Heart of Cooking

Is there a way to heal the gut, to alleviate the symptoms of autism, depression and other mental illnesses?

First of all, the brain isn’t separate from the rest of our bodies.  Of course this is obvious when we look at the human body.  But somehow, we have been led to believe in our culture that our stomachs and the food we eat don’t really affect our brains and how we think.

In Five Element Acupuncture, the body is viewed as an intricate whole.  There are separate systems but each one of these systems or elements affects and relies on one another.  It is also said that the Earth element, which is connected to the stomach and the spleen, is the most important element, or the Mother of all elements.  If out of balance, this can lead to many other imbalances within the body, mind and spirit of a person.

To understand this, you only have to imagine the Earth.  When the Earth is diseased – unhealthy plants, too many toxins, pesticides, etc. – this has a detrimental affect on the living organisms on the planet.  We have seen the result of pollution on the Earth over the past several years and can attest that an unhealthy planet leads to diseases in plant, animal and human life.

Another example:  Imagine a bicycle wheel and the spokes that come out from the center.  The stability of the center is vital for the bicycle wheel to function properly.  Now imagine a broken center, where the spokes don’t connect properly or there isn’t any real substance of the center to hold the spokes.  So what happens?  The wheel falls apart.

Now return to the human being.  The stomach or Earth element is our center.  It is the place where the nourishment and food we eat becomes digested and transformed into energy in order for our bodies to be healthy and happy (hopefully!).  It feeds every cell in our bodies, especially our brains.  So in essence, the food we eat fuels the way we think, how we feel, and how well we are able to accomplish a task at hand.

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Sauerkraut

I have to admit I have never liked sauerkraut.  I don’t even like looking at it most of the time, much less smelling it!  My husband’s family serves it every year at Thanksgiving after they’ve cooked it for hours in a crock pot.  It is very brown and limp looking and I simply can’t stand the smell.

I don’t think I ever ate it as a child, but remember trying it at some point and just not liking it.  So I guess you can say that my faint memories combined with my present reality during Thanksgiving has put a damper on trying to make my own lacto-fermented sauerkraut.

One thing I knew before I decided to give it a go is it would be different from my inlaw’s version because you don’t cook it.  And after continued praise of this culinary concoction from countless resources, I have finally given into giving it a try.

The main praise of lacto-fermented sauerkraut (along with other lacto-fermented veggies and fruits) is that is has beneficial bacteria, or naturally occurring probiotics, which are great for our digestion.  Having a gut populated with billions of these beneficial bacteria are vital for everyone to have good digestion.

However, I have to say I wasn’t thrilled about making it.  I love cooking.  After I cook for my clients, I go home and create more things for my family to eat and enjoy.  I have always loved this simple act of creating a nourishing meal and then sharing it with company.

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If you have a sensitive digestive system, you may spend most of the year following a specific diet to keep your body in balance. However, it is possible that during this time of year, you may find it much harder to keep your body in balance because of holiday parties, family gathering and the abundance of yummy food.

Even if you follow a gluten-free diet, it is still easy to overdo it on the delicious gluten-free baked goods! I personally have found this true for myself during this time of year.  On top of the holidays, we just finished celebrating my husband’s birthday and my son’s 1st birthday.  I made gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with coconut-cashew icing.  They were delicious and very easy to overindulge on.

So, if you find yourself overindulging this holiday, and are feeling the consequences that night or the next day, here are some home remedies to help you get your system back in balance:

Ginger root:

Ginger has been used for centuries to help with digestion.  It can help with nausea, stomachaches, gas or constipation and it “helps break down proteins to rid the stomach and intestines of gas. It also aids in the digestion of fatty foods.”  Source

Make ginger tea:

When making tea, always use fresh ginger root sold in the produce section of your grocery store.  Peel the skin with a paring knife and then grate about once inch.  Bring about 4 cups of water to a boil, add the grated ginger and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes or so, or until it has a strong, spicy flavor.  Strain the ginger into your cup and add honey or agave to sweeten.  If the ginger is too strong for you, dilute it with some water.

Lemons:
“The acidity in lemons also has healing powers, especially with many digestive problems. Lemon, when mixed with hot water, can cure nausea, heartburn, constipation and diarrhea, worm infestations of the lower intestines, bloating, and belching. It also stimulates the liver to produce the correct amount of bile, which helps with digesting food.”  Source

I personally love adding the juice of one half to one whole lemon to a cup of boiling water. I add honey or maple syrup to sweeten.  Adding in 1-2 dashes of cayenne also helps to clear out your system.  This is known as the Master Cleanse – lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne.  People fast on this drink for 10 days; however, you can drink it in the morning and then eat lightly the rest of the day or do a partial cleanse.  It will still help to restore balance in your body.

Apple cider vinegar:

Traditional forms of vinegar that still have the “strands” present in them are also very healing.  The “strands” are the little bits floating in the bottom of the jar.  Apple cider vinegar is one of these healing vinegars and can help restore balance in your body as well. Here is some great information.

My friend and business consultant, Dawud Miracle, gave me the following  recipe for when he wants to enjoy certain foods he knows he may have a reaction to it.  He uses it particularly when he wants to enjoy pizza because the combination of the wheat and dairy causes a reaction in his body.

