Living Without a Microwave Oven

This is a guest post from my friend Jodi over at JodiMichelle.com. They’ve been living without a microwave since last summer, so I jumped at the chance to have her share her story here. {By the way, she’s promised to post video of herself dancing routine from a popular song. Jodi…..we’re waiting. }

The journey to getting rid of our microwave started about 4 years ago when we went to Virginia to visit friends over Christmas.  I have such great respect for these friends, they’re near and dear to me and so much farther ahead in living responsibility and taking care of our earth but when I noticed they didn’t have a microwave sitting on their counter I was very literally shocked.

SHOCKED!

I had no idea that it was “acceptable” to live without a microwave.  I mean, how did they make their oatmeal?  Or cook their chicken?

Oh yes.  I grew up with a mother who would bake things in the oven and if it wasn’t done to her satisfaction she’d whip it in the microwave before serving it to us.

I was dumbfounded to watch our friends warm up their left overs on the stove, in a pot or pan or whatever it took.  Quickly heating up a casserole under the broiler for a few minutes.  What was even more amazing to me was that it worked.

Oh, I wish I was kidding you, but this was a whole new idea to me – one that I was sure had failure written all over it, I actually had the conversation with my husband that we should (wait for it) buy them a microwave before we left as our thank you gift to hosting us for the holidays.

So that was my first clue to living without a microwave and when we came home I quickly turned to my husband and said, I’m throwing it out!  We can live without one!  But I was vetoed.  He wasn’t ready for it so we kept it on our counter and used it once in a while, still making instant oatmeal and reheating the leftovers when needed.

It started to blow the breaker every time we’d use it though.  Which spells trouble to me when I’m putting my food into a box that has the potential of blowing my house up … yeah.  Not so good.

Fast forward to when my niece came for a visit from Arizona this past summer – they also don’t use a microwave and she was so against eating something from a microwave (or wearing sunscreen) that she ate dinner cold at our house one night.  Not sure why I didn’t just pop it in the oven for her, but she sat there happy as a clam to eat cold lasagna unaltered from the waves of our death box on the counter.

Which is when I finally decided to cut it out already.  The microwave had to go.  My husband still had feelings for it though so instead of using it – it sat there on the counter for a couple months while he got used to the idea of letting it go.  But then it broke and I threw it out.  He rescued it and it now sits on the floor in our mudroom – and he does use it every once in a while, but it’s a complete pain to prepare whatever it is he wants and then to go out in the cold mudroom, get on the ground and push those buttons.  He has a bad back, too, so this won’t last long.  (I’m only sorta happy about that in a very sinister way.)

It’s amazing how living with the microwave has changed how we prepare food.  I just don’t make HUGE batches of anything anymore because really when I thought I was making extra food for additional meals later (left overs) I was taking up valuable real estate in my fridge with rotting food, because we never ate the left overs – and I’d keep preparing large portion meals for more left overs through out the week.

The microwave was like a permission slip to gluttony that we just never cashed in … but in the end it cost us hundreds of dollars every year in groceries I’d throw out and packaged food I would buy that didn’t fill our tummies or nourish us in any way.

We eat oatmeal, but it’s stoneground and soaked now and the leftovers we do have become ingredients in other meals or soups … or we just reheat on the stove.  I’ve been more intentional about preparing food now because there is no lazy way out.

I haven’t done much in-depth research on why a microwave is bad for you but I’ve heard and read enough to agree with that statement and we’re now a happy, hippy family!

Thanks Jodi!

And to my readers that haven’t yet met Jodi, she’s fabulous at oversharing on her blog and she’s also planning the Gleek Retreat for bloggers, coming May 22 and 23! {yay for having a blog conference here in Michigan!}

** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.

Are Microwaves Dangerous to Your Health?

As most of you probably did, I grew up with a microwave. I actually can’t remember life without one. And while we didn’t use it all the time, I do remember it getting quite a bit of use.

And when I started working full time, it was the only way I ever warmed up my lunch.

And when I got married we used it quite often for reheating dinners and frozen foods. I used it to defrost meats, heat water, melt butter, and cook vegetables.

