Dental symptoms were not on my list when compiling the topics for this series – that is – until I was faced with a series of my own dental woes. It was hardly my first experience using Gemmos in this way, but it was the first time that it registered that these protocols would be of great value to others. This time around, the timing with this blog series and intensity of my symptoms presented too great of an opportunity to pass up.

Let me first remind you why Gemmotherapy extracts would even be considered for dental symptoms or any symptoms for that matter. Gemmo extracts are able to offer something prescription medication, over the counter medication or herbal remedies do not. The particular plant material used in the extracts, the young buds or shoots of the trees or shrubs, contain the plant equivalent of human stem cells: meristem cells. The inclusion of these cells in the extracts offer the unique simultaneous ability to clean, nourish and rejuvenate tissue. When used in a sequential manner supporting the body’s natural healing process immunity is restored.

Regardless of your symptoms, the fact that they have not resolved has everything to do with your immunity. If whatever therapy or protocol you are using is not focused on restoring your immunity your symptoms will not be resolved. And, most importantly, that therapy or protocol to restore your immunity must begin with optimizing elimination. Otherwise, your symptoms may be controlled, change or relocate, but they aren’t resolved.

Resolving symptoms at their root cause takes a commitment to make choices that support rather than suppress. When faced with acute pain or discomfort of dental symptoms that can be quite challenging. Typically dental symptoms are quite painful, and your focus is likely on making it go away, not the big picture of your health and immunity. This is unfortunate since dental health plays a much more important role than you may realize. When decisions are made from the perspective of “just making a symptom go away” those decisions are rarely supportive of your immunity.

Dental decay

Let’s begin by having a look at a simple yet common symptom, especially in young children: dental decay. It’s important for every parent to learn that even children with the cleanest whole food, plant-based diet will struggle if there is an imbalance in pH, particularly in the mouth and head. How would that imbalance occur? C-section births, premature delivery, and poor elimination that leads to frequent cycles of inflammation of the ears, nose, or throat. All of these are connected with a poor lymphatic cleaning process, leading to states of acidosis. In this case, this state affects the teeth and can lead to decay. The long term solution is to solve this from the root by restoring optimal elimination, lymphatic cleaning, and immunity in order to shift the pH. In the interim, however, upon the appearance of mild decay, the remineralization qualities of Silver Fir extract can be restorative.

Abscess or mouth sores

An abscess in the mouth or gums should always be checked by your health care practitioner. Once it’s determined to be a benign inflammation Walnut gemmotherapy extract would be the best choice for restoring healthy tissue.

Gum tenderness

Gum tenderness and inflammation after dental procedures can be resolved with the same formula used for seasonal allergies. The extracts would include Common Alder, Black Currant, and Dog Rose. These extracts can be applied topically with your finger directly to the gums.

Post-extraction

There are two concerns post tooth extraction, pain and inflammation that would lead to infection. Supporting the immune system with Walnut gemmotherapy extract will prevent the risk of infection. Pain is best controlled with homeopathy, beginning with a dose of Arnica before and directly after tooth removal. Information on resolving continued pain can be found here. The most important point in self-care is to understand an extraction is quite a shock for your body and giving yourself the time needed to recover, supporting your immune system is critcal. Following an acute care plan as you would at the first signs of a flu or virus for a minimum of 24 hours is advised otherwise you may find yourself facing one or the other a week or so later.

Post-amalgam removal

Removing amalgam, mercury fillings puts quite a stress on the body. The greatest concern being the leaking of mercury into your bloodstream. Fortunately, we have two Gemmotherapy extracts, Mistletoe and Common Beech that together serve as an excellent support post-procedure. These can be taken together twice a day for four weeks following the removal.

If you would like further information on Gemmotherapy extracts, you’ll want to read my Beginner’s Guide on Gemmotherapy. Specific information on dosing Gemmotherapy extracts can be found in my books, An Introduction to Acute Care or Building Immunity in Babies and Children.

For individualized support, I recommend you consult with a practitioner trained in Gemmotherapy to restore immunity or consider working directly with me. Looking for a deeper understanding? Consider taking my next Foundations of Gemmotherapy series.

The information above is for educational purposes and not meant to replace the care and guidance of your health care practitioner.

Honestly, you can’t have too many recipes for cauliflower. This one went together in a snap and was the perfect way to use two sweet and tender heads I picked up at the farmers market this weekend. Here’s a Cauliflower Chaat from the New York Times Cooking Section with some creative adaptations.

