Healing Tea |

手放すケアー執着しないということ – その1　副作用

私のマクロビオティックカウンセリングの仕事は、卵巣がんになって、食だけではないマクロビオティックを実践し自分自身を癒したことから始まった。

クシ・インスティテュートでレベル1〜3を修了後、インテンシブなカウンセリングプログラムを学んだ。

Erewhon Natural Foodsで働き、毎週水曜日の料理デモンストレーションや毎月のお料理クラスの開催、スタッフのための昼食作り（マクロビオティックの食事がどのように体や心を支えるのかを体験してもらうため）、そして日々お客様の健康相談応対。

振り返ると、どうやってこなしていたのか不思議に思うけど、いつも自分なりに精一杯取り組んでた自分を思い出せて嬉しい。

これまで、多くの方にアドバイス、カウンセリングをしたり、学んできたことを分かち合ってこれたのは感謝の気持ちでいっぱい。

クライアントだけでなく、友人や近所の方、生徒さんからも健康について相談を今も受けることがよくあって学んでる。

これまでどれくらいの方にお伝えしてきたのかは分かりませんし、その中でどれだけの方が実践されたのかも分かりませんが少しでもお役に立てているといいなと願ってます。

最近も身近な人たちからいくつか相談を受けました。

その方たちに具体的なアドバイスを書いている中で、同じことを何度も個別にお伝えするよりも、このブログに記しておくことで、必要な方に届けばいいのではないかと思いこのブログを書くことを決心。

ここでいう「手放すケア」とは、相手に良いと思うことをお伝えしながらも、その後どう受け取るかは相手に委ねる、という在り方。私はその事に執着しないで明け渡すという気持ちが含まれてるんです。

これは、**「執着しないケア」**として、受け取る準備ができている方へ向けて届くように書いてます。

抗がん剤後のむくみと便秘について

これらは、抗がん剤や薬の影響としてよく見られる症状です。

足のむくみは、腎臓に負担がかかっているサインであることがあります。
便秘は、消化器系の働きが弱っている状態です。

抗がん剤後の体力低下について

体を立て直し、エネルギーを補うために

きんぴらスープ（根菜のスープ）

（週2〜3回）

材料と作り方：

ごぼう、人参、れんこんを同量用意し、すべて細かいみじん切りにします。
鍋の底にごま油を薄くひき、中火〜やや強火で熱します。油が温まったら、ごぼうを入れ、ひとつまみの自然塩を加えて2〜3分炒めます。
その上にれんこん、人参を重ねて入れます。全体がかぶるくらいの浄水を加えます。
沸騰したら火を弱め、ふたをして30〜40分ほど、野菜がやわらかくなるまでじっくり煮ます。
白味噌（甘め）と三年味噌（または濃い味噌）を半々に混ぜ、少量の煮汁で溶きます。
味を見ながら、少しずつ味噌を加えて整えます（塩辛くなりすぎないように注意してください）。

鯉こく（鯉の丸ごとスープ）

材料と下準備：

・新鮮な鯉 1尾（できれば魚屋で胆のうと甲状腺を取り除いてもらう。他の部分（頭、骨、ヒレ、ウロコなど）はそのまま使用）

※卵（卵巣）がある場合は取り除く

作り方：

鯉を頭・骨・ヒレ・ウロコごと、5〜7cm程度のぶつ切りにします（目は取り除いても構いません）。
ごぼうを細いささがき、または細切りにし、鯉と同量程度用意します。鍋で軽く炒めます（油を使っても、水炒めでも可）。
出がらしの番茶の茎（約1カップ）を布やガーゼに包み、大きめのティーバッグのようにして、ごぼうの上にのせます。その上に鯉を重ねます。
材料がかぶるくらいの水分を加えます（番茶1/3＋水2/3が目安）。
強火で沸騰させた後、弱火にしてふたをし、
　・通常の鍋の場合：2時間以上
　・圧力鍋の場合：1〜1時間半以上
　じっくり煮込みます。
ほぼ火が通ったらふたを開け、味噌を水で溶いて加え、味を整えます。必要に応じて水を足します。
仕上げに、おろし生姜のしぼり汁（大さじ1）を加え、さらに弱火で5分ほど煮ます。