When I got pregnant with my son it was the first time I heard there were any issues about microwaves. I read multiple times that pregnant women shouldn’t stand to close to them for fear the microwaves would escape. And so I always backed away while using it.

Just. In. Case.

The science behind that theory may not stand up to modern machines because of the way they’re designed, but that’s not exactly why I wonder about them anymore. (Though I never stand close to a microwave while it’s cooking. You know…just in case)

After I had my son and began pumping occasionally for when I wasn’t around, I kept coming across literature that told me to never heat breast milk (or formula for that matter) in the microwave. The reasoning was that it caused nutrient loss and damaged the properties that protect babies from infections.

Hmmmm……..

So if it caused nutrient loss in milk for my little baby, what was it also doing to my own food?

It was then that I started making it a habit to use my microwave less, though I did keep using it. Now? I think after a bit more research I might just be ready to give it up all together.

How a Microwave Oven Works

In very simple laymens terms, and the way I understand it, microwave ovens use a form of radio waves (called microwaves) to heat food. These radio waves are absorbed by water, sugar, and fats in foods. When they are absorbed the food molecules get excited and start moving around and heating up. By exciting the atoms of the food is this way, it cooks the food. So there is no actual heat involved.

So Are There Issues?

Unfortunately it’s hard to find concrete evidence against a microwave! I’ve come across story after story after article here on the web, but it’s hard to know who to trust.

One story I kept coming across was a woman whose family alleges she was killed by a microwaved blood transfusion. Supposedly she was doing well after her hip surgery and then a nurse microwaved the blood and she died moments later. Yet another site claimed it was a hoax and that she died of a blood clot. The full case report includes more information about the case and some effects microwaves may have on blood. But the fact of the matter is also that hospitals do not warm up blood in a microwave, do they have a scientific reason not to? Just because a judge couldn’t find concrete evidence doesn’t mean there wasn’t some truth behind the allegations.

The other story I found that was often referred to, was a study done by Hans Hertel. He carried out a small, controlled study by feeding participants (including himself) and testing the blood shortly after consumption.

The food used:

• raw milk from a biofarm
• the same milk conventionally cooked
• pasteurized milk from Intermilk Berne
• the same raw milk cooked in a microwave oven
• raw vegetables from an organic farm
• the same vegetables cooked conventionally
• the same vegetables frozen and defrosted in the microwave oven
• and the same vegetables cooked in the microwave oven

He found that the microwaved foods actually changed properties in the subjects blood. The same changes that were associated with bodily deterioration. But supposedly there was a gag order placed on the whole thing. Again – hmmmm.

It also seems that the Russians have done quite a bit of research on microwave ovens and actually outlawed them at one time. They also seem to have found that microwave cooking decreases bioavailability of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropic factors in all foods tested. (source)

Yet another source posted this quote from FDA science policy analyst Catherine Bailey says “When you microwave, it’s a good idea not to have the plastic touch the food.” The reasoning behind that is the fact the chemicals from the plastics can leach into our foods!

What I Do Know

1. Most quick foods made in the microwave aren’t good for you anyways. Those pizza rolls and frozen burritos do nothing good for your health!
2. Quick foods are not nourishing foods.
3. There may be possible nutrient loss cooking foods in the microwave.
4. I am not willing to risk the detrimental effects microwaves may have on my health.

I wish I knew all the science behind microwave cooking and I wish more studies were done. But I do know that I will be making every effort to cut the microwave completely out of my life. And I will be trying to figure out how to keep my husband from microwaving his lunches everyday!

What about you? Do you use one? Know of any other “true” research I can look into?

Ideas on how my husband can still have a hot lunch for work without the microwave oven?

Further Reading:

Stephanie’s post (from Keeper of the Home): Living Without a Microwave

Phoebe’s living without a microwave post (from Getting Freedom)

Microwaves Ovens: A Danger to Your Health?

The Dangers of Microwave Ovens Everyone Needs to Know

***and tomorrow I’ll have a guest post here by JodiMichelle on how they live without a microwave

** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.

Cast Iron Cookware part 3: recipes

If you missed it, part one is How to Season and part two is How to Use!

