tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29701538064418428492024-03-13T11:15:46.949-04:00the simple life ain't easyAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-25727528298808711522015-08-27T21:48:00.000-04:002015-08-28T09:49:31.111-04:00Homemade toothpaste for sensitive teeth<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJvE5KrL0iUh53h2KrhiyiN2Au8lO8_vOpiuLnw-Xndg_MxO6xaG4yAIAvTb45urZH8Sv1p7YeP2TgH3z8WNgyJOf-EF3vttBB8LcFtdTevxqbSlzBvK2OUrkVsS7-UBlfYNqIix9kITE/s1600/2015-08-26+20.26.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJvE5KrL0iUh53h2KrhiyiN2Au8lO8_vOpiuLnw-Xndg_MxO6xaG4yAIAvTb45urZH8Sv1p7YeP2TgH3z8WNgyJOf-EF3vttBB8LcFtdTevxqbSlzBvK2OUrkVsS7-UBlfYNqIix9kITE/s320/2015-08-26+20.26.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sooo I made toothpaste that looks like dirt, probably because I made it using a type of dirt - <a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/01/diatomaceous-earth-homestead.html">diatomaceous earth</a>. Definitely seems counterproductive.<br />
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It's because I've had this really sensitive tooth that the dentist said if it continued to bother me I would need a root canal. I would brush my teeth with dog shit if someone told me it would prevent me from having to get a root canal. My fear of the dentist runs deep.<br />
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I ran across an <a href="http://wellnessmama.com/2500/remineralizing-toothpaste/">interesting recipe</a> for a coconut oil, baking soda, diatomaceous earth toothpaste that claimed to help 'heal' your teeth and I figured it was worth a shot. I have weird jars of hippy concoctions all over my house, what's one more?<br />
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I kinda can't believe I didn't think of brushing my teeth with coconut oil sooner, I've been on the <a href="http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/">coconut oil bandwagon</a> for a while now. I buy a huge tub of it and I use it for everything. "Just rub some dirt on it" has somehow transitioned into "you're fine, just rub some coconut oil on it" in my house. I eat it, I rub it all over myself, my kids, and my pets. If (*fair trade, organic) coconut oil is wrong, I don't wanna be right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnth2iPaL0334qeR2ln2fFuEoy5lEVrtVynMci3L8gzZtbjOp4xPbavIoKuuB1lB4p4wXFjgNZgax29rJAtWxdAb0DzbCEIILItPFyIX3cYaJ2hmm0BKw8V8EVKM0ikjk_BWGeIPkE7xUQ/s1600/2015-08-26+20.24.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnth2iPaL0334qeR2ln2fFuEoy5lEVrtVynMci3L8gzZtbjOp4xPbavIoKuuB1lB4p4wXFjgNZgax29rJAtWxdAb0DzbCEIILItPFyIX3cYaJ2hmm0BKw8V8EVKM0ikjk_BWGeIPkE7xUQ/s320/2015-08-26+20.24.59.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a>Diatomaceous earth I use a lot for my chickens as a dust bath to kill mites. I realize I'm not selling this toothpaste very well. Diatomaceous earth is a substance made from fossilized single-cell diatoms (whatever that means). Apparently, it’s a fossil, ground into a very fine powder. It is a great abrasive for cleaning residue off of your teeth, and it contains something like 20 trace minerals and silica, so the theory being it helps remineralize your teeth. It's easy to find, just go to a farm store like Tractor Supply, they have a huge jug of it for $7, or plenty of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_kk_1?rh=i%3Alawngarden%2Ck%3Adiatomaceous+earth+food+grade&keywords=diatomaceous+earth+food+grade&ie=UTF8&qid=1440768109">options on Amazon</a>, just make sure it's food grade.<br />
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I used a jam jar to mix the ingredients together and I just use my toothbrush to scoop out enough to brush with each morning and night. If that grosses you out you could use a little spoon to scoop it onto your toothbrush.<br />
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I've been using this toothpaste for about 2 months now. When I first started I could barely drink cold water because it hurt one of my lower back teeth so much. I am happy to report that after 2 months of using only this toothpaste I have no tooth sensitivity at all! I can swish ice cold water with no issue. And despite the fact that it looks like dirt and tastes god awful without Stevia or Xylitol, I was super surprised how clean and smooth my teeth felt the first time I used the stuff. I was buying $7 Whole Foods toothpaste, this is nice money saver making my own.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTbHPmizKSVGAtpGjI3Y91e0hNpN77nMb9MlN5PFpYoAIpVbj_8g7MGZR_lwnQ7HgRtT64tF1kzOOu9oOFDN5PN9019kD7Axlm958JsYrxB6Cv1vlELyyywQi-Uf5DUyQEsd4HWILZDen/s1600/2015-08-26+20.29.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTbHPmizKSVGAtpGjI3Y91e0hNpN77nMb9MlN5PFpYoAIpVbj_8g7MGZR_lwnQ7HgRtT64tF1kzOOu9oOFDN5PN9019kD7Axlm958JsYrxB6Cv1vlELyyywQi-Uf5DUyQEsd4HWILZDen/s320/2015-08-26+20.29.20.jpg" width="240" /></a><b><u>Recipe</u></b><br />
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1/2 cup coconut oil<br />
1 tablespoon baking soda<br />
1 tablespoon diatomaceous earth (maybe start with just 1 teaspoon if you're worried about too much of a dirt factor)<br />
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Extras:<br />
1 teaspoon (or to taste) Stevia or Xylitol powder (really bitter without a sweetener!)<br />
Peppermint oil, orange oil, cinnamon, turmeric, clove oil or powder, lemon extract, vanilla extract, chocolate extract, whatever makes you happy.<br />
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For the kids I used a little extra Stevia, chocolate extract, vanilla extract, and a little cinnamon.<br />
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For myself I use Stevia and peppermint oil.<br />
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Next I'm going to try adding <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/01/science/eating-the-shell-along-with-the-egg.html?_r=0">eggshell powder</a> to the toothpaste for calcium.<br />
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-81273791349106834532015-03-17T06:51:00.000-04:002015-03-17T13:56:02.593-04:00Don't waste your dinner, I paid for that food.<br />
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"Eat your food honey, we are not going to waste perfectly good food."<br />
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I think everyone has heard this before in their life. Our parents have said it to us, we've echoed it to our children, and I've even heard my five year old echo it to her younger sister in sort of a habitual fashion.<br />
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The most recent time I heard this phrase was two days ago during a family lunch outing. We were sitting in a diner trying to hurry the kids along to get going and finish running errands.<br />
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"Eat your lunch, we paid for this and I don't want to waste it," my husband explained to our 3 year old. I nodded in agreement. Seemed like good parenting.<br />
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He then proceeded to put the said lunch, a somewhat disappointing cheese quesadilla, into a Styrofoam to-go container with the assumption that our daughter would finish the sad looking meal in the car.<br />
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As we stood up I looked at the items littered around our table at the diner; several used napkins, a few empty plastic jelly packets, two over-sized Styrofoam to-go containers, and a paper receipt.<br />
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Technically we "paid" for all of those disposable items as well. I'm sure the cost of the meal reflected the supplies that were needed to deliver and consume it, right?<br />
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Why weren't we echoing the concern of wasting these items?<br />
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The food is actually the only item on the table that would benefit the earth if it was "wasted"<br />and put it into a compost. All of the other items, possibly with the exception of the paper napkins, are quite toxic and will sit in a landfill for hundreds of years.<br />
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And this was just the waste audit while dining in, we are all familiar with how much waste is associated with one take out meal.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5189/5584255086_439eeab309_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/calgaryreviews/">Calgary Reviews</a></td></tr>
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How many times have you encouraged your children to finish their dinner so they don't waste the food, and then proceed to throw away a large bag full of plastic utensils, over-sized to-go containers, napkins, condiment packets, paper and plastic bags?<br />
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How many times have you made sure to finish the entire loaf of bread so you don't waste any, and then unthinkingly toss the bread wrapper in the trash bin or recycling container?<br />
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What makes the value of food higher than the value of the petroleum or wood pulp that was used to make the containers we deliver the food in, or the disposable utensils we eat it with?<br />
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Let's replace the phrase "don't waste your food" with "don't waste."<br />
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Let's start a habit process that teaches our children not only the value of food as a commodity we need in life to survive, but also the value of the earth and it's limited resources.<br />
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Has anyone else noticed how many more landfills there are now?! This is starting to get out of hand.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/10993445723_06df5cdce4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/10993445723_06df5cdce4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bsabarnowl/"> bsabarnowl</a></td></tr>
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-73446248209588482662014-03-31T07:30:00.000-04:002014-03-31T09:11:42.036-04:00Lesson learned: Don't use hay as bedding in a chicken coopIt's amateur hour over here at Simple Life Ain't Easy.<br />
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I'm pretty sure I was warned specifically about using hay for bedding in a chicken coop, but we all learn our lessons better if the mistakes are our own.<br />
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During the harshest part of this '13-'14 winter here in Michigan I thought I would start offering my chickens a special treat. I found a bale of alfalfa hay with grass mixed it. A nice soft green colored bale tied and wrapped in a neat plastic bag. "A forage for horses" is how it was described.<br />
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My chickens free range most days of the week even during winter. I clear a few walking paths so they can get out and hopefully find some snow soaked grass to tear up.<br />
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This winter that didn't happen. Months passed without my ladies getting out. The snow was just too high to shovel. When I saw the hay bale I imagined this would brighten their currently dim existence.<br />
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I added a layer of the hay/grass mix to the bottom of their coop. They loved it. Scratched at it all day until it was mixed into their pine shavings that I keep layered on the bottom in a <a href="http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2011/10/deep-litter-method-for-chickens.html">deep litter method</a>.<br />
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The next week I layered in more hay and even filled their nest boxes with it. For several weeks I did this. They certainly seemed to enjoy it and it made the coop smell lovely.<br />
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What I actually do know, but failed to apply to this situation for unknown mental reasons, is that hay and grass are both "green" in compost terms. Chicken manure is also a "green" meaning it contains a high amount of nitrogen. For a deep litter method to work, you need proper ratios of browns, which has a lot of carbon, and greens to balance the amount of ammonia that can build up. What I was essentially building were layers of mud bricks in the coop, trapping moisture and ammonia below. The coop <i>smelled</i> <i>fine</i> and the top layer was mostly dry, and while the bottom layer stayed frozen I did not realize I even had a problem.<br />
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This week we finally started to completely unthaw in Michigan.<br />
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I bared my bright white arms in the warm sun for the first time in months yesterday. The day was just lovely until...<br />
