Sharing Station Handouts
Whole Foods, Whole Spirit
presented by Belinda Lenhard, Amy Fullmer, Heather Andersen, and Natalie Vickers
Click here for these notes in a PDF book.
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Handouts:
Whole Foods, Whole Spirit: Knowledge and Awareness Gives You The Power To Make Changes
Our spirits and bodies are undoubtedly connected. When we are in control of our bodies physically, we are more at peace and can have more control spiritually. The opposite is also true. When we build our spirituality and closeness to God, we are more in tune and better able to control our physical desires and appetites in a manner pleasing to God and can gain better physical health.
When we eat healthy we feel better! Not only physically but spiritually as well. Even with busy lives and schedules we are taught to prioritize study of the scriptures so that the rest of our life can function at its best and so that we can better weather the storms that come. In the same way we must prioritize maintaining proper health so we can fulfill all of our other dailty duties to the fullest. We hope this information will help you in doing so!
Mormon taught that "Charity NEVER faileth" Moroni 7:46, that "Charity is the pure love of Christ" 7:47 and instructed "Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love"7:48.
Likely the most important thing we can do for personal and collective health is to PRAY with all the energy of our heart for charity-the pure love of Christ. This always is the solution to every problem or question! So…pray for guidance.
MENTAL BLOCKS WE'LL HELP YOU OVERCOME
- Healthy Food Tastes Good
- Having time/Planning
- Monthly Menu
- Budget
Overview
Yes, it does take time, but is a worthwhile investment that will affect the habits and health of your family throughout their lives. This is an important part of our role as women to not only fill their bellies but to nourish them. Our families can better fulfill their missions here on earth if they have better vitality and are not burdened with unnecessary ailments.
Step 1 - WHOLE SPIRIT
# 1 Pray! for personal guidance. There are many ideas, studies, opinions on nutrition. Sometimes it feels like the type of confusion Joseph Smith experienced with religion. Remember James 1:5 “If any of ye lack wisdom let him ask of God....and it shall be given him.” The Savior has instructed many times that if we turn to him he will heal us. BELIEVE HIM! It may be a lifelong process. Through the Holy Spirit we can be guided individually and with preciseness as to how the healing of body, mind and spirit can take place. You are unique and so you need this unique guidance!
# 2 Pray! for deeper understanding how the Word of Wisdom pertains to healing and wholeness of body, mind and spirit (D&C 89). In the opening of the Word of Wisdom in D&C 89, it says, “Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bone And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.”
#3 Pray! Remember to bless every bite! There is such great power in prayer! And the act of blessing your food will often give you strength and wisdom to refrain from obvious poisons! Also expressing thanks helps you to appreciate and enjoy the wonderful food God has provided.
#4 Pray! for help to resolve things that are bothering you. It's not just what we're eating but also what's eating us that hurts our health.
#5 Pray! for help to develop Heavenly habits and righteous routines. What we do consistently every day determines what we become both spiritually and physically.
#6 Pray! and read Scriptures every morning. Feed the spirit FIRST, then the body. One idea is to not eat anything in the morning until you have read scriptures and prayed. This has similarities to fasting.
"With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation...With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses of today’s world (Elder Watson)."Step 2 - UNDERSTAND HOW FOOD IMPACTS OUR BODY
- Did you know? Within one generation of mothers starting to eat white flour and sugar, children were born with severe teeth structural deformaties (need for braces) whose ancestors all had perfect teeth for centuries. (WAPF)
- What is your body trying to say? Symptoms are a message from your body telling you to change what you're eating. When you have GI issues, gas, heartburn, indegestion, canker sores, are often sick, have skin issues, etc., something is unbalanced internally. Listen to your body!
- What we eat can affect...our emotions, behavior, and ability to reproduce. In Dr. Fancis M. Pottenger's 10-year study on cats, cats who ate a diet of 1/3 cooked meat and 2/3 sweetened condensed milk showed problems while those that ate a diet of raw meat and raw milk showed normal mood and behaviors.
- Your health is up to you and not limited to your genetic inheritance; sometimes illness comes because of our choices concerning how we care for our bodies, not because it's the Lord's will for us.
What Sugar Does To Our Bodies:
- It can contribute to Leptin Resistance which leads to weight gain, cravings, sleep trouble, etc.
- It is highly addictive because it causes massive dopamine release in the brain
- It doesn’t fill you up and instead encourages you to eat more
- It stresses the liver and can lead to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- It increases bad cholesterol and triglycerides
- It weakens your immune system (especially avoid when sick!)
- It's linked to multiple chronic diseases & daily ailments like diabetes, heart disease, skin & digestive issues, etc.
#1 -Eat what God created (found in nature). The Lord created our body & he also created the perfect fuel for them. Our bodies need the correct food or fuel just like a diesel engine requires diesel fuel. When we use the wrong fuel it can cause major damage to our bodies.
