Upcoming Health talks at Revive Wellness Center:
1) On Wed, July 11th, 2012 6:30-7:30pm I will be offering a free talk on Chinese medicine's use of dietary therapy in managing chronic illness. Topics to be covered include yinyang and five element theory and their application to dietary therapy. Depending on time and who is there, we will discuss some simple ways to apply this knowledge to management of various types of chronic illness. Contact us at hillsideacupuncture@gmail.com for more information.
2) Dr. Jamine Blesoff of Mariposa Natural Medicine will be offering a free talk on Getting a Good Night's Sleep the following Wed, July 18th 6:30-730pm.
Location: Revive Wellness Center:
4409 50th Ave S., Seattle WA 98118.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Art of Seasonal Living, Winter Wellness Tips
Winter Wellness Tips:
The General:
When I teach about seasonal living one of the things I cannot emphasize enough is that our goal is not for me or anyone else to tell you what to eat, but rather that we expand our awareness to a level where we can guide our own wellness decisions (i.e. dietary and exercise choices) based on the reality of our situation. I find that many of us don't take the time to explore our relationship with food and exercise and the result is a passive approach that in some cases can leave us feeling tired, depressed, unfocused, moody, weak, not at ease, stagnant, or in the clutches of many other undesirable qualities. Often with a little effort and the courage to decide that we are ready for a change, we can make some simple adjustments that in the long run make us feel much better- energized, comfortable, focused, strong, fluid, and ready to deal with the many challenges of life.
General dietary advice is a little complicated in our modern world because we have access to such a diverse array of foods from all over the world, and we are not forced to eat only foods that are locally in season. Some of us also tend to eat a lot of rich, greasy foods or processed foods that give us a lot of calories but not necessarily all the nourishment that we need which creates a situation characterized by simultaneous excess and deficiency. The prevalence of obesity and diabetes are two results. What follows is some basic advice for cold weather, but keep in mind that we also need to adjust for our constitutional issues.
Fall and winter are what we call yin seasons which means that they are dominated by colder, darker climates (compared to spring and summer) in which the vitality of living organisms retreats into the interior and quietly preserves itself until the climate warms up in spring allowing outer growth to resume. In plants we see this exemplified in the falling of the leaves and their still, "dead" appearance through the winter. In animals we see this exemplified in the collecting of nuts and seeds (or other food) followed by partial or complete hibernation through the frozen periods of winter.
We as humans should also adjust our habits accordingly by staying inside where it is warm, allowing ourselves to sleep more as we replenish our stores over the winter that will sustain us through the activity of next spring and summer. Think of the earth's water table as an analogy. The water table (our resource) is depleted through all the activity and growth of life through the spring and summer. Then the seasons change and the rain and snow replenish the supply which will be used to support life in the next year. If there is not sufficient replenishment of the resource (water), next year we may be susceptible to a drought. If there are many consecutive years of drought, what was once a fertile ecosystem can turn into a barren desert. We need to preserve our body's resources in the same way.
The Specific:
The cold seasons are good times for indoor activities such as reading, art projects, indoor learning, and gentle exercise such as tai chi, gentle yoga (not hot yoga), walking, meditation, and light mobilization exercises. If we go outside, we should be sure to cover ourselves up well, protecting our skin from the elements. If one feels the need for vigorous working out, it should be done indoors, and we must be careful not to expose ourselves to cold weather or wind immediately afterwards while our pores are still open and sweating. In winter we have a natural tendency to feel "lazy" or like staying in bed late, and to a certain extent that is OK- we should be resting more this time of year.
In terms of food, since we are talking about cold seasons we want to be eating more warming foods. We should cook and warm our food (temperature), soups and stews are good methods of cooking to employ. We can incorporate warming spices into our recipes, such as pepper, chili, ginger, cinnamon, and a little salt helps us to consolidate our energy. If we eat meat or fish, the cold seasons are times when we need that heavier type of nourishment (not for every meal but a few times a week is fine). If we don't (and even if we do), we should eat plenty of whole grains and legumes, root vegetables and squash, and some nuts and seeds (but we shouldn't overdo the nuts and seeds). Algae can be a great hearty supplement for vegetarians. I recommend mixing it into miso soup (because it doesn't honestly taste that good:).
