| Peace Potatoes: The Real
Nutritional Value of Carbs by Karen Johnson I have always believed that potatoes are the food of the gods and goddesses. I've eaten them mashed, fried, riced, baked, boiled and hashed. I've eaten them for comfort, when angry, worried, broke, rich, celebrating and mourning. Close behind potatoes is bread. Both are carbs. The current nutritional trend says that carbs are a no-no. I disagree. I believe we have completely missed the real nutritional value of carbs. They are comfort and healing food. And that healing benefit revealed itself in a new way recently in St. Petersburg, Russia. Delegates from 27 countries (Russia, USA, Canada, Cyprus, Palestine, Dagestan, Israel, China and Afghanistan, for example) gathered for 14 days in May, in St. Petersburg, Russia. They gathered to share tools on conflict resolution and peacemaking at the 12th International Conference on Conflict Resolution. The group included 65 children from around the world. Participants included relief workers, college professors, therapists, shamans, midwives, Reiki practitioners, mental health workers and others. All of us had one goal in mind -- gaining new and refining old peace-making skills. Our days involved seminars, lectures and gathering at the table to break bread and eat potatoes together. Potatoes are a staple in the Russian diet, especially in the northern latitudes where fresh vegetables and spring arrive later in the year. Potatoes were served at lunch and dinner for 14 days. For the vegetarians in the group, potatoes became the staple of their diets. Dialogue occurred in the meetings and seminars, on the sidewalks and in the tour buses. But the real dialogue occurred over potatoes and bread. The food of the gods and the oft-misunderstood carbs were the agents of peacemaking. A new reason to love them! As the conference progressed, Palestinians and Israelis sat together over food and talked. They listened deeply. They talked openly. With each meal their body language, as they huddled with heads close and shoulders and arms touching, revealed the intense peacemaking work that the potatoes had helped to facilitate. The delegates from Cyprus shared their hearts about the conflict in that tiny nation. The Afghanistan delegate discussed the situation there. The South African representative shared the process involved in the land reparations for the San people, or Bushmen. And a few tables away, youth from around the world ate potatoes, shared bread and laughed as they discovered how very much alike they are and in that process gave birth to a joint peace declaration. For what its worth, my appreciation of potatoes and carbs has expanded. I always knew they were the food of the gods and goddesses, but I now honor that gift, from the fertility of Mother Earth, to us. When we, as humans, can't accomplish things on our own, nature will provide us the necessary tools, if only we will open our mouths and.... Karen Johnson, member of Lake Harriet Spiritual Community and Geography professor at North Hennepin Community College, will share more insights gathered at the 12th International Conference on Conflict Resolution on July 16, at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community, 4401 Upton Avenue South. This experiential talk will take place from 7-10 p.m. Gather some new tools to help you in your own peacewalk. Donations requested. For more information please call Karen at (763) 439-3104 or e-mail shewalkswithbear@aol.com Copyright © 2004 Karen Johnson |
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July 2004 |
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