"GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD"

I happened upon Sue Becker's CD: "The Bread of Idleness" and it resonated with me.  The C.D., free at Bread Beckers, discusses: some of the nutritional science behind wheat grains, the many health benefits of freshly milled flour along with biblical correlations regarding food. Building a stronger immunity, living with more energy and relieving constipation are just some of the physical benefits discussed. I was ready to go GLUTEN FREE until I heard Sue Becker speak and was encouraged to look deeper. I highly recommend listening to the CD and doing a little research.

"Of the 44 known essential nutrients needed by our bodies and naturally obtained from foods, only 4 are missing from wheat-- vitamin A, B_12, and C, and the mineral iodine."  Bread, made with freshly milled wheat, contains almost all of your daily essential nutrients needed.  It is so important to mill and bake right away.  Within 3 days of milling flour 90% of the nutrients are lost due to oxidation. Once the bread is baked, with the fresh milled grains/beans, the healthful nutrients are locked in!  One point in the lecture, which spoke to me, was one regarding what wheat producers do with the germ and bran of the grains (after they separate it to make the soft white flour).  Producers (doing what is best for their pocketbook) sell the germ and bran to cattle ranchers for high protein feed.  When asked, "Well, what would happen if you gave the people the germ and bran- and gave the cattle the white flour??" The rancher replied, "Well.....(pause).....the cattle would die". 

Think about that:

The
       Cattle
                 Would
                             Die

Now... don't get me wrong, I love my Sunbeam bread, but 95% of the time, I buy "whole grain".  Recently I told someone, that I felt it was all so processed- I might as well eat the yummy Sunbeam for my fresh tomato sandwiches... maybe my gut feeling was correct. 

"Today, commercially milled flour, whether whole grain, whole wheat or white, is all milled the same way...In the past 10 years or so, with the increasing demand for a return to whole grain flour a legal standard was developed for products labeled "whole grain".  "Whole grain" therefore is a legal term and must meet a legal standard of fiber to flour ratio.  Commercially milled whole grain flour, however, is "produced" by recombining the bran and germ with the white flour according to this legal standard.  This is not necessarily the product you would get if you simply ground the grain and used the flour in its entirety with out any separating and recombining." 

But this is more than just about bread.  The CD, and article discuss the importance of "gathering the manna". I found the article to be informative as well as thought provoking. "Lord seeing the multitudes and being deeply moved – he had compassion on them because they were bewildered, harassed, distressed and dejected – like sheep without a shepherd”. ~Matthew 9:36

MY THOUGHTS

There are two parts, the physical part and the spiritual part, of what it means to make bread. Our energies are put in so many different places these days.  We (and food) are stretched thin.  So much of what we are/eat is broken down, over processed, and low quality.  We are all so "busy". 

Something we need is missing.  I don't think I'm alone in feeling a bit "over-processed" "bewildered" and "distressed" lately. Maybe the answer to many emotional and physical aliments is right in front of us? We create whatever life we choose to have for ourselves. Are we choosing whole? Or settling for pieces? Are we giving whole? Or giving pieces? We should take the time to create our own food and protect our most precious resources: food and water. We should spend the bulk of our money on healthy, organic food.  If wholesome food is "too expensive"...while I afford an iPhone and cable...... then I need to seriously rethink my priorities. 

God created the food we need, in perfect design. With GMO's on the rise we are doing damage to the Earth's food that we will not be able to undo.  I believe we are facing a time when getting back to basics may be a necessity- for the good of us and the good of the Earth's food supply.  Now, I'm not saying milling my own grains and baking homemade bread is the answer to the worlds (or even my) problems but I do believe it offers many healthful benefits we need- especially with heart disease, cancer and obesity on the rise.  

"Give us this day our daily bread".  Separation causes weakness ...but whole is strong.  A bucket of grains can last for 100's, even thousands, of years.  Kernels of wheat found in Egyptian pyramids were able to sprout 4,000 years after being buried! Wheat is one of the only foods that is both the fruit and the seed.  It only spoils after being milled and separated.  

