What Type of Specator are You?

Bishop Fulton Sheen offered this meditation on the Passion of Christ in 1979, shortly before his death.

Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Four


Part Five


May you have a blessed Holy Week!

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

The Obama administration has allowed a 30-day comment period, before they take away conscience protection from doctors and nurses in the US. Here is an excerpt from the actual document:

“The Department is proposing to rescind in its entirety the final rule entitled “Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law,” published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2008 (73 FR 78072, 45 CFR Part 88).”

Dear Friends,
I probably don’t need to tell you this, but not only would this be an enormous setback for the prolife movement but it would violate our religious freedom and First Amendment rights. It doesn’t make sense that anyone should be forced to have an abortion. Neither does it follow that a person should be forced to be an abortionist, especially when that infringes on their religious or ethical principles!
This move by the administration, if enacted, will permit the discrimination and intolerance of the ethical choices of healthcare workers who don’t want to be part of an abortion or other questionable and controversial practices. We have two choices: to act now, or to do nothing and look back in regret. Let’s choose to act! Please send this to as many pro-life people as you can. Let everyone know what is going on.
For the Greater Glory of God,
Beth Burgess, Respect Life Director

You may submit comments:

1. http://www.Regulations.gov

2. Email to proposedrescission@hhs.gov

3. Electronic comments to http://www.Regulations.gov, go to the Web site and click on the link "Comment or Submission" and enter the keywords "Rescission Proposal."

4. Regular mail: You may mail written comments (one original and two copies) to the following address: Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: Rescission Proposal Comments, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 716G, Washington, DC 20201.

Vaccines as Biological Weapons?

(From NaturalNews) There's a popular medical thriller novel in which a global pandemic is intentionally set off by an evil plot designed to reduce the human population. In the book, a nefarious drug company inserts live avian flu viruses into vaccine materials that are distributed to countries around the world to be injected into patients as "flu shots." Those patients then become carriers for these highly-virulent strains of avian flu which go on to infect the world population and cause widespread death.

There's only one problem with this story: It's not fiction. Or, at least, the part about live avian flu viruses being inserted into vaccine materials isn't fiction. It's happening right now.

Deerfield, Illinois-based pharmaceutical company Baxter International Inc. has just been caught shipping live avian flu viruses mixed with vaccine material to medical distributors in 18 countries. The "mistake" (if you can call it that, see below...) was discovered by the National Microbiology Laboratory in Canada. The World Health Organization was alerted and panic spread throughout the vaccine community as health experts asked the obvious question: How could this have happened?

As published on LifeGen.de , serious questions like this are being raised:

"Baxter International Inc. in Austria 'unintentionally contaminated samples with the bird flu virus that were used in laboratories in 3 neighbouring countries, raising concern about the potential spread of the deadly disease'. Austria, Germany, Slowenia and the Czech Republic - these are the countries in which labs were hit with dangerous viruses. Not by bioterrorist commandos, but by Baxter. In other words: One of the major global pharmaceutical players seems to have lost control over a virus which is considered by many virologists to be one of the components leading some day to a new pandemic."

Or, put another way, Baxter is acting a whole lot like a biological terrorism organization these days, sending deadly viral samples around the world. If you mail an envelope full of anthrax to your Senator, you get arrested as a terrorist. So why is Baxter -- which mailed samples of a far more deadly viral strain to labs around the world -- getting away with saying, essentially, "Oops?"

But there's a bigger question in all this: How could this company have accidentally mixed LIVE avian flu viruses (both H5N1 and H3N2, the human form) in this vaccine material?

Was the viral contamination intentional?

The shocking answer is that this couldn't have been an accident. Why? Because Baxter International adheres to something called BSL3 (Biosafety Level 3) - a set of laboratory safety protocols that prevent the cross-contamination of materials.

As explained on Wikipedia:

"Laboratory personnel have specific training in handling pathogenic and potentially lethal agents, and are supervised by competent scientists who are experienced in working with these agents. This is considered a neutral or warm zone. All procedures involving the manipulation of infectious materials are conducted within biological safety cabinets or other physical containment devices, or by personnel wearing appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment. The laboratory has special engineering and design features."

Under the BSL3 code of conduct, it is impossible for live avian flu viruses to contaminate production vaccine materials that are shipped out to vendors around the world.

This leaves only two possibilities that explain these events:

Possibility #1: Baxter isn't following BSL3 safety guidelines or is so sloppy in following them that it can make monumental mistakes that threaten the safety of the entire human race. And if that's the case, then why are we injecting our children with vaccines made from Baxter's materials?

Possibility #2: A rogue employee (or an evil plot from the top management) is present at Baxter, whereby live avian flu viruses were intentionally placed into the vaccine materials in the hope that such materials might be injected into humans and set off a global bird flu pandemic.

It just so happens that a global bird flu pandemic would sell a LOT of bird flu vaccines. Although some naive people have a hard time believing that corporations would endanger human beings to make money, this is precisely the way corporations now behave in America's ethically-challenged free-market environment. (Remember Enron? Exxon? Merck? DuPont? Monsanto? Need I go on?)

Make no mistake: Spreading bird flu is a clever way to create demand for bird flu vaccines, and we've all seen very clearly how drug companies first market the problem and then "leap to the rescue" by selling the solution. (Disease mongering of ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc.)

Why it all suddenly makes sense

Until today, I would not have personally believed such a story. I personally thought talk of bird flu vaccines being "weaponized" was just alarmist hype. But now, in light of the fact that LIVE bird flu viruses are being openly found in vaccine materials that are distributed around the world, I must admit the evidence is increasingly compelling that something extremely dangerous is afoot.

Baxter, through either its mistakes or its evil intentions, just put the safety of the entire human race at risk. Given all the laboratory protocols put in place to prevent this kind of thing, it is difficult to believe this was just a mistake.

There is some speculation, in fact, that the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed up to 50 million people worldwide , was intentionally started by injecting servicemen with "experimental" flu vaccines that actually contained live, "weaponized" flu material just like the material being distributed by Baxter today.

Examine the historical record. You'll find that the 1918 flu originated with servicemen. Even more interestingly, it began in multiple cities, simultaneously! There is no single point of origin with the 1918 flu. It appears to have "spontaneously" sprung up across multiple cities all at once, including a military base in Kansas. (Kansas? Yep. So how did it get to Kansas in an era when air traffic was virtually non-existent? Vaccines, of course!)

All those cities and servicemen have one thing in common: Flu shot vaccinations given to them by the military.

If you put the pieces together on this, it's not too difficult to suspect that influenza could potentially be used as a tool of control by governments or drug companies to catalyze outrageous profit-taking or power grabbing agendas. A desperate, infected population will gladly give up anything or pay anything for the promise of being cured.

Or was it just an innocent mistake? Oops!
But for the skeptics who dismiss any such talk of conspiracy theories, let's examine the other possibility: That a global avian flu pandemic was nearly unleashed unintentionally due to the outrageous incompetence of the companies handling these viral strains.

As we just saw, this is a very real possibility. Had this live bird flu virus not been detected, it could have very easily found its way into vaccines that were injected into human beings. And this, in turn, could have unleashed a global avian flu pandemic.

If the drug companies making and handling these materials are so careless, then it seems like it's only a matter of time before something slips through the safety precautions again and gets unleashed into the wild. And that leads to essentially the same scenario: A global pandemic, widespread death, health care failures and a desperate population begging for vaccines.

So either way -- whether it's intentional or not -- you essentially get the same result.

Why a global pandemic is only a matter of time

I am on the record stating that a global pandemic is only a matter of time. The living conditions under which humans have placed themselves (crowded cities, suppressed immune systems, etc.) are ideal for the spread of infectious disease. But I never dreamed drug companies could actually be accelerating the pandemic timeline by contaminating vaccine materials with live avian flu viruses known to be highly infectious to humans. This, it seems, is a whole new cause for concern.

