Author Archive
Milk Diet – A quest for health
June 8, 2010 | 
Author 
Gabriel (almost 2 months old) and me October 2007
As I struggled with serious gut health issues I have to wonder how much of my lifelong problems were centered around some fundamental mistakes made by my parents who were misguided by doctors and the common opinion that is pervasive even today.
When my son was barely a few weeks old I remember my father advising me to put baby cereal into his bottle so he’d sleep through the night. My son was always a good baby, only waking up once usually around 3 am wanting to nurse then he’d fall back asleep. My life at that point was sleeping most of the day and night in 4 hour shifts around his need for nursing and new diapers. I was recovering from the rupture of my c-section wound and had a wound vacuum in my stomach that was incredibly painful. I was on strong pain medication because the constant sucking of the wound vacuum in my stomach was incredibly painful though the bandage changes every other day were the worst part. Sleeping was about all he and I did together but I had no complaints. He was a happy baby and rarely restless and never had “colic”. It mystified me at the time that my father thought I should make my son sleep more. And I was horrified by the idea of giving a newborn any kind of solid food especially grains that I was figuring out were a major problem for me. Thanks to the work of Sally Fallon Morell, and the book Nourishing Traditions, I had a healthy formula to make for my baby when I lost my breast milk early on. I also had her advice not to give him any solid foods, especially grains until he was older.
It makes me wonder now how many adults with gut issues, asthma, allergies, emotional and psychological disorder and more were created by this over-use of grains and pushing by doctors, pediatricians, and other “experts” put really young babies on inappropriate foods. Of course we must not forget when it was considered taboo to nurse your baby and soy based formulas were born.
Now we have the work of people like Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride that are showing us not only that these inappropriate foods fed at a young age can cause problems but also how to heal them. Maybe there is hope for me yet. My gut seems to be in very poor shape, even though I’ve been on major doses of probiotics for years and have now been gluten free for a year. Some say I need to give up casein too and perhaps they are right but I think it’s time for a major overhaul.
So I’ve been reading and learning about the Milk Cure for almost a year now. I had heard about it years ago when I first became involved with the Weston A Price Foundation. A nutrition friend of mine uses it often to clean house and recharge his body and recommended it to me. It is a scary prospect but also an exciting one. I have been so sick for so long, all of my adult life. Maybe this could be the new beginning I’ve been searching for all these years. It seems somehow fitting that I go back to my days a an infant, take it easy and drink only milk letting my gut rest and clean house. Then perhaps can start over.
I’m reading the Milk Diet as a Cure for Chorinic Disease by Charles Sanford Porter. Parts of it seem intimidating and not really feasible. I will certainly not be able to set up a screened in outdoor room for fresh air not stay in bed for the 40 days of the milk fast. I have a toddler, husband and pets to care for but overall I find hope in the pages of the book.
Milk
It’s not to be taken lightly and could be a bit dangerous as my body goes into overdrive to detox toxins and who knows what else. But I will take it one day at a time and will document it here. I plan to start soon barring any more financial or physical issues. The sciatica attack seems to be abating finally though full feeling hasn’t returned to my foot and leg. For the 40 day fast i will be using grassfed raw milk from my local farmers, drinking it as directed – room temperature every 3o minutes. I am not a big fan of milk so this is going to be very difficult and a real trial but my health is worth it. If i only make it part of the way through then I will have to try and try again.
Wish me luck? =)
Dawn
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. I am not advising anyone to follow the milk diet just sharing my experiences. These statements are for entertainment purposes only and are not meant to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Seek medical and professional help if you are considering any diet or health changes.
Posted in Fasting, Milk Cure, Milk Fast, Restoring Gut Health, Uncategorized | 
Tags: baby foods, fating, feeding babies, gut health, health, Milk Cure, milk diet | 
5 Comments »
New Federal Muscovy Duck Regulations Passed
Image of a Muscovy Duck
However, agency officials say that for now they will not enforce the new regulations while the consider making revisions.
