I'm not a big believer in New Year's Resolutions, mostly because, as I wrote in Resolution or Reflection, it is the wrong time of year for anything to stick. That being said, many people do make resolutions at this time of year that commonly have to do with their health: lose weight, get fit/ exercise more, eat better, quit smoking, quit diet soda (yes please!!), quit drinking, walk every day, run a marathon, relax more, get healthier, etc. These are all things that are important and often very challenging to do because they take time. How many times have you made a resolution and a month later (or a week later) it is already broken?
When it comes to your health, it should be a marathon, not a sprint. Health is something that builds slowly over time because it needs to sustain you; it is not something that is just for today. If you quit smoking it is not just for this week, you don't want to smoke ever again (hopefully). Diets fail because once the diet is over the weight comes back on. A lifestyle change is much more effective for long term results and feeling better over all, even if you are taking it one day at a time. Acupuncture can help you with many of these resolutions because acupuncturists help you look at your overall health to assist you in feeling the best you can feel.
Quitting smoking/drinking/diet soda:
Acupuncture calms the nervous system and helps ease cravings making it less effort to quit. It also supports the Lungs and can help your body get rid of the phlegm that accumulates as the body heals from the damage that smoking causes. Acupuncture supports the Liver which aids in the detox process, helping your body get rid of the build-up of chemicals that smoking, drinking and diet soda (or diet anything) can create. The fewer chemicals in your body, the better you feel. Acupuncture has been used to treat addiction in this country for decades to help people quit whatever substance it is they are wishing to quit. It treats both the physical symptoms as well as the psychological ones without side effects. However, you must want to quit; if you don't fully commit to quitting, you won't succeed.
Losing weight:
Unfortunately acupuncture is not the "magic bullet" that makes the weight just fall off your body. Sorry about getting your hopes up. However, acupuncture can help improve your metabolism to help your digestion and your ability to process food. Lack of hunger is not a sign of health, it is a sign that your body is out of balance. When hunger is too strong, acupuncture can help regulate that, as well as food cravings. Acupuncture can also help with stress. One reason that people gain weight is stress, not just due to "stress eating," but also stress slows down your metabolism making it much harder to lose weight. Your acupuncturist can also make dietary suggestions about foods that best support your particular imbalance and support your eating the best foods for your body.
Exercising more:
While acupuncture can't make you walk into the gym, it can support the work you do there. It can help relive sore muscles and help you heal from injuries. Plus acupuncture can help improve your energy so that you can work harder without feeling exhausted afterward (if you do feel exhausted after exercise you need to slow down and do less. Read more about that here).
If you are struggling with your New Year's resolutions, talk to your local acupuncturist. She or he might be able to help you be a better you for the entirety of the New Year.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
How to Tame Menopausal Symptoms Naturally
I'd like to start by stating that Menopause is not a disease that needs to be "cured." It is something that every woman goes through at some point in her life, either naturally or due to surgery or chemotherapy. What your experience of Perimenopause and Menopause is depends on the state of balance in your life and in your health; the more balanced you are, the fewer and milder the symptoms you will experience. However, you are probably reading this post because you are experiencing at least one symptom, so let's get down to it.
Like I said, the key to taming Menopausal symptoms is balance. Stress, poor diet, lack of appropriate exercise, and poor sleep can all play a part in taking you out of balance, so try to take control of what you can. If it is within your power to make better choices (go to bed earlier, ask for help, take a yoga class, go for a walk) then try to do that to the best of your ability. Stress happens, what matters is how you handle it.
In terms of diet, start with a healthy diet, rich with dark green, leafy vegetables, berries and other fruit, as well as other seasonal vegetables, like squash, pumpkin and root vegetables. Small amounts of grass-fed beef, pasture raised chicken and eggs, brown rice, quinoa and legumes will round out the basics. Eat organic and non-GMO when possible. To specifically target menopausal symptoms, which you can read about in my previous post, you will want to eat foods that build Yin and Blood.
Foods that Build Blood:
Other useful foods and supplements are:
Like I said, the key to taming Menopausal symptoms is balance. Stress, poor diet, lack of appropriate exercise, and poor sleep can all play a part in taking you out of balance, so try to take control of what you can. If it is within your power to make better choices (go to bed earlier, ask for help, take a yoga class, go for a walk) then try to do that to the best of your ability. Stress happens, what matters is how you handle it.