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I started turning over the unthawed bedding in the chicken coop.<br />
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My god it smelled so bad I thought I was going to die from ammonia poisoning. The bottom layers of the deep litter were so wet and the top layer was working just like a dry mud brick trapping all the moisture in.<br />
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It was the worst my chicken coop has even been.<br />
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I scraped everything out. I Left the doors open to air out for at least an hour. I Filled the coop back in with pine shavings and left the big doors open for the rest of the day.<br />
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Even as I spread the removed bedding along the paths in my garden, the smell was just overwhelming. Thankfully I have two coops attached to each other, so my chickens were not forced to live in this one alone. They have plenty of space and lots of options. And thankfully I only put the hay in the one coop.<br />
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The hay does seem to work ok in the nest boxes and is much softer than straw, I may continue to use it there. But I will stick with fine flake pine shavings for the bottom of the coop from here on out. Lesson learned.Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-87871224340177221262014-03-13T07:56:00.000-04:002014-03-13T10:57:39.953-04:00Treating a chicken with sour crop<h2>
Chicken is throwing up, not eating, and crop feels swollen. Your chicken may have a sour crop.</h2>
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Tail feathers pointed down or a chicken who does not want to roost are sure signs of an illness.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidI-DS4UGZyfAqbS03cW0kE8kjumFHi97T8H7rcRMLCr6wzeH8xe5G9y54b3vl1xrm2eVUr0KilQJjGh94gZ_biKHfcQy_NpgzzGw0sCLbaHEzPIesLeJU1jbfOP4juOAt9lNjOCF4Y6QQ/s1600/IMAG1861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidI-DS4UGZyfAqbS03cW0kE8kjumFHi97T8H7rcRMLCr6wzeH8xe5G9y54b3vl1xrm2eVUr0KilQJjGh94gZ_biKHfcQy_NpgzzGw0sCLbaHEzPIesLeJU1jbfOP4juOAt9lNjOCF4Y6QQ/s1600/IMAG1861.jpg" height="320" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tail feathers pointed down <br />is a sign of a sick chicken</td></tr>
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This is the second time in last two months this happened to our favorite hen. I go out to the coop to check on my girls and there is 'Bella' (my two year old named her) sitting in the corner. At first I thought she was choking, she had a brown liquid bubbling up in her beak and she was sort of tossing her head trying to get it out. I went to pick her up and the pressure of my hands on her crop cause her to spit out a bubble of brown stew. </div>
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I massaged her crop for a minute - it felt swollen and full of liquid. She continued to spit out the brown stuff. As usual I ran in to google the problem. The diagnosis: Sour crop. </div>
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I brought her inside and set her up in our entrance way in the big blue bin we always use to transfer chickens or to keep sick ones inside. </div>
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It's cold here right now. Damn cold. The entrance way is freezing still, so I put a heater in the room to get the temperature up to at least 60F for her. </div>
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Whenever I have a sick chicken for any reason at all, I put a healthy dose of real apple cider vinegar in their water. Not enough to deter them from drinking, but at least a few tablespoons per liter. Apple cider vinegar contains live cultures that help alkalize the body and help replenish the good bacteria that crowd out too much yeast. This is actually a true fact, not just some hippie herbal medicine talk. </div>
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Because sour crop is actually a yeast infection in the crop, apple cider vinegar is good for preventing and helping to cure sour crop. It's a good idea to add a few tablespoons of vinegar to their water year round, but sometimes I don't always have it together and I forget.</div>
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Do not give a bird with sour crop any food. They need time to pass through what is already in there. Some sites say not to give water, but I think the water/vinegar mixture is important to help neutralize the yeast. </div>
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The thing that I think helped my chicken get better both times she had this was to gently pick her up, step outside (this is important), flip her over onto her back and massage her crop. Watch your feet cause a lot of nasty brown liquid comes out very quickly as soon as you turn her over!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqkj1lO7fc-X_1fa6GORWLUTPluvE5Spj_nB_vZWiipfN2h7HVvwMFk8Jjgvd0i_Z2NVuX9Izx6YpAdFjQQe83tfTiPvzj2DD_c30EbfxneoPDvP-w3QAhCUuo5B5M8MTRDpIOQgbv9cM/s1600/IMAG1865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqkj1lO7fc-X_1fa6GORWLUTPluvE5Spj_nB_vZWiipfN2h7HVvwMFk8Jjgvd0i_Z2NVuX9Izx6YpAdFjQQe83tfTiPvzj2DD_c30EbfxneoPDvP-w3QAhCUuo5B5M8MTRDpIOQgbv9cM/s1600/IMAG1865.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gently turn the chicken on her back, <br />use your other hand to massage her crop <br />and encourage the liquid to come out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydz_SmPt5eq9EGgJBwoafema6cZHfvKO_ZUalDdZu52N0BOsM15seRUUOmux3asHSyXcI6t68GKaE53FOzVuYI7LkQEdBhw-gdEg1k-4m70X-6NbMIY7QgSr2bNg_b_rxb4mwDlvJCiBE/s1600/IMAG1866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydz_SmPt5eq9EGgJBwoafema6cZHfvKO_ZUalDdZu52N0BOsM15seRUUOmux3asHSyXcI6t68GKaE53FOzVuYI7LkQEdBhw-gdEg1k-4m70X-6NbMIY7QgSr2bNg_b_rxb4mwDlvJCiBE/s1600/IMAG1866.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watch out, this nasty brown stuff comes out pretty quick!</td></tr>
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I did this maneuver at least once every hour for the first 3 or 4 hours after I brought her inside. The first 3 times a lot of liquid gurgled out. The 4th and 5th times just a little trickled out. Bella was clearly feeling better and was walking around the entrance way after about 4 hours. I kept her inside for one more day just to keep her warm and did the flipping maneuver a few more times to make sure all the liquid was out. </div>
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I encouraged her to drink the vinegar water after she was feeling better. </div>
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She was ready to go outside the next day and join the other ladies back in the coop.</div>
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I can see that if I had not noticed Bella acting sick that this could have killed her very quickly. With sour crop it is important that you take action right away and try to get the liquid out and a dose of vinegar in to neutralize the yeast. </div>
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Adding some probiotics to the water, or giving your chicken some plain yogurt after she is feeling better will help boost the immune system and attempt to clear up any infection. </div>
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Lastly, if you feed your chickens kitchen scraps you should keep a supply of grit available especially during the winter months. This helps them digest their food properly and may prevent sour crop. </div>
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Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-35095228180827155882014-02-23T18:24:00.000-05:002014-02-23T18:53:07.691-05:00Greening our prisonsI live in Jackson, MI - "Oh, do you work at the prison?" No.<br />
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I moved to Jackson in 2008. I do not have a lot of history with this town or with the prison that has had a part building its reputation. Under normal circumstances I would not give a lot of thought about the prison system in our society or how we can improve upon it. But I live in Jackson. And this is its history.<br />
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Opened in 1839, the Jackson Prison was the first prison in Michigan. In 1926, the prison became the largest walled prison in the world with nearly 6,000 inmates.<br />
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In 2007 the main prison closed down to save the state approximately $35 million per year. Inmates were transported to other prisons in Michigan, and near by. Many people lost their job in Jackson in 2007.<br />
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The Prison in Jackson at one time was a city within a city. Railroad cars stopped here, houses were constructed on the perimeter and goods such as furniture and pottery emerged from behind its walls.<br />
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Jackson's history was built with that prison, for better or worse.<br />
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Jackson is no longer the largest prison in the world and there are several prisons in Michigan now. It does still have a place in the business of rehabilitating prisoners in Michigan though. The Parnall Correctional Facility (SMT) is a minimum-security prison that houses 1696 prisoners. Initially it was part of the former State Prison of Southern Michigan until its break up. SMT maintains 47 buildings, including 5 housing units setting on 45 acres. http://michigan.gov/corrections/0,4551,7-119-1381_1385-5339--,00.html<br />
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Now I just may not understand how prison systems work. I certainly don't understand budgets or security issues. And I may just be a naive middle class white woman who has been fortunate enough to not have any major setbacks in life.<br />
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But from my little understanding prisons do not do a very good job of rehabilitating people. Idle time is often used to sharpen the mind, strengthen the body, and construct plans within a school of like minded individuals. I've always been told if you want to be a better person, surround yourself with better people. The system of family and friends that are built in prison do not always offer <i>better people</i> to be with.<br />
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I can't help but think, what if the Parnall Corrections Facility was turned into a sustainable facility? What if these prisoners had to work together to grow, harvest and preserve all of their own food? What if these 1,696 prisoners had the opportunity to learn the value of life and the fragility of the world around them? Not to mention, saving the state tons of money.<br />
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What if we brought in a few <i>better people </i>to teach these inmates about how they can become sustainable in their own life, in and out of prison. About how their actions are directly making the planet a better place.<br />
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I understand this change would be radical. It would take a lot of commitment and passion. It would take a complete restructuring of what we think when we think prison life.<br />
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<b>I think that's a good thing.</b><br />
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This practice is already being tried in a few prisons around the world. Here are a few uplifting articles that will give you some new hope for humankind.<br />
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http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2013/05/10/scraps-composted-to-help-grow-prisons-crops.html<br />
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http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/norways-green-bastoey-prison.html<br />
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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/01/green-jobs-prison-work<br />
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-14146739635231569592013-11-07T17:03:00.000-05:002013-11-08T13:04:37.435-05:00Super foodsCoconut oil is all the rage right now. If it's on <a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil">Dr. Oz</a> it <i>must</i> be a super food, am I right?<br />
<br />
Coconut oil is being renowned as a cure all; anti-aging for skin, a miracle for the brain, and a heart healthy boost that you can even spread on toast.<br />
<br />
Kale, not too long ago was the newest kid on the block. We found out that "one cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus." <a href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale">This information is from WebMD</a>.<br />
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About 3 years ago I began hearing that every diet should include almonds. Almonds were named as the earth's most perfect food. Almond milk made its appearance in the dairy section adding some much needed competition to conventional cow's milk.