Confused yet? You aren’t the only ones. Let’s back it up a bit for those people who are just now learning about this situation.
Some months ago the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced proposed changes to current migratory bird regulations that would include Muscovy Ducks as a regulated species and prohibit ownership, transportation or use of these birds except by those who obtain the required permits (and a few public entities that are exempt).
This was in response to some nuisance populations of these birds in states like Florida where feral and wild birds have become burdensome to parks and golf courses. The fact that this regulation is too broad including all Muscovy Ducks with no exemption for the domesticated birds seemed to be of little concern, until now.
Originally the announcement was made in the Federal Register, which is not a publication widely read by the hundreds of farmers, poultry exhibitors, and pet owners in the United States. So it is of little surprise then that, according to Dr. George Allen of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, “little response” was received to the proposed changes and the agency went forward to enact the new regulations as of March 31, 2010.
White Muscovy Ducks on a Farm
However, there has been growing protest against the regulation and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service does appear to be listening. Which is great news, let’s take advantage of it by sending in polite, thoughtful letters that explain the situation from a farmer, pet owner, or exhibitor’s point of view… or as a consumer. Here’s a template letter made by the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund.
According to the Fact Sheet, and one official Dr. George Allen, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service was ““…unaware of the extent to which muscovies are maintained in captivity and did not know of any organization to inform about the proposed changes.”
The fact that they seem aware at all now is partially do in part to the work of such groups such as the American Poultry Association and private farmers, exhibitors and owners on various forums and mailing lists on the web. I know I heard about it in March through one of the rare poultry email list groups I read.
Now we also have the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund addressing the issue and soliciting comments from those people affected by this new regulation that have not had a chance to make their voices heard until now. They have an explanation of the legalities of this situation, a plan of action and a letter template for you to use to add your voice to the opposition of this new regulation.
Ok, so the regulation is in place and Muscovy Duck ownership is now regulated, right? Yes, but it’s not that simple. The agency says they are considering revisions so they will not issue anyone a permit right now but not to worry because they aren’t enforcing the new regulations. Right. Seems like a legal trap there and it explains why some big hatcheries are no longer offering the Muscovy eggs to customers. Even if they mean well, it puts is in a difficult situation. Do we or don’t we?
The Muscovy Duck has an unusual head coloring.
My best advice is to proceed with caution, make your voice heard and educate as many people about this situation as you can and ask their help in preserving private Muscovy Duck ownership. If you decide to risk getting some Muscovy Ducks be prepared and keep a copy of the Fact Sheet on hand in case some officials decide to enforce the changes made to MBTA (50 CFR 10.13). They clearly state in the fact sheet that we do not need permits but then they say they did change the regulations to require we have permits but are not choosing to enforce it at this time.
From the Fact Sheet:
“4. Do I need a migratory bird permit to raise and sell Muscovy ducks now? No. Although we amended the regulations at 50 CFR 21.14 and 21.25 to restrict possession and sale of muscovy ducks, we will not restrict possession or sale, or issue permits for this species at this time. As a result of information received since publication of the final rules, the Service has decided to revise the regulations”
Do we know when we will see revisions? Not that I have been able to find out. Do we know what those revisions will be? No indications there either but it is hopeful that reasonable accommodations will be made for livestock birds. The fact that this federal agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has no real jurisdiction over domesticated livestock animals, that do not migrate, doesn’t seem to matter which is alarming.
In the mean time if you are concerned please check out the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s website. They have more information and a sample letter you can use to express your opposition to the rules as they stand now.
Also be sure to read the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s fact sheet about the Muscovy Duck regulations. There you can see their explanations and perhaps keeping a copy for your records is good in case someone does knock on your demanding your proof of permit to own, raise, breed, show, sell or eat Muscovy Ducks.
Also Dr. George Allen urges anyone with suggested changes to the regulations to email him at george_t_allen@fws.gov.