#2 Eat food in the whole form that God created it. GMO/Hybridized foods are manmade (i.e., most wheat and corn are genetically altered and difficult for the body to process). The less processed the better. Our bodies react differently to food that has been changed or altered. Processed foods have manmade chemicals and additives in them that are harmful.
#3 Eat food in the correct quantities. Don't overeat, eat local, eat in season.
#4 Eat by the sweat of our brow. This sounds daunting but when you really stop and think about it, we have given big companies and fast food establishments control over our food growth, storage and preparation. Since the introduction of processed food the cancer rate has gone up 600% and heart disease has gone up 300%! Cooking healthy food will take time, love, and preparation but through work comes great rewards!
This is a different way of thinking from how most of western civilization eats. These are foods that are eaten in their whole state and not damaged by processing. These foods provide optimal health. There are entire civilizations that have eaten this way and never had common diseases that are rampant in our country and continuing to rise.
Step 5 - A HEALTHY GUT FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM
- Did you know that 70% of your immune system is in your gut? What we eat affects the body's immune response.
- Research over the past two decades has revealed that gut health is critical to overall health, and that an unhealthy gut contributes to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, autism spectrum disorder, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome (Dr. Kresser, Integrative Medicine).
- Lacto-fermented veggies are the best and most economical source of natural probiotics (see recipe). If foods that are normally considered to be healthy are causing you "problems" consider healing your gut!
The most important fruit we can partake of in all of eternity is the fruit of the tree of life.
The tree of life in Lehi & Nephi's vision is symbolic of the love of God (see 1 Nephi 11:21-23). Its fruit is described as "most precious and most desirable above all other fruits," which "is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (see 1 Nephi 15:36) Lehi & Nephi received this understanding because of fervent prayer and obedience!
*Family Dinner – We get hungry and need to eat food on a regular basis, in part, because it is symbolic of the spiritual hunger we feel and nourishment that is necessary to keep our spirits strong and healthy, as well. We feed our spirits through following God’s commandments and doing His will.
Some HEALTH tips to consider:
#1 - You can't improve on God. Eat from Mother Nature's table!
#2 - Water out, water in. (Drink about 2 cups of water first thing in the morning. Then throughout the day replenish every time you urinate.)
#3 - Buy or grow lots of fresh vegetables and plan a way to use them before they spoil. A good knife and chopping board are essential and the healthiest tools in the kitchen. (I love my vidalia onion chopper to speed things up.) Plan vegetables for breakfast as well. Who says we can't eat salad for breakfast?
#4 - We eat what is easily available. Don't bring poisons into your home.
#5 - Our bodies are refineries so don't eat refined food. A flour mill would soon quit working if you put flour through it.
#6 - Do NOT go on a temporary diet. This just confuses your body. One step at a time, make permanent changes and be joyful about how wonderful you feel and how yummy real food tastes.
#7 - Allow time for preparation of healthy meals.
A Few Basic Real Food Tips
It's understood we all have financial limitations. With that being said these suggestions and ideas are something to work towards. We do the best we can and pray the Lord will help us with the rest!
Reading Labels
You MUST read nutrition labels! Even foods disguised as “health foods” can be loaded with added sugars, etc.
It's important to not only consider the ingredients (organic or not) but also the process of combining them. For example a cereal may include whole grains but looses nutrients and becomes unhealthy when it is subject to intense heat.
Reduce Processed/Sugary Foods
Kids are willing to change but it's often the parents who can't give up the convenience and cheapness of processed foods. Although kids love it and it reduces battles to serve it processed foods are damaging to our health.
Fruit juices: This may surprise you, but fruit juices actually contain the same amount of sugar as soft drinks!
Transitioning
Your kids won't eat these things? You have to TRAIN their taste buds a little at a time. Think it will be tough? It probably will, but most things worth doing are!
Fats
The majority of the population these days still seem to "fear" fats in the diet because of all of the fat-free and low-fat propaganda of the '80s and '90s that falsely made people think that all fats are bad for us. Nothing could be further from the truth! People are constantly choosing "low-fat" and "fat-free" options of various foods at the grocery store despite the fact that most of these options contain a LOT more carbs and sugars to replace the fats that are taken out, which actually leads to faster aging. However, it's absolutely imperative to get enough healthy fats in your diet to keep your hormones balanced, blood sugar under control, prevent cravings, and to slow the aging process in your organs, skin, and joints.
Obvious Healthy Fats
These are healthy fats that contain loads of beneficial nutrients that can help you to live longer, healthier, and leaner...
