Comment

Comment by mary rose on January 20, 2011 at 12:56pm

Ann, you make some very good comments here.  Here is a bio for David Wolfe so people can make more informed decisions about what he is recommending and see his other books, etc.  If i did not know him personally, i might not give him the time of day.  But, knowing him i know how committed he is to super health while at the same time saving the planet.  http://www.davidwolfe.com/about/

And, "yes" his products are expensive right now, but what if more of these superfoods were being grown so that the price could come down and we could all enjoy their benefits. 

David also grows and sells superfoods.  Here is the URL to this site: http://www.sunfood.com/pages/about-sunfood and http://www.sunfood.com/food.html

 

And he is recommending that we plant billions of trees.  And, i agree and say "yes" but if we are going to plant them let them be fruit and nut trees whenever and wherever possible.  Or trees that can turn a savannah into a rainforest as was accomplished in Columbia, S.A. through the initial efforts of one man: Paolo Lugari.  http://dharma-haven.org/five-havens/gaviotas.htm  http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/26/technology/village_saving_planet.biz2/

 

I feel, the overall message here is, that whatever we plant let it be the most nutritious food possible, or the best herbs for healing.  Let us not waste the precious earth any longer on growing "less than the best" for ourselves and the planet.

And, i agree with you, Ann that we need to look to whatever grows best in each eco-system within each region.  And, here in So. Calif. that can vary within a 5 mile radius or less.  

 

Also, among the superfoods that David touts are hemp seeds.  And hemp can not only provide food, as many as 20 -50,000 biodegradable products can be made from hemp.  But it is a very good source of protein and can be used to make cereals, protein drinks, cheese and hempaburgers among other things. Yet, it is a no till product that needs neither fertilizer or a lot of water.  The problem as we all know is that hemp is illegal to grow here in the U.S. -- Yet, many are saying that this is THE PLANT that can "save the world."  So, why aren't more of us trying to get this absurd law off the books.  And, isn't the main reason it is illegal to grow it is because it is a threat to the viability of the chemical companies if people could grow this plant?  Who would purchase the toxic chemical-fabricated materials, e.g., plastics, etc.  if there was a natural plant-based source that could provide for so many of our needs.

 

So, i think as you indicate here, Ann, that we need to digg really deep into this subject and ensure that whatever we grow we are getting the most bang for the buck possible from it in terms of both our own health and that of the planet.  

 

 

 

 

Comment by Ann Brigit Waters on January 19, 2011 at 4:15pm

Hi all,

  I love this discussion!  It is clear that we have different takes on what is necessary, what is possible & what to do to plan for an uncertain food future. I agree that stockpiling nutrient dense foods is a great short term goal, and in fact - as food IS our medicine, we need to become much better at using food that way.  The long term discussion, which includes feeding each other as community over years ahead - feeding the neighbors, taking care of those who did not stock up - is a difficult one - and beyond the ideals of stocking up on elite Superfoods, supplements or even my own pails of beans. 

We must begin right now - to grow & discover natural local resources of superfoods, such as kelp for those who live near an ocean, or coconut - for those who are tropical, and cultivate these resources, using our current hard cash to develop infrastructure to grow, expand, process and store these things.  I myself have been "growing" goji berries for over 4 years without seeing one berry.  Once we are "on our own" - Unless they become available magically by a passing trader with some in his pack, I might as well expend my limited energy, space & time on something that is working out better for me here in my Bio-zone.  I did grow a small crop of yacon last year which brought smiles & happiness for a few days, but again, where are the local large fields required to funnel this nutrient on a daily basis to the diabetics who will need to balance their blood sugar once there is no insulin?

The list of what & how is long, and each community & indeed - each person has a strategy that has merit.  Sharing the wisdom with those who don't know where to start - or our resources to all who have ears - that is our current opportunity here at Transition discussions, and I thank all of you for your wisdom & ideas!

