GROWING YOUR OWN HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES

When a person has a chronic illness such as Lyme disease, at some point you realize that in order to resist disease and have an immune system that is functioning properly, one has to consume and assimilate the proper nutrients. Our nation's soil has become overworked and depleted and as a result the vegetables which grow in this soil no longer contain the vital nutrients which they are supposed to have. Then there are always the pesticides to worry about.

The consumer can buy organic vegetables from the stores or hopefully from local farmer's markets....or you can grow some of your own. Of course those who are newly ill with Lyme disease, or other acute or chronic disease, don't always have the energy to grow their own food...I know I didn't. But as I gradually got better my appetite and my interests expanded.

This year I began growing my own nettles..., http://lymesentinel.blogspot.com/2009/10/health-benefits-of-stinging-nettle.html along with heirloom summer and winter vegetables. It is just so awesome to know that you can have absolute control of the quality of your food....from the seeds you chose to plant...to the quality of your soil and the fact that you can eliminate pesticides. When the soil is healthy, there is much less need for pesticides because the plants are healthier and are better able resist bugs and disease....just like people! :-)

The pumpkins and squash above are all from heirloom seeds which I purchased at Baker's Creek Heirloom Seeds. Their catalouge is gorgeous, free and a collector's item. All the pumpkins and squash in the picture above are edible....the dark orange one a bit less suitable, but yet still edible. That one is called Rouge Vif d'Etamps or better known as "Cinderella Pumpkin. It has a very beautiful shape and deep reddish orange color.

The lighter orange color squash is called Golden delicious and is a good squash for eating...medium thickness of flesh.

The name of the bluish grey/green squash/pumpkin is Jarrahdale and is native to Australia. This particular variety does take up alot of room when growing...so keep that in mind. I was amazed by it's beautiful shape and color and the thickness of it's deep orange flesh. You get ALOT of pumpkin for the room it takes up. I have been gradually cooking them up, mashing them and freezing them for later use in healthy soups. You can even add some to chili and other dishes for added nutrition.

The squash on top of course is butternut and is a reliable favorite

If you don't want to grow your own nettles, you can purchase the dried leaves to make infusions (strong tea) at the link below. 1st Chinese herbs also carries herbs specifically for Lyme disease
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1097153

HERBS FOR LYME AND GENERAL HEALTH

Herbs have been used through the centuries in all cultures to prevent and cure illnesses. Herbs can lessen the body burden of parasites, bacteria, viruses and fungi. Herbs are also used as adaptogens (helping your body to withstand physical and mental stress) and other herbs help to support the immune system. They can be used to give more energy or to help relax.

The website below was recommended by Stephen Harrod Buhner in his book Healing Lyme. He mentions that certain herbs which are good for Lyme disease can be purchased here. There is a webpage devoted to herbs for Lyme disease. I would recommend getting Buhner's book which explains how to use these herbs.

The website below is very well organized and explains the use and benefits of each herb. It's fun to browse around and learn. The people at 1st Chinese Herbs are always available for anyone who has questions. I recently became an affiliate with this company because they carry a very comprehensive line of herbs, spices and other related products. This is an opportunity for me to learn more about the different herbs and to be able to direct others to remedies which are safe and don't require a prescription.

When first considering whether or not to have ads on my blog, especially with Ad Sense...where any advertisements could appear on your blog.....I was leary. I have seen ads appear on blogs which were the opposite of what the website or blog intended and it was confusing as to what ads actually fit with the site's morals and values. When I became aware that you could pick and choose what you believe in....then I became interested. I encourage others to go this route also.

In all the years I have been writing about Lyme disease, the politics of disease and other world concerns....I never received any compensation. This may be a route I can use to make a small amount of money without compromising my values.

Check out 1st Chinese Herbs, click on the different herbs and learn what they are used for

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1097153

THE VEGETARIAN MYTH

Title: The Vegetarian Myth : food, justice, and sustainability
Author: Lierre Keith

Almost everything we have been taught, concerning what foods are good or bad for us, has been for the purpose of perpetuating our agricultural society where the few have control over the many. It has to do with power, money and slavery and nothing to do with creating optimal health or saving the planet.

