Christy Stouffer

Perhaps the most well-known vitamin is the all-important C, also known as ascorbate acid. But for all of its popularity, it may be one of the least-understood vitamins. We all know we need it, but why? And what happens if we don’t have it?

Vitamin C builds tissue and collagen. Playing the role of protector to our bodies, it heals wounds, while strengthening bones, cartilage, and teeth. The mighty C mobilizes iron, stimulates the immune system, and battles free radicals. This powerhouse helps prevent colds and the flu, and some researchers believe it even blocks the growth of cancer cells.

Vitamin C is recommended in high doses for people who suffer from acne, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, autism, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. Low levels of Vitamin C have been linked to a variety of ailments including gall bladder disease, poor healing of wounds, bleeding gums, frequent colds, easy bruising, anemia, gingivitis, respiratory infections, high blood pressure, and buildup of plaque in arteries. I wonder how many folks could stay out of the doctor’s office simply by boosting their intake of Vitamin C!

The Wash-away Vitamin

Because Vitamin C is water-soluble-meaning our bodies can’t store it-we need to monitor our diets to ensure that this life-giving vitamin is part of our daily lives. And since our bodies don’t synthesize Vitamin C, we need to ingest it regularly.
Fortunately, Vitamin C is plentiful and available in many different foods, but unfortunately, that doesn’t always assure we get the Vitamin C we need. What factors contribute to a deficiency of Vitamin C? One obvious answer is that many people simply don’t eat the right foods or take C supplements. But a too-often overlooked cause is the inappropriate preparation and storage of foods that contain Vitamin C.

About 25% of Vitamin C is lost when foods are blanched, boiled, or cooked. Freezing also contributes to the loss of potency in Vitamin C-rich foods. When fruits and vegetables are canned and then reheated, only about one-third of the original Vitamin C content remains. The best way to obtain Vitamin C dietarily is through eating raw foods.

The following foods, in particular, ought to be regulars on your grocery list because they are excellent sources of Vitamin C:

Broccoli

Bell peppers

Papaya

Oranges

Kale

Cauliflower

Strawberries

Raspberries

Asparagus

Celery

Kiwi

Mustard and turnip     greens

Brussels sprouts

Spinach

Cantaloupe

Grapefruit

Zucchini

To prevent the loss of Vitamin C in food preparation, follow these techniques:

• Serve fruits and vegetables raw whenever possible.
• Steam, boil, or simmer foods in a small amount of water.
• Cook potatoes in their skins (be sure to wash the dirt off the outside of the potato first!).
• Keep cut, raw fruits and vegetables stored in an airtight container and refrigerate (but not in water-if raw foods are stored in water, the inherent Vitamin C will dissolve).

C for Yourself

I try to provide my family with ample amounts of Vitamin C through a good diet. But in reality, we sometimes come up short. Busy schedules, food likes and dislikes, food availability, and other factors mean that I, as my family’s nutritionist, must make sure our bodies are supplied with Vitamin C through supplements.

While there are some fine supplements on the market, I especially like the convenient Beeyoutiful options:

• Gentle C comes in capsule form. For family members who can’t (or dislike) swallowing pills, the contents of the capsules can be dissolved in drinks or sprinkled on foods. Gentle C has an added benefit of calcium which, when combined with the Vitamin C, provides an easily digestible supplement commonly known as buffered C. The added benefit of citrus bioflavonoids supports blood flow.
• Rosehip C delivers the vitamin as ascorbic acid through tablets. It offers an extra boost with acerola powder and rose hips. Rose hips-provided by the berry-like fruit derived from rose bushes after the bloom has dried-provide a higher C content than citrus fruits. Acerola powder contains high levels of C as well as magnesium, potassium, Vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. The addition of acerola gives Rosehip C more power to assist with illnesses and may prevent colds and flu.

“Vitamin” is derived from the Latin word vita, meaning “life.” Vitamins sustain life, and none is more essential than Vitamin C. One way or another, it’s up to you to make sure you give your body all the C it needs.

Another season change has arrived since our last catalog. Winter came nipping at the heels of Fall and took over-all too soon, in my opinion. The gorgeous leaves and vibrant colors are gone, leaving the bare limbs of trees reaching unadorned to the sky. Unlike some of you in other parts of the country, we rarely get snow around here so our winter months can be rather drab and colorless without a beautiful blanket of fluffy white. On the other hand, since we don’t have to deal with muddy slush and other snow-related complications, “drab” is not so bad when I stop to think about it.

Our lives seem to get busier with each passing month. Noelle is talking up a storm and has a strong opinion on just about everything. Her presence is a constant joy and humbling reminder of our shortcomings. One of her new favorite phrases is “I don’t wANt to!” in response to an instruction or request. It’s proving to be a tough lesson for her that life is filled with many things we don’t want to do but must do anyway. The difficult, the dirty, the mundane, and the frustrating are all part of life as well as the fun, exciting and enjoyable. Nevertheless, even though she is only two-and-a-half, Noelle’s learning to help with daily chores. She loves doing anything with water and has become quite the little dishwashing and rinsing marvel. This tops the list of her favorite household duties for which to volunteer. The floor is usually covered in water by the time she’s done, but she cheerfully helps clean it up, and I can count that as an impromptu mopping of the kitchen floor.

My wonderful husband and Beeyoutiful’s CEO, Steve, facilitated an incredible surprise for me and three ladies on our Beeyoutiful staff. As you may know, we sell the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation. I’ve had a lot of respect for the work of Sally and the WAPF for several years now although I’ve never been able to become a member or attend any WAPF conferences. But in November, Steve surprised us with a trip to Chicago to attend the 2009 WAPF Conference. One of our most valuable take-aways is that we interviewed some of the vendors at the conference who are excellent resources for healthy foods with difficult-to-find quality and safety sources. The interviews are posted on YouTube under the username stephtallent. They can also be found in the Education forum: www.merryheartmedicine.com.

Looking ahead to the next few months: You’ll see various resources become available in several forms, one being articles from experts that participated in the conference.This month we feature an article from one of my favorite vendors: a delightful couple I dubbed “The Sprouted Grain Folks.” Co-owner of To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. (www.organicsproutedflour.net), Peggy Sutton graciously agreed to write an article for our customers to teach them step-by-step how to sprout grains and prepare them for grinding. We also have a companion article written by my sister-in-law, Stephanie Kuvik-Tallent, sharing her story on soaking (un-sprouted) flour and also her step-by-step recipe with pictures. Articles like this get me excited and make me want to run to the kitchen and create something nutritious for my family!

Someone at the conference asked me who and what Beeyoutiful is as a company and why they should trust us. The question startled me because I frequently take for granted that our customers have a relationship with us and know the work and quality control that goes into each and every product we carry. I also assume people know they can trust us to always try to do the right thing, whether we succeed or not. I realize, though, that both of these assumptions are very wrong. We have new customers coming to our metaphorical doors all the time. Questions about quality control and why a company should be trusted are both trademarks of a wise consumer. I ask them myself before trusting the integrity of a new company or giving my hard earned dollars to purchase a new product.

So, Quality Control: How well is the quality of the manufacturing processes managed for Beeyoutiful products?

I could bombard you with a lot of nitty gritty manufacturing details but in a few paragraphs, your eyes would glaze over, and you would skip to more interesting parts of the catalog. So I’ll stick with the bottom line version.

For any of you who want some particular nit or grit detail that I don’t cover here, please, as always, feel free to write us. We are what the industry calls a “full disclosure company” (the rare breed that seems to be ever more endangered). That means if you ask us, we’ll tell you. It also means that each product label tells exactly what is in the product. The law allows that, if any ingredient is less than 1% of the whole of a product, a company is not required to report it in the nutritional facts. At Beeyoutiful, though, we know that for consumers this is a terrible thing. Sometimes even trace amounts of an ingredient make a difference. So in the spirit of doing unto others what we would like done unto us, we are committed to disclosing every single component of every single product, no matter how tiny the amount may be.

Our supplements are all made at facilities with a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification. GMP is a quality control check of every step of the manufacturing process. It ensures the final product is safe for consumption, is not contaminated, and that every unit is produced with consistent care. What’s more, our primary manufacturer goes above and beyond the basic GMP requirements. The company takes 11 random samples from each individual raw ingredient shipped to their facility and runs them through a mass spectrometer. If there is any trace of a pesticide, heavy metal, or any other harmful compound, the shipment is refused and not even allowed into the facility. The detection capabilities are so refined that in examining the raw materials, they can detect the equivalent of one grain of sand in a five-mile beach. This is significant because, even in certified organic shipments, they’ve found contaminants and refused to use the materials.

