One thing is for sure, the Chinese probably know how to eat well better than anyone else. China has a historical tradition of gastronomy and chefs have and have had a high reputation. However, what is particularly noteworthy in traditional Chinese cuisine is the ability of ordinary Chinese home cooks to transform simple and largely plant-based ingredients into wonderful delicacies.
I am lucky to have Chinese friends who always give me lots of tips on how to prepare traditional Chinese dishes. In this country, you can hardly find any truly original Chinese cuisine, as my friends keep telling me.
What is typical Chinese food?
China is a big country and you can't reduce Chinese food to Peking duck, fried noodles and sweet and sour pork.
Sichuan cuisine 四川菜, for example, is one of the greatest cuisines in the world. Here, it is mostly known for its outstanding spiciness. In China, it is legendary for its richness of ingredients and amazing variety. Local gourmets claim that there are 5000 different dishes in the region. Sichuan pepper is one of the main ingredients of 四川菜。
Otherwise, typical Chinese food is characterised by simple ingredients that are prepared without much effort. There is little meat or fish among the many vegetable dishes. Different dishes are served on the table. Each individual dish tastes fresh and has its own unique flavour.
Is Chinese food healthy?
The dominance of Chinese restaurant food, which consists mainly of meat, seafood and fried foods flavoured with lots of glutamate, makes us forget that traditional Chinese cuisine consists mainly of grains and vegetables and is very healthy due to its natural preparation.
In fact, one of the richest aspects of Chinese food culture is the knowledge of adapting eating habits to the weather, season and symptoms of illness. Chinese cuisine has this aspect in common with Ayurvedic cuisine. This knowledge stems from traditional Chinese medicine and is still practised in many areas of China.
What is glutamate?
Glutamates are the esters and salts of glutamic acid (E 620). The most well-known are salts of L-glutamic acid through its use as a flavour enhancer in food. (Source: wikipedia)
In the new Chinese cuisine, glutamate is used as a flavour enhancer to give the dish a savoury note and the so-called umami taste.
Glutamate is an artificial substance which, in my opinion, has no place in naturally prepared food.
What are the symptoms of glutamate intolerance?
I have a glutamate intolerance, which is why I can no longer go to a Chinese restaurant. My symptoms are severe stomach pains that really bring me to my knees. All the more reason to prepare traditional Chinese food at home.
A friend of mine also had an intolerance, also known as Chinese food syndrome. She fainted when eating Chinese food. She regularly had to be picked up from Chinese restaurants by the emergency services until they finally discovered the cause.
Nausea, headaches, reddening of the skin, tightness of the chest, trembling and muscle pain. In children, glutamate can lead to fever, confusion and anxiety.
Glutamate is not only used in the new Chinese cuisine, but is also found in products such as vegetable stock, sausage, tomato paste, etc.
During my research on glutamate, I came across various articles, including one on wikipedia, which report that from a ‘scientific point of view’ glutamate is harmless to health.
I have a different opinion. A healthy diet also includes natural ingredients. Chemically produced substances have no place in our food. Flavour can be achieved wonderfully with spices, herbs and fresh ingredients.
Chinese cooking together
I offer themed days in my cookery studio. These always include a Chinese cookery day. I combine the knowledge of Ayurveda and elemental cuisine in the preparation of the dishes.
King Arthur is a legendary figure who is the subject of many legends. One of these legends is based in Tintagel/Cornwall. Arthur is said to have been conceived here at Tintagel Castle. Arthur is an archetype and reflects the longing for a healthy masculinity. His heroism, brotherly and loyal companionship with his knights is reflected in many stories and film adaptations. The dragon is the power symbol of Arthur and his line of origin ‘Pendragon’. The dragon symbolises power, magic and enchantment.
Musical meditation journey to Tintagel, King Arthur and his companions
On my first visit to Tintagel Castle, I had an intense reincarnation experience and I was overwhelmed by memories, so I had to leave the island first because I couldn't stand it. I then intensively studied the energies, the history and the magic of the place and put my memories together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. I connected with the energies and places and, together with harpist Claudia Neumaier, created the following meditative musical journey with its accompanying stories and information.
What is so special about Tintagel?
Anyone who has ever visited the town on the north coast of Cornwall can hardly escape its magic, beauty and special energy. Of course, a lot is done here to boost the tourism industry and the locals sometimes feel like it's Disneyland. But if you consciously connect with the place and listen to your soul, you can feel the ancient wisdom and magic of the place.
Follow the sounds of Tintagel and the old myths and legends!
