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8 Modern Food Myths I Wish I knew Sooner
Food for Thought Newsletter - Issue 009
In this Issue: 009
- 8 Modern Food Myths (and a few truths, too!)
- THE APP IS OUT!
- What we’re doing with all that apple cider.
Boy oh boy, we had such a fun week last week!
First, we opened the farm for the final apple picking of the season. Bittersweet but so fulfilling! Then Saturday afternoon the Lady Homesteaders came out to the farm, and we made apple cider, then we made apple cider (scrap) vinegar with the scraps from making cider.
Finally, we also made an herb based (not essential oil based) thieves vinegar to use for household cleaning, herbal care, and it can even be used as a throat spray when you’re starting to feel like you’re coming down with something.
Later that evening, after the lady homesteaders left, we had our community cider pressing. We invited our closest neighbors to make cider, and we had a hot dog & s’more roast. It was sure fun! The pouring rain meant we had to visit around tables set up in the greenhouse, but it was cozy and warm inside and the fellowship, and the cider, were sweet. We are blessed with an incredible community!
What’s going on around your place?
Have you put your garden to bed yet?
Are you starting to feel pretty prepared for winter?
8 Modern Food Myths ⁉️
Alright, ready to hear some super common myths?
I’d love to hear if you learned anything new or what else you’d add to this list, so be sure to hit reply or leave a comment with your thoughts.
Myth #1 - Skim milk is best
NO!
But one of the primary reasons might surprise you…
Did you know that in order to digest milk sugars properly, you need to have the fat included?
So - imagine this.
Milk intolerances overall have skyrocketed in recent years - as skim and low fat milk has been pushed into the spotlight.
Heck, the shelves at stores are mostly skim and 2% milk, with a little bit of whole milk on the fringes.
Studies are showing that we should have left things alone and that a major part of the reason for people not being able to digest milk is that the fat is necessary for digestion!
Ooft.
I won’t go into all of the reasons I believe the fat was removed from milk to begin with, but knowledge is power - and now we know, so we can change our milk habits.
If you don’t want to drink raw milk, another wonderful option is Alaska Range Dairy, which can be found in most local stores, and it’s whole milk!
As an added bonus, it’s also vat pasteurized, so it still has most of the original nutrients intact.
Isn’t this the best news? - You may not be lactose intolerant after all!
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #2 - Bone broth is always good for you
Now, this one is true for most people, BUT I want to share something I learned about a year ago.
If you have inflammation or if you have any sort of autoimmune, long batch bone broth may actually make things worse.
However, if you switch things up a bit and make a short simmered meat stock, you can avoid the glutamates that can stir up inflammation. It can also make your immune system kick into overdrive, which, if you have any sort of autoimmune condition, can really be frustrating.
In a nutshell, if you have autoimmune or inflammatory issues, enjoy your broth! But make sure there’s plenty of meat on the bones and simmer it for 6 hours or less if full bone broth seems to be an issue.
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #3 - All grains are bad
Now, there are a billion and two (pretty sure that’s an exact number) articles singing the praises of grains and just as many villainizing them.
I will be honest, I was told I had to be gluten-free forever because I have Hashimoto's along with insulin resistance, chronic EBV, and lupus. I was told that I should never eat grains again (along with dairy and a few other things).
Now, I really need to say something here. NOT EVERYONE IS LIKE ME! (I know, you’re wiping your brow saying “Thank goodness!”) ((grin)) but truthfully, please take care of you. I’m just sharing my experience because it’s been incredibly freeing! And this truth-finding mission has been incredibly involved. I’m not giving advice here, but I do want to offer some hope for you.
I have learned, through trial and error, that what causes inflammation for me is actually sugar (the number one culprit), a few chemical preservatives, and something in commercial white yeast breads.
However, when I sprout and mill my own grains and make bread - no inflammation at all. As a matter of fact, I found that I have extra energy and I just feel “good” when I have a slice of bread per day. Plus, it really helps my digestion. 🙂
I am also able to drink our raw milk and enjoy a milk kefir smoothie daily.
I can eat cheeses that I make and even enjoy a sprouted wheat bagel with cream cheese with no issues!
But if I do start to eat processed foods again - just about anything - I flare up super quickly.
