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Summer, sunshine and roses. What a delight they are to have in the garden with the variety of colors, blossom shapes and fragrances. Long a symbol of love, war, politics and beauty, roses have worked their way into our hearts and into our cuisine.
A little history first. Fossil evidence date roses back nearly 35 million years, with cultivation beginning nearly 5,000 years ago–likely in China. Now there are 100-150 estimated species of Rosa growing wild or cultivated on nearly every continent. The Romans and Middle Eastern cultures used roses for medicinal purposes, celebrations, perfume, as confetti at celebrations or to honor royalty. Well, who doesn’t want to walk on a path sprinkled with roses?
Rose oil and water was considered legal tender for trade and payments during the 7th and 8th centuries–not quite as crazed a trend as the Dutch tulips bulbs. And there was the famous “War of the Roses” in the 15th century– the red rose symbolized Lancaster and the white rose was the symbol of York.
In the early 1800′s botanically illustrator Pierre Joseph Redoute’s completed “Les Rose,” a collection of watercolor paintings from the roses in Napoleon and Josephine’s gardens at Chateau de Malmaison. This work is still considered one of the finest botanical records of roses.
Personally, roses hold a dear place in my heart. My grandfather was a master gardener and cared for several public rose gardens as well as his own. Grandma would harvest the petals for potpourri and jellies. And my parents kept a very neat rose garden right outside the front door. Pretty magical to be able to loose yourself under an enormous Austrian Copper rose bush for a nap, to fill vases with roses, to be able to identify each rose just by fragrance.
Enough history and sentimentality…
Western nutritional highlights
From a western nutritional perspective, roses don’t hold significant levels of minerals and vitamins except for vitamin c, which is most abundant in rose hips rather than the petals. Where roses shine is in their energetics.
Rose’s Eastern nutritional energetics and highlights.
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Clears heat, cools the blood and stops bleeding
Rose has a very clearing, cooling and calm nature. Patterns of blood heat include rashes, fever, nose bleeds. Doesn’t matter which organ has the heat (liver fire=constipation, stomach fire=mouth sores, etc) rose will help cool heat patterns. |
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Harmonizes menstruation, strengthens and harmonizes reproductive qi
That’s right, roses are wonderful for treating reproductive disharmonies including: irregular or painful menses, PMS, low self-esteem, excessive bleeding, impotence, infertility and low libido. But don’t just keep it to the ladies. Roses help to increase sperm count and resolve sperm incontinence. |
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Clears Liver qi congestion and promotes bile flow
Liver qi stagnation? In Chinese medicine the Liver is responsible for ‘free and easy flow’–meaning the qi, blood and fluids in the body are moving easily. Liver qi stagnation appears as depression, mood swings, mid back pain, pms, constipation, flank pain, nausea and headaches. If you have angst, anger, irritability or frustration you have some liver qi stagnation. |
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Nourishes the Heart, settles Shen and lifts depression
Very simply put, Shen is the spirit that is housed in the Heart. When the Heart’s Blood and Qi are harmonious, Shen is nourished and we responds appropriately to the environment. We can build meaningful relationships and can experience joy and laughter. When it is not nourished or unsettled we see patterns of insomnia, anxiety, palpitations, and inappropriate relationships (too close or too far). In extreme conditions we can see hysteria, irrational behavior and delirium. |
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Clears toxins, reduces swellings and inflammation
Think boils, furuncles, carbuncles, abscesses and shingles. It clears toxic damp heat in the colon that causes painful diarrhea too. |
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Heals and repairs the skin
Use it internally and/or externally, rose is useful for eczema, ulcers, sprains, red irritated skin, wrinkles and spider veins. |
Seven ways to use roses
- A cup of tea– There are several varieties of rose tea available at local stores, or simply get some dried organic rose blossoms and petals and have make your own. I often mix my with other flavors–last night raspberry leaf, nettle, and rose. To further cool the day down, I dropped in a few frozen blackberries.
- Eat rose petals–dash them over salads, top berries or cakes with them.
- Use as rose water or rose oil–use the water to flavor teas or as a refreshing facial rinse. Drop oil into a calming bath or use as an essential oil…a few drops a day under the tongue can go a long way. Rose water.
- Make up a vinegar–use for everything from sun burns and bug bites to an unusual salad dressing. Rose vinegar.
Be well!
April
reposted with permission from aprilcrowell.com
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Pulse proudly presents our Brown Bag Lunch Series.
On the first Tuesday of each month we will offer a free talk on a specific topic. Bring your lunch and your questions and find out what we have to offer. We will start with the basics of Chinese Medicine then move into topics including arthritis, herbal first kits, asthma, allergies, insomnia….you get the idea.
Understanding Acupuncture–May 7th, 12:15-1:00
Have you ever wondered if acupuncture would help you? Come meet Nedda Greer LAc, Pulse’s licensed acupuncturist and find out the answers to your questions.
All About Amma Therapy–June 4th, 12:15-1:00
“What is this Amma Therapy stuff you do?” Nate and April will bring to light the wonders of this ancient form of bodywork.
A Holistic Approach to Nutrition–July 2nd, 12:15-1:00
Confused by all the latest reports about the benefits of this food, or the dangers of that food? Come and learn the basics of how to approach nutrition from a balanced perspective.
We hope to see you there!
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This Mother’s Day give Mom the gift of health. Buy a gift certificate online and save $15 on Acupuncture, Amma therapy or Holstic Nutrition with Nedda, April or Nate.
Type in promo code Momsday to get your discount.
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Rhubarb has a long medicinal history. Its use spans Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to Galenic and Islamic medicine. Indeed this powerful little purgative (meaning it moves the bowels) is not an herb that is likely to disappear. Today, rhubarb’s rhizome (root) or Da Huang (big yellow) is still used extensively in classical and newer Chinese formulas to move the bowels and release excess heat and damp conditions in the liver.
But enough of the roots, we going to talk about the stalk or stem.
Though rhubarb’s broad leaves are toxic, the stem offers a surprising array of vitamins and minerals. The stems vary in color from deep red, pink, white to green and have a similar shape to celery stalks. Like celery, rhubarb is a vegetable despite the fact that it ends up in many desserts. Let’s take a closer look at what rhubarb has to offer besides a very tart flavor.
Calcium–Rhubarb is loaded with silicon an important component in the absorption of calcium. And it’s packed with calcium itself, boasting about 30-35% of the RDA based on a 2,000 calorie diet–wonderful for your bones, teeth and heart without building up a bunch of phlegm.
Vitamin K, A, C & E-Vitamin K is essential to helping blood clot and aids your body in the absorption of vitamin D and many other nutrients. Rhubarb rocks nearly 60% of your RDA of K in a single cup. It also sports a healthy amount of vitamins A, C and E–the antioxidants that clear the body of disease and free radicals. Sounds kind of liver oriented, doesn’t it Chinese medicine practitioners?
The B-Vitamins- Small amounts of the B’s are present in rhubarb, but its enough to take note of these include thiamine, riboflavin and folate, niacin, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid.
Other nutrients and trace minerals-A single cup of rhubarb provides small amounts of magnesium which plays a role in utilizing calcium, vitamin D and potassium. Potassium in rhubarb helps to balance out fluid and minerals–out with gout. And the phosphorus helps to keep teeth and bones strong. Rhubarb offers some iron, supporting blood health. And trace amounts of copper, slenium, manganese and zinc appear as well.
Now that we’ve fractionalized the poor rhubarb–let’s look at it from a whole, Chinese energetic perspective.
Rhubarb is cold energetically, it drains downward and removes excess heat and damp from the Liver, Stomach, Heart and Intestines and promotes bowel movements. The sour flavor specifically enters the Liver, moving out congestion and dampness.
Shall I simplify?
Heat in the Liver- What this looks like is liver qi congestion, anger, frustration, digestive stagnation, pms, ringing in the ears, –check out Liver yang rising. Patterns like Hep C, mono and high cholesterol are damp heat in the liver and gall bladder.
Heat in the Stomach-We see burning sensation in the stomach, acid reflux, GERD, bleeding gums, excessive thirst and bad breath. This can also be a component in constipation caused by heat. Yep, there is more than one pattern that can cause constipation.
Heat in the Heart-Anxiety, palpitations, nervousness, thirst, anxious and excessive speech and dream disturbed sleep. You might actually have a burning sensation on the very tip of your tongue.
Heat in the Intestine-Heat anywhere will dry up the fluids in the system, making you thirsty. With lack of fluids in the intestines the body cannot properly move the bowels aka, constipation.
Wonderful– Put this all together and rhubarb is a fantastic food to help purge out excess heat from the system, especially if you indulge in too many animal proteins which are hot! Great for spring cleaning. But before you go noshing on your plant, there are a few contraindications.
A note of caution–rhubarb is a laxative, avoid use if you are nursing, have diarrhea, loose stools, or are very deficient.
Be well,
April
reposted with permission from aprilcrowell.com
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Do you toss and turn all night long or wake of refreshed and energized? Sleepless nights have plagued all of us at some time or another, however with more than 60 million Americans suffering from insomnia or regular sleep deprivation it’s not a topic to be taken lightly.
Temporary sleep disturbances are not something to be overly concerned with, but if the pattern continues for more than 3 weeks it is considered chronic and overall health is compromised. The senses dull, healing slows, immunity weakens, moods shift, depression sets in–the list goes on.
