Readers Ask: a jumble of topics

Lauren asked:

Do you eat seaweed on a regular basis?

No. Never have. And while I have heard good things about it, it’s just one of those things I haven’t gotten around to fully researching yet. Or spending money on.

She also asked:

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Oh man. I’m a pretty boring person! I used to have all these crazy ideas of things to do (like skydiving) and then I got married, now have a couple of kids, and the thought worries me to death now.

And she asked:

Do you ferment any of the food you eat?

This was on my to do list over the summer and somehow it got away from me. I do truly believe that we should all be eating more fermented foods though!! I just haven’t had a lot of time to do it myself. Right now I do fermented beverages and will work on fermenting my garden goods next summer.

Molly G asked:

Are there any dietary/lifestye changes you really wish you could make but can’t right now?

Per the previous question, I really wish I could incorporate more fermented and cultured foods into our diet! Right now I have a hard enough time trying to find time to do what I do though. So I’m taking comfort in the fact that we have changed so much over the last 2 years and are already much, much healthier for it!

Colleen asked:

What are your thoughts on herbs for fertility? Such as evening primrose oil, chaste tree (vitex) or red clover?

While I believe nutrition is the first thing women should focus on (making sure they are eating a nutrient dense diet fit for their bodies) I also believe that herbs can definitely help! I love the fact that God gave us our own medicine in our backyards! I’ve recently started to look into herbology and homeopathy and am just amazed that these herbs and plants can have such strong medicinal properties! That being said, I think one also needs to research it thoroughly, because it is a natural medicine. Some herbs have side effects, others shouldn’t be consumed with other herbs, etc.

Readers Ask: I dunno -part 6? 7?

One Frugal Girl asked:

What do you most want your readers to gain from reading this blog?

That there is more out there than what doctors are willing to advise or do. Just because someone wears a white coat and went to school for a million years does not mean they know everything! While I have the utmost respect for them, they have studied one area – medicine. I want my readers to know that they themselves need to be an advocate for their health. I want them to think outside the box and research on their own! I want the subjects I write about here to be a jumping off point, not the end all cures. I just want people to know that better health can be achieved without tons of pills.

She also asked:

Why did you start this blog?

I started it because I never found exactly what I was looking for when I was googling about fertility. Most everything I read was medically based and I just didn’t want to go there. I truly feel that God lead me to a few certain bloggers/books at the exact time I needed, to read their information, and I’m just hoping to pass that on.

Plus, I tend to like to teach what I know and pass on advice. But a lot of people don’t like to hear it, or take it! So this is also an outlet for me. A way for me to share what I’ve learned to be truth and then peopl can take it or leave it. And I never have to see the eye rolls!

Tracy asked:

Have you ever had a miscarriage? I know this is super personal, but I recently had one and it’s been a huge struggle. It took a long time for us to get pregnant, then we did for the first time ever, only to lose the baby.

First may I just say how very sorry I am for your loss. For me the loss of a baby is unimaginable. I have never experienced a miscarriage to date. May you rest in God’s peace and comfort and know that even though your baby is no longer with you, you completed a great work. You were able to provide for that little one until God was ready to call him home to Glory! A home in eternity where now God holds that little one just as he’s holding you.

Kristin asked:

Do you have any favorite recipes using bulgur?

Nope. Actually that’s one of the things that are on my “to try” list! If anyone has some – send them my way!

Readers Ask: part 7

bellazdada asked:
Do you personally know a lot of people interested in health and nutrition? It seems like most people I know don’t take their health seriously.

A year ago I knew absolutely no one who ate like I did. At least not in real life. Most of my friends are pretty mainstream actually. A couple of them know a lot but have yet to make that plunge. A few blog friends were all I really had. Then I got hooked up with a local group and LOVE THEM!!! I’ve been learning so much and it’s so nice to be able to have like minded people to discuss things with. You know, someone that won’t look at you like you have 2 heads when you mention kombucha or kefir or raw milk. And my sister is now totally into the food/health thing too so that’s a lot of fun when we can bounce ideas and info off each other! The rest of my family though still thinks we’re pretty crazy most the time.

