Emanuela Fischer - Veggie Stars

“Strengthening the immune system is at the very heart of the VIVAMAYR medical approach. Healthy nutrition is the most important preventative factor.”

Professor Harald Stossier

“Our immune system is like a police force, ambulance service and fire brigade all rolled into one. The fewer secondary sites it is required to attend, the better it will be able to take care of our health.”

Dr. Maximilian Schubert

Our immune system is trained to protect our body against viruses, bacteria, fungi and illness. 80 percent of the immune system connects with the digestive tract, which accordingly also has a major role to play. If we are to extract nutrients and vitamins from the food we eat and ensure that our defences are equipped with all the necessary weapons, then it is vital that our digestive system is working well. Its effectiveness will diminish if we overload it with ongoing stress or a surfeit of food and if we eat at the wrong times. This will also decrease the ability of our immune system to tackle intruders such as viruses. The strain caused by incompatible foods can also damage our intestinal mucosa and trigger inflammations. This means in turn that important micro nutrients such as Vitamins A, C and E are used up in greater quantities. The ability of the immune system to serve the rest of our body is restricted if it is constantly engaged in damage limitation. The issue of whether we stay healthy or become ill ultimately depends on how strong our own immune system is. We cannot influence the power of a virus, but we can definitely take action to improve our body’s defences. On the next few pages, you will find out how to provide the best possible support to your immune system by following an alkaline diet which is rich in micro nutrients, by improving your food habits, by paying attention to physiological rhythms, by eating slowly and by chewing everything thoroughly.

Whereas diets and detox programmes focus exclusively on the choice, omission and combination of certain foods, VIVAMAYR pursues a holistic approach which also integrates individual digestive capacity. What we eat is not the only crucial thing. Another key factor is the way in which our digestive apparatus deals with this food intake. The question is whether it is able to make the best possible use of all nutrients. Alongside food quality and personal intolerances, close attention is paid to achieving a balanced relationship between acidic and alkaline foodstuffs and to digestive performance within the rhythm of the day.

Mayr treatments which are supervised by a physician will consciously focus on a monotonous food selection in order to nurse the digestive apparatus. By way of contrast, the everyday emphasis is on diversity and variety. You can ensure that your organism receives all the important nutrients it needs by adopting a healthy mixed diet which comprises plenty of vegetables, whole carbohydrates, protein and high-quality fats ( p. 30ff.).

Our organisms need alkalis and acids in order to achieve healthy digestion and effective detoxification processes. Both are absorbed via food and drink, whilst the body is also able to produce acids itself. The ratio between acid and alkali is expressed in the form of a pH value. Our bodies impose strict controls on this so-called acid-base balance in order to maintain constant pH values in individual areas and to avoid any over-acidification. Stress, toxins from the environment, an excess of acidic foodstuffs and irregular and late mealtimes which inhibit digestion will, however, all cause the acid load to rise constantly. An acid load which is too high will exert a negative impact on our metabolism. Such a circumstance will, however, also increase vulnerability to allergies and modern lifestyle diseases.

An acid metabolism does not develop overnight and, by the same token, there is also no short cut back to a good acid-base balance. The most certain pathway is a balanced diet which includes alkaline and acidic foods in a ratio of 2:1. For this reason, alkaline vegetables will always play the main role in the recipes presented in the following chapters.

Fresh seasonal vegetables are the stars of VIVAMAYR cooking. In order to provide you with proper guidance, the recipe chapter starting on p. 50presents them in accordance with the most important categories. The symbols used (see below) enable vegan and vegetarian dishes to be identified at a glance. They also highlight recipes which are easy to prepare, even for those with little experience of cooking. Special “free from” icons provide a clear labelling system which saves you the trouble of looking through lists of ingredients to check for allergens such as lactose and gluten.

Turn to the VIVAMAYR Cookery School on p. 26ff. to discover all you need to know about dealing with oils, fats, herbs and spices. It presents detailed information on the art of using oils and fats ( p. 30ff.) and on the art of using herbs and spices ( p. 34ff.) alongside basic recipes for mixtures, sauces, doughs and toppings.

A summary of alternative products, which can also be used to prepare the dishes equally well, is provided on p. 42. This will enable you to use all of the recipes regardless of seasonal availability.

Standard utensils which can be found in any home kitchen are perfectly adequate in order to prepare the food described. For those wishing to upgrade their equipment, p. 29showcases a number of practical professional devices and appliances which are used in the professional kitchens at the VIVAMAYR Medical Health Resort.

Labelling of the recipes

Identifying symbols have been placed against all dishes so that you can tell at a glance which recipes are suitable for which food intolerances.

	F: Fructose intolerance
	G: Gluten intolerance
	H: Histamine intolerance
	L: Lactose intolerance
	C: Candida 1

Recipes containing no dairy produce and vegetarian and vegan recipes are marked ndp , vegetarian and vegan respectively.

shows the amount of work involved.

Beginners

Intermediate