Summer Session Cooking Classes - Group Consultations/Q&A/discussion sessions

Menu: June 13th

Vegan, Macrobiotic Cooking Classes, Energetics of Foods, Group Consultations/Question & Answer sessions integrating Body-Soul-Spirit

Self invest and stay committed to your authenticity and goals!

In my experience: people who engage in regular cooking classes along with theory/group consultations/Q&A sessions succeed in implementing lasting, positive change in their life and diet!

Summer Session Cooking Classes - Group Consultations/Q&A/discussion sessions:

July 6th, 4 pm - 5:30 pm ET cooking class

July 18th, 4 pm - 5:30 pm ET group consultation/Q&A/discussion session

Live on ZOOM - All sessions are recorded for your convenience.

Menu July 6th: *

Long Grain Brown Rice Summer Salad

Sautéed Hijiki with Onions over Lettuce

Blueberry Kanten Dessert with Rustic Cashew Cream

*Subject to Change

What do other people say?

“Homestyle, plant-based cooking from Bettina’s cozy kitchen to yours, the online cooking classes are a relaxing and educational experience, with easy recipes you can’t wait to taste!” R. W.

“Spontaneous and completely non-judgmental, Bettina’s online group consultations are a generous helping of her vast knowledge and intuitive experience of natural healing modalities for your own personal renewal.” R. W.

"Comfortable, informative and a sense of community found on zoom during questions and answers by Bettina Zumdick!" W.S.

Cooking Classes - Group Consultations/Q&A sessions

July - September 2023

Start Date: July 6th

3 Cooking Classes and 3 Group Consultations/Q&A sessions

Monthly Self Investment: $70

or Complete 3-Month-Sessions Fee: $210

• Self invest in your health and stay committed to your authenticity and goals by joining this 4 month long course. 

• Would you like to rejuvenate and learn how to achieve longevityamidst this every more changing landscape of our world?

• Have you been eating well and you suddenly find yourself with symptoms such as a headache or cough, or suffer from Covid or other symptoms and diseases and you realize you don’t know what to do?

• Are you looking for a way to stay centered in your own true axis by raising your awareness frequency?

• Do you want to deepen your knowledge of foods, home remedies, alternative approaches to wellbeing and more?

• Is creating community with like-hearted people important to you?

INCLUDED: 

Four 90-minute Cooking Classes scheduled once a month on Tuesdays at 4 pm Eastern Time.

Cooking Classes: 7/6, 8/8, 9/5 *subject to change---

Four 90-minute Group Consultations/Question & Answer sessions are scheduled once a month on Tuesdays at 4 pm Eastern Time 

Group Consultation/Q & A sessions: 7/18, 8/15, 9/12 *subject to change

All sessions are recorded for your convenience.

Send me a check or use venmo or Paypal (plus 5%) or let me know that you will be sending me a check!

The group consultations/discussion sessions are held in a private session.

Sense of Smell & Spirituality

When looking ahead to winter, we all know that this season is a reflection of the deepest part of ourselves – the most hidden information of our being, the Dark Night of the Soul.  

I am grateful to Matias de Stefano[1] and Dr. Shunyu Li[2] who were both instrumental in my understanding of the following concepts and I hope it will benefit you as well.

In simplified terms each human being is made up of three components: the Spirit Being, the Soul Being and the Physical Body. 

Our spirit being is eternal. And eternity means there is no time, no space, instead everything exists in the NOW. Our spirit is our essence.

Our Spirit expresses itself via the Soul and the Soul has an origin and a destiny and so it is taking a path through time to create a progression of experiences and realizations. And our body is the tool to record all the information that is gathered in this process of life. Every thought, feeling, word, action - all experiences are recorded onto our memory disc called: the body. The most ancient information and memories of ourselves are hidden within our cells.

And, of course, our memory disc comes with already pre-loaded information encoded in the cells, which is the information handed to us by our ancestors and in turn we pass our info to our descendants.

From the perspective of the universe there is only one body. ‘Uni –‘ means ‘one’ and ‘– verse’ comes from the Latin verb ‘vertere’, which means change or turn – so it means something like: ‘combined into one whole’ or ‘all is one’.

So, for the universe there is only one body and that means there is only one Soul. Using our own body as an analogy it is easier to understand this concept: our body is made up of trillions of cells, all of which have their own, very specific life, integrity and being, and yet, we refer to our body as ‘my (one) body’, as ‘I’ – as one being – not as a collective of entities.

Our Spirit is essence, and this means it is also only one. And the trillions of beings or bodies that originated from the essence are the ‘egos’ – the various beings. And all the egos are separated. Just like the individual cells in the body are separate and simultaneously are reaching for the whole, so are we as individual beings reaching for the Divine – for the All.

We are born with a set of cells creating us, however as we grow up our identity as adults has become a cultural product, not primarily a biological one as at birth. As adults our idea of who we are is created by ourselves and others through time and the experiences in our lives. This idea of who we are, is not truly who we are.

The real information of who we are is embedded in the registry of our cells not in the idea of who we are. The living memory of the divine in the universe is recorded in matter.

The neurons of our body send data in shape of light going all around the bodily system. Light is associated with spirit. Simultaneously, the other (non-neuron) body cells are sharing the received data from the neurons via bio-electrical impulses to our five senses. And in the same way as each cell is sharing information with the whole body, so are we sharing information with the whole universe via our senses – even though most of us are not conscious of it. 

The sense that is particularly associated with accessing the information of the spirit is our sense of smell. Our olfactory organs are the tool that allow us to perceive spirit much more directly and intimately than in any other way. Why is spirit related with the sense of smell? If we look at the origin of the word spirit, we find that it relates to the concept of respiration. The Latin verb ‘spirare’ means to blow. And ‘respirare’ means to blow again, indicating breathing: inhalation and exhalation. Breathing is a spiritual act. Divinity is related with the divine inspiration (inhalation), the contemplation with the third eye - the one eye - (holding one’s breath), and the exhalation, - the out-blow or creation of life. Our whole universe is a being that breathes. And everything that is breathing within the universe connects itself with the spiritual world. Our world, Gaia, is breathing – you can find time-lapse youtube videos that show the earth breathing via all the seasons – one can literally see the breathing of earth in the changing of the seasons. 

Our solar system does exactly the same: it expands over billions of years with the exhalation and with the inhalation everything contracts and all the planets move closer to the sun. As everything is a fractal, so we can understand that the whole universe is breathing. Breathing is spirit and breathing connects us with the spiritual world. And the sense of smell is most closely associated with breathing. And even if your sense of smell has deteriorated, as long as you can breathe your connection to spirit exists. 

Losing one’s smell may mean that this person has somehow lost the memory of the unshakable, fundamental trust in its own Divine Nature. For example, the body may be fighting against a belief that is denying faith or hope or the person may be denying their inherent intuition coming from spirit. On the other side of the spectrum, we may have a hyper-sensitive person in terms of smell. Hyper-sensitivity may be an indication of a very critical person or it may simply be a very perceptive person.