Ingredients for the cauliflower:

• 10 tablespoons sunflower or coconut oil
• 2 small heads cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• Salt to taste
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chaat masala (spice mix)
• 2 cups cooked Basmati rice

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 2 cups cilantro
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1 small white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 tablespoons of coconut or almond yogurt
• ½ teaspoon of cumin
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted almonds

Optional toppings

• 1 seeded pomegranate
• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and pan roasted with a bit coconut oil and cumin to add a bit of crisp and flavor

Preparation

Heat the oil in a sauté pan on med-high heat, until the oil just begins to smoke in small wisps. Add the cauliflower florets and lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt and allow the florets to brown in the pan, then stir and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for another minute or two, then add ginger and jalapeño. Stir well, combine cilantro, lemon juice, and chaat masala, and stir again.

Remove pan from heat and cover.

Prepare the sauce: Place all ingredients plus 2 tablespoons water in a small food processor and purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides and incorporate everything. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle with almonds, pomegranate seeds, and chickpeas.

Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Adapted from the: The Joy Of Cooking For One, as seen in the New York Times.

In addition to my work with clients, I’m fortunate to teach courses on the holistic principles behind my method of using Gemmotherapy extracts. As the interest in finding natural ways to restore the body grows so have my classes. There was a time not so long ago that I struggled to fill a Foundations of Gemmotherapy series once a year. Today I offer it 4-5 times a year at capacity. Thanks to technology, I’m able to hold live, interactive online classes and get to know my students personally even though they may live on the other side of the globe. This new series, Why I study Gemmotherapy, will allow me to introduce just a few of the incredible practitioners and parents who make up this growing international community of Gemmotherapy fans.

Today I’d like you to meet Dumi from Cluj Romania. Dumi is a health coach who works with new moms in her practice. She is also a mother of two naturally healthy children, a 7 ½-year-old daughter and a 3 ½-year-old son. Dumi and I met when I gave a seminar in Cluj last summer. Since then, she has been inspired to continue online training with me and is now participating in my new Gemmo Moms program. Here are some of the thoughts she shared with me about her children and her work:

“I’ve never used allopathic medication and I have healed all their childhood conditions at home. I empower moms to educate themselves, create change and experience shifts in their lifestyle [in my work].

I study Gemmotherapy because it works and it works right away! The body – be it that of a child or a grown-up, instantly and positively responds to it. We might not be aware of our innate intuitive healer, but Gemmotherapy is here to help us recall what healing from within means.

I was first attracted to Gemmotherapy because of my belief that we must “Primum non nocere“ – “First do no harm”. I think Nature thinks and acts according to this principle at every step. It has been proving that for the past 5000 years. When I first read that gemmotherapy deals with young plant tissue where stem cells are present I immediately understood that we’re taking advantage of Nature’s intelligence in one tiny bottle.

Now, given your studies, what is it that intrigues you most?
Why is it that the same extract can heal one thing in a body and the very same extract can heal another thing in another body?
How come it works holistically – mind, body, emotions spirit?

What potential do you see for Gemmotherapy in the future?
It could be every mother’s mighty healing tool.

How do you use Gemmotherapy in your practice?
I use it for elimination and respiratory system problems. I haven’t gone any further because those two systems are where most people are challenged and Gemmos have so much to offer.

What more would you like to learn about Gemmotherapy?
I am still pondering whether I believe in that Gemmotherapy is more effective in an allopathic way of thinking “for this condition – you take this gemmo” ? Or must we understand the person holistically and intuitively select the most appropriate gemmo?

What advice would you give someone, a mom or a practitioner interested in Gemmotherapy?
Try Gemmotherapy first, in most situations the body will heal itself.
Try silver birch sap extract for 2 weeks and journal about your experience. See it for yourself.

On the 17th of March, just one year ago, we returned from our morning swim at Barton Springs to the sound of chain saws cutting through the quiet of our neighborhood. Across from our Travis Heights bungalow, a team of men was deep into the work of clearing the property of each and every tree. While we knew the house and lot had been sold, we stood with gaping jaws transfixed by this level of destruction.

Neighbors gathered, and we attempted to console one another each other with reassurances that surely the giant oak, protected by city ordinances, and would remain. This historic oak, majestically filled the view from our living room, shared its root system with our neighborhood fox and often, at sunset, provided a resting place for a barred owl or two. We watched and waited as the day went on and just as we were certain the job was complete the foreman climbed the oak, and its branches began to drop.