- Coconut Oil, Coconut Flour, And Coconut Milk
- Ghee, Grass-Fed Butter/Milk (Whole Fat)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Raw Nuts & Seeds
- Avocados
- Olives
- Eggs
- Fish Oil
Things To Avoid
- Grains that are very hybridized or GMO - wheat, corn, etc.
- Pasteruized products - dairy, juice, etc.
- ALL grains that come in a box are highly processed even if made with organic, whole grains.
Easy Things To Change
- Sour Cream - Daisy has 1 ingredient compared to others with a laundry list of things!
- Apple Sauce - Buy unsweetned. Original has HFCS!
- Buy local grass fed dairy - store bought is heated to high temperatures killing any valuable nutrients
- Bread - look for ones that have less ingredients and are non-GMO
- Eggs - buy from neighbor, or brown eggs at the store
- Cereal - eat oatmeal instead (not quick/instant)
- Lunchmeat - buy a rotisserie chicken instead of deli meat
Costco - Organic Items
Costco (*at Sam's too) carries a lot of economically priced organic items such as (but not limited to):
- Carrots *
- Coconut flour & coconut oil *
- Kale
- Maple syrup
- Olive oil
- Spinach, spring salad mix, mixed greens, lettuce *
- Tortilla chips (organic/non-gmo)
- And more...
General Tips
- Reduce processed foods slowly so family can adjust
- Shop primarily on the perimeter of the grocery store!
- Feed you AND your kids the same healthy foods! Especially your growing kids!
- Homemade chicken broth is extremely nourishing! When buying a rotiserrie chicken throw the fat/bones & old veggie scraps (carrots, onion, parsley) into a pot of water for 3-24 hours on low. Strain & keep in fridge for up to 7 days or freeze. When using add 1/2 tsp salt/cup broth!
Transitioning Your Family to a Real Food Diet
What is a Real Food Diet, exactly?
It's what God made! A real food diet is when you eat delicious things like whole milk, butter, cream, farm fresh eggs, warm bread, fresh garden vegetables, whole cuts of meat like steak, lamb chops or bacon and hearty soups made with real homemade broth. Real food has nourished people literally for thousands of years, and is something your ancestors would recognize. Ironically, a typical grocery store carries only 10% real food and most is found in the produce department. The rest is highly processed and shouldn’t even be considered “food.” I am amazed at what is called “food” in our grocery stores today. Yogurt in a tube, cookies in a tub, protein in a powder, and 100-calorie packs of whatever – what would your great-grandma think? It’s time to get back to a real food diet!
Some of you seasoned real foodies are probably thinking…“A real food diet isn’t really a diet, it’s more of a lifestyle!”
In my opinion though, the word "lifestyle" scares people away because people assume they will have to commit completely 100% to real food, and that they’ll never, ever be able to eat anything "unreal again. I, for one, don’t believe in the 100% method at all. Why? Because we gotta give ourselves some slack, and I believe the stress of worrying about that junk food is WORSE than actually just eating the dang food. For a balanced approach here is the 80/20 rule.
Today, I’m going to give you some simple baby steps you can take as you move towards a real food diet. Just do the best you can, be willing to make some changes, and just eat the food!
The Real Food "Baby Steps" Method:
Baby Steps Tip #1 – Slow & steady wins the race
Repeat the phrase "baby steps' to yourself whenever you get overwhelmed. "Baby steps to the door…baby steps to the hallway…baby steps down the hallway.” Just do your best, and understand it takes time to be an expert with real food. Please, whatever you do, don’t compare yourself to others. Be proud of your progress, however small it is.
Baby Steps Tip #2 – Simplify your brain
Visualize a simplified grocery list instead of an insanely long one. While I’m not gonna lie that cooking from scratch takes some planning and work, the ingredients are simple. Whenever I think about real food, I always divide it into simple categories. They are:
Baby Steps Tip #3 – Be a Real Food Substituting PRO
While researching for real food recipes is an awesome endeavor, also remember that ANY recipe you currently cook with can be turned into a healthy, real food meal! Simply substitute the bad stuff for the good stuff and you’re set! Go here for some helps!
Baby Steps Tip #4 – Don’t fall for the snack trap
As motivated as you might feel when deciding to avoid packaged food and stick with mostly homemade stuff, please avoid the “I have to re-create every snack food possible” trap. As much as your kids will love those snacks and devour them in 2 seconds, heed my warning, you’ll hit burnout faster than you can say "homemade cherry pop tarts with homemade pink glaze and homemade sprinkles on top." The wonderful, blessed thing about eating real food, is that you and your family will become nourished and snacking will be a thing of the past. I’m telling you, the constant hunger games going on in your house will slow down, if not stop all together once you start getting some real food into those bellies of yours!
