Water

I decided that a post about water should be in included here.

• Water is one of the basics that we depend on. It is needed for every function in our body for life; It is needed for the delivery of life and the removal of death.
  We need water to mobilize everything in the body and in our over toxic world, it may be the most important thing we intake for long term health.
• It is a basic need that should be considered during problem solving as well. ( I have __________ symptom.  Maybe it is because of ________? SEE link to book/site Water Cure. "You're not sick, you're thirsty" --  And I can vouch for his saying that a symptom of chronic thirst is lack of the sensation of feeling thirst. )
• There is a balance of water that needs to be maintained and balanced with the nutritional needs of the body.  Typically people just plain don't drink enough, but as metabolic needs ebb and flow in your body, you may need to be cautious about when and how much you drink.... Just remember adding more water to a soup thins it out - at some point it is too much, but without enough, then it isn't even soup.  (sugar and salt balances in the body needs to be maintained - sometimes a can of coconut water is in order ....times of day make a difference too.)
  On the simple view for improved decision making:
  drink (wet your mouth), then drink some more ("ehh, that's enough" = crossing the threshhold from chronic habits), then drink some more ("oh! that feels better" = finally getting enough), and then drink more (ok, now I feel topped off and my body is getting used to the new feeling so that I can always drink the sufficient amount), And then the "true not-feeling-like" drinking more.
• The type of water is often brought up.... This kind of filtering or that, etc. Really, as long as it is clean, then it is water. Sanitation is number one - An area where the only water source is downstream from an open 'toilet' is not clean water.  If there were an emergency, then clean water would become a focus.
  However, for a lifetime of drinking the "other" stuff in the water starts being a bit more important than basic survival.  Heavy water is heavy because of an abundance of mineral and other substance dissolved in water.  Remember making crystals it had to be a super saturated solution. Water can hold A LOT.  And not all of that is equal. Nor are we trying to grow crystals especially of only one type in our bodies! (that would be called a stone.  :) ~~~ )
• Depending on how far you have delved into the world and it's energies this subject can be very short or very long.  I don't think this is the place, nor do I have the time to attempt a summary.  Suffice it to say that, at the very least, everything has electric charge (remember the periodic table of elements and electrons?) and this applies to water, what is in it, and the abilities it would have in your body.   And be grateful for the water you are so blessed to have!
• Side note on Fluoride - here's is a link to update what you've heard about fluoride in water - remember if we go to a someone and offer to buy their trash, they will probably sell it to you. (even if you are of the mind that it is needed for your teeth, then remember that it is sold as rat poison because rats don't swoosh and spit... my suggestion is to at least stop eating and swallowing fluoride, minimize it to the one area you feel it would have a less negative effect on the whole body/thyroid, etc and remember that detoxing from fluoride is NOT pretty, but eating seaweed over time will help with a slow detox and an increase in health, energy, beauty, and organ capabilities.)
• A lot of the different nutrition and health 'Dr. Greats' I have read about and learned from in recent  years say that distilled is best.  Minerals are best for our body when integrated in a nutrient dense food.  Water is best when it is NOT super saturated.  It is meant to transport life and death in our bodies remember?  So a water that is, for example 50% saturated already has only 50% capacity to carry things in your body. Distilled water is ~100% open and active, ready to satisfy all your transportation needs at top capacity.  :)  If you are trying to absorb minerals better then make your tea and take your supplements such as min66 with distilled water!
• [some of]  My new habits,.... :)
  I have been drinking a full glass (try for over 2 cups) of distilled water in the morning a few moments after I finish oil pulling.  Then Wait a moment, (my body feels the difference) and then drink a full glass of our regular filtered water.  It is very refreshing and then, And only after having water do I eat anything. 
  Other alternatives: Even if you don't do the cleansing routine of oil pulling, and just the distilled OR even just straight water before eating, then you are giving your body a great boost right at the start of the nights "fast" that you are breaking.   
• Drinking before eating gives your body a chance to rehydrate before having to start the work of digestion.  Trying to transport enzymes, bile, and nutrients from digestion before hydration would be a laborious and sluggish process compared to a free flowing vibrant flow of hydrated liquids.
  The other reason I choose to do this in the morning is because our bodies are in cleaning mode in the morning (Chinese medicine I think it was) is from 6am to noon. (and from what I understand and believe is happening all night. I think a lot of emotion and mental, is "dealt" with during night/sleep.) 
  An evidence to this that I've experienced is the fact that Oil pulling only works if you have allowed any food or water to even touch your lips - If I wash my face and get my lips wet (lips are part of the mouth = food/water contact with your mouth tells the digestive system to get ready, enzymes rush to the mouth etc) before I oil pull then it doesn't even work as well, if at all.  (If I do forget, I try to pull my lips in to keep them dry as soon as I remember and it seems to work ok.)
  Once we start eating then we start digesting.  Eating processed foods in the morning puts even more energy and effort into digestion relative to their level of processing (junk food is not food, there is just junk or food....). The more raw, then the more enzymes and "self digestion" can happen, the less raw (more processed) then the more your body has to put into digesting it.  Same with whole foods vs processed/stripped foods.