You can believe what you will. Maybe you agree with the nefarious plot theory and you agree that corporations are capable of great evils in their quest for profits. Or perhaps you can't accept that, so you go with the "accidental contamination" theory, in which your beliefs describe a very dangerous world where biohazard safety protocols are insufficient to protect us from all the crazy viral strains being toyed with at drug companies and government labs all across the world.

In either case, the world is not a very safe place when deadly viral strains are placed in the hands of the inept.

We are like children playing God with Mother Nature, rolling the dice in a global game of Viral Roulette where the odds are not in our favor. With companies like Baxter engaged in behaviors that are just begging to see the human race devastated by a global pandemic wipeout, it might be a good time to question the sanity of using viral strains in vaccines in the first place.

Vaccine-pushing scientists are so proud of their vaccines. They think they've conquered Mother Nature. Imagine their surprise when one day they learn they have actually killed 100 million human beings by unleashing a global pandemic.

We came close to it this week. A global pandemic may have just been averted by the thinnest of margins. Yet people go on with their lives, oblivious to what nearly happened.

What's inescapable at this point is the fact that the threat of a pandemic that looms for all of human civilization, and that drug companies may, themselves, be the source of that threat.

Important Resources

Read my book How to Beat the Bird Flu here.

See a remarkable collection of quotes and accounts from authors writing about the 1918 influenza pandemic here.

Stories about Baxter International, Inc. and its avian influenza "oops" moment

The Canadian Press.

Bloomberg.com.

LifeGen.de.

Behind the Scenes - Skin Deep

Webisodes are the future of entertainment. Here is a sneak peek at an upcoming ground breaking series.

Validation

This short film, written and directed by Kurt Kuenne and starring T.J. Thyne and Vicki Davis, has won a variety of awards including Best Narrative Short at the Cleveland International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival. It’s guaranteed to give you a smile.

Make Your Own Tasty Nutritious Bread

All of us are budget conscious these days. Food prices remain high because the prices were negotiated last summer and fall, when gas prices went through the roof. Like everything else, the cost of bread is rising like the yeast-laden dough from which it is made. News reports estimate, the cost of bread is up 10.7 per cent in the last 12 months. Unless you cave in and buy empty-calorie white bread (we used to call it Balloon Bread), you find yourself paying over $2.00 a loaf. The price can be twice as much, if you want something fancier and more exciting.

Homemade bread is much cheaper, once you invest in the ingredients, a couple of pans and baking sheets. Even using organic whole grain flour, bread will cost about $1.67 a loaf, and it tastes like a million bucks. Buy in bulk, and the cost per loaf decreases dramatically (as low as $1.09). Your nutritious home made bread, then, will rival the cost of white balloon bread - and you and your family will be happier and healthier in the long run.

Beyond the dollar cost, look at the list of ingredients on the bread label. Does bread really need more ingredients than flour, water, and yeast? Perhaps a bit of sweetener and some fat to support the structure of the dough might be called for. Yet the list of ingredients on the label goes on and on. What might that list of unnecessary ingredients cost in terms of deteriorating health?

The highly processed sweetener, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is ubiquitous. It seems to be in every loaf you pick up. Recently, it was revealed that almost half of the HFCS produced is contaminated with mercury, leading to concerns over birth defects and neurological damage. that Far from being a natural product, several chemicals are required to make HFCS, including caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, alha-amylase, gluco-amylase, isomerase, filter aid, powdered carbon, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. Diabetes may be linked to consumption of HFCS. Fructose interferes with leptin, an important digestive-system hormone that tells your brain that you’re full and should stop eating.

Most bread has a long list of additives.

Citric acid and sodium benzoate are also often produced at manufacturing plants that use mercury as part of the manufacturing process.

According to www.foodsafety.gov, chemicals in monosoduim glutamate (MSG) were believed to be unsafe to the nervous system. MSG hides in such ingredients as glutamate, glutamic acid, gelatin, monosodium glutamate, calcium caseinate, textured protein, monopotassium glutamate, sodium caseinate, yeast nutrient, yeast extract, yeast food, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed protein (any protein that is hydrolyzed), hydrolyzed corn gluten, natrium glutamate (natrium is Latin/German for sodium.

And the list goes on....

What can a person do? Why not take control of your health by making your own bread? It costs much less and you know what ingredients are in it.

The practice of making bread has been around for six thousand years. Yet, many people feel intimidated at the prospect of making bread.

Baking bread does not have to be a fussy or time consuming business. You can fit bread making into your schedule, rather than becoming a slave to the task. It really only needs a few minutes of attention here and there. As you get more comfortable with the process, you will find that your bread choices are limited only by your imagination.

Always make more bread than you think you will use. Bread is a very sociable commodity. There is always someone to share a loaf of fresh baked bread.

Ingredients

Liquids

Liquid ingredients which are slightly acidic support the growth of the yeast:

* Of course, plain water can be used. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice per cup for the yeast.
* Rejuvalac (water in which wheat or rye berries soaked for 2 days) gives the yeast an extra enzyme boost.
* For extra protein, soured milk or whey makes a delightful loaf. Naturally soured milk works very well, but if you do not have any, a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the bowl will produce just what you need.
* Use left over water from cooking beans. Soy beans, however have chemicals that inhibit yeast growth, so any other beans will be a better choice.
* Adding fruit juice makes a moist, sweet loaf that needs no additional sweetener. Dilute half and half with plain water.
* For 'pizza bread,' use half water and half tomato juice or tomato paste.

Fats

The fats in the dough help to support the gluten. They seal in the little bubbles, so the loaf does not deflate as easily.

* Butter actually is best to provide support for the gluten.
* A mild tasting vegetable oil, like sesame, grape seed, or coconut works nicely.
* If you are making an herbed Italian loaf that will allow a stronger taste, try olive oil.

Be careful with oils that turn rancid easily, like safflower and sunflower. The heat required for cooking your loaf may be too much for them. Rancid oil gives the bread an off flavor, that is none too pleasant.

Sweetener

Yeast requires a lot of energy for its growth. For that reason, some sort of sweetener is necessary. Yeast gets some of its energy from the natural sugars in the grain, so practice moderation, a little goes a long way. Use anywhere from a quarter to half a cup in this recipe.

* Blackstrap molasses provides both the yeast and the final consumer with the best nutritional profile. It is often used to grow the yeast commercially. Sometimes you will not find blackstrap in your grocery store, it may be labeled robust or full flavored.
* Barbados molasses can be used, as well, but it is much sweeter, so less is needed.
* Honey will act as a natural preservative. Your loaf will keep a day or two longer. Honey is also sweeter than molasses, so use less.
* Stevia (use the green powder) sweetens without adding calories. The yeast seems to like it. The bread rises quite nicely with smaller amounts of other sweeteners. Stevia is more intensely sweet than anything else. Add a teaspoon at a time until you produce your preferred level of sweetness.
* Agave nectar works well for bread as well. It gives a taste more like sugar than any of the others, so if you have people who do not like change, agave is a good choice to start. Once they get hooked on the variety of home made breads, you can branch out to others.
* It is not necessary or desirable to use white cane sugar for your bread. It provides no real nutritional value for you or for the yeast.
* Never use artificial sweeteners in bread. They are fraught with dangers to your health.

Yeast

On the baking ingredients aisle you find pre-measured yeast in little yellow and red foil-lined packets. It is certainly convenient to use this product. At times, however, this is not as active as buying it loose and measuring it yourself. Buying it in bulk is more cost effective and decreases the amount of packaging required, resulting in less waste to dispose.

The yeast stays active for a very long time, as long as it is kept out of extreme heat. I bought 5 pounds when my kiddies were little and I was making bread every day. I kept it in a tub in the freezer most of the time. It survived several moves, when it was impossible to refrigerate the tub. My young 'uns are all grown now, and I just recently used it up and it was still quite enthusiastic.