When people have a problem with breathing, they are in a crisis of spiritual awakening. COVID-19 is a reflection that the whole world is afraid of not being able to breathe. All of humanity is now in an existential crisis asking ourselves: who are we? Who do we wish to be? What are we doing here? What is our purpose? Where do we come from and where do we go from here? In our current climate on earth, people have no idea why they are here on earth. Everything seems to be revolving around accumulation of material goods and consumerism because our whole system is based on competition, comparison, and survival of the fittest. There is no room for spirit.

If we wish to nourish and grow our spirit, we have to begin to breathe more consciously. The way in which we breathe and the way in which we live fully in our bodies allows us to feel the spirit and expand the universe. 

Our sense of smell is obviously intricately connected with breathing. It is a specific tool that records all our experiences – in other words smell is associated with memories – even going back to the most ancient memories of our origin and spiritual heritage. Each smell is related to a memory of the spirit and our Divine Nature. 

Cooking and eating are daily patterns that allow us to practice paying attention to the smells that we experience. Which scents and fragrances stand out most? How do the perceived smells make you feel? There is a lot of information we can access via our sense of smell. The best way is to practice and access our sense of smell with our eyes closed to perceive more intimately and with more clarity. Smells and scents are keys for specific moments in our life or history. These remembered moments are important occasions from the perspective of our Soul and Spirit. 

Smells are clues that help us to connect with the information from our spirit: our intuition. In other words, our sense of smell perfects our intuition and allows us to discern the best life choices by guiding us through the circuitous labyrinth of reality.

Allow yourself to practice smelling consciously while cooking and become aware of the wide range of scents, fragrances and smells from subtle to strong. This is one way to begin to access the information hidden deepest in the memory of our cells and simultaneously to reach the light of Spirit. And for many of us living in a northern (or southern hemisphere), colder climate, in winter we spend more time cooking – so it is perfect for practicing our sense of smell and beginning to unlock our memories.

[1] Matias de Stephano has shared daily transmissions from Egypt for one whole year from August 2020 to August 2021 as a service to humanity:  https://yosoy.red/ - https://yosoy.red/biografia/

[2] Dr. Shunyu Li, Beijing Acupuncture, is a Chinese Medical Doctor, Acupuncturist, Nutrition Consultation, Massage Therapist, Qigong, Tai-Chi and more.

Intuitive versus Intravenous Truth

By Bettina Zumdick

As we have just stepped over the threshold into a new age—the age of Aquarius—this transition is fraught with difficulties. This new age is expected to herald peace and brotherhood/sisterhood of all and love freely given and received. However, we are finding ourselves at a distinct crossroads where danger, suspicion, and rage seem to be lurking everywhere.

The transition from fear to love is not going well. And wouldn’t a worldwide test—like Covid—be the perfect examination to demonstrate to all of us clearly whether we, as the whole of humanity, are ready for the next level up in the Spiral of History, or whether we will need another 25,000 years repetition until we reach this crossroads again, and perhaps then can make more loving choices?

In my opinion, it is of utmost importance that each of us individually becomes coherent within ourselves now, so that we may directly access the truth of what is going on in the world and not a picture fed to us “intravenously” by the media or any other outside-of-self source. What do I mean by becoming coherent? I mean that we, as individuals, have the innate ability to access the truth as our Body, Soul, and Spirit knows it—not only our “regular” waking conscious awareness. The frequencies around our world have increased to such a high degree that it is becoming increasingly easier to access information directly via our own super-computer antenna: the body—whose cells are constantly receiving a livestream from our environment.

Most of us older folks, however, very soon after birth have forgotten how to connect to, and access, the data that is always livestreamed to our cells. As a result, the actual, true information we are receiving via our body cells from all over the world at any given moment promptly gets deposited into the sub- and unconscious mind, never to be seen again. This means we can easily be deceived, frightened, and manipulated, and making any true assessments can become a laborious effort of research and fact finding.

As it stands now, the authorities are telling everyone what is safe and appropriate; meanwhile, from my perspective, there is room for questioning. Trained as a food scientist, I remember clearly, that by the time we graduated we had a choice: joining a large food corporation and being paid big bucks or going the other route of trying to raise people’s awareness about food, food additives, food processing, impact on environment, etc. for the benefit of the consumers—and probably never making a lot of money.

Joining a large food corporation means the food scientist has to devise studies and disseminate information that would go along with the “party line,” which means the information disseminated doesn’t necessarily portray the truth of the matter or be in the best interest of the consumers. Ultimately, the profit margin of the company is most often the deciding factor.

Knowing that the money trail usually lies at the heart of the matter, I encourage everyone to dig for themselves and then make an assessment. These days this means having to ferret out alternative ways to access your information, as our popular research tools have censored a lot of information recently.

Are the vaccines safe or not? Everyone has to make that choice for him/herself. Everyone’s body is different and has a specific history. And yes, many people are wishing to make the right choice from the heart. Some people’s perspective is: “I am getting vaccinated, because I believe my choice will help humanity,” and truly that is a laudable attitude. Other people choose not to participate in the vaccination, believing that it will ultimately harm them and humanity, and thus they are speaking out against it.

However, people who are not willing to get vaccinated are being shamed and worse: people/physicians/scientists speaking out against the vaccines are being smeared and labeled “charlatans,” and their freedom of speech is being curtailed. Is this an earmark of a free country, or at least a country with free speech? Or are we so ruled by fear, that people and government calls for more and more rules and regulations will keep mounting until we find ourselves living in George Orwell’s prophetic novel 1984?

Interview with Christina von Dreien

Hello Friends,

In these challenging times, I would like to share a perspective of hope and uplift.

The interview, below, with a wonderful, young woman from Switzerland named Christina von Dreien, can help to remind all of us of the truth of our being and the universe: the fabric of our universe is ultimately LOVE.

You can watch the full interview here:

https://youtu.be/4Y58RwlrOd8 - please click on CC in the bottom bar of the video for English subtitles

Bettina: Hello, dear Christina!

And I welcome everyone to Spirit Lift!

My name is Bettina Zumdick.  And it is my pleasure to be able to interview Christina von Dreien today. Christina is an extraordinary young woman, in our world today, who is always aware of her multidimensional existence and she has never forgotten her awareness of her true being. And she never lost her true nature. Christina belongs to a new generation who have come here as ambassadors of a new era. And from my perspective, she exudes a tremendous amount of love. She convinces with the energy of her true being: love, a high ethic and authenticity, simplicity and at the same time a humorous wisdom that extends far beyond her earthly years of life.

From an astrological point of view, we, as humanity are just on the threshold of a new age - the winter solstice, December 21, 2020, here in the northern hemisphere, is considered to be the official beginning of the age of Aquarius.