Many of us know that we need to eat lots of vegetables to stay healthy, and we sometimes translate this into eating lots of green salad. Yet raw fruits and vegetables have a cooling effect generally speaking, and in winter this may not be ideal. So I recommend not eating much fruit during the winter (unless it is native/ grows locally to your ecosystem and then only in small amounts). Tropical fruits in a northwest winter are not in line with these principles. So a good option is to lightly steam or saute our greens and other vegetables. Hearty greens like kale and collards, broccoli and cauliflower, root veggies like carrots, potatoes (other than the russet), beets, parsnip etc are all good winter vegetables.
5) A Recipe for my Salad Soup:
So, since I just said I don't recommend eating so much raw salad and I recommend cooked greens, I would like to share with you a simple, easy, delicious soup recipe that I created. It has some inspiration from Taiwanese cooking, but you won't find it anywhere else (that I'm aware of :). What I see as some of the values of this soup is that it is a warming, nourishing way to hydrate with easy to assimilate nutrients, while at the same time providing us with the clearing benefits of salad. Greens help us clear residual heat in our digestive system and in our bodies in general. When we eat a lot of rich, greasy foods or a lot of meat or dairy or certain other types of food combined with a low level of exercise, the result is stagnation. If stagnation is left unaddressed heat starts to build up, which can lead to inflammation, digestive issues, and other problems in our body. One of the tricky aspects of winter time is finding a way to preserve our vitality and not overact, yet we don't want to create too much internal heat or stagnation. Part of the answer is that in spring we take extra steps to clear out the stagnation of winter. Another part is gentle movement and food like my salad soup.
This is a thin soup with a nutritious broth. It can be made in a few minutes. It has warming, nourishing, clearing properties. We can emphasize any of these aspects by adjusting the ingredients and ratios. I invite you to experiment with it, add or subtract ingredients as you like, play with the spices etc. If you don't like to eat spicy food, check the second version below. You can use (any) normal salad greens and/ or kale or other thicker greens. And I should mention it is also a great hangover cure (just reduce or exclude the cinnamon and ginger and include the radish and/ or celery :).
A version I made the other day:
1. Saute a small amount of onion and 1 carrot (chopped), and whole spices in some oil (I like sesame oil) until golden. I like to include ginger and cinnamon bark, sometimes peppercorns or a chili.
2. Add powdered spices and saute for a minute or two. I like a little turmeric, sometimes allspice, ground cinnamon or ground chili etc. If I include garlic I add it here.
3. Add heavier greens if you are including them (i.e. kale or collards etc) and saute for 2 minutes. If not, skip this step.
4. Add a handful of greens (lettuces, spinach or whatever else). You can use one type of lettuce, or I like to use a handful of mixed greens. If you want stronger flavor you can always add more greens later.
5. Add water, bring water to a boil, then turn down to simmer for at least 5 or 10 minutes. For thicker soup add less water (2-4 cups), for thinner broth add more water (4-6 cups). You can add anything else you want at this point, though I appreciate this soup as a warming and clearing nutritious broth without many ingredients other than the salad. I do occasionally add a few slices of some type of radish or bittermelon at this point to emphasize the clearing nature of the soup.
6. Seasoning: After the water is added, you can add any herbs you want to include such as oregano, thyme, basil etc. I also like to add a few drops of fish sauce or tamari sauce to taste. This is also a good time to add a little sea salt to taste.
