Brain and bone cells are dying- send fat !

We live in an age of information. Within minutes of an event, we hear about it. If anyone , anywhere experiences something that someone might perceive as an injustice on some level, minutes later someone will raise a grassroots awareness campaign that allows people to know about the thing- but does absolutely noting to remedy the situation or help the victim. And then there is health information. Like much of the "scare stories" out there, they are based on someone's observation of something , and almost always that someone missed or failed to notice a large part of the facts and acted on the small part they observed only.

Back in the 1940's, there was a young scientist who collected data and observed that (mice running into a door and) eating high fat diets were dying early. Therefore, fat ( not the door) was evil and should be removed from the diet.( not literally, but his findings were based on such observational information). Thus began the low fat insanity. Doors however were completely innocent. This observational study then led to the concept that dietary cholesterol was also evil, sugar was good because it is fat free, Statins as a wonder drug and a lot of other nonsense. By 1980, with the full inclusion of Ansel Keys bad observations, heart disease took a sharp upswing, aerobics was in fashion( calories in , calories out /cardio is necessary myth), diabetes was on the upswing , ADD/ADHD rates exploded and suddenly a lot of Autistic children were entering the world. Coincidence ?

NOT in the least. The human body requires fat for the absorption of several fat soluble vitamins amongst other things. If you eat a low fat diet and eat foods high in these vitamins or take supplements, you are not nourishing your body. You are creating super urine and nothing else.What are the fat soluble vitamins you ask ? Vitamins A,D,E and K. Vitamin D has been talked about a lot these days. Years back it was known to be nesisary for bone development and health, but recent research has shown it to be important in the prevention of colon diseases including cancer,autoimmune diseases like Arthritis, Fybro and Diabetes ( yes, diabetes is an autoimmune disease) and hypertension. You need FAT to be able to absorb this nutrient. Vitamin K is produced in the intestines with proper bacteria ( eat Splenda and other artificial sweeteners including Stevia  and you will destroy this one) that is important in the function of blood clotting. It enters into the bloodstream with FAT.( notice a trend here ??) Vitamin A  aids in reproduction and the transmission of DNA ,helps your eyes and mouth to stay moist,allows  your eyes adjust to sunlight and more ( skip the fat boys and we can make a killing on Transitions lenses and Restasis drops !!!) Once again , your body needs FAT to absorb this nutrient.

Traditional cooking methods and those "grandma cooking" type recipes often included fat with those foodstuffs that were high in the fat solubles.Broccoli with cheese, Greens and Fatback, wilted spinach with bacon fat dressing and so forth. Not because Grandma had some secret key to the nutrition kingdom, but she understood and respected the most powerful key we have. Taste! Fat simply tastes good. We, as humans, were given taste buds and appetite for a reason- it naturally leads us to those things our body needs. Not a modern taste bud that has been so assaulted with  chemicals passed off for food for so long that it no longer knows what an actual carrot is, but one that eats actual food. When we kick the chemicals out of our diets , our tastebuds and appetites return to a normal state and we begin craving real food.

Here is one dish that features two foods high in vitamin A. Combined they make for 100% of your rda vitamin A and the fat used helps your body to actually absorb it.

Conchiglie con Spinach Pommedoro

1 lb medium Conchiglie ( shells)
salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter( no substitute)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion - minced
1 clove garlic - minced
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes - halved

 Place a large pot of generously salted water on to boil. While boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.  Into a medium saute pan add butter or oil. Cook over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened. Add spinach and tomatoes and cook just until spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper
Add drained pasta to saute pan. Toss to combine.

The first harvest

I mentioned that I was going to need to decorate with produce, and yesterday that happened ! I do not garden right now, but when the flood of seasonal produce happens, I get kind of giddy! Call me weird, but I absolutely love the smell and look of the produce department when it is filled with so many fresh, vibrant things. Then if you add the nuddgings of a spiritual tradition that celebrates the rhythms of the earth through it's plantings and harvests, it becomes a lost cause. Yesterday I figured if it was good enough for Van Gough, it was good enough for my table. May I present my centerpiece, called Still Life with Eggplant

It actually serves a couple of purposed- it looks pretty, it holds the overflow that will not fit in the fridge at the moment and it will save me a few steps. I have no kitchen table, so all food prep( and school work, craft work, eating and what not) happens on our dining room table.

Yesterday was a holiday, and the activity focus was to connect with the earth, celebrate accomplishments and spend time as a family. Your family is your primary community, your children are your harvest, and to get out into nature is the best way to connect with it. We went for a walk in the woods- I finally got to use my trekking poles there and both Bob and I got to wear our Trim Fit shoes. ( I am not buying a pair for Nick- he has some foot issues and I am afraid he will roll off of these and break an ankle). Lots of heavy growth this time of year- right between berries and fall leaves.

Echinachia

Goldenrod

Giant Ragweed - the Hay Fever sufferer's friend

We walked till the mosquitos noticed our presence and decided we were their holiday meal. Both Bob and Nick have an allergy to these beasts and every bite swells up to the size of a lemon, and makes for several days of unpleasantness. We have tried all kinds of insect repelents, chemical and herbal, but they still get bit, so in the mosquito months we have to limit our outdoor activities to not so buggy times. Happily , Nick's reactions to the beasts are getting much better.

We shifted our walking to indoors for a while and then came home to play rounds of Wii Sports.More games of skill, and lots of laughter ! Eventually the day rolled around to dinner- which was one of the simplest and most seasonal kinds of meals you could think of

Tomato salad with fresh mozzarella and Parmesan Garlic Bread. The salad was so simple , it did not even need a recipe ! Take a mess of tomatoes , assorted kinds if possible, cut into wedges, sprinkle with salt to make em sweat. Then add fresh chopped basil, fresh chopped oregano, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar glaze. Toss and eat. With the fresh mozzarella and bread, it becomes like a de- constructed pizza. We served it with a glass of Sangria - I rarely ever drink because both beer and wine give me instant heartburn. The meal was extremely simple , but so good we all just relished it. It does not get better than this ! If you have an abundance of tomatoes, give this one a try! The combination of tomato, basil and balsamic is better than candy !