Old Wives' Tales

This is said to be a sad time of year, as in S.A.D. or Seasonally Affective Disorder.

Laughter is the best medicine, some say. My inner skeptic assumed that those who said so were mostly professional comedians, authors of humor, and cartoonists, but I did some research and found some laughter enthusiasts in the medical field,  including Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, and Jeanne Segal.

See here: https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/laughter-is-the-best-medicine

Others say that food is the best medicine. Of course, that does not mean any food, and in the instance of food, quality beats quantity.

See here: https://time.com/longform/food-best-medicine/

I created a recipe this morning which I should like to share. It could be way less expensive than a trip to a urologist, and quicker to prepare than a trip to a pharmacy.  Try it at the first hint of a tickle when you tinkle.

Small saucepan, preferably glass.

Large teaspoon.

Bag of dried cranberries. (you will need a generous cupful)

Bag of Pearl Barley (you will need a handful.... this is not scientific)

Heaped teaspoon of Braswell's Jalapeño jam (Braswell's Red Pepper jam will do)

Hot water

Cupful of water in which you previously boiled beetroot (and set aside for any sediment to settle).

Put everything in the saucepan and boil for 15 minutes or longer depending on how soft you like your barley.

Serve warm in a bowl, with spoon.

Reheat later in the day, serve warm again.

You can buy Braswell's jams from Amazon.

If you have gout, add dried cherries, or make with all cherries.

Why? Barley water is an old British wives cure for UTIs. Eat the barley and you add very special fiber which will help with regularity. Look up Lemon Barley water. 

Cranberries are an old American wives cure for bacterial issues in the bladder. Some say they coat the bladder and prevent bacteria from getting a foothold, or whatever kind of hold bacteria get when they set up a squat inside a body.

Water is good for flushing out the bacteria that you wish to eject before they can multiply.

Beetroot water is not essential for the recipe, but if you are starting an infection, your BP may be raised, and beets are high in folate and  nitrates which turn into nitric oxide which relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure temporarily (without enriching Big Pharma). Beets also fight inflammation.  For other benefits of beets, see here: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-beets

Since it is a red concoction owing to the cranberries and the jelly, a bit of beet in it goes down a treat.

There's no real reason to add the sweet heat of jalapeño or red pepper jam, except that it is good, and healthy for some folks. I like to boil my beets and then slice and reheat them in the oven with olive oil, a shake of chili powder, and a loving spoonful of Braswell's jelly. I put jelly on halved, microwaved sweet potatoes, too. The jelly is also good slathered on salmon while it bakes.

If it is the only sugary stuff you have all day, you can afford it.

All the best,

Rowena Cherry