Baby Steps Tip #5 – Not all packaged food is bad
While most packaged food is laden with chemicals, additives, fillers, artificial colorings and flavorings, and genetically modified ingredients, this doesn’t mean it’s all bad. Yes, most of it is no bueno, but we can’t make EVERYTHING homemade, now can we? There are some great staples you can still include in your real food diet like:
Gut-healing Foods: All Disease Begins in the Gut--Hippocrates
Our immune system is critically dependent upon good bacteria (i.e., probiotics) to keep the bowels healthy as well as produce essential vitamins and support a healthy stomach acid to digest and break down food properly, reducing allergies, yeast infections and other invaders. Gut health should be maintained daily and is especially important for mothers bearing children as the child's gut health comes from her. Lacto-fermented vegetables are a great way to include natural probiotics in your everyday diet! A small amount of 2-3 servings/day is all that's needed! There are many other healthful and economic ways to ferment food and drink you already have at home so start researching! If making homemade fermented veggies is not an option there are also great supplemental probiotics that would be beneficial as well.
LACTO-FERMENTED VEGETABLES
You can lacto-ferment many types of veggies with any combination to appeal to your family's tastes! Beet-basil-dill-carrot-garlic or carrot, garlic, onion, jalapeno are a couple of ideas. It 's very important that you use filtered water for all fermentation. The chlorine in regular tap water is not good for allowing beneficial bacteria to grow. If you don't have filtered water just leave a pot of water out on the counter overnight and the chlorine will disapate. You can also boil the water for 20 minutes with the same results. Just plan time for it to cool before using.
Items Needed:
1 glass quart jar with a metal or plastic lid
1-2 cups filtered water
1 to 1 1/2 TBSP real salt (1 TBSP is usually enough but experiment to taste)
Good Knife/Food Processor/Cheese Grater/Mandolin
Any Combination of Raw Organic Vegetables:
chopped cauliflower
chopped beets
chopped carrots
chopped green beans
chopped bell peppers
sliced radishes
sliced daikon
sliced cucumbers
chopped turnips
chopped broccoli
chopped kale
chopped onions
chopped green onions
chopped garlic
chopped cabbage (when using cabbage first chop and then pound with a meat tenderizer for around 10 minutes to release necessary juices)
Any Combination of Herbs and Spices:
dried chili peppers
black peppercorns
bay leaf
fresh dill
fresh basil
fresh tarragon
fresh mint
First place your favorite combination of chopped/shredded/sliced vegetables into a quart jar, layering with herbs and spices if you choose. Pack everything in tight with a fork, and make sure you leave about an inch from the top of the jar. Then add the salt and water, leaving about an inch to a half inch from the top. You can use any good quality sea salt but make sure it's not the cheap/regular sea salt seen in stores. Make sure the vegetables are completely submerged. Cover with a lid and screw on tightly. After day 2 or 3 begin to "burp" your jars once or twice daily to let excess gasses escape. You can do this by unscrewing the lid just enough to hear the gasses release and then quickly tightening it back up. You should see a bit of bubbling and some liquid possibly dripping out after about day three, depending on the heat level in your home. If your lids are tight and you don't burp them they may explode from the pressure, so keep a close eye on them. Place your jars into a container, like a rectangular Pyrex dish, to catch any drips. Set your jars in an undisturbed place in your kitchen out of direct sunlight. I like to store mine on top of the fridge.
You can taste the veggies after about five days to see how soured they are. I prefer to let mine ferment for about 7 to 8 days in the winter and 5 to 6 days in late summer. I have also let them ferment for 10 or more days. Just experiment, there is no exact science with fermentation. After your veggies are soured to your liking, place the jars into your fridge where they will store for months.
Use your fermented vegetables to top cooked quinoa, beans, and chopped leafy greens. Serve them atop grilled fish or chicken. Serve them with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Add them to salmon or chicken salads made with mayonnaise. You can also whisk some of the leftover brine with olive oil, a squirt of dijon mustard, and a dash of honey for a probiotic salad dressing!
A HEALTHY GUT FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM
If foods that are normally considered to be healthy are causing you "problems," consider healing your gut. You may have issues such as food intolerances, leaky gut syndrome, etc. that can potentially be helped. There are multiple elimination type diets out there such as GAPS, SCD, Paleo Auto-Immune Diet, FODMAPS, etc. as well as various supplements to help heal the gut. Research them and find one that works for you. These diets are meant to be temporary until establishing a proper balance in the gut. Once you achieve that you may be able to consume many healthy foods that previously caused you discomfort.
