You know the signs: itchy, watery eyes; runny nose; sneezing; coughing; itchy, scratchy throat, rashes. Springtime allergies are in full force. But why do we have to suffer through seasonal allergies?
Environmental allergies happen when we are exposed to something that our body sees as foreign. According to the Western view, the immune system surveys anything that enters the body to see if it needs to be dealt with or not. Whole organic food, for the most part, is something that comes in and is seen as safe so the immune system stays quiet. Bacteria and viruses are seen as foreign and unsafe so the immune system mounts a defense. Allergens are an in between entity that should be seen as safe, but for some reason the body views as foreign so it mounts a defense. There are many theories about why this happens to some people and not to others, ranging from excessive over exposure to a particular allergen to history of excessive vaccinations. Basically it comes down to how strong your immune system is: a weaker immune system doesn't function as well as a strong one and may react to allergens because it can't differentiate "friend" from "foe."
That is similar to the Eastern view. The Wei Qi is the most superficial Qi in the body and protects us, like a force field, from external invading pathogens; it is the Eastern concept of the immune system. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, the ancient Chinese doctors didn't know about viruses and bacteria causing illness, they viewed illness as an invasion of the elements--Wind, Damp, Cold, Heat, Dryness or Fire. How your body responded to a particular illness told them which element or elements had invaded and they treated accordingly. They focused on treating the body, helping the it get rid of the illness rather than treating the illness itself. With allergies it is the same concept, but is usually limited to Wind, Damp and sometimes Heat; it is possible to see other elements as well, but these are the most prominent ones. When your immune system, or your Wei Qi, is weak, it is like someone poked holes in your force field and the elements can then invade your body and cause symptoms.
In terms of allergies, a Wind invasion causes itching and twitching, as well as a scratchy throat and runny nose. Damp shows as the presence of phlegm (thicker congestion, runny nose, post nasal drip, coughing up sputum), but can also cause foggy headedness and fatigue. Heat is often seen as red and irritated eyes, a sore throat (more than just scratchy), or as rashes and hives (this is often combined with Wind and/or Damp depending on the presentation of the rash).
Through a combination of diet, acupuncture and/or herbal medicine, you can repair the holes in your Wei Qi so that less Wind, Damp and/or Heat can invade, thus making your allergies much more tolerable and can eventually cause them to disappear. Ideally you want to start strengthening 2-3 months before allergy season hits, but even in the middle it can help your sypmtoms go away.
What causes your immune system to weaken? Stay tuned...
Monday, April 23, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Spring has Sprung
Can you feel it? That feeling of not wanting to, but NEEDING to go outside and become one with the beautiful weather? Spring has sprung. Unlike the internal energy of Winter, Spring's energy moves outward and encourages us to do the same. The period of hibernation is over people, shake off those cobwebs and start moving. Remember those New Year's resolutions that I suggested putting aside (see my previous post Resolution or Reflection)? Now is the time to start implementing them. Let the energy of the season support your desire to quit smoking, soda and sugar (just suggesting here). Go with that feeling of going outside and exercising! Go for a walk with your kids or a friend or by yourself! Play in the park, go for a swim, a run, or a bike ride. Dust off those rollerblades and get out there! Name your activity, go do it and do it often.
If you are not feeling motivated by the season, chances are your Qi is stuck and that stuckness is slowly building as you (unintentionally) resist the movement of Universal Qi (the Qi --or energy-- of the environment around you). When you don't "go with the flow," so to speak, a little stagnation becomes a lot over time. Think of it like a clog in the drain--the clog is preventing the free flow of water through the pipes. The pressure builds up from water trying to get through and not being able to. As soon as the clog is cleared, the pressure is released and water can flow freely. The same goes for your Qi.
The organ of Spring is the Liver (the Gallbladder is its Yang counterpart). One large role the Liver plays is to move the energy smoothly through the body. When the Liver is not functioning properly it can't do this job and the Qi stagnates. Because of this, certain conditions related to the Liver "spring up" in this season: migraines, menstural problems (cramps, breast tenderness, irritiability) and depression just to name a few. When energy doesn't flow right it often causes pain; the amount of stagnation dictates the amount of pain. When you can get yourself moving, it helps the Qi flow; unfortunately when you are emotionally stagnant, like with depression, it is often hard to get yourself moving, so start small. You may also need a little assistance from the food you eat, acupuncture or Chinese herbs.