A good night’s sleep is important and you should feel rested and revitalized when you awake.
What is happening? Why are so many people suffering from insomnia or restless night. Why are millions of prescriptions for sleep aids like Ambien written every year? Each person’s pattern is different and each pattern can be improved on. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I do have some insights.
First, some brief details about sleep.
How much sleep do we need?
Most studies and experts agree that the ideal amount of sleep is about 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep a night. On average, Americans are clocking in at 6.9 hours–not too bad, but when you take into account that some people get 10 hours of sleep a night while others only clock in 3 or 4 hours, it starts to look bleak for millions.
What happens when we sleep?
EEG machines that track brain wave activity help us to break sleep into two broad categories. Quiet Sleep (Non-REM-rapid eye movement) and Active Sleep (REM).
Quiet Sleep or Non-REM Sleep
Quiet sleep is the state when we become less active and responsive. This falls into four different stages based on what is happening in the body and the brain. In the deepest stages (3 & 4) healing and renewal. Yes, please, I’ll have that.
- Stage 1–You begin to drift into sleep–about the first 5-15 minutes from being awake to light sleep. Brain waves are still fairly active. The body temperature begins to drop, the eyes may shift slowly from side to side. During this stage you can be easily startled or jarred awake.
- Stage 2- This is the start of established sleep, about 10-20 minutes into sleep. The eyes become still, the breathing rate slows and stabilizes and the heart rate slows. During this stage the brain is still a bit active and there are brief bursts of fast activity about every 2 minutes. On an EEG machine, you will see a spike of activity if you call the sleeping person’s name at this time–but they aren’t going to pop up startled.
- Stage 3 and 4–Deep sleep finally arrives. There are fewer processing centers running in the brain. Breathing becomes slow and regular, body temperature is still cooler, blood pressure drops by as much as 25% (something to note for those of you with high blood pressure). You become less responsive to external stimulus–might have to yell your name to even cause a stir. During this stage, less blood in the brain means the body can work on renewing itself. The Pituitary gland releases hormones that stimulate cell regeneration, healing, growth and even immunity. Who couldn’t use extra time here?
Non-Quiet Sleep or REM
In REM sleep the body is still or paralyzed but the mind is very active. The eyes are closed but move rapidly, body temperature rises, blood pressure increases, the sympathetic nervous system is active keeping you in a state of fight or flight.. This is where dreaming occurs. Let’s face it, your body may not be moving, but you aren’t getting much rest in this state.
Insight from Chinese Medicine on Insomnia and sleeplessness
Let’s start with the very simple and profound concept of Yin and Yang. One of the founding principles of Chinese medicine Yin and Yang can be used to identify anything–all phenomenon in nature, pathology, personality and treatment. Everything can be broken into Yin and Yang. They are opposites that describe each other and identify each other.
 Yang–literally the sunny side of the mountain–refers to anything that has characteristics of activity, work, growth, movement, warmth, summer, morning and daytime, building, and transforming. Yang is represented in the white part of the symbol to the left.
Yin–literally the shady side of the mountain–refers to anything that has characteristics of inactivity or rest, renewal, coolness, replenishing, evening and nighttime, winter, storing and fluids. Yin is represented in the black part of the symbol.
Confusing? The concepts are different from western logic and Aristotelian thought– Yin and Yang are opposite but complimentary qualities. Each thing or phenomenon can be its self or its contrary. Once you understand the general qualities of what makes something Yin or Yang the rest all comes down to comparison. Where the sun is Yang (active, hot, warm) the moon is Yin (cool, dark, quiescent). Fire is Yang, water is Yin. Just look to opposites or the continuum of which has more characteristics than another. Campfire or a raging forest fire? Campfire, although hot is Yin by comparison to an active raging forest fire.
Back to sleep.
Sleep is a Yin quality–something that replenishes and nourishes the body, allowing us to recharge. Without Yin, there is no oil to fuel the fire of our Yang activity. If you constantly go and never recharge, you will eventually break down in some way.
This is a hard concept for some of my clients. The idea of slowing down and resting is construed by some as doing nothing–a non productive time. It’s not, you are recharging…which you must do to be able to keep going. Just coming to terms with giving yourself permission to rest works wonders.
In Chinese medicine there a many patterns that can lead to insomnia. Remember: Chinese medicine looks at the functional energetic properties of organs, having a Heart pattern in CM doesn’t necessarily mean anything would show up on western tests.
- Blood deficiency: Lack of blood to adequately nourish and settle the Shen (spirit) these patterns will have a pale tongue and weak pulse. The person may be anemic and startle easily, anxious yet tired.
- Heart Fire: Too much heat often from emotional issues agitates and creates restlessness. Red tongue, rapid pulse, slurring of speech, agitation.
- Heart Blood deficiency: Being able to identify where the blood deficiency is specifically allows for concise more effective treatment. Very pale tongue, cold hands and feet, weak feeble pulse
- Phlegm Fire Obstructing the Mind: Accumulation of phlegm clouds the orifices and the unsettles the mind. Think ADD, ADHD and mania type patterns. Red tongue, thick yellow coating, surging pulse.
- Liver Qi Stagnation: Liver’s function of ‘free and easy flow’ is compromised and qi and blood stagnate leading to frustration, pms, anxiety. The sides of the tongue become red and the pulse tight.
And there are many more….
With just the few patterns listed above you can see how many different patterns can lead to insomnia, and how their treatment would be different. It’s the practitioner’s job to find out which pattern a client fits and then specialize the treatment to that client.
A few tips to lessen sleepless nights
- Meditate-many insomnia patterns have an emotional component lurking in them. Taking time out to settle your mind works wonders on all planes of being.
- Set up a bedtime routine-Evening is a time of yin–time to settle down and nourish. Try to go to bed at the same time every night. Our bodies thrive when we give them a little routine especially with eating and sleeping. Take time before this to settle your mind. Write out a list of your ‘to dos’ for the next day, turn off the TV or computer, go for an evening stroll, meditate.
- Get the tech out of the bedroom-Too much constant stimuli increases brain activity (yang) and doesn’t allow the blood to settle and nourish which happens when we close our eyes. Get the temptation to peruse the internet out of the bedroom
- Turn out the lights-Decrease in light stimulates the body’s natural desire to rest. Light stimulates the Kidney–now yo
- Take Calcium and Magnesium-Up to 1,000 milligrams to help relax the muscles.
- Avoid stimulants and alcohol before bed
- Warm up–Take a warm bath and make sure your feet aren’t cold when you go to bed. Drink a cup of warm chamomile or sleepy time tea.
- Kefir and fish oil-Drink a 1/4 of Kefir with a teaspoon of fish oil in it to nourish and settle yin and the nervous system.
- Don’t eat large meals late at night--You are asking your body to digest (a yang function) during the yin time when it should be sending energy inward to rest…not transform food.
Certainly, these aren’t all that can be done to work with insomnia. There are numerous Chinese and western herbs that work wonders when matched to the right pattern and acupuncture or Amma therapy can work wonders with helping you get back into a restful and replenishing sleep.
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 A real “Scooby Snack” Most of us are familiar with the iconic Chia Pet® The Pottery that grows, but until recently few people thought about eating the seeds or the resulting sprouts.
Chia seeds are a member of the Salvia genus of plants, its latin name is Salvia Hispanica, and Chia itself is derived from a native Nahuatl word meaning oily. Salvia is a large group plants that is a subset of the mint family and is most well know for its largest species group, sage.
Almost all plants within the Salvia genus have parts that can be eaten. The name itself is Latin for “to feel well and healthy”, implying the health benefits obtained from the use of these plants.
 Chia seeds are small, usually 1mm to 2mm in size, and are brownish, whitish, blackish in color (under a magnifying glass they are speckled). When exposed to liquids containing sufficient amounts of water they excrete a mucosal membrane around the seed to hold the water. Liquids containing high levels of acid or alcohol reduce the rate of adsorption as they keep the water away from the surface of the seed. In the wild the seeds ability to hold onto liquid allows the plant to start growing in areas where rain fall is minimal. The mucosal membrane is also sticky allowing the seed to hang onto whatever surface it happens to be on. This is why Chia Pets® work, as a moistened seed will happily glue itself on to the clay surface of the pottery.
So what are Chia seeds really good for?
Chia seeds are an amazing source of Essential Fatty Acids, protein, and fiber. They are also high in calcium, phosphorus and manganese. For exact numbers and a complete scientific breakdown, click here.
Chai seeds are also a wonderful accompaniment to a mild detox cleanse, as the soluble fiber of the mucosal membrane, and the insoluble fiber of the seed itself pull built up toxins and excess dampness out of the digestive tract.
OK, so they are good for me. But how do I use them?
My favorite way to use Chia seeds is to add a tablespoon or so to a glass of juice and let the seeds soak up the juice and then drink it. Since I like to play with my food, I will also just cover the seeds with a dark colored juice, like blueberry, until they have absorbed all of the available juice, and they pour in a different colored juice, like pear, to fill the glass, which creates little floating specks of color in your juice.
 Chia Seed and Coconut Pudding from http://deliciouslyorganic.net/chia-seed-pudding-recipe/ Chia seeds are a great addition to salads, or a cup of yogurt, sprinkled on fruit, blended into a smoothie, just about anything you could imaging really. One delicious recipe that I discovered was for a Chia Coconut pudding that could be garnished with fruit, or even turned into a chocolate pudding. Plus as the seeds are the thickening agent, there is no cooking involved.
