Happy Lunar New Year

“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” ~ Socrates

In the last few years, I have been on a journey to simplify my life. It’s been a continual work in progress.  With the Lunar New Year approaching, I want to focus this coming year on the concept of less.  

I hear from many of my patients, especially the ones I’m treating for stress or anxiety, that they want to simplify their life. YET, at the same time, they tell me about the new things they are addingto their schedules.  Of course, we all want to take the “chores” out of our lives and only do the fun and leisurely things. While that is a nice thought, it’s not realistic. 

There will always be chores, tasks, and responsibilities that are not fun or pleasant, but we have to do them. Most of us, including myself, keep adding more to our hectic schedules to convince ourselves we can have and do it “all.” In fact, the only thing we seem to be removing from our schedules is time for rest and sleep.

As a society, we glorify busy.  We have a knack of making even enjoyable events seem stressful because we are so overwhelmed.The following are some goals I’m setting for myself in 2015 to help me enjoy life with “less.”  

• I want to take an event off my schedule and NOT replace it with something else.  

• I want to have more moderation in my life, especially in terms of food. I’d like to have a more balanced intake of food, especially sugar.

• I want to stop practicing “retail therapy” when I’m stressed.

What are your “less” goals for the year? I hope this year of less will lead to a lifetime of more happiness.

Points of Wellness would like to wish everyone a Happy Lunar New Year! Let’s welcome in the year of the Green Sheep. The sheep is seen as a symbol of peace, balance, harmony and calmness. Come and visit us if you are looking for balance and calmness in the New Year!

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season

Feeling less energetic? Getting tired earlier in the evening? It might be just the energy of the season. Many animals hibernate this time of year. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this time of year is governed by Yin energy, which is dark, cold, slow, and composed of inward energy.

Yin energy in the winter months give life to the Yang energy of summer, which is light, hot, quick, and has more outward qualities. Hence, Yang energy encourages people to go out and be active.

Winter’s energy encourages us to look inward; it is a great time for meditation, yoga and T’ai Chi practices. In order to live according to the season, TCM teaches us that the foods in winter enrich yin and subdue yang. Look for foods that naturally grow in this season, such as squashes, potatoes, root vegetables, winter greens, mushrooms, apples, pears, and citrus fruits.

Most importantly, in the winter, our bodies need warming foods like soups made with hearty vegetables. Rich stocks cooked with animal bones are best. Use your leftover turkey bones to make a nutritious and warming soup, such as a turkey noodle soup. Other foods that are especially good for the winter months are black beans, kidney beans, lamb, chicken, walnuts, chestnuts, black sesame seeds, and dark leafy greens.

If you are feeling run down, take the time to rest and replenish. Nature tells us that this is the time of year to take good care of our entire body: physically, mentally and spiritually.

So, enjoy your bowl of turkey noodle soup!

Points of Wellness would like to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

Remember: give the gift of health, gift certificates are available.

 

 

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD

This time of the year we have a tendency to over indulge, especially when it comes to food. Along with the desserts, appetizers, fried food, and so on, many of us experience heartburn or acid reflux. The medical term for acid reflux is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, can offer an effective and natural treatment for acid reflux.

Your acupuncturist will place thin needles into various parts of your body to regulate the flow of Qi (energy) to restore organs, such as the spleen, liver, heart, stomach and kidneys, to their normal function.

During the busy holiday season, if you cannot get in for a treatment here are some points you can use to help yourself.

• PC 6 (inner gate) is located on the palm side of you wrist, about 2 thumb widths above the wrist crease and in the center of the arm. Use the thumb of the opposite hand to apply firm pressure on the point; inhale and exhale deeply for a few minutes while applying pressure.

• ST 36 (three mile) is located on the lateral (outside) side of the lower leg, four fingers width from below the lower border of the kneecap and one finger width off the shin bone on the outside. Apply firm pressure for about a minute.

Regarding herbal remedies, your TCM practitioner will need to diagnose the cause of your reflux. For example, acid reflux may be caused by a TCM condition known as stomach fire, which indicates that excessive heat is flowing into your stomach and irritating it. Another cause for acid reflux could be an imbalance in the liver. One function of the liver, according to TCM, is to control the proper flow of Qi throughout the body. Qi flows through specific pathways, known as meridians, to ensure that all organs of the body are functioning properly. If the liver is not functioning at maximum potential, medical problems can develop in the body.

A number of factors may contribute to acid reflux:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Pregnancy
• Consumption of certain types of foods (such as spicy foods)

Lifestyle changes can cure or greatly reduce symptoms:

• Eat smaller meals throughout the day
• Do not eat right before bedtime
• A glass of warm water with lemon juice first thing in the morning
• Saltine crackers first thing in the morning
• 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 oz. of water
• If you feel you ate something that caused your stomach to be upset, then try chewing on a piece of ginger or drink ginger tea to help your stomach feel better.
• Most of all, reduce the stress in your life

For long term and lasting results, I would encourage you to talk to a Chinese Medicine practitioner for specifics on your reflux symptoms.

I would like to wish you and your family a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

 

Winter Eating

With the colder weather coming, this is a good time of year to assess your eating habits. 

One of the easiest ways to stay healthy is to eat according to what is available during the harvest of each season. It is important to transition into eating warmer, cooked foods during this time of year, and to save the salads and raw foods until next summer.

Foods in season during the fall:

                 

Beets

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Collard Greens

Fennel

Kale

Leeks

Mushrooms

Onions

Parsnips

Peppers

Potatoes

Pumpkins

Turnips

Winter Squash

Apples

Concord grapes

Pears

Duck

Wild Turkey

Atlantic Mackerel

Native Oysters

Pacific Salmon

Red Snapper

Scallops (bay and sea)

A good guideline to follow for eating during the fall is to see what is available at your local farmer's market. Use those foods as a template for building a meal that is appropriate to the season.  Also, look at what’s on sale in grocery stores; they tend to put on sale those foods that are in abundance and readily available.

