“Our goddess of the month, Maeve, commands that you resume responsibility for your life.”
When it comes to our health, the current thinking pervading our society is that it is someone else’s responsibility to take care of all of our needs. For example, we feel it is our doctor’s responsibility to fix us up with surgery or a pill after we spend years putting our bodies through abuse and neglect, eating anything we want and being sedentary. We expect our government and healthcare system to pay for all of this and of course we know how that is going. We have become indifferent to the critical role we play. Really it comes down to taking responsibility for your own body and that of your children who may not know better yet. Become knowledgeable.
There is nothing in the world that can “cure” anything. The body has an innate ability to heal given the tools it requires. Just like a plant, our bodies need to be watered and fed and given a fairly good soil to work with. Similarly we need to drink good water and eat high nutrient foods and move our bodies; and possibly most important, to reduce stress.
Your health needs to be your top priority. Because what do you have if you don’t have your health? We spend our money on what we decide is a priority. Some of those are important yes, but if you invest in your health you will enjoy more vitality and quality of life. Who wants to be dependent on someone else because you didn’t pay attention to what you can control and that is partly what you are consuming. Begin now to protect yourself if you haven’t already started. It is never too late. Science is showing us that disease can be prevented and even reversed. We just have to give it the right tools. So, let’s begin our journey.
Maeve is associated with the Third Chakra which is the solar plexus, the power center of the body which includes the organs of digestion. If digestion is a problem, you will have difficulty absorbing the nutrients from the foods you do eat. Stress is a problem because when you are in a stress situation, your body goes into flight or fight mode and digestion becomes secondary. So when you are rushing around, eating in the car, yelling at the kids, you may experience GI distress after eating.
Conversely, you can help you digestive system by slowing down and relaxing before you eat. Our digestion begins in our head with the sight and smell of food which tells the body to go into digestion mode, releasing enzymes to help digest your food. So you may want to do the best you can to adjust the way you are eating for optimal health benefit.
As a foundation for health you will want to look at some other aids for digestion including eating whole foods because raw fruits, vegetables and berries contain live enzymes that help you break down and absorb the nutrients in our food. We eat a lot of cooked foods which are missing these live enzymes that are vital to your well-being.It may be helpful to add some additional help through the use of supplemental digestive enzymes and Probiotics. As we age, many of us are deficient in enzymes which help the intestines and pancreas work efficiently.
Probiotics are bacteria that help maintain balance between beneficial and harmful microorganisms in the intestinal tract, friendly and not so friendly. This bacteria is often messed up because of antibiotic use and medications, poor diet, stress, etc. and leave you susceptible to illness and infections, allergies, colds and flu, fatigue, and skin problems just to name a few.
I also recommend a product called Juice Plus which is the most researched whole food product in the world. It is raw, vine-ripened fruits, veggies and berries, juiced and dried, and put into a capsule or chewable. It fills in the gap when it is difficult for you to get the recommended 7 to 13 servings in your diet.
These basic suggestions will help you get started on the road to better digestion, absorption, and efficiency that does a body good. Be sure to use quality products that have quality research.
My belief is that it is best to get your nutrients from food which nature intended and as much as possible from the plant kingdom, the deeper, the darker color the better. Maeve represents gold/yellow (like the sun, the mainstay of life) which includes yellow peppers, mango, pineapple, squash, corn and the spices turmeric and cumin. The Third Chakra is yellow and eating some of these foods supposedly boosts self esteem and encourages self love.
“In addition to keeping your eyes healthy (because yellow/orange foods are rich in lutein), dark yellow vegetables can also prevent cancer. They are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, both of which have been shown to protect against cancer and other degenerative diseases. Vitamin A can be toxic when it is taken at high doses in supplement form, but you can't overdose on it if you get it from natural sources. Therefore, eating dark yellow vegetables is a much safer than taking supplements.” www.Livestrong.com
Here is an earthy recipe you may want to try and perfect for the fall weather upon us.
Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn and Cumin-Chile Vinaigrette
3 cups water
Dash of salt
1-1/2 cups quinoa
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon pure chile powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 can black beans, rinsed if using canned
Kernels from 1 ear cooked corn (Karen’s note: I use about a cup of organic frozen corn if I don’t have fresh (bring to room temperature or cook lightly.)
¼ Cup roughly chopped cilantro
Crumbled feta or queso fresco for garnish (Karen’s note: omit for healthier, dairy-free option)
Place water in a medium saucepot over high heat. Season water with salt and stir in quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until all water has been absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.
While quinoa is cooking prepare vinaigrette. In a small bowl whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and spices. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Remove quinoa and add to a large bowl and stir with a fork to cool slightly. Stir in the black beans, corn and cilantro. Stir in vinaigrette, adjust seasonings with more spices, salt and pepper as desired. Serve room temperature.
Recipe provided by Chef Shellie Kark, Kitchencue, Chef.com
The name Maeve itself means “Intoxicated Woman or drunken one” so why not celebrate Maeve with a pleasant pouring of cabernet tonight. My wine recommendation for September is a 2008 Wildhurst cabernet Sauvignon. (only $15 at www.TouringandTasting.com).
This was a really nice surprise of a wine..smooth and easy.“Rich, fruit driven aromas of raw cocoa & wild berries packing a mineral edge. Centers on soft berry characters and ramps up to surprisingly rigid, fleshy tannins.”
2008 Wildhurst Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
“A sign of wisdom and maturity is when you come to terms with the realization that your decisions cause your rewards and consequences. You are responsible for your life, and your ultimate success depends on the choices you make.” Denis Waitley
This applies to our health as well and we do get to choose most of the time.
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” Epictetus
For more information on Karen Quirk, click HERE