Health Benefits of Grass Fed Meat

Grassfed is Best!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedImages/articles/issues/2011-06-01/grass%20fed%20meat.jpg

You can eat meat and be healthy!  In fact, you can eat meat and get more healthy than you are now.  I rarely say this seriously, but I will now... Trust me, I'm a doctor.  If the answer is not obvious from the title of this post, then let me be more specific.  The key to this "miracle" is in the pasture.  The key is eating grassfed meat.

Free-range or Pastured Chickens

"Grassfed" is a word used to convey the idea that an animal is fed primarily or solely from pasture (typically a mix of species, primarily grass-type plants).  Pretty simple in concept; however that is not what most of modern agriculture does.  "Grassfed Animal Products" refer mainly to meat, milk, cheese, and eggs.  Obviously, a lot of other animal products can be produced from animals on a grassfed diet, but these are the ones that are most researched.

Grass is best for most of our domesticated animals.  Think about it.  What do wild bison eat?  Grass!  Do wild sheep raise corn, wheat, and soybeans and then dine only on this?  No!  Then why do we feed our domestic animals these things?  Effecient production.  That is it.  Modern agriculture has deemed it appropriate to break with thousands of years of natural animal-food cycles and force animals to eat what they are not designed to eat in order to maximize growth and production.

 Besides the negative effects that modern feedlots have on animals' health (which is outlined extremely well in the book, An Omnivore's Dilema, which I wrote about in this post), there are real health consequences in humans that eat animals that were raised this way. 

Let me boldly say that I am against vegetarianism.  There are a number of reasons for this that I hope to outline in a future post, but suffice it to say that humans eat meat.  "Westernized" humans eat a lot of meat.  While there is a whole bunch of medical information out there to say we should cut back on our meat consumption for health reasons, almost all of that information considers only meat produced using the modern agricultural method.

I will provide some basic facts about grassfed meat.  I will provide some additional sources for more information at the end of this post.  But the information I am about to provide is very legitimate.  I tell my patients this, because I feel that the research done on this is solid.

• Grassfed meat is significantly lower in fat than grain-fed meat.
• Grassfed meat can lower LDL (low density lipoprotein... bad cholesterol).
• Grassfed meat has significantly less calories than grain-fed meat - about 15 calories per ounce (that is about 100 less calories for a 6 oz portion of steak).
• Grassfed meat has 2-6 times the Omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed meat (which is good for your heart and brain as well as improving your odds against cancer).
• Pastured chickens can produce eggs that have up to 20 times the Omega-3 fatty acid as commercial eggs.
• Grassfed meat and milk can contain up to 5 times the amount of Conjegated Linoleic Acid (CLA) as grain-fed meat and milk (the preliminary research on CLA looks very promising on cancer prevention).
• Grassfed meat has up to 4 times the vitamin E than grain-fed meat (vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant... which is good for heart, brain, and cancer).
• Finally, Grassfed meat tastes really good!  Because it has less fat, you need to cook it a bit different.  I hope to give some more tips on cooking grassfed meat in the future.

 For those that are more visually minded, here are a few charts that compare grassfed to grain-fed meat:

Comparisons of Fat Content in commercial meats.

http://grassfedbeefs.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/grassfed_beef_chart.35593140_std.gif

The same information from the previous chart in a different format.

http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/mp/GGn5q_5a8Ral.jpg

Comparing Fat Content of commercial to wild meats

http://www.frostyacres.net/Photos/wild_game_chart.jpg

Look how fast the healthy Omega-3's disappear after coming off a grass diet!

http://www.yellowstonegrassfedbeef.com/sites/default/files/Untitled2.jpg

Vitamin E content in commercial meats.

 Here are some links to a couple of articles on Grassfed meat:

Time Magazine article on Grassfed Meat

Women's Health article on Grassfed Meat
 

Take a look at http://www.eatwild.com/ for locating sources of Grassfed meat - this is a fantastic resource!

Survival Medicine Videos on YouTube

So, this is a bit of a different kind of post.  There are a LOT of video links, but they are really good.

