Can Curry Relieve Joint Pain?

Absolutely! I discovered this by accident after I had a bad fall on the sidewalk and wrenched my knee. Fortunately, nothing was broken, but for a couple of weeks my knee was swollen and sore. In fact, for a few days, it hurt too much to bear weight on it and I had to use a cane.

About a week after the fall, I had a craving for red curry. I was still in quite a bit of pain and it hurt to walk. So rather than hobble into a restaurant, I made a batch of curry at home. I noticed that about 20 minutes after I ate a big plate of it, my knee felt a lot better. Several hours later, the pain started coming back, which led me to wonder what was going on.

A little research showed that turmeric, an ingredient in curry, has long been used in Chinese and Indian (Ayurvedic) medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent. Curcurmin, the volatile oil that gives turmeric its intense yellow color, has the advantage of relieving pain and a host of other conditions, without side effects.

I have arthritis and have found that Western pharmaceuticals don't work for me. They simply don't relieve the pain. They do have a long list of side effects that would make them unacceptable to me for regular use, even if they did work. 

Since this discovery, I have been adding turmeric to soups, stews - wherever the flavor might be complementary - to keep my joints feeling better.

I also add cayenne pepper for its anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. I don't need a lot. I substitute it for black pepper in dishes like scrambled eggs. Just a dash will add a slight bit of heat and a whole lot of benefits. (If you are sensitive to nightshade plants, however, you might want to forego the cayenne.)

If you want to try this at home, red curry is very simple to make. I "cheat" and use bottled red curry sauce. If I use the Thai Kitchen brand, available locally at PCC stores, I add more turmeric, cayenne and ground ginger to it, because I like more spicy flavor. I also use Trader Joe's red curry sauce which doesn't (in my opinion) need much extra spice.

I start by sauteing vegetables. I like onions, garlic and red peppers, but you could use matchstick pieces of carrot or celery, whatever you like.

When the vegetables are softened, I add the curry sauce and let the mixture simmer until the vegetables are cooked through. Then I add shredded cooked chicken or shrimp, stir and simmer another minute or two.

While the sauce is simmering, I make rice and steam some broccoli. By the time the rice is done, everything else is ready to put onto the plate.

I like to put down a layer of rice, top it with the curry, put the broccoli on top and then garnish with a generous amount of chopped cilantro. If I have a lime handy, I squeeze some juice over it all.

And there you have it - As Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine."

Under Winter Moon

How do you warm up on a bitter cold night in Seattle? You put on a blue polyester choir robe and join 59 other singers on stage, under hot lights, and put on a holiday concert!

On Sunday night, our SSCC Community Choir presented a show that offered something for everyone: Traditional Christmas carols, a community singalong, a beautiful classical piece sung a cappella in Latin, a rhythmic African carol accompanied by drummers, a series of Moravian carols, a rousing gospel rendition of Go Tell It On The Mountain that brought the house down and a lush ballad, Under Winter Moon, with a cello accompaniment.

I can't begin to tell you how much fun this music was to learn. And our audience obviously enjoyed the show. Some neighbors of mine were so inspired, in fact, that they have decided to join the choir!

For me, choir is the gift that keeps on giving. Rehearsals are a highlight of each week. The shows are great fun to do. And remembering the harmonies coming together and the smiling faces in the audience leaves me in a happy glow for days afterward.

I am very grateful to our talented music director, Paula Herd, who finds a way to plan a program each quarter that challenges and entertains us. We are also blessed to have Edie Martin, our patient pianist, who repeats difficult passages over and over and over until we get them right.

In 2014, we will celebrate the Community Choir's 30th anniversary. I can't wait for the first rehearsal!