Malnourished: the East and the West

Over the past week or so I have been thinking about how many of the people in the world are malnourished (not in the strict sense of the word, but poorly nourished in one way or another)—but I’m not just thinking about the Third World countries or the Developing countries, I’m thinking about the Western Developed nations as well. One billion under-nourished and over one billion overweight, according to the article shown in the picture below.

This summer, my husband and I are planning to go to South Sudan on a mission trip (if all goes well). Part of the work I’ll be doing there is teaching on nutrition. As I’ve been thinking about what it will be like in South Sudan, I’ve been struggling over the question, “What am I going to be eating?” On one side of things, I’m coming to terms with the fact that I’m going to have to sacrifice having many of the nourishing foods I’d prepare for myself at home. However, on the other hand, I was thinking about how nearly 3 months away from the heavily processed food of North America might do my body good. In a sense, I’ve been thinking over what would be better for me, the one I have here (along with the processing, modifying, pasteurizing, additives, preservatives, hormones antibiotics, etc) or a simpler diet that is perhaps filling but lacking in nutrients.

How absurd it is, that we in the West have all the money or resources at our fingertips to eat healthfully but yet we make poor choices that leave us malnourished. As individuals we make poor choices, choosing refined foods devoid of nutrients rather than whole, natural foods—choices which drive the supply and demand of our food market. Or perhaps we make poor choices, spending money in unnecessary areas and buying the cheapest food possible. On a larger scale though, we have made poor choices as a nation, not standing up against the use of pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and much more in our deteriorating food supply. So many people in the world would love to have choice when it comes to food. It is devastating to think that so many people in the world are dying from malnourishment, in a sense, half from under-eating and half from over-eating/poor eating.

Where is justice when it comes to distribution of food? What can you do help? What choices can you make today?

Is It Right To Eat Meat?

The question of vegetarian vs. meat-eating is a big question for many. There are many reasons people may choose to refrain from eating meat: health, environmental, economical and ethical.

What does the Bible have to say about eating meat? Interestingly, God didn’t give Adam and Eve meat in their diets. In Genesis 1:29, God says, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” He makes no mention of eating meat for food.

However, after the fall and the flood, God gives meat to Noah and his descendants for food. Genesis 9:2-3 says, “The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”

Now it is also important to know that food was not the first purpose animals were killed for. They were required first for clothing (Gen 3:21). After Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit they covered themselves with leaves but their covering was inadequate by God’s standards so God made suitable clothing for them out of skin. This could be interpreted as a foreshadowing of how blood of a lamb and ultimately the Lamb of God (Jesus) atones for sin.

So, the Bible does not forbid meat-eating, but it has more to say on the topic. For example, is it right for us to eat factory-farmed animals (which fill the shelves of our grocery stores) or only for traditionally raised animals? There is more to the ethic of meat eating than a simple yes or no.

Jamie Oliver: Teach every child about food

Here is a TED Talk from Jamie Oliver on Food. He shows the striking dangers of obesity for this generation, but more importantly for the next generation. The biggest killer in the United States (and Canada as well) is diet-related disease--that includes heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Oliver says that kids these days will live a life 10 years shorter than their parents because of their food. Somethings got to change.
Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food | Video on TED.com

Love, Sweet Love

Does sweetness = love?

All around us we see, hear and experience things that tell us that sweetness means love, or that there is a connection between the two. Especially around this time of year with the ‘holiday of love’ we see all sort of heart shaped cookies and candies, boxes of truffles or chocolate roses. Do we need sugar to celebrate or experience love?

I had never really paid much attention to this connection until I came across something when reading “The New Detox Diet” by Elson M. Haas, M.D. In the chapter on sugar detoxification, Haas points out this connection and suggest a few explanations. First he explains that a baby’s first food is lactose (milk sugar). This time of breast feeding also shows love and care for the child, so this connection seems to start very early. He goes on to expose how children are rewarded and shown affection through receiving sweets. Even in our language this connection is evident. Haas gives a list of common terms of endearment, so here are a few: sweetie, sweetie pie, sweetheart, honey, sugar lips, sugar baby, honey bun and sugar plum.

Perhaps our craving for sweets shows that what we really crave is love. I beleive that the true source of love is God because only his love is perfect and unconditional.

Recipe: "Choose Your Own Adventure" Salad

One of my favourite salads to make! Very easy and versatile because you can use whatever you have on hand. Choose one of each below.

