These are only some of the signs that your body does not have enough of the right kind of fats. Did you know that women should be 28% made up of fats? Men should be about 18% fat. 60% of our fat needs to be constantly replaced. This is why it is important to have fats in our diets throughout the day, every day.
Eggs are an actual superfood, packed with protein, healthy fat, numerous vitamins, zinc, magnesium and more. Not only are they full of nutrients, these nutrients are also easy to digest. Raw egg yolks in particular are often equated with breastmilk in the ease of nutrient absorption basically without any digestion needing to be done first. For people with digestive issues, a food that needs almost no digestion in order to get the benefits is a huge win!
With talk of viruses so prevalent, many people have been introduced to the concept of zinc deficiency. However, this is not a new thing - in the 1930s zinc was found to be essential for humans. In the 1960s it was found that deficiency of zinc can cause several symptoms. More recently we have been finding more and more symptoms associated with zinc deficiency as the world seems in general very zinc deficient. Some estimates show that zinc is involved in more body functions than any other mineral.
Because we believe that we are all one person… physical, spiritual, and emotional beings all in one. When I (Amy) first started studying healing, I started with the physical. After all, isn’t that what needs to be healed… our physical bodies? But as I helped my body heal, and worked with more and more patients I realized that focusing on physical symptoms is not enough. That’s because we aren’t just physical beings. Our physical bodies are constantly being influenced by emotions… either our emotions and feelings, or the emotions from people around us.
Amy has been hard at work on her new course, “Getting Started on GAPS (GSOG): Practice & Prep for a Successful GAPS Experience”. GSOG is open to all who are seeking a basic, yet comprehensive virtual GAPS education with instructional support to learn how to prepare for and practice skills needed to implement the GAPS Nutritional Protocol.
Do you or someone you love have a baby who is ready to start eating food besides breast milk or formula? Does your baby have symptoms of leaky gut such as trouble sleeping, rashes, eczema, or colic, or have they been on medications or formula? If so, Hollie has created an online course just for you!
When we talk about health, our first stop must be the digestive system - not only the basic organs and where food goes, but also the several key “big ideas” of digestion, what can go wrong, and how to simply correct these problems to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate treatment. This is an important topic for everyone to understand, but especially for parents to know how to assess and help their children when it comes to gastro-intestinal issues.
Simply put, science is knowledge about, or study of the natural world, based on facts learned through experiments and observation. The method we use in science is: Observe, question, hypothesize, experiment, analyze and conclude. Remember talking about the scientific method as a child? As a society, but also as individuals, we need to get back to understanding the importance of following the scientific method ourselves and teaching our children to be scientists.
Has this question been on your mind? Are you toying with the idea of homeschooling your child but unsure if you should or can? If so, more than ever, you are not alone. Across the United States, parents are trying to decide how to raise their children in a way that is congruent with their beliefs and finding that this may not include sending their kids to school. As parents weigh their options, homeschooling is becoming increasingly more appealing, although perhaps no less daunting.
Ever since we first heard about coronavirus, I have been asked my opinion about what it is, how to stay well, and many other specific and general questions. I don’t mind… I love teaching! And various questions would prompt me to look into angles and subjects I would not have otherwise studied. And I have been promising you this article for a couple weeks now… well at least an article!
This past week I once again looked a mother in the eyes as she wondered what she was doing wrong, why her child has this persistent issue or symptom that won’t go away no matter what she has tried! It breaks my heart! Mothers have enough voices in this culture lying to them, telling them they are bad moms; and now here comes seemingly more proof that they have failed!
It’s been a long time since I have written about my “thoughts on the journey” of my own healing. This is primarily because I have arrived at a pretty decent level of healing! While there are still “dusty corners” that need some attending, for the most part my day-to-day operating is what I (and others) would call healthy!
In 2006, a book was published that sought to give the reader a better understanding of where their food comes from. The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan followed three major tracks, or sourcing, of food. The public reaction to this book was significant and varied, and it evoked discussion from vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.
Grass! It's a wonderful thing to lay in the grass and look up at the sky!
Until this weekend, there have only been a few tufts of grass on my property. Most of the landscaping is river rock and mulch. But there was one area of dirt that I have had my eye on for grass, and on Friday it finally happened!