In terms of diet, start with a healthy diet, rich with dark green, leafy vegetables, berries and other fruit, as well as other seasonal vegetables, like squash, pumpkin and root vegetables. Small amounts of grass-fed beef, pasture raised chicken and eggs, brown rice, quinoa and legumes will round out the basics. Eat organic and non-GMO when possible. To specifically target menopausal symptoms, which you can read about in my previous post, you will want to eat foods that build Yin and Blood.
Foods that Build Blood:
- Barley, oats, rice
- Apricots, cherries, dates, figs, raspberries, grapes
- Beets, collards, kale, swiss chard, spinach, yellow squash
- Aduki beans, black beans, kidney beans
- Eggs (especially the yolk), beef, liver, octopus, oyster
- Mushrooms
- Millet, alfalfa sprouts
- Asparagus, sweet potato, string beans
- Cranberries, strawberries, lemons, limes, mulberries
- Aduki beans, black beans, black soybeans (ideally fermented), black sesame seeds, walnuts
- Clam, duck, oyster, pork, eggs (especially the yolk)
- Rosehip, algae, seaweed, marjoram, nettle, salt (high quality sea salt)
Other useful foods and supplements are:
- Organic, non-GMO fermented soy products-- miso, natto, tempeh
- Flaxseeds, licorice, black cohosh: they have phytoestrogens or plant estrogens which may be helpful in balancing the drop in estrogen that happens at menopause.
- Pycnogenol-- can help with hot flashes and night sweats
- Omega 3 foods-- Flax, chia, hemp, salmon, anchovy, walnut
- Vitamin D3 (especially for depression, mood swings, irritability, and especially in colder Northern climates in Winter). Adults can take 2000-4000 IU daily when sun exposure is minimal.
- Alcohol--it produces dampness and heat in the body (you don't need any additional heat).
- Stimulants like coffee or black tea; green or herbal tea is okay.
- Spicy foods like cayenne, dried ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, mustard, horseradish, chili. These increase internal heat and make you sweat (you don't need any help in that department).
- Artificial sweeteners and sugar. These increase inflammation in the body, which can produce more heat as well. They are also just not good for you.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Perimenopause--The Fiery Beast
Perimenopause is that time in a woman's life when your fertile days are limited. During this in between stage, women are usually still getting periods, sometimes regularly, sometimes more frequently, sometimes less frequently. Hormonal shifts can cause all sorts of symptoms, which can be explained from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view.
Through a woman's menstrual life she loses blood every month, sometimes in large amounts. Because of this, most women tend to run a little Blood Deficient. Her body has less than a month to make up for the blood loss and if her diet is low in blood building foods (dark green leafies, beef, beans, eggs, grapes, figs, dates), over time this insufficiency becomes more pronounced. Typical symptoms are:
When people think of typical Menopause (capital M) symptoms they think of hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, brain fog and mood swings. Of course there are other possible symptoms, but these are the biggies. During perimenopause, you are moving in that direction; there is still enough Blood to have a period, but they may be occurring less often or have a lighter flow. Exceptions to this are when there are fibroids present (Blood Stagnation) which cause the blood flow to be very heavy, almost hemorrhaging for some women. But generally speaking, there is a trend toward drying out and heating up. Some women start to get hot flashes or night sweats in the premenstrual days, or have insomnia for those few days before the bleeding starts. This, of course, is in addition to any normal PMS symptoms she may be having. Like PMS, these symptoms typically subside once the bleeding starts.
