Posted on 03/19/2019 5:52:42 PM PDT by little jeremiah
Many FReepers have knowledge to share about improving and maintaining health and would like to share it and learn from others; and others may not know much yet but want to learn. Some of us don't have much money for good insurance or doctors, some want to try other methods besides prescription meds, and some have experience in treating and solving health problems.
More and more "regular" doctors have accepted treatment methods such as the benefits of acupuncture, massage for many conditions, better diet, use of herbs and so on. There are limits, and often side effects, to some standard medical efforts.
My field is Ayurvedic herbalism and related measures, and have a lot of information I can post when I have time. I have seen herbs and sometimes dietary changes help people (including myself) with issues such as rheumatoid arthritis, high BP, gallstones, kidneystones, repeated boils, UTIs, prostate problems, insomnia, allergies, urinary incontinence, and many more. I hope to learn a lot from others with their knowledge and experience.
There are many "old fashioned" home care methods that were in common use a few generations ago that actually work and are cheap, such as castor oil packs, fomentations using alternating hot and cold water, and the like, which are easy to do. I am sure there is a lot of knowledge here on Free Republic that can be shared.
I would like this thread to stay civil without distruption, so my request is that people who think natural health methods are bunkum, make your own thread.
Useful info and a video about oils in the diet:
https://freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3735908/posts?page=1300#1300
I also stopped cooking with oils decades ago...Except for coconut to grease the pan before I bake. I think coconut oil does not become toxic when heated.
When I serve the food, I drizzle the oil on top so that the oil chemistry does not change.
No time to read the article this morning....Am I supposed to go back to eating lard?
read the article
correction:
watch the video
I don’t consume lard as I am a vegetarian which means including milk products. Lard may be less unhealthy than heated vegetable oils; probably is, but there are other reasons I would not eat it. I make ghee about twice a year, from unsalted butter and store pint canning jars; I heat them in the oven with the lids hot, pour in hot ghee, and they seal. It’s all I use to cook with other than butter for baking.
Oil goes rancid very, very quickly; that’s another reason why it is unhealthy.
one of my brothers was a chef for a while and he makes ghee
I know nothing about ghee
but
I will probably never go back to lard
I use raw walnut oil - my bad
I can write up how to make ghee if you’d like.
I would like to know how to make and cook with ghee.
I probably will not be canning it though.
I gave my pressure pot to a friend because I was injured and could no longer lift it, unscrew the lids, and that stuff. I still put a lot of food by (dehydrated) and still garden, but am unable to can.
IIRC, my brother used to make small batches of ghee and used fresh only.
thank you in advance
Making ghee and sealing the jars doesn’t require a pressure cooker. I will describe it all. Very easy. Probably tomorrow.
Copying from T.C.- may help others. I will post a youtube of another breathing exercise this evening.
I have had, in the past mostly, a terrible issue with a racing heart up to 177bpm and arrythmia’s to the point that I would black out. After multiple tests by the cardiologist, it was determined that it was stress related. The long-term solution was to retire and start taking magnesium, mostly.
My pulmonary specialist taught me a breathing exercise that works immediately to slow the heart down. He said to take a deep breath, as deep as I can, hold it for as long as I can, and let it out slowly. He said that filling the lungs with air puts the heart in a blanket like cocoon and compresses it to force it to slow down. It works. It also seems to put it back in sync.
It was determined, after a lot of tests, that I was having an adrenaline overload when under stress and the adrenaline had nowhere to go. He said get as much cardio as possible and that would help with the adrenaline and do the breath holding exercise while having an attack. I eventually stopped having them. Since I haven’t been able to exercise as much after messing up my ankle, I have had a flare a time or two but the breath holding always stops it.
I wrote this up quite a few years ago, edited it, and if you or anyone has any questions I will be happy to answer. (info on dangers of heated vegetable oil on previous page)
How I Make Ghee
I make ghee in a way that is said to be a “no no” in cook books, but it works, and I’ve been making ghee for more than 40 years. Ghee is considered by Ayurveda to be very healthy, and darkfield blood studies have shown (from articles I’ve read) that people who eat ghee exclusively have very good blood activity - the various cells work as they should better than in other people.
Use unsalted butter. It’s generally fresher, you get more ghee, and the salt is just a plain nuisance in the ghee process, and makes it burn more. It still works with salted, but if you have a choice get unsalted.
Use a large heavy pot, unwrap the butter and melt it on high, making sure it doesn’t burn. As soon as it is all melted, turn the heat to low (as low as or lower than cooking rice). Stir occasionally, really keep your eye on it - not constantly, but don’t forget about it for a half an hour, you’ll be sorry. Stir it more often rather than less often.
Two things happen when butter turns into ghee - the water content boils away, and the milk solids toast up and turn from gooey whitish stuff into dark golden/brownish sandy looking (and tasty if using unsalted butter) crunchy stuff. So stirring helps the water part cook off and keeps the milk solids from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. Sometimes if you don’t stir it, the moisture will boil up in a small explosion and you’ll have ghee on your stove (or blouse) and a mess to clean up. Stirring also speeds up the whole process and keeps the butter/ghee from sticking.
