Everyday cooking is sacred. The daily act of preparing food for ourselves and others is life-giving. Ayurveda believes that the consciousness of the cook is conveyed to us through the food that we eat. Fruits and vegetables raised organically with care begin their journey to our tables. We go to the market and find the most vibrant selections to bring home — bright, brilliant, fresh. In Ayurveda terms that means we choose foods with lots of ojas—the juice of life.
As we prepare food, we wash with care and we chop with rhythms that seem timeless in our modern kitchens. If we are at peace, settled, and loving we are like a tuning fork sending out vibrations that weave into the meals we are preparing. We may set a beautiful table with colors and candles, perhaps a few leaves, and a special serving dish passed down through our family.
As you sit to enjoy the meal you prepared for yourself or as your guests move toward their places at the table, take a moment to be grateful. The lively food prepared with love will fulfill the cook’s intention to nourish physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The holiday season offers us many moments to honor the everyday sacred.
Let us now take a moment to examine some of the amazing benefits of cranberries and a delicious cranbarry recipe you could try out during the holidays….
“Cranberries — amazing for bladder and urinary infections. What’s the science on this?”
D-mannose is a naturally occurring sugar in cranberries. Small amounts of D-mannose are metabolized by our bodies. More than small amounts are excreted promptly into the urine.
E. Coli (not the strain we usually hear about associated with unsanitary food) is the bacterium responsible for 90% of bladder infections. This strain of E. Coli is part of the normal micro- flora of the intestinal tract. But E. coli that has moved into the bladder or urinary tract, can mean trouble.
The cell walls of each E-coli are covered with finger like projections called lectins as you can see in the photo above. The tips of these fingers stick to the inside walls of our bladder and urinary tracts and cannot be rinsed out by urination. D-mannose sticks to the E.coli lectins even better than the E. coli sticks to human cells.
So when we drink large quantities of D-mannose (cranberry juice), almost all of it spills into our urine through our kidneys and coats the E. coli so they can no longer stick to the walls of our bladder or urinary tract.
Important note: Persistent urinary infections can cause serious kidney or bladder issues. You may wish to consult with your physician concerning assessment and treatment.
In addition to its reputation as a useful agent for urinary and bladder infection, the tannins in cranberry also:
- ease diarrhea
- strengthen circulatory system,
- reduce heat in the blood and liver
- promote good cholesterol
- reduce severity of asthma
- protect the brain from neurological damage
They are high in vitamin C and other anti-oxidants. Also high in polyphenols which are forces that combat against clotting, cancer, and the plaque that causes tooth decay.
Check out our delicious Cranberry Chutney with a South Indian Twist.
Cranberry Chutney
