by Judith | Nov 27, 2018 | Body: Nutrition and Recipes, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Cooking, Holistic Nature of Us, Interviews/Community Outreach, Podcast, Tea
Description: Holidays are here. Many family and friends have food sensitivities or are choosing to make dietary changes. Gets confusing though doesn’t it? Cousin X is vegan, Auntie Y is diabetic. How can we enjoy traditional foods, family, friends and make healthy choices? I invited Janet back to share some nutrition tips and ideas for the holidays. Her background is in Ayurvedic nutrition and health coaching. She reviews dosha types and how to plan for the seasons, the holidays and gives us recipe ideas. Recipe suggestions are included.
About My Guest: Rev. Janet M. Pagan, CEO of Phoenix Sol H.P., Inc. is a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Rev. Pagan is a Certified Health Coach; Ayurvedic Nutritionist; Reiki Master and Spiritual Counselor. Rev. Pagan also holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from Baruch College and has worked in the field of Child Welfare servicing children and families for over 15 yrs. (Rev. Pagan received a Bachelor of Science in the field of Education and Black Studies with a minor in Latin American Studies from SUNY- New Paltz. )
Transcript: #39 Janet Pagan
by Judith | Nov 20, 2018 | Body: Nutrition and Recipes, Cooking, Holistic Nature of Us, Interviews/Community Outreach, nature, Podcast, storytelling, wisdom
Description: History is told from the eyes of the recorder, often orally noted and passed down, and where and when possible, through documents and letters. What is the true history of Thanksgiving? What is the Native American record of this holiday connected to the colonial time period of the 1600’s? Rachel Sayet, Mohegan tribal member, adjunct lecturer for Native American Culture Classes and presentations, relates the stories told among New England Tribes. The oral tradition was valued, revered and served a great purpose during that time period. Thanksgiving, as told by the native peoples from NE America may surprise you. Enjoy a thought-provoking discussion, stories, and prayer told by Rachel Sayet.
About My Guest: Rachel is a Mohegan tribal member from Uncasville, Connecticut. She received her bachelor’s degree in restaurant management from Cornell University. While attending Cornell, Rachel worked in kitchens and took many culinary classes. Upon graduation, Rachel worked as a personal chef in upstate New York. She later went on to receive her master’s in anthropology at Harvard University. Rachel has been working for the Mohegan Cultural Department since 2013. Since then, she has also been researching Native American foods. She has presented her work throughout the country at conferences and classrooms, and has begun food sovereignty initiatives at the Mohegan Tribe; partnering with the health department on gardening events, cooking and storytelling workshops for Mohegan youth, and a native cooking show. Her most recent project is the Native Food Discussion Group, created in order to share knowledge about seasonal eating, harvesting, growing, and fishing practices.
Transcript: #38 Rachel Sayet #2
For more information and to read the complete prayer go to:
01_02_Thanksgiving_Address: found at:
https://americanindian.si.edu/environment/pdf/01_02_Thanksgiving_Address.pdf
by Judith | Nov 9, 2018 | Body: Nutrition and Recipes, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Cooking, Interviews/Community Outreach, recipe, Tea
Holidays are upon us. We tend to eat more, party more, join family and friends and drink more. And depending on our unique immune system strength, we can open the door to colds and flu. Who among us likes to be sick? Not me and I am sure not you. And it seems that digestion is directly tied to our immune systems which makes building immune strength and resistance a priority.
Digestive issues are prevalent from IBS, heartburn/ GERD, and IBD. I am sure most of you have heard of one if not all of these ailments. But what can we do to aid our digestion during these “off our routine” kind of times?
My podcast guest this week, Dr. Scott Gerson, MD and Ayurvedic physician reminded me how powerful one herb is on its own. One single herb, such as ginger, contains many constituents creating a unique formula all on its own. Highly recommended in Ayurvedic medicine both traditionally and today, ginger is one plant to keep in our kitchen. Besides adding flavor and pungency to a variety of dishes, a simple single tea from ginger root soothes digestion. Ginger, popular in many countries for its culinary flavors, can be pickled, honeyed, as well as added to soups, stews, fish, meat and vegetarian dishes.