<br />
<br />
The way media and communication have advanced in the last 10 years certainly has contributed to the need to create a 'new' super food every 6 months or so.<br />
<br />
Society as a whole is starving for something that will keep them young, lose weight, and ensure a long healthy life; as long as it's in a quick fix form. What isn't sexy about the headline "Coconut oil detox, lose weight fast!"<br />
<br />
The truth is that nature has not changed. We are just getting better as scientists. We are learning that all fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in their natural form have health benefits.<br />
<br />
I'm sure in 6 months there will be some headline about how Bok Choy prevents colon cancer, or how you really <i>must</i> be adding avocado oil to your morning coffee if you want to lose weight.<br />
<br />
As long as you're eating a diet that is colorful and diverse, you will stay ahead of all of the 'new' scientific discoveries.<br />
<br />
Each food has a place and a purpose in our diet.<br />
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-22649840531305365702013-09-17T22:10:00.000-04:002013-11-08T10:08:20.896-05:00Mommy wars, and content first<div class="p1">
Most mornings I wake to yet another article from a powerful woman telling me if I can have it all.</div>
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Though I'm not sure what have it all means, I'm damn sure it's an illusion. It's a fever dream -- a unicorn living in a chocolate forest. It’s a magical place where periods and menstrual cramps don't exist.</div>
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No woman will tell you they have it all, because they know that isn't possible. </div>
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We all struggle with guilt in some form. We work to balance the choices we’ve made and we feel pressure to work harder, look sexier, and be more fun even when we’re exhausted. But we still Facebook stalk peer into each other’s lives and assume that we are the only ones who don’t have it all. Their Instagram pics are so much better than mine! Sound familiar? </div>
<h4>
Mommy wars</h4>
<div class="p1">
This behavior is called "mommy wars" by the those who think they’re in the know. How degrading does that sound? The stay at home mom pitted against the CEO mom and the home-school co-op mom opposite the woman who chose not to have children. Normal, sane, and successful adult women are arguing over who has more or what is holding them back. </div>
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If any of that applies to you, stop and listen for a minute. </div>
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I can’t pretend I have not fallen into this. </div>
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I’ve taken the perfect picture with my kids having a Martha Stewart afternoon picking blueberries. It’s on Facebook before I leave the blueberry patch because vanity is so easy these days. Many 'likes' later I feel worthy of celebrity status. I feel like I'm doing something right.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Of course I didn’t post the picture my daughter took of me hours earlier as I was making breakfast in my robe with a face swollen because I ate too much salt the night before. Also absent was a panoramic view of the clutter in my kitchen. And thank god cameras can't pick up the dog smell coming from the living room rug that needs replacing. Why are rugs so damn expensive?</div>
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I find myself apologizing and shuffling in humiliation trying to quick cleanup when unexpected (and yes, sometimes expected) guests pop over and the dishes remain in the sink from the night before. Then there’s the stack of random kid’s clothes covering my counter and the dog hair that hasn't been vacuumed in 3 days. Ok, even that was a lie. I haven't vacuumed in a week. I apologize as if my house is usually not in this state. As if it were just cleaned the day prior and you happened to catch me on a bad day. As if at some point I gave a shit.</div>
<h4>
Web design and life</h4>
<div class="p1">
During the day I’m a front end web developer. I do 'web things'. </div>
<div class="p1">
For a while now the web has been moving toward flashy, picture heavy, glossy websites. They can take forever to load and there really isn't a justification to make them this way. Reasons like hoping your website will appear 'larger than life' and to make it seem like your company cares about something bigger ring hollow.</div>
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Web clients like to add pictures of happy people so you think their website and company will make you happy. Most of my clients have seen some special banner or feature on someone else's site that they think they need even though it has nothing to do with what they are trying to serve to their visitors. </div>
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See where I'm going with this...</div>
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Right now the web is moving toward a content first approach. This means that your first and only goal is to make sure visitors can quickly get to the exact message you are trying to convey. The content could be the one image that really defines your photography career. Content can be the snippet of data that every visitor to your site is looking for. It could be the login menu to access your bank account because do you really care about all of those multiracial, happy, smiling images that banks have on their homepage? Probably not. You only want to see if you have enough money to fill your gas tank or just put a $20 in.</div>
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Stay with me here...</div>
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<br /></div>
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This theory of content first kind of blew my mind but it’s really simple. Give your clients what they want, not what you think they want, and you’ll both be happy. </div>
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I went a step further. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When something makes sense to me I go deep with it. How can I apply this to my life? Why am I taking these happy my life is perfect pictures and apologizing about my house when I know damn well that’s the more honest part of my life than the 'perfect' part?</div>
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What content in my life do I care about?</div>
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I’ve decided that my sanity is my primary goal. Anything that makes me feel over stressed is not worth it.</div>
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The well-being of my kids is a close second. I did not say their 'happiness' because seeing them happy is not always the best choice for their well-being. A half gallon of ice cream, being naked outside, and dressing up the dog is what makes them happy – and that’s not always good for everyone's well-being.</div>
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I also care a lot about health. </div>
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I love to cook and I grow our own food as much as time permits. Packing a healthy lunch for my kids is a joy. And I really enjoy eating dinner together. Deep down these things make me feel successful – like I’m doing something right. </div>
<h4>
Where am I?</h4>
<div class="p1">
When I examine the 'content' in my life I don’t care about having a spotless home that resembles a page from the Pottery Barn catalogue. This doesn’t mean I'm going to completely throw in the towel (which is probably downstairs in the dirty laundry anyway). But I am going to stop apologizing. </div>
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I also don't care about losing weight right now. I don't care about running a marathon or having a clean car, and designer clothes aren’t of interest to me. And I sure as hell don't care about wearing makeup everyday. </div>
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I want to be a pleasant person for my husband and kids to live with. I want to see the world and recycle. I need to be in the garden with my chickens and breathe fresh air. I want to be balanced and enjoy life.</div>
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I'm sure later in life the 'content' will change and I’ll rearrange priorities. That’s inevitable for most of us. </div>
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Let’s not be driven by someone else’s view of what our “content” should be. </div>
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That’s for us to decide. </div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-86944881147898734502013-05-12T22:09:00.000-04:002013-05-13T10:17:43.591-04:00What is a vegetarian<b>veg-e-tar-i-an</b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;">noun</span><br />
A person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products.<br />
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Seems clear enough when spelled out on paper: one who does not eat meat. So why is there so much gray area?<br />
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Interpretation of this word depends on the mouth in which it comes out of and the tone in which it is used. Trying to explain that I simply eat most meals without meat due to cost, conditions of farming, environmental impact, and personal health seems obsolete. <br />
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When you turn down the factory farmed pork loin at a summer BBQ, or make the mistake of sharing how tasty your curried potatoes were that you made for last nights dinner, you have classified yourself as a vegetarian; for better or worse.<br />
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But wait, I'll eat sustainable fish, or pastured local pork chops! I'll eat the chickens we raise, and i'll eat the 100% grass fed lamb<i> even if they are super cute and cuddly!</i> What am I now?<br />
<br />
I truly am a sad, cheating, slut of a vegetarian. I feel uncomfortable, and undeserving of the title. But to be fair I always provide full disclosure: I used to not eat meat, now I eat meat when I know where it came from, and in moderation. But like a scarlet letter I still have this invisible green 'V' sewn on all of my clothes and shunned from normal food worship gatherings. <br />
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Can't we 'meat' (pun intended folks) somewhere in the middle here?<br />
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Eating a few meals a week without meat just makes you a better person; socially, economically, and personally. Your health improves, your food budget may improve, and you will be less of a <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/27/155527365/visualizing-a-nation-of-meat-eaters">strain on the environment</a> (seriously, do you know what it takes to 'grow' meat?!). <br />
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I won't call you vegetarian if you don't call me one.Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-91140448947593984012013-04-07T22:10:00.000-04:002013-04-11T11:30:34.565-04:00Chronically medicated nation<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F5ew8lNJg6MwgCjVOzSpbFWPRDLYH7iZkx43ChLvyYwtd7cBTYefrk1uOmgl6xQxPJXRmBrbk3kOuLzL9luo9ERR59k7Dm0cNCEFIDFieFh5pPRB9c1isFB8-e95ZJiJ1RzlRPSCZVKg/s1600/images_of_money_pills_flikr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F5ew8lNJg6MwgCjVOzSpbFWPRDLYH7iZkx43ChLvyYwtd7cBTYefrk1uOmgl6xQxPJXRmBrbk3kOuLzL9luo9ERR59k7Dm0cNCEFIDFieFh5pPRB9c1isFB8-e95ZJiJ1RzlRPSCZVKg/s320/images_of_money_pills_flikr.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/6127242068/sizes/m/in/photostream/"> Images_Of_Money</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"Any allergies?"<br />
"No."<br />
"Any daily pain?"<br />
"No."<br />
"Any problems with mood?"<br />
"No."<br />
"What medications are you taking currently?"<br />
"None."<br />
"None?"<br />
"None."<br />
"Oh."<br />
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Why do I feel like I'm becoming a minority in the medical world? A basic checkup at the doctor makes me feel like some sort of super human when the doctor herself seems impressed that I don't have chronic allergies and I'm not on a daily medical regimen.<br />
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Really? I'm 30, not 90. When did being chronically medicated become the fashion? Neurosis has become a self diagnosis and somewhat of a badge of courage for getting through a day of work, being a parent, and running a household.<br />
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I know there is a pill that will wake me up, a pill that will help me focus, a pill that will relieve my stress, and a pill that will tuck me in at night. But is that a sustainable way of life?<br />
<br />
Lately I've been consciously anti-drug, before that I was more accidentally anti-drug, and before that I was all for drugs. Interesting that you actually have to work hard to avoid taking one of those quick fix pills mentioned above, but you do. <br />