It is the shift from Blood Deficiency to Yin Deficiency that marks the end of Menstruation and beginning of Menopause. Yin is the body's cooling substance that balances Yang's fire. When the Blood is that empty, the dryness goes deeper and develops into a Yin Deficiency and this is when the signs of heat...well, heat up. Many common symptoms include:
Next time I will be writing about dietary options for taming the symptoms of Perimenopause. If you would like to sign up to receive email notifications of my posts, please click this link to sign up. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Through a woman's menstrual life she loses blood every month, sometimes in large amounts. Because of this, most women tend to run a little Blood Deficient. Her body has less than a month to make up for the blood loss and if her diet is low in blood building foods (dark green leafies, beef, beans, eggs, grapes, figs, dates), over time this insufficiency becomes more pronounced. Typical symptoms are:
- dry skin and hair
- vision problems (floaters, dry eyes, blurred vision)
- constipation
- empty-headedness/whole-head headaches
- fatigue during or after your period
- palpitations
- anxiety
When people think of typical Menopause (capital M) symptoms they think of hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, brain fog and mood swings. Of course there are other possible symptoms, but these are the biggies. During perimenopause, you are moving in that direction; there is still enough Blood to have a period, but they may be occurring less often or have a lighter flow. Exceptions to this are when there are fibroids present (Blood Stagnation) which cause the blood flow to be very heavy, almost hemorrhaging for some women. But generally speaking, there is a trend toward drying out and heating up. Some women start to get hot flashes or night sweats in the premenstrual days, or have insomnia for those few days before the bleeding starts. This, of course, is in addition to any normal PMS symptoms she may be having. Like PMS, these symptoms typically subside once the bleeding starts.
It is the shift from Blood Deficiency to Yin Deficiency that marks the end of Menstruation and beginning of Menopause. Yin is the body's cooling substance that balances Yang's fire. When the Blood is that empty, the dryness goes deeper and develops into a Yin Deficiency and this is when the signs of heat...well, heat up. Many common symptoms include:
- hot flashes (with or without sweating, day or night)
- night sweats
- insomnia--usually falling asleep is fine but there is frequent waking, due to heat, sweating, stress/anxiety or for no obvious reason
- bursts of anger or mood swings
- feeling generally warmer or every afternoon feeling like you are running a low fever
- lower tolerance to heat in the environment
- vaginal dryness and/or general skin and hair dryness
- anxiety
Next time I will be writing about dietary options for taming the symptoms of Perimenopause. If you would like to sign up to receive email notifications of my posts, please click this link to sign up. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Friday, October 4, 2013
PMS and acupuncture
Premenstural Syndrome, or PMS, typically occurs in the second half of the menstrual cycle, between Ovulation and Menstruation. It can last anywhere from a few minutes to 14 days, depending on the severity of the imbalance causing it. Imbalances can be caused by excess (usually stagnation of Qi or Blood) or deficiency, or both. Please review my previous post to learn about how a "normal" period is supposed to happen.
Premenstrual symptoms occur because of imbalances that are in the body already; they become heightened just before the period when Qi and Blood is building. If the symptoms are due to deficiency (insufficiency) it is because there is not enough Qi, Blood, Yin or Yang to support normal function. If the symptoms are due to excess (usually either caused by heat or stagnation), the build is increasing the excess thereby exacerbating the symptoms.
The Liver Qi is the motive force that causes the blood to flow during menstruation. Pain is often due to stagnation of Liver Qi. When Liver Qi is stuck or stagnant, it causes many common premenstrual symptoms, such as: headaches/migraines, TMJ or teeth clenching, breast tenderness, cramps, irritability/short temperedness, depression, bloating and restless sleep, just to name a few. Stagnation can occur due to excess (there are too many cars trying to drive down one lane on the road) or deficiency (there isn't enough gas in the tank for the car to run and it stops, causing a back up behind it). The best cure for stagnation is movement, but you want to make sure not to over do it, especially if your stagnation is due to deficiency; it will make it worse. Looking at other symptoms can help determine the type of your stagnation.
If your symptoms are accompanied by fatigue, bloating, sweet cravings, clumsiness and/or loose bowel movements, chances are your stagnation is due to deficiency. This type of stagnation will be made worse with exercise. The best course of action would be to increase the amount of rest you are getting, both with sleep and down time during your day. If you do exercise, gentle yoga, tai chi, walking or something low key is best, so as not to over tax your body. Also, eating warm, sweet foods to nourish your Qi. This is not an invitation to eat a tray full of fresh baked brownies (sorry), but to eat foods that have the sweet flavor, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, squash, oatmeal, chicken, rice, salmon, turkey, licorice, fresh ginger and cardamom. If you also have symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats or insomnia in the days before menstruation, that is also due to deficiency but deficiency with heat, so be cautious with the warming herbs (ginger, cardamom). You would do better with foods like millet, asparagus, seaweed, lemon, lime, egg and cranberry.
