The Body Doesn't Lie (34 page)

This delicious traditional dish is a warming and hearty meal in itself, or it can be served as a side dish with a light entrée. Try topping it with a sprinkle of crumbled sheep’s-milk feta.

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
1 bunch asparagus

           
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
½ lemon, juiced

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Break off the tough lower portion of each asparagus stalk. Cook the asparagus in a covered steamer over medium heat until al dente (that is, firm but not hard), about 5 to 6 minutes. Plate the cooked asparagus and drizzle it with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
5 to 7 long stems broccolini

           
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

           
1 small red chili, finely chopped

           
½ lemon, juiced

           
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Cook the broccolini in a covered steamer over medium heat until tender (about 5 to 6 minutes). Remove the broccolini and place in a shallow bowl on top of the garlic; this cooks the garlic slightly and cuts the bite. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl; add salt and pepper to taste. After the broccolini have cooled slightly but remain warm, pour on the dressing and toss to coat them evenly. Serve warm.

SERVES 4 TO 6

           
4 cups fresh thin green beans

           
1 cup flat parsley leaves, thinly chopped

           
2 cups sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped

           
2 cups large yellow onions, thinly sliced

           
1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced

           
3 cups ripe vine tomatoes, juiced in blender

           
2 cups vegetable stock

           
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Place the beans, parsley, sweet potato, onions, and zucchini in a big stockpot. Add the tomato juice and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil on medium heat; then simmer for 45 minutes on very low heat, until the vegetables are soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil after you turn off the burner. Let the dish rest and cool for 15 minutes, then serve.

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
2 cups dry black-eyed peas

           
1 large tomato, finely chopped

           
1 large sweet white onion, finely chopped

           
1 cup parsley, chopped

           
½ lemon, juiced

           
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Begin this recipe a day in advance. Place the peas in a pot with enough water to cover the peas. Bring the liquid to a boil then turn off the burner and let the peas sit in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain, then add fresh water and leave the peas soaking overnight.

Drain the peas before cooking them in a covered steamer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Place them in a large serving bowl. Add the onion, tomato, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil and mix gently. Serve while still warm.

SERVES 4 TO 5

           
2 cups fresh (or frozen) garden peas, shelled

           
10 canned or frozen artichoke hearts

           
1 cup yellow onion, chopped

           
½ cup spring (green) onions, thinly sliced

           
½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
½ lemon, juiced

           
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the peas, artichoke hearts, onion (both types), and dill in a large saucepan. Add the vegetable stock and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the olive oil and lemon juice, along with salt and pepper to taste. Let the dish rest 15 minutes before serving.

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
2 cups dry white beans

           
1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

           
½ cup fresh parsley flat leaves, finely chopped

           
1 cup ripe vine tomato, thinly sliced

           
1 cinnamon stick

           
1 cup vegetable stock

           
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Begin this recipe a day in advance. Place the beans in a pot with enough water to cover the beans. Bring the liquid to a boil then turn off the burner and let the beans sit in the hot water for 1 hour. Drain, then add fresh water and leave the beans soaking overnight.

Drain the beans and put them in a large stockpot. Add the onion, parsley, tomato, and cinnamon stick. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer the mixture on low heat for 5 minutes. Just prior to serving, remove the cinnamon stick and add the olive oil, along with salt and pepper to taste.

SERVES 4

           
3 cups sweet potatoes

           
1 handful cilantro, finely chopped

           
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

           
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

           
1 sprig coriander (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour. Remove the potatoes and set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Split potatoes in half with a knife and scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl with the cilantro, ginger, and olive oil. Mix well until the consistency of the mash is to the desired smoothness. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of coriander (if desired).

SERVES 2 TO 3

           
½ cup pine nuts

           
2 cups canned chickpeas

           
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

           
1 teaspoon lemon juice

           
½ teaspoon cumin

           
½ teaspoon cinnamon

           
Sea salt to taste

           
1 tablespoon olive oil

           
½ teaspoon finely chopped parsley

Place the pine nuts in a dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat until they are golden-brown. They burn easily, so stir often (and remove them from the pan immediately after cooking). Warm the chickpeas in a pan with water. Drain them and transfer to a serving bowl. Gently mix in the toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with parsley.