Comment by Maxine Walker on January 19, 2011 at 7:21am

I agree, supplements are a good way to ensure complete nutrition.  I take Natural Factors RxOmega-3 Factors, NOW double strength Cod Liver OIl, NOW Kelp Caps, Lewis Labs Brewers Yeast Buds, NOW Tru-C, Spirulina Pacifica purchased through iherb.com (and have an aloevera plant).  I would sorely miss any of them if I was unable to afford their considerable cost or if for some reason they were unavailable.  My research has shown however an approximation of these nutrients are available in regular food especially if grown organically and soil amendments are optimal.  Avoiding all processed foods and buying organically cuts out a host of ills that plague us so what we do eat can maintain our health.  There are many ways to engage in community food security and affordability in the book Local Food, How to Make it Happen in Your Community by Tamzin Pinkerton and Rob Hopkins.

Comment by mary rose on January 18, 2011 at 2:50pm

While i agree that the SUPERFOODS list includes things that people cannot raise themselves with the exception of Goji Berries, Aloe Vera, Bee Products and Hempseed. And for some, both spirulina and coconuts can be included dependent upon where they live.  The important things with these foods is that they are all rich in Protein, Minerals, Antioxidants, Good Fats and Oils, Essential Amino Acids, Glyconutrients, Vitamins, Enzymes Co-enzymes, Essential Fatty Acids, and Polysaccharides.  

And, one of the most important factors is that they are high in live enzymes because they are eaten raw.  So, what is really important here is that in an emergency, any one of these foods could carry someone through a long extended period when no other food was available.  In fact, these foods are the most enzyme rich foods found in nature and have a very high "life-force" energy.  

 

One of the reasons i mentioned that i know David is that after he had written his first book and was putting himself through law school so he knew what he could publish and not publish without running afoul of the FDA amongst other reasons, is that low on resources at that time, David lived eating things like dandelion and purslane, along with other seeds and nuts, etc. growing in his front yard. So, he really knows what it means to "eat to survive" and he is passionate about conveying this information to others so that anyone can maintain perfect health.  

The other thing to consider here is that we are not going to have access to many of the medicines that we take forgranted today whether pharmaceutical or natural.  So, we really want to eat to live.  And, i feel it highly important to begin practicing "preventive medicine" right now so that when the time comes that what you need is not available, you don't have cancer or heart disease or any number of other diseases that could make life more miserable than it may already be in the not-too- distant future.  

Again, i would like to recommend again two books i have recommended previously:  "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., and, "The 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life," by David Grotto, RD, LDN.  What is important with the latter book is that it includes recipes -- although they are not "raw" which i feel is very important today, but each recipe points out the vitamins that are included and how each one is a "healing agent" for certain diseases.  So, when these vegetables, seeds, nuts, and fruits, along with mushrooms and in some cases algae, are combined, they make a "Superfood" also that acts as medicine for the body.  

And, when i looked at this i had to say "wow" each one of these vitamins or minerals is the equivalent of a pharmaceutical drug.  So, why are we taking pharmaceuticals that are dangerous to the human body as evidenced by the number of law suits in the millions and now even approaching billions of dollars, that have been filed and are continuing to be filed against the pharmaceutical companies.  

 

And, while the foods listed by Ann Bridgit Walters here are 'good' foods there is a lot more evidence coming out today revealing that there is more to this than meets the eye. And we need to dig deeper into this subject in order to ensure that what we plan for the future is what we really need.  

 

This is not only important in terms of just surviving, but there must be the recognition that if we go on eating the way we eat today, that we are not going to be able to meet our needs in terms of "health care costs." The American Diabetes Society acknowledged a couple years ago that if we did not get a handle on this disease, it alone could take down the whole health care system and with it the world financial system.  Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore since the bankers have already done us in, but it does bring up the question as to whether or not there will be adequate resources to care for you in terms of "conventional allopathic" medicine" if you suffer a major illness now or in the future.

 

We are in the middle of a number of major crises at this point, and IMHO, we damn well better start looking at things from a much different perspective.  

 

And, as for food storage, knowing what i now know i am going to be stocking up on Wolfe's SUPERFOODS for future use and as well, eating the most nutritious raw foods i can find for the immediate future.  

In the book, SUPERFOODS, Wolfe also includes 7 other foods that he lists as "honorable mention" and which did not make his list, but might make yours.  They include Acai Berry, Camu Camu Berry, Chlorella, Incan Berries, Kelp, Noni, and Yacon.  Incidentally, all of these foods have been eaten by indigenous people for centuries whereas most of the foods we eat today have come about in their present form through modification by botanists.  

