Staying in, Blackball & garden planning

Paul Pitchford's Healing with Whole Foods arrived earlier this week. I'm reading bits of it each day, and much as it is fascinating, for large chunks of this week I have been completely 'over' food and health research. I functioned fairly well through a busy week and then today ended up in bed for much of the day. Whether that has anything to do with my experiment with oil pulling with coconut oil last night, I cannot say. There are no magic tablets with the answers on.

HWWF is in many ways diametrically opposed to Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions. The differences are not difficult to spot, but I've been focusing more on the commonalities. Bone broth/stock is a winner, as is eating lots of vegetables, though preparation guidelines differ markedly. Omega 3 oils are the other standout common thread so far.

HWWF seems stronger (to my somewhat untrained eye I might add) on the Eastern traditions than on the Western medical research assertions. I'm working my way through his analysis of five element theory as it applies to health and food. But when he trotted out the GP party line on cholesterol with faithful reference to the Framingham study, I recalled reading Barry Groves' scathing analysis of that study and I knew Mr Pitchford and I weren't always going to see things the same way.

Meanwhile, I have been drinking apple cider vinegar three times per day and swallowing at least a teaspoon, usually more, of coconut oil. I've been eating coriander pesto at least once per day and sometimes more. I've had no cheese and almost no bread. I feel lighter and the scales support this. My appetite is reasonable rather than excessive and I'm wanting 'healthy' foods rather than craving a glass of wine or a cheese sandwich.

The detoxing part of it is less pleasant and I would be wary of trying the oil pulling on a Sunday night before I had to function properly for the rest of the week. I'm a bit wary of this oil pulling thing full stop, but sometimes it appeals because it seems to support rapid detoxing rather than snail paced health reforms.

In less narcissistic news, Brighid and I went to Blackball on Wednesday for a meeting for the Blackball museum of working class history project. Denise had been to a Te Papa workshop on local heritage and we need to be blogging, facebooking and flickering. So as we get that up and running (not sure if we will use the original blog I set up last year but haven't kept active or start afresh), I will put links here. We chatted about upcoming exhibitions and got excited (well I definitely did) about one on clothing. Public focus is usually on off-shore sweatshops but other committee members shared stories of friends and family members who are doing piece work for a pittance, or being forced to eat by machines instead of a lunchbreak in New Zealand here and now. Another committee member used to work for the clothing union (the proper name of which I don't remember). Everyone has to wear something to keep warm and private and I think this exhibition (next year I think) will be very interesting.

This afternoon I have been planning our garden for the upcoming warmer seasons. Such fun, and easily done in bed. I know for sure that we will grow a lot of celery as it is not possible to buy this leader of the dirty dozen for sprayed fresh produce in cerified organic form here in Wetville. Similar situation for tomatoes. While I would love to have our own pumpkins and spuds, there really isn't enough space. I'm keen on plenty of beetroot and carrots and Favourite Handyman wants lots of beans and peas. I've picked a place for peas, but a sheltered and sunny spot for beans is not so easily available in the current garden setup. There is the punga raised bed but as we've been loading that up with chicken poo/sawdust mix, I suspect it would be all leaf and little bean there this season. Fionn wants broccoli. This makes me happy so has to be fitted in. Fionn has escaped asthma this winter until last night. He needs every vegetable going.

Off to do a facial steam bath with eutherol now. In lieu of pseudophedrine, there is always something to try...

Comments

missjoestar said…
what is oil pulling?
Marty said…
Hi, I've been following your blog for a few weeks and am really enjoying it. I am on a similar journey regarding healthy eating /reducing toxicity in my home (brought on by having kids and the feeling of enormous responsibility that has come with that). I can relate to your feeling of research overload.
Sandra said…
Hi Joanne. It's just weird stuff. I've stopped it - maybe it is detoxing or maybe my body does not like coconut oil (though no sign of coconut sensitivity in the past). Hope you are healing well.

Hi Marty. Thank you for your comment, it's lovely to read. Good luck on your journey.

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