Category Archives: wellness

Woman to Woman on Motherhood

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Just part of the family. Full family get-togethers become increasingly difficult!

Originally published on January 2017

No longer in the stage of life of having small children – with all the joys and tasks they create – I now have the blessing of grandchildren! This allows me time to think about the significance of motherhood and seek to encourage moms in the most important role they could ever have. Seeking wisdom through the Bible daily, God sheds light in my heart and I desire to share this light with others.

Peter speaks directly to leaders in chapter five of his first letter, “Shepherd God’s flock. Not for the money, but eagerly.” These words powerfully impacted my heart one morning. Who are these words directed to? Leaders. Who is a leader? Parents are leaders. Mothers are leaders. We are entrusted with the leadership of our children.

What does it mean to shepherd a flock? I’m no expert in sheep, but my guess is the obvious things – take care of them. Make sure they have safe food, a safe place to eat and protect them from forces that might attack and harm them. David is a great example of a committed shepherd. He tells us that he actively protected his sheep by killing a lion and a bear. He didn’t abandon his sheep. He didn’t expect anyone else to come in and do his work for him. He was ready. He was alert. He was practiced. He attacked the enemies that sought to attack his flock.

We also read many of David’s psalms and we know God asserted that David was “a man after God’s own heart.” David was certainly not perfect. He committed adultery and murder and sought to cover it up. He married many wives and didn’t have a great track record as a father. However, God continues to affirm that David’s heart was directed toward God. I believe part of this comes from his occupation during the boredom of looking after his sheep. Let’s face it, when you are looking after sheep, there are times of boredom – when everything seems to be going well. David used this time to exalt in God. He wrote down praises to God and he memorized them. He used his down time to extol God and bask in who God is.

As mother-leaders we are to be prepared to actively protect our flock – the children we are blessed to bear and raise. We can also use the times of boredom to dig deeper into knowing God, knowing His word, memorizing His word and exalting God in our lives.

In 2017 we need to know exactly what dangers our sheep are facing. We need to have an awareness of the very real dangers in our world so that we can expose them and help our children avoid being consumed by the enemies they will encounter. I don’t believe we are called to push for a better world, or even hope that there will be a political solution to the evil we see around us. But, as a vigilant shepherd, as a mother today, we seek to protect our babies. God has entrusted them to our care; we must be aware and warn them of danger. An alert shepherd will investigate potential danger before advancing to a new area. Shepherds should be able to understand, point out, and explain the reason a particular path holds danger.

For me personally, as someone who has been blessed to get support and information that enabled me to have natural births and breastfeed the five children I was blessed by God to bear, the world of childbirth and early parenting are close to my heart. Knowing how empowering the act of giving birth naturally was for me, knowing how empowering the act of nurturing a baby exclusively at the breast is, and watching with delight as baby grows and thrives on breast milk alone is an unparalleled experience.

I believe the enemy wants to rob women of this empowering experience. Further, the enemy seeks to sow discord in the hearts of children and break the bonding process experienced easily through natural birth and breastfeeding. I am not trying to criticize anyone who has had a different experience, but the reality is, bonding is more difficult when there are complications in childbirth and when early breastfeeding is a struggle. These are not insurmountable challenges, but require much more effort and determination to get through. As a breastfeeding counselor for 23+ years I have seen women overcome incredible challenges to successfully breastfeed, but my heart aches to watch completely unnecessary complications develop because of lack of support, or poor recommendations to unsuspecting women.

I believe the medical establishment has so medicalized the childbirth experience that most women are deprived of the support necessary to watch their body give birth. A woman is designed to give birth and her body is the most amazing part of the process. Our modern medical practices often unnecessarily complicate the process and serve to DISempower women of their biological strength. Again, this is not meant as a criticism to specific women, who generally do the best with the situation they face, but to the system. Medicalized births often lead to increased trauma to both mom and baby and can make breastfeeding more difficult. Additionally, standard hospital practices, such as early cord clamping, routine vitamin K injections, eye ointment, and some of the well meaning advice given by staff can adversely impact bonding and breastfeeding. Medical personnel who are ignorant of breastfeeding can create many obstacles for a brand new mother trying to get breastfeeding off to a good start. Routine circumcision of male newborns can seriously impact breastfeeding – yet mothers are not warned.

As a breastfeeding counselor, nothing hurts my heart more than watching innocent, but ignorant, parents, blindly follow medical or cultural advice and end up actually harming their own child. They do not intend harm to their precious baby, but the system has ensnared them into decisions that are not in their baby’s best interests for lifelong health.

