Supporting the WOOD element GREEN SOUR WOOD HEALTH

Supporting the WOOD element GREEN & SOUR

WOOD HEALTH ISSUES • Irritability, suppressed anger • Frustration • Headaches, migraines • Disturbed sleep, Insomnia • Tremors, convulsions, cramps • Eye problems • Depression • Arthritis

Captain Rabbit is always practical and keeps his friends on their toes, although they sometimes raise his ire unintentionally. Rabbit tends to include Pooh and Piglet in his plans, and he goes to Owl when there is "thinking to be done“. Rabbit likes to take charge. A great organiser, he comes up with elaborate plans.

The liver is your main detoxification organ. It is responsible for filtering toxins out of the blood stream, so that toxins don’t build up in your body. You can think of your liver as the vent or screen in your vacuum cleaner. When the screen gets clogged with too much dirt, your vacuum is not as efficient in cleaning. Similarly, when your liver gets clogged up by too many toxins, your body often feels sluggish, your immune system is overworked, your skin isn’t as healthy, and your digestion slows down.

Detoxification is one of many different functions that the liver performs in the body, including: Protein synthesis Bile production and excretion Assisting with metabolism of sugar Preventing blood clotting Storage of iron

Sour Taste Sour tastes cool, dry and act as an astringent. Sour foods help dry up mucus and tone tissues and muscles. As an astringent, sour tastes help stop excessive perspiration, diarrhoea, frequent urination, copious mucus and bleeding. Sour also stimulates digestion and metabolism, helping breakdown fats, facilitate their absorption and drain excessive build up in the liver. When ingested excessively, sour tastes can harm digestion and contribute to constipation. Sour foods include citrus, vinegar and pickles.

Because excess amounts of any flavour harbour negative consequences, a balanced approach is always best. In addition to everything in moderation, The Chinese-5 -Elements philosophy advises a certain combination of tastes for people with liver disease. According to nutrition researcher and teacher, Paul Pitchford, (Healing With Wholefoods), foods best for liver disease are those that relieve stagnation in the liver. Combining bitter and sour tastes has the dietary effect of reducing liver congestion.

Bitter Taste Bitter tastes cool, dry, detoxify and are anti-inflammatory. In addition to eliminating dampness, these tastes also stimulate the secretion of bile, assisting digestion and stimulating normal bowel elimination. Bitter substances help protect the body against parasites. In excessive amounts, bitter foods can dry and are not recommended for people who are weak and cold. Eating foods with bitter tastes such as escarole, rye, rhubarb, quinoa, romaine lettuce and asparagus can help with sugar cravings.

The bitter taste is proven to stimulate stomach acid secretion and increase bile & saliva production.

FLAVOUR BALANCING If the flavour is too: SOUR, balance with SWEET & SALTY, balance with SWEET & SOUR PUNGENT/SPICY, balance with SWEET & SOUR SWEET, balance with SOUR & SALTY FATTY or RICH, balance with SOUR & increase LIQUID BLAND, balance with aromatic herbs, SWEET, SALTY & SOUR

Only by balancing our selections of foods and blending the five flavours can we call it a healthy diet; too much or too little of any flavour can cause disease. For example, too much sourness can cause liver qi to be too strong and restrain the function of the stomach and spleen (wood restrains earth); too much bitterness is likely to cause heart-fire to increase and counteract the lung qi (fire melts metal); too much sweetness can cause the spleen and stomach to be excessively strong and restrict kidney qi (earth dissolves water); too much pungent would promote excess lung qi and suppress liver qi (metal destroys wood); and too much saltiness would easily cause excessive kidney qi and subsequently restrain heart qi (water puts out fire).

DANDELION GREENS DIP…serves 2 -4 Ingredients…as organic as possible Good handful of fresh dandelion leaves 1 cup cashews, soaked in filtered water for an hour, then drained and rinsed 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked in filtered water for an hour, then drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 - 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan crystal salt 1 cup filtered water Directions Blitz in a blender or food processor until creamy Enjoy as a substitute to shop-bought hummus with veggie crudités or as a dressing for your favourite pasta, such as courgetti spaghetti or kelp noodles!!! Bon Appetit!!!

Three Types of KALE CRISPS Ingredients …as organic as possible Approx. 14 large whole kale leaves … using CURLY GREEN KALE, RED KALE or CAVOLO NERO KALE 3 tablespoons coconut oil Half tspn ground pink Himalayan crystal salt

Directions Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6 Strip the leaves of the stalks and tear into bite size pieces Melt the coconut oil and coat the kale in the oil Sprinkle with the pink Himalayan crystal salt Spread the leaves in a single layer on more than one baking tray and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. You may need to turn them once…and be aware…they can soon be overdone if you don’t watch them!!! Put the kale onto a rack to cool Fantastic as a substitute for shop-bought crisps… ENJOY!!!