In other words, we transitioned from the Piscean age into the age of Aquarius and when we are looking at our world right now we can see that we are experiencing some difficulties with the transition or so it would seem...And... Christina, I recently listened to you via a live stream from Switzerland. And you opened the event by saying: It is all about love! Would you please tell us a little bit about love? And please tell about what Gaia, our planet, has decided? And what is the next step for humanity?

Christina: Well, the next step of humanity…

As the collective (consciousness of humanity) it is clear that we are going along with the earth because the earth raises her frequency but what that looks like for the individual person may be completely different because everyone has a different state of consciousness.

And not everyone is waking up. There are people who are not waking up in this incarnation.

And then for these people who are not waking up now, the present time is much more challenging. Because they only see and experience the 3-D (3-dimensional world) and thus they believe that everything is getting worse and worse and, yes on the physical level it is very challenging right now.

However, from my perspective, that is only because the Unlight realizes that its time is running out. And of course, they (the unlight) believe that they can carry out their plans and that their plans will succeed.

But I don't think that their plans will succeed because earth has decided that she is increasing her frequency. And since earth has decided this then it will be happening.

We cannot stop a planet!

Bettina: Although sometimes we believe we can do it, but....

Christina: This is the same as with Love, since Earth has decided to raise her frequency we are going towards Love. And Love cannot be stopped, either! It can only be delayed.

And the measures that are being put into place with this whole story that is unfolding right now, this is like a delay. And everything becomes more complicated. But Love cannot be stopped.

Bettina: You published a new book, which I didn't receive, yet, the title is "Am Ende Ist Alles Gut" (In the end everything will be fine). And during your Live-stream seminar you spoke about how it is very helpful and important to imagine and to have an image that in the end everything will be fine and to have an image that in the end everything will be fine. And that Love spreads on our planet and everything will be beautiful. And that we keep this image in the back. And that we keep this image in the back of our minds - or better at the forefront of our awareness. That we don't loose it, because you were saying that the more we concentrate on something the more easily we are going in the direction of manifesting it more effortlessly. Would you say this is correct? Or...

Christina: Yes, when we visualize this image, then… and we have a corresponding emotion, we are beginning to manifest this, because we are thinking about it but that which actually has the power of manifestation

are our emotions.

Bettina: In other words, our emotions are incredibly important when we are imagining something that we wish to manifest.

Christina: Without emotion it is like a cell phone without power or electricity.

Bettina: OK! That is a good analogy.

And I apologize for my German, it is a bit rusty but I am doing my best...

Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and when I returned home, I felt like it was a big ordeal. And I didn't feel good afterwards. And I know that you speak about the collective consciousness and what the collective consciousness feels like. When we are coming together with many people whose emotional energy resides primarily in the vibration of fear this vibration rubs off on us. And what can we do to help the collective energy field and ourselves? Because the collective consciousness has a tremendous influence - if I understand it correctly - it has an influence on what else may happen in our world - what will possibly manifest or not.

Christina: The collective consciousness is not only influencing us, but we (as individuals) also have an influence on the collective field.

Everything we think, feel and do that is automatically entered into the field. And when we are pursuing a high resonance in other words, that we have positive emotions and we concentrate on the positive aspects because there is something positive in everything also in the present day events because we live in a dualistic reality and when we see that it is loaded with bad news then there must also be a lot of good news somewhere.

And when we concentrate on the positive aspects automatically we will feel better; this automatically translates into the collective consciousness. And it becomes lighter. The collective field is certainly very dense because so many people are frightened. And thus the more people put something positive into the field the lighter the collective field will become. And this enters the field naturally. We don't even have to think about it.

Bettina: We have to concentrate on something positive! We have to see to it that we feel well and fare well. And what we do will be different depending on who we are. Someone may like to dance in the living room, another person may like to listen to good music, the next one enjoys a good conversation, or... it doesn't matter as long as nobody comes to harm.

And you are sharing that we have a spiritual team that is helping us. For me...I know that we have a spiritual team helping us. And sometimes

I am clearly aware that they are leading me in the best direction although I cannot regularly see or feel them. In any case: how may we make contact with our spiritual team so that we establish more the vertical connection because we are so often wrapped up in our material world that we completely forget to pay attention to new ideas or new ways of doing and being and we simply don't see them because we are so wrapped up in our daily lives - this and that has to be done and attended to - and we don't see or hear anything else any longer and everything stays the same. However, if we desire change… I believe...perhaps it can help people to hear something about this? How to get in touch with our spiritual team.

Christina: Well, for that we need first and foremost peace and quiet time. Because as you said, otherwise we are always distracted. And that we take time for ourselves. And... then, when we wish to make contact with our spiritual team, then all we have to do is to think of them.

Because when we are thinking of something we are already there.

Bettina: Oh, OK!

Christina: And.... yes, we can think about them and ask them a question.

And they listen to this question. They always hear the question. How we receive the answer is individual to each person. For some people it is a feeling or a sense, other people receive images or a thought arises. It varies. But they always hear us! Only we have to concentrate on listening to them, as well.

Bettina: Or to accept the message that we receive? Or?...

Christina: Yes, and that we pay attention, that our expectations are not blocking us. And our pre-conceived ideas - we may have pre-conceived ideas how and when the answer should present itself. Or when we are asking them for help, we have to request their help. Otherwise they will not offer assistance because we have free will. And when we are asking them to help us with this or that issue, then we won't know how or what the assistance will look like. And we have to pay attention to avoid sabotaging ourselves because of our pre-conceived ideas of what the help may look like. And sometimes help arrives but it doesn't look like help.

And when there is no sign labeling it 'help', and the help doesn't fit into our idea of what the assistance should look like, then there is the possibility that we may miss it. That it is not so....

Bettina: Or we possibly even consciously block it, because what is happening now is awful...Yes, unfortunately I understand all too well...

Here in the United States, we just recently had the election and I would say that a great polarization has happened among people. And the election results reflected this. It was almost 50/50. And clearly a split has occurred. People are on opposite ends of the spectrum and attacking each other. What can we do to prevent a further separation and splitting? And instead helping people to connect again? Or am I missing the point?

Christina: Well...In general whether we are speaking about the elections or not, they are always trying to split up and separate people.

That is to pit them against each other. And that is with everything, isn't it? That there is separation within and among us… And it is done in order to divide the power that people have. And that people use their power and vitality against each other. Because... even if the un-light do many things, but truthfully, they are not able to direct the world how they would like to. However, the people are giving them permission to do so. Well, by...for example by allowing ourselves to be pitted against each other. And if all human beings rise up at some point, for example, and would say: 'from now on all we care about is Love' and they make a resolution to do just that, and everybody would do that, then suddenly there would be no more war. Because, it is not the it is not the politicians who go to war. But it is the general populace.