With some (okay, a lot) of help from my sister, we laid patio stones (for a fire pit), pounded in metal edging, and hauled and laid 50 rolls of sod (transported in two trips in the back of my Santa Fe).
Viola! Instant lawn!
Padfoot was quite interested in the goings-on... although he preferred supervising from on top of the rolls of sod still in the back of the car (sorry, I was too dirty and tired to think about getting a picture of it, you'll have to take my word for how adorable it was) or playing in the dirt. Silly puppy didn't want to be on the grass until we were almost done.
In keeping with my desire to be as chemical/pesticide/fertilizer free as possible, I did some research about grass to find out my best option. A quick internet search revealed: There probably isn't such a thing as organic sod, or if it does exist, it would be WAY more expensive. It's possible that sod contains significantly lower amounts of chemicals than I was expecting. While dogs do eat grass, they eat little of it. It would be unlikely that a little grass eaten from a non-organic lawn would be a problem unless I regularly put chemicals on it (which I don't plan on doing). It appears to be possible to get organic grass seed (about $40 to cover 1000 square feet), but I still had questions about what they put in the seed mixes. There was not a huge price difference between any sod company, especially for the small amount of ground I needed to cover (about 500 square feet). So then I was faced with the question... do I just get sod (and take whatever chemicals may be included) or do I get seed so I can get an organic yard? The decision may seem very black and white...the only option for organic grass is seed. So you may think that of course my choice was seed. But first I had to factor in what I call "the reality of life."
I am not very good at watering and there is no sprinkler system. If I did seed, the chances of needing to re-seed at least once are high. This adds more time and money. I would have to research if I needed fertilizer or other additions to make my seed grow, and then pick from the available options. It is now the middle of summer. I was planning on doing grass right when I got so sick two months ago. Now it's July. If I want to enjoy a lawn this summer, sod would be faster. My landlord sprays for weeds. He is spraying less with me here (I'm pulling weeds as much as I can), but the ground already has years of stored chemicals in it. It's not organic soil. I've never seeded, but I have laid sod. My brain can only handle so many new things to learn at one time. And learning how to raise an organic lawn didn't feel like the correct focus for me right now. If I sod, I can immediately put up and use the clothesline I bought a month ago (this truly factored in to my thought process, I love line-hung clothes, and I don't have an electric drier).
From Home Depot. I paid with a credit card. I picked it up and put it in the back of my car. You can't get any less alternative than that. But my goal is not to be alternative. My goal is to be healthy, and to make conscious choices. I really want an all-organic yard. And one day I hope I can. But right now (and in the future) I need to make the best of what I've been given. Maybe I could have succeeded in an organic grass seed lawn. Maybe. But I want to do other things with that time. Things that feel more important right now. Because taking time away from important things to do something "perfect" isn't better.
#1 No more chemicals!
I'm sure there have been some chemicals on this grass, but that stops now! Any "fertilizers" will be food-based (like old milk or yogurt, or the Green Pastures product below). Any weeds will be extracted by hand, providing me with sunshine and some light exercise.
#2 Add back microbes and nutrients!
I purchased a by-product of fermented cod liver oil from Green Pastures called Liquid Fish Soil Rescue to re-vitalize my soil. I actually meant to put some in the ground right before we laid the sod but I couldn't (reality of life check: I was not strong enough to open the container, my neighbor-with-all-the-tools was gone, and I don't own a pipe wrench). So later (when I get it open) I will spread it over the top of the grass. It will be a little fishy for a day, but fish oils smell is not new to me!
#3 Water to encourage deep roots!
It's recommended to water sod frequently at first, but to still let it become just a little dry to encourage the roots to reach down and establish. Here in Colorado we are having 90 degree days, so I'm needing to water 1-2x/day, and the grass is still getting a little dry in between waterings. Soon I will be able to water less often, and next year I should be able to water once every 2-5 days.
You don't have to do everything perfect.
Sometimes the "best choice" is outside your budget for money or time, and sometimes there are circumstances that happen outside of your control.
That's okay... it's normal. That's life. And today, life is good!
Onward!
