Tag Archives: Fall 2009 Catalog

Hearty Winter Stew- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by Leave a comment

Hearty Winter Stew

  • 4 lbs or so of organic, grass-fed beef ribs
  • organic steak seasoning (the kind with big pepper chunks in it)
  • cumin (fresh ground is best)
  • powdered garlic
  • powdered onion
  • black pepper
  • olive oil
  • filtered water

Drizzle the ribs with olive oil and then heavily sprinkle (until there is a thick crust on top) with the steak seasoning, cumin, garlic, onion and pepper. Place in a crock pot and cover bottom layer with water if it is a sealable crock pot. If it is a loose-fitting lid, cover up to the top layer with water. Set on low and allow it to cook overnight.

The next day, turn the crock pot off, retrieve the bones and meat. Carefully pick the meat off the bones and return to the crock pot with the broth. Add frozen organic veggies (I use a mix that has carrots, corn, and green beans). Throw in a small jar of organic spaghetti sauce. Add some dried Italian herbs or fresh if you have them. If I have any leftover veggies from the previous week, I usually throw them in as well. Mashed garlic potatoes go particularly well with the soup. Last but not least, put in a cup or so of quinoa or barley. Adjust amounts depending upon how much liquid you have left.

Cover and cook on low for a few more hours until veggies are tender and grains are cooked. Add salt to taste. This is a favorite of our family and it is one of the first meals we have as soon as the weather turns cool. Enjoy!

— Stephanie L. Tallent

Blender Pancakes- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by

Blender Pancakes

Makes 3-4

Place the following in blender and blend on high for 3 minutes:

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats or whole oats
  • 1/2 cup brown rice, buckwheat or other grain (these are raw whole grains, not flour)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla (omit if using buckwheat)

Cover blender and let sit for several hours (overnight is fine)

Add and re-blend for 3 minutes:

  • 1 egg

Blend in briefly:

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Fry on griddle and add fruit, nuts, chocolate chips etc…Enjoy!! Makes a nice alternative for those who suffer from wheat allergies!!

— Cheryl L.

Healthy Popcorn- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by

Healthy Popcorn

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil (cold pressed extra virgin is best)
  • 2-3 tsp butter (raw is best)
  • 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
  • salt to taste

Heat coconut oil in medium saucepan over high heat. Put one to two popcorn kernels in pan and cover. Wait until they pop and then add the rest of the popcorn. Pick up pan and hold lid down while shaking kernels–if popcorn is left to pop without shaking, it may burn. Shake pan every several seconds and wait until most kernels are popped. Remove from heat and add butter and salt. Great for kids!

— Susan L.

Lebanese Lentils- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by

Lebanese Lentils

  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 qt of bone broth chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed, picked over
  • 3/4 cup brown rice
  • 3 tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 cucumber, peeled, cut into rounds
  • plain yogurt
  • chopped fresh mint

Soak lentils in warm water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for several hours. Drain and rinse. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and next four ingredients. Sauté until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add broth and lentils. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 45 minutes longer. Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates. Serve with tomatoes and cucumbers, yogurt and mint.

– Susan L.

Apple Cider- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by

Apple Cider

  • 6 cup apple cider
  • 1/4 cup real maple syrup
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 6 whole allspice berries
  • 1 orange peel, cut into strips
  • 1 lemon peel, cut into strips

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into large stainless steel saucepan. Place cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in center of a washed square of cheesecloth. Fold up sides if cheesecloth to enclose bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop bundle into cider mixture. Place saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cider is very hot but not boiling. Remove cider from heat. Discard spice bundle. Ladle cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

Carrot Soup- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by

Carrot Soup

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

5 lbs chopped carrots (1 cup set aside)

2 qts. chicken stock (Preferably homemade — Recipe in Nourishing Traditions found on page 14)

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp parsley chopped (set aside some whole sprigs for garnish)

sour cream (to serve with)

In a large pot, sauté 1 cup of carrots with the onions and celery in the olive oil until the aromas blend (about 7 minutes). Add remaining carrots, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Boil until the carrots are soft. Add parsley and cook for 5 more minutes.  Puree the soup in a blender. It should have a creamy and thin yet stable consistency, reheat. Serve with sour cream and a parsley leaf.

