29 October 2008

Nourishing Traditions



We are changing the way we eat. This is a big decision for us because we're going to eat meat again. I suppose it's less of a change for Hanno because he occasionally eats meat during winter, but I haven't eaten any meat for close to ten years. I started off being meat, chicken and fish-free because I was trying to help Hanno reduce his cholesterol level - he was having problems getting to a decent level, even though he'd given up eating a lot of the cheeses and other foods he loved. I thought that by him giving up meat it would take a burden from his diet that his body couldn't cope with. A couple of years into it, I went back to eating fish because I could never get a decent meal when I went travelling in my job. So we settled into this meat-less diet and I have to say that I always thought we were doing the right thing. Until now.

Then I read Nourishing Traditions, the revolutionary book by Sally Fallon. It changed the way I view food and has convinced me to eat meat again. Two days ago I ate meat for the first time in many years. I must admit I felt a bit sick at first and wondered if it was right for me but I soon settled down and felt fine. We had a beef casserole, made with shin beef, including the marrow bone. This meal was chosen to provide us with natural gelatin, minerals and enzymes.

I first came across Nourishing Traditions on the Lentils and Rice blog and was intrigued that the book had convinced Robyn to change what she ate and how she fed her family. Over the next month or two, I read more about the book and the influence it was having so when, quite by chance, I saw it for sale in my local organic co-op, I grabbed it. Hanno and I have both been reading it since and we're convinced by what the author writes. It's an easy book to read. It has a subject index as well as a recipe index and although I started reading from the beginning, now I'm looking up subjects that interest me, and spot reading.

I'm sure that people would get different messages from this book but this is what I have understood so far. There is no blanket advice that any doctor or government can give because we are all different, our bodies need differing elements and it's difficult to cover all people in one food pyramid or accepted body of knowledge. We are mammals - so we are programmed to drink milk. This starts off being human milk but expands into other types of milk and milk products - mammals commonly drink the milk of other mammals. Tampering with food to remove certain elements from it - like fat or salt - devalues it. Fat is needed to allow the take up of many of the beneficial elements in food. Raw food, in its many forms, is the best food. When I say raw I mean unprocessed - so raw milk, honey, cheese etc. Eat only pasture fed meat, not grain fed, or lot fed.

But most of all, as the title of the book states, it's about going back to the diet our great grandmas cooked. They used to eat soups and stocks made with bones; they ate the entire carcass of whatever animal they had available and didn't waste anything. They drank raw full cream milk, and made cheese from that same milk, they pre-soaked a lot of their grains and cereals - making the nutrients easily digestible when eaten. They pickled and preserved using whey.

This book made a lot of sense to me. I rarely read anything that changes how I view what I'm doing, but this book did it. I always think a lot about what I'm doing and generally, when I decide to change, it's for a reason that I've thought about and makes good sense to me. I know that many people won't get the same understanding from this book as I did. But if you get the chance to read it, do so. It might convince you to make a change.

Please note: You will most likely get this book at your local library. If you wish to buy a copy, I've added the Amazon link for the USA and UK to my side bar.
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76 comments

  1. I was a vegetarian for seven years, and I felt tired, my skin was itchy, my hair was dry. Then, I got anemia. So, I started adding animal fats and butter back into my diet, and today I am in excellent good health with very good cholesterol levels/blood chemistry.

    This is an important book. The shape and length of our digestive system shows we are omnivores, and that yes, eating animal fat and real butter is good for our nervous system/brains. Unprocessed fruit and veg is also important, as are some grains. Isn't it amazing that all the money spent on processing food to "make it better" in the past 50 years would have been better spent on getting good quality food to families at a reasonable price? How much better an apple is than overly sugared fruit leather, or butter is than margarine.

    You may also find that weirdly enough, because the good animal fats/butter you are eating are very satisfying, you'll actually lose weight without a lot of effort, and your energy levels will increase.

    Good luck on your dietary changes, and thanks for mentioning this book on your blog where it will do your readers a lot of good.

    AM of the bread (yes, spread with butter).

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  2. What do you mean by, "mammals commonly drink the milk of other mammals"? I don't know of any other mammals who drink the milk of other animals?

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    1. Humans drink cow's milk...and goat's milk, and cheeses too made from milk.

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  3. I recently started eating meat again after 25 years of not eating it. I didn't eat meat during my pregnancy with my twins and I don't think you need meat.

    But I started to eat it again every now and again as I think you can get hung up about labels like 'vegetarian'. Just eat what feels right for you as an individual.

    Donna

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  4. I love NTs and have made a lot of the recipes in the book. I look forward to hearing how the transition goes for you. Good luck and good health.

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  5. I have read this book and I agree it makes so much sense we didn't have to change the way we eat much becasue frankly with our big family - cooking cheaper cuts of meat well (which sometimes means cooking them twice)is very economical.

    We eat a realy varied diet and we eat seasonally which I think is very important - my kids think it is weird to even want to eat watermelon in the dead of winter sure it is growing somewhere in the world - but not in our backyard at that time of year.

    Another book you may be intersted in is a book by Rose Nader (Ralph naders mother) it is called "It happened in the kitchen" it is my child rearing, diet bible and has been for 20 years.

    daisymum

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  6. I thought the "drinking milk of other mammals" thing sounds a bit strange too. I'd love to see how they substantiate it (should get a copy of the book then I guess!).

    I was vegan/vegetarian for many years but went back to eating meat after I became anaemic after having my second child. I was eating a lot of vegetarian iron-rich foods but it seems that my body doesn't do as well on them as some others I know who have been vegetarian for years and years, and have had children in that time, with absolutely no impact on their iron levels. I think it's good advice to find what works for your body and then stick to that.

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  7. We have been eating Nourishing Traditions style for several years now and love it. It makes perfect sense to eat the way our great grandparents did. Real, whole food. My skin looks so much better now, and people commonly mistake me as many years younger than I am.

    Predators will eat the udders and thereby get milk from any lactating prey. I once heard someone say that coyotes would kill sheep on his fathers ranch and sometimes only eat the udders, so it does happen.

    Full Moon Feast is another excellent book that follows Nourishing Traditions/Weston Price diet.

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  8. Anonymous, if you ask a question of me I would like you to do me the courtesy of leaving your name. To answer your question: dogs and cats often take on orphaned animals and allow them to suckle, even those of a different species. Sheep, goats and cattle will drink each others milk. Humans drink the milk of several other mammals.

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  9. The Weston Price Foundation is comprised of meat and dairy farmers who directly benefit from people believing that animal consumption is healthy. It's absolutely bogus from an environmental/sustainable/and health standpoint. Google the China Study and learn more about the benefits of a plant based diet.

    Also, our grandmas and distant ancestors ate terrible stuff and they died when they were like 50! It's really silly to think that their diet was superior or that their health was somehow less compromised by their dietary choices than ours is in our fast-food nation.

    If you want to eat meat because you want to eat meat, fine. But it's dangerous and irresponsible to spread the myths that an omnivorous diet is superior health wise or environmentally - as Sally Fallon has done.

