I have been studying ways to change our diet and improve out health for a couple of years now. It started with Crystal Miller’s website and the purchase of Nourishing Traditions and progressed from there. I was convinced it would take a lot of money to eat a “healthy” lifestyle. However, I have changed my tune and believe what you spend eating the right food and supplements you save in doctor’s office visits, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medication. Also, by eating more “whole” foods you tend to not suffer from hunger pangs in between meals. Two of the best resources for me are Mercola and Weston A. Price.
Here are a few things I changed at the beginning of my journey to leading a healthier lifestyle (somewhat in order). *May I note my husband has been SO supportive and accommodating through it all.
First things first:
No Soda
Drink Raw Milk (no homogenized, pasteurized, soy, or otherwise milk)
Whole Grains (whole wheat flours, organic oatmeal, steel-cut oats, whole wheat or gluten-free pasta, etc.)
No More Processed Foods (boxed cereal, spaghetti sauce, etc.)
Organic Raw Sugar, Raw Honey, and Stevia
As we adjusted to these changes I gradually began adding to it little-by-little.
Organic, Local, or Homegrown produce only:
This helps not only your health, but the environment by buying locally. Good Reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (my aunt gave me a copy knowing I would be intrigued)
Path To Freedom is also a wonderful sight.
Homegrown and/or Grass-Fed Meat:
Chicken and Eggs-homegrown
Pork-locally raised
Beef-grass-fed, no hormones or antibiotics
Lamb-homegrown
Venison
Cooking from Scratch:
Crystal Miller has a wonderful site with recipes for baking and cooking from scratch. She discusses the importance of soaking your grains, rice, and beans along with homemade beauty product recipes.
At our home I am the sole chef (unless the grill is used). Grilling can alter food and should be used sparingly.
I bake my own bread products (sourdough, whole wheat, pizza dough, tortillas, etc.). I also do a lot of canning, drying, and freezing produce from the garden to eat throughout the winter months. We use stainless steel and cast iron cookware and glass storage containers as much as possible to prevent metals and toxins from the plastic from leaching into our food. I would also like to discontinue the use of our microwave. I use it as sparingly as possible now.
One new addition to our household is a juicer. I ended up with an ulcer a few years ago, treated it with expensive prescription only to have it return. So, the juicer is first and foremost for cabbage juice to treat my ulcer. From there I hope to get more creative and make it a part of our routine.
For the Future:
The Purchase of a Grain Mill
The Construction of a Cheese Press
The Construction or Purchase of a Solar Oven
And hopefully someday the construction of an Off-Grid home with as many organic, reclaimed, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly additions as we can afford and find.
Supplements Added to our Daily Routine:
MonaVie-twice a day (morning and evening)
Kefir
Kelp-morning (I’m the only one who takes this)
Brewer’s Yeast (I’m the only one who takes this)
Cod Liver Oil (in the winter)-morning
Krill or Fish Oil (in the summer)-morning
*We take one ounce of MonaVie and one teaspoon of Cod Liver Oil/Fish Oil in the morning. The both taste wonderful, so it’s a nice little sweet jolt to get you going.
We start feeling a bug some on we add:
Vitamin C
Echinacea/Goldenseal or Oil of Oregano
We also use tinctures sold at our local herb shop for:
PMS (cramps)
Sore Throat/Laryngitis
Asthma
Supplements for Pets:
We struggle with one of our dogs having skin allergies especially in the winter. Our vet has used steroids, anti-inflammatory pills, and antibiotics. They all worked in the past, but this year nothing did the trick. So, I read up on some alternatives to prescription medication. We now use one teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar on our dog’s food morning and night. Guess what, no more rash. I may add Cod Liver Oil for good measure, but haven’t yet. I have also been looking for an alternative to Frontline for repelling fleas and ticks. We haven’t tried anything yet, but I am researching the use of brewer’s yeast and garlic. I will let you know what I come up with and how it works this summer. We also feed our dogs a certain brand of dog food which has nearly eliminated joint problems our Blue Heeler was suffering from in her hips. We switch from Science Diet (Joint Formula for the Cattledog and Sensitive Skin for the mutt) because they just weren’t working. We gradually switched them over to Purina Mills Exclusive Lamb & Rice, sold at Purina feed stores, was approved by our very picky (when it comes to dog food) vet. Make sure you have some of their old food on hand whenever you switch to new food. Do it gradually by cutting it a little at a time so their systems can adjust to the diet change.
I know this is not everything. We will continue to make changes and improvements to our diet. These are just a few things to get you started.
A really great blog to read concerning nutrition is Living, Loving, & Learning. Kristy is a mama concerned with the health of her family and knows it starts with the food they eat (or don’t eat).
Hope everyone has a wonderful day!
A Simple Prairie Life 