If your symptoms are accompanied by severe lower abdominal pain, irritability, quick temper, mind racing, trouble falling asleep and intense premenstrual migraines, your stagnation is probably due to excess. This type will respond well to exercise, especially more strenuous exercise, like running, swimming, vigorous yoga, mountain climbing, basically exercise that really gets your heart pumping.
This is just a very basic, general overview; to get your specific diagnosis, see your local acupuncturist. Acupuncture can relieve stagnation due to deficiency and excess or when there is a combination of the two. Not only can acupuncture address the physical symptoms, but also the emotional symptoms--mood swings, irritability, sensitivity or weepiness. If you find yourself suffering before your period every month, regular acupuncture treatments can help keep you in balance so that the symptoms are minimized or gone completely.
Premenstrual symptoms occur because of imbalances that are in the body already; they become heightened just before the period when Qi and Blood is building. If the symptoms are due to deficiency (insufficiency) it is because there is not enough Qi, Blood, Yin or Yang to support normal function. If the symptoms are due to excess (usually either caused by heat or stagnation), the build is increasing the excess thereby exacerbating the symptoms.
The Liver Qi is the motive force that causes the blood to flow during menstruation. Pain is often due to stagnation of Liver Qi. When Liver Qi is stuck or stagnant, it causes many common premenstrual symptoms, such as: headaches/migraines, TMJ or teeth clenching, breast tenderness, cramps, irritability/short temperedness, depression, bloating and restless sleep, just to name a few. Stagnation can occur due to excess (there are too many cars trying to drive down one lane on the road) or deficiency (there isn't enough gas in the tank for the car to run and it stops, causing a back up behind it). The best cure for stagnation is movement, but you want to make sure not to over do it, especially if your stagnation is due to deficiency; it will make it worse. Looking at other symptoms can help determine the type of your stagnation.
If your symptoms are accompanied by fatigue, bloating, sweet cravings, clumsiness and/or loose bowel movements, chances are your stagnation is due to deficiency. This type of stagnation will be made worse with exercise. The best course of action would be to increase the amount of rest you are getting, both with sleep and down time during your day. If you do exercise, gentle yoga, tai chi, walking or something low key is best, so as not to over tax your body. Also, eating warm, sweet foods to nourish your Qi. This is not an invitation to eat a tray full of fresh baked brownies (sorry), but to eat foods that have the sweet flavor, like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, squash, oatmeal, chicken, rice, salmon, turkey, licorice, fresh ginger and cardamom. If you also have symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats or insomnia in the days before menstruation, that is also due to deficiency but deficiency with heat, so be cautious with the warming herbs (ginger, cardamom). You would do better with foods like millet, asparagus, seaweed, lemon, lime, egg and cranberry.
If your symptoms are accompanied by severe lower abdominal pain, irritability, quick temper, mind racing, trouble falling asleep and intense premenstrual migraines, your stagnation is probably due to excess. This type will respond well to exercise, especially more strenuous exercise, like running, swimming, vigorous yoga, mountain climbing, basically exercise that really gets your heart pumping.
This is just a very basic, general overview; to get your specific diagnosis, see your local acupuncturist. Acupuncture can relieve stagnation due to deficiency and excess or when there is a combination of the two. Not only can acupuncture address the physical symptoms, but also the emotional symptoms--mood swings, irritability, sensitivity or weepiness. If you find yourself suffering before your period every month, regular acupuncture treatments can help keep you in balance so that the symptoms are minimized or gone completely.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)-- East meets West
The bane of many women's existence: PMS. Life seems to be going along fine and then "Aunt Flow" comes to visit and brings with her all sorts of physical, mental and emotional discomfort. Over the next few months I will be posting about different aspects of PMS, or Premenstrual Syndrome, but I will not be posting alone. I am joining forces with Naturopathic Doctor Joshua Lloyd, from Groton Wellness, to provide you with the most information possible: an Eastern and Western Holistic point of view. The discussion will be broken down into 3-4 parts so that the information will be easier to digest, and hopefully will leave you with some tools and understanding to help manage any symptoms you or a loved one might be suffering.
