these ingredients in your personal care products:
wheat germ, wheat protein (gluten) - those who are gluten sensitive or celiac, gluten can hide in your personal care products and cause problems.
Triclosan: antibacterial soap, kills good and bad bacteria, encourages surviving bacteria to mutate, instead use hot water or if you need soap use castile soap. When traveling bring with you a probiotic soap.
Bezoncloriumchloride (?): subst itute for triclosan, or usual in alcohol-free products, connected with imperable immune functions. Not necessary.
lost this one, but something about coconut... leftover stuff from coconut products, sold off to be used in other
Propyline glycol: main ingredient in anti-freeze, used to give shampoo smooth texture and keep it from hardening.
Aluminium: number one ingredient in antiperspirants. Problem: blocks sweat. We are supposed to sweat, especially when working out - get over it, let it flow. Natural.
Parabens. Presevatives, extend shelf life, linked to hormone disruptors.
Sodium laureat sulfit - SLS - mutagenic, it is in everything. makes soap foamy but makes skin lose moisture.
Phfalates: hormone disruptors. Hide behind "fragrants". Feed ourselves through skin with these harming ingredients that hide other harmful ingredients.
Skin Problems:
Catharsis pilaris (spelling?): dry skin on elbows or legs has to do with vitamin A and K deficiency.
Cellulite: stimulate circulation, dry brushing, reuse coffee grain leftovers to scrub. Take off constricting clothes when you can: underwear (advice: sleep naked...).
She also talks about menstrual care and birth control pill issues. But I will not go into this one, you might imagine what it is all about but this is way too long already, and if you made it this far I congratulate you!
Good night!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Bread
Here is a bread I invented yesterday. It is not low carb but it is glutenfree and "clean" - and that is fine nowadays in our family. We do not eat bread that often anyway.
50 g yeast (strange to buy yeast I haven't bought it in over a year now!)
0,5 l water
some salt
1 tbsp psyllium husk
6 dl oat flour (new clean gluten free flour in the shore shelves, I am delighted!)
5-6 dl buckwheat flour
olive oil
And if you'd like to add flavor and color you can add some cumin seeds, fennel seeds or "healthify" the bread with sunflower, pumpkin or flax seeds. We did it plain and simple...(read: lacked the ingredients).
How to:
Heat the water to finger warm, add yeast and salt. Dissolve the yeast and add the psyllium husk. Add flours and olive oil until the though has reached a good "bread dough" consistence. Let the yeast to its job for aprox 30 minutes. Make small buns of the dough and in the over 180 degrees for aprox 20 minutes, maybe a bit more.
Enjoy.
I might post a pic later when I have access to the home computer.
50 g yeast (strange to buy yeast I haven't bought it in over a year now!)
0,5 l water
some salt
1 tbsp psyllium husk
6 dl oat flour (new clean gluten free flour in the shore shelves, I am delighted!)
5-6 dl buckwheat flour
olive oil
And if you'd like to add flavor and color you can add some cumin seeds, fennel seeds or "healthify" the bread with sunflower, pumpkin or flax seeds. We did it plain and simple...(read: lacked the ingredients).
How to:
Heat the water to finger warm, add yeast and salt. Dissolve the yeast and add the psyllium husk. Add flours and olive oil until the though has reached a good "bread dough" consistence. Let the yeast to its job for aprox 30 minutes. Make small buns of the dough and in the over 180 degrees for aprox 20 minutes, maybe a bit more.
Enjoy.
I might post a pic later when I have access to the home computer.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Using the gentle force
These days it is not socially acceptable that you force your kids to eat their food. Well, you know what, I kind of skipped that holy parenting rule. Particularly after seeing my parents-in-law using their "gentle touch" on getting our kids to eat whatever was being served.
Let me spell it out: in our family it is not ok to say, "mom I don't like it and I won't eat it, instead I skip dinner and ask for something else in five minutes". Neither is it acceptable to say, "yak mom that looks disgusting, I won't eat that". It still happens. We get those reactions all the time. But we do not accept them. We use the gentle force to make our kids eat what is served "voluntarily". And it works, almost every time.
Today Kidtwo had doubles of beetroot salad with cucumbers and smoked herring. Kidone was more suspicious but she still ate her five spoons (and a little bit more).
For me it is a myth that you cannot gently force your kids to eat the food. They need to try, or else, how will they ever learn to appreciate new food experiences?