Few of us question the quality (and seek to know what's really in our food and water).  It is OUR duty to take on the responsibility of providing food (and protection) for ourselves and our family. Not because we are fearful, but instead because we are responsible for co-creating a beautiful, good, safe and abundant world. 

Something to think about: We look to the government for guidance, the grocery store for food and the police for protection.  I am grateful for these services, but what if these things, which we have become so dependent and reliant on... are one day not there?  If the grocery stores were closed for a couple weeks... Could we provide for ourselves and our family? Ya gotta admit- it's not the worst idea in the world to know how to fend for yourself. 35 pounds of organic wheat (with essential nutrients stored within the grain), REAL salt, 12 lbs of honey, and a good water filter offer comfort if the power were out for a week or so.  Ok... that was gloomy.  Back to fun bread making with the kids... 

I mill my own grains (and beans) which allows me to feed my family whole grains with nutrients. We have not bought any store bought bread, muffins, pancakes, grits ... and can tell a huge difference!  We eat whole grains at EVERY meal. 

Together, we are creating wholesome food, 

precious memories and turning something simple, 

like eating bread,  into something spiritual.  

Basic Bread Recipe 

1 1/2 C HOT water

1/3 C EVOO

1/3 C local honey

2 t REAL salt

4-4 1/2 C fresh milled flour (3 C grains = 4 C flour)

1 T rice bran

1/2 C flax or Salba, optional

1 T active dry yeast

~Grind flour: (I use 2 C Hard Red, and 1 C Kamut) 

~Stir: hot water, honey, oil, and salt.  Add half the flour and the rice bran.  Stir well.  Add 1 T yeast and 2 more cups of flour and mix until you have soft dough.
~Kneed the dough on a flour surface for 5-6 minutes.
~Place in glass bowl, cover with flour cloth and let rise in a warm place (set outside or use proofing setting on oven).

~When the dough has risen to double the size, punch down (my kids favorite part) and kneed a couple times.

~Let rise again to double the size.

~Punch down and shape. Place in a 2lb bread pan (I use USA Brand).  Let rise a 3rd time.

~Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Cool a bit, remove from pan.  Spread a bit of butter or EVOO on the top and sprinkle with pink Himalayan or REAL salt.  Continue to cool on a rack for hours.

MUFFINS

Mix dry:

1 1/3 C grains: Hard red, Ezekiel blend, Hard white, Spelt, Kamut (=2 C fresh milled flour)

1 t REAL salt

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 C honey or Sucanat with honey

Mix and add liquids:

1 cup buttermilk (1 Cup sweet-milk plus 1 T Apple Cider vinegar and let sit until thick)

1 egg

1/2 C safflower oil or applesauce

1 t vanilla or almond extract

PUMPKIN:

Add 1-2 C organic  mashed pumpkin and 1 t pumpkin spice, Trader Joe's and 1/2 C chocolate chips (Trader Joe's)

BANANA:

1-2 C mashed banana and 1/2 C chocolate chips (Trader Joe's)

BLUEBERRY:

1 C blueberries, mashed

CHEESE:

No extract, add 2 C cheese and some herbs (rosemary, parsley... )

~Mix wet and dry ingredients and stir.  Bake in 12 cup USA muffin pan at 400 for 17 minutes. 

PANCAKES 

makes a ton, 1/2 recipe for small crowds

Mix dry:

2 C grains: Hard red, Ezekiel blend, Hard white, Spelt, Kamut (=3 C fresh milled flour)

1 t REAL salt

1 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

Mix and add liquids:

3 cup buttermilk (1 Cup sweetmilk plus 1 T Apple Cider vinegar and let sit until thick)

4 egg

1/3 C oil 

1 t vanilla or almond extract

MY KIDS LOVE THIS LITTLE BREAD

1 1/4 cups hot water (105-115F)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
2 cup whole wheat flour- freshly milled (1 1/3 C grains)
1 cup whole rolled oats (not instant oats)
1 ½ teaspoons REAL sea salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing

~In a medium bowl, sprinkle the yeast onto the warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the honey and set aside for a few minutes, until the yeast blooms and swells a bit - 5 - 10 minutes.
~In the meantime, mix the flour, oats, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir very well.
~Brush an 8-cup loaf pan generously with some of the melted butter. Turn the dough into the tin, cover with a clean, slightly damp cloth, and set in a warm place for 30 minutes, to rise.
~Preheat the oven to 350, with a rack in the middle. When ready, bake the bread for 35-40 minutes, until golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. I finish things up by leaving the bread under the broiler for just a heartbeat - to give the top a bit deeper color. Remove from oven, and turn the bread out of the pan quickly.
~Let it cool on a rack so it doesn't steam in the pan. Serve warm, slathered with butter.

BREAKFAST BANANA CAKE
By Bread Beckers

1 and 1/3 C freshly milled soft wheat flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 large egg
3 T melted butter
1/3 C honey
2 large mashed bananas
1 t vanilla or almond extract

~Stir together dry ingredients.  Combine egg, butter, honey, bananas and vanilla and beat until well blended.
~Add dry and web minutes and beat until blended.  Spread batter into greased 9" pan. 
~Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool in pan. Remove from pan and cool on rack.   

CRANBERRY BREAD ~ My Favorite!!!

From the kitchen of my Grandma, Barbara Veith

4 C whole wheat flour, freshly milled (3 C grains)                  

2 t baking soda                                                  

2 t REAL salt                                                     

1/2 C Sucanat                                                   
1/2 C honey, sage or light   (or Sucant with honey)                                                  

2 eggs, beaten

1 t vanilla
1 1/3 C milk
A stick of butter, (1/2 C) melted
2 C cranberries
Chopped pecans (optional)

~Mix dry ingredients before adding wet ingredients.

~Pour into (2) 4x8 greased and floured loaf pans.

~Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.

~Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pans. Keep in refrigerator and serve with cream cheese!  

  

 

 

  

   

Food Matters

Food, INC.

Hungry For Change

Bread Beckers

CHAKRAS

"PEACE - it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.  It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." -Unknown  


Along with many other people, I believe physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health are all tightly intertwined. Psychosomatic Wellness is so important.  Whole = mind, body, emotions and spirit in harmony. Recently, I experienced some "challenging times" (as we all do) which allowed for a bit of exploration and a little new found awareness. I was familiar with the energy systems called Chakras, but wanting to know more, I attended a "Lighting up the Chakras" workshop.  I found the workshop to be very interesting and extremely helpful so I decided to keep on with my studies and practice of it. Yoga, Chakra work, music, incense, prayer, meditation and getting back to some basics allowed me to "RESET".  How wonderful to have such a diverse and plentiful world with so many different ways to look at things.  

Chakras: 
***Chakra is Sanskrit for "wheel" (spinning) or "disk" (spinning light) and signifies one of the seven major energy centers in the body.
***Each of the centers correlates to major nerve ganglia branching forth from the spinal colomn.
***There are 9 (7 major) centers of energy that effect your well being.
***The energy flows on paths known as meridians which have pressure points.  See below, tapping play for kids.  
***The Chakras correlate to specific: colors, sounds, parts of body, emotions, glands and organs, senses, Earth elements, particular types of food, and more.   
***The 7 Chakras form the energetic basis of your: security, power, relationships, love, truth, insight, and enlightenment.

My Experience

Emotionally, The 1st/ROOT Chakra (Muladhara) has to do with: survival, stability, security, safety, feelings about home, simplicity, taking care of yourself/others, practical needs, standing up for yourself and one's right to be here. Indications the Root Chakra may be "off" or blocked, are experiencing feelings of: fear, anxiety and the "FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE". This resonated with me.  