Flour

Many, many seeds can be used for bread. Enhance the texture and flavor of your loaves by mixing different flours. Feel free to experiment with different combinations of flours to find just the right loaf for any occasion.

Of course, the best flours are made of whole, ground, organic seeds. Whole grains make a denser loaf than what you may currently be eating. You know you have really eaten something, when you finish a slice of whole grain bread.

If you must use white flour at first, mix it half and half with any other flour. Each batch you make, reduce the amount of white flour until your family's palates are trained to eat 'real bread.' Sometimes, it takes a while to work up to this.

* For the sake of the texture of your bread, wheat is far and above the best grain for the majority of the flour in your loaf. Gluten in wheat captures carbon dioxide bubbles produced by the yeast. These bubbles make the bread rise. Sixty to eighty per cent wheat flour in your mix gives the best results.
* For a lighter loaf, add some gluten flour, especially if you are using less gluten rich flours. One tablespoon of gluten flour per cup of any other kind of flour is generally sufficient.
* Rye is a traditionally used for dark, heavier loaves which remind many of 'the Old Country' for those of European descent. It contains a fair amount of gluten, although not as much as wheat. So, you can use a greater percentage of it in your loaves - up to forty percent of the flour can be rye. Rye bread dough tends to be a bit more sticky than wheat when you knead it.
* Oats provide a moisturizing influence on your bread, making a nice soft loaf. They, too contain some gluten, although in rather small amounts. As much as a quarter of your flour can be oats. Oats absorb more moisture than other flours, so increase the liquid in your recipe or decrease the amount of your dry ingredients.
* Rice flour also absorbs moisture, so keep this in mind when measuring. There is no gluten in rice, so use it for an eighth or less of your flour. It gives the bread a crispness that can be delightful, especially if you intend to eat it toasted.
* Buckwheat is used (along with rye) in pumpernickel bread. It is darker and more dense than most other flours. Use a small amount. Buckwheat makes a nice 'warming' loaf that is satisfying in the cold winter months.
* Garbanzo beans can be ground easily in your blender to make flour. They give a slightly nutty flavor to the loaf. It is also a nice way to get a complimentary protein into the mix.
* Soybeans are often touted for adding protein to bread. However, there is much controversy over the use of soybeans. This is not the place to address the controversy, so we will leave that for another time and place. Soybeans contain an enzyme which inhibits the growth of the yeast, so its use should be minimized. On a side note: much of the soybean crop is genetically modified, so it is mandatory that you use only organic soybeans.
* Carob powder is often used in pumpernickel bread, too. It darkens the loaf and provides a mellowing influence.

Additional Ingredients

Here, the real fun begins. You can add all sorts of flavor and nutrition to your bread. Amounts are for the recipe below, which makes three or four loaves. Adjust to the size of your batch.

* Salt controls the growth of the yeast. Too much or too little salt will not allow the yeast to grow properly. Half a tablespoon of salt is optimum for this size batch.
* Half a tablespoon of ginger enhances the digestibility of the bread.
* For traditional rye bread or pumpernickel, sprinkle in four tablespoons of caraway seeds.
* A Swedish rye results from adding 2 tablespoons of anise seed, 2 tablespoons of fennel seed, and 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel.
* An omega rich loaf can be made by adding 3 tablespoons of flax or chia seed.
* That pizza bread will want Italian spices: a tablespoon of thyme, two tablespoons of oregano, and three tablespoons of basil. Do not add garlic or onion to the dough, because they will retard the growth of the yeast. More later on adding flavors that are less yeast friendly.
* Throw in a half cup of raw sunflower seeds.
* Put a cup of raisins or other dried fruit in for a sweet bread.
* Add two to three tablespoons of rosemary. Better yet, roll your loaves in the rosemary after they are formed.
* If you want a sweeter bread, add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of green stevia powder.

The Basic Process

The following procedure makes three or four loaves, depending on how much it rises and the size of your loaves.

Start with a quart of room temperature or slightly warmer liquid. Add one-fourth to one-half cup of oil and an equal amount of liquid sweetener. Measure them both in the same cup. The oil helps the sticky sweetener to slide out of the cup much more easily. Then run a rubber spatula around the inside of the cup quickly to get the rest of the oil and sweetener out.

Now that you have all the liquid ingredients assembled, it is time to introduce a tablespoon of active dry yeast to them. Recipe books from the past couple of generations ask you to soften the yeast in one half cup of warm water. That can still be done, if you desire. If you skip that step and add it directly to your liquid ingredients, the yeast gets a jump start on absorbing the nutrients that will allow it to be strong and healthy as it builds your loaf. It takes ten minutes or so for the yeast to come out of its dormant state and begin to grow again. Since it is in a medium that feeds it, you do not have to be strict about attending to the next step. It can be left for an hour or more without damage. You will come back to see lots of frothy bubbles.

Finally, it is time to add some flour a few cups at a time. Begin by adding four cups of flour to your yeast mixture. At this time, add your salt and ginger as well as whatever extras you will put in your loaf. Mix it in until it is smooth. It will still be a very wet batter.

The next four cups of flour do not have to be wheat. If you want rye bread, add that flour - all four cups if you want. Other flours with less gluten need to be used sparingly - no more than a total of two cups in this recipe.

Once these are mixed in, add the final two to four cups of flour, one at a time, mixing and observing the consistency of the dough. At this point, the dough should be firm and still a bit sticky, but not gooey.

This part of the process offers the ultimate in flexibility. Cover your bowl of dough with a damp towel and put it in a warm, draft free place: Near the range is often nice and warm, if you are cooking something else. Put it on top of the refrigerator, to take advantage of the warmer air near the ceiling. Some people place the dough inside an oven which has a pilot light, without turning on the oven.

Allow the mixture to sit for an hour or more before kneading. It can sit for several hours, even overnight, until you get some time to spend kneading it. In the past, women often mixed up the bread dough, and left it to rise and fall several times before baking it.

If it is left longer than eight hours, it starts to take on a sour dough type flavor which gets stronger the longer it sits. It will also be less sweet, the longer it waits. One advantage to such a delay is the easier digestibility of the finished loaf.

During the down time, the gluten, bran, herbs, and seeds absorb the amount of liquid that they will need during the rest of the process. When it comes time to knead your bread, you know pretty closely the final texture of the bread and can adjust accordingly. The additional benefit is the fact that it takes less (actually about half as much) time kneading to achieve the right elasticity of the loaf.

Kneading is the most fun of the whole process, except for the eating part.

Place your ball of dough on a clean counter top. If the dough sticks to the surface, dust the counter lightly with flour, or rub a layer of butter on it. For dough that it too stiff to work, flatten the dough and sprinkle it with water.

Place the heels of your hands in the middle of the ball. Push down and away from you. Hook your fingers over the far side of the mass of dough. Roll it all back toward you, again pushing toward the counter. Repeat the process, turning the dough a quarter turn every so often. After a bit, you develop a rhythm, pushing and pulling the mass, that comforts and satisfies some deep place in your soul.

Notice the change in the dough as you knead. It becomes smooth and stretchy in short order.

Return the dough to its bowl, or let it rest on the counter. Cover again with the damp towel. Let it rise until it doubles in size, perhaps another hour. Punch the dough down with your hand to redistribute the bubbles. This gives the yeast more time to work, and creates more bubbles.

On the other hand, you may proceed directly to forming your loaves.

It is time to form your loaves. When dividing the dough, cut off pieces with a sharp knife so you do not tear the gluten.

Grease the insides of the pan either with butter or with a light vegetable oil. The spray on kind works well and does not leave a big mess.

Loaf pans get filled halfway, so there is plenty of room for the bread to rise and form a nice rounded top.