Note: you can make this recipe with butternut squash but keep the 1 cup of carrots to sauté. You can also add spices such as nutmeg or cloves to this variation.

The Essential Work of Digestive Enzymes- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by Leave a comment

The Essential Work of Digestive Enzymes

By Christy Stouffer

DigestiveEnzymeWebProPillS

Busy schedules and a desire for convenience had taken a toll on my family’s diet, but not long ago. I decided to get us back on the wagon of nutritious eating. While eating whole and healthy foods has always been my focus, we had gotten so we didn’t take time to prepare fresh, nutritious foods.

Our family garden and the weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) basket gave us a plentiful supply of delicious and healthy foods, so we have no excuse for not eating well. I knew our bodies craved better foods and noticed my own energy level had dropped considerably. I was fatigued much of the time. So I tweaked our family menus, and we were once again eating nature’s bounty. To my surprise, however, my fatigue lingered, along with occasional bouts of acid reflux. Our diets had improved, but I didn’t feel the commensurate improvement in my body.

Fortunately, about this time, a friend told me a bit about digestive enzymes, and I set out to learn more.

How the Good in Good Food is Lost

I discovered that proper nourishment involves more than just eating healthy foods. It’s possible to eat a wide variety of the best foods, use only organically-grown fare, and still be deficient in adequate nutrition. But why is this so? The key to good health lies in both eating healthy foods and properly digesting them.

We’re born with an ample supply of enzymes to break down the food we eat and process it so nutrients are released. Nutrients in our food, when properly digested, strengthen our immune systems, enhance cell growth and repair, and boost energy levels. The SAD (Standard American Diet) however is an enemy of digestive enzymes. Our overly abundant non-living and processed foods actually destroy digestive enzymes. Consequently, research shoes, older people and people with chronic diseases have fewer enzymes in their salvia, urine, and tissues. Time and poor diets whittle away the supply of digestive enzymes, particularly if our diets have been low in fresh, cultured, and raw fruits and vegetables.

Enzymes are also destroyed by stress and environmental toxins. And once these enzymes are gone, the digestive system struggles to compensate for the loss of these essential workers. When enzymes are not plentiful and functioning, a person may experience any or all of the following: fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, bloated feeling, heartburn, acid reflux, excessive gas, and food cravings.

The Great Enzyme Comeback

The good news is that vital digestive enzymes can be restored to the body. Even if your body is depleted of its natural digestive enzymes, you can, through supplemental digestive enzymes, rebuild your body’s inventory of these necessary enzymes:

  • Betaine– a naturally-occurring enzyme in the stomach that helps break down fats and proteins.
  • Pancreatin–a mixture of amylaste, protease, and lipase, this enzyme fills the gap where pancreatic secretions are deficient. It has been associated with helping food allergies, celiac disease, automimmune disease, cancer, and weight loss.
  • Papain– derived from papaya and certain other plants, this enzyme has a mild, soothing effect on the stomach and aids in protein digestion. Papain helps digest protein thoroughly and frees amino acids for quick absorption. It works in acid, alkaline, or neutral environments and is especially valuable for the elderly or anyone who has weak digestion due to enzyme deficiencies.
  • Ox Bile Extract–Excreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, this important enzyme assists in digestion of lipids and fats. It also assists in metabolizing cholesterol and fat and in absorption of Vitamins K, A, D, and E.
  • Pepsin Enzymes–Pepsin is produced in the mucosal lining of the stomach and acts to degrade protein.
  • Bromelain– Found in the stems and plants of the pineapple, this enzyme is often used to aid irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas, and other digestive problems. It is effective in breaking down proteins and rendering them as available nutrition for the body

The Enzyme Solution

Some nutritional experts recommend that at least 70% of your diet should consist of raw, cultured, or juiced foods, all which will boost enzyme production and which also provide healthy levels of fiver, another important element of healthy digestion. Off-the-shelf varieties, though, may not always do the trick.