A take of this weekend food offering at our house:
Let me spell it out: in our family it is not ok to say, "mom I don't like it and I won't eat it, instead I skip dinner and ask for something else in five minutes". Neither is it acceptable to say, "yak mom that looks disgusting, I won't eat that". It still happens. We get those reactions all the time. But we do not accept them. We use the gentle force to make our kids eat what is served "voluntarily". And it works, almost every time.
Today Kidtwo had doubles of beetroot salad with cucumbers and smoked herring. Kidone was more suspicious but she still ate her five spoons (and a little bit more).
For me it is a myth that you cannot gently force your kids to eat the food. They need to try, or else, how will they ever learn to appreciate new food experiences?
A take of this weekend food offering at our house:
 |
| Local fresh fish, typical Saturday lunch at our house. |
 |
| Eco beef stew with the best of the winter: oven baked locally grown roots (with olive oil, honey and thyme). |
Beetroot smoked herring and cucumber salad.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Fishing and market economics
Yesterday I spent the morning talking to a fisherman. Great discussion we had! He told me about all the fish that isn't fished anymore because there is no demand (selling price is too low) so instead these fish are overpopulating our waters and creating troubles in the fishing nets. Now they found some Russian customers that wanted to by the stuff by the million, and with a good price on top of it all. Jackpot. A couple of guys further south from here made almost a fortune in a matter of just a few weeks.
A lot of things starting going seriously wrong when the economists took over the fishing business... I mean detaching it from the community and the face-to-face pricing principles.
And another thing that occurred to me, we usually hear that the fishermen are to blame for the bad catch that you can achieve these days. They over-fished Well, what if it isn't that simple.What if the pollution from industry has made it impossible for fish to survive? What if the international pricing of some species have changed the delicate ecosystem in the sea? These days I have a hard time to see how traditional fishermen, fishing for the local communities only, would have caused the tragic situation visible in almost all coastal regions around around the Baltic Sea. Actually, they are a reservoir of knowledge which we should care for and make sure never dies out.
I am right now reading an article on how the ancient food culture of the Americas mixed with the European culinary heritage after the arrival of the Spaniards and the Portuguese. It is soooooo interesting, and hopefully I'll have time to tell you more about that another day.
Now, out in the sun with my two kiddos!
A lot of things starting going seriously wrong when the economists took over the fishing business... I mean detaching it from the community and the face-to-face pricing principles.
And another thing that occurred to me, we usually hear that the fishermen are to blame for the bad catch that you can achieve these days. They over-fished Well, what if it isn't that simple.What if the pollution from industry has made it impossible for fish to survive? What if the international pricing of some species have changed the delicate ecosystem in the sea? These days I have a hard time to see how traditional fishermen, fishing for the local communities only, would have caused the tragic situation visible in almost all coastal regions around around the Baltic Sea. Actually, they are a reservoir of knowledge which we should care for and make sure never dies out.
I am right now reading an article on how the ancient food culture of the Americas mixed with the European culinary heritage after the arrival of the Spaniards and the Portuguese. It is soooooo interesting, and hopefully I'll have time to tell you more about that another day.
Now, out in the sun with my two kiddos!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Evil thoughts about innocent food
Ok, so the past few months I have been working hard on staying away from the long supply chains of store bought food. Instead I have been buying my Finnish roots on the market square, the meat from the ecological farmer, the fish from the fisherman (with whom I btw have a scheduled meeting tomorrow morning) and the other vegetables from a local food circle. Left is only the milk to feed my kefir grains, the kid's oatmeal and some other insignificant stuff like 70% chocolate and the red wine from Alko. I smile big times when I rarely step into the "chained stores" these days and they ask for my affiliation card. As I pass it through the machine, I wonder what the marketing department might be thinking of me and my food consumption, and what kind of classification they've put on my head. Am I a lost case? Or will they soon start the offensive to attract me back to the big hyper market aisles? The monthly member magazines remains inside the plastic cover as it passes from the mailbox to the trash box (yes I know I should just tell them to stop sending me the stuff). I guess they might as well just give up right away. Lost case. For sure.
Today I bought a salad on the way to the train. As I was chewing my garlic soaked olives, I started thinking of what kind of histories those green things might be hiding. There are no eco-labels on olives in ready made salads. Nor are there any guarantees that the mozzarella cheese from Italy hasn't been produced in are area with mafia contaminated toxic waste. I lend a quick thought to the blog post on Uusi Musta that I read yesterday, of the girl that was living in the environmental collapse in industrial China. She said she is nowadays using a strategy of "hear no evil, see no evil" when she shops for food there. Meaning: as long as the stomach is not reacting, it must have been safe. And I thought, when eating at restaurants or ready made salads, you'd better practice the same philosophy, just so you do not destroy your food with bad thoughts of their origin.
