Is it important for a vegan to be concerned about vitamin B12?
This important question came to my attention when I came across a video of a woman who gave up a raw vegan diet because she had a B12 deficiency. This subject is a very important one that shouldn't be ignored because it can cost our health.
The answer I give is not based on my opinion but is based on the research of my uncle Dr. Milton G. Crane MD who was an endocrinologist and the director of research at one of the oldest vegan whole plant food health recovery medical institutes, Weimar Institute in Northern California. He told my husband and I that even meat eaters can have a B12 deficiency. His recommendation was not milk, eggs, cheese or dead animals. His recommendation was to take B12 supplements---the dots that go under the tongue. He said that it has to be mixed with the saliva to get the benefit so the dots are ideal for that reason.
A simple supplement is far safer than any animal product and will save us from serious nerve damage.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Gone Batty
Imagine the surprise we had yesterday when I got up and found myself in the flight path of a bat in the bedroom. He was kind enough to avoid me but I was afraid to open my mouth to talk to Jon about what should be done about the bat.
He had gotten into the room through the attic door that we had left open for cooling the house.
I quickly closed the door to the rest of the house, closed the curtain that I had just opened and then opened the door to the balcony. Soon the little friend found the exit and made a hasty exit.
Later I read a book about bats and found out some very interesting stuff about the little friend. One thing that I found intersting is that some bats eat their weight in bugs in a night. I like that idea.
He had gotten into the room through the attic door that we had left open for cooling the house.
I quickly closed the door to the rest of the house, closed the curtain that I had just opened and then opened the door to the balcony. Soon the little friend found the exit and made a hasty exit.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Scents
I was walking in the woods and didn't see the blooming flowers from the Buckeye tree. I had no idea that they were still in bloom but as I reached down for a stick my dog had left in my path for me to find there was the sweet fregrance of the Buckeye. It reminded me of how so often we go about our lives not noticing the blessings that the Lord surrounds us with. He doesn't quit giving them if we neglect to notice them but in his mercy he continues to bless us. How sad our lives would be if God were to give up on us as quickly as we give up on people.
It also reminds me of the carnation flower. When I was a child they all had the wonderful spicy scent but as the years have passed man in his "wisdom" has bred out the scent that makes them prized by so many people. How sad to find one that has no smell.
It also reminds me of the carnation flower. When I was a child they all had the wonderful spicy scent but as the years have passed man in his "wisdom" has bred out the scent that makes them prized by so many people. How sad to find one that has no smell.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Our Food Philosophy
So what is our philosophy about food? What do we understand to be healthy? Is it raw food that only gives health? Is it whatever is popular---food fads?
We promote "whole plant food eaten whole" as the healthiest way to eat. Unrefined, unprocessed in a natural state with simple easy preparation that is appetizing and nutritious. All raw is not the best. Some nutrients are better when cooked. An example of that is lycopine that is found in tomatoes is more available when cooked. Grains should be well cooked and some vegetables are more digestible when lightly cooked. We generally do not mix fruits and vegetables at the same meal because this causes digestion problems which affects the health. We do not rely on smoothies, green drinks or juice fasting or feasting. We use whole raw nuts that are the most nutritious and digestable and avoid roasted nuts. We use olives and avocadoes in abundance. Plain salt cured olives are good for digestive problems and are healthy enough to be eaten every day. Neither olives, raw nuts or avocadoes will cause obesity but rather are health restoring.
Some people point to "live enzymes" and call cooked food as being dead but there is much more to food than enzymes and raw is not always most digestible.
We feel that food should be palatable, nutritious and easy to prepare.