We also like to support home businesses. Most of our skincare products are made by cottage industries. We’ve found that large companies often cut corners to reduce expenses, and the quality of the products intended for external use suffers. It can also be difficult for large companies to consistently locate enough high quality ingredients. Small manufacturers, on the other hand, can usually buy raw herbs, beeswax, and other components locally and can personally check out the quality of the sources to ensure purity.

We’ve seen how several “natural” body product companies that we respected changed policies as they grew, letting in what we consider inferior ingredients once they had won the publics’ trust. This is something small, home-based manufacturers do not have the luxury of doing. They see their customers face to face at farmer’s markets and use their products on their own children, family, and friends. This provides a highly personal element of accountability that can be missing in large-scale skincare production.

A last comment on quality control but certainly not the least important: All of our products are manufactured in the US. While quality products can be found overseas, it’s much more difficult to personally check up on the consistency of quality controls. And it’s almost impossible to enforce any special requests. We would be at the mercy of the discretion and trustworthiness of local management, a situation complicated by the potential miscommunications due to language barriers.

Many people wonder how we go about adding products. Do we design them ourselves, or do we have a professional do it? How do we come up with the blends we carry?

Our goal is to make available the most affordable and highest quality products for families that we can. As we learn and expand the range of natural living products we use for ourselves, we try our best to make them available for our customers. Sometimes this means going to the manufacturer/designer of a particular product that we think is amazing and asking if they will allow us to private label it. Other times, this means we come up with the idea of a product and propose it to a formulator and manufacturer, having a custom product made just for us. A classic example is our Organic Red Raspberry leaf capsules.

We’ve always offered a 30-day, 100% satisfaction guarantee to our customers. If you order something and don’t like it for any reason at all, you can return it, and we will refund the full cost of the product (I would say “no questions asked” except that we do usually ask for the reason because feedback helps us learn how to improve our products in the future). Recently, though, we’ve increased the 30-day policy to a 60-day policy in order to give even more time for folks to try a product and decide if it is beneficial or not. It’s another way for us to underscore just how important your satisfaction is to us.

Finally, the most compelling assurance I can offer that we always strive to have the highest quality products is that we take these products ourselves on a daily basis and use them with our children and loved ones. Our personal best interest mandates that we  maintain the integrity of our products.

In a way, we hope that someday a company like Beeyoutiful will no longer be needed. The ideal would be for our society to offer genuinely nourishing, beneficial, and affordable foods as well as education for food preparation methods that deliver the nutrients needed to maintain good health.

In striving to learn for ourselves and pass this knowledge on to others, I recommend an amazing educational resource: the video documentary Food Inc. Request it at your local library, borrow it from a friend, or rent it. The education it provides as to why our nation has reached its current food and nutritional crisis is priceless.

I hope you enjoy this Winter Catalog. Snuggle up in front of a fire, or curl up under a blanket, get a hot cup of whatever beverage makes you happy, and enjoy! May you and your families be warm, well nourished, and healthy this winter.

As always, if there’s anything I can do to help or encourage you or your family, please write to me anytime at steph@beeyoutiful.com

Blessings,

Steph Tallent

A Breathtaking Tale

Abolish Bad Breath, Not Your Smile

Sharon Tallent

As I was working one day, I noticed my customers backing away as I talked about a product in which they appeared interested. As I would move forward a bit to make a point, they would move further away. It was an odd situation. After a while, I started noticing “backing up” behavior with other people in other places as well.

I commented on this to a close friend who apparently knew exactly what was causing the problem: my bad breath! Ouch! I was so embarrassed I wanted to hide. After that, I didn’t want to smile or open my mouth, much less talk to anyone and expose my “dragon breath.” What’s worse, I didn’t know what to do about it because I was already brushing my teeth at least twice daily in addition to using mouth rinse.

Bad Breath from the Inside Out

I started looking into causes of, and solutions for, my quandary. I discovered that digestive problems, as well as allergies that cause sinus drainage, can produce halitosis (i.e. bad breath). Also, bacteria in the mouth and small particles of food stuck between teeth contribute to this embarrassing problem. This prompted me to try to improve my digestion by eating healthier, avoiding pasteurized milk and cheeses (to help avoid milk allergies) and using digestive aids like Tummy Tuneup. Plus, I began using more products like breath mints, sprays, toothpastes and mouth rinses to help kill bacteria. All of this helped but the battle for pleasant breath seemed unending for me.

Throughout my several years of studying what to do for fresh breath and a healthy mouth, I found out that most major store brands of toothpaste include one or more ingredients which are not good for your teeth or your health-like fluoride. Many clinical studies link fluoride to cancer, fluorosis (which weakens bones and teeth), damage to kidneys and liver, weakening of the immune system, thyroid problems and even lower IQ levels.

This motivated me to check into natural toothpastes. I’ve used several brands over the last few years and have been particularly pleased with Tom’s of Maine, Kiss My Face, and TheraNeem because they contain xylitol. Xylitol provides benefits such as helping to keep teeth strong, reduce plaque and prevent cavities. Recent studies have even shown a 70% to 80% reduction of cavities in children whose mothers consume xylitol while nursing.

I have primarily used TheraNeem toothpaste this past year because it has been the most effective in eliminating bad breath, mouth sores and sensitive gums. And I get even better results when I use TheraNeem mouth rinse every day.

The History of Neem

Indian manuscripts dating back several hundred years tell of many medicinal and agricultural benefits of the neem tree-including healing of skin diseases, some internal remedies and acting as an effective insecticide. The US Department of Agriculture began studying neem in the early 1970s for its insect repellent and pesticide qualities. More recent studies in the United States document the effectiveness of neem as an anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial agent for fighting acne, head lice, scabies, rashes, cold sores and mouth infections.

The evergreen neem tree (adazirachta indica) is native to southern India and can also be found in other areas of the tropics. Neem oil is pressed from seeds of the neem tree and has a rather strong odor, something like a combination of garlic and peanuts. The seeds, leaves and bark of the neem tree are now widely used medicinally, agriculturally and in personal care products like shampoos, skin creams and toothpaste. To learn more about neem, you might want to check out www.discoverneem.com.

Smiling Freely Again

I usually feel comfortable smiling and getting up close to people these days. Besides xylitol and neem, TheraNeem products feature essential oils of peppermint and spearmint for even more breath-freshening. The mouth rinse includes aloe vera to aid in healing. Most of the ingredients in the toothpastes and mouth rinse are certified organic and all are natural. TheraNeem toothpastes are sweetened with sorbitol, xylitol and stevia and licorice, which help with flavor. Because of the bitter flavor of neem oil, it may take a little time to get used to the taste. Knowing how beneficial these products are, coupled with my need to eliminate bad breath, I was encouraged to stick with them long enough so that now I have come to truly enjoy the flavors.

Everyone wants to have good-smelling breath, feel free to smile and get close to people when having conversations. I know I do. When I smile, I feel happy. When I smile at someone else, they smile back and seem to feel better. Smiles brighten up everyone’s countenance.

In addition, my mouth and teeth are healthier now than they have been for a long time. This is especially important to me since my mother had to have dentures by the time she was 50, and another close family member lost his teeth by the time he was 35. Lack of sufficient care played a major role in both cases, but I want to keep my teeth for the rest of my life. It’s part of my plan to live happily ever after.

The Essentials of Essential Oils

By Mary Ewing

My mom was crunchy-a real granola head as some would say. Throughout my childhood and young adult years, I resented her ways. I remember thinking often that there was no way I would ever live like she did. My children were going to eat out, have dessert after every meal, and there would be NO essential oils in our house, for sure!

I’m not sure exactly why I disliked essential oils, other than I do tend to be sensitive to smells, and some fragrances give me a headache. Yet, now I am the “overly crunchy with a bit of crunchy on the side” mom! I have a whole shelf dedicated to essential oils and use them daily. From waking until bedtime, I incorporate essential oils into my life and am excited to share the use with my children, hoping they will pass the value of essential oils on to future generations. Hopefully my example will help because, as I discovered, proper use of essential oils has a learning curve.

Now That I Have It, What Do I Do with It?

I remember the day I purchased my first oils. I had read about the uses and was excited about incorporating essential oils into my life. I wanted peppermint, tea tree, and lavender oils to start with (it helped that they cost the least and fit in my budget).

Eager to start using my oils, I brought them home, tenderly removed them from the bag, and set them on the counter. I opened the packages, savoring the aroma. It brought back fond memories I didn’t know I had of Mom using tea tree oil. But the big problem was that I didn’t have the foggiest idea what to do with these wonderful substances.