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I have decided to focus on the 'why' in life. If I'm not sleeping well - why am I not sleeping well? The quick fix would be to take an Ambien. It also feels fashionable for some reason, a way to relate to friends. The hard road is analyzing your own behavior - and no one likes to point out their own faults. Me especially.<br />
<br />
So. A quick analysis on why I am not sleeping well would usually point to a cycle of caffeine. If I'm not sleeping well to begin with, I'll have two coffees instead of one. That starts the cycle - the later in the day I have a coffee the later in the day my mind works overtime, and come evening shutting that off becomes difficult. A second analysis may point to the fact that I sit all day. Sitting all day at a computer is mentally tiring, but my body isn't tired, and come bedtime my body isn't ready to sleep. What could solve this? A walk at night? A bike ride? Anything that gets your body moving and using some calories. Of course insomnia could have many variables and is a real medical issue. My point here is lets leave the meds to those who really need them.<br />
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Another chronic problem I have is back pain. My doctors solution was a steady revolving prescription of Flexiril, a muscle relaxant, with an occasional script of Vicodin or Ibuprofen. But <i>why</i> was my back hurting? Google is amazing for asking questions like this - a tip is to avoid Web MD though, for some reason Web MD thinks everything could be cancer and tells you to see a doctor - counterproductive at the least. Again after analysis I realize I sit all day - big surprise huh? I sit at my desk, I sit in my car during my hour commute each way, I sit at home for dinner, I sit to watch tv. The disc's in my lower back are compacting from all the sitting. The quick fix? Pain killers and muscle relaxers. Sure they work - but is this a sustainable solution? I have found that something as simple as 15 minutes of Yoga stretching, 3 times a week, has literally cured my back pain. And I'm not talking about fold yourself into a box in a 100 degree room type of yoga, I'm talking about very basic stretching, in plain clothes if necessary.<br />
<br />
Chronic headaches? Something as simple as drinking 32-64 ounces of water a day will actually 'cure' a whole list of chronic medical problems; headaches, joint inflammation/pain, depression, anxiety, muscle cramps and spasms. And - not coincidentally - approximately 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.<br />
<br />
Cough? Cold? Ear infection? Respiratory infection? Most people don't know that antibiotics are ineffective against illness caused by a virus such as cold, flu, and most ear infections. Taking an antibiotic is just as effective as taking a placebo, but an antibiotic is harmful to your body and the environment when misused. <a href="http://mi-marr.org/">Visit the Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition homepage</a>, or the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/">CDC Get Smart page</a> for really important information on this topic.<br />
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Just to be clear, I am not recommending self diagnosing potentially life threatening illnesses and by no means am I saying a glass of water will cure cancer. What I am saying is that before you get on a daily regimen of any medication - examine your life style. I know what it feels like to take Vicodin and Flexiril for chronic, demobilizing, back pain - and I know what it feels like to at least try to counter the environmental variables that are causing that back pain for a more natural cure. Finding ways to examine and modify your behaviors for a pain free, drug free life is very empowering and rewarding - not to mention the key to a long, healthy life.<br />
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-17639931041573976012013-04-07T17:57:00.000-04:002013-04-08T14:01:02.716-04:00How to care for baby chicks<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6748531331_ff86f0799b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6748531331_ff86f0799b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/possbeth/6748531331/sizes/m/in/photostream/">possbeth</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dare I say it is finally spring here in Michigan, and nothing makes it feel more like spring than buying some brand new baby chicks. If you're anything like me you just impulse bought a dozen chicks, they're sitting on your counter, and now you're frantically googling for some answers on what exactly you need to do to keep them alive and healthy.<br />
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People like me are also probably the reason you just impulse bought a dozen baby chicks. This year I'm really on my game about convincing co-workers, friends, and people I just met, that this is the spring they need to invest in backyard chickens, almost to the point of annoying. I find myself, regardless of topic that was brought up, circling the conversation back around to chickens and their many benefits; "Oh your Aunt is sick? I bet she would love to see you get some chickens, really would bring her back around."<br />
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I was going to write a full post on all the things to think about when buying baby chicks, but these guys are the pros, so I will leave it to them:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>MyPetChicken</b> is a great site loaded with information. Here is their page covering the details of raising chicks <a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-care/chapter-4-caring-for-baby-chicks.aspx">http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-care/chapter-4-caring-for-baby-chicks.aspx</a></li>
<li><b>Backyardchickens</b> is personally my favorite site for anything chicken related including tons of pics on coop building, chicken breeds, and caring for sick chickens. Here is their learning page on caring for chicks <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-baby-chicks-the-first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens">http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-baby-chicks-the-first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens</a></li>
<li><b>About.com</b> is also a great resource for getting answers <a href="http://smallfarm.about.com/od/farmanimals/a/htraisechicks.htm">http://smallfarm.about.com/od/farmanimals/a/htraisechicks.htm</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
Here are a few tips that I have found helpful along the way:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Don't buy medicated feed</b>. Purchasing 'chick starter' is encouraged because of the higher protein content, but medicated feed is not necessary in almost every case. Medicated feed is often recommended because of a disease called
Coccidiosis, which usually occurs when temperatures are very warm and conditions are dirty. If you keep your chicks environment clean, wash the waterer frequently, and have sufficient space for your baby chicks, it is unlikely you will encounter any problems.</li>
<li><b>There is a thing called 'pasting' you should be aware of</b>:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Pasting occurs when droppings stick to the bird's rear end and clog the vent opening. Gently remove the wad of hardened droppings, taking care not to tear the chick's tender skin. To prevent pasting, make sure that your chicks are not getting chilled. If pasting persists, mix a small amount of cornmeal or ground-up raw oatmeal with the starter feed. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Read more: <a href="http://www.ehow.com/list_6454432_diseases-baby-chickens.html#ixzz2PtVlqqDF">Diseases of Baby Chickens | eHow.com</a></blockquote>
</li>
<li><b>There will be a lot of dust</b>. I'll say that again, <i>there will be a lot of dust</i>! So plan accordingly.</li>
<li><b>They grow really fast.</b> Sure it seems obvious now, but the dog cage you had planned to keep 8 chicks in may only work for the first 3-4 weeks as the chicks continue to double in size. Typically chickens are ready for temperatures in low 40's (F) at night when they are around 6-8 weeks old and fully feathered. At 6-8 weeks old most breeds are almost half grown and very large compared to the tiny babies you bought. Again, plan accordingly, and slowly ween them off the heat lamp until they are used to the low temps. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Here is another post about the best time to buy baby chicks and why:</div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2012/02/when-to-buy-baby-chicks.html">http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2012/02/when-to-buy-baby-chicks.html</a></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-34508225998766822342013-03-20T23:51:00.000-04:002013-03-21T11:54:54.142-04:00Compost now<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5244/5332163619_69288c45fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5244/5332163619_69288c45fd.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fragiletender/">kirstyhall</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have taken this intense interest in composting this past year. Yes, I meant to use the word intense. Intense like it occupies 80% of my thought process throughout the day, second only to basic survival instincts like breathing and eating. And why shouldn't it? Why shouldn't I spend an entire date night with my husband trying not to let it show on my face that I'm not listening to him and instead I'm thinking of all the black gold that could be made with steady stream of food waste the lovely restaurant we are eating at produces on a daily/weekly/monthly basis.<br />
<br />
The facts are this:<br />
<ul>
<li>70-90% of waste from a restaurant is compostable</li>
<li>30-50% of household waste is compostable</li>
<li>14% of municipal solid waste is compostable</li>
<li>landfills account for a full 20 percent of America's methane production<br /><br />reference: <a href="http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/much-waste-can-save-composting-20359.html">http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/much-waste-can-save-composting-20359.html</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
These are big numbers, but no one seems to notice the compostable elephant poop in the room. </div>
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<div>
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/climate-change/jan-june13/recycling_01-25.html">San Francisco is on track to become the first zero waste city</a> with the implementation of a city wide composting mandate. </div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In 2009, San Francisco became the first city in the country to require that residents and businesses alike separate from their trash compostable items, like food scraps, and recyclable goods, like paper, metals, and plastic, into separate bins.<br />
And that has led to a big reduction in the amount of garbage headed to the landfill, according to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.</blockquote>
</div>
<div>
With a few modifications to how we each go through our daily lives, isn't becoming zero waste, or as close to it as possible, something we can achieve across the entire United States? And more importantly, isn't it necessary? </div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-26698060954234037862012-12-08T13:10:00.000-05:002012-12-10T13:12:19.372-05:00Wheat free diet for 2 weeksI recently tried a 2 week wheat free diet just to see what all the buzz is about. This is a little different (not much) to the sometimes interchangeably used term 'gluten free.' Gluten free is generally referred to by someone with celiac disease - an autoimmune response to certain proteins in grains - most often wheat but also some barley, rye, and sometimes oats. Wheat free is just as it sounds - a diet free of all wheat including 'whole grain' and refined white.<br />
<br />
First I needed a little history about why wheat is at the top of many discussions right now:
<br />
<br />
Common Wheat, or Bread Wheat, makes up about 95% of the wheat that is used today. It started as a cross between 3 different grass species that took place about 10,000 B.C.<br />
<blockquote>
Varieties of wheat that have forty-two chromosomes are the most recently evolved and most used types of wheat. All of these varieties have been cultivated by humans (as opposed to growing wild). They are hybrids of twenty-eight-chromosome wheats and wild fourteen-chromosome wheats or grasses. Early bread wheat was the result of the crossing of goat grass (Aegilops) with Triticum turgidum. Modern bread wheat varieties have forty-two chromosomes and evolved from crosses between emmer and goat grass, which is the source of the unique glutenin genes that give bread dough the ability to form gluten.
</blockquote>
During the transformation of ancient wheat to common wheat a few important things have changed:<br />
<ol>
<li>Elevated levels of a starch called amylopectin A - easiest form of amylopectin to break down into glucose therefore raising the blood sugar in the body. </li>
<li>The new wheat with more chromosomes produces a larger variety of gluten proteins which can contribute to inflammation in the body and more cases of celiac disease.</li>
<li>Proteins in wheat are broken down and converted into shorter proteins called polypeptides which are exorphins that bind to receptors in the brain making you "high" and therefore causing an addiction to the wheat itself.</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
When processed by your digestion, the proteins in wheat are converted into shorter proteins, "polypeptides," called "exorphins." They are like the endorphins you get from a runner's high and bind to the opioid receptors in the brain, making you high, and addicted just like a heroin addict. These wheat polypeptides are absorbed into the bloodstream and get right across the blood brain barrier. They are called "gluteomorphins," after "gluten" and "morphine."<br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/wheat-gluten_b_1274872.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/wheat-gluten_b_1274872.html</a></blockquote>
On average Americans eat 180 pounds of wheat per year. If you are not used to thinking about what you eat on a daily basis and actually start adding up what contains wheat you will quickly realize you eat wheat at nearly, or quite literally, every meal. For breakfast we eat cereal, pancakes, french toast, waffles, wheat toast, bagels, biscotti, pop tarts, muffins, scones, all mostly consisting of some form of wheat. For lunch we eat sandwich bread, crackers, croutons, flour tortillas, pasta, pita, pizza, pretzels, and cookies. Dinner is pasta, breaded chicken or fish, rolls, garlic bread, and dessert to follow is cakes, cookies, pies, brownies, cupcakes, or flour based puddings.<br />
<br />
Wheat is hard to escape.<br />
<br />
When one thing can dominate your diet as much as wheat can, and is so in demand by the global market that industrial farming methods are constantly advancing to keep up, that makes me uncomfortable. And when I start reading story headlines in the New York Times and CBS news like "<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57505149/modern-wheat-a-perfect-chronic-poison-doctor-says/">Modern wheat a 'perfect, chronic poison'</a> " and "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/wheat-gluten_b_1274872.html">Three hidden ways wheat is making you fat</a>" I know I should pay attention.<br />
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<h4>
Wheat free for 2 weeks</h4>
For the past 2 weeks I have cut approximately 95% of all wheat products out of my diet just to see how difficult it would be and how I would feel in the end.<br />
<br />
I think everyone should be aware of how certain foods make them feel. Many of us suffer from food allergies and intolerances and just learn to live with the complications instead of making the connection between diet and quality of life.<br />
<br />
As far as overall health I did not feel any different at the end of the two weeks. Digestion stayed the same, overall mood stayed the same, and energy levels as a whole stayed the same.<br />
<br />
What I did notice were the situational changes. Even if I was taking in the same amount of calories I did not feel as tired as I often do right after a meal. I felt as if I was avoiding that 'crash' that often happens at my desk after a big lunch.<br />
<br />
I lost 5 pounds over 2 weeks. I think this had a lot to do with the fact that I had to give up morning pastries - I love a scone or biscotti with coffee. I also had to give up evening snacks like a bowl of cereal or some crackers, and I was skipping the breads with soup or a heavy sandwich with lunch. At a birthday party I actually skipped the cake altogether and instead had a 'fun size' (bullshit on the 'fun' part) payday candy bar because it was laying on the table: Impulse eating at its best.<br />
<br />
Over the past two weeks I began to really realize how easy it is to impulse eat a very high number of calories when you are used to eating wheat as a normal part of the diet. By skipping this one ingredient and without limiting calories on other foods I was still having to avoid a lot of my normal morning and afternoon rituals. Jimmy Johns was out, Starbucks pastries were out, pizza was out, mac and cheese was out, anything you would consider a fast food of any sort was ruled out.<br />
<br />
In conclusion I personally am not convinced that wheat as a whole is bad for someone who is not genetically susceptible to have an intolerance or allergy, but more the exploitation of wheat, be it whole grain or refined white, that is causing us to overindulge in it and increase our intake of calories throughout a typical day quite often without even realizing it.<br />
<br />
Wheat, like everything else in life, should be in moderation.<br />
<br />
<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-77018522107580576272012-11-28T22:50:00.000-05:002012-11-29T14:55:49.699-05:00Don't forget about fiberI'm just as sick of the word fiber as you are. Fiber feels like just another health buzz word that generally doesn't mean anything to me and I roll my eyes at when I see it in extra large font on the front of every cereal box in the aisle.<br />
<br />
I did however recently find out that fiber <i>is</i> important if you cut it out of most of your diet.<br />
<br />
I did a five day <a href="http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2012/11/juicing-for-breakfast-and-lunch-recipe_19.html">morning through lunch juice cleanse</a> recently. This seemed like a perfect solution to many common first world problems I was experiencing; I didn't have time to make breakfast or pack a lunch, and I'm kinda chubby right now so I want to lose a few pounds. Add a brand new juicer to those problems and I was 'cleansing' away - right until dinner time and then eating whatever.<br />
<br />
Fiber is used to push things along in the digestive track. If you take most of your daily fiber away and are still adding things to the digestive track, things won't move along as quickly and discomfort sets in.<br />
<br />
I have since stopped the morning through lunch juice fast.<br />
<br />
Hindsight this seems obvious. The point of a fast or cleanse is to give the digestive a break, not just lose a few pounds by skipping meals and eating whatever at the dinner table. I am still a big supporter of the strict juice cleanse and plan on doing a 7 day cleanse after the holidays pass. I just don't possess that kind of self control to complete a cleanse while everyone else is drinking Holly Nog.<br />
<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-74003359883733159782012-11-19T08:31:00.001-05:002012-11-19T08:31:10.855-05:00Juicing for breakfast and lunch: Recipe day 5<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7u7SKifOu9tBeSUmYO1GRssLGwa7tu8ETAS8AYRacju6bi7X8QtBM0-o9Q7SEdKYrczcvKM9c73BJ0fye3qNCHMVmfgkk_CbxPc8OtgROXgCQ44maVJmkGMdmfOi1mPslLl54aT6bP4C/s1600/day+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7u7SKifOu9tBeSUmYO1GRssLGwa7tu8ETAS8AYRacju6bi7X8QtBM0-o9Q7SEdKYrczcvKM9c73BJ0fye3qNCHMVmfgkk_CbxPc8OtgROXgCQ44maVJmkGMdmfOi1mPslLl54aT6bP4C/s320/day+5.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beet, blueberry, strawberry,<br />pomegranate, carrot, apple juice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today's juice tastes like dirt. A nice big ole glass of fresh compost really. What a way to start the day.<br />
<br />
I hate beets, yet I keep giving beets another chance. I keep hoping my hippie juice loving self will overpower that filthy dirt taste that beets have. I swear this is the last time. I swear I will know better next time. Also, too much beet juice can kill you. Something that gross should kill you.<br />
<br />
However, in small quantity, beet juice is powerful:<br />
<blockquote>
<h3>
Health Value of Beet Juice</h3>
The antioxidants in beet juice provide you with a convenient way to help your body fight free radicals, which damage cells and might contribute to cancer, heart disease and other diseases. Researchers at Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom found that a concentrated shot of beet, also called beetroot, juice has high total antioxidant and polyphenol content. Polyphenols act as antioxidants to block the action of enzymes that cancer cells need for growth. Antioxidants from the beetroot shot were more bioaccessible than those from other vegetable juices, the researchers report in the June 2011 issue of the “Journal of Functional Foods.”<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Read more: <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/555645-dangers-of-juicing-beets/#ixzz2Ccyep1w5" style="border: 0px; color: #003399; cursor: pointer; font-size: 13px; font: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.livestrong.com/article/555645-dangers-of-juicing-beets/#ixzz2Ccyep1w5</a></span></blockquote>
<br />
I also learned that the Omega juicer does not like frozen fruit. Yes, this seems like common sense now. I wanted strawberries and blueberries and it's just not a good time of year to buy them, especially organic. I thought I would try frozen but I more or less just made sherbet out the waste end of the juicer. I was able to thaw the blueberries and successfully use those, but the strawberries appeared to be a mushy mass and wasted.<br />
<br />
Today's juice recipe:
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 small golden beet</li>
<li>1 cup of frozen strawberries (that may or may not have been wasted out the juicer)</li>
<li>2 cups frozen blueberries</li>
<li>1 pomegranate</li>
<li>1 clementine orange my daughter insisted we add</li>
<li>2 organic carrots</li>
<li>1 large organic apple</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-61035640123359033272012-11-18T09:50:00.002-05:002012-11-18T09:50:14.372-05:00Juicing for breakfast and lunch: Recipe day 4Quick photo and recipe <div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPe_yafkJFi3NKAUlusE35yk55WCR6WG-IX-4TsRRDudpKpwJdvqWcC1go-1Y_04-Zyr0mC3UkZO2-JZSx5KYCu854YyZUevW6StJKZad45CeHcu2oO5HGCZtjlUJXDG4UzIe73oyvzMy/s1600/day+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPe_yafkJFi3NKAUlusE35yk55WCR6WG-IX-4TsRRDudpKpwJdvqWcC1go-1Y_04-Zyr0mC3UkZO2-JZSx5KYCu854YyZUevW6StJKZad45CeHcu2oO5HGCZtjlUJXDG4UzIe73oyvzMy/s320/day+4.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber, carrot, pineapple, green grape juice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
Today's drink was refreshing. I really love adding cucumber, it doesn't give any strong flavor but just a crisp refreshing finish. Like summer in a jar. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Today's juice recipe:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>3 large organic carrots </li>
<li>1 cup organic green grapes</li>
<li>1/4 fresh cut pineapple</li>
<li>1 large cucumber</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-79606136537057731922012-11-17T09:14:00.003-05:002012-11-21T13:28:52.648-05:00Juicing for breakfast and lunch: Recipe day 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIF1pujebQxOSR7J_bPbg4YLERv-WtmWM9Lavuo43v0sTcZeOuK1t1BUYI90XYIe9F8XEMN4m3EBMFAIQ0yczms69E7ShzMTQoT-qWFkogGkek1Ii1C8GRfZjYSgx6Y_8m1y7owWpR986M/s1600/day+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIF1pujebQxOSR7J_bPbg4YLERv-WtmWM9Lavuo43v0sTcZeOuK1t1BUYI90XYIe9F8XEMN4m3EBMFAIQ0yczms69E7ShzMTQoT-qWFkogGkek1Ii1C8GRfZjYSgx6Y_8m1y7owWpR986M/s320/day+3.jpg" width="191" /></a>It's Saturday: A day when I usually enjoy sleeping in (well, 7AM) and eating too much breakfast. But I feel good about juicing this morning. I feel motivated.<br />
<br />
Juice recipe for day 3:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Entire bunch of organic kale approx. 15 small stalks</li>
<li>2 bananas</li>
<li>5 clementine oranges </li>
<li>1/2 lime </li>
</ul>
<div>
