From “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon

“Good broth will resurrect the dead,” says a South American proverb. A cure-all in traditional households and the magic ingredient in classic gourmet cuisine, stock or broth made from bones of chicken, fish and beef builds strong bones, assuages sore throats, nurtures the sick, puts vigor in the step and sparkle in your love life–so say grandmothers, midwives and healers. For chefs, stock is the magic elixir for making soul-warming soups and matchless sauces.

Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily-not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.

Want to try to make your own broth? Here’s a link to a sumptuous Roasted Vegetable Stock.

Aah, it’s that time again. When the air is brisk, the sky is gray, the land is frozen….and SO ARE WE!!

Help!!

Rest easy, I’ve got your cure for the winter blues. Sometimes known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the blues usually begin when the days get shorter and the sky clouds over into perpetual gray. If we were bears, we could follow our natural instincts and go into hibernation until the temperature warms up again. But, alas, we humans have to keep functioning, even in winter. So without further ado, here are my Top Ten Tips to help make your winter - yes, it’s possible - wonderful.

1. Go outside and walk briskly with your face pointing toward the sun-even if it’s gray outside-for 20 minutes every day. Both the light and the exercise will kick up your feel-good serotonin. If the wind chill outside will deep-freeze your face, find a health club with windows, locate a treadmill or a stationary bike in the brightest light, and hop on.

2. Exercise More besides your 20 minute daily walk make sure to get in at least 3 or 4 days of more intense activity.  Always a good idea to lift your moods, increase your energy and boost your health, no matter what time of year.

3. Hit the hay! Be like the bears and give in to the dark nights. Don’t push yourself to stay up late.

4. Eat warming foods like whole grains, free-range organic meats, root veggies and soups.

5. Add warming spices like cayenne, garlic and ginger to your foods.

6. Take a quality fish oil supplement to raise your spirits.

7. Avoid foods that stress your body in the cold like ice-cream, too many raw foods, cold smoothies and too much sugar.

8. Drink warm herbal teas to meet your water quota.  Try immune-stimulating Echinacea Special Formula from Yogi Tea.

9. Try a hot water bottle. Sounds a little 1800s, but it works like a charm. You can get a hot water bottle at any drugstore. Toss it into your bed to warm up your sheets, or use it on an achy, crampy belly.

10. Health-up your comfort foods. We all crave comfort foods in the winter - our serotonin levels are lower due to lack of sun. So the body compensates by craving carbohydrates and sugary foods to naturally boost serotonin levels. Remake your favorite comfort foods with the highest-quality ingredients, and savor them slowly after playing in the snow.

From www.glutenfreegoddess.com

Serves four

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
3-4 split chicken breasts [free-range organic], rinsed, patted dry
8 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 heaping cups thinly shredded cabbage [bagged cole slaw mix is fast and easy]
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut up
1 yellow summer squash, cut up
2 zucchini squash, cut up
6 to 8 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, cut up
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles - mild or hot, to taste
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon each of: dried basil, oregano and parsley
Hot red pepper flakes, shake to taste
1 14-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 or more cups organic chicken broth, as needed
A dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, to taste, [optional]

Directions:

1. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of a Crock Pot or slow cooker. Lay the chicken breasts in the bottom; top with half the chopped garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, bell pepper, yellow and zucchini squashes, potatoes, and green chiles; and toss them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt, ground pepper, herbs and a shake or two of hot red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
3. Pour the veggies into the crock in an even layer. Pour on the diced tomatoes. Add the chicken broth and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, to taste. The liquid should just about cover the veggies. If you like more of a brothy soup than a stew, add more broth.
4. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily breaks apart into pieces with a large spoon. Taste test for seasoning adjustments.

The secret weapon for winter wellness may be vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced when the sun’s rays hit our skin, making deficiencies more common in winter. It has also been found that Seasonal Affective Disorder tends to be prevalent when vitamin D stores are low. Many people report improvement in mood with only 1000mg per day. Check with your doctor to see what dosage might be right for you.