Igraine's complaint
Look out over the vast land. Look into the endless expanse from the battlements of the lonely castle and lament with Igraine over her fate. As if to say: ‘Everything was voluntary. And yet: now it's hard. I knew that one day I would pay for my wishes."
Igraine helps you to look at your shadows. You will be rewarded by becoming bright and clear. Don't judge, be gentle with yourself. Look at the shadows, they belong to you!
St. Nectans Glen
Enjoy lolling, singing and dancing under the waterfall. Playing with the fairies and nymphs by the rushing water. Savouring the joy of having experienced something beautiful, great and meaningful. The knowledge of having achieved something, of having experienced an initiation.
St Nectans Glen gets deep under your skin. It touches the heart. It helps to complete an inner journey. It is initiation, reward and joy. The dance with the spirits and your spiritual team. It helps you enter the Otherworld. Support in the connection and certainty that everything is connected. To be enraptured by the world!
March
Soldiers marching across the countryside; or is it the farmer on his way to market?
Go forwards and push forwards. Listen to your inner voice. What does it want to tell you?
Gallos
The sweeping view from the island across the bay. Gallos sings the song of power! "Look at me! I am big and strong and mighty. That's how I want to be seen."
Gallos helps you to recognise your inner strength and power. Strengthen your own power! Chains are broken, walls (of the heart) break down!
Bodmin Mor
A light and dancing melody. Moor should actually sound different, we thought. But maybe that's just how Moor sounds. That remains to be explored; or had a door opened to another world after all - to the dwarves?
Let your soul fly and explore the universe. Bodmin Mor connects you with the supernatural.
Viviane in Merlins Cave
The fairy Viviane laments her lost love under the blossoming hawthorn, or is it perhaps something completely different? Are the two perhaps happily united in the magical realm of love?
Invite magic into your life, Viviane will help you. Feel love and the connection to all that is. Heaviness and lightness as polarity. Live yin and yang, light and shadow, femininity and masculinity. Magic, magic, magic! Magic! Fairy dust and dragon glitter.
Dragonpower
Glittering and sparkling! The power of magic! The facets of power! The dragon is no longer associated with ‘evil’, because that's not what it is. It is ‘only’ mighty and powerful. You only fear what you don't know!
Let your roots grow into the earth and spread your wings. Make a connection - as above so below! Everything is possible! Everything is as it should be. Dragon power brings you security and freedom.
love
Love, love, love! Simply lovely, virginal.
Feel the lightness, the butterflies in your stomach, see the sparks fly, feel the togetherness and the community, live harmony and unity.
Receive your own personal soul song
Would you like to know what your soul has to tell you? Book your personalised soul song now. Music as individual as you are!
This CD finds you to remind you of your task as earth keeper.
It is about reconnecting with Mother Earth, with nature and with all that is. We humans have forgotten who we are, where we come from and what our task is.
The more people connect with the frequency of the earth, the faster it can increase its energy and cleanse itself of foreign energies and negativity.
Origin
In the summer of 2023, my friend Josef Armegis was assigned by Mother Earth to support her in her healing. Together with me and the spiritual world, this CD with prayers and the music of Mother Earth was created. The music was given to Maria and recorded without editing or technical changes.
Mother Earth knows very well what she is doing, when it should rain, snow or the sun should shine on her. At the moment, however, she has to work on freeing herself from manipulation and other influences that harm her.
It needs the support of us all. We humans are the guardians of the earth and it's time we remembered that. This CD is designed to help you connect with the feelings and emotions of Mother Earth and to help her raise her vibration.
Josef Armegis Fuchs
Joseph has a special connection to Mother Earth. He is an earth guardian with a special connection to nature beings. He is an aura therapist, medium of the spirit world of God, painter and author. You can find out more about Josef HERE.
The ordering process
This CD is for the benefit of all and will not be monetised. If you would still like to make a donation, you will find the donation button in the order form.
My personal experience with food intolerances and what solutions are available.
My story
13 years ago, my story of suffering reached its climax. I was nauseous day and night, I spent my nights on the bath mat in the bathroom, no matter what I ate, I immediately had diarrhoea. My work performance dropped rapidly, I had to take lots of breaks, was very tired all day and completely lacked energy. Holiday plans were made after suitable toilets, going out for a cosy meal with friends ended with me disappearing into the toilet and customer appointments followed by lunch or dinner together were hell for me.
I underwent various examinations, from gastrointestinal endoscopies, blood tests, etc. I travelled from doctor to doctor, from specialist to specialist. I travelled from doctor to doctor, from specialist to specialist. The following statements from doctors have stuck in my mind: "You're just a bit of a anxious little person", "I don't know what's wrong with you", "it's all psychological and stressful". A doctor diagnosed lactose intolerance. After getting the lab report, I realised that the diagnosis was wrong. Lactose-free milk didn't help either, so that explained it.