食べ方：

・煮汁ごといただきます
・小口切りのねぎを添えてもよいです

目安：

・1日小さめのお椀1杯を、3日間続けていただきます
・残りは冷蔵または冷凍保存し、食べる前に10〜15分温め直します

代用について：

・鯉やごぼうが手に入らない場合：
　→ 白身魚（トラウトなど）や人参で代用可能
　※ただし効果はやや穏やかになります

ポイント：

・番茶の茎は一度使ったものの方が苦味が出にくくおすすめです

薬と副作用について

これは別の方から、いくつかの薬の副作用について質問を受けました。

血圧、コレステロール、甲状腺のお薬など、それぞれに副作用の可能性があります。

一般的ではないと言われる症状でも、個人によって現れることがあります。

大切なのは：

自分の体の感覚に気づくこと
疑問を持つこと
自分で知ろうとすること

少し広い視点から

これまで多くの方を見てきて感じるのは、体の不調の背景には

忙しすぎる生活
刺激の強い食べ物や飲み物
気づかないうちのストレス

があることが多いということです。

本来、今の時期は少しペースを落とす必要があるのかもしれませんが、多くの方が無理を続けているように感じます。

食事の提案

野菜を中心に、食物繊維を増やす
消化しやすいタンパク質（豆類など）を取り入れる
調理が難しい場合は、オーガニックの調理済み豆も活用する

https://store.edenfoods.com/search.php?search_query=beans

リラックスを促す野菜
（白菜、青梗菜、かぼちゃ）
ハーブティー
（レモンバーム、ネトル、ヨモギなど）

そして：

休むこと
ゆるやかな運動
マッサージや鍼
昼寝も大切です

私自身の経験

抗がん剤治療後、骨密度のための薬を服用しましたが、副作用を感じました。
一般的ではないと言われましたが、変更をお願いし、別の薬でも同様に副作用を感じました。

現在は服用をやめ、様子を見ています。

これまでにも薬に対して強く反応した経験があり、体の反応には個人差があることを実感しています。

また、母の様子を見ていても、薬が増えるにつれて不調が増えていくことがありましたが、それが副作用だと気づいていないこともありました。

最後に

薬が必要な場合もあります。

ただし、

どの薬にも副作用があること
数が増えるほど影響も複雑になること

は知っておく必要があります。

自分の体の声を聞くことが、とても大切です。

必要な方に届きますように。

「聞く」だけでなく、「受け取る」準備ができている方へ。

心を込めて、
Sanae❤️

Caring Guidance Without Attachment — Part 1 Side Effects

My macrobiotic counseling work began after I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and healed myself through macrobiotic practice—which is not just about food, but a way of living.

After completing Levels 1–3, I continued my studies in an intensive counseling program at the Kushi Institute.

I later worked at Erewhon Natural Foods, where I offered weekly cooking demonstrations, taught classes, prepared staff meals, so they could experience what macrobiotic food tastes like—and how it can support their health and mood. I also spoke daily with customers seeking health guidance.

Looking back, I am not sure how I did it—but I always did my best.

Over the years, I have become very used to offering guidance and sharing what I have learned. Through my work, not only clients but also friends, neighbors, and students have often asked me for health advice.

I do not know how many people I have supported, and I do not know how many truly practiced what I shared.

Recently, a few people close to me asked for help.

As I was writing detailed recommendations, I realized that instead of offering the same guidance repeatedly in private, I could share it here—so that those who are ready may benefit.

This is caring guidance, without attachment, from me to anyone who needs and wants to practice a macrobiotic life as I do.

