The Many Confirmations...

We've just completed one full month of 2025 and my Favorite President has done so much in 11 days. Just a little food for thought I read about--> Joe Biden was in office for 1, 461 days (that includes Leap Year 2024). Of those 1, 461 days he spent 532 of them on vacation. That equates to 17 months...40% of his term. You also have to remember he wasn't one who got up at 7-7:30 to clock in by 8am...oh no, most of his day started after 9am and lasted until about 1pm... And then there's my husband who averages 46-50 hours a week, only gets National Holidays off, gets 3 weeks paid vacation + 2 sick days a year...who goes to work sick, achy, pulled muscles, tired, and drives 30 minutes each way....and also leaves the house 2 hours before he is actually suppose to clock in only because he doesn't want to be late in case there is an accident on the highway. And he hasn't been doing this for just 4 flipping years...try 36. So if I sound a little salty, you can bet I am considering everything that has happened in the last 4 years at the hand of a dementia patient who doesn't work!

Typical schedule of getting briefed then LUNCH TIME!

But, getting back to our current administration, have any of you been watching the Confirmation hearings? Trump's picks were vital, especially to several Secretary positions. I personally have my favorites and enjoyed watching some of them, Kristi Noem being one. But currently we have two very big ones happening: Kash Patel and RFK, Jr. which, for me, is the biggie as I'm sure you may have guessed. It is due time we have someone daring and knowledgeable stand up to the evil doings of Big Pharma, CDC, NIH, FDA, as well as stand alongside and work with the Department of Agriculture all to make Americans healthy and doing it with as much transparency as possible.

My instagram page is loaded with a ton of medical professionals, scientists, 'crunchy moms', health experts, etc. that I watch and follow everyday so it was no surprise to see people sitting behind RFK, Jr. like Vani Hari (The Food Babe) cheering him on. 💪🏼 These are my people! And when he comes at you with statistics and a wealth of knowledge, well...you better be ready or you better shut up. I love that he has made it perfectly clear this isn't about a political party, this is about all of America and the fact of the matter is, both sides need to quit packing their pockets with "donations" from these entities and start thinking about the people they are suppose to be representing. Not confirming him is basically saying out loud that it's more important to have money stuffed in their pockets PERIOD! AND he's a threat to that stopping. A HUGE THREAT.

And since we are on the subject of health and if you read my last post, I wanted to talk a little about seed oils/cooking oils and hopefully help you understand some big dangers in the oils we've been consuming throughout our lifetime!

So, first off, why is this an important subject? Well, mainly because oils or some form of oil (animal fat) is in almost everything we eat. A majority of Americans are fast food eaters, and guess what they use? At home we fry with it, saute with it, garnish with it, dress a salad with it, and even use it as a moisturizer or body treatment whether it be skin, hair, and/or nails. I also going to touch base on animal oils, smoke points, and oleic acid.

Depending on the year and what part of the world you are talking about, cooking oils have obviously differed. Animal fat was primary as it was easy to obtain and harvest, whereas plant based oils had to wait some time for the development of extraction. In America, animal fat, known as lard or tallow, was primary. And for many farmers, it still is. Farmers knew the value of the WHOLE animal and not to waste it, that included the fat. Some people get a little confused with animal fat, but in a nutshell, lard comes from the fat of pigs and tallow, in general, comes from animal fat. It's mostly referred to cow and is listed as beef tallow if so. However, tallow can come from sheep or bison. The fat from these animals is rendered down, meaning it is slowly boiled down, strained, and possibly boiled one or two more times and strained, removing impurities and leaving a wonderful shelf stable liquid gold that will harden up to a nice soft almost lotion like texture as it cools. If you are familiar with those cans of Crisco, this is what it's like. Lard (pig fat) is the same thing, processed the same with a slow boil rendering, and ready to be used in your cooking or baking.

Real quick I want to talk about Oleic Acid-which is the most common monounsaturated fatty acid. It has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It is the most abundant fatty acid in human adipose tissue (endocrine organ) which produces hormones. It's the good stuff found in oils. With that being said tallow has about 47% oleic acid and lard has about 44-47%.

Now what is a smoke point? A smoke point is when the oil begins to breakdown (oxidize). When we heat up any oil, each type of oil has a smoke point meaning the highest temp it can reach before burning. The oil then takes on a 'burnt' flavor and creates ACROLEIN which is bad for our lungs. So it's ALWAYS important to understand the smoke point of the oils you are using when cooking or baking! For instance, when we want to roast some vegetables in the oven and we drench the heck out of it with olive oil and start roasting at 400° F, well you are going to create acrolein! The smoke point for olive oil is 375°! However, tallow has a smoke-point of 400° . Again, this is why it's important to know your smoke points. BTW, lard has a smoke point of 370°. I have put together a quick glance chart of common seed oils below and their smoke points for reference!

One more note I want to touch on is using tallow for skincare. Currently, tallow has become a big hit incorporating it in soap and lotions. And to be honest, it should be a big hit, it's been around forever, just ask the generational farmer. However, like every new fad that some 'social media influencer new to the homestead' comes up with, there are some issues that need to be looked into. It's true, beef tallow is very very close in composition to human skin. This makes it extremely compatible for use and has been known to help with overly dry skin and eczema conditions. However, not all tallow is made the same. You have grass-fed beef and grain fed. Second, to get the greatest good (the most concentrated forms of vitamins and CLA) from the fat, you need to use leaf fat. Leaf fat is not muscle fat. It is found on all animals and is found surrounding the kidneys, organs, inner cavity, etc..(somewhat shaped like a leaf, hence the name) It's referred to by several names, one being suet. But what you're looking for is leaf fat from grass fed cows that actually graze in the sun. This tallow coming from the leaf fat is the crème de la crème! In a nutshell, it's the most nourishing. Beef tallow in general is not bad for your skin, it just doesn't inhibit the same amount of nourishing qualities the leaf fat tallow does. So make sure to research a product or reach out to the company and ask questions before purchasing their product. And on a side note, lard is primarily used for baking. However, the leaf fat of a pig is a hot commodity for chefs as it delivers prized pastries!