Understanding How Harmful Sugar and Processed Foods Are
We often hear the argument that sugar is ok in moderation and that eliminating any “food group” is dangerous. Certainly, avoiding an actual macronutrient category completely (carbohydrate, protein or fat) would be problematic, but sugar in itself is not a food group. Though sugar in some form is naturally present in many foods, by itself, it contains:
NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are:
Many people subscribe to the bizarre logic that if they overindulge in sweets and don’t wake up the next day with diabetes or some horrible disease then it must be okay. It takes roughly 15-20 years of steady consumption of refined sugar and junk food before an individual develops a chronic illness like diabetes. And it doesn’t take a lot of sugar to put you at risk. Statistics show that once intake exceeds 20 teaspoons daily, the risk of chronic disease increases exponentially (Dr. Abraham Hoffer, psychiatrist, researcher).
➢TIP - Every 4 grams of sugar equals 1 tsp. sugar
It's what God made! A real food diet is when you eat delicious things like whole milk, butter, cream, farm fresh eggs, warm bread, fresh garden vegetables, whole cuts of meat like steak, lamb chops or bacon and hearty soups made with real homemade broth. Real food has nourished people literally for thousands of years, and is something your ancestors would recognize. Ironically, a typical grocery store carries only 10% real food and most is found in the produce department. The rest is highly processed and shouldn’t even be considered “food.” I am amazed at what is called “food” in our grocery stores today. Yogurt in a tube, cookies in a tub, protein in a powder, and 100-calorie packs of whatever – what would your great-grandma think? It’s time to get back to a real food diet!
Some of you seasoned real foodies are probably thinking…“A real food diet isn’t really a diet, it’s more of a lifestyle!”
In my opinion though, the word "lifestyle" scares people away because people assume they will have to commit completely 100% to real food, and that they’ll never, ever be able to eat anything "unreal again. I, for one, don’t believe in the 100% method at all. Why? Because we gotta give ourselves some slack, and I believe the stress of worrying about that junk food is WORSE than actually just eating the dang food. For a balanced approach here is the 80/20 rule.
Today, I’m going to give you some simple baby steps you can take as you move towards a real food diet. Just do the best you can, be willing to make some changes, and just eat the food!
The Real Food "Baby Steps" Method:
Baby Steps Tip #1 – Slow & steady wins the race
Repeat the phrase "baby steps' to yourself whenever you get overwhelmed. "Baby steps to the door…baby steps to the hallway…baby steps down the hallway.” Just do your best, and understand it takes time to be an expert with real food. Please, whatever you do, don’t compare yourself to others. Be proud of your progress, however small it is.
Baby Steps Tip #2 – Simplify your brain
Visualize a simplified grocery list instead of an insanely long one. While I’m not gonna lie that cooking from scratch takes some planning and work, the ingredients are simple. Whenever I think about real food, I always divide it into simple categories. They are:
- fruits & vegetables
- dairy & eggs
- meats (including seafood & the occasional organ meat – don’t freak out)
- grains, beans & nuts
- fats
- sweeteners
- homemade probiotics (also known as fermented foods)
Baby Steps Tip #3 – Be a Real Food Substituting PRO
While researching for real food recipes is an awesome endeavor, also remember that ANY recipe you currently cook with can be turned into a healthy, real food meal! Simply substitute the bad stuff for the good stuff and you’re set! Go here for some helps!
Baby Steps Tip #4 – Don’t fall for the snack trap
As motivated as you might feel when deciding to avoid packaged food and stick with mostly homemade stuff, please avoid the “I have to re-create every snack food possible” trap. As much as your kids will love those snacks and devour them in 2 seconds, heed my warning, you’ll hit burnout faster than you can say "homemade cherry pop tarts with homemade pink glaze and homemade sprinkles on top." The wonderful, blessed thing about eating real food, is that you and your family will become nourished and snacking will be a thing of the past. I’m telling you, the constant hunger games going on in your house will slow down, if not stop all together once you start getting some real food into those bellies of yours!
Baby Steps Tip #5 – Not all packaged food is bad
While most packaged food is laden with chemicals, additives, fillers, artificial colorings and flavorings, and genetically modified ingredients, this doesn’t mean it’s all bad. Yes, most of it is no bueno, but we can’t make EVERYTHING homemade, now can we? There are some great staples you can still include in your real food diet like:
- (BPA-free) Canned wild-caught salmon & tuna
- (BPA-free) Canned organic tomato sauce & tomato paste
- Jarred organic pasta sauce, artichoke hearts, & sundried tomatoes
- Whole grain pasta (or even better, sprouted whole-grain pasta)
- Organic jam, pie fillings, pumpkin puree, etc.
- Organic coconut milk (a great replacement for sweetened condensed milk)
- Foods for Asian dishes like canned water chestnuts, buckwheat soba noodles, miso, etc.
- Organic condiments like mayo, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, etc.