But if every individual believes it is all about Love, then a lot of (negative) things that we still have now on our planet would disappear.

And that is why the power truly is within us. And often we think: a single person can't bring about very much change. And it is true: a single person cannot change the whole world. But if thousands of people are thinking that they cannot change anything, but now they would change their thinking: and they would be convinced that they could create change, then suddenly we can change our world!

Bettina: What I am hearing you say is that it isn't about who is president or whom we elect, but instead to keep our own voice and to be the change we wish to see in our world.

Christina: Well...In my opinion there is a distinct difference who will become president. There is definitely a difference. However, what is important to remember is that we are ultimately the change.

In other words, if we wish to live in a peaceful world, then we have to begin to act like that and we cannot wait for someone - doesn't matter who - to create a law and because the law states that we should be peaceful, only then will we allow ourselves to be peaceful.

A true change doesn't happen with the proclamation of a law and make the law binding for everyone. A true change has to come about from the people themselves.

It is important that people desire a peaceful world from within themselves. Only then will it work. And that everyone begins with themselves. And even if the change is creating only a small ripple effect, when a lot of people are creating small ripples, eventually it becomes a large ripple effect! And that we simply begin with ourselves and in our present-day life to make changes. And that we are not waiting for someone else to come to clap their hands and solves all of our problems. We certainly have help available. That is certainly true. But in the end it is us, who need to make the change. Because it is our life!

And we are the ones living here on earth. We are the change... OK.

Bettina: I would like to ask you, if you are willing, to speak about - I believe you called them elemental spirits in German - the spirits that live in nature... the beings that assist to keep our planet green... in other words the ones that are around us everywhere... in the plants and nature. You mentioned that it would be helpful if we speak with them, even if we are not consciously aware of them. Because they receive our energy when we are speaking to them.

And if we continue in the same way as we have previously where most people don't pay attention that at all then these non-physical beings retreat more and more because they can no longer live in this kind of environment? Did I understand you correctly?

Christina: Yes, well, the nature spirits won't leave by choice. It is their purpose to stay with nature. They are present with plants and stones and also with houseplants and in parks - and it is their purpose to be present and therefore they wish to be there. And as humans, we have to pay attention that we take care of nature in a conscientious way.

And when we are aware that gnomes and elves are real then these elemental spirits will sense that. And then they know: 'Ah, this human being realizes that we exist!' And then they are happy!

And yes, we can speak with them and they hear us when we are speaking to them. And while we may not hear them but they will most certainly hear us. And when we take care of nature in that case the elemental spirits also have a beautiful habitat. And that is why we have to pay attention how we attend to nature. We are doing a lot of things that are harmful: like 5G and also considering everything that we dump into the oceans and rivers. And that means the elemental spirits cannot live well in that kind of environment. We are destroying their space, their habitat. And while they are subtle or etheric beings and we are physical beings however any physical actions we take have a definite and direct effect on the subtle or etheric dimensions of reality. And the reverse is true, as well. In other words these dimensions are not separate from ours they are effecting each other. That is something that may be difficult to understand for many people because they/we may not perceive these various layers of dimensions. But of course, that doesn't mean that they don't exist.

We have to consider that we are only able to (consciously) perceive a tiny sliver of the broad band of the light spectrum. And everything else we are not able to see. But nonetheless it exists. And with the elemental spirits it is the same: they exist in a layer of dimensions which most human beings are not able to see.

And, for example, if we cut down trees in that case it is helpful - a few days before cutting the tree - that we go to the tree and let the tree spirit know that this tree will be cut down; so that they please are aware of this fact and they can leave now. This way, the tree spirits can move out of the tree and they can move to another tree.

Then they are forewarned and can leave and when we humans are ready to cut down the tree, then the tree spirit will already have left.

Bettina: And you said that we humans do not remember any longer - we do not remember that we once perceived them. In other words, there was a time when we as humans have perceived them. Not in this lifetime, but at a different time in the history of our earth. And for us it is important that we truly re-member everything that we have been cut off from, but actually innately we know. Is that correct?

Christina: Yes, absolutely! There was a time in the history of our planet, when the earth was less dense than today. And the 'humans' - well, the ones that lived at that time – they had a much more subtle or etheric energy body and they did not forget. And earth was like a paradise at that time. And we also have this innate desire that the earth becomes a paradise, again. And because we carry that desire within us means that at some point we have experienced this paradise. Because we cannot wish for something we do not know. And even if we have not experienced it in this incarnation, then we have experienced it in another one.

However, we have this information stored within us. And we have the desire that we will have a paradise, again. And since our planet earth is raising its frequency and the plan is that the earth is entering a higher vibration and that love reigns on our planet then it will be so: the earth will become beautiful once again and humans will forget less (and remember more).

Because, from my perspective, the purpose of humans is not to forget everything. Well, in this time and phase, in which we are living now and in which we have been living it has been the norm for humans to forget everything, as soon as they incarnated on this planet. But the positive aspect is, that everything in our life is only a phase except for that of which is the universe is made of and that is LOVE.

And even while we are experiencing something bad now, something that is not good, the question becomes how long this will be going on? There is a possibility that it may be of long duration but at some point it will have disappeared because it simply isn't the fabric out of which the universe is made.

Bettina: It is wonderful hear that! It truly is wonderful to know that the fabric of our universe is LOVE.

Well, for me it also re-ignites trust - the trust in that everything will turn out well and even that I dare to trust. Well, because in my life I have forgotten pretty much everything and even my trust in myself had been pretty much eroded or perhaps it is still eroded in parts, however when I hear you speaking, I can feel the love or I can remember the love which is there for all of us.

And that feels very comforting.

I believe that may also be comforting for the audience to hear.

Well, in our current civilization where it seems it is all about competition and survival of the fittest and now the virus on top of that and our civilization seems to measure itself by the ones that have the most money and are doing well and money is all that matters and nothing else matters.

But truly, it is all about Love. It is all about Love and to re-discover the Love within us and thereby we can remember and also link with everything else...or connecting with everything....re-connecting.

Christina: And especially now, when so many people are experiencing fear then we have a responsibility because we know that we are connected to Love and so we won't succumb to fear.

Because while we are experiencing fear, we cannot help anyone, also we cannot find any solutions to problems because our head is not clear in other words nothing works out and while we are experiencing fear we also loose our trust and confidence and many people are afraid right now and therefore it is all the more important for the people who are aware of the crucial significance of not being fearful that we really concentrate on the positive outcome!

Bettina: Wonderful!

I have another question, that takes us in a slightly different direction. You mentioned in one of your books and I am not sure which one - and I have the German versions of your books here. At least I have two of them here (“Christina: Die Vision des Guten” and “Christina: Bewusstsein schafft Frieden”), the other one - the first book I ordered ((“Christina: Zwillinge als Licht geboren”) arrived as an audio book. I had ordered the audio book by mistake. However, I actually really enjoyed it because I got to listen to Nicola Good, the narrator of the German version of the audio books.