Even in this season of outward movement, the best changes are made a little at a time. You want changes in your life to be permanent. Rather than dieting, make changes to improve your overall diet so that eating well is not a finite thing. It is great to give something up, like soda, for lent, but try to keep that going even when lent ends. Good eating habits should continue through your life. I always like to make changes by adding things, rather than taking them away. For example, in honor of Liver's color being green, add some green vegetables to your diet. If you already eat them (great!!) add some that you don't normally eat. Broccoli rabe, kale, asparagus and collards (all organic of course) are all wonderful greens that support the Liver Blood and Yin. You can steam them or stir fry them and they complement chicken, fish or tempeh very nicely. Once it becomes "normal" to eat more green veggies, then you can make other changes, like trading soda for water (1 can at a time); coffee for tea (or at least for organic coffee); artificial sweeteners for stevia; cooking in rather than eating out; things like that. Every small change will have large positive consequences for your health in the long run.
In terms of exercise, try to do some form of enjoyable exercise once a week for a couple of weeks. When that becomes "normal" add a second day. Eventually you will look forward to moving your body on a regular basis and you will find that you miss it when you don't. The key is to do something you enjoy doing. I recently had this talk with a young patient of mine, an 11 year old boy who would roll his eyes and emotionally shut down at the mention of exercise. When I told him it didn't have to be in a gym to qualify as exercise, he perked up a bit. I asked him what he liked to do. He wasn't interested in sports or walking or riding a bike, but he liked to swim. I suggested that he go swimming. He didn't even need to do laps, just play in the water for awhile. With the pressure of "exercising" off of him, he agreed. Now, a few months later, he is swimming laps consistently 2-3 times per week, for about 30-40 minutes each time, and actually enjoying it. When it isn't laborious, you will look forward to moving, you just need to find something you like and go do it.
Small changes are good. Let the movement of Spring inspire you to make positive changes in your life. Clear some clutter, both externally and internally to encourage your Qi to flow freely. Some "Spring cleaning" for your mind, your body and your health!
If you are not feeling motivated by the season, chances are your Qi is stuck and that stuckness is slowly building as you (unintentionally) resist the movement of Universal Qi (the Qi --or energy-- of the environment around you). When you don't "go with the flow," so to speak, a little stagnation becomes a lot over time. Think of it like a clog in the drain--the clog is preventing the free flow of water through the pipes. The pressure builds up from water trying to get through and not being able to. As soon as the clog is cleared, the pressure is released and water can flow freely. The same goes for your Qi.
The organ of Spring is the Liver (the Gallbladder is its Yang counterpart). One large role the Liver plays is to move the energy smoothly through the body. When the Liver is not functioning properly it can't do this job and the Qi stagnates. Because of this, certain conditions related to the Liver "spring up" in this season: migraines, menstural problems (cramps, breast tenderness, irritiability) and depression just to name a few. When energy doesn't flow right it often causes pain; the amount of stagnation dictates the amount of pain. When you can get yourself moving, it helps the Qi flow; unfortunately when you are emotionally stagnant, like with depression, it is often hard to get yourself moving, so start small. You may also need a little assistance from the food you eat, acupuncture or Chinese herbs.
Even in this season of outward movement, the best changes are made a little at a time. You want changes in your life to be permanent. Rather than dieting, make changes to improve your overall diet so that eating well is not a finite thing. It is great to give something up, like soda, for lent, but try to keep that going even when lent ends. Good eating habits should continue through your life. I always like to make changes by adding things, rather than taking them away. For example, in honor of Liver's color being green, add some green vegetables to your diet. If you already eat them (great!!) add some that you don't normally eat. Broccoli rabe, kale, asparagus and collards (all organic of course) are all wonderful greens that support the Liver Blood and Yin. You can steam them or stir fry them and they complement chicken, fish or tempeh very nicely. Once it becomes "normal" to eat more green veggies, then you can make other changes, like trading soda for water (1 can at a time); coffee for tea (or at least for organic coffee); artificial sweeteners for stevia; cooking in rather than eating out; things like that. Every small change will have large positive consequences for your health in the long run.