Leg Swelling and Constipation After Chemotherapy

These are common side effects of chemotherapy and medication.

Leg swelling may indicate that the kidneys are under strain. Constipation reflects stress on the digestive system.

Recommendations

Homemade brown rice cream
https://sanaesuzuki.com/2018/06/19/homemade-brown-rice-cream-special-healing/
Soft, long-cooked dishes such as furofuki daikon with miso sauce
https://sanaesuzuki.com/2017/02/01/furofuki-daikon/
Healing teas:
- Azuki Tea
- Black Soybean Tea
- Burdock Tea
(Azuki & black soybean preparation)
https://sanaesuzuki.com/category/macrobiotic/

(Burdock tea reference)
https://sanaesuzuki.com/2021/04/01/liver-healing-remedy-drink/

These teas may support kidney function and help ease constipation.

Drink:

1 cup before breakfast
1 cup in the afternoon between meals

If constipation becomes severe, cassia seed tea (Habu tea) may be helpful.

For swollen legs:

Foot baths
Baths with sea salt
Gentle massage and body care

Weakness After Chemotherapy — Rebuilding Strength

Kimpira Root Vegetable Soup (2–3 times per week)

1. Chop very fine equal amounts of burdock root, carrot, and lotus root.

2. Lightly brush the bottom of a pan with sesame oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the burdock for 2 to 3 minutes, adding a pinch of sea salt.

3. Layer the lotus root and carrots on top of the burdock. Cover all vegetables with purified water, bring to a boil, lower the flame, cover, and simmer for a long time (30~40 minutes) until vegetables are very soft.

4. Mix sweet white miso and dark 3-year-old barely miso in a half-and-half ratio, and dilute in some of the soup broth.

5. Slowly add enough miso mix to achieve a good taste for you (not too salty, please).

Koikoku (Whole Carp Soup)

A whole carp (as fresh as possible – ask the fish market to remove the bitter gallbladder and thyroid and leave the rest of the fish intact, with all scales, bones, head, and fins. If you must remove them yourself, place the carp on a fish cutting board to remove the thyroid and gallbladder. If the carp has roe, it must also be removed.

1. Chop the fish into large 2-to 3 –inch slices, including the head, scales, fins, and bones. The eyes may be removed if desired. Set these aside.

2. Wash and chop burdock into very thin slices or matchsticks. The amount of burdock is the same volume as that of carp. Sauté the burdock in oil for a few minutes, or water-sauté if needed.

3. Tie used bancha twigs or stems (about 1 cup) in cotton cheesecloth to make a tea bag as big as a tennis ball. Layer the tea bag on top of the burdock and place the chopped fish on top. The tea twigs will help soften the bones while cooking.

4. Add enough liquid to cover all ingredients. Use approximately 1/3 bancha tea and 2/3 spring water. Cover with a heavy lid or pressure cooker lid. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat. If boiling, simmer for 2 hours or longer; if using a pressure cooker, simmer for 1 to 11/2 hours or longer.

5. While cooking, the burdock and carp neutralize each other, and the bones of the fish become very soft. When almost cooked, bring down the pressure, if necessary, and remove the lid. Add miso dissolved in water to season to taste, as you would for regular MISO SOUP.

6. Add 1 tablespoonful of juice from freshly grated ginger and mix well. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes on a low flame. When seasoning with miso, you may need to add some water if the soup is too thick.

7. Serve with the cooking liquid. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve hot.

* Have a small bowl of this preparation every day for 3 days. Save leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer for future use, then reheat for 10 to 15 minutes before eating.

* If a carp and burdock are unavailable, trout or other white-meat fish may be substituted for carp, and carrot for burdock. Cook for 1 to 11/2 hours. But the effectiveness of this preparation is less.

* It is better to use twigs (Kukicha) that have already been used, since fresh twigs (Kukicha) can impart a bitter taste to the dish.