How? The list is long. Giving pregnant women vaccines which are known to harm the developing baby, giving many ultrasounds in pregnancy, routine birth practices (such as routine inductions or quick C-sections) designed with the doctor or hospital in mind but which put baby at greater risk of harm, vaccines given to baby, circumcision, allergy shots for children, Tylenol, screen time for babies and children (more addictive and damaging than some drugs), GMO food, processed foods, blindly trusting public schools or curriculum, Disney movies, etc.

I was once in darkness about most of these things. I didn’t know how harmful they were. But, having researched and now understanding the danger, I can no longer blindly continue these harmful practices for myself. As an “older women” I can no longer stand idly by and watch younger women get sucked into very dangerous fields where the enemy stands ready to devour both them and their young lambs.

So, I must speak out and warn others, despite the risk of being dismissed as crazy, or ridiculed by what I point out. I am encouraged by Paul’s admission of craziness,

“For if we are out of our mind (super crazy), it is for God, and if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels, us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all died. And He died for all that those who live, no longer live for themselves, but for Him who for their sake, died, and was raised.” 2 Corinthians 5:13-14

Peter warns us that we need to ‘”Be serious. Be alert. Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

This is why I started this blog. Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife to John for 36 years, mother of five, MIL to two, grandmother of six, passionate follower of Jesus Christ. A full time truth seeker, especially in the areas of health and children. Navigating our present day world can be challenging, God’s timeless truths in the Bible are my guide.

Reasons for Circumcision

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Botched circumcisions are a reality. Circumcision, which should more appropriately be referred to as ‘complete foreskin amputation’, as performed in the US on infants, often goes wrong. You might not have heard about it. Parents don’t talk about it. Boys and men experience so much trauma and pain that they rarely discuss it. Yet it is a reality that has negatively impacted the lives of thousands. Circumcision is a risk. It is a risk to lifelong sexual satisfaction; a risk of functional use of a healthy specifically designed part of the body. And there is a risk of death – far more often than parents are told about.

“The hundreds of boys I have seen who needed surgery to repair problems caused by their circumcisions are real. The men who lost more parts of their penis than the foreskin are real. The thousands of adult men saying they wish they hadn’t been cut are real. Not recognizing that circumcision is harmful is either ignorance or denial.” Adrienne Carmack, M.C., urologist https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/for-professionals/complications/#anchor-02

Please inform yourself of exactly what the procedure entails BEFORE you are in the hospital faced with the question of whether to keep your son intact or not. This is elective surgery. It is a choice for parents to make, yet often parents are not fully informed.

I urge you to dedicate at least 2 – 4 hours researching circumcision before you make an irreversible decision for your son’s genitalia. If you still decide to do the surgery, at least you will make an informed decision that you won’t later go back to and say, “I wish I knew better before I had made this permanent decision for my son about his genitals.”

The most important thing for you to do right now is to decide why you might want to have this surgery done to your newborn son.

The most common reason given for circumcision is because they want their son to look like everyone else, so they won’t be teased or embarrassed. The truth is ALL penises look different – whether intact or cut. Over 80% of adult men in the world have intact genitalia. Many experts in the US now admit that there is no need for circumcision and recognize it as purely cosmetic surgery. Because of that, insurance doesn’t always pay for it, and many parents are now skipping the procedure. As a result, fewer and fewer infants in the US are having this cosmetic surgery so the locker room issue will not arise. In 2010, the CDC reported that 41.70% of baby boys left US hospitals intact! Would you endorse cosmetic surgery on your young daughters genitals or breasts to conform to other girls? Could we give our sons the same consideration?

Some moms want to circumcise their newborns because they don’t like the way an uncircumcised man looks. Maybe their son’s future wife won’t have that same opinion. Intact men are satisfied with their genitals. When asked, most intact men say they would rather face teasing than have their forsaken amputated. Adult men will have the opportunity of having a circumcision – with true informed consent – if they desire.

Other people opt to circumcise because of the religious connection. In the book of Genesis, Abraham was told to circumcise all the males in his household. When Jesus was eight days old, his parents took him to be circumcised. This procedure, given to the Jewish nation before running water, was symbolic in nature and had no value except to mark someone as a Hebrew person that placed their faith in God. Biblical circumcision was a cut. A small blood sacrifice; a mark on the skin. It was not a complete amputation of the foreskin. Only a very small bit of the excess foreskin was removed. It never involved forcibly tearing the protective skin away from the glans (head) of the penis, which is adhered at birth like a fingernail is to a finger. Additionally, there are many New Testament examples that clearly show us the need for a blood sacrifice has been finally fulfilled in Jesus’ death and circumcision is no longer necessary. See Galatians 5 & 6 or look up circumcision in a concordance.

Here are a few links that I urge you to look at BEFORE making any kind of irreversible decision for your precious son.