Cooking with Chia can also be delicious and entertaining. Sprinkle them into a pie or cobbler to add crunch and thickening rather than using corn starch or tapioca. Add them into cookies or fruit bars to give them a springy gelatin feel. You can also grind them up and use them to replace part of the flour in recipes that don’t have much gluten as a binder to make them hold together better.
What other ways can I use Chia?
A slightly more difficult, but very rewarding way to use Chia is to sprout the seeds and use the sprouts as a garnish on salads, sandwiches, soups, etc. Chia seeds are a little more difficult to sprout because since they excrete a mucosal membrane, you can’t use the same method as with other seeds like radish, clover, or alfalfa (see my article on sprouting here).
Other than purchasing a Chia Pet at Christmas time, you can use an inverted clay pot set into a tray as an effective growing medium. Here are simple instructions if you want to try this yourself.
- Completely wet the pot, you may want to even soak it in a bowl of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Size of pot will determine how many seeds you want to use, 1 tablespoon will cover the outside of a 4″ pot.
- Place the seeds in a small dish and add just enough water to cover.
- Allow the seeds to soak up the water, then using your finger or a Popsicle stick, spread the seeds on the outside of the pot, working to keep them as a single layer. Keep the seeds off the wider brim, as this area will be in contact with water when the pot is placed into a tray.
- By placing water in the tray, the pot will wick the water up to the seeds and keep them moist without the risk of mold or having the seeds rot as they would in a traditional sprouting jar.
- If part of the pot seems too dry, gently mist it with a spray bottle, or your sink sprayer.
- Keep out of direct sun until sprouts start to form leaves, at which time you can move the pot into a bright window to green them up.
Chia sprouts have all the benefits of the seed plus the addition of chlorophyll, making them an even better source of nutrients and energy. It is recommended that unless you are a night owl that you don’t eat Chia sprouts in the evening, they are quite the energy boost.
Chia seeds are fun and delicious. The more you explore ways to use them, the more you appreciate the wonders of this tiny power house of a seed.
Enjoy!
Nathan Mandigo
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February Herb Sale
20% off Freeing Contrainst
The name pretty well describes this excellent formula for PMS.
 Action: Freeing Constraint moves Liver Qi stagnation, pacifies the Liver, lifts mental depression and move stagnation.
Indications: PMS, outbursts of anger or repressed anger, depression, irregular periods, painful periods, tiredness caused by stagnation of qi, sighing and hypochondrial pain.
Tongue: red sides Pulse: wiry and full
While supplies last
Check with your Pulse practitioner today to see if it is a match for your pattern.
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Life is a heat process.
From a strictly chemical view point, almost all reactions in the body are heat driven, from the formation of proteins and ATP (the fuel that runs the body), to the ability of your lungs to absorb oxygen from the air. Without heat, many processes slow, or outright stop.
 From a psycho-spiritual perspective, when we think of various descriptors that have been applied to people throughout time we see reflections of the understanding of how important heat is. Sayings like ‘they’re cold hearted’, or calling someone ‘frigid’, or referring to an action as ‘cold’ are all examples of acknowledging a lack of warmth in someone. Conversely, we describe people as ‘warm’ to express their caring nature, or an action giving you the ‘warm fuzzies’, or even ‘hot’ to express sexual desire. When our ability to generate warmth declines, we can begin to feel separated from those around us. Our ability to acknowledge the warmth of another can diminish proportionally to our own diminishing warmth.
Physically, warmth is most prevalent in the digestive system, where a lack of heat will lead to a decrease in our ability to derive nourishment from our food and, because the body tends to store what it cannot use, an increase in body mass. A lack of heat in the digestive system can lead to difficulty taking in new ideas and information. Also, as heat is necessary to move the bowels, it can make it harder to let go, physically, mentally, or emotionally.
Ironically, because heat is generated by both the breakdown of food and the use of those nutrients by the muscles, our diet has a major influence on our overall temperature.
In Chinese Medicine, the primary organs of digestion are the Stomach and Spleen. If you think of the Stomach as the cook pot that the body breaks food down in, the Spleen is the fire under the pot. While the Spleen provides the heat to cook the ingested food, the food after being broken down provides fuel for fire for the next time we eat. So if we eat lots of food that take extra energy for the Stomach to break down, like rich heavy foods, or raw and/or chilled foods, we derive less energy from the food and have less energy for our next meal. We can offset some of this loss through movement and exercise, but keep in mind that the energy fueling the Spleen’s fire is also what is driving the muscles. Too much activity without proper nourishment will also deplete the body’s heat reserves.
The body can become too warm. Spicy foods, excessive intake of beverages like coffee and alcohol, and long term exposure to hot environments can over heat the body. This improper heat can cause the energy in the body to become agitated and reckless, drying up bodily fluids and in extreme instances, “burning” the flesh off the bones. In keeping with one of the principles of Yin/Yang anything in extreme will turn into its opposite. Thus excess heat can rapidly change into cold as our ability to physically hold onto warmth diminishes.
So how do we maintain warmth?
The easiest way to keep the body warm is to dress appropriately for the weather. If the body is chilled from the outside we have to use extra energy to maintain internal warmth. In the winter, the extremities are most susceptible to becoming cold, especially feet and knees, forearms and hands, and the head. Keeping the feet warm and dry, and ensuring that the knees are covered keeps cold from invading the lower body, while long sleeved shirts under coats with good gloves will keep the arms and hands warm, and of course any one of all the fun winter hats available will keep the head warm. Dressing in layers can be both fashionable and allow for accommodating interior and exterior temperatures.
Because our ability to generate warmth is directly linked to the food we consume it is important to avoid foods that cool the body. Because the body has to warm everything we eat to body temperature, any cold beverages, raw fruits or vegetables, or chilled food of any sort should be limited if not outright avoided in cold weather. Warming teas like Chai or cinnamon are excellent for warming digestion, while slow cooked soups and stews, casseroles, and crock pot meals are perfect in the winter time as the long cooking times help gently warm the body.
For other ways to stay warm, and or build warmth, contact a practitioner at Pulse today.
Here’s to warm fuzzies!
Nathan Mandigo
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“What’s for dinner?”
It’s a common question that can turn into an amusing (or annoying) game. When you have a busy schedule it can be a daunting task to figure out how to eat well–let alone eat.
I’ll tell you a little secret–it’s all about habits.
Our culture has put emphasis on economy and convenience, at the cost of our connection to self nourishment, and I’m not talking about restorative yoga. Think about it. We spend less time planning and preparing meals than any other culture in the world, and we have increasing disease and health costs that are directly related to dietary habits. Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, GERD (okay, there is a virus involved sometimes here, but I assure you, if you slow down how you eat, it improves considerably), kidney stones, ulcers, gout, heart disease–you get the picture. We all know nutrition is important, what and how we eat is the basis for our energy, ability to health and overall health.
Wonderful. So how to we start improving how we nourish ourselves?
Simple–create new habits that make better nourishment and eating habits a priority.
You will be hungry today, so why let that surprise you? Why not plan for it instead? Your health and soul will thank you. Let’s play with a few ideas.