Let's start with what a balanced menstrual cycle looks like from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective.
From the start of menstruation, the Liver Qi moves the Blood out of the Uterus (Bao Gong) and the Sea of Blood (Chong Mai) empties. The blood flows smoothly, tapers off and stops over the course of 3-7 days. The blood is bright red without clots. There should be no pain or discomfort and it should not drain your energy; basically life should go on relatively normally, aside from the fact that you are bleeding. Once the bleeding stops, the body begins to rebuild Blood and Yin so that you are not left at a deficit. Approximately 7 days later ovulation happens from the swell of Kidney Yin becoming full and shifting into Yang. The next two weeks are ruled by Qi and Yang, which must stay full and keep moving. Then the Heart sends the Blood down the Bao Mai (Vessel) to the Uterus (Bao Gong-- Palace), which is then moved out by the Liver Qi, and declining Yang becoming Yin, causing menstruation. The cycle is complete.
Notice that there is no mention of cramps, irritability, breast tenderness, fatigue, bloating, insomnia, etc. These symptoms are not part of a "normal" menstrual cycle, they are an indication that the body is out of balance. Bleeding should start, go on for a few days then end, all without any other symptoms.
That being said, most women in this day and age do not experience this version of the menstrual cycle. Most women experience some symptoms at various times during the month, both physical and emotional, which are caused by the above process not going as it should. If Qi, Blood, Yin or Yang are insufficient or excess, there will be problems, ranging from irregular menstruation, periods that are too heavy or too light (or non-existent), infertility as well as numerous other issues. One of the most common problems, with regard to the menstrual cycle, is Liver Qi stagnation, which presents itself most frequently between ovulation and menstruation. The next few posts will explore this issue in greater detail, focusing on physical, mental and emotional issues that often arise during this time. Every woman is different and can present differently during this premenstrual time. There are symptoms that are directly related to hormonal shifts and also symptoms that might seem unrelated but are really part of the same pattern. Any imbalance that exists during the rest of the month will become more pronounced premenstrually, and depending on the severity of the imbalance, can really (thankfully temporarily) upset a woman's life.
My goal for the next few posts is to help you understand this premenstrual time a little better, from both an Eastern and Western point of view, to help you cope with your symptoms and to eventually guide you to improve your overall health. If you have any specific questions that you would like to have answered in these posts by either myself or Dr. Lloyd, please email me at jagoglia@integrativetherapeutics.com or Dr. Lloyd at drlloyd@grotonwellness.com.
Dr. Lloyd is a naturopathic doctor who graduated with his degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. Bastyr is one of only four nationally-accredited naturopathic medical schools. Before medical school, he graduated with high honors from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. He has an extensive research background that he uses to stay on the cutting edge of natural therapeutics and natural remedies.
Dr. Lloyd treats patients of all ages with a wide variety of health concerns, including Lyme disease, chronic inflammatory complaints, cardiovascular problems, thyroid and adrenal troubles, sleep problems, digestive complaints, and mental health concerns. He utilizes a comprehensive approach to help alleviate symptoms while investigating and correcting the causes of declining health.
Let's start with what a balanced menstrual cycle looks like from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective.
From the start of menstruation, the Liver Qi moves the Blood out of the Uterus (Bao Gong) and the Sea of Blood (Chong Mai) empties. The blood flows smoothly, tapers off and stops over the course of 3-7 days. The blood is bright red without clots. There should be no pain or discomfort and it should not drain your energy; basically life should go on relatively normally, aside from the fact that you are bleeding. Once the bleeding stops, the body begins to rebuild Blood and Yin so that you are not left at a deficit. Approximately 7 days later ovulation happens from the swell of Kidney Yin becoming full and shifting into Yang. The next two weeks are ruled by Qi and Yang, which must stay full and keep moving. Then the Heart sends the Blood down the Bao Mai (Vessel) to the Uterus (Bao Gong-- Palace), which is then moved out by the Liver Qi, and declining Yang becoming Yin, causing menstruation. The cycle is complete.