I eventually got to a point where I didn't care about anything and just wanted to sleep. Friends finally urged me to visit a naturopath in my home town who was known for his accurate diagnoses. After initially resisting, I finally agreed due to the massive amount of suffering and made an appointment.
This appointment ultimately changed my life for the better. During the examination, he immediately realised that I had a milk protein intolerance. He told me to start by cutting out all dairy products. At first I thought I was going to starve to death. What else should I eat then? But I was determined and disciplined and stuck to it. After just 3 weeks I noticed a considerable improvement in my symptoms. I only felt nauseous at times and the diarrhoea also decreased.
At the follow-up appointment, he arranged for further examinations such as blood and stool tests. The diagnosis was finally finalised. My intestinal flora was no longer present, the values of my immune system were in the minus range and a chronic pepper glandular fever (which my former GP had dismissed as a flu-like infection) was causing the enormous lack of energy and tiredness. Other food intolerances emerged, such as my sensitivity to black pepper, carrots, paprika powder and many others.
A carefully thought-out treatment plan was drawn up. Strictly eliminating all foods that I could not tolerate, building up the intestinal flora, treating the glandular fever and strengthening the immune system. It was a long-term therapy and it ultimately took almost 4 years for my intestinal flora and immune system to recover. I was already feeling much better and was able to carefully reintroduce the foods I couldn't tolerate via a rotation diet (see below). I still had diarrhoea from time to time, repeated bouts of mononucleosis and I wasn't really healthy yet. At this point, Ayurveda found me and helped me to regain the last bit of health that was still missing.
Root cause analysis
I spent a long time looking into where this massive imbalance came from and what actually caused it. Ultimately, you have to look at it from different angles.
Physical cause
From the age of 6 to 12, I had tonsillitis at least 3 times a year, which often ended in a middle ear infection. The usual treatment at the time was penicillin. I still remember the horrible taste of these penicillin juices. Chocolate flavour was the worst. In the end, my tonsils were removed and at least that suffering came to an end. As a teenager and young woman, I was constantly plagued with bladder infections, so what was the solution? Yes, exactly - antibiotics. Now I know that a healthy intestinal flora is important to protect against bladder infections. But the antibiotics kept destroying it. So I found myself in a vicious circle. Then, in my early 20s, I had gastritis, which was treated how? Oh yes, there were antibiotics and gastric acid inhibitors, that would certainly help very quickly! That was also the time when the diarrhoea started, until it came to the aforementioned climax.
Not a single "specialist" had the idea of asking me about my eating habits or giving me recommendations about my diet. I was too young, too inexperienced and too gullible to scrutinise everything and look into it more closely.
If an important function such as the intestinal mucosa and the intestinal flora, which are essential for the immune system and general well-being, is destroyed in childhood, it is almost impossible to recover.
I'm fine again now, but I have to be very careful that I and my stomach stay in balance. I am very sensitive to artificial additives and harmful substances in food and could therefore also become a good restaurant critic. If I only have limited opportunities to follow my personal Ayurvedic rules on holiday, for example, I need 2-3 weeks after the holiday to get back into balance. Fortunately, I have learnt to listen to my body and can help myself.
My naturopath as well as my Ayurvedic and TCM doctors have all commented that my digestive system has been irreparably damaged and that I have only managed to maintain my health through my iron discipline and my diet. It's always a matter of sticking with it and I consider myself lucky that I have the time and space to cook for myself every day.
Psychische Ursachen
Natürlich hatten die Ärzte nicht ganz Unrecht, eine psychische Ursache zu vermuten. Alles ist miteinander verbunden und jede Ursache hat ihre Wirkung. Meine Sensitivität (die mir damals noch nicht so bewusst war), mein Leistungswillen und Zielstrebigkeit haben ihres dazugetan und die Situation verschlimmert. Ich habe bis zu 70 Stunden in der Woche gearbeitet, nebenbei noch Gesang studiert, mein Versicherungsstudium absolviert und Konzerte gegeben. Wenn ich jetzt daran zurückdenke habe ich keine Ahnung, wie ich das geschafft habe. Und schon haben wir wieder den besagten Teufelskreis. Durch die körperlichen Beschwerden wird natürlich auch die Psyche gedämpft, die hohe Arbeitsbelastung verstärkt die Symptome, die Leistungsfähigkeit sinkt und das sich Abarbeiten verstärkt sich.
Mental causes
The WHO definition of health is as follows: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
If a person really achieves this, he is an enlightened being!