When using banana the Omega juicer, the juice comes out much thicker, almost like a smoothy. I'm pretty indifferent to the taste of today's juice - it's not great and it's not gross. No major 'grass' factor. </div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-2366603311138538542012-11-16T06:51:00.000-05:002012-11-16T08:51:55.373-05:00Juicing for breakfast and lunch: Recipe day 2<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jZLQjHWaSRkLa6PBXgAKX2FA1yxKA9KnFeQI1SM7y2aSEuKUJNdLAd9Ja0XjyBs3yWSZkzYM2G_vyEhyO0qfsDZAhXufr-tWtmA_HZ_0fAOJdIg1gP6Rk63xn1XR_J92GDMjNdDkQVwI/s1600/day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jZLQjHWaSRkLa6PBXgAKX2FA1yxKA9KnFeQI1SM7y2aSEuKUJNdLAd9Ja0XjyBs3yWSZkzYM2G_vyEhyO0qfsDZAhXufr-tWtmA_HZ_0fAOJdIg1gP6Rk63xn1XR_J92GDMjNdDkQVwI/s320/day+2.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrot, apple, pineapple juice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2012/11/juicing-for-breakfast-and-lunch-recipe.html">Day 1</a> went well, it went really well. I had green juice for breakfast, a plain earl grey tea, and green juice again for lunch, with tons of water in-between. By the time I got home and felt like I was starving, I sat down for a pretty reasonable dinner. It felt like my stomach had kind of shrunk during the day, so I really wasn't able to over stuff myself like I tend to (love to) do. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Whether it was from the nutrients in the juice, or the water that I was finally drinking enough of, I felt really energetic and productive all day.<br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Day 2 is starting great. For once I woke up and just got up. To be fair I don't really think that had a lot to do with juicing, I think it had more to do with the fact that I drank a coffee at like 7PM and I'm a complete child when it comes to caffeine after 1. Either way it feels good. And it's Friday. The real challenge will be if I can continue to have just juice for breakfast and lunch over the weekend. Social pressure is a bitch.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Day 2 Juice Recipe:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>8 organic carrots</li>
<li>1 large organic apple</li>
<li>1/3 fresh cut pineapple</li>
</ul>
<div>
Do you know how to tell if a pineapple is going to be sweet? Pick the pineapple that has the most yellow or gold skin and smell the bottom - a ripe pineapple will smell really sweet! </div>
</div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-51827502540637559532012-11-15T07:40:00.000-05:002012-11-15T08:43:57.015-05:00Juicing for breakfast and lunch: Recipe day 1I'm back to juicing this morning. Once you go to the grocery and buy four bags of fresh fruits and vegetables you've kinda committed. What the hell else are you going to do with an entire grocery bag of kale and 15 pounds of carrots.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja0m4kseFKasXTW5m6fwNBoIPsjjzOfZVnbzRSrJ7nw5FOa2muETic6hX0E7o9SFcCRTNF3A9ijJjwXS_1DsXHPUrkHwC7a5JUGdDwmZYD57DmvT9chyrEhjPoLaOWMQ78evhoh2Erwko/s1600/day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja0m4kseFKasXTW5m6fwNBoIPsjjzOfZVnbzRSrJ7nw5FOa2muETic6hX0E7o9SFcCRTNF3A9ijJjwXS_1DsXHPUrkHwC7a5JUGdDwmZYD57DmvT9chyrEhjPoLaOWMQ78evhoh2Erwko/s320/day+1.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale, cucumber, pear, <br />
apple, green grape juice. <br />
Breakfast and lunch today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm taking a different approach this time as an experiment; instead of doing a strict juice cleanse I will be substituting breakfast and lunch with juice and having a normal dinner with the family. I usually feel a bit guilty (er, jealous) when the family is sitting down to eat together and I'm off in a corner sulking because I'm on a cleanse and only get liquid kale (yeh!). However, in the morning when I'm rushing out the door, and for lunch at work, I really don't care what I eat - whatever is fast and there.<br />
<br />
I am a big supporter of juicing and drinking it within an hour - the juice has the highest level of nutrients and antioxidants during this time. This was something that was actually holding me back from doing a cleanse the past few months; I just don't have the time in the morning and I'm at work without my juicer in the afternoon. Juicing on demand right now is just not possible.<br />
<br />
Well, I'm breaking my own rules. Fresh juice is good for you even if you drink it the next day. Or even after two days. The stuff you buy in the store is months old!<br />
<br />
This time around I'm juicing at night before I go to bed and storing it in sealed Mason jars for the next day's breakfast and lunch. This actually solves a few problems for me at once. I suck at bringing a lunch, bread + cheese or peanut butter is typical. Bringing nothing at all is also typical which 'forces' me (yeh, really have to twist my arm) to get Chipotle. Financially and in terms of waistline this is not what I want. I also suck at eating breakfast. Before children I had nice things like oatmeal with fruit, or an egg on wheat toast. I actually cared about my own personal health and hygiene. Now I'm either sneaking out of the house very quickly before the kids wake up so I can get to work at a reasonable time, or I'm spending all morning getting kids ready and out the door because it's my turn to drop them off. Those quiet mornings of checking email and enjoying breakfast were shot dead long ago along with long showers and a clean house.<br />
<br />
Anyway. Juice.<br />
<br />
Todays recipe:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Approx. 10 stalks of organic Kale </li>
<li>1 large organic apple </li>
<li>2 organic pears</li>
<li>1 large cucumber</li>
<li>1 cup of green grapes</li>
</ul>
<div>
I follow the <a href="http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/guide/">Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen Guide</a> when it comes to buying organics. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This recipe divided perfectly into two pint Mason jars.</div>
<div>
I love adding cucumber to juice recipes. It has a very crisp, fresh taste. This recipe was not overpowering at all in terms of that 'grass' taste some green juices can have. Sweet, but not thick sweet. Really a great morning drink. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-41938751598453178182012-11-12T07:41:00.000-05:002012-11-12T11:45:00.401-05:00What happened to the traditions of Christmas?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0B8OMvc32Ka6y_xYGn5q5nF9TSvi6S7pES0SVuf_dxvUwenfcVN6VN3TN8TlCW8sMkpif0k0Bq2sB9kLTm7V1NIbfwW2VfG7blvjGFlVbO6i_AvB_hLoMmN6D0P66Qnja78xaiMOuHfih/s1600/IMAG1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0B8OMvc32Ka6y_xYGn5q5nF9TSvi6S7pES0SVuf_dxvUwenfcVN6VN3TN8TlCW8sMkpif0k0Bq2sB9kLTm7V1NIbfwW2VfG7blvjGFlVbO6i_AvB_hLoMmN6D0P66Qnja78xaiMOuHfih/s200/IMAG1057.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I caught myself humming along to Jingle Bell Rock at the grocery yesterday. Then I realized, WTF, it's November 11th, and it's 60 degrees outside. It is not Christmas. I didn't even realize it was a Christmas song until I was half way through it. I felt tricked; how dare you make me get into the Christmas spirit before I'm ready. And then I felt very receptive, or one might say paranoid, to the actions of everyone around me. Almost like the Truman Show when Truman starts to suspect that something is not right. Grocery stockers were filling the freezer cases with pre-made pumpkin pies. Shelves were being stocked with Christmas themed giant bags of candy. Christmas versions of everything possible were being displayed: Red and green tortilla chips, Christmas themed pre-packaged Rice Krispy treats, boxes of stuffing mix with holiday images, cans of gravy on the first display as you walk into the store. Depression kicked in pretty bad for me at that moment, that pit in my stomach like someone just broke the news that Santa isn't real.<br />
<br />
My grandmother used to spend two full days making pies. There would be a table just for pie. Pecan pie, blueberry pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie. Pie was special. Pie was made with love. Pie was made with thoughts of family in mind. How can pie be special if I buy it in the freezer section on sale for $4.99 and leave it on the counter to thaw?<br />
<br />
I know there is the argument, why waste all of that time to make a pie when you can just buy one for the same price? Yes, I agree, time is valuable. Making pie may not be the most exciting thing in ones life. Is that not the point though? To hand someone a homemade pie is to say to them, you are worth my time.<br />
<br />
When everything is pre-packaged, pre-made, and in general thoughtless all around you - how can you make the Holidays special?<br />
<br />
I challenge everyone this Holiday season to really make something special. Be it a pie, a handmade gift, or a dish to pass made completely from scratch. Let's get back to what matters.<br />
<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-70197081844873626972012-10-24T07:00:00.000-04:002012-10-24T12:41:19.718-04:00What do chickens need in the winter?This is my second winter having chickens in southern Michigan. Like most new chicken owners, I was very worried about keeping my chickens warm during the cold winters we have here every year. I read a lot of blogs that said heat is essential, and I read a lot of blogs that said I needed to do nothing even on the coldest of days. Still confused on the topic I decided to take each day one at a time and take cue from my chickens behavior.<br />
<br />
My coop setup has a wide open hardware cloth run and two enclosed coop areas. On the coldest of days I assumed my chickens would be bedded deep in their enclosed coop, but time and time again I would go out there to find them huddled on a roost in the open air run. My conclusion: chickens do what chickens want to do. Give them an optional enclosed area to escape a winter blizzard, but most likely they will huddle out in the open air like many birds do all winter long.<br />
<br />
Here is my checklist for getting the chicken coop ready for the cold days that are settling upon us:<br />
<h3>
<b>'Draft proof' the coop</b></h3>
The window, roof, and one wall of my coop setup is just hardware cloth. This is excellent for keeping chickens cool and ventilated in the hot summer days, but too drafty for cold winter ones. Before the real cold days hit I attach some plexiglass to the window, tack on some plywood to the hardware cloth wall, and slide another piece of plywood over the roof. I leave about 2 inches on each side of the roof open for ventilation. I also leave the small hardware cloth windows right below the roofline open for ventilation in the pallet coop. The difference I learned between a draft and ventilation is the number of openings you have in the coop and how they are related to each. Example of a draft would be an open window opposite an opening in the roof - this senario allows air to cross the entire coop creating a breeze. Ventilation would be just an open window near the top of the coop, or a small opening in the roof - this allows ammonia and stale air to escape, but will not create a cross breeze.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SaGgTt5ggOW5RpmRCZ88QRvYs-EbT6oAP8hIChNtT8W_Ir6naSBoG8Kd0ysnTZNwcoCVeiTql34JuC8Y1SmRSlKVshlALwNvlFPo9fzTDOa5Buf2p7r5PGEQm_zpv9s4wZbtFIjojqHZ/s1600/chicken-coop-winterize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SaGgTt5ggOW5RpmRCZ88QRvYs-EbT6oAP8hIChNtT8W_Ir6naSBoG8Kd0ysnTZNwcoCVeiTql34JuC8Y1SmRSlKVshlALwNvlFPo9fzTDOa5Buf2p7r5PGEQm_zpv9s4wZbtFIjojqHZ/s640/chicken-coop-winterize.jpg" width="580" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click image to enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Make a water plan</b></h3>
Last winter I made a mistake that cost my rooster half of his comb; I forgot to give my chickens water for a day and a half. I don't exactly know what the relationship is between fresh water and keeping warm when it comes to chickens, but that was the only day my rooster's comb was frostbitten, and it was not the coldest day of the winter by far. During warm months I fill two water containers for the coop and that will last the chickens 3 or 4 days if I forget to refill them in between. In the winter the water can freeze within an hour of placing it in the coop. The heated water containers seem overpriced so I bought 4 regular plastic ones and just switch them out in the morning and night when the temperatures are freezing. Make a plan early on, something that works with your schedule. A heated water base is probably worth the investment and I may break down and buy one this month to prepare for the cold ahead.<br />
<div>
<h3>
<b>Deep litter clean out</b></h3>
I use the <a href="http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2011/10/deep-litter-method-for-chickens.html">deep litter method</a> and only clean the coops out once a year, usually in late fall. Deep litter allows you to build up the litter in your coop without actually deep cleaning it. It is a method of turning the droppings under and allowing natural decomposition. Good ventilation is necessary using this method, it keeps the bedding dry and allows any ammonia to escape. In the fall I like to take all of the litter out and put it in my garden beds. This is great for the garden and ensures a deep fresh layer of pine shavings for my chickens. I don't get out to check on the chickens as much when the days get dark in Michigan, starting fresh bedding at this time makes me feel less guilty for some reason when I don't get out to check on them every day.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Shovel a path</b></h3>
