Reasons Why I Don't Use Grains On My Farms And Ranches
Corn, Soy & Wheat
GRAINS
Grains such as corn, soy and wheat are used as cheap protein, fattening source and livestock feed filler. It's hard for people and for animals to digest grains. If you have ever read the back of any livestock feed bag it usually contains one or more seed grains. It's widely used in traditional and organic livestock feeds.
Many people suffer from allergic reactions to corn and wheat and this is a growing problem, globally. Have you ever heard of a peanut allergy? It's a real thing! Food related allergies are real and they can be life threatening. Many people are afraid to eat meat, poultry or eggs from grain-fed livestock. They fear a horrible reaction.
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When someone is diagnosed with a peanut allergy, what exactly is the immune system reacting to? Is it the oil, the fat, the protein, the shell fiber or something else? Peanuts are loaded in mycotoxins, aflatoxins and CPA. Here is the link to the following statement "In addition to aflatoxins, peanuts are often contaminated with cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). Both mycotoxins are produced by Aspergillus flavus, a ubiquitous fungus that can infect and grow in peanuts under both pre- and post-harvest conditions"
Is there a possibility that the immune system is reacting to any number of toxic molds, the usual pesticides, high levels of lectins?
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I choose to avoid grains in my diet. I understand that corn, soy and wheat are loaded in toxic molds. The consumption of wheat can spike blood sugar. Tells the pancreas to release more insulin (a storage hormone). Wheat also blocks the absorption of essential nutrients. Wheat is a high calorie and high carbohydrate seed. For many, the consumption of wheat can lead to bloating, cramping, irritable bowel and a general feeling of being unwell.
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Soy is used as a protein for most livestock feeds. Harvard University makes the following statement in the Nutrition Source "Soy is unique in that it contains a high concentration of isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen (phytoestrogen) that is similar in function to human estrogen but with much weaker effects. Soy isoflavones can bind to estrogen receptors in the body and cause either weak estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activity." Here is the link to Harvard.
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"Estrogen-dependent cancers, like breast cancer, ovarian cancer and endometrial (uterine) cancer, rely on estrogen to develop and grow. Treatments can stop your body from making estrogen or prevent hormone receptors from binding to estrogen."
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90% of all soy grown globally is genetically modified. According to the FDA in 2020 GMO soybeans made up 94% of all soybeans planted.
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When I make the statement "no added hormones" I include phytoestrogens from flax and soy. Flax seeds and soy are phytoestrogens. This means estrogen from plant food (Greek: phyto). Obviously, every human and animal has it's own natural hormones. What types of damage or, changes are we making when we consume additional hormones? I do not believe that offering phytoestrogens to my animals is a holistic approach to farming and ranching. It does not even mimic their natural lifestyles. I find confidence and comfort in choosing natural, pure, clean food.
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Wheat is a known "anti-nutrient". (link to Harvard)This means that there are compounds in wheat that can block the absorption of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. If I eat a fresh wheat roll along side my fresh salad, freshly steamed vegetables and meaty steak I might think that I'm getting all my nutrients. What's really happening?
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Wheat contains several types of proteins including gluten. Gluten proteins are linked to more and more food related allergies. Those who suffer from the autoimmune disorder, Celiac disease can have extremely painful side effects which include intestinal damage and malnutrition. That's just the start. Here is the link to Harvard "The Gluten Problem" for more details.
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Wheat coats the intestines' preventing essential nutrients from absorbing. Wheat also lacks bioavailability yet, it tastes so good! Wheat is a seed grain and many people have allergic reactions when it's consumed. What are people allergic to? Is it the lectins, gluten, hull, proteins or, carbohydrates?
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According to the FDA In 2020 92% of all corn planted was GMO corn. Link Here.
Corn contains toxic mold. Just as many cereal grains and some nuts do also. It is a serious problem and I've been bringing awareness to this critical issue for over 20 years. According to the WHO " Several hundred different mycotoxins have been identified, but the most commonly observed mycotoxins that present a concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol. Mycotoxins appear in the food chain as a result of mould infection of crops both before and after harvest. Exposure to mycotoxins can happen either directly by eating infected food or indirectly from animals that are fed contaminated feed, in particular from milk." Here is the link
​Food Allergy Laws Enforced Across Europe
Published on Dec 13 2014 10:36 AM
Restaurants and takeaways across Europe will now required by law to inform customers if the products they are purchasing contains ingredients that may trigger allergies. Food service organizations, along with all packaged food suppliers, must provide information on the 14 everyday allergens such as gluten, wheat, soya, nuts and celery to customers. The new measures will inform the general public of a food item's ingredients. The new law comes into force across Europe today. For more information and link to the original article click here.
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Misdiagnosis: Gluten sensitivity is a condition with similar symptoms to other diseases including Lyme disease; and even when based on blood testing sometimes many people can test negative for celiac disease. Gluten sensitivity is often un-diagnosed and therefore goes untreated. Similar to people who suffer from Lyme disease. People suffering from gluten sensitivity may experience frequent common colds, flu-like symptoms, general discomfort, digestive issues, abdominal pain, headaches, nausea, joint pain, diarrhea, cramps, fatigue, depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders, tingling and numbness in their arms, legs and exhibit irritability and behavioral disorders.
Since gluten intolerance and Lyme disease share almost identical symptoms they are often confused. Lyme disease is often prematurely treated based on the verbal complaints and, clinical symptoms, before the initial lab results are returned.
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ALL wheat including organic wheat and low gluten wheat are high in lectin proteins, highly contaminated with mycotoxin molds, aflatoxin molds and these are in common with peanuts. Mycotoxins are highly toxic molds that can cause extreme illness, cancer or, can lead to death. Here is a link to the University of Iowa "Mycotoxins In The Grain Market".
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According to the WHO symptoms of mycotoxin poisoning in animals can include liver, spleen and kidney damage and toxicity to the immune system. For humans, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances and vomiting have been reported. Here is the link to "WHO Mycotoxins" That sounds terrible! I choose not to ingest wheat. I also do not push my personal philosophy on anyone or any animal. It turns out that wheat is not a naturally occurring food source for animals. Whew! I dodged a bullet. Wheat is used for animal feed to accelerate rate of growth, add fat, and it's a cheap filler. Link to "North Dakota State University Feeding Wheat To Beef Cattle"
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Feeding grains to livestock with a rumen can come with it's own set of problems. It's so rich that it can cause "bloat". Bloat is associated with acidosis. Both can be treated with medicines which are approved for traditional and organic ranching. Conventional cattle are often treated with antibiotics to combat diseases caused by acidosis. Here is a link to a list of Organic Treatment Guidelines including vaccine
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I'm not suggesting that livestock don't get bloat or acidosis if they are not consuming grains. They can and many do. In fact, Wheat and grain grasses can can cause bloat and acidosis too! I use holistic farming and ranching methods as prevention and, to mitigate risk. I avoid grains and I presume that if people can get sick from consuming wheat, corn, soy, barley or, rye maybe, livestock can too. I take food allergies seriously and being cautious is what I prefer. I do not want to take unnecessary risks. Since toxins can hide in animal fats I take extra precautions to mitigate risk by avoiding grains. I use my animal fats and it's best for me to prepare my animal fats with confidence.
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In nature animals feast on native, naturally occurring wild vegetation, weeds, flowers, tree leaves, tiny seeds and similar. They walk a lot. In nature they do not get wheat, corn, soy and barley. Sure, livestock grow a lot slower without grains but, what's wrong with a more natural, slower rate of growth? It just costs a bit more and takes more time. I'm patient and the end product is 100% worth it to me, my family and farm members. I'm not convinced that my livestock would benefit from gluten, high lectins, molds, GMO's, mycotoxins, aflatoxins etc.
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Corn, Soy, Wheat, Barley and Rye are commonly used to feed traditional and organic livestock. From egg laying hens to cattle and almost everything in between. Modern agricultural advancements have made it possible to convert these grass seeds into a very profitable industry and, it has developed into a cheap source of carbohydrates (energy) not only for the American people, but also for livestock. These grains have suspiciously found their way into the U.S. food guide pyramid.
Grains were added to the food guide pyramid, even though GMO concerns, pesticide concerns, health complaints and, related food allergies have been a growing concern. Grain consumption is a common cause of intestinal inflammation, malnutrition, digestive disorders and autoimmune disorders. For those with grain-related sensitivities and allergies symptomatic injuries can often lead to serious health problems and decreased quality of life.
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SUSTAINABILITY
Wheat is not a sustainable or eco-friendly grain. It is very thirsty. It sucks up more water than you might think Link to: "Wheat and Rice Production Use More Water Than All Other Crops Out Together". It's highly susceptible to disease and infections. That's why wheat is grown with the help of copious amounts of pesticides. Both certified organic and commercial wheat need pesticides. And, what about the mycotoxins, aflatoxins and other deadly molds?
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Sep 17, 2016 - The Environmental Protection Agency says that the country's most widely used weed killer, glyphosate, probably does not cause cancer.
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by Xenia Stavrinides August 2012
Updated 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023