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  10. Hi Rhonda, I have been greatly enjoying your blog.
    I read Nourishing Traditions a few years ago, and it completely changed the way our family eats. It's a gem and even an enjoyable read, packed with research and information without being overwhelming. That is very unusual for a cookbook.

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  11. "To answer your question: dogs and cats often take on orphaned animals and allow them to suckle, even those of a different species. Sheep, goats and cattle will drink each others milk. Humans drink the milk of several other mammals."

    Hi Rhonda,
    Infants may drink other milk to survive but I don't believe it's common, nor do I believe adults of any species needs milk. Milk is not just a food or drink like other foods and drinks are, it's in a league of its own. It's a special food that is genetically coded with the needs of that particular species. The milk of a cow has all the coding to grow something the size of a cow for instance. Cow's milk has so much protein in it that we can make cheese from it. However, humans being a smaller animal only needs enough protein to grow a human-sized animal so there is less protein in mother's milk than cow's and hence why we're unable to make cheese from breastmilk.

    I only know all this because of what I came to learn last year. I was a milk-a-holic before becoming a mother, but then when I read up on formula (which is made from cows milk) I was completely turned off it for life. I would never feed my child another animal's milk let alone consume it myself. I'm happy to say that at 13mths my son is still fully breastfed :)

    I urge people to look into the milk issue before making firm decisions either way. It's so much bigger than what I just outlined.

    Cheers,
    Linn

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  12. What serendipitous timing Rhonda - I have ordered this book and it is due to arrive today! I very rarely buy books, and almost never buy them sight unseen (I can't find it locally so had to order it in) so I am relieved and encouraged that you got so much out of it.

    Cheers, Julie

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  13. I must read this! We've always eaten meats, butter, olive oils and lots of vegetables and nuts. Only in the last two years, though, have I substantially reduced the sugars I consume and the refined grains. In fact, I find that ANY grain I eat now that I'm over 50 has to be in quite small proportions or I gain lots of waist and belly fat which is said to be not very healthy. My tryglycerides have really responded to cutting way back on grains. But, maybe I'm just not preparing them the proper way?

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  14. This isn't available in my library system so I broke down and purchased it a few weeks ago. Having the time to sit down and actually read it is another story though.............

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  15. I bought this book several years ago and its so comforting and nourishng.
    I have not looked at it for a while but now feel inspired to take it off the shelf and reread.
    I am into simple home cooking and this follows so well on from stockpiling and frugality.
    Another book I am reading is on foods from the bible - the simple whole foods that God provided for us to eat. Eating them as whole , unprocessed as possible, and not becoming addicted or misusing foods.
    Blessings, Juanita.

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  16. Rhonda, I enjoy popping in at your blog now and again; thank you for the advice you give and for your willingness to share your life, your thoughts, and decisions with us, your readers.

    I haven't read this book, but we are meat-eaters in my family! I believe humans have been designed to eat meat :) Please don't be discouraged by negative comments. Hey~this is YOUR blog and as such, you may spread whatever you wish. I certainly wouldn't consider this particular diet plan to be dangerous. This book has been on my wishlist for awhile, and until I order it, I will enjoy hearing your thoughts. Ultimately, in my opinion, a balanced approach to diet is a good thing--extremes are usually best avoided.

    Good luck with the "new" way of cooking! ~Danielle, USA

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  17. The Dalai Lama, who is of course a major leader in the primarily-vegetarian Buddhist faith, attempted to go veggie-only when he first travelled to India. He became violently ill for over a year. His mother had warned him that the Tibetan body couldn't do without meat as close to 75% of their diet comes from Yak-based products. He began to eat meat again and returned to full vigor.

    I support all dietary lifestyles, but I personally think the need for tablet vitamins and many medicines would disappear if we ate more complete diets.

    Good on you for being willing to change your lifestyle for a better quality of life.

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  18. I have been cooking a lot from NT lately, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how my family is taking to it. Instead of snacking all day long on "low fat" snacks, my kids have been drinking a great deal of whole milk and eating whole yogurt - also a lot more butter than we've used in the past. I have to say, they are far more sated than they used to be, eating more fruit, and complaining less that they are hungry. Because I'm cooking our veggies with real butter and I'm using real oil dressing (instead of low fat) on our salads, they are actually eating their greens! I've even dropped a few pounds, and my energy level has been great.

    If anyone is interested in this way of eating, I really recommend Nina Plank's book "Real Food." She takes a similar view, but she also has an emphasis on the importance of organic, grass fed meat and dairy products. Eating a lot of commercially produced meat is no recipe for good health. Like Sally Fallon, she de-emphasizes grains, while encouraging abundant consumption of vegetables, fruit, meat (organic), fish (wild) and dairy (preferably raw, grass-fed, and never low fat). Her arguments make a lot of sense to me, though she has drawn much wrath from vegan activists.

    I was worried that so much organic, grass-fed food would be inordinately expensive for our family of 6, but I have to admit that we are eating so much less of other foods - mainly starches, snack foods, etc, and we've upped our veggie intake so dramatically, that it hasn't been that much more expensive.

    Interesting topic!

    Kate

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  19. Interesting post. I've heard about this book (probably on Lentils & Rice blog also) and been curious. I put a "hold" on it from my local library - I no longer run out & buy books like I used to - thanks to reading your blog!

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  20. The book looks really interesting Rhonda but I'm desperately trying not to buy more books :) I'll ask my library get a copy, although its not showing available to reserve on-line at the moment.

    I've never had much faith in the food 'experts' - too often their findings are proven to be wrong and we had a case in UK recently of a TV nutritionist 'Dr' who turns out to have a quite dodgy qualification indeed!

    Glad you're feeling better Rhonda!

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  21. I've been reading the Lentils and Rice blog regulary and it has been very interesting to see how they transitioned from the Dr. McDougall (i think) diet to the NT plan. Our bodies have evolved over the centuries to include meat/chicken that was only pasture fed.

    About 10 years ago I moved my eating habits to more whole grains, whole fats (butter, olive oil, etc.) and I am very satisfied. I don't snack and don't like to snack. It takes alot of brain power to eat 5-6 times per day. And then if you're eating 'diet' or 'lite' food you get famished quickly. I have gradually lost weight, have more energy than others I know who continually diet and watch every morsel that goes in their mouth and then to ruin it because they feel the need to keep 'treating' themselves to a bit of chocolate, cookies, etc.
    Today, a typical day started at 7am, it's 830pm right now, I've gone to work, had dinner, chopped firewood, working on the computer and still have some studying to do and I'm not tired.

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  22. Just wanted to clarify that my comment above, about 'dodgy experts' was not aimed at the book by the way, but rather at the sort of people who preach faddist things in mags and such; I like the idea of eating a good basic diet as full of natural foods as possible.