The simple version:
1. Place one or two handfuls of greens in pot with a chopped carrot.
2. Optional ingredients: onion, salt, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, celery, radish, pepper.
3. Add 4 cups of water, bring to boil, then simmer 10 minutes.
The General:
When I teach about seasonal living one of the things I cannot emphasize enough is that our goal is not for me or anyone else to tell you what to eat, but rather that we expand our awareness to a level where we can guide our own wellness decisions (i.e. dietary and exercise choices) based on the reality of our situation. I find that many of us don't take the time to explore our relationship with food and exercise and the result is a passive approach that in some cases can leave us feeling tired, depressed, unfocused, moody, weak, not at ease, stagnant, or in the clutches of many other undesirable qualities. Often with a little effort and the courage to decide that we are ready for a change, we can make some simple adjustments that in the long run make us feel much better- energized, comfortable, focused, strong, fluid, and ready to deal with the many challenges of life.
General dietary advice is a little complicated in our modern world because we have access to such a diverse array of foods from all over the world, and we are not forced to eat only foods that are locally in season. Some of us also tend to eat a lot of rich, greasy foods or processed foods that give us a lot of calories but not necessarily all the nourishment that we need which creates a situation characterized by simultaneous excess and deficiency. The prevalence of obesity and diabetes are two results. What follows is some basic advice for cold weather, but keep in mind that we also need to adjust for our constitutional issues.
Fall and winter are what we call yin seasons which means that they are dominated by colder, darker climates (compared to spring and summer) in which the vitality of living organisms retreats into the interior and quietly preserves itself until the climate warms up in spring allowing outer growth to resume. In plants we see this exemplified in the falling of the leaves and their still, "dead" appearance through the winter. In animals we see this exemplified in the collecting of nuts and seeds (or other food) followed by partial or complete hibernation through the frozen periods of winter.
We as humans should also adjust our habits accordingly by staying inside where it is warm, allowing ourselves to sleep more as we replenish our stores over the winter that will sustain us through the activity of next spring and summer. Think of the earth's water table as an analogy. The water table (our resource) is depleted through all the activity and growth of life through the spring and summer. Then the seasons change and the rain and snow replenish the supply which will be used to support life in the next year. If there is not sufficient replenishment of the resource (water), next year we may be susceptible to a drought. If there are many consecutive years of drought, what was once a fertile ecosystem can turn into a barren desert. We need to preserve our body's resources in the same way.
The Specific:
The cold seasons are good times for indoor activities such as reading, art projects, indoor learning, and gentle exercise such as tai chi, gentle yoga (not hot yoga), walking, meditation, and light mobilization exercises. If we go outside, we should be sure to cover ourselves up well, protecting our skin from the elements. If one feels the need for vigorous working out, it should be done indoors, and we must be careful not to expose ourselves to cold weather or wind immediately afterwards while our pores are still open and sweating. In winter we have a natural tendency to feel "lazy" or like staying in bed late, and to a certain extent that is OK- we should be resting more this time of year.
In terms of food, since we are talking about cold seasons we want to be eating more warming foods. We should cook and warm our food (temperature), soups and stews are good methods of cooking to employ. We can incorporate warming spices into our recipes, such as pepper, chili, ginger, cinnamon, and a little salt helps us to consolidate our energy. If we eat meat or fish, the cold seasons are times when we need that heavier type of nourishment (not for every meal but a few times a week is fine). If we don't (and even if we do), we should eat plenty of whole grains and legumes, root vegetables and squash, and some nuts and seeds (but we shouldn't overdo the nuts and seeds). Algae can be a great hearty supplement for vegetarians. I recommend mixing it into miso soup (because it doesn't honestly taste that good:).
Many of us know that we need to eat lots of vegetables to stay healthy, and we sometimes translate this into eating lots of green salad. Yet raw fruits and vegetables have a cooling effect generally speaking, and in winter this may not be ideal. So I recommend not eating much fruit during the winter (unless it is native/ grows locally to your ecosystem and then only in small amounts). Tropical fruits in a northwest winter are not in line with these principles. So a good option is to lightly steam or saute our greens and other vegetables. Hearty greens like kale and collards, broccoli and cauliflower, root veggies like carrots, potatoes (other than the russet), beets, parsnip etc are all good winter vegetables.
