The benefits of raw apple cider vinegar

Every day, after I've done my oil-pulling, and rinsed my mouth with salt water, I drink a warm mug of raw apple cider vinegar, raw honey and water with a dash of cinnamon. Why would anyone do that, you ask? Well, I'm going to give you all the reasons why, right here.

Vinegar has, for centuries, been touted as a remedy for just about every existing ailment. But it's actually apple cider vinegar that has, more recently, been singled out as a health tonic. You'll find it in all health stores and Dischems these days. The big pharmaceutical companies would, of course, have us believe that regular medication is far better than alternative remedies. It always is, for them, because they have absolutely nothing to gain, financially, from alternative and preventative remedies. However, even they can't discount the following studies proving the medical uses of apple cider vinegar:

• Diabetes: The effect of vinegar on blood sugar levels is probably the best researched and the most promising of apple cider vinegar's health benefits. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. A 2007 study of people with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels by 4%-6% when they woke the following morning.

• High cholesterol: A 2006 study showed evidence that vinegar could lower cholesterol.

• Blood pressure and heart health: A study with rats found that vinegar could lower high blood pressure. A larger study also found that people who ate oil and vinegar dressing on salads five to six times a week had lower rates of heart disease than people who didn't. 

• Cancer: A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. 

• Weight Loss: For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. It stabilises the blood sugar making people feel fuller for longer. Bear in mind that apple cider vinegar alone, will not give you the body you want! But it's a good accompaniment to a healthy diet.

Scientific studies are great for some but they're not the be-all and end-all for me, given that scientists also believe that scientifically created food, and medication, is actually good for you! There are many people who also believe apple cider vinegar has the following benefits and I tend to agree:

• Detoxification: Apple cider vinegar is rich in natural minerals, vitamins and enzymes. The unique acids in apple cider vinegar can bind to toxins and help the body eliminate them more effectively. Apple cider vinegar can also help to stimulate circulation and aid detoxification in the liver. In ancient cultures apple cider vinegar was often used to purify the blood. Apple cider vinegar aids detoxification by breaking up mucus throughout the body and cleansing the lymph nodes to allow for better lymph circulation. A healthy lymphatic system can remove toxins from the cells in the body while improving immune system response.

• To help with digestion: This is possibly one of apple cider vinegar’s biggest benefits. It can help with indigestion and gastrointestinal discomfort caused by certain foods. It's said to clear up chronic acid reflux when taken with each meal and I can attest to that.

• Strengthens the immune system: Apple cider vinegar devotees claim that it is one of the main reasons they are able to ward of common illnesses like colds and flu. This is possibly due to its unique blend of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. It also possesses antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. I can vouch for the faster healing, myself!

• For soft and shiny hair: Acetic acid, the main ingredient in Apple cider vinegar, will remove build up from styling products and strengthen the hair shaft, leaving you with soft, shiny hair. It also balances your hair's pH level, kills bacteria, and helps get rid of dandruff. Dilute 1/3 cup Apple cider vinegar in 4 cups of water and pour over your hair after shampooing. Leave it in for a few seconds before rinse your hair using cold water to seal the hair shaft and create more shine. The vinegar smell will disappear as soon as your hair dries! Don't do this daily as vinegar is acidic!

A few other benefits:

• Prevents bladder stones and urinary tract infections
• Increases stamina
• Alleviates symptoms of arthritis and gout
• Reduces sinus infections and sore throats
• Improves skin conditions such as acne
• Protects against food poisoning
• Improves digestion and constipation
• Prevents muscle fatigue after exercise
• Fights allergies in both humans and animals
• Prevents bad breath when used as a gargle mixed with water
• Prevents body odour when used externally
• Prevents night time leg cramps

When I talk about apple cider vinegar, I don't mean the stuff you buy at pick n pay in the vinegar aisle. That is very poor quality, essentially "dead", vinegar and it's not going to have any medicinal benefits. It's been completely stripped of everything beneficial. It also contains preservatives and drinking it may actually be worse for you than not drinking any at all! The stuff I am talking about is raw apple cider vinegar which contains "the mother".   "The mother" is that cloudy sediment that settles on the bottom of the vinegar bottle if you leave it to stand for a while and it is made of of living nutrients and bacteria which is why it is so beneficial for you.