Notice that there is no mention of cramps, irritability, breast tenderness, fatigue, bloating, insomnia, etc. These symptoms are not part of a "normal" menstrual cycle, they are an indication that the body is out of balance. Bleeding should start, go on for a few days then end, all without any other symptoms.
That being said, most women in this day and age do not experience this version of the menstrual cycle. Most women experience some symptoms at various times during the month, both physical and emotional, which are caused by the above process not going as it should. If Qi, Blood, Yin or Yang are insufficient or excess, there will be problems, ranging from irregular menstruation, periods that are too heavy or too light (or non-existent), infertility as well as numerous other issues. One of the most common problems, with regard to the menstrual cycle, is Liver Qi stagnation, which presents itself most frequently between ovulation and menstruation. The next few posts will explore this issue in greater detail, focusing on physical, mental and emotional issues that often arise during this time. Every woman is different and can present differently during this premenstrual time. There are symptoms that are directly related to hormonal shifts and also symptoms that might seem unrelated but are really part of the same pattern. Any imbalance that exists during the rest of the month will become more pronounced premenstrually, and depending on the severity of the imbalance, can really (thankfully temporarily) upset a woman's life.
My goal for the next few posts is to help you understand this premenstrual time a little better, from both an Eastern and Western point of view, to help you cope with your symptoms and to eventually guide you to improve your overall health. If you have any specific questions that you would like to have answered in these posts by either myself or Dr. Lloyd, please email me at jagoglia@integrativetherapeutics.com or Dr. Lloyd at drlloyd@grotonwellness.com.
Dr. Lloyd is a naturopathic doctor who graduated with his degree in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. Bastyr is one of only four nationally-accredited naturopathic medical schools. Before medical school, he graduated with high honors from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. He has an extensive research background that he uses to stay on the cutting edge of natural therapeutics and natural remedies.
Dr. Lloyd treats patients of all ages with a wide variety of health concerns, including Lyme disease, chronic inflammatory complaints, cardiovascular problems, thyroid and adrenal troubles, sleep problems, digestive complaints, and mental health concerns. He utilizes a comprehensive approach to help alleviate symptoms while investigating and correcting the causes of declining health.
Friday, July 26, 2013
How Do I Get Rid of Phlegm?
Whether due to allergies or illness, we've all had to deal with Phlegm at some point in our lives. A child's runny nose, sinus congestion and coughing up "gunk" are just a few common types of Phlegm. According to Chinese Medicine there are two main causes: diet and the environment. Diet is often the cause of chronic presentations, like with allergies, whereas, according to Chinese Medicine, the elements in your environment cause illness (you can read more on that here).
The Spleen is in charge of Transforming and Transporting fluids in the body. When it is working properly, it provides moisture to the skin, hair, eyes, blood, etc. When it isn't working properly, the fluid can accumulate and become Dampness, which can present as foggy thinking, low energy with a heavy, draggy feeling to it, achy muscles, joints and general pain that is worse with humid or damp, rainy weather. With long standing accumulation and Spleen weakness, the Dampness can congeal and become Phlegm which is stickier and more tangible. Phlegm is what congests your nose and chest or becomes nodules such as lipomas, cysts and other non-blood related "lumps and bumps."
Whether the Phlegm or Dampness is due to illness or allergies, diet is critical. What you eat can either improve or worsen your symptoms. Phlegm is a Yin substance which means it is slow moving, sticky, sluggish and Cold. You can have Phlegm Heat conditions, but that usually occurs when the Phlegm has been stagnant for long periods of time, and like friction in a car engine, Heat results. In and of itself, Phlegm is Cold and improves with Heat as it starts to dissolve and move. Eating warm Sweet foods will support the Spleen and will help your body prevent further Phlegm from accumulating, or prevent Phlegm in general. Unfortunately, this kind of Sweet does not include refined sugar, candy or brownies (sorry); I'm talking about foods like sweet potato, beetroot, squash (summer and winter), rice, millet, grapes, coconuts, Wild Atlantic salmon and organic chicken; these foods are sweet in terms of the 5 flavors--Sweet, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Sour (there is technically a 6th flavor, Bland, associated with the Spleen, but it is a secondary flavor). Bitter foods like alfalfa, celery, radish (especially Daikon), green tea and lemon (technically sour, but helps with Phlegm), can help drain Damp and Phlegm that is already there.