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  23. Hi everyone! it's great to see many of you already into this type of food.
    Anon, you're wrong - if you want to check out the board of the Weston Price Foundation, go here and read:
    http://www.westonaprice.org/board.html

    Linn, I'm not advocating we feed infants milk from other mammals. I am a staunch supporter of breastfeeding babies. I am talking about a 60 year old woman, and I know that whole milk plays a big part in my wellbeing.

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  24. Hi Rhonda,
    I bought Nourishing Traditions six years ago and loved the information I found in it, mainly because it agreed with what I believed about food. As a family we don't strictly follow the book's dietary guidelines but have a more moderate approach I guess and follow the example of past generations.
    My grandparents lived well into their 90s and ate meat, but not in huge quantities, at almost every meal, never bothered with low fat anything unless that was the way nature made it. They were not troubled by arthritis, diabetes or heart disease and so on. They enjoyed a wide variety of homemade and homegrown foods including various pickles and preserves that Grannie made. My Gran started each day with lemon juice in water and ended each day with a spoonful of medicinal brandy just as her mother had done. Their diet was a vegetable, potatoes and meat diet and a simple dessert every night.
    They sat down at a properly set table for each meal and finished it off with a cup of tea.
    As a part of the western world where lack of food is not an issue for most I think we sometimes forget that to be able to decide how much to eat and what we will eat is a privilege that many people in this world don't have. If we can find our foods as locally as possible and as unadulterated as possible we should give thanks, make a great meal and share it with our family and friends.

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  25. I actually found the book (Nourishing Traditions) incredibly 'white bread' and limited in its scope, recipes and tastes.

    Although the text talks about different cultures, different eating patterns and different meats etc., the recipes themselves are stock-standard Western. It's boring.

    It's been a while since I read the book, but I remember being interested in her take on mare's milk, yet being unable to actually find a recipe in the whole book that used it.

    As someone who lived and ate in China for many years, and who ate: yak, snake, jellyfish, sea cucmber, sea slug, dog, cat, various insects, bison and a host of other non-standard foods, I was extremely unimpressed by NT's very dull and unoriginal chicken, fish and beef plus cows milk and eggs stock-standards.

    Dull, dull, dull...

    In all, the recipes in the book have *nothing* to do with native cultures or how people ate hundred/thousands of years ago. The book is basically a bit of a con job.

    As for diets, I think the main problem with the way most people eat today is certainly that we eat crap, but no label or 'tradition' is going to fix it.

    I think Michael Pollan probably has it right: "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants." His book, In Defense Of Food, is much more sensible, and gives some realistic steps for eating well at the back. If you're going to read and follow anything, his book is at least sensible and based on logic.

    As for Nourishing Traditions, I'd like to see the lady put a few snake and dog recipes in, plus maybe a few insect-based recipes.

    Then, at least, it would be based on the diet of our ancestors, and not just some make-believe-land where shepherdesses with perfect teeth prance about with bows on their crooks and no-one actually got sick.

    Oh - I forgot. That wouldn't sell as well as conning people into believing they're being 'natural' and healthy'. (Yes, I'm being snide).

    My take on the issue: NT is okay as a very limited and uninteresting cookbook. If that's what you want, fine. But Margaret Fulton has better recipes and is more varied in her approach, and the Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks have much better pictures.

    However, if you want a doctrine and a way of eating that borders on religious fanaticism, then NT might be for you.

    Just my $2 (accounting for inflation and a longer post than I intended it to be).

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  26. Hello Rhonda, it's been awhile since I've last commented but I am still reading and enjoying and learning every day :)

    I had to let you know that in another incident of bloggy coincidence I wrote a little about Nourishing Traditions this morning! Funny how several blogs are often on the same wavelength.

    glad you are feeling better,
    Blessings,
    Niki

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  27. A comment on the mammals drinking milk from other animals from a farmer (and a biologist): In all my years of raising cows, goats, sheep, and dogs, I have never seen an adult mammal drink milk from an other adult mammal.

    Also, it takes quiet a bit of work to get a nursing female to accept an orphan (in most cases)- It's an evolutionary unfit mother who would invest all that energy into something that isn't passing on her genes. Usually, you have to trick the mother into thinking the baby is hers by hiding the scent of the newborn, and even then it's hard. It is easier when the mother has had a false pregnancy, though. So, while mothers taking on orphans does happen, it's very, very rare.

    As for predators eating the udders of prey- realize that this is a fairly rare occurrence in the animal's life, rather than the daily affair of humans. Also, domesticated animals have be selected for producing large amounts of milk- wild animals don't have nearly as much milk, and their udders are way smaller, too. Have you ever seen a wild animal's udder?

    Also, while it is true that cow's milk has more protein, human milk has way more fat and sugars than cows milk, and those are the molecules that provide energy to a growing baby, not protein.

    Yet another consideration is that there is a specific protein that allows for digestion of milk sugars (lactose). In most animals (and some people), this gene is shut off once the animal reaches a certain age and stops nursing. After that, the animal can no longer digest milk (known in humans as lactose intolerance). In cultures where it was uncommon to drink milk, most adults lack the ability to digest milk. However, in areas such as Europe, where humans traditionally raised milk animals, adults retain their ability to digest milk.


    Just my thoughts.

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  28. Rhonda Jean,

    How surprising to read this post. :-)

    We just had delicious roast chicken for supper, and I'm making the bones into rich chicken broth for soup. For the past 7 yrs I haven't given myself "permission" to cook these kinds of foods at home, so what a nice change it has been. It's so comforting to finally give myself "permission" to cook these traditional comfort foods at home for my family, instead of only eating meat and dairy at restaurants or at friends' houses like we used to do.

    We don't eat meat every single day, but we do eat more than we used to, at home.

    The biggest surprise for me is, my junk food cravings have gone away, and the girls are more satisfied after meals and hardly ever ask for snacks anymore.

    I think small amounts of "real" food: real cream, real butter, chicken with the skin, juicy steak . . . small amounts of the "real" stuff is so much more satisfying than large amounts of fat-free or low-fat foods.

    I've eaten both ways: vegan and healthy traditional-style, and I think small amounts of real dairy, and real meat are better than abstaining 100%.

    I wish you well on your journey. I'm having fun with the process, and I'm only adding one new thing at a time to keep things simple. :-)

    Make sure you make some lacto-fermented sauerkraut or some other lacto-fermented condiment or beverage to help with digestion. Making kefir is very easy if you get yourself some kefir grains.

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  29. Hi Rhonda,

    Thank you for posting this today.

    This book put me in a twix-&-a-twirl when I read it some time ago. I think I'm still largely in that state and really don't know what to eat any more, for long term, preventative, regenerative health.

    A lot of what Sally Fallon writes really makes sense, it really does. And so do a of of the reasons for becoming a vegetarian.

    My hubby had some continuing health issues and my family has a history of heart disease (and now cancer, it seems), so I went in search, with research over some years, of what I could bring forth for my family to get us into tip-top shape.