In any case, you mentioned in one of your books that - and I am paraphrasing now that Traditional Chinese Medicine is a truly well-developed Art of Healing. Can you say something about that? 

Christina: No, I cannot say anything about that. My mother said that. (Her mother is the author of the first two books about Christina).

Bettina: Okay. Very good. Would you like to share anything else?

Christina: That is a good question. Everyone, please consider that even individually we have a huge impact. And when we concentrate on the positive perspectives and we put something good into the collective field of consciousness - even if we are feeling like nothing is changing - but first of all we, individually, will feel better: so, this is one thing that created change already, and we truly do not know if a person in China is beginning to laugh because we have added our positive energy to the collective field of energy.

Because we can only view a very minute fragment; meanwhile we don't truly know what will become of that which we have put into the field.

Surely, it has an effect because we are connected with everything and everybody and therefore everything is influencing everything else.

Bettina: Thank you, that is a wonderful conclusion! Thank you Christina!

For more info on Christian von Dreien, please visit her website: https://christinavondreien.ch/

COVID 19: Healing Foods + Preventative Measures

Corona Virus Menu for Prevention and Healing of mild cases:

The number one food viruses like to feed on is eggs. Other foods viruses love to eat include dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, kefir, and other forms of dairy; gluten, also other animal foods. Drying foods/drinks like coffee, chips, crackers, etc. along with processed foods and oily or greasy foods are best avoided as well.

If someone is severely ill, please go to the hospital immediately. However, most people do not experience severe symptoms.

General guidelines for daily intake of foods:

• Whole grains (approx. 25 %) (soak before cooking to gain access to vast amounts of antioxidants)

• Bean or bean products (like hummus and tofu or tempeh - approx. 20 %)

• Vegetable dishes – VERY IMPORTANT(50%) – special antioxidants such as the pigments of leafy greens and other vegetables contain antiviral protection.

Eating more leafy green vegetables, and also especially BROCCOLI is very helpful for lung function. Green (leafy) vegetables and broccoli, if cooked less than 3 minutes, contain large amounts of Vitamin C and minerals the body needs for protection!
Consume short cooked vegetable dishes like steamed or blanched or quickly sautéed leafy greens daily.

Long cooked vegetable dishes such as a vegetable soups or longer sautéed vegetable dishes are to be served at least several times per week.

• Sea vegetables (2 - 3 %), especially nori and wakame and/or dulse daily will be helpful to boost magnesium intake which plays an important role in boosting our immune system.

• Pumpkin Seeds are a valuable source of zinc; great as a preventative measure and for healing.

• Other foods such as Nuts, Seeds, and Fruits may be added in moderation.

• Miso Soup keeps our immune system strong and detoxifies!

• Adding Dried Shiitake Mushrooms to the Miso Soup is especially helpful to reduce viral loads in our body.

• For Children include a good quality dessert daily with fruit and kuzu or fruit and agar agar or Ame Kuzu drink (see below).

• In this time of heightened awareness and fear, it is most helpful to stay calm: you are likely aware that feeling fearful and stressed is creating elevated cortisol levels in the body, which suppress the immune function and derail many healthy bodily functions and thus make us more vulnerable to the virus and other diseases.

• On the other hand feeling joyful, having fun is boosting every defense and healing mechanism in our body.

• Also, exposure to sunlight, regular exercise (especially outside in nature) and a healthy diet are boosting all systems in the body, as well accelerating any healing processes that may be needed.

Special Remedies

• Cucumber Juice

Cucumber Juice has a cooling effect on the glands and organs, which makes it a wonderful fever reducer for both children and adults when you contract a virus. Sip on plain, freshly made cucumber juice when you have a fever. Juice 2 large cucumbers (organic if possible) and drink immediately for best results. If you do not have a juicer, you can cut the cucumbers, blend them until smooth, and then strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth so you end up with just the juice to drink. For best results, drink on an empty stomach

• Thyme Tea

An wonderful antiviral food that knocks down the viral load throughout the body, helping to relieve a multitude of symptoms. If taken on a regular basis (ideally daily), it’s a fantastic tool for helping to heal from existing symptoms and conditions caused by viruses and also to fight off new, unwanted viruses.

Place 2 or more sprigs of fresh thyme in a mug and pour 1 - 2 cups hot water over, allow to steep for 15 min or more. Remove thyme springs or strain. Add lemon if desired.

• Ginger Water

Ginger is a powerful antiviral. Sip this ginger water throughout the day.

Finely grate 1 - 2 inches of fresh ginger into 2 cups of hot (but not boiling) water and add the juice of 1/2 lemon (optional). Allow the water to steep for at least 15 minutes and ideally longer. You can even leave it steeping in the fridge overnight. Strain the water and enjoy warm or room temperature throughout the day.

• Ame-Kuzu - warming and relaxing, also helpful for lowering mild fevers - best consumed in the late afternoons or evenings

• 1 – 3 teaspoons kuzu, dissolved in a little cold water

• 1 cup of apple juice

• pinch of sea salt

Mix the dissolved kuzu in one cup of cold apple juice.  Add pinch of salt.  Heat this on a medium flame, stirring constantly to prevent lumping, until the kuzu thickens. Remove from the flame and serve warm.

• Ume Kuzu - take occasionally if healthy or daily for up to 7 - 10 days when ill with virus or intestinal problems such as IBS, diarrhea and inflammation in the gut.

·      ½ umeboshi plum, finely chopped

·      1 teaspoon ginger juice (optional)

·      1 heaping teaspoon kuzu, diluted in a 2 tablespoons of cold water

·      1 cup of water

Mix the diluted kuzu with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil under constant stirring. When the liquid begins to thicken and becomes translucent, add umeboshi and ginger. Simmer for 1 more minute and drink warm.

• Black Soybean Tea - boosts lung function and detox

1/2 cup black soybeans, sorted and washed
3 cups water

2- 3 teaspoons rice syrup (optional)

Place the washed soybeans and the water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil without a lid. Turn the flame down low and place a lid on the saucepan. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Add rice syrup if desired. Strain out the liquid and drink hot or warm.

• Lotus Root Tea - good for almost any lung function ailment, including COVID 19

With fresh lotus root:

Wash the lotus root, and grate (a 4 inch piece of fresh lotus root will approximately give you the right amount for 1 cup of this drink).

Place the pulp of the lotus root into a piece of cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice. Place the juice into a saucepan with an equal amount of water. Add a pinch of sea salt or a few drops of soy sauce or tamari.

Bring to a boil while constantly stirring and let it simmer on a low flame for 1 – 2 more minutes. Drink this tea, which should be thick and creamy, while hot.