Detoxing

I've been reading and learning a lot about Herbs from Dr. Christopher's [site]  - but I also made a nice chart for someone that I thought I'd share here. :) Sorry, I haven't found a way to inbed a chart in this new Blogger programing... so this is just a bulleted list.

Eating good food, changing old habits for new ones, and healing create beneficial cell turn-over and removal of lesser and/or toxic substances.  So, sometimes when we get the chance, or make the time in the evening - a detox bath helps out -  even just soaking the feet is very beneficial.  Anything to take the trash out :)

Bone broth = liquid gold = precious food = vital medicine

I posted about this back in one of my very first posts here (see there in the pink recipe card...), but I thought that a more extended run down would be of benefit. --

It is so frugal and nutritious; so versatile, so simple;
and it's many possible uses so basic to so luxurious,
it should really return to the first thing we learn in the kitchen.
Don't forget to teach it to your children.

Here's the basic method I use
---anything more than this is optional,
such as various herbs, parsley, or vegetables which I add near the end to alter the flavor etc for use in a meal --

• collect bones and all bits and pieces (after removing the meat in the kitchen or from the plates after dinner) put in freezer bag until you are ready
  
  • If you cooked in a method that created a lot of liquid - then keep this "chicken juice" in a bowl in the fridge until later (mmm healing gelatin power)
• put bones and bits in a pot or crock pot, cover with water (filtered of course)
  
  • Ideally, add vinegar (or other acid) to the water and allow the bones to sit for 1/2 hr+ before turning on the heat - this will maximize the amount of minerals you pull out
    (advisory: if you don't follow the vinegar soak with boiling, then the vinegar flavor may never completely dissipate -because of this, I sometimes use balsamic, which tastes better in my opinion, when crock potting)
    
  • if the source of your chicken is suspect or sub-par (or you want to eliminate the vinegar) then
    
    1. start in a pot and bring it to a boil
       
    2. skim off any of the foam that rises to the surface. (Sally Fallon called this impurities - and I have found that high quality chicken produces no foam)
       
    3. leave to simmer if you are to be in the kitchen
       or add enough cool water to not shock/crack your crock and then pour into a crock pot to slow cook
• add bay leaves, whole cloves, large pieces of onion, garlic and/or (flavorless) seaweed - if desired
  
  • if desired, add onion before bringing it to the boil because it often produces much foam on it's own and I have suspected it to be impurities as well (fungus?)
• allow to simmer (not boil) until bones are soft enough to break and/or ~12 hours as convenience allows -
  
• when needed, add water to keep bones covered.
  (and add any other vegetables/herbs,... as desired - cooking too long can add bitterness
  I always keep a bag of kale stems (or other stem vegetables,...) that I can add to the bone broth -very important nutrients for skin health.)
  
• turn heat off and allow to cool enough until you are comfortable pouring it
• pour through a strainer into a container.

Storing and such

• If you would like to add the "chicken juice" from the fridge (that bowl of gel in the fridge from the beginning such as when the chicken was crock potted), then mix together allowing the heat to melt it in- this will make it taste AMAZING (depending on seasoning as well of course) and utilize the nutritious gelatin in more meals as well.
• Whatever combination of broth/juice you have, you will likely have a layer of fat form on the top - this is, of course, good food, but sometimes is more than enough for the amount of broth (especially in some beef bones' results) and would be too heavy/ slick for tastes, so simply leave as is, but if there is ever 'extra' fat when you are done using the bowl/jar from your fridge that week, then just put the 'chunks' of it in a freezer bag for a time when you don't have as much fat to ratio)
  

• if you would like to condense the broth to save space,
1. then boil it down (remove foam if any comes up)
   
2. until desired reduction amount
   
3. allow it to cool - Have a few sips :)
   
4. pour into container, freezer bags, or small containers (that can be removed as individual serving sizes for multiple uses (ice cubes for individual cups of broth or bigger cups for soups....etc))

Cooking with this liquid gold!

