Atomic Holocaust Which Surely Shall Be...

I don't remember a lot of Jr. High...but one thing I do remember is sitting in a dark room in History class...watching videos of the atrocities of war. The two videos that are indelibly etched upon my brain were of the evils done in the Holocaust...and those of the aftermath of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The suffering of those people was almost more than my spirit could bare.

Of the aftermath of Nagasaki and Hiroshima...I remember the skeletons of incinerated bodies strewn all about. They seemed to me to be the lucky ones as they were dispatched to meet their God quickly. Of those that remained behind...that were exposed to the radiation...many died slow and painful deaths...or carried deformities and sickness for the remainder of their lives. Many maladies have been passed on through the generations.

I remember practically stumbling out of the classroom...full of grief...saddened and sickened at man's inhumanity to man.

(On a tangent note...I will say that I could never be a history teacher...perhaps especially in this country...as I believe our textbooks to be riddled with propaganda...and misinformation. If we were to write a textbook right now about what is going on in the US...could we possibly agree on what is going on? Why are we at war? Why is the economy struggling? etc... If you got a group of people in a room to discuss it...arguments would break out...and that is with current events! If we hold onto our man's history as if it is the gospel truth...we may one day find how we fell prey to deception. Read Ezra Taft Bensons view of secular history and see that I am not alone in my disdain. See heading "Inaccuracies of Secular History")

Recently...one of the greatest voices for constitutional government in the US...Chuck Baldwin...wrote an article where he recommended watching a TV program called "Jericho". My wife and I sat down and watched the first two episodes...and I can see so far why he recommended it. It is not my desire to be a spoiler...but I will say that it let's you look in on a small American town that one day is operating normally...and the next day is flopped on it's head with disaster. It will get you to think about areas where your own preparedness plan has holes...to ask yourself if you really believe in constitutional government...even when times get tough...and to ask yourself some tough moral questions.

A major topic that the show brings up is with regards to how to be prepared for nuclear bomb detonations and the subsequent fallout.

Could America Be a Target?

Is America the great liberator of the world? Or are we an imperialist force seeking to rule the world? There are certainly people that hold both points of view...in and out of the US. Regardless of your politics...it does not take much imagination to understand that we have lot's of enemies in this world...that hate us for our occupying their countries...and a variety of other reasons. Enemies that would love to have us disappear or bow to them.

When confronted with this reality...there are some people that would puff out their chests and say something like "America is the greatest country on the planet...no one can destroy us!!" Such sentiments are reminiscent of the Jews that believed that Jerusalem couldn't be destroyed (1Nephi 2:13)...or of the Ammonihahites who believed that the great city of Ammonihah was too strong to be destroyed...especially in just one day!(Alma 9:4) And yet obviously they were both wrong.

Some Latter-day Saint people might turn to scriptures in the Book of Mormon and share the many great promised blessings that have been given to the inhabitants of this land as if to say that we are above such destruction....but then smooth over...or skip the many references that clearly show that those blessings are contingent on righteousness! We must serve the God of the land or be swept off. I would ask..."Are we righteous?"..."Are we serving the God of the land?" How many more of the signs of being "Ripe in iniquity" will need to happen before the wicked punish the wicked (vs. 5)?

Do we have doctrinal reasons to suppose that super-bombs will detonate in the US?

When words are spoken in General Conference...that means something. The prophet presides over the meeting...and would correct any incorrect doctrine if it was spoken. It is like the spoken canon of the church.

Understanding this doctrine makes conference that much more meaningful...as we go to hear the actual word of the Lord to us...not flippant words spoken off the cuff.

This understanding makes the words spoken by Bruce R. McConkie in General conference in 1979 that much more sobering. In one short breath he spoke prophetically of a future... "atomic holocaust which surely shall be"... Here it is in it's context...

"We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands.

It may be, for instance, that nothing except the power of faith and the authority of the priesthood can save individuals and congregations from the atomic holocausts that surely shall be."

While we know that the "atomic holocaust...surely shall be"...there is no indication as to where it will take place.

