Science Class You Can Eat...Homemade Mozzarella and the Back Story

    I was in the grocery store the other day...I picked up a package of shredded mozzarella cheese -read the label and put it right back down...there in the ingredients column was "CELLULOSE'! For those who are wondering, "What's that?" It's WOOD and it's approved by the FDA and used as filler and anti-caking agent in processed foods. Last I checked, I'm not a beaver or a woodchuck so, finding wood in my food is very frustrating and disturbing to say the least! They bill it as good under the guides of providing folks with extra fiber that they need because of poor diet but, the truth is- if you're eating a healthy diet you don't need added fiber and you definitely don't need it from wood!

Back story noted...

I have been intrigued by the process of making cheese so, today I decided to turn it into science class (when you home school you can roll that way)...

I found a blog that outlined a pretty straight forward process and even posted step-by-step pictures:
http://www.goodtrueandbeautiful.com/2010/03/how-to-make-mozzarella/

Computer accessed, supplies in hand and eager taste buds both big and small - we set out to conquer the cheese making challenge and thus save ourselves from the grotesque cellulose monster...

The result was sweet success...
a delicious ball of fresh homemade - no cellulose added - mozzarella!

We went from milk to cheese in less than 30 minutes...the process was easy to follow and the result was fabulous! To celebrate our accomplishment, we made lunch...

Artichoke and Chicken Pizza Crisps with Homemade Mozzarella Cheese -SO GOOD!!!

Everyone gobbled it down -proud of their accomplishment!

Reflecting back on the process, there are a few adjustments I would make - the curds stuck to my cheese cloth which was difficult to untangle and the cheese needed just a bit more salt...I think on my next go I will set the curds aside on parchment paper and add a smaller amount of sea salt directly to the cheese as I knead and stretch it...over all the process was simple and very successful!

So glad we gave it a try -we will definitely be doing it again!

GMO - What You Should Know that Their Not Telling You!

In the last little while, GMO and Non GMO has come up in many conversations...folks fall into two catagories: those who know nothing of it and have never even heard of it and those wanting to know what it is -intuitively sensing something is amiss- and how to avoid it...so, here's a basic understanding of GMO and how to stay away from foods that contain it.

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. In simple terms, it is the process by which genetic material is forcibly transferred from one organism or plant to another in order to manipulate the plant's DNA to produce a specific result...such as plants producing their own pesticides or being able to tolerate herbicides. At first blush one would think, "Well, what's so bad about that?" But, the reality is that messing with genetics is pretty much akin to Frankenstein's lab and we all know the disaster that accompanied that! The really scary part is that research on the results of consuming GM Foods is not extensive so, we really don't know what its true effect will be (they have been proven to contribute to infertility)...even scarier is the fact that products (currently on our supermarket shelves) which contain GMO ingredients DO NOT have to be labeled as such! You should assume -unless labeled GMO FREE, NON GMO or USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC- that any packaged or processed food you pick up contains at least one GMO ingredient. I can say this with absolute certainty because the majority of  packaged and processed foods contain a great deal of corn, soy and/or beet sugar. The fact is 80% + of these three crops are genetically modified in our country. For your health, stay away from conventional corn, soy and beets  along with products that contain them.

Purchase them certified organic or not at all!

I found the website below very helpful in educating myself on GMO...check it out for more extensive information and helpful shopping guides...

Non GMO Shopping Guide

Dr. Mercola (mercola.com) and Natural News (naturalnews.com) are also great resources for specifics on the latest research and products to avoid where GMO is concerned!

The key is education and action - BE PROACTIVE!

Future Generations will thank you and so will your health!

Surge Your Way to Better Health...

What is "Surge" you ask???

Surge is an exercise philosophy from Maximized Living that jump starts your metabolism and trains your body to burn fat for fuel instead of sugar...

In very simple terms, your body burns sugar during quick/hard bursts of exercise and then the following 36-48 hours it burns fat for fuel (it's true source of energy) thus reducing the excess fat on the body. It's result is trimmer, leaner muscle mass and a body that is burning the correct fuel, which contributes to the regulation of a healthy metabolism.

It really works!

No more "I don't have time!" or "It's too hard!" excuses...

This routine only takes 7 minutes and 20 seconds and can be done as little as 3 times a week and be successful! 

