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May 2010 Ezine Articles Archive

Greetings Solar Stars,

Here we are in May! Can you believe it is the fifth month of 2010 already? I can’t. Actually May has sort of crept up on me and I feel that I am running behind schedule. Sorry for my tardiness. I am not making excuses but I think that May is like that – you know a little May madness doesn’t hurt anyone? Well, I hope not!

This month the Sun moves from pragmatic Taurus into the curious and communicative Gemini twins. At the moment Mercury, the ruler of Gemini is in retrograde motion (moving backwards) in Taurus. However, the trickster of the zodiac will begin his forward lunge on May 11.

The New Moon is May 14 at 11:04AM 24 Degrees Taurus. Body pleasures rule as the New Moon energises the most sensual sign of all. Make time to get a massage or beauty treatment, indulge in quality food and wind and, if you have a lover, enjoy some intimate time. This physical New Moon reminds you that your body is a temple and deserves the best. Quality in all areas is important so don’t skimp. Mars has finally moved beyond the shadow of his recent retrograde, motivating you to tackle new challenges.

Here are some suggestions for your May wish list:

•    Money
•    Sensual pleasure
•    Contentment
•    Perseverance
•    Patience
•    Self worth
•    Releasing stubbornness
•    Solid foundation
•    Patience
•    Contentment
•    Setting appropriate boundaries
•    Self-acceptance

The Full Moon is May 28 at 9:07am 7 degrees Sagittarius. Restlessness is hard to control as the adventurous Sagittarius Full Moon arrives. Mark Twain’s quote” Explore, dream, discover” is the most appropriate as the lure of the new draws you out of familiar territory. Travel and study experiences feature as a strong craving for experience and information motivates life choices. Venus aligns with Pluto and the South Node highlighting power and the past in relationships. Profound emotional release is possible as fears about bonding are overcome.

May is a number five month. During a five month gain more by operating instinctively rather than logically or emotionally. The colour is blue and the gem for May is turquoise or aquamarine. The key word for May is “change”.

The Queen of Wands is stable, vivifying, loyal element of fire which warms and she heartens and inspires. It is time for us to develop qualities of warmth, constancy, loyalty and creative sustainability of a vision.

Laima is our Goddess for May. In Latvian and Lithuanian mythology, Laima, with her sisters Karta and Kekla, personifies fate and good fortune. The patron of

pregnant women, Laima is particularly concerned with childbirth and domestic life. As the principal deity among the trinity of female fates, Laima has authority over the destiny of all living beings.

Legend has it that Laima was originally a swan but was transformed into a woman after an accident in which her feathers were burned. She married and bore several children. Eventually, weary of mortal life, she gathered some feathers and – as is common in archetypal stories of swan maidens – was magically restored to her swan form and flew away. Although she never returned to human form, Laima visited her children to see to their welfare.

Our animal totem for May is squirrel. Squirrel teaches you to plan ahead for the winter when the trees are bare and the nuts have long since disappeared. Honour your future by readying yourself for change. The message could be to lighten your load if you have gathered too many “things” that do not serve you. These “things” can include thoughts, worries, pressures, stresses, or gadgets that have been broken for years. In understanding the balance involved in gathering, you need to look at the idea of circulating the stock of what you have gathered. Call the nearest thrift store and give the gadgets to someone who can benefit from them. If something no longer grows corn for you it is time to let it go.

I’ve chosen Chrysocolla as our stone for May. Chrysocolla is a tranquil and sustaining stone. It helps meditation and communication. Within the home, Chrysocolla draws off negative energies of all kinds. It can help you to accept with serenity situations that are constantly changing, invoking great inner strength. It is beneficial to relationships that have become rocky, stabilising and healing both the home and personal interaction.

Please take the Chrysocolla into your home in May and enjoy the healing benefits.

Have a brilliant May and stay well and brilliantly happy!

Love and Peace,

Harles

Dearest Jems,

Happy birth phase! I hope that this year is amazing and totally fulfilling with millions of happy surprises.

I’m sure I’ve expressed this over the years that I adore birthday time as it is the beginning of a new era. I’m wishing you the brightest and most astounding era ever, My Sweet and Dearest Friend.

In our column this month I want to may homage to Mothers around the world. I know that we both have Mother’s Day on our calendars and it seems appropriate to invest our conversation in this special event.

Mother’s Day in Australia is celebrated with flowers (usually chrysanthemums). We all do our best to visit our mothers and share a meal, clean the dishes and return home.

This year, we will celebrate in Sydney. My Mum lives in Liverpool so the trek up the highway is a pleasurable sojourn and the special time with her is always delightful.

This event reminds me of all of the hardworking and dedicated mothers who willingly devote themselves to the love, respect and care of their families. This is usually unpaid work and yet they are motivated by such simple rewards as hugs, smiles and I love you!

I love my mother very deeply. I honour her in so many ways. She has always been a shining example of how to live your life with elegance and dignity. More especially she has shone since my father passed away in August 2008. She has grieved the passing of her soul mate and devoted partner with vulnerability and dignity. She is such an inspiration as I don’t think I could be so elegant and yet vulnerable.