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Create time
If your current habits don’t allow you the time to menu plan, shop, prep and cook–budget some time. Put it in your day planner or on your ‘to do’ list. If you skip meals, put the time for them in your planner as well. It usually takes me about 15 minutes to make a menu for the week and I usually take 2 hours 1x a week to prep and cook so that my kitchen time is cut down during the rest of the week. It gets simpler the more you practice it–trust me–you can create time  |
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Shop in your cupboard–use it or lose it
Browse through your cupboard, fridge and freezer before you make a menu. If you can focus some of your menu around what you already have, you will save time and reduce waste. Have asparagus that’s looking a little floppy–how about asparagus sauté, soup or stir fry? This time of year, I am clearing out the cupboards and freezer from last autumn’s harvest so the I can make room for this year’s abundance. Pumpkin custard it is… |
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Make a menu
I grew up with the menu on the left–whine or complain and you can cook it yourself. Which is fine, we are often ungrateful for what we have available and who prepares it. My mother always had a plan, so we rarely played the ‘what’s for dinner?’ game. Anyway. Now that you know what you have in your cupboard you can head to the store with a plan–rather than coming back with random items and nothing seems to fit together. Menus don’t have to be elaborate, and you don’t have to cook everything from scratch. The menu is a guideline. The point is to work from where you are and use to simplify and evolve your cooking and eating habits. |
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Go to the store or market after you’ve made your menu
Save money, frustration and time by knowing what you need rather than trying to plan on the fly. Try not to shop when you are hungry–ending up with pickles, chocolate, chips and little else makes for weird meals. With the farmer’s markets and CSA happenings, I actually do some of the menu planning after shopping so I can eat what’s available. Ooooh…fresh morrels…what can these little gems become? Wild rice and wild mushroom soup or morrel, asparagus fettucine alfredo made with traditional or made with nut milk? Yum! |
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Prep a Salad
“Eat your greens.” They are essential–really, but that’s not what we are talking about this time. Take a few moments to clean, wash and blot your greens. Or buy them that way. I have a large planter of mixed greens (arugula, spinach, beets, mustard, chard, nasturtiums, endive) plugging along on the patio. The mix provides variety and it only takes a few moments to go clip the large ones for the evening meal. Then you simply dress the salad. Carrots shavings, chopped radish, little red onion, a handful of seeds or nuts and a quality dressing. Top with a little leftover meat if you have it, serve with a grain pilaf–dinner! |
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Prep a Grain Dish
Barley, rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth…lovely grains. Grains, grain salads or pilafs can be made up ahead of time and tossed over salads, served as sides or have a little meat added into them. How about an Herbed almond, amaranth pilaf or a quiona tabbouleh? I often make up a large pan of just plain rice; toss it in soup, breakfast wraps, porridge or serve as a simple side. Clara rolls it with a little seaweed and sesame seeds for rice balls for lunch. |
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Double or Triple It
If you are already cooking, make a little more. It’s pretty simple to double soups, stews, and many other dishes. Use the leftovers to create breakfast. Freeze some of it down for the next time you run late or something comes up. Dips and patés are easy sources of protein, fiber and are wonderful after school snacks. If you bake potatoes, bake extra and use the leftovers in frittatas, soups, or simply reheated and severed with fixings. |
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Make a soup or stew
Soups are the most forgiving food. They are easy to digest, easy to vary the flavor and change them into something else and a wonderful way to use up leftovers. Don’t have time to make your own? Stock up on organic stock, frozen vegetables, dried spice mix (no msg or chemicals, please.) and BPA free cans of beans. Flavor to your tastes–voila–dinner in a hurry. P.S. when it comes to adding items into the soup if you are unsure if the flavors will combine-here’s a trick. Smell the soup, then smell what you are planning to add. If your nose says ‘no’–don’t combine them. If it’s not a ‘no’, then you can add them and adjust your flavors. |
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Eat slowly with grace, joy and gratitude
“Sit down, be thankful for what you have and chew your food.” Ever notice that food tastes better when you are in a good mood? Meal times used to be honored times, when the focus was nourishing, not what’s on CNN. Turn off the tv, don’t answer the phone, step away from Facebook. When we take the time to be thankful for our blessings and nourish ourselves with intention it’s really quite profound. Often times this simple rule is enough for some of my clients to stop using antacids. |
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Plan for the busy days
Orchestra, track, meetings, parties–busy, busy. When you plan out your menu, take time to look at the week schedule. I come home late on Thursdays, therefore, I don’t want to cook, so the menu is set that for either leftovers or dinner out. If you know you are going to have to rush home, then grab the kid before soccer, pack up a snack or meal when you are cleaning up dinner the night before.
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Have staples and easy snacks on hand
Take stock of what you have and what you might need. Root vegetables, squash, frozen vegetables, whole grains, dried nuts, dried fruits, nut butters, dried (or canned BPA free) lentils and legumes and seeds, etc. Obviously, this list will vary household to household. Look to see where you are at and how you can improve your stock. A bowl of apples and pears setting out on the counter it is more likely that you will grab that for a snack than rush out for a candy bar. How about carrots and celery with nut butter or hummus or a handful of nuts? |
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Involve the family
Learning to plan and prepare meals shouldn’t fall to just one person in the family unless you’ve divided the work that way. Why? It’s a life skill, everyone should learn. Especially if there are children in the household, get them involved. Have them pick out one or two meals to have each week, have them participate in cooking and clean up. |
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Be flexible and keep an open mind
Don’t worry if you fall off the menu here or there, they are just a guide to keep the hassle down. Remember to be willing to try new things and explore. If your mind is open to being able to try new foods or create new habits, those around you will likely mirror it. Have fun! |
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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus
“Thank you.” It’s a very simple, very powerful statement–especially when it is said with true gratitude. We live in a hurried culture, one abundant with blessings even in the toughest of times, yet often we overlook or give thanks for what we have.
Growing up, I had four grandparents close by, along with my parent’s diligence and tight knit church family, gratitude was something that was deeply instilled in me. All of them were far more concerned with ‘the color of my soul’ than whether I had the latest fashion to wear. If I frowned at the food put before me, I was reminded that there were starving children who would be happy to eat it.
It doesn’t matter what your faith, if any–the act of gratitude is one that shows respect to life, existence and consciousness itself. It opens the heart and mind to infinite potential and wonder. Appreciation and grace create greater depth of love, compassion, generosity and unity which rewires the brain. Studies have shown that people who live with gratitude have increased states of attention, energy, enthusiasm, alertness and live with a general positive attitude. Wow!–Just think of what would happen if everyone expressed more gratitude. The world would be a better place for all of us.
Weaving gratitude into your life
We live in a world of vice and virtue–and at any given moment we choose between the two. Taoist thought has a simple saying, “Li proceeds Qi.” Meaning intention proceeds action or manifestation. At any moment you can ask yourself, “What is my motivation or intention behind what I’m doing?”
To create grace and gratitude you simply practice grace and gratitude.
Here’s some ideas
- Meditation–My first recommendation. All meditation helps to toss off the shackles of attachment helping us reconnect with our authentic selves and life purpose. If you’ve never meditated before, you may want to try meditation with seed–Take fifteen to thirty minutes a day sit up straight and still, focusing on a candle or the horizon and specifically focus on what blessings you have in your life to be thankful for. Refuse to allow victimization to roll in. In my personal practice I use meditation without seed focusing on non-duality. If you are completely unfamiliar with meditation, seek out an instructor.
- Wake in the morning and list 5 things you are thankful for–Hey, you woke up and you get to breath, right? These can be big or small.
- Start a gratitude journal–Take time to journal out the blessings of your day or of your life.
- Prayer–All faiths have practices of gratitude and reverence. Take a moment to look at your practice, do you spend enough time being thankful?
- Give thanks for the food you eat– Take a moment before you eat. Whether in prayer or conscious reverence. Be aware of where the food came from, who grew, who prepared it and the opportunities that have allowed you to have it.
- Get involved in the community–Get involved in projects or events that give back to the community that has helped to sustain you.
- Don’t wait for the holidays-- Although the holidays are a great time to get together and express thankfulness, don’t wait for them. Write a card, send a letter, smile at a stranger.
- Enjoy the holidays–I love the holiday season, yet some of the holiday traditions don’t quite match my family’s moral or ethical beliefs. Create something meaningful for yourself, let go of what is no longer needed, and put something better in its place.
- Say “Please and thank you,”
- Be open to wonder and amazement–Life gets hectic and we loose perspective falling into pessimism. Consider the beauty in a rain drop or the vastness of space.
Breath in the moment and take time to remember who helped you along the way.
“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. –Thornton Wilder
Be well,
April
reposted with permission from www.aprilcrowell.com
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Autumn and early winter are the peak harvest times for nuts. Nature’s little powerhouses, nuts possess all the energy, nutrients and materials to create a towering, strong tree, making them one of the richest foods available for humans to eat.
One short blog isn’t enough space to tackle all 300 edible types of nuts, but it is more than adequate to get a brief overview of the nutritional benefits and energetics of nuts along with safe handling, storage and some ideas of how to incorporate nuts into your diet.
Western nutritional highlights
Although nuts will vary in their content of protein, oils, vitamins and minerals we can look at them overall and get the general idea of what they have to offer.
- Protein– All nuts are high in protein. A 1/3 cup serving of cashews contains 21 grams. However that same serving gives you 260 calories–something to consider if you are calorie counting. These amino acids are pretty well balanced but lack the methionine and tryptophan found in animal proteins. However, mixed with grains, as many traditional cultures do, you can easily balance the meal.
- Fats–Don’t let the word scare you. We need healthy fats to maintain healthy hormones, immunity, and nervous system. It’s fats that give nuts their delicious flavor that satiate us. Luckily, most nuts are high in unsaturated fats (happy fats), and many of them have been shown to successfully help lower blood lipid levels (high cholesterol) and aid in the treatment of heart disease. In fact, nearly all nuts have appeared in studies and are shown to be beneficial in lowering cholesterol and protecting the heart. Nut’s fat content varies from about 50% (found in peanuts and almonds) to the nearly 70% (found in macadamias and pecans). Remember, a little goes a long way. Keep your servings to about a handful a day.
- Fiber–1/4 cup of almond provides about 4 grams of fiber. Fiber is essential for maintaining healthy bowel movements, weight balance, hormones and colon health. Need more info on Fiber?
- Vitamins and Minerals–Here again, nuts vary but many contain iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin E and zinc–to name just a few.
The Chinese energetics of nuts
As a group nuts build and strengthen the body. They add on weight and fight deficiencies. Yin building (fluids and fats) and warming nuts are good for thin, weak and frail types but should be avoided if there is excess dampness, phlegm or yeast. Too many nuts can scatter the energy making a person feel ungrounded or unfocused.
