Food Storage

[feyfifer]

For what it's worth.....
I dont know if its popular knowledge that there is a type of bee called the Dammer Bee. Its as small as an ant and doesnt have a sting....it does have a mildy irritating bite though.
The point is that its extremely easy to to harvest the honey, which is ten times the value of the bigger bees' honey. This is beacuse it has much higher nutritional and even medicinal value. Might be something to keep in mind when food becomes scarce....!

[Ron Conte]

I don't think that any type of honey has a much higher nutritional value than any other type. Honey is basically a source of carbs, with a small amount of vitamins and minerals.

"Dammer Bee
"Besides true honey bees, two species of stingless or dammer bees, viz. Melipona and Trigona occur in our country in abundance. These bees are much smaller than the true honey bees and build irregular combs of wax and resinous substances in crevices and hollow tree trunks. The stingless bees have the importance in the pollination of various food crops. They bite their enemies or intruders. It can be domesticated. But the honey yield per hive per year is only 100 gms."

[Ron Conte]

If you are going to store food, you should emphasize macronutrients: protein, fat, carbs. These are the three main nutrients that you need to survive in a time of food rationing or famine.

my short list of foods to store:

dietary fat: vegetable oil with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids
such as -- canola oil or soybean oil
approx. one ounce of oil per person per day (~250 calories)

protein: pasta, boxed macaroni and cheese, instant mashed potato, instant mashed oatmeal, couscous, long grain white rice, quick barley, sunflower seeds, instant non-fat dry milk, salmon foil packs, tuna foil packs or cans, peanut butter, soynuts

carbs: most of the above protein foods also have plenty of carbs; also store some granulated sugar, candy, and maybe some dried fruit.

[feyfifer]

On this one...i guarantee you Ron, dammer bee honey is better. Age old Indian wisdom!!!!!

[Brother]

These preparations are good in case of famine, but what about preparing for an eminent plague or contagious disease?...

I know of some plants and herbs that are good strengthening the immune system, but are there any recommendations?

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[deleted by admin]

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[Ron Conte]

Brother,

I deleted most of your above post because it contained unsubstantiated medical claims, that certain herbal preparation would protect against disease.

feyfifer,

I'm offerring the same criticism of your posts. Unless you can show scientific or medical studies showing that a food has certain properties, do not make the claim.

To all members,

Please be cautious about exaggerated claims being made for certain foods or herbs, as if these will confer great medical or health benefits, above all other foods. I see this type of claim all the time on the internet, even on some news and health websites. It is generally not true that one particular food is a superfood that will give you great benefits.

For nutrition, you need the three macronutrients:
protein, fat, carbs
and you need various micronutrients:
vitamins and minerals
Then there are additional compounds that are helpful, but not essential, such as antioxidants.

The foods that provide a healthy diet are generally available in any supermarket or grocery store.

[feyfifer]

Although I concede the Dammer honey is more valued for its medicinal properties than nutritional ones, this source does confirm its relatively higher nutritional content than honey cultured from box hives

We report compositional data for several foods that comprise the annual diet
among Hadza foragers near Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania. Samples collected during daily gathering trips over three fieldwork seasons were prepared according to Hadza methods. All three types of honey show moisture and starch levels similar to United States’ honeys but higher levels of protein, fat, and ash. Several samples had significant fat levels probably due to the inclusion of bee larvae.

http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/bindon/arti...pic.php?ID=277

But ayurvedic doctors, who sadly have their scientific documentation mostly in Sanskrit, claim that the presence of antioxidant bioflavonoids like pinobanksin, in honey peculiar to a region abundant in sunflower nectar, makes the classification of the constituents of honey extremely topical.
They also make the point that the wholistic effect of the remedial processes in the recuperating human body is as good as nutrition in a healthy one. Given the looming threats of war and mayhem, that would be useful!
Also, the fact that a bottle of ordinary honey fetches around $6 while the same quantity of DB honey would fetch around $50, must also count for something.
BUt i DID extend this opinon on honey with the best of intentions...and very tentatively with the words "for what its worth!" ...rather dismaying to be portrayed as a great deciever out to make exaggerated claims about it!

[Sacredcello]

Originally Posted by feyfifer

BUt i DID extend this opinon on honey with the best of intentions...and very tentatively with the words "for what its worth!" ...rather dismaying to be portrayed as a great deciever out to make exaggerated claims about it!

I appreciate learning about and researching various nutritional supplements which may contain medicinal properties. I have benefited greatly from Manuka honey in the recent past from a health problem I was having. Ordinary honey would not have helped, and it was worth the high price of the small bottle.

It's always best to talk these over with a doctor. My own doctor has recommended certain vitamins and supplements (I won't mention which ones) following my surgery, which have been of great benefit.

In our Natural Family Planning class, (through the Couple to Couple League), the students are all given a book called Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition, by Marilyn Shannon, a nutritionist. It is full of recommendations about the importance of good nutrition and very specific vitamins and supplements for both women and men, for the proper functioning of the reproductive system.

I am a nurse for over 30 years, and the people that know the LEAST about nutrition are medical people. Western medicine does not lend itself to knowledge about Nutrition. I rely on doing my own research. Nutritionists are often better resources. Age old adages, also can be proven to be far better recommendations than western medical physicians. I am always open to hearing about nutrition and vitamins as a way to alleviate disease. I do my own research. Remember, pharmaceutical companies have much to lose if the simple solution is found in good food sources. We need to be OPEN about hearing of the wisdom of those who have come before us. I am a huge proponent of a holistic approach to good health. Exercise, good food sources, vitamins and a strong spiritual outlook on life goes farther than most modern medicines.

[Sacredcello]

Originally Posted by Bonaventure

I am a nurse for over 30 years, and the people that know the LEAST about nutrition are medical people. Western medicine does not lend itself to knowledge about Nutrition. I rely on doing my own research. Nutritionists are often better resources. Age old adages, also can be proven to be far better recommendations than western medical physicians. I am always open to hearing about nutrition and vitamins as a way to alleviate disease. I do my own research. Remember, pharmaceutical companies have much to lose if the simple solution is found in good food sources. We need to be OPEN about hearing of the wisdom of those who have come before us. I am a huge proponent of a holistic approach to good health. Exercise, good food sources, vitamins and a strong spiritual outlook on life goes farther than most modern medicines.

Well said, Donna! What you say about Western medicine and about the profit to be gained from pharmaceutical companies is true. The subject of vaccinations is another volatile topic, but one that is hardly receiving an honest treatment by the media. Here is a link to a very good documentary about vaccines: http://www.greatergoodmovie.org/ It is now playing in NYC. I had the opportunity to see it already. Very provocative, yet fair to both sides of the issue.

I feel fortunate to be receiving care from a Catholic NaProTechnology doctor who does deal with nutrition, vitamins and supplements that you can find in a health food store. This type of care is not the norm, however. If I went to a regular Ob/Gyn, I could expect that the Pill would be the first recommendation. In any case, I know that it is difficult for doctors to also be experts in nutrition, but that is why we need to listen to the age old wisdom, as you said, of our elders.