Recipe: Gold Wellness Drink & Broth of Life Soup

 

I jinxed myself. On Friday, while my boyfriend and I were getting our community acupuncture treatments from the very wonderful local acupuncturist Eric Kerr, I said, "We're so lucky; we never get colds or anything!" Yep, famous last words. So Saturday, I wake up with runny nose, fuzzy head and a bit of the aches. You'd have thought I would've learned my lesson, but no...so when I said to my friend at brunch on Saturday, "it'll probably be gone by tomorrow", you can imagine: it only got worse the next day. Fast forward to today (three full days of sickness later) and I'm feeling much better, thank goodness. 

Being my pitta-self, I didn't just drink a little tea and hope for the best. I went after this cold with the full arsenal of my holistic cold-fighting wisdom. I've had:

*ocean-fulls of turmeric, ginger & honey tea. 

*broths of all kinds (except chicken, doh)

*vitamin C galore

*chinese herbs

*ayurvedic herbs

*triphala

*more tea

*some aloe

*Umcka (not even sure what this stuff does, but it seems pretty good)

*hot baths with epsom salts, lavender & peppermint

*White flower oil (I practically bathed in it on Sunday)
*a neti pot amost becoming my fifth appendage

*yoga postures like baddha konasana with my king size pillow behind my back

*acupressure points (genius for my headache)

and the hardest to fit in: 

*REST! 

Yes, I took the entire day off yesterday and stayed home, mostly in bed. 

I was unproductive (almost completely) and it was a challenge. 

What I keep coming back to is this:

"What is this cold trying to teach me?"

I don't think it was telling me to clean up my diet-- that seemed pretty good. 

Or to exercise more or differently- that's all well. 

I think what it was yelling at me was...

"Dang, girl!!! Get some rest!!"

Probably close to three weeks without a day off: not a recipe for health, especially during the change of season, even if I do absolutely love my work. 

So I am resting. Trying to take it easy and not take on more than is reasonable with a not-quite-super-human amount of energy. 

It's been on my to-do list to carve out time for a regular day off away from emails and my phone, but it had never seemed to reach the top of the list. Now, it's there: right at the top...with a little note next to it ("or else!") ;) 

If you haven't had a day off in weeks, learn from my misfortune: get some rest and turn off your phone. You'll thank me when you're not up to your elbows in kleenex. 

Here are two of the recipes that let me survive my day of sickness that I just couldn't take off...

Worth-Its-Weight-In-Gold 

Gold Wellness Drink 

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 a lemon, chopped in half

1+ tsp fresh grated ginger

1 pint hot water 

...once tea is cool enough to drink, add:

1 teaspoon + honey

(if just making a cup, halve this recipe)

Broth of Life Soup

(estimations)

6 stalks celery

1 bunch swiss chard

2 beets + greens

3 carrots

1 bunch of fresh parsley

1 bunch of fresh thyme 

2 inches of fresh ginger, sliced

5 large cloves of garlic 

small piece of kombu

water to cover

--simmer above ingredients covered for 2 hours--

strain & save. Drink as you like to keep you breathing. (Honestly, it's great for congestion)

For a meal if you have the appetite, cook 1/4 c of basmati rice in 3 cups broth. 

If you've had too much ginger tea and you're starting to overheat, top your broth with chopped cilantro. 

Make our illnesses be our greatest teachers-- and may we not forget their lessons!
To a winter of wellness!
fondly,
Kate