Ginger: Zingiber officinale
Where found: thought to originate in the Indian subcontinent to Asia. Brought to East Indies by Spanish explorers and brought to Spain and then Europe.
Parts Used: Rhizome: a Rhizome is an underground stem: a thick underground horizontal stem that produces roots and has shoots that develop into new plants; from Greek rhizoma “mass of tree roots,” Rhizomes are underground stems that grow horizontally that produce a number of plants and are known to spread rapidly.
Nutritional Value: Contains macronutrients and many micronutrients. And as Dr. Gerson explained, a single herb, known for a primary constituent has many more trace constituents that aid, and compliment, and help us utilize the very component we seek. In a sense, a single herb is a compound formula. This is a great reminder and illustrates the value of drinking herb teas. How about adding ginger to your routine?
3 tips for purchasing and using ginger today:
- When buying ginger root, snap off a small knob which should be crisp. Do not buy with any mold.
- Ginger can stay out of the refrigerator for about a week. Place in paper towels and they will keep much longer in the refrigerator.
- Unpeeled ginger root will last longer. Peel the skin off as mentioned above when you are ready to use it in tea or in a recipe. Keep what you need in the refrigerator. Freeze the rest for later use.
A little sharp, pungent flavor mixed with the oils in lemon goes well with the addition of maple syrup, honey to soothe irritated or dry throats as winter keeps us indoors. Here’s an example of a ginger tea recipe, easy to make.
Ginger Tea Recipe
- water, 4 cups
- 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root
- optional: honey and lemon slice
- Peel the ginger root and slice it into thin slices. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Cover it and reduce to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea. Add honey and lemon to taste.
Pungent and spicy with a little kick in taste soothes stomachs. When our digestive organs are soothed we are soothed. It’s fascinating to me that an herb to calm the stomach actually soothes our mind. When we are calm so is our digestion. Everything is connected and single herb teas provide so many tasty solutions to what ails us. What’s your favorite? Be well this holiday season.
Enjoy. Judith
by Judith | Aug 3, 2018 | Body: Nutrition and Recipes, Cooking, Herbs, Interviews/Community Outreach
This week’s guest on my podcast series, Holistic Nature of Us, is Janet Verney. I invited Janet to share an idea for supporting a healthy gut. Her photo and topic include herbs that many of us grow, whether on windowsills, in containers or gardens. Easy to use and a delight to harvest especially this time of year, these herbs provide nourishment and extra benefits towards maintaining a healthy gut.
Why is this so important? Our guts play an extremely important role not only in digestion but keeping our immune systems healthy. Think about this: everything we eat and drink comes from the outside world. Our biological system needs to stay healthy. Growing good bacteria in our gut contributes to overall health and vitality and protects us from unwanted negative bacteria, toxins. Enjoy her easy recipe and valuable message.
Did you know that Herbs & Olive Oil are a win-win for your GUT? In this picture, I have fresh rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme in a glass jar with some organic, extra virgin olive oil.
• Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, supports poor digestion of fats and has some prebiotic properties.
• Sage, Salvia officinalis, can reduce bloating and abdominal spasms. In olive oil, it can help lower blood sugars.
• Oregano, Origanum majorana, is a powerful antioxidant, is anti-microbial and promotes healthy gut bacteria.
• Thyme, Thymus vulgaris, mixed with olive oil is superior for gut health.
Olive oil is a polyphenol that is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is believed to help lower LDL, bad cholesterol. So get some high-quality organic olive oil and some fresh herbs and make your own wonderful infused oil for use on salads of all kinds, or over some GF Ancient Harvest pasta with lightly sautéed veggies. Happy Gut, Healthy Life!
By Janet E.Verney, Author, Certified Integrative Nutrition Coach, & Wellness Designer at ROOTS2Wellness.com Janet-Verney-
Always, your comments and support are appreciated. Please share.
