|
|
|
|
|
Your Guide to Well-being and Wild, Crazy
Healthy Living!
|
January 2009
|
|
_____________
Events
Upcoming Winter Workshops:
WORKSHOPS! Two this weekend!!!
And four in February!
_____________
|
Free Holistic Health Consultation
This
free hour-long
session includes a
full discussion of
your health
history
and health goals,
a chance to get
your questions
answered, and
the
opportunity to find
out more about
a personalized
health program,
completely catered
toward your busy
lifestyle and needs.
Visit Barbara Taylor Health
|
|
Oils and Fats
Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, "trans" fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails, and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs in place.
A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings of energy, fulfillment, and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain, and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals, and feeling cold.
There are many sources of healthy fats and oils. For sautéing and baking, try butter, ghee (clarified butter), or coconut oil because they do not break down when used at high temperatures. When sautéing and stovetop cooking at moderate temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil. Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut, and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings on top of salads, veggies, or grains. Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini. Whole foods such as avocados, olives, and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and eggs from hens that are truly pasture raised and organic. Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which agree with you and leave you satisfied.
When selecting oils, buy the highest-quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin, and unrefined. Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined, and solvent extracted.
According to nutritionist Joy Kettler Gurgevich - 25% of our calories should be from healthy fat. To lose excess weight, consider dropping trans fat / Hodrogenated oil, from your diet - instead use balanced portions of high quality natural fats like butter and oilve oil.
The low-fat craze led us to believe that the less fat we ate, the
healthier we'd be and encouraged us to drop natural healthy fats like
butter and substitute with processed dangerous fats like hydrogenated
oils/ margarine. Now mainstream society has caught up with the fact
that trans fats are bad for us, but we still seem enable to part with the over-simplified myth that fat is bad for us., or that eating fat will lead to getting fat. This
is over simplified and is not how the body works. In fact, for some people, eating healthy fats may stop a cycle of endless craving as their bodies' need for quality fat will be finally satiated.
Next month, I will discuss the differences between healthy oils, the individual benefits of quality fats, goods sources, and how to balance Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids in your diet
*******************************************************************************************************
When you think about protein in your diet also remember to consider fat. Breakfast and Lunch are probably the best times of day to eat fat. Try to keep dinner lighter. And note homemade salad dressing made with quality oils, vinegar, and spices can be the healthiest part of the salad!
*******************************************************************************************************
Check out these other highly recommended books on GOOD FATS:
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill: The Complete Guide to Fats, Oils, Cholesterol and Human Health by Udo Erasmus
Choosing the Right Fats by Udo Erasmus
Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol by Mary G. Enig
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price, Price-Pottenger
Smart Fats: How Dietary Fats and Oils Affect Mental, Physical and Emotional Intelligence by Michael A. Schmidt
Eat Fat, Lose Fat: The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats by Mary Enig, Sally Fallon
For more information on Holistic Health and how to have a truly healthy lifestyle, please visit my web site: Barbara Taylor Health
*******************************************************************************************************_____________________________________________________________________
|
|
Chewing
When it comes to increased health, it's not just what we eat but how we eat. Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where contact with our teeth and digestive enzymes in our saliva break down food. But these days most of us rush through the whole eating experience, barely acknowledging what we're putting in our mouths. We eat while distracted - working, reading, talking, and watching television - and swallow our food practically whole. On average we chew each bite only eight times. It's no wonder that many people have digestive problems.
There are many great reasons to slow down and chew your food. Saliva breaks down food into simple sugars, creating a sweet taste. The more we chew, the sweeter our food becomes, so we don't crave those after-meal sweets. Chewing reduces digestive distress and improves assimilation, allowing our bodies to absorb maximum nutrition from each bite of food. More chewing produces more endorphins, the brain chemicals responsible for creating good feelings. It's also helpful for weight loss, because when we are chewing well, we are more apt to notice when we are full. In fact, chewing can promote healing and circulation, enhance immunity, increase energy and endurance, improve skin health, and stabilize weight.
You can experience the benefits of chewing by trying to increase your chewing to 30 chews per bite. Try it and see how you feel.
Taking time with a meal, beginning with chewing, allows for enjoyment of the whole experience of eating: the smells, flavors, and textures. It helps us to give thanks, to show appreciation for the abundance in our lives, and to develop patience and self-control. Try eating without the TV, computer, newspaper, or noisy company. Instead just pay attention to the food and to how you are breathing and chewing.
This kind of quiet can be disconcerting at first, since we are used to a steady stream of advertising, news, media, email, and demands from others. But as you create a new habit, you will begin to appreciate eating without rushing. You have to eat every day-why not learn to savor and enjoy it?
******************************************************************************************************* |
Food Focus: Brown Rice
To celebrate our Whole Grain Cookery workshop this Saturday and Chewing as well, I thought I would focus on Brown rice this month.
