Things I Do With My Spice Grinder: Flax, Nut, and Seed Powder Topping

Raw Flaxseed is one of nature's super foods. And it has been a part of human and animal diets for thousands of years in Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Why is Flax so good for you?

Flaxseed is very high in omega-3 essential fatty acids. It is the omega 3s -- "good" fats -- that seem to lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, lower the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, and reduce the inflammation of arthritis, as well as the inflammation that accompanies certain illnesses such as asthma. One of my patients recently told me that his dermatologist even recommended it to him for treatment of his rosacea!

In addition to the omega-3s, the remaining two components of flaxseed -- lignans and fiber -- are being studied for their health benefits as well.

Lignans, for example, act as both phyto-estrogens and antioxidants, while the fiber contained in the flax seed is of both the soluble and insoluble type. I read somewhere recently that men are better off eating the seed itself, rather than just the oil. I don't know if that is accurate, but here is a way I like using flax.

To make this you need a simple electric coffee grinder, an inexpensive one will do, to grind the flax seeds into a fine powder. I start with whole flax seed because the pre-ground flax in the store is not ground fine, but more importantly, as soon as you grind a seed into powder you have broken the protective covering and the oils start to oxidize, so fresh ground is "healthier."

Start with a high quality organic flax seed, like Spectrum Naturals. Better quality flax tastes better and is fresher. Oils go bad with time. All seeds and nuts are full of oil. So start with fresh quality seeds, go organic, and leave the pesticide residue and rancid oil behind.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons rawflax seed
2 tablespoons raw almonds or pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons unhulled sesame seeds, brown or black

Put the seeds and nuts in the grinder. Grind for a minute or two until everything is ground to a fine enought powder for you taste.

How to Use

Flax by itself is buttery, but also a little bitter. It is a bit strong. But ground with nuts and seeds, and what you have is a delicious buttery, nutty topping for cereal, yogurt, salad, rice, pasta, fish, chicken, that is full of healthy oils, fiber, and some protein, too. Try it with other nuts and seeds, too, like walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds.

My favorite is to take some Pavel's or Lifeway Yogurt or Kefir, and add a tablespoon of this, with some natural sweetener, like Date or Carob syrup (Arab or Iranian Market), or Apricot Preserves. Its so delicious. I think kids would like this too. You could put it on toast with instead of butter and jam.

If your kids like peanut butter and jelly, (which i dont recommend:peanuts are a bean and need to be boiled to be digestible, i will address this in another post)
you could mix tahini or almond butter, jam, and some of this powder and use it instead.

Variations

People with weaker digestion, or with Vata or Kapha imbalance can lightly toast the almonds and sesame (but NOT the flax) in a heavy pan or wok. Be careful not to burn them.

You could add a touch of sea salt, too, like a Japanese Gomasio. You can make spicy versions of this with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cumin (roast the cumin and pepper first), for example. Or just use the Ayush Kapha or Pitta churna that I sell. Roast the nuts, turn off the flame, and toss the churna on so it gets a little heated. You can even use a little bit of sesame oil, and heat it on very low for a minute or two, stirring the whole while. Put it on your popcorn!

Happy Kitchen Medicine!



Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego
http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com

Bladder Infections: Antibiotics or Herbal Medicine?

Bladder Infections (a.k.a. Cystitis, or Urinary Tract Infection, or UTI,)
are common, affecting about 5% of women each year. They rarely lead to Kidney infections, or other problems, and in many cases will go away on their own.

However, drug or herb treatment will hasten cure and minimize symptoms. M.D.s are often quick to prescribe antibiotics for bladder infections, for two reasons. One-- their patients expect it, and it is cheap and easy. Two--they need to protect themselves from suit, as there is always a slim chance of an infection spreading to the kidneys, in which case the doctor may be blamed.

But are antibiotics the wisest choice? The answer is clearly, "No."

Let me say here, flatly, and with all humility: Herbal Medicine works better than antibiotics for the vast majority of Urinary Tract Infections, especially for those women with recurrent (more than 1x a year) UTI.

Here are 7 reasons--

1. Antibiotics are not always effective. I routinely encounter patients who have been on two or three rounds of antibiotics, yet whose infections persist.
One reason may be the development of resistant bacteria. Bacteria are smart. They evolve in response to their environment. Resistance to antibiotics is a big problem with infections of all types.

On the other hand, perhaps because use of herbs is not so widespread, or because whole herbs have much more complex chemical structures than antibiotics, the bacteria have not developed resistance to herbs. I have yet to encounter a bladder infection I have not been able to cure with herbal medicine.

2. Antibiotics cause nasty side-effects. Vaginal yeast infections are one. Bloating and diarrhea are another. Antibiotics kill the healthy bacteria that live in the vagina and digestive tract, leading to overgrowth of yeast. Herbs do not have that effect. In fact, many of the herbs used for bacterial infections are also anti-fungal, are used for yeast infections, too, and aid vaginal and digestive health.

3. Repeated use of antibiotics for common infections (bladder, ear, sinus, throat, lung) can lead to systemic yeast infection, or Candida.
This can have widespread implications for general health. Symptoms range from chronic fatigue and difficulty concentrating, to sugar craving, bloating, and chronic digestive disorders.

4. Herbal medicines for bladder infections are good for you! Not only are they without side effects, but they strengthen the immune system. Herbs like Astragalus and Reishi Mushroom have been scientifically demonstrated to boost the immune system. Other herbs like Phellodendren and Goldenseal clear heat toxins from the blood. Other herbs, like Trifala improve the quality of the tissues lining the bladder.

5. Women with recurrent bladder infections often have weakened immune system function. Western Medicine fails to address this fact. See the case of Mary, below.

6. Herbal medicine treats the whole person. Is this just some kind of "new age" rhetoric? No. Why not? Lets look at the below cases of two different women, both with recurrent UTI.

Sally: Strong, Hot, Excess or "Replete" Type

19 years old
plump
Frequent bladder and yeast infections
cystic acne
very strong appetite
constipation
high energy level
loud voice
ruddy complexion
high achiever
good sleep
red tongue with a greasy yellow coating


Mary: Weak, Cold, Deficient or "Vacuity" Type

Mary, a thin 40 year old
Frequent bladder infections, no yeast infections
chronic allergies with watery nose
dry skin
intermittent to weak appetite, underweight
chronic loose stools
weak voice
pale complextion
chronic insomnia and anxiety
pale tongue with very thin white coat

Both Sally and Mary have frequent bladder infections. But it is clear from their associated symptoms that Sally, on the one had, has an over-accumulation of dampness and heat (greasy tongue coat, yeast infections, red tongue, ruddy complexion, acne), is strong (loud voice, strong appetite, sleeps and eats well) and suffers from impaired elimination(chronic constipation).

Sally has "too much of the wrong thing in the wrong place," i.e., damp heat and stagnation of qi.

To treat Sally successfully we must "unclog" her system of these "toxins" that make her susceptible to bacterial and yeast overgrowth.

It is unlikely Sally's immune system is weak, per se; more likely her body with its heat and damp accumulation is a wonderful field for very strong strains of bacteria to grow in, like a petrie dish full of sugar under a heat lamp. But if nothing is done, she will, in fact, end up being weak later in life as an effect of recurrent infection.

In Sally's case the treatment principle will be to start by strongly clearing damp heat. Because she is young and strong we can give her forceful herb prescriptions that treat bladder infections, like Long Dan Xie Gan Tang Gentiana Decoction to Clear Toxins, or Ba Zheng San Eight Miracles Powder.

Because of the chronic yeast infections we might need to follow that with Phellostatin, or Neem, to kill off the yeast hibernating in her gut.

We don’t have to worry about strengthening Sally; once we clear away the toxins from her body, her body will strengthen itself. But we will have to make sure her body, which is plump, is processing fluids well enough, and that her diet is appropriate to her constitution. Sally needs to eat lots of cleansing vegetables, and less dairy, wheat, meat, sugar, alcoholic drinks, and shellfish, ergo, foods and drinks that produce excessive moisture and heat.

If Sally takes Antibiotic drugs alone, she may temporarily get rid of the infection, but she will make her yeast issues worse. And the bladder infections will keep coming back, as the systemic damp heat that is the ground the bacteria grows in will not be addressed.

In addition to putting Sally on a cleansing diet, I would recommend a Pro biotic formula to restore the healthy bacteria in her gut that have been killed off by antibiotics, coffee, stress, etc. It will help with the constipation and the yeast infections and is a foundation point for anyone's overall health.

