I am so excited to have Amy from Well Fed Family discuss her journey with food and give us all some ideas on foods that help with immunity. Not only are Amy and her sister Lee passionate about health, with good food being a cornerstone of their philosophy, they are also passionate about teaching others how to eat healthy on a budget. They have DVD's, U-tube videos, and tons of great information on their website. If you have not been there, go on over and check them out.
Now, on to the article:
A little more than ten years ago my family began making major dietary changes that have resulted in much better health for all of us. Up to that time my children were prescribed antibiotics several times every year for ear infections and upper respiratory infections, I had my share of bad colds that seemed to last forever, and one of my children had chronic constipation that disrupted our family life for three years. Today, more than a decade and two children later, we are free from medications and sicknesses are no longer the rule. My youngest, born about 7 years after our diet changes, has never had medication of any kind, nor has she ever been to the doctor for a sick visit.
A little more than ten years ago my family began making major dietary changes that have resulted in much better health for all of us. Up to that time my children were prescribed antibiotics several times every year for ear infections and upper respiratory infections, I had my share of bad colds that seemed to last forever, and one of my children had chronic constipation that disrupted our family life for three years. Today, more than a decade and two children later, we are free from medications and sicknesses are no longer the rule. My youngest, born about 7 years after our diet changes, has never had medication of any kind, nor has she ever been to the doctor for a sick visit.
Our food philosophy stems from our faith in God and our
trust that since He is our creator, He knows better than anyone else what we
should eat for good health. We try to
eat only foods that He created, and to eat them as close as possible to the way
He created them. Modern research
continues to prove that whole, unprocessed foods contain an abundance of
life-giving nutrients which are exactly what our bodies need for good health. Processing strips away essential nutrients
leaving us with nutrition-less food that is difficult to digest. This eventually wears down our digestive
system, making us susceptible to sickness and disease. But the foods that God created, eaten the way
He created them, will support all the functions of our bodies so they can
operate the way He intended. The food
that God created will actually build up your immune system rather than tear it
down.
Following is a list of specific foods that are well
documented to boost and support our immune systems. These are all foods that have been consumed
by healthy cultures throughout history for the specific purpose of supporting
good health. They are easy to digest and
even have positive synergistic effects when eaten together.
Fermented Cod Liver
Oil (FCLO)
Cod liver oil is an old fashioned, traditional food that
wise and healthy people have been consuming for generations. When consumed daily, FCLO could be the
number one immunity boosting food out there.
FCLO has the proper ratio of important vitamins in just the right
amount, therefore it supplies our body with superior nutrition that is easily
digested. For more information about
this amazing super food and its benefits, visit this website: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/fermented-cod-liver-oil-best-supplement/
Fermented Foods
Cultures worldwide have relied on fermented foods for
generations to support good health.
Fermenting increases a food’s
nutrition and causes it to become rich in probiotics. This combination creates an easy to digest
food that fights bad bacteria in your gut.
The result is a healthier gut and therefore stronger immune system. Read
this excellent article by Dr. Joseph Mercola for a detailed discussion on the
benefits of fermented foods, including a demonstration video: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/01/fermented-vegetables.aspx. My family especially loves to make fermented
salsa. We eat it with more than just
chips (as a topping for most anything!).
Visit this link for the recipe: http://wellfedfamily.net/delicious-homemade-fermented-salsa/
Kefir, a form of fermented dairy, is economical and simple
to make: pour whole milk (from pastured
cows) into a jar with the kefir grains, cover it with a paper towel or
cheesecloth, and leave it to sit on the counter for approximately 12 hours. For
detailed directions, visit this site: http://wellfedfamily.net/milk-kefir/ Because the fermentation process neutralizes
the allergenic properties of the milk, kefir can often be consumed by those
with milk allergies. However, for more
severe dairy allergies, coconut milk will work.