Since heat kills enzymes during cooking and pasteurization, milk products that are pasteurized have no life to aid digestion. These products are essentially dead and end up burdening your digestive system. It is far better to use live dairy products. Those made from raw milk are best. Yogurt, for instance, contains beneficial probiotics and is simple to  make at home from raw milk.Untold Story of Milk

The book The Untold Story of Milk has a revolutionizing wealth of information and is available at http://www.beyoutiful.com. It explains everything from the history of the dairy industry to common myths and misconceptions about milk to the many documented health benefits of raw dairy products.

When making the shift to a more natural diet, though, go slowly. Introduce raw foods gradually, and allow your body to adjust to the new “climate” you’re creating in your digestive system.

As I discovered, eating raw fruits and vegetables did not immediately cure my fatigue. In my case, I needed help from a supplement to restore my digestive balance and to help my body absorb nutrients in the healthy foods. I started by taking one table of Beeyoutiful’s Digestive Enzyme with each meal. After about a week, I was able to tolerate foods better, and the tired, sluggish feelings I had been experiencing during the day were gone! I no longer wanted a mid-day nap and felt energetic and stronger each day.

If you’re experiencing symptoms that may indicate an enzyme deficiency, you may benefit from a supplemental boost of digestive enzymes. I was amazed at how, in a week’s time, I had more energy—and the occasional acid reflux completely disappeared. The road to better health begins with proper digestion!

Christy Stouffer

Christy Stouffer moved from the “big city” to rural middle Tennessee where she enjoys gardening, living in a small community among friends, learning about the natural things God has given us for nutrition, and homsechooling her four children with her husband. She is a pianist in her church fellowship and a valued resource of encouragement and wisdom for younger women in her life. Christy’s enthusiasm and research about nutrition and wholesome living is appreciated by all who know her.

Partners in Hormonal Health- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on by

Partners in Hormonal Health:

The Adrenal-Thyroid Dance

By Jessica Bischof

jess b

In our rushed society most of us could use huge does of energy and stamina, topped off with a serving of something to boost our ability to deal with stress. If anyone had such a concoction for sale, they would do quite well–even in our uncertain economy. Unfortunately, no magic pill can provide a boost like this, but the good news is that, with proper care, support and lifestyle choices, you thyroid and adrenal glands can make a magical difference in how you feel.

Eight years ago, I could hardly make it through the day. A new mom in my mid-twenties, my energy levels and stamina were nil. Finally, I woke up one morning and thought dismally, “This must be what it feels like to be old.”

For a long time, I just sucked it up and pushed through, going about my responsibilities as a wife and mom. No one but my husband knew that, after attending church and Bible study three mornings a week, I would spend the rest of my week on the couch, doing only the basics of feeding and caring for my toddler. I tried improving my diet, being more faithful with vitamins, even exercising. Three times a week for a year and a half, I met a friend at the gym at 5am! But, no matter what I did, I couldn’t build up stamina and would often go home from a 45-minute workout and sleep for the next 4 hours. The final straw came when I experienced three miscarriages back-to-back. Although I still didn’t think anything was seriously wrong with me, my mom was wise enough to suggest one day, ‘You should look into thyroid problems. Miscarriage can be related to that.’

I started reading about thyroid dysfunction, and it was like reading out of my diary. I was horrified and thrilled at the same time. My problems weren’t all in my head–and there was a way to fix what was wrong!

The Thyroid — Part 1thyroid

The thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland in your throat, just below the Adam’s apple. Place your fingers on either side of your windpipe, gently press as you run them up and down, and you will probably feel this soft, squishy gland.