See http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/benefits-yogurt for more info on Pro biotics. As to a Yogurt with a broad spectrum of pro biotic bacteria, I recommend Lifeway Brand Unsweetened Kefir. If you need to sweeten it, add some fruit or honey, which will be much less sugar than the pre-sweetened types. There are also excellent vegan soy "yogurt" products, and one can also get good bacteria from fermented vegetables like Kim Chi or raw sauerkraut.

Mary, on the other hand, is clearly in a weakened state: she has a weak voice, pale complexion and tongue, is underweight and anxious. She does not even have the digestive fortitude to produce a well formed stool. We can tell from the white tongue coat, and watery allergies that she is a cold type, and the frequent bladder infections in this context suggest a weakness of the immune system.

While we must kill the bacteria causing Mary's bladder infections with anti-biotic herbs, we must also address her immune weakness and overall deficient state. We must get her to the point where she is eating, digesting, and sleeping well, so that her body can restore itself to a healthy state in which her immune system is able to fight off infection better.

For her, too, a Probiotic formula is integral, as it is these healthy bacteria that crowd out the unhealthy ones. But her herbal remedy will be different; her system is weak; so she needs a gentle prescription, called Si Miao Wan Damp Heat Cleanser. This is will kill bacteria overgrowth, while at the same time strengthening the immune and digestive system.

I would also give Mary some medicinal mushrooms like Ling Zhi Reishi, and Astragalus Root, to boost her immune system and calm her anxious mind. I might have her start this as soon as her infection improves, and even possibly with the damp heat clearing herbals.

Sleep has enormous restorative value. In Mary's case I would use acupuncture to calm the mind and restore sleep. After her infection is gone, I would give her herbs to help with that and with her weak appetite. Diet would also be key.

Mary would benefit by warm, cooked food, with gentle spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, black and white pepper, cinnamon, clove, fennel, and fenugreek, to stimulate her appetite and promote good digestion. There are many digestive herbal formulas to choose from that I might give her, including Trifal or Trikatu from Ayurveda.

7. Additional Natural Medicine for Bladder Infections

First and foremost, when you have cystitis, push fluids. Drink water until you are sick of it. That acts to mechanicallyflush the bacteria out of the urinary tract, and dilute its concentration in the urine.

Second, I like to use Cranactin brand extra stregnth Cranberry extract with Uva Ursi.
Cranberriess contain a chemical that makes it hard for bacteria to adhere to the lining of the bladder. But sugar feeds bacteria, so don't waste your time drinking sugary cranberry juice, and unsweetened cranberry juice is really unpalatable. If you can take it, Mazel Tov!

And Uva ursi is a second herbal that is useful for bladder infection. Cranactin Extra Strength has these two, and also Goldenseal, a potent antibacterial.

Third, avoid all spicy food during an infection. Spicy food seems to aggravate the delicate mucosa that are already irritated by the bacterial overgrowth.

8. If you do decide to take antibiotics…

If you are in Antartica, and there are no Chinese herbs around, please be aware, that according to the standards of Western medicine
"prolonged courses of antibiotics (more than 5 days) are usually unnecessary,
and associated with increased side effects and higher cost."
Canadian Urological Association Website

9. Is it a bladder infection or a vaginal infection?

The typical experience of a bladder infection is the SUDDEN onset of frequent, painful and urgent urination. The urine is often cloudy and foul smelling. Low back or abdominal pain may be present. Symptoms may range from very mild to severe.

Vaginal infections, on the other hand, whether bacterial or yeast, involve vaginal redness, itching, discharge, or discomfort with sex.

Anyone with frequent symptoms of bladder infection should also consider the possibility of interstitial cystitis,
a chronic inflammation of the bladder's interstices. Interstitial cystitis from the western standpoint is not yet well understood, and there seems even to be several different types involving different tissue. The commonality seems to be inflammation.

Its my opinion that like most chronic inflammatory diseases, I.C. involves the accumulation of depressed Liver Qi that causes stagnation, heat and dampness in the deep tissues of the body. For various reasons some people are more susceptible to this accumulation in the bladder, others, like folk with fibromyalgia, in the muscles. But the underlying mechanism is the same. Treatment is of course adjusted to whichever tissues or areas in the body are affected.



Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego
http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com

Baked Roots and Squash Stew: Vegan or Non-Vegan

This is an excellent warming slightly sweet slightly spicy stew that can be made purely vegan, or in a traditional mid-eastern style with ground beef or lamb.
Making it with meat is more warming and tonifying, suitable for Vata, but unnecesary for Kapha, or Pitta Kapha.

Ingredients:

* Butternut Squash, 1 small
* Parsnip, 1
* Sweet Potato, 1
* Kidney beans, cooked, 4 ounces
* Ground beef or Lamb or cubed Tofu or Tempeh, 8 ounces
* Yellow raisins, 2 tablespoons
* Turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon
* Allspice, 2 tablespoons
* Bay leaves, 5
* White pepper, 1/2 teaspoon
* Salt, 1 tablespoon or to taste
* 1 medium to large brown onion, sliced
* Prune juice, 3 oz or 4 to 5 prunes
* Olive oil for sauteeing onions, 3-4 tablespoons
* Water, 3/5 cup

Directions:

1. Peel and chop Squash, Parsnip, and Sweet Potato into large chunks and set aside.
2. Saute onions in oil until slightly brown.
3. Add crushed Tofu, Tempeh, or ground beef.
4. Saute until meat or tofu is browned.
5. Add powdered spices and salt and keep stirring for 3 minutes on very low heat to bring out the fragrance of the spices.
6. Add chopped vegetables, prunes or prune juice, raisins, and water, and stir for a few minutes.
7. Place in covered baking dish, and place in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, or cook on stove top on simmer in heavy pan with lid for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Serve with a cooked grain such as rice, quinoa, or bulgar


Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego
http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com

"Things I Do With My Spice Grinder" Teff n' Quinoa Gluten Free Vegan Pancakes

Winter is an ideal time for the warm and heavy weight of pancakes. But why use pre-packaged, over-salted, sugary, low-fiber pancake mixes whose pre-ground grains may or may not be fresh, when it's so easy to make it yourself.

Here is today's recipe-- spicy like my mom's spice cake, low-fat, naturally sweet without sugar, and with as little salt as you want.. If you like salt, add some! You control what goes in to the mix. So use some quality sea salt if you need to. Trader Joe's has two kinds of great sea salt, one French from the Atlantic, and one Spanish from the Mediterranean. Have kids? Add a little raw sugar to the mix, but don't ruin their palates; a little bit goes a long way.

What I love about this recipe, too, is that pancakes can be so heavy in the stomach. But teff and quinoa are both so light, and ginger and nutmeg aid digestion, so you can eat these without needing a nap afterwards.

Pan cakes are just what they say they are: little cakes baked on a pan. Baking is a method of cooking that imparts a deep, grounding, nurturing warmth to foods, so it is very good in cold weather. I get the best results from a well seasoned cast iron pan, in addition, you barely need any oil for the pan; after the first batch I don't even re-grease the griddle.

By "spice grinder" I really mean a simple coffee grinder. I have two. One I use to grind my spices like cumin, pepper, and coriander. That way they are always fresh and full of the essential oils that give them their aroma and taste. The second one I use for grinding grains and even lentils into flour. Of course a food processor works just as well or better, since the motor is stronger, but I have limited counter space and the spice grinder is quicker and easier to use.

The Grains:

Teff is an ancient grain from the Ethiopian highlands; it is the staple grain for the Ethiopian and Eritrean peoples, used to make the delicious sourdough "bread" injeera. (Injeera is more like a pancake than a bread, closer to the South Indian dosai than anything else). It is the smallest grain in the world; as such the ratio of starch to germ is low, so it is nutrient rich--high in fiber, iron, calcium, and protein. And, this is iron that is more easily absorbed than animal food iron, and its protein comprises 8 of the amino acids we need. There is a light teff and a dark one. For pancakes, I go dark. Whole Foods. Arrowhead mills brand in the grain and beans section.

Quinoa ("keen-wah") is the "miracle" grain of the Incas. Quinoa is the Spanish spelling of the Quechua name. It is actually a seed, rather than a true grain, as the mother plant is not a grass. It grows at high elevation, is very light in your stomach, is gluten free, and like all seeds, packed with nutrients.

Quinoa had the role in Inca culture that corn had for the Mayans. It was considered sacred, and as such was scorned and even suppressed by the Spanish colonialists as associated with the "pagan" faith of the indigenous people.

Quinoa is 12-18% protein, so it is really good for vegetarians, and also for people who have trouble overeating carbohydrates. Unlike wheat or rice it contains a balanced set of amino acids, too. It is also high in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, and is gluten free.