Now, seed oils are a different breed all together. Seed oils are exactly that: oil extracted from seeds. The overall characteristic of the plant that the seed comes from really isn't the issue. The issue is about extraction; how the oil is pulled from the seed. There are two types of extractions: 1) mechanical-which is crushing or pressing and 2) solvent. Mechanical is the healthier version of extraction because chemicals and heat are NOT used. Solvent extraction is the bad one and the one a lot of oils are produced from. When producing oil with a solvent extraction, a chemical (hexane, which is petroleum based) is used. The hexane then has to be removed and in order to do that, it is heated to 300° so it can evaporate. The process is cheaper and quicker than mechanical extraction. It also allows for a longer shelf life. This, my friends, is known as refining. And refining removes soluble vitamins and minerals. In addition, some oils contain synthetic (man made) antioxidants to prevent rancidity and oxidation. Some examples of refined/hexane used oils are soybean, canola (aka rapeseed), sunflower seed, cottonseed, and peanut.

I'm sure you've heard the term 'cold pressed'. This is a mechanical process (hydraulic screw press) where no heat (which can deplete vitamins and minerals) is used and again, is the healthier form of extraction. The shelf life isn't as long as chemical extracted oil, but it isn't a refined oil. Some examples are olive, macadamia, walnut, sesame, safflower, poppy, grape seed, flaxseed, hemp seed, and avocado.

Occasionally you may hear someone talk about trans-fats. Trans-fat is trans-unsaturated fatty acids which are found in foods naturally, but in small amounts. Large amounts are in processed foods and are currently regulated and banned in many nations. When I googled trans-fats in the US, it states that "artificial trans-fats have been banned in the US since June 2018. The FDA ruled that partially hydrogenated oil (PHOs), the main source of artificial trans-fats, are no longer considered safe for consumption." hmmm, took them a while don't you think, considering this process has been around for quite some time... And what is hydrogenated oils? Hydrogenated oils is fat hydrogenation. It's combining UNsaturated fat with hydrogen to convert it (partially or completely) to saturated fat. This changes the physical properties creating a trans-fat. And the reason for it? Cheaper than animal fats and has a longer shelf life.

Now, tell me our health isn't a priority without telling me our health isn't a priority...

As I stated above, here is a list that I wrote up finding info online about smoke points. Also, keep in mind that vitamins and minerals in oil can still start to deplete when heat is added even though it hasn't reached its smoke point. And one last note, if you're a gardener like me, then you may know that sunflowers are beautiful plants to have in your garden. But did you know that sunflowers have the ability to remove heavy metals from the soil? Sounds wonderful doesn't it? But where exactly are the heavy metals going? Well, common sense tells me that a plant gets its nourishment from the soil. And a plant's end goal is to grow and produce fruit. And since we are talking seed oils it kind... of...has...me...wonder....🤔...

Seed Oil Smoke Point (and things to be aware of)

Avocado 520° (buy organic and cold pressed), HIGH % OLEIC ACID

Canola 375-450° (side note: Canola is the 're-name' of Rapeseed. Made in Canada, the name Rapeseed didn't sound good so they changed it to Canola)

Coconut 350° (buy unrefined, virgin, and cold pressed) Can increase levels of LDL cholesterol

Corn 450° (Corn is GMO), VERY HIGH Omega 6 fatty acid (causes inflammation)

Grape Seed 420-450° (high Omega 6 fatty acids (causes inflammation), drug interaction (w/ blood thinners)

Olive 325-375° (rich in vitamin E), HIGH % OLEIC ACID

Peanut 450° (high Omega 6 fatty acids (causes inflammation), allergy risk

Sunflower 450° (make sure it says HIGH OLEIC!), High Omega 6 fatty acid (causes inflammation)

Sesame 410° refined or 350° unrefined (drug interaction w/ blood pressure meds), allergy

Vegetable 400° (made from the extraction of seeds, fruits, nuts, & grains of plants-soybean, canola, corn, olive, palm) extensively processed, high Omega-6 fatty acids (causes inflammation)

Many people use seed oils for soap making and skin/hair care. I am one of them. However, I will devote a different post to that in the future. This information is for using the seed oils for cooking/baking. I really hope this helps you as you try to make healthy choices for you and your family. If you are curious what I use, Avocado and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (both organic and both one origin/single origin) One origin means the fruit was harvested in ONE COUNTRY/area/region. Every bottle is marked and you will either see one country or a combination of countries. I also look at the harvest date and try to get it close to the current date as possible, but not older than 18 months. When a recipe calls for oil, my go to is either butter or avocado. Avocado oil has it's own distinct flavor , but not an overpowering 'taste' like olive oil can give. Oh, just a side note, it makes an AWESOME homemade mayo! Don't buy in bulk if you don't plan to use Avocado oil often. It is expensive and can go rancid faster due to its high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols exposed to air, light, and/or heat. Happy cooking and happy eating!