Wednesday, March 18, 2009

In Defense of Food - Plants with life energy and enzymes



I awoke this AM to the fresh air of spring and melting snow. As I sat to meditate prior to drinking my pejuta sapa “black medicine” AKA “coffee” I wondered what I could share about food and my knowing about real live food that has enzymes in it that cleanse and nurture the body in a good way, while supporting sustainable ecosystems throughout the world. I have been writing a blog lately to share my experience strength and hope about how honoring the integrity of the plant nation and healing power of plants can support each of our integrity and constitutions in a good way. I met with a local UCC church educator in St Louis Park yesterday, about meeting with their peace and justice group to teach about sustainable gardening. Well as I was sitting on the kitchen floor of my little apartment, I looked up and saw the Campfire Marshmallow Metal Box, whose image I have added here. I notice when I am present to my life, Creator has things right in front of me when “I have eyes to see and ears to hear.” My grandmother, Inez Glessner would use the lid of this container to put a cake on and then carry it to picnics with the top inverted with holes to let the cake cool. I love to take it to feasts after ceremonies to share the energy of my family tree. Anyway, according to the website of the current "owners " of the Campfire Marshmellow brand
www.campfiremarshmallows.com/history-of-marshmallows.asp and noticed the forked tongue (pen-keyboard). Talked of history "Marshmallow as a candy dates all the way back to Egypt, about 2000 BC. The ancient Egyptians are believed to have discovered a wild herb growing in marshes from which a sweet substance could be extracted and made into a very special confection reserved only for the pharaohs and gods. The Egyptians used a honey based candy and thickened it with the sap of the marsh mallow plant (althea officinalis)….hence the name marshmallow." and when I looked for the plant ingredients in the modern day product there is no marshmallow to be found...,sugar and petroleum distillates "Corn Syrup, Sugar, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Dextrose, Water, Gelatin, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Tetrasodium Pyprophshate and Blue 1."

So, no nutrition here, so I suggest in the spirit of Michael Pollan (READ and follow "In Defence of Food, An Eaters Manifesto" and my understanding of real food, to eat plants as they are raised in nature the ones that still have the life force, enzymes, vitamins in them. Cooking kills enzymes and living symbiotic, probiotic good bacteria. So find a real marshmallow look at www.nutrasanus.com/marsh-mallow.html and see how the herb got co opted along the way! /www.longcreekherbs.com/2006/08/make-your-own-marshmallows.html So I invite us all to tell "the rest of the story" AND make decisions to avoid all the sugar around the campfire! Blessings Dr Tom, the plant guy

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