Illnesses are there to help us develop as human beings. They are given to us to help us grow. Behind every illness is a memory, a trauma, a cause in the soul. The body is the messenger of the soul, which asks us to look at ourselves and redeem the old. This can best be seen in young children. When children go through illnesses, such as high fever, this usually results in a developmental spurt. Teething in children is painful, but important for further development.
In my case, this path of suffering helped me to find myself. It has led me to learn about these wonderful ancient wisdoms such as Aryuveda, traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathy, shamanism, etc. It has awakened an unexpected potential and gift in me that I could never have imagined. He has awakened an unexpected potential and gift in me that I could never have imagined. He taught me to appreciate my gifts and to recognise my true being.
Countering food intolerance
Bei der erweiterten Blutuntersuchung wurden über 20 Lebensmittel identifiziert, auf die ich unverträglich reagierte. Neben dem Aufbau der Darmflor und Stärkung des Immunsystems wurden folgende Maßnahmen eingeleitet.
Weglassen der unverträglichen Lebensmittel
At first, this was a difficult endeavour for me. However, one of my strengths is "willpower" and discipline. My strong will was to improve my state of health, because I didn't want to spend my life like this.
So I looked into what alternatives there were to the foods I couldn't tolerate. The most difficult issue at the beginning was cow's milk. As I have always enjoyed cooking and experimenting, I created some very unusual dishes at the time and it didn't take long for me to find a good rhythm. As a manager with a heavy workload and business trips, it wasn't always easy to juggle everything.
For restaurants and hotels, I drew up a food list containing all the foods that I could not tolerate. I informed hotels before I travelled and the staff were also informed in advance when I made restaurant reservations. I experienced the most incredible stories. Very often it didn't work and an unpleasant trip to the toilet was inevitable. It was embarrassing, especially when you're in the middle of a working lunch or you're supposed to give a presentation afterwards, but your stomach is boogie woogieing and you're praying fervently that you don't have to interrupt the presentation to rush to the toilet.
However, I was determined and kept it up for 4 years.
Rotational diet
After 4 years, I started to slowly reintroduce the incompatible foods. A rotation diet works as follows:
You eat a food (e.g. carrot)
After 4 days you eat the next food (e.g. black pepper)
Wait another 4 days, eat the next food (e.g. paprika powder)
etc.
This rotation gives the body time to process the intolerable food before it receives the next "stimulus".
I still do this rotation, but it happens unconsciously and was also taught to me in Ayurveda. I avoid using the same ingredients for several days in a row. Thanks to my creativity, new dishes are created every day. The disadvantage is that I usually don't remember how I cooked what. That's why I've started writing down recipes. You can find some of them in my Recipe overview.
Enjoy without fear
Thanks to these measures, I can finally enjoy everything again without fear. I still have to be careful with cow's milk products, but now and again even these are no problem.
However, I am very sensitive to artificial additives such as glutamate and colourings. As I pay attention to the quality of the products I eat and grow my own vegetables, my body reacts immediately to non-natural ingredients. It manifests itself with severe stomach cramps that prevent me from breathing, followed by diarrhoea. I get the stomach cramps under control with chewed cardamom capsules, the diarrhoea is welcome to get rid of the harmful substances.
I now have a list of restaurants that I can safely eat at and those that I avoid.
Ayurveda and digestive fire
After I started studying Ayurveda and especially during my Ayurveda training, I realised a lot. I was able to identify other problems in my diet and find solutions to them.
Even if you think you're eating a healthy diet, it doesn't mean that it's really right for your body.
Almost every day you can find some other dietary trend on the internet that claims to be the healthiest and best thing ever! What is always forgotten is that every person is different and so are their physical and mental needs. Food also has an important influence on our mental state. You can read more about this in this article .
Ayurveda gives us the knowledge about the right balance of body, soul and spirit. It is about bringing us into balance with a diet that is customised for us. The digestive fire is crucial for this, our inner fire must be ignited. Depending on our constitution, the fire burns stronger or weaker.
With food intolerances, it is usually the case that the digestive fire is too weak, but sometimes it can also be far too strong and lead to an overshoot. If the digestive fire burns well and normally, food intolerances can also be a thing of the past.
You can find out more about Ayurveda, its constitutions and how it works here.
Your experiences
Do you also have problems with your digestive system? Do you have strange symptoms that can't be explained? Do you feel tired, exhausted and unmotivated after eating? Share your experiences in the comments or contact me directly using the contact form. I look forward to every message!
Individual support
If you would like to enjoy your food again without any worries or if you would like to look for the causes of your symptoms, discomfort or illnesses, please make an appointment with me. I look forward to supporting you in your personal development with a concept tailored to you.