In case you’ve ever felt like that, I hope to pass on a few things I’ve learned in studying essential oils. And hopefully you will be saved from some of my goofs! So arm yourself with your favorite oils and let’s get mixing!

Essential oils are made from herbs and other plants that have been steam-distilled, cold-pressed, or solvent-extracted. Often maceration (separating the components) is used as well, but it does not result in a pure essential oil.

Producing oil requires a large amount of the herb, flower, or plant and is therefore very costly. For example, it takes 110 pounds of eucalyptus leaves and stems to produce just two pounds of oil! The advantage of the process is that it harnesses the power of the plant in an easy-to-use form, eliminating the storage and preparation of the actual plants-a great way to have a wide range of plant remedies on hand.

Oils vary significantly in the ways they should be used. Some are safe to use topically without mixing with a carrier oil. Others are great to diffuse and some may burn skin while others heal it.

Unlocking the World of Oils

NOTE: Each oil requires its own special usage pattern, so please be sure to study the specific uses when you start using a new oil. All oils should be used with care.

Topically

Many oils are good for use in salves, massage oils, or even in a carrier oil as a ointment. The reason you should use a carrier oil to mix with the essential oil is that undiluted oils are generally caustic to the skin. There are very few essential oils that can be applied directly to the skin: lavender being one of them. Even with lavender oil, though, you should apply only a very small amount and check for a reaction before extensive use. Be sure to discontinue using it-or any oil-if irritation develops.

Some excellent carrier oils are: grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond, coconut, and olive oil. I have used all of these options, and my favorite is sweet almond oil, with jojoba a close second. They are my favorites because of their fantastic all-over use. Sweet almond and jojoba are light enough to use on the face, as well as the entire body. As a result, I have been especially excited to find out Beeyoutiful now carries these two oils.

For most applications, you can take 1 teaspoon of the carrier oil and add 2-3 drops of your choice of essential oil. Due to the breakdown of the essential oil in sunlight, it is necessary to store any unused mixed oil in a dark glass container. My practice is to only make enough for one or two uses to avoid the degrading of the oil. If you are mixing up oils for home use and would like to keep mixtures on hand, there are several great online stores from which you can purchase dark amber oil jars.

Using an oil on the afflicted area is normally the best remedy. For example, if I am having trouble breathing, I rub the oil on my chest. I also spread some on my feet because feet are second only to the sublingual (under the tongue) area for quick absorption. If I am struggling with cramping from gas, I use the oil directly on the abdomen. Benefits can often be noticed within 1 to 3 minutes of application of an oil.

Baths

By far, the most scrumptious, self-indulgent way to use essential oils is in your bathwater. A few drops of your favorite oil added to your bath offer a blissfully aromatic soak. You can use several oils for a therapeutic blend, such as eucalyptus and peppermint for respiratory problems or lavender and orange for relaxation. But remember: Just a few drops will do the trick! If the floating oil is too much for you, use a natural body wash to diffuse the oil in the bath water. Start with a ½ ounce of body wash or shower gel, infuse several drops of the oil into the wash, and then add it to the bath water.

Diffusing

Ah…how the pleasant aromas waft through my home! Refreshing, calming, invigorating, healing, purifying as they infuse! But here, too, I learned a thing or two. First, and very important: NEVER used a diffuser made of plastic or with plastic parts. The oil will eat right through them. (A great science experiment is to watch eucalyptus melt a plastic cup…just beware that it is very messy to clean up!) Second, viscosity or thickness varies from oil to oil. Therefore, it is important for you to clean your diffuser periodically to prevent clogging (be sure to clean according to the manufacturer’s instructions). Many oil users report that daily use of a diffuser helps decrease the frequency of colds and other viruses in their households.

Inhalation

Typically, you can use hot water as the vehicle to dissipate oil in the air. A small pan of simmering water to which essential oils have been added will distribute the oils nicely. (Caution: NEVER leave the simmering oil and water unattended or allow the water to boil out of the pan!)

For a more intense inhalation treatment: Fill a bowl with hot water, and add several drops of oil. Close your eyes, and place a towel over your head and the bowl. Breathe in deeply for several minutes. Be sure to discontinue the treatment if you experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or any other adverse reaction. (Heat decreases some benefits of the oils, but this method is still a good way to use essential oils if a diffuser is not available.)

Finally, you can add a few drops of any essential oil to a small piece of cloth or towel. Place the towel near your face, and inhale and exhale normally. If the aroma is overwhelming, simply increase the distance from your face. This is a great way to take oils with you (in a glass container!). For instance, I take a cotton ball soaked with a few drops of peppermint oil in a small pyrex container in my purse.

Caution: Most essential oils can be inhaled without problems, but it is important to research each individual oil for potency and potential irritations. Clary Sage is one oil that should NOT be inhaled for a prolonged treatment. It can cause headaches and intoxication if over-inhaled.

Around the Home

I have never been an advocate of using chemical cleaners in our home, even before I got crunchy. The harsh smells, irritating to my head and skin, always left me wondering how clean the area actually was. So I was thrilled to find out how useful essential oils are around the house. There is hardly a task I undertake that does not include an oil or two. In addition to the satisfaction of knowing my house is cleaned well, the oils leave a pleasant aroma in the freshly cleaned home!

These are just a few basics of the world of oils. I have used essential oils for everything from getting the gooey mess from a sticky mouse trap off my aunt’s Sheltie’s fur (using orange oil) to relieving my migraines with Peppermint Essential Oil to helping my infant daughter breath by diffusing the respiratory recipe off and on throughout the night.

I love trying new scents and finding new recipes. Just about every day through reading, research, and networking with other Essential Oil users, I find new and fascinating uses for my shelf full of oils. Once you grasp the essentials of essential oils, you’ll enjoy testing various uses, too. My next experiment is going to be adding Lemon Essential Oil to my house paint to modify the fumes. Now how’s that for crunchy!

Mary Ewing is a part-time employee for Beeyoutiful as well as wife, mom and aspiring homesteader. She stays at home with her three children and enjoys exploring life with her brood as they cook, clean, garden, and play. Her passion are traditional cooking, essential oils, gardening, learning about raising livestock, and traditional art forms such as sewing, crocheting, knitting, and smocking!

SIDEBAR

Starter Recipes for Essential Oils

For Topical Use

(1) Sore Muscle Rub

• 1 drop of Rosemary

• 2 drops of Eucalyptus Oil

• 1 Drop of Lavender

Add these to 4 teaspoons of a carrier, such as Sweet Almond Oil. Apply to sore muscles before and after exercise!

(2) Sleepytime Rub

• 4 drops Lavender

• 1 drop Clary Sage
• 1 drop Lemon Essential Oil

Add these to 1 teaspoon of skin lotion or 4 teaspoons of carrier oil, such as Jojoba Oil, and massage on bottom of feet, shoulders, or navel.

(3) Basic Salve Base

• 1 ounce of Beeswax, melted

• 2 cups of oil-can be a combination (I use half olive oil and half coconut oil)

Either infuse the oil with herbs of choice before adding beeswax or simply add a few drops of the essential oils to your oil, and then add the beeswax. To test for consistency, put one tablespoon to harden in the refrigerator. For more solid consistency, add beeswax; for less, add oil.

For Diffusion

(1) Breathe Easy

• 10-15 drops of Eucalyptus Oil

• 10-15 drops of Peppermint Oil

• 10 -15 drops of Lavender Oil

• 10-15 Drops of Tea Tree Oil

I diffuse this throughout the day and night to help relieve respiratory problems.

(2) Purify the Room

Add equal parts (to mix for diffusing, I use around 10 drops of each):

• Eucalyptus Oil

• Rosemary Oil

• Clove Oil

• Cassia Oil

• Lemon Oil

Diffuse for 20-30 minute intervals during the day. This can also be added to a carrier oil and massaged on the feet, shoulders, chest, navel, and other areas for help in boosting the immune system.

For Around-Home Use

(1) Basic Cleaner

• Approximately a quart of water
• ½ cup vinegar
• Few drops of Lavender or Rosemary Oil
• Few drops of Tea Tree Oil

Add vinegar and essential oils to spray bottle and fill with water, depending on the size of you spray bottle you may have a little water left over.  You can also make this up and store in mason jars.

(2) Floor Cleaner

(Always test small patch to make sure this will not damage your floor)

• ¼ cup vinegar

• 1 gallon of water
• 15 drops of Lemon Oil
• 6 drops of Oregano Oil

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a mop bucket, and mop away! The aroma of the essential oils combined is fantastic, not to mention the antiseptic value. A great way to rid your house of all the germs that hitch a ride on your feet!