In a 1961 Improvement Era article authored by Elder Harold B. Lee, written in honor of J. Reuben Clark on his 90th birthday. Quoting from Elder Lee's article:

"We heard him reply in answer to a question as to why he had put his life's savings into his presently owned Grantsville ranch: ' This is all I have to leave my family when I die, and if they are not too lazy to work it, they won't starve. I have told them that when the first atomic bomb is dropped here in America, that they are to go out there on the ranch and stay until it is all over.' This last seemed not only to be wise counsel, but also a prophesy. . . ." (Harold B. Lee, "President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. An Appreciation on his Ninetieth Birthday" The Improvement Era, Sept. 1961 pp.632-633.)

So there you read the witness of one apostle Elder Harold B. Lee(who would eventually be President of the church)...quoting the witness of another apostle...J. Reuben Clark...and it being "witnessed" out a third time into a printed church publication!!

Then there are a scriptures that could be interpreted to be nuclear bombs going off. Some of them speaking of "Vapors of smoke"...like in 1 Nephi 22:18.

There is a book called "Superbombs, Saints, and Scriptures"..that explores scriptural passages that could be speaking of atomic events. You can get it for really cheap if you want to look into that more.

Getting Ready

Bruce R. McConkie said just after his comment about the atomic holocausts to...

"Take heed; prepare; watch and be ready. There is no security in any course except the course of obedience and conformity and righteousness."

We need to prepare! We must not fall into the lie that is perpetuated by the lazy that "All you have to do is have faith and be righteous" THE LORD HAS TOLD YOU TO BE PREPARED for the many things that will come...not just to have faith without works!! Part of being "righteous" is obeying the command to prepare...not just cherry picking at the one's we like to keep best. Your Dad told you to put a jacket on before you go out into the cold! Don't expect Him to keep you warm when you step outside in your short sleeves!!!

Here is a really large book that is available online that I printed off and put into a binder. You can also purchase it bound. Here is another book I want to read...that also covers chemical and biological preparedness. You want a hard copy of such books so that you will have them to get prepared for such events...and during so that you can speed read what to do!!

Here is a short version of some things you can do to prepare if disaster is imminent.

It is good to also understand some other major events that are likely like an EMP blast...and what could happen as a result.

After you do some reading...you will get the idea that there are all kinds of supplies that would be good to have (in addition to your normal prep supplies). One could really spend a lot of money getting completely prepared for nukes by building bomb shelters...buying a geiger counter...fallout suits...etc. Make sure that you do your research...and don't fall prey to spending your hard earned money on products that aren't necessary...and may prove ineffectual. There are myths out there regarding what works and doesn't...that have been perpetuated in movies and books. Here is some info on that topic...

One small step you might take is to purchase some potassium iodide pills for your family emergency packs that will provide some protection for your thyroids against radioactive iodine.

Now is the time to get your act together with this stuff. Fear is exacerbated by ignorance and being ill-equipped during a crisis. He that is prepared shall not fear.

Mosquito Netting...

I've noticed that the mosquitos are already out! Man...I hate...hate...hate mosquitos. I know hate is a strong word...but that feeling of remorse at having to kill most any of God's creatures is basically non-existent when it comes to them.

It's amazing how some mosquitos buzzing around your head and neck...can just absolutely ruin the fun of being outdoors. Picnics...campouts...gardening...turn into a slap-fest as the victim frantically tries to kill the virtually unseen enemy...before they are attacked. Any success is futile...as they...like a many headed hydra...keep reproducing and relentlessly returning.

The ultimate torture when it comes to mosquitos...is when you are trying to sleep outdoors and you have them buzzing into your ears!!! Good luck sleeping as an army of them suck your blood! I speak from experience. I once slept (apparently) in a mosquito breeding ground with only the clothes on my back and a sheet of plastic. I was eaten alive.

For some people...mosquitos don't seem to bother them much...while others are like a homing beacon of tastiness. Some attribute this to diet...others blood type...whatever the reason...it is wise to be prepared to defend yourself against their onslaughts.

So...they have chemical means of dissuading mosquitos from biting. A really popular ingredient is what is known as DEET. While DEET may be effective...there is a lot of evidence that it may be poor for the users health.

There are store bought natural alternatives...but I don't think any of them are as effective as I'd like for them to be. This also goes for the various plants that can be found in the wild that have repellent qualities.