My grief was shared equally by my husband Joachim and neighbors, but there was something more I felt. It was pity. I experienced a profound ache for those who have never loved a tree, who had no sense of respect for their role on our planet. That tree, well over a century old, had stood tall and strong before the new owner of the property was even conceived. It had withstood countless phases of development and had been carefully preserved when the neighborhood was first established in the early 1930s. And yet now because homes that fill the lot are the trend, and indoor square footage is of more value than all the qualities of a tree, they are being removed from neighborhoods en mass. I don’t know about you but I happen to value hundred-year-old trees. Actually, I value all trees.

It was the downing of this great Live Oak that served as a final push for us to leave our rapidly transforming corner of Austin. And it should come as no surprise we found the perfect lot full of trees, and a builder that designs around them. Today my office window looks out on this beauty. Each weekday I have the honor of watching its silhouette come into focus as dawn breaks. I know it holds many lessons for me in it’s stillness and strength. If I were a poet, I would construct an ode to my new oak, but alas I am not. However, I am privileged to know about this gift of words left behind for all to enjoy by the late Mary Oliver.

When I am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

– Mary Oliver –

Be sure to follow me @LaurenHubele on Instagram for updates.

When tender stems of baby broccoli, French breakfast radishes, and gorgeous Russian kale made their appearance last week at the Farmer’s Market, I saw the makings of a perfect spring salad. A big thank you to River Bottom Farms for their commitment to sustainable, organic produce. With ingredients that are this fresh and delicious, all that’s needed is some chopping and a yummy sauce to dress it. While a simple vinaigrette would be perfectly fine, I like to use something a little creamy to stand up to the textures of this veggie mix. You’ll find my favorite hemp and miso dressing below with two flavor options.

Here are the super simple instructions to make this salad at home:

• Baby broccoli, finely chopped including the tender stems (often sold as broccolini)
• A handful or more of radishes, grated if large enough, or sliced thin
• Russian kale, stemmed and finely chopped
• Carrots, peeled and grated

All of these ingredients can be prepped by hand or use a veggie bullet to finish this task in a jiffy. Mix together with the miso dressing in a large salad bowl an hour before serving.

Hemp-Miso Dressing

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of olive oil ( for an oil-free version increase the water to ½ cup)
• 3/4 cup hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons white or chickpea Miso

For more flavor choose one of the following sets of ingredients to add before blending:

Creamy Herb – A pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, and mineral salt, a few strands of chives, along with a few sprigs of fresh dill and parsley

Ginger Mustard – 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, old style whole grain and raw, 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated

Blend all dressing ingredients in a high powered blender. Consider doubling the batch as this will keep for three days when refrigerated.

Enjoy!!!

Yes, this is really another taco recipe – and just weeks after sharing one with pan-roasted Brussels sprouts. If I promise this is it for now, will you give it a try? You really won’t want to miss the ease and practical way to get your veggie quota for the day.

Pictured above is how we typically roll on taco night. I roast whatever veggies happen to be leftover from the week, cook a pot of pinto or black beans and serve it all alongside some salsa and avocado. If there are cheese lovers at your table you might try Kite Hill Ricotta or any of these choices from Parmella Creamery. As for tortillas, there are so many options these days, from grain-free choices by Siete to the handmade corn tortillas we find along the taco belt in Texas.

Here are the suggested ingredients with simple instructions to make up your own weeknight taco feast. Feel free to change up the vegetables to suit your family and what you have on hand.

Oven Roasted Veggies

Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut all veggies into cubes or slices, toss with coconut or sunflower oil, season with salt and pepper. Place on baking trays lined with parchment paper. These cook up well, but you might try other combos:

• Purple sweet potatoes
• Sweet peppers
• Onion
• Portobello Mushrooms

Pan Roasted Veggies

In a heavy skillet saute sliced stems in a bit of oil, over medium heat with a few slices of onion and flakes of red pepper. When the stems begin to soften, add the chopped leaves. Cover with a lid, turning down the heat cooking until just wilted.

• Chopped Red Chard

Serve tacos with:
Salsa or Pico de Gallo
Sliced ripe avocado

Serve up veggies on a large platter, tortillas in a pan to keep warm. I recommend assembly to begin with mashing a slice or two of ripe avocado in the center of the tortilla, topping that with a spoon of beans if desired, fitting in as many veggies as you possible, topped with a healthy bit of salsa to add some heat. Enjoy!