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Almonds
Almonds have a fairly high fat content (60%). They are high in vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. From a Chinese medicine perspective almonds are sweet and have a slightly warming nature. They benefit the Lungs and Colon by relieving cough and moving out phlegm, making them useful in chronic asthma and constipation conditions. Raw almonds are very beneficial in fighting heart disease and lowering blood lipids and the treatment of colon cancer. |
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Cashews
Kidney shaped cashews benefit the–you guessed it–the Kidneys and the Heart. Lower in carbohydrates than other nuts they offer vital minerals including copper, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. Most of the fat in cashews is in the form of oleic acid know for protecting against cancers and heart disease. |
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Chestnuts
Chestnuts are one of the oldest nut varieties. They have been a staple for many cultures in Europe, Asia and America and there are hundreds of varieties grown throughout the world. Chestnuts hold the honor of being the only low-fat nut. They contain a mere 1 gram of fat for 1/3 cup serving and about 70 calories. Chestnuts contain vitamins B1, B2, B6, and folic acid. They are the only nut that contains vitamin C–providing nearly 1/2 the RDA dosage in a single 3 oz serving. The offer up fair amounts of manganese, copper and magnesium. They have a sweet, warming and grounding nature. Chestnut soup anyone? |
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Hazelnuts or Filberts
Hazelnuts have been eaten by the Chinese for at least 5000 years and they have a long history throughout Europe. Commonly appearing in candies and sweets filberts are the nut used to make Frangelica, a sweet liqueur. A 1/3 cup serving provides nearly 500 calories and 12 grams of protein, and 48 grams of fat–but nearly all of that fat is monousaturated fat. They are high in many of the B vitamins, vitamin E, copper and zinc. Hazelnuts have been shown to help high cholesterol levels. |
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Peanuts
Not truly a nut, but a legume. Peanuts hold the honor of being one of the most allergenic foods. They are also susceptible to a carcinogenic fungus that is more potent than DDT. Does this mean they are bad for you? No–peanuts are shown to protect the heart and help balance LDL and HDL levels. They are high in B1 & B3 and trace minerals. Just remember to buy organic, high quality and use a variety of nuts, not just one type. |
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Pecans
Pecans were a staple in the Native American diet, and praised by Spanish and French explorers. Pecans are very high in fat–nearly 71% of their content, most of which is heart healthy oleic acid. Pecans have high levels of B1, B3, B5, B6, copper, magnesium, manganese and vitamin E. Pecan’s have been the star in multiple studies (including several by the American Heart Association). |
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Pinenuts
Dozens of pine trees throughout the world produce edible seeds. Pinenuts are high in protein, low in fat and high in potassium and magnesium–another bonus for heart health. They are high in iron–great for blood building. Famously used in Mediterranean cuisine, pinenuts are one of the most expensive nuts and one of the most unstable nuts. They become rancid quickly, so be sure to buy from a good source and store in the freezer. |
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Pistachios
Another ancient, heart healthy nut pistachios are stars when it comes to vitamins and minerals including; B1, B3, B6, copper, manganese, magnesium, zinc, selenium, calcium and potassium. Another nut shown to help lower blood cholesterol, pistachios also have the ability to reduce inflammatory dermatitis. In Chinese Medicine terms, they enter the Liver and Gallbladder and treat jaundice. |
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Walnuts
Walnuts look like little brains…and that is exactly where they benefit–the brain. Dating back to 7000 BCE, walnuts likely the oldest tree food eaten by man. Their are two main species. Black walnuts are smaller and little more bitter than the English walnut which has a larger, sweeter, white meat. Again, walnuts have a significant ability to lower cholesterol. Unlike other nuts, however, walnuts are high in arginine, which allows the bloove vessels to relax. They also possess ellagic acid, a cancer fighting antioxidant. In Chinese medicine terms, walnuts benefit the Heart, the Kidneys, the spine and the brain. |
Preparing and storing nuts
Nuts are high in fats. Once these fats are exposed to air, the oil becomes unstable and starts to oxidize, becoming rancid, which can cause problems with allergies, asthma, joint and nerve problems, itching and burning in the mouth or lips. Whenever possible buy nuts still in their shell, which will keep for a year in a cool, dry place. Once shelled nuts can be stored for up to a year in the freezer or a 4 months in the fridge.
How to prepare nuts
- Soaking nuts–I recommend soaking shelled nuts for 2 hours to overnight before using. Soaking starts the sprouting process, making the nutrients of the nuts more digestible. In bitter nuts, like walnuts, the tannins float away in the rinse -water making their flavor. All nuts become softer, sweeter and have a more butter like texture.
- Oven drying nuts–Once nuts are soaked, drain them and spread them out on a cooking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 20-40 minutes stirring occasionally. Nuts should be fragrant. Scrape nuts from hot pan onto a cooling surface or pan. Use immediately or cool them thoroughly before storing in the fridge or freezer.
- Toasting nuts–In a heavy ungreased skillet, toast nuts over medium heat until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Pour nuts onto into a cooling pan or surface to stop the cooking.
A few ways to include nuts in your diet
- Homemade granola– Make up a large batch of granola and freeze it. Because granola has nuts, seeds and grains, all of which have oils in them, it can become rancid quickly. Store prepped granola in the freezer and pull it out to toss on yogurt, serve with warm almond milk, pack in hiking bags or stuff into baked apples.
- Make nut milk–Easy to make and use. Nut milks have unique flavors. Make a thicker cream to pour over hot baked apples or make thinner to add to smoothies. They make wonderful hot chocolate too!
- Toss them onto a salad.
- Add them to rice or whole grain dishes.
- Candy them–Drizzle a little honey or maple syrup over nuts and roast with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Toast until fragrant. Or, if you prefer savory, roast them with sage, rosemary and thyme. Great for gifts.
- Just leave them out on the counter–If there is a bowl of nuts (shelled or unshelled) hanging out, somebody starts munching on them. I never leave out large bowls of unshelled because of the unstable oil–but usually the bowl is emptied before they can go rancid.
- Toss them onto hot cereals–Livens up oatmeal, teff, quinoa or whatever your morning porridge is.
- Make a crust–Use the left over nut pulp to make a crust for meats or fish.
Be well!
April
reprinted with permission from www.aprilcrowell.com
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Autumn’s arrival means it is time to get ready to go back to school–and lunches.
School lunch or homemade lunch? Are school lunches wonderful or awful? Answer: It depends.
As a Holistic Nutritionist, I don’t just focus on the best quality, local and organic food. It’s an ideal, however I fully recognize that nutrition in America is in a crisis state–swinging wildly from excess to starvation. Many people are fortunate enough to afford broad variety and exotic foods, choosing what and when to eat while others struggle for a meal each day.
The lunch program may be hideously dismal or a bounty–how you view it will obviously be peppered with your current life situation. Speaking professionally, the school lunch program is strongly lacking and filled with low quality food–rootbeer flavored milk?? Ick! However, I realize there kids that are amazed with abundance and variety that school lunch has to offer.
Food is absolutely a place where we can do better as a people.
Don’t go running after the Lunch Lady–she’s not in charge of funding. We are seeing change through local groups and organizations like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. However change takes time, but that is not the purpose of the this blog. My goal is to create awareness when it comes to eating. We all want our children to ‘grow and thrive’, to do well in school and have more opportunities than we’ve had. Learning how and what to eat is a part of that and it begins with parents. Chinese medicine isn’t just about healing–it’s education. ”To heal the child you must heal the parent.” Unless your child is the one shopping and cooking, it is up to the parents or guardians to teach them.
Tips and ideas to help simplify school lunches–and meals.
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Make a menu and involve the family
This helps on so many levels! Sit down for 15-20 minutes and write out a menu for 5 or 6 days. Involve the family. Being able to get up and look at list of the fridge that says “oatmeal with fruit and nuts” is what’s for breakfast and knowing that you are roasting a chicken for dinner that will become part of lunch tomorrow makes life easier–really. I base my menu around when I have time to cook and make sure there are left overs. Make your first menu based on what’s in the house and your work schedule, or write up your menu before you shop. Need some more ideas? Check out 13 Tips to Simplify Your Meals. |
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Be prepared
Here’s a big one–write up a list with your children about what you can put in a lunch and post it on the fridge. Sandwich? Soup? Hummus and veggies, wraps, leftovers? The trick is to create habits of thinking creatively. Once you have a menu and a list of foods to nosh on–go shopping. Make sure you have containers to pack lunch in. There are hundreds of re-usable environmentally friendly lunch containers available now. Pick something out that fits your budget and appeals to your child–whether that is a stainless steel bento or brown bag.
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Pack the night before
Pack lunch the night before so you avoid the ‘morning rush and forget something’ syndrome. Dinner leftovers are fantastic for lunch. As you pack away dinner, have out your lunch containers and portion a little into each one. Pop them into the fridge and grab them the next morning. But, what about heating them up? Honestly, not necessary in most cases. I leave my lunch out on the counter at work all the time, it’s room temperature by lunch. Nope–that is not enough time for it to go bad–that takes a day or two. |
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What’s for Lunch? Just a few ideas |
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Soups and Stews
Perfect for building minds and bodies. Soup is easy to digest, can be light or densely nutritious. Make soups from scratch and double or triple the batch. Freeze some down if you have extra. Check out some of the healthier redi-made soups like Amy’s Organics. 5 to 10 minutes on the stove top while breakfast is going and then pour it into a stainless steal thermos. Get variety going: Egyptian lentil soup, pho, beef stew, chicken and dumplings, pumpkin stew, minestrone…the list goes on. |
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Sandwiches and Beyond
Bored with sandwiches? Maybe you have to clear gluten out so many breads aren’t an option. Think out of the box. Sandwich doesn’t have to be the main feature. How about hummus and veggies, baked sweet potatoes with a few nuts and cinnamon, leftover roast chicken? Try veggie wraps, sushi and miso soup, mashed potatoes and turkey, pot stickers–Clara was a plethora of ideas today. |
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Snacks
Snacks are must in school lunches and after school….but they are just that–a little something to tidy you over until the next meal. They don’t need to big or heavy, sweet or overly processed. How about an apple, a handful of mixed nuts or seeds, rice cakes with almond or cashew butter, dried fruit, grain salad, nosh on some seaweed or have a little black bean dips with crackers? A little yogurt and granola, carrots and celery, kale chips–you know–real food. Make up a specific list of snacks to have on the fridge so ideas so ideas are there for the you and the kiddos. |
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More than milk and cheese
Despite what the dairy industry would have you believe, milk and cheeses aren’t perfect foods. Often milks are highly sugared and flavored, and unless organic it’s loaded with hormones and antibiotics. Same is true of cheese. Dairy also creates a tremendous amount of phlegm, so if allergies, asthma or obesity are an issue, pull it back or out of the diet. Calcium!?? Calcium is in many foods, especially greens and seaweeds. Sure a little here and there is fine, but 3-5 servings a day is way too much. Check out the list of foods high in calcium in Boning Up on Calcium. |
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What’s to drink?