Without a pan, you can make the ever-popular artisan loaf. These can be round or oblong. Many slice a series of gashes across the top. For an extra fancy presentation, try braiding your dough.

On the other hand you can make individual serving sized breads like rolls or buns of various sorts. With a rolling pin in hand, you can make cinnamon rolls, pizza shells, pitas, or flat breads.

Once your bread is in the form in which you want it baked, you can add extra flavor by adding herbs, seeds, or grains to the outside of the loaf. Many times, the outer decoration adds more flavor to the loaf than they would if you mix them into the dough.

* Press into its crust those tasty morsels that do not get along with the yeast: onion, or garlic.
* Mmmm! Time for some cinnamon rolls!!!! Roll out the dough to half an inch thickness. Spread with softened butter. Layer honey over the butter. Sprinkle a generous coating of cinnamon over the surface. Then start at one end and roll the yummy mixture inside a spiral of bread. Place the whole thing in a bread pan, or cut across the roll to make half to three quarter inch spirals.
* Sesame seeds add a nice nutty flavor to the loaf when pressed into the bread.
* Adding Italian herbs to the outside of your loaf gives you a ciabatta or foccacia-type bread.
* You might want to decorate it with rolled oats and/or corn meal instead.
* Try poppy seeds for the beauty of their tiny round shapes.
* For a more tender crust, apply a little water to the top of your loaf. Be careful not to soak the loaf, only apply enough water to make the top look glossy. A pastry brush will be helpful in controlling the application of the water.
* Brush on some beaten egg or egg white for a shiny top.
* If you want a golden brown top. Spread a thin layer of butter on top of the loaf.

Let the formed loaves rise one more time--about half an hour, depending on your indoor weather conditions.

If you are in a hurry let them rise in the oven as it warms. Many sources warn against this action because with white bread, the yeast will grow too fast exhausting the gluten and your loaf will collapse by the time there is sufficient heat to kill the yeast. However, with the well fed yeast and additional support you loaves will rise nicely and bake up fluffy.

Bread that has already risen will take 35 to 40 minutes in a pre-heated 325 degree Fahrenheit oven depending on the size of your loaves. Rolls, of course will cook faster, more like 25 to 30 minutes. If you allow the loaves to rise as the oven is heating, allow 45 minutes to an hour for them to bake.

Test for done-ness by dumping the loaf out on the counter and thumping the bottom. An unfinished loaf will respond with a dull thud. Put it back in the oven immediately and cook for another five minutes, then test again. The fully baked loaf sounds hollow.

Let your loaves cool on the counter for ten minutes before cutting them.

To keep the crust moist, put them in their bag at this time. However, many people feel that packaging them before they are cooled makes the crust soggy. Try it both ways and decide for yourself which way you like best.

Enjoy pampering your family and friends with fresh baked home made bread. This method allows you to put it together on your time, rather than becoming a slave to the dough.

References:

Herald Sun
Environmental Health Journal
Columbia Tribune
Living the Science
Houston Chronicle
Bio Ed Online
News Miner
Denver Post
Live 5 News
CBS Denver

Recommended Books:

Peter Reinhart "Brother Juniper's Bread Book"
Rose Levy Beranbaum "The Bread Bible"
Beth Hensperger "The Bread Bible"
Laurel Robertson "Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book"

Fermented Soy is Only Soy Food Fit for Human Consumption

by Barbara Minton, Natural Health Editor

(NaturalNews) Writings about the soybean date back to 3000 B.C., when the Emperor of China listed the virtues of soybean plants for regenerating the soil for future crops. His praises centered on the root of the plant, not the bean. These ancient writing suggested that the Chinese recognized the unfitness of soybeans for human consumption in their natural form. Now 5000 years later, we are once again catching on to the anti-nutritive qualities of the soybean, and realizing that the only soybean worth eating is one that has been fermented.

The key to releasing the nutrients of the soybean has been known for thousands of years

About 1000 B.C. some smart person in China discovered that a mold, when allowed to grow on soybeans, destroyed the toxins present and made the nutrients in the beans available to the body. This process became known as fermentation and led to the creation of the still popular foods tempeh, miso, and natto.

A few centuries later, a simpler process was developed to prepare soybeans for consumption. After lengthy soaking and cooking, the beans were treated with nigari, a substance found in seawater. The end product was tofu. During the Ming dynasty, fermented soy appeared in the Chinese Materia Medica as a nutritionally important food and an effective remedy for diseases.

Unfermented soybeans contain potent anti-nutrients

In their natural form, soybeans contain phytochemicals with toxic effects on the human body. The three major anti-nutrients are phytates, enzyme inhibitors and goitrogens.

These anti-nutrients are the way nature protects the soybean plant so that it can live long enough to effectively reproduce. They function as the immune system of the plant, offering protection from the radiation of the sun, and from invasion by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. They make the soybean plant unappetizing to foraging animals. All plants have some anti-nutrient properties, but the soybean plant is especially rich in these chemicals. If they are not removed by extensive preparation such as fermentation or soaking, soybeans are one of the worst foods a person can eat.

Unfermented soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women, allergies, ADD and ADHD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer, malnutrition, and loss of libido.

Groups most at risk of experiencing negative effects from the anti-nutrient properties of soy are infants taking soy baby formula, vegetarians eating a high soy diet, and mid-life women going heavy on the soy foods thinking they will help with symptoms of menopause.

Soybeans contain high levels of phytates

All legumes contain phytate (also known as phytic acid) to some extent, but the soybean is particularly rich in this anti-nutrient. Phytate works in the gastrointestinal tract to tightly bind minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, magnesium and calcium. It has a particularly strong affinity for zinc, a mineral that supports wound healing, protein synthesis, reproductive health, nerve function, and brain development. It is believed that people living in developing countries are shorter than those in developed countries because of zinc deficiency caused by eating too many legumes. There is also evidence that mental development can be negatively impacted by a diet high in phytate.

In most legumes such as other varieties of beans, soaking is enough to break down most of the phytate content. However the soybean requires that the enzymes be released in the fermentation process to reduce its phytate content to the point where it becomes fit for consumption. This means that fermented soy foods like miso and tempeh have the lowest levels of phytate and are the best choices for anyone wishing to eat soybean products. Tofu is also a good choice, as long as care is taken to replenish loss nutrients.

Whole soybeans, soy milk, soy chips, soy protein isolates, soy flour and all the other myriad of products made from processed soybeans and advertised as health foods have much higher levels of phytate and are not worth eating.

Unfermented soy products are rich in enzyme inhibitors

When food is eaten, digestive enzymes such as amylase lipase and protease are secreted into the digestive tract to help break it down and free nutrients for assimilation into the body. The high content of enzyme inhibitors in unfermented soybeans interferes with this process and makes carbohydrates and proteins from soybeans impossible to completely digest. When foods are not completely digested because of enzyme inhibitors, bacteria in the large intestine try to do the job, and this can cause discomfort, bloating, and embarrassment. Anyone with naturally low levels of digestive enzymes such as elderly people would suffer the most from the enzyme inhibiting action of soy.

Soybeans can block production of thyroid hormone

Soybeans have a high content of goitrogens, substances that can block the production of thyroid hormone as well as cause goiter formation. Low thyroid activity plagues women in America, particularly middle-aged women. Thyroid hormone stokes the cellular furnaces, known as mitochrondia. When thyroid production is low, energy levels as well as body heat are also low. Low thyroid level is what makes old people move so slowly and seem like every action is a huge chore. Low thyroid means the action of the heart is reduced, resulting in lack of oxygen to the cells, a prime condition for cancer.

Genistein, an isoflavone found in soybeans, can also block thyroid production. Phytate can accentuate these effects because it binds up zinc and copper, leaving little of these important minerals available to make thyroid hormone.

A transport protein called GLUT1 is shut down by genistein. This protein sends glucose into the cells where it is used to generate energy. Slowing the transport of glucose means less energy production not only of thyroid hormone, but of every other action in the body.