On Medication and Side Effects

A different friend asked about possible side effects of several medications.

Examples include:

Amlodipine (blood pressure)
Atorvastatin (cholesterol)
Levothyroxine (thyroid support)

Each of these medications may have side effects, including digestive discomfort, muscle pain, or changes in mood and energy.

Even when something is considered “not common,” individuals may still experience it.

It is important to:

Pay attention to your own body
Ask questions
Stay informed

A Broader Perspective

Over time, I have observed that many health conditions are influenced by:

Busy lifestyles
Excess stimulants (food and drink)
Ongoing mental and emotional stress

We may be in a stage of life where the body is asking us to slow down—yet many continue to push forward.

General Food Suggestions

Increase fiber-rich vegetables
Include easily digestible protein such as beans
Use prepared organic beans if needed (for convenience)

https://store.edenfoods.com/search.php?search_query=beans

Eat calming vegetables such as:
- Napa cabbage
- Bok choy
- Kabocha squash
Consider gentle herbal teas:
- Lemon balm
- Nettle
- Mugwort

And also:

Rest
Gentle movement
Massage or acupuncture
Even a short nap

My Personal Experience

After chemotherapy, I was prescribed medication for bone density.

I experienced side effects, although they were described as “not common.” After requesting a change, I tried another medication and again experienced side effects.

At this time, I have stopped medication and am observing how my body responds.

Previously, I also experienced strong reactions to medications during chemotherapy.

These experiences remind me that each body responds differently.

I have also seen this with my mother, who gradually began taking multiple medications. Over time, she experienced many symptoms without realizing they were side effects.

A Final Thought

Medication may be necessary in some situations.

However, it is important to remain aware that:

All medications have potential side effects
The more that are taken, the more complex the effects may become

Listening to your body is essential.

I share this for those who are ready to receive—not only to ask.

I hope this may support you in your own way.

With care,
Sanae❤️

Azuki Remedy Tea for Supporting Kidneys and Bladder

One of my favorite beans since childhood is the azuki bean, also known as red beans by some people.

In America, some people spell it adzuki instead of azuki.

Azuki beans are very popular in Japan.

They are the second most popular bean after soybeans, holding a prominent place in both traditional and modern Japanese cuisine.

I love eating azuki beans with sweet rice (sticky rice), which is called Osekihan お赤飯 (recipe on “Love, Sanae” cookbook page 37).

Osekihan is often served on special occasions, particularly celebrations in Japan. Japanese people often serve Osekihan at happy events. It could be the celebration of a birth, a birthday, graduation, admission to school, or a celebration of a long life. I heard that the red color is a symbol of auspicious and powerful spells that can ward off disaster. Osekihan also served the role of talisman at various occasions.

Osekihan is usually made with 2/3 cup rice and 1/3 cup red beans, but my grandmother used 1/3 cup rice and 2/3 cup red beans. It was a very deep reddish color, full of red beans. I remembered it being my favorite!

Azuki beans are also used for soup and desserts.

In macrobiotics practice, we eat azuki beans to support the kidneys and bladder. The kidneys and bladder are more susceptible to issues during the wintertime, making azuki remedy tea particularly beneficial during this period.

Even in summer, when we’re living in a cold, air-conditioned room, many of us may have health issues with our kidneys and bladder – the kidneys become contracted, creating tight muscles around them and intensifying even our thinking. The kidneys do not like a cold environment, so wearing a cotton belly warmer or a cotton tank top underneath your clothes, even in summer, and drinking warm tea, especially adzuki tea, can help improve urinary function and reduce swelling.

Adzuki beans play an important role in treating constipation, supporting heart health, and aiding the kidneys and liver, serving as a diuretic and detoxifier.

Adzuki beans also contain niacin, a vitamin that stabilizes the mind.

I recommend drinking Azuki remedy tea to relax both your body and mind.

