Health Topic: "Kefir"

So we already covered raw milk, kefir naturally comes next.

What is kefir?
In my life, kefir is an essential component to health as well as an intriguing "science experiment". Kefir is a live food. Easily digested, it cleanses the intestines, provides beneficial bacteria and yeast, vitamins and minerals, and complete proteins. Because kefir is such a balanced and nourishing food, it contributes to a healthy immune system and has been used to help patients suffering from many illness and ailments.

Some health benefits of milk kefir:
Milk kefir exhibits anti-bacterial [inhibiting the growth of unwanted bacteria], anti-mycotic [inhibiting the growth of unwanted molds or fungi], anti-neoplastic [inhibiting or preventing the growth or development of malignant cells] and immunomodulatory [an immunological adjuster, regulator or potentiator] effects, including a recent study of the anti-inflammatory activity of milk kefir, especially so for kefiran, which milk kefir-grains consist of and exude into the kefir during fermentation of milk. Apart from the anti-inflammatory effect, the former four activities may be shared by water kefir-cultures. Milk kefir also contains a powerful antioxidant, [1] existing as charged molecules. [2] The former research has shown it to be more powerful than vitamin E in protecting body cells against oxidative damage. The latter research concluded that the pH and heat resistant powerful antioxidant of milk kefir, whether made from dairy milk, rice milk or soymilk, has the potential to prevent pathogenesis of the brain such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ischemia from stroke, Huntington’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and amyotrohic lateral sclerosis. There has yet been similar studies to evaluate antioxidants of water kefir that I am aware of at this point. Milk kefir also has the ability to correct high blood pressure and blood glucose levels.

More info here.
The above site is very detailed, and includes more recipes.

Why Kefir and not just yogurt?
They both contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep the digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that reside there. But kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract, a feat that yogurt cannot match.

Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt, Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species.

It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by penetrating the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming a virtual SWAT team that housecleans and strengthens the intestines. Hence, the body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy.

Because the curd size of kefir is smaller than yogurt, it is also easier to digest, which makes it a particularly excellent, nutritious food for babies, the elderly and people experiencing chronic fatigue and digestive disorders.

Ok, sounds good. Where do I get it and how do I make it?
The great thing about kefir is that it GROWS. The grains multiply when "fed" correctly, and are under the right conditions. I have extra grains about every other week or so. Otherwise, you can buy them online. Kefir Lady has been a good proven source. I would buy fresh shipped grains, not frozen or freeze dried like you can find elsewhere.

Once you have your grains, the fun begins.
You will need a clean glass jar, lid and good milk. Raw milk is best in my opinion, but store bought milk with do (ultrapasturized doesn't culture as well) and you can also use goat milk, soy milk, rice milk or nut milk.

Place your kefir grains into your glass jar. It's not a science, it's an art- there is no magic recipe for amount of kefir grains to milk ratio. The more the grains, the quicker the milk with culture into kefir.

Pour your milk into the jar, and cover the jar LOOSELY (fermentation can cause gas and you need to leave room to expand, and a loose lid just in case.)
Sit at room temperature.

After awhile (usually 12-48 hours) the kefir will be ready. You can tell that it is ready when the milk thickens a little (like runny yogurt) and you can see it begin to coagulate in the jar.


Next you pour the contents into a strainer over a bowl to separate the grains from the kefir. I use a large pyrex measuring cup.
I leave it sit a few minutes if it's thick, and give it a little shake to help it along.

Beautiful grains left, ready for more milk

Here's the finished kefir.
I store my finished kefir in a glass container. Its needs to be refrigerated at this point.
This batch of kefir is a bit thick, normally it is a bit thinner.

What to do with it now? You can drink it plain, but I use it in smoothies. For breakfast, I make a smoothie out of one banana, ice, 1 cup or so of kefir and a tablespoon or so of peanut or almond butter, and some ground flax seed. You can also make it into a strawberry or chocolate peanut butter smoothie- whatever. Its very versatile.

Enjoy!

Back From Vacation

Earlier this month, we went to the Unschooler's Winter Waterpark Gathering. This was our second year attending. Just like last year, it was GREAT! We can hardly wait to get there again next year.

Again, we shared a suite with our friends, the McQueen family. We had so much fun. The kids all got along great (as did the adults), and we celebrated Rylan's 6th birthday. Oh, AND Mrs. McQueen and I got to indulge in an hour of adult time at an outdoor swim up hot tub bar in the SNOW! How cool is that?

Mr. GQ

Roughhousing

Play Area Fun

Raining balls

Gator attack! SWIM AWAY!

Best Buds

Mini Vegas, this picture does no justice to show the size of this acrade

Brayden chose to play only one machine

And won Big. See that little green line to win 1,000 tickets? He won the jackpot! It printed a receipt, not 1,000 actual tickets. He used his winnings to buy each of his best buds a bear and clothes for the bears. :)

Mr. Luck also won the resort coloring contest- an arcade gift card!