5) A Recipe for my Salad Soup:
So, since I just said I don't recommend eating so much raw salad and I recommend cooked greens, I would like to share with you a simple, easy, delicious soup recipe that I created. It has some inspiration from Taiwanese cooking, but you won't find it anywhere else (that I'm aware of :). What I see as some of the values of this soup is that it is a warming, nourishing way to hydrate with easy to assimilate nutrients, while at the same time providing us with the clearing benefits of salad. Greens help us clear residual heat in our digestive system and in our bodies in general. When we eat a lot of rich, greasy foods or a lot of meat or dairy or certain other types of food combined with a low level of exercise, the result is stagnation. If stagnation is left unaddressed heat starts to build up, which can lead to inflammation, digestive issues, and other problems in our body. One of the tricky aspects of winter time is finding a way to preserve our vitality and not overact, yet we don't want to create too much internal heat or stagnation. Part of the answer is that in spring we take extra steps to clear out the stagnation of winter. Another part is gentle movement and food like my salad soup.
This is a thin soup with a nutritious broth. It can be made in a few minutes. It has warming, nourishing, clearing properties. We can emphasize any of these aspects by adjusting the ingredients and ratios. I invite you to experiment with it, add or subtract ingredients as you like, play with the spices etc. If you don't like to eat spicy food, check the second version below. You can use (any) normal salad greens and/ or kale or other thicker greens. And I should mention it is also a great hangover cure (just reduce or exclude the cinnamon and ginger and include the radish and/ or celery :).
A version I made the other day:
1. Saute a small amount of onion and 1 carrot (chopped), and whole spices in some oil (I like sesame oil) until golden. I like to include ginger and cinnamon bark, sometimes peppercorns or a chili.
2. Add powdered spices and saute for a minute or two. I like a little turmeric, sometimes allspice, ground cinnamon or ground chili etc. If I include garlic I add it here.
3. Add heavier greens if you are including them (i.e. kale or collards etc) and saute for 2 minutes. If not, skip this step.
4. Add a handful of greens (lettuces, spinach or whatever else). You can use one type of lettuce, or I like to use a handful of mixed greens. If you want stronger flavor you can always add more greens later.
5. Add water, bring water to a boil, then turn down to simmer for at least 5 or 10 minutes. For thicker soup add less water (2-4 cups), for thinner broth add more water (4-6 cups). You can add anything else you want at this point, though I appreciate this soup as a warming and clearing nutritious broth without many ingredients other than the salad. I do occasionally add a few slices of some type of radish or bittermelon at this point to emphasize the clearing nature of the soup.
6. Seasoning: After the water is added, you can add any herbs you want to include such as oregano, thyme, basil etc. I also like to add a few drops of fish sauce or tamari sauce to taste. This is also a good time to add a little sea salt to taste.
The simple version:
1. Place one or two handfuls of greens in pot with a chopped carrot.
2. Optional ingredients: onion, salt, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, celery, radish, pepper.
3. Add 4 cups of water, bring to boil, then simmer 10 minutes.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
How to relieve spring allergies with herbs
Hi folks,
As we are getting close to spring I wanted to talk a little about how to deal with the allergies that many people suffer from. There are many medications out there that deal with mild to severe reactions, yet they can often have undesirable side effects. Some people prefer to try more natural forms of medicine that will not have the side effects of conventional drug therapy.
There are several formulas of Chinese herbs that are great for dealing with allergies. The best thing to do is to consult an herbalist so you can get the appropriate formula for your situation. Some common ones include bi yan pian and jade windscreen. Yin qiao can sometimes also help relieve symptoms. Many natural food stores or natural medicine/ apothecaries (herb shops) will have a variety of herbal formulas in tea or pill form that can help relieve allergic symptoms such as hay fever (dry/ itchy eyes, runny nose, asthmatic breathing/ wheezing, itchy or red skin).