Ok, this is optional but my chickens appreciated it. When snow finally falls I like to shovel a small path outside of their coop so they have a little room to roam. My chickens tolerated light snow, but wanted nothing to do with the deep stuff. They clucked their appreciation when they were still able to find bits of frozen grass along the shoveled path.<br />
<br /></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-79766718176110721262012-09-05T22:36:00.000-04:002012-09-06T15:42:58.219-04:00Organic Is Better Than Conventional. Usually. Unless it's not.Does anyone else feel like this <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2012/september/organic.html">Stanford study</a> is nothing new?<br />
<br />
The study, if you have not yet heard, stated that there is little evidence proving that organic foods are better or more nutritious for your health than conventional foods. Is a strawberry called by any other name just as sweet?<br />
<br />
The fact is there can be differences in nutritional values in any fruit or vegetable based on climate, soil, water, ripeness when picked, and more. I would assume there are certain situations where an organic food could actually have less nutritional value than a comparable conventional food item depending on conditions of growth and time of harvest.<br />
<br />
What should be focused on, and what I'm concerned about, are the long term effects of organic products for the consumer's health during their lifetime, and the effects on our Mother Earth.<br />
<br />
There is usually less pesticide residue on a certified organic food product as compared to a non-organic food product; I say usually because not all foods that are grown in an organic fashion are always labeled organic. Many times at a farmers market you can talk with the farmer and they will let you know if the food was 'sprayed' or not, meaning if pesticides were used. The term organic is a very vague term when used to describe a certain food: There is 'certified USDA organic' and there is also the practice of growing a certain crop in an organic fashion, meaning no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, but not going through the actual process to be officially certified.<br />
<br />
The quality of life for livestock is usually better when raised on an organic farm. Again I say usually because the term organic can be such a vague term. At a large scale level, the minimum requirements to provide a certain quality of life for the animal is set at a higher standard to be registered organic than it does to be a conventional farm. Yes, of course, a small scale family farm that is not registered organic would likely provide a better quality of life than a registered organic large scale farm, but the minimum requirements set a slightly higher quality of life that you can usually count on when lost in the super market aisle (of course I will say <i>usually</i> because there are always corporations trying to take advantage of consumer trust and not living up to the standard).<br />
<br />
Also, certified organic food cannot contain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism">GMO</a>. Or at least cannot be known to contain GMO, there is always the likelihood of cross contamination from conventional farming that could cause an organic crop to contain a certain percent of GMO, and a farmer that isn't certified organic does not mean that his crop does contain GMO. See how vague and confusing the term organic is?<br />
<br />
Most people who buy certified organic, at least the people I know, are not doing it strictly from the belief that it is more nutritious. I had several 'non-organic' people send me the link to the study out of what I felt to be a 'I TOLD YA SO' moment, but the study was no surprise to me. It has a catchy headline that conventional Walmart shoppers love to read (do they read?) and point and say, 'see I told ya'. I'm sticking with organic, local, pesticide free, fair trade, or whatever seems appropriate in the situation. Not all organics are created equal, not all conventional foods are created equal. Know your farmer and become his/her friend. They hold the power, they have the knowledge. Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-11014491237805318932012-07-08T17:15:00.000-04:002013-10-18T09:05:19.124-04:00Is Peace Tea All Natural?<a href="http://www.peaceicedtea.com/">Peace Tea</a> was pretty popular in my world for about 3 weeks. I guess I should have known it was too good to be true; <a href="http://www.peaceicedtea.com/">Peace Tea</a> is only 99 cents, has only 150 total calories for a large 23 oz can, it tastes sweet yet retains the tea flavor, and it is widely available in the cold section of almost any convenience store.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawL3-HlrqlH6UVs_HGs4vQS5rnLVhm6kMr_X2CEVGZ1rmR3JfZ2LvRVMwgHtQE7TolS6J21ztxjaHMPCnMsy8oc0zTWW-uI2evl3orqmuoNcGcXP1GpIVdZRNM5TMNjb8lYOlh5nxuwcF/s1600/IMAG1593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawL3-HlrqlH6UVs_HGs4vQS5rnLVhm6kMr_X2CEVGZ1rmR3JfZ2LvRVMwgHtQE7TolS6J21ztxjaHMPCnMsy8oc0zTWW-uI2evl3orqmuoNcGcXP1GpIVdZRNM5TMNjb8lYOlh5nxuwcF/s320/IMAG1593.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
There are so many times when even I get confused by marketing loopholes like this one. The outside of the can is fun and sexy, like Woodstock if it was on a golf course and Bill Murray was there. Doesn't Bill Murray just make everything seem awesome? There are four 'wooden' markers on the side of the can stating that this product is 100% natural tea, no artificial flavors, no preservatives, and no artificial colors. A quick nutrition label check proves there are only 50 calories, well 50 calories per serving but I'm smart enough to do the math and see there are an approximate 3 servings per can which calculates to 150 calories. A little tricky of them to assume either 3 people will share this can, or I will save it for 3 different servings on different occasions and not drink it all at once, but 150 calories really isn't that bad compared to the other options on store shelves.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPPyGgAWOYcL3PdMjAk57OuNqyGBqnU7Q8ylFtW5TK1n4za37Bo9VRwyr9ZHH8hCjxDQkbm1RJ_Yx9osHVYnZKJBLPTNoNqB1DeUvyc_ExdEZkTQv8MMdzWtAPoqt0Yt6m0ZzEQ8WuRZi/s1600/IMAG1591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPPyGgAWOYcL3PdMjAk57OuNqyGBqnU7Q8ylFtW5TK1n4za37Bo9VRwyr9ZHH8hCjxDQkbm1RJ_Yx9osHVYnZKJBLPTNoNqB1DeUvyc_ExdEZkTQv8MMdzWtAPoqt0Yt6m0ZzEQ8WuRZi/s320/IMAG1591.jpg" width="191" /></a>It wasn't until I had been buying these fairly frequently that I checked the full ingredients label; and there it was - <b>Sucralose</b>. "How can that be?" I asked myself, "the label clearly indicates it's 100% Natural Tea!" Ah yes, loop-holes. 100% Natural Tea does not say anything about the rest of the ingredients, it is only stating that the tea used in this drink is natural. Duh, of course tea is natural. And my presumption when I saw the word "no" paired with "artificial flavors, preservatives, and colors" was that it was saying <i>nothing</i> was artificial, wrong again. I would presume that this company wanted to make a cheap beverage, widely available, that is still low in calories. With all of the 'antioxidants in tea' rage right now, and market demand for 'all natural' products, they buried their sins at the bottom of the bottle.<br />
<br />
Sucralose may not be the worst thing in the world, but it is definitely not natural.<br />
<blockquote>
Tate & Lyle manufactures sucralose at a plant in Jurong, Singapore. Formerly, it was produced at a plant in McIntosh, Alabama. It is manufactured by the selective chlorination of sucrose (table sugar), which substitutes three of the hydroxyl groups with chloride. This chlorination is achieved by selective protection of the primary alcohol groups followed by acetylation and then deprotection of the primary alcohol groups. Following an induced acetyl migration on one of the hydroxyl groups, the partially acetylated sugar is then chlorinated with a chlorinating agent such as phosphorus oxychloride, followed by removal of the acetyl groups to give sucralose.<br />
Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose">wikipedia</a></blockquote>
<br />
I don't really know what any of that scientific mumbo jumbo means, but I'm pretty sure I shouldn't need it to explain to me what is in something I'm drinking.<br />
<br />
More proof that the more money you spend on your marketing team, the more likely it is that you're trying to sell a bad product.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4XVxxaGvd-SXH9EsMCiMxhHQBmqEIA69sL-Ah83Wp-iVPCuBPOQEzIgTFXqYAn5kTDWC5iPAiM_eE0EjN34MZvvU2mnuXsBf90xA5AdiiJBTyxQj_YTRDGRvIf9RK6ZAQtOSfQDmQb6q/s1600/IMAG1588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4XVxxaGvd-SXH9EsMCiMxhHQBmqEIA69sL-Ah83Wp-iVPCuBPOQEzIgTFXqYAn5kTDWC5iPAiM_eE0EjN34MZvvU2mnuXsBf90xA5AdiiJBTyxQj_YTRDGRvIf9RK6ZAQtOSfQDmQb6q/s400/IMAG1588.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients label for Peace Tea Caddy Shack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-84319911530812231232012-07-01T23:19:00.000-04:002012-07-02T11:47:11.135-04:00How to brine a chicken<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUA6O_fobDBbRLm7nrt_F_ZJdQ1957z48E8sYYsB_t__osd2fYhgxzxw6Ux1Vgzlm-QLDzKbZx-JJou5OUj74QpXi-fh_gUaFl4HzECVxi3kSbtn9BIwEIx2awP1oykXIakAn58i14_HlW/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUA6O_fobDBbRLm7nrt_F_ZJdQ1957z48E8sYYsB_t__osd2fYhgxzxw6Ux1Vgzlm-QLDzKbZx-JJou5OUj74QpXi-fh_gUaFl4HzECVxi3kSbtn9BIwEIx2awP1oykXIakAn58i14_HlW/s320/IMG_0809.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dorking Rooster using a brine solution. <br />
Tender, flavorful, and juicy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you do not brine, you should.<br />
I brine, therefore I am.<br />
<br />
Brining adds incredible depth and flavor to any cut of meat, but especially to those tough, cheap cuts that are usually hard to work with.<br />
<br />
I have cooked approximately eight home grown chickens now, and exactly one of them has been exceptional. I raise Dorkings which are a slow grown, hearty bird with dramatically dark flavorful meat. Each one I have cooked has placed the bar well above a store bought chicken, but only one had me begging for more: a year old Dorking rooster who mistakenly put his spurs up to my daughter and met his fate the following morning. Usually a vigorous rooster of this age would be very chewy and tough. I was worried he would be unpalatable, so I finally tried using a brine. I have had an aversion to brining under the assumption that it would take away the flavor of the meat and instead make it salty. I am a cook who prefers the true flavor of the food, not the mandatory masking of salt and pepper. I wish I did not wait all this time to try brining, the results were remarkable.<br />
<br />
I did some research on what brining actually does to the meat, since I can never settle for 'It just works.'<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
FYI It works like this:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Meat cells contain a concentration of salt.</li>
<li>The brine that the meat is soaking in has a higher concentration of salt than the cells in the meat.</li>
<li>Through the magic of osmosis the concentration level of the salt in the meat cells and the concentration level of salt in the brine attempt to balance.</li>
<li>The water transfers from the meat cells to try to balance the concentration of the salt solution between the cells and the brine.</li>
<li>The water in the cell moves from the cell to the space surrounding the cell so the ratio of salt to water within the cell is at a higher concentration which will balance with the solution that it is soaking in.</li>
<li>This might seem confusing as it appears through basic osmosis the meat would end up dry and salty, however, there is more than just osmosis taking place here...</li>
<li>As water moves out of the cells salt moves in and begins to break down some of the proteins in the meat cells.</li>
<li>Cell membranes are semipermeable and allow both salt and water to flow back and forth freely.</li>
<li>To make things even more complex, larger molecules like denatured proteins and other solutes the meat released by the salt cannot pass through the cell barrier.</li>