An inexpensive...and reusable tool to have that could greatly increase the quality of your outdoor life is a simple head mosquito net. They weigh virtually nothing...can be squished down to an insignificant size...and taken care of should last a long time.

Some are made to be worn over your own hat...and some have a built in hat. Some also have rings that are designed to keep it off of your face. I kind of like the idea of having my own hat that I can just throw one over...instead of having the extra weight and bulk of a built in hat...in addition to my regular wearing hat.

These nets are also effective against other insects...like gnats and flies.

You could also consider getting a larger net to protect an area...as opposed to just your face and neck.

Let's not forget the Lord's warning found in the Doctrine and Covenants 29:18 regarding a sobering future event...

"Wherefore, I the Lord God will send forth ^aflies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them;"

And as we know that the Lord "sendeth the rain on the just and unjust."...we would do well to have a way to keep them off of our flesh...whether wicked or righteous!

Scissors Plant is Good Eatin'...

Have you seen this plant before? A lot of people call it the "Scissors Plant"...because you can poke your fingernail through one of the pointy seed pods...then stick another one through it to make them look like scissors. Fun for kids and adults!

If you see the pointy seed pods in the Sacramento area they are likely to be attached to either what is generally called Red Stem Filaree/Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium) or California Cranesbill (Geranium californicum)(Not pictured). I'm going to chat a bit about Filaree. (The Cranesbill is also edible but generally not as desired as the Filaree)

The whole plant is edible...though people generally eat just the leaves and stems...and leave the seed pods. One could also potentially harvest the seeds as they have a have a high caloric content. The plant is a good source of protein and fiber...as well as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. They were revered by the Blackfeet and Cahuilla Indians who ate them raw or cooked.

I have known for some time that they are edible...and have snacked on the leaves from time to time...but was a bit put off by the hairy texture...and didn't find the taste exciting. Today I decided to give the plant another chance...cooked.

I washed the Filaree stems and leaves...cut them into no bigger than inch long pieces...and put it into a skillet with some butter. After a brief saute'...I added some raw scrambled eggs and cooked them as I would an omelette or scrambled eggs. I added some salt and pepper and then served it. It was awesome! I had read that it is "Spinach like" in flavor...and found that to be very true! The kids and adults gobbled it down and asked for more...but it was all gone! Next time I will collect more.

If you want to try it...please make 100% sure you have the right plant before you taste anything. Consult foraging books...or the internet to confirm you have the right plant. It should be a pretty easy one to spot. A great one to add to the menu!

Headlamps...

I went up into the attic today to check to see if our old shake roof was holding up to the heavy rains we have been receiving. This chore requires my getting onto a ladder and taking along a flashlight to look around. This time...instead of taking a handheld flashlight...I put on one of our headlamps.

While this may seem self evident to you...I was really struck by how much easier the task was when my hands were free to pull myself up without fumbling with a cumbersome flashlight. I also enjoyed just looking at what I wanted illuminated...and viola!...it was illuminated!

A short while back I experienced the same joyful epiphany while setting up a tent in the dark and having both hands free...as well as when I was playing doctor...taking out slivers. They are super handy doing car work and a host of other applications.

I have purchased a variety of the Energizer brand handlamps. Here are my thoughts on the pro's and con's of the brand...

Pro...

1. They are inexpensive. You can pick them up at Lowes...Home Depot...Target...Walmart...for somewhere around $15.

2. Battery Life - Depending on which one you get...they can run for up to 150 hours on one set of 3 AAA's in night vision mode.

3. They are comfortable. They have a nice soft pad on the back that won't annoy.

4. They have LED's that can take a ton of abuse without breaking.

5. Red LED's to preserve night vision.

Con's...

1. The plastic casing needs to be treated with care. What do you expect for $15!

2. They are not waterproof. While I haven't yet had a problem with one failing...they are not made to get really wet.

3. If it has a button on the top...you have to go through each lighting feature before it will turn off again.

4. The alternate version with a switch on the top can become loose over time...and is prone to get bumped and inadvertently turn on.

Another thing I will say is that bigger is not always better...especially with headlamps. I'd recommend getting the smallest one that will do the job. This one is 3.2 ounces and has 3 LED's...and here is one that is 6.4 ounces and has 7 LED's. That is DOUBLE the weight! While and additional 3.2 ounces may not seem like much weight...once you get it strapped to your head and wear it for any length of time...you will be glad that you got the smaller one. I use the bigger one that I have for around the house activities.

There are other headlamps out on the market that are well liked. Petzl get's great reviews. I just don't have a lot of motivation to pay the $43 to try one out when I have been pleased with the $15 Energizers. I could purchase almost 3 Energizers headlamps for the price of one Petzl!

There are also fancy pants headlamps that run on large battery packs and cost a lot of money.

I should mention too that I have purchased them when I have seen them on sale at Lowes...AND also used coupons that Lowes sends in the mail for double savings. We have purchased them and given them out to Scout aged boys for birthdays...and they were well received.

I store a few in my emergency evacuation bags. I put them in ziploc bags with 3 full sets of batteries...not installed. If you leave them in...you may come back to find that they energy has drained out of the batteries...or that corrosion has made your light inoperable.

Bandanas...

While you may not currently be accustomed to using a bandana in your day to day life...here are some reasons why you might consider having a supply of them...to put into your emergency packs or to take with you if you are headed outdoors...

1. It isnt bulky like a hat yet can still keep sun off your head. It can be tied directly onto your head...or stuck into the back of a hat for added neck protection.

2. It can be used to filter air in dusty trail conditions.

3. It can be used to prefilter any dirty water.

4. As a splint or wrap for an injured body part.

5. It is super lightweight, compact able, and affordable.

6. They can be bright colors if it is important to be seen...like for example if you are trying to keep track of family in a crowded place or riding a bike near car traffic. They can also be in muted colors...like if you are in a situation where you are trying to avoid detection.

7. A handkerchief

8. A towel

9. For cleaning wounds (if it's clean!)

10. As a blindfold

11. A headband
12. A rag for cleaning anything

13. To collect morning dew off of plants for drinking.

14. If it is wet down and wrapped around one's neck...it will lower body temperature by cooling the neck and arterial blood flow. This could make you much more comfortable on a really hot day!

15. To tie up long hair to keep it out of the way.

16. To conceal your identity.

17. The possibilities go on and on!

There seem to be two main types of bandanas available on the market. Made in China types of questionable quality...and Made in the USA that more than likely will be of a better quality. They are generally sold made of 100% cotton or as a cotton/poly blend. Personally I would steer towards the all cotton ones...as they should possess greater absorption capabilities. They also vary in size...usually no bigger than 22x22.

Here is a place that sells made in the USA bandanas. This place has made in the USA and imports...a broad variety of styles...and can even custom print logos.

I have read where people have called a bandana "The outdoorsmans best friend"...and one can clearly see why someone might say that given their many uses. Perhaps now a bandana won't just be for the movie cowboys, pirates, and Bruce Springsteen's back pocket...but for you too!!

Miner's Lettuce Smoothies!!...

Yesterday I went for a walk with our preschool and the children and I harvested two plastic grocery bag's full of Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata). While as I type this...much of the country is covered in snow...in my neck of the woods in California we have thriving greens ready to be enjoyed by those that know of their worth (my heart goes out to you who are stuck in a winter wonderland!!). Using scissors and our hands we snipped handfuls at a time. Care was taken to not pull them out by the root so that they will regrow. Our harvest was mixed with grass...hairy vetch (Vicia villosa)...and some oak leaves...so care had to be taken to ensure that we weren't eating anything else.

After our sorting...I put maybe 3/4 of a cup of cranberry/raspberry juice into the blender...filled it to the brim with Miner's Lettuce...and added a couple of handfuls of frozen pitted plums. Blended...then added more Miner's Lettuce again. There really is no exact recipe...if you want it sweeter...add more frozen fruit...it's all up to you!

Here is some great info about Miner's Lettuce. The nutritional value...how to identify the plant...and harvesting ideas. This is actually the guy I got the idea to do the smoothie from!

My daughter did a video of a portion of our adventure. You are walking into my home to see a slice of our lives!!! Oh...and pay no attention to my anti-green vegetable son!!

Spring Food Crisis...

Perhaps you read like I did all of the grim reports in 2009...of crop failure...farm closures...and the general plight of the farmer that took place across the United States. Putting together those puzzle pieces...coupled with our other woes in this nation has led many preparedness minded people to feel perhaps more than a little concerned about how things will shake out in 2010.

