Laura Lawrence- Northern Michigan Homesteader
How to Become A Food Prood
Come discover what a Homesteader's life is like in Northern Michigan.
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Becoming a Food Prood Series
I can give you all the recipes in the world, talk your ear off with pep talks, show you how to have an organic garden but if you do not understand WHY you should be a Food Prood then you may never make those necessary changes. This leads me to my “Becoming a Food Prood Series”!
Get ready for practical steps that will help you live a much healthier life. You’ll feel better, think better and perform better.
Becoming a Food Prood is not something that just happens, it certainly didn’t for us. It’s taken us years of learning and doing. But it all started with an intuition. “It’s gotta be better than this”. Do you have to feel bloated all the time, run to the bathroom every time you eat, have constant headaches, deal with depression? No freakin’ way you do. It IS better than that. Trust me, I’ve been there. All those issues I have personally dealt with. It’s not fun, its’ frankly stupid and there are ways to feel better, like WAY better!
I really do feel 100% that FOOD is the #1 key to helping everything work better, you feel better and think better. This isn’t a “Diet Fad” and to use the words “lifestyle” feels ridiculous to. It just IS what it IS! You need to change; you need to do better in order to feel better. Simple as that. Now I am not a Dr or Scientist, or licensed Food person….. but I know food. I know what’s worked for me and I want to share it with you.
Topic #1
MSG Mono Sodium Glutamate
I can give you all the recipes in the world, talk your ear off with pep talks, show you how to have an organic garden but if you do not understand WHY you should be a Food Prood then you may never make those necessary changes. This leads me to my “Becoming a Food Prood Series”!
Get ready for practical steps that will help you live a much healthier life. You’ll feel better, think better and perform better.
Becoming a Food Prood is not something that just happens, it certainly didn’t for us. It’s taken us years of learning and doing. But it all started with an intuition. “It’s gotta be better than this”. Do you have to feel bloated all the time, run to the bathroom every time you eat, have constant headaches, deal with depression? No freakin’ way you do. It IS better than that. Trust me, I’ve been there. All those issues I have personally dealt with. It’s not fun, its’ frankly stupid and there are ways to feel better, like WAY better!
I really do feel 100% that FOOD is the #1 key to helping everything work better, you feel better and think better. This isn’t a “Diet Fad” and to use the words “lifestyle” feels ridiculous to. It just IS what it IS! You need to change; you need to do better in order to feel better. Simple as that. Now I am not a Dr or Scientist, or licensed Food person….. but I know food. I know what’s worked for me and I want to share it with you.
So our first topic is MSG Mono Sodium Glutamate. I’ve touched base on this before in previous blog posts and newsletters but I’ve never taken the dive into it, so here I am today. Let’s do this!
It’s a devil of a thing, a sneaky devil thing.
According to the NIH website it states “Beside its flavour enhancing effects, MSG has been associated with various forms of toxicity (Figure 1(Fig. 1)). MSG has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, neurotoxic effects and detrimental effects on the reproductive organs.”
“Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is one of the most widely used food-additives in commercial foods. Its application has increased over time and it is found in many different ingredients and processed foods obtainable in every market or grocery store.”
See what I mean by Sneaky!!?!???!!
“MSG symptom complex, Chinese restaurant syndrome (CRS), glutamate-induced asthma, hot dog headache, or MSG syndrome are terms used to describe a cluster of symptoms that could be mild or severe. The symptoms included headache, nausea, weakness, sweating, chest pain, burning sensation, facial pressure/numbness, flushing, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, muscle tightness, abdominal discomfort, skin rashes, abnormal heart rhythms, asthma, neuropathy, atopic dermatitis, and syncope” This is taken from ScienceDirect – That is quite the list of feeling like crap symptoms. I mean come on how is this stuff even in our food?
Why is it even in our food? The reason why companies use MSG in their products is to “enhance” the flavor. And looking into this topic further basically they use it in order to reduce the amount of REAL Food and Spices in their products! What? Well actually I’m not shocked at all; most companies are only about the bottom line. Gotta make that money honey. But at what expense? I mean “Who’s” expense? OURS! That’s who’s. I’m simply not ok with this. I’m not ok with how they use it, that they even use it, that it’s legal and certainly not how it makes people feel.
It’s time to remove this from your pantry. After reading this I need you to run and look in your cupboards and find all the foods that you have on hand that contain this devil of an ingredient.
Here is a list of the Top Foods that Contain MSG
1. Fast Food
2. Seasonings
3. Soups
4. Dressings & Condiments
5. Chips
6. Frozen Meals
7. Processed Meats
8. Instant noodle products
That covers quite a range of food doesn’t it? I agree it may seem overwhelming especially if you do pull out all the items in your pantry that does contain it. If you are on a budget, use up what you pulled out and then replace all those items with options that do NOT contain MSG. This is a huge step, but it’s a VERY doable step.
