Food "...is a conveyor of universal energy. (What Mary Says...)
Relaxation, Awareness, Movement, and Nourishment are the four cornerstones of healing. When it comes to Nourishment: I love beautiful food!
The idea of 'dieting' or 'eliminating toxins' has always sounded dreadful to me...images of deprivation, blandness, mournfully tracking amounts and type of food eaten lessened my joy/joi factor immensely!
The idea of 'dieting' or 'eliminating toxins' has always sounded dreadful to me...images of deprivation, blandness, mournfully tracking amounts and type of food eaten lessened my joy/joi factor immensely!
In the past I was overjoyed at the end of the standard "elimination" regime (to see if it would reduce eczema flares), because I noticed no difference. It seemed to be good news: since there was no difference, I could eat "whatever I wanted"! With each food I re-introduced, I could hear my inner lush cry out, "Viva la chocolate! Cook the noodles, and pass the sourdough bread, please!"
Most people who know me will tell you that for years I've had a healthy, mostly organic, plant-based diet, allowing for flexibility and the occasional splurge. So, why did I try "The Elimination Diet" again? Well, I started having difficulty swallowing... seemingly random, occurring a couple times of year, then more often in the past few months. Recently, a family member got a hotdog stuck in his throat, ended up having it removed at the local emergency room, and was eventually diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis, which may be related to food sensitivity/allergy. I figure my history of receiving a hefty dose of mantle radiation (near esophagus), and the fact that I also have mild eczema, which can be associated with EE, was worth considering whether this might be happening to me too.
Standard recommendation is the 6-food elimination diet to reduce inflammation (and the resultant accumulation of eosinophils in the esophagus): no milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanut, seafood, then re-introduce each food to see if you have a reaction. So, I decided to try the nutritional approach again. This time, though, my reasoning was to show greater kindness towards my body, to have a more ecological approach to the food I consume, and to keep my mind open to possibilities (at times I lean towards cynicism i.e., "good for you" often = 'Pay more for less', e.g., less fat or gluten-free, or no pesticides=costs more). I intuitively chose a process based on a book after reading a blog that said: "The Elimination and Detoxification Diet ~ It's about Feeling Good!
What is the Elimination Diet? It is a program of eating designed to calm inflammation and balance the body. Once the body is calm, and the disease symptoms diminish, it becomes noticeable to a person when a “trouble” food is eaten and the symptoms come back."
Some of it seemed radical, but after doing Stomach Flow Jin Shin Jyutsu, and holding my thumbs (JSJ self-help to reduce worry), something clearly told me to give it a try. It's a commitment, but I have no regrets (so far). I've made it to the 'challenge' phase, integrating various foods slowly and seeing how my throat, skin, and rest of my body, emotions, sleep, mood, and energy level respond. When I'm back on a full regular diet and have a scope procedure to see if my esophagus looks constricted, and possibly if it has cells indicating allergic response, I'll have enough info to make decisions about treatments, including a permanent lifestyle change. By then though, I think my body will have told me what I'll need to do!
In the meantime, here is a recipe that I customized to my own liking, adapted from the blog above. You can change ingredients according to what is good for your own body. Start with where you are at: can't afford or don't have organic available? Use any fresh veggies, peel off outer layer or skin, or wash with mild soap and water and rinse well instead; Not sure about quinoa? Try brown jasmine or basmati rice for your first try at nutritious whole-grain complex carbs! Don't like one of the ingredients-get creative and substitute what you love!
My adaptation is GF, highly nutritious, easy to make, inexpensive-what have you got to lose? (as a pleasant side effect, I've lost 7 pounds so far eating foods like this, have not gone hungry, and enjoy the colors and meditative effect preparing the meals):
Izumi Joi Golden Qi GF Quinoa Cabbage Soup
1 C. cooked quinoa
3T extra-virgin, cold-pressed organic olive oil
3 t. honey or agave
3 small onions, or equivalent
3 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 small pinches cayenne pepper
3 T. grated fresh ginger (ok to leave skin on while grating)
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, and crushed or chopped
1 C. thinly sliced shitake or other mushrooms
1 stalk lemongrass stem, sliced thinly in diagonal rounds
1 t. Herbamare or sea salt
6 cups water or vegetable broth
1 more t. Herbamare or salt, if desired
2 cups or more thinly sliced cabbage (savoy/Napa/green work best)
1/2 C. chopped cilantro
1/2 freshly squeezed lime
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 ripe avocado, per serving, cut into chunks
pine nuts, for garnish
Thin round slices of lime, if you want a fancy garnish.
1) Cook the quinoa (if you haven't already), rinse, drain, set aside.
2) Heat very large (6 qt+) pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, agave or honey. Saute until onions begin to carmelize/turn golden, about 10 min. Use a steady heat, not too high to avoid burning or over-browning.
3) Add carrots, cayenne, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, lemon grass and Herbamare or salt-stir well so all are shiny and coated, about 5-10 min more.
4) Add water, remaining 1 t. salt and cooked quinoa, simmer 10-15 minutes, until carrots are tender.
5) Add cabbage, stir into the broth, only needs a few minutes cooking.
6) Add cilantro and pepper-you're done with the cooking!
-Place avocado chunks in bottom of individual serving bowls.
-Ladle in the soup.
-Top with pine nuts, and lime round if desired.
This soup is even good at room temperature or chilled, flavor is richer next day, if it lasts that long!
If you try it let me know how it turns out!
(Herbamare is a salt and herb seasoning. Sub w/herbs only to minimize sodium. Leave out anything you don't like or are not yet eating and it still turns out wonderful, full of healing nutrition, creating a golden "Qi" (energy) glow inside!)
