Trans Fat, Heart Attacks, and The Death of Real Food: A Short History Lesson

1901: people in the United States ate real food, including real eggs, butter, and lard. Heart attacks? Nobody had heart attacks; no such thing.

1905: Proctor and Gamble invented Crisco, a product made from cottonseed oil; cottonseed oil was originally used for candle manufacturing,  but a young upstart named Edison invented the light bulb. What on earth was P&G to do with its useless cottonseed oil? Put it in a can and sell it as a butter and lard replacement! The first artificial food was born.

1921: the first heart attack was recorded

1950: 400,000 heart attacks were recorded

2009: 700,000 deaths were recorded from heart attacks

Enough with the "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" already! Believe it: the crap's not butter, and it's killin' us, people.  For a short essay on Crisco and other harmful, man-made fake foods, go to http://www.liberationdiet.com/downloads/THE_RISE_OF_FAKE_FOOD_Excerpt.pdf

Cabbage and Eggs for Breakfast

There's good weird, then there's bad weird. Eating cabbage for breakfast falls into the good weird category. High in fiber, vitamin C and several B vitamins, quick sauteed cabbage of any variety is especially good with soft scrambled eggs in the morning; feel free to add a couple slices of  high quality meat candy, AKA bacon.

 

Breakfast cabbage: melt a teaspoon of real butter in a frying pan. Chop Napa or Bok Choy cabbage, and add to skillet when butter is hot. Saute for about two minutes on medium high heat. Remove to plate, add a little more butter to skillet, and cook up a couple of farm fresh happy eggs your favorite way. Add a piece or two of dense, crunchy toast, some organic bacon, and listen: that's the sound of your brain gearing up for the day!

Are Chickens Vegetarians?

No. Chickens eat worms and bugs.
If you buy eggs laid by vegetarian chickens, rest assured: somewhere out there is a marketing genius making money off your ignorance.

Choose

One of these statements is true:

You are what you eat.
The earth is flat.
You decide.

Magnesium: What’s the Big Deal? Crazy People, Listen Up.

 Magnesium is best known as a common treatment for constipation and heartburn, but in the old south, it was also used to cure dandruff and acne, and held the same medicinal status as turpentine. Our great-grands may not have been hip to the role Magnesium plays in maintaining a healthy body, but they respected it as good medicine.

Poor Man Food Magnesium is found in many whole foods, including collard greens – another constant source of nourishment for many poor families in yesterday’s South. Although over-cooked to slimy consistency, the pot liquor never went to waste. A hot skillet of buttermilk cornbread was doused with the liquid, or it was drunk like coffee. A bowl of magnesium-rich pinto beans usually rounded out the meal. Additionally, black strap molasses – a delicious source of magnesium – sat on the kitchen table alongside apple cider vinegar and homemade pickled peppers. Today’s organic gardens are amended to reap the full benefit of soil nutrients, and produce a bounty of magnesium-rich broccoli, spinach, and Swiss chard - considered upstart vegetables to some old gardeners who still prefer the poor man’s dinner of collards, pintos and cornbread.

MAGNESIUM FACT SHEET

Magnesium plays a critical role in cell function, and is necessary in nearly every process in our body. Calcium and magnesium should always be taken together to help regulate nerve and muscle tone. Green leafy vegetables are nature’s best source of magnesium.

Functions
• Relaxes nerves and muscles
• Builds and strengthens bones
• Keeps the blood circulating smoothly
• Helps prevent tooth decay
• Serves as an anti-inflammatory
• Helps prevent insomnia
• With vitamin B6, may be beneficial for autistic children
• Useful in treating menstrual problems by decreasing lower back pain and cramps
• Necessary for calcium uptake

Deficiency Signs
The liver, brain, heart, and kidney are affected first when the body is deficient in magnesium. Signs of magnesium deficiency include the following:
• Muscle weakness, tremor, spasm, and / or loss of sensation in the extremities
• Elevated blood pressure
• Imbalanced blood sugar levels
• Headaches and insomnia
• Psychiatric disorders such as short or long-term depression, delirium and behavioral disturbances

Factors Contributing to Depletion
• Insufficient diet, including food devoid of nutrients (processed, chemical-laden "Frankenfoods")
• Alcoholism
• Diabetes
• Overmedication with antibiotics and diuretics
• Oral contraceptives
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Bulimia
• Mental and physical stress, including extreme cold, trauma and surgery

Toxicity and Adverse Reactions
Magnesium toxicity is rare, except in individuals with kidney failure. The most common side effect from high magnesium intake is diarrhea.

Nutrient-Rich Food Sources
• Fresh organic greens, including Swiss chard, spinach, collards, kale and mustard
• Summer squash, broccoli, cucumbers, celery, and tomatoes
• Seeds, including pumpkin, sesame, flax (ground), and sunflower
• Green, pinto, and black beans
• Quinoa and buckwheat
• Wild-caught (not farm-raised) salmon
• Organic raw chocolate (cocoa nibs)

Average Recommended Daily Dosage Range
Children age 1 – 13: 80 - 240 mg
Teens and young adults age 14 – 18: 300 – 400 mg
Adults age 19+: 350 – 750 mg
Higher dosages may be indicated for angina, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, hypertension, oral contractive use, osteoporosis, and menstrual problems; please consult your Naturopathic doctor or Holistic Nutrition professional if you suffer from magnesium deficiency signs listed above or for help determining you or your child’s individualized therapeutic dose.

Instructions for Taking Supplemental Form
Magnesium plus calcium and vitamin D is a winning combination because each nutrient enhances the absorption and benefits of the other. Follow label instructions, or your health care professional’s advice.

Reference
Lieberman, S. and N. Bruning: The Vitamin and Mineral Book, 4th ed. (New York: Penguin, 2007)

"The day, water, sun, moon, night...I do not have to purchase these things with money."

           -Plautus

Raw Beet Salad

Wash and trim the greens from three fresh beets, saving the beet greens for later (see "How to Cook Greens" post for recipe). Grate the beets, don't worry about peeling them. Add 2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried dill, and sea salt to taste. For added punch, add some Dijon mustard, or mix the dill with oregano. Serve with your freshly cooked beet greens. YUM!