1) Spring Greens Mix: You can buy a mix or create your own. They often contain baby greens such as arugula, radicchio, spinach, mustard greens, mizuna and chicory.
2) Fruit: Some of my favourites are strawberries, pears, apples, mandarin oranges or dried cranberries. You can choose fresh, dried or canned.
3) Nut/Seed: Some of my favourites are pecan pieces, cashews, sliced almonds and sesame seeds.
4) Cheese: Some of my favourites are feta, warm brie and mozzarella.
5) Dressing:I usually use raspberry vinaigrette or poppy seed dressing. (For the best healthy salad, make your own dressing and avoid the refined oils and additives in the store-bought varieties)

Recipe: Breakfast Porridge (Serves 3-4)

(Recipe taken from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)

1 cup oats, rolled or cracked
1 cup warm filtered water plus 2 Tbsp whey, plain yoghurt, kefir or buttermilk (Those with milk allergies can use vinegar or lemon juice)
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup filtered water
1 Tbsp (freshly) ground flax seeds (optional)

For the best digestion and highest benefits, porridge should be soaked overnight or even longer. Once soaked, oatmeal cooks in about 5 minutes (that’s a pretty fast food).

Mix oats with 1 cup warm water mixture and soak in a warm place for 7 to 24 hours. When ready to cook, bring 1 cup additional water to a boil with sea salt. Add soaked oats, reduce heat, cover and simmer several minutes. Remove from heat, stir in optional flax and let stand for a few minutes. Add in butter or cream, as well as a small amount of a natural sweetener like maple syrup (not Aunt Jemima), maple sugar, raw honey, date sugar or Rapadura. You can also add apricot butter, chopped nuts (raw nuts, soaked and dehydrated) or dried unsweetened coconut.

Variations: Kamut, Spelt, Rye, Teff, Amaranth
You can try other grains besides oats. Prepare the same way, except Teff and Amaranth need 24 hours of soaking and Rye may need extra soaking and more water.

Some of My Variations
I enjoy adding in some fruit to my oatmeal, some blueberries (fresh or frozen) or some diced apple. Another natural sweetener I’ve tried is apple butter, which goes great with a dash of cinnamon as well. I always add chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts and almonds) because I need some protein in the morning to keep me going.

You may find the taste of the oatmeal a little sour at first because of the soaking (I did), so at the beginning you can add a little more sweetener and try to reduce it gradually. If you are trying to limit sugar in your diet, your taste buds will adapt and your “threshold” of sweetness will be lowered.

Do Yourself a Favour--Avoid the Cereal Aisle

I had some friends ask me why I don’t eat breakfast cereal anymore (or very rarely). I always thought breakfast cereal was a healthy choice to start my day, but once I learned how these flakes, puffs and O’s were made, I thought twice about pouring myself a bowl of cheerios (yes, even plain ones!)

Let me start by saying that breakfast cereals are marketed very well, but their advertising claims hold little truth. If you really want a breakfast that is heart healthy or high in fiber and nutrients look for food that is closer to its natural form.

Have you ever wondered how they turn corn into Corn flakes, or rice into Rice Krispies? Breakfast cereals are made from the extrusion process, which is basically pushing the raw materials through a hole to make it into a certain shape. However, in order to do this the grains are subjected to high temperatures and high pressures which destroys many nutrients, causes oils to go rancid, makes some proteins toxic and makes it harder to digest (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions, pg. 454) Since they basically destroy the nutrition in the process, they add-in synthetic vitamins/nutrients as well as lots of sugar and flavoring. Another interesting yet scary tidbit is that breakfast cereals have caused rapid death in test animals (Fallon, p. 25, 468-469) but Kellogg’s won’t tell you that!

Since breakfast cereal is highly refined and most varieties contain a lot of added sugar, they are high on the Glycemic Index (GI) and cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly. A GI above 70 is considered high. Let’s look at a few well-known ones: Cheerios (74), Golden Grahams (71), Special K (72) Bran Flakes (74) (values taken from www.gilisting.com).

A better breakfast alternative is traditional oatmeal. Not the little sugar-laden packages that you add water or micro, and not even quick-oats, but good old-fashioned rolled oats. They are better for your health, but also for your budget as they are a fraction of the price. See the recipe and ways to spice up your oatmeal!