Obviously, I haven’t been blogging for some time, but wanted to let anyone who might be subscribed here know that I have started a new blog: http://nourishingtheosbornes.wordpress.com/
The primary focus at this time is healing my son’s stomach issues. I hope to write on other family and home related topics as time goes on. Right now, I’m talking about the GAPS diet. Come join me if you are interested!
We spent most of Friday and Saturday at the hospital with Jonas.
The short version of the story: Friday morning he woke up with a fever. He was lethargic and complaining of the light. Ben’s mom came over to stay with the kids, so I could go to the store. I wasn’t gone more than 45 minutes when I got a call to come home. Jonas had had a seizure, something that had never happened before. He was sleeping hard when I got home, and I took him to the doctor, where he sat in my lap, barely conscious a lot of the time, falling in and out of sleep. Still feverish.
The doctor was concerned because it didn’t fit the typical definition of a febrile seizure, and based on other observations, he thought there was a possibility of meningitis. So, off the the hospital we went for lots of tests and waiting. Everything came back fine. We don’t know what caused the seizure.
Yesterday, when I facebooked the news that we were heading home, one of my cousins responded, “God is good!!” It’s a statement we commonly use to express thankfulness for God granting healing or positive resolution in our lives. I’ve been thinking about this lately: We never meet bad news with “God is good!” And yet, he is. He is always good. His decisions are always right and work together for the good of those who love him, even though we cannot comprehend his ways. If the diagnosis had been meningitis, God is still good. If the illness led to my child’s death, God is still good.
I think that one of the biggest challenges in life and one of the most worthwhile is to be able to say, in the midst of trial and even the worst of tragedies, “God is good.” To be able to see his grace in the darkness. In the worst case scenario, is my faith such that I would see His goodness and blessing? Is my heart capable of giving thanks in all circumstances?
A few days ago, I discovered this ice cream recipe from Cheeseslave. It is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! It’s sure to become a staple in our home this summer.
Here’s the original recipe:
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
2 TBS organic cocoa powder
2 TBS raw honey
1 very ripe banana
Throw everything in a food processor or a blender and mix well. Transfer to ice cream maker and run for about 45 minutes.
I made 1.5 batches with one can of coconut milk and about 8oz of raw milk, three heaping TBS of cocoa 3TBS of honey, 1.5 bananas and a tsp. of vanilla. Next time I will add more vanilla.
It is so delicious and the texture is fantastic. Because coconut milk is solid when cold, it makes for a very creamy ice cream that has a lot more body than homemade ice cream made with milk and cream.
I’m looking forward to experimenting with different flavor combinations. Mixed berries to start.
Well, I have been seeing my acupuncturist, Michelle, again for, what, a few months now, I guess. My body has straightened itself out enough this cycle to start trying again. I am just trying to focus on being low-stress.
I’m not stressing about the possibility of another miscarriage, at this point. God has really taught me to rely on him more fully through this whole ordeal. It is amazing the peace that he can provide in the midst of trial. I’m just trying to take things a step at a time. I pray that the treatments and herbs will give our next baby the protection that s/he needs to come to term, but I am leaving it in God’s hands. I don’t want another miscarriage. It’s hard to bear, but I know that God’s plan is good, even when I don’t understand.
It may sound strange, but I would never wish away the losses we’ve experienced, simply because God has used them to work in our lives, shape who we are, and reveal himself more fully. His ways are right, and it is such a tremendous comfort to truly believe that. It is liberating not to have fear about the future of our family and to know that everything is bearable because he is our strength when we have none. And God has allowed me the opportunity to comfort others who have suffered the same loss, which has been a tremendous blessing to me.
I guess the miscarriages are just a part of who I am. That being said, I really don’t want any more, though I will accept whatever lies ahead.
So, as far as stress goes, I’m trying to concentrate on making my life as low stress as possible, so I can give my baby, whenever s/he is conceived, as positive an environment as possible. This is hard because I don’t always recognize when I am stressed. I’ve always just dealt with it without feeling the effects until it has built up to the point that I crash, seemingly out of nowhere. Things aren’t bad right now, but I need to be mindful. Taking care of four kids for 20+ hours over a two day period is draining.
