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This is a HUGE topic and has kept me thinking for a while. And I'm only starting to scratch the surface. 
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MARTHASPARKS
5/10/2012 12:13PM
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Keep the thought provoking blogs coming, Birgit!
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GOPINTOS
5/9/2012 7:57PM
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Great Blog! Smile and Enjoy the Rest of Your Day! Melinda (gopintos) Wheat Belly Team Report Inappropriate Comment |
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DARA52
5/9/2012 5:46PM
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What a great blog. The locally vs global one is overwhelming. How could I affect the world balance? One person. But, I think one step at a time and what one can do is better than no steps. Whether it's cutting back on water use (making lawns in to food gardens), etc. or cutting back on beef consumption. There are a million ways to take a step, choosing one is doable for everyone. I also am on small acreage and to date, we only have house pets. But are looking in to adding on farm animals/chickens for eggs and possibly goats for milk and cheese. We also want to be able to sustain ourselves more. I think the more we learn to take care of ourselves, the more it will spread. Again, great blog! Report Inappropriate Comment |
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GARDENGIRL54
5/9/2012 2:30PM
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This is a GOOD can of worms - and well worth "opening up"! And here I thought this was going to be a blog on worm COMPOSTING!!! My sister works wtih sustainable agriculture and has for years. It's really scarey to pick her brain but realistic as well. We can't let fear keep us from doing our part, however. I have been more motivated to stop wasting resources as I grow older. Many other nations are less wasteful than we are in America (I'm just assuming you're American). Thinking about sustainability has to do wtih home gardens, the clothing we wear, and the cars we drive. Which light bulbs we use, where we set the thermostat, and how we mow our lawn. Just about everything we do could be improved if we learn more and work harder to be less wasteful. Additionally, working to improve the damage we have done to the planet will be a help. Things like worm composting is just one little thing we can do. I love the Margaret Mead quote in the prior response!!! Just keep learning and working at careful use of resources and that will help. Don't let yourself feel overwhelmed. The more you learn, the more you will be able to affect our world. Now go hug one of those trees! I often do!!!! 
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NAYPOOIE
5/9/2012 2:22PM
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Something to think about before planting a walnut tree. http://ohioline.osu.ed u/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html Comment edited on: 5/9/2012 2:23:08 PM Report Inappropriate Comment |
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EGALITAIRE
5/9/2012 1:29PM
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Thanks Birgit for getting this topic started. I understand the "local" movement, however, in my opinion, if sustainability is not considered on a global scale, all the local work might be for naught. I also understand and appreciate Margaret Mead's sentiment: "a small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, its the only thing that ever has". I am not saying we should just give up and not do anything, on the other hand, I think it is important to understand planetary sustainability - at least for humans - will not happen given the current path and without watershed changes. I have seen estimates that if we weren't using oil to grow crops (oil is the primary source of nitrogen for fertilizer and has a huge impact on crop yields), the land mass and oceans, using current technology would supply enough calories for about 2 billion people - anyone look at the current global population statistics recently? We're slightly over 2 billion. Even with technological advances, not sure how we could possibly keep up with population growth. So if whatever we do locally, isn't scaleable to the regional, national and global arenas, we won't achieve sustainability. Not to be a doomsayer, but that doesn't even take into account the current environmental degradation from burning fossil fuels and other practices currently being used to "sustain" our lifestyles. The Vegetarian Myth is a good read if you're looking for a place to start thinking about food sustainability - one of the most cogent and well researched pieces I have seen on the real issues - not just the political. And despite the title, the author, Lierre Keith, takes an objective perspective on our situation. The book had the most impact on my thinking about food and global sustainability since reading Silent Spring 25 years ago. Be Healthy Comment edited on: 5/9/2012 1:31:55 PM Report Inappropriate Comment |
This was not the kind of bread that most people eat in this country. And it did not contain any wheat. This bread was a sourdough bread made from only rye, sourdough and salt. Some of the rye was ground, some was steel-cut or even a few whole berries. It was not flavored with caraway seed as almost all rye bread is in the US or colored to make it look darker, but all-natural. I found this loaf which I had bought quite a while ago at a local bakery at the bottom of my freezer and did not want to throw it out since I myself don't seem to be gluten-intolerant. I ate 3 slices yesterday, in part because there wasn't much food in the house and I needed something to have with cheese.
A couple of interesting observations: Rye does not trigger the same types of cravings for me at all as wheat. It also does not taste good enough to really overeat on it, either. In fact in retrospect I would have preferred the cheese slices by themselves.
I did notice that I was hungry only about 2 hours later again and ended up eating a lot more all day, an experience that I had not had in several months since going low-carb except on a few days when I ate some sugar that pushed my carbs over 100 grams for the day.
Overall I have no desire to go back to eating bread. I guess I would eat bread that does not contain wheat when there is no other food available but certainly not because I particularly enjoy the taste.
