Donna Gallers Holistic Health
Nourishment For Your Whole Life
September 2009 Newsletter: Try A Little Confidence
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Greetings!,
I hope you are enjoying the bounty of late summer and the abundance of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables that are available now at farmer's markets, whole food stores, and even supermarkets.
This month I will be leaving my "day job" to focus on health and nutrition counseling and related health-and-healing pursuits. I'm very excited to be doing more work I truly love and to be moving toward living the life of my dreams. I look forward to helping you head toward your dreams and goals as well.
This fall I will begin offering Clinical and Process Acupressure bodywork sessions as an optional component of a health counseling program--or separately, as always. Stay tuned for news of a new office location that's in the works, and for upcoming Qigong classes (private sessions are also available).
Holistic health counseling offers you a chance to take a
look at your food and lifestyle with support and guidance to make changes that
will work for you for the rest of your life.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or to set up your
free initial consultation. Enjoy the start of the new season!
Warmly,
Donna
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Try A Little Confidence
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Yes, it's after Labor Day weekend--back to school, back to work, back to
business. This time of year can feel
bittersweet. The summer's over, with its
forgivingly lazy days and invitations to just relax or have fun. At the same time, the air is cooler and it
can feel energizing to start fresh, to gear up for something new. This often seems like a good time to start
new projects or to make some other sort of change in our life, like a
commitment to exercise, cooking more, or spending more time with
friends.
Why does it sometimes seem hard or scary to turn to the
new? One reason may be that we're afraid
of failure, that we won't be quite "up to the task" or "good enough". Just who is measuring our success,
anyway? When did we start to feel bad
about where or who we are and where we're headed? In reality, it's quite good
enough--outstanding, actually--to decide to make a change, and then take steps in
that direction, however it makes most sense for you and at whatever pace. 
Starting something new often involves changing something
old--perhaps an old habit, or very likely an old way of thinking. This can often be harder than whatever the
new thing is that we're actually setting out to do. What if it could be as easy as a child changing
his or her mind? "I want to play
baseball now. No, wait, I changed my
mind, I'd rather paint a picture." "I
want to be a doctor when I grow up...[a month later]...Now I want to be a rock
star." There is no need for self-judgment,
just confidence in the possibility of doing, being or achieving anything you
set your mind to.
As we start anew this season, try taking note of what you DO feel confident about and applying this mindset to areas in your life that may
feel a bit more shaky. For inspiration,
here are some excerpts from a lesser known song from "The Sound of Music" that
I happened to catch on TV this week (this is the song Maria sings as she leaves
the safety of the convent to face a new life as governess to seven children):
I HAVE CONFIDENCE (Rogers & Hammerstein)
What will this day be like? I wonder. What will my future
be?
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free.
My heart should be wildly rejoicing. Oh, what's the matter with me?
I've always longed for adventure, to do the things I've never dared.
And here I'm facing adventure-then why am I so scared?
...I must stop these doubts, all these worries.
If I don't, I just know I'll turn back.
I must dream of the things I am seeking--I am seeking the courage I lack...
With each step I am more certain everything will turn out fine.
I have confidence the world can all be mine...
They'll have to agree I have confidence in me.
I have confidence in sunshine, I have confidence in rain,
I have confidence that spring will come again.
Besides which, you see, I have confidence in me.
Strength doesn't lie in numbers, strength doesn't lie in wealth.
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers; when you wake up-wake up!
All I trust I lead my heart to. All I trust becomes my own.
I have confidence in confidence alone.
Besides which, you see, I have confidence in me!
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| Food Focus
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KUZU
Kuzu (also spelled kudzu) is a root vegetable native to China and Japan. It is one of the largest root vegetable
plants in the world, ranging from three to seven feet long and weighing between
200 and 400 pounds. In cooking, it has
traditionally been used in vegetable dishes, noodles, dumplings, beverages,
desserts and pickles. Powdered kuzu root
starch (available at natural food stores or online) makes an excellent
thickener for sauces, soups, custards, etc. It is virtually tasteless and won't notably
change the flavor of the dish it's being used in.