Gut-healing Foods: All Disease Begins in the Gut--Hippocrates
Our immune system is critically dependent upon good bacteria (i.e., probiotics) to keep the bowels healthy as well as produce essential vitamins and support a healthy stomach acid to digest and break down food properly, reducing allergies, yeast infections and other invaders. Gut health should be maintained daily and is especially important for mothers bearing children as the child's gut health comes from her. Lacto-fermented vegetables are a great way to include natural probiotics in your everyday diet! A small amount of 2-3 servings/day is all that's needed! There are many other healthful and economic ways to ferment food and drink you already have at home so start researching! If making homemade fermented veggies is not an option there are also great supplemental probiotics that would be beneficial as well.
LACTO-FERMENTED VEGETABLES
You can lacto-ferment many types of veggies with any combination to appeal to your family's tastes! Beet-basil-dill-carrot-garlic or carrot, garlic, onion, jalapeno are a couple of ideas. It 's very important that you use filtered water for all fermentation. The chlorine in regular tap water is not good for allowing beneficial bacteria to grow. If you don't have filtered water just leave a pot of water out on the counter overnight and the chlorine will disapate. You can also boil the water for 20 minutes with the same results. Just plan time for it to cool before using.
Items Needed:
1 glass quart jar with a metal or plastic lid
1-2 cups filtered water
1 to 1 1/2 TBSP real salt (1 TBSP is usually enough but experiment to taste)
Good Knife/Food Processor/Cheese Grater/Mandolin
Any Combination of Raw Organic Vegetables:
chopped cauliflower
chopped beets
chopped carrots
chopped green beans
chopped bell peppers
sliced radishes
sliced daikon
sliced cucumbers
chopped turnips
chopped broccoli
chopped kale
chopped onions
chopped green onions
chopped garlic
chopped cabbage (when using cabbage first chop and then pound with a meat tenderizer for around 10 minutes to release necessary juices)
Any Combination of Herbs and Spices:
dried chili peppers
black peppercorns
bay leaf
fresh dill
fresh basil
fresh tarragon
fresh mint
First place your favorite combination of chopped/shredded/sliced vegetables into a quart jar, layering with herbs and spices if you choose. Pack everything in tight with a fork, and make sure you leave about an inch from the top of the jar. Then add the salt and water, leaving about an inch to a half inch from the top. You can use any good quality sea salt but make sure it's not the cheap/regular sea salt seen in stores. Make sure the vegetables are completely submerged. Cover with a lid and screw on tightly. After day 2 or 3 begin to "burp" your jars once or twice daily to let excess gasses escape. You can do this by unscrewing the lid just enough to hear the gasses release and then quickly tightening it back up. You should see a bit of bubbling and some liquid possibly dripping out after about day three, depending on the heat level in your home. If your lids are tight and you don't burp them they may explode from the pressure, so keep a close eye on them. Place your jars into a container, like a rectangular Pyrex dish, to catch any drips. Set your jars in an undisturbed place in your kitchen out of direct sunlight. I like to store mine on top of the fridge.
You can taste the veggies after about five days to see how soured they are. I prefer to let mine ferment for about 7 to 8 days in the winter and 5 to 6 days in late summer. I have also let them ferment for 10 or more days. Just experiment, there is no exact science with fermentation. After your veggies are soured to your liking, place the jars into your fridge where they will store for months.
Use your fermented vegetables to top cooked quinoa, beans, and chopped leafy greens. Serve them atop grilled fish or chicken. Serve them with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Add them to salmon or chicken salads made with mayonnaise. You can also whisk some of the leftover brine with olive oil, a squirt of dijon mustard, and a dash of honey for a probiotic salad dressing!
A HEALTHY GUT FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM
If foods that are normally considered to be healthy are causing you "problems," consider healing your gut. You may have issues such as food intolerances, leaky gut syndrome, etc. that can potentially be helped. There are multiple elimination type diets out there such as GAPS, SCD, Paleo Auto-Immune Diet, FODMAPS, etc. as well as various supplements to help heal the gut. Research them and find one that works for you. These diets are meant to be temporary until establishing a proper balance in the gut. Once you achieve that you may be able to consume many healthy foods that previously caused you discomfort.
Understanding How Harmful Sugar and Processed Foods Are
We often hear the argument that sugar is ok in moderation and that eliminating any “food group” is dangerous. Certainly, avoiding an actual macronutrient category completely (carbohydrate, protein or fat) would be problematic, but sugar in itself is not a food group. Though sugar in some form is naturally present in many foods, by itself, it contains:
- no nutrients
- no protein
- no healthy fats
- no enzymes
NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are:
- Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons)
- Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons)
Many people subscribe to the bizarre logic that if they overindulge in sweets and don’t wake up the next day with diabetes or some horrible disease then it must be okay. It takes roughly 15-20 years of steady consumption of refined sugar and junk food before an individual develops a chronic illness like diabetes. And it doesn’t take a lot of sugar to put you at risk. Statistics show that once intake exceeds 20 teaspoons daily, the risk of chronic disease increases exponentially (Dr. Abraham Hoffer, psychiatrist, researcher).