Dischem raw brand at a small cost of R19.95

A very good, imported brand, but pricier!

So, how do you drink it? Well, as I said in the beginning, I drink it every morning, about 20 minutes before breakfast. This is how I make it:

• Half fill a mug with hot water
• Add a teaspoon of raw honey and mix until dissolved
• Add a dash of cinnamon
• Top the mug up with cold water
• Only THEN, stir in a capful (or tablespoon) of vinegar
• Drink!

In case you're wondering why you add the vinegar last, it's because it is raw and adding it to boiling water will kill off a lot of the bacteria and nutrients that you NEED to be drinking. So it's best to add it to lukewarm water. The cinnamon is not essential if you're not a fan of it but, to me, it makes it more palatable. Cinnamon IS really good for you, in any case:

• It is known to lower blood sugar and cholesterol
• It has natural anti-infectious compounds
• It reduces pain linked to arthritis
• It may reduce the proliferation of cancer cells
• It is a natural food preservative
• It contains contains fibre, calcium, iron, and manganese
• It's been proven effective for menstrual pain and infertility
• Cinnamon holds promise for various neurodegenerative diseases, including: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, brain tumours and meningitis

Knowing all that, why would you NOT add the cinnamon?! Besides which, it makes it taste a bit like mulled wine (according to my brother;)

I was REALLY surprised when, the first time I made it for GLM, she actually said she LIKED it! It is an acquired taste for some but we actually enjoy our morning mug and, if I forget it over the weekend when I'm out of routine, GLM will often go and make it for herself or ask why we aren't drinking it;) 

So, if you are ready to enjoy all the wonderful benefits of apple cider vinegar, head off to your nearest health shop or dischem, buy yourself a bottle and get started!

What is oil pulling and why should we do it?

I first discovered oil pulling while googling remedies for sensitive teeth. As you all know, I don't use conventional medicines if it can possibly be avoided. So far I've been able to do it quite easily for a year now. I spend my spare time researching alternate options to stay healthy, and so I discovered oil pulling.

Did you know that oil is one of the best substances to clean your teeth and gums? A lot of uber-healthy people who choose to live their lives as naturally as possible, use oil instead of toothpaste. I know, you're thinking about the lack of minty freshness right? I thought the same thing! There is a lot to be said for minty-fresh breath. In fact, I have a RIDICULOUSLY bad aversion to bad breath. That includes onion breath, garlic breath and the dreaded halitosis. I find it hard to keep a straight face when faced with any of those and that also makes me paranoid about my own breath! Given that I get a lot of people in my personal space at shows, I take extra special care that I am chewing on a gum, and that I've eaten no garlic or onion. (I can't eat either thanks to my IBS but sometimes they slip in without me being aware!) Unfortunately, others don't take the same precautions! But back to the oil!

Oil pulling is an ancient  Ayurvedic practice. It's been around for many, many years but is largely unknown to the western world. The east is a wealth of alternate remedies and I find them all so fascinating.

If you really think about it, your mouth is rather a filthy place! It's where most germs first gather before they head into our systems and cause havoc. You'd think the acid in your stomach would kill them all off but, given how we still get sick, it's clearly not the case with all germs. The flu virus enters your nose or mouth and heads straight to your lungs so there's little to no defense there. This is where oil pulling can help.

Oil pulling has been known to cure and prevent everything from the common cold to diabetes, heart disease and skin problems, to name a few. It goes without saying that it also does wonders for your teeth. If they're feeling over-sensitive or achy, if you have a few mouth ulcers or if you bit your cheek, or you have gingivitis, oil pulling will sort it out. I know because I suffer from mouth ulcers whenever the seasons change, or I used to! Oil pulling has solved that problem for me. It also keeps your teeth really clean, it helps remove plaque and it freshens breath simply because the bad breath bacteria get nuked!

The idea with oil pulling is to literally "pull" oil between your teeth and all through your mouth. Any germs that are in your mouth, and are touched by the oil, will get drawn into it and die. The tricky part with oil pulling is that you need to do it for about 15-20 minutes at a time! The first time I read that, I thought, "Eeeeuuww! No way! Not gonna happen." Now that I look back, I can't imagine why I had such an issue with it. The pros far outweigh the cons and it's like second nature to me now.