Water–really. We need water for hydration, and it isn’t actually necessary to get calories in liquids unless your diet is greatly lacking in nutrients. Today’s school lunches are often packed with sugary sodas, vitamin drinks, smoothies and juices. Add a slice of lemon to water, or move to herbal teas or vegetable juices. Sure, a little here and there is okay, but put it into perspective, are you burning through boxes of vitamin drinks or sodas? To help wean off of sweet juicy drinks, dilute them with water or a fruity tea. |
Remember–school lunch can be healthy and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Pick one or two ideas and focus on those for a few weeks–build a new habit then add in another.
Be well!
April
Reprinted from Aprilcrowell.com with permission.
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 So it’s smoky and hazy from all the wild fires, but why do I have this headache and watery eyes? Why can’t I focus? Why am I dropping things and tripping over stuff? Why do I feel depressed all of a sudden?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all of these questions have one common root, the Lungs.
Many people experience similar symptoms at certain times of year when their least favorite plants bloom and they endure all of the classical symptoms of allergies. Wildfire smoke is much more pervasive and very few people are unaffected by it during heavy fire seasons.
Why do the Lungs control these symptoms?
TCM defines certain functions for the Lungs that, when out of balance, cause varying symptoms of dis-ease. For example, the Lungs open to the nose and sinuses, when the Lungs are weakened they do not have the ability to keep the sinuses clear and we can experience a stuffy head, runny nose, and sore throat. Pressure from the sinuses can cause headaches and give us that “stuffy headed” feeling that makes it so difficult to focus.
The Lungs are also the communication route between the mind and body. They allow us to know where we are and how we are moving relative to the world around us. When the Lungs are weakened, our sense of self in space, also known as proprioception, becomes confused and we become clumsy.
Not only do the Lungs give us a sense of where our body is, they can affect our perceptions of our body mentally and change how we perceive ourselves. This change, though often subtle, can make us feel less sure of ourselves and our abilities, lowering our self esteem and bringing on mild symptoms of depression.
What can you do to help the Lungs?
The biggest and most important thing we can do when the outside air is hazy and smoky is to stay out of it. This may not always be possible as many people work outside. The following is a short list of other simple things to help the Lungs.
- Stay hydrated – the Lungs want to be moist for optimal function, smoke can dry them out
- Take your ACEZ – vitamins A, C, E, and Zinc are all very good for the Lungs and help the body cleanse itself of exterior pathogenic factors
- Netti Pot – cleaning out the sinuses daily, especially when the air is bad, will help strengthen the Lungs
For other ways to help build your Lungs, schedule and appointment with you Amma Therapist or Acupuncturist today.
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Ever wonder why some physical complaints seem to pop up at a certain time?
Understanding the Nutrient Qi Cycle or Cycle of Tides might be helpful.
Qi (pronounced “chee”), a key concept in Chinese medicine, is as immaterial as a thought or as dense as table. Ever changing, qi moves from material to immaterial and vice verse, sometimes very quickly and sometimes very slowly. When looking at the body, there are many flows of qi. Each is identified and named based on what it is current function is.
The Nutrient qi cycle is just one of the main flows of qi in the body. This rhythmic flow circulates qi and blood in an orderly 2 hour sequence from one organ channel to the next throughout the entire day. Understanding this flow can be helpful in creating greater wellness and in identifying disharmonies that seems to happen at a particular time. Whether you wake up every morning at 3 am, or feel tired at 2 pm in the afternoon can be an indicator of an imbalance in this flow.
In the Nutrient qi cycle is the energetic flow that occurs along the 12 primary channels or meridians in a constant ebb and flow. The cycle begins at 3 am starting in the Lung channel flowing as follows:
Lungs: 3-5am
Large Intestines: 5-7am
Stomach: 7-9am
Spleen: 9-11am
Heart: 11-1pm
Small Intestines: 1-3 pm
Bladder: 3-5pm
Kidney: 5-7pm
Pericardium: 7-9pm
Triple Burner: 9-11pm
Gall Bladder: 11-1am
Liver: 1-3am
To be clear, there is energy in each channel constantly. The nutrient qi cycle simply shows the ebbing and flowing. Sometimes we have too little in a channel, or the channel hordes the qi and doesn’t pass it easily over to the next. When one channel is peaked the energy in another channel will be at its weakest and these can be fantastic indicators of where to focus treatment–a few examples:
The Liver channel should flow smoothly, exiting its energy to the Lung channel at 3am in the morning. The Liver channel ends at acupuncture point Liver 14 just below the breasts, the energy must jump to Lung 1 on the ribs above the chest. This area is often very congested and hold excess energy that may wake the person ‘for no reason at all’ at 3 am. Entry and exit blocks like this show up clearly in pulse assessment and can happen in any of the channels. Personally, I find treating these patterns at their time very powerful–but coming it at 3am to treat isn’t really practical. Still, very specific points and recommendations will remedy the situation.
The Lungs should have their peak energy from 3-5 am in the morning. Someone with weak Lung energy may experience exhaustion, shallow breathing, coughing or wheezing during this time. Likewise, a person wishing to strengthen their Lungs would benefit from rising early to meditate at breath during this time.
Extreme fatigue that seems to strike every afternoon at 2pm can be an indicator of deficiency in the Small Intestines. An Amma Therapist or acupuncturist can use this information to focus in their treatment. These imbalances show up in pulse assessment very clearly and the practitioner would include other assessment skills to figure out the primary disharmony.
Stomach energy is at its greatest from 7-9am, a perfect time to have breakfast so the the stomach can adequate begin assimilating and converting the food to qi for the day’s activities. Because the channel is weakest at 7-9pm, it has less energy available to nosh down a huge meal before bedtime, possibly leaving you feeling bloated and heavy.
People with Heart and anxiety issues may see their pattern flare up between the hours of 11-1.
Whether in health or disharmony having a little glimmer of understanding of the nutrient qi cycle can be helpful in focusing in treatment or assisting you in achieving higher goals, so peak at the clock next time something ‘pops up.’
Be Well,
April Crowell
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Kudzu, kuzu, pueraria or ge gen–it’s all the same thing.
This amazing vine that is taking over the south, leaving areas looking like something out of a Miyazaki film–but it’s the root I want to talk about today.
Ge gen has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine for releasing wind (think of tremors, twitches and the onset of a cold) and freeing up the neck.
Kudzu also helps to stimulates digestion and moves stagnation. Energetically it is warming, moves out wind, moves stasis. Today it also be researched in treatment for alcoholism and hypertension.
This simple tea is a nice detoxer and upper body opener. I love it for spring cleanse or to unlock tight neck and shoulders. The vinegar help to move qi and the ginger warms.
Kudzu Tea
2 tsp. kudzu
1 1/2 cup hot water
1/4 tsp. ume plum vinegar
pinch of fresh grated ginger
Crush or grind kudzu if it is in large chunks. Dissolve kudzu in warm water add in ginger and ume vinegar to taste.
Enjoy.
April
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“You’re going to make me drink mud, aren’t you?”
“No, it’s entirely your choice. I’m just saying that it is real– not an addictive drug. It’s inexpensive and really effective with acid-reflux.”
I chuckled as my client squirmed with the idea. Although I had presented the idea multiple times they had fervently resisted, opting for the OC meds. What could be the harm in trying a simple, natural clay? Their resistance was–well, intriguing to me. It would take them several more weeks before they gave in and tried it. Now they are hooked.
Green clay is amazing and I consider an essential part of my herb pharmacy, first-aid and travel kit. Here’s why.
Green clay or Illite (French Green Clay or Tuscan clay) is an organic, naturally occurring clay made up of decomposed plant material including kelp and seaweed. Loaded with minerals and iron oxide this soft, grey-green powder has been used medicinally for centuries. Most of the world’s French Green Clay comes from deep quarries in France–hence its names.
This mineral rich mud is very alkalizing to the body and has a tremendous ability to absorb toxins and excess fluids.
Externally, green clay is used as detoxifying mask, to clear up acne and pull toxins from wounds, insect bites and stings. It naturally refreshes any area to which it is applied.
Internally, it has tremendous detoxification properties and can be used to treat acid-reflux, GERD, bloating, gas, diarrhea, morning sickness and heart burn. It calms the digestive system and helps to heal the stomach and intestines. It pulls heavy metals from the systems and absorbs and astringes.