One of the reasons I love my cast iron pans is that they go right from stove top to oven! While I don’t do this all the time, it’s very convenient when I have to. And even for the recipes that don’t actually use the stove top first, the heavy pans provide a wonderfully even baking surface.

One of my favorite recipes I’ve tried recently in the cast iron pan has been a pineapple upside down cake.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

For the ‘top’:

• 4-5 pineapple rounds, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sucanat
• optional – cherries and pecans to place between the pineapple rings

For the cake:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used spelt)
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2  cup butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup sucanat sugar or other sweetener (rapadura, maple syrup, etc)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the 4 Tbsp butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Once melted add in the sucanat and stir until combined. Cook a couple minutes until the mixture is nice and bubbly. (helps make it nice and kinda crispy on top)

Place pineapple slices in pan.

Continue to cook another couple minutes, turn the slices over, and turn off heat. (if using, place pecan slices into pan now as well)

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Next, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter, and the 1/2 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time and then stir in vanilla. Alternating between the flour mixture and the buttermilk, add them into the creamed mixture, stirring just until combined.

Pour over the pineapple slices.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the sides and quickly tip over onto a flat plate or cutting board. Place cherries on top if using.

To make it a bit healthier (though it’s still a dessert!): Try using all whole wheat flour and/or soaking the whole wheat flour in yogurt overnight and then omit the buttermilk.

Other cast iron recipes:

Quince Cake from The Nourished Kitchen (she said it works great with pears too!)

Cornbread – though I use 1/2 white rice flour and 1/2 brown rice flour, not the soy flour!

And there is a slew of recipes here at What’s Cooking America

This post is linked to: Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Ultimate Recipe Swap

** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.

Cast Iron Cookware pt 2: How to use and care for

Many people (used to include myself) don’t care to use cast iron pans because everything sticks!

But did you know if you properly season, use, and care for your cast iron that won’t happen? The problem is, we’re all out of practice when it comes to using these fabulous ‘non-stick’ pans and we don’t know how to use them. So I’ll share a few tips I’ve learned along the way for using your cast iron pans and hopefully it’ll help you get the most out of them.

1. Make sure the pan is correctly seasoned. If food begins to stick, you’ll need to re season it! And always season a new pan. Even if it states it’s pre seasoned. You will be unhappy with it if you don’t.
2. Preheat the pan every time you use it. Place it over whatever flame you’ll be using (or in an oven with whatever temp you’ll be baking at) until it’s hot. To test you can place a few drops of water in the pan and if they sizzle and jump around, it’s hot enough! Take care though not to let it sit to long waiting for food, an empty hot pan could crack.
3. Always have pot holders around! It takes awhile to remember that the handles get hot when your used to using modern pans and skillets.
4. Use a bit of oil or grease each time you use it.
5. If you do use a fat to ‘grease’ the pan before frying, make sure you don’t let it sit with just the oil/butter in it for to long before adding the food. It will begin to re season it and could become gummy and sticky.
6. Use a hard edged stainless steel spatula.
7. Don’t use knives to cut anything in the pan.
8. Once cooled, clean right away. Don’t let it sit overnight with leftover, gunked on food in it. A dry rag should be all that is needed after frying if you have a perfectly seasoned pan.
9. On the same note, don’t let it sit and soak for long periods of time in the sink. Moisture is not your friend when it comes to cast iron as it will cause it to rust.
10. When washing stuck on/dried on food (especially for the first dozen times or so after seasoning) use only hot water and a rag. Mild soap only if you need it. Dry immediately. Pop it on a hot stove for a minute to make sure all the water is out. Heat is a must when drying them! Otherwise you’ll get rust.
11. If you do have stuck on food in the pan, try boiling water in the pan to remove the gunk before you move on to scrubbing.
12. Never use a dishwasher!!
13. Spread a very thin layer of oil inside the pan after each washing. I try and remember to do this, and the reasoning behind it is the fact that it will save your pans from moisture in the air.
14. Use often. The more you use it, the better the pan will become!