Note: You can use dry chickpeas if you prefer. In that case, begin this recipe a day in advance. Place the chickpeas in a pot with enough water to cover the chickpeas. Bring the liquid to a boil then turn off the burner and let the chickpeas sit in the hot water for an hour. Drain, then add fresh water and leave the chickpeas soaking overnight. Drain them again before continuing with the recipe as written.

SERVES 4 TO 6

           
5 avocados

           
3 mini–sweet peppers, finely chopped

           
2 tomatoes, seeded and then diced

           
1 big white onion, finely chopped

           
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

           
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the avocadoes in half and discard the pits. Scoop out the avocado “flesh” into a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado to the desired consistency. Add the peppers, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro and combine gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste; then transfer to a serving dish.

9

The Positive Feedback Remedies

A
s most osteopaths in Britain do, I spend a great deal of one-on-one time with my patients, going over their entire medical history, their family history, and their current life stresses. I delve as far as feels comfortable for the patient, because the more information I have, the better I can develop what doctors call a “differential diagnosis”—a patient-centered approach that examines all the physical and emotional evidence to see what’s
really
going on, not just what seems on the surface to be going on. What emotional pain are you suppressing that is now manifesting in a physical way?

That sore throat you had on vacation—that you didn’t want to disrupt the family trip to go to the doctor for and promptly “forgot” about thereafter—could reveal itself to be something that needs immediate attention, such as a parathyroid nodule or cyst.

Most often, however, the diagnosis is not so dire, and the remedy is not invasive surgery. Instead, the remedies I prescribe most often are slight tweaks to the combination of meditation/introspection exercises, dietary changes, and exercise prescriptions that I suggest in the Positive Feedback core program.

I’ve created a mini–remedy plan for some of the most common issues that can be treated with self-help techniques—and, in certain cases, some clear guidelines about when you
must
see a doctor.

Self-Healing Trigger Points:

Focus on front-body points B, E, and M as well as back-body points D and G.

Other Remedies:

    
• Nine-point meditation

    
• The Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation poses

    
• Positive Feedback meditation

    
• Vigorous exercise

    
• Talking with a loved one to release the anger or have a good cry

    
• Quiet, calm, and peace (e.g., avoiding idle chatter on the phone)

    
• Liver Flush cleanse (3 days)

    
• Give your physical and emotional house a good, deep cleaning. Toss anything that no longer works for you (including old relationships!)

    
• Lots of hugs and making love will unblock the pelvic area and move the Angry Liver energy toward balance and harmony.

Self-Healing Trigger Points:

Focus on back-body points C, D, F, and G, as well as back-foot points M, N, and O.

Other Remedies:

Of the remedies listed below, those that are
products
(as opposed to processes) are available in various forms—bath oils, candles, room sprays. The oils for depression are as diverse as the ways in which depression manifests itself. Use whichever form most appeals to you—what’s most important is the immediate feel it gives you, in the moment you need it most.

    
• Lavender (relaxing)

    
• Chamomile (good for sleep)

    
• Sandalwood (to increase feelings of safety and security; incense helps you clear “bad energy”)

    
• Clary sage (good in bath)

    
• Ylang-ylang (good in bath)

    
• Bergamot (very uplifting lemon scent)

    
• Neroli (good for anxiety; helpful to pregnant moms)

    
• Natrum mur (homeopathic; especially useful if you are depressed and feeling sensitive but trying not to show it)

    
• Jasmine (increases confidence)

    
• Aconite (homeopathic; for extreme fear or trauma)

    
• Bach flower remedy (energizing)

    
• Fifteen- to twenty-minute bath in warm tub with 1 pound Epsom salts and 1 pound baking soda; plenty of rest afterward

    
• Time in the sunshine (increase that vitamin D!)

    
• Meditation exercises, focusing attention on the “third eye” (the point on your forehead above the bridge of your nose, between your two eyes)

    
• Extra baths (three during the Reflect week and three during the Release week)

Self-Healing Trigger Points:

Work on front-body points C, D, L, M, and N combined with back-body points A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

Other Remedies:

    
• Garlic (with parsley to kill the taste)

    
• Lemon water

    
• Hot steam (or inhaler) with therapeutic oils:

        
– Lavender

        
– Eucalyptus

        
– Frankincense

        
– Sandalwood

        
– Tea tree

        
– Peppermint

        
– Rosemary

    
• Adrenoplex capsules (or other adrenal-supporting compounds of vitamins, minerals, and herbs)

    
• Oscillococcinum