By Christy Stouffer

Desperate situations can inspire us to think outside the box. Not long ago, a family member reacted adversely to a bout with chemotherapy, so we looked for help beyond conventional medicine.

Deteriorating quickly, Joan* was hospitalized. To make matters worse, she broke her hip and struggled to recover. Because she had no appetite, Joan quickly lost weight and had little energy or stamina.

A friend recommended that we look into giving Joan something called high vitamin butter oil. We scrambled to learn about it and at every turn were amazed at what we read!

X-actly What the Doctor Ordered

This golden butter was “discovered” more than 50 years ago by Weston A. Price. Dr. Price studied people groups from around the globe and learned that those who were healthy and thriving had something in common: they consumed high levels of vitamins A and D, and these vitamins were activated by vitamin K₂. Sometimes called the X-Factor, K₂ is found in high vitamin butter oil.

High vitamin butter oil is extracted from deep yellow butter fat using no heat. It is derived from the milk of cows that feed solely on 100% rapidly growing grass.  Research shows that K₂ “instructs” the body on how to utilize vitamins A and D. Yet this crucial nutrient is almost nonexistent in today’s Western diet.

Vitamin K₂ is the most biologically active form of the K vitamin. This marvelous product of nature contains the power to strengthen bones and protect against tooth decay. It supports growth, helps the body rebuild tissue, repairs teeth and bones, and is a key component in reproductive health. The wonder of K₂ is its ability to serve as a catalyst to move inactive or passive vitamins into their most efficient state.

I was thrilled to learn that Beeyoutiful now offers K₂ as a dietary supplement. Adding this to your diet can ensure that you get maximum benefits from vitamins A and D. This product, appropriately named Katalyst, also includes alfalfa, a rich source of vitamin K. In addition, Beeyoutiful carries the Dynamic Duo (vitamins A and D₃) and when used in conjunction with Katalyst, you’ll boost and build a healthy immune system.

Oil Recovery

When we compiled our facts, it was obvious Joan could benefit from high vitamin butter oil. We gave her a small dose twice each day and within a week, her appetite revived, cognitive skills sharpened, and she gained weight. Her strength increased daily and where she had previously been completely bedridden, she began to walk the halls of the hospital with the help of her physical therapist.

We continued to give Joan butter oil, and her progress persisted. At one point, the doctor pulled her chart, surveyed her blood tests, and admitted that he couldn’t explain the turnaround in Joan, but we believe the high vitamin butter oil stimulated and strengthened her immune system. The doctors had given no hope for Joan’s recovery-and in fact, advised us to call hospice-but today she is back at home, has a good appetite, and takes her butter oil daily.

High vitamin butter oil boasts numerous benefits, and it’s no surprise that the people groups Dr. Price studied were sturdy, healthy folks. Take a look at what’s in this remarkable food:

-         Butyric Acid - Reduces inflammation in intestines, has antifungal and antitumor effects;

-         Stearic Acid - Works to steady blood pressure and stimulates heart muscles to contract, helps lower total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol;

-         Caproic Acid - Contains anti-viral effects;

-         Lauric Acid - Has ability to kill many strains of fungi and yeast;

-         Glycosphingolipids - Protects against gastrointestinal infections, particularly in those most susceptible (young children and the elderly);

-         Oleic Acid - Reduces plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol;

-         CLA Isomer 9, 11 - A naturally-occurring trans fat that may inhibit tumor growth, prevent heart disease, and reduce body fat;

-         Myristic Acid - A significant factor that increases the good cholesterol, HDL;

-         Quinones - A group of organic compounds that includes K and E vitamins as well as CoQ enzyme families.

Who would have thought butter could provide such a variety of benefits? When our family learned about such a beneficial food product that occurs naturally, is derived without chemical intervention, and doesn’t involve a restructure of molecular design, we were hooked. We all now regularly use high vitamin butter oil to ensure that the above ingredients aren’t left out of our diets.

Butter Days Are Here Again

Additional research by Dr. Price revealed that when butter and cod liver oils are taken together, they complement one another. High-vitamin butter oil contains an omega-6 fatty acid, while cod liver oil is rich in omega-3. The saturated fatty acids in the butter oil launch and efficiently use the unsaturated fatty acids in the cod liver oil.

The crew at Homestead Trading (part of the Beeyoutiful company) now offers Green Pastures’ X-Factor Gold High Vitamin Butter Oil.  Available in two forms, you can decide which one works best for you:

1)     Butter Oil combined with Fermented Cod Liver Oil - The optimum choice to include all of the benefits of high vitamin butter oil and gain the synergistic effect of the two ingredients working together (available in gel and capsules);

2)     High Vitamin Butter Oil - Available in capsules or butter-gel which can be taken by spoon with honey or syrup, can be used on toast, or taken straight (delivers a creamy, rich taste).

This delectable golden butter offers benefits for any person-young, old, or in between! Our modern diets (even those without processed foods) lack the dense vitamins that butterfat delivers. A dose of high vitamin butter oil offers a powerful boost to anyone who wants to better utilize the minerals in his or her diet. So I say, bring on the butter!

_____________________

*Not her real name

Hello on a balmy spring day here in Middle Tennessee!

For those of you still caught in winter’s grip, I encourage you to be patient. Warm weather is truly on the way! The rest of you have already welcomed spring in its sunshiny glory and are soaking in the warmth. I’m relieved to have this winter behind us. The 2009-10 season has brought with it some of the toughest illnesses we’ve seen in years. Several people I know struggled with sickness in one form or another for most of the season. Steve and I have been more grateful than ever for the diversity and effectiveness of our health-supporting products.

Warm weather means I’m now out in the garden and excited about how luxurious our soil is looking after three years of effort! Snow peas are poking their vibrant green heads out of the dirt and already looking for something to climb. Lettuce and other seedlings are sprouting, looking healthy and robust. I keep close tabs because Noelle runs out to check on their progress several times a day. At least now that they’ve emerged from the ground I don’t have to worry about her digging them up to see if they are “Gwowing Mommy? Plants gwowing?” I love how involved she is in the process—even as a 3 year-old—and the joy it brings her.

For the past few months, we’ve been on an exciting journey of pursuing a Home Study for Adoption, done through a non-profit organization. We hope to adopt an infant from here in the States—either a boy or a girl—later this year. The home study is almost complete and we’re excited to see what happens. Although the process has been more challenging than expected, we’ve come to appreciate the thoroughness of the agency’s measures and know it is for the protection of the children. We would appreciate prayers as our family will no doubt experience hope and excitement and, very possibly, disappointments as we await the outcome.

One requirement of the home study has been that our whole family has had medical check-ups. Between that and Steve having a tooth pulled, we’ve been in and out of doctors’ offices quite a bit more than usual. As a result, we’re more motivated than ever to take good care of our teeth and general health. Steve says, in particular, he wishes he’d been more careful with his teeth in his younger years. On pages 6 and 8 of this catalog we feature two great articles about dental care. One is written by my dear friend and regular catalog contributor, Nancy Webster, and discusses how to prevent tooth decay from the inside out. The other is written by my mother-in-law, Sharon Tallent, and the products she has discovered in her quest for oral health. Both are full of great resources and information.

We have several new products that I’m excited about. Our essential oil collection continues to grow. Every time a new oil is added to our collection, a whole new realm of possibilities opens for which to better care for our bodies and the environment. What I’m most excited about is that we now offer two carrier oils. Sweet Almond Oil—known for its ability to increase absorption through the skin to maximize the benefits of the essential oils—is a personal favorite of mine. Another great carrier is Jojoba, which is a light super-beneficial oil. I love Jojoba because it has the longest shelf life of all the most popular carrier oils. These two carriers make it easier to mix up and dilute blends of essential oils with an appropriate base. On page 10, we have a fantastic article by Mary Ewing. She shares her journey in learning to appreciate and use essential oils as well as some of her favorite recipes and usage ideas.

I always feel a very personal connection with the products we supply because so much care and attention to detail goes into each and every one. Like a mother with children, I know I’m not supposed to have favorites among our product line—because they all have their own unique benefits—but I can’t help myself. I do have favorites. And every so often a new product has me bursting with maternal pride and joy. My “newest favorite” is Katalyst, otherwise known as Vitamin K2. It joins the team with Dynamic Duo (Vitamin A and D3), announced in our last catalog. Research suggests that there is a beneficial synergy when vitamins A, D3, and K2 work together in the body. Ideally, people would obtain this uniquely beneficial triad of fat-soluble vitamins by eating nutrient-dense foods. A whole-food source is the most effective way to utilize and absorb these fantastic nutrients. However, many of us cannot afford the time or money to obtain and prepare the foods that possess these amazing nutrients. That’s why there’s Beeyoutiful.