➢TIP - Every 4 grams of sugar equals 1 tsp. sugar
Unless you’re eating a diet entirely made of whole, unprocessed foods (think fruits, vegetables, grains), you’re probably eating more sugar than you think, and more than you should. The best way to cut back is to simply avoid processed foods and satisfy your sweet tooth with fruits instead.
This may take some getting your family used to-but it's worth it! You will look, think, and feel better.
Here are some excuses we all use and some encouragement to change our perspective:
"JUST A LITTLE WON'T HURT..."
What It Does To Our Bodies
Naturally contained sugars in fruit and vegetables are balanced by the fiber, vitamins, enzymes and other properties of the fruit/vegetable which slow sugar digestion and help the body deal with it more easily. Added sugar, on the other hand, provides none of these benefits and instead:
- Can contribute to Leptin Resistance which leads to weight gain, cravings, sleep trouble, etc. (leptin is a master hormone in the body that tells you when you've had enough)
- Is highly addictive because it causes massive dopamine release in the brain
- Doesn’t fill you up and instead encourages you to eat more
- Stresses the Liver and can lead to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Increases Bad Cholesterol and Triglycerides
- Weakens your immune system (especially avoid when sick!)
- Sugar is lnked to multiple chronic diseases & daily ailments including diabetes, heart disease, skin and digestive issues, etc.
"MY KIDS ALWAYS GET SICK AFTER HALLOWEEN OR OTHER HOLIDAYS..."
Sugar Suppresses The Immune System
Researchers have found that just two cans of soda can suppress immune function for up to five hours. During that time any exposure to infection will likely increase your chances of getting sick (Kenneth Bock, M.D., an expert in nutritional and environmental health)!
A consistent finding in epidemiological studies is that people who consume the most sugar calories have significantly higher rates of cancer. Cancer cells crave sugar and excess sugar feeds rapidly dividing cancer cells. This was discovered in 1931 by Otto Warburg, Ph.D., a prolific researcher in Germany.
"I AM ADDICTED TO SUGAR..."
Sugar Is Extremely Habit-Forming
Sugary junk foods stimulate the same areas in the brain as drugs of abuse and can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol. It's even a stronger addiction than heroin (Joseph Schroeder, neuroscientist, researcher, and professor).
For this reason, sugar can cause people to lose control over their consumption. This may explain why some people can’t resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them (Schroeder).
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, explained the need for us to live by the principles in the Word of Wisdom and trust the promises:
“Members write in asking if this thing or that is against the Word of Wisdom. It’s well known that tea, coffee, liquor, and tobacco are against it. It has not been spelled out in more detail. Rather, we teach the principle together with the promised blessings. There are many habit-forming, addictive things that one can drink or chew or inhale or inject which injure both body and spirit which are not mentioned in the revelation."Addiction to any substance enslaves not only the physical body but the spirit as well (Elder Russell M. Nelson).
We need the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost & can do so when treating our bodies and temples with respect.
As well as causing health problems, an addiction to sugar could be a sign of an underlying health condition such as Candida overgrowth, gut imbalance, or diabetes. One solution to try: Graze on small, high-protein snacks throughout the day like nuts, cheese or eggs. This should keep energy levels steady, making it easier to cut back on sugar. Try to reduce stress levels too.
“THIS IS HEALTHY. I DON’T SEE SUGAR ON THE INGREDIENT LIST !"
Stealth Sugars
Whether real or fake the following are all considered sugars because there is a similar negative process that occurs in the body when consuming. Sugar has hundreds of pseudonyms. Among other spellings anything that ends in "-ose" is a sugar.
Here are just a few of the names it goes by:
Acesulfame K (Sweet One)
Agave nectar
Aspartame (Nutrasweet)
Brown sugar
Cane crystals
Cane sugar (Turbinado)
Corn sweetener
Corn syrup
Crystalline fructose
Dextrose
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate
Galactose
Glucose
HFCS
Honey (not raw)
Lactose
Malt
Malt syrup
Maltitol
Maltose
Mannitol
Molasses
Neotame
Raw sugar
Rice syrup
Saccharin (Sweet & Low)
Sorbitol
Sorghum
Sucralose (Splenda)
Sucrose (Table Sugar)
“IT’S DIET, SO IT’S GOOD FOR ME...”
Artificial Sweeteners
These are actually more unhealthy than sugar! For example aspartame, one of the unhealthiest and widely used of the group (think soda/processed food) is a neurotoxin and makes the body expect food. When it doesn't arrive, you actually get hungrier and as a result become obese over time. In addition, the aspartame molecule converts into formaldehyde in the body! And did you know that aspartame was discovered as an ulcer drug, not a sweetener?
