Rejuvelac is a cultured beverage that was traditionally made with wheat berries but you could substitute any grain you choose.  As with all cultured foods it contains a variety of probiotics, as well as enzymes, vitamins and minerals. All of which help with colon health, digestion, building the healthy flora in the gut, boosting the immune system, and nourishing many parts of the body.  It also contains protease enzymes which can break down the protein coat on certain viruses, allowing the body to recognize them as an enemy so the immune system can then attack and remove them. This is truly a super drink! Unlike other cultured beverages this one is very easy to make and all you need is water and some grains.

1/2 cup wheat berries (or grain of choice)
4 cups filtered water

Sprout the wheat berries, following the instructions here. Place the sprouted wheat berries and filtered water in a quart jar. Leave in a warm place for 24-48 hours.  The liquid should turn cloudy and you will see little bubbles forming along the sides when it is ready. The liquid will have an effervescent quality, that is the probiotics that have been cultured.  Strain the berries and store the liquid in the fridge. The berries can be used for one more batch, but this time just let it sit for 24 hours. Compost the wheat berries at this point and enjoy your probiotic packed beverage!

I like to add a squirt of lemon and a couple drops of stevia liquid to make a sparkling lemonade.  You could also try different flavored stevia drops, fresh fruit juice or just drink it plain. ​

As part of my preparedness series, we have been learning about wheat as a staple emergency food item due to its versatility.  Today I will show you how to take your wheat and turn it into a vitamin and mineral packed food that could replace fresh produce if it is not available.  This same method of sprouting can be used for any grain, seed or even legume.  While I am just focusing on the emergency food part of sprouts, they are very nutritious for an everyday addition to your whole foods diet. 

There are many sprouting systems available for purchase but technically all you need is a jar and a strainer. I have tried many sprouters through the years and my favorite is Easy Sprout, due to the draining set up and ease of use.  I'm just giving basic instructions here as if you only have a jar to work with but you can do a google search and find many ways to sprout with more detailed instructions and videos.  I recommend choosing what method will work best for you and then print off instructions for emergency use if you don't plan on including sprouts in your regular diet.

1/2 cup wheat berries or grain of choice
Filtered water
Quart jar

Pour your berries into a jar and cover with filtered water. Let sit overnight and drain and rinse in the morning.  Cover with a cheesecloth or breathable cover. Place jar upside down at an angle in a bowl to allow air circulation and continued drainage. If using the Easy Sprout, a strainer cup is nestled in a holder cup so it can just sit upright on the counter.  Rinse and drain the grains twice a day, keeping the jar in the same position. Continue this process until you see little "tails" form (see above picture). You could eat them as soon as the tails form or let them go a little longer, your preference.  Give them one last rinse and drain well before refrigerating.  This process can take anywhere from a day to five days. Mine usually take only a day with the just emerging tails.

As part of the preparedness series, we have been talking about the many ways to use wheat as an emergency food item.  Making wheat berry cereal is the most simple way to utilize your wheat. 

1 cup wheat 
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine wheat, water, salt and cinnamon in a slow cooker or instant pot.  Stir together and cook on low for 6-8 hours, overnight.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve with cream and honey or pure maple syrup. You could also use them as a cooked grain in any meal, such as with stir fry or seasoned as a side to a main dish. 

Due to our worldwide conditions this past year I believe more people are turning their focus to preparedness and self-reliance. For generations wheat has been the "staff of life" and always included as part of a long term food storage program.  I myself have wheat as the foundation of my emergency food storage, as well as my everyday use, and for a good reason.  Wheat is very versatile; you can grind it into flour to make a variety of foods, the berries can be cooked and incorporated into foods or eaten as a cereal, it can be sprouted and turned into a source of fresh "produce" full of vitamins and minerals, those sprouts can be turned into a cultured beverage that can build the gut flora, nourish the body and strengthen the immune system, it can be sowed to make wheatgrass which can then be juiced or dried and powered for not only food but medicine.  For the next few posts I would like to focus on how to use and prepare this amazing plant the Lord has blessed us with. ​

Bread has been a staple food since Adam and Eve.   Here are just a few of many examples of it as a survival food:

I love the Little House on the Prairie book series.  Little Woman and I just finished reading the series together as her bedtime story over the last couple of months.  During The Long Winter, the Ingalls family survived off Almanzo's "seed" wheat when the trains were snowed in and they couldn't receive any supplies in their new town.  Everyday they would take turns at the coffee grinder so Ma could make course bread with the ground wheat.  They lived solely on bread until the snow melted enough to get the train supply of food in.  

Elijah the prophet was kept alive on bread that the ravens brought him each morning during the famine the Lord had sent to humble the people. He also was given bread by the widow who had made her last cake for herself and son before assumedly dying.  Because she fed the prophet first, her barrel of meal and cruse of oil were kept filled through the famine. (1 Kings 17)

The Lord fed Moses and the Israelites with manna, which was a type of bread prepared by the Lord for their survival. (Exodus 16)

Christ prayed over the bread and fish and both were multiplied to feed the people who came to hear him teach. (Matthew 15)

Christ calls himself the Bread of Life, reminding us that just as we need bread to survive physically, we need our Savior to survive spiritually. (John 6:35)

In my faith we have a code of health in what we call the Word of Wisdom, it is found in Doctrine and Covenants 89 and states: 

The most popular and delicious way to utilize your grains is by using the flour to make breads, breakfast foods and baked goods.  The way to get the most nutrition from your flour is to grind it yourself, which I highly recommend. A food mill is an investment, but well worth it.  I even purchased a hand mill for emergency purposes in case we have no electricity.  Here are a few ways to make and use your own flour from my blog, but there are many other blogs that have wonderful recipes and go into greater detail, so I recommend exploring on from here.

Wardee at Traditional Cooking School has an amazing blog and courses you can go through that will walk you step by step on how to prepare and cook with whole grains. ​

The liver is one of the major cleansing vessels of the body.  It digests fat, regulates blood sugar, aids in protein digestion, processes hormones, aids in kidney function, manufactures antibodies, and most importantly, removes toxins from inside and outside the body.  Everything that goes into or onto the body is processed through the liver, where it is broken down and either absorbed by the body or eliminated through the intestines or kidneys. If the liver is over taxed with toxins and cannot perform optimally the toxins will leak into the blood stream and imbalances will occur in the body.  This can manifest as many different things, most notably skin conditions (as toxins are trying to leave through the skin), headaches including migraines, allergies, and even autoimmunity. 

I moved into a newly built home recently and the highly toxic environment was just too much for my liver to handle. I broke out in rashes, constant sneezing and itchy watery eyes, just like the allergies I used to have. I created this formula to cleanse and support my liver so it could do its job.  After a week or so of taking this every night before bed, in addition to changing my filters and airing the house with open windows and fans, my skin and "allergic" reactions cleared up. 

Use this formula anytime you need to cleanse, build, or support the liver so it can effectively remove toxins, hormones, and heavy metals from the body.  

3 parts nettles
2 parts catnip
​1 1/2 part milk thistle seed
1 part yellow dock
1 part Oregon grape root
1 part dandelion root
1/2 part ginger

This formula can be made into a tincture, capsules or tea.