Sounds wonderful, right? Here are some ways to use it.
Green Clay Drink
Use for relief from gas, bloating, heart burn and borborygmi (gurgle gut, as my daughter calls it).
Place 1 tsp. of clay in 6-8 oz. of spring or filtered water.
Stir well, allow to settle for 1-2 minutes. Drink up to 3 x daily.
Green Clay Water Douche
Regular douching after the menstrual cycle and ovulation helps pull out toxins, cleanse and refreshes. This therapy will reduce risk and occurrences or yeast infections and abnormal paps. In cases of abnormal pap smears, the frequency of douching may actually be increased for a time–connect with your Chinese Medicine practitioner first, however.
Place 2 T. of clay and 2 quarts of body-temperature water in a large jar.
Shake well, then allow the clay to settle for 2-3 minutes leaving a slightly cloudy solution.
Pour the solution into a 2 qt. Douche bag, making sure that the sediment does not enter the bag.
If it does, the vaginal nozzle will clog.
Lying in a bathtub, insert the vaginal nozzle high into the vagina. Open the valve and allow the water to flow through until the contents of the bag are empty.
Douche with water the day after using the Green Clay douche).
Do not douche during your menstrual period unless specifically instructed to do so by your health practitioner.
Green Clay Water Wash For Genital Area
For yeast infections, rashes and irritations. Not just for the ladies.
Fill a large basin with approximately 2 qts. of warm water. Add 1 T. of clay. Mix well until the water becomes cloudy.
Place the basin of clay water in the tub
Squat over the basin. Rinse genital area with clay water.
Green Clay Poultice
Mix up a bunch and use as a face mask (allow the mud to dry, before washing off) or make just enough to use over an infected area.
Place clay in a clean, glass or ceramic jar or small bowl
Add water in a ratio of 2 parts clay to 1 part water
Allow the clay to absorb the water without mixing or stirring; this should yield a thick, pasty mud.
Cover the jar and leave on the windowsill
Apply clay ¼ inch thick to the affected area
Cover this with a piece of lettuce leaf to maintain moisture. Tape in place and leave on overnight or as directed
The clay should be washed off in the morning.
A couple words of caution
- No metal, please. Do not use metal for stirring or mixing the green clay; wood or plastic utensils should be used.
- Sunshine. The sun energizes Green Clay, and once prepared, it can be stored in a clear, covered jar on the windowsill. Should it dry out, remove the cover allowing it to dry completely and then it can be pulverized and reused.
- Make sure it’s pure. Make sure that you get pure illite or French Green clay. Some products, especially those in the beauty section, might contain additional ingredients such as lavender.
Reprinted with permission from Aprilcrowell.com
© April Crowell 2012
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Reprinted with permission from Aprilcrowell.com
The sun is out!
Idaho is blessed with long, sunny days, wonderful mountains, rivers, forests and deserts. A playground for those who love to be outside. However, with Idaho’s dry climate and high elevation, it’s easy to get a bit scorched. Getting sun is good, it’s the best source of vitamin D–so get out there, just start in small steps and be aware that you can still burn in little time even on overcast days.
Having a fair skinned, freckled daughter who loves to be outside has helped me become even more aware of the sun’s power and how quickly it can damage us.
Here are a few tips.
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Use a quality sunscreen
The EWG (Enviromental Working Group) puts together a fabulous database covering most sunscreens. Easy way to find out what products are toxin free and environmentally friendly or if it’s safer to just leave the stuff off your skin. |
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Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of water. Room temperature or cool water is easier for the system to absorb. I know–ice is nice–but it makes the body work hard (creating heat) to warm it enough to absorb it. You will quench your thirst faster, without freezing your throat, with room temperature. Try and keep iced and frozen drinks to a minimum. Add slices of lemon, cucumber and mint to water to replenish electrolytes lost through sweat. |
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Aloe Gel and Juice
It’s a lovely plant, with many uses from burns to cuts and bee stings. I highly recommend getting one. Even people without green thumbs can grow them. Aloe gel or juice applied to sunburns or sun damaged skin regenerates and re-hydrates the tissue while easing pain. |
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Lavender and chamomile spritzer
Lavender and chamomile both protect and heal the skin. Combine 1 cup of aloe juice with 10 drops each of lavender, chamomile, and rosemary essential oil. Keep chilled and spritz onto sunburned areas to sooth and relieve inflammation. |
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Vinegar
Add a 1 1/2-2 cups apple cider vinegar to a cool bath to ease over-worked muscles or sun-tired skin. Soak for about 20 minutes. |
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Time for a Spot of Tea
Black pekoe tea is wonderful when applied directly to burnt skin. Don’t use hot–ouch. Use a cool or cold tea bag and apply directly to the burn use as often as needed. If your burnt all over, make up a large batch and use gauze to distribute the tea. |
© April Crowell 2012
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Sprouting
How to grow your own healthy live food
By Nathan Mandigo, ABT, Amma Bodywork Therapist at Pulse Holistic Health
It’s spring! That wonderful time of year when the grass greens up, trees leaf out, flowers bloom, and many people plan their summer gardens. But what if you live in an apartment or don’t have a green thumb? How do you enjoy the benefits of growing your own food? Answer: sprouting.
Why sprout?
Seeds contain all of the materiel necessary to create a new plant. They are high in proteins and carbohydrates as well as containing many of the essential vitamins and nutrients necessary to sustain life. Because the plant sprout is relying completely on the materiel in the seed for its initial growth, all of the nutrients that are locked up inside the seed are transferred into the sprout, making it much easier for us to extract those nutrients.
Sprouting seeds is easy and rewarding.
 Sprouting seeds carried by the Boise Co-op The easiest seeds to start with are alfalfa, clover, or radish. Alfalfa and clover are the most commonly encountered sprouts and are used by many restaurants on sandwiches. Radish sprouts are a little spicier and some people find them a little bitter, but they make excellent additions to salads and soups. Any grain, seed, or legume can be sprouted, some require a different technique than this article is covering but a quick search on Google turned up many fantastic resources for how to sprout anything.
To get started with sprouting you will need only a few basic items: a quart mason jar, a sprouting lid (a specialized plastic lid that has many small holes in it) or a clean nylon and a rubber band, a towel to wrap the jar in and the seeds you wish to sprout.
To begin we need to activate the seeds for sprouting which is accomplished by soaking the seeds. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of seeds in the mason jar and completely cover the seeds with water (don’t worry about too much water at this point) and allow the seeds to soak undisturbed for 6 to 8 hours.
Once the seeds have soaked, we need to rinse them. This is where the sprouting lid or clean nylon and rubber band come into play. Place whichever covering you have on the jar and drain out the soaking water. Pour more water through the covering and gently shake the seeds and again pour off this water. A common mistake that Sprouters make is to leave the seeds sitting in water, this can cause the sprouts to mold, so we want to drain off as much water as we can.
Now that the seeds are soaked and have had their initial rinse, shake the seeds into the long side of the jar, and with the jar on its side, cover the jar with the towel. Seeds sprout best in the dark and warm, the towel serves both to keep out light and keep the temperature constant.
For the next 3 to 5 days, at least twice a day, repeat the rinsing process, making sure to continue to keep the jar covered between rinsing. This ensures that the fledgling plants have enough water and also minimizes the chance of mold or insect growth. During this time you should see the sprouts develop in the jar with pretty dramatic changes from day to day.
 Once the sprouts are about an inch long and have 2 tiny little pale leaves at one end, it is time to expose them to the sun. Place the jar in a sunny spot for an afternoon and your sprouts will rapidly change from pale green to a vibrant dark green. Even during this phase, continue to rinse the sprouts as they can quickly dry out and wither in the sun’s heat. Also, keep in mind that the longer the sprouts are exposed to the sun, the stronger the flavor they develop.
The next step, and this one is optional, is to rinse off the seed hulls. This can be done in a salad spinner lined with a paper towel, or in a large bowl of water where the seed hulls will either float to the top where they can be skimmed off or fall to the bottom.
Whether you choose to rinse the seed hulls off or not, pat the excess moisture off the sprouts and store in the refrigerator. They will keep for 3 to 5 days.
What do I do with all these sprouts?!?
Spouts have many uses in cooking. As mentioned above, they are excellent on sandwiches, in salads, or thrown into a hot bowl of soup. They can also be cooked into many casseroles, used on tacos or in other Mexican dishes, or added at the last minute to stir fry. Or, my personal favorite, pinching a handful out of the fridge for a nutrient dense and satisfying snack. The biggest thing is experiment and enjoy!
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It seems that ‘allergy season’ comes earlier every year. Although it may be true that certain seasons have a propensity to bombard us with excess pollen, there isn’t really one season for allergies. Some people only suffer during a particular season while others may suffer all year long. Some people are allergic to only one thing, while others suffer from a multitude or combination of allergens. Whatever the individual pattern, it is estimated that nearly 50 million Americans suffer from allergies.
From a Chinese medicine (CM) perspective allergies appear when our Wei qi (defensive qi) is very weak or the pathogen is immensely strong in comparison. This is very similar to how colds and flus invade the system. How does this happen? One of the 6 pernicious influences (cold, dry, damp, hot, summer heat and wind) invades. Your body’s natural defensive system (the wei qi) should rally to fight and hopefully expel the pathogen. However it may succumb if the system is too weak, the pathogen too strong, or our actions allow the pathogen to perpetuate. Treatment and prevention of allergies are focused on the individual, treating both the acute (sniffling, sneezing, etc.) and focusing on building the system to prevent and reduce reoccurrence.