    I read Dr Esselstyn's book on his 20 year study (as well as from other people with studies on heart disease) and how being essentially a vegan (slight differences but that's what it comes down do) reversed heart disease in ALL the people on the study. And they were quite ill at the beginning with many if not most participants having had operations refused due to the advancement of their disease and the fragility of their health to survive the operation.

    With before and after scans and photos included, that was pretty impressive and we began to eat that way. My sons and I all lost weight, had lots of energy and felt pretty good although one son and hubby missed meat and resumed eating it after about six weeks or so.

    Then a friend, concerned we weren't getting the nutrients and so forth we all needed, loaned us a copy of Nourishing Traditions.

    My husband immediately wanted to eat that, way and has followed it ever since. I'm not sure he is any better. Our sons and I swing between the two eating plans, which are actually quite opposite!

    I'm feeling tired, I've stopped losing weight and I'm quite over cooking two different meals with two different methods for all the family members.

    Stressing about what or what not to eat wouldn't help at all, either!

    The only things both parties seem to agree on is to cut out processed and prepackaged foods and the recommendation to eat naturally grown or raised, organically produced foods.

    I like what Sally Fallon/Weston A Price has to say about eating natural foods and if I am to have milk then raw milk (cheeses, etc) is the way I'd prefer it (sourcing it is another matter entirely!). If I am to eat meat, then organically raised and grass fed meats are what I'd choose. I don't like the thought of margarine, so butter would win there, hands down!

    I am in the process of drafting a letter to both Esselstyn and Fallon camps, to make further enquiries about the various studies and differences in what they suggest.

    I'm coming to the conclusion that different ways of eating are probably appropriate for different stages of life and circumstance. It may be that I need to return to near-to-vegan whereas others in the family keep up the meat/butter etc routine.

    Of course, to top it all off, there's the stress that many of us live under today, which HAS to affect our health, and the environmental concern about feeding so many thousands of cattle, for instance, to in turn feed we humans where that land could have been used to feed probably far more humans in the first place, bypassing the cattle. It's very very complex.

    I guess we're fortunate we have choices as not everyone does. Speaking generally, it would be very lovely to be able to relax about what we put in our mouths and enjoy it.

    Ree

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  30. I also wanted to say that it's a better plan to argue for milk ingestion based on the fact that we can actually digest it as adults (whereas other animals can't), rather than the dubious evidence of other animals occasionally consuming milk as adults. The fact that we've developed (evolved) the ability to digest milk is an indication of how long we've been drinking it.

    For the record, I'm the kind of person who drinks whole milk (which is not the same as the "whole" milk in the store), unpasteurized and un-homogenized. It's better than way.

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  31. Please drop by my blog. I have an award for you. :)

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  32. Rhonda - growing up Pennsylvania Dutch, we eat a lot of fat and carbs. I do think the diet was like that as way back, the farmers worked so hard all day long and needed the fat and carbs because they burned so many calories. Also, it was believed that nothing go to waste...you can get several meals from one roast chicken - the first meal itself, leftover chicken for sandwiches and then the carcass in the pot boiled off and adding veggies makes a great soup. That is how I was raised and how I feed my family.
    Anyway, I have always been a red meat lover - steaks, pot roasts etc. The past several months I haven't felt very well after eating red meat. I have since cut it out of my diet mainly for that reason. I still eat chicken, fish/seafood and ham. People ask me if I feel any different since I gave up red meat - beef - and I say....the only difference I feel is that when my guys eat the steak and I usually treat myself to some scallops of shrimp, I feel better in the evening than I would have if I ate the steak or pot roast or hamburgers...other than that, I can't tell any difference.
    I think you have to do what is right for you, and if this new "diet" works for you and Hanno, then that is great. Each person is different in how they digest foods and their reactions to it.
    As far as the milk issue - I never researched it and can not really comment, but we drink/use nothing but whole milk in our home. I remember as a child when the milkman used to deliver, there was always cream at the top of the jug and we loved it so...I can't find that kind of milk here anymore and I miss that. All I know is that my 2 boys have been drinking cows milk since they were both 6 months old, and they are both healthy, strapping young men (ages 16&23). I never fed them baby food, I always fed them what we were having, only I would put it through the baby food grinder. My family doctor at the time is what we would call "old school" and he said, if you are feeding them table food, stop the formula and give them milk as they are getting a balanced diet. Baby food is just a filler with no nutritional value as he would put it. ( I gave them formula when they were born as I was unable to nurse them myself)

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  33. Dear Rhonda,

    Thank you for writing this post. I haven't read NT, but will look it up in the local library!

    We are aiming to eat natural and healthy foods too, and I firmly believe that homegrown and unprocessed foods are what is best for our family. We don't eat reduced fat products, but feel that as part of a balanced diet they offer a richness and vitality that is valuable. We are however aiming to reduce our meat consumption to about four main meals a week to try and improve the variety of what we eat. Home grown meat is our goal - poultry, fish and eventually cow, goat and lamb/mutton.

    I'm always looking for new ideas and thoughts on nutrition and food, so will definitely be looking forward to reading this book!

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  34. HI Rhonda,

    I bought this book about 2 years ago and was amazed at the information therein. I slowly started changing our diet by eating butter instead of marg, leaving some fat on the meat, making stock to name a few things. We noticed that our children started to actually look healthier. I never thought they looked sickly, but after a few months of eating differently they are slim(always have been) but have full rosy cheeks which they never had before. During my last pregnancy I ate more good eggs and meat along with some herbal teas. I felt really good and delivered the biggest baby we have had so far. I don't know if the diet contributed to that but I certainly know I felt healthy.
    I still struggle with planning ahead so that I have soaked lentils or beans for a meal but I think over time I will get the hang of it. I have enjoyed quite a few of the recipes inside too.
    I read through it often and never feel that she is speaking nonsense. It just seems to make sense and I think how good my families health is, is enough proof for me to continue down the same road.

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  35. Wow way to get some comments happening Rhonda!!!!LOL

    To the ANONYMOUS (not all of you who post under that tag)

    Each of my children is very different (not one of them is overweight but their builds vary enormously) and they eat differently, a few of them are huge breakfast eaters and must eat as soon as their feet hit the floor, others are slower to start their day and prefer a larger lunch, one or two of them are later afternoon eaters.

    But basically we eat the same type of things - our cows milk drinkers drink full cream ( but only one full glass a day and then cheese, or yoghurt) one of them can't stomach milk so he has soy milk and one has no milk at all ( like her mother - no after seven children and literally 15 years of breast feeding my bones are fine - more than fine) I rarely eat cheese or yoghurt either but I love green veges and for me (and only for me - that is enough it seems).

    I took the book to mean find what works for you for your body look to your heritage perhaps for guidelines but don't shy away from some of the things that fell out favour ( usually to support some big business venture).

    Humans are omnivores as are most apes, and some other mammals - that is a fact. It is proved by our teeth and our enzymes. That some people lived in areas where culturally and climatically a largely vegetarian diet was most common means that over the centuries they adapted to that, other cultures didn't develop that way - that is a fact.