We use no refined fats such as oils or margarine. We use no refined grains such as white flour, "whole wheat flour" that is lacking the germ, white rice, pearled barley or things of that kind. We use no alcohol or vinegar or other rotten substances. We do not use refined sweeteners such as white sugar, brown sugar, "cane juice", nutri-sweet, honey or etc. We do use active yeast. We cook more or less 50 percent with 50 percent raw. We never count calories, we don't encourage dieting but rather a lifetime change of lifestyle that will give lifelong health. We use B12 supplements and encourage everyone to do the same. We know that a salt free diet isn't healthy--- we encourage the moderate use of salt of about 1/2 teaspoon per day. We know from experience that weekly cheating or occasional indulgence is a lie and that good health can never be achieved with those methods because the cravings for the unhealthy foods will continue with that method. It is actually easier to make a total break from unhealthy food and let our taste buds forget what it tasted like than it is to torture oneself with a weekly indulgence. It is better to create a new favorite food list than it is to try to retain the old list and keep wishing we could go back to it. When tempted to indulge move those thoughts to what is good and healthy such as our brownie recipe or our strawberry shake. They taste good and there is no guilt associated with them.
We promote "whole plant food eaten whole" as the healthiest way to eat. Unrefined, unprocessed in a natural state with simple easy preparation that is appetizing and nutritious. All raw is not the best. Some nutrients are better when cooked. An example of that is lycopine that is found in tomatoes is more available when cooked. Grains should be well cooked and some vegetables are more digestible when lightly cooked. We generally do not mix fruits and vegetables at the same meal because this causes digestion problems which affects the health. We do not rely on smoothies, green drinks or juice fasting or feasting. We use whole raw nuts that are the most nutritious and digestable and avoid roasted nuts. We use olives and avocadoes in abundance. Plain salt cured olives are good for digestive problems and are healthy enough to be eaten every day. Neither olives, raw nuts or avocadoes will cause obesity but rather are health restoring.
Some people point to "live enzymes" and call cooked food as being dead but there is much more to food than enzymes and raw is not always most digestible.
We feel that food should be palatable, nutritious and easy to prepare.
We use no refined fats such as oils or margarine. We use no refined grains such as white flour, "whole wheat flour" that is lacking the germ, white rice, pearled barley or things of that kind. We use no alcohol or vinegar or other rotten substances. We do not use refined sweeteners such as white sugar, brown sugar, "cane juice", nutri-sweet, honey or etc. We do use active yeast. We cook more or less 50 percent with 50 percent raw. We never count calories, we don't encourage dieting but rather a lifetime change of lifestyle that will give lifelong health. We use B12 supplements and encourage everyone to do the same. We know that a salt free diet isn't healthy--- we encourage the moderate use of salt of about 1/2 teaspoon per day. We know from experience that weekly cheating or occasional indulgence is a lie and that good health can never be achieved with those methods because the cravings for the unhealthy foods will continue with that method. It is actually easier to make a total break from unhealthy food and let our taste buds forget what it tasted like than it is to torture oneself with a weekly indulgence. It is better to create a new favorite food list than it is to try to retain the old list and keep wishing we could go back to it. When tempted to indulge move those thoughts to what is good and healthy such as our brownie recipe or our strawberry shake. They taste good and there is no guilt associated with them.
Psycology's Boxes
I was recently talking with an acquaintance who told me that someone was "controlling". As I considered the comment I recognized that this was the way the psychologist looks at people. They have this great desire to put people in boxes and label them. The problem with this idea is that it is rooted in evil surmising. It doesn't look at the uniqueness or the motivation of the person and with that label comes a host of methods of dealing with the person according to the misconception of the one doing the evil surmising and the psychologist that has never met the one under consideration. The person in this case was a very kind and loving person who was trying to help the evil surmiser. Their efforts were being viewed from a perspective that didn't look at the motives but only the self centered perspective of the one that had listened to pop psychology. Christ said, "If ye love me keep my commandments". This worldly view of others would label God as being a "control freak" but they fail to see the love that motivates God. It is love that prompts a parent to keep their child from swallowing a bottle of pills---it is love that prompts a parent to grab their child as they begin to dart in front of a car and it was love that prompted the actions of this person to help their friend but it was selfishness that labeled his efforts as being controlling. How I wish people could see beyond the labels and see the person and learn to love them not because they are perfect but because they just might have some wisdom to share that would save them from making a serious mistake. My fear is that selfishness and ingratitude is often what prompts such labeling of other people. I hope that we can all see beyond the appearances and look deeper from the perspective of the other person. Put the best motives on their actions and treat them kindly and our own health will be better. Labels do nothing to help a relationship, they only block communication and create a wall of discontent.
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