Foods to avoid when you have Phlegm are foods that are hard to digest: wheat and other gluten grains (rye, barley, some oats), dairy (especially from a cow--sheep and goat dairy are less problematic, but should still be avoided), nuts and nut butters, cold or iced food or beverages, sugar and artificial sweeteners. The worst food to have is cold dairy, like ice cream. All of these foods encourage inflammation and mucus production by damaging the Spleen; when your system is already weakened (shown by illness or allergies) these foods will only encourage your body to make that much more Phlegm. For people with healthy Spleens some of these foods are fine to eat in moderation, but when your Spleen is compromised, they are best to be avoided. If you are unsure about the state of your Spleen, you can ask your local acupuncturist, or look for symptoms like: fatigue, low appetite, loose stools or constipation, achy muscles, symptoms that are worse with rain or high humidity, foggy thinking or lots of phlegm (allergies, needing to blow your nose every morning, chronic throat clearing, post-nasal drip).
Start with your diet. If that is not enough, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can greatly improve your health by strengthening your Spleen and reducing Phlegm. First food, then medicine.
The Spleen is in charge of Transforming and Transporting fluids in the body. When it is working properly, it provides moisture to the skin, hair, eyes, blood, etc. When it isn't working properly, the fluid can accumulate and become Dampness, which can present as foggy thinking, low energy with a heavy, draggy feeling to it, achy muscles, joints and general pain that is worse with humid or damp, rainy weather. With long standing accumulation and Spleen weakness, the Dampness can congeal and become Phlegm which is stickier and more tangible. Phlegm is what congests your nose and chest or becomes nodules such as lipomas, cysts and other non-blood related "lumps and bumps."
Whether the Phlegm or Dampness is due to illness or allergies, diet is critical. What you eat can either improve or worsen your symptoms. Phlegm is a Yin substance which means it is slow moving, sticky, sluggish and Cold. You can have Phlegm Heat conditions, but that usually occurs when the Phlegm has been stagnant for long periods of time, and like friction in a car engine, Heat results. In and of itself, Phlegm is Cold and improves with Heat as it starts to dissolve and move. Eating warm Sweet foods will support the Spleen and will help your body prevent further Phlegm from accumulating, or prevent Phlegm in general. Unfortunately, this kind of Sweet does not include refined sugar, candy or brownies (sorry); I'm talking about foods like sweet potato, beetroot, squash (summer and winter), rice, millet, grapes, coconuts, Wild Atlantic salmon and organic chicken; these foods are sweet in terms of the 5 flavors--Sweet, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Sour (there is technically a 6th flavor, Bland, associated with the Spleen, but it is a secondary flavor). Bitter foods like alfalfa, celery, radish (especially Daikon), green tea and lemon (technically sour, but helps with Phlegm), can help drain Damp and Phlegm that is already there.
Foods to avoid when you have Phlegm are foods that are hard to digest: wheat and other gluten grains (rye, barley, some oats), dairy (especially from a cow--sheep and goat dairy are less problematic, but should still be avoided), nuts and nut butters, cold or iced food or beverages, sugar and artificial sweeteners. The worst food to have is cold dairy, like ice cream. All of these foods encourage inflammation and mucus production by damaging the Spleen; when your system is already weakened (shown by illness or allergies) these foods will only encourage your body to make that much more Phlegm. For people with healthy Spleens some of these foods are fine to eat in moderation, but when your Spleen is compromised, they are best to be avoided. If you are unsure about the state of your Spleen, you can ask your local acupuncturist, or look for symptoms like: fatigue, low appetite, loose stools or constipation, achy muscles, symptoms that are worse with rain or high humidity, foggy thinking or lots of phlegm (allergies, needing to blow your nose every morning, chronic throat clearing, post-nasal drip).
