Were Native Americans Gluten-Free ?

When did wheat arrive here in North America ? The Europeans introduced new plants and animals that didn't exist in the Americas originally, such as bananas, wheat, sheep, and cows. Important American Indian crops included beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, wild rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, avocados, papayas, and chocolate.

Other foods that could be found naturally in the Americas and were often eaten by American Indians included eggs, honey, maple syrup and sugar, salt, nuts (including peanuts, pine nuts, cashews, hickory nuts, and acorns,) fruit (including cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, chokecherries, wild plums, and persimmons), and a wide variety of beans, roots, and greens.

The most important Native American food crop was Indian corn (also known as maize, which comes from the Taino Indian name for the plant.) The majority of American Indian tribes grew at least some corn, and even tribes that did not grow corn themselves often traded with neighbors for it.

Many, Native Americans are lactose-intolerant and have gluten intolerance or celiac disease –which makes sense among a population only recently exposed to grains containing gluten–but nobody really knows, because there still haven’t been any studies other than within a few individual nations.

Ayurvedic Live-Food Nutrition

Ayurvedic Live-Food Nutrition is based on the fact that there is no – one diet for everyone. Each of us is unique with different constitutions and therefore different nutritional needs. Ayurveda is a wholistic health-care system that recognizes that every action we take in life has a reaction. Thus it is a science of bringing awareness to all of our actions: how and what we eat, how we live, what we think, how we relate intimately with others and ourselves. Ayurveda is a compassionate journey of self-discovery, providing you with the tools to becoming your own best doctor.

Ayurveda teaches that foods are carriers and balancers of Prana, the Vital Life Force. Each food has its own unique characteristics of energy and flavor through which it produces a specific effect on our bodies, minds and emotions. Ayurveda means "Knowledge of Life" and it embodies the art of living consciously.

Raw and Living Foods

The Raw and Living Food diet is proving to be the healthiest, most common sense diet on the planet. Why? Because when we eat our foods in their natural state, we receive maximum nutrition and therefore maximum health. At The Living Centre we feel that the mysteries of nature cannot be duplicated artificially. Nature exists in holistic forms. Their effects are also holistic. The raw food diet is based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, and seaweeds.

Raw foods have all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and Phytonutrients intact. Heating food over 118 degrees destroy all Phytonutrients and enzymes (the sparks of life) and depletes foods of their vitamins, minerals and protein.

Live-Food Nutrition uses natural whole foods, herbs and spices to both treat and prevent illness. It is the original approach to eating according to what Mother Nature gifted us with. Bringing the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda to Live-Food Cuisine allows each person to customize their nutritional lifestyle to fulfill their unique needs. Some people find it challenging to eat Live-Foods in seasonal climates. Understanding the basic principles of Ayurveda guarantees that anyone, anywhere in the world will be successful with the Raw and Living Food diet.

Raw and Living Food contain maximum life force energy, and the highest amount of bioactive food nutrients, Phytonutrients, bioelectrical energy, biologically active water and electrons. They are gifts of nature for us to stay healthy.

The essence of understanding living foods is ... if it is not broken, don't fix it. Living foods are those foods which have not been cooked, processed, "pesticide" or "herbicide", micro waved, irradiated, or genetically engineered. Cooking destroys vital enzymes' the secret to health' says the mother of the raw foods movement Dr. Ann Wigmore. Cultures that have eaten primarily live foods have been reported to live a higher quality of health, vitality and joy. Fresh plant-based-live foods support immunity, a healthy pH, beauty, clarity, physical, emotional and spiritual strength.

Organically grown raw and living foods are keys to great health and vitality. They are the givers of life energy and the healers of disease. Eating these life-giving foods have proven themselves to be dynamic helpers in the healing of diseases such as diabetes, migraines, asthma, joint pain, fibromyalgia, allergies, colitis, depression, anxiety, cancer and overall stress.

They represent an unbroken wholeness that is the original creation and nutritional gift of the Divine. The live food concept is not new; it has been around since the beginning of time. The Essenes and the Nazarenes of biblical times were known to practice this style of eating.

Live-Food Nutrition fall into a category known as biogenic and bioactive. These foods are defined as high-enzyme raw foods that have the capacity to revitalize and regenerate the body. Dr. Szekely says that biogenic foods are, "life-generating. He theorized that biogenic and bioactive foods are capable of synthesizing entirely new substances for higher body performance and enhancing the immune system. Biostatic foods, on the other hand, are fresh foods that have been cooked. They are life sustaining in the short term, but are gradually life force depleting in the long-term because they require the body to use stored energy to utilize.

Many cultures of the past knew what researchers are beginning to conjecture: that food is more than simply nourishment for the body, but a potent metaphor for relationship to spirit; that choosing foods that contain the highest life-force; bringing a loving and meditative awareness to food has potentially powerful effects; indeed, when consciously cultivated, such awareness becomes a vehicle for connection to Mother Nature, the Divine and the mystery that is life itself. - http://www.thelivingcentre.com/cms/the-centre/the-sevenfold-path-of-peace

Essene Fruitarian Diet

In Edmond Bordeaux Szekely's "Gospel of the Essenes" and other writings allegedly smuggled out of the Vatican Library and the Royal Library of the Hapsburgs in Vienna, Jesus is portrayed as a fruitarian who insists that all his disciples attempt to follow suit. Essene fruitarians may only eat foods that plants can spare without dying, such as tree fruits and vegetables that grow above the ground. Leafy vegetables are permitted only when outer leaves can be harvested without killing the plant.
Dairy products are allowed if no harm comes to the animals that provide the milk or the grass they graze on, and, ideally, all foods should be eaten raw.