In The Vegetarian Myth: food, justice and sustainability, Lierre Keith explains how the practice of agriculture has allowed us to expand our numbers beyond the earth’s carrying capacity. Intensive agriculture eventually destroys the soil, kills native animal communities and makes us dependant on food grown in countries far away. This disconnection from our food supply makes it very difficult to assess our impact on the ecological systems of the world. Keith presents historical data which suggests that it is the practice of agriculture which has encouraged domination, slavery and genocide. I feel the author sums up this idea well in the following quote.
“A colonial arrangement where the power center takes raw materials and cheap labor from the colony, destroying their local subsistence economy and their local land bases, is what we used to call “imperialism”. Now we call it “globalization”. No one calls it justice.” Keith goes further and explains how making countries dependant on other countries to provide their sustenance, does much more harm than good.

The author practiced a vegan lifestyle for approximately 20 years and she strongly feels that her health was destroyed by her total avoidance of all animal products. Her declining health and her aching desire to follow the ways of nature in a humane fashion motivated her to conduct further research and to write this groundbreaking book. She had tried desperately to be vegan and organic, hoping not to have to take life in order to preserve her own. However the more frantically she tried, the sicker she became and the more she realized that in order for something to live, it has to take the life of another….whether directly or indirectly. Keith softens this hard fact a bit by saying that we all take turns giving our life for the benefit of other life. While the reader might not agree with everything Keith has to say, this book is a compelling read and provides much food for thought for vegetarians, vegans and omnivores.

Keith classifies vegetarians into three basic groups: those who are vegetarians for moral reasons, those who chose to eat only plant material for political reasons and those who feel that a vegetarian diet is much healthier than the diet of an omnivore. The author devotes an entire chapter to each of these classifications. I found the whole book to be fascinating, thought provoking and paradigm shifting but I especially enjoyed the section on nutrition. In this chapter the author thoroughly deals with the cholesterol myth. She also looks at the human digestive system, how it functions and what foods it was apparently designed for. How carbohydrates are metabolized and the effect they have on our blood sugar and digestive ability….is also discussed. Keith warns about the dangers of soy and tells us more about the true historical role it has played in the Asian diet.

I have often puzzled over why we can’t find broccoli, tomatoes, string beans, etc, growing wild in our undeveloped woods and meadows. Where did they come from originally? How natural are they really? I’m still not sure I have the answers to those questions but Keith’s book definitely helped to give me more insight into this area of confusion.

Keith feels that overpopulation made possible by agriculture, is one of the main factors which will destroy our planet. She advocates not having children, giving up your car and growing your own food through perennial polyculture. The author strongly encourages us to begin to take the health of our topsoil seriously, before it is too late. She laments that we may already be treading on the path of no return.

Some readers may question whether all of the author’s statements are based on actual truth. However, on the whole I feel Keith presents quite a few legitimate facts. My main concern with the book is her take on the population dilemma. Will the crisis she portrays incite inhumane methods of controlling or reducing the population? Will it lead to the very genocide and global control that she claims to abhor?

Lierre Keith’s writing is passionate, beautiful and sometimes a bit sarcastic. It is never boring. This book may make some vegetarians and vegans furious and many meat eaters feel less guilty. But regardless of the emotions Lierre Keith’s conclusions stir in us, this book is an absolute must read for anyone who cares about their health and the future of our planet. I guarantee that The Vegetarian Myth will not leave you in the same condition in which it found you.

HERBS FOR LYME DISEASE AND GENERAL HEALTH http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=1097153

GRASSFED BEEF IS A HEALTH FOOD

Learn all about the health benefits of grassfed beef from the two links below. Meat , when raised properly provides excellent nutrition. And yes, contrary to what we've been told...even the fat, marrow and gelatin from these animals is essential to good health. In order for our food supply to be healthy, the animals must be fed their native diets.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUDCh7nSUEQ

http://www.westonaprice.org/farming/splendor.html