Breakfast and Main Meal Suggestions:

Breakfast # 1

1 cup Ginger Water in the early morning before brunch

Brown Rice Porridge with Umeboshi

Lightly roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Steamed Greens (for example: Napa and Red Cabbage)

Sheet of Nori

Breakfast # 2

Soft Millet Porridge cooked with Kabocha Squash or Cauliflower, seasoned with Chickpea Miso and Scallion Garnish

Blanched Broccoli

Sheet of Nori

Carrot Juice

Main Meal # 1

Miso Soup

Brown Rice with Wild Rice

Arame, Dried Daikon, with Carrots and Onions

Blanched Kale, Red Radish and Cauliflower

Pumpkin Seed Dressing

Pickle (Sauerkraut)

Thyme Tea

Main Meal # 2

Miso Soup

Brown Rice With Azuki Beans

Sauteed Carrots topped with lightly roasted Sesame seeds

Steamed Broccoli

Pickle (Sauerkraut)

Apple Sauce or other fruit compote

Thyme Tea

Main Meal # 3

Navy Bean Soup

Quinoa Salad

Sauteed Greens (cabbage, celery, kale) with Kuzu

Pressed Salad (daikon and lemon zest and sea salt)

Pickle (Sauerkraut)

Ame Kuzu

Millet with Cauliflower

1/3 cup of millet, washed and soaked overnight in 1  - 1 1/3 cup of water

1 cup Cauliflower, cut into smaller pieces

1 - 2 teaspoons chickpea miso (or to taste),

¼ cup minced parsley

1 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Instructions

Place the millet with its soaking water in a pot and add the cauliflower. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Place a flame deflector under the pot, reduce the flame and simmer for 30

minutes.

Dilute the miso with a little water until creamy, mix under millet/cauliflower mixture along with oil and parsley at the end of the cooking time.

Blanched Vegetables (Red Radish, Kale, Cauliflower)

1 cup Kale, sliced

½ cup Red Radish cut into quarters or smaller

½ cup cauliflower, cut into small florets

water

Instructions

Place several inches of water in a pot and bring to a boil.

Add a pinch of sea salt and

Drop sliced cauliflower into the water. Boil for approximately 3 – 4  minutes.

Remove the cauliflower quickly and place into a strainer to let it drain and cool down.  Next drop the sliced kale into the water. Boil for approximately 1 - 2  minutes.  Remove the kale quickly and place into a strainer to let it drain and cool down. Proceed in the same manner with the red radish.

Transfer all the vegetables onto a serving platter.

Brown Rice with Azuki Beans

½ cup of short grain brown rice, rinsed, then soaked for 12 hours in ¾ cup of water

a stamp-size piece of kombu after soaking

¼ cup of azuki beans, soaked  for 12 hours in ½ cup of water, discard soaking water of beans after soaking period, replenish discarded water with fresh water

Instructions

Place the rice and beans with their respective soaking waters into a pressure cooker with a stamp-size piece of kombu.

Bring up to pressure on a medium-high flame.

When·the pressure is up, place a flame deflector underneath the pot and reduce the flame to medium low, just enough to maintain pressure.

Cook for approximately 45 minutes.

Remove from heat, let the pressure reduce naturally, open and serve hot.

Blanched Greens

1 cup kale, sliced

1 cup broccoli sliced into small florets

Water

Pinch of salt

Instructions

Place several inches of water in a pot and bring to a boil.

Add a pinch of sea salt and drop in a small volume of broccoli. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove the broccoli quickly and place it into a strainer to drain and cool down.

Repeat the previous step with kale. Transfer all the vegetables on a serving platter when done. Serve as is or with a dressing.

Pumpkinseed Dressing

1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, sorted and rinsed and lightly roasted

¼ - ½ umeboshi plum, minced

Water to desired consistency

1/4 cup of chopped parsley or scallions

Instructions

Place the seeds into a suribachi and grind the seeds with a pestle. Or place all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy.

Add umeboshi and scallions or parsley to the suribachi and grind together with the pumpkin seeds.

Add water to obtain the desired consistency and taste. Let it sit for a while so that the flavor blends together. Serve with blanched greens.

Apple Kanten

1/8 of an apple cut into cubes

1/2 cup of apple juice or ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of apple juice

1/2 tablespoon of agar agar

pinch of sea salt

1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Bring the apple juice (or diluted apple juice), sea salt, sliced apples and agar agar

to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and simmer until flakes are dissolved. Stir

occasionally so the flakes dissolve evenly. At the end add lemon zest and stir one more time.

Pour into a dessert bowl and let sit until jelled (about I 1/2 to 2

hours).

Brown Rice with Wild Rice

1/2 cup brown rice, soaked overnight

¼ cup sweet brown rice, soaked overnight

1 ½ cups water

Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Wash brown rice and wild rice. Soak in 1 ½ cups of water for 12 hours.

Place the rice mixture into a pot with a heavy lid and bring to a boil.

Add salt and lower the flame to low. Place a flame deflector under the pot and simmer for 45 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.

Remove from heat and serve.

Navy Bean Soup with Onions and Carrots and Corn

½ cup cooked navy beans (cooked with a stamp sized piece of kombu)

¼ cup of onions, diced

¼ cup of carrots, diced

¼ cup of corn, fresh or frozen

water

A few drops of soy sauce to taste

Instructions

Place onions, carrots, corn and water to cover all ingredients into a saucepan.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft – adding water as needed.

Add cooked navy beans and season with a few drops of soy sauce to taste. Simmer for another 5 minutes, serve warm.

Sauteed Greens (cabbage, celery, kale) with Kuzu

1 cup kale, torn into smaller pieces

3/4 cup green cabbage, sliced finely

¼ - ½ cup celery stalks, sliced finely

½  cup water, or as needed

Sea salt

1 – 2 heaping teaspoons kuzu, dissolved in a small amount of cold water

1 – 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

Heat the sesame oil in a skillet and add cabbage, celery and one or two pinches of salt. Saute the cabbage and celery until it is slightly soft, then add kale and water.

When the water is boiling and the kale is bright green but not over cooked, add diluted kuzu while constantly stirring to prevent lumping.

Cook the kuzu until it has become slightly thick and translucent.

Serve as is.

Daikon Pressed Salad with Lemon Zest - boosting excretory function (large intestine!)

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 6- 8 inch piece of fat, juicy daikon

• 1 - 2 lemons, zested

• sea salt

Utensils:

• salad pickle press

• microplane zester for zesting lemons

• bowl for mixing

Instructions:

Cut daikon into thin half rounds, mix with sea salt. Press in a pickle press for ½ hour – 1 hour. After pressing pour off excess liquid. Mix the pressed daikon with lemon zest and serve.  

Miso Soup

1/8 cup of daikon, thinly sliced

1 dried shiitake mushroom, soaked and finely sliced

1/2 inch piece of dried wakame, soaked for 5 minutes and cut into small pieces

1 cup of water (including shiitake mushroom soaking water)

½ to 1 teaspoon of 2 year fermeneted barley miso

Finely sliced scallion for garnish.

