Mind-Body-Soul Series #2
Mind-Body-Soul Series #2
Sickness, dumpling soup, and fall weather vibes
The Mind-Body-Soul series is a weekly round-up from Human/Mother that aims to feed the minds, bodies, and souls of “cycle-breakers,” or “people who identify and intentionally change negative patterns, behaviors, or traditions within their family or relationships.”
Mind:
For this past week, I’ve been sequestered in bed, sick with COVID. Did we all just collectively wince at the C-word? I think we did. “COVID fatigue.” I get it. An editor I’ve been working with gave a note on my last personal essay to “cut down the COVID references.” They directed, “Readers are tired of reading about COVID, COVID times, etc.” I suppose, they’re right, but also it was a very real, traumatic thing that we all lived through, too? So, kind of an important historical subject? I digress.
Last night, I was working on a story pitch for a potential new client related to the science of epigenetics (which I reference in my piece here). I re-read this paper, “The Role of Epigenetics in Psychological Resilience,” written by Dr. Demelza Smeeth, Stephan Beck, Elie G. Karam, and Michael Pluess (Lancet Psychiatry, 2021).
I find the work fascinating, particularly as a person who has a family history of mental illness, has undergone childhood trauma, and is still experiencing complicated grief. The science is revelatory and hopeful, as it pertains to human’s resilience despite adverse genetic factors: “In line with contemporary thinking, we consider resilience to be a dynamic process or complex function of numerous individual (e.g. genetic factors) and social-environmental factors (e.g. social support) which allows an individual to maintain good psychological health despite significant adversity.”
In other words, if you grew up facing psychological adversity, all is not lost! It is scientifically-proven that human beings can overcome and prevail—despite their family’s history of mental health struggles. The way in which humans are able to do this is by modifying the epigenome “in response to a variety of environmental factors including diet, physical health, and psychological trauma, allowing long-term adaptive changes to gene expression.” By eating well, exercising, and seeking therapy, humans can heal themselves on a genetic level, which, in turn, can positively impact future generations (a.k.a. break cycles of trauma, poverty, etc.). I’m pumped, y’all! You should be, too.
Body:
As I mentioned before, I’ve been sick this week, so my body has been in horizontal recovery mode. I slept the most I’ve slept in months (maybe, years?). It was awful but also glorious.
I didn’t have the energy to cook most days, but luckily “past Katrina” prepared and froze homemade chicken broth, months ago. I used the broth as a base and Trader Joe’s Pork Dumplings as the primary protein to make the easiest and most delicious dumpling soup.
This recipe gave me a starting point, and I modified heavily, taking out many ingredients because I didn’t have them on hand. I added garlic, fresh jalapeno slices from our garden, and doubled the scallions. Finally, I gave the finished product a little drizzle of toasted sesame oil and tamari soy sauce and a little dash of Trader Joe’s Furikake. I will undoubtedly make this one again when my family inevitably enters “sick season” (a.k.a. winter).
Soul:
We’ve heard sweet whispers from fall here in the Blue Ridge Mountains for the past couple of days. The mornings and evenings have been in the high 50s to low 60s, and it has been absolute bliss. All of a sudden, neighbors are out and about the neighborhood, nearly skipping with glee. As we perfunctorily go inside and outside of our homes, we all sport the goofiest smiles on the planet that read, “Oh, thank God, the oppressive summer heat is over!” Some daring folks may even mention their enthusiasm for drinking a pumpkin-spiced hot beverage “soon.”
For all the parents of school-aged children, the cool temperatures also signal the start of the new school year or the start of “regularly-scheduled programming,” wherein routines and daily habits bring form and shape back to our chaotic, busy lives. Despite my family feeling “under the weather,” we were able to enjoy it, out on our lovely front porch, feeling the cool breeze find its way through our loose, silky strands of hair as we painted summer memories, created fantasy-themed chalk art on the sidewalk, and constructed fairy houses in cardboard boxes.
This unexpected slow-down with my two suns was medicine for the soul. Occasionally, life’s unplanned, un-fun surprises turn out to be remarkable.
P.S.: Next week, my husband and I will celebrate our fifteenth wedding anniversary in NYC–sans kids! This will be the longest trip away from our littles that we’ve taken since the arrival of our first child, over four years ago. Although I am anxious to leave our daughters, I know that they are being left in good hands. And, as our day of departure (Saturday) draws near, I am becoming increasingly excited about the experience of walking through the city where we clocked thousands upon thousands of steps together for over six years. As many mothers reading this mediocre piece of writing know, in motherhood, two things can be true at once!
Until next time,
Katrina
Homework: What has nourished your mind, body, and/or soul this past week? Sound off in the comments below. Sharing is caring :)
