Last year I found out that I have a MTHFR gene mutation that makes it hard for me to metabolize artificial B9, which is folic acid. The natural form is called folate and can be found in many foods. The problem is that almost all store bought foods with grain in it is fortified. In the 1940s the government thought it would be a good idea to fortify flour as most of the nutrients were taken out in the refining process. They were trying to keep the general public from getting anemic and protect unborn children as women need a lot more folate with they are pregnant. If you are low in folate, more birth defects occur. What the government did not know back then, that about 50 percent of the population had a gene defect that produced an enzyme that could not process the artificial folate (folic acid) very well. What happens is that it stays in your blood stream and ends up blocking the folate receptors in the cells, so not only can the body not metabolize it, it makes it even more difficult to get the natural folate in the food. So over time as a person ages they struggle with being anemic, having low energy, more susceptible to infection and toxic. The metabolizing of folate not only gives you energy but it also helps your body to detoxify. I now know why my mom died at 58. It was due to complications that arose from this genetic mutation. At the time it was a mystery to mom's doctors but through the advancement of gene mapping, they have discovered this.
Well all that to say, I have been removing all fortified foods from our diet. We had been taking steps towards this for a number of years and we didn't even know the importance of it until recently. We make all our bread products (bread, pizza dough, tortillas, etc) with organic flour. The beauty of organic products in the store, is they do not fortify the wheat with artificial vitamins. We also eat only organic cold cereals, noodles, and crackers. It is amazing everything that is fortified. I also found out the starter we use, makes the natural iron that is in the flour more easy to digest.
My health has been pretty good most of my life. Now I have even more energy, sleep better and feel stronger. I get all my vitamins from my food. Awhile back I stopped taking all vitamin supplements that had the artificial vitamins in it. I do take a garlic supplement, that I have taken for years. Come to find out garlic helps you metabolize B vitamins. I also take a Methyl B12 which is a natural, bioavailable form.
With our diet change I have been doing some yummy recipes to help boost our folate and vitamin C intake. I add turmeric to our bread recipes. Turmeric is high in B vitamins and helps with inflammation in the body. I also juice 4 stalks of celery, 3 carrots and a half an apple every night and drink it. I can't wait until we get our raised bed garden going and grow all these things ourselves.
Well here is the first recipe. We have a nice amount of strawberry plants. So I made a strawberry sauce to go on our French toast and pancakes.
Homemade Strawberry Sauce
An easy recipe for Homemade Strawberry Sauce that you can use for pancakes or over ice cream! It freezes well too!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 3 Tablespoons corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the strawberries, 1/4 cup water, orange juice and sugar. Stirring gently, bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, combine together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the strawberries without mashing the berries too much.
- Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon; around three to four minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon.
- If the sauce gets too thick, you can thin it out with more water.
I found out that avocadoes are a super food, very high in folate, Vit C, Vit A and magnesium and lots of other things. So I slice a piece of our homemade bread, put Rich's homemade Ranch dressing made with Greek Yogurt, slice an avocado on it, place a slice of swiss cheese on top and then broil it. So yummy!
We will have so much fun when we start making our own cheese to put on top. I am so glad Rich loves to cook and create things. It has made a huge difference in our health as we age!