Then as I scroll my way through the Finnish woods on the train I come across an interesting status update from Mats-Eric Nilsson, the guy behind the "secret chef" and "real food". He is now working on a book about the food going into restaurant food. Yeah! I am this guy's biggest fan. His books are changing the way we look at food here in the North. Very happy to hear about this. Maybe sometime in a not so faraway future I do not need to think evil thoughts about my innocent food.
Today I bought a salad on the way to the train. As I was chewing my garlic soaked olives, I started thinking of what kind of histories those green things might be hiding. There are no eco-labels on olives in ready made salads. Nor are there any guarantees that the mozzarella cheese from Italy hasn't been produced in are area with mafia contaminated toxic waste. I lend a quick thought to the blog post on Uusi Musta that I read yesterday, of the girl that was living in the environmental collapse in industrial China. She said she is nowadays using a strategy of "hear no evil, see no evil" when she shops for food there. Meaning: as long as the stomach is not reacting, it must have been safe. And I thought, when eating at restaurants or ready made salads, you'd better practice the same philosophy, just so you do not destroy your food with bad thoughts of their origin.
Then as I scroll my way through the Finnish woods on the train I come across an interesting status update from Mats-Eric Nilsson, the guy behind the "secret chef" and "real food". He is now working on a book about the food going into restaurant food. Yeah! I am this guy's biggest fan. His books are changing the way we look at food here in the North. Very happy to hear about this. Maybe sometime in a not so faraway future I do not need to think evil thoughts about my innocent food.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Details from over here
I was supposed to post this on the other blog. But you international friends might as well enjoy the beautiful details I captured on the camera today.
The back side of God's temple.
Where Finnish meet American.
A small glimps of my world.
Orthodox church and the old military area.
Haven't noticed this before!
Honor the memory of those who never returned in 1941.
Details.
The bird sings to make my walk to work enjoyable. Soon spring is here.
Shadows on a water tower.
Friday is market day in this town. It is popular as you can see. Both for producers and consumers.
Newen Woman!
While my blogging sisters on other blogs go through the battle still to be won by us women, I use this women's day to concentrate on the basics: We women have an intrinsic power that we need to recognize and take care of. Some culture's get it right, like the Mapuche Culture - read my blogpost in Swedish on this topic here:Kvinnodagen till ära. Others are "lost in translation".
I consider myself part of a culture that belongs to the latter. No matter how many figures on equal rights, women in higher managerial positions, women in parliament, as presidents or years of voting rights, facts remain: we are and will always be a lower cast than the men while measuring in these male world numbers. What more, as long as we are incapable of recognizing this and continue striving for perfection on all levels, we drive ourselves crazy, with serious health problems as a consequence. And not to forget; violence and harassment are a nasty byproduct of this never ending rat race between women and men.
First step: recognize your virtues as a woman (or a man for that matter)!
Second step: be proud of them and make them shine!
Third step: start living according to your virtues and forget all the rest.
The rest will follow.
Have a wonderful Friday afternoon you all!
I consider myself part of a culture that belongs to the latter. No matter how many figures on equal rights, women in higher managerial positions, women in parliament, as presidents or years of voting rights, facts remain: we are and will always be a lower cast than the men while measuring in these male world numbers. What more, as long as we are incapable of recognizing this and continue striving for perfection on all levels, we drive ourselves crazy, with serious health problems as a consequence. And not to forget; violence and harassment are a nasty byproduct of this never ending rat race between women and men.
First step: recognize your virtues as a woman (or a man for that matter)!
Second step: be proud of them and make them shine!
Third step: start living according to your virtues and forget all the rest.
The rest will follow.
Have a wonderful Friday afternoon you all!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Note to myself...
...Do not overdose on coconut oil, 5 spoons are too much. Urgh! But at least it got the system going...in less than three hours. Next time I will spare some ammo...
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The Party Hats... and when it is time to stop...
Yesterday I said something about my annoying skin rashes. Which I know by the way is a CLEAR sign of that something is not right in my body. My body is telling me to take care of myself. Ironically enough, I just do not have the energy to do just that yet. Or well, I am trying to but once again... let's just say "it's complicated". Still, a huge load of stress was lifted off my shoulders as we moved away from the big city. Regarding family life, everything is just so much easier these days. And in Chile I learned from my mother-in-law the importance of being relaxed in the kitchen... I hardly go around stressed about "what the heck is for dinner tonight" anymore (gracias suegra!!!). Still we eat really decent food, made from scratch. Today chicken cazuela - I have to say I am impressed by the taste I can get out of that chicken. It is almost as if it was Chilean...
