Coronavirus has most of us stressed. Is anxiety your new steady state? And is it compounded by the news, the empty hand sanitizer and mask aisles, the fear-based exclamations people make as they unload a little bit of their worries? While the health risk for some is very serious, managing the stress by addressing mind and body can better prepare all of us to cope emotionally and physically.
I was feeling so rattled last week; my nervous system felt shaky and burdened. Everything felt overwhelming from cleaning the kitchen counter to sitting down to my functional medicine homework. In a moment of clarity, I found inspiration in a couple of science-backed actions that have helped me through other tough times. Beyond consistent hand washing and surface disinfecting, these simple tactics have me feeling rejuvenated, calm, bright and able to think more clearly. Here are the steps I'm taking:
Calming Cauliflower Soup
This soup was made, photographed and taught to me by my son, Matt who made it for a dinner date. It is delicious, detoxing – because cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie – and so simple to make. Plus cauliflower offers about 11 g protein per head.
Serves 4
Print Recipe
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, stemmed and broken into 1-2" florets
3 T olive oil
1 t cumin
3/4 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 white onion, peeled and chopped
1 box (4 c) bone broth or chicken or vegetable stock
Olive oil to drizzle
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cauliflower florets, 2 T of the olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper onto a sheet pan. Toss until florets are well coated. Roast for 25 minutes, turning cauliflower over halfway through roasting.
With 5 minutes left to roast, place 1 T olive oil into a stock pot. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add all but 4 cauliflower florets to the pan. Add stock. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend soup until smooth and creamy. To serve, ladle into bowls and place one reserved floret in the center of each bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil in each. Enjoy!
I was feeling so rattled last week; my nervous system felt shaky and burdened. Everything felt overwhelming from cleaning the kitchen counter to sitting down to my functional medicine homework. In a moment of clarity, I found inspiration in a couple of science-backed actions that have helped me through other tough times. Beyond consistent hand washing and surface disinfecting, these simple tactics have me feeling rejuvenated, calm, bright and able to think more clearly. Here are the steps I'm taking:
- Stay hydrated with electrolytes. I'm adding Ultima Replenisher to my water daily – an electrolyte supplement I learned about in my functional medicine program with no additives or sugar. It's making drinking water much more appealing and fun. Hydration is key to optimize the function of every cell, tissue and organ in your body. Replenishing electrolytes aids in the hydration process as well as helps regulate your blood pressure. Find it on Amazon.com.
- Meditation. I'm back at it, using Holosync - a scientifically proven auditory technology using binaural beats to grow new neurons in the brain. I put my headphones on and almost immediately I'm in that "rest and digest" or parasympathetic nervous system state which lasts all day. Choose your favorite meditation whether it's an app such as Insight Timer or Headspace, or Vipassana or Transcendental meditation, or whatever works for you, and stick with your regimen daily for a week to build a new habit. Feel the difference it makes. Learn about Holosync here.
- EFT Tapping. Using meridians in the body similar to acupuncture, tapping simultaneously integrates mind and body to create a change in your energy state. Ask yourself, "from 1 to 10 how anxious am I?" before you start and a few minutes later when you're done tapping. You'll be surprised. The Tapping Solution is a free app to learn how.
- Eat for wellness. No surprise here. You know I'm an advocate for a colorful, mostly plant-based lifestyle. The magic formula to boost your immunity and keep blood sugar balanced from day to night: Eat lots of colorful veggies; have clean protein + fiber + healthy fats at each meal; go organic as much as possible to avoid unwanted toxins; avoid inflammatory oils and sugar as much as possible.
Calming Cauliflower Soup
This soup was made, photographed and taught to me by my son, Matt who made it for a dinner date. It is delicious, detoxing – because cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie – and so simple to make. Plus cauliflower offers about 11 g protein per head.
Serves 4
Print Recipe
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, stemmed and broken into 1-2" florets
3 T olive oil
1 t cumin
3/4 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 white onion, peeled and chopped
1 box (4 c) bone broth or chicken or vegetable stock
Olive oil to drizzle
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cauliflower florets, 2 T of the olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper onto a sheet pan. Toss until florets are well coated. Roast for 25 minutes, turning cauliflower over halfway through roasting.
With 5 minutes left to roast, place 1 T olive oil into a stock pot. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add all but 4 cauliflower florets to the pan. Add stock. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend soup until smooth and creamy. To serve, ladle into bowls and place one reserved floret in the center of each bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil in each. Enjoy!