As a Healer, I live by the philosophy of Hippocrates, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Our bodies house our hearts, our souls, and our dreams. In order to act outward in the world in such a way that we are driven by Spirit, balanced in love, and pursuing paths of joy we must first be healthy in body in the most applicable way possible for our disabilities, hurdles, and hiccups. After all, as human beings, we are composed of several layers (physical body, mental/emotional body, spiritual/energetic body) which continuously communicate, interact, and work together so we can maintain a state of balance and homeostasis, that is, health. Food is an avenue to affect each of these layers, and an opportunity to deliver upon that avenue the optimal vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants the body needs to deliver to each of the other layers to best support our health and wellbeing.
Being a person of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, coupled with my upbringing in Central Pennsylvania in a family within which the culture was engrained, I am no stranger to our traditional foods. There is a lot to be said about the healing power of the foods we were raised on. These comfort foods may not be touted by nutritionists or the medical community for their healthy components, but energetically they mean something to us personally, and on such a deep soul level that they are considered healing. Allow me to give you an example of a healing food from my own life and experience. When I was a child, I was extremely introverted; I was called "backward" by my family and "shy" by my teachers, but the truth was, internally, I was constantly terrified. I hated being away from home, I was terrified of the environment I was in at the private Catholic school I attended, and I literally counted the minutes until I could return home every day. Some days my mom had trouble getting me out the front door in the morning. On the worst days, she would promise to have made for me upon my school bus drop-off at the end of the day her fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. I would think about that dinner all day long; I was too nervous to eat lunch at school, and thoughts alone of my mom's homemade food kept me going. Upon return home, I would smell the fried chicken as I walked in the front door, and I immediately calmed down. This may be an extreme example, but our cultural food is especially powerful when used in an energetically healing way. It connects us to family, friends, community, joy, and comfort.
Those of us who are Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch are no stranger to herbs, especially those of us who practice Braucherei, herbalism, and other natural healing modalities. I grow herbs year-round which I use medicinally in making into teas, tinctures, topical remedies, or I incorporate them into my culinary recipes. We can easily add medicinal umph to the simplest dinner plans, just as I did tonight with this quick throw-together:
First, I harvested a handful of each of the following herbs that I grow in my Aerogarden:
* Mint - Aids digestion, may improve IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), boost immunity, calms anxiety, rich in nutrients.
* Parsley - Improves blood sugar, can prevent breast cancer and protect blood vessels, can prevent tumors, improves health of kidneys, heart and respiratory system.
* Thai Basil - anti-viral, cancer-fighting abilities, anti-bacterial agents.
* Genovese Basil - treats migraines, anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, treats liver problems.
* Dill - Excellent for the stomach and digestions. Good for colic. Helpful for bad breath and hemorrhoids.
* Lemon Balm - Can ease symptoms of insomnia, calms anxiety, soothes psychological trauma, powerful antioxidant, aids digestion, slows memory loss, eases headache pain. Avoid if you suffer from hypothyroidism.
I also added a handful of dried Lemon Balm in lieu of fresh Lemon Balm which I do not have this time of the year.
Next, I chop the herbs and add them to a jar of Organic Marinara Sauce and heat while I cook Super Greens Rotini. Once the Rotini is cooked, drain and top with the herb-infused sauce. This is a very quick and easy dinner. I will later post an Ayurvedic Tomato Sauce recipe you can make and substitute for the Organic jarred Marinara Sauce on evenings you have more time and energy.
Being a Healer means living a healing life. I naturally incorporate elements of my own Pennsilfaanisch Deitch cultural traditions, my upbringing, my studies of other cultures and their traditional healing traditions which parallel my own, and of course my own life experiences and my intuition into the work that I do. I connect with my ancestors, my heart, and I surrender my intentions to move toward the highest good in each situation in which I am working, coming from highest truth, light, and love in all I do. Whether serving a plate of scrapple and side of Fastnacht, or fresh herb-infused food, the healing power of food is undeniable when it is served with purpose, intention, and love.
Mach's gut!
by Gretchen Swank 3/25/2023
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