So, what do you need to do this? Well, just a tablespoon of decent quality oil. To be honest, I think it will work with any oil, but as I tend to avoid all chemicals, I go with organic oil. The one that works the best for me is organic coconut oil and the reason is, because it tastes the best! Dischem sells it too:)

Sesame oil is highly recommended and also tastes better than most. If you are going to have it in your mouth for 20 minutes, you had best go with the oil that tastes the best to you. 20 minutes can sometimes feel like an eternity, especially if you are using plain old sunflower oil! That gag reflex will probably set in.

How do you actually do it? Here is my little routine:

• Always do it first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach (because you WILL probably gag the first few times)
• Put a tablespoon of oil in your mouth (coconut oil goes hard if the weather is cool. I used to melt it but now I just chew it until it melts. I'd suggest melting it initially. I definitely gagged the first time I tried chewing the coconut oil!!)
• Slowly swirl the oil around your mouth. Don't do it fast or your jaw will get tired. If your jaw feels tired or aches, you're going to fast. Move it around your mouth in a slow, swishing action, from side to side, making sure you get it through all the gaps between your teeth, your palate, your gums, even the back of your mouth (don't gargle with it though. Just tilt your head back slightly to reach the back) 
• Try not to swallow it. It is full of bacteria and not something you want in your system
• Try it for as long as you can with 20 minutes being your limit. Start off slow and work your way up to 20 minutes
• Preferably spit the oil in a drain or toilet as it is full of germs. It should go a milky white colour by the time you spit it out. Run some hot water down the drain to wash it away or it will build up.
• Straight after you spit it out, have a mug of warm salty water on standby (just half a teaspoon of salt will do)
• Rinse your mouth with the salt water and gargle with it to make sure you remove all of the oil residue and then you're good to go!

My morning starts off by feeding our 6 cats, which takes about 20 minutes, so I oil pull while I do that to keep me distracted and I'm hardly even aware that I'm doing it anymore. The only time I notice is when I need to say something to GLM and this usually involves a lot of waving, hand gestures and eyebrow wriggling;) She's quite used to me now!

I definitely notice if I miss doing it for a day or two. My teeth are quite sensitive and, as I avoid fluoride at all costs due to it being so dangerous (another blog post about that coming soon!), I don't use any conventional toothpastes. Oil pulling is the best remedy for sensitive teeth, among other things. I feel bad if I start my day without it and I'm convinced I got flu because I was busy and skipped a couple of days!

So, there you have it! Some of you are probably convinced I've stepped off the sanity bus but I'm fine with that;) They say sanity is the playground of the unimaginative. I find I am able to do just about anything if I know it will be good for me, no matter how crazy it may seem. And I dare anyone to define "normal" to me. I'm a gay woman. I've had plenty people try to tell me what normal is;) To me, normal is following the crowd, doing everything everyone else does without thinking of the consequences; whether it's bad for you or your environment, or whether it's not. Knowledge is power and ignorance can be hazardous to your health.

Step out of the box and try something crazy, like oil pulling! You'll find the health benefits far outweigh the strange looks you may get from your nearest and dearest;)

King of the fast foods

I was listening to Redi Tlhabi talking on 702 this morning about the opening of the first Burger King in South Africa. Apparently Burger King were giving away free whopper burgers to the first 1 000 customers. I have to say, I share her confusion over why people would start queuing at a fast food joint several hours before it was supposed to open, unless they were homeless and starving and that burger meant the difference between life and death.

Colour me stupid but what is so special about Burger King? I GET that burgers are tasty. I also GET that fast food is convenient at times if you aren't as fussy as me. (Personally, I'd rather push through the hunger until I find something better.) I just don't understand how a burger, made in a fast food joint like Burger King, could possibly be more appealing than a burger made in your own kitchen, thereby giving you power over the ingredients IN said burger. In fact, Burger King is SO appealing to people, that they actually woke up early to go and queue outside Burger King hours before it opened when they could have actually used that time to make themselves a lunch that would have saved them, not only petrol and time, but also a possible heart attack, or some dread disease, later in life.