There is a lot of discussion on whether a baby can feel the pain of this traumatic surgical procedure, or if that pain makes a difference in his life. Anesthesia … http://www.drmomma.org/2008/11/the-effectiveness-of-anesthesia-for.html?m=1

Why did circumcision became so mainstream in the US? These excerpts from medical journals from the late 1800’s and the 1900’s provide the answers. http://www.drmomma.org/2007/05/circumcision-brief-history-in.html?m=1

This EXCELLENT video, Child Circumcision: An Elephant in the Hospital, looks at the topic through both a review of scientific literature and a discussion of the human cost of the procedure, this presentation explores these questions from the perspectives of the child, the adult survivor, the parent, and the practitioner. Ryan McAllister, PhD, is a parent, a biophysicist, an Assistant Professor of Physics and Oncology at Georgetown University, and also a volunteer who supports parents and families. Over the last 10 years he has been studying the medicalization of childbirth in U.S. hospitals.

The actual procedure: An infant’s penis is very small making such surgery difficult and delicate. There is a very small surgical field and no way to know how the penis would normally grow, which can and does result in devastating outcomes. In fact, some men have painful, tight erections because too much foreskin is removed in infancy. Any parent considering allowing such a surgical procedure on their son should at the very least, watch a video that shows what happens during the procedure. This video is a US style circumcision using a plastibell device. [Edit: the original linked video vanished so I found another one. It is age restricted so you will have to click on it to watch on YT.]

From a nurse…

…the first circumcision I saw was in nursing school. I asked the doc if he would use something for pain. He said, “No, topical meds won’t be enough before hand and if I give him injections I’ll have to give 9-12 injections, which will make the pain worse at first. No, it’s better to just do it quickly. Get it finished. Apply topical pain relief and give him to his mom to nurse or feed.”

The nurse took the baby back to mom after he had stopped crying. She told mom, “He did great…” and mom smiled. She never knew what the experience was like for her son. It was heartbreaking. I asked the nurse how she felt about it and told her I felt sick. I was shaking. She said, “Yeah it’s one of the worse parts of the job…” and that was it. She walked off. Later she told me she wished it didn’t happen and her own son was intact. I said, “Well, yeah, because you’ve seen it happen – how awful it is. These parents, here, never see behind the scenes.”
Alicia J.

I hope these resources help you get started in learning about the details of making this important decision for your precious son. This is my second blog on this topic, you can read my first blog here.

Edit: I just found 2 more thorough sources of information published by GreenMedInfo on this topic:

Ji, Sayer. “Infants Deeply Traumatized By Common Medical Procedures, New Study Suggests.” GreenMedInfo – The World’s Natural Health Resource, 30 July 2016, www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/infants-deeply-traumatized-medical-procedures-new-study-suggests-1.

Quine, Spoony. “The Foreskin: Why Is It Such A Secret In North America?” GreenMedInfo – The World’s Natural Health Resource, 2 July 2015, www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/foreskin-why-it-such-secret-north-america.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies.

Vaccines

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Welcome to my information page to help you explore the health benefits and safety of vaccines, especially for babies and children. Every parent wants a healthy happy baby. You will find a lot of conflicting information available today on exactly how to achieve that goal – a healthy HAPPY baby. I’ve been researching this topic – HAPPY babies – for over 34 years and have learned a lot along the way from thousands of mothers and babies, books, and experts.

I urge you to take all the time necessary to find out if vaccines, and any other recommended standard medical treatments, are going to ensure that your baby is healthy and happy. If you are still pregnant you might like to explore how labor and childbirth can have a longterm impact on your child.

Bringing a precious new life into the world is one of the greatest thrills and responsibilities we may ever have in our lifetime. Nurturing a human being over time is an enormous privilege. Congratulations on taking the time to think through some very important issues. I have supplied links below to some of my compilations for new parents, grandparents, and anyone concerned about the health and safety of babies. You could think of this as a table of contents in a book. Feel free to browse in whatever order works for you. I’m always open to ideas of how I can improve my delivery of information, so feel free to make a comment or send me a message.