 Roots are storehouses for a plant's core energy, and provide
key nutrients that enable the plant to thrive.
For this reason, kuzu and other root vegetables (such as ginseng,
ginger, daikon radish, etc.) are considered nutritional powerhouses, and are
often used for their medicinal or therapeutic value as well as for food.
Kuzu has a high concentration of flavonoids--phytonutrients that reportedly
have beneficial health properties, including antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and
antioxidant effects (the last of which means that they protect the cells from
oxidative stress that has been linked with cancer, aging, atherosclerosis, and
other degenerative diseases).
In Chinese medicine, kuzu root has been used for its healing effects on the
digestive system--for stomach aches, intestinal irritation, or diarrhea. It has been reported to reduce high blood
pressure and relieve migraine headaches.
There has also been research in China
and the U.S.
about the effectiveness of kuzu root in treating alcoholism and hangovers.
Kuzu was introduced into the United States by Japan in the 1870s and promoted as an
ideal food for foraging livestock and as an ornamental plant. From the 1930s to 1950s farmers in the Southeastern U.S. were encouraged to plant kuzu to
prevent soil erosion. However, regional
climate conditions enabled kuzu to grow out of control and destroy
much cropland--leading to it being classified as a pest plant. In the 1960s, growing interest in the US in macrobiotics,
Zen Buddhism, and Asian medicine spurred renewed interest in kuzu's medicinal and
nutritional properties.
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| RECIPE OF THE MONTH
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FRESH FRUIT PUDDING
This refreshing
dessert is a great way to use up all that extra fruit from the farmer's market
or farm share before it gets over-ripe (or even when it does--just cut away any parts that are bad). It is thickened with kuzu root starch, which
is available as a chunky powder in natural food stores, often in the
macrobiotic foods section. The kuzu adds
no discernible flavor to the dish.
Prep & cooking time:
Approximately 45 minutes (plus cooling time if serving chilled)
Yield: 4 to 6
servings
Ingredients:
3-4 cups fresh peaches and plums (I used 6-8 small peaches
and 6 small prune plums)
Handful of blueberries if you have them
3 tbsp kuzu root starch
1 ½ cups water
2 lemon wedges
1-2 tbsp agave syrup (optional)
Directions:
Wash and cut fruit into small pieces (approx. bite
size). Place in a saucepan and
add water. Bring to a boil and then
reduce heat. Add the juice of 1-2 lemon
wedges, and agave if you want a sweeter dessert (I like the naturally tart
fruit flavor and usually leave mine unsweetened).
Simmer at low to medium heat for about 20 minutes, until
fruit softens and breaks apart. (You can
help it along by mushing up some of the fruit with a wooden spoon, but leave
some small chunks for texture.)
Dissolve kuzu root starch in 6 tbsp cold or room temperature
water.** Add to the fruit and
continue cooking, stirring constantly, until thick. Pour into dessert dishes. Serve warm or chilled. If served immediately, dessert will be a very
thick liquid; for a more gelled texture, chill in the refrigerator for at least
one hour (this is how I prefer it!).
Serve plain or be creative with toppings: try chopped nuts, granola, or (for chilled
version) a dollop of fresh whipped cream or plain yogurt.
You can also experiment with cooking other fruits, such as
nectarines, berries, or cherries.
**The general rule for thick desserts is: 1 tbsp kuzu
dissolved in 2 tbsp water for each cup of liquid, i.e. cooked fruit. So if you cook a larger amount of fruit, increase
kuzu and water accordingly.
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ABOUT ME
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 I am a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, Licensed Massage Therapist, and
Qigong Instructor. I work with clients individually or in
groups to learn how to eat and live well, address health issues
naturally and holistically, and set up their lives for optimum health
and happiness.
Nutrition, diet, exercise, mind-body
awareness, stress management, and detoxification have transformed my
life, helping me to heal from rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain,
allergies, and digestive problems. I've moved from worrying about my
health all the time and fearing the worst, to knowing that I'm in
charge of my life and have the power to create my own well being. I am
passionate about sharing my knowledge and especially that experience of
transformation and empowerment with you.
Warmly,
Donna Gallers, LMT, CHHC
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