The Experts Weigh In: Think Soup - Fall Diet Suggestions!

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BY: ELIZABETH FARRELL, CONTRIBUTOR

When I think of fall, I think of the trees changing color from blazing greens to yellows, oranges, and vermillion. The foods that we harvest are the colors of autumn - squashes drenched in orange and yellow skins enticing our senses and cultivating comfort and nourishment.

Ayurveda, the ancient healing system of India, honors the five elements (ether, air, water, fire, earth), which are a part of every living being. Ayurveda also uses the three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha), the intrinsic constitutions explaining our physical, emotional and mental state of being. Vata being air and ether, pitta fire and water, and kapha water and earth.

In order to create health, we are all working to balance these five elements within our bodies. The fall being cold and dry (or cold and damp depending on where you live) begs us to seek out earthy, comforting, warming, nourishing foods that will sustain us through this season of cold weather.

As we depart from the summer months, we naturally want to cleanse before the fall comes. It is important to keep our digestive fire active during this time so that we don't build up toxins, which can settle into our gut, causing disease. There are many ways to cleanse. One way is to start by eliminating inflammatory foods, which create "ama" (or toxins) in the system - foods like dairy, wheat, sugar and cold drinks. Sipping warm water throughout the day can be beneficial, as well as taking homemade ginger tea after a meal.

In the fall, eating a vata-reducing diet is suggested. Vatat has dry and cold qualities; therefore, the foods we eat need to be the opposite - nourishing and warming with sweet, salty and sour flavors. Thing soup!

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Here are some great foods to incorporate into your diet this autumn. The list below has been modified to be anti-inflammatory and does not include gluten-containing grains. 

• Rice
• Quinoa
• Gluten-free oats
• Vegetables including: cabbage, cauliflower, squash, green beans, okra, pumpkin, cucumber, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes and leafy greens (cooked, not raw!)
• All oils, including ghee and sesame oil
• Mung dal
• Split peas
• Red lentils
• Fruits including: apricots, bananas, berries, coconut, dates, figs, peaches (stewed fruit especially!)
• Soups made with bone broth and seaweed
• Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut
• Spices such as ginger, cinnamon, garlic, fenugreek, basil and cumin

Here are three great recipes for incorporating these foods into your diet...

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ZUCCHINI-KALE SOUP

Ingredients:

5 large zucchini squash

1 large onion

1 clove garlic

1 bunch kale
2-3 red potatoes

1 handful of seaweed of choice

Ghee (ie. clarified butter)

Water
Pinch of Cumin
Pinch of Coriander

*Chop all vegetables
*Add ghee to soup pot and heat
*Add cumin, coriander, onion and garlic to ghee and saute
*Add zucchini, kale and potatoes
*Add purified water to cover all of the vegetables (be careful not to add too much water - you will need about 5 cups)
*Let cook on a low simmer until the zucchini is cooked all of the way through
*When the vegetables are finished cooking, cool the ingredients
*Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender
*Then, reheat the soup adding salt, pepper, ghee and additional spice to taste

GINGER TEA
Ingredients:
Whole, fresh ginger
3 Cups Purified Water

*Peel and slice ginger
*Simmer in water for 30-40 minutes
*Add local organic honey to taste

FRUIT COMPOTE

Ingredients:

Handful of dried prunes, apricots, raisins

2 Cinnamon sticks

2-3 Cloves

3-5 Slices fresh ginger

3-4 Cups purified water

*Add all ingredients to water and simmer on low seat

*Cook until all ingredients are thoroughly cooked and soft

*Serve over rice, oats or quinoa


For more information, I recommend reading Food as Medicine: The Theory and Practice of Food by Todd Caldecott and Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine by Harish Johari.

Elizabeth Farrell is the practice manager for UnityMedicine-Integrative Medicine and Ayurveda. She is also a health coach, yoga teacher, Reiki Master, lover of essential oils and writer. She is known for her impromptu dinner gatherings and freshly baked cookies. You can find her online at www.sisterhawkreiki.wordpress.com and coming soon - Nourished by Elizabeth Farrell.

The Benefits of Sesame Oil (Part 2): Breath So Fresh!

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I don't like going to the dentist. Who really does? But my problem lies in the fact that no matter how hard I work to keep my pearly whites sparkling, the dentist will always (without fail) tell me I could be doing a better job. At which point, I want to jump out of my chair, grab his shoulders and start shaking him violently (well, not violently... but sort of) screaming "I DO try! I brush twice, sometimes three times a day! I stay away from coffee and soda! You're driving me loco en la cabeza, Dentist Man!"

You see, years of this torture has worn me down. When I was little, my brother Cale and I would go to the dentist together for our cleanings. I would be scolded and he would pass with flying colors. This, by the way, didn't make a lick of sense. I was quite obsessive with my brushing, while he took less than 10 seconds to brush, flossed every blue moon and sometimes didn't EVEN brush his teeth before bed. Gross.

So... having allowed this bitterness to fester for the last two decades, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands, and that's where sesame oil comes in. Many Ayurvedic practitioners recommend oil pulling. The more I read about it, the more I felt like this was the answer I had been seeking.

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Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy that involves swishing for 10-15 minutes each day with 1 Tablespoon of organic, cold pressed sesame oil. You can do it any time of the day, but I recommend oil pulling in the morning, before you brush your teeth (cause why brush twice?). I've found that if I do it while putting my makeup on, I tend to concentrate less on the oily task at hand. You can even set your alarm so that you're not obsessed with constantly checking the clock (believe me, the first time will feel much longer than the following times).

And let me tell you... crazy things happen while all that swishing is going on! The sesame oil mixes with your saliva, giving it a lighter color and a more foamy texture. As you swish it around your teeth, gums and tongue, the lipids in the oil begin to absorb all the bacteria in your mouth and prevent toxins from sticking to the walls of your oral cavity. Once the timer goes off and the oil is now thick with bacteria, you spit it out, brush your teeth and go about your day.

I've been oil pulling for about two weeks now and I can already tell a difference. My mouth feels much fresher and my teeth are incredibly whiter (this is another added benefit)! But I knew the true test would be my trip to the dentist last week (after 5 days of oil pulling). Usually, I leave with a major jaw ache because I spent the last 45 minutes with my mouth wide open while the hygienist literally scraped the plaque off my teeth (I blame my genes) and asked me questions about my life (when will they stop with that? I CAN'T TALK WHEN YOUR HANDS ARE IN MY MOUTH)... But, I'm proud to report that this visit lasted all of 15 minutes. He was in, out, bada-bing, bada-boom.... with a resounding "Your teeth look great, ma'am!" at the end.

SHAZAM!

It's finally happened! I cracked the code! I now have teeth reflective of the tender love and care I put into them!

...and all it took was some sesame oil, dedication and a little swishy swishy!