<li>So... This transfer of salts and water back and forth 'trap' the larger solutes and proteins until the pressure from holding more solvent equals the rate at which the solvent is moving through the semipermeable membrane, this is the definition of osmotic pressure.</li>
<li>Brining actually changes the state of the cells so they hold more water than they did before, resulting in tender and juicy cuts of meat.</li>
<li>If you brine for too long the meat will taste quite salty, but still edible.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Since I had no prior experience with brining, and I was of course worried this rooster would be too tough to eat, I actually let the bird brine for a week straight. As far as #12 on the how it works list goes, that is straight from experience. Yes the rooster was salty, it was very very tender, but still exceptionally tasty.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>Basic Recipe</u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A basic brine consists of 1/2 cup - 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. Kosher salt because it is usually an inexpensive choice.</div>
<div>
The brine solution varies depending on the structure of meat and the time you plan to brine.</div>
<div>
More salt typically means less time brining.</div>
<div>
Place the meat in the solution using a non reactive container (stainless steel, plastic, ceramic...) and keep in the refrigerator, or at approximately 40 degrees for 2 - 6 hours.</div>
<div>
Meat should be completely covered in brining solution, rinse meat after brining is complete, and do not reuse the brine solution.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>Flavorful Recipe</u></b></div>
<div>
This is the recipe that I used for a very tough rooster and it turned out tender, juicy, and full of flavor</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1 gallon water</div>
<div>
1/2 cup kosher salt</div>
<div>
2/3 cup sugar</div>
<div>
1/2 cup soy sauce</div>
<div>
1/4 cup olive oil</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stir all ingredients in a large non reactive container until dissolved. </div>
<div>
Place the meat in the solution making sure the brine covers all of the meat.</div>
<div>
Refrigerate anywhere from 4 hours to overnight, or for a saltier taste and very tender meat you can even leave the meat in the brining solution for several days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfhZJwqaAFDxq-yX7xf5WCIoT-tuXNvfGHzwLq7Mj2eMwPiUHmE0uc86rGpQ21jax_w9-eJ7_OjIvyiCCyBd0h2FIQSeH7ALu4r6zFZc3J5tBM6fprkmgeDmf8AcnAw4u1XsEwzw2X9NU/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfhZJwqaAFDxq-yX7xf5WCIoT-tuXNvfGHzwLq7Mj2eMwPiUHmE0uc86rGpQ21jax_w9-eJ7_OjIvyiCCyBd0h2FIQSeH7ALu4r6zFZc3J5tBM6fprkmgeDmf8AcnAw4u1XsEwzw2X9NU/s400/IMG_0802.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much left it was so good! </td></tr>
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</div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-42880296034736202552012-06-11T07:33:00.000-04:002012-06-11T15:51:51.531-04:00Free Range vs Cage Free vs Organic EggsAn egg is an egg is an egg.... or not...<br />
<br />
Marketing at its best once again. Words like 'natural' and 'cage free' are being placed on egg cartons with Zen like images making you believe the eggs you are buying are from hens who live a life of desperate housewives luxury.<br />
<br />
If the eggs you buy do not have a label indicating otherwise, they are most likely eggs produced in a conventional farming environment. The USDA's recommendation for factory egg production is to give the hen approximately 4 inches of feeding space, hens are commonly packed four to a cage
measuring just 16 inches wide. This does not leave the hen any room to spread her wings, stretch her legs, or participate in any natural behaviors. Illness is often wide spread and casualties are common. <br />
<br />
<br />
Lets decode what marketing labels on an egg carton actually mean:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Natural</b><br /><a href="http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2008/08/politics-of-the-plate-natural-labeling">According to the FDA the word 'natural' means nothing at all</a>. <br />Natural means nothing. Please make no assumptions what-so-ever when you see the word.</li>
<br />
<li><b>Cage Free</b><br />The marketing term 'Cage Free' means the hens are not restricted by a cage, but are usually kept indoors in a hen house or other large
facility. They are generally allowed to roam freely and have free access to food
and water. This is obviously better than the conventional method, however, hens are still often fighting for space of their own and don't necessarily gain any access to pasture or sun. </li>
<br />
<li> <b>Free Range</b> or <b>Free Roaming</b><br />This is another term that is not regulated by the USDA. This generally indicates the hen is cage free and has some access to the outdoors. There are no <span class="st">specifications to the quality or size of the outside range, it could quite literally be a small door to a 2' x 2' space that is not even used. </span></li>
<br />
<li><span class="st"> <b>Certified Organic</b><br />This is a regulated term. The hens are un-caged and required to have outdoor access, but again the amount of time or quality of outdoor access is not defined. The feed must be certified organic free of antibiotics, pesticides, and animal bi-products. </span>Beak cutting and <a href="http://default.pub30.convio.net/farm/resources/research/economics/forced_molting_econ.html">forced molting</a> through starvation are still permitted. </li>
<br />
<li><b>United Egg Producers Certified<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">This is a laughable certification. All common cruel factory practices are allowed including the recommended 67 inches of space per hen (less than a sheet of paper). <br /><br /><span style="color: orange;">BEST CHOICE</span></span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><b>Animal <u>Welfare</u> Approved</b>: I underline the word <i>Welfare</i> because there are other similarly named certifications, Welfare is a key term. This is the highest animal welfare
standards of any third-party auditing program. Hens are cage-free with continuous outdoor access. Perching access and the ability to perform natural behaviors such as dust bathing are required. Requirements are set for space and nesting boxes. <a href="http://animalwelfareapproved.org/" target="_blank">Animal Welfare Approved</a> is a program of the Animal Welfare Institute. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b></li>
<br />
<li><b>Vegetarian-Fed:</b> This is an interesting term to me because I know my chickens get a lot of protein and nutrients from the bugs and grubs they find in pasture. This label indicates that the birds' feed does not contain
animal byproducts, which does not directly say anything about the condition of the living conditions.
<br /><br /><span style="color: orange;">GOOD CHOICE</span></li>
<li><b>Food Alliance Certified:</b> A third party certification that requires the hens live cage-free with access to outdoors or natural daylight. Natural behaviors such as nesting, perching and dust bathing must be able to be performed. Requirements for stocking density, perching, space
and nesting boxes are also defined. Starvation-based molting is prohibited but beak cutting
is still allowed. Food
Alliance Certified is a program of the <a href="http://www.foodalliance.org/poultry" target="_blank">Food Alliance</a>. <br /><br /> </li>
</ul>
<span class="st"><a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/guide_egg_labels.html">The Humane Society</a> is a great source of information when it comes to regulations with factory farming and the truth in labels. </span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970153806441842849.post-50427178427073068792012-05-16T22:33:00.000-04:002013-09-23T15:52:20.681-04:00Natural Way to Cure a Cold or Flu: Jalapenos<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2525/3950077368_3c98df3da7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2525/3950077368_3c98df3da7.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cure your cold with jalapenos<br />
Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjmartin/">cjmartin</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I will take no responsibility for those who are not accustomed to eating spicy food and attempt this on their own with the result of a <u>very</u> unpleasant bathroom experience the following day. You may want to slowly build up your tolerance to hot peppers prior to trying this cold cure. <br />
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For those of you who enjoy spicy food on a regular basis like me, you will find this process not only tasty, but a damn miracle.<br />
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I have tried this jalapeno cure on four different occasions now. I am of the solid opinion that it is not coincidence, but a scientific fact that taking in a large amount of hot peppers right as a cold or sore throat is coming upon you, will in fact kill any virus even attempting to hinder your general positive disposition about life.<br />
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The most recent case of this cure working was this past weekend. My husband and both kids have had a pretty strong cold for about a week and a half. My husband even had a low fever for half of a day, with sore throat, major congestion in his sinuses and chest, with a deep uncomfortable hacking cough. I knew it would creep up on me at some point. Part of "the cure" (not to be confused with the iconic rock band) is being totally honest with yourself and really understanding when your health is being compromised. I take note of these things by feeling the lymph nodes in my neck, just under my jaw bone, and noting any pain or swelling. Also that familiar tickle in your nose or throat is a good indicator that hell is settling upon you. This is the moment you need to take action.<br />
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As soon as I felt the sickness coming on I upped my fluid intake. Iced green tea and water all day long. At least 60 ounces of fluid. I am also a fan of <a href="http://www.zicam.com/">zicam</a>. Zicam works when taken every 3 hours for at least 2 days. But those two things were not enough. This sickness was created by the devil himself and he was not going away without some sort of fiddle showdown. This was a job for jalapenos.<br />
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I bought a jar of the plain pickled jalapeno slices. I placed two flour tortillas in a cast iron on the stove with a thick slice of cheddar on each. Once the cheese was melted and the tortilla toasted I placed them on a plate and spread out approximately 10 slices of jalapeno on each tortilla. I knew it was gonna be flamin' hot, so I put a dollop of sour cream on each one to kill the heat a little. <br />
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A box of tissues to my right, and I dove in. I like to eat these as fast as I can so I can get them down before the major heat sets in and I become a crying baby. <br />
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I needed a cold glass of almond milk after to cool things off, but I felt amazing "oooohhh it burns so good." The snot was draining out like a faucet and I could feel my throat clear immediately. It's not necessarily the heat that cures you, because after about an hour your nose and throat will have mucus in it again, but it's the capsaicin in the peppers that has a powerful antimicrobial property that boosts your immunity to fight off the infection. So eating one or two peppers will not give you the long term immunity boost, it will just temporarily clear your sinuses. <br />
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I still felt sick that evening, but when I woke up the next day I could tell the cold was almost gone. My nose was clear and my lymph nodes did not hurt anymore. It's been 4 days since I ate the jalapenos, I feel tired this week like my body is working overtime to keep me healthy, but I have had no congestion, sore throat, sinus problems, or fever like my husband and kids have had.<br />
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Like I said, this same story has happened about 4 different times now. I feel a major cold coming on while everyone else is sick around me and I hit it as hard as I can. And every time it disappears with little to no symptoms at all.<br />
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If nothing else, it's a good excuse to make a pile of nachos for dinner.Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143489710058190187noreply@blogger.com57