Another way in which soy isoflavones reduce energy in the body is by inhibiting tyrosine kinases, enzymes involved in the transfer of energy from one molecule to another. These enzymes drive cell division, memory consolidation, tissue repair, and blood vessel maintenance and regeneration.

It is this action of regulating cell division that made genistein a popular substance for fighting cancer. When research on this anti-cancer effect of genistein became know, the soy industry feverishly developed products that would appeal to Western women looking for genistein. In the middle of all this excitement, little attention was paid to how the energy reducing effects of genistein lowered cellular energy in normal cells.

The benefits of genistein come at a high cost

Women have been encouraged to use high genistein soy products to alleviate symptoms of menopause and as a guard against bone loss and breast cancer. But given the full range of effects of genistein in the body, high consumption could result in age-related memory loss. Commercial soybean products offer genistein levels as high as 20 to 60 mg per serving. Asians are presented as an example of the benefits of eating soybean products because their incidence of breast cancer and osteoporosis is low. However, the Asian diet of fermented soybean products such as miso and tempeh includes only around 5 mg of genistein a day.

Genistein slows the growth of blood vessels to tumors, another action that makes it popular as a cancer fighter. However, it has the same effect on blood vessels serving normal cells. Eating a regular diet high in genistein could result in the starvation of healthy blood vessels, resulting in a reduced supply of oxygen to cells, setting up a cancer promoting situation.

In a graphic example of how genistein slows cellular energy, a study found that eating high levels of it slowed hair growth by 60 to 80 percent

A decade ago a study of 8,000 Asian men showed that those consuming the highest amounts of tofu had smaller brain size and nearly three times the rate of senile dementia as those who ate the lowest amounts. These results suggest that eating foods high in isoflavones such as soy protein isolates may accelerate the aging of the brain.

Fermentation releases nutrients and transforms soybeans into nutritious food

People filling up their shopping carts with raw or cooked soybeans, soy milk, and other non-fermented soybean products do not realize that the isoflavones they contain will not be available to their bodies. Most of the isoflavones in soy products are bound to carbohydrate molecules called glucosides. In this form genistein is actually called genistin. It is fermentation that transforms genistin into genistein. Many products in the U.S. do not distinguish between genistin and genistein on their labels.

Even with fermented soy foods, a little goes a long way. The nutrients found in miso, tempeh, and natto can be beneficial in the moderate amounts found in the typical Asian diet, but have the potential to do harm in higher amounts. In China and Japan, about an ounce of fermented soy food is eaten on a daily basis.

When fermented soy foods are used in small amounts they help build the inner ecosystem, providing a wealth of friendly microflora to the intestinal tract that can help with digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and boost immunity.

Dr. John Lee, author of several books on the health of women, recommended that women wishing to consume soy production eat only miso, tempeh, natto. Tofu can also be eaten provided it is accompanied by fish or some other protein source and some seaweed or kelp to replenish bound minerals. Eating small amounts of these foods will provide the cancer protective effects of genistein without causing the other potential problems of genistein. Dr. Lee recommended avoiding genistein and isoflavone supplements, and soy protein isolates.

Sources:

Dr. John Lee, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer: How Hormone Balance Can Help Save Your Life, Warner Books.

How Fermenting Takes the Allergy Out of Soy and Other Foods.

Holistic Approach to Endometriosis

From Natural News

by Jo Hartley, citizen journalist

(NaturalNews) Endometriosis is a painful condition affecting women during their reproductive years. Endometriosis is one of the most common reasons behind both infertility and chronic pelvic pain in women. Pregnancy often provides temporary relief from symptoms of endometriosis, although there is no documented cure at this time. The good news is that herbal and holistic treatments are very effective for controlling the symptoms of endometriosis and in many cases herbs are the best source of relief.

During every monthly menstrual cycle the tissue lining from the inside of the uterus builds up and is shed. This tissue is called the endometrial tissue. When endometriosis is present, this tissue grows and sheds outside of the uterus. This tissue then forms lesions that respond to the monthly cycle similarly to how the tissue from the uterus responds.

The symptoms of endometriosis generally persist during childbearing years and subside after menopause. Approximately 30-40 percent of women with endometriosis experience infertility issues.

The endometrial growth causes pain and other subsequent problems because the menstrual blood is expelled through the vagina but the blood and tissue from the endometrial growths result in internal bleeding and inflammation and eventually scar tissues are formed. These endometrial growths are not usually cancerous. Although the precise cause of endometriosis is not known, excess estrogen secretion may trigger this condition.

Conventional treatments involve surgery to remove the endometrial growth and/or ovaries and in extreme cases even a hysterectomy may be advised. Unfortunately, research has shown that patients undergoing hysterectomies for endometriosis sometimes experience a regrowth of lesions.

Common drugs prescribed to treat endometriosis are Danazol (a male hormone derivative), progesterone, and birth control pills. Danazol shrinks the existing tissue and prevents ovulation. Progesterone has various side effects and cannot offer permanent pain control. A possible link between dioxin exposure and endometriosis has been uncovered by the Endometriosis Association. Dioxin is a toxic byproduct created from pesticide manufacturing, paper products, and bleached pulp. To enable the body to flush out these toxins, magnesium can be effective.

Natural Ways to Improve Endometriosis Symptoms:

-Nettle and Saw Palmetto -- decrease the production of endometrial tissue.
-Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids -- improve the immune system. A strong immune system will be able to destroy endometrial tissue as it accumulates in the body. Bioflavonoids help to relax muscles and reduce inflammation and pain.
-Wild Yam -- When taken prior to ovulation this can reduce endometrial symptoms. Helps to balance menstrual bleeding.
-Flax Seed Oil/Evening Primrose Oil/ Borage Oil -- Good sources of essential fatty acids that regulate the production of prostaglandin.
-Inositol and Choline -- Help the liver to process estrogen. Too much estrogen can lead to endometriosis symptoms.
-Phytoestrogens Vitex (chaste berry) and Dong Quai -- Hormone balancers may help reduce the build-up of endometrial tissue and the associated pain.
-Vitamin B-6 and 5-HTP -- Help with the metabolism of essential fatty acids.

Source: http://www.healthynewage.com/endometriosis.html

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I was diagnosed with endometriosis 3 decades ago. After dealing with it through prayer, herbs, nutrients, and diet changes I find myself with 5 wonderful children that the doctor said I would be unable to bear.

Based on my experience, I would add to the above list:
-Probiotics -- normalize the environment in which the reproductive organs dwell.
-Cut out sugar -- promotes a hostile environment for healthy tissues.
-Eat organic fruits and veggies whenever possible -- they may cost more, but the long term cost to your health is not worth pinching pennies in the short run.
-Avoid tampons (and perhaps disposable pads) -- The bleaching process introduces tons of toxins which are readily absorbed by the tender tissues.
-Watch out for Pseudo Estrogens -- found in many processed products and especially in red meat.
-Chamomile -- provided the best pain relief for me, even when prescription medications did not touch it. The scrips wreaked havoc with my system.
- Another good source for essential fatty acids is a new product I have found, called Moxxor. It is made from green lipped mussels, hoki fish (much like salmon and krill, but without the heavy metal contaminants), and grape seed extract (for powerful anti-oxidant activity).

'FireProof' Released on DVD

'Fireproof' the movie was released on DVD today. You need to see it.

Hubby, our boys, and I went the weekend 'FireProof' was released in theaters. My 10 year old enjoyed it, too. He is still giggling about the salt and pepper shakers.

DH is a big movie buff, often taking the boys to see the newest release. I am quite discriminating when it comes to movies, so I do not often go with them. When I expressed an interest in seeing 'Fireproof,' he jumped at the chance to make it a family outing.