Check to see if you have a Wise Traditions chapter near you for some “hippie kin”!

Readers Ask: part 6

LaurenS asked:
How much butter do you eat daily?

Lots. I slather it on everything basically. On my bread and most definitely on my veggies. Though each day is so very different, so it’s hard to give a daily average for me, especially since I don’t pay that much attention to it. Best way I can put it, is that I buy one pound per week! That covers all my spreading and baking.

hnlberry asked:
Where do you find recipes?

Here’s a basic list of my “searchable” recipe sites. Normally I do change them up a bit to serve our nutritional/dietary needs though and make them a bit more nourishing.

AllRecipes – A great searchable site for all kinds of recipes. Includes ratings from those who have tried certain recipes which is helpful to know which ones to try. My most used recipe site, and I just modify to adjust for our nutritional standards.

RecipeZaar – Another searchable site for recipes.

Tammy’s Recipes – A blog run by a stay at home mom of 3. She posts some great, easy, recipes.

The Nourishing Gourmet – Lots of Real/ Whole /Nourishing foods recipes!

Sue Gregg – This site includes nutritious and nourishing recipes.

Real Asian Made Simple – Has a great listing of some easy to make Asian foods.

The Pioneer Woman – Seriously, this woman can cook! I personally love her mac and cheese.

Rachel Ray – I love to browse her recipes.

Jaime asked:
Where do you shop locally?

Around here we have a store called Meijer. Think Super Walmart but regional and not so clouded in controversy! It’s where I pick up my odds and ends like weekly snacks for my husband. We also have a local health food store where I’ll pick up eggs if our farm is out of them as well as organic sugars, sea salt, etc if I can’t get all the way to a Natural Foods wharehouse where I buy all my bulk items. During the summer I also try to only buy my produce at farmers markets. Other than that, I pick up milk, eggs, honey, meat, and some fruits and veggies at the farm where we have a goat share.

Readers Ask: part 5

inkleywinkely asked:
What percentage of your family’s diet would you say is organic?

While I would LOVE to say 100%, we just aren’t there yet. I’d say 1/2 the produce I buy is organic, but 90% is at least local. All of our beef is organic and grassfed, chicken is about 1/2 organic/free range. Our pasta is, as well as most my spices, butter, and oils. Over all I guess I’d say about 70% or so organic? It sounds about right. Hopefully after our harvest this fall I can say it’s a bit higher!

Are your children inoculated? If so, are they on a certain schedule?

At 3 years old, my son has been up to date on his shots for about a year. Though I was hesitant enough when he was born to not start them until he was 4 months old. And from then on he was on a slightly delayed schedule. (I couldn’t tell you what he got when though. It was more like at each appointment I discussed it with his doc and then he picked out a couple to give him) He also received the chicken pox vaccine at his last appointment. The one I knew I wasn’t going to do. They just snuck it in with another dose of something and I didn’t find out until we left!

My baby girl at now over 4 months old has yet to receive a shot. I don’t know if she’ll ever get them. I’ve done my research and know that I don’t like most of the vaccines out there. I honestly can’t think of one shot that I’d be okay with my kids getting. They and I won’t get flu shots either. My husband can make up his own mind about that one.

Considering how well your family is fed, what is your budget for groceries, and do you use coupons?

Great question! My budget is $300.00 each month, nothing more. I normally spend about $50.00 of that at the farm buying milk, eggs, and honey. Another $50.00 of that is used to buy bulk items like flour, sugars, nuts, oats, dried fruit, etc. I;m also in the process of trying to put at least $25.00 aside each month for my very large bulk orders like beef and chicken. The rest is spent mostly on produce, condiments, and odds and ends.

I used to coupon, but the healthier we began to eat, the less coupons worked for me. I no longer get the Sunday paper as the amount of coupons I was able to get out of them just wasn’t covering the cost. I’ll still print off coupons online for things like toiletries and every once in awhile I find a great one for an organic item or two.

And really, the more I make from scratch, the less I need coupons. Most of them that are out there are for prepackaged foods that I no longer need. I found I can save just as much as I would with a coupon by making it at home. Plus it’s loads healthier!!