Being a physician who is very interested in Wilderness Medicine and self-sufficiency, it is not uncommon for "non-medical" people to ask me about "medical things" they could do at home.  There is so much great information on the internet, but there is also a lot of bad information on the internet.  So how do you determine what is good or not?  Here is one series of videos that I would recommend.  While not the best video or audio quality, the content is very good.

The following videos have been created by Dr. Eric Wilke who is an Emergency Medicine physician.  Based on his medical mission work around the world, he wanted to give solid and reliable medical information for people "where there is no doctor".  These videos have good information on a variety of topics, and they are a great place to start learning how to be more medically self-sufficient.

#1 Intro and Disclaimer

#2 Strep Throat - be sure to watch both parts

#3 Influenza - be sure to watch both parts

#4 Diarrhea

#5 Oral Rehydration Formula

#6 Potable Water

#7 Dental Infections

#8 Dental Pain

#9 Dental Trauma

#10 Broken Teeth

#11 Dental Kit

#12 The WAPI (Pasteurizing Water)

#13 Medication Shelf Life

#14 Where there is No Doctor - a book review (highly recommend this free book)

#15 Soft Tissue Infections

#16 Civilian Application of Combat Casualty Care

#17 Field Treatment of Gunshot Wounds

#18 How to Start an IV

#19 Honey for Wounds

#20 Cold Related Injuries

#21 Worldwide Top Killers

#22 Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

#23 Obtaining Prescription Medications... legally!

#24 Clavicle Fractures

#25 Radiation Exposure 

(very interesting considering the fairly recent events in Japan)

#26 Basic Extremity Fracture Care

Dew Ponds or Dieu Ponds

Dew or Dieu Pond

http://visionwild.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/dew-pond.jpg?w=480&h=320

There is an air of mystery surrounding these small water storage ponds that dot the English countryside. They seemed to possess a magical ability to fill and retain water in the hills and higher elevations without a visible water source.  Even their name is a bit of a mystery.  Called "Dew Ponds" by some, they are also less frequently called "Dieu Ponds", "Fog Ponds", and "Mist Ponds".  Whatever their proper name, these small ponds are a fantastic Permaculture Project for collecting and storing water.

No one knows for sure when the Dew Ponds were first built in England, but according to folklore they were said to be filled by the nighttime dew (they are also known as "mist" or "fog" ponds for the same reason).  Others have said that they were filled with water sent by Dieu, French for God, himself.  These Dew Ponds were possibly being built as early as the first century A.D., and about 500 are still in existence in England today.  Most of these Dew Ponds still rarely run dry, even in the hottest summers of drought. 

A full Dew Pond

http://totally-cuckoo.com/10.3.07%20dew%20pond%206.JPG

They were most likely created for watering livestock at the top of hills or in "high country" where no water source was readily available.  Historically construction of Dew Ponds were a closely held secret passed on only after years of apprenticeship or between fathers and sons.  While there was a mystical quality to the creation of these ponds, there are a number of sources from the late 1800's and early 1900's that describe their construction in a detailed manner. 

From the wikipedia article on Dew Ponds:
A Sussex farmer born in 1850 tells how he and his forefathers made dew ponds: “The requisite hole having been excavated, the chalk was laid down layer by layer, while a team of oxen harnessed to a heavy broad-wheeled cart was drawn round and round the cup shaped hole to grind the chalk to powder. Water was then thrown over the latter as work progressed, and after nearly a day of this process, the resultant mass of puddled chalk, which had been reduced to the consistency of thick cream, was smoothed out with the back of a shovel from the centre, the surface being left at last as smooth and even as a sheet of glass. A few days later, in the absence of frost or heavy rain, the chalk had become as hard as cement, and would stand for years without letting water through. This old method of making dew ponds seems to have died out when the oxen disappeared from the Sussex hills, but it is evident that the older ponds, many of which have stood for scores of years practically without repair, are still more watertight than most modern ones in which Portland cement has been employed.”