Plus there’s no reason why we need this, we do not need to add in crap stuff to our bodies. When you do this your body is busy fighting or processing the junk and cannot function properly. It’s to busy to create good gut bacteria, it’s too busy to work on your immune system, it’s to busy to feel alive. Don’t make it be busy on nonsense like MSG.
So skip the fast food, make your own Seasonings like my Taco Seasoning and JD’s Meat Rub. Make your own BBQ sauce in 5 minutes! Create whole food soups like my 15 Minute Tomato Soup or Spaghetti Sauce. Replace the typical ramen noodle soup with these delicious and organic ramen noodles and create your own seasoning using real spices and bone broth.
You do not need to go without good food, you just need to adjust your thinking a bit. Cook with REAL ingredients and take a few extra minutes to look at those labels when purchasing at the store.
Please send me your photos of the items you found in your pantries – I would love to see how you took the time to your first step into becoming a Food Prood! Email me at: [email protected] I’m waiting!!
Steps To Take Today:
#1 Remove all items from your pantry containing MSG
#2 Print off recipes like the one’s I mentioned above
#3 Replace the crap food with REAL food
#4 Feel Better
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938543/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128160114000227
Topic #2 START HERE
Our first topic was MSG Mono Sodium Glutamate but today’s topic is High Fructose Corn Syrup. This was the 2nd thing we eliminated from our diets/foods many years ago. Let me tell you why.
Like many of the items we’ll cover they just do NOT need to be there. Companies add this stuff to stretch the “Real” food farther, help their bottom line, and add filler. Our bodies are not meant to process all this junk, this stuff just busies our bodies which does not allow it properly function.
So what is HFCS High Fructose Corn Syrup? High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an artificial sugar made from corn syrup. (or corn starch)
According to Healthline “High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is about 55% fructose, a type of sugar. It takes your body more steps to breakdown fructose compared to glucose. High amounts of this sugar can lead to serious health issues.”
See, just making our bodies work in all the wrong ways, not the good ways. Let’s find real food so our bodies are stronger, our minds think better and we just feel better all the time.
Having HFCS in your diet leads to obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
“Most starchy carbs, such as rice, are broken down into glucose — the basic form of carbs. However, table sugar and HFCS comprise around 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
Glucose is easily transported and utilized by every cell in your body. It’s also the predominant fuel source for high-intensity exercise and various processes.
In contrast, the fructose from high fructose corn syrup or table sugar needs to be converted into glucose, glycogen (stored carbs), or fat by the liver before it can be used as fuel.
Like regular table sugar, HFCS is a rich source of fructose. In the past few decades, the intake of fructose and HFCS has increased significantly.”
Excessive amounts leads to many debilitating ailments and diseases, and I”ll take it even further- I believe you should just not have any of this “extra” fructose at all.
So we touched on a bit why it’s bad for you so let’s look at where this stuff gets snuck into.
Common Foods containing HFCS
1. Candy
2. Packaged Sweets
3. Pop/Soda
4. Fast Food
5. Juice Drinks
6. Sauces & Condiments
7. Ice cream & Ice pops
8. Breakfast foods (poptarts)
9. Fruit preserves & jams
10. Bread & Crackers
11. Syrups
12. Applesauce
Oh my gosh that list is quite extensive!! Those are just the main topics/items, that does not even list all the companies and items in each category.
So first things first- look at every label. Gosh yes this takes a lot of time in the store when your most likely in a hurry, sick of making decisions, kids screaming, trying to get home, the list goes on of all the busy stuff we have to do. But mindset matters- you do not want this in your food, or your kids snacks! Once you take that extra time to look at your current favorite foods that contain HFCS, you’ll want to find replacements.
Once those 2 steps are taken you’ll be able to relax, because you’ll know which foods you want in your shopping list and cupboards.
Take it one step further and start making a lot of the above items with Real Food, Raw Ingredients right in your own kitchen with NO crap, no HFCS or MSG! Your gonna get there!! You can DO IT!!
A lot of BBQ sauces have HFCS in them, in fact it feels like most when we’re trying to find a good one. That’s why I now just make it myself at 
home. You can find that recipe HERE. You can also buy online at Vitacost.com the Simple Truth brand (Or if you have a Kroger near you) there’s a good BBQ Sauce that’s organic that we enjoy a lot!
And of course Azure Standard has plenty of items to choose from and if bulk is an option you could buy the ingredients to start making a lot of items on hand, this way you certainly know there’s nothing being snuck in your foods that is harming your body.
Don't forget to learn how to make your own bread at home with out HFCS in it! My favorite breadbaking is Sourdough, learn all things Sourdough HERE.
So skip the fast food, make your own Seasonings like my Taco Seasoning and JD’s Meat Rub. Make your own BBQ sauce in 5 minutes! Create whole food soups like my 15 Minute Tomato Soup or Spaghetti Sauce. Replace the typical ramen noodle soup with these delicious and organic ramen noodles and create your own seasoning using real spices and bone broth.
You do not need to go without good food, you just need to adjust your thinking a bit. Cook with REAL ingredients and take a few extra minutes to look at those labels when purchasing at the store.