Anyway, what I wanted to say is that I kind of know what is wrong. I have had my body exposed to stress for far too long... (a life time of stressful living...) my small party hats (the adrenals) are tired and need to get a rest. The adrenals are the organs on top of the kidneys that regulate some very important hormones linked to how our body copes with stress: adrenalin/noradrenalin and cortisol.
This is a good clip on the adrenals and why it is so important to take care of yourself:
Kriss Carr: Adrenal fatigue when you feel sick and tired
The holistic doctor prescribes all those obvious "remedies" that you need in order to take care of your adrenals:
Then I kind of like what Kriss says towards the end:
"They are so vigilant those little glands, I look at them and I see two small party hats. The party has just gone on too long, they got a little bit too crazy and you need to take them down because the the neighbors are complaining... "
Anna Hallen has also blogged recently on the adrenals and her posts are really informative (check these: Binjurar, Binjurar del 2, Binjurar och stress). In Swedish, unfortunately But one thing that made me realize that this is really my issue is that she lists at what time cortisol should be high and low. And guess why I have so much trouble to go to sleep at night and wake up way to early in the morning? Yes, my cortisol levels are whacked...
So good night my friends, it is 21:24 and this little girl will now get her head over to the pillow....
Anyway, what I wanted to say is that I kind of know what is wrong. I have had my body exposed to stress for far too long... (a life time of stressful living...) my small party hats (the adrenals) are tired and need to get a rest. The adrenals are the organs on top of the kidneys that regulate some very important hormones linked to how our body copes with stress: adrenalin/noradrenalin and cortisol.
This is a good clip on the adrenals and why it is so important to take care of yourself:
Kriss Carr: Adrenal fatigue when you feel sick and tired
The holistic doctor prescribes all those obvious "remedies" that you need in order to take care of your adrenals:
- Lifestyle changes: get good sleep! - No computer late at night!!!
- Avoid sugar! (and avoiding refined carbs, increase protein intake!)
- Do not drink coffee when your adrenal's are fatigued
- Food you are sensitive to or allergic to will also affect the adrenals as they have to keep up with all kind of stress that you expose your body to.
Then I kind of like what Kriss says towards the end:
"They are so vigilant those little glands, I look at them and I see two small party hats. The party has just gone on too long, they got a little bit too crazy and you need to take them down because the the neighbors are complaining... "
Anna Hallen has also blogged recently on the adrenals and her posts are really informative (check these: Binjurar, Binjurar del 2, Binjurar och stress). In Swedish, unfortunately But one thing that made me realize that this is really my issue is that she lists at what time cortisol should be high and low. And guess why I have so much trouble to go to sleep at night and wake up way to early in the morning? Yes, my cortisol levels are whacked...
So good night my friends, it is 21:24 and this little girl will now get her head over to the pillow....
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Skin rashes
I am really annoyed that the skin rash I had some four years ago arond my nose has started to flourish again. Knowing what I know now, I can be quite certain that it has something to do with my gut, liver or hormonal imbalances. I am quite certain it also has to do something with me indulging in rye bread since we got home... thinking that a little bit of gluten won't kill you...
Well... how to heal this thing now... that is the question. Thinking maybe I should finally do a detox... but that would require mindfulness and slowing down...and maybe add some exercise to this life of mine... something I feel I cannot do right now... I know! It is absurd isn't it? You know what is right for you, you know what you should do but somehow you just can't bring yourself around to do it.
I am also way too tired to do anything, so instead of taking care of myself I just grab that cup of coffee and the dark chocolate... knowing it is bad both for me and my skin rash...
Someone above, please, motivate me.
Goodnight.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Raising my kids to take on the Food Fight
This music video is just fantastic!
I tell you... Kellogg Frosties tiger, Ronald McDonald and all those other evil kid's junk food marketers are not welcomed here anymore. We watched this video on my phone three times (!) yesterday and talked about the baddies (processed crap) and the goodies (healthy food). Kids seemed to get the picture... and now they want to see the video once again!
And for those out there that think that this kind of method is not an appropriate education method, I just say HAHAHA! As if happy meal boxes, toys hidden in the cereal boxes, or Disney character's on cookie wraps would be fair play either.
If they play it ugly, so can we. And we better get prepared with our healthy message, because just as this music video indicate: we are up for a big big fight.
(Also, listened to Vandana Shiva's powerful message in the back when the boy walks around in the store. It is one of the most important issues behind this struggle: the access to seeds and land out in the countryside, all over the world, not only in India.)
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