One of the most concerning things currently happening is that some are trying to put aspartame in regular store bought milk to promote "healthier eating." They claim we're not drinking enough so they want to encourage more consumption. So not only are they wanting to introduce addictive substances into our basic food supply but there are studies showing milk is already being compromised through pasteurization (the heating of milk which kills nutrients). As consumers it's up to us to educate ourselves on issues like these, speak up, read labels, and understand labeling laws (which themselves can be misleading). Then we need to learn what each ingredient is on that label. Word's like “pure” and “all natural” are advertising ploys designed to make us think we're choosing healthy products. Be your family's own advocate and do not leave it up to big companies to educate you!
"SUGAR IS ONLY IN OBVIOUS THINGS LIKE CANDY & COOKIES..."
Hidden Sources of Sugar in Processed Food:
Apple sauce
Baby food
Baked beans
BBQ sauce
Boxed cereal
Canned vegetables
Canned/pkgd fruit
Diet/low fat foods
Dried fruit
Energy bars
Flavored yogurt
Fruit juice
Granola
Granola bars
Gum
Infant formula
Ketchup
Marinades
Mayo
Multi-grain cereals
Non-dairy milks
Pancake Syrup
Peanut butter
PediaSure
Pizza
Salad dressings
Smoothies
Spaghetti sauce
Sports drinks
Toothpaste
Tomato sauce
Also, keep in mind that simple carbs like bread, cakes, cookies, etc., also turn into sugar in your body!
"SUGAR IS THE ONLY OPTION SO IT IS WHAT IT IS..."
Healthy, Alternative Sweeteners
There are many alternative, natural sweeteners that do well in baked goods, smoothies, etc. Here are a few:
➢Raw Honey, Pure Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, Stevia, Sucanat, Date Sugar, and Fruit
In the context of a healthy, real food based diet, small amounts of these natural sugars won’t cause harm. However, keep in mind that if you have insulin issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you're overweight, you'd be best to avoid all sweeteners, including natural or artificial sources, since any sweetener can decrease your insulin sensitivity.
"SINCE IT'S A NATURAL SWEETENER I CAN EAT AS MUCH AS I WANT!"
Blood Sugar/ Glycemic Index (Gi)
Although the previouos mentioned sweeteners are healthy options, they should be used in moderation. Some still spike blood sugar levels which in large amounts can be unhealthy because of the stress it places on the body. In addition it's wise to have a good amount of low GI foods such as these:
Artichoke
Asparagus
Beets
Berries
Bok choy
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Cherries
Chives
Cucumber
Garlic
Grapefruit
Grapes
Green apples
Kale
Kale
Kiwi
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Onions
Oranges
Parsley
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Prunes
Radish
Rhubarb
Shallots
Spinach
Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Water chestnut
Watercress
Yams
Zucchini
The glycemic index (GI) is the rate of how fast blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular type of food. A high GI means that the food is rapidly absorbed by the body, spiking the blood sugar causing the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin. A low GI indicates a food that is more slowly absorbed, thereby preventing that health-damaging insulin spike.
When you raise your insulin levels you increase insulin resistance—and insulin resistance is at the root of virtually all chronic disease, and speeds up the aging process itself (Dr. Jaminet, Ph.D). Soda, candy, pasta, bread, pastries and fruit juice are examples of foods that quickly break down into glucose once consumed, generating a spike in your blood glucose levels and a corresponding release of insulin (Dr. Mercola, DO).
AT THE END OF THE DAY...
We recognize most of us will consume sugar to some degree, SO it's valuable to understand how it affects our bodies so we can be motivated to limit it and choose healthy alternatives!
Our goal with all of this is to make you aware of one more way to be healthy so that together we can serve the Lord with nothing holding us back. As we have more control of our physical bodies we can improve our spiritual well being.
Elder Boyd K. Packer said, "I remember a blessing I received when I was serving in the military. It included counsel that’s good for every young person: 'You have been given a body of such physical proportions and fitness as to enable your spirit to function through it. … You should cherish this as a great heritage. Guard [it] and protect it. Take nothing into it that shall harm the organs thereof because it is sacred. It is the instrument of your mind and [the] foundation of your character.' That counsel had great influence on me."
Please see the handout packet for more information:
- The Cat Study, conducted by Dr. Francis M. Pottenger, done with over 900 cats over a 10-year period. Cats demonstrated various physical and behavioral differences according to their diet of raw vs. cooked meat and raw vs. cooked milk
- Best places in the greater Salt Lake area to buy real food, from grains, meats, fats, produce, healthy sweeteners, to baking and thickening agents
- Recipes: homemade ranch, soaked almonds
- More resources, including recipe sites and other sources of information
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