If you had unlimited time and money, what would your menu look like?

I really had fun thinking about this one! Because in my dreams I know what I’d like. Here’s a small rundown.

• First and foremost my menu would consist only of things grown and raised on my own property. Fruits and veggies, grains, meat, milk, eggs. Both fresh and preserved.
• And because it came from my land, it would be 100% organic.
• Each meal we would be able to have the luxury of tons of “picked just before we ate it” fresh produce and beautifully prepared meats, thereby eating less grains.
• I would fully incorporate the “Nourishing Traditions” style of cooking.
• I would make all of my own pastas (a short term goal for me actually!)
• I would also preserve all the food we needed for winter
• I’d also incorporate more fresh, wild caught fish into my meal plans

Readers Ask : part 6

Starryphate asked:
Is your family only allowed to eat healthy?
I wish I could enact that much control in my house, but it’s just not feasible. I buy mostly whole foods and make things from scratch, but there are a few things that my husband enjoys having in the house, like chips. There are also times when food is given to us or we are invited to a friends or family members house for dinner, and I receive it as a blessing. I feel that sometimes it is best to overlook my passion for health food when it would hurt someones feelings. All in all I try to follow the 80/20 rule. Basically trying to eat healthy 80% of the time, although I do strive for more like 90% when I’m trying to conceive or while I’m pregnant..

Starryphate also asked:
Do you ever eat out at restaurants and order something greasy like a cheeseburger?
Yes and no. I got sick off a fast food hamburger once so I just can’t get myself to eat a burger from a place with no waiters! But I also love the bbq burger at famous dave’s, though I’ve only been there about once a year. And we do eat out every once in awhile. More so lately than I’d like to admit, and it’s all my fault for not taking things out of the freezer when I need them so we end up picking up food on the way home. I do try and keep eating out to a once a month occasion though!

Jen asked:
How do you handle grandparents, etc. that want to feed your child not-so-good food?
That’s a tough one. And it depends on what’s being offered and what he’s had to eat lately. If he’s been eating at home for the last week and hasn’t had any junk, a cookie or crackers from grandma is okay. Do I like it? Not really, but again we’re looking at the grand scheme of things and the 80/20 rule. There are some things that are an ‘absolutely not’ in my book though. Fake juices like sunny d and koolaid as well as any pasteurized milk. There are also somethings that I know he’d be sensitive too (products with lots of coloring/flavoring/preservatives) so I pull out the “he has a food sensitivity to it” phrase. I don’t mind telling people what he can and can’t eat. Especially now that I can actually see a difference in him when he eats certain things. I figure it’s my kid, I can decide what he eats!

Rachel asked:
When eating out, what do you try to feed your little one? (what do you choose/look for on the menu?)
Again, this may be more difficult as he gets older and learns to read a menu himself, but for now, I try to pick grilled vs. fried and choose a fruit or veggie side for him instead of fries. It also helps that he’s small enough and restaurant servings are large enough, that I normally just share my food with him when it’s a sit down restaurant. I also only get him water to drink while we’re out. As he gets older this may become more of an issue for us, but then again we don’t eat out often!

reprehriestless warillever asked:
How do you handle food on long trips – pack meals or buy carefully along the way?
My goal is to do both. I pack a lot of our own snacks (granola bars, fruit, trail mixes, etc.) and last time I traveled I also brought along things for breakfast since that seems to be the hardest meal to eat healthfully while out. Personally I would recommend bringing quick meals with you if you have a way to keep them cold. Even if it’s just for the first couple of days (a cooler w/ ice will normally be okay for the first night at least) Things like deviled eggs, cheese, and yogurt. If we ever went traveling for more than a day or two I’d also bring along some bread and peanut butter and jelly. A PB&J on homemade bread is healthier than Micky D’s for sure!

Readers Ask : part 5

Anonymous asked:
What is your favorite snack?
It kind of depends on the season! In the winter I love homemade popcorn, this summer, I’ve been enjoying fresh fruits (strawberries, cherries, and now blueberries), and I can’t wait for apples to ripen this fall.

