MACROBIOTIC

What Can We Learn From The Covid-19 Pandemic? Macrobiotic Steps To A Better Life

OLIVER Cowmeadow of the International Macrobiotic School, writes about the lessons learnt from this pandemic.

WHEN I first started studying macrobiotics and the Oriental view of life, I remember Oliver Cowmeadow founder of the International Macrobiotic School. hearing a quote from the originator of macrobiotics, George Ohsawa - “we should welcome difficulties in our lives”. This was shocking to me. Why would we want to have difficulties in our life? He reasoned that difficulties give us a great opportunity and stimulus to study life more deeply to find the source of our difficulty or pain, and from this we become stronger and wiser. When we are faced with a challenging difficulty it is easy to go into fear, feeling a victim of the universe, or to blame others. The trouble with this attitude is that it does not change anything, so we stay in our misery. In contrast when we ask the question “what do I have to learn from this situation?” we come into a more positive state of mind. Despite the pain, there is something good that can come out of our situation. I am sure that many lessons will become apparent as time goes by, but here is my list so far. 1. Become More Humble We need to be humble in the face of nature, we may think we are big, but whole societies have been brought down by such a small thing. Let’s listen to nature better, rather than thinking we can override it, manipulate it, continue to take from it and not consider what we are giving back. 2. Prioritise Our Health Surely our health is a higher priority than many of the things people spend their life pursuing – fame, money, status, expensive material possessions etc? 3. Stop Eating So Many Animals The coronavirus is thought to have come from bats in a ‘wild food’ market in China. The breeding and close contact with large numbers of wild and domestic animals certainly contributes to flu and coronavirus epidemics and pandemics. So changing to a plant-based diet is going to reduce the chances of new viruses. 4. Take Better Care Of Nature When things start getting back to ‘normal’ lets consider carefully how much do we need to travel. In the last few decades we have taken for granted that we can fly to Bali, India, anywhere we like in the world. Now we are becoming conscious of the cost of this travel in contributing to global warming and polluting the air that we and every single other organism breathes. 5. Replace The ‘Constant Growth’ Economical Model With A ‘Steady State’ Balanced Model The world cannot sustain more and more growth based on higher consumption of limited resources like water, energy, earth metals etc. How can the economic ‘experts’ still think this model can continue to work forever? 6. Develop Our Global Consciousness This event is showing us how all peoples and nations of the world are connected and depend on each other, we share not only trade but also health and disease. Let’s reach out to people around the world, and overcome any enmity we feel towards strangers and people of other cultures and peoples, and again realise we are one people. 7. Value Our Communities Many people are being forced to depend on their family, neighbours and communities at this time, and are finding a richness in strengthening their bonds with their local community.

More good learnings come to mind, but I think that’s enough from me, what do you feel you are learning through these times, and what do you feel the world needs to learn? When we come out of this, lets stand up for the changes we want to see in this world, and make these changes happen. l The International Macrobiotic School is reopening safely in September. For course information please visit macroschool.co.uk or call them on (0)1803 762598 Naturally nourishing OUR resident foodie, JANE HUTTON, having seen the cornucopia of delights growing in her garden is thinking of rose petals on toast. A diet full of fl ower power

THIS issue I’m inspired by my and these can be another layer of garden. Not my greenhouse, food as medicine. veg, and fruit, but by my borders, hedges and flower beds. Local produce is flourishing, especially after such long periods of sunshine and watering, and while I’ve talked before about herbs and spices, one element of summer eating that I love is edible flowers. What looks beautiful in your vase or through your windows can just as easily be on your salad, yoghurt, granola or even toast! So, what commonly grown flowers are good (and safe) to eat? Natural and untreated, we can be chowing down on dahlias, marigolds, nasturtiums, roses, and lavender, and for the veg growers among you, try the flowers from your runner beans as well as courgettes. Don’t forget dandelions, borage, thyme, and chive flowers from the herb pots too. Flower heads or petals taste as good as While foraging they look while and natural ways being another of living, growing Flowery layer of nutritional and eating have breakfast goodness. gone through Nutritional analyses a resurgence of edible flowers in interest, assisted hugely by are limited, but several nutrients the internet and social media, have been identified, including encouraged by the lockdown vitamins A and C, riboflavin, restrictions, getting your flower niacin, calcium, phosphorous, on hasn’t hit the mainstream yet. iron and potassium. Ironic when we are a nation of gardeners who take pride in our blooming beds and borders! A salad is a perfect way to incorporate several servings of different green foods and We know that green foods are flowers, alkalising your body, healthy, with at least three to giving a host of benefits including four servings in your diet every more energy, clearer thinking, day as a good target. On top deeper sleep, and glowing of that, the daily rainbow food skin. Colourful petals like these mantra that we should be aiming also signal the presence of for is perfectly supported by phytochemicals and polyphenols adding flowers to your diet when with antioxidant properties, which nature allows. As research into may help prevent chronic or our microbiome develops, it’s inflammatory conditions. Don’t clear that we need to encourage just get your flowers in on salads. holistic nutrition and broad plant You can incorporate them in jams, food diversity for our gut bacteria compotes, as dried decorations, to thrive. When it comes to syrups, and even on toast. flowers, aromatherapy so often Seriously, why isn’t everyone features our fragrant beauties, putting rose petals on their toast? Jane’s tasty flowery salad suggestion Grab a chunky, crunchy, nutritious 1 handful of spinach lettuce like Cos, or Little Gem, 1 handful of rocket along with other nutritious greens, 1/2 head, cos lettuce, chopped and adorn with whatever fl owers 1 bunch of parsley, chopped you choose: dahlias, marigolds, 3 celery stalks, chopped nasturtiums, roses, lavender, runner 1 green pepper, sliced bean fl owers, courgette fl owers, dandelions, borage, thyme, and chive fl owers – a cornucopia of colour! The veg, herbs and extras are supporting players - cucumber, tomatoes, red/ yellow peppers, spring onions, mint, coriander, basil, chicken, avocado, goat’s cheese, feta, halloumi, salmon, Mix the salad greens together in a bowl. Top with celery, green pepper, almonds/seeds, parsley, and the other toppings of your choice. Dress with a light lemon and olive oil dressing or a balsamic glaze. Enjoy! chorizo, smoked mackerel, seeds, nuts, the possibilities are endless. Your body (and mind) will thank you!

Naturally Nourishing is written by nutritionist and “confi rmed foodie” Jane Hutton. Visit her website, www.functionalfoodie.com, and sign up for programmes, recipes and advice.