What can you do?
Allergies can be particularly tenacious and difficult to treat, especially if they are severe or chronic–but they can be treated, you just need to be tenacious. Here are some ideas.
Know thyself
Half of the battle is knowing your constitution and your pattern. For example, if you have a history of colds or Lung qi weakness, treatment will focus on rebuilding that energy in times when allergies aren’t acute. If you have a lot of phlegm, treatment will focus on draining phlegm even in times when the allergies aren’t flaring up. Be aware of other situations that trigger your allergies. Is it in the spring? When you are around cats? When you walk down the detergent aisle in a store? Once patterns are identified then lifestyle habits, nutrition and herbs can be clearly focused to treat.
Wage war on phlegm and dampness
Excess dampness and mucus congest the lung, sinuses and respiratory system. Dampness bogs us down, making you feel muzzy headed, slow and heavy. If dampness perpetuates it congeals into phlegm which is even heavier and slows down the immune system stifling the Wei qi. The presence of excess dampness and phlegm are often a huge component in allergies as well as other diseases including candida, diabetes, some forms of arthritis and even cancers. Foods that perpetuate dampness include: dairy, processed and refined grains, yeasted foods, sugar, tomatoes, pork, oils and fats–time to cut out the cheese covered pasta. Foods that help to cut damp and phlegm include: squash, onions, turnips, radishes, and dark leafy greens. Pungent spices such as; rosemary, thyme, basil, clove, cinnamon and mints are helpful too.
Improve your diet
Foods can benefit or hinder any condition in the body. If you are actively trying to treat a pattern such as allergies caused by wind damp, then including foods that both drain dampness and eliminate wind are the perfect match. Add them into your diet while eliminating foods that cause dampness or wind. Ask your practitioner for examples.
Build in the ‘off season’
When you are not suffering acutely it is the ideal time to build the system. As we build, we become less sensitive and will not react as strongly–if at all– to the pathogen. This again means being tenacious and working towards prevention not just treating acute symptoms.
Exercise
Proper exercise increases circulation, respiratory function, immunity–it goes on. Let’s face it, proper exercise is imperative for vitality. There isn’t one perfect exercise–the key is find the exercise that you enjoy that is matched to your needs (we can help you with that, too).
Be prepared and act
Stock your cupboards with the teas, herbs and foods before the season lands on you. If you start to feel a little congested, maybe because you indulged in too much ice cream, use a steam to clear your sinuses and pull your diet back to more clearing foods. The benefits of instilling preventative habits are amazing–they just require you making a new habit. “Oh, I feel phlegmy? I will opt for the onion soup rather than the cream of mushroom.”
Watch out for wind
One of the 6 pernicious influences, wind is often present in colds, flu and allergies. To understand wind you simply need to see how it moves. In the body, wind invades in the upper regions, through the sinuses, back of the neck and ears. It moves quickly and transforms rapidly. It sends chills down the spine and makes us sniffle, twitch, have a scratchy throat, headache or watery eyes–and wind often carries in cold or heat with it. Wind rises in the spring, just as we are shedding our heavy clothes leaving us vulnerable and open. Wear scarves and hats to protect from wind invasion. People with Liver pathologies are vulnerable to wind. Quick test—do you like the wind? If you just cringed and crunched up the back of your neck and said ‘no, I hate it,’ you are likely susceptible to Liver CM patterns.
Be well, wear beautiful scarves.
April
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 There’s a buzzing of excitement in the air and in our bodies. It’s spring, the season of the wood element and the energy is up and outward in powerful surges. It’s a time of change and growth. Our bodies want to move more, we have more energy within us and we want to ‘Get Up and Go!’
Our bodies feel seasonal changes, when we are in harmony with these shifts we can delight in the blessings of the season–being able to plan, see options, grow and be flexible–our energy is sparked and we have come to life.
In disharmony, we resist the changes and encounter difficulties. During the spring this can result in agitation, angst, restlessness, feelings of being stuck in a situation and the inability to see any solutions. From a Chinese medicine perspective we see a lot of Liver Yang Rising (energy moving up too quickly) causing high pitched ringing in the ears, headaches, bursts of anger and angst. Wind is also a culprit in the spring and can appear as tearing of the eyes, twitches, allergies, Bell’s palsy, tick and even strokes. If you suffer from some of these patterns the best thing to do is act now to prevent flare-ups.
Here are a few tips.
Clear out the past
The more debris left on the ground (our minds or body) it takes longer for the crocus and other bulbs to push through. Nutritionally this is a good time to do a gentle cleansing or fasting, with raw vegetables and fruit juices. Check with your practitioner to see if this is an option for you. Fasting isn’t for everyone, and can do more harm than good if you aren’t prepared well.
Include a few raw foods
It’s the season for greens, sprouts, salads and fruits, while decreasing heavier foods such as dairy, meats and fats.
Avoid foods that aggravate the Liver
In Chinese Medicine the Liver is responsible for ‘free and easy flow’ of qi and blood. It is easily affected by wind and the spring season. Foods that particularly burden the Liver include fried and processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.
Meditate
This allows the mind to be open increasing the ability to focus and to make clear decisions.
Move your body
Physical activity will encourage the movement of qi through the body. It is extremely important to add stretching to our exercise routine and gives us flexibility in our bodies and mind.
Spring is a wonderful time to make powerful surges forward with grace and flexibility.
Contributed by April Crowell
Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Instructor and Amma Therapist.
Check out Awakening to Spring. A workshop being offered by April this coming March 10th.
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by April Crowell
Dipl. ABT(NCCAOM), Certified Instructor (AOBTA), Certified Holistic Nutritionist
 The Five Element Theory of Chinese Medicine (CM) carefully observed the natural phenomenon and flow of the seasons. Each of the five (yes–five) seasons were assigned an element, organ system, quality, temperature, direction, sound, taste and emotion–just to name a few. For example: Spring is represented by wood, the Liver and Gall bladder organs, birth and new growth. Summer is fire, and coorelates to Heart, Small Intestines, Pericardium and Triple burner. It reflects the peak of growth and activity. Autumn is metal and corresponds to the Lung and Colon, it is the stage of decline. Late summer is earth and represents the transition of seasons (equinox and solstices) it ireflects in the Spleen and Stomach and is the center force. Winter is water and represents the Kidney and Bladder, cold and the final decline before spring’s growth. These correlations became guidelines for everything from when to go war to identifying disease patterns in the physical body.
Winter’s chilly darkness often makes us want to slow down– or hibernate. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In Chinese medicine winter is a time of reflection and introspection, a time when we should rest and conserve our Qi (energy within the body). It is a chance to rebuild our strength for spring’s rapid burst of new life. Classically, the Chinese (and other cultures) believed that we should live in harmony with the seasons. This was especially relevant in times when human’s lives were dominated by the elements—simply catching a cold could be life threatening. Today, those of us living in the industrialized world suffer little from the extremes of nature yet learning to harmonize with each season can make a huge impact on our health and well-being.
Ruled by the Water element, winter governs the Kidneys, Bladder and adrenal glands. Called the ‘Root of Sealed storage’ one of the Kidney’s many functions is protect our Jing (essence). This essence is used a little everyday to nourish us, but extreme lifestyles or severe illness can deplete it rapidly. This essence cannot be rebuilt in quantity, but activities such as meditation, proper rest and nourishment will guard it from depleteing too quickly. Deficiency of essence appears as early greying of hair, problems with bones and teeth, poor development and early aging. The Kidneys also rule our will power and drive, they help fuel the fire that warms the other organs allowing them to transform food into energy (Qi). A deficiency here may appear as exhaustion, cold body, lack of sex drive and the will to move forward in life. But don’t worry, you can positivitely influence any condition of mind or body with a little direction. By learning to shift with the ebbs and flows of the season we can move through life with greater ease and winter is a wonderful time to learn how to replenish and rebuild your storage.
Winter can be an excellent time to replenish your deep reserves.
Below are some great ideas to help you rebuild during the cold months.
 Meditate
The benefits of meditation are innumerable and it is truly one of the most profound ways to help strengthen the Kidneys and overall well being.
Nourish yourself
Eat more seasonally appropriate foods like warm hearty soups, root vegetables, winter squash, whole grains, and roasted nuts, all help to warm the body’s core. Foods that specifically benefit the Kidneys include: kidney beans, seaweeds, and micro-algae.
Rest
Try to get to bed a little earlier to rest well. Studies now also link weight gain around the middle to excess stress combined with less than 7 hours of sleep.
Get moderate exercise
Movement lifts the spirits. If you don’t exercise much, bundle up and go for a walk. If you exercise excessively, slow down a little to conserve your Qi.
Brighten your space
Whether or not you celebrate the holidays, refresh your home or workspace with cheerful colors or seasonal décor. Holly’s bright berries, pine’s uplifting scent and a few splashes of red will add warmth to your home and enliven your spirit.
Get Acupuncture or Amma
A little rebalancing can go along way.
Laugh–Laughter is the sound associated with the fire element. The water and fire elements share a deep connection of mutual support and exchange. Laughter during the dark months can help warm the connection between Kidney and Heart and lift your spirit. “One’s health can be judged by which he takes two at a time–pills or stairs.”
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