Who were the Essenes : From the remote ages of antiquity a remarkable teaching has existed which is universal in its application and ageless in its wisdom. Traces of the teaching have appeared in almost every country and religion as far back as ten thousand years.

The Sevenfold Path of Peace, derived from the ancient Essene teachings, offers a strong foundation in essential lifestyle philosophies and practices in the art of conscious living. A consciousness based on the core vision of the unity of all life, and a passionate commitment to the noblest aspirations of humankind this life-style model supports and empowers the individual in a balanced, happy life in accordance with the laws of Nature.

The teaching appears in the Zend Avesta of Zoroaster, who translated it into a way of life that was followed for thousands of years. It contains the fundamental concepts of Brahmanism, the Vedas and the Upanishads; and the Yoga systems of India sprang from the same source. Buddha later gave forth essentially the same basic ideas and his sacred Bodhi tree is correlated with the Essene Tree of Life. In Tibet the teaching once more found expression in the Tibetan Wheel of Life.

The Essenes lived on the shores of lakes and rivers, away from cities and towns, and practiced a communal way of life, sharing equally in everything. They were mainly agriculturists and arboriculturists, having a vast knowledge of crops, soil and climatic conditions which enabled them to grow a great variety of fruits and vegetables in comparatively desert areas and with a minimum of labor. - http://www.thelivingcentre.com/cms/the-centre/the-sevenfold-path-of-peace

Jewish Vegetarian Cooking : Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World

Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World


"A land of wheat and barley, of grape vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey . . . you shall eat and be satisfied."?—Deut. 8:8-10

A Celebration of Classic Jewish Vegetarian Cooking from Around the World

Traditions of Jewish vegetarian cooking span three millennia and the extraordinary geographical breadth of the Jewish diaspora—from Persia to Ethiopia, Romania to France. Acclaimed Judaic cooking expert, chef, and rabbi Gil Marks uncovers this vibrant culinary heritage for home cooks. Olive Trees and Honey is a magnificent treasury shedding light on the truly international palette of Jewish vegetarian cooking, with 300 recipes for soups, salads, grains, pastas, legumes, vegetable stews, egg dishes, savory pastries, and more.

From Sephardic Bean Stew (Hamin) to Ashkenazic Mushroom Knishes, Italian Fried Artichokes to Hungarian Asparagus Soup, these dishes are suitable for any occasion on the Jewish calendar—festival and everyday meal alike. Marks's insights into the origins and evolution of the recipes, suggestions for holiday menus from Yom Kippur to Passover, and culture-rich discussion of key ingredients enhance this enchanting portrait of the Jewish diaspora's global legacy of vegetarian cooking.

"Generally speaking, Judaism has not promoted vegetarianism. However, some prominent rabbis have promoted vegetarian lifestyle, among them David Cohen (known as "Ha-Nazir"), and Chief Rabbi of Israel Shlomo Goren. Rabbi Isaac ha-Levi Herzog said:

"Jews will move increasingly to vegetarianism out of their own deepening knowledge of what their tradition commands... A whole galaxy of central rabbinic and spiritual leaders...has been affirming vegetarianism as the ultimate meaning of Jewish moral teaching."
"Man ideally should not eat meat, for to eat meat a life must be taken, an animal must be put to death." In Israel there is one vegetarian moshav (village), called Amirim. Its vegetarianism is based on general principles of health and ethics and not on the Jewish religion.

Genesis 1:29 states "And God said: Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit—to you it shall be for food." According to some classical Jewish Bible commentators this means that God's original plan was for mankind to be vegetarian, and that God only later gave permission for man to eat meat because of man's weak nature. As the ideal images of the Torah are vegetarian, it is natural to similarly see the laws of kashrut as actually designed to wean us away from meat eating towards the vegetarian ideal. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_and_religion#Judaism

Vegetarianism, Hinduism and Hatha Yoga

Vegetarianism is an integral part of most schools of Hinduism although there are a wide variety of practices and beliefs that have changed over time. An estimated 20 to 30% of all Hindus are vegetarians. Some sects of Hindus do not observe vegetarianism.

Vegetarianism is mandatory for the practitioners of Hatha Yoga. They follow the advice of scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita to eat only high-quality food, because they are convinced that food shapes the personality, mood and mind. Meat is said to promote sloth and ignorance and an undesirable mental state known as tamas, while a vegetarian diet is considered to promote the desirable sattvic qualities essential for spiritual progress - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_and_religion#Hinduism

Health Benefits of Coconuts

Coconuts can add flavor, variety and--best of all--healthy nutrients to your diet. Coconuts are rich in lauric acid, which is known for being antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal, and boosts the immune system.