In terms of common kitchen items, I find strong mint tea to be one of the best. Use a large amount of mint and let it steep covered for 10 minutes. If you have chrysanthemum flowers to add, these are also good. Remember not to boil the leaves/ flowers. See my earlier post on making medicinal tea for more details about how to properly prepare medicinal tea. Improper preparation can harm the potency and effect of your medicine.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, allergies often involve an invasion of wind or wind-heat in the body, so we try to release it. Other foods that help clear (foods with a bitter flavor) are celery, radish, chrysanthemum flowers, and to a lesser extent apples, pears, and most leafy green vegetables. Depending on what type of allergy you have, many people find that local honey or bee pollen helps reduce allergic reactions. A little bit of lemon juice or high quality vinegar may also help the situation, and high quality olive oil is another good spring tonic. Sweating can be beneficial if you do not have a weak constitution, and if spicy food agrees with you it can help promote the elimination of mucus clogging up the respiratory system and promote sweating.
Acupuncture is also a great form of treatment for those suffering from allergies.
best of luck to you,
Keith
As we are getting close to spring I wanted to talk a little about how to deal with the allergies that many people suffer from. There are many medications out there that deal with mild to severe reactions, yet they can often have undesirable side effects. Some people prefer to try more natural forms of medicine that will not have the side effects of conventional drug therapy.
There are several formulas of Chinese herbs that are great for dealing with allergies. The best thing to do is to consult an herbalist so you can get the appropriate formula for your situation. Some common ones include bi yan pian and jade windscreen. Yin qiao can sometimes also help relieve symptoms. Many natural food stores or natural medicine/ apothecaries (herb shops) will have a variety of herbal formulas in tea or pill form that can help relieve allergic symptoms such as hay fever (dry/ itchy eyes, runny nose, asthmatic breathing/ wheezing, itchy or red skin).
In terms of common kitchen items, I find strong mint tea to be one of the best. Use a large amount of mint and let it steep covered for 10 minutes. If you have chrysanthemum flowers to add, these are also good. Remember not to boil the leaves/ flowers. See my earlier post on making medicinal tea for more details about how to properly prepare medicinal tea. Improper preparation can harm the potency and effect of your medicine.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, allergies often involve an invasion of wind or wind-heat in the body, so we try to release it. Other foods that help clear (foods with a bitter flavor) are celery, radish, chrysanthemum flowers, and to a lesser extent apples, pears, and most leafy green vegetables. Depending on what type of allergy you have, many people find that local honey or bee pollen helps reduce allergic reactions. A little bit of lemon juice or high quality vinegar may also help the situation, and high quality olive oil is another good spring tonic. Sweating can be beneficial if you do not have a weak constitution, and if spicy food agrees with you it can help promote the elimination of mucus clogging up the respiratory system and promote sweating.
Acupuncture is also a great form of treatment for those suffering from allergies.
best of luck to you,
Keith
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Medicinal Tea Remedies for a Cold
A couple nice teas to help you fight a northwest cold:
If you have a cold with clear mucus and no sore throat:
Make a strong tea with honey, cinnamon, ginger, and some pepper or chili. Drink 3-4 cups/ day for a few days. This will work best if you can start it when you first feel your body fighting with the cold, but it will also help after it has taken hold.
If you have a cold with yellowish mucus and a sore throat, rather use this recipe:
Make a strong tea with honey, mint (lots of mint), chrysanthemum (optional), ginger (a little), and pepper or chili (a little). Drink 3-4 cups/ day.
If you have a cold with clear mucus and no sore throat:
Make a strong tea with honey, cinnamon, ginger, and some pepper or chili. Drink 3-4 cups/ day for a few days. This will work best if you can start it when you first feel your body fighting with the cold, but it will also help after it has taken hold.
