Resolutions: Sour Milk, Getting Hugs, Changing the World
Okay- this is somewhat of a check-in for myself.. an update on progress and accountability time. 🙂
I had a couple of new years resolutions. the first was more exercise.. at which I have not jumped into. I did go for a walk. but my ankle started to throb within the first mile. I did the three mile loop, but decided that may be better to hold off on upright activities for a while, until it has healed some more. Trying to line up a yoga class, and now that the college is back in session, the pool will be available for lap swimming- so hope to get that one re-ignited- but I don’t feel too guilty on this front, as I knew this would be slower, to get worked in.
HUGS- I decided as an addended resolution, to be sure to get/ give hugs daily! Since I have been working solo at the computer a lot.. this means the horses, cat and dog are beginning to wonder if someone has a terminal illness. I set the goal of at least one/day- with 3 hugs daily the ideal. I must admit, I have started to forget, a little bit, as opposed to setting out each day with this strong reminder.
BOOK- I have made book progress, I got the kindle version re-edited for submission and it is back online- in BETTER format, on Amazon. While I was at it, I also got the MOBI and epub. so success on that front. Now if I can tackle wrapping up Soldier to Warrior- BUT.. ADDED BONUS.. the smashwords conversion puts the raw file back into a word doc- so I can now access the portions from Dancing, that I plan to include. Now to find the missing notebook with the last 2 chapters hand-written.
FERMENTED FOODS- the big resolution, has been to eat fermented foods daily. I have been doing this! yay! Been a fun and interesting experience. Fresh/raw fermented foods, put back the healthy bacteria into the gut/ body that help it to digest food, release-remove toxins and restore health to the body and immune system (as a chronic Lyme person- this is paramount!) I have even made my own fermented sauerkraut. I highly recommend trying this! it is super easy. It came out great. Not at all like that nasty yucky sour store-bought sauerkraut. I have also been eating some yogurt, I like the whole milk vanilla yogurt. Store-bought, since my goats aren’t in milk right now- but it’s good.
I have made kefir, from whole raw cows milk. Also very easy, in theory, anyway. Pour milk into jar. Add kefir culture. Let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature. It was extremely cold this weekend.. so I had a hard time finding a place where the jar would stay around 72 degrees. Finally, I figured out the ideal distance from the wood stove and it did begin to kefir. It tastes pretty good. Somewhat like a milk yogurt- but it is different strains of bacteria. Better for the body. I did some reading about kefir and its huge support for treating kids on the autism spectrum– as there seems to be a strong connection between the health of the GUT, and all sorts of emotional, immunological and neurological conditions. And this actually makes a lot of sense, as the GUT is the chemical processing factory- anything we put into our bodies. gets processed in the gut. I recently read an interesting bit re the autism connection,which indicated that maybe the vaccinations are destroying the GUT.. which then impacts the neural development.
ANYWAY- I finally got the milk to kefir. I like the taste. I do notice that it makes me a little congested, and, well.. snotty.. literally. I just set up a jar of coconut kefir, as coconut is also really good for the body. I gather the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil tell the body to burn fat. Coconut oil is also a natural anti-fungal. So overall, coconut should be a good medium, and- it’s non-dairy. Again- very simple recipe. Poke a hole in a fresh, preferably organic coconut. Drain the fluid. Add kefir culture, stir or shake lightly. let sit for 24-48 hours. the recipe called for NINE coconuts. sorry- not eating that much coconut. I got two, and will consider trying to track down some pure organic coconut water, if I like this first batch.
All in all, not too bad a progress report. There is a definite learning curve to some of it. Hopefully this will serve as my nudges for any course-corrections I need to make. I like to think of “resolutions”.. not as the huge challenges to overcome– but rather, like diet.. a lifestyle change that I can live with.. and hopefully live BETTER!
But I am trying to walk the talk. Change, even global change.. starts with the SELF. Plain and simple. We ALL need to start doing things differently, and doing different things. One- it moves toward progress, and 2, it opens us up to the infinite possibilities that are perpetually unfolding within the universe.
Is anyone else making any lifestyle resolution changes? How are they working out? Or is this a reminder and a nudge? Also, if anyone out there has some good fermented food ideas.. please share. cabbage based sauerkraut, while quite good and tasty… would be more appreciated if I could vary it with/ against other things.
UPDATE- coconut kefir made and cooking. almost done. Tastes good. Reminds me a little bit of a marguerita- without the salt. Highly recommend! I’ll have to check into all its benefits! I don’t know that I want to buy 9 coconuts in order to make a full batch. I used 2. Now I am hoping to find some good pure-organic coconut water-juice and inoculate that, to keep it going. yay!
I am an Education Specialist, Health Coach and Author. I work with aspects of the teachings I have learned from Andean shamanic and cosmology, to health, nutrition and education. Everything is energy. Energy must flow. Like water, when it does not flow, it stagnates and is not healthy. These techniques help your life to flow. I have been initiated into many of the ancient lineages and learned ceremonies, rites of passage and healing techniques. I have worked as a healer and done workshops and taught some of these aspects – passing the teachings on.
Author of:
Dancing in Your Bubble : ancient teaching, modern healing
Natural Support for Alzheimer’s
Getting a Handle on Happy : find and fix causes of stress and depression
The Naturally Smarter Kid : a parent’s guide to helping kids succeed in school and life
Cafe of the Hungry Ghosts : behind the veil of ordinary – a paranormal-ish fiction book