Quinoa is a bit of an acquired taste, it is very light and nutty, but it is also very slightly bitter when cooked alone like rice. My remedy when cooking it alone as a grain is to prepare it with sauteed onion, and some variety of spices, like curry powder or cous-cous spice. Its great in a meal with beans and vegetables.

I often cook it with chick peas, as they are a naturally sweet and easy to digest legume. In the case of these pancakes, you won't notice any bitterness at all.
There is a light quinoa in the bulk section of whole foods, and in the packaged grains you will find a dark or red quinoa. I used the light one here.

"Eden Soy" Soy Milk is, after fresh soy milk from the Chinese market, my favorite brand of Soy Milk. This company is owned by people who follow the principles of macrobiotics, which shares the concept of making foods digestible with Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Their soy beans are cooked with Kombu seaweed, which aids digestion of beans, and is good for you. Their sweetened version is mildly sweetened with barley malt, which does contain gluten, but their unsweetened version is gluten free.

Ingredients

To be honest, I don't own a measuring cup. I do everything by a small Indian cup that they measure grains with in Tamil Nadu, called a "shundu" Its about 2/3 of a cup. I measure my spices by eye in the palm of my hand, like my cooking mentors in India, Lakkumi, did. I would ask Lakkumi how much of something to put in, and she would hold out her hand placing her thumb by the tip of her index finger for a tiny bit (a pinch); by the first crease in her finger (distal inter-phalangeal joint to be exact) for a little bit, about a teaspoon; and hold out all four finger with a bent thumb crossing her palm for a tablespoon or two.

So I will guess at the amounts I am using and buy a measuring cup for next time.


Teff, 1/2 cup
Quinoa, 1/2 cup
Alum Free Baking Powder, enough to help it rise, say a tablespoon
Cinnamon, a lot. maybe a teaspoon, even more if its raining.
Ginger, less. maybe a half a teaspoon or a quarter
Nutmeg, a pinch or two.
Sea Salt a pinch or two is optional
Raw Sugar, a teaspoon, if you like
Oil, a tablespoon or two. Sesame, Walnut, or Almond will give a subtle nutty flavor.
Eden Soy brand unsweetened Soy Milk, enough to make a liquid batter to your taste. If you have never made pancakes before, a more liquid batter makes thinner cakes.

Recipe

Place dry ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly with a whisk. Combine Oil and Soy Milk with a whisk. Combine wet and dry ingredients with a spoon, being careful not to stir too much or your cakes will be flat. Allow the batter to rise for a good 10 minutes. In the meanwhile, heat your pan.

Apply a thin layer of oil on the pan, spoon the batter according to your preferred size, you can make little pancakes, big pancakes, or bigger pancakes.
When they start to get little bubbles, and the sides are brown, flip with a spatula.
Once the pan is hot, keep the flame low enough to brown without burning, and so that the insides are thoroughly cooked. If you have young children, this is something they might love helping you with. It is quite a sensory experience for the little ones, watching the pancakes cook.

Variations

The variations on the theme of hot cakes are endless.

Commonly, I like to grind some seeds and or nuts into powder, and mix in with the dry ingredients. Last time I used flax and pumpkin. I love to use almonds and flax. Sunflower and cashew are great. Sesame seed or black sesame give a unique taste and color.

Sometimes I make my pancakes with a South Indian taste. To do this I either grind some dry coconut with cashew or almond or black sesame. Or grind the nuts and seeds solo, and add some coconut milk along with the soy milk. Or I might use cow's or goat's milk. The latter is good if your child has allergies or digestive weakness.

For my Indian taste I drop the nutmeg and replace it with Cardamom, which I grind fresh with the cashew or almond. For the above recipe I would use a 1/2 teaspoon. I may even grind Saffron along with it, for the above recipe about 5 strands. One could go to town and put a little Orange Blossom water or Rose water in the batter. Very romantic.

Indian raw sugar is called Jaggery, Gur in Hindi, and Vellum in Tamil. There is jaggery made from sugar cane and jaggery made from palm sap, and another from coconut sap. The soft, golden colored one made from sugar cane, has a lovely malty taste. If I want to make a sweet Indian pancake I add some jaggery with coconut milk and lots of cardamom and whole cashew or ground almond and use clarified butter (ghee) or coconut oil to grease the pan. I might put tiny threads of fresh ginger, or some fresh grated ginger in the batter, too. Now we are on festival foods, though.

Egg. One can step up the protein on this if you want and add a free range egg.
Just two eggs with the above amounts will give you a pretty eggy tasting pancake, but it will make it moister and thicker. If you beat the yolk and white separately, so that the white gets little crests in it, your pancake will be really light.

Yogurt or Kefir. Yogurt or Kefir in place of or in addition to the soy milk, gives a lovely texture to pancakes. You could use soy kefir or soy yogurt if you are vegan. Plain yogurt or fruited is also great as a topping on pancakes, and balances their heaviness. Let the yogurt come to room temp, so that you are not spoon cold yogurt on your hot pancake.

Berries. Y'all already know that one. My favorites are blue, but I really prefer to just put them on top.

Ayurveda
From an Ayurvedic perspective, pancakes in general are nice for Vata, as they are warming, nourishing, and sweet. But they are typically hard to digest making them not so good for Kapha. Due to the use of Teff and Quinoa, this recipe is more Tri-doshic, acceptable for all three doshas. If you have a real Pitta imbalance, with symptoms like heartburn, or skin problems involving heat, you might omit the ginger, but at this small amount it will more than likely aid your digestion without producing too much heat.

Let me know if you make a new pancake and we can put your recipe up on the blog! Thank you.





copyright eyton j. shalom, san diego, ca, 92104 Jan 12, 2009 all rights reserved, use with permission









Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego
http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com

Winter Barley & Bean One Pot Tridoshic Vegan Stew

Ingredients

Barley, 3/4 Cup, Cooked till Soft
Pinto Beans, 1 Cup, Cooked
One Head Beet Greens, or 1 small bunch of Kale or Spinach
Turnip, 1 Small, Sliced
Red Onion, One Medium, Sliced
Raisins, 1 tbsp
2 tsp crushed Garlic
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Indian Turmeric Powder
3/4 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 tbsp Sesame oil (not the black roasted type) to saute the onion and spice
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Raw Dark Sugar

How To Prepare:

Wash and soak the barley for at least an hour. The longer the better. Boil with the raisins until soft. Cook pinto beans or open a can. If using canned I prefer Eden brand, as they are well cooked, organic, and made with Kombu Sea Vegetable, which aids the digestion of beans and grains. Trader Joe's organic pintos are nice and soft, too.

Saute the onion on a medium flame in sesame oil. For this dish I prefer a large cast iron pan. When the onion turns translucent, add the coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper, and lower the flame so as to not burn the spices. Stir for about 2-3 minutes and add the crushed garlic and turmeric. Stir for another 2-3 minutes and add the beet greens and cover for 5 minutes.

Add the beans, sugar, vinegar, and barley with 1/4 cup water if necessary. (This depends on how much water is in your green veggie; the goal is a thick stew like an Indian vegetable dish). Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Ayurvedic Analyis

Barley like Rice, is a very easily digested grain; in Chinese Medicine it is said to "drain dampness," which makes it an excellent grain in winter when we may consume more heavy food that creates damp. It is also considered mildly cooling.

Pinto beans are a very easy to digest bean with a mild flavor that blends well with stronger tasting ingredients; hence its popularity with the hot spices of Mexican cuisine.

This dish is fairly tri-doshic; containing all 6 tastes, sweet, salt, sour, bitter, astringent, and pungent, it is nourishing, easy to digest, and suitable for all three doshas in balance. But if you suffer dosha aggravation this dish will need to be modified.

The combination of astringent beans with light, easy-to-digest, damp-draining barley and spices make this dish excellent for Kapha, but with a Kapha aggravation I would omit the raisins, sugar and vinegar.

The cooling barley and astringent beans combined with mild sweet spice like coriander and raw sugar are good for Pitta, but with Pitta imbalance, I would omit or reduce the black pepper, garlic, vinegar, and and substitute rutabaga, parsnip, or potato for the turnip.

The sweet sour salty warm moistening qualities of this dishes preparation method balance the light barley and beans, so a healthy Vata could enjoy this dish, if they are not bean sensitive. But if they are out of balance I would delete the beans and even make this dish with rice, bulgar, or buckwheat rather than barley.

How can this dish be both cooling, warming, moistening and light at the same time? The dish is fundamentally light; as its main ingredients barley and beans are. And barley is cooling, too. But the spices added, and the method of sauteing them in warming sesame oil with onion make the dish gently warming and moistening.