In terms of exercise, try to do some form of enjoyable exercise once a week for a couple of weeks. When that becomes "normal" add a second day. Eventually you will look forward to moving your body on a regular basis and you will find that you miss it when you don't. The key is to do something you enjoy doing. I recently had this talk with a young patient of mine, an 11 year old boy who would roll his eyes and emotionally shut down at the mention of exercise. When I told him it didn't have to be in a gym to qualify as exercise, he perked up a bit. I asked him what he liked to do. He wasn't interested in sports or walking or riding a bike, but he liked to swim. I suggested that he go swimming. He didn't even need to do laps, just play in the water for awhile. With the pressure of "exercising" off of him, he agreed. Now, a few months later, he is swimming laps consistently 2-3 times per week, for about 30-40 minutes each time, and actually enjoying it. When it isn't laborious, you will look forward to moving, you just need to find something you like and go do it.
Small changes are good. Let the movement of Spring inspire you to make positive changes in your life. Clear some clutter, both externally and internally to encourage your Qi to flow freely. Some "Spring cleaning" for your mind, your body and your health!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Understanding Chinese Medicine in five minutes or less
I've been thinking a lot about how to explain Chinese Medicine to Western minds. Trying to describe the non-linear thinking of TCM to very linear thinking Western minds is very challenging. I gave a lecture recently at a local public library and while I was talking I realized that what I was saying was probably very confusing since acupuncture theories require looking at the body (and mind and emotions) in a perspective that is foreign to Western minds (plus I saw the perplexed looks on everyone's faces). After talking for about 45 minutes I asked "is everyone sufficiently confused now?" to which the audience laughed and I went on to answer questions.
But this begs the question: How do you get across the vital information without it becomeing too overwhelming? Patients try so hard to understand how acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine is helping them to feel better and I try very hard to explain it to them, but at a certain point, you hit information overload. What is useful information and what makes that information confusing? The basic language of Chinese medicine uses words with which we are familiar, but in ways that are new to us. A Spleen in the Western concept of anatomy and physiology is very different from how acupuncturists view the Spleen. Rather than being a lesser organ that the body can survive without, TCM views the Spleen as a vitally important organ, not just in and of itself, but because of how the body functions as a whole. You cannot have one weak link and expect everything to just go on as usual.
The biggest idea that people have trouble with is that the whole body works as a unit. Not only is the "knee bone connected to the thigh bone" but the Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver and Spleen all work together as well. Often times when people come to see me there is not just one thing "wrong" with them, but a cascade of issues, each interrelated in some way. I see the big picture, while they see the parts and pieces. Getting a patient to understand how the parts and pieces fit together is my challenge; some patients don't care and just say "stick me" but many want to know what I'm doing and what is going on.
So how do you explain such a complex medicine to someone who essentially speaks a different language? It took me years to learn this medicine in a way that made sense, how can I expect my patients to understand it in a 5 minute conversation?
The short answer is: I can't because they won't.
And that is kind of the point. The podiatrist can explain to you why your foot hurts (and I probably can too) but she's only looking at your foot, not how your foot connects to the rest of your body. And it does. How your foot hits the ground will affect how your back and neck feel on a regular basis. The podiatrist does not set out to heal your neck pain, but might by helping your foot. Explaining how insomnia, anxiety, dry skin and lower back pain are connected is what I do, but it is not always simple. Over time, my patients start to learn my language. Because acupuncture works cumulatively, I typically see each patient multiple times. Over the course of weeks or months or even years, they start to have a better understanding of what this medicine is all about. The big "take away" is that all the parts and pieces make up the whole and that is why living one's life in a balanced way leaves you feeling more balanced, and why sometimes one health complaint can morph into many.