Dew Pond in South Downs, England

http://www.southdowns.gov.uk/media/southdowns/learning/habitats/chalk-downland/Dew-pond-on-the-South-Downs.jpg

In more modern times, Dew Ponds are still built in a pretty similar manner.  There are so few people building these ponds now, and there are many variations on the theme, but the following is the best I could compile on how to build one.  Dew Ponds are dug where there is already a mini-catchment or a small depression, typically on the top or side of a hill.  They are typically anywhere from 3 to 30 feet in diameter, but up to 70 feet are not uncommon.  The ratio of width to heigth is 3 to 1 at a minimum, and the depth is usually no more than 3-4 feet.  The hole is then lined with straw or hay for insulation.  Then puddled clay or chalk (puddling is the process of adding water to clay or chalk, and pounding it down or otherwise compacting it until it is waterproof) is laid on top the straw.  Often soot or lime is added to the clay to deter earthworms from trying to burrow through the waterproof layer of puddled clay.  This is then covered with another layer of straw, then chalk and small stones.  If being used for animals, it is recommended that large stones are placed from the edges at the low side to provide access. Both the small and large stones are used to distribute the animal's weight and prevent a hoof from breaking the watertight seal.

So from the surface down, the layers would look something like this:

• Water
• Large Stones (weight distribution/protection)
• Small Stones (weight distribution/protection)
• Chalk or Clay (protection)
• Straw (protection/insulation)
• Puddled Clay or Puddled Chalk, possibly mixed with soot or lime (watertight layer)
• Straw (insulation)
• Earth
One cross-section illustration of a Dew Pond.
http://www.rexresearch.com/airwells/dewpond.gif

Research has shown that Dew Ponds are mainly filled with rainwater and only supplemented with water from dew.  Their small size and insulation keeps the pond cool which inhibits evaporation. Many ponds have one or more trees at the edge which also keeps down evaporation.

Dewpond on Ascension Island, Saint Helena

St. Helena is a territory of Britain

http://ags.ou.edu/~bweaver/Ascension/ai-347.jpg

Dew Ponds are a great way to collect and store water.  Check out these other articles on collecting and storing water... all ways to cut back on irrigation needs:

Hugelkultur

Rain Harvesting from Your Roof

Swales

A New Daughter!

My daughter: Abigail Grace

Born 16 July 2011

I'll be out for a few days... hope you understand!

The only ethical decision is to take responsibility for our own existence and that of our children.

- Bill Mollison

Hypermiling: Ways to Save When You Don't Have a "Green" Car

Hypermiling (Hyper-mile-ing) is the art of driving economically and exceeding vehicle manufacturers stated efficiency by modifying driving habits and techniques.  - http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/

In this era of increasing fuel costs and shortages of petroleum-based fuels (see my post on Peak Oil), hypermiling is a brilliant concept that will help you save money.  There are a number of websites and articles written about this, so I will not reinvent the wheel.  Today, I'll just provide links to what I consider the more high yield sites:

CNN Article on Hypermiling

Overview of Tips for Hypermiling - Not the best website (cluttered with ads), but the information is solid.

Hypermiling Tips from the UK Hypermiling website

CNN Video on Hypermiling

Chilling Requirement for Plants

Apple Tree in the Snow

http://gardenplotter.com/rospo/blog/uploaded_images/SnowAppleTree-793916.jpg

As we are entering the hottest part of the year (in the northern hemisphere), I thought I would discuss a much cooler topic... Chilling Requirements for Plants.

There are certain plants that require cold temperatures to produce fruit.  This is why, for example, apples are not grown much in Florida.  Apple trees require a minimum number of hours below a certain temperature, and Florida just doesn't get cold enough for long enough.  Now there are always exceptions to the rule, and certain apple varieties have been developed to grow in warmer temperatures, so if you live in southern California, you are not without hope for growing apples.  However, we need to be aware of what our chilling hours are and what our plants need to fruit reliably.

Chilling Requirement is a term used to describe the idea that a plant needs a period of cold to blossom.  The requirement is usually expressed with the interchangeable terms Chilling Units or Chilling Hours.  One unit or hour is equal to one hour at or below the chilling temperature.  Some plants have a Chilling Temperature that is below freezing, some others may need to be under 45 F (7 C), and others only need to be under 60 F (16 C) for example.  Every plant has a certain chilling temperature.  If a plant does not obtain its required chilling hours it either may not flower at all or will flower much less and therefore produce a lot less fruit.