Now, what does this really mean? Well, the reality is that the agency has no hope of enforcing this nationwide. At least not in a fair manner. Instead it will end up being a case by case, who got turned in by a nasty neighbor or sting operations at farmer’s markets and other places where eggs and meat might be sold. With the FDA’s sneaky tactics against raw milk sales it’s hard to place a limit on what these agencies will do. What they can and cannot do seems to be well defined but that doesn’t seem to limit the FDA’s harassment of dairy farmers across the USA. That, is of course a long and important topic for another day.
Read the Final Rule Here:
Another Article on this issue:
Muscovy Duck ‘Protection” gets mixed reviews in Florida | Palm Beach Post
Other interesting Muscovy Duck Websites:
AvianWeb’s Muscovy Duck Info Sheet
http://www.avianweb.com/muscovyduck.html
The Muscovy Duck Standard
http://www.muscovyduckcentral.com/witt_farms/themuscovyduckstandard.html
Muscovy Duck Central (for those who LOVE these ducks)
http://www.muscovyduckcentral.com/
Muscovy Duck Wikipedia
USDA – Still up to no good
Longhorn
There have been some interesting new developments with the USDA. First there is the good news that the USDA has finally declared they are dropping the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)[1]. I was so happy that for once I was actually feeling a little better about a government agency though I don’t for a minute trust them that NAIS won’t be back with a different name. It’s easy to believe the USDA is up to no good, business as usual, especially in the light of the latest development concerning genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa. Once again they’ve ignored public opinion and our best interests in favor of agri-giant Monsanto. They’ve approved Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered alfalfa[2], again, with blatant disregard for the growing concern over the safety of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
First let’s discuss the good news with a little background on NAIS. Thanks to many years of following the efforts of like minded farmers, lawyers and friends in fighting the may USDA encroachments onto our rights I have learned to distrust the USDA and most government agencies. I learned about NAIS and what it would do to the small farmer, destroying their way of life and the agricultural backbone of the United States all in one fell swoop. I watched with despair and dismay at the USDA’s underhanded actions, attempting backdoor passage and outright lying to farmers as they enrolled them against their will in a program they did not want. All of these actions were committed in an effort to force the passage of NAIS passing despite great upheaval and opposition by the American farmers and people. I was surprised to see their callous disregard for the well-being of the American people, the farmers of the United States and the corruption that seems to be pandemic within the myriad agencies created, supposedly, to protect the public. It was through this that I learned just how corrupt our government is now and how important it is that we hold them accountable.
I will not go into all the details of what makes the NAIS such a deplorable program for the typical American Farmer but will leave that up to others much better qualified. You can read the NoNAIS.org website as well as the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s website. They have dedicated many resources to fighting tyranny.
It was with great interested and excitement that I read today the USDA is going to drop the dreaded NAIS program. They’ve been trying for years to force this outrageous animal monitoring system on the American farmers that would include cost and time prohibitive paperwork and documentation which would effectively have shut down most small producers.
Now, I am not trusting of the USDA at this point and I do wonder if this isn’t a smoke screen of some kind. It is as important now as ever that we support those who fought NAIS as they continue to watch the USDA to try and prevent any other such regulation proposals.
Now onto the bad news. Once again the USDA shows us how they cater to the big corporations and agribusinesses. Monsanto has gotten approval for more controversial, and potentially dangerous, Genetically Modified Alfalfa. As we’ve seen with other GMOs cross contamination is a serious issue and those of us who want to avoid GMOs are finding it increasingly difficult when crops are contaminated from drifting seed or pollen from GMO crops. Add to this problem there are farmers who are victims of this cross contamination but are being sued by Monsanto for violation of their patent rights when Monsanto and their farmers are to blame for tainting fields. Another concern is the growing evidence that the recent honey bee deaths and disease could be in large part due to the genetically engineered crops[3]. Jack McDonald and other scientists are working to identify exactly how the bees are being affected but it is clear that the GE crops are killing our honey bees, if indirectly and bees are an important part of the eco-system of every farm.