Please send me your photos of the items you found in your pantries – I would love to see how you took the time to your first step into becoming a Food Prood! Email me at: [email protected] I’m waiting!!
Steps To Take Today:
#1 Remove all items from your pantry containing HFCS
#2 Print off recipes like the one’s I mentioned above
#3 Replace the crap food with REAL food
#4 Feel Better
Latest Video from Laura @ Food Prood
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-high-fructose-corn-syrup-is-bad
Topic #3 - Real Foods for Real Health
So your on a path to remove the bad stuff like the previous topics we’ve covered MSG & HFCS yay for you! Maybe even those pesky food dyes that I’ve read a lot on that alters people’s attitudes. Another just not cool ingredient that the big companies use that’s complexly useless.
Now your cupboards are empty and so are your stomachs! Now what? We need to train the brain to rethink what “Real Food” is.
Your use to things in boxes, using the microwave and not really having to think about what’s for dinner.
Were overloaded with decisions all the time so it’s been really nice to have those decisions already thought out for you. Hamburger helper right? All you gotta do is thaw some meat , brown and throw in the boxed ingredients. So let’s start there.
Hamburger Helper Beef Pasta – Let’s look at the ingredients: (Take from their website)
PRODUCT INGREDIENTS
Enriched Pasta (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Corn Starch, Salt, Wheat Flour. Contains 2% or less of: Modified Whey, Onion Powder, Color (caramel color, annatto extract), Maltodextrin, Potassium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Corn, Soy, and Wheat Protein, Yeast Extract, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Vegetable Oil (canola, soybean, and/or sunflower oil), Spice, Monoglycerides, Sugar, Safflower Oil, Silicon Dioxide (anticaking agent).
That’s a lot of ingredients and we won’t dive into what they each mean but again our thought process needs to be “We do NOT need to have all these extra ingredients to bog down our bodies” Let’s cook with WHOLE FOODS, REAL FOODs!
Let’s recreate this “Dinner” with real foods.
Make it simple at first and then learn to experiment with flavors, different cheeses, etc.
Brown up your choice of meat and drain if necessary. While it’s browning add in chopped onion and garlic. If you end up buying or raising ground pork, beef, etc you’ll start to learn that organic, grass fed, pasture raised meat the FAT is actually healthy for you. Side note there.
Season your meat with: Real salt, pepper, paprika, Italian. If you have fresh herbs like parsley chop them up and add in here. Save some to sprinkle on top at the end for the beautiful pop of fancy color.
Cook your choice of noodles. There are lots of great choices for organic and or gluten free noodles that I enjoy.
To create the sauce: Let’s make it a cheesy sauce, because I honestly can’t tell what if they use cheese or not because its’ a bunch of crazy words.
HOW: In a pan melt 4 tablespoons of butter and sauté garlic (or skip the garlic), add in 2 tablespoons of flour to create a paste. Add in 1.5 cups of milk and whisk, bring to a boil, and turn off or down to a simmer. Once thickened add in 1 to 2 cups of your choice of cheese and stir.
Mix together the meat, noodles and sauce! Boom!!
You could also add in any vegetable like broccoli or corn to make a One Pan Wonder as I like to call them. Or use a veggie as a side dish or a side salad.
Look there people you did it! And you and your family did not have to consume Anti Caking Agents, Highly processed Oils, Sugar, Potassium Chloride, Corn or Soy , Modified Ingredients, GMO Ingredient’s and the list goes on and on!!
You can absolutely do this! It really wasn’t much harder to create a REAL FOOD Dinner!
--------------------One Step at A Time!
---------------------------One Boxed Meal at a Time!
Your body will thank you for it, your family will thank you for it. Your budget will thank you for it!
This is just the beginning of a great journey but you’ll be better off for it. Now go look at what you typically make and see if you can recreate that meal using WHOLE FOODS!
Something I"m Loving to Help in the Kitchen:
Great Job!! I’ll see you soon with the next step!
Laura Lawrence – Freedom in Food Advocate!
Northern Michigan Homesteader
October 5th
Pig Princess,Cabbage & Cookies
Topic #3 - Real Foods for Real Health
September 26, 2023
It's Fall Y'all!
Fermenting Veggies
Topic #2
HFCS High Fructose Corn Syrup
Let's Get To It!
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Starting Your Seeds Indoors – Building a Trellis in the Garden – What to do with Lard
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Back from Vacation – Cookies – Creamy Pasta
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Honey Oat Bread - Pasta Carbonara - Marbling Fats
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January 30th 2023
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Seed Starting - Muffins w Glaze - Cheesy Potatoes
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Greek Yogurt - Sprouts - Lotion Bars - A Challenge
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New Recipes- Semi Famous Pizza Sauce- Healing a Wound
Launch of my Sourdough Series!
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Rice– Artisan Fancy Loaf – Coffee
December 8th 2022
Spaghetti Sauce – Dryer Balls – Apothecary
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