October 2009 Archives

Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Apples 



High in fiber (7.8 grams) and protein (4.2 grams), this side dish of sweet potatoes and apples is a must try for the fall. Soul-warming comfort food to pair with any meal.

3 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1" pieces)
3 large granny smith apples (peeled and cut into ½ pieces)
1 large onions (cut into 1" wedges)
3 TBL olive oil
¼ cup of honey
1 tsp salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions: Roast the yams. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl to combine. Transfer to a baking dish, stir occasionally until yams are tender, about 45 minutes to one hour. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F and bake until liquid evaporates and yams are browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

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"Now Indian summer arrives, a change of season that's more a sense memory than a date on the calendar."  --Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance

As the arrival of autumn brings shorter days and colder nights, you may notice the urge to nest and nurture.  Embrace it and go with it!  In Chinese medicine, fall represents a return to the roots, a time of restoring and building your qi (pronounced "chee") for next spring.  It's not a time for growth, but for consolidation.

Autumn is time to clear away the completed projects and open up to the inner wisdom that you can experience in activities such as contemplation, writing, reading and nurturing your family as part of your preparation for the depths of winter.

If you tend to race through the season, oblivious to its glorious colors, sounds and tastes, catch yourself now, before it's too late.  Stop what you're doing and sink into your senses. 

One of the most common challenges many of my clients face is how to live in the moment.  Always on the go, our heads are either re-living the past by re-hashing the "shoulda's, coulda's or woulda's" or focused on the future and planning our next set of activities. 

One of the easiest ways to learn how to enjoy each moment as it unfolds, is to get out of your head and invigorate your five senses.  Take some time this month to:

• Sight:   Soak in the vibrant colors, the leaves and the landscape turning to red, dark brown and golden hues.
  
• Smell:   Even the air smells better this time of year! Enjoy the crispness of the atmosphere, apple pies baking or a freshly carved pumpkin.
• Sounds:   Notice the rustling leaves, the last lawn mower runs of the season or the crickets and birds preparing for the cold weather.
• Touch:   Break out the down comforter or your favorite blankets to get warm.
• Taste:   Apples, cider, squash. Go for locally grown favorites and savor the tastes.
  

This is the season of the harvest, the fruition of all growth of spring and summer. Receive all the benefits from your work during the last six months. The seeds we have sown, now shall we reap.

Savor each moment of the season!

I wanted to share a newsletter I just received from my holistic physician at the George Washington University Center for Integrative Medicine on preparing for the flu season.

Flu Season: The Basics
by Dr. Lynne David, MS, MSOM, ND, LAc
 
 
Flu season is quickly approaching and people are talking about vaccines and preventative measures. The swine flu hasn't developed into the epidemic once expected.
 
A recent statement from the World Health Organization declared that there has been no H1N1 swine flu virus mutation detected that might make the virus more virulent than as seen in the spring. "It is not causing more severe illness than before", says WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl. "There have been no changes in the behaviour of the virus."
 
It's a personal choice to vaccinate or not to vaccinate. It's important to note that the vaccine has not been evaluated long-term, and adverse effects are always possible. Additionally, according to Bloomberg (Jul 29, 2009), "GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis [have relied] on a U.S. emergency declaration to use experimental additives in the vaccine solution to boost the limited supply of available shots." These additives have not undergone stringent safety testing.
 
Peter Collignon, director of infectious diseases at the Australian National University's medical school states, "This is the biggest mass vaccination we have done in world history and we are doing it on data so far which shows this virus is not a lot worse than seasonal influenza. There is a real worry that the fear makes us do things out of proportion to the risk."  (Bloomberg, Sep 18, 2009).
 
So, what if you'd like to avoid the risks of a vaccine, but would like to protect yourself and your family against the swine flu and also the common flu this season? There are many things that you can do that are both protective and will ultimately have a positive impact on your health:
 
~ Wash your hands often and especially after using public  transportation/ facilities and having contact with others.

~    Get adequate sleep: go to bed at a consistent time, optimally by 10pm and rise at a consistent time when you feel rested.
 
~    Eat a nutritionally dense diet. Include lots of freshly, locally produced vegetables and fruits. Choose "whole grains" rather than processed, "white" grains and flour products. Select quality animal foods, preferable locally produced/ organic meats, poultry, eggs and dairy foods. Wild fish will be healthier than farm raised fish. Drink lots of filtered water every day.
 
~    Get plenty of fresh air, sunlight and exercise every day.
 
~    Keep your stress to a minimum and find ways to manage the stress that you have. Consider acupuncture, reiki, hypnosis, meditation, yoga, taiqi and qigong.
 
~    There are several supplements that can help optimize your immune system and general health. Keep in mind that supplements vary greatly in quality and additive content, so choose your vendor wisely! Generally, your highest quality supplements will come from your natural health care practitioner and health food stores. Lesser quality supplements will be found in grocery stores and drug stores. Look at the list of ingredients and evaluate the product based on what it contains (organic/ wild-crafted nutrients, foods, herbs) and what it doesn't contain (colorings, flavorings, preservatives, gluten, corn, oxides, etc.).
 
     * Take a vitamin D3 supplement (2000 IU for adults;
1000 IU for children) everyday.
 
     *Take a spoonful of good quality cod liver oil every day.
My favorite brand is Green Pasture's fermented cold liver oil (www.greenpasture.org).
   
     *Take some immune-bolstering herbs: either Echinacea angustifolia or Andrographis every day.
   
     *Take an immune-supportive medicinal mushroom combination every day. Look for maitake, reishi and shiitake.
 
These are some basics that can help you and  your family stay healthy this season.