• if you would like to make soup or add vegetables then add any that you desire in order that they require to cook plus herbs/spices - add water if needed to reach amount for # of people.
• If you would like to use it in other foods such as when cooking rice, there is no rule - just add as much as you want whenever liquids such as water, milk, stock, or broth is called for --judging results by how the broth itself tastes.
  (I usually avoid rosemary in my broth because of it inability to blend into a variety of meals, etc....). Rice cooked with all broth instead of water is amazingly just on its own. Talk about using meat sparingly ;).... Also, the gelatin content is great in any meal especially those that have little, to no, raw foods in them. (improves digestion through nutrients by ability AND churning of food)
  
• if you would like to make gravy, (this is also the base of a cream soup, as described in previous post)
  
  1. get a whisk out and have your broth very handy to pour or scoop in quickly if needed.
     
  2. melt oil/butter in a pan and add ~ equal weight of a flour (one that will thicken it or later add arrowroot powder)
     
  3. and add pepper, salts, garlic powder, optional herbs/spices, dried mushroom (this is a great flavor, amaze the relatives who eat packaged food!), (these can be added at any point but more flavor throughout/deeper when added at the beginning)
     
  4. adding more oil/butter and moving it around, if needed, until flour is cooked (cooking until browned but not burned makes brown gravy, but just not tasting like flour is what is important) and add broth at any point to prevent flour from burning - add broth, water, and/or milk until desired
  5. Constantly whisk to prevent it from sticking on the bottom of the pan and to prevent lumps as adding liquids
     
  6. if using arrowroot powder, mix a spoonful+ into a small amount of cold liquid then add to the pan, whisking it in, this will thicken it, but if cooked for too long it will lose it's ability and will have to be added again - always add as much as you need - such as if you didn't use enough flour in the beginning for desired results
  7. mmm gravy

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY - APPLE & PEAR TREES

The company we ordered our apple trees from last year is sold out

HOWEVER,

this company is doing a
very exciting,
amazing preservation
of HUNDREDS
OF ANTIQUE & HEIRLOOM VARIETIES
by offering the same method of apple trees at the same amazing price:

Please read below - the text is copy and pasted from their website:
http://www.wagonwheelorchard.blogspot.com/

Benchgrafts still available for 2012 – Please order soon, our rootstock is getting reserved. We will be grafting in late February through late April. When the rootstock runs out we will stop taking orders. We have a 10 tree minimum and no maximum. Please give us plenty of alternate choices in your orders as scion stock is starting to dwindle.

Below is the complete 2012 benchgraft list. It does contain an entire inventory of several orchards – please note we will not graft apples or pears still under patent.

This is the most extensive list ever offered for custom grafting antique apples. Check our previous post for the pear list. Most likely you will never see such an offering again.

Please check your local rules regarding shipping in apples and pears.

Many of the varieties listed below will only be available for 2012 - please consider ordering additional trees to preserve these endangered apples and pears. One of our heroes, Nick Botner is retiring and his collection needs to be preserved (he currently has his massive orchard and home for sale) - the only way to ensure that is to get these fruit trees backed up in as many locations as possible. The list below is an inventory and benchgraft list only - we cannot supply scionwood from this list at our normal prices. We will pay on average $5.50 a stick from this list and then buy scionwood to graft to at a $2.00 average - then we will absorb shipping/handling/insurance costs to deliver them to you at $10/tree with a 10 tree minimum. We are primarily concerned with preservation of this collection - if you would like to swap or purchase scionwood please email us at wagonwheelmail@aol.com or call us at 913-893-6050.


Mail a check with a summary of your order to Wagon Wheel Orchard 15380 Edgerton Rd Gardner KS 66030. First requested/first fulfilled - please do not wait until last minute! We will be shipping in late March to early April or as weather permits.

Questions? - email wagonwheelmail@aol.com

GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR THEIR LIST OF hundreds! of APPLE (AND PEAR) TREES AVAILABLE