Making It Easy for Mom
I'm just a mom on a budget, trying to keep my family healthy.
 |
| How much time do you spend relaxing as an immediate family? |
"Agriculture is carnivorous." Lierre Keith
This past week I had the pleasure of spending time relaxing with my family. See usually, because we live away from "home", we spend our vacations going back to see family. However, this was the first time we went away for a week alone as a family unit. I can't describe how amazing it was. Perhaps most of you already know what a relaxing vacation feels like, but this was a first for me, and now I am hooked. We didn't have anywhere to be at any specific time. It was spectacular.
While on the West coast, I discovered I am totally out of fashion. I kind of already knew this, but it was confirmed. One new hot fashion item (or perhaps not so new, but new to us that are out of fashion) is Tom's shoes. Apparently Tom's donates one pair of shoes to a child that needs shoes, for every pair you buy. I liked that idea, and decided to get a pair. My husband put on a podcast about how kids without shoes, in developing nations, get hookworms. However the podcast was not about how hookworms are bad, but instead how hookworms are helpful to people with allergies, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. We evolved with hookworms, and for some people a hookworm infection can cure their ailments. CURE their asthma, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. Listen to this podcast to find out how. Fascinating stuff.
While on the West coast, I discovered I am totally out of fashion. I kind of already knew this, but it was confirmed. One new hot fashion item (or perhaps not so new, but new to us that are out of fashion) is Tom's shoes. Apparently Tom's donates one pair of shoes to a child that needs shoes, for every pair you buy. I liked that idea, and decided to get a pair. My husband put on a podcast about how kids without shoes, in developing nations, get hookworms. However the podcast was not about how hookworms are bad, but instead how hookworms are helpful to people with allergies, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. We evolved with hookworms, and for some people a hookworm infection can cure their ailments. CURE their asthma, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. Listen to this podcast to find out how. Fascinating stuff.
Book Recommendation: The Vegetarian Myth by: Lierre Keith
Before I even begin to do this book review, I want to let all my vegetarian and vegan friends know that I am in no way trying to offend any of you. I have a lot of respect for people that do things with a passion and for a reason. With that said, I was curious about this topic and decided to read both sides of the argument. I have tried to be both a vegan and a vegetarian in the past, but it just doesn't work for me. I feel great for a couple of months, but then I start feeling a lot of anxiety, get shaky, have digestive issues, and feel foggy. After I got married, I quit eating red meat. Before I knew I was pregnant with my son, I told my husband my craving for a hamburger was so intense I NEEDED one right then. My husband was sure I would be sick from the meat, but instead I felt amazing afterwards. A couple weeks later I learned I was pregnant. Nature is funny like that, huh?
Okay let's talk about Keith's book. Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for twenty years. TWENTY YEARS people! She is an educated activist and believed with all her heart, soul, and educated mind, that she was doing what was right. That is until she was so sick, she had to explore different options. She presents a counter argument against vegetarianism for moral, political and nutritional reasons.
According to Keith, Disney had it right in The Lion King's presentation of the circle of life. Keith provides the facts about how in reality, even plants need animals to die in order to live. Believe it or not, plants eat too. Not just the sunshine and raindrops that we would like to believe, but in fact plants need animal bones to grow. That's right everyone, plants need animals to die so they can live. So morally if you are a vegetarian to stop death, ummmmm....
So how can you debunk a political vegetarian? Through much research and many examples, Keith guides her readers to see that because of factory farms stripping our topsoil, the chain reaction effects are to blame for our inability to have enough food for everyone. What? Could greed really be to blame for hunger? In a new light, Keith shows us the path that links US grain production to world starvation. I did just say that. And she proves it.
For those of you who are following a vegetarian life because of nutrition, ask yourself how you feel right now. How do you feel? Do you have any strange health issues? Keith started down the path of exploring her own vegetarianism because of health issues. Her health was failing. Terribly failing! And she has turned it around by, drumroll please...eating animal products. She shares a lot of stories and facts about why vegetarianism is in fact not so healthy.
Keith has this incredible ability to make her book seem like she is sitting with you at the kitchen table telling you a story. I literally read this book as fast as the kids let me. I came away from The Vegetarian Myth with new insight into what growing a plant really entails, being educated about how our grain production is out of control, and seeing the facts about why vegetarianism never felt good to me. I usually check out books from the library (I am on a book budget), but this one I bought. It's that good. I would love to hear from any of you that decide to read it too.