Mix 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 8oz of water. Usually I take right after a meal and then a couple hours later. It really cuts the intolerance.

These are just a few remedies.  There are many more herbs and foods that can help with your digestion and restore balance in your body after the holiday dinner parties.  If you have additional ideas, please don’t feel shy to post your comment!

Happy Holidays!

Just like an artist, you can be creative and inspired while you’re in the kitchen creating your next meal. However, in cooking and in art, it is a good idea to follow some basic guidelines.  In art, these might include techniques in shading and mixing colors.  In cooking, “keeping balance” is one technique I consider foundational.  Once you get this basic principle, you can create many dishes, either based on recipes you’d like to change, or create your own recipes from scratch.

For keeping balance, I look to the five tastes:  sour, bitter, sweet, salty, and pungent or spicy. Based on the principles of Five-Element Acupuncture, when most or all of these tastes are present in a meal, the meal becomes balanced, whole and nourishing.

If you pick up a book about this subject, you will see it is very much like a science and is very detailed.  However, to keep this simple, I will give a few examples of each taste and how to use them.  Then, if you are more interested on the subject, a great book to read or reference is called, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition by Paul Pitchford.

Here is a list of foods that you can use to enhance your meals. Or, if you think there is something missing in your meal, you can reference this list.

Sour foods – lemon juice and zest, limejuice and zest, vinegar, yogurt, traditional lacto-fermented vegetables and fruits, green bell pepper, avocado, green pea, lettuce, string bean, zucchini, oats, wheat, rye
Bitter foods – red lentil, amaranth, corn, scallion, turnip, white pepper, alfalfa, bitter melon, romaine lettuce, rye, chocolate, beet, okra, red bell pepper, tomato
Sweet foods - Sweet food is the center of most diets, especially in the form of complex carbohydrates.  Some foods include:  millet, barley, garbanzo beans, cabbage, carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, spinach, squash, fig, orange, papaya, pineapple, strawberry, agave nectar, maple syrup
Spicy or pungent foods – rice, navy beans, asparagus, broccoli, celery, cucumber, mustard, green onion, radish, ginger root, garlic, shallots, cayenne, black pepper, hot green and red peppers, cinnamon, fennel, dill, caraway, anise, coriander, cumin, horseradish, peppercorns
Salty foods – buckwheat, kale, mushrooms, seaweeds, sea salt, tamari, seafood, aduki beans, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans

If this is overwhelming for you, start simple by picking one or two items from each category to keep in mind while you cook.  My short list is always in the back of my mind while I cook:  lemons, limes, scallions, carrot, squash, agave nectar, ginger, garlic, onions, cayenne, cumin, and sea salt. Just by adding one or two of these items to a meal can greatly enhance the flavors already present in the dish.

While “sweet foods” take center stage in cooking, the other ingredients will be used in lesser quantities.  Here are some general guidelines while cooking:

Lemon or lime juice: Depending on the dish, add 1 tsp – 1 tbsp.  Add the zest of one lemon or lime to make this taste stand out.
Scallions: Chop 1-3 scallions and add to salads, gazpacho or in stir fry dishes.
Carrots, squash, and other sweet foods: these can be center stage of the meal or added into salads in smaller quantities.
Agave nectar: In “non-sweet” dishes, add 1 -2 tsp to balance out the dish.  One example of this would be homemade spaghetti sauce to balance out the bitter tomato taste.
Garlic, ginger and onions: I use these in many dishes.  Depending on how garlicky you like dishes, add 1-4 cloves of garlic.  Cook it for a milder flavor, or add 1 raw clove to salad dressings or uncooked sauces.  Add 1 tbsp of fresh ginger root to cooked dishes.  I sauté ½ to a full onion for a dish for four people.
Cayenne, cumin and other spices: Depending on the spice, I use 1-2 dashes to 2-3 tsp per dish.
Sea salt: Add ¼ – 1 tsp per dish depending on your taste.

It seems like a paradox, I know.  Chocolate, healthy? Everything we have been taught about health and nutrition seems to be challenged with this statement.

But keep reading and you will find that chocolate can be one the healthiest and yummiest things you can eat.

Brand matters!

First of all, I am not talking about your regular Hershey’s bar. I know all too well what happens when I eat regular chocolate like this.  My heart races, I get a headache, and I might be grouchy and irritable.  Basically, not worth it, especially since Hershey’s is a far cry from what I consider truly delicious chocolate.

What I am talking about is raw, pure, unprocessed cacao, or raw chocolate.  In its natural, unadulterated form, “it is the highest antioxidant food on the planet, higher than any other fruit or vegetable.” Because it is so high in antioxidants, it naturally combats the free-radicals in our bodies which cause illness and disease.  The following is a brief list of conditions raw cacao can help with:

• diabetes
• heart disease or edema
• asthma – decreases frequency and severity of attacks
• cough/lung problems (in a study it was 1/3 more effective than codeine syrup!)
• weight loss – by decreasing sugar/dessert cravings and satisfying the appetite
• vision/ocular/eye health  (high antioxidants improve eye health overall)
• gum disease – extremely beneficial for oral hygiene
• seasonal allergies
• depression
• lowers blood sugar levels
• lowers blood pressure
• lowers “bad” cholesterol

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