The body parts associated with the root Chakra are:
~The adrenal gland- To help regulate the gland and Cortisol levels, take: an adaptogen (maca root or licorice root) and extra vitamin C. Eat: extra protein, salmon 2x week, nuts, deep ocean fish and red foods.  Avoid caffeine  Additional adaptogenic herbs include: Siberian Ginseng, Astragalus, Ashwagandha, Schizandra, Wild Yam, and Dandelion Root. Click here to read about Adrenal Imbalance
~Legs, bones- Minerals including Magnesium /Calcium Magnesium, Calm by Peter Gillham
~Colon- TRIPHALA for an immunity booster, a blood cleanser, detox, weight loss, sluggish metabolism, to strengthen hair roots/for hair growth, and for stress relief. The word ‘triphala’ comes from Sanskrit and literally means ‘three fruits.’ This name comes from the fact that triphala is comprised of three Ayurvedic components: Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), all of which are known to have beneficial effects on our health. However, these three ingredients are known to be even more powerful when taken together than when taken alone. Therefore, these three ingredients are traditionally mixed together to form triphala. I take: Planetary Herbs Triphala.
~Skin issues and/or Hair loss- Take: Triphala, Biotin and Silica

I found it interesting that, women who experience a hair issues, may have an unbalanced Root Chakra regarding feelings about security and home. 

Physically, not only have I had some hair issues lately, I have had a bad "twitch" in my leg for 3 years ROOTing down from an annular tear and two pinched nerves at the base of my spine. The placement of the tear causes involuntary nerve firings that: wakes me up at night, is painful and causes spasms/ numbness/ tingling and weakness down my right leg. I actually video taped my calf last week because you can see it moving, pulsing and twitching like there's an alien in there.  I have been on medicine, (which I quickly quit), was sent to physical therapy, was tested for MS, had an cortisone epidural (bad idea), and was recommended back surgery (no thanks).  3 orthopedics and my neurologist told me there was not much I could do about the firing nerve.  Eventually, if I started to have loss of feeling, I would need surgery to try and avoid any sort of paralysis in that area (NOT something I was interested in "waiting" for).   
We are more than just our physical body, so why would we ever only treat just our physical body?  Since doing some deep breathing/meditative Chakra work (which I will continue to do and learn about), I have had little to no involuntary nerve firing!  Impressive and interesting to say the least.

Improving a three year old back/leg ailment: AWESOME!! 
Feeling relaxed, balanced and more at peace: EVEN BETTER!!! 

Are you in touch with your Chakras?

Have you ever had a "gut feeling" about something that's later turned out to be true? Or "butterflies in your stomach"? Ever have "open-hearted" conversation? Ever encountered a situation that's made you "hot under the collar"? Or a person who is "a pain in the neck"? Ever had a thought, "off the top of your head"? Usually you naturally touch, guard, crouch or lean in to a Chakra that is effected.  Even an old emotional or physical injury, can cause a lean, tilt or subtle natural guarding of a a blocked Chakra.  I am learning to pay attention to areas of my body that tingle, hurt, and/or cause my hands/attention to a certain area.  

Chakra meditations, healing music (quartz crystal bowls), visualizations and Yoga can help balance your Chakras. One very simple way is to sit or lay clam and relaxed. Clear your mind and become very still.  I love the calm relaxing music of Crystal Bowls or Deuter in the background. Incense (a scent I love), also helps me to relax. First, touch the 1st/Root Chakra and breath very slow and deep, imagining bright spinning red light filling the space of the area as the Chakra opens. Next, move to the 2nd/Sacral/orange... Continue, with meditation as you move from Root to Crown. 

You can also energize your Chakras by stimulating the associated sense, for example: smell-1st/root Chakra. Surrounding yourself with the color of the particular Chakra can also energize it.  You can do this by eating that color food, wearing the color and even taking a "color bath". Sunlight also helps energize your Chakras.   