I keep coming across the topic of femininity and masculinity in all its facets. As a personal life topic, among friends and relatives, at work, in politics and just recently at a wonderful evening in a female community. During this get-together, we discussed words such as "emancipation" and "feminism". I would like to share my thoughts on this with you and invite you to think about it, join in the discussion and become aware of what femininity and masculinity mean to you.
My background
Growing up alongside my mother in a male household with 3 older brothers and having worked for many years in a male-dominated profession, "being a woman" was rather foreign to me. My external attributes may have labelled me as such, but I am only now really experiencing and enjoying what that really means. In the family, I had to assert myself, climb around in the trees just like my brothers, not cry at sad films and "not be a girl". Not to show any weaknesses at work, to be self-determent, to fight!
But being a woman is simply beautiful! In recent years, I have been able to experience a lot of self-awareness during my shamanic training and my further training in transactional analysis and now I really appreciate "being a woman" and above all enjoy the company of other women.
For me, heal feminine energy is
simply "to be"
community
nourish, care for others and myself
entirety
softness
feeling
For me, heal masculine energy is
creates structures
provides security
sets boundaries and frameworks for themselves and others
asserts itself
builds on individuality
nourishes healthy competition
What attributes do you find?
Every woman has masculine energy within her and every man has feminine energy. A woman also sets boundaries and therefore complements the male energy. And a man shows feeling and enters into symbiosis with the woman.
I have come to know "feminism" and "emancipation" partly as a fight against men, which I think is a great pity and tips the scales just as much as the centuries-long fight of men against women.
What exactly is behind the words "equal rights" and "equal treatment"?
I don't want to be "treated the same". Because every person is an individual and needs their very own "treatment". As a manager, I experience this every day. Treating everyone the same way is difficult and also not effective.
The situation is similar with "equality" - a very difficult word. What is equal rights? Everyone is entitled? For what? Doesn't it put enormous pressure on women to live equality by competing with men, e.g. at work?
That's how I felt! What does it do to a woman who got her job because of a quota? Does that have anything to do with equal rights?
Equivalence vs. equal rights
At our women's get-together, we found a wonderful word that speaks to my heart - "EQUAL VALUE". Every person has the same value. Every woman is allowed to live her femininity with equal value in the path she has chosen. In the same way, every man is equally allowed to walk and live the path he has chosen. Without pressure - just be. Be at eye level. Be with each other!
I am very lucky to be able to live this "EQUIVALENCE" with my husband. He sets the framework, holds the space and I nurture, care for and organise.
And so I try to plant the little seed of EQUAL VALUE every day with my actions, in my dealings with my fellow human beings, with animals and plants and in my relationships, with the vision that the little plant will develop widely branching roots and spread as a net around the whole world.
We are now entering a time of rest, regeneration and re-centring. Exhaustion and tiredness, especially emotionally, are a sign to listen to your body and make yourself comfortable on the couch with a soothing drink and a book to nourish your spirit.
The element of air with its storms rules the autumn season and the ether with its emptiness and vastness rules the winter. It is a time of movement. The transition from the busyness and extroversion of summer to the calm, stillness and introversion of autumn and winter can often have its negative side on an energetic level in the form of a lack of security and calm, combined with a feeling of deep exhaustion.
In Ayurveda, this time is assigned to the VATA dosha with its mobility, dynamism and tendency to dry out. Now it is important to pay attention to nourishing and heavier qualities. Plenty of rest, retreat, warming, soothing and easily digestible meals with mainly sweet, sour and savoury foods as well as warming spiced teas are important now.
Exercise for more energy in autumn and early winter
Take off your shoes (preferably barefoot) and stand with both feet firmly on the floor. Close your eyes.
Breathe in deeply 3 times through your nose and out through your mouth.
Imagine how thick roots of light grow from the soles of your feet into the earth and how you connect firmly with the earth. Allow the light from these roots to radiate completely through your body.
Thank Mother Earth for nourishing and supporting you.
Do this exercise whenever you feel unsafe and/or exhausted
Acceptance
The winds of change blow particularly strongly in autumn and sometimes these winds blow up old issues and reveal the shadows within you. Stay in your safety. It's all good. Astrological Scorpio shows you what you can transform now. It's completely normal if you don't feel so good emotionally at this time. If you accept it gratefully, look at it and let it go, you will be one step ahead again.
wheel of the year
We are integrated into the annual cycle and are subject to the rhythms of nature. Unfortunately, the special qualities of the seasons have been lost to us over the centuries in the pursuit of ever further, faster, higher!
If you would like to find out more about the qualities of the wheel of the year, continue reading on my year circle page:
