Wise Traditions 2014 Highlights

I'm back to life, back to reality.  The 2014 Wise Traditions Conference was all that I'd hoped it would be --and more.  I had a great time and really wish each person reading this could experience it one day.  As with other conferences of this size, while there you feel like you're being blasted by a firehose of information.  

In this post, I'm sharing some Instagram pics and commentary.  I hope to make time to write more about the conference. 

One of the reasons the conference was so fun this year was because I convinced my BFF from college to join me (she still lives in Kentucky).  We have not really connected in about 10 years.  I also convinced Jami Latture of Freckle Face Farm to come along from central Arkansas.  The three of us laughed and learned all weekend long.

Another major highlight is browsing and learning from the vendors.  Above we are snacking at the VitalChoice booth.  Normally I don't care for fish or anything fishy.  Let me tell you, Bob, VitalChoice wild seafood is a whole 'nuther story.  It is good.  Above I'm eating salmon belly (skin and bones, too) and it wasn't that "fishy."  Below I tasted two different kinds of roe (also known as caviar or salted fish eggs.)  Confession: I stopped and sampled the salmon roe everyday.

The vendors are very generous.  Green Pasture, maker of fermented cod liver oil, gave away 100 jars of FCLO everyday.  You better believe we were there early to snatch our free gift.  Radiant Life gave away jars of palm oil and nice sample spray bottles of magnesium oil (hopefully I can write more on that later.)

I could write for hours on the food at this conference.  Simply delightful.  Nutrient dense.  Very tasty. Wow.  And it seems like a miracle that they were able to feed 1000+ people at every meal.  Below is me with my roommates at the awards banquet.

After the food was eaten and awards given, Denise Minger was the keynote speaker.  Denise is only 27 years old.  Yet found fame about 3 years ago when she went toe-to-toe with The China Study author and vegan, Colin Campell.  She refuted his claims that animal protein causes cancer. (I actually heard her speak on this very topic in Dallas in 2011.  The paper linked above is a great resource for those who are thinking of going vegan.)  Of interesting note, Denise was vegan from 7-17.  She prided herself on a cavity-free mouth until the dentist found at least 13 cavities when she was 17 years old.  That was the wake-up call she needed to re-examine her dietary intake.

Denise talked on the subject of her new book, Death by Food Pyramid: How Shoddy Science, Sketchy Politics and Shady Special Interests Have Ruined Our Health.  It was very interesting to learn about the genesis of the "food pyramid."  The main point of her talk was keep learning.  Keep your eyes and ears open to learning new information --and then question everything.

Drinks on the table: sour lemon water kefir and root beer flavored kombucha.

Jami caught me in the act of not letting any raw whipped cream go to waste.

You may have noticed the blue ribbon on my name tag that said, "volunteer."  I applied for a financial scholarship, was awarded one and in turn was asked to volunteer 6 hours.  One shift of 2 hours (which really only lasted one hour), I collected lunch tickets at the buffet line.  The second shift of 4 hours, I worked the registration desk.  It was the last day of the conference, so if people weren't in a hurry, I asked them what they learned at the conference and what changes they would make once they were home.

This lady was from my home state and this was her first conference.  She cracked me up when she said, "I'm a registered nurse and feel like a spy at a spy convention.  However, I am encouraged there are other mainstream medical practitioners here."

One young mom I talked with asked how she could learn more about natural living.  I told her, "Keep coming to conferences like this!  You won't hear this information in mainstream outlets."

When I came home last night, I told my husband I was grateful for the opportunity to go.  I feel like the time (and money) spent was a great investment into the health of our family.  I learned about food, medicine, food as medicine!, dentistry, vaccines, gardening, and so many other things.  

I am more resolved to buy local, nutrient dense foods all while staying as far as I can from GMOs.  My soul was refreshed from the break away from the daily grind.

It truly is a great conference.  Next year's conference is in Anaheim, California.  Start saving your pennies now.

-Julie