The thyroid serves two primary purposes. Its foremost job is to produce thyroid hormone which “powers” each and every cell in the body. Think of your thyroid as the power plant, but instead of providing electricity, it “feeds” thyroid hormones with the energy cells need to function correctly. Since all cells have thyroid receptors, a deficiency in this hormone can cause many different symptoms, although the most common are low energy, feeling cold all the time (caused by low body temperature), weight gain, hair loss, tiredness (no matter how much you sleep), and “brain fog” where you feel like you just can’t think and everything is cloudy. I’ve compiled a list of more than 200 symptoms thyroid patients report resolving once they balance thyroid levels.

The second purpose of thyroid hormone is to be a “gatekeeper” to protect us from toxic substances. Radiation and excess iodine are both collected in the thyroid, often with disastrous results. The good news is that if you’re exposed to radiation, it will accumulate in your thyroid and potentially protect the rest of your body from destruction, but the thyroid is often killed in the process. Not only is our thyroid a gathering place for “big bad” toxins, but it is sensitive to chemical and toxin exposure across the board.

Topping the list of chemicals we should avoid for thyroid health are fluoride and chlorine, two toxic substances found in most municipal water supplies. These substances, along with bromine (often use as a preservative in baked goods!), compete for the same receptor site that needs to get plugged with iodine so the body can produce thyroid hormone. Even a little exposure to these substances will crowd out the iodine we need.

Adrenals — Part 2adrenals

We have another hormonal powerhouse in our bodies, the adrenal glands. Even more critical than thyroid hormone–and more far reaching–the adrenals control nearly all the hormonal activities of the body. About the shape and size of a walnut, the adrenals are a pair of glands, one residing on top of each kidney. The health or impairment of these two tiny glands is felt by nearly every system and function of the body–energy levels, memory, immune system, processing sugar, and cardiovascular health.

Adrenals produce a host of significant hormones, among them adrenaline, cortisol, and DHEA. Adrenaline is the “fight or flight” hormone. We’ve all experienced the warm rush that makes our hearts pound and palms sweat and can give us a burst of energy to react quickly to a high-stress situation. Adrenaline is supposed to be an occasional hormone triggered only in the face of surprise, danger, or threat. In our modern world, though, we experience more adrenaline rushes than our forefathers. Everything from having to react quickly to the car in front of us slamming on its breaks to conflict in the relationships to being late for one of the many events we put on our schedule activates adrenaline.

Cortisol and DHEA are two hormones released to respond to “long term” stress. These stresses are more subtle but equally prevalent in our lives. Food and environment allergies, chronic illness, acute injuries, long-term financial problems, feeling “trapped” in an unsatisfying job or unhappy home life, environmental toxins, lack of rest, and pregnancy are stressors that our bodies must respond to continually.

Although our adrenals must “refuel” in order to have more to give, most of us habitually draw and draw and draw on our adrenals and fail to provide them with the nutritional fuel and rest and they need to keep meeting our demands. Some people, for example, who at one point are “super-achievers”, sail through a demanding period only to crash afterward and never regain their previous stamina. Others gradually experience their adrenals slowing down–by not recovering from illnesses or noticing that the adrenaline rush from watching a suspenseful movie last for 30 minutes instead of quickly going away. Either way, the adrenals are depleted to the point where they simply cannot provide the hormonal stress management the body needs.

In the traditional medical world, only complete adrenal failure or severe adrenal “overdrive” is recognized as treatable conditions. Common sense, though, would suggest that most things work poorly before they stop working altogether. You take your car to the mechanic when your brakes are squeaking and don’t expect to be told “brakes problems are only real if the brakes completely fail or it they lock up your tires.” Just as no one wants to wait until their brakes fail to take care of them, so we should not wait until our adrenals fail before nourishing and protecting them.