I may experiment occasionally with flatbreads or pizza that is made from nut meals or coconut flour but even those are too much trouble to bother with on any regular basis. There are so many other wondeful foods to eat: a large variety of fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, dairy, meat and fish that I don't feel the need for grain products at all.
Member Comments About This Blog Post:|
HOUNDLOVER1
5/8/2012 6:30PM
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OMAHAMAMA, I suspect your spark page is set to private as I can not send you a message there. So I hope you get it here. It seems to be quite common to have carb withdrawal for about a week and in some cases for several weeks. I know there is info on several of the low-carb groups on spark so you may want to look around there. Maybe you can post the question on the wheatbelly blog as well if you don't find enough answers here. Best wishes, Birgit Report Inappropriate Comment |
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OMAHAMAMA
5/8/2012 2:18PM
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I've read a few of your blogs now and wanted to say thanks for turning me onto Gary Taubes. I wish I could remember how I stumbled across your post but it had links to his YouTube videos. At first I was skeptical. I mean, this is basically a prescription for the Atkins Diet and didn't Atkins himself die of heart disease? Never the less I kept finding myself drawn back to Gary's blog and videos. The science was compelling. It also didn't hurt that I'd completely plateaued on the Sparkpeople program and was working out harder but getting nowhere. Last week I finally decided to go for it and purchased "Why We Get Fat". I'm just in the beginning stages of radically cutting back on carbs but I already notice some differences, mainly (and most enjoyably) in my hunger. I was regularly eating a bowl of cereal with a banana and milk for breakfast. And I was also just as regularly hungry within 1 to 2 hours after eating it. I also purchased "Wheat Belly". Much of the same science is presented in it as well. I'd pretty much given up bread anyway because on any program, bread has a lot of empty calories. But I believe I'm in the unlucky group that will have to go very low carb to lose weight. I'm going to give it the rest of May, see how far I get and then try slowly adding back in fruit and veggies. Hopefully I can even splurge and enjoy some corn tortillas again - they have been my go to since getting off of bread. But for now, it's meat, eggs, cheese, and greens until I can get the weight loss kick started again. I do have one question if anyone can answer it. I know it is to each his own but I do find myself feeling rather lethargic after eating these high fat low carb meals. I don't know if it's just my body adjusting or if I need to modify what I'm eating. I do have hypoglycemia but not severe at all. For breakfast I'm eating 2 eggs, 2 strips of uncured bacon, and 2 oz of "natural" sausage (no preservatives). Lunch is a salad topped with meat, cheese, etc. Snack time is cheese. It is noted in the book that this can happen at the outset but I'm wondering how long I can expect this reaction? Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks again for this blog, I'm happy to find other Sparkers giving this plan a go. 
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HOUNDLOVER1
5/7/2012 12:35PM
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No problem, fixed it. 
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CHEBBA
5/7/2012 12:29PM
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I no idea why this printed twice, other than the fact that when I sent it nothing seemed to happen. Apologies to all. Jo Report Inappropriate Comment |
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CHEBBA
5/7/2012 12:24PM
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The fascinating thing about your blog and the different responses is that it, and they, all point to one thing - and that is that the entire business of relationships with food or particular ingredients is unique to each and every one of us. The old adage 'One man's meat is another one's poison' is so true and so, here in SP, we learn by reading other people's blogs tips and wrinkles which may work for us, not work for us - or we are educated about different foods, possible effects. Sometimes we get an answer to a mystery which has long eluded us. The most important thing about all of this interaction is that we are able to cherry-pick the bits which apply to us or that we want to apply to us. We also learn that it's alright to have different responses to certain foods because we are all unique. That reassurance alone helps to give us the strength to accept our foibles and food weaknesses. Now, I am old enough and ugly enough to know that my relationship with bread is dangerous - even writing about it, especially warm and fresh-baked, is to dance with Satan himself! Reading your earlier blog, iiquorice is vile (an apt anagram of the word evil!) for me, but I am happy that many don't feel the same. Tomatoes are the Food of the Devil and many years ago I learned why black coffee makes me ill: it's because the flora of each individual's mouth is different and either a preponderence or scarcity (I can't recall which) of a particular chemical, actually induces nausea! So, what does this all mean? For me, it means that if all I had in my larder was black coffee, liquorice and tomatoes I'd be very slender and have no need for SP!!! Seriously, though, it means that the usefulness of reading other people's blogs is beyond question. Throughout this journey we help each other to 'know thyself' and come to terms with what works, what doesn't, what are 'red light' foods and how to come to terms with it all. Thank you and bless you!  
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ARLENE_MOVES
5/7/2012 7:27AM
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Bread - in fact, any wheat product doesn't bother me when I see it. Don't crave it either. Plus, no desire to partake at all. I think, however, if I started in on it, I wouldn't stop!