Last week, when Michelle was listening to my pulses, she asked how things are at home and with the kids. Apparently as soon as I began talking about watching the kids, my kidney pulse totally crashed. The kidney is associated with growth, fertility, sexual capacity – everything that is important right now, so that’s not good. She was really stressing to me my need to let go of the stress, so it doesn’t put unnecessary stress on the next pregnancy. She says she views kids having an electrical cord which is plugged into their caregiver, and they are continually feeding off your energy, and she suggested I do some meditation to visualize them hooking up to their guardian angels instead of me, and seeing them provide protection and energy for the children. While the truth of this doesn’t jive with me, I get what she means, and what I need to do is ask God to provide everything the kids and I need to get through the day well without wearing me down too much. I just need to be better about taking some time for myself too. Relaxation exercises do work wonders, but I always feel like I have too much to do to stop for something like that. I need to slow down some and focus on myself and the next baby, just a little.
I’d really appreciate any prayers with regard to all this.
Well, I started feeling mildly crampy an hour ago or so, and when I checked, I was bleeding. So, it looks like miscarriage number four.
Of course everyone always says that bleeding during pregnancy can be normal, but considering our circumstances, I think not.
I can be thankful that at least this one is early. Waiting for three more weeks, just to lose the baby is so much worse. Right now, I just feel sad and disappointed. It hasn’t really sunk in.
I will probably call my acupuncturist soon to see when I can get in to see her. I saw her during my pregnancy with Jonas, and I went back and forth about it before this pregnancy, but I thought we’d just wait and see. She’s in Madison, which is an hour away, and I’ve just been so busy and would have to find something to do with Jonas. Now I know, I need her.
All I can think right now is I am so thankful for Jonas. I will be holding him extra tight today!
Ben brought an article on www.mises.org to my attention the other day. It’s a response to a recent article by Michael Kinsley of the Washington Post regarding “what’s wrong with libertarianism.” I am primarily interested in one statement Mr. Kinsley makes regarding the governments ban on raw milk:
Libertarians are quick to see hidden costs of ignoring libertarian principles and slow to see such costs in adhering to them. For example, Tucker Carlson reports in the Dec. 31 New Republic that Ron Paul wants to end the federal ban on unpasteurized milk. No one should want to drink unpasteurized milk, and almost no one does. Paul himself doesn’t. But it bothers him that the government tells people they cannot do something they shouldn’t do.Libertarians would say that if most people want pasteurized milk, the market will supply it. Firms will emerge to certify that milk has been pasteurized. These firms will compete, keeping them honest.
So yes, a Rube Goldberg contraption of capitalism could replace a straightforward government regulation. But what if you aren’t interested in turning your grocery shopping into an ideological adventure? All that is lost by letting the government take care of it is the right of a few idiots to be idiots. That right deserves respect. But not much.
Politics aside, this is an embarrassingly uneducated statement. There are many idiots, as he calls them, who inconvenience themselves to purchase unpasteurized milk because, unlike Kinsley, they have educated themselves on the benefits of raw milk and the detriments of pasteurized milk, and believe that it is worth the additional effort required to acquire raw milk.
Kinsley states that “no one should want to drink unpasteurized milk”, and yet my family, and many others, do. Well, we simply must be crazy. The government tells us that unpasteurized milk is unsafe; it’s hazardous to our health. Who wouldn’t believe the government? They’ve always proven themselves to be trustworthy; they never meddle unnecessarily in our lives; they always have our best interests at heart. Isn’t that right?
Umm. Right.
In truth, raw milk possesses many health benefits that are destroyed during the processes of pasteurization and homogenization. The resulting product is far inferior to the original, God designed, one.
Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, has this to say of raw milk:
Raw milk contains lactic-acid-producing bacteria that protect against pathogens. Pasteurization destroys these helpful organisms, leaving the finished product devoid of any protective mechanism should undesirable bacteria inadvertently contaminate the supply. Raw milk in time turns pleasantly sour while pasteurized milk, lacking beneficial bacteria, will putrefy.