I love her for her Virgo-ness – the ability to add class to a tiny fibro home and make it into a comfy chic haven. I’ve watched her feed us and fill our tummies with satisfying feasts whipped up with healthy ingredients of minimum cost and maximum taste.

I respect her for the way she has navigated our relationship. And how she has loved and supported and patiently guided a daughter with an insatiable mind and a spirit that constantly pushes the boundaries of compliance.

At times I’ve been disappointed in myself that I’ve not been the mother she is – the grandmother she is and the great-grandmother she is – her standard seems unreachable – her legacy awe-inspiring; I long to aspire to her understated greatness.

To you my most treasured friend along with all the Mothers around the world – Happy Mother’s Day – you deserve the best.

Love always, JAR

Dear JAR-Star,

Thank you for your lovely birthday wishes! It is a treasure to share our trips around the Sun year after year. Your friendship is a gift that keeps on giving, and I feel quite blessed!

For my birthday this year I felt compelled to embrace simplicity and the mundane. My family wanted to cook for me, and bake me a cake, and buy me gifts, but since I had just gotten over a cold, I turned them down. I did agree to go out for a ride, and we did so together, and I enjoyed their company as I have never before. We went to a health food store, and bought a box of pastries, which we took out to the car. After a quickly and haphazardly sung Happy Birthday song (which I sang along with too,) we took out our elegant plastic forks and chowed down on the four different types of tartlets. I loved the casualness of it all, no fuss, just pure enjoyment.
I do not usually buy too many pastries for myself, since I love to bake, but somehow the convenience of having my cake in the car with peals of laughter spraying crumbs all over the place was the best celebration I could have had!
We shopped for our weekly groceries, and spent our time out doing ordinary things, like errands and driving around. We all felt so relaxed, and returned home with two rented movies and continued our relaxed celebrating over the next few days.

I guess with all of the busy-ness that we normally encounter during the week, it felt extra special to appreciate the simplicity of just being together. I observed how as I get older, it’s the little things that are most treasured.

Now on to Moms: Since my own Dear Mother died nearly ten years ago, I have had ample time to review my life with and without her. I always adored and idolized my Mom, and can see how she shaped my view of the world. Without her around, I was forced to adjust my gaze so I could see what it was like on my own terms. Even my attitudes about myself came under scrutiny. Our mothers give us our first sense of self, with their words and attitudes, and whether it is healthy or hurtful, it will stick with us for life. That’s a lot of power! I pray for mothers everywhere, that they know their own power and can see the effect that their words and actions have on the beings they were granted stewardship over. My Mom was generous with love and praise, and she instilled in me a strong sense of self-esteem.

I give thanks for the Leo Mother I was given, and I miss having her around.
I can also see how much I have grown up since she left this planet, so in a sense, she gave me a gift with her passing, although I did not see or appreciate it as such at the time. But she was like that: always giving – even when she passed away!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom, and to you, JAR, and to all the wonderful Moms out there who love their children and who may not be honoured enough. You are loved!!!

See ya next month!

Love JEM

Moonhawk’s Musings

Greetings.

This month I have decided to write about Vitamin C. Back in the ‘70s and 80’ vitamin C was considered to be a bit of a cure all. Used therapeutically, it does have the ability to facilitate recovery from illness and good health.

This month’s recipe is for bolognaise sauce. This pasta sauce has been much maligned over the years through poor preparation and its former place in Australian cuisine as the ubiquitous spag bol. When I was growing up I knew it was Friday if we had spag bol for dinner, and for years despaired over what was inferior versions of this delicious sauce.

A quick word on organic meat. It really is worth finding a butcher who sells organic meat as this meat really does taste different, and organic meat is usually grown ethically. Happy beasts make for happy meat. Some of my friends think I’m a bit wacko by having this sentiment, but there’s a lot of evidence in favour of growing meat ethically and organically – both from an animal rights and an environmental perspective. So, hunt up an organic butcher, you’ll be surprised how much better the meat is.

Wishing you many good things

Moonhawk

Vitamin C

Hands up who knows where the expression ‘limey’ comes from  Everyone who said that it’s from British sailors of the later 1700s and early 1800s who were known to have a daily ration of lime juice to prevent scurvy may have a gold star. Back then the connection between vitamin C and scurvy was not fully understood, but British navy physicians did know that a daily does of lime juice prevented scurvy. Scurvy was the scourge of sailors back then. leading to an early death due to vitamin C deficiency, that is if they managed to survive the other risks of taking to the open sea in wooden boats with sails, not to mention pirates etc.

Vitamin C is also know as ascorbic acid. It’s a water soluble vitamin which means it’s found in the watery compartments of food, and is quickly absorbed into the blood stream when consumed. Water soluble vitamins travel freely throughout the body and are taken up by cells as needed. Excess water soluble vitamins are excreted, generally via the kidneys. This means you need to have a regular intake of foods with water soluble vitamins to keep levels up.
Humans cannot synthesis vitamin C, so it must be obtained through the diet, or supplements if the diet is inadequate. Vitamin C is dose dependent i.e the more you take the less the body takes up the vitamin. So if you choose to supplement with vitamin C, don’t take one or 2 large does, spread the dose out. Better yet, consult a practitioner qualified in nutrition as they will be able to prescribe a dosage regime that will ensure uptake of the vitamin.