Recipe:

Azuki Remedy Tea (“Love, Sanae” cookbook page 197)

Ingredients:

1 cup (200 g) dry azuki beans

4 ~6 cups filtered water

2-inch piece of kombu sea vegetable

1. Rinse the azuki beans with filtered water, strain them, and place them in a pot with filtered water.

2. Bring it to a boil without a lid, add kombu, and simmer with the lid for 1-1.5 hours.

3. Now, azuki remedy tea is ready, so you can drink it on an empty stomach between meals to enjoy and support your kidneys and bladder.

4. Once the azuki remedy cools off, save the rest for later in the refrigerator. When you drink it, you need to heat it by simmering (do not boil).

I’ll post a recipe for using leftover azuki beans to make a dessert “Azuki Yōkan” next time.

Try making and drinking azuki bean tea, which helps support the kidneys and bladder by eliminating waste and excess water from the body through urine!

Love,

Sanae❤️

Extra information about Kidney:

The kidneys not only “excrete waste products,” but also use the urine concentrating mechanism to regulate the amount of water in the body and the concentration of substances called electrolytes, such as salt and potassium. Acidic substances that are constantly produced in the body are excreted through the kidneys, keeping the body slightly alkaline. The kidneys excrete waste products and excess water from the body as urine. When this function declines, excess water remains in the body, causing gradual weight gain and swelling.

Nine Star Ki, Bach Flower and Medicinal Tea Class

Setsubun ((節分) is February 3, the day before the beginning of spring/the new year in the old calendar in Japan is over, and Nine Star Ki’s new year has started. (it starts the day after Setsubun).

This year’s my first class was held last weekend.

I taught Nine Star Ki, Bach Flowers, and Medicinal Tea (support winter organs, kidneys, and bladders).

See what kind of year you will be in 2023 at Nine Star Ki, and get help to spend this year mentally (emotionally) meaningfully at Batch Flower.

Traditionally, the Kyoko area has new year’s tea Obukucha (Kombu kelp and Umeboshi plum tea with green tea), but I chose the medicinal tea of Nettle instead of green tea with Kombucha kelp and Umeboshi plum for the class.

The hour-and-a-half class ended in no time.

First, I asked everyone to write down their goals from this year (and three years and ten years), what is preventing them from progressing toward that goal, and what they are doing to reach it.

After that, I explained briefly by checking everyone’s Nine Star Ki number.

Many people who participated in the class were with Three Tree. Other people were Two Soil, Four Tree, and Seven Metal.

This year’s Nine Star Ki is “Four Tree” in the center (above is Nine Star Ki Basic “Five Soil” is in the center). Four Tree is growing and prosperous in Nine Star Ki.

To thrive this year, we all need to be in shape. What does mean “need to be in shape”? It is not a physical shape the case.

In the class, I explained to everyone that after planting seeds of what you want to do and it sprouts, then thinning is sorting out/shaping up the things that have sprouted and grown and focusing on only the things you want to grow.

It also means that you must clean up what you have been procrastinating or not connecting with your feelings, so you also need to mentally and emotionally organize yourself.

For example, those who attended the class, especially for people with Three Tree are in the position of growing up more this year, so they need to be thinned out.

The person with the Two Soil was in the position of sowing seeds last year, so it is necessary to water and give the sunshine so the seeds will sprout and spend every day regularly.

People with Four Tree‘s nature is growing in Nine Star Kinninth, but this year they are in the center position. They might feel the energy from the left, right, up, and down (it means from everywhere or everybody)will come in, so they might support other people’s prosperity more than themselves. Remembering to support yourself to grow more this year is important.

Seven Metal person is the year of sowing this year. It’s the year to start new things.

It’s different from Nine Star Ki, but this year’s Chinese zodiac is Water Rabbit year.

The Rabbit represents peaceful and patient energy. The Rabbit is a gentle creature known for thinking things through before acting. This energy will encourage us to approach challenges and opportunities calmly and rationally. In addition to the Rabbit’s peaceful energy, the Water element brings intuition and inner peace. Water is all about tapping into our inner wisdom and trusting our instincts. It encourages us to be more in tune with our emotions and sensitive to those around us.