This article gives a sobering forecast that the "other shoe will drop" in a couple of months! While some may be quick to dismiss this as sensationalism...I don't see why it couldn't happen as predicted. Such news may be good ammunition to help you to convince your spouse that it is time to stock up on those needed supplies!

Tea Anyone?...

When the weather outside is frightful...and inside it's so delightful...I love to cuddle up in my sweats under a soft blanket...kick back on a recliner...and enjoy a cup of herbal tea. It seems that the more inclement the weather is outside...the more I enjoy myself! I make the tea too hot to drink...and then deeply breathe the steam in until it cools enough that I can drink it. It might be a sweet berry flavor...some lemon balm from the garden...or maybe some soothing mint tea that serves to clear my sinuses...which often seem obstructed during the cold months.

If I were to tell a group of LDS people that I like to do this...I would have some say "That sound's nice...I like to do that too!"...and then I'd have some that would say "I think that is breaking the word of wisdom (or law of health)...I would never do that".

The difference in belief stems from an interpretation of a revelation that outlines how to be healthy with regards to what we take into our bodies...it reads...

Doctrine and Covenants 89:9 - "And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly."

Thankfully...the prophets gave some clarification when they stated that "Hot drinks" are referring specifically to "tea and coffee".

While this did bring us one step closer to clarification...there has remained confusion for many as to what was meant by "tea". One is left to ask..."Is "tea" referring to just..."

1. A drink made from from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis)?

or does it also include...

2. Herbal drinks made from anything other than the tea plant...that have been applied the misnomer "tea"?

Lest we think that herbs are somehow generally forbidden...in the same revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants section 89 it reads...

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome ^aherbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with ^aprudence and ^bthanksgiving.

The key there is "with prudence". For example...the Lord did not entirely forbid the use of tobacco...but just told us how it could be used prudently...

8 And again, tobacco is not for the ^abody, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

In another scripture He reiterates this point when He says...

D&C 59:17 Yea, and the herb, and the ^agood things which come of the earth, whether for food or for ^braiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the ^abenefit and the ^buse of man, both to please the eye and to ^cgladden the heart;

19 Yea, for ^afood and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to ^bstrengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to ^aexcess, neither by extortion.

In the Book of Mormon we are told that God prepared many wild "plants and roots" to "remove the cause of diseases"...

Alma 46:40 And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many ^aplants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of ^bdiseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate—

The Lord has expressly told us the medicinal value of wild plants...and given us the charge to use them "with judgement". The question we must ask is...how should each herb be used?

Here is an article from the Ensign where a professor at a school discusses the medicinal value of various herbs and gives warnings about having reliable information before taking anything. The author has an apparent disdain for herbal remedies which I do not share. Personally...I believe that modern medicine can do wonderful things or make people even more ill. I tend to trust herbal remedies rather than pills filled with chemicals of unknown origins produced by people with unknown motives.

To an LDS person who would still hold the belief that herbal teas are against the law of health I would ask "Do you also believe that soup is against the law of health?"

Hot water...mixed with a variety of herbs and vegetables...will make a soup.

Hot water...mixed with a variety of herbs and even vegetables...will make an "herbal tea".

As I see it...the main difference is that one generally eats the solids in a soup...while in an herbal tea one generally just drinks the broth.

Tea's and Survival

If you are in a survival situation...stranded out in the cold...a nice warm drink may be what helps to keep you warm enough to survive the night...or at least make your situation more tolerable. That same warm herbal tea could also provide sustaining vitamins as well as some morale boosting great flavor.

One of the most famous stories about wild herbal teas saving lives is about the French explorer Jacques Cartier. While exploring Cananda...his men and the natives came down with Scurvy and disease. Natives introduced him to a tea...presumably made from pine needles and/or white cedar leaves. The tea quickly brought them back to health.

Tea's are generally made by boiling water...or just under boiling...and then adding your plant material to the water to allow it to steep. If the water is too hot...and you boil the plant in the water...you may lose much of the nutritive value as it is destroyed by the heat. Here is a video of a lady making pine needle tea.

In order to use herbs with "judgement"...there are plenty of books that will teach herbal remedies...and wilderness medicine. Browse at your local library or on the internet and you will find volumes of information.