The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is between 75mg and 90mg per day. Smokers need an additional 35mg per day. You’ll find vitamin C in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetable (cabbage etc, lettuce), capsicum, broccoli, strawberries, black currants, rosehips and parsley.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant i.e it mops up excess free radicals produced as part of the metabolic process, and those that make their way into the body in other ways e.g smoking, exposure to pollution.
Vitamin C is also needed for the formation of collagen, the matrix which holds tissue, including teeth, together. Collagen holds cell walls together, so is really important for all tissues, particularly blood vessels. When you think about what vitamin C does for collagen production, you can see the link between low vitamin C levels and scurvy, symptoms of which include bleeding gums. Other symptoms of vitamin C deficiency include muscle degeneration, pin-point haemorrhages and skin becomes scaly, dry and rough.
Extremely low levels of vitamin C can lead to oedema, which is an indication that blood vessels are not reabsorbing fluid correctly. Joints may become swollen and painful as collagen in bones and joint tissue breaks down.

Perhaps vitamin C’s most well known attribute is prevention of the common cold. There is evidence that vitamin C is an immuno-modulator i.e it regulates immune function through enhancing the activity of immune cells. Think of it as priming the internal army that fights viruses and other pathogens. To achieve this effect you need to take vitamin C beyond the recommended daily intake (RDI). This should only be done unde the supervision of a suitably qualified practitioner. Taking vitamins and other supplements in high does can be dangerous, so don’t do it without seeking advice first.

Vitamin C enhances iron absorption.

A very important consideration with vitamins sourced from food or supplements, and other nutrients, is bioavailability. While it’s easy to determine how much vitamin is present in a particular food, it’s difficult to say how much of that vitamin is absorbed by the body once the food is consumed. An efficient digestion will break down the food so that the nutrients are readily available for absorption. This will depend on nutritional status, what foods/nutrients are consumed at the same time, how the food is prepared (cooked, processed, raw) and whether the nutrient comes from a natural source or is synthetic. The best way to get vitamin C is from fresh food on a daily basis. Supplement if your diet is low in vitamin C rich foods, but only to the recommended RDA.

Can you take too much vitamin C? Yes. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhoea. (In some naturopathic circles large doses of vitamin C are used to cleanse the bowel. This is not a method I would recommend. However, if it is done under supervision by a qualified practitioner, it is considered to be relatively safe if not a little unpleasant – no-one likes a dose of diarrhoea).
Excessive doses of vitamin C can adversely effect warfarin and other anti-coagulants, as well as being detrimental to people with iron overload.

Remember, always consult with a qualified practitioner before taking any vitamin supplements or herbs.

The NHAA and ATMS both provide lists of accredited practitioners.
References: Understanding Nutrition (11th Edition) by Ellie Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes. Herbs & Natural Supplements – an evidence based guide by Lesley Braun and Marc Cohen. The Nutrient Bible (6th Edition) by Henry Osiecki.

Bolognaise Pasta Sauce

500g pork and veal mince. Your sauce will benefit from this mix of meat, although all beef mince can be used.
400g can tomatoes, or 500g fresh tomatoes.
1 x 140g tub of tomato paste
1 small onion.
3-5 cloves garlic – depending on how much you like garlic.
Salt and pepper
1 to 1&1/2 cups good red wine.
Stock – beef or vegetable.

You really need a heavy based pan for making this pasta sauce, well for any cooking. I have a 26cm stainless steel, copper based fry pan which is used for cooking lots of meals – pasta sauces, risotto, braises, eggs, polenta etc. So if you don’t have a good quality pan, invest in one at the next sales. I’ve had mine for close to 20 years and it’s still in great condition. If it could speak it would tell a lot of stories around food prepared in it. Last night I used it to cook fish with tomato and mushrooms – delicious 
Finally chop the onion and garlic and sweat off in a little olive oil. Add the meat and brown. I like to break the meat up as it cools to prevent the meat from clumping together too much.

Add the tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste starts to stick to the base of the pan a little. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan and then add the tomatoes.

If you’re using fresh tomatoes, remove any blemished skin, chop roughly and roughly puree with a stick blender. With tinned tomatoes, just chop them up a little before you add them to the pan. Add enough stock to cover the meat plus around 2 cm of liquid. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 11/2 hours. Stir regularly to prevent sticking. The liquid will evaporate and the sauce will thicken.
This recipe makes enough to 4-6 hungry people or 6-8 not so hungry ones. Double the recipe and freeze containers of sauce for later use.

Serve with gluten free spaghetti (spag bol like no other spag bol you’ve had before), other gluten free pasta, make into a lasagne (remember to make béchamel sauce), or a pasta bake. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese (no tinned or pre-grated cheese!). My beloved has even used left over sauce as a tomato sauce on pizza – meat lovers of course.