I’m still learning, but I am very grateful to have a few grains and select milk in my life. I’m glad I didn’t take the usual advice and am listening to my body. The healing is slow, but I am confident we’re on the right track.
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #4 - Seed oils are good for you
Oh no, they are not!
- Canola
- Sunflower
- All the seed oils…
Are wreaking havoc on your body! I know it’s super frustrating because these were supposed to be the replacements for the other bad oils, but unfortunately they aren’t any better.
Around here, we use lard, butter, avocado oil, and a little bit of olive & coconut oil. That’s it! No seed oils in this house! It’s one thing we get right. 😉
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #5 - Organic is best
Darn if this one doesn’t just make my blood boil! Here’s the truth. KNOWING YOUR FARMER is best! And if you can’t - at least have some idea of where your food is coming from. Get to know brands you can trust and use them!
The organic industry is as crooked as a dog’s hind leg.
Oftentimes organic is better, but not always, folks. And I can’t even give you advice here other than to research, know your farmer, know your brands, and vote with your dollars.
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #6 - Salt is bad for you
Gosh darn it, NO IT IS NOT! (clearly this topic makes me a little “salty”)
If you don’t make any other changes around your house, please, please, please toss your table salt and your seed oils and replace them with good alternatives.
I listed seed oil alternatives above but for salt we use primarily Baja Gold. We get ours from Azure Standard, but you can order it from Amazon, too.
Good salt does not raise your blood pressure. It does not give you heart disease. It is healthy and adds much needed minerals and electrolytes to your body.
Here’s an article that explains the different types of salt.
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #7 - Fat makes you fat
Actually, the right fats can make you HEALTHY!
Jeez, give me a break.
Okay, I’m not a Dr, but Ken Berry is. Here’s what he has to say about this: https://www.youtube.com/live/HjH8Tv16T8A
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Myth #8 - Not feeling very well? There’s a medication for that
Well, that might be true, but it’s oftentimes NOT the best or only option.
With folks reversing Alzheimer's and diabetes and MS and any number of diseases all the time - Medications never reverse them - they always just mask symptoms as your body gets sicker and sicker.
However, food and lifestyle changes can put some pretty scary diseases into remission and has even been known to reverse some things.
Again, I’m not a doctor, but I do watch and listen, and I’m seeing incredible stories over and over from folks who are actually healing their bodies. And it’s incredibly encouraging.
I’m NOT saying to not take the meds. I have a couple that I take currently that literally keep me alive. Especially right now, while I’m in the middle of an incredibly painful and uncomfortable flare. But this time - I am confident I KNOW what caused the flare (literally my own stupidity) and I’m getting started turning it around. What I’m really grateful for is that I’ve learned how to manage it all so much better.
Just a reminder: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not making medical claims in any way. I’m simply sharing my story in hopes of helping others live a healthier life.
Bonus Myth: Cholesterol is bad
Actually, your body needs cholesterol.
If you’re worried about your cholesterol, this podcast and this video can help you get direction about things like how to read your cholesterol tests, knowing what is really dangerous, and statins.
The Academy App is Here! 📲
Okay, I don’t typically talk about stuff we have for sale because this newsletter is for information, but we Built an App and I can hardly stand it!
Now we can talk freely and learn any topic we want to learn about without worrying about “powers that be” not liking that we are selling livestock, butchering hogs, or growing plants for medicine.
We have some HUGE things coming up in the Alaska Homestead Academy - Like a FREE mini-expo for members coming up in October!
Plus, this app with a built-in community that’s going to be an incredible resource.
Note: The app is iOS only for now. Buying these apps is crazy expensive, so once we have enough members on iOS to be able to afford android, that is next! (it is all available on the web too)
Join the academy here: Alaska Homestead Academy
And then get the app here: AK Homestead IOS App
So Much Apple Cider 🍺
What in the world does a person do with over 20 gallons of apple cider!
Well, we gave some away to friends, family, and neighbors.
Some is in the freezer for holidays and special occasions to either drink cold or make into hot spiced cider.
And some is being made into apple cider syrup and apple cider caramel sauce (which I will be putting on homemade sticky rolls).
…The list goes on and on!
What would you do with fresh apple cider?