So this dish lives in the middle. Light, but not dry; moistening, but not damp producing; warming, but not hot; cooling, but not cold, containing all 6 tastes, and fundamentally easy to digest. Enjoy!



copyright eyton shalom, january 2009, san diego, ca. all rights reserved, use with permission.

Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego
http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com

Vegan Chick Pea Miso Soup or Its Seafoody Cousin

Of the general food remedies for winter, nothing approaches soup. Soup is warming and makes vegetables and protiens delicious and digestible. At the same time pushing hot fluids in winter keeps mucus membranes and bronchial passages hydrated, while loosening phlegm .

A favorite of mine is Miso Soup, which is made from a base called Miso Paste Good Miso paste is like fine wine. It is a fermented product with lots of health attributes that originated in Japan, the land of longevity, and is made from rice or other grains or beans to which a starter culture has been added. Miso paste is only as good as the producer who makes it.

Miso is an alkalinizing food, and its fermentation aids digestion and metabolism. Simply think of miso as a vegetarian soup base. Different types of miso, depending on the starter and the grains or legumes used in production produce varying tastes. Someday, try them all!

This is a recipe that includes sea vegetables, which are excellent in winter. Winter is associated with the water element and the salty taste; both are characterized by sea veggies. Sea veggies are very high in minerals, aid the thyroid gland, and can help break up phlegm and swellings. Both Kombu and Wakame are used in Chinese Medicine herbal decoctions for chronic infectious lung diseases. Eden Brand or Maine Coast Seaweed Co. are both very reliable sources for sea vegetables, and carried at Whole Foods market and most health food coops.

This recipe also calls for Burdock root, which is a Japanese vegetable also known for its health properties. High in easily digested fiber, it has antibacterial properties making it good for toxic heat in the lungs, skin, and blood. There is more on Burdock in my Cleansing soup post.
http://ayurshalom.blogspot.com/2009/01/winter-cleanse-soup-with-burdock.html

The easiest miso soup? Boil water; add miso. Life should be so simple.


This is a soup I made a month or two ago when I had some celery root and scallops on hand. Seafood, like sea veggies, are considered good winter food in Chinese Medicine, strong for strengthening the Kidney Qi associated with vitality, strong bones, and a strong immune system. But drop the fish and your soup becomes vegan.


Chick Pea Miso Soup with Celery Root and Seafood

Ingredients

1 cup scallops or other sea food
1 cup chopped celery root
1 cup chopped burdock root
1/2 cup white, brown, or fresh shitake mushrooms
1 cup small broccoli florets
4" piece of kombu sea veggie, cut into pieces with a scissor
4" piece of wakame sea veggie, ditto
1-2 slices ginger root
2-3 chopped scallion
2 quarts water
1 tbsp chick pea miso paste or mellow white if unavailable
1 tbsp sweet white miso paste or more to taste
a dash of white pepper if desired

Directions

Bring water to boil and add the root and sea veggies. Cook on a medium high boil until the roots are soft and the wakame has dissolved into beautiful dark pieces. Now add the sea food and mushrooms and cook on a low boil for around 10 minutes depending on the sea food. Cook until almost all done and turn flame down to simmer. Meanwhile, add the miso paste to 4 oz. of water in a cup and stir to make a liquid. Add the broccoli florets, scallion, and miso paste, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with Buckwheat Soba noodles or just by itself for a low carb alternative.

Comments
copyright eyton j. shalom, san diego, 2009 jan, all rights reserved, use with permission.


Ayurveda, Acupuncture, and Chinese Medicine in San Diego
http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com

Vegan Nopalitos (Cactus Leaves) with Tofu, Shitake, and Dill

Many people are very concerned with cleansing and "toxins". Right now Whole Foods has a gigantic post-holiday display across from the dairy aisle with all the ingredients for a radical purgative cleanse. But if people ate a balanced diet, they would not need military solutions for their bodies. Let's enter into a dialogue with our digestive systems. Let's understand that digestion is a process more akin to alchemy than to the sewer system of a building .

In Chinese Medicine it is said, "Eat Grains for Energy, Proteins for Strength, and Vegetables to Keep Things Clean"

May I repeat? "...and Vegetable to Keep Things Clean...."

One of the many great vegetables for keeping things clean is the Mexican favorite Nopales, also called Nopalitos. Nopales are the leaves of a particular kind of cactus that grows in Mexico and the American Southwest. Every Mexican friend of mine is able to expound on the health benefits of Nopales; it is used extensively in Mexican folk medicine by curanderos and abuelas (healers and grandmothers). In fact, it is the Nopales cactus plant that is in the center of the Mexican flag.

Nopales has a gentle laxative effect, being full of fiber, and "slippery". It is said to stabilize blood sugar, as well. When really fresh it is crunchy, and has a pleasant salty and sour taste. Its delicious in salad, and is fine juiced with celery, carrot and parsley. Some people add a little pineapple when juicing. I use pear.

Nopalitos can be purchased fresh at any Mexican market, either whole, or cleaned and pre-cut.

That's what I get, (from the wonderful little market on 30th st. just NE of the WAMU bank, behind the giant faux-Italian condo complex...the two owners are really friendly and will talk to you about Mexican food if you are interested. Practice your Spanish with them, they like it!) as is it a bit more labor intensive cutting the spines off the fresh ones.

Anyone can grow this plant here in San Diego. I used to have one in my back yard, my gardener just stuck a stem in the center of the lawn, and it was so fast growing within a year I had a 5 foot tall living sculpture!; Its easy to pull off the young leaves before they develop spines, and just chop them up as needed. Slow Food, Yes!

The slippery and crunchy quality of Nopales makes it like a cross between Okra and Aloe Vera. This slipperiness along with its water soluble fiber content gives it a lubricating quality in the intestines. I suspect that it must have a tissue healing quality for the mucus membranes, as it is slightly sour, salty, and astringent. This could be a key to its health benefits, some chemicals in the salty sour stuff that comes out of the leaves when cut, similar to Aloe, though not from the same family.

In Ayurveda this is a vegetable that is tridoshic; it is moistening, salty, sour, bitter, cooling, mild, light, and cleansing, so it can be used in moderation by all doshas, especially if cooked or eaten raw in a way that balances different dosha imbalances.

For example, in warm weather, it can be juiced with carrot, celery, parsley, and leafy greens with some ginger for a Kapha type. For a Pitta type increase the carrot or add some apple and make sure the leafy greens are not hot like mustard. For a Vata, increase the ratio of carrot, and add some pear, and reduce the leafy green.

In cooking Nopalitos, one can vary the recipe easily to suit dosha and the season.
Last night i cooked a South Indian "Poriyel" version with spices that suit my Vata Pitta dosha in this Kapha season (though we have had some real Vata disturbing weather lately in San Diego, as of 1/19/09).

Here is a Tridoshic (suitable for all three doshas) Nopales recipe from last winter, that is light, easy to digest, mild, nourishing, and cleansing. The inherent qualities of the vegetables makes it tridoshic--(sour, salt, moistening for Vata, bitter and cooling for Pitta, light and bitter for Kapha). For someone with a strong Kapha imbalance we might use a spicy red onion rather than sweet onion, and step up the spice a little, but that is a minor point. American Kapha types need to worry more about not eating sugar and cheese than which kind of onion they use. An out-of-balance Pitta would reduce the black pepper, and an out-of-balance Vata would reduce the tofu, make sure it is really well browned, and possible add another digestive spice like cumin. But they could also have this dish as is with some other dish that strongly benefits Vata.

Nopales with Tofu, Shitake, and Dill

Ingredients:

One large brown, white, or sweet onion, sliced or diced
One cup or so cubed extra-firm organic gmo-free tofu
One cup chopped nopales (nopalitos)
1/2 cup or more shitake mushrooms, sliced
Fresh Dill to taste, say about 1/4 cup, diced, the finer the better
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
Olive Oil to sauté brown onion. I use about one tbsp.

Directions:

Saute onion in olive oil until brown enough for your taste; for this dish I like to go until the onions are clear, but not dark-dark.
Add the Tofu Cubes and sauté till brown. (You could brown the tofu separately if you like it real dark.)
Add Nopalitos, Shitake, Salt and Pepper and stir well for a minute or two.
Cover and cook on low flame for five minutes till Nopalitos are cooked. I like to cook until they are just starting to change color and wilt a little. But if you have weak digestion, cook longer.
Turn off flame.
Now add dill, stir, cover, leave a minute or two, and serve.

Serving suggestions:
Excellent as a taco or burrito in a sprouted multi-grain or corn tortilla
Good in Pitta too.
Also great with rice.
Mild tasting; kids love it.