At first, Hubby was sure he would just endure 'FireProof' because it sounded like a chick flick to him. But he found himself drawn into the drama of it, even shedding a few tears on more than one occasion.

The movie opens on a very troubled marriage. Two people (Caleb and Catherine) who were once very much in love find themselves living totally separate lives. Sound like anyone you know? We found some of the dialog spookily familiar.

Both partners pretty much gave up on trying to save their marriage, even considering the Big D (divorce). I always admonish brides-to-be to strike the word from their vocabulary.

Enter a pair of 'meddling parents.' Thank God for them!

Caleb's parents recently found a new life in re-energizing their faith. This was handled in a way many may find a bit irritating. It is very evangelical Protestant in expression (let that part go - no movie is perfect).

Caleb's father pulls him aside and makes a dare: follow the program in this journal for 40 days before giving up completely on your marriage.

Caleb thinks the whole thing is hokey, but Dad won't take 'no' for an answer.

Caleb sets out on his quest. Unfortunately, Catherine does not respond as readily as he hoped. So Caleb gets discouraged.

Dad keeps urging him to continue, saying that when they used the program in their marriage, it was not originally successful either.

Catherine's co-workers give conflicting advice.

Caleb, however finds a amazing amount of support from some of his co-workers.

A number of complicating factors present themselves.

Hubby expected that this might be another man-bashing movie: it is always the man's fault that a marriage is in trouble and the poor clueless oaf has no recourse but to turn into a doormat to turn things around. In the end, he was gratified that Caleb became more of a hero for his striving.

Then there is a surprise revelation about the journal.

'Fireproof' played up the gender differences quite effectively. The editing in this regard was stunning.

Pick up a copy of the 'Fireproof' DVD and watch it, whether you are married or not. There are also a number of support materials for those who would like to improve their marriage, regardless of its current state of affairs (no pun intended).

Health Tip of the Day - Attitude Adjustment

Right in your hand you have a reminder of your best attitudes for success in your health goals!

☻ Your thumb reminds you to approach any predicament you encounter with a “thumbs-up” orientation. Even one that looks like failure can teach you something that you can then use to fine-tune your future actions.
☻ Your pointer reminds you to direct all your actions toward your goal.
☻ Your middle finger expresses your response to fear and discouragement.
☻ Your ring finger reminds you to put your heart into your commitment to your goals.
☻ Your little finger reminds you that God is in the details. Celebrate the little accomplishments. They add up over time. Simple things like a smile and a thank you can change your whole world or someone else’s.

Health Tip of the Day - Get Moving

The human body is meant to move. Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. You will improve your overall health, well-being, and quality of life. Any activity that gets your heart rate up and moves your muscles qualifies as physical activity. Some ideas to live a more active lifestyle are:

☻ Gardening.
☻ Cleaning your home.
☻ Washing your car by hand.
☻ Taking your children to a park and playing with them rather than sitting a watching them.
☻ Climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, especially if you are only going up or down a few floors.
☻ Parking farther away from your destination than usual.
☻ Skating.
☻ Bicycling.
☻ Walking briskly.
☻ Bouncing on a mini trampoline.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina in Columbia found that people who had moderate to high levels of physical activity experienced 20-30% fewer colds than those with low activity levels. Regular physical activity promotes health in a number of ways:

☻ Improves the functioning of the digestive system.
☻ Stimulates lymphatic flow which promotes elimination of toxins from the body.
☻ Increases circulation and the efficiency of heart function.
☻ Supports the immune system.

A key to getting in shape is determination and consistency. If you find it difficult to exercise for 30-minutes or more each day, just do five or ten minutes. Often you'll find it difficult to quit once you get started. Notice how your body responds to exercise and truly enjoy all the benefits of exercise. The more you focus on the benefits the easier it will be to motivate yourself to stick with your fitness plan.

How do you fit exercise into your routine?

Health Tip of the Day - Sugar Causes Genetic Damage

Giving in to the urgings of the sweet tooth has farther reaching consequences than one might think. We know about the blood sugar roller coaster that results from that chocolate bar you crave. It turns out that the effects last for weeks, and may even effect future generations.

Australian scientists at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute study the impact of diet on human heart tissue and mice. The results of this study appear in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

The study showed that sugar consumption changes the way that the body responds to food. Sugar switches off genetic controls designed to protect the body against diabetes and heart disease. They found that cells show the effects of a one-time dose of sugar for fourteen days. If human genes remember a sugar hit for two weeks, imagine what happens when sugar consumption becomes a habit. Prolonged poor eating habits are capable of permanently altering DNA. This damaged DNA may be passed on to the next generation, putting into motion a downward spiral of poor health for posterity.

It would seem that the same may be true for other 'junk food' items. Put some serious thought into what you eat, and what you feed your family. We may regret our dependence on mass produced Franken Food for generations. Perhaps it is time we take back control of our families' health.

Bread for People Intimidated by Making Their Own.

Many people feel intimidated at the prospect of making bread. Baking bread does not have to be a fussy or time consuming business. I like to fit bread making into my schedule, rather than vice-versa. It really only needs a few minutes of attention here and there. As you get more comfortable with the process, you will find that your bread choices are limited only by your imagination.

Always make more bread than you think you will use. Bread is a very sociable commodity. There is always someone to share a loaf of fresh baked bread. The following procedure will make three or four loaves, depending on how much it rises and the size of you loaves.

Ingredients

Liquids

The liquid ingredients need to be slightly acidic to support the growth of the yeast:

☻ Of course, plain water can be used. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice for the yeast.
☻ Rejuvalac (water in which wheat berries soaked for 2 days) gives the yeast an extra enzyme boost.
☻ For extra protein, soured milk or whey makes a delightful loaf. Naturally soured milk works very well, but if you don’t have any, a teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the bowl will produce just what you need.
☻ Another choice: use left over water from cooking beans. Soy beans, however have chemicals that inhibit yeast growth, so any other beans will be a better choice.
☻ Adding fruit juice makes a moist, sweet loaf that does not need any additional sweetener. Dilute half and half with plain water.
☻ For 'pizza bread,' use half water and half tomato juice or tomato paste.

Fats

The fats in the dough help to support the gluten. It seems to seal in the little bubbles, so the loaf does not deflate as easily.

☻ Butter actually is best to provide support for the gluten.
☻ A mild tasting vegetable oil, like sesame, grape seed, or coconut works nicely.
☻ Or, if you are making an herbed Italian loaf that will allow a stronger taste, try olive oil.

Be careful with oils that turn rancid easily, like safflower and sunflower. The heat required for cooking your loaf may be too much for them. The rancid oil will give the bread an off flavor, that may be none too pleasant.

Sweetener

Yeast requires a lot of energy for its growth. For that reason, some sort of sweetener is necessary. It will get some of its energy from the natural sugars in the grain, so you don’t need to go overboard, a little goes a long way. You can use anywhere from two tablespoons to half a cup in this recipe.
☻ Blackstrap molasses provides both the yeast and the final consumer with the best nutritional profile. It is often used to grow the yeast commercially. Sometimes you will not find ‘blackstrap’ in your grocery store, it may be labeled robust or full flavored.
☻ Barbados molasses can be used, as well, but it is much sweeter, so less is needed.
☻ If you use honey, again in smaller quantities, it will act as a natural preservative, and your loaf will keep a day or two longer.
☻ Stevia (use the green powder) sweetens without adding calories. The yeast seems to like it, for some reason I have not been able to determine, but the bread rises quite nicely with lower amounts of other sweeteners.
☻ It is not necessary, or even desirable to use white cane sugar for your bread. It provides no real nutritional value for you or for the yeast.