Brown rice, with its sweet nutty flavor, provides four times the amount of insoluble fiber found in white rice because it is a whole grain that has not been stripped of its natural bran covering. It contains an impressive number of vitamins and minerals such as concentrated B vitamins (which help nervous systems and mental depression), niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and even some vitamin E. This whole grain also contains a small amount of high-quality protein in the form of the amino acid lysine, which helps boost the body's ability to fight viruses, especially those that cause cold sores.
In each grain of brown rice exists a matrix of whole, unrefined energy and nutrition. It is a complex carbohydrate and therefore burns slowly in the body, providing a steady stream of long-lasting energy while increasing the brain's levels of serotonin, the chemical responsible for the feeling of well-being. Those who consistently eat brown rice report steady energy and an overall feeling of calm and balance in their daily lives.
For brown rice and whole grains in general, the majority of digestion occurs in the mouth through chewing and exposure to saliva. For optimal nutrition and assimilation, it is vital to chew your rice well and with awareness. A great meditation is to find a calm place, without distractions, to sit down for your meal. Make it a habit to chew each bite 20 times or more. See how this simple practice can help your digestion and overall focus for the rest of your day.
Try different rices - Lundburg is a great company - still small and rice is grown on small family farms. I particularly like the short grain brown rices, which cook up creamy. Other favorites of mine are the Forbidden Black Rice and Butanese Red Rice - they have gorgeous anti-oxidant rich color and rich, nutty flavors.
How to cook a nice batch of simple brown rice:
1/2 cup of brown rice - sorted through and rinsed well
1 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
Bring water to boil, add rice, salt, and oil. Once it is simmering again, turn heat to low, cover and cook about 35 - 45 mins or until water is absorbed. Let rice sit about 5-10 minutes before serving.
*******************************************************************************************************
|
Thank you and welcome to all our 2009 CSA Shareholders! Our vegetable share is now full, although we still have have shares available in our Winter and Summer Egg CSA programs. Please visit our CSA web page for more info and to download a reservation form Our winter egg share starts February 25th.
On Midsummer Farm
- January 2009
I think I smelled Spring yesterday while I was shoveling snow - the shovel hit the gravel path I was shoveling at an angle too steep and there was soil and the smell - the Spring smell. So it's coming despite this bone-chilling cold.
Right now, I have all my seed packets from last year and a couple cool things I already ordered for this year spread out all over everything - I'm trying to figure out what I need to order for the 2009 growing season. I've got summer squash varieties in one pile, cucumbers in another - a whole box of lettuces - smaller piles of kale varieties, basil varieties, etc. etc., and all those old-souled herbs and perennials that I simply obsess over...
 What do I mean by old-souled? The term popped into my head as I thought about why I am obsessed with certain plants that really don't sell and that I don't really have the room for, but that I feel I must grow no matter what. And when I think what is it that appeals to me so much about these, I realized they were appealing to me on a old, traditional, maybe even primordial level - like they were familiars of the old part of my soul. This may sound crazy, and my musings may be a side effect of mid winter light and green deprivation, but to put it less metaphysically, they just feel important in the garden. I want them there when I'm weeding or hoeing. Many of the plants that I feel this way about are noted as important by biodynamic writers and teachers. This agreement and focus on certain plants between my own feelings and biodynamic philosophy really spoke to me and was what led me to study biodynamics and make use of the other tenants of the system on my farm.
Here is a list of some of the old-souled perennials we will be offering at the 2009 plant sale (you'll probably note that most of these are powerful medicinal herbs as well):
Viola - Heartsease 'Bowles Black' (beautiful throughout the lawn - deep, dark black flowers)
Wild Bergamot (native, tea, pollinator plant)
Clary Sage (essential oil rich, gorgeous fuzzy rosettes of leaves)
Feverfew (cutflower, tea, migraine-relief, great also as a dried flower)
Salad Burnet (unusual shaped leaves are fabulous in salads)
Phlomis, or Jerusalem Sage (whorls of yellow or pink flowers, a solidifying presence)
Mountain Mint (native, beautiful semi-shade edge plant)
Motherwort (can spread, but a great old presence)
Cowslip (early blooming absolutely exquisite little plant - part shade)
Comfrey (medicinal, full of nutrients, great food for chickens, leaves give minerals back into the soil)
Blessed Thistle (a wonderful presence, great food source for pollinators and butterfly larvae) Milk Thistle (medicinal and another wonderful presence - gorgeous varigated waxy rosette of leaves)
Angelica (reminds me of valerian with its presence, large, thick stalked, leaves have a lovely flavor, stalks can be candied, a great haven for beneficial insects.)
Hyssop (a honeybee favorite and very attractive in large stands)
Joe Pye Weed (native, attracts butterflies, honey bees, and other pollinators)
Rue (wonderfully scented leaves, beautiful foliage, whimsical flowers)
Lovage (simply can't live without this - beautiful large plant, delicious flavor - use like parsley)
Monarda Punctata or Dotted Mint (native, sprawling monarda, greenish white whorls of flowers)
All the above have such natural uses - a real place in the garden or yard - they really add depth and seriousness to the herb garden, are almost all great sources for native pollinators and / or honey bees, are gorgeous additions to border gardens and cut flower bouquets, and all-round great plants. And they are rare for some reason in people's gardens and yards, probably because they are not readily available at garden shops and nurseries, who tend to stock up on crazy new colored hybrids of everything. Now, I am just as attracted to a new bright color and double petaled variety of something as the next person, but I wouldn't find the garden comfortable if it was missing these old-souled varieties.
And here are the five Biodynamic herbs - these are the ones that biodynamic farmers use to make preparations for soil and plant health and nourishment - and these dynamically improve the well-being and growth of the plants around them when you grow these in the garden with your veggies and herbs:
Valerian (roots are ground into an herbal sleep aid, a gorgeous over 6 foot tall plant with fat, brilliant stems and gets crowned in early summer with large clumps of small whitish pink floating flowers that smell sweet and attract tons of butterflies.)
Stinging Nettle (plant in a spot where you won't accidentally brush up against it and get stung - you probably have seen it listed as a anti-allergy herb. Also full of important antioxidants and minerals - delicious in tea or as a saute in early spring (don't eat it raw - it will sting - but once cooked, the stingers are deactivated. Greatly improves the soil it is grown in.)
Yarrow (I sell colored yarrows too as they make absolutely gorgeous cutflower bunches, but I am referring to the white yarrow here. By planting yarrow around your herbs, you will notice a marked increase in flavor and scent as the yarrow raises the essential oil levels in the plants it grows near. It is a beautiful plant - stays under control in neat clumps.)
Tansy (Tends to take over if given a chance - control by cutting flowers before they go to seed. The yellow button flowers make great filler for cut flower bouquets. Repels many annoying bugs like mosquitoes and ants, yet attracts ladybugs, in fact a clump of tansy acts as a breeding ground for lady bugs. A pretty fern-leafed plant, with musky-scent.)
Dandelion (Leave them in your lawn, please! Dandelions are so beneficial - the big tap root goes deep into the sub soil and brings up missing minerals for the plants around them - your grass will be greener if you have dandelions - and the flowers are a welcome and needed source of pollen for honey bees in the early spring when they bloom. You can also greatly improve your health by eating the mildly bitter detoxifying leaves.)
Hope you enjoyed reading all this plant-talk - I am really getting excited about starting growing again!
Please check out our website for more information about what we're doing. Midsummer Farm
********************************************************************************
|
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Pickled Butterbeans
A Midsummer Farm original recipe - inspired by a study done at Univeristy of Illinois, suggesting that the compound, Luteolin, found incelery and green pepper reduce inflamation in brain cells and shield against memory loss. Plus this is a delicious way to enjoy beans!
2 cans Butterbeans or large (Fordhook) limas (rinsed)
½ cup minced onion or scallion
1 cup chopped green bell peppers (or you can use colored peppers)
½ c chopped celery
1/2 cup of lightly cooked green split peas (optional)
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic granules or finely chopped raw garlic
3 tbsp of chopped parsley (if available)
1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Mix all together and refrigerate overnight
**************************************************************** |
Workshops - This weekend - Sat. Jan 24!
If you are interested, we still can squeeze you in, so please send me an email to hold your spot!
Conscious Eating Workshop - How Do I Include Local, Healthy, Ethical, Sustainable Food in my Diet?
Saturday 1/24/09, 10 am - 12 noon
An intense discussion of ways to make your eating style more holistic and beneficial to both body and soul. This class will demonstrate simple ways to upgrade your eating habits to power-charge your life, boost your energy and immune system, and be healthier. We will also discuss the ethics of eating and various options that are available for local, ethical eating, seasonal diets, and Orange County Super Foods. In the Farm Kitchen, $36, registration closes 1/17/09 .....................................................................................................
Whole Grain Cookery
Saturday 1/24/09, 12:30 - 2:30 pm
All the facts on Whole Grains, Carbs, and Your Health. The number one most detrimental element in most American diets today is white flour and simple carbs. This class will teach you all about the vast and wonderfully tasty, totally fulfilling and satisfying world of complex carbs, and we'll do a bunch of recipes. In the Farm Kitchen, $36, registration closes 1/17/09
Workshops - February
Please try to register 1 week in advance so we have time to get supplies and properly plan!
