Rose Cottage

 In this recent video , Sachiaki Takamiya talks about different ways we can protect our gut health, which in turn enhances our general health.  Picked garlic, cilantro, Miso, Kim chi, tofu Many of these concepts are familiar and  ones I already incorporate into my life.  Living on the West Coast, I have enjoyed rice, Miso and yes, tofu for decades.  Moderate movement - ideal if it's both enjoyable and not overly strenuous.  Last year i discovered the Japanese morning exercises in comments on another health thread.   Doing movement that exercises arms and legs for 6-10 minutes early in the day 'turns on' our lymph flow - increasing the benefits of movement throughout the day! I also enjoy Qigong, Breema, gardening, walking and dance, and encourage other folks to find movement they enjoy! Sleep and stress - as Sachiaki mentions, getting adequate sleep is so helpful for general health. And keep manageable stress at a minimum - slow down! One tip f...

  Fermented foods come in many forms, and can offer great support for gut health.  Asian countries have many processes for fermenting beans - in Japan, one of these is Natto. I was intrigued to discover rather than purchasing inoculant, you can use a handful of mint stalks! (The first Natto was likely made using rice stalks.) Natto with avocado and fresh herbs On his ikigai diet youtube channel, health enthsiast Sachiaki Takamiya offers videos with  tips and recipes for making this superfood at home, plus info on healthy lifestyle. Protein levels in fermented beans are often double that in the same beans when simple cooked.  I enjoyed this video , highlighting 4 generations of a family (4-88) evoking good health and daily natto, plus the process and health benefits.  In the Shiga prefecture, it is common for elders to eat soybean natto several times a week, along with seaweed, vegetables and other whole and fermented food. As in the Blue Zone Okinawa, many cont...

Osiyo - hello For over 3 decades, I've been interested in learning Cherokee, and have gathered resources when I could.  I picked up books, including a little Cherokee Syllabary dictionary, and practiced the writing. My dad's mom Minnie had Cherokee heritage, and the language has similarity to the Gaelic other ancesters spoke. Syllabary + Ed's ale Mary's book This spring I signed up for live  online dideloquasdi (school/ learning) via the Tsalagi (Cherokee) Nation - which funds language classes throughout the year - at no charge to the students! Taught by first language speaker Ed Fields, with assistance from Meli (Mary Rae) who began taking Ed's classes nearly a decade ago, these classes offer a wonderful glimpse into the world view and culture! (Here's Meli and Ed's site  which includes little word puzzels) This post by another of Ed's students provides a nice overview of the classes, which still use the format Jamie describes. The online classes a...