Yeast

On the baking ingredients aisle you can find pre-measured yeast in those little yellow and red foil-lined packets. It is certainly convenient to use this product. You can get pre-measured, packaged yeast in the bakery aisle at the supermarket. At times, however, this is not as active as buying it loose and measuring it yourself. Buying it in bulk is more cost effective and decreases the amount of packaging required, resulting in less packaging to dispose. The yeast stays active for a very long time, as long as it is kept out of extreme heat. I bought 5 pounds when my kiddies were little and I was making bread every day. I kept it in a tub in the freezer most of the time. It survived several moves, when it was impossible to refrigerate the tub. My young 'uns are all grown now, and I just recently used it up and it was still quite enthusiastic.

Flour

Many, many seeds can be used for bread. Each gives a certain character to the bread. The texture and flavor of your loaves can be enhanced by mixing different flours. Of course, the best flours are made of the whole ground seeds. Whole grains make a denser loaf that lets you know you have really eaten something. If you must use white flour at first, mix it half and half with any other flour until your family's palates are trained to eat 'real bread.' Sometimes, it takes a while to work up to this.

☻ For the sake of the texture of your bread, wheat is far and above the best grain for the flour in you loaf. It is the gluten in the wheat that captures the carbon dioxide bubbles produced by the yeast. The bubbles are what makes the bread rise. Sixty to eighty per cent of the flour needs to be wheat.
☻ For a lighter loaf, you will want to add some gluten flour, especially if you are using less gluten rich flours later on. One tablespoon of gluten flour per cup of any other kind of flour is generally sufficient.
☻ Rye is a traditionally used for dark, heavier loaves which remind many of 'the Old Country' for those of European descent. It contains a fair amount of gluten, although not as much as wheat. So, you can use a greater percentage of it in your loaves - up to a forty percent of the flour can be rye.
☻ Oats provide a moisturizing influence on your bread, making a nice soft loaf. They, too contain some gluten, although it is a rather small amount. As much as a quarter of your flour can be oats. Oats absorb more moisture than other flours, so increase the liquid in your recipe or decrease the amount of your dry ingredients.
☻ Rice flour also absorbs moisture, so keep this in mind when measuring. There is no gluten in rice, so use it for an eighth or less of your flour. It gives the bread a crispness that can be delightful, especially if you intend to eat it toasted.
☻ Buckwheat is used in pumpernickel bread. It is more dense than most other flours. Use a small amount. Buckwheat makes a nice 'warming' loaf that is satisfying in the cold winter months.
☻ Garbanzo beans can be ground easily in your blender to make flour. They give a slightly nutty flavor to the loaf. It is also a nice way to get a complimentary protein into the mix.
☻ Soybeans are often touted for adding protein to bread. However, there is much controversy over the use of soybeans. This is not the place to address the controversy, so we will leave that for another time and place. Soybeans contain an enzyme which inhibits the growth of the yeast, so its use should be minimized. On a side note: much of the soybean crop is genetically modified, so it is mandatory that you use only organic soybeans.
☻ Carob powder is often used in pumpernickel bread, too. It darkens the loaf and provides a mellowing influence.

Additional Ingredients

Salt controls the growth of the yeast. Too much or too little salt will not allow the yeast to grow properly. Half a tablespoon of salt is optimum for this size batch. Half a tablespoon of ginger can enhance the digestibility of the bread as well.

Here is where the real fun begins. You can add all sorts of flavor and nutrition to the bread. Amounts are for the recipe below. Adjust to the size of your batch.

☻ For traditional rye bread or pumpernickel, sprinkle in four tablespoons of caraway seeds.
☻ A Swedish rye results from adding 2 tablespoons of anise seed, 2 tablespoons of fennel seed, and 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel.
☻ An omega rich loaf can be made by adding 3 tablespoons of flax or chia seed per loaf.
☻ That pizza bread will want Italian spices: a tablespoon of thyme, two tablespoons of oregano, and three tablespoons of basil. Do not add garlic or onion at this point because they will retard the growth of the yeast. More later on adding flavors that are less yeast friendly.
☻ Throw in a half cup of raw sunflower seeds.
☻ Put a cup of raisins or dried fruit in for a sweet bread.
☻ Add two to three tablespoons of rosemary. Better yet, roll your loaves in the rosemary after they are formed.
☻ If you want a sweeter bread, add a tablespoon of green stevia powder.

The Basic Process

Start with a quart of room temperature or slightly warmer liquid. Add one-fourth to one-half cup of oil and an equal amount of sweetener. Measure them both in the same cup. The oil will help the sticky sweetener to slide out of the cup much easier. Then you can run a rubber spatula around the inside of the cup quickly to get the rest of the oil out.

Now that you have all the liquid ingredients assembled, it is time to introduce a tablespoon of active dry yeast to them. The recipe books from the past couple of generations ask you to soften the yeast in one half cup of warm water. That can still be done, if you desire. You can, however, skip that step and add it directly to your liquid ingredients if they are at room temperature. The yeast will get a jump start on absorbing the nutrients that will allow it to be strong and healthy as it builds your loaf. It takes ten minutes or so for the yeast to come out of its dormant state and begin to grow again. Since it is in a medium that will feed it, yo do not have to be strict about attending to the next step. It can be left for an hour or more without damage, You will come back to see lots of frothy bubbles.

Finally, it is time to add some flour a few cups at a time. Begin by adding four cups of flour to your yeast mixture. This is also the time to add your salt and ginger as well as whatever ‘extras’ you will put in your loaf. Now that you have all this stuff piled up on your poor yeast, mix it in until it is smooth. It will still be a very wet batter.

The next four cups of flour do not have to be wheat. Rye flour has enough gluten to comprise as much as forty per cent of the mixture. Other flours with less gluten need to be used sparingly – no more than a total of two cups in this recipe. Once these are mixed in, add the final two to four cups of flour, one at a time, mixing and observing the consistency of the dough. At this point, the dough should be still a bit sticky, but not gooey.

This part of the process offers the ultimate in flexibility. It is a good idea to allow the mixture to sit for an hour or more before kneading. It can sit for several hours, even overnight, until you get some time to spend kneading it. If it is left longer than, say, eight hours, it will start to take on a sour dough type flavor which will get stronger the longer it sits. During the down time, the bran, herbs, and seeds can absorb the amount of liquid that they will need during the rest of the process. When it comes time to knead your bread, you will know pretty closely the final texture of the bread and be able to adjust accordingly. The additional benefit is the fact that it takes less actually about half as much) time kneading to achieve the right elasticity of the loaf.

It is time to form your loaves. When dividing the dough, cut off pieces with a sharp knife so you don’t tear the gluten. Grease the insides of the pan either with butter or with a light vegetable oil. The spray on kind works well and does not leave a big mess.

Loaf pans get filled halfway, so there is plenty of room for the bread to rise and form a nice rounded top.

Without a pan, you can make the ever-popular ‘artisan loaf.’ These can be round or oblong with a gash across the top.

For an extra fancy presentation, try braiding your dough.

On the other hand you can make individual serving sized breads like rolls or buns of various sorts. With a rolling pin in hand, you can make pizza shells, pitas, or flat breads.

Once your bread is in the form in which you want it baked, you can add extra flavor by pressing into its crust those tasty morels that do not get along with the yeast: onion, garlic, or cinnamon.

Mmmm! Time for some cinnamon rolls!!!!

Sesame seeds add a nice nutty flavor to the loaf when pressed into the bread. You might want to decorate it with rolled oats and/or corn meal instead.

For a more tender crust, apply a little water to the top of your loaf. Be careful not to soak the loaf, only apply enough water to make the top look glossy. A pastry brush will be helpful in controlling the application of the water.

If you want a golden brown top. Spread a thin layer of butter on top of the loaf.

Let the formed loaves rise one more time--about an hour, depending on your indoor weather conditions.

If you are in a hurry you can actually let them rise in the oven as it warms. Many sources warn against this action because with white bread, the yeast will grow too fast exhausting the gluten and your loaf will collapse by the time there is sufficient heat to kill the yeast. However, with the well fed yeast and additional support you loaves will rise nicely and bake up fluffy.