Stock
Stock is probably the quintessential traditional food. Grandmas for generations intuitively knew
that, used daily, stock would provide continuous protection from many
infectious diseases. Today the research
proves it. Stock provides easily assimilated minerals such as calcium,
magnesium, and potassium. Stock is also rich in gelatin, which is especially
healing and soothing to your gut. A
tired, stressed body doesn’t have to work hard in order to reap these
benefits. The key to good stock is to
make it yourself, using plenty of bony, meaty pieces (such as the leftover
carcass from your Thanksgiving turkey or roast chicken; chicken necks, backs,
and wings; chicken feet; beef marrow bones, knuckle bones, and traditional soup
bones); add a tablespoon or so of vinegar to help leach the minerals from the
bones; and simmer the stock for at least 24 hours. For a detailed how-to video with more
information about the benefits of stock, visit this site: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-traditional-stocks-and-soups/
Old Fashioned Animal
FAT
Saturated fat, demonized for the past century, is actually
very good for you. Historically, fat was crucial
for good health; all cultures consumed a high fat diet in one form or
another. In fact, when God commanded the
Israelites to offer sacrifices to Him, it was the fat of animals that He
desired. The Israelites sacrificed the healthiest portions of their best
animals as atonement for their sins.
Their sacrifices were a pleasing aroma to God. God would not accept anything but the very
best, and it would not have been a sacrifice to offer any other part of the
animal but the fat, because the fat was most valuable. For a more in-depth discussion on this topic,
please refer to this Well Fed Family post, “Sacred Fat.” http://wellfedfamily.net/sacred-fat/
Modern research has proven what the Israelites knew: we cannot be healthy without adequate
consumption of animal fat from animals living outside in the sunshine on
pasture. The fat-soluble vitamins in
healthy animal fat (vitamins A, D, and K) make your diet more nutritious because
they increase mineral absorption of the other foods you consume with them. Even the cholesterol in fat plays an
important role in your immunities by helping to build a healthy intestinal
tract, repairing damaged tissues, helping you deal with stress, and boosting
brain function.
Examples of animal fats include butter, beef tallow, lard,
goose/duck/chicken fat, cream, and even bacon fat – all from pastured
animals. It is critical to understand
that you could be eating a wonderful diet, but still be mineral deficient if
you are not consuming enough animal
fats because it is the animal fats that make it possible for you to digest and
absorb the nutrition from your other foods.
Cook your vegetables in some type of animal fat, and then spread them liberally
with butter. When you go to the trouble
to make wonderful homemade whole wheat bread, be sure to spread each slice
thick with butter. When you eat oatmeal,
stir in butter and pour on cream. God
created many foods to have saturated fat; never strip it away! Without the fat, the food loses its
synergistic properties that make it nutritious for you.
To learn more about the role of traditional fats in a
healthy diet, watch this 15 minute video:
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/1-key-to-health-traditional-fats-and-sacred-foods/
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is very high in saturated fats, primarily medium
chain fatty acids.
Because these medium chain fatty acids don’t require bile or
enzymes for digestion, you get a lot of benefit with little work. Additionally, these medium chain fatty acids
give coconut oil very unique anti-microbial properties that make it an
especially effective cold, flu, and virus fighter. Coconut oil’s unique and beneficial qualities
make it an excellent addition to your diet as well as your skin care regime.
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| Vegetables for juicing |
Fresh, Seasonal,
Colorful Fruits and Vegetables
God has blessed us with a wide array of fruits and
vegetables that are loaded with nutrition, particularly during the cold and flu
season when we especially need our vitamins.
So be sure to enjoy the cornucopia of vegetables available in fall and
winter, from sweet potatoes and winter squashes to dark leafy greens of all
kinds. Winter is also the time of year
when citrus is ready – oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes. Of course these delicious fruits are full of
infection fighting vitamin C. And don’t
forget about apples! Eat them fresh,
baked, or as applesauce. All of these
fruits and vegetables are great on their own, but juicing is an excellent way
to maximize their nutrition because it is so easily digested and also medicinal
due to its high concentration of vitamins.
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| Sauteed Greens |
Loaded with vitamins, minerals, cancer-fighting and
detoxifying agents, all berries are powerhouses of nutrition. But cranberries, seasonal in the fall and
winter, have very effective anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-biotic
properties. They are one of our most
potent antioxidant foods. A wonderful
way to consume berries any time of year is in a fruit smoothie made with
kefir. Here are directions for
customizing your own seasonal fruit smoothie: http://wellfedfamily.net/smoothies-with-kefir-or-yogurt/
Seasonings
Don’t forget the seasonings!
They are an effective tool for building immunities. Unrefined salt is
very important to add liberally to your diet because it contains many essential
minerals. Spices of all kinds are
extremely beneficial; each one has its own wealth of nutrition. Learn to use a variety of spices, not just to
make your food taste better but to also help boost your health. Spices can help with ailments from arthritis
to flu and beyond. Many of the herbs and
spices used for seasonings are adaptogens, which are natural substances that
improve the ability to overcome stressful conditions such as disease, fatigue,
allergies, and also accelerate healing, slow aging and boost metabolism - without
side effects.
