Grow Your Own Therapy

How fortuitous. I happen to have several juicy lemons in my fruit bowl. 

Personally, as someone who has issues with osteoarthritis, particularly in my knee; I think that the Universe is telling me something important by releasing both of these news stories on the same day.

First, this:

Sugar as a Stress Reliever 

TONY CENICOLA / THE NEW YORK TIMES
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
APRIL 23, 2015 

Many people consume sweets in response to stress. Now researchers may have discovered why. Sugar reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Continue reading here. 

I know what you're thinking. Julia, you're thinking. What? You're off your rocker yet again, woman. There's no connection between sugar and the osteoarthritis in your bum knee.

Ah. But you're wrong. Read on:

Patient's own fat cells transplanted to treat osteoarthritis may be effective 

Osteoarthritis (OA), a debilitating and painful degenerative disease, strikes an estimated 14 percent of adults 25 years of age and older, a third of adults age 65 and older in the U.S. alone. Those who suffer from OA may one day have a new and effective cell therapy, thanks to a team of Czech researchers who studied the effectiveness of using an OA patient's own adipose (fat) cells in a unique transplant therapy aimed at reducing the symptoms of this prevalent and difficult to treat condition as well as healing some of the damage caused by OA. 

The Investigational Review Board of American Naturopathic Research Institute/Naturopathic Oncology Research Institute and local ethics committees-approved study, carried out with 1,114 OA volunteer patients who received autologous (self-donated) fat cell transplants after giving their informed consent, saw their symptoms improved by the therapy. Continue reading here. 

See? SEE??

You don't?

OK. I'll spell it out for y'all. So researchers have been able to show a link between sugar and stress relief. When I employ this stress relief benefit by chomping into one of my delicious lemon cookie bars and in response my less-stressed body grows adipose tissue, I am in effect GROWING MY OWN treatment for the osteoarthritis in my knee.

Wow. Thanks, Universe! Man. I knew my lemon bars were therapeutic.

Do you need to grow your own osteoarthritis treatment? Here's my (and Ina Garten's) recipe. That'll do it.

Lemon Bars
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten and found on Food Network here.

Ingredients

For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.