START HERE: First Shots Recommended for all babies born in USA:
Vitamin K in Brief
Hepatitis B Vaccine
My Dear Friend – it’s about vaccines
Preparing to Vaccinate
The CDC Vaccine Schedule – How Many SHOTS?
Especially for pregnant woman/couples:
Pregnant? Who Do You Trust?
WARNING for Pregnant Women
To My Newly Pregnant Friend
MUST READ for Pregnant/Potentially Pregnant Couples
Information Everyone Should Explore:
Shots for Babies
Vulnerable Brains
240 Doctors Question Vaccine Safety
The Shocking Truth about aborted human fetal cells in vaccines
How Do I Research Vaccines?
The CDC USA Vaccine Schedule
What Do I Say to My Doctor?
Tetanus Links
It’s Not Just Autism
Vaccines and Childhood Cancer?
Which Vaccines are Safe?
What About School?
Real Stories of Babies Harmed by Vaccines
Healthy Babies Don’t Just Die: Gunner Wayne Bohn
It Wasn’t the Truck: Connie’s Grandson
Healthy Babies Don’t Just Die Part 2: Johnny Bloem
Healthy Toddlers DON’T JUST DEVELOP AUTISM: Josiah
How Many Shots?: Luca
Delayed Selective Vaccines: Colt Barham
It’s Just a Tetanus Shot: Christie’s son
A Heartbroken Mother’s Story: premature baby dies after Hep B vaccine
Especially for Christians
Calling all Christians
Health, Jesus, Vaccines: do they go together?
The Shocking Truth about aborted human fetal cells in vaccines

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety.

Best Wellness Tip EVER!

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Kefir is an amazing living food that provides multiple benefits especially when ingested every day. Kefir is known to play a curative role in diabetes, cancer, autism, gastritis, IBS, arthritis, and many more. In fact regularly ingesting kefir might be the single most beneficial thing you can do to ensure wellness!

Kefir has the benefits of a pro-biotic since it is rich in vitamins, minerals and polysaccharides, with a diversity of bacteria, yeast and mould which are beneficial to the human micro-biome.

Kefir provides over 70 different pro-biotic species which keep harmful bacteria in check, help bring healing to the gut, and enhance immune function. Even people who are lactose intolerant are able to consume kefir because the live organisms consume the lactose leaving it 97% lactose free.

Making kefir is simple – far easier than making yogurt – but you can use it in all the same ways as yogurt, or just drink it straight to make sure you get the daily benefits. Add to soup, stews, waffles, breakfast, salad dressings, etc.

Your kefir grains are often dehydrated for travel and delivery.

  • To revitalize your kefir grains, place in a glass jar and pour in milk – leaving about a 1 inch space at the top. Cover with a piece of paper towel held by a rubber band. Choose the size of jar based on the amount of kefir you desire. A bigger jar of milk will take longer than a smaller jar.
  • Leave the jar sitting on the kitchen counter. Kefir is ready when you shake the jar and it jiggles. The first batch from dried grains may take slightly longer, but generally kefir is ready in 24 – 36 hours.
  • If you leave kefir for too long – several days – it can separate into ‘curds’ and ‘whey’. It is still fine to consume, just mix. Or if you like it thick you can pour off the whey, or use it in soup or baking, and have a thick creamy kefir.
  • Once kefir is firm you can remove the grains and begin your next batch.
  • To remove the grains you can try with a plastic fork, simply stir around and see if you find the firm kefir grains. This works if the grains are near the top. Other times it is more difficult to find and you need to work the kefir through a plastic Place a large funnel into a clean glass jar then put the plastic colander on top. Pour in the kefir in batches and use a spatula to push it through the holes. You will know when you find the grains because they will not go through the holes!
  • If you don’t have time to strain, but the kefir is firm, place the jar ‘as is’ into the refrigerator. It will be fine for many days like that, until you have a chance to strain it.
  • If you know you are going to be away from home for a week or more, or you just want a bit of a break from making kefir, you want to keep your kefir grains alive. Place the kefir grains in a jar, pour milk just to cover, put on a top and keep it in the refrigerator. It will hibernate. When you are ready to make your next batch of kefir, pour out the milk, rinse the grains in spring/filtered water or fresh milk, then place in a glass jar and start at the top. Never expose your kefir to tap water than contains fluoride.
  • When kefir grains have multiplied they will work faster in producing the thick kefir. You can divide the grains, share some of your grains with a friend, add them to smoothies, freeze some in milk, or dry them. To share fresh kefir grains simply put them in a jar of milk, or pure water if they won’t be there for too long. The milk provides food to the living organisms.
  • To dry them, after straining rinse with pure water or fresh milk, place them on a piece of parchment paper. It will dry in a few days. Dried kefir grains can safely be mailed in an envelope so you can share with family or friends far away!

Historically, kefir grains originate in the Caucasus Mountains between Russian and Georgia where the local people have consumed kefir and experienced remarkable health throughout history. “The census of 1970, revealed that 5,000 centenarians then lived in the Caucasus.”[1] Because of the beneficial probiotics in kefir, regular “consumption reinforces the intestinal flora, helps with digestion, restores the digestive system and strongly stimulates the immune system.” [2]

Kefir grains were considered part of the family’s wealth and the tribe’s wealth and they were passed on from generation to generation. For centuries the people of the northern Caucasus enjoyed this food without sharing it with anyone else. Other peoples occasionally heard strange tales of this unusual beverage, which was said to have magical properties. Marco Polo mentioned kefir in the chronicles of his travels in the East.[1]

The BIG Bonus!