As the Year of the Rabbit 2023 has come, it’s time to tap into its energy and make the most of it. Let’s focus on building strong connections with loved ones, colleagues, and anyone else in our lives. After all, the Rabbit is known for its ability to create and maintain harmonious relationships.

Next, let’s turn our attention to our careers. 2023 is the perfect time to focus on professional development and advancement. Take advantage of networking opportunities, build relationships with colleagues, and even consider taking on new projects or additional responsibilities.

Of course, the Rabbit represents wealth and prosperity, so according to the Chinese horoscope 2023, it’s a great time to focus on our finances and work towards increasing our income. Whether it’s investing in stocks, property, or other types of savings plans, now is the time to make smart financial moves.

But let’s remember the importance of being cautious. The Rabbit is also associated with trustfulness and an easygoing attitude, but it’s essential to be vigilant regarding potential scams or frauds. Trust, but verify.

On a more creative note, the Rabbit is also associated with creativity and artistic talents. So, let’s tap into our inner artists and explore our creative side. The possibilities are endless, whether it’s taking up a new hobby, trying your hand at painting, writing, or any other form of art that you’re interested in.

Lastly, the Rabbit is also associated with taking care of oneself, so let’s prioritize self-care and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep will help us stay balanced and take advantage of the positive energy of the year. By following these tips, we can make the most of the Year of the Rabbit 2023 and take advantage of the positive energy and opportunities it brings.

[Source: The Chinese Zodiac]

Bach Flower Remedy.

I asked people what they were going through emotionally and mentally.

These are examples of people who attended classes that they needed for Bach Flower Remedy recommendations:

Person in transition – Walnut

People who can’t see the future – Wild Oat

Anxious people – Mimulus

Those who feel resentment for what happened – Willow

Setback – Gentian

People who are taking care of their families all the time and are overwhelmed by responsibility – Elm

Overthinking – White Chestnut

Everyone got their remedies to take home. They will take 2 drops of Bach Flower Remedy at least 4 times a day for 1-2 weeks. I look forward to seeing how all students progress with their remedies.

For the Medicinal Tea, I chose Nettle, which is rich in minerals and suitable for the New Year.

For the New Year, Kombu kelp (I get it from The Seaweed Man)and Umeboshi plum (Check my blog: Santa Monica Homemade Umeboshi plums)with green tea is a traditional drink in the Kyoko area in Japan.

Nettle instead of green tea, which supports the kidneys and bladder and is also beneficial for the liver and lungs.

Kelp benefits the kidneys, bladder, liver, and stomach.

Umeboshi is an alkaline food that aids intestinal function and relieves fatigue, detoxifies, sore throat, fatty liver, and cholesterol, and purifies water.

Herbal tea is easy to make at home, and you can drink it and take care of yourself.

Please give it a try.

Love,

Sanae❤️

Please email me if you are interested in Bach Flower online classes or individual consultations.

Also, if you are interested in Medicinal Tea consultation, please let me know by email.

sanaehealing@gmail.com

Elderberry Enzyme Syrup & Juice

One of the seasonal works I do in summer with Eric is harvesting wild elderberries in North Fork.

It is usually after Umeboshi plums making in the end of June to the end of July.

Elderberry has antioxidants and many benefits for our health.

I posted my blog before on how to make elderberry tea with more information about its benefits.

https://sanaesuzuki.com/2017/02/27/healing-elderberry-tea/

I was making elderberry tea with dried elderberry most of the time since I could not harvest many fresh ones, but last year the timing was perfect when I went to North Fork, so I got so many fresh elderberries.
I saved some to dry for making tea later and tried to make enzyme syrup, juice and jam with extra fresh elderberry.