Before I even begin to do this book review, I want to let all my vegetarian and vegan friends know that I am in no way trying to offend any of you. I have a lot of respect for people that do things with a passion and for a reason. With that said, I was curious about this topic and decided to read both sides of the argument. I have tried to be both a vegan and a vegetarian in the past, but it just doesn't work for me. I feel great for a couple of months, but then I start feeling a lot of anxiety, get shaky, have digestive issues, and feel foggy. After I got married, I quit eating red meat. Before I knew I was pregnant with my son, I told my husband my craving for a hamburger was so intense I NEEDED one right then. My husband was sure I would be sick from the meat, but instead I felt amazing afterwards. A couple weeks later I learned I was pregnant. Nature is funny like that, huh?
Okay let's talk about Keith's book. Lierre Keith was a vegetarian for twenty years. TWENTY YEARS people! She is an educated activist and believed with all her heart, soul, and educated mind, that she was doing what was right. That is until she was so sick, she had to explore different options. She presents a counter argument against vegetarianism for moral, political and nutritional reasons.
According to Keith, Disney had it right in The Lion King's presentation of the circle of life. Keith provides the facts about how in reality, even plants need animals to die in order to live. Believe it or not, plants eat too. Not just the sunshine and raindrops that we would like to believe, but in fact plants need animal bones to grow. That's right everyone, plants need animals to die so they can live. So morally if you are a vegetarian to stop death, ummmmm....
So how can you debunk a political vegetarian? Through much research and many examples, Keith guides her readers to see that because of factory farms stripping our topsoil, the chain reaction effects are to blame for our inability to have enough food for everyone. What? Could greed really be to blame for hunger? In a new light, Keith shows us the path that links US grain production to world starvation. I did just say that. And she proves it.
For those of you who are following a vegetarian life because of nutrition, ask yourself how you feel right now. How do you feel? Do you have any strange health issues? Keith started down the path of exploring her own vegetarianism because of health issues. Her health was failing. Terribly failing! And she has turned it around by, drumroll please...eating animal products. She shares a lot of stories and facts about why vegetarianism is in fact not so healthy.
Keith has this incredible ability to make her book seem like she is sitting with you at the kitchen table telling you a story. I literally read this book as fast as the kids let me. I came away from The Vegetarian Myth with new insight into what growing a plant really entails, being educated about how our grain production is out of control, and seeing the facts about why vegetarianism never felt good to me. I usually check out books from the library (I am on a book budget), but this one I bought. It's that good. I would love to hear from any of you that decide to read it too.
Something my kids taught me this week:
With the amazing advancements in technology, travel has become comfortable and easy. We travel mostly by car so we can save money. Our drive to San Diego took two days, about 6 hours each day. We have a DVD player attached to the car so the kids are entertained, and time could pass quickly. However, my four year old would take off her headphones, and pull out her binoculars because she wanted to see the sights. When we were kids, that was what we did, right? Are we helping our kids or hurting them by insisting on technology for a long drive? My daughter taught me that she can entertain herself by learning about her environment. She too has a natural curiosity about the world. I hope that I can nurture that for her.
Brain Power Activity: Magna-Tiles
The kids' Aunt bought them Magna-Tiles for Christmas this past year. These are just about the coolest toy we have. My kids use them to build whatever themed play idea they need. When I told the kids they could pack a small bag for San Diego, my daughter filled her bag with Magna-Tiles. My son chose some hematite rocks as a souvenir, and the Magna-Tiles and hematite rocks are now both used together to build. What a wonderful way to inspire your kids to be creative and play together.
Saturday I will be posting a new meal plan and grocery list. Thanks for reading!
The kids' Aunt bought them Magna-Tiles for Christmas this past year. These are just about the coolest toy we have. My kids use them to build whatever themed play idea they need. When I told the kids they could pack a small bag for San Diego, my daughter filled her bag with Magna-Tiles. My son chose some hematite rocks as a souvenir, and the Magna-Tiles and hematite rocks are now both used together to build. What a wonderful way to inspire your kids to be creative and play together.
Saturday I will be posting a new meal plan and grocery list. Thanks for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment