Please find the July 7, 2011 Wholly Macro Delivery Menu below, as you scroll down through our Weekly Article to the Weekly Menu / Order Form section. Or, you can click on the Weekly Menu link above to go directly to it.

VIRTUALLY ALL INGREDIENTS ARE ORGANIC

PLEASE PLACE ORDERS BEFORE NOON ON MONDAY!!

WEEKLY ARTICLE 

  Is Your Flora Friendly Or Hostile?

"Pickles" are a fermented food that cultures from around the world have been enjoying since time eternal, such as sauerkraut and Kim Chi.

The process of fermentation (pickling) makes food more digestible and nutritious. Live, unpasturized, fermented foods have the ability to carry beneficial bacteria directly into our digestive systems. Fermentation preserves nutrients, and breaks them down into more easily digestible forms. The soybean for example, is an extraordinarily rich protein and phyto nutrient dense food that is hard to digest unless fermented. In the form of miso, tempeh, tofu, and soy sauce, the complex proteins and nutrients of the soybean are broken into readily digestible amino acids that are full of beneficial "good" bacteria, compliments of the fermenting / pickling process.

The same "beneficial" bacteria that many people are familiar with in yogurt can be created from non-dairy food sources by pickling vegetables, beans, and grains. And these pickles show the same benefits, without the undesirable properties of dairy,

functioning as antioxidants that scavenge cancer precursors known as free radicals from the cells of your body, creating omega fatty acids which are essential for cell membrane and immune system functions, generating copious amounts of naturally occurring ingredients such as digestive enzymes, and infusing your entire digestive system with friendly bacteria that leave no room for disease promoting, immune system weakening, hostile flora to flourish.

In other words, pickling makes our food more nutritious and balanced, and food makes our bodies (and minds) healthier and more balanced!

It has actually been scientifically shown that these healthy bacteria that are created through the process of pickling,

aka probiotics, can relieve many chronic emotional and physical maladies, such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Anxiety, and Depression. In an emerging field of study known as enteric neuroscience (an interface of neuropsychiatry and gastroenterology), studies are exploring, in depth, the influential role of probiotics on the central nervous system, and on mood related psychiatric symptoms and gastrointestinal health.

It is important to note that pickled / fermented foods must be live. In other words, they must be unpasturized in order to contain viable and beneficial probiotic bacteria. All dairy foods, including yogurt, are pasteurized. So even though theoretically they are meant to contain these healthy bacteria, they don't in actuality. The healthy bacteria are destroyed during the pasteurization process.

The same principle holds true for plant-based pickles such as sauerkraut, cucumber pickles, miso, etc. If you find these products on the shelf of the store, un-refrigerated, chances are they have been pasteurized and do not contain live bacteria.

If you don't make pickles yourself, or purchase them from us such as in our Barbecued Tempeh And Sauerkraut dish this week, please make sure you buy them from the refrigerator case at the store, and that they say un-pasteurized on the label.

Include them in your diet daily. One tablespoon of sauerkraut (or other pickled vegetables) a day is all that you need to keep the healthy bacteria flourishing, and to insure that your flora is friendly, not hostile!

If you would like to make your own sauerkraut, give this recipe below a try.

Flora Friendly Sauerkraut

Fermented cabbage, aka sauerkraut, is an excellent way to infuse your digestive system not only with the amazingly inexpensive anti cancer superfood cabbage, but with beneficial and all natural probiotics as well.

5 Pounds Organic Green Cabbage (weigh the cabbage at the store. 5 pounds could be 1 � to 2 heads of cabbage)

3 Tablespoons Best Quality Sea Salt (or use less salt proportionately if you use less cabbage)

Wash cabbage well.

Place it on a clean surface.

Remove the two outer leaves and save for later.

Cut the cabbage into quarters lengthwise and finely slice it along the long edge.

Put the cut cabbage in a glass, wood, or ceramic bowl.

Add the salt.

Massage the cabbage with clean hands until the juices start to flow from the cabbage. This creates a brine in which the cabbage can marinate / pickle.

Cover the cabbage with the (set aside) outer cabbage leaves, and then with a clean plate that rests directly on the cabbage.

Put something heavy (like a big rock or jar of dried beans) on top of the plate.

Cover with a piece of cheesecloth or thin cotton cloth and set aside in a cool place for two to four weeks.

Remove outer leaves, place in glass jars or ceramic crocks with lids, and refrigerate to store.

Can be stored and enjoyed for several weeks.

Some Tips:

Adding more salt slows the fermentation process. In warmer weather, use more salt.

If you don't add enough salt, the cabbage can spoil rather than ferment.

It may take a few times and some trial and error to perfect your pickling technique.

It is very important to massage the cabbage in order to get the juices flowing and begin the fermentation process.

Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment and use red cabbage, carrots, turnips, radish, juniper berries (good for the kidneys), caraway seeds (good for the stomach), and other similarly textured vegetables in with the green cabbage.

Be patient with yourself and with the cabbage. The rewards are well worth it!

In Health As Always.

Gayle and Jaime / Wholly Macro

NATURAL LIFESTYLE HEALTH CONSULTATIONS

Health consultations offer compassionate, therapeutic listening related to any and all emotional issues, combined with visual diagnosis you will receive information on selecting, balancing, varying, and preparing natural foods in a practical way based on oriental medicine to strengthen organ function in order to improve your health. 

To read more about Natural Lifestyle Health Consultations see our website,

www.whollymarcrobiotics.com 

PRIVATE COOKING CLASSES

   LEARN NEW COOKING SKILLS

   IMPROVE WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW

 LEARN NEW RECIPES

Private cooking classes are held in the Wholly Macro kitchen. This is an excellent hands on natural foods cooking class. You will leave the class feeling confident in knowing that you can now cook with unprocessed whole grains dried beans, a wide variety of healthy vegetables including sea vegetables, the proper amount of good quality sea salt, and so much more. Instruction is based on oriental medicine/macrobiotic principals. Start with a basic class  with soup, beans and grains or try a dessert class for a real treat! You choose, or we can choose, depending on your needs.

Classes can be in a group or individual.

Call to schedule your next class.

SPINEALIGNER

www.whollymacrobiotics.com 

Here's some feedback from a consultation client.....

" three years ago I discovered that I had breast cancer.  I had heard of Macrobiotics years ago. I didn't understand the concept but immediately I knew that that would be the route that I would pursue. But where to go and who to see was the question. Thank God for reading the macrobiotic newsletter. For in the newsletter there was  an article about Gayle Stolove. I just felt her strength and passion burn through the page that I was reading. I immediately made an appointment to see her and although I was still so frightened,  I felt so comfortable talking with Gayle. Gayle  guided me through the whole process. I thought that the macrobiotic way of life would be boring and just eating rice. Well, I love the foods that I eat and I just feel good about it all.  You see, after the surgery, you are sort of left on your own.You have to make your own decisions, etc. Everyone gives you different advice as what to eat, what to do, etc. Doctors don't understand what the patient is going through nor do they understand what kind of diet they should follow. I adopted Gayle as my guardian angel.  You can't find that with any nutritionist or doctor. I love receiving her weekly e-mailed newsletters. They are so full of wonderful knowledge and beautiful healthy recipes. Gayle is a remarkable human being. She truly cares for her clients and gives them her all, one hundred percent of the time. Gayle has been there and therefore she is so compassionate and dedicates her life to helping people like me....."     a cancer survivor