Image of the Week: Queen of Corona
© 2020 Durga Yael Bernhard
Thirty-two years ago I frequented a Hindu chanting circle, where I was given the Sanskrit name Durga. "Durga-Ma", as she is known in India, is a powerful goddess of the Hindu pantheon who rides a lion or tiger. She is a warrioress who holds a different weapon in each of her multiple hands to fight a mythic buffalo demon who threatens the people.
I'm not a Hindu, and I don't much identify with the name Durga – but it sure made a good pen name for all the children's books I've published. Today, however, she seems like an appropriate symbol, as we are threatened by a new demon: COVID-19. My goddess-warrior hails the weapons of an anti-viral lifestyle. These are the elements of my own diet that have emerged from four decades of studying medicinal herbs and nutrition – the building blocks of good health and strong immunity – or as the pedestal of the goddess proclaims, robust resilience. That's what will fight the Coronavirus!
Starting at the top: an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruit to supply vital macro and micronutrients in their natural, complex form: celery, for it's alkalinity; beets, for their vibrant purple phytochemicals; mustard greens, kale, beet greens and lettuce, for their fiber and numerous vitamins and minerals; carrots and butternut squash for their beta-carotene (to form immune-boosting vitamin A); raw garlic for its anti-viral properties; and apples for their vitamin C, healthy carbohydrates, fiber, and pectin.
Moving clockwise:
• oranges and other citrus fruit in their whole form for their abundant vitamin C and fiber;
• kimchi for its fermented fighting power against viruses and bacteria (may help prevent UTIs, too);
• blueberries for their immune-enhancing antioxidants and unique brain-boosting properties;
• lemons for their alkalinizing effect, vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium;
• anti-viral liquid extracts such as tincture of reishi mushroom, olive leaf, turkey tail mushroom, and others;
• goat dairy for its easily-digested protein (lacking the caseins that make cow's milk problematic), highly absorbable calcium, and therapeutic effect on the intestines;
• wild-caught sardines for their omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamin B12 and B6, protein, selenium, vitamin D, and potassium;
• yams, whose brilliant orange color is a great source of vitamins A, B6, C, and more.
These are my favorite allies. Sunshine, too, plays a role in immunity by providing crucial vitamin D (just five minutes per day without sunscreen, or 20 minutes with) and in lifting our spirits.
Also shown are my enemies, crushed under the lion's feet – from left to right: refined sugar, tobacco, soft drinks, and alcohol. Especially during times of high risk of infectious diseases, a foundation of good health includes the elimination of these harmful foods (alcohol is not even considered a food, as its empty calories contain no nutrients, and it is classified as a toxin). These substances weaken the immune system; drain the body's energy reserves; stress the liver and kidneys; promote cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease; acidify the digestive tract; and create an environment in which viruses and bacteria thrive. (Resveratrol, contained in grapes and wine, has not been proven to be beneficial in humans; flavonoids, also found in wine, can be found just as easily in berries.)
Thanks to Simon & Garfunkel for their song "Me & Julio Down By the School Yard" with the lyrics "Queen of Corona" (must be referring to beer), which sparked the idea for my colorful queen. I listened to the song while working on this illustration over the last few days. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was helpful, too.
Want to support a well-nourished but financially starved artist? The economic fallout of COVID-19 has dried up almost all my work. You can order a poster ($10 including shipping) of this image by filling in "Queen of Corona" in the "Name of Image" blank here.
A healthy and nutritious week to all –
D Yael Bernhard