DEEP THOUGHT MUSIC: 
Gandalf- Blossoms Falling Like Snow on iTunes
Deuter's Sound of Invisible Water (MY FAVORITE) and Escape from Gravity and Kindred Spirits (the whole CD on iTunes)

SOUND THERAPY:
Brainwave music, ALPHA, BETA, THETA, Steven Halpren
Healing music, Steven Halpren - Crystal bowls
24 hours of Classical music  (316 songs for 9.99 on iTunes)

International Therapy of Sound Association - Don Simmons

TAPPING:
Tapping Play, My kids taught me how to do this and I LOVE it!!

WATER

Water, food, air... necessities of life that our beautiful Earth provides~~~

Shouldn't we all agree to keep these good?  God created, with perfect design,  the foods we need to be healthy.  Who else thinks it's weird we have a label on our food that has to tell us if food is "all natural" or "organic"?  Shouldn't ALL food be this way?  It is food right? Maybe we should get rid of those labels and just have one that says "non food" on all the other stuff? 

And water? ...Ever look at the amount of chemicals that are in our biggest and most vital natural resource? I know, I know... it seems nit picky. Pointless.  BUT what if a simple change, like drinking pure water, could drastically improve your health? Your children's health?  We do have a weird rise in cancer, autism...  maybe it's all the stuff in the water? Everyday we drink: toxins, chlorine, pharmaceuticals, trihalomethanes, fluoride, lead, nitrates, arsenics, contaminants and God only knows what else. The water company doesn't even test for most contaminants.  And for Cobb County, just in the basic tests done: the AVERAGE result for each test was at the max level before violation.  Chlorine is put in our water to clean it because it's cheap- NOT because it is best. Orange County, CA and Beverly Hills use Reverse Osmosis for their municipal drinking water. According to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality‚ "Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine." There is a lot of well-founded concern about chlorine. When chlorine is added to our water‚ it combines with other natural compounds to form Trihalomethanes (chlorination byproducts)‚ or THMs. These chlorine by-products trigger the production of free radicals in the body‚ causing cell damage‚ and are highly carcinogenic. Chlorine is also suspected to contribute to hardening of the arteries‚ the primary cause of heart disease.

"Up to 2/3 of the harmful effects of chlorine are due to inhalation and skin absorption while showering."

- The American Journal Of Public Health

I have a BERKEY DRINKING FILTER, SHOWER FILTERand BATH BALL to remove chlorine and chemicals from the water I shower in and water I bathe my children in. A vitamin C shower filter is also good and removes 99% of chlorine.

1. The EPA has stated that every household in the United States has elevated levels of chloroform in the air due to chlorine released from showering water.
2. Tap water often contains at least as much, if not more, chlorine than is recommended for use in swimming pools.
3. More chlorine enters the body through dermal absorption and inhalation while showering than through drinking tap water.
4. The chlorine in showering water has harsh, drying effects on skin and hair.
5. Skin pores widen while showering, making dermal absorption of chlorine and other chemicals possible.
6. The chlorine in showering water can cause rashes and other skin irritations when absorbed by the skin.
7. Chemicals in showering water vaporize at a much faster rate than the actual water. Thus, the steam in a shower contains a much higher concentration of chemicals than the water itself.
8. Inhaled chemicals make their way into the bloodstream much more quickly than ingested chemicals, without the added filtration benefits of digestion.
9. More water contaminants are released into the air of a home from the shower than from any other source.
10. Chlorine is a suspected cause of breast cancer. Women suffering from breast cancer are all found to have 50-60 percent more chlorine in their breast tissue than healthy women.

Have you read your water report?

Cobb County:

http://water.cobbcountyga.gov/PDFiles/CCR2012_Website.pdf

Fulton County:

http://www.fultoncountyga.gov/images/stories/Public_Works/Education_Outreach/2011CCRWeb.pdf

City of Roswell:

http://www.roswellgov.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=679

Cherokee County:

http://www.ccwsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/2010-Water-Quality-Report.pdf

"We are learning the hard way that all the time we thought we were preventing epidemics of one disease‚ we were creating another. Two decades after the start of chlorinating our drinking water the present epidemic of heart trouble and cancer began."

- Dr. Joseph M. Price‚ PhD