    So calm down, be nice and eat how you want but don't be rude to someone else because they express an opinion ON THEIR BLOG! (and don't hide behind an anonymous tag!)

    daisymum

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  36. Hey DaisyMum,

    Thanks for the comment on the whole 'anonymous' thing.

    I disabled anonymous posting on my blog, and personally don't give it much credit. If you're not willing to put a name to your words, you shouldn't be saying them. If you don't have a blogger ID, at least print a proper name at the end of your post.

    As for anonymous nasties, well, poison pen is the lowest of the low.

    Rhonda is a pretty tolerant person. Kudos to her :-) Do her some credit, all you anonymous types, and print your name with your posts.

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  37. I love this book.

    I was particularly interested to read one of the recommendations in the front of the book was written by a vegetarian, who even after reading the book chose not to eat meat, but found the rest of the information very helpful - like the tip that a little bit of animal protein in a dish makes it easier for your body to absorb the vegetable proteins - so a lentil dish will be more bio-available if you eat some animal protein in the same meal (say yoghurt or egg etc).

    For me, the take home message was to avoid processed foods, white flour and white sugar (and even brown flour and brown sugar :) To soak your grains and pulses before using them, to eat 'alive' food as much as possible and to maximise the amount of enzymes you eat - the more 'alive' it is the better and more digestible.

    Despite being very pro-raw milk, Sally Fallon does include a lot of info for people who don't drink milk for whatever reason (but you do need to hunt for it). She seems to be in its favour because for most people it's an easily accessible easily digestible enzyme-rich living food. (Raw milk. Pasteurised milk is a totally different story and not so digestible etc). She _does_ say that it doesn't agree with everyone, especially people with South Asian ancestry.

    For me, we still don't eat meat with every meal, but I'm not afraid of eggs any more, we eat more salads because I'm "allowed" to put dressing on them (home-made real food dressing - not bought fake food dressing), and I occasionally lacto-ferment something.

    I've also cut my sugar intake WAY down which is a huge help.

    I have a lot more energy now that my lunch is 'real' food - a lightly scrambled egg with herbs and a piece of fruit for instance - rather than store bought toast with margarine and vegemite.

    I wouldn't recommend eating more saturated fats (like this book suggests) while continuing to eat sugary foods (including brown sugar and 'raw' sugar - they're still sugar). Your total calorie intake is still your total calorie intake :) Coming off the sugar was hard for me - a few days of utter fatigue and headaches - but well worth it.

    For people who are interested but just can't do the meat thing, Sproutman's books are good (google will provide the info) - lots of lactofermentation and raw food in there too.

    Good luck!

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  38. Good Postings Folks

    I think one think which comes out of all this (and I havent read the book) but have naturally eaten this way all my life becacause my family ate this way, is that eating is an individual activity and if we all listen to our own bodies, we eat what OUR bodies need or are lacking in.

    My daughter in law is a vegetarian, but she is the most unhealthy, sickly spot ridden vegetarian that you can imagine. I respect her beliefs but she never looks healthy, is carrying a lot of weight from eating rubbish processed food alternatives and most certainly does not seem to be getting all the vitamins, minerals, fats and trace elements that her bodies needs. I wish that she would look beyond her ideals and see how ill and sickly she looks, plus she is always moody and irritable......such a shame. I wish I could help her, but she belives what she believes and that is her choice and we have to respect that.

    Best wishes to everyone in their food life choices, but there is no need to leave what may be perceived as nasty comments on here. Rhonda looks to inform us , not preach, we all have a choice wise or not in how we live.

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  39. Hi Rhonda, I visit your blog regularly,although I haven't commented in a while. Since I found your blog you have and will continue to be a huge inspiration in my life. It will be interesting now that you are including meat in your diet to see if and how much difference it will make to your budget. Buying meat can often be a big part of a weekly budget and I can't wait to read of hints and more tips from you.
    Best wishes and glad to hear you are on the mend. xx
    Kim NZ

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  40. I apologize, I didn't know that leaving an anonymous comment was so offensive to people...I just don't have a google account, and can't seem to figure out the other options. I have to admit, although I've liked Rhonda's blog for some time now, I don't agree with this particular one about the milk business. I've done a lot of research about it, both my daughter and my husband are sensitive to lactose...which is why she's almost 2 and still being breastfed. I don't think of milk as being part of a healthy lifestyle, more something that I drink because I like it. When I do get it, I get it raw from my farmer's market. I don't know if it being raw makes it any healthier, but I like that the cows are grassfed and not treated inhumanely.

    Rachel

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  41. I'm another person who finds the milk comments unbelievable. Note, for example, that the animals mentioned as drinking other species' milk are all domesticated -- that has to make a difference. And with eating the udder -- well, have a look at one and you'll see it's made of fat, glandular and connective tissue, and has a good blood supply. I'd say it's not the milk, but the fact that it's an easily-accessible organ meat that makes it attractive. I am also instantly suspicious of a book that claims other books on eating are PC. Especially when it sounds rather like the CSIRO Diet (is it?)! I personally think that respect for food is important: factory-processed crap isn't food. I don't see any particular advantage in raw milk (which can't be legally sold in Oz), meat etc. We cook to make some foods safe and other foods palatable, and have done for a long time.

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  42. I stopped eating red meat about 3 years ago, still ate chicken and fish. Just recently I've started eating red meat again, mainly steak, I think it was due to time of the month. I don't eat it often a couple of times a month.

    I've been reading the Gabriel Method and he recommends grass fed beef to grain fed - grain fed isn't natural, you don't see cows selectively picking off grains, they eat the whole plant.

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  43. Basically, I think we all know, instinctively, which foods make us prone to lethargy and putting on weight - for me, it's starchy foods - I can eat meat and dairy and feel great, but give me a few pretzels and I can't stop eating them, then I crash. I have another friend whose energy and health blossomed once she went vegan.

    Perhaps the argument about what we are "meant" to eat is really irrelevant. Whatever our ancestors and forebears ate, I can't imagine too many health experts arguing with this diet: a generous consumption of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, organic dairy and meat (if consumed), very little sugar, limited processed foods, moderate alcohol intake (if any) and at least a minimum of 30 minutes exercise every day.

    However we "tweak" that for our personal needs and wants, I'm not sure it matters if we feel good and maintain a reasonable body weight.

    Kate

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  44. I have read this book too! It's great. I especially love their suggestions about fermenting foods to aid with digestion.

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  45. Yes, our ancestors did eat large amounts of meat and things with fat but they also worked that off because their lifestyle was not as sedentary as ours is in general today. However, I do think that our bodies are made to need meat products. We just need to watch the amount of certain fats for example, but we are naturally carnivores.

    Someone mentioned that people used to die in their 50's and it was because of diet. I'm thinking that the lack of medical care and medical knowledge being much less than today had more to do with it than a meat based diet. Also, if a farmer had a serious accident, his chances were a lot worse than they are today.

    We don't eat a lot of beef, we tend to stick with turkey & chicken with some fish but once in a while we do have a steak. Our bodies need iron, which is best from natural sources.