Additions/Subtractions

One could add garlic, bell pepper, and substitute fresh oregano for dill, that would be a more traditional Mexican taste. I don't use chiles, but I am sure someone's mother would put green chiles in this. Then you might serve it in an omelet with Mexican cheese, like Cotija or Oaxaca.

As a leftover, I reheated this with an egg soft cooked in the center and topped with some French Feta. Nopales is just really good with eggs cooked any imaginable way.

I hope you try this dish, and enjoy it, and feel free to contact me if you have any comments or questions. Thank you!


All above material copyrighted January 2008 by eyton shalom, san diego, ca all rights reserved. Use with permission.



Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac
Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine
eytonshalom@cox.net 619/296-759

Kitchen Medicine Cooking Medicine: Immunity Boosting Foods and Recipes for Winter

Kitchen Medicine Cooking Medicine: Immunity Boosting Foods and Recipes for Winter

Winter Cleanse Soup with Burdock, Dandelion, and Kombu

Winter Cleanse Soup

Most everyone overeats around the holidays, its hard not to; food is one of life's great pleasures; sharing it with people you love is even greater.
So, at the end of December, when you have eaten too much, and too richly, take a few days and rest your digestive tract which has been working overtime.

Here is a cleanse method especially suitable for winter, in that it preserves the integrity of the digestive fire and body's warmth, and is in soup form, which is ideal for this season. It's a cleanse that does no damage in the process, like the kinds of cleanses you buy in the health food store with their "heroic" purgative herbals do.


Ingredients

2 quarts water, more or less.
3-5 carrots, to taste, and depending on size, sliced lengthwise and chopped a bit
1 beet, sliced
3-5 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch dandelion greens. If not available substitute with kale
1 bunch parsley
1 burdock root, sliced lengthwise and chopped a bit.
1 4 inch piece of kombu sea vegetable, or dulse
2-3 slices of raw ginger root


Directions

Place all the ingredients except the parsley and greens in a large pot with the water and bring to a low boil. Low boil until the vegetables are almost fully cooked, and add the greens. Simmer until the greens are well darkened.


How to Use as a Cleanse

Drink a tall glass of this first thing in the morning, and at least three times a day for two days. The rest of the day eat just small amounts of very simple, low-fat, low protein food, like whole grain sourdough rye (Pacific Bakery, or French Meadow are good brands, but they both need to be toasted, as they are undercooked at the bakery), cooked starchy and green vegetables, like potato and broccoli. If you need protein, try some tempeh roasted over a low flame in a cast iron pot with ginger or tofu and bean sprouts stir fried with a green veggie.

Modifications

Delete the beet if you don't want the red color. If you want it more savory or sweeter, add a sliced yellow or red onion. If you must, add some sea salt to taste. You could also use this basic recipe, or a variation, for miso soup. Just add some mellow or sweet white miso at the end and simmer for three minutes.
I might add chopped scallions at the end in that case

As the basis for a meal you could add some fish, like halibut or salmon or scallops and cook the veggies a little less long, and serve them with the fish over buckwheat soba, having the broth at the side. Who says you can't eat your cake and have it, too?! Eden brand Soba and Udon are excellent.

Comments

The idea here is to liberate the minerals and other nutrients from the cellulose of the vegetables and into the broth, so don't worry about over-cooking. Keep the heat relatively low. This is more like cooking Chinese herbs; when the soup is cooked all the goodness is in the broth, and the veggies you can eat or compost.

It's well worth searching out dandelion greens. I found them, albeit non-organic, at Balboa International Market and at North Park Produce, here in San Diego. They are also, organic, at Whole Foods Market and other health food stores. Dandelion greens are a diuretic, and foods eaten over the holidays tend to cause water retention. So this is an excellent remedy. They also have a cleansing effect on the gall bladder.

Dandelions are very rich in nutrients. Traditionally, the roots and leaves of the plant have been used as medicines for breast maladies, bloating, digestive disorders, aching joints, fevers, and skin disorders. The leaves of the plant are very rich in vitamins, including A, C, D, and B-complex. They also have high levels of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon. The most active ingredient in dandelions, eudesmanolide and germacranolide, are found only in dandelions.

Burdock is a traditional cleansing vegetable that is used in East Asia to remove toxins from the blood and improved the function of organs like the liver, kidneys, and intestines, which play a role in detoxification. It has gentle laxative, diuretic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Kombu seaweed is used in Chinese Medicine medicinally to de-congest the lymphatic system and reduce swellings. It is excellent year round, but especially in cold season. Wakame, too. I will write soon all about using sea vegetables in cooking


Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac.
Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine since 1992
619/296.7591

www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com


copyright eyton shalom, san diego, ca, january 2009, all rights reserved, use with permission

"Cafe la Blanca" Simple Vegan Vegetable Soup

On a recent trip to Mexico City I stayed in the historic district across the street from a sweet little restaurant that became my nightly haunt. A relic from the '50's, Cafe La Blanca served a lovely, mild, easy-to-digest vegetable soup that calmed my nerves and soothed my stomach after a long day of sightseeing and spicy lunches.

This is an easy soup to replicate, and is just one of many great ways to get your kids to eat vegetables, as it is slightly sweet from the liberal amount of onion and carrot.

Ingredients

one large brown or sweet onion, sliced
2-3 large carrots, cut in big pieces
4-5 zucchini, cut in big pieces
3 celery stalks, chopped
one large white or russet potato, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts of water, or more

Directions

Put the water and onions in the pot on a high flame. Once boiling, turn down to medium. Cook the onions while you slice the other vegetables. Now add all the other ingredients and cook on a low flame until everything is nice and soft.
Serve with some nice whole grain bread.

Comments and Modifications

Cooking for a long time breaks down the cellulose, making this soup very easy to digest. But if you want you could add the zucchini a bit later, and it will remain more green.

One could also add some leafy greens or broccoli towards the end to increase the vitamin content of the soup, but remember vegetables are not just about vitamins. If they are too raw to digest, you won't extract the minerals and phyto-nutrients, so I like this well cooked soup sometimes.

And young children have immature digestive tracts, so it's good to give them very well cooked foods, including vegetables.

I have added cumin powder, garlic, and Mexican oregano to this soup with success, even a dash of turmeric, and also sweet potato or hard squash and crimini or white mushrooms. Fresh dill could be delicious.

In summer I might cook with cumin powder and serve with fresh Cilantro and yoghurt, which is cooling.

Ayurveda:

This soup is excellent for nourishing Vata, as it is naturally and mildly sweet and warming. One could even add a little bit of olive or sesame oil to this recipe for Vata, or some Chicken broth.

It is well tolerated by Pitta, which also benefits from the sweet taste, and it would be nice for a Pitta to introduce some green vegetable into the soup, as Pitta benefits from the bitter taste and cleansing quality of greens. Even some beans like Chick Pea could be added for a Pitta, especially a Pitta Kapha.

While the sweet flavor is not indicated for Kapha, this dish is not too sweet, and not at all oily, so also quite tolerated for Kapha; but for someone with a strong Kapha imbalance one could step up the spices, make it a little more peppery, substitute beans for the carrot and potato (if there is no Vata imbalance--beans are astringent and drying; good for Kapha bad for Vata), and add some green vegetable.

Immunity Boosting Foods and Recipes for Winter

Although winter is a time of colds and flus, in Ayurveda it is actually considered the best season for improving immunity. One reason is that our digestive fire, Agni, is higher in cold weather, so we are better able to absorb the heavier foods that can nourish us at our tissue's deepest levels (dhatu).

Immunity Boosting Foods

Immunity boosting foods are those that are full of Prana-- freshly made and well prepared, organic, easy to digest, and pure. Tailored to our individual body-mind type (prakruti), age, and the season, they fill the body with Prana without creating toxins (ama).

Quality organic vegetables, ripe fruits, whole grains, lentils, beans, culinary herbs, spices, healthy oils, and small amounts of boiled spiced milk, yogurt, soft white cheeses, nuts, seeds and lean meats are the basis of the Ayurvedic diet. Foods that are hard to digest should be avoided if you want to increase immunity. Overeating high protein high fat foods and overeating sugar or sugar with fat falls into this category.

But easily overlooked is that old, leftover, stale, rotten, processed, canned, bottled, frozen, and pre-prepared foods have little prana left, so they are difficult to digest and will clog the channels of circulation, producing Ama, or digestive toxins. This means marketed as "healthy" frozen foods and ready-made foods at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's that have been on the shelf for 4 days or 4 months.