From my reading, it would seem that homemade kefir made using raw cow’s milk provides a good source of GCMAF, which has been used to treat and heal autism and other serious brain disorders. GCMAF is a harmless and naturally occurring glycoprotein with a profound potential to heal. It is produced in human breast milk and plays a significant role in innate immunity. All higher order animals have this glycoprotein which functions to transport Vitamin D to all the cells in our body, including our immune cells. Lack of this protein causes immune suppression.

Becky Hastings, a wife, mom, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus, health promoter, breastfeeding counsellor helping moms for 22+ years, and someone who seeks to research, understand and share truth so people can make wise choices in our crazy mixed up, deceived world! Sometimes I share recipes and homespun teaching videos.

[1] Sharla. Kefir – The Mystical Side. Web. 11 Aug. 2017. .

[2] Sekkal-Taleb, Nezha. “Chemical and microbiological composition of Kefir and its natural benefits.” Mediterranean Journal of Biosciences1.4 (2016): 174-83. Web. 11 Aug. 2017. .

Be Bold, Share Truth!

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I overheard an expectant father mention that his first baby was due in September.  He was excited about picking up a large package — a gift in anticipation for the arrival of his new baby. We happened to be exiting the post office at about the same time.

I boldly started a conversation with this total stranger by asking his permission: “Would you mind if I shared some unsolicited information with you?”

He answered, “Sure.”

So I started, “Please research vaccines before you agree to give them to your new baby.”

And you know what – HE WANTED TO KNOW MORE! He asked questions. He was receptive. He was APPRECIATIVE. He wanted to get the name of my website. He wanted to take my card. He was 100% supportive of his wife breastfeeding and wanted to share information about our local breastfeeding support group with her.

He totally understood that fact that there are some irregularities between the pharmaceutical industry and our government which might not be in our best interests, and was not at all offended by my approaching him. He was THANKFUL.

So, GO FOR IT. Look out for new parents. Take the bold plunge. ASK them if you can share some important information with them. Get their permission and approach gently. Parents need to be warned about the risk and potential harm of the recommended vaccine schedule.

Every parent genuinely wants the very best for their children, but they don’t have all the facts.

Becky on stageBecky Hastings, a wife, mom, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus, health promoter, breastfeeding counsellor helping moms for 22+ years, and someone who seeks to research, understand and share truth so people can make wise choices in our crazy mixed up, deceived world!

Granola – How to Make Your Own

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Standing in the cereal aisle of any major food store can be an overwhelming perplexing experience, especially for those of us who aim to choose healthy non-chemical laden food for our families. There are many ‘natural’ cereals to choose from, so we begin reading the labels. What do we find?

soy, canola oil, other unhealthy oils, non-pronounceable ingredients, lots of sugar, preservatives.

Finding healthy granola seems easy – until you start reading the labels. What is the answer? Is there a brand I can trust?  If you finally find a mostly natural granola with a short list of mostly acceptable ingredients, when you look at the price, and work out how many servings it will give your family, you find another long pause as you consider the economics and your budget. Such is the stress of grocery shopping with health and economy in mind.

Making your own ‘fast foods’ for breakfast can be extremely easy, very satisfying, and by far your healthiest option. If you have children, you are BUSY, but one of your best time-saving resources will one day be your children! Teach your children to make this recipe for the whole family.

I’ve written the following recipe in three versions: small, medium and large to make it easy to double or triple the recipe depending on your need.

Some notes about the ingredients:

  • In order to ensure that we are not consuming large amounts of glyphosate (from Roundup) I HIGHLY RECOMMEND choosing organic options for all ingredients. Buying organic also sends a message to retailers, suppliers, growers, etc. that we want healthy food without harmful chemicals. Eventually, if enough people vote with their wallets, price reductions and increased availability will follow.
  • Local, raw honey is the healthiest sweetener, but if you have a large family and a small budget, you may opt to choose organic sugar. Honey is generally considered to be sweeter, so you may need slightly more sugar to reach your desired sweetness.
  • The addition of water (of course non-fluoridated, pure water is the ONLY option you would ingest, how to find it is the topic of another blog) to the liquid ingredients stretches the recipe to make it go further, but you can reduce the amount of water and increase the healthy oils and sweetener for a more indulgent granola.
GRANOLA from the Hastings Family Kitchen
SMALL MEDIUM LARGE
½ – ¾ cup 1 – 1 ½ cup 1 ½ – 2 ¼ cup Honey (or slightly more organic brown sugar)
2/3 cup 1 1/3 cup 2 cups Coconut oil, butter or a combination
2/3 cup 1 1/3 cup 2 cups Water
1 Tablespoon 1 ½ T 2 T Molasses
½ teaspoon 1 tsp 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
Combine these ingredients in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until the sugar dissolves fully. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp vanilla.
In a huge bowl combine:
1 box (500 g) 2 boxes (1 kg) 3 boxes (1.5 kg) Oats
1 tsp 1 ½ tsp 2 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch Pinch + Pinch ++ Salt
½ cup 1 cup 1 ½ cup Unsweetened Coconut such as Bob’s Red Mill
Optional:

Seeds: hemp hearts, sunflower, pumpkin, and/or sesame. You can also add dried fruit like raisins, and/or any nuts you like. You can add them either before or after cooking, but raisins are usually nicer to add after. I don’t add any raisins or nuts because of different individual preferences (ie some family members complain!). Add nuts and raisins to individual servings, as desired.
METHOD:

In a large bowl mix dry ingredients well. Pour the liquid mixture over and stir thoroughly. Distribute into deep baking trays – 1, 2 or 3 depending on the recipe size you have used. Bake at 350 F for 20 – 30 minutes, but stir thoroughly every 10 minutes and check for even browning. After approximately 30 minutes, stir and turn the oven off, but leave the pans in the oven to cool and for the granola to dry (as long as it looks like it is not burning).

Once the granola is cool and thoroughly dry, break apart and store in airtight containers.   If you make more than you can use in a couple of weeks, store part of it in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Let me know about your experiments in making your own granola! I have written about other breakfast ideas such as Chia Breakfast and Waffles.

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate seeker of Jesus, truth and health. Most of my writing is aimed at helping young families find health and joy through making wise choices. Sometimes I share recipes!

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Gooey Treats

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There are so many wonderful things about making and eating your own raw chocolate creations. NO GUILT about eating your creations might top the list. Because the ingredients are good – and good for you, there is no need to feel guilty! You can also tailor any recipe to exactly the taste you love.

Feel free to modify the recipe I created after seeing something similar.

The ingredients.

I use local raw honey because it is good in so many ways and makes the top 10 Superfood list by David Wolfe. You can adjust the amount if you prefer it more or less sweet. I avoid sugar as much as possible and I don’t like to substitute with sugar substitutes, even the ‘natural’ ones.

I use fresh ground ‘peanut only’ peanut butter, avoiding the processed brands which add other ingredients like sugar or oils.

Salt always means Himalayan salt because it comes with other minerals.

I soak the walnuts (when I remember) for a few minutes – up to 24 hours – because it gives them a nice texture, and reduces phytates making them even more beneficial. Walnuts provide nutrients to improve brain function and are a good choice to add to your snacks.

Toasting your raw coconut is easy and adds a boost to the taste. I make sure my coconut has no added sugar. I enjoy buying Bob’s Red Mill coconut flakes because Bob’s is employee owned and I want them to succeed! To toast your coconut, simply place it in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it gets a beautiful golden brown color. Be sure to transfer it to a new bowl immediately since it can scorch quickly!

I use raw milk (the creamy top layer is best!) because that is what I have, but any milk will work.

Coconut oil (extra virgin organic) is also excellent for your brain and most of us need to eat more good fats. Contrary to the popular philosophy that dominated US culture for years, fats make you feel satisfied and you end up eating less.

Raw cacao powder has so many benefits with the mineral content and off the charts ORAC scores. Do some research – eating raw chocolate is a good daily habit! Making your own ensures you know exactly what you are eating.

Here’s what you do, prepare a coconut mixture, which will go on the bottom and the top. Prepare the chocolate mixture for the center.

Coconut layer

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 cups toasted coconut
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (soak in water first – if you remember!)
  • ½ tsp vanilla

Melt butter and coconut oil gently, add honey, molasses and salt, stir until well combined. Add coconut and walnut and stir thoroughly. Put 2/3 of the mixture into a pan (line with parchment paper). Place in the refrigerator to harden.

Chocolate layer

  • ½ Cup coconut oil
  • ½ Cup peanut butter
  • ½ Cup raw cacao powder
  • ¼ Cup honey
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ Cup milk (almond, coconut, or dairy)

Melt coconut oil, peanut butter, and honey just enough to combine thoroughly. Add salt and milk and stir well. Pour over hardened coconut mixture and spread around gently. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 coconut mixture on the top. Put in the refrigerator to harden.

It doesn’t take too long to harden, then you can cut into squares and arrange on a tray or place into an air tight container and store in the refrigerator. The bars will melt if left out for too long, and they might be a little bit crumbly so be sure to eat with a plate or napkin underneath.

Enjoy – guilt free! Satisfying, delicious, nutritious!