    And I don't buy the arguement that milk isn't necessary for adults - we (especially women) need calcium, even as we age past child-bearing years. Osteoporosis is a very real possiblity when we don't get enough calcium, and milk is the best way to get it. Calcium supplements do help, but milk is still the best and most natural way.

    You've made some very good points with this, Rhonda. I'm going to see if I can find a copy of the book you recommend. It looks interesting.

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  46. To answer the comment that 'our grandmothers died in their fifties', my grandmother died peacefully at 88, my mother is 83 and making good progress in hospital after being knocked down by a car last month, and I am 58 and in the best of health. We all drink or used to drink milk and I eat butter, having read that linoleic acid, a major constituent of margarine, suppresses the immune system and 'might increase cancer risk' The exception is conjugated linoleic acid, which aids health but which is found in the fats we now cut off our red meats and throw away. You can find out quite a lot by googling "linoleic acid and cancer" and "conjugated linoleic acid". A Wikipedia search for "Maasai diet" makes interesting reading.

    Charis

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  47. 'Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.'

    I guess whoever posted this comment did not have a six-foot-plus hungry teenager with a big appetite?

    Come to think of it, our local chippie is always full of teenagers queueing up for bags of chips (french fries)

    Charis

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  48. I guess whoever posted this comment did not have a six-foot-plus hungry teenager with a big appetite?

    Uhm, the best idea is don't give your kids money for crap food.

    Even teenage future-sumos still mostly eat tofu, rice, and a vegetable-rich stew of chicken or pork.

    Doesn't get much hungrier than those boys and I doubt they often get fish-n-chips!

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  49. "A comment on the mammals drinking milk from other animals from a farmer (and a biologist): In all my years of raising cows, goats, sheep, and dogs, I have never seen an adult mammal drink milk from an other adult mammal."

    ^^ That was the point I was trying to make but I obviously wasn't very clear (my point wasn't about breastfeeding, lol). I meant that having been a milkaholic and then looking into what it means to consume another species milk as a grown woman, I no longer consume it. If it can turn me, a lifelong milkaholic, I think it's worth investigating the whole picture ;)
    Cheers,
    Linn

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  50. I read Nourishing Traditions recently and found it very persuasive. People should know that the book is backed up with a great deal of scientific documentation from very many sources--all standard, peer reviewed science, so as a person trained in science myself, I found it much more credible than any book written by a so-called "guru," and this would be someone who is making claims based on his individual experience and perhaps one clinical study authored by himself, as is referenced above with regard to veganism.

    I do NOT think that the take home message of the book is "eat what's right for you." That's ridiculous. The take home message of the book is that our industrialized, commoditized diet is not healthy for anyone and that our bodies will do better on a diet closer to what our ancestors have eaten--our near ancestors, not our distant, hunter gatherer ancestors.

    I think it's very interesting that there is a comment that basically assumes that the traditional western diet is worthless and we should be eating stuff from other traditions. It's not that there's anything wrong with other traditions, but the whole point of the book, as I said, is to return to our own traditional foodways, not adopt yet another exotic and unsustainable fad.

    Regarding veganism and vegetarianism, I thought it was very revelatory to read about what science has to say about the health and longevity of various cultures with these dietary practices. India contains the only major traditional vegetarian cultures, and those cultures have the worst record for health and longevity. The longest lived people are from dairy-consuming cultures. That alone doesn't necessarily mean anything, but it's worth thinking about, since our society is saturated with messages that meat and dairy are poison.

    Regarding veganism, it's worth noting that a) there are no traditional world cultures that follow a purely vegan diet and b) you can't even begin to follow a vegan diet without purchasing highly processed "artificial" meats and cheeses to replace what you are not getting from meat. A fully natural diet is incompatible with veganism! --Catherine

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  51. I think my great-grandmother, in Europe, ate more or less like the NT book suggests, and her family was very healthy.

    However, my husband's great-grandmother (in North Africa) ate a very different diet (for example, butter was practically unheard of), and they were very healthy too. It's true that there was more infant mortality in Africa than in Europe, but I'd attribute it to lack of medical care rather than anything else.

    Like someone here said, we are omnivores. I think thefocus should be on wholesome, natural, unprocessed food, be it meat or grains.

    ~ A happy and healthy pregnant vegetarian ~

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  52. Great post, Rhonda!

    I have always eaten meat and dairy, but over the last decade have gone to organic, grass-fed etc. This was not a great leap for me, as I have never been able to afford much processed food, so have nearly always cooked from scratch. My son developed IBS after getting glandular fever in his senior year of high school and I started doing a lot more research.

    If you have time, take a look at the websites of Joseph Mercola, Jon Barron and Jordan Rubin. They all have similar ideas, with interesting variations on the same theme. Mercola favours the idea of a diet tuned to your individual metabolic type, which makes a lot of sense. Rubin wrote the Makers Diet, the title says it best, also makes a lot of sense. Sally Fallon covers a lot of the same ground and provides more acceptable recipes.

    You always provoke thought and this time some lively debate, but I love that you never avoid the challenge, and that you are open-minded and willing to change if it seems viable. Bravo! :)

    Kerrie

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  53. >>Cow's milk has so much protein in it that we can make cheese from it. >>However, humans being a smaller animal only needs enough protein to grow a human-sized animal so there is less protein in mother's milk than cow's and hence why we're unable to make cheese from breastmilk<<

    This makes no sense to me. Goats are much smaller than humans, however their milk is made into cheese all the time.

    Also, how about cats? They will drink milk if offered. Dogs too. Adult goats will drink milk if offered to them in a bowl.

    I haven't read the book, however common sense tells me that a variety of minimally processed, clean foods would be the most healthful way to eat.

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  54. haha, I just decided to go back to being vegetarian again. And then I stumbled onto your post.

    I agree that we need to eat like our grandmother's cook. But, that also means we need to walk alot more like out grandmothers did, too. Don't forget to take that into account.

    I really dislike how farming is becoming a genetic testing facility. Just leave the food alone, eat right and exercise like you're supose to! :)

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  55. A book that is near and dear to my heart. I think Nourishing Traditions (if your read the sidebars on every page) exposes the industrial way of "food" production for what it is. Chock full of information, it is not a book that tells you to eat this way or else, it just states little known facts about the food industry and how food production methods have changed (not for the better)over the last century.

    Oh BTW I raise grassfed beef, and other livestock for sale, and I don't belong to the Weston Price organization. However, the Wise Traditions magazine they put out is a good read also.

    Another good site about the benefits of eating grassfed animals is http://eatwild.com
    You will find ongoing research articles there about grassfed meats,eggs, and milk, with a comprehensive list of producers, should you decide to eat meat.

    My body does not tolerate grain products, even properly soaked. So a variety of vegetables, raw dairy and meat, that we raise ourselves works best for us.