If you have a cold with yellowish mucus and a sore throat, rather use this recipe:
Make a strong tea with honey, mint (lots of mint), chrysanthemum (optional), ginger (a little), and pepper or chili (a little). Drink 3-4 cups/ day.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
The Art of Living: Principles for Maintaining Health Through the Seasons according to a Taoist/ Chinese Medicine perspective
When crafting a seasonal lifestyle from a Taoist (i.e. Chinese medicine) perspective, we need to understand the energetic aspects of each season. This is the same as understanding the energetics of what are known as the Five Elements or Five Phases. This is the foundation. This understanding will allow us to discern guiding principles for each season. Once we have established these principles, we can translate them into the realms of diet and activity to give us the specific ways we should adapt to each season. If we explore the energetic nature of our constitutional health issues, we can also use these principles to support our health in this more macro scale, but this is beyond the scope of this post, so we will focus on application to the seasons. This post is more concerned with the energetics of seasonal living. For more specific dietary suggestions, see
this post
Note: Because we are speaking in English we translate these Chinese characters/ concepts into English, but we must be careful not to impose our English mind's understanding of these words and concepts onto the Taoist understanding of them. Let the paradigms and their respective concepts and ways of thinking dwell in their respective spheres. This will help us avert some of the confusion that surrounds these ideas and allow us to grasp them more fully.
As I see it, our general task is to nourish yin and preserve yang. Yang is the vitality of life, and without yang there is no life. Yin is what feeds and supports yang. When our yin is depleted, we have no foundation for our vitality and it disperses. In general, cooked foods are much easier for us to digest and their nutrients are easier to assimilate.
Winter is the expression of the predominance of shui, the water phase/ element. It has a yin, cold, consolidating, still nature. Life is still on the surface and potent on the interior, hibernating and waiting for the rise of yang to manifest its potential. Our principles are:
1) Nourish the yin. (Rest. Eat nourishing whole foods. Warm, cooked foods including soups and stews are best. Take time for quiet sitting and activities like reading and the arts.)
2) Preserve the yang. (Refrain from excessive vigorous activities that deplete our reserves. Eat warming foods. Protect ourselves from the harsh weather.)
3) Activate the yang to balance the abundance of yin. (Use gentle activities such as walking, qi gong, tai chi, and yoga to keep our energy circulating, build warmth in our body, and counter the accumulation of stagnation that can build up from too much stillness and cold. The yang of movement generates heat that counteracts the cold of yin.)
Spring reflects the bursting forth of yang from the depths of yin. It is a young yang full of vitality and vigor. It expresses the nature of mu, the wood phase/ element. It has a pointed outward nature. The buds and shoots appear. Our principles are:
1) Incite the yang. (Get outside, be active. It is a time for vigorous activity within reason. We must awaken ourselves from the hibernation of winter. A little bit of sour food such as vinegar or lemon can be beneficial.)
2) Move the stagnation/ accumulation from winter. (Be active. Eat lighter foods that will help clear and activate, such as fresh greens. Bitter foods such as radishes can help us clear out accumulation. Steaming and light saute are appropriate methods of cooking for spring.)
3) Regulate the yang. (We want to tap into this upsurge of yang, but we don't want to let it get out of control or become chaotic. Be purposeful in action and don't go beyond a healthy limit. Spring initiates what will be the year's growth. We should make sure our actions and decisions are in line with the growth we want to cultivate.)
Summer expresses the predominance of huo, the fire phase/ element. It is the culmination of yang, heat, expansive, free flowing, open. Life is in the exterior. The flowers open and blossom, revealing what was hidden. The potential is manifest. Our principles are:
1) Nourish the yin to balance the yang. (Eat some foods of a yin, cooling nature such as fresh fruits and vegetables and eat less warming foods. Bitter foods such as radishes, celery, apples, and pears can also help us to clear excess heat. In summer we can eat a little more raw foods if our digestion is able to handle them. Refrain from activity that is too yang during the extreme yang weather- try not to perform vigorous activity under the full heat of the sun. Too much yang depletes the yin.)
2) Nourish the yang. (It is a time to be outside enjoying the weather and our social life. Whereas winter is a time to rest and be inside, summer is a time to be active and outside. The yang is abundant, and we should soak it up.)
Late Summer illustrates the nature of tu, the earth phase/ element. This is the shift that comes after the dry heat of July and August and turns into the more humid, damp heat of September. It is still warm, but the dew collects on the grass in the morning and the nights are a little cooler. The harvest comes in. Life is abundant, still, full. The yang has reached its zenith and has not quite turned inward on itself. Our principles are:
1) Harvest the abundance of qi. (Eat well of the fresh harvest. We are building up the reserves that must last the winter. It is a time to begin building the winter coat as the cold will soon approach. We should be active, but not necessarily vigorous. It is good to be outside, getting those last rays of sunshine before the yin seasons dominate.)