We recently began carrying the highest quality food-based source of this life-supporting trinity of vitamins we know of, manufactured by the company called Green Pastures. The article on page 12 is about these food-based products and the innumerable ways they benefit the body. Although we sell and whole-heartedly endorse them as the preferred supplement option, the only negative is that they are a bit expensive. In these hard economic times, we know that “expensive” means some of our customers will not be able to afford them. So with this in mind, we’ve found a lower cost, intermediate source in Katalyst and Dynamic Duo. They do a great job of filling the gap for families with a need for these nutrients but without the means to afford High Vitamin Butter Oil and Fermented Cod Liver Oil in the quantities required. If Dynamic Duo and Katalyst are taken with meals high in good animal fats, we believe they are enormously beneficial. We plan to offer even more articles about these products in the future and share any additional research we come across as we learn more about them.

Before I close I need to add a housekeeping note. I’m always delighted to hear from our customers, yet a frustrating—but manageable—technological glitch occasionally gets in the way. Several of our customers who wrote recently had to send a second note to say they had never received a reply (although I had responded). I sent another e-mail and got even more frustrated e-mails back because they still didn’t receive my note. The problem, we discovered, is usually a customer’s spam protection. Every now and then we even have the same problem with our customer service e-mails. So: A way to troubleshoot when you think you haven’t received a response from Beeyoutiful is to check your spam box and spam settings. Many e-mail services automatically put e-mails originating from a company into a spam folder, assuming it is unwanted marketing information. My one disclaimer about our responding, though, is that sometimes it takes a couple of business days to catch up on our e-mails, so don’t go “dumpster diving” through your spam box if you haven’t heard back within a couple of hours. We do love communicating with our customers and will write back as soon as we’re able.

Thank you, as always, for supporting Beeyoutiful. We value our customers and deeply appreciate the opportunity to share products and resources that have so greatly impacted our lives. As always, if there’s anything I can do to help or encourage you and your family, feel free to write. And if, by chance, you don’t hear back within a week, dig through the spam box to see if my response is sitting there along with enhancement ads and notifications that a wealthy foreigner wants to bestow his copious life savings upon you.

I’m off to water the seedlings and start supper. Take a few minutes to enjoy the sun—and even the pollen-laden spring air. A swig of Berry Well and a couple capsules of Bee Strong or local bee pollen taken internally can help if you suffer from seasonal allergies. So throw open the windows and let the beautiful spring weather in for a few hours! Every house can benefit from a good airing-out.

Grace and Peace,

Stephanie Walker Tallent

steph@beeyoutiful.com

]]> http://www.beeyoutiful.com/spring-2010-letter-from-stephanie/feed/ http://www.beeyoutiful.com/the-tooth-of-the-matter/ http://www.beeyoutiful.com/the-tooth-of-the-matter/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:10:51 +0000 mary http://www.beeyoutiful.com/?p=553

The Tooth of the Matter

Re-thinking All You’ve Ever Heard about Dental Health

[First of a 2-part series]

Nancy Webster

When my husband and I first encountered the notion of letting God plan our family size 23 years ago, my biggest hesitation, oddly enough, was worry about not being able to afford braces and dental care for a family with “too many kids.” Eight children later, I realize the tooth concerns were real but the solutions are far different than I would have expected early-on in our family life.

The Whole Tooth

If you’ve seen Alex Haley’s classic TV mini-series Roots, you may recall from one of the early episodes that, it was not only the slave’s physique that was examined, but also their teeth. It was commonly known that the teeth provided a snapshot of the person’s overall state of health.

My holistic dentist (more about her in part 2 of this series) recently told me about a researcher who examined the teeth of people who had died from cancer. Without being told beforehand, he identified what type cancer they had succumbed to just from information he found in their teeth!

One of my heroes is yet another dentist, Dr. Weston A. Price, who, in the 1930’s, studied the teeth of people groups all over the world. In his landmark book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, he documented that eating nutrient-dense, properly prepared foods and avoiding processed, denatured foods results in healthy mouths with plenty of room for all 32, cavity-free teeth. Not only that, he noted that such eating patterns were the secret to healthy pregnancies and birthing of strong babies. Nutrient-dense eating kept subjects remarkably free from intellectual and emotional disabilities as well. Dr. Price further demonstrated that this excellent dental and bodily health will degenerate into crowded, diseased teeth and gums, as well as other health problems in just one generation if parents consuming processed white flour, sugar, trans fats, and other de-based foods before conception and, for the mom, during pregnancy and lactation.

I wish I’d known about Weston Price before we started our family. Instead, I was addicted to chocolate chip cookies made with cheap, toxic margarine, white sugar, and white flour. As we kept having babies, I knew my cookie habit was bad for me, but candida kept me addicted. To make matters worse, in my quest for good health, I dabbled in vegetarianism, throwing off my hormones with soy products and omitting the essential animal proteins and fats my babies needed. Consequently, many of our children are prospects for traditional orthodontics because of high, narrow palates and crowded teeth just like those “second generation” subjects Dr. Price studied. But thanks to Dr. Price, I believe there is yet another better way.

Straightening Teeth Gracefully, Not Forcefully

That we haven’t had dental insurance to make braces affordable may be one of our great blessings in disguise. According to the Fall 2009 Weston A. Price Foundation magazine Wise Traditions (available from www.westonaprice.org), correcting malocclusions-crooked teeth and bad bite-benefits more than just looks. It also can reduce problems with insomnia and sleep apnea, difficulty in swallowing, tension headaches, chronic neck and back pain, TMJ, and even cognitive, behavioral, or other neuro-psychiatric symptoms-including those on the autism spectrum, OCD, and Down and Tourette syndromes. But the traditional orthodontic process-extracting four bicuspids and forcing with brackets and headgear the other teeth and facial bones to move into place-is not the best route to achieve pleasing facial proportions and well-aligned teeth.

Functional orthodontics are a better option to alleviate the crowding and jawbone underdevelopment caused by faulty pre-natal, infant, and childhood nutrition. Wise Traditions notes, “This method rarely calls for extractions; instead, the dentist applies oral appliances or splints, to assist Mother Nature and encourage the growth of underdeveloped dental arches. Over time, these functional appliances gently move and expand the upper and lower dental arches, allowing the teeth and bones to grow according to-or at least more closely approximating-the original genetic blueprint of development.”

A few methods for widening the dental arch include Advanced Lightwire Functional (see http://www.drfarid.com/alternative.html for a description), Crozat (http://www.crozatdoc.com/faq.html), and SOMA (http://www.curetoothdecay.com/Cure_Tooth_Decay_img/SOMA.pdf). Although superior, this functional process is not nearly as common as regular orthodontics, so you may need to travel and pay extra for it. If you hope babies are in your future, though, I’d suggest spending your travel time and money seeking out raw milk, grass-fed meats, lacto-fermented vegetables and the like now, so you may not have to find orthodontic care later. If you eat as described in Sally Fallon’s information-packed, Weston A. Price-friendly book Nourishing Traditions before conception of your babies and afterward, you’ll quite possibly have little or no dental caries (cavities) or gum diseases bothering you and yours.

Even if your family is suffering from active decay, there is something you can do about it from home. In Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Dr. Price describes case after case of using nutrition to reverse serious decay in children-often within three to five months. While the cavities (holes in the teeth) never go away, teeth generate what’s called “secondary dentin,” a hard substance which grows over the cavities so they can heal, keeping teeth alive, healthy, and strong.

Truth Decay

Ramiel Nagel, in his book Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition, describes how teeth work and offers a nutrition protocol much like Dr. Price’s to reverse dental caries and gum disease (see www.CureToothDecay.com). He points out the flawed explanation for tooth decay presented by the American Dental Association and taught by most of today’s dentists. They wrongly attribute tooth decay to bacteria that eat foods left on the teeth, thus producing acid which erodes the physical structure of the teeth. Supposedly, when this bacteria eludes regular home cleaning, then fillings, root canals, extractions, and false teeth follow.

Some legitimate questions arise, however, upon examining this traditional model. If the ADA’s explanation is true, why did the Swiss living in the Alps, isolated from modern foods and clueless about toothbrushes and floss, have no cavities (or crowded teeth)? Dr. Price found people groups eating native diets from the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland to the aborigines of Australia-all with healthy, never-brushed teeth. While brushing may have removed the mossy scum Dr. Price observed on their teeth, there was no tooth decay, a result attributable only to nutrition.