One that I recently found that I really...really like is called "Native American Ethnobotany". It is not a plant identification book. It is a dictionary thick book that will tell you about how most every plant available was used by the Native Americans...as food...tools...medicine...etc... What I especially like about it is the fact that you can see how unrelated tribes used the same plants for the same purposes...which lends credibility to their usefulness in that application.

Try some herbal tea sometime if you haven't before. You could start with a cup of chamomile tea...a flower with a mild taste. It has been used for thousands of years...has a very soothing quality to it.

With a bit of research...you could also come to enjoy the tea's that mother nature gives for free...that could also save your life!

The Seychelle...

High on any emergency evacuation bags' list of contents should be water. The challenge that arises is that water is heavy and takes up space. If you wind up on foot...there is a limit on the amount you can physically carry...or will want to risk carrying in your efforts to not become physically exhausted. Another thing to consider...is that once you have expended that water as you sit in a shelter...or consume it on your journey...you will need to look for water again.

When you find that water...it may be from a questionable source. Does it have fecal matter in it? Even if it does look clean...what bacteria or other spook may be in it?

A level of piece of mind can be attained by having a portable water filter of some sort in your pack. This is a big topic. I could get into boiling water. Iodide. Microns. The difference between purifiers and filters etc... You can learn some about that here.

I just wanted to point out something interesting to be found at church distribution. They now offer the Seychelle water filter bottle. This is interesting because...I don't recollect the church ever having any preparedness items for sale...other than food storage. This is not the cadillac of water filters...but it is a "good" filter. While it is currently sold out...it will be available for $16.50...with free shipping!!! The manufacturer is offering it for $29.99...plus you have to pay for shipping. Literally half the price if purchased from Church Distribution.

For that price...this would be a good one to have in a car emergency pack...a work emergency pack...or your regular home emergency evac bags. You could probably afford for everyone in your family to have their own!

If you have the money to purchase something that takes out more of the bad stuff...I'd recommend the first need.

Acorns and Oil Workshop...

Just a reminder...THIS Saturday November 21^st from 9am-12:30pm at 110 Foxridge Drive in Folsom is my Acorns and Oil workshop!! I look forward to seeing you there! (If you are geographically able!)

Here is the info on the event...

Feel free to let me know you are coming at stenix@ymail.com

The Salt of the Earth...

Ezra Taft Benson said it well...

"To a great extent we are physically what we eat. Most of us are acquainted with some of the prohibitions, such as no tea, coffee, tobacco, or alcohol. What need additional emphasis are the positive aspects--the need for vegetables, fruits, and grains, particularly wheat. In most cases, the closer these can be, when eaten, to their natural state-- without overrefinement and processing--the healthier we will be. To a significant degree, we are an overfed and undernourished nation digging an early grave with our teeth, and lacking the energy that could be ours because we overindulge in junk foods."

I have several friends that have lived for a month or so on ONLY "raw" unprocessed foods. When they tell you of their experience...they paint a picture of going through withdrawals for a time...much like a drug addict....and say things like..."I thought I was going to die drinking only my green shakes and other veggies. I would have killed for a Snickers bar or a cheeseburger!!!" After passing through this torturous detoxification process...they tell how they "Never felt healthier" and "...had so much energy". They also often tell of how they had a noticeable increase in clarity of thought!

When asked the naturally following question "Then are you still doing it?" They respond "No". Then when asked "Why would you stop if you felt that great?" they tell of how hard it is to exist in our society eating only raw and unprocessed foods. "I couldn't be normal at any public function. I'd rather be able to sit down and enjoy some fried chicken and cheesecake with my family than feel super healthy". Or they tell of how they gradually drifted back into their old diet a few bites at a time...and now just try to incorporate more unprocessed and raw foods into their regular diet.

While I am not seeking to judge such people harshly (as I would be a major hypocrite!!!) it is an interesting thing that most of us know what is good for us and what is not...and if we consume the good we know it will will make us feel great...and yet still choose to eat that which keeps us in those "mists of darkness" with regards to health. Food "mists of darkness" that can cloud our spiritual perceptions as well. We're like those animals that lap up anti-freeze because "It tastes so sweet". A sweetness that will either make us ill...or ultimately kill us.