The McQueen's appetizer, isn't it pretty?

Ry's 6th Birthday!

For the talent show, the kids did "Hard Knock Life" from Annie

They all did great at body boarding! (I tried it too, and it was fun)

Obstacle course

Like last year, Rylan stayed mostly in the basketball pool

My most exciting part of the week was going to John Taylor Gatto's workshops. He's an amazing man and a great speaker.
More about him and his philosophies in another post.

Health Topic: "Raw Milk"

First I should address whether milk is a positive attribute in a diet at all. My opinion? I do not know. I have read and researched for a few years, and my mind is still not made up. I will say I am certain it is not NECESSARY. Humans don't NEED milk to grow or be healthy.

For a quicker synopsis, read this link titled 10 Facts The Dairy Industry Doesn't Want You To Know

Problems With Milk

One problem with cow’s milk is that the protein in the cow’s milk damages the human immune system. Amino acids, the units that make up proteins, are building blocks for all living cells. When amino acids in our food are properly broken down by the digestive system into protein, it does no harm to the immune system. Protein from milk, however, is absorbed into the blood fully undigested, provoking an immune response. Repeated exposure to these proteins disrupts normal immune functions and may eventually lead to diseases.

Some issues associated with cow's milk:

Crohn's Disease, Asthma, Early Sexual Maturation, Early Breast Growth, Diabetes, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Leukemia, ADD or ADHD, Prostate Cancer, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Sinuses, Autoimmune Disease, Lung Cancer, Childhood Anemia, Diarrhea & Constipation

Another issue with cow's milk is its contaminants. Any lactating animal excretes toxins through her milk. This includes antibiotics, pesticides, chemicals and hormones.

Fifty years ago, an average cow produced 2,000 pounds of milk per year. Today the top producers give 50,000 pounds! How was this accomplished? Drugs, hormones, antibiotics, forced feeding plans and specialized breeding. Along with the increased milk production comes increases mastitis and infections, thus puss contaminated milk, and MORE antibiotics. About one-third of milk products have been shown to be contaminated with antibiotic traces. You are ingesting the result of companies trying to make a better profit. Do you still find that milk mustache appealing and think of milk and health as a connection?

Milk has been linked to diabetes.

Did you know that counties with the highest milk consumption also have the highest rates of osteoporosis?

Does the commercial milk industry use humane practices? No.

So Why Raw Milk?

Certainly, it is the lesser of two possible evils. Back to your body breaking down protein, you CAN break down the protein and enzymes in raw milk because the are pure, unchanged and not altered by chemical processes and heat. Raw milk is easily digestible for most individuals, and contains BENEFICIAL components. Raw milk contains vitamin and iron binding proteins, anti-microbial action, and anti-cancer properties, among many other benefits.

It is important to buy raw milk from grass fed cows to reap the greatest health benefits.

More on the history and benefits of raw milk here.

Is raw milk safe? In my opinion, Yes. It is safe. Statistically, you are more likely to become ill from consuming contaminated produce than fresh milk. Because of that, would you avoid fresh produce? Also, there is natural protection in raw milk from contaminants. Basically, the good stuff in it can overpower any bad stuff.

FAQ's on Raw Milk

Final thoughts:

I am not convinced milk is beneficial when consumed often. I believe it should be consumed in moderation, if you chose to drink it. I use one cup (raw milk kefir) per day in a smoothie, and do not drink it otherwise, not because I think it is bad, per se, I just don't like to. I will use it in recipes. My kids will have a small 4 oz. juice glass full only a few days per week. They do use raw milk for their cereals.

Finally, I cannot stress enough the importance of KNOWING YOUR LOCAL FARMERS. Give them a call, take a trip to visit. Develop a rapport, and see what they have to offer. Support them.

Health Topic: "Honey, Honey"

Lets talk honey, Sweetie.

YUM! I decided to jump topics to quickly discuss the benefits of using local, raw honey in your diet. For our "from scratch" baking, sweetening and tea, I only use honey. About a year or so ago, my wonderful friend Christie hooked me up with a local source of raw honey. It is AMAZING. SO much better than anything store bought. Raw honey is not filtered or heated. Real raw honey contains all the enzymes, pollen, and floral essences that the honeybees put into it. Do you see the dark color? Commercial honey found in most grocery stores have been heated, filtered and strained to eliminate extraneous particles. This is why processed honey has a golden clearer color than pure raw local honey. Do you see the delicious drips along the jar? Is your mouth watering yet? I'll be talking more about honey in future posts, with recipes:

Isn't it beautiful?

Its not only good tasting, honey is good for you.