Now, you can do one of two things: keep on cooking it on top of the stove, or put the whole pot into the oven. I’ve been opting for the oven - I start about 225, and as the ghee gets more clear and golden and the milk solids start drying up and looking sandy, I turn it down to about 170 (that’s the lowest setting). I still stir and check, but it can hardly burn unless you forget about it for hours.
How to tell when it’s done?
When you stir and nothing foams to the top; perhaps a small amount of bubbles but no real foam; and when the milk solids are a darkish golden brown and very sandy looking, and the ghee itself is totally clear and golden. It also has a heavenly smell.
Then let it cool down until it is merely hot, and pour into jars. I use pint mason jars and I heat the jars and lids in the oven for a while. 180 for a half hour or so sterilizes them and they are hot enough. I don’t mess with pouring it through cheesecloth, wastes too much ghee and a horrid mess to clean up. I used to use an old thin piece of cotton slip, but now I just pour through a very fine mesh stainless steel strainer.
When you pour, be very careful so not a drop of ghee gets on the jars or the lids won’t seal. If need be I keep a piece of paper towel, very slightly damp, to wipe off any ghee on the jar edge. I pop the lids and rings on, and the jars seal while they cool. Write the date and store in a cool dark place I’ve made ghee this way and it keeps for a year or so if stored in a cool dark place or in the fridge. I try to make enough for about 6-8 months at a time.
Nothing tastes as good as ghee. I rarely deep fry, only on very special occasions. But anything deep fried in ghee is - well, tastes better than anything cooked in oil.
PS - the ghee solids that get strained out should be used in a few days (depending on if you keep them in the fridge). They are tasty and can be stirred into soups, rice, vegetables, or even spread on bread (I’ve seen it, not done it!), They are just toasted milk solids.
I have heard of people using crock pots for ghee, sounds good as long as your pot is detachable from the electric part, otherwise it would be really hard to clean it.
Regarding temperature, starting on high to melt the butter and then turning it lower as it cooks works best. And stirring - all cook books say don’t stir. I used to do it that way - they say to skim off the foam as it cooks. I find that troublesome, wasteful and messy. The way I describe above works better, less mess, and no waste. I don’t know why all the cookbooks don’t teach it MY way!
Regarding graininess, it can get like that when it cools down; in cold weather my ghee is totally solid and hard, warms up to liquid in very hot weather. I don’t use it on toast as it is too intense for me plus I like the saltiness of butter, but I know people who do like in on toast.
When vegetable oil heats (exact temperatures vary depending on kind of oil) it polymerizes - the molecules stick together in long chains (kind of how they make plastics from oil...). Think of how cooking oil residue sticks to stoves and cooking ware - I’ve had to scrape if off with razor blades when I used to clean houses. Ghee, OTOH, does not do that so not only is it easier to clean up (hot water and dish soap does it easily) but those polymerized chains don’t clog up in your innards either. Nor does heated ghee produce free radicals in the innards.
Thanks, lj. Bkmk for later.
Thanks, lj, I will make it. I normally buy it already made but it’s getting too expensive. I have never used vegetable oil, just olive and avocado oils, much healthier.
I’ve never bought ghee as I learned to make it so many years ago. It’s indispensible!
It is very easy and you don’t have to make 10 pounds at a time! Start with just one or two pounds and once you get the hang of it, it’s easy.
Pinging the list. Links to info on heart heath and mental calm and balance. Some new info up the thread, including making ghee.
Some methods to help reduce stress and promote mental calm and relaxation
https://freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3735908/posts?page=909#909
Alternate nostril breathing - very balancing and calming for the mind and body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUFzLVf5wL4
Some Very Important Herbs for the Nervous System
https://freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3735908/posts?page=389#389
Arjuna and Heart Health
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=597#597
Jatamansi Heart Health and more
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=622#622
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=737#737
Herbs that help clear blood and lymphatic systems, and for heart health
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=739#739
Hawthorne Berry Heart Health and more
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3735908/posts?page=600#600
Thank you lj!
I need to post more on this thread for my mental health.
Less horribilized nooz...
THank you!!!
Many thanks! Looking forward to reading every one of these articles. I’ve found lately that with the greatly increased workload, not only is my temper short, but pushing myself to get all work projects completed “RIGHT NOW” interferes with my ability to concentrate and turn out work in a timely manner.
Will update on results. Thanks again. Best, AFB-XYZ
Life on earth is very stressful. Stress can be a killer. My heart condition has greatly improved by taking most or all of the heart herbs listed, especially Jatamansi, Arjuna and Hawthorne. A bit of Cardamom is good too. I mix up, keep in a jar, and take a heaping teaspoon of the mixture in a cup of warm water daily, divided into two doses.
I need to do nadi shodhana right now. Instantly effective.
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