But this begs the question: How do you get across the vital information without it becomeing too overwhelming? Patients try so hard to understand how acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine is helping them to feel better and I try very hard to explain it to them, but at a certain point, you hit information overload. What is useful information and what makes that information confusing? The basic language of Chinese medicine uses words with which we are familiar, but in ways that are new to us. A Spleen in the Western concept of anatomy and physiology is very different from how acupuncturists view the Spleen. Rather than being a lesser organ that the body can survive without, TCM views the Spleen as a vitally important organ, not just in and of itself, but because of how the body functions as a whole. You cannot have one weak link and expect everything to just go on as usual.
The biggest idea that people have trouble with is that the whole body works as a unit. Not only is the "knee bone connected to the thigh bone" but the Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver and Spleen all work together as well. Often times when people come to see me there is not just one thing "wrong" with them, but a cascade of issues, each interrelated in some way. I see the big picture, while they see the parts and pieces. Getting a patient to understand how the parts and pieces fit together is my challenge; some patients don't care and just say "stick me" but many want to know what I'm doing and what is going on.
So how do you explain such a complex medicine to someone who essentially speaks a different language? It took me years to learn this medicine in a way that made sense, how can I expect my patients to understand it in a 5 minute conversation?
The short answer is: I can't because they won't.
And that is kind of the point. The podiatrist can explain to you why your foot hurts (and I probably can too) but she's only looking at your foot, not how your foot connects to the rest of your body. And it does. How your foot hits the ground will affect how your back and neck feel on a regular basis. The podiatrist does not set out to heal your neck pain, but might by helping your foot. Explaining how insomnia, anxiety, dry skin and lower back pain are connected is what I do, but it is not always simple. Over time, my patients start to learn my language. Because acupuncture works cumulatively, I typically see each patient multiple times. Over the course of weeks or months or even years, they start to have a better understanding of what this medicine is all about. The big "take away" is that all the parts and pieces make up the whole and that is why living one's life in a balanced way leaves you feeling more balanced, and why sometimes one health complaint can morph into many.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
To Cleanse or Not To Cleanse: a TCM perspective
This time of year people tend to make big changes in their lives (or try to anyway--see previous post). A topic that comes up a lot in my practice this time of year is the issue of "cleansing." Patients often ask me my opinion on doing various cleanses, ranging from Kidney flushes to Liver and Colon cleanses, each having a varying degree of fasting or juicing involved, as well as taking various herbal supplements. Do I think cleanses are a good and beneficial thing to do?
The short answer: Not really, no.
The Liver, Kidneys/ Bladder, Intestines, Lungs and Skin are our built in "cleansing" organs. They filter out the bad stuff that we put into our bodies and help us get rid of it so that we don't poison ourselves and make ourselves sick. In theory, Cleansing works by encouraging these organs get rid of the bad stuff, but often in ways that are too extreme as well as unnecessary or potentially harmful. One of the issues I have with cleansing is that many people cleanse to make up for bad eating and lifestyle habits, kind of like taking vitamins and eating only fast food. In the grand scheme of things the cleanse won't really make much of a difference in your long term health. Even weight loss that occurs with a cleanse is only temporary. Go back to bad habits or even regular eating and the weight comes back. Plus, many toxins and metabolites are stored in fat cells. When the body uses and loses fat in this rapid and extreme way, those toxins flood into the blood stream and can cause you to feel sick or flu-like.
If you want to be healthy, you need to eat well. Period. No amount of cleansing will make up for poor eating habits.
The biggest problem I have with cleansing is that it is usually pretty extreme. Anything that is extreme is not going to bring the body into balance, it will just swing you out of balance in another direction. Juice fasting, for example, puts a lot of raw food into the body all at once. Raw is cold in nature, so you are basically infusing your body with cold (not ideal during the Winter when there is snow outside), not to mention an extreme amount of nutrients that your body cannot handle all at once. Would you be able to eat 3 lbs of carrots in one sitting? Me either. So why would your body need that much beta carotene all at once? We don't. Juicing as part of your diet is one thing; being on a juice fast where you consume nothing but raw fruit and vegetable juice (and water typically) is quite another. Not to mention the lack of fiber for proper elimination. Juicing to add fruits and vegetables to your diet can be good, but is probably better during the spring and summer when there is warmer weather, or if you live in a warm climate.