Many or perhaps most of the health ills that we are plagued with can be traced back to the poor nutrition from eating unhealthy. Here is a trailer for a video that serves to prove that point... that tells the story of a group of diabetics that were "cured" of their diabetes after a short period by changing their diet.

In order to increase the shelf lives of our food...to make it's appearance without blemish...and to enhance it's fluffiness or other attributes...the US the food industry has largely stripped our foods of what our bodies need. "Evils and designs do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days" and it's evidence can be found on our food labels.

Not only have the nutritional values of our foods been comprised through over-refinement...but they have also been putting all kinds of preservatives and other miscellaneous ingredients into our foods. I'm sure that this is not news to you...but it should cause some alarm that the ingredients we might consume have names that are too long to pronounce... and have unknown origins. It's kind of like my saying to you "Open your mouth and close your eyes...and you will get a big surprise!!!" It could be a yummy strawberry...or maybe some earwax!! Gross! We have so much blind faith as a nation in the people that oversee the quality of the food we consume to choose what can and can't be put into our foods. If food is the best medicine...do you know the side effects of the medicine you are eating? Chances are if you actually knew what those ingredients were...you would think twice about putting them into your bodies.

Here is a book that from A-Z let's you know what the additives are in your foods.

Here is a review of the book from amazon that could gross you out pretty good...

"What am I eating? This book answers that question by describing more than 8,000 ingredients found in foods. The dictionary format lets you look up an ingredient alphabetically and learn what it is, how and why it's used, and the benefits and risks. You can decode an ingredient from a food label--haven't you always wondered just what "guar gum" is?--or just skim for interesting facts. For example, the entry on "civet, absolute" explains that this essential oil used as a flavoring is "derived from the unctuous secretions from the receptacles between the anus and genitalia of both the male and female civet cat." Not very appetizing! You'll find this ingredient in raspberry, butter, caramel, grape, and rum flavorings in beverages, desserts, and chewing gum. This book also explains commonly used (but poorly understood) food-label terms like "lite" and "low fat," what counts as a serving for different food groups, and various ways of processing food. There's a helpful chart of food storage guidelines, and resources (including Web sites) for people with food allergies or sensitivities. Ruth Winter, an award-winning science writer, is also the author of A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients and several other books. --Joan Price"

Here is a book that goes in depth tracing back the source of those additives. I heard an interview with the author that was fascinating.

One food that you may not have considered as being full of nutrients or even "good for you"...is salt. Unrefined salt has a remarkable amount of minerals in it that your body may be yearning for due to deprivation in your current diet.

I was going to write up a big article on salt...but hey...someone already wrote what I would have put together! Read this article to learn about the differences between refined and unrefined salt. Make sure that this important nutritional ingredient is found in your storage!

You may also consider eating "whole foods" and shopping at stores that offer foods closer to their "natural state"!

Frugal Living and Financial Preparedness Workshop...

The Citrus Heights Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hosting a "Frugal Living and Financial Preparedness Workshop". It is FREE and open to the public.

Here are the classes...

10am (Choose One)

- Financial Planning - Learn the importance of creating

a financial plan and how to put one together! Valuable tools

and resources will be discussed to get your financial house in

order. Class taught by Pamela G Budenbender CFP® Certified

Financial Planner in the Relief Society Room.

- Gardening - Save money by growing your own food! Learn

what you can be doing now to prepare your garden for spring

planting. Soil amending, lasagna gardening, and other techniques

will be covered. Class taught by Bob Clegg in the Cultural Hall.

11am (Choose One)

- Frugal Living - Learn how to organize and use coupons

for substantial savings on your food and other needs. Nicole

Morton, author of beingfrugalisfabulous.com will shed new

light on an old subject. Class will be held in the Relief Society

Room.

- Gardening - This class will focus on how to maximize fruit

tree production. Planting, pruning, fertilization, and pests

will be discussed. Class taught by Bob Clegg in the Cultural

Hall.

When : Saturday, November 14th, 10am-12pm

Where : The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at...

8056 Oak Avenue, Citrus Heights, CA 95610

(In between Sunrise Blvd and Fair Oaks Blvd on the South side.)

Seating in the classes is limited so please be flexible as there may be many people trying to attend the same class.