I have personally used the program. 

It, along with healthy nutrition, chiropractic corrective care and wellness adjustments, detox and renewing my mind; has contributed to me becoming the healthiest I have ever been (a physical result of losing over 54 lb. in the last 18 months to prove it).

It's so easy and fun that your kids will love exercising with you, too!

NO extra equipment or gym fees required - GET STARTED TODAY!

Here's how it works:

Choose your favorite techno jive, start your stop watch (there's an "APP" for that) and follow the plan below...

Surge Training

7 minutes 20 seconds

every other day

20 sec. - hard run (in place) 0-20 SEC

20 sec. - walk 20-40 SEC

20 sec. - hard run 40-60 SEC

20 sec. - walk 1:00-1:20 MIN

20 sec. - hard run 1:20-1:40 MIN

2 MINUTE REST - walk/don't sit 1:40-3:40 MIN

20 sec. - hard run 3:40-4:00 MIN

20 sec. - walk 4:00-4:20 MIN

20 sec. - hard run 4:20-4:40 MIN

20 sec. - walk 4:40-5:00 MIN

20 sec. - hard run 5:00-5:20 MIN

2 MINUTE COOL DOWN WALK 5:20-7:20 MIN

For more information on Maximized Living or to find chiropractic care in your area click on the "Maximized Living" Link at the bottom right of this page...

To your health and a better you in the coming weeks, months and beyond - 

BE PROACTIVE and you WILL see results!

Buyer Be-Aware...and Beware!

       One of the keys to obtaining optimal health, healing and the abundant life we are intended to live is removing toxins -chemical stressors - from our bodies and replacing them with the beneficial nutrition that our bodies need to function at their God-given highest potential. There are several aspects to this but, we will focus in this post on the reality of the danger chemical sweeteners pose to our health and our body's ability to fight and heal ...

Over the past year, as I have waded through this new world of health and nutrition and reflected on the reality of what really is going on, I have been appalled by the revelation that we have all been duped! The folks we’ve trusted to keep us safe have fallen down on the job -allowing some grotesquely harmful things to make their way into our food supply and most of us have no idea...because we’ve been trusting to the point that its now our physical demise that hangs in the balance...and their still going!  We can take action and it starts with education!

         Let me introduce you to the key players in the line up of chemical sweeteners (removing these toxins are vital to gaining control of our health, healing and ultimate life long wellness- this is where we begin -you will be shocked -as I was- at how saturated our diets are with these things):

The most familiar of the bunch is SPLENDA.

The product list is over 6,000 strong and going up in number...

Splenda, also called SUCRALOSE, has been marketed to us as a safe sugar substitute -as coming from sugar itself...even though it has a sugar atom (making what they say a half truth) it is combined with 2 chlorocarbons  which makes it in essence a PESTICIDE. 

There is a laundry list of sicknesses, disorders and diseases that sucralose is at the root of... too long for me to list in its entirety but, here is the short stack:

-shrunken thymus glands 

-enlarged liver 

-kidney disorders 

-decreases the beneficial gut flora (key to healthy immune system) 

-migraine trigger 

-skin rashes/ flushing 

-panic-like aggitation 

-dizziness & numbness 

-diarrhea 

-swelling 

-muscle aches 

-headaches 

-intestinal cramping 

-bladder issues 

-stomach pain 

-weight gain 

-insomnia 

-sexual dysfunction 

-cancer 

-MS 

-Lupus 

-diabetes 

Needless to say, it is not our friend and reading labels should become the fast habit. If you see sucralose or Splenda on the package -put it back on the shelf and walk away...I don’t think any of us would knowingly say “Good Morning, precious, here’s your eggs with a side of Roundup!” GROSS...

An artificial sweetener we don’t see much of anymore but, it is still used in prepared foods and some gums and medicines...(the place I remember it was in “Tab”)

...is SACCHARIN

Saccharin is proven to cause bladder cancer in rats and a known carcinogenic in humans... any time you see carcinogen or carcinogenic it is cancer...

Know that most, if not all, prepared foods have some form of chemical sweeteners in them - its cheap to produce and takes less to reach the desire sweetness - unless they are labeled to the negative, you can assume they are present in some form...Buyer BE-AWARE!

___________________________________________________________________________

As a sidenote...speaking of chemical stressors and cancer...