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, and passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety. From time to time Becky shares easy recipes that can help you have a healthier life!

 

7 Essentials for Sharing Vaccine Truth with those you love.

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You have spent HOURS researching vaccine ingredients and understand the true risk of injecting vaccines. You desperately want to share what you have learned with family, friends, and even total strangers. Caring enough about the people you know and meet means making an effort to meet them where they are.

  1. Pray. God can open hearts and minds to truth, in a way we don’t always understand. In Acts 16:14 God opened Lydia’s heart to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Colossians 2 Paul reminds us that in Jesus Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Sharing vaccine reality requires sensitivity to the awakening God wants to do in every heart. We need to pray and be sensitive that this is actually a spiritual battle; it is God’s work, not ours. God can use us to share truth, but we need to proceed with humility. Ask friends to join you in prayer for specific family members. Consider implementing a “Fast and Pray strategy.
  1. Ask questions. Be more interested in the other person, how they feel, what has formed their views, their previous experiences, than you are in pushing your information in their face. Determine what they know. Do they know how many vaccines the CDC now recommends for babies – and adults? Do they know how vaccines ‘work’? Do they understand neonatal immune development? Do they have fears about specific infections?
  1. Love & Respect. Often vaccine discussions can get heated. Don’t allow your intense desire to convince others to push your buttons. Leave your emotions out. Focus on loving. Show respect. This will take time. Seek to always leave a conversation with the other person feeling heard, respected and loved.
  1. Use Third Parties. There are great documentaries, Youtube videos, etc. with rational calm presentations. Determine which might be a good fit for the person you are trying to enlighten. Short respectful videos are a good way to start. Dr Moss is a man “in the system” who speaks very respectfully about the system, yet offers very good points on questioning vaccines. Since it is short, informed, loving, and has some story components, it could be a great place to start. Other doctors I admire: Dr Suzanne Humphries, 240+ Doctors speak out on vaccine truth, Documentaries: Bought, Greater Good.
  1. Get Confident. Build your own credibility by learning and distilling facts accurately. Practice on Facebook, join a Vaccine Truth Facebook Group to learn more, or practice with friends. Focus on a few basic facts and learn them well, here is a list of vaccine objections I put together. Some good facts to review and be very familiar with: VICP compensation since 1988, table of injuries used by VICP, vaccine package inserts for different vaccines, CDC schedule, Aluminum content in vaccines.
  1. Stay calm. Don’t beat yourself up with guilt if you ‘mess up’ or it goes badly, but keep at it. Seek to be more accepting, more informative, and keep trying! If you have younger children, keep training them. Train your children to be adept at sharing vaccine/health truth with others. You are leaving a legacy of health. Never give up. The issue of vaccine safety is so huge that it is a deal breaker for many single people. It is something that needs to be discussed very early in the ‘getting to know you’ process, for anyone considering marriage.
  1. Don’t expect overnight success. Belief in vaccine safety is a deeply held philosophical concept, similar to religion, that will not be changed quickly. A good starting point is to get future parents to consider the ‘next’ vaccine decision they may face. For a pregnant woman, investigating the true risks/benefits of a flu shot or a TDaP shot; for newborns, encourage investigating Hepatitis B shots.

Author: Becky Hastings is a wife, mother, grandmother, and passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety. From time to time Becky shares easy recipes that can help you have a healthier life!

Roll Up Your Sleeve

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Imagine, you are feeling well. You go to your physician for a routine check up.

You’re told you will be receiving the following vaccines today because you “need them”:

DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel, 5 vaccines)
HepA-HepB (Twinrix, 2 vaccines)
MMRV (ProQuad, 4 vaccines)
PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23, 1 vaccine with 23 antigens)
Shingles ZOS (Zostavax, which contains aborted human fetal cell fragments)
Meningococcal MenACWY (Menactra, Menveo)
Seasonal flu (one of the following: Afluria, Fluad, Flublok, Flucelvax, FluLaval, Fluarix, Fluvirin, Fluzone, Fluzone High-Dose, Fluzone Intradermal)

What do you do?

Do you take them all without question?
Because the CDC and your doctor says they’re safe?
(I’m doubtful you would)

So WHY are we allowing this to be done to our babies?

Now suppose you take some or all of these vaccines, and you have a serious adverse reaction. What then?

Do you know the doctor isn’t liable for injuries from vaccines?
Neither are the vaccine manufacturers.

Do you know how to file with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program? (While it has paid out nearly $4 billion in compensation, it is a difficult arduous process that must be initiated within two years of the injury – Good luck with that)

Do you know there’s a 75 cent tax on each vaccine that goes into that program to compensate for injuries?
(DTAP-IPV-HIB is a 5 in one vaccine = a $3.75 tax!)

