Archive for October, 2010
Beat-the-Bug Baltimore – Part 1
HEALING WITH HYDROTHERAPY
The first cases of the flu have already been reported in Maryland this season, and I have witnessed a number of patients overcome the first round of back-to-school colds. Now is the time when taking preventative steps to optimize your immune system and put your wellness practices into place is most crucial. Throughout the next several months I will be posting simple cold and flu wellness tips rooted in the naturopathic traditions of treating the person and the underlying causes of illness rather than just the disease itself.
This first preventive practice is one I learned in my Hydrotherapy class over 10 years ago and still practice almo
st daily – the Cold Shower Rinse. The instructions are simple: At the end of your shower, turn the temperature dial to cool or cold and rinse your entire body for 30 seconds in the cooler water before stepping out of the shower. Take care to especially let the cool water fall over your throat to stimulate your thyroid gland (responsible for metabolism) and over the center of your chest to stimulate your thymus gland (an important part of your immune system). Regularly practicing the cold shower rinse may not only awaken your vitality and heighten your resistance to infection, you may also notice that your tolerance to cold weather improves and that the normal temperature of your showers begins to go down, leading to savings on your energy bill!
The Gluten Free Lunch Box
It can be challenging enough for adults to manage the adjustment to a gluten-free diet, but most of the food marketed to children is processed and gluten-laden. For parents who are introducing a gluten-free dietary approach for their children or individuals looking for ideas for their own lunches at home or work, I stumbled upon this website today that described several delicious and simple gluten-free lunch ideas that would make your old turkey and cheese sandwich jealous.
What’s Cooking in Dr. Emily’s Kitchen
The fall vegetables are the most inspiring to me when it comes to culinary creativity. I am not sure why, but a butternut squash calls out to me in such a different way then a zucchini or summer squash. In the last few weeks I have become more eager to explore the bounty at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings. My kitchen experiments have ranged from the simple roasting of beets with olive oil and dried rosemary to a rather unsuccessful attempt at a loaf of gluten-free, vegan pumpkin bread. A familiar and forgiving old stand-by for me is any variation on the recipe for butternut squash soup described below. Please note that the estimates for measurements of the spices are a rough guess. I recommend starting with less and you can always add more.
Butternut Squash and Apple Curry Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 diced Honey Crisp apple
- 2 cups of roasted & mashed butternut squash
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups organic & low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
- salt & pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in large pot on medium heat and stir in onions and garlic. Cook onions until soft. Add in chopped apple and spices and cook for 5 min. Stir in butternut squash and mix ingredients until heated thoroughly. Pour in stock and let simmer for 15 to 20 min on low heat. Remove from heat and let cool for 15- 20 min. Blend soup in blender or food processor and serve warm. Add additional stock to adjust consistency as needed.
HINT: Prepare the butternut squash ahead of time by roasting over the weekend and storing mashed squash in the freezer to use throughout the season.