But that’s not all that pasteurization does to milk. Heat alters milk’s amino acids lysine and tyrosine, making the whole complex of proteins less available; it promotes rancidity of unsaturated fatty acids and destruction of vitamins. Vitamin C loss in pasteurization usually exceeds 50%; loss of other water-soluble vitamins can run as high as 80%; the Wulzen or anti-stiffness factor is totally destroyed. Pasteurization alters milk’s mineral components such as calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur as well as many trace minerals, making them less available. There is some evidence that pasteurization alters lactose, making it more readily absorbable. This, and the fact that pasteurized milk puts an unnecessary strain on the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes, may explain why milk consumption in civilized societies has been linked with diabetes.
Last but not least, pasteurization destroys all the enzymes in milk— in fact, the test for successful pasteurization is absence of enzymes. These enzymes help the body assimilate all bodybuilding factors, including calcium. That is why those who drink pasteurized milk may suffer, nevertheless, from osteoporosis. Lipase in raw milk helps the body digest and utilize butterfat. After pasteurization, chemicals may be added to suppress odor and restore taste. Synthetic vitamin D2 or D3 is added — the former is toxic and has been linked to heart disease while the latter is difficult to absorb. The final indignity is homogenization which has also been linked to heart disease.
Real Milk–full-fat, unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows–contains vital nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins A and D, calcium, vitamin B6, B12, and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid naturally occurring in grass-fed beef and milk that reduces body fat and protects against cancer). Real milk is a source of complete protein and is loaded with enzymes. Raw milk contains beneficial bacteria that protect against pathogens and contribute to a healthy flora in the intestines. Culturing milk greatly enhances its probiotic and enzyme content, making it a therapeutic food for our digestive system and overall health.
Here is an interesting table comparing the nutritional value of raw and pasteurized milk:
Raw Certified Milk |
Pasteurized Milk |
D. Nutritional Values
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What about safety? Isn’t the government protecting us from illness and possible death?
The answer is no. In fact, pasteurized milk poses far more health risks than raw milk. Of course one must make sure that the source of their milk is reputable, but if you are consuming clean, raw milk, your risk is lower than those consuming pasteurized milk. The friendly bacteria found in raw milk inhibits the growth of dangerous organisms. Pasteurization kills these bacteria, and therefore, the milk is more easily contaminated.
Here is a table used for a vote permitting raw milk in Los Angeles that shows many outbreaks caused by pasteurized milk and none caused by raw milk.
More information from Fallon:
PASTEURIZED milk has been the source of many widespread outbreaks. A total for some of the documented outbreaks due to PASTEURIZED milk over the past few decades is 239,884 cases and 620 deaths.
The nation’s largest recorded outbreak of Salmonella was due to PASTEURIZED milk contaminated with antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhimurium. The outbreak, which occurred between June 1984 and April 1985 sickened over 200,000 and caused 18 deaths. Disturbingly, the CDC did not issue a specific Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for this outbreak; information must be gleaned from other reports published in the FDA Consumer and the Journal of the American Medical Association.
A 2004 outbreak in Pennsylvania and New Jersey involved multidrug-resistant Salmonella typhimurium infection from milk contaminated after pasteurization.
Despite numerous outbreaks due to pasteurized milk, neither the FDA nor the CDC has ever issued a warning against consuming pasteurized milk. Pasteurization is not a guarantee; pasteurized milk is not sterile. The FDA permits the presence of up to 20,000 bacteria /ml and 10 E.coli/ml in milk after the pasteurization process has been completed.
Apparently, Kinsley trusts the government to know best and do his thinking for him. I’m not sure how else he could come to such a conclusion regarding raw milk, as he obviously didn’t do a bit of research on the subject.
Sadly, Americans are so ignorant on so many issues. They blindly trust a government to tell them what to consume and what to avoid without a second thought. We need to start questioning. We need to start thinking for ourselves. Our health and well being are dependent on it.
Simple Bounty 