Recently, Burger King had to come clean, during the horsemeat scandal, and admit that they used horsemeat in their burgers. They only came clean AFTER DNA evidence was found proving that they were using horsemeat, and they were forced to admit to it and apologise for denying it only hours before. Too late, she cried? Apparently not according to the thousands queuing outside of Burger King this morning! It's scary to think that fast food eaters have no CLUE what they are eating, nor do they seem to care.

Mmm, delicious...

There are two possibilities here: One is that Burger King knowingly lied about the horsemeat in order to protect their own profit margins regardless of the harm they might be causing OR the other possibility is that Burger King literally had NO idea that their food contained horsemeat and are innocent of the lies... BUT that makes them ignorant about their own food so I'm not actually sure which is worse.

There are any number of scarily, toxic chemicals in most fast foods and if Burger King, and its clientele, are clueless about the horsemeat in their own burgers, how can they say they have been honest when listing the nutritional value of their burgers on their website? How can any of their clients trust that the nutritional breakdown on their website, is accurate? And if Burger King actually ARE aware of the horsemeat, then the nutritional breakdown on their website is null and void because they haven't declared it there and that means they have lied. Of course, I think we can safely say that they haven't declared it because they KNOW that you won't want to eat burgers made of horsemeat and so they'd rather lie to you and not lose your money. Where are the ethics there?

Unfortunately, horsemeat is actually the least of your worries when it comes to fast food. Here is a list of some of the ingredients NOT listed in the nutritional breakdown on their websites:

• sodium phosphates
• bleached wheat flour
• modified food starch 
• dextrose (sugar)
• partially hydrogenated soybean oil and cottonseed oil with mono-and diglycerides, (read: trans fats)
• Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil) (read: trans fats)
• TBHQ, tertiary butylhydroquinone, a petroleium derived product
• Dimethylpolysiloxane

You may have saved some money because you bought a cheap burger, but what price are you ultimately paying for having that burger? If you read my previous post you'll remember that everything that you eat, becomes a part of you. Your body sees it all as food and it becomes part of your cell makeup, it flows through your bloodstream and it contaminates everything it touches. Why do 1 in 3 people have cancer these days? The above bullet points are part of your answer, folks. If you still can't see it then I'm not sure who can help you there!

The ONLY things that most of us will recognise as "food" on that list, are the bleached wheat flour, the sugar and the vegetable oil. Bleached wheat flour has been sucked DRY of any nutrients that it might have had to start with. Can someone tell me WHY anyone would do that? You not only remove the nutrients, but you kill any flavour it might have had to start with and you might as well add talcum powder to the burger instead. There is also the issue that your body breaks down the white flour  into glucose extremely fast and so you tend to store more of it as fat.

As for sugar, we eat that all the time right? Surely it can't be THAT bad? Well, let's see how bad it can be:

• Bad bacteria LOVE to eat sugar, so sugar can depress your immune system by fueling the bad bacteria
• Sugar contributes to infertility
• Sugars raises blood glucose levels, which can deteriorate blood vessels and lead to heart disease
• Sugar can increase your risk of cancer. Some believe it can CAUSE cancer. Read this article to really blow your mind!
• Sugar contributes to candida, which MANY women suffer from, especially IBS sufferers.
• Sugar cravings are related to stress and the cravings are self-sustaining. (Meaning when you eat sugar because you’re stressed, you’re going to end up wanting more sugar when the stress returns.) Vicious cycle anyone?
• Sugar is addictive. Lisa Byrne says it best in her workbook, Break the Sugar Habit: “Refined, white sugar acts more like a drug than a food in our system…but it started as a whole plant. The sugar cane and beet plant in nature come complete with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals like any other plant. When glucose is part of the whole plant, it acts like a food in your body -- entering our system calmly, breaking down slowly and providing a range of nutrients in addition to energy. When glucose is isolated, sugar acts like a drug in your body. Too much refined sugar creates a cycle of intense highs and lows, keeping our blood sugar, hormones and neurotransmitters out of balance.

Ok, so sugar = not good! How about those vegetable oils? We've been told that they're good, right? Margarine is made out of vegetable oils and we are supposed to eat that instead of butter to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease aren't we? 

That would be... WRONG!

One of the (many) problems with vegetable oils is that, unlike butter or coconut oil, vegetable oils can’t be extracted just by pressing or separating naturally. They have to be chemically removed, deodorised and altered. Vegetable oils are some of the most chemically altered foods in our diets and yet they get promoted as healthy. What's frightening is that they are found in pretty much EVERY processed food, from salad dressing to mayonnaise (and fast foods) and  even on the "healthy" nuts and seeds you buy (look at the ingredients).

The last few times I've been in Durban, lately, I've heard an advert punting Canola margarine as a healthy alternative. It's practically on repeat and I get so mad when I hear it I turn off the radio! Here is the scary thing about Canola oil:

• It was developed by making a hybrid version of the rapeseed, and it was given its name in the 1980s as part of a marketing effort organised by a conference on mono-saturates.
• Rapeseed oil contains high amounts of the toxic erucic acid, which is poisonous to the body. (it has been linked to the formation of fatty deposits in heart muscles in animals) Canola oil is an altered version, also called Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed and it is commonly genetically modified and treated with high levels of pesticides.
• Canola (modified rapeseed oil) is produced by heating the rapeseed and processing it with a petroleum solvent to extract the oil. Then another process of heat and an addition of acid is used to remove nasty solids (wax) that occur during the first processing.
• At this point, the newly created canola oil must be treated with yet MORE chemicals to improve the colour and separate the different parts of the oil. Finally, because the chemical process has created a horrible smelling oil, it must be chemically deodorised to be palatable!
• If the vegetable oil is going to be made into margarine, it undergoes an additional process called hydrogenation to make it solid at cold temperatures. Unlike saturated fats (butter, coconut oil, etc) vegetable oils are not naturally solid at these temperatures and must be hydrogenated to accomplish this. During this process of hydrogenation, those lovely transfats we’ve heard so much about, are created.

Still thinking about that Burger? Did I go through all the other stuff listed that we DIDN'T recognise?

• Sodium phosphates: According to web definitions: phosphate of sodium is used as a laxative to cleanse the bowels... 
• Food starch is usually modified via a chemical process and is used in most processed foods
• TBHQ or Tertiary Butylhydroquinone is found in many foods, ranging from crackers to crisps to fast foods. It is also found in certain brands of pet foods, as well as in cosmetic and baby skincare products, varnish, lacquers and resins and it is used in the stabilisation process of explosive compounds... and you want to eat it because... ?!
• Dimethylpolysiloxane is an antifoaming agent (a form of silicone used in cosmetics, and Silly Putty) It is also found in diet coke, sprite etc.

Some people will read this and say, "So what? Life is short and I want to enjoy it! My parents ate all this stuff and they're ok! But are they really? I challenge you to say you don't know a single person who has cancer or heart disease or diabetes or some other physical ailment. Ageing prematurely also counts. If it's no-one in your immediate circle, then there will be someone who you've met through someone close to you. Doctors will tell you that these diseases are genetic. I will agree that some people ARE genetically predisposed to some diseases. BUT I also believe that it is our lifestyle that will determine whether we get those diseases or not. You are not powerless unless you choose to be.

So, you have a choice here. To continue to live in ignorance, despite having the knowledge at your fingertips, or to begin to affect a change, not only in your life, but in the lives of those close to you. The choices you make will affect your children, and your children's children. Look what happened when food became a booming industry and people realised how much money could be made by deceiving the masses. Our parents were told that eating certain processed foods was much better than eating real food and THEY bought into it. So WE bought into it. That's the power of advertising. 

But I also believe in the power of the influence we have on those around us. So it's up to us whether we choose to continue that legacy, or to affect a change. We need to start a food revolution. That's what I'm doing here and I can see the change happening in people around me and it gives me a great amount of hope. By looking after ourselves, we are also looking after those close to us, AND a great side benefit is that we go easier on our planet too. It's a win-win situation:)

That's enough of that! Tomorrow is THE REAL FOOD FRIDAY FEAST and I'm finally going to share that banana bread recipe I've been talking so much about! I happened to spot a banana bread loaf in a grocery store yesterday and, out of interest, I peeked at the ingredients. All I can say is, it wasn't far removed from a fast food burger! Wouldn't it be nice to eat a banana bread that, you know, was actually good for you? Bet you always thought ANY cakes were cheat meals destined to land on your thighs and hips and you needed 3 gym sessions to work them off! Not this banana bread, I guarantee!

Can I get a YUM!?

Don't miss tomorrow's post;)

Go on, eat that fat!

Winter seems like the worst time ever to try and overhaul your entire lifestyle, right? I disagree! And over the course of this post, I'll tell you why;)

If you were going to be following a "diet" where a meal consisted of 3 lettuce leaves, half a can of tuna and 5 almonds  then, yes, I'd say winter is a bad time to do that. In my opinion, ANYTIME is a bad time to do that! Winter is a time when all we want to do is hibernate, and EAT! You want soups and curries and stews and lots of hot, baked goods and snacky things and hot, sweet drinks. Sounds like a lot of things you can't eat if you are organic and healthy, doesn't it? Well, it's time we blew THAT mindset right out of the water!

Looks pretty fattening, right? WRONG!

I don't believe in diets. I don't believe in weighing your food and counting calories and depriving yourself of all the good things in life, just to lose a bit of body fat that will more than likely return the minute you start to eat "normally" again. Going organic and eating real food is not a diet, or a fad, or a quick fix to your fat loss issues. It's an entire mindset and lifestyle change. It's FOR LIFE. The fact that it has a sideline benefit of losing body fat is an added bonus, but it shouldn't be the only motivation or you probably will fall off the fruit box eventually.

I made a decision to start eating real, organic food about a year ago and it was just as winter started so I can vouch for winter being a good time to start the process;) I'd always considered myself to be very healthy up until then. As I mentioned in my first post, nutrition and health has always fascinated me. But, no matter how healthy I thought I was, my weight fluctuated and my stomach gave me grief a lot of the time. I was constantly on a learning curve and I loved learning but it was frustrating at times, knowing I wasn't quite getting it right!

WTF?!

Just over a year ago, a friend started mentioning organic and paleo eating to me. I knew nothing about all of that and so I decided to start researching it, as I do! I was astounded at how much information I found. It took me a few months to work my way through it and figure it all out for myself, but I began to realise just how wrong I had been for so long. There I was, dutifully cutting all the fat out of my diet, eating low fat this and fat free that, eating only egg whites, skinless chicken breasts, eating next to nothing, counting all my calories and I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting it right.

Despite doing everything the "experts" told me to do, I still had to watch what I ate to avoid my body weight fluctuating too much and my stomach was still giving me grief despite me avoiding all the known aggravants.  I was also still catching every bug that came my way as well. I felt tired and unhealthy and permanently grumpy!

Blegh...

So basically, we have ascertained that I was NOT achieving my aim. It was time for a complete overhaul; a change in mindset and a change in lifestyle.

I'm not saying it was a fast process. I had spent the last 35 years of my life learning what to do and what not to do. Suddenly I felt like a child again because I had to start learning almost from scratch. 

Perhaps the hardest thing to get my head around was that I could eat fat! Now, most of us know that we need to eat some fat, like nuts and avocados and olive oil. But did you know your body also needs animal fat?

Altogether now... WHAAAAT?!

For decades, saturated fat has been utterly vilified. It's supposed to be the cause of obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, it's been linked to cancer, it's a death sentence for diabetics and it's even been blamed for diabetes. It's pretty much to blame for EVERYTHING that humans have ever been afflicted with in the last 100 years. What's really interesting is that, in the last few decades, since scientists decided to blame all of these diseases on our saturated fat consumption, and told all of us to cut it out of our lives, all of those diseases have escalated to epic proportions. Even more interesting is that, while they were telling us to cut saturated fat out of our lives, they were telling us to start eating more grains, starches and vegetable oils. People started drinking skim milk and buying margarine by the truckload, instead of butter and yet they were still getting sick and gaining weight. It's no coincidence that heart disease has now become the number one killer, with cancer and diabetes running close seconds.

I'm going to blow your mind a bit now...

Saturated fat is NOT bad for you. In fact, it's ESSENTIAL for you. If you don't believe me, there is a lot of science behind it and if you are interested in the science, here is a great video that will give you all the stats. It's long and very thorough.

There is a BUT...

Unless you eat free range or organic saturated fat, you are not going to benefit from eating it. In fact, if you choose not to eat free range, it CAN be harmful. The reason why is because, animals that AREN'T allowed to range free and eat their natural food, are, quite literally, sick. These days, cattle are being fed huge piles of genetically modified grains because it's cheaper and it makes them grow big and fat so that they make the companies more money. They are also being injected with hormones to make them grow faster, and, because they are getting sick due to a shockingly bad diet, they are being pumped full of antibiotics. All of that bad stuff doesn't miraculously leave the cattle when they are slaughtered. So you end up with really poor quality meat full of hormones, antibiotics and disease from eating grain. Which means, if you have a grain intolerance, meat will not agree with you. Do I even need to spell out what the hormones and antibiotics are doing to you?

If the quality of your meat doesn't really bother you, how about what the poor cows go through? It's bad enough that their lives are going to be cut short so that we can have food on our table. Shouldn't we show our gratitude for such an amazing gift, by allowing them a happy, dignified short life? The same thing applies to every other animal who is kind enough to feed us.

Which life would YOU prefer? This?

Or this?

It's tough to get your head around isn't it? Eating fat... Boy did I struggle!

For christmas last year, I decided to roast a free range duck from Woolies and, because it was my first time ever, I had to turn to google to find out how to go about it! I had NO IDEA that a duck was so full of fat! Every method involved roasting it for many, many hours, poking it with a knife every few hours, to get rid of all the fat. By the time I was done, I had at least 1 cup full of duck fat, and a VERY small, skinny, crunchy duck. It didn't go very far on christmas day, needless to say!

2 months later, the cup of duck fat was still in my fridge... I knew I COULD eat it, but my mind just refused to allow it. I was SO brainwashed into believing it was bad for me. One day I finally broke through and I made myself a pot of popcorn using duck fat instead of oil. OH... MY... GREATNESS... It was the most delicious popcorn I have ever eaten! After that it wasn't hard to start cooking with it;)

These days I make my popcorn with raw farm butter or duck fat or even coconut oil, I cook things using all three as well. I (gasp) have butter on my banana bread! I drink a glass of full cream goat's milk every night (because I am lactose intolerant and can't digest cow's milk) I eat full cream goat's milk cheese, and full cream goat's milk yoghurt, DAILY. I eat egg yolks now too;) I never thought I'd see the day! I went about 15 years without eating butter and drinking milk! I honestly feel like I've died and gone to heaven;) And the interesting thing is, I have actually LOST body fat. I wasn't trying. That was just a side benefit of  going organic and free range AND eating fat again. I feel so energetic and healthy too; another side benefit.

So, back to why winter is a great time for a lifestyle change...

What could be better than a warm chicken curry full of delicious, healthy chicken fat, on a bed of brown rice, followed by a hot mug of organic hot chocolate sweetened with raw honey. (I'm not talking about the kind you get in a tin. I'm talking about a mug of organic hot milk with a chunk of dark chocolate melted into it. Have I got your attention now? How about a slice of warm banana bread smothered in a thick layer of butter? Still think you can't do this now?

That, my friends, is what eating real food is all about. It's about using all the real things that we were meant to eat, instead of going for the man-made, processed, canned and bottled rubbish that you find lining the shelves of all major grocery stores. The beauty of a lot of organic stuff is that it's actually not that hard to make yourself. So when they tell you how expensive it is, and how it's just "not do-able", don't believe it. I make my own yoghurt. It's so easy a child could do it. I make my own stock which I use to add flavour and goodness to all my stews, curries and soups. I grow my own vegetables. I save a fortune because I don't buy pre-packaged goods loaded with rubbish and, aside from saving money, our health has benefited.

This blog is going to be full of info to help you on your organic way, and it's going to include a lot of recipes and suggestions to save you money and make you healthier in the process. I get so excited just thinking about how much this will change your life for the better.

But that's enough for now. I'm off to make myself a mug of hot chocolate and eat a slice of my delicious homemade banana bread;)