I only made Ume plum enzyme juice and Kombucha, so I did not know how elderberry works for making the enzyme syrup/juice. Wow, wow…it was so delicious. Beautiful enzyme bubbles!!!

I wanted make it again this year so every time I went to North Fork this year, I checked elder trees and hoped I would be able to harvest enough fresh ones this year too.

The elderberry flowers had a soft aroma (I made syrup and skin oil with the flowers, which I will share someday). After the flowers, the green berries were so cute.

Elder trees did not disappoint me. Thank you, elderberry trees!

Here is the juice I made this year.

It is similar to Red Shiso Juice I shared before.

https://sanaesuzuki.com/2019/07/22/red-shiso-juice-delicious-summer-remedy-drink-for-health/

The difference is I did not add any water and no cooking. It is only elderberries and beet sugar. They are fermented together.

Elderberry Enzyme Juice Recipe

Ingredients

300 g (about 10 oz) fresh elderberries
150~600 g (about 5~20oz) sweetener (I used beet sugar)

To make juice to drink

1 tablespoon, less or more (depending on how sweet you want)
1 cup, cold sparkling water, cold spring water, or hot spring water
1 tablespoons, lemon juice and a slice of lemon

Instructions

1. Prepare elderberries; trim the stems from elderberries after harvesting them. You can leave some of the leaves and stems for enforcing enzymes. There might be insects, so be careful handling them.

2. Wash elderberries with water and cleans them carefully.

3. Strain the water of elderberries in a basket and dry them as much as you can.

4. Place elderberries in a bottle jar and add beet sugar.

5. Shake the jar to mix them as much as you can.

6. Leave them a cool dark place near you and shake it every day or every other day. You can also mix it with your clean dry hand.

7. It should be ready to drink in about 3~4 weeks.

8. To drink Elderberry enzyme syrup as juice, you put 1~2 tablespoons of elderberry enzyme syrup and add about 1 cup of cold sparkling water or spring water. I usually do not put ice cubes, but If you like, you can add ice cubes. Lemon juice and a slice of lemons enhance the taste too.

You can also put hot/warm water for someone who loves a warm drink/tea.

I hope you like it and enjoy Elderberry Enzyme Juice!

Love, Sanae　❤️

P.S. Here is Elderberry Mocktail recipe that I posted for new year, if you like to try something new.

https://sanaesuzuki.com/2020/12/31/new-year-elderberry-mocktail/

Liver Healing Remedy Drink

Spring is here.

Chinese medicine and macrobiotic practice that spring associated with the Liver organ. (One of my books, “Love, Sanae” has a list of five transformations of each seasons’ organs, foods, emotions, and temperaments, etc.)

I was diagnosed Only Weeks to Live with stage IV Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the Liver almost four years ago.

I just went to see my oncologist, Dr. Mead at UCLA hospital in Santa Monica. She told me that lymphoma has a recurrence record after 3~5 years of treatments so I have passed the first step and she was very pleased.

Photo: with my oncologist Dr. Mead (too bad that you can’t see our big smile because of wearing the mask).

This lymphoma was my second cancer (the first one was ovarian cancer). I was very sick and weak this time and felt that I might die. I was over 60 years old so even though I did not want to take chemotherapy, but the holistic approach was not catching up with cancer. I wanted to live so I decided to take chemo treatments with my macrobiotic practice. It was one of the hardest things I had experienced. (My blog “Chemo Sucks!“)

Dr. Mead does not know what is holistic approach nor macrobiotics practice, but she has seen what I applied to help my conditions when I was taking chemotherapies and through now with healing remedy drinks, macrobiotic plant-based foods, holistic modalities, meditation, etc., and she trusts me that I have been taking care of myself.

I would like to start sharing more about what I have been doing to help my conditions.

The first one is my morning ritual remedy drink.

I have experienced that this remedy is helping me even with side effects from chemotherapy too.

I really hope you try taking this remedy for yourself.

