copyright Bettina Network, inc. 2013
We thought carefully over all the breakfast conversations lately and the one that seemed to be ideal for Thanksgiving was the one about how important it was to sterilize your forks, knives, etc. – especially since we all cook and eat with great gusto on this Thursday –
That has been a growing conversation and it is becoming louder when we all assume the utensils which we use to eat -most, -if not all of our meals, must be sterilized if we are not to come down with diseases from the germs, bacteria, viruses they carry from one person to another.
This particular breakfast conversation had a different twist. Lacking interest at several breakfasts about the great issues of the day and our opinions of them we asked why is the din growing so loud about sterilizing eating utensils? Could it have something to do with the metal, alloys, other materials, being used to make these utensils? Is something being covered up which is important for us to know? After all, our ancestors used utensils for eating and cooking for generations without sterilizing them so why the fuss now?
What was pointed out to all of us was the anti-bacterial properties of some utensils and the lack of such with others; the mythology of the marketing and advertising being pushed out to us with its half-truths, hidden information, unpublished research which could damage what is being advertised, etc.; and the changes that have taken place and foisted on a very ignorant public for the benefit of the manufacturers, inventors, retailers and more.
For many generations silver was used for pots for cooking and for knives, forks, spoons, etc. There was no need to sterilize because silver has anti-bacterial properties.
Today, we use stainless steel, aluminum and other metal, other alloys and plastics for eating utensils and for cooking. That has totally changed how we have to clean and store these utensils after use.
Since we were not paying attention to our grandparents wisdom, most of that good and simple home keeping information has been lost. Add to that this past generation which has been so busy with other things they succumbed to the marketing and advertising mythology being spread around for the benefit of the processors and inventors of these new and different things Those simpler tried and true methods of the past are being lost at a fiercely aggressive rate.
This little bit of wisdom is given to you this Thanksgiving in the hope that you will cherish it, use it and pass it down to your children. Please move away from the technology for a minute. Please step away from all the ads and marketing thrown at you for your use to incorporate in your and your family’s lifestyle and please, please pay attention!!!!! Just a few seconds of your time!!!!!
After all, isn’t that how Martha Stewart became so famous so quickly? She was passing on to us things we were never taught. She was passing along the basics of living in a reasonably cultured society and we were all eyes and ears. Our parents were too busy trying to cope with a very fast changing society. They raised their children as best they could in places where historical role models were taken down and new ones put up to benefit the manufacturers of really questionable items. Our eating utensils are just one group that has suffered from this newness of information. Information – sometimes really questionable in what it says and purposely leaves out – with ads created in song, dance and sex – to get you to buy. Reject that and look for information which passes along truthful nuggets of how to best live a long and healthy life making choices to promote that lifestyle. How do you develop an antenna to tell the difference? Cultivate discernment – a powerful ally throughout your life as it changes and you grow in knowledge with expanding wisdom.
Check out your kitchen. Are the knives, forks and spoons therein silver or some other strange material, previously unknown and which should be banned for eating utensils because they can be dangerous to your health? If so, replace them immediately with silver plate or sterling silver place settings – serving utensils – and more.
Are your pots aluminum? Or perhaps an unknown and untested alloy – and we mean untested over generations of family use? If they are, step away from the stove and seriously consider replacing them. Aluminum became popular as quickly as it did because we were accustomed to silver pots and aluminum looked like silver, but cost much less. Now there are rumors it may play a part in the Alzheimers epidemic and we discover it is used in everything from pots to deodorant and no one really knows its longterm affect on your body. You put aside money for other things – think of your health and start putting aside money for silver pots, forks, knives, spoons, and more.
Estate sales have wonderful forks, knives, spoons and other service pieces at prices much less than the prices for new stainless and other fancy looking eating utensils – at very reasonable prices. Sometimes you can even get a set of sterling in a silver box or in a piece of furniture designed to hold such lined with silver felt to keep them tarnish free for a very long time. They are worth the investment.
You don’t have to sterilize silver because it has anti-bacterial properties which are much better at killing the germs and bacteria and other such things which get on our utensils. Other materials might still have problems even after sterilization.
Go the way which has been tried and true for our ancestors, we feel you won’t regret the extra effort. In fact, your health will improve and you will certainly then send blessings our way.
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving and keep tuned in to breakfast at Bettina Homes to continue the conversation.
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