Start with your diet. If that is not enough, Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can greatly improve your health by strengthening your Spleen and reducing Phlegm. First food, then medicine.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Cancer and Acupuncture
Cancer is becoming more and more prevalent in today's world. Much of the food in grocery stores (read processed, sugar laden, chemical laden, genetically modified) is creating an environment in our bodies that prevents us from being able to keep cancer from growing out of control. All of us have cancer cells in our bodies, but most of the time they are turned off. Pollution from chemicals in foods, in our hygiene products, and in our environment can turn these cells on and start the growth of a tumor. Whether the tumor continues to grow or ceases depends on many variables. It is hard to live in the world today and not be impacted by cancer, either directly or by knowing someone who has it or has had it.
Can acupuncture cure cancer?
Unfortunately the answer is no. There are Chinese Medicine Oncologists who have received specialized training in Chinese Medicine Oncology (mostly in China), but for the most part, acupuncturists in the United States don't cure cancer or even treat it per se. However, acupuncture can make a person's experience with Western cancer treatments much easier and less painful. Whether or not a person with cancer chooses to do surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation, they can still benefit from acupuncture to help cope the side effects of the various treatments.
People undergoing chemotherapy and radiation often have to suffer through a number of side effects including (but not limited to): fatigue, nausea/vomiting, muscle or joint pain, trouble sleeping, anxiety/depression, lack of appetite and bowel or digestive irregularities. Sometimes these symptoms can be so severe that they interfere with the person's ability to continue their cancer treatments. Surgeries can often leave a person in a lot of pain, even with pain killing medications.
In Chinese Medicine we look at the side effects of chemo or radiation on the body and help reverse those effects. Chemo and radiation can cause a build up of Heat in the body (nausea, vomiting, digestive irregularities, anxiety) as well as deplete a person's Qi (fatigue/exhaustion, lack of appetite, trouble sleeping) or cause Qi to stagnate (pain, depression, bowel/digestive irregularities). By looking at a person's response to their cancer treatment the acupuncturist can figure out how this particular person is being affected and treat accordingly. When it comes to surgeries, acupuncture and moxibustion can help the body recover, reduce pain and help with scar healing. Surgeons are often amazed at how quickly and how well our shared patients' scars heal as compared to patients not receiving acupuncture.
Acupuncture can't cure cancer, but it can help a person withstand the treatments that might cure their cancer. As it stands today, chemo and radiation treat the cancer without regard to the person; acupuncture treats the person. The stronger your body, the easier it is to tolerate the cancer treatments and hopefully the more successfully you will heal.
Can acupuncture cure cancer?
Unfortunately the answer is no. There are Chinese Medicine Oncologists who have received specialized training in Chinese Medicine Oncology (mostly in China), but for the most part, acupuncturists in the United States don't cure cancer or even treat it per se. However, acupuncture can make a person's experience with Western cancer treatments much easier and less painful. Whether or not a person with cancer chooses to do surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation, they can still benefit from acupuncture to help cope the side effects of the various treatments.
People undergoing chemotherapy and radiation often have to suffer through a number of side effects including (but not limited to): fatigue, nausea/vomiting, muscle or joint pain, trouble sleeping, anxiety/depression, lack of appetite and bowel or digestive irregularities. Sometimes these symptoms can be so severe that they interfere with the person's ability to continue their cancer treatments. Surgeries can often leave a person in a lot of pain, even with pain killing medications.
In Chinese Medicine we look at the side effects of chemo or radiation on the body and help reverse those effects. Chemo and radiation can cause a build up of Heat in the body (nausea, vomiting, digestive irregularities, anxiety) as well as deplete a person's Qi (fatigue/exhaustion, lack of appetite, trouble sleeping) or cause Qi to stagnate (pain, depression, bowel/digestive irregularities). By looking at a person's response to their cancer treatment the acupuncturist can figure out how this particular person is being affected and treat accordingly. When it comes to surgeries, acupuncture and moxibustion can help the body recover, reduce pain and help with scar healing. Surgeons are often amazed at how quickly and how well our shared patients' scars heal as compared to patients not receiving acupuncture.
Acupuncture can't cure cancer, but it can help a person withstand the treatments that might cure their cancer. As it stands today, chemo and radiation treat the cancer without regard to the person; acupuncture treats the person. The stronger your body, the easier it is to tolerate the cancer treatments and hopefully the more successfully you will heal.
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