Look at Your Tongue

Look at your tongue. If it regularly has a thick greasy coating, then you are building digestive toxins (Ama), which will in turn create a sluggish compromised immune system

If your imbalance is in Vata, Ama will collect in the Large Intestine, if in Pitta the Small Intestine and Pancreas, if in Kapha, the Stomach and Lung. Over time Ama spreads to the other tissues associated with your dosha and create disease. Correcting diet is one way to prevent this cycle.

Seasonal Foods

Foods that nourish and balance the body in the cold, dry, winter season are the sweet, sour and salty tastes. These are found naturally in grains, starchy vegetables, sea vegetables, sea salt, and fermented foods like natural sauerkraut kefir, and miso. It's best to eat less of the astringent, bitter, and pungent tastes in cold dry weather, although all six tastes should be included in your diet.

In cold, wet weather, we increase the ration of pungent and bitter foods. Combining foods to suit your individual constitution/prakruti is an art; it is something I teach in Ayurvedic consultation.

Warm, home-cooked, unctuous foods are ideal, as long as they are not deep-fried and are cooked with easy-to-digest oils such as ghee, olive, or un-toasted sesame. Avoid cold or ice-cold foods, as cold foods and drinks douse the digestive fire, creating weakness.

Immunity Boosting Spice Masala

Spices can boost immunity indirectly. By stimulating digestive enzymes, they improve your body's ability to extract nutrients from foods. They benefit immunity directly through their anti-oxidant value. In fact, they are really "Super Foods."

Here's a winter spice mixture masala for enhancing immunity.
• 3 parts Indian Turmeric
• 3 parts Ground Cumin
• 3 parts Ground Indian Coriander
• 1 part Ground Fennel
• 1 part Powdered Ginger
• 1 part Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 part Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 part Ground Cardamom

Mix all the powdered spices well and store in an airtight container in a cool place away from direct sun. Some people will want to omit the Fennel and or the Cardamom.

Use As a Churna:

If you don't want to get into full fledged Indian cooking, you can use this spice mix as a churna. That means adding a little bit to your already cooked food. This can work with grains, legumes, vegetables, even meats and fish. Here is how:
Measure one teaspoon of the spice mixture in one tablespoon of oil or ghee and heat on a very low flame until the aroma is released. Remove from heat immediately to avoid burning. Apply the warmed spice mix to cooked rice, vegetables or other dishes before serving. Taken regularly with each main meal of the day, this combination of spices will help boost your immune system and enhance digestion.
Otherwise, use this mix in cooking like any Indian spices, typically, by sautéing with onions before adding the additional ingredients. Or rub it on fish or chicken with oil before broiling.
-----------------------------

Ayurvedic Winter Tonification

Trifal is an Ayurvedic herbal remedy that can gradually and gently purify and rejuvenate your digestive tract, improving your body's ability to receive nourishment from the food you eat.

Trifal can be used for its laxative effect, and to strengthen the intestinal mucosa, which in tern improves absorption. It is used in Ayurveda for anyone showing immune weakness manifesting with chronic colds or allergies, as well as malabsorption syndromes manifesting chronic constipation or excessive gas.

It is used for acne (to reduce toxins generated by the intestines) and finally, as a Rasayan, or herbal rejuvenator. It rejuvenates by eliminating toxins (Ama) from all body tissues, and by balancing the three doshas Pitta, Vata, and Kapha. It is harmless and safe.

In fact if there were a panacea in Ayurvedic medicine, Trifal would be it. It promotes health while reducing anyone's predilection for disease. Trifal is extremely rich in Vitamin C and bioflavonoid, and is a potent anti-oxidant.

When I began my practice I sought out the best Trifal available, and have been very pleased with the results i get from Ayush brand, a concentrated Triphala extract from Bellevue, Washington. A typical dose is 2-3 caps per day. For more details, or to discuss your condition, drop me an e or voice-mail.
---------------------------------------
Kitchen Medicine Cooking Medicine: Soup

Of the general food remedies for winter, nothing approaches soup. Soup is warming and makes meats and vegetables delicious and digestible. At the same time pushing hot fluids in winter keeps mucus membranes and bronchial passages hydrated, while loosening phlegm .

Here are a couple of soup recipes from my kitchen to yours.


Chick Pea Miso Soup with Celery Root and Seafood

Ingredients

1 cup scallops or other sea food
1 cup chopped celery root
1 cup chopped burdock root
1/2 cup white, brown, or fresh shitake mushrooms
1 cup small broccoli florets
4" piece of kombu sea veggie, cut into pieces with a scissor
4" piece of wakame sea veggie, ditto
1-2 slices ginger root
2-3 chopped scallion
2 quarts water
1 tbsp chick pea miso paste or mellow white if unavailable
1 tbsp sweet white miso paste or more to taste
a dash of white pepper if desired

Directions

Bring water to boil and add the root and sea veggies. Cook on a medium high boil until the roots are soft and the wakame has dissolved into beautiful dark pieces. Now add the sea food and mushrooms and cook on a low boil for around 10 minutes depending on the sea food. Cook until almost all done and turn flame down to simmer. Meanwhile, add the miso paste to 4 oz. of water in a cup and stir to make a liquid. Add the broccoli florets, scallion, and miso paste, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with Buckwheat Soba noodles or just by itself for a low carb alternative.

Comments

This is a recipe that includes sea vegetables, which are excellent in winter. Winter is associated with the water element and the salty taste; both are characterized by sea veggies. Sea veggies are very high in minerals, aid the thyroid gland, and can help break up phlegm and swellings.

Good Miso is like fine wine. It is a fermented product with lots of health attributes that originates in Japan, the land of longevity, and is made from rice or other grains or beans. It is only as good as the producer who makes it.

Miso is an alkalinizing food, and its fermentation aids digestion and metabolism. Simply think of miso as a vegetarian soup base. Different types of miso, depending on the artisan and the grains or legumes used in production produce varying tastes. Someday, try them all!

The easiest miso soup? Boil water; add miso. Life should be so simple.

-------------------------


Winter Cleanse Soup

Most everyone overeats around the holidays, its hard not to; food is one of life's great pleasures; sharing it with people you love is even greater.
So, at the end of December, when you have eaten too much, and too richly, take a few days and rest your digestive tract which has been working overtime.

Here is a cleanse method especially suitable for winter, in that it preserves the integrity of the digestive fire and body's warmth, and is in soup form, which is ideal for this season. It's a cleanse that does no damage in the process, like the kinds of cleanses you buy in the health food store with their "heroic" purgative herbals do.


Ingredients

2 quarts water, more or less.
3-5 carrots, to taste, and depending on size, sliced lengthwise and chopped a bit
1 beet, sliced
3-5 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch dandelion greens. If not available substitute with kale
1 bunch parsley
1 burdock root, sliced lengthwise and chopped a bit.
1 4 inch piece of kombu sea vegetable, or dulse
2-3 slices of raw ginger root


Directions

Place all the ingredients except the parsley and greens in a large pot with the water and bring to a low boil. Low boil until the vegetables are almost fully cooked, and add the greens. Simmer until the greens are well darkened.


How to Use as a Cleanse

Drink a tall glass of this first thing in the morning, and at least three times a day for two days. The rest of the day eat just small amounts of very simple, low-fat, low protein food, like whole grain sourdough rye (Pacific Bakery, or French Meadow are good brands, but they both need to be toasted, as they are undercooked at the bakery), cooked starchy and green vegetables, like potato and broccoli. If you need protein, try some tempeh roasted with ginger or tofu and bean sprouts stir fried with a green veggie.

Modifications

Delete the beet if you don't want the red color. If you want it more savory or sweeter, add a sliced yellow or red onion. If you must, add some sea salt to taste. You could also use this basic recipe, or a variation, for miso soup. Just add some mellow or sweet white miso at the end and simmer for three minutes.
I might add chopped scallions at the end in that case

As the basis for a meal you could add some fish, like halibut or salmon or scallops and cook the veggies a little less long, and serve them with the fish over buckwheat soba, having the broth at the side. Who says you can't eat your cake and have it, too?! Eden brand Soba and Udon are excellent.

Comments

The idea here is to liberate the minerals and other nutrients from the cellulose of the vegetables and into the broth, so don't worry about over-cooking. Keep the heat relatively low. This is more like cooking Chinese herbs; when the soup is cooked all the goodness is in the broth, and the veggies you can eat or compost.

It's well worth searching out dandelion greens. I found them, albeit non-organic, at Balboa International Market and at North Park Produce, here in San Diego. They are also, organic, at Whole Foods Market and other health food stores. Dandelion greens are a diuretic, and foods eaten over the holidays tend to cause water retention. So this is an excellent remedy. They also have a cleansing effect on the gall bladder.

Dandelions are very rich in nutrients. Traditionally, the roots and leaves of the plant have been used as medicines for breast maladies, bloating, digestive disorders, aching joints, fevers, and skin disorders. The leaves of the plant are very rich in vitamins, including A, C, D, and B-complex. They also have high levels of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon. The most active ingredient in dandelions, eudesmanolide and germacranolide, are found only in dandelions.

Burdock is a traditional cleansing vegetable that is used in East Asia to remove toxins from the blood and improved the function of organs like the liver, kidneys, and intestines, which play a role in detoxification. It has gentle laxative, diuretic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.


Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac.
Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine since 1992
619/296.7591

www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com


copyright eyton shalom, san diego, ca, january 2009, all rights reserved, use with permission

How to Boost Your Immune System in Winter With Ayurveda

Each one of us has an inherited or "constitutional" immunity that reflects our genetic inheritance. But we can build on or weaken what our parents gave us through the choices we make in lifestyle and diet.

Immunity is a Complex Relation between Body and Mind

Immunity in Ayurveda, is a concept of strength, and represents an understanding of the complex interplay between physical, emotional, and spiritual states of being. Science now explains that "non-physical" elements such as emotions and the presence of spiritual belief systems affect the immune system as significantly as do our diets and other aspects of our lifestyles. An example would be the improved heart health in people with close family ties.

Four Keys to Building a Strong Immune System

First is with a healthy diet.

What is a healthy diet? This is a huge topic. In sum: this will vary from person to person, depending on our body-mind type or Prakruti, the unique way in which we combine the three Dosha, Pitta, Vata, and Kapha. There will also of course be differences of cultural origin.

But the main principal of a healthy diet is to eat a diet rich in fresh, unprocessed, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, herbs and spices, with moderate amount of nuts, seeds, healthy oils, small amounts of unrefined sweeteners, and an appropriate (to you) amount of dairy products and other proteins.

As much as possible eat organic, pesticide-free, and even locally grown items. Avoid fish or meat that has been frozen. Cooked food should be eaten within 24 to 48 hours; after that it contains the structure of food without the life-force of food.

One of the ways to tell if your diet is healthy for you is to look at your tongue coating at mid-day. It should be thin, light, and white. If it is thicker, or slimy looking, you are building Ama or digestive toxins, what we call dampness in Chinese Medicine.

Second is by maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

While its obvious the "info in" part of immunity is diet, if your hard drive is crashing, your computer can't process the info. Good digestion is having a healthy hard drive. It should be pretty obvious that no matter what you eat, if you don't break it down well then the nutrients within will not make it into the blood stream and on to the body's tissues. Equally serious is that when there is poor digestion or "mal-absorption" then the large protein molecules in the large intestine can be reabsorbed, which can lead to allergies and other immune issues.

What Are the Signs of a Healthy Digestive Tract?

A healthy digestive tract is marked by "good appetite, good digestion and good elimination." This will produce a clean tongue coating, a postive feeling after eating, and regular, easy, productive elimination.

What is good appetite? Good appetite means feeling hungry at meal times, anywhere from two to five times per day, depending on your dosha. There is no rule about times, just that you should crave food fairly strongly with regularity. If you don't that is typically a sign of weak digestive fire/Agni.

What is good digestion? Good digestion means feeling good after eating; pleasantly full, but not bloated, too tired, gassy, in pain, without nausea, heartburn excessive belching or any other negative sensations.

What is good elimination? Good elimination is both regular and easy. To be specific that means the regular urge to eliminate digestive by-products, and being able to do so easily, without struggle, and producing something akin, I apologize for being graphic, to a ripe banana, neither rocks, nor snakes, nor pudding. Of course any of the above could occur once in a way, but in the main, good elimination means the easy regular production of something like a ripe banana. Voila!

What Are the Causes of an Unhealthy Digestive Tract?
First are the diets themselves.

Not enough freshly cooked vegetables, not enough fresh food, too much old restaurant food, too much canned and frozen food, too much refined flour, sugar, and processed foods, too much junk food. Not enough green leafy cooked vegetables, too much salad, too much cold food, too much iced beverages and cold drinks, a lack of the sense of seasonal eating, not enough use of culinary herbs and spices that stimulate digestive enzymes.

Americans have so many fad diets, too much compensation with fiber and vitamin supplements that miss the point of a healthy diet and of learning to listen to your own body and eating intuitively. You should be able to tell whether something makes you feel good or bad, on a deep level. That means how do you feel later, not did that ice cream make you feel good short term.


Second are people's lifestyles.

Rushed and tight reactions to stressers sends our nervous systems into the fight or flight response. Nature hypes up the hydrochloric acid in the stomach, but shuts down digestive enzymes and peristalsis in the intestines and sends blood into the large muscles. The result? Tight muscles, excess stomach acid, and lack of movement in the intestines. Then there is my patient who goes for a run every day after lunch. Hmm...

Third the repression of nature's urge.

The more you repress that, the more you will tend to constipation. You are training yourself not to go. Some people also are afraid to use other people's or public bathrooms. Try carrying antibacterial thingies with you to solve the problem?

Fourth are anxieties and compulsions around the eating process.

This is a very big subject that ranges from obsession with 'toxins" and fear of "unhealthy food" to fear of gaining weight and body image issues, to just being unable to relax when eating or just not enjoying eating. Suffice to say that if you don't enjoy your meal and don't relax while eating, for whatever reason, internal or external, your own feelings, or the environment you eat in, (like at your desk while working) you will not digest well.

Diseases and syndromes associated with an Unhealthy Digestive Tract or Digestive Process include GERD, Ulcers, Gastritis, IBS, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis, chronic Constipation. But there are a whole host of immune disorders and diseases like eczema, psoriasis, chronic asthma or allergies that you cannot really cure without first clearing up the digestive process.

What Are the Remedies for an Unhealthy Digestive Tract?
Central to the Ayurvedic consultation is working out the diet, lifestyle, and herbal remedies that best serves your unique, individual Prakruiti (body-mind type.

Chief among herbal remedies is Trifala, or Ayush Trifal, in the brand I use. Please see http://ayurshalom.blogspot.com/2006/09/triphal-powerful-tonic-for-digestive.html for an in-depth description of this premier super food type herbal.

The Third Key to building a healthy immune system is by maintaining good sleep.

Good sleep is essential for restoration and repair of tissues and the mind. What is Good Sleep? Good sleep is when you lie down and fall asleep quickly; sleep through the night without waking up more than once or twice; fall back asleep easily if you do wake up; and wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and relaxed, not very groggy, but not wound up like a clock.

The absence of good sleep over time leads to fatigue, an inability to think clearly, and impairement of the immune system. Poor sleep is most often an imbalance of Vata, less often of Pitta (and even then it is Pitta disturbing Vata), and rarely of Kapha. But Kapha imbalance leads to lethargy, and can be the cause of morning fog or not wanting to leave the bed.
Remedies include making changes in sleep hygiene, such as doing deep relaxation before bed, turning off the t.v. an hour before bed, as well as herbals and use of oil massage with herbal oils. Please see http://ayurshalom.blogspot.com/2008/12/ayurvedic-oil-bath-foundation-of-health.html for detailed info on oil massage.

Sleep issues can be very complex, relating to both emotional states and hormones. The best cure I know of is the daily practice of Vippassana or Mindfulness Meditation or some other kind, like Transcendental Meditation.

The Fourth Key to building immunity is "healthy mental attitude."

Good thinking is a very large topic, with many different threads; but in essence we know that a genuinely positive mental attitude aids health. It’s sufficient here to say that there is nothing as toxic as our own thoughts! And some times people overdo realistic concerns about toxins in their bodies from food, and miss this part of health. Some people get so anxious or obsessive about bad food or toxins they make themselves sick with tension and worry.
Further, Ayurveda and Asian Philosophy observes hour our minds can create illness or imbalance by producing unnecessary physical tension. People’s bodies never fully relax and their minds never become still. The wheels of thought keep spinning even when neither useful, nor necessary.

Mind here includes feelings and the way our nervous system responds to both things we are averse to and things we are attracted to. So while over-thinking, tension, fear, worry, desire, anger can bound up our energy, causing the imbalance that becomes disease, meditation and awareness can undo this somaticisation process. We can use our minds consciously to relax so that all our organs are nourished and work harmoniously. Meditation and progressive relaxation is to your mind what bathing is to your skin.

Winter the Best Season for Boosting Immunity

Although winter is a time of world-wide rhinovirus pandemics, in Ayurveda it is actually considered the best season for improving immunity. One reason that winter is a good season for building immunity is that our digestive fire (agni) is higher in cold weather, so we are better able to absorb nutritive herbs and healthfully heavier foods that tonify the body at the deepest levels of the tissues.

On the other hand in summer or in the tropics people can actually lose their appetites with the heat. And the hot weather is the natural time for purification therapies and for eating light cleansing foods like juicy fruits and salads
This corresponds to Chinese Medical philosophy as well, in which the winter season qi corresponds to the "kidney energy" which is the foundation of all Yin and Yang in the body. Winter is the time for storage in Chinese medicine, as such it is the best time for "adding" to the body with tonic herbs like Ginseng or Cordyceps. So winter is actually not a weakening season if you know how live in harmony with the natural energies of the season.

It's quite possible to go the whole winter without catching cold, even if you spent your childhood with frequent colds and flu. If you do catch every bug that goes around, or spend the whole winter with a head full of fluids, this tells us there is a strong Kapha and perhaps Vata imbalance, which can be corrected by modifying your lifestyle, diet, and taking herbs.

Immunity-boosting Foods and Lifestyle Tips for Winter

Much is said about so-called "super foods." People are obsessed with the latest heavily marketed anti-oxidant that is supposedly better than all the previous anti-oxidants: acai, pomegranate, blue-berry, mangosteen, chocolate.... While including some of those things in your diet could be reasonable, especially fruits in season, healing is a process, not a pill. Over the long term there are neither healthy nor unhealthy foods, there are healthy and unhealthy diets. What you eat over a period of time is much more important. And the mania for super foods, in my opinion, reflects a kind of desperation to find a magic pill fountain of youth. Want to eat super foods? Try some kale steamed with onions and garlic with lemon on Monday and some stir fried broccoli on Tuesday.

From an Ayurvedic standpoint immunity-boosting foods include those that are fresh, organic, easy to digest, pure and wholesome. These include fresh, organic vegetables, fruits, whole grains, boiled milk and yogurt, culinary herbs and spices, healthy oils, and lean meats, tailored to your individual dosha makeup (Prakruti), age, current health conditions, and the season.

Foods that are hard to digest should be avoided if you want to increase your immunity. Processed foods, canned, frozen, and packaged foods are old and difficult to digest, so they weaken immunity. Leftovers, foods grown with chemicals, and foods laced with preservatives tax the digestive system and clog the channels of circulation, creating a sluggish, compromised immune system.

Foods that nourish and balance the body in the cold, dry, winter season are the sweet, sour and salty tastes. It's best to eat less of the astringent, bitter, and pungent tastes in winter, although all six tastes should be included in your diet. Warm, home-cooked, unctuous foods are ideal, as long as they are not deep-fried and are cooked with easy-to-digest oils such as Ghee, sesame, or olive oil. Avoid cold or ice-cold foods, as cold foods and drinks douse the digestive fire.

Lifestyle also impacts immunity. Staying up late, working at night, eating at irregular times, exposing the body to stress and fatigue, and sleeping during the day can all affect the digestion and body rhythms—and thus compromise the immune system.

In winter, when the days are shorter and the nights are longer, it's natural for the body to need more rest. Try going to bed a little earlier, and you will wake up with more vitality and freshness.

Herbal Products to Enhance Immunity

Small amounts of tonic herbals, taken on a daily basis, like Ashwaghanda for men and Shatavari for women are appropriate. Typically they are taken with Trifal, to enhance assimilation, and prevent stagnation.
Chinese tonic herbs are world famous and very useful; things like Astragalus, Siberian Ginseng, American ginseng, Angelica Sinensis, Cordyceps and Reishii fungii are taken in winter. These must be prescribed according to your individual constitution, or you could be taking the wrong herb for you. To pursue this with a licensed herbal expert is recommended

Spices
Spices can boost immunity indirectly, by improving digestion. There is a lot of scientific research on the chemicals in spices, they are also really super foods, full of anti-oxidants, but most important they improve digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes.

Here's a winter spice mixture (masala) for enhancing immunity.
• 6 parts Turmeric
• 3 parts Ground Cumin
• 3 parts Ground Indian Coriander
• 1 part Ground Fennel
• 1 part Powdered Ginger
• 1 part Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 part Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 part Ground Cardomom

Mix all the powdered spices well and store in an airtight container in a cool place away from direct sun.

Use as a Churna:

If you don't want to get into full fledged Indian cooking, you can use this spice mix as a "churna." That means adding a little bit to your already cooked food. This can work with grains, legumes, vegetables, even meats and fish. Here is how:
Measure one teaspoon of the spice mixture in one tablespoon of oil or ghee and heat on a very low flame until aroma is released. Remove from heat immediately to avoid burning. Apply the warmed spice mix to cooked rice, vegetables or other dishes before serving. Taken regularly with each main meal of the day, this combination of spices will help boost your immune system and enhance digestion.

Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac
Ayurvedic and Chinese Natural Medicine
www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
619/296-7591


copyright eyton j. shalom, 2008, san diego, ca, all rights reserved, copy with permission

Dandelion Burdock Winter Soup Cleanse

Most everyone overeats around the holidays, its hard not to; food is one of life's great pleasures; sharing it with people you love is even greater.
So, at the end of December, when you have eaten too much and too richly, take a few days and rest your digestive tract which has been working overtime.

Here is a cleanse method especially suitable for winter, in that it preserves the integrity of the digestive fire and body's warmth, and is in soup form, which is ideal for this season. It's a cleanse that does no damage in the process, like the kinds of cleanses you buy in the health food store with their "heroic" purgative herbals do.

Dandelion Burdock Winter Soup

Ingredients

2 quarts water, more or less.
3-5 carrots, to taste, and depending on size, sliced lengthwise and chopped a bit
1 beet, sliced
3-5 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch dandelion greens. If not available substitute with kale
1 bunch parsley
1 burdock root, sliced lengthwise and chopped a bit.
1 4 inch piece of kombu sea vegetable, or dulse
2-3 slices of raw ginger root

Recipe

Place all the ingredients except the parsley and greens in a large pot with the water and bring to a low boil. Low boil until the vegetables are almost fully cooked, and add the greens. Simmer until the greens are well darkened.

How to Use as a Cleanse

Drink a tall glass of this first thing in the morning, and at least three times a day for two days. The rest of the day eat just small amounts of very simple, low-fat, low protein food, like whole grain sourdough rye (Pacific Bakery, or French Meadow are good brands, but they both need to be toasted, as they are undercooked at the bakery), cooked starch and green vegetables, like potato and broccoli. If you need protein, try some tempeh roasted with ginger or tofu and bean sprouts stir fried with a green veggie.

Options and Modifications

Delete the beet if you don't want the red color. If you want it more savory or sweeter, add a sliced yellow or red onion. If you must, add some sea salt to taste. You could also use this basic recipe, or a variation, for miso soup. Just add some mellow or sweet white miso at the end and simmer for three minutes.
I might add chopped scallions at the end in that case

As the basis for a meal you could add some fish, like halibut or salmon or scallops and cook the veggies a little less long, and serve them with the fish over buckwheat soba, having the broth at the side. Who says you can't eat your cake and have it, too?! Eden brand Soba and Udon are excellent.

Comments

The idea here is to liberate the minerals and other nutrients from the cellulose of the vegetables and into the broth, so don't worry about over-cooking. Keep the heat relatively low. This is more like cooking Chinese herbs; when the soup is cooked all the goodness is in the broth, and the veggies you can eat or compost.

It's well worth searching out dandelion greens. I found them, albeit non-organic, at Balboa International Market and at North Park Produce, here in San Diego. They are also, organic, at Whole Foods Market and other health food stores. Dandelion greens are a diuretic, and foods eaten over the holidays tend to cause water retention. So this is an excellent remedy. They also have a cleansing effect on the gall bladder.

Dandelions are very rich in nutrients. Traditionally, the roots and leaves of the plant have been used as medicines for breast maladies, bloating, digestive disorders, aching joints, fevers, and skin disorders. The leaves of the plant are very rich in vitamins, including A, C, D, and B-complex. They also have high levels of minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon. The most active ingredient in dandelions, eudesmanolide and germacranolide, are found only in dandelions.

Burdock is a traditional cleansing vegetable that is used in east Asia to remove toxins from the blood and improved the function of organs like the liver, kidneys, and intestines, that play a role in detoxification. It has gentle laxative, diuretic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
for more info: http://www.naturalherbsguide.com/burdock.html

eyton j. shalom, m.s., l.ac. ayurveda and chinese medicine 619/296.7591
www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com


copyright eyton shalom, san diego, ca, december 2008, all rights reserved, use with permission