It has been a great day. Over 60 degrees and sunshine in January. That does not mean that it was a day without stress, because what would that be like? But we went down to this beautiful town overlooking a lake and then drove down to the lake. We purchased something off Facebook that was needed to make our caterpillar tunnel and we got it so cheap. Now that was fun. The people were so nice and helpful. With all the bad happening, it is nice to find “nice”.
When we got home it was still an hour and a half of daylight so we shoveled some soil from one garden bed to another. Measured off where the caterpillar will be. Screwed some lath to hold down some plastic. I guess I better explain that last one. Over a year ago when we came to visit our home since we lived in Nevada at the time. We changed the loafing shed to a storage room, building two end walls and putting a large piece of plastic over the north side of barn wood. We did this to keep any rain or bad weather from coming in through the old barn wood wall. We have now removed one of the ends and park a car in their now and the plastic is still there until we get time and money to replace the north side of what we now call the barn garage. When the wind blows the plastic poofs way out and rubs the car over and over. It has picked up mud and the car is filthy. So, we took lath from when the house was remodeled and secured the plastic in place so now there is no poofing. It is one of those 15-minute jobs that we put off for almost a year.
Finally, we did evening-chores and went in to prepare for leading our addiction recovery group. The group was wonderful tonight. It was a great day.
We have decided to take a project that we need to do on the farm that has to do with food or animals and figure out what we will build, what materials we will need and then set out to figure out how to how to obtain the materials whether it is earning the money for that one project, bartering with others, or scavenging the materials through Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. When I woke up this morning, I decided to look for rebar for making our caterpillar tunnel. I did not find any that we could afford but we did find some steel ½ inch galvanized conduit that we could cut into 2-foot lengths. There were about nine 10’ pieces for $35.00. We connected and that is where we went on our little trip today. When we got there, we ended up with a lot more than that for only $25 and they are the ones that set the price, not us. Now we have enough conduit to make 2 if not 3 caterpillar tunnels. Now we will set our sights on the other items needed for the tunnels.
Tender mercies are all around us and we are finding joy in our life.
Nutritional Information
I am answering two different people’s comments. One has to do with intermediate fasting and one has to do with eating red meat. First of all, nutrition is very personal. What one person feels very strong about another may feel just as strong the other way. Both people can get science to back them up. There is no wrong or right if you feel you should be doing it or not doing it. The following is the way I feel about the two subjects. It is not meant to change minds, I am just sharing since I was asked.
Eating Red Meat
To be politically correct and follow the AMA, Dieticians, and other experts, they state that you should not eat red meat. They feel that it contributes to heart disease, high cholesterol and for some people…digestive issues. I personally love red meat. I could eat a steak every week if I could afford it. I can’t so I don’t and never that frequently if I could. Some of this information comes from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, Processed meat is dangerous for consumptions because it can cause cancer. Red meat, Beef and Lamb, when eaten from grass-fed, pasture raised are not full of the pesticides and chemicals the animals have who are raised in Confined Animal Feeding Operations, (CAFO). The meat most people eat and purchase in the grocery store and fast food places, are from CAFOs. These are feedlots where the animals are raised on grains laden with pesticides and/or soy feed. These are too high in protein and caustic to their livers. Often they are injected with steroids to make their meat tender and treated with antibiotics to decrease infection.
Compare that to the way we are raising our calf for meat. He is raised on the pasture and milk from his mama. He has no grain and if we choose to finish him on grain the last three weeks of his life we will use organic, non soy grain. The difference is huge in the way these animals are raised. It is why we live on our farm. We want to know what is in the food we eat
The last part of red meat is to eat is sparingly. Don’t have a steak every week. Put small cuts into meals and only eat it 1 or 2 times a week. This is what we do and why. Red meat is a great source for trace minerals, zinc and magnesium. It is easier for our bodies to break down and use these minerals when in meat than when the minerals are in grains. Red meat is rich in B12, fat soluble vitamins like A and lots of Amino Acids.
One caution, grilling meat is unhealthy and carcinogenic so eat very sparingly.
Intermediate Fasting
I am going to give two schools of thought. In my digestive text book from school, it states that fasting each day for 12 hours, such as from 7 PM to 7AM helps to regenerate the tissues and organs in our bodies. The brain cleanses itself at night while we sleep, cells clean out damaged protein’s. Studies show that intermittent fasting helps lower risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It helps in weight reduction and protects brain and cardiovascular function. Fasting for those hours is probably not a bad thing at all. We should not eat 3-4 hours prior to going to bed and we like to eat first thing in the morning so that seems fine. I have had friends who eat one meal a day at 3 PM and I do not think this is good for the body at all. This information was from Digestive Wellness by Liz Lipski.
Now on the other hand, From Dr. Diane Schwarzbein and endocrinologist, we learned that skipping or delaying meals increases adrenaline and cortisol levels. Any time these two hormones increase, the body “eats” itself. This may cause weight loss but it damages the body because the functional and structural biochemicals are getting used up and not replaced. Also when you do eat, Insulin levels will rise even higher than it would have normally for the same amount of carbohydrates. The body will release insulin for two reasons, high carbs and to counter the high levels of adrenaline and cortisol. Remember she is an endocrinologist so she focuses on what the hormones are doing during the fasting process. Diabetics are not encouraged to fast.
That said, I personally am against long fasting times. As part of our religion, we do fast 24 hours every first Sunday of the month and give the money we would have used to the needy. We also use it for spirituality…To humble ourselves before the Lord. But to go without food longer than 12 hours daily, other than sleeping, causes the body stress, low blood sugars, high insulin response when you do eat and generally you don’t feel very well while not eating.
We eat when we are hungry. Small frequent meals to keep our cells and our brains well fed.
Thank you for your comments and interpretations! I always like to read opposing views. So much of what I’ve seen lately, newer information maybe, definitely leans toward intermittent fasting as a healthy practice- but only if it makes you feel good. And if 12 hours seems like long enough, it is. Like you say, we are all different. On the red meat issue, thanks for your CAFO remarks. So many people have not gotten that message! If they would just be willing to spend their dollars on good quality, and eat less of it, voila! I, too, believe animal protein is vital. Thanks again.
My husband and I are “mostly” plant based for the last 4 years after a colon cancer diagnosis. The cancer left without intervention–the power of prayer and vegan whole foods diet. Now we are totally plant based some days, but we have added back in a few meats and cheeses of super healthy sources. Too many people eat too much animal product in proportion to their daily calories. not enough plants. it certainly is a balance. I totally agree with your advice on the red meat. We don’t eat it often, but when we do its only the best–not from the grocery store.