Alfalfa Field
Besides these issues there are also the obvious problems with Roundup itself. In South America ‘Roundup Ready’ crops are causing serious health concerns as vast areas are sprayed now that GM soybeans are being planted with such frequency. Round Up has been linked to cancer[4] and other health issues and the more GM crops that are “Roundup Ready” that are planted the more our environment will be polluted with cancer causing herbicides.
Roundup also creates “super weeds” that are increasingly resistant to herbicides thus requiring more and more potent, and toxic, herbicides in order to kill them[5]. Already these superweeds are becoming a serious threat in America’s heartland[6]. There are better, traditional, farming methods to reduce problems with weeds that do not include poisoning farmers, neighbors and the environment.
Lastly, there are the far-reaching effects on the economy that GMO alfalfa will have on the US market. Japan exports their hay from the United States but because of their laws banning untested GMOs from entering the country all USA grown hay could lose this extremely large market share. This is a staggering amount considering that 75% of the hay exported from the United States goes to Japan.[7]
So, once again we need you to help us take action against Monsanto and the USDA. We’ve stopped the GM Alfalfa before thanks to protests and a court ruling. The USDA has not met the burden of proof that GM alfalfa does not pose a threat to agriculture and health and it’s time we held them accountable. You can find various petitions online but here are a few links to some we have signed.
http://www.organicvalley.coop/index.php?id=2276
http://www.organicvalley.coop/index.php?id=2276
Information on how to submit your own comments to the USDA.
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/GMO
[1] http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/faq_traceability.pdf
[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18206234
[4] http://www.organicconsumers.org/Monsanto/glyphocancer.cfm
[5] http://webs.chasque.net/~rapaluy1/transgenicos/Prensa/Roundupready.html
[6] http://www.france24.com/en/20090418-superweed-explosion-threatens-monsanto-heartlands-genetically-modified-US-crops
[7] “ISSUES WITH GMO ALFALFA IN THE MARKETPLACE” William T. W. Woodward – http://www.wa-hay.org/publications/Issues%20With%20GMO%20Alfalfa%20in%20the%20Marketplace.pdf
Merry Christmas!
Gabriel in his new Christmas sweater made by Grandma Dottie.
Here at Naturally Texan we love Christmas but of course the parties and family gatherings mean extra hassle, sometimes uncomfortable discussions with friends and distant family about the “odd” diet restrictions and a lot of extra work baking gluten free or natural goodies, healthy eats and beverages to bring along.
We’ve learned to make it an adventure and part of the fun. The foods we make are part of the gift giving and are made with love and joy, and less guilt knowing we are nourishing our family even if it’s a bit more sugar than we allow most of the year.
We will showcase some recipes over this next week to help you with your holiday planning next year or for New Year’s gatherings. Next year we promise to have some excellent menu ideas for a family Christmas, holiday treats that are easily portable, and stocking stuffers that are healthier than most.
Saturday’s recipe is: Gabriel’s Favorite Peas AKA Parmesan Peas. He’s looking forward to it as you can see in this picture taken while we were shopping. He is wearing his new sweater made by his grandmother. Check back this week for this recipe and more, simple, delicious and of course naturally Texan.
We are also making a gluten free fruitcake sure to please and it will definitely change your mind about fruitcake. Fruitcake has an important historical significance and we will help you bring back this important tradition in a naturally Texan way.
We hope you will enjoy these recipes as much as we do. Here in Texas it’s actually getting nippy and it looks like it may snow. We have the great joy of our family, enough money for a few gifts and good food. We have our health and a new job my husband. We have much to be grateful for and joyous on this important holy day. We also have our readers to thank for making this blog worthwhile.
We wish you a most joyous Holiday Season full of love and laughter.
Posted in Healthy Living, Holidays, Journal | Tags: gluten free christmas, gluten free holiday, holiday diets, Holidays | No Comments »
True Freedom Includes Health Freedom
Book Review: Healthy Eats Here
Healthy Eats Here - Great book
I was pleased to see today, after getting my computer working again, that I won the give-away for the Health Eats Here eBook. Having some serious food allergies and also a great commitment to eating healthy at all times, including traveling, this book is a great help to me.