Are you worried that combining this many vaccines may NOT be safe?

Do you know what about each ingredient of these vaccines?

Why aren’t you concerned about how many vaccines are recommend for babies from birth to 5 years old?

Are you aware there are NO safety studies on giving combined vaccines to babies, yet it’s done everyday in pediatricians offices. Not only do they give these vaccines in combination, they are given REPEATEDLY!

Stop and think, why are there so many neurologically damaged children today (1 in 6 in the USA have a neurologic diagnosis)? Why are there so many parents who once vaccinated their children (without question) now speaking out on social media on the dangers of vaccines? Why are doctors who are asking serious questions about vaccines ignored or silenced by the media?

It’s not that difficult to understand.[1]

[1] The concept and primary content of this piece is derived from a mom of a severely vaccine injured daughter, now trying to navigate having an adult disabled daughter. She tirelessly shares her story in the hope of preventing other families from the suffering they have experienced.

I can tell you one major mistake I made when I had my children in the 90s. I believed that the vaccines were broken up into “baby size” proportions. In other words, I thought 5 DTAP vaccines were 1/5 at a time vs. those given to adults. I didn’t understand at the time my babies were being given 5 full doses. I also didn’t realize that my nieces and nephews who were born in the 80s were only given 3 DTAPs, and were NEVER given HIB or HEPB. As time goes on, more and more shots have been added.
My children never got rotavirus, pneumococcal, varicella, or flu vaccines and we still ended up with vaccine injury. These vaccines are now part of the schedule. You really have to wonder how many more they can add on without parents saying ENOUGH!!!!

Author: Becky Hastings is a wife, mother, grandmother, and passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety. From time to time Becky shares easy recipes that can help you have a healthier life!

Simply Delicious Raw Chocolate

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There is no ‘wrong’ way to make raw chocolate. I encourage people to modify the ingredients and personalise this basic raw chocolate recipe according to your preferences. Here are the approximate quantities of a great batch of raw chocolate I made recently as part of a healthy snack demonstration for a group of ladies. It disappeared quickly and received many positive comments.

  • 1 cup organic raw cacao powder
  • 1 cup cold pressed virgin coconut oil at room temp, or warm.
  • 8 dates (soaked overnight and chopped, include water)
  • 1/2 cup brazil nuts & walnuts (soaked overnight and chopped)
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds (optional)
  • ±2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. If your coconut oil is hard, stand the container in hot water until it softens. Never microwave your ingredients! When thoroughly mixed, pour into a glass dish or a pan lined with parchment paper, spread around. Place in the refrigerator to harden – or the freezer if you are in  a hurry to eat some delicious raw chocolate!

Remove the parchment paper and cut on a chopping board. When the chocolate is too cold it may crumble. Be careful when serving because it may crumble. Store in the refrigerator.

In my raw chocolate demonstrations I like to discuss health, making more healthy food choices, adding more delicious and ‘good for us’ foods to our plates, and ORAC values. Most people are aware that eating chocolate, especially dark chocolate has specific health benefits. However, consuming raw cacao powder delivers a phenomenal array of mineral content and unique properties.

According to David Wolfe, Cacao is the best natural food source of antioxidants, Magnesium, Iron, Chromium, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Vitamin C. Omega 6 Fatty Acids, Phenylethylamine (PEA) (Cacao is one of the great weight-loss foods because the minerals and the PEA molecule help shut off the appetite).The ORAC value of raw cacao powder is off the charts when compared to fruits we have come to think of as high in antioxidants. The ORAC Value for blueberries is 32, wild blueberries 61, compared to raw cacao powder with a value of 955. ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity assay is a standard measure of antioxidant concentration.[1]

I really liked the result of soaking the dates and the nuts overnight. There are benefits to soaking nuts (reduction of phytates) but they also enhance the delivery. Soaking also made the dates moist and mixable. I use walnuts because they are excellent for brain health and brazil nuts because they delivery selenium.

Sorry, I didn’t get a picture of the actual raw chocolate – it was so good and appreciated by so many, that it was eaten up fast! I need to make another batch and try to remember to take a picture! [Edit: I did it! Note the picture at the top. It was also delicious!]

Author: Becky Hastings is a wife, mother, grandmother, and passionate follower of Jesus and truth. As a breastfeeding counselor for over 23 years Becky is devoted to helping parents make wise decisions for the long-term health and wellbeing of their babies. As a member of a Vaccine Safety Education Coalition, Becky writes and speaks on the topic of vaccine safety. From time to time Becky shares easy recipes that can help you have a healthier life!

[1] David Wolfe, Superfoods, The Food and Medicine of the Future, 2009.