After reading this recent horrific news about what the biotech industry is plotting for our supposed ‘health’ by manipulating vegetable oils even further, we realized we need more info about oil and fat and the economic battles that are being and have been fought over this most basic and vital nutrient for humankind on this website.

Many years ago–way back in 2000–I was the Sous chef at a Renaissance International Hotel, we were hosting some kind of very important conference for UNICEF for a week or so. During this conference I had to pander to the dietary demands of the most nasty, easily irritated and just generally grumpy old man I have ever met (and I have met some grumpy ones I guarantee it). He was on a low-cholesterol diet and I had to cook everything for him on a no-stick pan with absolutely no fat of any kind. At that time I had not yet heard of Weston A. Price or Sally Fallon, but I was pretty sure that his grumpiness was a direct result of his no-fat diet.

(more…)

Read more ...

Although my partner grumbles and complains to high heaven about the smell while I am making kimchi, he usually eats it up and wants more. I have taken out the chilis for this recipe of kimchi and added in burdock root, so it isn’t by any means an authentic Korean kimchi, but we like it. It also makes a quick salad when added to steamed broccoli and sunflower seeds, then tossed in olive oil.

Makes about 2 quart jars (depending on size of cabbage)

Brine:

• 1 litre filtered water
• 4 T himalayan or sea salt

Vegetables:

• 1 medium napa cabbage, shredded
• 6 medium organic carrots, grated
• 1 large daikon radish, julienned
• 3 medium burdock roots, julienned

(more…)

Read more ...

We began the GAPS diet (or enhanced Specific Carbohydrate Diet) in February, so we have now been on it for more than six months. The difference is remarkable. I have sent in for another hair analysis so I can compare the result with the test I did last November. All of our conditions have not completely disappeared. We have had to do a fair amount of travelling earlier this year and it has been difficult to maintain full control over everything that goes into our mouth on those occasions, but on the whole we have done very well.

The hardest thing about this diet is that it makes it very difficult to socialize. We can’t really go out to eat, go over to peoples houses to eat or even out for a couple drinks. We have started to drink Bloody Mary’s on occasion, as they seem to be relatively harmless. Beer or wine or anything sweetened just does us in. Going out to restaurants is a real pain too as you can never really be sure what is in a dressing or soup or whatnot unless you really know the place you are eating at is dedicated to real food. It was surprisingly easy in LA to go out to eat, and I think the gluten-free fad has really taken off all of a sudden, so I think it will get easier as well, perhaps grain-free will catch on by default!

(more…)

Read more ...

It has been another month or so since I last wrote, and since I promised to try and be better about sending out more regular updates I thought it was probably about time to fill you in on all the exciting things happening this past month.

The first thing which happened was that I went to my first peace-building conference here in Egypt. One of the priests in a nearby town was putting together a conference and had invited a Canadian out to be the key speaker. Interestingly enough the priest didn’t even know that I had taken this new position as the Peace Coordinator but for some reason he thought that it would be good for me to be along. Anyway, it turns out this Canadian (Brice Balmer) was one of the original people working on developing restorative justice as a viable alternative to the current criminal justice system. It was quite interesting hearing him talk about his experiences and his insights, and it was also great to watch the Egyptians attending the conference begin to think about possible ways to contextualize the things he was saying.

(more…)

Read more ...

Almost every summer, when I was a kid, I spent on the farm where my Grandmother was born, some kilometers outside Warsaw, Poland.

Coming from Long Island New York, it was like stepping back in a time machine. If you wanted to make a call you had to phone a central switchboard and they would connect you. Primitive, right? Endless fields of wheat, a swimming hole, barefoot kids, chickens in and out of the kitchen, homemade everything AND raw milk.

(more…)

Read more ...

Read the Wilderness Committee article about developing more sustainable waste management systems in Vancouver: Environmentalists Urge Minister Penner to Reject Incineration Due to Toxic Ash in Burns Bog Landfill.

About a month ago I sent in a message to Metro Vancouver after reading about the garbage issue on www.wildernesscommittee.org (great group working for the environment in BC). I just got an email with an update on the situation from Councillor Andrea Reimer and am posting it here in hopes that more folks will become aware of the situation.

Anyway here is the update from Andrea Reimer:

(more…)

Read more ...