Bread that has already risen will take 35 to 40 minutes in a pre-heated (325 degree Fahrenheit) oven depending on the size of your loaves. Rolls, of course will cook faster, more like 30 minutes. If you allow the loaves to rise as the oven is heating, allow 45 minutes to an hour for them to bake.

Test for done-ness by dumping the loaf out on the counter and thumping the bottom. An unfinished loaf will respond with a dull thud. Put it back in the oven immediately and cook for another five minutes, then test again. The fully baked one will sound hollow.

Let your loaves cool on the counter for ten minutes before cutting them.

To keep the crust moist, put them in their bag at this time. Many people feel that packaging them before they are cooled makes the crust soggy. Try it for yourself and decide which way you like best.

Enjoy pampering your family and friends with fresh baked home made bread. This method allows you to put it together on your time, rather than becoming a slave to the dough.

♥ ♥ ♥

Health Tip of the Day - Food is Medicine

Everything you put in your mouth (or on your skin) has an effect on your body, for good or for ill - there is no neutral ground. Food can be like a powerful drug. It can have a chemical affect on our body and alter our emotional state.

To keep your mind clear and body in balance, eliminate foods high in refined sugar and unhealthy fats. Replace non-foods with high quality nutritious food. Go for colorful meals. Experiment with a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Think of the rainbow when putting together a salad or vegetable tray. White is not only the absence of color, it generally indicates an absence of nutrition.

Your tongue, your palate, responds to the training you (or your parents) give it. Taste is a product of habit. The cause of a habit is repetition, so to change unhealthy habits, substitute something positive:

☻ Instead of coffee, start your day with a large glass (32 ounces - drink slowly, especially at first) of water with 1/2 a lemon squeezed into it. You have been without fluids for 8 to 10 hours or more. One of the signs of dehydration is lagging energy. If you have to sweeten it, add a touch of honey, agave, or (green) stevia, but decrease the amount from day to day to lessen your dependence on that burst of sweet.
☻ Replace that doughnut in your morning snack with an apple or pear. You still get to satisfy your sweet tooth, but the extra nutrients and enzymes will keep you going longer.
☻ Add darker leafy greens to your salad, rather than relying on iceberg lettuce, which loses any nutrition it has quickly after harvest.
☻ Keep raw (not roasted or salted) nuts on hand for quick snacks instead of candy bars. The B vitamins and healthy fats in them will give your brain a boost.
☻ Fill your refrigerator with a variety of cut up veggies or fruit. They will be easy snacks to grab (instead of chips) when you have the munchies. The crunch factor is still there, but with a lot more benefits.

You get the idea. Let your imagination take you to a better place in your health, through the food you eat.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General of the 2.2 million deaths in America each year, 1.8 million are diet related. Research shows that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables protects you against cancer, heart disease, and the effects of aging.

Common Household Uses of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

☻ Bleaching Formula - Make a paste of cream of tartar or baking soda and H2O2 and apply to rust spot, let stand for about 30 minutes. Scrub with a sponge and rinse.
☻ Chopping Board Stain Remover - Rub in 3% H2O2 and let stand for 10 minutes. Rub in, rinse with clean water and then apply lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Rub and rinse with water.
☻ Drain Cleaner - Mix ½ cup H2O2, ½ cup white vinegar, 1 cup salt, 1cup baking soda. Let stand for 15 minutes. Flush with 1 qt. of boiling water followed by hot tap water. Repeat if necessary.
☻ Oven Cleaner - Apply paste of vinegar, H2O2 and baking soda with a sponge on oven door and walls. Allow to stand 15 minutes, sponge off with warm water.
☻ Left Over Tossed Salad Keeper - rinse off any salad dressing residue. Spray with mixture of ½ cup water and 1 Tbs of H2O2. Rinse off with clean water. Cover and put in refrigerator.
☻ Tile and Grout Cleaner - Mix ¼ cup H2O2, 1 cup salt and 1 cup baking soda. Apply with a rag or sponge and use a grout brush to work mix into grout. Rinse with water.
☻ Fruit and vegetable wash - Add 1 Tbs. H2O2 to one gallon of water. Soak in solution for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Then soak in clean water for 15 minutes and then drain. (Clean our meat, fish and poultry the same way. Rinse thoroughly.
☻ Laundry stains - for ink stains apply the H2O2 with a clean cloth and gently rub on stain. Be careful not to over-saturate. Blot up excess. Rinse with cold water. Blot dry. For perspiration stains - mix ½ cup cold water and ½ of H2O2. Apply and let stand 30 minutes. Place in washer. Add detergent and wash on cold water setting. Do not use on wool, silk, or dry-clean only fabrics.
☻ Whitening Old Tennis Shoes - Add 1 cup of H2O2 to final rinse cycle. Let dry in the sun.
☻ Mildew Remover - Spray 3% H2O2 on mildew. Then scrub with a paste of equal parts borax and lemon juice and rinse.
☻ Toilet Bowl Cleaner - Mix 2 qts. water and 1 cup H2O2. Let stand 30 minutes. Then scrub with brush.
☻ Athlete's Foot Fungus and sore feet - After showering in the morning, use a cotton ball to apply H2O2 to affected area. Before bed, wash and dry feet. Add 1 cup H2O2 to foot soak solution of warm water. Soak for 10 or 15 minutes. Do every day until problem clears up.
☻ Bath soak to Relax and Ease Aches - Apply H2O2 with a cotton ball directly on aching joint or muscle. Allow to dry. Then add 1 cup baking soda to a tub of warm water and soak.
☻ Acne - H2O2 kills dermal bacteria. Use a cotton ball to apply to affected area. Keep away from eyes.
☻ Age Spots and Freckles - Mix the juice of ½ squeezed onion and 2 tsp. of vinegar and 1 Tbs. H2O2. Apply lightly.
☻ Insect Bites and Bee Stings - Apply H2O2 with a cotton ball to bee stings and insect bites immediately afterwards.
☻ Mouthwash and sore throat gargle - put 2 Tbs. in a glass of clean water. Rinse mouth or gargle. Do not swallow the solution. When done rinse mouth with clean water. (Do not use in your mouth if you have porcelain dental work (contains aluminum) or conventional mercury fillings. Mercury and aluminum are toxic and may be released in your system.)
☻ House and Garden Plant Stimulator - Mix 1 qt. water and 2 Tbs. H2O2 and place in spray bottle. Apply a light mist to plant.
☻ Insecticide - Mix equal parts H2O2 and water in a spray bottle. Spray on plant to control aphids and other insects. If this is not working well enough, mix up a batch consisting of 1 cup H2O2, 1 cup black strap molasses and one gallon of water.
☻ Fungus Control In the Garden - Mix 5 Tbs. baking soda, 5 Tbs. H2O2 in one gallon of water and apply.
☻ Shower Curtain Cleaner - Place in washing machine with a bath towel with your regular detergent. Add 1 cup H2O2 to rinse cycle.
☻ Deodorizer When Pet is Sprayed by a Skunk - Mix ¼ cup baking soda, 1 qt. H2O2 and 1 tsp. Ivory soap. Use this solution to wash your pet and be careful to keep it out of your pet's eyes. Rinse with clean water.
☻ Kitchen Cleaner - Keep a spray bottle of H2O2 in the kitchen to keep germs at bay. Label the bottle clearly.
☻ Dishwater or Dishwasher Booster and Sanitizer - Add ¼ cup H2O2 to regular detergent. You can also add vinegar for extra action.
☻ Food sanitizer - Put H2O2 in a spray bottle and label. Fill another spray bottle with white vinegar and label. Spray foods with each substance and rinse. It does not matter what order you apply them.

For information on uses for Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide, check out the book: "The One Minute Cure: The Secret to Healing All Disease"
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