How Ice Wine (or Eiswein in German) is made... seriously!

http://www.newyorkwines.org/resources/PhotoGallery/Org30.jpg

Now, there are two stages of chilling.  I always consider the first stage of chilling to be like a baseball pitcher's windup.  The first stage is reversible.  As the season starts to cool down, the plant is getting ready for its period of dormancy.  If the temperature warms up for a few days or a week or so, then the plant gears down from its dormancy preparation.  It's like the pitcher stepping back off the mound.  It's a do-over.  No damage is done.

The second stage of chilling is like the pitch.  It is the point of no return.  It is irreversible.  At some point (a certain temperature or a certain temperature for a specific amount of time), and this is very difficult to tell, a plant has committed itself to dormancy.  Even if things warm up, the plant will remain dormant until other triggers cause it to break dormancy.  If the temperatures are low enough for long enough throughout the winter, then the plant will be able to blossom well in the spring.  If it is not a very cold winter, or if we have a plant that should be growing in a colder climate, then we may get little or even no flowering... and then our fruiting is poor.

It is important to know that the Chilling Hours do not need to be consecutive.  Typically, the plant just needs cumulative Chilling Hours.  We may have nightly temperatures that drop below the required threshold for our plant, but our days warm up above that temperature.  If we have enough nights doing that, then that may be enough for most plants.

On the flip side, some plants have hair triggers to break out of dormancy.  It the temperatures rise too high for too long, let's say in an uncommon warm spell in the late winter, then a plant will wake from dormancy and may start production of blossoms.  When temperatures drop again, the new growth may be damaged or killed.  This is what causes concerns about late frosts or early blooming plants in a garden.

Chilling Unit Map for the U.S.

http://hanburyhome.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/chill-unit-map3.gif

So how does this affect us and our plants on a day to day basis?  All it means is that we need to select plants that are suited to our climate.  That's it.

We need to find out what our Chilling Hours/Units are for our area and then select plants that fall within or under our cut-off.  I could only find one map that provided general chilling hours for the U.S.  I did find a number of local state maps, but you will have to do a little looking on your own to find your specific local information.  Most plant sellers will have this information for you if it is important for the species you are looking to purchase.

Plants that have a Chilling Requirement to produce blossom well

• Pretty much all fruit that grows in a Temperate Climate (Apples, Blueberries, Cherries, Grapes, Peach, Pears, Plums, Strawberries, and many, many more)
• Oranges and other citrus (although they don't really go completely dormant, the chill produces more flowers and better tasting fruit)
• Many vegetables need some chill to produce seeds (Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Sugar Beet, and many more)
• Almost all Bulb Plants
• Many seeds need a period of cold to sprout.

Quotes on Food

My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied by the best.  
~Sir Winston Churchill


Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat.  For my part, I mind my belly very studiously and very carefully; for I look upon it that he that does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else.
~Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)


Edible, adj.:  Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm. 
 ~Ambrose Bierce


All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.  
~John Gunther


It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.  
~Lewis Grizzard


The greatest delight the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable.  I am not alone and unacknowledged.  They nod to me and I to them.  
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.  
~Alfred E. Newman


There is one thing more exasperating than a wife who can cook and won't, and that's a wife who can't cook and will.  
~Robert Frost


Nobody seems more obsessed by diet than our anti-materialistic, otherworldly, New Age spiritual types.  But if the material world is merely illusion, an honest guru should be as content with Budweiser and bratwurst as with raw carrot juice, tofu and seaweed slime.  
~Edward Abbey


He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise.  
~Henry David Thoreau


Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.  
~Mark Twain


As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists.  
~Joan Gussow


There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.  
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


A three-year-old gave this reaction to her Christmas dinner:  "I don't like the turkey, but I like the bread he ate."  
~Author Unknown


Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy  
~Ben Franklin


Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer.
~Henry Lawson


From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world.
~Saint Arnold of Metz, The patron Saint of Brewers


Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of good wine. 
~St. Thomas Aquina


We may find in the log run that tinned food is a deadlier weapon than the machine-gun. 
~George Orwell