Individuals I coach each arrive with their own unique agenda which is what keeps my job interesting. Let me introduce you to Susan, a self-proclaimed PBS addict who reads tons of books and works in the natural food industry. Although Susan and I had worked together in the past to support her physical health, this was my first opportunity to coach her. The experience was richly rewarding, mostly due to the commitment to change that she brought to our sessions.

From our first meeting, Susan expressed the overwhelming sensation of being stuck. She felt stuck in a life routine that was no longer satisfying and yet believed she was unable to make changes to provide relief. Susan made it clear to that she hoped to restart, realign, and renew her thought process in order to break out of the anxious, miserable place she was in. This new way of being was important not only because Susan felt so unhappy, but she was about to return to her hometown of Temple, Texas, where she had a beautiful new home under construction. Although she looked forward to spending time in nature on her half-acre plot with a creek she certainly didn’t want to bring this lack of joy with her.

Recently I asked Susan to reflect on the work she had done over the past five months by answering a few questions. Below are the questions and her responses:

How are you different after 5 months of coaching?
How am I not different now!!! I’ve got my hope back! I can feel joy again! I’m happy and looking forward to adventures every day.

How do you feel about yourself given the changes you experienced?
I am really proud of myself for not giving up…I have had my challenges with mental wellness throughout my life but this particular period lasted close to 7 years.

What have you learned?
My key learnings were that it is imperative I get adequate, regular sleep – without sleep, I am anxious and angry and unable to handle life and there is lots of cursing and emotional breakdowns. Another key is that I am so much more happy and functional if I practice mindfulness and stay in this very moment. I have no business lingering in the past or speculating about the future.

Are there areas you’d still like to work on in the future?
I do feel like I still have a way to go and much to learn on the road to emotional health. It’s a part of me that is still immature, and coaching would most likely be beneficial.

What opportunities are available for you with your new perspective?
I think there are scores of opportunities available – I just couldn’t see them and wasn’t even interested before. Now I find and contemplate all sorts of ideas and adventures.

What was the experience of being coached like for you?
It took me a couple of sessions to get comfortable with the idea and format of being coached – it’s different than talk therapy. For me the sessions became exploratory – how can I get this done? It was great to be able to verbalize what I was wanting to do and then set realistic intentions and goals.

What advice would you offer others who might consider being coached?
We should learn and grow our whole entire lives and be excited to be alive!!! But when we fall into oblivion or are surrounded by darkness or just simply feel stuck – that is the time to reach out for help. It’s a legitimate way to grow and get back on track.

Does the idea of being coached intrigue you? Read about why I coach. Would you like to know more about working together? Here is a great place to begin.

Hands down the easiest and most satisfying midweek meal at my house is a Thai Curry. The beauty of curry is that you can use almost any leftover vegetables in your fridge, and with the right sauce, and a bit of steamed rice it will be a hit. Pictured above is this week’s curry of sweet peppers, onions, baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and a few fingerling potatoes. If you’re new to this, you might want to begin with a standard base of onions, peppers, and mushrooms and build from there depending on what’s available.

My curry game immensely improved when I discovered this Thai and True Curry Paste available online. They have several options to choose from, but yellow curry is my current favorite. If I can rally a bit of help chopping veggies, I can have this on the table in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion or leek, sliced thin
• 1-2 sweet red or yellow bell peppers, sliced thin
• 1lb of baby bella, white, or shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• Fresh greens: 6-8 baby bok choy chopped, or 8-12 large leaves of collards or kale, stemmed and chopped
• Starchy vegetables like fingerling potatoes, sweet potatoes, a kabocha or delicata squash or yellow summer squash. Cut into bite-sized chunks.
• 1 can whole fat coconut milk
• Curry paste to taste, 1-2 tablespoons
• Coconut oil for sauteing vegetables
• Juice from one lime

Follow these simple steps:

1. Rinse and put your rice on to cook. I am a fan of white basmati.
2. Place squash or potatoes in a steamer and cook until fork tender. Don’t overcook as we want it to retain its shape in the curry.
3. In a heavy skillet or wok, over medium heat, melt coconut oil and add sliced onions (or leeks) and sweet pepper. Cook to soften. Remove to a plate. Add more oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms.
4. Once mushrooms are cooked return onions and peppers to pan. Add greens, covering with a lid to lightly steam. Once greens have wilted stir in curry paste, mixing in well.
5. Pour in coconut milk, stir well and gently blend in steamed veggies.
6. Serve with rice.

Enjoy!