Preparation:

Place wakame into a sauce pan with  the shiitake mushrooms and water. Bring to a boil.

Add daikon to the boiling water, reduce the flame to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until daikon, wakame and mushrooms are soft.

Dilute miso in a separate bowl with a little soup broth. Add the diluted miso to the soup and simmer for 1 – 2 minutes on a very low flame.

Serve in bowls and garnish with finely sliced scallions.

Note: When making soup for several days: prepare enough vegetables/sea vegetables and water for the several days, and cook together. However, add a small amount of miso only to the portion you are consuming that day  - the other unused portions go into the refrigerator and miso will be added to each cup of soup right before consuming it (and after heating it up).

Quinoa Salad with Cucumber

½ cup quinoa, soaked for several hours in 1 cup water

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 tablespoons scallions, minced

¼ cup cucumber, cut into quarter rounds

ume vinegar and tangerine juice and zest, to taste

Instructions

Bring the quinoa to a boil, then turn the flame down and simmer for 30 minutes. Saute the scallions in a

separate pan until glassy with a pinch of salt.

When the quinoa has finished cooking, mix with sautéed onions, parsley, scallions, cucumber

And add ume vinegar (and tangerine juice)/zest to taste.

Arame, dried Daikon with Carrots and Onions

1/4 cup arame, rinsed                    

1/4 cup dried daikon, soaked for 10 minutes and cut into smaller strands (save soaking water for cooking)

1 small onion, sliced  into half moons

1 small carrots, cut in matchsticks

 1 tablespoon of corn (fresh or frozen) - optional

water

sesame oil (optional)

A few drops of soysauce to taste

Instructions

Heat a small skillet over a medium flame and brush with sesame oil.

Add onions and saute for 4 - 5 minutes.

Layer arame on top of the onions, then dried daikon and then the carrots. Add

dried daikon soaking water -  just enough to half cover all the ingredients.

Once it comes to a boil, turn the flame down to a low simmer. Cover and cook for

15 to 20 minutes.

Add corn, and season with a small amount of soysauce and continue to cook for another

5 to 10 minutes - until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Mix and serve warm.

Steamed Greens

1.5 cups of kale and leeks, sliced finely

water

Preparation:

Bring 1 to 2 inches of water in a pot to a boil.

Place a steamer basket (bamboo or metal) on or into the pot and add the chopped

greens. Cover and steam for 2 minutes or until the greens are tender but still

bright green. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Miso Soup

1/8 cup of squash, cubed

1/8 cup of napa, finely sliced

1/2 inch piece of dried wakame, soaked for 5 minutes and cut into small pieces

1 cup of water

½ to 1 teaspoon of 2-year fermented barley miso

Finely sliced parsley for garnish.

Preparation:

Place wakame into a sauce pan with water. Bring to a boil.

Add squash and napa to the boiling water, reduce the flame to low and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Dilute miso in a separate bowl with a little soup broth. Add the diluted miso to the soup and simmer for 1 – 2 minutes on a very low flame.

Serve in bowls and garnish with finely sliced scallions.

Miso Scallion Condiment - excellent antiviral and delicious with plain cooked brown rice or quinoa

5 scallions with roots, washed and minced finely

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ - 1 teaspoon chickpea miso

1- 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Wash scallions and roots very well. Soak the roots in cold water if necessary, to loosen any soil. Puree the miso with a small amount of water. Layer the roots, then the scallion tops in an oiled, heated skillet. Pour the dissolved miso over the scallions and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes while stirring until the scallions are completely wilted. Mix well and serve.

Apple Compote

4 servings

Ingredients:

·       3 – 6 apples or pears, cored and sliced into small pieces

·       ½ cup apple juice or enough to cover bottom of the pot

·       pinch of sea salt

·       lightly roasted, chopped almonds or walnuts, or lightly roasted seeds for garnish

Instructions:

Place sliced apples into a pot. Pour in enough apple juice to cover the bottom of the pot.  Add small pinch of sea salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then simmer until the apples pieces are soft. Garnish with seeds or nuts.

Baked, Stuffed Apples

The aroma of spiced baked apples wafts thru the house: conjuring up images of sharing, comfort and connection in my mind.

Certain varieties of apples are used primarily for cooking and baking. Cooking apples are generally larger, and can be tarter than apple varieties for raw consumption. Granny Smith, Cortland, Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady or Honeycrips generally work well in this recipe.

4 large apples 

2 – 3 tablespoons of sunflower seeds or ¼ cup walnuts, washed, roasted and chopped or a mixture of both

3 – 6 tablespoons of raisins

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch of allspice or cloves

2 – 3 teaspoons of barley miso

8 tablespoons of tahini or a nut butter of your choice

Water

1. Mix all of the ingredients – except for the apples – in a bowl.

2. Hollow out the apples and stuff them with the mixture.

3. Place the stuffed apples into a shallow baking dish with a very small amount of water in the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Bake at 375 degrees Farenheit for 30 to 40 minutes or until the apples are tender.

Leek Potato Soup or Leek-Rutabaga Soup

This soup was a staple in our house when I grew up - served particularly for special gatherings or parties. A creamy, rich soup, that was served with sour cream and freshly baked baguette - everybody loved it. Substituting tofu sour cream for the regular sour cream can turn this soup into a delicious vegan alternative.

1 leek, finely sliced

2 large potatoes or an equal amount of rutabaga, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 - 3 cups of water (or unsweetened almond milk)

Sea Salt to taste

Minced scallions for garnish

Optional: oregano, basil and/or thyme to taste

Tofu sour cream (scroll down for recipe)

1. Sauté the sliced leeks in the olive oil and a pinch of salt until the leeks are wilted, then add potato or rutabaga cubes and sauté for another 2 - 3 minutes. If you are adding herbs, add them at this time. 

2. Add water (or almond milk) and simmer until all the vegetables are soft (approximately 20 - 25 minutes). 

3. Blend the ingredients in a blender. 

4. Serve with scallion garnish and optional tofu sour cream topping.

Tofu Sour Cream Topping

½ lb tofu

1/8 to 1/4 cup pickling juice from natural cucumber dill pickles (like ‘Bubbies’ brand) or Kalamata olive pickling brine

1/2 teaspoon of mustard

1 - 2 teaspoons of sesame oil or olive oil

1 teaspoons ume vinegar (optional)

1 scallion, minced

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. This dressing can be kept for several days in the refrigerator. 

Late Summer Cooking

Sweet Potato Salad

Late summer means a true bounty of fresh vegetables, fruits and other produce at your fingertips. The produce is generally peak-ripe, delicious and bursting with flavor.