FOOD COLORING of any kind (not just RED) and CARAMEL COLORING are CANCER....the bag of M&M’s...yep...CANCER!

To my shock and amazement food coloring and caramel coloring are in everything! 

The next time you are in your local supermarket stroll down the pickle and condiment aisle...you will be as appalled as I was! There is no need for YELLOW 5 in pickles or caramel coloring in soy sauce or vanilla or chocolate and absolutely no need for BLUE 5 in marshmallows (no need for marshmallows really but, that's beside this point)

Caramel Coloring is one of the main ingredients in colas, too...

The point is - we all have cancer cells in our bodies but, when we consume things with food coloring or caramel coloring  in them, we are aiding and abetting - helping them to grow and multiply!

And we wonder why cancer is on the rise?!?!

Please READ LABELS and stay away from this stuff and the products that contain them!

___________________________________________________________________________

Now back to Chemical Sweeteners...

The next and final shady character we will discuss in this post  is Aspartame. It is the most widely used chemical sweetener- in everything from gum and  drinks to “diet foods” and over the counter medicines...the product list is in the tens of thousands -you can google it!

ASPARTAME/ NEOTAME (3, 3- DIMETHYLBUTYRALDEHADE)

Aspartame at it’s core is FORMALDEHYDE (otherwise known as embalming fluid!)

Can I get a collective -YUCK!  Ask any coroner and he/she will tell you they are using less these days...

And even worse- our bodies not only digest it but, aspartame has the ability to breach the blood-brain barrier and is thus a neurotoxin...

Yes, I said NEUROTOXIN!

It travels directly to the brain -reeking havic resulting in a DAMAGED CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IMMUNE SYSTEM. It is linked with MS, Lupus and Fibromyalgia and contributes to numerous illnesses both physically and psychologically...the list is as long, if not longer than that of Splenda!

Neotame is Aspartame’s evil cousin...it is aspartame with a another chemical added in and combined. Supposedly, it is sweeter so less is required to sweeten products. I’d say its just 3x as harmful and more reason to stay clear...

Concerning aspartame, Dr. Marcelle Pick, stated:

“Almost all of the independent research into aspartame found dangerous side effects in rodents. The FDA chose not to take these findings into account when it approved aspartame for public use.”

Dr. Pick, in reference to artificial sweeteners in general, also said:

“ As Food additives, artificial sweeteners are not subject to the same gauntlet of FDA safety trials as pharmaceuticals. Most of the testing is funded by the food industry, which has a vested interest in outcome.”

The bottom line on Artificial Sweeteners, where the manufacturers and the companies that use them are concerned, is the dollar...its not our well being or health...they can produce these toxic sweeteners -it takes less to sweeten their products so it affects their bottom line in a positive way. 

The “ Sugar Free” Diet food craze has not been for our benefit...it has been for theirs and we have bought into it! 

That train can only go so far before it derails in some fashion and sadly, it will fall to our health and  not their profit margins...BUYER BEWARE!

We have the power to stop the madness -will you be a part of the revolution?

The True Source of Health & Wellness...

       When thinking about health and wellness, most of us assume that if we feel great or if we're skinny then, we must be healthy...and while there is a small measure of truth in that thought (feeling great CAN be a result of great health and a trim body DOES naturally occur as a result of health)...the reality is that it is not an adequate plum line for health - you can feel great and have failing health- you can be skinny as a rail and completely unhealthy. 

       The genuine measure of health is found in two very important systems within the human body - the Central Nervous System and the Digestive System. These systems get little air time in the doctors offices and hospitals in general and especially where regulating overall health is concerned...

       I am not conventional medicine bashing here...I am just saying that in my own personal experience I have never had a medical doctor ask about the health of my spine or link my over health and wellness to my gut or nutritional habits.

       Truth be told- if you have physical, chemical or emotional interference in your central nervous system and toxic build up in your gut then, your body is in a state of dis-ease which will ultimately lead to disease. In this state, your body CANNOT function at its full, God-given potential and you WILL NOT experience the ultimate health and abundant life intended for you!