So now that we know how to use them, what do you use them for? I personally use them for anything that needs to be fried. Plenty of eggs, potatoes, veggies, chicken, ground beef, etc. I’ve also used them to make frittatas by cooking on the stove top for a few minutes and then finishing under the broiler. You can also make a traditional cornbread in these pans as well since the whole pan can go into the oven!

While these pans are very versatile, and can be used very much like modern non stick pans, there are some foods that will actually remove the seasoning. Like tomatoes. Because of their acidity, they may ‘eat’ away at the seasoning and cause you to have to re season over time. So just be aware that even though you’re using the pan like you should, some foods may not be suited to the pan like you’d think.

So do you use cast iron? What’s your favorite dish to prepare in it?

Part one – How to Season

coming up…..part 3 : recipes for cast iron

This post is linked to: Kitchen Tip Tuesday

** Please do not construe my posts as medical advice, because *ahem*, I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am but a student of Nourishing Nutrition and Natural Health. I only hope to ignite a passion within you to do your own research and begin your own journey to better health. And to make sure you don't miss a single post, you can add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email.

Cast Iron Cookware part 1:How to Season

Soon after my husband and I were married, his grandmother gave me one of her old cast iron pans.

I hated it.

Seriously. I tried to fry eggs in it and they stuck horribly.  So I ended up taking a steel wool pad to it to get it clean each time.

*Sigh* Those of you who know and love your cast iron are just sitting there shaking your heads, I know. Because for those of you who do not know, you never scrub a cast iron pan! And if you do, you need to reseason it!

Once I finally figured this out a couple years ago I resurrected the pan and came to love it. So much so that I’ve been on the lookout for them at garage sales all summer long trying to build up my stash. I ended up having to wait until our rummage sale at church and found a set of 3 unseasoned pans for just a couple dollars.

Score!

Now the advice here on the web on how to season a cast iron pan is quite diverse. Some cook on a low heat for a long time, some do an extremely high heat for shorter periods. I can’t say that a low temp is wrong, but I’ve only done the high heat variation so take this as you may, but it has worked out well for me.

How I season:

1. Clean your oven. If it’s dirty, don’t skip this step or you will be dealing with mad amounts of smoke in your house. Please don’t ask how I know this……
2. If you have a very sensitive smoke alarm near your kitchen, put a chair underneath it to make it easier to turn off.
3. Whether you are re seasoning or doing and initial season, wash and scrub the pan. You don’t have to go to crazy, but for a re season you’ll want to scrub off any rusty spots, pits in the seasoning, and any burnt on gunk off. For a new season, the reason you scrub is that now a days pan manufacturers are putting a food grade wax on the pan which makes it hard for the oils to carbonize onto the metal. Just a quick scrub will do it!
   

   My new 'unseasoned' pan and my small pan that needed to be re seasoned.

4. Slather the pan inside and out in some sort of fat. Unsalted butter, coconut oil (what I use since it turns liquid from the heat of my hands and makes application easier), olive oil, or beef lard all work wonderfully. And from what I’ve heard on a few different sites is that veggie oils take longer to carbonize (plus they are rather icky anyways) so use a natural fat. You want the entire pan covered in a thin layer with no pooling.
5. Place the pan face down on your top oven rack with an aluminum foil lined baking sheet underneath it on the lowest rack.
   

   Yes, I know I didn't use foil. I didn't own any at the time. And yes, my baking sheet now has carbonized oil on it as well.

6. Turn up your oven to 500 degrees.
7. Open windows, turn on the vent fan above your oven, and have fans ready to go if need be! These pans will smoke!
8. Cook your pan for a few hours or until there is no smoke coming off of it when you check on it.
9. Let cool.
10. Repeat cooking your pan until you have a nice black carbon layer on it. This took 4 times for my unseasoned pan, and only once for a my re seasoned one. (also, use butter/oil liberally the first few times you use it after seasoning)
    

    How my unseasoned pan looked after 2 cooking times

Seasoning it this way is supposed to make it last basically forever, as long as you use and wash the pans correctly. I can’t comment on that to much since I’ve only had my new ones a few months, but the pans I recently seasoned have been cooking and frying food wonderfully!