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BEAGLEMAMA2
5/7/2012 6:18AM
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I don't know what kind of wheat they use...I know that its Certified Organic Grains. Ezekiel 4:9 is All natural-no preservatives. It claims to be the original flourless sprouted grain bread. The website is www.ppnr.org. This is what is says on the package: "The miracles of the sprouts... Different frommost breads today, this unique bread is made from freshly sprouted LIVE grains and contains absolutely no flour. WE believe in sprouting the grains we use in our breads because sprouting is the best way to release all the vital nutrients stored in whole grains* To unlock this dormant food energy, maximize nutrition and flovor, we add just the right amount of water to healthy whole organically grown grains which are already bursting with nutrients. Beneficial enzymes are activated which cause the grains to sprout and become a living food. OUr exclusive sprouting process not only significantly increases vitamins, but also causes a natural change that allows the protein and carbohydrates to be assimilated by the body more efficiently. And even better still,our exclusive baking process preserves these valuable nutrients and rretains the important natural fiber and bran. You can see, taste, and smell the LIVE GRAIN DIFFERENCE! of Food For Life breads. As nutritutious as they are delicious, Food For LIfe breads are the substance of a meal-not just something that holds a sandwich together. See the difference fresh sprouts really make. So when you're looking for nutrition in bread, reach for the sprouted grain breads from Food For Life and partake of the miracle. Your body and taste buds will know the difference!" *source: price-pottenger nutrition foundation I copied that off the back of the bread package. If you look for it it is in the frozen food isle with the other frozen bread! Report Inappropriate Comment |
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GRACEMCDOG
5/6/2012 10:41PM
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At the moment I think there is no good reason to experiment with eating grains. I am reading Rob Wolf's book 'The Paleo Solution' and he goes into great detail about how and what grains do to destroy our bodies. My perspective at 61 is, of course, going to be different from yours as you are decades younger. I often wonder how different my life would have been if I'd had this information when I was 20. Maybe I'd have been like every other young person and decided to ignore it because, as we all know when we're young, we're invincible!!! I am here to attest from the downhill side of lifespan that we are not. 
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SHERYLDS
5/6/2012 7:13PM
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right now I'm ultra strict.... but I am SCARED of going near processed starches...period. I guess it's my carboholic mentality It took me a while to get to this point...I don't want to regress Report Inappropriate Comment |
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BEAGLEMAMA2
5/6/2012 2:44PM
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Since i read the Wheat Belly book I found out I have a wheat intolerance. I gave up bread but one day I really wanted a sandwich. So off to the health food store I went. I discovered Food For Life" wraps made out of brown rice...very good and I also found "Food For Life" Ezekiel 4:9 bread. They have two kinds...I personally like the sesame one. The Ezekiel bread does have 100& whole wheat in it BUT it does not bother me at all. I'm not hungry after eating this bread. I only have once in awhile and that is when I want a sandwich. The wraps made out of the brown rice I use to make my pizza. They are really good. Report Inappropriate Comment |
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WOUBBIE
5/6/2012 1:25PM
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:) My grandmother used to talk about how, growing up, rye bread was for poor folks, because only the wealthy could afford the fancy and expensive "white flour" bread. Oh, how the tables have turned! The poor these days can't get AWAY from white flour products. Interesting experiment. I haven't touched more than a mouthful of bread since last July and, judging by peoples' comments here, I'm almost afraid to! Report Inappropriate Comment |
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SUPERMOUSE35
5/6/2012 11:42AM
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It sounds like an interesting experiment, thanks for posting the results. I do this once in a while too, and always remember immediately why I stopped eating bread in the first place.
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HELEN_BRU
5/6/2012 11:35AM
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Thanks for relating your experience! I still love a cheese sandwich with lettuce that crunches in my mouth but not when it settles in my stomach. Oh, well - one of these days!
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REJ7777
5/6/2012 10:43AM
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It helps to have a "reminder" once in awhile of why we aren't eating wheat anymore. You seem to have mastered the *art* of not eating wheat. I still find it very difficult to go without. Sometimes I just don't know what to eat. I feel like having crackers and cheese, or toast and cheese. I keep opening and closing cupboard and freezer doors looking for the bread or Triscuits I don't have anymore. Habits are hard to break, and I still crave bread. I need to master this new way of eating! Report Inappropriate Comment |
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EGALITAIRE
5/6/2012 10:04AM
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Always useful to experiment and continue the journey of finding out what works and what doesn't. And what even tastes good anymore. I used to love the Hawaiian pizza from a local store (ham, bacon and pineapple), but only had it about once a month because even pre-primal I knew it didn't sit well in my gut. Now, I could have a piece sitting right in front of me and not even think about eating it. Chocolate torte on the other hand - not over that yet. Be Healthy Report Inappropriate Comment |