I use honey not only as a sweetener, but as a natural remedy. For at least 2700 years, honey has been used to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of raw honey been chemically explained. Antibacterial properties of real raw honey are the result of the low water activity causing osmosis, hydrogen peroxide effect and high acidity.

I tested it out a few months ago as a burn remedy. I was making elderberry syrup (another blog post) and had no funnel. I accidentally poured boiling syrup all over my hand. Ouch. My skin got red right away, and started to blister. I slathered some raw honey on, and within 20 minutes, I was able to cook dinner and not be in any pain. A few hours later, my hand was red, but not blistered. I am now a believer.

LOCAL HONEY is also a beneficial factor. Especially if you suffer from allergies. Honey works much like an allergy shot in that it exposes you to small amounts of allergens to help your body build immunity to the allergens. When bees pollinate to make honey, they bring back allergens from the flowers, trees, and other plants. This leaves small traces of those allergens in their honey. Check it out. There is ample evidence of its benefits.

Here is a very comprehensive article on all of the benefits of honey, including the science and studies behind it helping to control blood sugar levels, and enhancing athletic performance, and so much more. Bookmark this link to refer to later, its a long article, but worth the read.

Finally:
Is raw honey safe to consume? Yes, in my opinion and experience.

What about for children under the age of one? That's for you to research and decide for your self. In my own personal opinion, breastmilk should be the only sweetener needed at this age.

Health Topic: "My Daily Dose"

I'll call this post "My Daily Dose"....because with this one, simple drink, I get a full dose of SO many "goodies" and super foods.

Anyone who has a blender can do this at home, in any scaled down fashion. I choose to go "all out". I researched different blenders, and saved for years. Yes, years of research and saving for a Vitamix. <---- PLEASE click this link and look at all of the amazing things you can do with a Vitamix. I not only make smoothies, but I also use my Vitamix for soup, grinding grains, to puree foods and legumes (hummus!) to chop and shred, sauces, salsa, cappuccinos, for ice cream and sorbet, apple sauce, and nut butters. I have not used it for dough, I still love my Kitchen Aid mixer for that! I was able to sell my blender/food processor combo after purchasing my Vitamix. No, I don't' work for Vitamix, nor do I receive any type of "kickback" for promoting them, so I would like to also show you the "competitor": Blendtec The main reasons I chose Vitamix over Blendtec was for the BPA- free jar of Vitamix, but Blendtec is now BPA free as well. Blendtec also has a programmable feature so it can be more user friendly in that sense. Vitamix is an older, more established company with a consistent history of good customer service, so I felt led to get a Vitamix over Blendtec.

Back to the Super Smoothies:
Each morning for breakfast, I have a smoothie. Normally I start out with a kefir smoothie. More on kefir another day ;)
1 C kefir milk (made with raw milk- more on raw milk later)
1 frozen organic banana
1-2 T natural nut butter (almond or peanut)
1-2 T flax seed and wheat germ mix

Yum! Healthy, filling and rich in vitamins and minerals. And EASY.

I also drink a green smoothie daily.
I pack as much nutrition and "super food" into one easy drink as I can without making it taste nasty. ;)

My personal stand by recipe:
1/2- 3/4 C frozen berries (Organic is expensive, so unless I stock up on a sale, I buy a big bag of Dole mixed frozen berries at Sam's Club, or the smaller bags from Aldi. Blueberries are a super food, high in anti-oxidants)
1 or 2 whole organic carrots (I do NOT like carrots, but I can't taste them in the smoothie) I keep them unpeeled, and the tops on)
A few big handfuls of super greens (you can't taste the spinach, kale is a bit stronger, mustard and collard greens have a slight taste too.)
1/3 C or so of sprouts (more on sprouting later, it's cheap and easy! I use wheat, broccoli and chia)
A scoop or two of Super Greens Powder (I use different brands, and starting with my next Frontier order, I hope to buy greens powders in bulk to make it cheaper myself.)
* things to include are alfalfa, barley grass, wheat grass, chlorophyll, spirulina and kelp
whatever veggies are left in the fridge (have some broccoli, beans or red pepper that needs used up? Throw it in!)
1/2-1 C liquid (I use a little kefir and organic white grape or apple juice, just enough liquid to kept it blend up.)

My Vitamix with my "Daily Dose" of super foods.

Up close picture. YUMMY spinach, and lots of it!

Seconds later! The frozen berries help keep it purple instead of green- so the kids will drink it :)

This is a great product you can order here from my friend

I use 2 small scoops. Its not a wonderful taste, but nothing horrible either. If you choose not to make smoothies, you can stir it into a small glass of juice.

Here is a great health quiz to see where you are currently at, and what direction you'd like to head. The entire website is great, be sure to check out this link on nutrition facts and myths as well. (fyi: I personally do not agree with all of the China Study, but I agree with 90% of her web site information)