It should come as no surprise that we are in the midst of a food revolution. The biggest move is going local. What does that mean? For one it means knowing your farmer, your farmer who has fresh raw milk , farm fresh eggs and other goodies. This idea is catching on in Florida and Orlando in particular. Local buying clubs are growing and people are demanding wholesome quality food and florida farmers are working to meet the demands. Farmer’s markets are growing and the Orlando area has about 10 very popular markets. It’s getting easier to find goat milk, raw cheese, farm fresh yogurt and much more.
After a long standing legal battle with the Canadian government Michael Schmidt was acquitted in a Newmarket court this past January. He was cleared of 19 charges of distributing raw milk and raw milk products.
Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky essentially agreed that no law was broken because he was distributing to cow-share owners of and not the public at large.
Mr. Schmidt, a 54-year-old Durham region dairy farmer, and his supporters maintain that grass-fed raw milk is healthier before it is pasteurized, yet Canadian health officials deem it unsafe for public consumption.
To get a very balanced view on grass fed raw milk and farm fresh foods in Orlando check out: www.realmilk.com
In Florida and Orlando specifically raw milk is becoming increasingly available. Be sure to to ask for grass-fed raw milk fresh from the farm.
Oprah did a wonderful show on local food this past week. She was inspired by the documentary film Food, Inc. Oprah’s guest was local food activist and author Michael Pollan. Our local food movement just got a shot in the arm and such exposure goes along way to building credibility. At Farmfreshdirect2u.com we have always valued, grass-fed beef, organic eggs, and grass-fed raw milk. Especially raw milk produced locally for us in the Orlano area. For those who missed it check out the links below.
We’ve all seen the countless warnings from the American Heart Association, American Medical Association, food conglomerates and our own doctors warning us to avoid eating saturated fat because of the “heart-disease-causing” cholesterol it contains. But have you ever stopped to ask why?
Since the dawn of time, humans have eaten a diet rich in animal fats such as butter, lard and tallow, which are loaded with saturated fatty acids. So just what is a saturated fat? These fats are straight chains of carbon and hydrogen that pack together easily. It is this feature that allows saturated fats to remain relatively solid at room temperature. Vegetable oils(polyunsaturated fats), however are missing various amounts of hydrogen connections and instead have a weaker double bond. Now here is the crucial part, these very same double bonds are weaker and prone to damage from heat, and excessive processing. This same weakness causes vegetable oils to form free radicals much more easily than very stable saturated fats. It is this process (free radical formation) that makes vegetable or seed oils like flaxseed go rancid. Free radicals damage results in inflammation, chronic inflammation is know recognized as the underlying cause of modern degenerative diseases. Most saturated fat is of animal origins with the exception of coconut oil which is a plant source of saturated fats. Grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, liver, raw dairy are excellent sources of these neglected nutrients.
So what are the facts?
• In 1900, at least 35 percent of the calories in the American diet came from saturated dairy fats in the form of raw butter, cream and whole milk. Other sources were pastured eggs, natural pork and grass fed beef. During this time, heart disease was practically unheard of.
• Research dating back to the 1950s indicates saturated fats are necessary for a strong immune system, healthy function of hormone levels and reproduction, for calcium to be used by the bones, and omega-3s to be used by the body properly.
• Animal foods that contain saturated fat and cholesterol provide vital nutrients necessary for growth, energy and protection from degenerative disease. Dietary cholesterol helps strengthen the intestinal wall, which is why low-cholesterol diets can lead to intestinal disorders.
• Cholesterol is essential for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is the body’s natural “feel-good” chemical. Low cholesterol levels have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies.
• Mother’s milk is rich in cholesterol. Children need cholesterol-rich foods for proper brain and nervous system development.
So why is it that the United States spends more than $60 billion a year on cholesterol screening and cholesterol-lowering drugs even though a positive risk/benefit ratio for this treatment has never been established? Do your own research then…You decide!
Many parents wonder if it is safe to feed their babies raw milk. The answer is an emphatic YES, as long as you know the raw milk comes from a clean and reliable source.
It is also best if the milk comes from cows that eat a more natural diet of green grass, hay and root vegetables.
While mother’s milk is the most ideal for your baby, raw cow’s milk produced safely is not dangerous in spite of what public health propagandists have lead you to believe. Raw milk actually contains enzymes and antibodies that make it less susceptible to bacterial contamination than pasteurized milk, while many toxins that cause diarrhea and other ailments survive the pasteurization process. Raw milk is easier for your baby to digest than pasteurized and less likely to cause cramps, constipation and allergies.
Many doctors warn that feeding cereal grains to babies too early can lead to grain allergies. Because your baby’s digestive system is better equipped to supply enzymes for digestion of fats and proteins rather than carbohydrates, baby’s first solid foods should be animal foods.
Some experts recommend feeding an egg yolk per day, starting at four months. Eggs from pasture-fed hens are rich in the omega-3 long-chain fatty acids that may be lacking in cow’s milk. These fatty acids are essential for brain development.
Cod liver oil can also be added to baby’s foods for additional omega-3s and vitamin D.
Around 10 months of age, you can introduce meats such as grass-fed beef liver, and mashed fruits and vegetables, and raw buttermilk or yogurt. Avoid fruit juices, as they are mostly sugar.
Of course your baby will come in contact with processed junk foods sooner or later. But if you help your child develop a taste for nutritious foods in infancy then he or she will make better food choices for a healthier future.