So do you season yours any differently?

Part two – how to care for

This post is linked to:

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Works for me Wednesday

Is there BPA in YOUR canned goods

I started canning last year not only to save money on my groceries, but to preserve the bounty of my own organic garden. You know, trying to keep as many chemicals out of our food as I can. And while I would love to eat more of our food raw, the 5-6 month non-growing season doesn’t make that possible – so I must can.

A couple years ago I also found out about BPA (bispenol-A), which is an industrial chemical that has estrogenic properties. This means that it can mimic the estrogen hormone in your body causing reproductive and hormonal problems in both you and baby. And speaking of baby, it can also cause issues with development. I decided to stay away from BPA whenever possible! I stopped reheating food in plastic containers, stopped storing hot or fatty foods in plastic, and started drinking out of glass or BPA free containers. I’ve also been careful with the food products I buy, because store bought canned food also has BPA in the liner, to keep the aluminum from leaching into your food. Mmmm….. chemicals to prevent chemicals.

So I was very disheartened when I recieved this months Organic Gardening. It seems that the underside of those Ball and Kerr lids I’ve been buying actually have BPA in them! In the Q&A area of Ball’s website someone asked about this. Here is their response:

Jarden Home Brands manufacturer of home canning lids: Ball, Kerr, Golden Harvest, and Bernardin brands follow the same rigorous FDA standards used by the commercial food packaging industry. Like the majority of commercial food packagers using glass jars with metal closures and metal sanitary cans, the coating on our home canning lids is designed to protect the metal from reacting with the food it contains. A small amount of Bisphenol A is present in the coating. The FDA does not limit Bisphenol A in commercially packaged foods, and is aligned with the international scientific community’s position that a small amount of Bisphenol A in contact with “canned foods” is not a health concern for the general public.

Now, granted, the food would need to come into contact with the underside of the lid to contaminate it. So we may not have a huge cause for concern. But…..can we be so sure our food remains toxin free? Personally I’m trying not to freak out about this. I know my food is still safer than what I could purchase at the stores. And I also know that I keep a deeper headspace when canning (cause I’m to lazy to actually figure out 1/4in…..) so not to much should be up there touching the lid, even at a boil. I also know that I keep my jars vertical all the time, so the food does’t have an opportunity to sit on the lid either. (a good reason not to use the inversion method while canning!)

Still…..this bothers me.

There is at least one BPA free canning product on the market made by Weck. They use glass lids as well as jars and you use a rubber seal between them along with metal clasps during sealing. As an added plus, the jars are really pretty. I wonder though if they’d fit our normal mason jars or if I’d have to start all over again with jars. Because they are pretty pricy. Although, you never have to keep buying lids so long term it might be worth it.

So what you think of this information and do you know of any other options for canning lids?

Also…..Hey Jarden! let’s get the BPA out of our food!!

***and if you haven’t yet heard, I’ll be hosting the first ever Real Food Twitter Party next Thursday (11/5) from 9-11pm EST. Use the hash tag #realfood . One lucky party go-er will also win a copy of Nourishing Traditions!!!

This post is linked to

Fight Back Friday

How to Make Elderberry Syrup

The more and more I study about herbs and natural remedies, the more and more I am amazed at all that God has provided for us. Not surprising news of course, since our blessings are always more than we can see, but it’s just such a different way of thinking in our modern society. So much of what he has given us responsibility over, we seem to have forgotten through the years. He has given us so many things that can help prevent and treat sickness as well as heal and restore our bodies. Case in point – elderberry syrup.

You can find it at any health food store, and many places carry it online. But did you know you can make your own? It’s so easy to do and very cost effective!

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup dried elderberries (or one cup fresh)
• 1 cup honey
• 2 cups water
• (mountain rose herbs also recommends grated ginger, a cinnamon stick, and a few cloves in their video all of which have warming properties that would be beneficial especially when you’re already sick!)

Take a 1/2 cup of dried elderberries,

place in a pan with the 2 cups of water, along with any other herbs and spices (I used a cinnamon stick this time) bring to a boil, and then let simmer (uncovered) for about 20 minutes.

Once reduced (about half – give or take. It doesn’t have to be exact science) pour through a mesh strainer

and then just use the back of a spoon to squeeze out any juice left in the berries.

Add in the one cup honey and stir until combined. (personally, next time I do this, I’ll wait for the liquid to cool down a bit before I add it in. Raw honey has so many great healing properties to it, I don’t want to damage it with the heat.)

Once thoroughly combined, just place into a storage jar and keep in the fridge!

It will last for a couple weeks in the fridge, so make only enough for those weeks as it can go bad. Cost wise, it’s hard to say, since I didn’t pay attention to how much the 1/2 cup cost me. But it couldn’t have been more than a buck or so. And the honey only cost me about $2.00 for one cup. So by my not so scientific calculations……it cost me about $4.00 for about 16 ounces. Much cheaper than the small $14.00 bottles at the store!

My husband and I have been taking a couple teaspoons a day, my toddler half that. From people I know that take it, some take up to a tablespoon at a time, so I don’t think it’s something you can overdue to much. Plus, the concentration will be a bit different with each batch due to simmer time, etc. Like I said, it’s not an exact science. If/when we become sick I’ll take the same dose every few hours to help deal with symptoms.

Benefits of Elderberry Syrup:

• Contains 3 different flavonoids. Flavonoids are effective against at least 8 different strains of the flu virus!
• Helps boost the immune system.
• It stops the production of hormone-like cytokines that cause inflammation.
• Studies have also shown that elderberry reduces excessive sinus mucus secretion, and some even suggest that elderberry can help lessen swelling of mucous membranes, improve sinus drainage, and decrease nasal congestion.
  

For some more info or to order your own, you can check out the info page at Mountain Rose Herbs.

This post is linked to :

Works for me Wednesday – cause making it at home works for me!!

Frugal Fridays

A Clean Kitchen Makes my Heart Happy!

Now, before I show you the “before” picture, I have to say just one thing. This is half cleaned. I just couldn’t let you see it as horrible as it got!! So, before I took this picture, I had emptied out the dishwasher and reloaded it (yea, a full load was on the counter!) and moved the paper pile that took up 1/4 of the space on the island counter. So basically I had not one inch of empty space on my counters. (ducking my head in shame)

After two nursing breaks and lots of hands in dishwater, I can finally see the counter again!

And now I can breath a little easier. It still needs to be mopped, but that can wait until the laundry is done!

Speaking of laundry, I’ve got 2 loads folded, two ready to fold, one in the wash and one in the dryer. Only 3 more loads to go. Plus lots of vacuuming, scrubbing bathrooms, and putting things away.

You know, I should really hire a housekeeper when the kids and I are sick!

My mother would be ashamed

Let alone my grandmother, who’s house I’ve never, ever seen just a wee bit out of place!

Because my house is a disaster. Not just messy, a disaster!

It all started last week, when I was just a bit behind on cleaning. My son got sick with his first cold of the season. Which meant 4 hours of sleep for me on Monday night. Then baby girl and I got it the next day so that meant only 2 1/2 hours of sleep that night. (yes, you read that right, two and one half hours!) Luckily those were the worst nights of the week, but between kids, I barely managed 5 or 6 hours a night for the rest of the week.

And then hunting season started and Todd hasn’t been home before 8:30pm 5 out of the last 7 days. Which means that I’ve been making dinner with the baby on my hip, eating with her on my lap, and then leaving the kitchen as soon as we’re done. Table left uncleared.

But all of this “ignoring the house” is starting to cause a bit of unrest now, what with a week passing by without any cleaning! So today I am declaring it “Cleaning Day”. During breakfast and coffee (yea, gonna need coffee in order to get it all done today) I’ll be writing up my goal list, most likely skipping my shower, and getting right to scrubbing. At this point I plan on updating with some pictures as the day goes on. But I can’t promise that. Cause I seem to have a 3 year old who is really testing and pushing buttons these last few days.

Guarding yourself from the cold and flu

As I now sit here with a stuffy nose and 2 snot nosed kids, I’m reminded of the steps I took last year that seemed to help keep virus’ at bay. So here’s a rerun post while I rest up today!

While we did not get the flu shot this year, that doesn’t quite mean I’d actually like the flu! There are some natural ways to boost your immune system and give your body a helping hand at actually fighting it (and the common cold) off should you come in contact with some sniffling folk.

First off what’s the difference between the cold and flu?
Basically both of them are respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses.

The Flu:

• Symptoms come on very quickly, within a few hours. You go from feeling well one minute to horrible the next.
• Usually consists of a fever (my last flu bug had me at 103.5 for 2 days!)
• Chills from the fever
• Horrible body aches
• Moderate to sever chest congestion
• Dry cough
• Extreme tiredness
• Headache
• Basically an all around “can’t get out of bed” feeling

What the flu is NOT: It is not a stomach bug. Although many people refer to throwing up as the 24 hour flu, people actually rarely throw up when it’s the actual flu. So if it’s intestinal, you’ve caught some type of tummy bug like the norovirus or rotavirus.

The Cold

• Symptoms come on gradually over the course of a few days
• Normally consists of stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, and the stuffy head feeling
• Mild tiredness
• Fevers not unusual but are normally only slightly elevated if at all
• Productive cough

Ways to protect yourself and your family from illness throughout the cold and flu season:

• Cut waaaay down on your consumption of sugar and processed foods! Studies have shown that the chemical process of your body digesting these foods depresses your immune system. A can of pop can actually weaken your immune system for up to 6 hours after consumption. Cutting out obvious sugars is easy (desserts, pop, candy, etc.) but don’t forget to look out for all the hidden sugar in food (which is why you should also cut out processed foods -they’re full of them!). Check the labels of yogurt, granola bars, and other seemingly “health” foods for any type of sugar, corn syrup, any ingredient ending in -ose (fructose, glucose, etc.) and even barely malt.
• Get your rest and make sure your kids do too. Stress and fatigue also lower your immune system. And if you feel something coming on, it’s best to sleep as much as possible.
• Wash your hands (especially before meals!!), but forget about antibacterial soaps. Seems kind of funny, but it’s actually detrimental to your immune system to use antibacterial soaps. Allowing your body to come in contact with germs allows it to “work out”, so when an actual virus comes around, it’s “fit” for keeping it in check. (Now, I say that as I also use some antibacterial gels. I know, a bit hypocritical. But, I do carry hand sanitizer in my bag so that we can “wash” our hands when there is no clean facility in which to do so. But I do not have antibacterial soaps in my house!) Normal hand washing should last long enough to sing the ABC’s, using soap and warm water, and lots of scrubbing. Also make sure you dry them completely.
• Eat plenty of probiotics. Think plain yogurt or things like kefir and kombucha. The good bacteria that lives in fermented foods supplies your intestinal tract so that it can fight off bad bacteria that enter it. (Did you know that 80% of your immune system is in your digestive system?) I also take probiotics in capsule form as well.
• Take Cod Liver Oil. It’s high in vitamins A & D, both of which help your immune system.

And at home:

• Make sure to wash odd objects that get touched often. Things like light switches, doors, the phone, handles on the fridge, oven and dishwasher. Take a hot rag and wipe them down or use a rag soaked in vinegar and spritz the object with hydrogen peroxide, then rub with the vinegar rag for a disinfectant.
• Keeping a humidifier helps as well since certain viruses need a low level of humidity to survive. Plus, when your mucous membranes dry out, they can’t trap the virus as it enters the body.
• Sanitize your toothbrush by dipping in hydrogen peroxide, run boiling water over it, (boil a small pan of water and pour over the toothbrush), or I’ve even heard of folks running them through the dishwasher (not with dishes) to clean them up since the water gets hotter than tap water.
• Teach your kids to cough into their elbow and not their hands. This way they don’t get transfer the virus from hand to object.

Even though you take all of these steps, it is still quite possible to contract one of these not-so-fun winter ills. But should you take some precautions and eat a healthy diet as well as feed your body good bacteria, even if you do contract it, you can lesson the symptoms you feel and get over it faster.

What are ways you boost your immune system?

Next Page »