This time of year is a magic time of year to visit Farmer’s Markets - early mornings are the best times to go; no crowds, freshly picked produce, with little bits of dirt hanging in places here and there. You never know what you will come across that looks exceptionally gorgeous and ripe on any particular morning. Food looks and tastes amazing when you use ingredients at their peak! So, choose the best looking produce and that means less coaxing to make it good - meaning you don’t have to use strong seasonings or dressings or cooking methods like roasting to make it flavorful.

Noodles with Basil Pesto

In my opinion, one of the most important things about shopping at the farmers market is to have fun: it involves all your senses: sight, smell, touching and tasting.

Talk to the farmers and find out what they are excited about. Or ask any chefs picking up their produce at the market what they are going to do with it. Allow yourself to get creative and inspired and perhaps pick an item you have never used before.

And if you are not sure what to do with a particularly good looking specimen - ask the farmer - they in most instances can point you in the right direction in terms of what preparation works well to bring out the intrinsic characteristics of a particular food - to let the flavor shine forth from within.

How to begin healing from Asthma

Asthma, a disease that affects the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs, makes the airways very sensitive because the inside walls of the airways become inflamed and swollen. The inflammation causes the tissues to react strongly to various triggers - causing allergic and irritation reactions. These triggers may be physiological, psychological, body internal or external. When the airways react, they get narrower and less air flows through to the lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and general trouble breathing.

In an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airway openings even narrower and less air will flow through. The cells in the airways also create more mucus than usual. This causes more difficulty to breathe. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so drastically that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. In this case it is essential to seek medical help immediately.

According to oriental systems the large intestine and the lung function are a complementary opposite pair of organs, both are part of the excretory function. If the septic system (the large intestine) is not working properly, lung function is often negatively impacted, as well.

A long history of constipation, diarrhea and/or other digestive issues is often preceding lung function problems. Constipation is allowing toxins destined for expulsion to be reabsorbed into the body tissues. This process weakens the whole body. Diarrhea is preventing the necessary nutrients from being absorbed into the body, also weakening the whole body. Other conditions, such as inflammation in the intestines will cause severe disruption, as well.

Thus any preventative or healing measures would do well to address improving our septic system  - primarily the large intestine – along with addressing the lung condition.

One of the easiest ways to begin to improve our digestive system is by chewing well. Digestion begins in the mouth –neither stomach nor intestines are lined with teeth. Chewing breaks down the physical structure of the food. This results in better nutrient absorption into our body and adding beneficial enzymes from our saliva to our food. The various kinds of enzymes in our saliva break down complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins, as well as alkalizing the foods we chew and in turn alkalizing our blood quality. Diseases thrive in an acidic environment, and they disappear when our system becomes slightly more alkaline. 

Choosing our foods wisely: choosing good quality, unrefined, whole foods with lots of fiber will also benefit our digestive system and our body as a whole.

Digestive trouble may be apparent through tight shoulders, as well as skin troubles, like pimples or acne or melanoma. In terms of asthma the main contributing cause for inflammation are regular and excess consumption of foods that have an expansive and mucus producing effect in the intestines and the airways - like fried potatoes, tomatoes, ice-cream, all dairy, sodas, yoghurts, sweets, excess fruits, lack of fiber, refined flour products, sweet baked flour products, fatty and greasy foods, chocolate, fruit juices, heavy animal food consumption, along with constant snacking and late night eating.

Foods that are particularly helpful for lung and large intestine function are brown rice, daikon radish, cauliflower, lotus root, lotus seeds, plenty of short cooked leafy greens, kuzu, naturally fermented foods like miso and sauerkraut, hijiki (sea vegetable), white beans, azuki beans and sesame seeds among others. All of these foods taken in balanced proportion on a regular basis, will reduce inflammation and mucus in the airways.

Lungs are twin organs. Metaphysically twin organs indicate the aspect of dialogue of oneself with the outside world. The lungs, governing our throat and voice box, are all about speaking our truth and communication between the inside and outside world. Being mindful of our communication with others  - or the lack thereof - as well as our internal ‘dialogue’ can be the first step in changing towards a healthier relationship with our body.

Stress is a known trigger to bring on asthma attacks. What is stress? Stress is experienced as strain, pressure, nervous tension, trouble, anxiety, and difficulty. It is a state of mental, emotional or physical tension resulting from (seemingly) adverse circumstances. 

And stress can be described physiologically as a link between hormones, nervous system and inflammation anywhere in the body. 

Foods like sugar, sweets, chocolate, strong spices and greasy, oily foods, animal foods, and others tend to create more inflammation in an already weakened digestive system. And as inflammation spreads quickly in the body from the digestive system via the highway called the vagus nerve upwards in the body, inflammatory substances spread throughout the body, causing damage to the cells of the lungs and other systems. In the brain inflammation favors the production of anxiety provoking chemicals, which may become the trigger for an asthma attack and a variety of other symptoms like lethargy, depression, sleep disturbance, decreased learning ability, etc. 

Changing one’s diet towards a balanced plant based diet including whole grains, vegetables, beans, bean products, sea vegetables, seeds and other natural, supplemental foods will create more stable mental and emotional states along with a strong, healthy body.

Examining ourselves to assess where we may wish to change our perspective on life for allowing more joy and healing into our life is also very beneficial. 

As every person is an individual, it will be most effective for the healing journey to monitor the condition with your physician and seek advice from an experienced counselor to adjust your diet and lifestyle properly.

Ramp filled Pierogi (Dumplings)

Basic Pierogi Dough

1 cup of whole wheat bread flour, sifted

1 cup of unbleached white flour

¾ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup of cold water

Sesame or sunflower seed oil for frying the stuffed pierogies (optional)

Place the flour and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Slowly pour in the water and form into a spongy dough. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until the dough has the consistency of an earlobe. Let it stand for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Then roll the dough, stretching it a little more with each roll until it is almost paper-thin.

Cut out square or round pieces and add filling into the center of each square or circle, fold the dough around the filling and firmly seal the dough. Then steam or boil the pierogi for 5 – 7 minutes. Serve immediately or fry the steamed/boiled pierogi in a small amount of oil until golden brown and serve warm. 

Ramp Filling 

4 cups ramps, finely sliced

1 lb seitan, minced (or: minced tempeh marinated in soysauce/tamari, raw onions, shiitake and water)

1 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded

½ cup mushrooms, diced (optional)

3 - 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 

pinch of sea salt

soy sauce or tamari to taste (optional)

2 - 3 teaspoons ginger, finely minced (optional)

Sautee the ramps, Napa cabbage and mushrooms in a small amount of oil with a pinch of salt. Simmer until soft, then mix the seitan in. Depending on how well or strong the seitan is seasoned, you may or may not wish to add soy sauce or tamari and ginger juice towards the end of cooking. 

If the pierogi are served with a dipping sauce or in broth, the filling may be mild to moderate in taste.