My favorite ‘not healthy’ snack? Always homemade ice cream!

Erica asked:
How did you come up with your blog title?
Funny story, I had it named something completely different for 6 months while I debated on whether or not to start actually writing this blog. Then one day, I just knew it was time, but the name just wasn’t catchy enough for me. So I found an online thesaurus for “modern/urban” words and typed in pregnant. Up came Knocked Up and I just knew naturally Knocked Up was meant to be!

Anonymous asked:
What’s your favorite “healthy” meal?
Again depends on the season! In the spring/summer it’s hamburgers with homemade pickles, roasted sweet potatoes and fresh green beans slathered with lots of yummy butter. In the fall/winter I love to make a beef or venison roast with lots of veggies and potatoes.

Readers Ask: part 4

Back when we did a giveaway and I asked for your questions, as well as some recent e-mails I’ve received, I’ve been asked:

What is the one thing you would recommend someone do to to change their health for the better. (or what is the one thing you would tell someone to do to increase their fertility)

Stop buying processed food!! That’s it. The one thing that will change your health the most! Stop buying boxed and frozen meals, stop buying processed breads and meats and milk. Buy your food closest to it’s original state!

By not buying processed foods, yes you will have to make your food at home but you’ll stay away from excess sugars and salt. There won’t be any MSG or high fructose corn syrup in it either. You don’t need snacks like chips and cookies. You don’t need cereal. You don’t need juice. It just takes a little extra time to feed your body what it truly needs. And after awhile, most of those processed foods won’t even taste good to you.

Readers Ask: Cod Liver Oil

Here’s a couple of questions I was asked (granted it was months ago during a giveaway) about Cod Liver Oil.

LaurenS asked:

What brand of Cod Liver Oil do you use (if any)?

Well, believe it or not, I actually have never taken it. I know right?! I’m supposed to be all “eat everything that’s healthy” right? Well, I really started looking into the cod liver oil just as I became pregnant. And then the thought of taking cod liver oil just grossed me out to much to look into it anymore! But, now that I’ve done my research I know exactly what I’ll be taking and plan on purchasing some soon.

I’ll be buying it from Green Pastures. They sell fermented cold liver oil. Why fermented? Well, fermented CLO (yes, I’m getting lazy here. From now on CLO is cod liver oil!) is actually an unprocessed oil while the regular stuff is actually quite processed. And there is the fact that the vitamins A&D are taken out of the regular stuff and synthetic A&D are used instead. Now, I’ve talked about whole foods vs. synthetic vitamins before and the thing is…not only does your body have a hard time absorbing these synthetic vitamins, they can actually be bad for your health as well. The fermented CLO is also not heat treated at all.

They also sell the CLO combined with a high quality butter oil. Weston A. Price was quoted as saying “One without the other did not do his patients justice, but the two together worked like magic”. So basically we’re able to absorb and use more of the nutrients when our diet consists of both! Now, if you already consume a good amount of high quality butter there would be no need for this, but I think most people would benefit from the combo!

(and one more great thing about Green Pastures is that they give a discounted price depending on how many bottles you buy. So if you know others who want to give it a try, buy it together!)

and Becky also asked:

I have read at the Weston A. Price site that cod liver oil doesn’t do much on it’s own, but that it needs to be coupled with a good butter. Due to my son’s life threatening allergy to milk, we can’t “do” butter. Do you have any suggestions for a suitable substitute to pair CLO with?

I don’t, sorry! At this point I’ve yet to come across something else to pair it with. So I’m throwing this question out to the rest of you. Do you know a suitable pair for CLO that’s not butter?

Readers Ask: Raw Milk

As kind of a followup to my raw milk post from the other day, I thought I’d answer some of the questions I got from it and the readers ask series.

Anna asked:

I agree that raw milk is the best for you, however, I can’t get past the fact that it has so much fat in it! I’ve been trying to drop about 5-10 pounds while at the same time trying to conceive. It seems impossible if I’m eating full fat dairy. And I know the non-raw stuff is just processed anyway, so what do you think of organic fat free pasteurized milk and other low fat products such as yogurt?