Liver Healing Remedy Drink

It is best to drink one cup in the morning before you drink or eat something. After you drink this remedy, 30~60 minutes later, you can eat breakfast or drink something else.

4 cups spring water.

1 tablespoon organic dried burdock root

1 tablespoon organic dried dandelion root

1 tablespoon organic dried nettle leaves or organic dandelion leaves

1. Add all the roots first in the water and bring the water to boil and when it boils, turn the heat to lower, then add nettle or dandelion leaves to simmer for 15~20 minutes.

Photo: add roots ingredients first.

Photo: Bring the roots ingredients to boil.

Photo: Add leaves to simmer.

2. Strain the tea and drink one cup at a time/day and cool the rest of the tea to storage in the refrigerator and heat one cup at a time to drink.

3. I recommend drinking this without sweetener, but if you must, then I would recommend one teaspoon of brown rice syrup, a half teaspoon of maple syrup, or beet sugar. No honey, brown sugar, white sugar, palm sugar, or cane sugar.

If you are going to use a teabag, then use one teabag of each ingredient with 2 cups of spring water.

I make mine with also red clover and horsetail to support bone health since I broke my bone after chemotherapy while I was hiking with my dogs. You add 1 tablespoon of each ingredient and add one more cup of spring water. You add them with nettle or dandelion after boiled roots.

All the ingredients can be purchase at Natural Food Market that carry dried herbs near you. I usually get mine from Co-opportunity Market (this website is near me in Santa Monica and Culver City in California, but if you have Co-opportunity Market then I think you can buy there too ) and Online herb stores: Mountain Rose Herbs and StarWest Botanical

Below is itemize what all these ingredients help.

Burdock root – Antioxidants, which remove toxins from the blood, may inhibit some types of cancer.

Dandelion root – Potent antioxidants. help fight inflammation. aid blood sugar control. help reduce cholesterol. may lower blood pressure. promote a healthy liver. aid weight loss.

Nettle leaves – Reduce inflammation, hay fever symptoms, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.

Dandelion leaves – Antioxidants, reduce inflammation, reducing cancer risk, boosting the immune system.

Red clover – Osteoporosis, arthritis, hot flashes, skin and hair disorders.

Horsetail – Supports bone health, acts as a natural diuretic, promotes wound healing and nail health, promotes hair growth.

The liver is one of the organs that really important to support your health. It is always working to regulate most chemical levels in our body blood and excretes a product called bile. This helps carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver.

Anybody who has taken any medication, not eating balanced food, oily food, drink alcohol, sugary juice, living in cities, and experience frustration so on…means everybody, right?

You can check online easily about how to take care of your liver, etc, but here are what I read so I want to share them with you.

The primary functions of the liver are:

Bile production and excretion.
Excretion of bilirubin, cholesterol, hormones, and drugs.
Metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Enzyme activation.
Storage of glycogen, vitamins, and minerals.
Synthesis of plasma proteins, such as albumin, and clotting factors.

The symptoms of poor liver function?

Symptoms

Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
Abdominal pain and swelling.
Swelling in the legs and ankles.
Itchy skin.
Dark urine color.
Pale stool color.
Chronic fatigue.
Nausea or vomiting.

I really think that you do not need to wait for till showing any symptoms. Once a liver is showing symptoms, it will take a long time to heal so the key is to proactive and support the liver. In my case, I did not have any symptoms and I was very sick with lymphoma.

Here are 13 tried and true ways to achieve liver wellness

Maintain a healthy weight. …
Eat a balanced diet. …
Exercise regularly. …
Avoid toxins. …
Use alcohol responsibly. …
Avoid the use of illicit drugs. …
Avoid contaminated needles. …
Get medical care if you’re exposed to blood.
This is my liver wellness…enjoy your life and take a rest!

I believe that taking care of your liver saves your health and life.

Have a supportive liver healing remedy drink!

Love,

Sanae❤️