Judith
by Judith | Jul 20, 2018 | Cooking, Gardens, Interviews/Community Outreach, nature, Non GMO, soil
Food, that which nourishes us and sustains us, has been compromised. Yet, food is a complex topic, one that includes agriculture and large farming methods, food safety, food security, organics, pest management, soil health, water usage and more.
My podcast guest this week, Rachel Sayet, is a member of two food sovereignty groups. As I delved into this tipoic, I realized that food security is often intertwined with food sovereignty yet they have a different focus. What’s the difference between food sovereignty and food security? A lot.
“Food security does not distinguish where food comes from, or the conditions under which it is produced and distributed. National food security targets are often met by sourcing food produced under environmentally destructive and exploitative conditions, and supported by subsidies and policies that destroy local food producers but benefit agribusiness corporations.”
“Food sovereignty emphasizes ecologically appropriate production, distribution and consumption,
social-economic justice and local food systems as ways to tackle hunger and poverty and
guarantee sustainable food security for all peoples. It advocates trade and investment that serve
the collective aspirations of society. It promotes community control of productive resources;
agrarian reform and tenure security for small-scale producers; agro-ecology; biodiversity; local
knowledge; the rights of peasants, women, indigenous peoples and workers; social protection and climate justice.”
According to The Six Pillars of Food Sovereignty, developed at Nyéléni, 2007 (Food Secure Canada,
2012), food sovereignty is defined by these parameters:
1. Focuses on food for the people by: a) placing people’s need for food at the centre of policies;
and b) insisting that food is more than just a commodity.
2. Values food providers by: a) supporting sustainable livelihoods; and b) respecting the work of
all food providers.
3. Localizes food systems by: a) reducing the distance between suppliers and consumers; b)
rejecting dumping and inappropriate food aid; and c) resisting dependence on remote and
unaccountable corporations.
4. Places control at a local level by: a) placing control in the hands of local food suppliers; b)
recognizing the need to inhabit and share territories; and c) rejecting the privatization of natural
resources.
5. Promotes knowledge and skills by: a) building on traditional knowledge; b) using research to
support and pass on this knowledge to future generations; and c) rejecting technologies that
undermine local food systems.
6. Works with nature by: a) maximizing the contributions of ecosystems; b) improving resilience;
and c) rejecting energy intensive, monocultural, industrialized and destructive production methods.
The Food Sovereignty Alliance website provides detailed information about legislation, events, resources for thoughtful action.
I don’t know about you but I choose organic food grown with sustainable practices that ensure nutritious food, healthy soil, air, and water for future generations. We are slowly turning this planet into one big desert. It’s time for practical action and profound inner change! Please comment and share. Thanks.
Enjoy. Judith
by Judith | Jul 17, 2018 | Classes, Cooking, Gardens, Holistic Nature of Us, Interviews/Community Outreach, nature, Podcast
Description: Rachel Sayet, walks her talk as she travels around our country teaching and sharing Native American traditional cooking and culture. She is a member of the Mohegan Tribe here in SW CT and a chef with a background in restaurant management and a Masters Degree in Anthropology. Her teaching experiences are varied as she hopes to bring back more traditional foods along with their rich history of storytelling, music, and calendars. She supports the US Food Sovereignty Alliance and the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance. Her enthusiasm and energy are inspiring.
About My Guest: Rachel is a Mohegan tribal member from Uncasville, Connecticut. She received her bachelor’s degree in restaurant management from Cornell University. While attending Cornell, Rachel worked in kitchens and took many culinary classes. Upon graduation, Rachel worked as a personal chef in upstate New York. She later went on to receive her master’s in anthropology at Harvard University. Rachel has been working for the Mohegan Cultural Department since 2013. Since then, she has also been researching Native American foods. She has presented her work throughout the country at conferences and classrooms, and has begun food sovereignty initiatives at the Mohegan Tribe; partnering with the health department on gardening events, cooking and storytelling workshops for Mohegan youth, and a native cooking show. Her most recent project is the Native Food Discussion Group, created in order to share knowledge about seasonal eating, harvesting, growing, and fishing practices.
Transcript: #22 Rachel Sayet
Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, Writer, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter, Master Gardener.
