Last Pleasures

One of my great grandmothers used to say that the last pleasure left to her was a good bowel movement.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the craft of writing, nor with copyright except that anything that I write is copyrighted and I reserve all rights regarding my expression of my great grandmother's view on gerontological delight... in the afternoon or at any other time.

Doctors and Advertising interludes will tout Sennakot or Dulcolax or Miralax or bulking agents, and traditionalists will tell you that tea is an aperient and coffee is a diuretic. 

What would a spacemen drink? Just guessing, here, but probably coffee because going into space and being weightless releases calcium from the bones, and some spacemen have formed relatively massive kidney stones... a few of which are on display at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Passing a stone is most decidedly not a senile pleasure.

I happened upon (that is, I created) a new recipe. By happy accident, I discovered some stewed rhubarb in my freezer. It being dark pink, I thought it was beetroot.

Rhubarb is good for your bones, your heart, your digestion, and it fights inflammation.

Cranberries ward off UTIs. They are good for your heart, your digestion (they may prevent ulcers), they also prevent oral bacteria (tooth decay, gum disease), also good for your immune system, and for boosting good cholesterol.... and more.  I use dried ones.

Cherries lower inflammation, and are good for relief of gout, arthritis, and they promote heart health, blood sugar management. I use dried ones.

Barley stabilizes blood sugar, contains fiber which aids digestion (and bowel movements), is good for your heart, your gut, your cholesterol, and barley water is said to help prevent or relieve UTIs by acting as a diuretic thus helping the body to flush out infection. (It's not a substitute for medical attention, but might be complimentary.)

Bush's Steakhouse beans. Baked beans promote heart health, gut heath, good bowel movements and also less good bowel noises, beans are full of vitamins and minerals, they lower LDL, might help with prostate health (if cooked in tomatoes), and they may be good for muscles.

Bob's Red Mill wheat bran: wheat bran works to prevent constipation, it reduces bloating, promotes heart health, manages blood sugar, and lowers bad cholesterol.

Those ingredients combine for a delicious, nutritious side dish. They can be cooked in either (or a combination of) chicken stock, Knuden's juice -- either Cranberry or one of their Cherry juices, or the water left over after boiling well-washed beetroot, or the liquor from cooking your rhubarb,

This concoction can be prepared all in one saucepan (non-stick), and reheated numerous times in a pyrex bowl in the oven. Start with the rhubarb and the barley and liquid of choice.

All the best,

Rowena Cherry