Chinese Medicine is all about balance, finding the middle ground. By simply changing your eating habits for the positive you will start to heal and your health will improve. You will be supporting your Organs of Elimination (OoE) so that they will be doing their job the way they are supposed to (as compared to having to process the toxic overload from too much sugar, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, "food" chemicals from processed foods, smoking, etc.). When your OoE are overloaded, they often "speak" to you with sypmtoms (chronic sinus congestion, skin problems, irregular bowel movements, menstrual symptoms and irregularities, etc). Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables in their natural form can help you "cleanse" without needing to go to extremes.
For people who already eat well, there is no need to Cleanse, your internal organs are already doing that on a regular basis. Good quality whole foods support the internal organs so that they can do the job they are meant to do. And if you are also exercising to sweat, deeply breathing in and out, and moving your bowels on a regular basis all the better.
The short answer: Not really, no.
The Liver, Kidneys/ Bladder, Intestines, Lungs and Skin are our built in "cleansing" organs. They filter out the bad stuff that we put into our bodies and help us get rid of it so that we don't poison ourselves and make ourselves sick. In theory, Cleansing works by encouraging these organs get rid of the bad stuff, but often in ways that are too extreme as well as unnecessary or potentially harmful. One of the issues I have with cleansing is that many people cleanse to make up for bad eating and lifestyle habits, kind of like taking vitamins and eating only fast food. In the grand scheme of things the cleanse won't really make much of a difference in your long term health. Even weight loss that occurs with a cleanse is only temporary. Go back to bad habits or even regular eating and the weight comes back. Plus, many toxins and metabolites are stored in fat cells. When the body uses and loses fat in this rapid and extreme way, those toxins flood into the blood stream and can cause you to feel sick or flu-like.
If you want to be healthy, you need to eat well. Period. No amount of cleansing will make up for poor eating habits.
The biggest problem I have with cleansing is that it is usually pretty extreme. Anything that is extreme is not going to bring the body into balance, it will just swing you out of balance in another direction. Juice fasting, for example, puts a lot of raw food into the body all at once. Raw is cold in nature, so you are basically infusing your body with cold (not ideal during the Winter when there is snow outside), not to mention an extreme amount of nutrients that your body cannot handle all at once. Would you be able to eat 3 lbs of carrots in one sitting? Me either. So why would your body need that much beta carotene all at once? We don't. Juicing as part of your diet is one thing; being on a juice fast where you consume nothing but raw fruit and vegetable juice (and water typically) is quite another. Not to mention the lack of fiber for proper elimination. Juicing to add fruits and vegetables to your diet can be good, but is probably better during the spring and summer when there is warmer weather, or if you live in a warm climate.
Chinese Medicine is all about balance, finding the middle ground. By simply changing your eating habits for the positive you will start to heal and your health will improve. You will be supporting your Organs of Elimination (OoE) so that they will be doing their job the way they are supposed to (as compared to having to process the toxic overload from too much sugar, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, "food" chemicals from processed foods, smoking, etc.). When your OoE are overloaded, they often "speak" to you with sypmtoms (chronic sinus congestion, skin problems, irregular bowel movements, menstrual symptoms and irregularities, etc). Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables in their natural form can help you "cleanse" without needing to go to extremes.
For people who already eat well, there is no need to Cleanse, your internal organs are already doing that on a regular basis. Good quality whole foods support the internal organs so that they can do the job they are meant to do. And if you are also exercising to sweat, deeply breathing in and out, and moving your bowels on a regular basis all the better.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Resolution or Reflection?
Around the holidays people often start to think up their New Year's Resolutions: To lose weight, to eat more broccoli, to go to the gym every day, to be taller or shorter, to be...[fill in yours here]. The problem is, the middle of Winter is the WORST time to make major life altering decisions, unless you don't care whether they stick.
As I've mentioned in previous posts, energy moves in a particular way depending on the time of year. Winter is the time of hibernation. Things slow down and go inward to rest and restore. If you are trying to make a major change in your life, doesn't it make more sense to do it when energy is moving outward?