      The brain- through the central nervous system- regulates the function of every single cell in your body. If there is interference of any kind in your spine, then this interrupts the nerve's ability to communicate effectively and results in malfunction and disease in the organs being interfered with... on the same level, the flora (good bacteria) in your gut keep your immune system strong and help to regulate all the sub-systems that work in conjunction with the immune system to fight foreign agents that attack the body...so, if there is a steady stream of toxins being dumped into the system then it is rendered defenseless! 

      These two systems work in concert to produce the harmony of health orchestrated by God and intended for every living creature! It is of utmost importance -if your goal/desire is amazing health - that you proactively protect and maintain these two systems. True health lies in their wellness!

Make investing in your health a priority! 

     We all pay for our health in one form or another...you will either invest in order to maintain health and prevent disease on the front end (with chiropractic wellness care and sound nutrition that maintain the good flora) or you will pay on the backside to salvage what little is left...

      I don't know about you, but I would rather make the investment in time, energy and resources now to establish health and reap the reward than, to neglect my health and reap the burden that ultimately comes...

Wishing you revolutionary health, joy & healing so that you may experience the full, abundant life God intends for you! You don't have to settle!

*Check out the "Links of Interest" to the right for more information on this topic...

My New Found Way of Life...16 Months in the Making & BEYOND!

My name is Kristi Bush, I am the proprietress of The Owl Tree and my journey into complete health and total wellness began just over 16 months ago. My husband was involved in an auto accident and went to a chiropractic clinic for pain. It was with great scepticism and little enthusiasm, I attended the first patient/spouse orientation night -we almost left! But by the end of that meeting, the Spirit said for such a time as this, pay attention -this is what you need to do! 
For months previous to this point and time, I had been diagnosed with colitis and was experiencing constant upper and lower back pain, as well as several abdominal pain episodes that the doctors had no explanation for. The pain in my lower back was so excruciating that I could not sit for longer than 30-40 minute intervals without having to stand up. Along with that, I was 5’2” and weighed almost 180 lbs. - I was not a healthy person! 
My family had come through the worst year of sickness ever...countless doctor visits and rounds of antibiotics -the standard way that most folks pursue relief from symptoms and what we would call “health care”- not realizing then that our veiled eyes were soon to be opened to the truth. That very night, my husband and I signed the remaining 4 of us up for initial evaluations for spinal health and our adventure into this new world of true health and healing began.

Very quickly, we knew we had made the right choice! We were all in and I began pursuing a new road...NUTRITION

I am a cajun girl -born and bred and if you know anything about the cajun culture -you know that it’s food is the center piece of it’s way of life and my family was no exception! Needless to say the thought of organic foods and alternative flours weren’t even on my radar and to be honest the thought terrified me!

Determined to be successful, I began diligently and persistently learning what healthy nutrition looked like and how amazing it could taste, too! I replaced all of the old tools in my proverbial toolbox with all the new healthful ones and begin to create - I love to cook as much as I love to eat so, I knew my families success depended on being able to turn out fabulous food that was yummy and good for us! With a strong dose of encouragement from my husband, children and new friends, I took the plunge and began creating amazing food - so much so, that I was constantly wowed and floored as to why this wasn’t the mainstream way of doing things...if folks just knew how delicious healthy food really is and that in reality we weren’t giving up anything we loved just making it in a healthful way and that in doing so we were reprogramming our bodies to function how God intended for them to function- fighting disease, sickness and producing health and wellness without sacrificing taste, flavor and satisfaction...

This thought consumed me and sparked a revolution! It has become my mission - to educate and train others in how to feed their families healthfully! If this cajun girl can do it -anyone can!

Today we are the healthiest we have ever been and it is only going to get better from here! Our bodies are being retrained to function how God intended them to function. Through chiropractic corrective and wellness care, healthy nutrition, exercise and eliminating toxins as well as the continual process of renewing our minds we have revolutionized our life and impacted our family tree for generations to come! Through this journey and as a result of these things working in concert with each other...I have personally lost over 50 lbs and no longer have any pain or colitis. I feel great! I have also seen an amazing difference in how our bodies respond to potential sickness - because we are freeing it to function how God intended it to-we are rarely sick and when we do experience symptoms our bodies fight, restore and recover much more quickly than ever before. This has truly changed our life dynamic forever and we are so thankful for it! We plan to be cruising at 89 and 100...

Look for recipes, tips and meal planning options to come in the near future...You can revolutionize your families way of life and health too!