Garlic, onions, ginger, and turmeric are four very important
foods for your flu and virus-fighting arsenal.
Garlic is another anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal food. Onions are believed to have many of the same
qualities. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger is effective
against E. coli and Staph; it is also very beneficial for
gastro-intestinal problems and is in general very supportive to your immune
system. Turmeric is also an adaptogen
and anti-inflammatory, making it especially beneficial for achy joints and
arthritis. A quick internet search will
provide a wealth of recipes for tried and true home remedies using these foods. But don’t save them for when you are sick;
eat them liberally and frequently to help you stay well!
Putting It All
Together
I will leave you with a few recipes my family loves that
will help you put it all together. I hope that you can clearly see how
perfectly God has provided for your good health through His creation. Some of what I have shared contradicts modern
dietary advice. This is where I believe
that faith comes into play. As I trust God
for something so important as my salvation, I also trust that all of His
creation is good. He told me so in Genesis
1:31. ~Amy
The following soup is just right for a quick immunity boost,
and it’s also soothing and healing when you’re under the weather.
Dr. Amy’s Super Soup –
serves 4-6
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
bits of cooked chicken, finely chopped (be sure to include
the fatty dark meat)
½ cup brown rice, uncooked
2T coconut oil
½ onion (or more), very finely chopped
2-3 carrots, finely chopped
1-2 ribs celery, finely chopped (optional)
2-3 (or more) cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1” piece fresh ginger, peeled, very finely chopped
sea salt to taste
In soup pot, bring stock to a boil, add rice, lower to a
simmer, and cover. In a medium skillet
sauté onion, carrots, and celery in coconut oil until tender. Meanwhile, chop garlic and ginger and set
aside. Be sure to chop them as finely as
possible. When rice is nearly done, add
chicken and sautéed vegetables. Simmer
til vegetables are tender. Just a few minutes before serving, stir in the
garlic and ginger. This will help
preserve their healing properties. Ladle
into soup bowls and let the healing begin!
*note: I never measure anything for this soup; tweak these proportions
to meet your own tastes.
Well Fed Family
Pumpkin Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to get immediate gut-protecting
nutrition. We eat them year round. My children especially love them made into
popsicles. This recipe will help you
enjoy the flavors of fall!
1 cup milk kefir/yogurt/coconut milk combination (I prefer
1/3 cup kefir, 2/3 cup coconut milk)
¾ cup pumpkin puree, frozen (preferably from fresh pumpkin,
but canned will do)
1 frozen banana
2 egg yolks (from healthy, pastured hens; wash and dry egg
shells before cracking)
1 T grassfed gelatin (optional)
heaping ¼ t cinnamon
level ¼ t ground ginger
up to ¼ t nutmeg
If using gelatin, combine gelatin with liquids. Mix well and set aside while you prepare the
other ingredients. Put everything into a
blender, adding the liquid last (if using gelatin this gives it time to
dissolve in the liquid). Puree and
enjoy! Makes one large smoothie, two small smoothies, or quite a few popsicles.
*You may add maple syrup to taste if you need more sweetness
**If you don’t like pumpkin, omit the pumpkin and spices and
add a handful of berries of your choice for a basic fruit smoothie.
Traditional Popcorn
Popcorn is a nutritious and healthy snack when it’s popped
on the stove top using traditional fats!
First: in a small pot, very gently melt 8-12 tablespoons
butter over low heat. Be careful not to let it boil or burn. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy bottomed pot
with a lid and handle, melt a tablespoon or two of coconut oil over high heat (use medium high heat if you
prefer). **Use great caution – do not drip the oil on the burner, and never leave
the pot unattended!** When melted,
pour in one cup of non-GMO popcorn (organic popcorn will meet this
criteria). Quickly and gently, shake the
pot to evenly distribute the popcorn all around the bottom. Add sea salt and cover. Listen carefully for popping (if your lid is
glass, you can watch it). Gently shake
the pot now and then. *Do not lift the
lid* Once popping starts, continuously and gently shake the pot over the heat
until popping slows. When popping slows,
lift the pot an inch or two from the burner until popping stops
completely. Turn off heat. Pour into a large bowl, salt generously as
desired with sea salt, and pour butter over popped corn. Carefully stir from the bottom up to
incorporate the butter throughout the popped corn.
Excellent perspective and advice!
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