Partners in Health

The thyroid and adrenal can be thought of as partners in a dance. They each have unique moves, but depend on each other to operate the way they were created to. The adrenals are the lead or male dancer and set the pace. Adrenals influence thyroid hormone indirectly by controlling the organs that control the thyroid. The thyroid controls the “energy” of all cells, including the adrenals. In this way, the two systems are mutually dependent.

It’s rare to find a person with thyroid imbalance who does not also suffer from compromised adrenals. But sadly, many people fortunate enough to have a thyroid problem diagnosed are never told about or tested for adrenal function. Often, the patient with low thyroid will be started on a dose of thyroid replacement medicine, only to feel worse and have new symptoms pop up. This is because, over time, the adrenals have slowed the manufacture of thyroid energy because they’re so burned out they can’t keep up. They’re trying to work less and recover. When you introduce a bunch of thyroid hormone in this scenario, it stresses the adrenals further with unpleasant side effects.

For this reason, wise practitioners will try to determine both a patient’s thyroid and adrenal health. In some people, adrenal healing needs to begin before introducing thyroid hormones. In others, the adrenals are trying to perform their half of the dance, but the thyroid partner is lagging, and the extra energy from a higher supply of thyroid will balance the dance.

By taking steps to fuel and nourish adrenals and to provide the thyroid with nutrients specific to making its powerful hormone, you can reverse adrenal burnout and support thyroid health. If you have been told your thyroid is “low normal,” you may be able to resume balance by strengthening your adrenals and providing supporting nutrients to you thyroid. If you low thyroid is due to adrenals slowing down thyroid production, adding thyroid nutrients is not going to help. Supplementing with thyroid nutrients in appropriate doses is the safe solution for most people (check with your health professional to see if you’re a candidate).

Regardless of which dance problem you have, good health for thyroid and adrenals will help. The top five ways to nourish your thyroid are (for in-depth explanations of each, visit http://www.thyroidadvisor.com):

1.      Drink and cook with fluoride and chlorine free water.

2.      Avoid soy and soy products

3.      Consider supplementing with the amino acid L-tyrosine.

4.      Consider supplementing with the trace mineral selenium.

5.      Eliminate as many chemicals from your life as possible. Makeup, skincare, shampoo, cleaning supplies, and food with additives are all areas to work on. Anything you ingest or rub on skin is especially important.

The top 5 ways to nourish your adrenals are:

1.      Get adequate rest–best if you can be in bed by 10pm.

2.      Be ruthless about avoiding known food allergens–get tested if you suspect allergens are a problem for you.

3.      Maintain blood sugar levels. Eat small meals more often and avoid processed carbs.

4.      Consider supplementing with L-tyrosine.

5.      Take Vitamin C daily, to bowel tolerance.

ThyroVivalWebProPillSTo learn more about physical clues that indicate adrenal and thyroid problems, please visit http://www.thyroidadvisor.com and read about the symptoms of adrenal fatigue and thyroid imbalance. It’s a great step toward getting the adrenal-thyroid dance in rhythm.

Beeyoutiful co-owner, Stephanie Tallent, and I have talked a quite a bit as she has sought to better understand her thyroid and adrenal problems. As a result of some of my suggestions for her health, Beeyoutiful now carries two products specifically designed to provide foundational support and healing of the thyroid and adrenal systems. Thyro-vival, and Selenium Secure can be found on page 24 and page 23 of this catalog.selenium

Jessica is a Nutritional Therapy Consultant and the owner of Simple Steps Nutrition where she works with clients both in the US and internationally to create customized nutritional protocols to support their health, using nutrition, diet, and lifestyle modifications to support healing and function in the body. 

Her own health challenges started in her early 20’s after the birth of her first child and forced her to become educated about what her body needed to heal. She believes that through healing and supporting the underlying cause you can actually regain health – not just treat symptoms. 

Jessica specializes in restoring energy, resolving fatigue issues, hormonal balancing, digestive issues, and adrenal healing. Jessica offers a complimentary 15 minute consultation for anyone who would like to find out more. Visit www.simplestepsnutrition.com for information.

« Older Entries