Spring is the perfect time to implement these changes. Winter is the time for reflection.
Look at yourself. Name 5 things that you really like, things that are already the way you want them to be. Examples could be "I'm really good at eating organic fruits and vegetables every day" or "I'm practicing yoga on a regular basis" or "I feel like I'm a really good parent to my kids." Whatever makes sense for you.
Then look again, and ask "What needs work?" There is nothing wrong with you, you are great, but what areas could use a little improvement? "I could drink less coffee and more water" or "I could be more compassionate with my [fill in the blank--parent, friend, spouse, sibling, coworker, etc.]" or "I could live my life with the goal of being healthy." Again, whatever makes sense for you.
You don't need to implement anything at this time. If you choose to start, start small. Trade one cup of coffee for one glass of water every day for a couple of weeks and see how that feels. Don't give it up completely or you'll be back to it at full tilt within a month. Baby steps are really the way to go in the Winter. If you choose to wait until Spring, just start imagining what life would be like if you made the changes you intend to make. Visualize your life with those changes and how good it will feel when you do implement them. Sometimes you need to start in the mind to make lasting changes in the body.
Whatever you choose to do, I hope your New Year brings you great health and much joy!
As I've mentioned in previous posts, energy moves in a particular way depending on the time of year. Winter is the time of hibernation. Things slow down and go inward to rest and restore. If you are trying to make a major change in your life, doesn't it make more sense to do it when energy is moving outward?
Spring is the perfect time to implement these changes. Winter is the time for reflection.
Look at yourself. Name 5 things that you really like, things that are already the way you want them to be. Examples could be "I'm really good at eating organic fruits and vegetables every day" or "I'm practicing yoga on a regular basis" or "I feel like I'm a really good parent to my kids." Whatever makes sense for you.
Then look again, and ask "What needs work?" There is nothing wrong with you, you are great, but what areas could use a little improvement? "I could drink less coffee and more water" or "I could be more compassionate with my [fill in the blank--parent, friend, spouse, sibling, coworker, etc.]" or "I could live my life with the goal of being healthy." Again, whatever makes sense for you.
You don't need to implement anything at this time. If you choose to start, start small. Trade one cup of coffee for one glass of water every day for a couple of weeks and see how that feels. Don't give it up completely or you'll be back to it at full tilt within a month. Baby steps are really the way to go in the Winter. If you choose to wait until Spring, just start imagining what life would be like if you made the changes you intend to make. Visualize your life with those changes and how good it will feel when you do implement them. Sometimes you need to start in the mind to make lasting changes in the body.
Whatever you choose to do, I hope your New Year brings you great health and much joy!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Knowledge is key, but it doesn't help unless you use it
I almost never get sick. I know all of the preventative tools: proper nutrition and supplementation, limiting sugar consumption, good solid sleep, hand washing, having joy in my life, minimizing stress and exercise. Knowing these things is one thing; using them is another.
I believe in the theory of 80:20. If you eat for health 80% of the time, then you can get away with less-than-clean eating 20% of the time and you will bounce back without a problem. For example, we have "treat night" in my house once a week. Most of the time we don't have dessert after dinner, we finish dinner and we're done. But once a week we allow ourselves to have carte blanche on what we have for dessert. It could be B & J's full-fat, full deliciousness ice cream (Phish Food is a personal favorite), it could be Halloween candy, cookies, the sky is the limit. Because we limit it to once a week, there is not that much damage done health-wise and it keeps us motivated to eat well the rest of the time. Occasionally there are extra treat nights or days (birthdays, holidays, special occasions) but for the most part we stick to once a week and we use reasonable portion sizes.
Recently, however, things have been a bit challenging.