Fall is the manifestation of a predominance of jin, the metal phase/ element. It is the time when the yang begins to recede back into the interior. The yin is growing and dominating. It is has an inward movement, refinement, contraction, a letting go of what is unnecessary. Life is moving back inside towards the roots. The leaves are shed and the vitality is returning into the roots. Our principles are:
1) Support the yin. (We should mirror this inward movement with gentle activities such as quiet sitting, meditation, soft qi gong, and other quiet reflective activities. It is a good time for taking some solitary space to reconnect with what is essential in us. Just as nature is returning to its roots, we too can come down for the summer heights back into our roots. It is a time of refinement, shedding the excesses of the past year's growth.)
2) Guard the yang. (As yin begins to dominate, we must protect our yang. We should spend more time inside and not expose ourselves to the harsh wind and rain and cold that comes in with the fall. We should remove the clearing, cooling, yin foods from our diet and eat more building foods such as root vegetables, legumes, squash, whole grains.)
3) Nourish the yin. (Foods rich in nutrients and micro-nutrients will help us nourish the yin. These include animal foods such as meat, fish, dairy etc, legumes, and micro-algae among many others. Stews, soups, congee, and other warming cooking methods are more beneficial.)
this post
Note: Because we are speaking in English we translate these Chinese characters/ concepts into English, but we must be careful not to impose our English mind's understanding of these words and concepts onto the Taoist understanding of them. Let the paradigms and their respective concepts and ways of thinking dwell in their respective spheres. This will help us avert some of the confusion that surrounds these ideas and allow us to grasp them more fully.
As I see it, our general task is to nourish yin and preserve yang. Yang is the vitality of life, and without yang there is no life. Yin is what feeds and supports yang. When our yin is depleted, we have no foundation for our vitality and it disperses. In general, cooked foods are much easier for us to digest and their nutrients are easier to assimilate.
Winter is the expression of the predominance of shui, the water phase/ element. It has a yin, cold, consolidating, still nature. Life is still on the surface and potent on the interior, hibernating and waiting for the rise of yang to manifest its potential. Our principles are:
1) Nourish the yin. (Rest. Eat nourishing whole foods. Warm, cooked foods including soups and stews are best. Take time for quiet sitting and activities like reading and the arts.)
2) Preserve the yang. (Refrain from excessive vigorous activities that deplete our reserves. Eat warming foods. Protect ourselves from the harsh weather.)
3) Activate the yang to balance the abundance of yin. (Use gentle activities such as walking, qi gong, tai chi, and yoga to keep our energy circulating, build warmth in our body, and counter the accumulation of stagnation that can build up from too much stillness and cold. The yang of movement generates heat that counteracts the cold of yin.)
Spring reflects the bursting forth of yang from the depths of yin. It is a young yang full of vitality and vigor. It expresses the nature of mu, the wood phase/ element. It has a pointed outward nature. The buds and shoots appear. Our principles are:
1) Incite the yang. (Get outside, be active. It is a time for vigorous activity within reason. We must awaken ourselves from the hibernation of winter. A little bit of sour food such as vinegar or lemon can be beneficial.)
2) Move the stagnation/ accumulation from winter. (Be active. Eat lighter foods that will help clear and activate, such as fresh greens. Bitter foods such as radishes can help us clear out accumulation. Steaming and light saute are appropriate methods of cooking for spring.)
3) Regulate the yang. (We want to tap into this upsurge of yang, but we don't want to let it get out of control or become chaotic. Be purposeful in action and don't go beyond a healthy limit. Spring initiates what will be the year's growth. We should make sure our actions and decisions are in line with the growth we want to cultivate.)