The eBook is easy to read. The layout makes it easy to find just the information you need and the introduction to the book includes some important information on the definitions of healthy foods as well as a brief explanation of why they are healthy. Term like grass-fed beef have little legal meaning, thanks to the USDA, but understanding what your local farmers mean by grass-fed is helpful. The author also stresses that important aspect of healthy eating, knowing the farmers… face to face! This isn’t easy to do when traveling so you have to rely on the chef and restaurant owners to have this relationship for you and the beauty of this eBook is if the author let’s you know just which restaurants operate like this and what farms they are working with.
The restaurant guide section is listed first by state then by city giving you easy navigation and a quick find when you are on the go. She lists average prices of meals which helps a great deal when you are on a budget. One thing I’d like to see is a simple coding for gluten free options or vegan options that can be seen at a glance. Those of us with very restrictive food requirements are always facing the dread of trying to find somewhere to eat that won’t make us sick so a guide that can make that just a little bit easier is priceless.
I enjoyed viewing the delicious photos and her reviews on not only the health of the food but how it tastes. Let’s face it, healthy isn’t worthwhile if the food tastes like cardboard or worse.. .a witches brew!
I would love to see information also on what oils the restaurant cooks with mostly or if there are options to choose. Those of us following Weston A Price Foundation guidelines want to avoid canola, soy corn and other vegetable oils and we would definitely freak to find a good restaurant cooking in healthy, organic coconut oils or pastured lard (non hydrogenated of course!). I’m not sure such a restaurant exists but more and more are using ghee, real butter and at least olive oil which is a boon.
The Author’s guide on eating seafood is definitely helpful especially to those who didn’t realize before all the ecological issues surrounding seafood. She explains in a friendly manner why it’s important to avoid certain fish because of mercury toxicity, others because they are farm raised (thus hormones, poor diets etc) and how to make smart choices when eating out.
There is a real credit given also to the heritage pork farmers of America. Heritage animals are facing serious threat of extinction and though it sounds odd the best way to save them is if we all start eating them! It will increase demand, farmers will be able to raise them again and we can preserve them. And the best part is these heritage breeds are typically healthier food and lead happier lives out in the sun and fresh air enjoying the old fashioned farm life.
The author offers a further reading list but I am disappointed to see a lack of some of the most important natural/sustainable health books out there including one I consider to be the most important Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. Though it is a cookbook it is full of important information on healthy eating, definitions and guidelines and also a great resource on just how unhealthy most premade food is in today’s world. This is always the first book I recommend to people who are discovering healthy eating.
The last, yet perhaps the most important thing about this eBook are the tools it gives the reader. If you can’t get to one of the listed restaurants or maybe the city you are in isn’t covered you still have tools available to you to help you pick the smartest, healthiest choice available. Sometimes it’s a situation of choosing the lesser of evils but every little bit helps when your only obvious options are microwave, fast food from chemically laden, confinement raised animals loaded with MSG and corn syrup. Find a local, non-chain restaurant. Ask the locals for help. And if you can’t be sure the meat is healthy go veggie because at least the pesticides can be washed off vegetables.
We give this eBook 4 stars out of 5.
Posted in Books, Restaurant Guides, Reviews | Tags: book reviews, ebook, grass-fed, healthy eating, healthy eats here, healthy restaurants, organic, restaurant guide, sustainable | No Comments »
Recipe: Chicken & Dumplings – Gluten Free
(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free)
This is our favorite Chicken & Dumplings Recipe adapted to be gluten free, dairy free, and soy free. If you can eat dairy pastured butter/ghee and raw pastured milk are excellent in this recipe. Always opt for organic vegetables, herbs and spices to avoid irradiation and toxins. To make it ultra Texan add a kick of cayenne or chili powder to the dumplings and a few pinches of jalepeno pepper flakes to the soup base with the dried herbs. The sky’s the limit!