 

Like many of you, when i first started out considering this situation i was nearer to what you are thinking in terms of.  But, after a great deal of contemplation, it seems to me we better be thinking in terms of what indigenous people ate centuries ago.  And, this does not include meat in the form of cattle, etc., that we know today.  Nor does it include anything raised via large scale agricultural farming methods, nor anything that is processed.  These are things that are not likely to survive the end cheap oil and global climate change.      

 

 

 

 

Comment by Barbara Price on January 18, 2011 at 1:37pm

Thanks Maxine and Ann for making the comments I wanted to add. @ Jen - those who are able to accommodate some food storage certainly should- and maybe we need a resources/guide to educate people based on regions. But not everyone has the space to store that much food. I don't think this is about personal security - we have to turn to community resources: planning and implementation, distribution methods. Maybe growing, processing and storing for community pantry. Local farms who are already established with cold storage should be part of this. I don't have all the answers but this is the perfect conversation for a committee

Comment by Jen Mazer on January 18, 2011 at 1:27pm

People say store a lot of bulk food but what if it rots.  And I can barely think beyond a day...

Comment by Ann Brigit Waters on January 18, 2011 at 11:57am

A Super food list for the ordinary market:

 

• Apples (a raw apple reduces appetite, high in fiber, low glycemic)
• Beans (A Hero food - inexpensive, high fiber, balanced protein & carbs)
• Blueberries (fiber, antioxidants, manganese)
• Broccoli, Dark green vegetables such as kale, chard, collard greens, bok choy, broccoli, asparagus (High fiber, low cal, packed with nutrients, they are Good for everything!)
• Flax Seed (Lignans, Omega 3, Fiber
• Oats (A Hero food - inexpensive, high fiber, balanced protein & carbs)
• Olive Oil (Omega 3 oils, polyphenols, heart & liver health)
• Pumpkin (Vit A,C,K,E, fiber, antioxidants)
• Salmon (Omega 3, tryptophan, vit D,  selenium & minerals)
• Spinach (Finely grated or chopped greens added to eggs or spaghetti)
• Sunflower Seeds (Vit E, Mg, Selenium, Minerals, healthy oils)
• Tea (green or black) - (polyphenols to reduce cancer & heart disease?)
• Tomatoes (lycopene, polyphenols to reduce cancer risk)
• Turkey (low cost lean protein, B vit, minerals)
• Walnuts, Almonds & Nuts (Vegan plant protein, fiber, Vits B, E, Omega 3 Oils)
• Yams (only 110 calories in a 5” yam)
• Yogurt (probiotics, balanced protein & healthy carbs, anti-cancer & constipation)

 

Whatever particular foods you choose, lots of fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, beans, and omega 3- fatty acid-rich foods should be gracing your table, according to the experts and the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines.

Super foods don't have to be expensive, imported & unavailable once we are growing our own...how about these notable foods?

Comment by Maxine Walker on January 18, 2011 at 11:48am

I would like to address the Eating to Live or Living to Eat post.  Wolfe's advice is dependent on imports that leave us vulnerable to supply and considerable cost.  I would counter with crops almost everyone can grow depending on variety that are listed in the book The Resilient Gardener by Carol Depp - potatoes, beans, corn, sqaush and/or pumpkin  and backyard ducks or chickens.  The nutrient value of these crops is vastly underrated and if you add greens and a few other easily grown crops you can remain healthy.  Cabbage for instance has more vitamin C than oranges. She gives extensive storage methods so you can stockpile the harvest and innovative recipes for their use. 

Comment by Maxine Walker on January 18, 2011 at 6:22am

To add to this mix, from numerous sources, one being the Alex Jones broadcasts and another article on MSNBC about China out to sink the dollar - devaluation of the dollar is going to mean soaring food prices to where if we don't store a 6 months food supply we won't be able to afford any food.  We cannot grow all of our nutrition needs so this info should be considered important to local food security.

Comment by David Yarrow on January 18, 2011 at 2:39am

i'm still having a confusing time learning to navigate this cybertown.  and don't have much time to devote to this.  anyway, last weeki finished work on an important 8-page article on "Carbon-Negative Farming: growing food  for a changing climate".  it will be printed soon in Acres USA eco-farming magazine, and should initiate a series of articles.  the current version is online at:

www.carbon-negative.us/CarbonFarming

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