The truth of how nutrition affects dental health lies in the dental structure itself. Tooth dentin consists of miles of tiny tubules. Under healthy, well-nourished conditions, there is a constant flow of microscopic fluids running from the intestinal area through the tooth pulp, out the dentin, into the enamel, and out through the mouth. This flushes the tooth, keeping the internal structures clean and free of contaminants from the mouth. If body chemistry gets out of balance, however, this flow is reversed, pulling bacteria, acids, and other toxic matter from the mouth into the tooth. The pulp becomes inflamed, and if the proper flow pattern is not restored, disease spreads to the enamel. So cavities actually happen from the inside out, not from harmful substances collecting outside and “drilling into” the teeth.

Diet, environmental toxins, and stress upset the balance of the glandular system, so glands do not secrete hormones in amounts that properly regulate bodily processes. Nagel cites research by the late Melvin Page, a dentist who during 30 years of research ran more than 40,000 blood tests on patients to identify the biochemical cause of tooth decay and gum disease. He found that a disturbance in the ratio of calcium to phosphorus, in particular, is responsible.

In Your Body Is Your Best Doctor, Page explains that when the amounts of calcium or phosphorus in the blood “are not in the exact proportion of 2.5 parts calcium to one part phosphorus, minerals are withdrawn from the dentin and bone, resulting in tooth decay. It takes a continued low level of phosphorus, over a period of several months, to deplete the dentin of its mineral structure.” Interestingly, this corresponds to Dr. Price’s observation that people with 100-percent immunity to tooth decay ate foods high in phosphorus.

Extract Your Rotten Diet

The starting point in improving nutrition for dental health is avoiding the bad stuff. Biggies to spurn are sugars of all types (not because of what they leave on the outside of your teeth but because of what they do to body chemistry), even the “healthy” alternatives like xylitol and agave syrup. Other problem items to limit include flour and grain products (unless made from freshly ground, fermented grains), hydrogenated oils, low quality vegetable oils like canola, pasteurized dairy products, excess salt, junk foods, coffee, soft drinks, soy milk and protein powders, foods with nitrates and nitrites, addictive substances, and non-organic foods.

Although blood sugar spikes from fruit are not as severe as from white sugar, Nagel warns against over-consumption of fruit because even it will alter blood sugar levels, changing the calcium and phosphorus ratio and increasing the chance for decay. If blood sugar is changed for prolonged and consistent periods, this will eventually become the body’s new “normal,” leading to glandular imbalance and tooth decay.

If you don’t make the shift to a nutrient-dense diet, you’ll become chums with your dentist, especially as you slip past 40 years old when some 46% of all teeth of people in this age group have been affected by decay. Even if you’re younger-especially pregnant or nursing-it’s important to eat according to this protocol, both so your baby will have good tooth structure and facial development, and so your own bones and teeth will not lose minerals from the hormonal stress of growing a baby.

If you’re just now switching your family from eating the standard American diet (SAD) of processed foods, these new tooth do’s and don’ts may overwhelm you to the point of giving up. But let me point out that retreating to the standard procedure of making an appointment with the dentist for yet another filling may be easier in the short-run, but in the long run, you’re in for lots of avoidable costly and painful procedures and potentially lost teeth. I admit our family does not perfectly adhere to Nagel’s tooth healing protocol, but we do have direction and hope that cavity-free teeth can be ours.

[In the Spring 2010 Beeyoutiful catalog, Part 2 will offer help in choosing a dentist for those times tooth decay gets ahead of you, including information about the dangers of root canals and the need for proper mercury amalgam removal procedures and detoxification.]

Nancy Webster is a freelance writer and homeschool mother of eight. After enduring multiple tooth extractions, two sets of braces, and a dozen fillings through the years, she is a highly motivated researcher on alternative dental practices. Nancy is also the founder and facilitator of the Southern Middle Tennessee chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

SIDEBAR:

Fix-It Formulas

(1) Eat Right. From the work of doctors Price and Page, Ramiel Nagel (see accompanying article) compiled a dietary protocol which has a 95% effectiveness rate for helping people prevent, minimize, and even re-mineralize decayed tooth structure. Include as many of these in your diet as possible:

-1/8 to 1/2 t. fermented cod liver oil 2-3x/day with meals (OR 4 T organic liver)

-1/8 to 1/4 t. high vitamin butter oil 2-3x/day with meals (OR 1 to 2 T grass-fed butter per meal)

- 1 to 4 c. raw, grass-fed milk per day with 1 oz. of cream for every 6 oz. of whole milk

- 1 to 2 c. bone broth made from slow cooking bones and organic fish

- 1 to 3 T bone marrow from grass-fed animals

- Fermented vegetables (e.g., sauerkraut) and dairy products (yogurt or kefir) 2x/day

- Seaweed, especially kelp, 1-2x/day

A recommended menu includes raw or lightly cooked fish or grass-fed meats, fish liver or grass-fed liver and other organ meats, raw or lightly cooked oysters or other mollusks, along with lots of fresh, vitamin and mineral-rich vegetables. Coconut, olive, and palm oils along with butter, lard, or tallow should be used. (While Nagel also offers a vegetarian protocol, it does not have the same success rate.)

A good way to move towards the entire tooth healing diet is to make a written plan to learn and master one food preparation method (like lacto-fermentation of vegetables or slow-cooked bone broths) at a time, turning it into a regular part of your routine. Be sure to set dates by which you plan to make each change. You may need to be a little sneaky to get foods like liver into recent SAD eaters. Try grating frozen grass-fed liver (freeze for 14 days before eating to kill possible parasites) and place the raw gratings into capsules using an inexpensive pill maker, available online or likely from your local health food store. Casseroles, smoothies, and soup are wonderful ways to disguise “yucky” foods as well. For older children and unenthusiastic spouses, a few educational discussions may help them join your tooth-healing, health-building team.

(2) Brush Right. Touted as cavity-fighting, the toothpastes we all grew up with contain not only fluoride-which is poisonous-but also glycerin, which requires something like 27 rinses to remove it from the teeth. Otherwise, it can create a barrier that keeps teeth from getting harder and stronger. Even if you are careful not to swallow toothpaste, some will diffuse through your gums directly into your bloodstream. Healthier, fluoride-free alternatives complete with essential oils are nice, but they can be expensive.

For a less costly alternative, brush with a mix of 2 T baking soda (be sure it consists only of pure sodium bicarbonate), 1 t. finely ground sea salt, and 5-10 drops of peppermint essential oil. Or you can moisten 2 T baking soda with a bit of hydrogen peroxide. This will also help whiten teeth without toxic chemicals to do the job. Brushing your teeth occasionally with activated charcoal is another natural whitener (beware that after charcoal brushing, you’ll need to re-brush to remove the unsightly black grit from your teeth).

Doctors would say my right elbow suffers from bursitis or “tennis elbow.” Lifting the gallon jars of our cow’s fresh milk from the fridge had become a killer chore, thanks to joint pain triggered by the bending and twisting required to milk our cow. If I weren’t dubious about medicine, cortisone would be the answer.

Instead of doing drugs, though, I started doing Windmills, the Static Wall Clock, and the Progressive Groin Stretch four to six times per week. Within a few sessions of these and several other healing exercises, my right shoulder and hip—the real culprits in my problem—regained function and stopped making my elbow do work it wasn’t meant to do. The pain subsided. No drugs. No surgery.

The feet and ankles of Grace, our 13-year-old daughter with Down syndrome, are so pronated (rolled inward) that they cause pain in her knees and hips. The typical solution is shoe orthotics and leg braces, but Grace does Knee Pillow Squeezes, the Floor Block, and the Air Bench, among the exercises in her routine. The resulting strengthened muscles are helping hold her body correctly, and we no longer hear regular complaints about her aching legs. Even more exciting: she won’t have to wear cumbersome and expensive orthopedic aids.

Pain-free Secrets Revealed

The drug and surgery-free answer to your skeletal pain issues is found in the landmark book Pain Free by Pete Egoscue, a nationally renowned physiologist and sports injury consultant to some of today’s top athletes. The Egoscue method claims an astounding 95-percent success rate in relieving chronic pain, the key to which is a series of gentle exercises and carefully constructed stretches called Egoscuecises or E-cises. These strengthen specific muscles and bring the body back to its proper alignment and full, pain-free functioning.

The Egoscue book contains photographs and step-by-step instructions for dozens of E-cises specifically designed to provide quick and lasting relief from:

• Lower back pain, hip problems, sciatica, and bad knees;

• Migraines and other headaches, stiff neck, and sore shoulders;

• Shin splints, sprained or weak ankles, and many foot ailments;

• Bursitis, tendinitis, and much more.

