How to retrieve your Memory

© By Gabriele Kushi with www.kushiskitchen.com

I spent most of the 2010 winter in Africa, traveling through Kenya and Uganda to teach in the bush about the macrobiotic teachings on how and why to best avoid white sugar and refined white foods, and what the best way for retrieving their ancestors food. In 2011, I decided to stay put in snowy Minnesota to write.

Still, I visited an event with my favorite African nonprofit organization Give Us Wings, and I had a great conversation with the author Pat Samples, who works with elders and the arts.

By telling her my story of how I retrieve events, I gave her ideas for her elders’ circle to help them make more of their memory available. So how can you make more memory available?

You’ve had the experience of forgetting a word, a name, or the exact order of an event, or where you put your keys, or what it was you wanted to do when you go into a room. Those are all memory losses we naturally experience at some point in time. For some of us these losses can be more so when we get older.  Our genetic inheritance and the food we have eaten during our lives will have an effect on the strength of our minds, as well as how we have exercised our minds.

Because I was born in Germany and my native language is German, but I live in an English-speaking country, I have to know a lot of non-native vocabulary to be able to speak fluently. Sometimes I can’t find the word for a certain item–let’s say burdock root. I might remember it in German, Klettenwurzel, or I might remember only how it looks and grows or what it is good for. 

So I have realized that when I start to describe the item—how it looks, what it feels like, or whatever information comes into my mind—at some point in my creative description the word itself will pop into my mind and completes the story I created for myself and my audience.

Try this exercise yourself with any word you might forget or an event that is not clear in your mind, and let me know how much fun you are having with your story and how much more memory you gain from it.

When we are unfolding a story, instead of closing it off by saying “I don’t remember,” we will open our minds to the story, to the creative force that can engage us in the world at any age.

 Blessings for your life,

Gabriele Kushi
www.kushiskitchen.com

MIDLIFE ISSUE - HEART DISEASE

 © 2010 Gabriele Kushi - Excerpt form the book “Embracing Menopause Naturally”

Heart disease is the number one cause of death among postmenopausal women in the US. This probably has little correlation to menopause and is more a result of the aging process. However, there are a number of things that women can do to decrease the likelihood of developing heart disease. The most important ones are regular physical activity, a heart-healthy diet, and not smoking.

To choose a diet that promotes heart health, one should emphasize.....continue reading here:

http://www.kushiskitchen.com/MIDLIFEISSUE-HEARTDISEASE.html   

For the recipe continue reading here: http://www.kushiskitchen.com/recipe-FlaxandPumpkinSeedMixture.html

Gomasio - Sesame Salt

GOMASIO - Sesame Salt Condiment

This condiment is helpful in neutralizing acidities in the blood and relieving tiredness.  Gomasio is traditionally known to strengthen the nervous system.

Black sesame seeds are preferable to brown, but brown seeds may be used if black are unavailable.

Please follow your personal recommendations for ratio of sea salt and sesame seeds.
The standard ratio is 1 part salt to 18 parts sesame seeds.

Wash the sesame seeds in a fine mesh strainer and allow them to dry.

Dry-roast the sea salt in a stainless steel frying pan over a medium-high flame until the sea salt becomes shiny.

Place the salt in a Suribachi and grind into a fine powder

Roast the seeds on medium heat.  While roasting, push seeds back and forth gently with a wooden paddle or wooden spoon to avoid burning.  The seeds are done when they crush easily between the thumb and index finger, in about five to ten minutes.  The sees will being to pop when done and give off a nutty fragrance.  Lower the flame toward the end, and do not overcook or the seeds will have a bitter taste.

While they are still ht, add the sesame seeds to the ground salt in the suribachi.  Slowly and gently grind the seeds in an even circular motion with the suribachi pestle, making sure to use the grooved sides of the suribachi to grind against instead of the bottom of the bowl.  Grind until each seed is crushed and thoroughly covered with salt.

Allow the Gomasio to cool, and then transfer it to an airtight glass container to store.

Use sparingly over grain or vegetables.



Suribachi

SPRING INTO SUMMER BROCCOLI SALAD

SPRING INTO SUMMER BROCCOLI SALAD

Ingredients:

2-3 heads of broccoli, cut into bite size pieces and slightly steamed
6 stems of scallions, finely sliced
2 stalks of celery, finely sliced and slightly steamed
¾ cup of seedless grapes cut in half
½ cup of slivered almonds, soaked and lightly toasted
½ cup of sunflower seeds, soaked and lightly toasted

Dressing:

2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
1 tsp of tamari
1 Tbsp of dark sesame oil
Pinch of sea salt

Preparation:
Mix the slightly steamed broccoli and celery, with scallions, grapes, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Combine the dressing ingredients and stir with a whisk or a fork. Merge the dressing together with the dry ingredients and let marinate for ½ hour. Serve at room temperature.