Slow Cooker Congee (my favorite feel better meal) + Nurturing Ourselves

And, an expert's tips for what to do when a family member gets a stomach bug

This ultra simple but nourishing congee (rice porridge) gets made in the slow cooker (overnight, if you’d like!) for a restorative meal that feels like an inner nuzzle.

Photo credit: Philip Flicks for Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker, by Nicki SIzemore

Hello my dears,

Two and a half weeks ago I mentioned that my family hadn’t gotten hit by sickness yet this season, but alas, our time came last week. I will spare you the details, but it involved both of my kids getting the same stomach bug (5 days apart! we thought we were in the clear!), tons of disinfectant, a million loads of laundry, and very little sleep. I had one day where I felt like I was hit by a truck—I felt achy and exhausted with a heavy headache and churning belly—but thankfully was spared the worst of it.

One thing I’ve come to know when I get sick, and which I had to explain to my girls last week, is that when illness strikes, it doesn’t serve us to get angry or resistant. My ten-year-old wailed about potentially missing her school play and her belated birthday party (she made her play, but we had to reschedule her party because by that point her sister was sick) and my high schooler was furious, stressing about missing a day of midterms. I totally get it. Sickness sucks.

And, as I gently reminded both girls (and reminded myself on that day when I woke up feeling like a semi had rolled over my head and I fell straight into frustration), when sickness makes its way in, our job is to support our bodies with as much care as possible. “Your body is amazing,” I had to remind each girl (ahem, and myself), as they tightened in frustration. “It’s working so hard right now to fight this bug. The best thing you can do is to get comfortable and nurture yourself as best as you can.”

Stress suppresses the immune system. Instead of putting our energy towards frustration, each of us had to shift into a state of compassion. This required a certain amount of surrender—not to the sickness, but to the reality of the situation. Yes, being sick still sucks, but when we put our energy towards nurturing ourselves—instead of towards resistance or anger—we open the door to healing.

I’m not sure many of us know how to nurture ourselves. It’s not something we’re usually taught, particularly in this culture where productivity is valorized over health and rest, and where our bodies are spoken about in terms of machine-like parts. Nurturing ourselves requires us to build a relationship with these ever-changing sacks of cells, bones and blood, tending to them with care and trust, even when it feels like they’re betraying us.

While my instinct was to take over for my girls, managing their care like a nurse, I instead allowed them to lead the way. I continuously asked them, “What do you think your body needs right now?” or, “What would help the most in this moment?” I wanted them to tune in first, and I was surprised at how wise they were. Each of them, on their own and at different times, requested hot tea, or ice water, or the heat pad for their belly. They each drew epson salt baths for themselves, and made nests in their beds with their favorite stuffed animals. They nurtured themselves, even as I was there to nurture them too.

Part of nurturing ourselves, of course, involves nourishing ourselves. The kids both wanted cold applesauce when they were able to eat again, and I made two batches of this Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. One of my favorite feel-better meals is congee, a creamy rice porridge. The simple recipe below comes from my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker, and it’s made with just a handful of ingredients in the slow cooker, meaning no matter how terrible I feel, I can manage to throw it together. On its own, it’s a warming, restorative meal that’s easy on the belly, but it’s also a revitalizing breakfast/lunch/dinner when loaded with toppings such as eggs, sautéed greens, shredded chicken, tofu, kimchi, chili sauce, etc. It’s actually featured in the breakfast chapter of the book, as you can cook the congee overnight then spoon it into bowls in the morning, adding whatever toppings you’d like—it feels like a hug, from you to you.

We could all use a bit more—by which I mean a hell of a lot more—self-nurturing, and we don’t need to get sick to do so. My invitation for you this week is to nurture yourself with compassion—tend to your body gently and nourish yourself with intention. For those of you who do get caught in the winds of sickness this month (so sorry!),

Sara Redondo, MD

, publisher the Zenith Within newsletter, was so kind to share her tips for what to do when a family member gets a stomach bug, which I’ve also shared below.

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