• 
  

It also features preventive programs for maintaining health throughout body. So even if you are not hurting right now, you can prevent future pain and keep your body in alignment with the E-cises in Pain Free. The book is a wonderful gift of hope and knowledge for loved ones with chronic aches and pains. (Pain Free can be found on page 14 of our Winter 2010 catalog.)

How the Book Works

To educate and care for hurting people, Egoscue clinics have been established in major cities around the world. Our local advisor and friend, Cecilia Brewer, is currently in training to be an Egoscue instructor and says Pain Free book owners can achieve satisfying results even without a personal exercise consultant. The best approach is to choose four or five E-cises from any section of the book. Repeat those E-cises four to six times per week for one or two weeks until your muscles start to “remember” the proper place to hold the skeleton. Then follow a new menu of E-cises for another week or two, and so on. Because the body’s frame is interconnected, E-cises in the foot section, for example, will benefit the neck, so any combination can help your situation.

In making your exercise plan, note that one E-cise, the Supine Groin Stretch, stands above the others and should be included as part of every menu. This stretch can be done at the conclusion of the day’s menu, or it can be done at a separate time during the day, depending on how much time you have available. While you can improvise E-cise equipment using a belt, a chair, a pile of books, and throw pillows, I highly recommend purchasing the Egoscue “tower” which makes doing the Supine Groin Stretch much simpler (the tower is available from the Egoscue website www.Egoscue.com).

A Supplement to the Supplements

The folks at Beeyoutiful now offer Pain Free as its “third dimension” in health maintenance. Egoscue’s approach to physiological health provides a fitting complement to the Beeyoutiful line of supplements and information about nutrient-dense food preparation (see Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon in Beeyoutiful’s recommended books section).

The Egoscue method works wonders in place of, or in combination with, chiropractic care. When a chiropractor manually adjusts your spine, for instance, you schedule your next appointment and go home. But between appointments, muscles naturally return your spine to its previous position if you do not regularly teach and strengthen them to hold your bones in the correct place. This “teaching” is precisely what E-cises do for your body. The Egoscue premise is that all pain—even pain like carpal tunnel in your wrist—is related to the alignment of your body from head to toe, and regular E-cises maintain this alignment. The best news is that you can do them at home, for free, with phenomenal results if you are faithful.

Fearing that we had only costly “traditional” options for helping Grace, I had fairly well despaired of ever addressing her pain issues. But seeing her now pain-free is truly liberating. Discover Egoscue, and you’ll discover affordable, do-able options for managing and even healing your chronically sore feet, back, shoulders, neck, and more. The Webster family testimonies are just two of thousands from people helped by making the Egoscue method part of their lives.

By Stephanie Kuvik Tallent

I remember one special day when I was eight as if it was yesterday. My siblings and I gathered in the kitchen as Mom taught us about wheat. As homeschoolers, we learned a lot about nutrition and health because Mom routinely researched this passion of hers.

That particular wheat day, Mom explained to us the difference between white and wheat flour, pointed out the sundry parts of the wheat berry, and showed where they’re located. We learned about wheat germ, wheat bran, and how to tell the difference between the two. We examined oils in the berry and saw that once the wheat berry was ground, oil covers each speck of flour and can cause the flour to go rancid if not used soon after grinding (that’s what causes many of us to dislike the flavor of foods made from whole wheat flour bought from the store). Mom taught us about soft wheat and hard winter wheat -why they’re hard or soft and whether to use the flour made from each berry for pastries or bread. She taught us about corn, lentils, beans, rye, and oats, too, but I especially remember what we learned about wheat, probably because bread was such a regular part of life for us.

Mom made bread as often as she could from the best flour she could find, but because of what she knew about flour and wheat, she wasn’t satisfied with that. She knew the best bread would come from freshly ground flour, and she couldn’t wait to get a mill of her own.

Mill Day and Beyond

The Christmas that Dad gave Mom her long-awaited grin mill was one we all remember well. The new mill was the key that would turn her bread from something we didn’t always like inot a delectable art.

Dad grinned his “I can’t wait to give you your gift” grin for weeks before Christmas in anticipation of Mom’s surprise and pleasure. Dad and I reveled in the fun of trying to hide from Mom in her own room while wrapping the mill and a bucket of wheat berries to go with it. And none of us were disappointed by her reaction. The first thing Mom did was to read the manual from the mill from cover to cover to make sure she knew the ins and outs before using it even once. Then we all watched as Mom fired it up for the first grind. Wow! Was it ever loud! But, airplane sound and all, we watched as that wonderful machine took the wheat berry we all knew so much about and ground it into the freshest flour we had ever seen.

After that, Mom made bread just about every day, and we consumed loaf after loaf of her light fluffy specialty. Often it would be warm and fresh just in time for lunch. Oh, those morning school hours at the dining room table were torture smelling that wonderful bread baking. We could eat a whole loaf when it was warm, spread with butter and honey. Yum!

Thankfully, Mom didn’t just make bread, she also taught me how to make it. I learned that, when mixed just right, the dough should feel like a baby’s bottom. I discovered how to troubleshoot a recipe and figure out what changes to make it better the next time. I learned how long to raise it, how long to bake it, and how thick to slice it so that the bread didn’t dry out in Dad’s sandwiches before he got to eat them at lunchtime.

But after a while, we became aware of something strange. Mom and I noticed it was hard to eat a sandwich, not because the bread wasn’t tasty, but because it would sour our stomachs for hours after eating something that should have digested properly and been nourishing! We often chose not to eat our wonderful homemade bread because we knew it would ruin the rest of our day. Wondering what was going on with our bodies that we couldn’t enjoy the bread we knew was so healthy, I began to think we had developed an allergy and went on a search for an answer.

Improving the Legacy

Mom went to be with Jesus last year after Thanksgiving following a four-year battle with cancer. It has been a bittersweet time since then, filled with a lot of memories, but it has not been a year without its blessings. In particular, I’ve learned something new and exciting about bread. I now have a copy of Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (Nourishing Traditions can be found on page 14) and in reading this wonderful informational cookbook, I learned that if you soak flour in an acidic liquid overnight, it starts the process of breaking down proteins in the bread that make it more digestible. This profound, simple key has changed my bread-baking forever. And guess what? I can eat the bread made from flour soaked overnight without getting that familiar sour stomach! What a difference in how I feel!

A few months ago, my sister and I were catching up on our daily lives, and I mentioned that I was soaking the flour for my bread these days, explained what a difference it was making in how I feel, and shared that my sour stomachs were a thing of the past. She paused to think about what I had said and told me how happy she was that I discovered this “new” information and could make bread for my family this way. Then she said something that made me smile: “You know, if Mom had discovered that, she would have been all excited about it and sharing it with us.” My sister was right. Mom would have been excited about her find and would have encouraged us to perfect our bread in this new way.

Two days after that phone conversation with my sister, I was at my Dad’s house helping him go through Mom’s belongings and decide who would like to have what, who has special memories of which items, and who Mom would have liked to continue to enjoy each thing. As Dad and I organized what was on her desk, Dad discovered recipes and handed the book to me. I glanced through Mom’s notebook and was stunned to see that it was full of information and recipes about soaking flour overnight before making bread-and about soaking other grains before eating them!

I stood in shock as the realization hit me that Mom had already discovered my “new” information. She just hadn’t gotten a chance to start making her bread this way and to share it with my sister and me before she got sick. What wonderful confirmation to me that this method of making bread was the right direction!

Mom taught me all about making bread and knew more than she even had a chance to tell me. I took that knowledge into my marriage and began making bread for my own family. Thanks to her, I’ve felt like a successful homemaker doing the things every housewife should do to nourish my family in a healthy way.

Now I think of Mom each time I make bread-and I smile. I remember the hours we spent in the kitchen grinding fresh flour, making bread, and other good things, and I wish I could give her a slice of my fresh, warm, soaked-flour bread. Knowing she was headed toward this new bread-making method drives me harder to perfect each loaf and make it a delicious success for my family. When it comes out right, I smile and say, “Thanks, Mom.”

Yeasted Buttermilk Bread Recipe:

4 cups freshly ground hard winter wheat

1 ½ cups buttermilk, warmed

½ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted

¼ cup warm water

1 Tablespoon dry instant yeast

2 Tablespoons blackstrap Molasses

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

1 cup unbleached organic white flour

Combine whole wheat flour, buttermilk and coconut oil in mixer. Dough should not be sticky. If needed, add a bit more flour. (A key you have the right mixture is if the sides of the bowl are clean.) Form a ball and place in the bowl, cover with cheesecloth and leave in a warm place overnight. (12-24 hours).

