Re: intro, getting started ?'s

[Guest guest]

>We currently live in Kansas, just outside of KC, and I've been able

>to locate a farmer for dairy products and pasture-fed meat, as well

>as several sources for veggies. I'll be picking up my first order

>next week sometime . . . no experiments yet!

>

>Any recommendations on what to do first? How long before we can

>expect to start " feeling " better?

>

>Danelle in Kansas

For our family it went in this order:

1. GF diet. I'm the one MUST be GF, but when the rest of the

family went GF (mainly because I'm the cook) they had a vast

health improvement.

2. Probiotics ... I started experimenting with kefir and kimchi

(my PDFs on the subject are in the files section) and kefir beer

(kinda like lambic ale). Took awhile to get the fermenting thing

down!

3. Meat ... started buying meat " on the hoof " and by the cow,

got a good freezer. That saves us a ton of money.

4. Vegies ... an organic farm started near us, we buy a lot

from them. This year planted our first " real " garden and we

are eating a lot from that.

5. Current phase ... preserved meats. I'm learning to make

prosciutto, corned beef. I'm aiming for bacon and a cold smoker,

and a cold cellar to store stuff in.

During all this we've been using less and less grocery store

food, but *it is a process* ... doing it all at once is just

too much. Being GF, most grocery store food is off limits anyway,

but what I've discovered is that a lot of the supposedly GF food

isn't, or it has some unknown other thing in it that makes me

ill, so using " clean " meat and whole vegies/fruit as starter

ingredients has made a huge difference. We've been using

fewer grain type ingredients in general as we go along, and

kindof gradually going " paleo " , but I still make some nice gooey

desserts etc, esp. for celebrations.

We've also gotten into raising our own chickens, both egg and meat

chickens, and got 2 ducks this year.

Lately I've been trying to streamline food production. I now

have a shelf in the freezer that has " premade " meats ... sliced

smoked beef roast, cooked chicken, fried chicken, shredded chicken,

individually wrapped steaks and liver, prosciutto, corned beef ...

so I can just grab one to make a meal or some sandwiches.

Also I've been using the

Warrior Diet paradigm more (esp. for myself, but my dh always ate

that way, so now I just don't nag him about it), where we eat one

big meal in the evening. THAT makes eating NT a lot easier!!!!!

During the day it's raw fruit and vegies, some meat or eggs if

needed. Cooked stuff at night. Some people do it with one big

meal at noon instead. Anyway, 3 NT meals a day means you are all

day in the kitchen unless you are a very good planner.

As for results, over 2 years I've reversed in age about 10 years,

I've lost a good deal of weight, my skin is clear, my joint pains

are gone, my skin isn't dry anymore, my hair is thicker, and my

anxiety and depression are gone. My kids are calm, few " hissy fits "

anymore, no foot pain or canker sores and colds are rare. I'm not

constantly hungry anymore either, and we get great comments

on our food. All our gut issues (rumbling, gas, pain, etc) are gone.

I used to get migraines 5 times a month, even GF, now I haven't had one

for half a year. Our food bill is a lot less, and I spend less

time shopping.

And welcome to the group, it's a great group! Feel free to ask

stupid questions (I like those the best, they are the easiest to

answer).

-- Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 16:37:11 -0000

" homzbst " <homesweethome@...> wrote:

> We just stumbled into Nourishing Traditions about 3 weeks ago and dh

> is ready to change our diet NOW! We are a family of 5, with 2 on a

> gluten-free diet. I've browsed through the archives and found many

> references to gf subjects, so I'll be back with specific questions

> later.

>

> We currently live in Kansas, just outside of KC, and I've been able

> to locate a farmer for dairy products and pasture-fed meat, as well

> as several sources for veggies. I'll be picking up my first order

> next week sometime . . . no experiments yet!

>

> Any recommendations on what to do first? How long before we can

> expect to start " feeling " better?

>

> Danelle in Kansas

>

Hi Danelle,

Welcome to the sometimes wild and woolly world of Native

Nutrition/Nourishing Traditions/Weston Price!

What to do first will vary depending on who you are talking too. Often

starting points vary based on perceived need and/or what it was that

actually led you into this lifestyle in the first place.

In your case, since you are already gluten free that is actually your

starting point. Being GF is not necessarily a NT principle since it

doesn't affect everyone but it certainly fits within the framework we

espouse here of eating nourishing foods as opposed to food that tears

down health.

For me, my starting point was going refined sugar free. I did it in one

fell swoop. By the time I got done my cabinets were virtually empty. It

was amazing how much sugar is in nearly everything. After that I only

knowingly ate really raw honey.

Mind you, I had the " advantage " of not having to take into consideration

anyone else's taste buds/addictions/preferences, so that made the task a

little easier but not much, LOL!

Next I got rid of refined white flour. I did this in one fell swoop as

well. Most of this stuff had already been eliminated as a result of the

sugar " cleanse. " I did the typical whole grain replacements. It wasn't

until much later that I found out that whole grain wasn't enough if it

wasn't properly prepared. And it wasn't until later that I considered

the impact of gluten, thanks to Heidi.

Getting beyond the thinking stage (i.e. knowing it would be good for me

but to lazy to do anything about it) in terms of kimchi and gluten was

all because of Heidi's numerous posts on the subject.

Then I went totally organic in terms of buying produce. I thought I was

doing a great thing but my thoughts have changed considerably since then.

You can check out the thread " Holy Organic " if you want to know what I

am talking about.

I next went raw dairy. This was the first step where I actually *added* some

nutrition to my diet and wasn't just subtracting something bad. Some might

say I did that with whole grain but not really, given that I wasn't

consuming it properly.

Lastly was good meats, but for many years the primary source of animal

food in my diet was raw dairy and then poultry.

Today it is totally the opposite. Meat (any kind and virtually any part

will do) and dairy dominate. If something is a carrier for butter rest

assured it will fulfill that duty. I don't eat poultry to much anymore.

To much of the wrong kind of fats.

Coconut oil and olive oil, bring them on! For me fried potatoes is an

excuse to eat plenty of oil! (and then I top them with butter!)

Grains are virtually unheard of, unless it is properly soaked oatmeal,

millet, or some nice long fermented bread. I noticed Sandor Katz has a

recipe for fermented sweet rice so I might try that. Some root veggies

like yams and potatoes are nice. Otherwise, unless its kimchi or some

other kind of fermented veggie you won't find it on my plate.

I use the principles of the Warrior Diet in applying my NT style

nutrition.

Oh yeah and wine is good, so is beer, and whole food supplements.

As for feeling better? In my case almost immediately, but your mileage

may vary.

Enjoy the ride.

War, the God That Failed

http://tinyurl.com/2npch

" They told just the same,

That just because a tyrant has the might

By force of arms to murder men downright

And burn down house and home and leave all flat

They call the man a captain, just for that.

But since an outlaw with his little band

Cannot bring half such mischief on the land

Or be the cause of so much harm and grief,

He only earns the title of a thief. "

--Geoffrey Chaucer, The Manciple's Tale