First there was Halloween. Most people are challenged to eat well during this time with all of the temptation around. I usually do fine because we don't have any extra in the house and I don't believe in eating my kids' candy. They collected it, it is theirs. This year though, Halloween was essentially knocked out by a storm; many towns cancelled trick-or-treating due to power outages and downed wires. We did go trick-or-treating in another town, but since my son was a bit under the weather we didn't stay out very long. My husband promised him that if we couldn't go out on another night he would buy candy to put in both kids' bags to fill them up a little more. So now there was candy hanging out on our table (because of course it didn't go into their bags as quickly as it should have) so I was definitely exceeding my 20%.
During the above mentioned storm a large tree fell on not one, but BOTH of our cars. We got a rental (not covered by insurance) so my husband and I were juggling schedules a bit. Then my daughter got sick. Then my son. So we were also tag teaming who got to go to work and who stayed home. Stress was rising and exercise was nil.
Lastly I was staying up too late. Consistently. I was catching up on things that I couldn't get done during then day, then other things just for my pure enjoyement (I must have joy in my life!); this was probably the straw that broke my camel's back.
I got sick.
Earlier I mentioned that this almost never happens. Any one of the previously mentioned events could have easily been compensated for by any of my normally good habits, but all the bad piled up with the worse was a disaster waiting to happen. I let good habits fall away (I knew them, just wasn't using them) and ended up with a week of bronchitis.
Knowing how to fight the battle isn't enough, you've got to fight it every day, diligently, 80% of the time. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of why we work so hard to protect our health.
I believe in the theory of 80:20. If you eat for health 80% of the time, then you can get away with less-than-clean eating 20% of the time and you will bounce back without a problem. For example, we have "treat night" in my house once a week. Most of the time we don't have dessert after dinner, we finish dinner and we're done. But once a week we allow ourselves to have carte blanche on what we have for dessert. It could be B & J's full-fat, full deliciousness ice cream (Phish Food is a personal favorite), it could be Halloween candy, cookies, the sky is the limit. Because we limit it to once a week, there is not that much damage done health-wise and it keeps us motivated to eat well the rest of the time. Occasionally there are extra treat nights or days (birthdays, holidays, special occasions) but for the most part we stick to once a week and we use reasonable portion sizes.
Recently, however, things have been a bit challenging.
First there was Halloween. Most people are challenged to eat well during this time with all of the temptation around. I usually do fine because we don't have any extra in the house and I don't believe in eating my kids' candy. They collected it, it is theirs. This year though, Halloween was essentially knocked out by a storm; many towns cancelled trick-or-treating due to power outages and downed wires. We did go trick-or-treating in another town, but since my son was a bit under the weather we didn't stay out very long. My husband promised him that if we couldn't go out on another night he would buy candy to put in both kids' bags to fill them up a little more. So now there was candy hanging out on our table (because of course it didn't go into their bags as quickly as it should have) so I was definitely exceeding my 20%.
During the above mentioned storm a large tree fell on not one, but BOTH of our cars. We got a rental (not covered by insurance) so my husband and I were juggling schedules a bit. Then my daughter got sick. Then my son. So we were also tag teaming who got to go to work and who stayed home. Stress was rising and exercise was nil.
Lastly I was staying up too late. Consistently. I was catching up on things that I couldn't get done during then day, then other things just for my pure enjoyement (I must have joy in my life!); this was probably the straw that broke my camel's back.
I got sick.
Earlier I mentioned that this almost never happens. Any one of the previously mentioned events could have easily been compensated for by any of my normally good habits, but all the bad piled up with the worse was a disaster waiting to happen. I let good habits fall away (I knew them, just wasn't using them) and ended up with a week of bronchitis.
Knowing how to fight the battle isn't enough, you've got to fight it every day, diligently, 80% of the time. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of why we work so hard to protect our health.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Fall thoughts
When fall hits you can feel a shift in the air--school is starting; even if you or your children aren't in school, there is that old familiar feeling. Even if it is still warm, the light is different in the sky. As an acupuncturist, this is when I tend to give my "fall dietary recommendations" like eating more warm foods to balance the cooling outside temperatures. But, I've decided not to go that route today. I'd like to talk instead about the shift in energy this time of year and how that can affect you.