Making Herbal Infused Salves and Lip Balms
Saturday 2/21/09, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
With a focus on organic, fair-trade, medicinal herbs and spices, we'll construct a variety of healing and soothing salves and lip balms. We'll also discuss different types of healing herbs, what they can do for us, and where to get them. You'll never want to be without a jar of Anti-itch salve made with white willow bark and plantain or Dry-skin healing Calendula salve made with self heal and chickweed once you see how fun they are to make and how effectively they work. Workshop takes place in the farm kitchen. Cost is $36 | registration closes 2/14/09 .....................................................................................................
Backyard Organic Poultry Rearing Workshop
Saturday 2/21/09, 12:30 - 2:30 pm
For anyone who has dreamed of walking out to your own chicken coop and collecting fresh eggs for breakfast, this course will guide you through starting up your own flock. Chickens are wonderful stewards of the earth; and kept in proper conditions, chickens are valuable assets to the garden, lawn, and compost pile. They also provide backyard joy. They are easy to take care of, are not noisy or smelly, and are an important part of the Organic garden. This is the optimal time of year to place orders for chickens for the spring. You will be invited to join us in a hatchery order or you can order our own home-bred chicks. (Please be sure to check with your town to make sure that chickens are allowed where you live.) Workshop takes place mostly outside (dress appropriately - wear boots) and is weather permitting. Cost is $36 | registration closes 2/14/09 .....................................................................................................
Soups and Broths
Sunday 2/22/09, 11 am - 1 pm
One of the healthiest convenience foods is a big pot of minestrone soup or chicken broth full of carrots and escarole. Soups and broths make a hearty breakfast, can travel easily as lunches, and are a satisfying snack food. A big pot of simmering soup on the stove is a great comfort to the home. Learn how to easily make a variety of broths and stocks and take home an exciting collection of soup recipes. Workshop is hands on and tasting is encouraged - it takes place in my kitchen at Midsummer Farm at 156 East Ridge Road, Warwick, NY | cost is $36 | registration closes 2/15/09 .....................................................................................................
Legumes!!! The Bean Workshop
Saturday 2/28/08, 11 am - 1 pm
Beans are one of those things that can make a huge difference in your health and well-being just by adding them to your weekly eating plan. And we'll go over a bunch of different ways to integrate them into your every day life easily. This workshop will lead to better overall health. Beans have been missing from the typical American diet and people have strange opinions of them, but they are delicious, easy to digest when prepared properly, and nourishing on many, many levels. We'll do a selection of fabulous bean dips, nourishing bean soups, refreshing bean salads (great for packing for work or school lunches), pasta 'fazool', Calabrian chickpea stew, minestrone, cassoulet (divine on cold winter days), and also go over bean spouting. Workshop is hands on and tasting is encouraged - it takes place in my kitchen at Midsummer Farm at 156 East Ridge Road, Warwick, NY | cost is $36 | registration closes 2/21/09 .....................................................................................................
Midsummer Farm workshops are taught from a strictly Holistic and Organic standpoint. Class size is kept small to ensure individual attention. Fees include all materials and supplies needed. Children are welcome; children under 5 are free. If more than one person from a single household is taking the workshop together, the second person may deduct $5 from the cost of the workshop. Many classes take place outside in the gardens and are weather-permitting. Participants must register in advance Cooking classes are hands on and tasting is encouraged. Please visit http://www.midsummerfarm.com/workshops.htm or email us for a workshop registration form.
To download the 2009 workshop registration form, CLICK HERE!
..................................................................................................... |
|
|
Disclaimer
© Copyright 2008 Barbara Taylor-Laino, HHC / Barbara Taylor Health. All
Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright,
contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission,
when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired,
permission in writing from Barbara Taylor Laino is required.
This information newsletter is designed as an educational
tool for better health. Recipes and information are included as
examples for you learn from; they are not diagnostic or prescriptive.
Everyone's health needs are different. This newsletter is not to be
used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any
health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your own health
should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.
The entire contents of this newsletter and the websites of Barbara
Taylor Laino and Midsummer Farm are based upon the opinions of Barbara
Taylor Laino, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based
upon the opinions of the respective author(s), who retains copyright as
marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a
one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and
is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of
knowledge and information from the research and experience of Barbara
Taylor Laino. You are encouraged to make your own health care decisions
based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health
care professional.
|
Upcoming Events
2009 Organic Plant and Seedling Sale
Now scheduled for May 16th and 23rd!
NEW THIS YEAR: WE will be having a Pre-sale of Alliums and Cruciferous plants for late April planting.
|
Thank you very much!
Forward to a Friend
It's such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and
healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or
colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.
|
Farm Contact Info
Barbara and Mark Laino
Midsummer Farm
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
info@midsummerfarm.com
Holistic Health Counselling Contact Info
Barbara Taylor-Laino
Barbara Taylor Health
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-9699
info@barbarataylorhealth.com
|
|
|
|
|