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  56. Regarding veganism, it's worth noting that a) there are no traditional world cultures that follow a purely vegan diet and b) you can't even begin to follow a vegan diet without purchasing highly processed "artificial" meats and cheeses to replace what you are not getting from meat. A fully natural diet is incompatible with veganism! --Catherine

    That's incorrect Catherine. There are plenty of very healthy non-compensating vegans. We simply don't need to eat met or animal products to be healthy. There is plenty of natural protein in nature. The ONLY vitamin deficiency that vegans who eat a balanced diet and mind their nutrition MIGHT face is the group of B vitamins (specifically B12). This can be supplied by supplements such as nutritional yeast or by taking a daily vitamin.

    As far as healthy vegetarian cultures -- there are many examples. Children who grew up on The Farm in Tennessee in the 80s were studied for health and development and found to be just as normal as everyone else. Seventh Day Adventists are vegetarians and there was a study of over 27,000 of them during the course of 21 years -- and they only found a delayed onset of puberty in the girls compared to omnivores outside the community -- probably because they don't consume the kinds of growth hormones meat-eaters do. The China Study in the 1980s basically confirmed that eating a plant-based diet led to more healthful adults. There are a ton more studies to cite too.

    East Indians aren't a great example of health because of the poverty, contamination and filth they also live in. (to whomever mentioned that)

    Vegetarians and vegans who don't watch their nutrition and diet of course will be sickly! It might be easier to get full nutrition from adding meat to your diet, but it is certainly not good for you at all (cholesterol, heart disease? Hello?) and it's destroying our planet.

    I think that it's unconscionable for people to eat meat in this day and age when there are more environmentally friendly alternatives. Even if you buy local organic grassfed beef, that solution is not sustainable for the millions of people who insist on eating meat. Significant environmental progress will only be made when people stop making excuses to be lazy about their diets. There are delicious and wonderful vegetarian alternatives that are karma free, cruelty free and promote sustainability.

    A 2006 United Nations report summarized the devastation caused by the meat industry by calling it "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."

    Eating one pound of meat contributes the same amount of greenhouse gas as does driving 40 miles in an SUV.

    I just don't know how omnivores can live with themselves.

    To Rhonda, I'm sorry, I read your blog and have enjoyed it so far, but I don't know if I can continue reading now.

    Cheers!

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  57. I have just come across your blog and have rally enjoyed looking at it, the photo's of your garden and preserving are great!

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  58. WooHoo Rhonda! This is exciting!
    I have had Sally's book for a few years now and we loosely follow it. My dh doesn't like sour things too much so eating completely NT is a slow change over. However we do eat all our own grassfed beef, lamb and chicken. Our pork isn't grassfed due to problems with pigchasers drivng nearby....
    As you may remember, we milk our own cow. We purchase rapadura from santostrading dot com dot au from Byron Bay. It is heavenly though the price isn't; white sugar is quite repulsive to me now.


    NT makes so much sense and is a wonderful book. i orgininally found it when I was researching drinking raw cows milk while pregnant/lactacting. WestonAPrice was the first site that came up on google and I didn't search any further.

    I have read other recomended reading from the WestonAPrice site. Physical Degeneration by Weston A Price, Sugar Blues by William Duffy, Eat Fat Lose Fat by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig (very similar to NT but it shows how you can start off and gives three different menu suggestions, along with more illness/diet related stories, worth reading), and gosh I can't remember what else I have read! I would like to read Mary Enig's book on fats though.

    I have watched a fairly recent dvd of Sally's talks and have listened to audio's of her talks here in Austraila (these ones were recorded at Brisbane). Both were similar; howebver it was worthwhile to be able to utilise both as they didn't offer all the same info. If anyone is interested I have the email address from where I bought them.

    Also, Mary Collis from Homeschoolfavourites dot com dot au sells NT and other related books, if anyone is interested email her and she can often get books in that aren't listed on her site. Mary is lovely to talk to, and a while back she joined a cow share programme (near Sydney NSW - there are ones in QLD too, they are popping up all over Australia) and she learnt to milk by hand. Mary enjoys her weekly milking, finding it relaxing and refreshing.

    I am quite looking forward to reading more about your adventures with NT Rhonda, it's exciting!
    Bec xxx

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  59. wow, this post has sparked off quite a debate! :-)
    I was vegetarian for 5 years and went back to eating meat. I think it suits me better. Everyone is different, though. Many people thrive on a vegan or vegetarian diet, but it's not for everyone.
    I'd like to read this book, - it sounds really interesting. My local libraries don't have it, unfortunately, but I'll keep a look out for it.
    Rgds, Anna

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  60. I tried to be a vegetarian for 20 years because I thought it was the best for my body and the planet. I did not thrive, I was constantly hungry, had major digestive issues (I don't handle grains and beans well, it turns out) and ended up with anxiety and panic attacks (lack of hard protein). A friend recommended the Blood Type Diet and it turns out I am best to follow a high protein, low carb diet and guess what? All my symptoms disappeared and I have never felt better. Some people will thrive on a vegetarian diet but no one diet is right for everyone. Do what is best for you.

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  61. Any talk about food certainly gets peoples attention! Especially topics which challenge the status quo about food. I have been thinking a lot about food this year and have made changes that seem sensible to us.

    This is a debate we need to be having and will always cause some discomfort amongst readers - thank you for raising it as a topic even in this indirect way.

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  62. Goodness. It makes sense that there are strong opinions about what we put into our bodies - it is one of the most important and intimate actions we make, and we do it 3 (or more) times per day.

    But I hope some of you with stronger opinions here will take a look at all of the comments here and see the breadth of different ways of doing things. Most of us here are working hard to change our lifestyles for the better - for ourselves, for other beings, and for the planet. How we go about it, though, will be different because each of us is different, we all have different physiques, we live in different countries, and we live in different circumstances.

    I have been a very, very healthy vegetarian for 20 years. It has actually increased my health substantially. But never once in that 20 year period have I ever told anyone how to eat, because it is something we must each come to terms with on our own.

    Thank you, Rhonda, for bringing up this book. It is interesting to me that it has convinced you to eat meat again after so long - it must be a powerful book. I think I'm not ready to change my eating habits, because right now... well, "don't fix what ain't broke", is about the gist of it for me. But I will remember this post if later in my life I find that my vegetarianism is no longer working for me.

    To everyone's health, may we all find true happiness as well.

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  63. Well done Rhonda! I love this book too.

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  64. Hi Rhonda,
    Didn't you just open a can of worms, it has been very interesting reading all the varied comments. This book sounds very interesting indeed, I think after reading all the comments, for and against I might just need to read a copy myself.

    Thanks again for all your great posts Rhonda. I look forward to reading every morning with my tea and toast.

    Have a great day.

    Tracie xx

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  65. I love that book! When Josh and I read it -- we felt strongly that it was time to return to the basics of diet.

    It appealed to our interest in not wasting food and also to eating healthily. We are happy to report that we are not overweight, have excellent cholesterol readings, have no issues with indigestion or glucose, and we are very good tempered.

    My husband reported feeling super-charged at his work (he's an Army Ranger) and I noticed that my waistline magically reduced. We also slept much better.