Soup Base
3 – 4 quarts home-made chicken stock (pastured chicken stock recipe)
4 tbsp coconut oil (alternatively use pastured lard/tallow)
1 onion, diced
8 carrots, sliced
1 bunch celery, sliced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp granulated garlic
Meat from 1 whole roasted chicken*
¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Real Celtic Sea Salt & Organic Fresh ground pepper to taste
Dumplings
2 cups Pamela’s Baking Mix
¼ cup coconut oil (substitute pastured lard or tallow if desired)
¼ cup coconut milk (substitute pastured raw milk or butter milk if desired)
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
2 pastured eggs lightly beaten
Melt coconut oil (or pastured lard/tallow, or if not dairy free pastured butter/ghee are delicious additions) in a deep pot over medium/high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots and sautee until slightly softened and onions are translucent. Add garlic and sautee a few more minutes more being careful not to brown. Add herbs, fresh ground pepper, and stir allowing the oils to release for a few minutes.
Add the chicken and stir to combine.* (see alternative method below)
Carefully add the chicken stock, at room temperature or heated. Stir and allow to come to a gentle simmer while making the dumpling mixture.
In a bowl combine salt, pepper and baking mix and combine. In a larger bowl mix lightly beaten eggs and half of coconut milk reserving some. Gently add melted, and cooled, coconut oil (or tallow/lard/butter/ghee) being careful to not scramble the eggs. Add the dry ingredients and stir carefully until it just comes together. Do not over mix. The dough should hold together but still be somewhat crumbly. If the dough is too dry add more coconut milk. Alternatively raw pastured milk works great in this recipe.
Any remaining coconut milk, including the remainder of the can, can be added to the soup base. Add the fresh parsley reserving some for garnish. Add Celtic Sea Salt and stir.
When the soup is gently simmering start adding the dumplings one small spoonful at a time being careful not to crowd the pan. Use another spoon to help scrap off the dumplings into the soup easily and quickly. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer, do not remove lid until 15 minutes are up.
Turn soup off, vent lid and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Soup will be plenty hot and the dumplings will have had time to set. Serve in soup bowls, add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with remaining parsley. Serve with your favorite gluten free sides. For those not on a dairy free diet you can add a dollop of crème fraiche if desired.
*Use a previously roasted chicken to make this a delicious and easy recipe. We recommend always planning your menus to save time. By preparing a meal of roasted chickens the day before you will have plenty of bones to make a stock that night and meat from one of the chickens for use in the soup. If you are using stock out of the freezer and are making this on delicious soup on short notice that’s ok! Just use 4 to 8 chicken thighs, salt and pepper them and sprinkle on your favorite spice maybe some a pinch of yellow curry on each and brown them on both sides in the pan before you add the onions.
We use the pastured chicken stock recipe from Nourishing Traditions and the Weston A Price Foundation website but with a few twists.
Pastured chickens are ultra nutritious and delicious but usually cost more than your average store bought poultry so we love recipes that help us utilize every last bit of goodness. Don’t throw away the bones when you make fried chicken, roasted chicken or other meals. Save them in the freezer and make a weekly batch of rich bone broth. Your family’s health and vitality will shine thanks to all the amazing, bio-available nutrients in a real bone broth and your family’s food budget can be stretched even further. In fact when trying to eat naturally on a budget we highly recommend utilizing many bone broths, and various rich soups to fill bellies in lean times.
If you can’t afford pastured chicken in these hard times ask your local farmers if they have any stewing birds. Roosters and other older chickens that are culled are often too chewy for roasting but make absolutely fantastic, rich, nutritious and robust bone broths and the meat once cooked for so long becomes tender and delicious.
Posted in Comfort Food, gluten free, Gluten Free Recipes, Recipes, Soups | Tags: chicken, Comfort Food, dumplings, gluten free, nourishing traditions, organic, real food, recipe, soup | No Comments »
Recipe: Chicken Stock
Posted in Bone Broth, Recipes, Stock | Tags: Bone Broth, chicken stock, dairy free, gluten free, nourishing traditions, nutrition, Recipees, soup bases, WAPF, weston a price foundation | 1 Comment »