Fresh coconut juice is one of the highest sources of electrolytes known to man, and can be used to prevent dehydration, for instance in cases of diarrhea or strenuous exercise, instead of a sports drink. Some remote areas of the world even use coconut juice intravenously, short-term, to help hydrate critically ill patients and in emergency situations.

Other health benefits of coconuts and coconut oil include:

Help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Lower your cholesterol
Improve conditions in those with diabetes and chronic fatigue
Improve Crohn’s, IBS, and other digestive disorders

Prevent other disease and routine illness with
its powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents
Increase metabolism and promotes healthy thyroid function
Boost your daily energy
Rejuvenate your skin and prevent wrinkles

Gluten-free Vegan Cookbook by Susan O’Brien

For some of the Yummiest Gluten Free Vegan meals we recommend
The Gluten-free Vegan Cookbook by Susan O’Brien.

Available at Amazon.com: The Gluten Free Vegan Cookbook $11.41

Ideal cookbook for many health conditions: The Gluten-Free Vegan is a groundbreaking cookbook, combining both special diets for healthier, allergy-free eating. Millions of Americans have health conditions like celiac disease, fibromyalgia, or food allergies that require a gluten- and/or dairy-restricted diet. In addition, going vegetarian/vegan is fast becoming mainstream, and many vegans are also looking to cut gluten from their diet. The Gluten-Free Vegan offers solutions for anyone seeking a tasty approach to healthier eating. Quick, easy, and delicious recipes: Written by a food-allergy sufferer and gourmet cook, this collection includes more than 150 healthy recipes for a wide range of dishes that are both gluten-free and vegan. The cookbook also includes guidelines of each dietary restriction, information on sugars, raw foods and organic foods, advice on ingredient preparation, quick-cooking tips, and resources for easily finding ingredients.

What is Gluten ?

"Gluten (from Latin gluten, "glue") is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. It gives elasticity to dough, helping it to rise and to keep its shape, and often giving the final product a chewy texture.
Gluten is the composite of a gliadin and a glutelin, which is conjoined with starch in the endosperm of various grass-related grains. The prolamin and glutelin from wheat (gliadin, which is alcohol-soluble, and glutenin, which is only soluble in dilute acids or alkalis) compose about 80% of the protein contained in wheat seed. Being insoluble in water, they can be purified by washing away the associated starch. Worldwide, gluten is a source of protein, both in foods prepared directly from sources containing it, and as an additive to foods otherwise low in protein.
The seeds of most flowering plants have endosperms with stored protein to nourish embryonic plants during germination. True gluten, with gliadin and glutenin, is limited to certain members of the grass family. The stored proteins of maize and rice are sometimes called glutens, but their proteins differ from gluten." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten

Gluten-Free Diet, what is it ?

"A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes foods containing gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts and triticale. It is used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often as "dextrin". A gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease, the related condition dermatitis herpetiformis, and wheat allergy.

Additionally, a gluten-free diet may exclude oats. Medical practitioners are divided on whether oats are an allergen to celiac disease sufferers or if they are cross-contaminated in milling facilities by other allergens. The term gluten-free is generally used to indicate a supposed harmless level of gluten rather than a complete absence. The exact level at which gluten is harmless is uncertain and controversial. A recent systematic review tentatively concluded that consumption of less than 10 mg of gluten per day is unlikely to cause histological abnormalities, although it noted that few reliable studies had been done." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet

Veganism, what is it ?

"Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products. Ethical vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from their diet only.[1] Another form, environmental veganism, rejects the use of animal products on the premise that the industrial practice is environmentally damaging and unsustainable.

The term "vegan" was coined in England in 1944 by Donald Watson, co-founder of the British Vegan Society, to mean "non-dairy vegetarian"; the society also opposed the use of eggs as food. In 1951, the society clarified the definition of "veganism" to mean "the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals," and in 1960 H. Jay Dinshah started the American Vegan Society, linking veganism to the Jain concept of ahimsa, the avoidance of violence against living things.
It is a small but growing movement.[4] The number of vegan restaurants is increasing, and some of the top athletes in certain endurance sports—for instance, the Ironman triathlon and the Ultramarathon—practise veganism or raw veganism.[4] The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada regard a well-planned vegan diet as appropriate for all stages of the life-cycle.[5] Well-planned vegan diets have been found to offer protection against many degenerative conditions, including heart disease,[6] though if poorly planned a vegan diet may be deficient in some vitamins and minerals. Vegans should therefore make sure they have adequate sources of vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids. " - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism

What is a Vegan ?

Vegan is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Most vegans also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool.
Vegan refers to either a person who follows this way of eating, or to the diet itself.

Although there is some debate as to whether certain foods, such as honey, fit into a vegan diet, if you are cooking for other vegans, it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid these foods" - http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/Vegan

Is it even possible to be a Vegan ?

Do You Think You`re Vegan? [Pic]. According to this chart, you`re not. Well, maybe....

We are going Gluten Free and Vegan

I'll be posting some of my home-made Gluten Free and Vegan Recipes. Stay tuned.