    We still avoid pork, though. We have found that even the smallest amount of pork makes us sick for days.

    We, as women, need more calcium than men and must get our calcium from milk & milk products as well as from food. I try to incorporate kale, collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, chicory and bok choy. Broccoli, chard and acorn squash, though not as rich in calcium, are also on the menu.

    I don't know about the mammals and milk bit but I do know that there has been an increase in osteoporosis over all because of the lack of calcium-rich food and drink consumption.

    Blessings,
    Lacy

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  66. Hi Rhonda,
    I've had NT for a couple of years and love it. Having said that, I think the recipes themselves are verge across the board. Personally I think it is unwise to treat any book as a "bible". Even the bible LOL. I've changed the way we eat many things, I soak our grains, mostly bake sourdough (although not always), I do some lacto fermenting, I have increased the amount of things we eat raw (as in uncooked). I use rapadura or muscovado instead of sugar. I brew kombucha (yum!) Mind you, we didn't eat processed food before I red NT). I think getting hung up on whether or not to drink milk is a very limited way of looking at a big book. I'll be interested to hear if you notice any changes in your health or vigour.

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  67. Hi Rhonda

    Thanks for sharing information from Nourishing Traditions - I found it thought provoking and it has stimulated me to read more about healthy eating. Its always controversial when talking about whether to eat meat. I was vege for 10 years and had many a My family and I eat pretty basic wholefood and vege with a little meat, with a few lapses for treats and shortcuts. I think its good every now and then to have a rethink about what we put in our mouths.

    Great blog, thanks again, Anna

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  68. Yikes - I think this is about comment number 68! I'm not surprised you don't have time to reply to each and every comment!

    I think a lot of people these days have become, for want of a better term, junkatarians. Doesn't matter whether you call yourself an omnivore or a vegetarian, junk is junk.

    I think all of us need to assess our diets not in terms of labels, but in terms of:

    - is this healthy food?
    - is this tasty food?
    - is this local, sustainable food?
    - is this food ethically and safely produced?
    - does the production of this food trash the planet, produce huge amounts of greenhouse gas, or damage ecosystems beyond repair?
    - is this food easy to prepare on a day-to-day basis? Can I prepare it after a long day of work, and not feel exhausted?
    - do I feel happy and healthy eating this food?

    Maybe labels aren't that useful, but the above logic can be. There's no point in finding recipes that sound wonderful but are impractical simply because they take 3 hours to prepare each day, and you're used to getting a meal ready within half an hour.

    I'm glad to see that although this could have turned into a omnivores versus vegetarians debate, it didn't. That's excellent.

    As for me, I think you can't beat food that is home-grown and fresh out the garden.

    And I long for the apricots from the trees we had when I was a kid - I've never tasted anything lovelier.

    And my favourite food is, and always will be, fresh mangoes! :-)

    Cheers,


    Daharja XXX

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  69. To Anonymous from October 29, 2008 6:46 AM
    There is a lot of examples of puppies that had been nursed by cats and vise versa, piglets nursed by dogs, examples of zoo anymals like tigers' puppies that has been fed by some other cats and non-cats.

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  70. I read AnnLouise Gittelman's "Your Body Knows Best" some time ago and she persuaded me to include animal protein in my diet again. So far this has just been fish, but I am coming round to eating meat again. My husband eats meat and I am fed up with preparing two different meals each day, and bored with all my fish meals.
    AL Gittelman explains that people with "O" type blood do not thrive on a vegetarian diet, and don't do well with milk products....so that explained to me why I wasn't thriving on a veggie diet.
    Although the book you recommend is expensive I have ordered it as I believe that our health is worth more than money!!!!
    Thanks for featuring the book....

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  71. I have been eating mostly meatless meals and more dairy since food prices increased about 6 months ago. However, my body seems to need meat, especially red meat, every once in awhile. I can actually feel the need and after I eat a piece of red meat, my body is back at optimal functioning. I am anxiously awaiting NT on my library list to learn more about the traditions in this book. Thanks for the mention.

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  72. I know I'm late on commenting here :-) But agree, I choose not to eat meat and most dairy because it makes me feel better. I don't expect other people to follow my diet, because everyone's body has different needs. I definitely think the best thing is to take into account nutritional elements and get what one needs rather than to prescribe to a diet just because it's the "in" thing. That said though...I'm not too sure I agree with the mammals NEEDing milk, but people should feel free to drink it...why not? Thanks for sharing this Rhonda!

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  73. I'm stunned to see how het up people are about this particular subject!

    I eat what suits ME, what I like, what I enjoy, what I believe is good for me and - of course - what I can afford! I really don't care if the entire western world eats differently than me, that's what freedom of choice is all about! I'm particularly bemused by the poster saying she won't visit this blog anymore because she doesn't agree with what you said on this subject? anyone remember the phrase 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'?

    Rhonda I find you a total inspiration, I find ideas and attitudes here that please me and help me but I don't live like you, I don't aspire to live like you. I take what I can use and let the rest go by......... :)

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  74. WOW!!! Thank you for this post!! I have been veggie for 10 years (in the uk) and have been pondering the ethics of eating meat again because I'm not sure that ignoring a whole protein source in my country in favour of protein grown abroad and from monoculture crops is altogether ethical in this day and age. Yesterday we ate meat for the first time in those 10 years. I'm still not sure, but then I read your post. I am going to keep reading now! I have been lurking here for quite a while. It's a great blog. I particularly love whatyou say about our grandmothers! I have vegan friends who don't seem to understand how their grandmothers survived!! Thank you again! x

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  75. I know that a lot of vegetarians are starting to eat meat again, and it makes me sad.

    Just because people in the health writing world are looking about eating meat differently, it doesn't change the fact that most food animals end up in a feedlot or factory farm which is a cruel and sad place to be indeed.

    I love cows and couldn't imagine eating one since I gave up meat in the 8th grade. Just the thought of their big eyes and soft nose makes a hamburger seem so much sadder.

    I know this seems like an elementary philosophy on eating, but it's what is true for me. I love animals so I don't eat them.

    A lot of people say being a veggie makes them feel out of sorts or lack energy. I have thought this too, but mostly when my diet consists of highly processed foods. Eating a meal of chickpeas and brown rice, topped with olive oil and herbs and fresh brussel sprouts on the side leaves me sated and energetic. Eating white flour and sugar leaves me tired and grumpy, even if it comes with an initial high.

    Also, anytime I'm not getting exercise -- and for me that means a daily vigorous walk -- I find myself lacking energy. This has nothing to do with my diet, but regular exercise does diminish my cravings for junk food.

    Anyway, my two cents on this issue is I could never eat meat because I love animals too much, but I believe you can be a healthy vegetarian as well.

    Plus, the American Dietetic Association, the nation's largest organization of nutrition professionals, states that vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other health problems.

    Peace with whatever decision you make, but I urge you to think about the welfare of the cows and chickens you eat. :)
    Ruthie

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