What Are Traditional Foods?

The simplest way to say it is; Traditional Foods are foods consumed in the way our ancestors ate them and in a manner that is as close to the way they were created by the creator. Traditional Foods are as nutrient dense and as nourishing as possible.  Choosing Traditional Foods goes way further than just avoiding packaged and processed foods. It's all about choosing the best foods available for your budget,  sometimes that's organic and sometimes not as long as you are choosing nourishing foods.  Remember that each hour after picking your fruits and vegetables loose nutrients.  Buying local can be better than buying organic in some circumstances.

Below are some basic thoughts that we will be addressing in later blogs.

Here are some basic thoughts:

• If you have food allergens then you must avoid them. 
• Dental decay is a symptom of a diet deficient in trace minerals and fat-soluble vitamins.
• It may be necessary to heal your gut.
• By consuming the wrong fats and refined carbs along with too many calories we have many modern diseases that did not effect our ancestors. 
• Remove and replace as many chemicals and contaminants from your environment as possible as your budget allows. This includes cleaners, pest solutions and more. 
• Food is your best medicine to heal health problems. NOTE: no one food or combination of foods will solve all of your health problems or un-do all of the damage you’ve done to your health if you are already ill.
• If you are allergic to a food, it is not a healthy food for you.  There are other options to getting your needed nutrients.
• Everyone has different body chemistry so different food programs will work differently for all people.
• Consider consuming superfoods like Cod Liver Oil or Krill Oil to help you obtain the needed nutrient levels of fat-soluble Vitamins A (retinol).
• Wild-caught or grass-fed meats are superior to feed-lot animals.
•   Do baby steps and don’t go into debt to change your diet.
• Consume meats with the skin and fat where possible.
• Consume organ meats when possible. ‘Hide’ them if necessary to help yourself become accustomed to their presence.
• Cook from scratch.  The more you pratice Traditional Cooking the more things you'll be able to try making from scratch.  One step at a time.
• Consume organic and raw dairy products from 100% grass-fed animals when ever possible.  If you can't afford it find the best quality you can afford.
• Consume free-range, cage free eggs.
• Use only traditionally available fats such as butter, lard, tallow, palm oil and coconut oil and avoid new vegetable fats like soy and canola oil which are high in Omega-6.
• Consume as many in season vegetables and fruits that you can, and use fermented vegetables  to help improve digestion and add probiotics to your system.  

Can you think of other ideas on what traditional foods are?  How has your family used traditional foods in the past?