Personally? I won’t touch low fat dairy to save my life! Alright, so maybe that’s a bit extreme, but honestly, I won’t do it anymore. What you have to realize is that your body needs fat. In really simple terms, if you aren’t eating enough, your body stores what it does has! I would totally recommend you reading the book “Eat Fat, Lose Fat“. And it’s also not the fat that makes you gain weight, it’s the sugar. And if you’re anything like me, you eat to much of it on a normal basis! And the great thing about switching over to a whole foods diet is that your body will regulate what you need. You don’t have any of that nasty MSG and other flavor enhancers telling your body you need more while they quite down the ‘I’m full’ feeling. As an added example. I actually lost 10 pounds after switching from lowfat everything to full fat products!!

she also asked:
At what point would you consider it safe to give raw milk to babies?

I fully believe that the milk we consume is safe. I know my farmer and I know it’s clean. For this reason everyone in my family would consume raw milk no matter the age. I started my son on raw milk at 17 months. If for some reason I was ever unable to nurse my baby, we would give her homemade raw milk formula. Now I know that seems shocking to some, but I would feel much better knowing she was consuming something raw and healthy rather than that gross powdered formula that causes all sorts of allergies and health issues. But again, that’s just me. Every family needs to make their own choise on what they would consider safe for their family.

WannaBeMommy asked:

I’ve been really curious about raw milk, and tempted to buy it a few times. But, what’s the shelf life like? We don’t drink a ton of it in my house so I’m afraid it would go bad before we drank much of it.

Raw Milk will last about 7-10 days on average. But like another commenter, I’ve had it go more like 10-14 days. I personally buy it only a half gallon at a time since our farm is so close and if we do ever have extra and it begins to smell sour I turn it into yogurt or kefir or even cream cheese and whey. You can also freeze it. (personally I only do this with goats milk as it’s naturally homogenized and I’ve heard cows milk can change texture a bit when frozen)

And I was also asked to share my thoughts on drinking it during pregnancy:
I didn’t drink raw milk during my first pregnancy – but that’s only because I wasn’t buying it yet. I recently just had a baby 10 weeks ago and consumed raw milk as well as kefir, yogurt, smoothies and ice cream made from the raw milk and I of course think it’s totally safe!! Your body and the babies need all that good stuff found in raw milk, so as long as the milk comes from a clean source and you’re not drinking it out of dirty pails, drink up!!

And doctors…well, I’ve learned not to listen much when it comes to my nutrition. It all comes down to “As long as you know your source”! A lot of what ‘they’ say is to protect the uninformed. Like those of us who have not done our research or who are a bit careless about their food choices.

Pasteurization of milk only started around the 1910’s/1920’s and it was only because the cows were being fed distillery slop and were unhealthy and had such poor milk. It was so bad that the poor babies and children put on it suffered from “failure to thrive” and the death rate was unreal. The farmers also were practicing dirty farm management and the milk was getting contaminated.

I get my milk from a farmer that has healthy cows and practices good farm management. And personally, I feel that a young child is more able to fight off any infection when they have a great immune system (aka-drink raw milk)

Now as to how much we drink, what I buy and all that:
I buy a half gallon of goats milk per week (on average). The only one who actually drinks it is my almost 3yo son. And he normally gets his cup filled up in the morning and has it with breakfast and dinner for a total of maybe 8 ounces. For lunch and everything else, he gets water. My husband can’t tolerate milk much at all, although he can consume goats milk without much issue so we make ice cream from it on occasion. I don’t sit down and drink a glass of milk either. Sure, I make myself some hot cocoa from it once a week or so, but with my meals, I drink water. This half gallon is more than enough for us to go a week and I also use it in my baking, etc.

I also buy half gallons of cows milk about twice a month to use for making yogurt, kefir, and butter. Sometimes the cream gets used in my coffee if I so decide to treat myself to some!

I’ve really gotten to the point thought where I don’t think milk is really needed. A lot of traditional cultures never consumed milk the way we do today. They used the cultured milk (yogurt, butter, etc.) but rarely drank tall glasses of it. So for us, a little goes a long way!

** 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.

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