In the morning, combine water, molasses, salt, and baking soda in a measuring cup and mix well. Add instant yeast and cup of white flour directly to the dough and pour wet ingredients over top. Mix until it is smooth and sides of bowl are again clean. Your dough should not be tough, it should feel “soft as a baby’s bottom”, as Mom would say. Form a nice ball and again place your dough back into the bowl and cover with cheesecloth. Allow it to rise for about 2 hours or until it had doubled in size. Punch dough down, knead it for just about a minute, cut it in half and form each half into a log the size of your bread pan. Place in greased bread pan, cover with a cheesecloth and let shaped dough rise in a warm area for another 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Gently cool and be sure to enjoy a warm slice.

*Note: This is Stephanie’s adapted version. For the original recipe see page 493 of Nourishing Traditions

My Bread-Making Steps: (pictures for these steps can be found on page 45 of the catalog or on the following link Winter Catalog 2010)

Step 1: Soak your flour with buttermilk and coconut oil or butter. I warm my buttermilk and melt the coconut oil together on the stove and then dump them into the mixer where I have my flour measured out.

Step 2: Then I mix the buttermilk, coconut oil and flour together.

Step 3: Scraping the bowl to make sure it is all mixed.

Step 4: Getting the unleavened dough out of the bowl to knead it a bit.

Step 5: Hand Kneading

Step 6: Kneading

Step 7: Place the kneaded dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with cheese cloth to culture/soak overnight.

Step 8: In the morning, add the rest of the ingredients and your yeast and mix like you would any other bread recipe.

Step 9: Mix and knead.

Step 10: Starting to look like bread dough.

Step 11: Ball of dough before the first rise.

Step 12: First Rise. NT recipe says to let this take about 2 hours or until it doubles in size.

Step 13: Shaped and in the pans for second rise.

Step 14: Into the dehydrator for second rise. You can also do this at room temperature or a low temp oven, but I have found it goes quicker in a warm space.

Step 15: Second rise complete and into the oven it goes for 30 mins at 350 degrees.

Step 16: 2 beautifully baked loaves.

Step 17: Inside texture is perfect! Slather with fresh butter and eat warm!!

Stephanie Kuvik Tallent is part of the Beeyoutiful Customer Service team. Her duties include moderating and researching for Beeyoutiful’s health forum, MerryHeartMedicine.com, helping take your phone orders and other projects that need a hand. Stephanie currently lives in Missouri with her husband, Paul Tallent and is Mom to Amanda and Michael. She spends her time in her kitchen experimenting with the recipes of Nourishing Traditions. The Winter months find her snuggling with her family in front of the fire, sipping a cup of tea with her computer close by.

By Peggy Sutton

Many folks have been introduced –or I should say re-introduced– to the goodness and digestibility of sprouted grains and sprouted grain flours. Sprouted grains are not a newfangled food trend but a tried and true traditional means of preparing grains, dating as far back as biblical times and as recent as the industrial revolution.

Until modern farm equipment was invented to gather grains out of the field quickly for shipment to cities and large storage facilities, grains were cut and stored in teh fields until time to use or sell them. While the grains awaited use, the dew and rain would naturally sprout the head of grain. The result was an organically more healthful grain product.Today, at-home methods of sprouting grains before baking entails just a few easy steps and not very much time–and the benefits are worth every minute of the process.

Here’s what sprouting accomplishes:

1. ~ Sprouting neutralizes phytic acid, a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc.
2. ~ Sprouting neutralizes enzyme inhibitors present in all seeds.
3. ~ Sprouting produces enzymes.
4. ~ Sprouting breaks down the starches in grains into simple sugars so the body can digest them like a vegetable (e.g., a tomato, not a potato).
5. ~ Sprouting produces vitamin C
6. ~ Sprouting increases the grains’ carotene and vitamin B content.

So let’s get started!

The equipment for your sprouting operation is not elaborate, but each item is important. This is what you’ll need:

1. 1. 4 to 8 1-quart mason jars with large-mouth lids;
2. 2. 1 plastic needlepoint grid, 7-mesh size (available at WalMart or craft store)
3. 3. 1 or 2 large round bowls, big enough to place 4 of your mason jars in an upright position;
4. 4. A large colander and small strainer;
5. 5. 1/4 cup organic cider vinegar;
6. 6. 6 to 11 cups of; organic grains (For breads, cookies, pastries, try wheat or spelt. For sour dough starter, try rye.)
7. 7. Filtered water.

Before setting up the actual sprouting, wash and sanitize your grains. Although not absolutely essential, I strongly recommend it. Grit often adheres to your grains, and you never know what kinds of “critters” walked through the field where your grains were harvested.

So here’s the washing process:

1. 1. Fill your kitchen sink with room-temperature tap water.
2. 2. Pour your grains into the water, and agitate them thoroughly for a minute or two.
3. 3. Using a colander, scoop up all the grains you can. Then use the small strainer and your free hand to scoop the remaining grains into the colander. If you have a strainer that fits into your sink drain, it will work great to get the remaining grains and drain the water at the same time. Hold the grain-filled colander under the tap for a quick rinse.
4. 4. Clean your sink thoroughly of all grit and fill with 2 gallons of tap water. Stir in 1/4 cup of organic cider vinegar.
5. 5. Dump your washed grains into the vinegar solution and let stand for 7 to 10 minutes.
6. 6. Repeat Step #3.

Now your grains have been properly washed and sanitized, and it’s time to begin the sprouting process.

1. 1. Place about 1 1/3 cups of clean grains into each mason jar (if you’re baking only 1 large loaf of bread you will only need 4 jars).
2. 2. Fill each jar with filtered water (the grains will sit on the bottom of the jar).
3. 3. Place mesh lids* and screw-tops onto each jar and tighten well. Let jars sit on your counter for 4 hours. The ideal temperature for fast, even sprouting is 69 to 72 degrees F. You may need to place in your pantry or laundry room to maintain an even temperature.
4. 4. After your grains have soaked for 4 hours (it won’t hurt if they soak for 5 or 6 hours, so don’t worry if you’re busy and can’t get back to them after just 4), hold each jar over your kitchen sink and turn upside down, letting all the water drain out.
5. 5. Turn each jar right-side up and fill with tap water. Then turn them over again and let all the water drain out of the jar.
6. 6. Once you’ve completed steps 4 and 5 for each jar of grains, place your jars in a large bowl at a slant with the meshed lids toward the bottom of the bowl. This will allow more water to drain off the grains as they sprout. Place the bowl on your counter and leave overnight.
7. 7. If you are completing step 6 by early afternoon, then repeat steps 5 and 6 in the evening, and leave jars in the bowl to sprout overnight.
8. 8. By mid-morning your grains should be sprouted. You are looking for a distinct white tail on the end of the grains. Usually sprouts begin with a 2-pronged antenna protruding from the end of each grain. (NOTE: Do not let your sprouts grow beyond 1/4 inch in length, or your grains will take on a “grassy” taste and will be hard to feed into your mill or grinder once dried.)

You’re almost finished! Now it’s time to dry your sprouts.

1. 1. Remove the sprouted grains from each jar and spread onto parchment-lined baking sheets (with sides) or place onto racks in your dehydrator (set at 105 to 110 degrees, and let grains dry thoroughly).
2. 2. If you’re using your kitchen oven, place pans onto racks and set oven at its lowest temperature. If that temperature is above 110 degrees, prop your oven door open about 1 inch at the top using a wooden spoon or dowel. Let grains dry thoroughly. This will take several hours or overnight. (NOTE: Most new ovens, since about 2000, have built-in dehydrators. Check your owner’s manual to see if you have one–it took me 3 years to discover mine!)

Store your dried grains in an airtight container in the pantry until you are ready to mill.

Sprouting is not limited only to common flour grains. I find that sprouting beans before making soups, chili, and hummus eliminates bloating and gas after eating them. Try sprouting wild rice, and mill it for gluten-free baking. There are lots of foods you can sprout for better digestibility. Be creative and have fun!

And, of course, if you are not inclined to do your own sprouting, please let us do it for you. Check out To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. today at www.organicsproutedflour.net. Also, we have lots of recipes on our web site to try with the fresh sprouted flour you made on your own. Happy Baking!

*To make meshed lids for your jars: Remove a solid lid from a jar top. Place the lid on the needlepoint grid and using a pen or Sharpie, trace a circle. Repeat this step for each of the jars you will use. Then cut the mesh lids out using scissors, and place one inside each jar’s screw-top instead of the solid lid.

Peggy Sutton is the owner of To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co., online and wholesale supplier of sprouted flour products. She founded the company in 2006 to produce fine baked goods and now specializes in sprouted flours, including wheat, spelt and rye. Peggy lives with her husband, Jeff, in Alabama.