Summer brings a rising energy that moves outward. People tend to spend more time outside being active; they tend to want foods that cool them down, like watermelon or ice cream (unless your acupuncturist has warned you that there is nothing worse for you than cold dairy...). In contrast to that, Fall is about gathering (I am skipping "Late Summer" for the purposes of this post). If you think about what the animals are doing in the fall, they are preparing for Winter. They are gathering food to store in their nests during their hibernation. They are trying to put on some fat to keep themselves warm when it is cold and snowy outside. They are starting to store up reserves so that they survive the long Winter.
Unlike animals, we have supermarkets and Winter coats, not to mention indoor heating and lighting. As a culture, we've moved away from the energetics of nature so that we can survive all year round without really changing any of our daily habits (aside from having to dress in layers and wear boots). However, that only means that we are less in tune with the energetics that surround us; it doesn't mean that they don't affect us.
As the days get shorter, and we get busier at work and at home, there is a sense of something building. As we move through our days in Fall, we tend to spend more time rushing around, trying to get everything done. Gone are the days of summer vacation, we are back to the regular routine. Take a moment to observe this in your life. Even if you are not aware of it, you are preparing for Winter in the sense that you have a drive to make everything happen right now because you won't have time later. When the days get shorter, so do tempers, perhaps. The "feel-good" sunshine is not around in the same doses and more and more people (especially here in the Northeast United States) suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). If we were animals, we'd just sleep through the Winter and come out refreshed in Spring, ready to build our Vitamin D stores back up. But because for most of us that is not possible, we need to acknowledge that this might be our tendency and supplement against it (or build up enough with Summer sun exposure to be able to coast through the Winter).
This Gathering of Qi that happens in the Fall is an interesting phenomenon to observe in yourself and others. Being aware of it is the first step to keeping it from getting out of control. Deep breaths and other stress management techniques will be important to keep your Qi moving and prevent it from gathering and becoming stuck. You many notice feeling a little off balance, especially around the Autumnal Equinox. This is the best time to turn your attention inward and give yourself a bit of nourishing, physically, mentally and emotionally. It will make the swirl of the the season a little more tolerable.
Summer brings a rising energy that moves outward. People tend to spend more time outside being active; they tend to want foods that cool them down, like watermelon or ice cream (unless your acupuncturist has warned you that there is nothing worse for you than cold dairy...). In contrast to that, Fall is about gathering (I am skipping "Late Summer" for the purposes of this post). If you think about what the animals are doing in the fall, they are preparing for Winter. They are gathering food to store in their nests during their hibernation. They are trying to put on some fat to keep themselves warm when it is cold and snowy outside. They are starting to store up reserves so that they survive the long Winter.
Unlike animals, we have supermarkets and Winter coats, not to mention indoor heating and lighting. As a culture, we've moved away from the energetics of nature so that we can survive all year round without really changing any of our daily habits (aside from having to dress in layers and wear boots). However, that only means that we are less in tune with the energetics that surround us; it doesn't mean that they don't affect us.
As the days get shorter, and we get busier at work and at home, there is a sense of something building. As we move through our days in Fall, we tend to spend more time rushing around, trying to get everything done. Gone are the days of summer vacation, we are back to the regular routine. Take a moment to observe this in your life. Even if you are not aware of it, you are preparing for Winter in the sense that you have a drive to make everything happen right now because you won't have time later. When the days get shorter, so do tempers, perhaps. The "feel-good" sunshine is not around in the same doses and more and more people (especially here in the Northeast United States) suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). If we were animals, we'd just sleep through the Winter and come out refreshed in Spring, ready to build our Vitamin D stores back up. But because for most of us that is not possible, we need to acknowledge that this might be our tendency and supplement against it (or build up enough with Summer sun exposure to be able to coast through the Winter).
This Gathering of Qi that happens in the Fall is an interesting phenomenon to observe in yourself and others. Being aware of it is the first step to keeping it from getting out of control. Deep breaths and other stress management techniques will be important to keep your Qi moving and prevent it from gathering and becoming stuck. You many notice feeling a little off balance, especially around the Autumnal Equinox. This is the best time to turn your attention inward and give yourself a bit of nourishing, physically, mentally and emotionally. It will make the swirl of the the season a little more tolerable.
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