                 

Additional tips for this season:

Carry around a sweater/sweatshirt/scarf - even if it feels warm outside. During the fall, it is cold in the shade and warm in the sun. This is typically the season where people still dress like it is summer, because the sun still has warmth during the high point of the day. This drastic change in temperature without the proper protection from the environment can put your body at risk. Make sure to dress in layers if you are working or exercising outdoors. You can shed the layers as your muscles warm up.

Eat soup - this is the time of season to begin thinking about and making more nourishing, wholesome, all-encompassing foods, like soups. The best soups contain a protein, veggies, and carbohydrates. They are a great all in one meal! The warm temperature is also beneficial to the yang to prepare oneself for winter.

Keep hydrated - autumn is a time of dryness. The moisture from the humid summer gives way to autumn’s dryness. Also, with the use of heaters, it’s extra dry. It is important to remember this. Drink tea or room temperature water to help your body remain hydrated.

See your acupuncturist – autumn, especially with school back in session, is often the time when people catch the most head colds.  Seeing your acupuncturist can build up your protective Qi to lessen colds during the winter.

Get out and enjoy the change of season, but remember to be prepared for the change in temperature. You don't want to be caught off guard.

Happy Thanksgiving

Sweet Potatoes and yams are a big part of Western holiday traditions.  However, in China, sweet potatoes are a daily part of one’s diet. Sweet potatoes are believed to be warming to the stomach and can aid in relieving indigestion. When buying sweet potatoes, look for ones that are firm and without soft spots, cracks, or bruises.  Cold temperatures will alter their taste so do not refrigerate your sweet potatoes.  When stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated area, sweet potatoes will stay firm for 7 to 10 days.
 
According to Chinese Medicine, sweet potatoes strengthen the spleen and stomach, nourishes your Qi (also known as the body’s energy system), help to clear heat from your body, detoxifies, and helps alleviate constipation.  In terms of Western nutrition, sweet potatoes contain vitamin B6, which soothes your mind as well as strengthens your immune system. Sweet potatoes and yams also happen to be a rich source of DHEA.  As one ages, the body’s levels of DHEA drops.  Thus, eat sweet potatoes year-round and look forward to celebrating a long life!
 
Check out this great roasted sweet potatoes recipe from Dinner Made Easy:
http://www.makedinnereasy.com/roasted-sweet-potatoes.html
 
 
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! 
 
Remember to practice mindful eating and to enjoy every bite that enters your mouth.

Winter is coming!

 
Winter marks a time of short days and long nights.  To live in accordance with this time of year, we should slow down, go to bed early, and rise earlier in the morning.  As a society that is constantly on the go, we live completely opposite of nature.  We are ruled by our calendars and our latest devices.  We get up early and go to bed late causing the proverbial candle to burn at both ends.  This constant go heightens are susceptibility to colds and illness during this time of the year.
 
Chinese medicine says winter is governed by Kidney energy and Water.  Energy is called Qi and is the basis for all the energies in the body.  Winter is a time to rest and restore your vital energies.  You want to reserve your Qi for when you are stressed or sick.  Additionally, if you have good Qi, you will age gracefully (e.g., less graying) and have less health issues.  Acupuncture is a good way to reinforce your Kidney Qi.
 
Winter is a time when many people tend to reduce their activity levels.  So, if you reduce your activity level, you should also reduce the amount of food you eat.  Avoid raw foods, which cool the body, during the winter as much as possible. Consume warming foods, such as soups, stews, root vegetables, beans, roasted nuts, garlic, and ginger.  Soups and stews can be made with foods with a lot of nutrients.  Eating foods that will strengthen Kidney energy, such as walnuts (just eat a few every day), will help to keep you healthy and strong throughout the winter months.
 
Now, if you’ve already caught that cold, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help with the chills, sniffles, sore throat, or fever in a safe and non-toxic way.  Acupuncture does not interfere with Western medical treatment. In other words, if you are taking over-the-counter cold medicine or antibiotics, acupuncture would be a nice complement to any medication you are taking.  The addition of Chinese Medicine could also aid in a shorter recovery time.
 
In particular, Gua Sha, which means to “scrape away fever”, is a great way to treat a cold.  Gua Sha is a healing technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Gua (gwa), meaning to scrape or extract, and Sha (shaw), meaning sand or toxins, involves the layering of oil onto the skin. This oil is enhanced either with healing herbs or essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, chosen to aid in the extraction of toxic waste from the body.  Pressure is applied to the skin in strokes using a round-edged instrument.  The result is the appearance of small red petechiae, or spots on your skin, called ‘sha’.  These spots will fade in 2 to 3 days.
 
Gua Sha treatments are not painful according to most people.  Raising Sha promotes circulation and removes blood stagnation, which is when the flow of blood is blocked and can lead to an imbalanced body, which leads to health issues.  Gua Sha can help to immediately relieve such symptoms as pain, stiffness, fever, chills, cough, and nausea.  The red spots or Sha are an indication that toxins are being released from the body.  After Gua Sha, areas of the body may be deep purple, indicating that the blood was old and stagnant in that area.  Releasing the toxins from those areas by exposing the Sha removes pathogens from deep within the bodily system, allowing the blood to flow again and for the body to heal.
 
So, in closing, to stay healthy this winter season, remember to eat plenty of warm and nutritious foods, visit your local acupuncturist, and always, keep warm!