Summer expresses the predominance of huo, the fire phase/ element. It is the culmination of yang, heat, expansive, free flowing, open. Life is in the exterior. The flowers open and blossom, revealing what was hidden. The potential is manifest. Our principles are:
1) Nourish the yin to balance the yang. (Eat some foods of a yin, cooling nature such as fresh fruits and vegetables and eat less warming foods. Bitter foods such as radishes, celery, apples, and pears can also help us to clear excess heat. In summer we can eat a little more raw foods if our digestion is able to handle them. Refrain from activity that is too yang during the extreme yang weather- try not to perform vigorous activity under the full heat of the sun. Too much yang depletes the yin.)
2) Nourish the yang. (It is a time to be outside enjoying the weather and our social life. Whereas winter is a time to rest and be inside, summer is a time to be active and outside. The yang is abundant, and we should soak it up.)
Late Summer illustrates the nature of tu, the earth phase/ element. This is the shift that comes after the dry heat of July and August and turns into the more humid, damp heat of September. It is still warm, but the dew collects on the grass in the morning and the nights are a little cooler. The harvest comes in. Life is abundant, still, full. The yang has reached its zenith and has not quite turned inward on itself. Our principles are:
1) Harvest the abundance of qi. (Eat well of the fresh harvest. We are building up the reserves that must last the winter. It is a time to begin building the winter coat as the cold will soon approach. We should be active, but not necessarily vigorous. It is good to be outside, getting those last rays of sunshine before the yin seasons dominate.)
Fall is the manifestation of a predominance of jin, the metal phase/ element. It is the time when the yang begins to recede back into the interior. The yin is growing and dominating. It is has an inward movement, refinement, contraction, a letting go of what is unnecessary. Life is moving back inside towards the roots. The leaves are shed and the vitality is returning into the roots. Our principles are:
1) Support the yin. (We should mirror this inward movement with gentle activities such as quiet sitting, meditation, soft qi gong, and other quiet reflective activities. It is a good time for taking some solitary space to reconnect with what is essential in us. Just as nature is returning to its roots, we too can come down for the summer heights back into our roots. It is a time of refinement, shedding the excesses of the past year's growth.)
2) Guard the yang. (As yin begins to dominate, we must protect our yang. We should spend more time inside and not expose ourselves to the harsh wind and rain and cold that comes in with the fall. We should remove the clearing, cooling, yin foods from our diet and eat more building foods such as root vegetables, legumes, squash, whole grains.)
3) Nourish the yin. (Foods rich in nutrients and micro-nutrients will help us nourish the yin. These include animal foods such as meat, fish, dairy etc, legumes, and micro-algae among many others. Stews, soups, congee, and other warming cooking methods are more beneficial.)
Monday, November 22, 2010
Nature is my teacher- Evergreens in winter- Preserving essence and following our natural way
As fall makes way for winter here in the NW (our first snow arrived yesterday), I was out walking and observed the various states of the plants, the trees in particular. In our region, we are blessed to be surrounded by so many beautiful evergreens, though we have many deciduous trees as well.
The natural way of life when the cold (yin) seasons begin to dominate is to recede into the interior. Vitality retreats into the roots so that it may survive the harshness of fall storms and winter cold. Then, as the yang begins to ascend in spring, vitality moves outward and new growth resumes.
The deciduous trees teach us a lesson about how to live in harmony with the natural changes in the rhythm of life. When the conditions are favorable, they burst forth with life and grow. As the conditions become unfavorable, they retreat into the roots and wait. For us as people to live in this manner, following the nature of the universe, is a deep thing, perhaps the deepest thing in the world.
Yet the evergreens teach us a different lesson. They are able to preserve their vitality in an expressed state even through the harshest of winters. We see this reflected in the foliage that remains through the yin seasons. They maintain their vibrant color all year long. How is it that they can achieve this? By preserving their essence and following their own nature. Even in the dead stillness and frozen grip of winter the evergreens shine forth like it was a summer day. If we as people can learn to preserve our essence and not let our quiet be disturbed by the noise that surrounds us, maintain our center amidst the constant transformations that surround us, discover our true nature and not stray from it, this is an even deeper thing, beyond this world...
The natural way of life when the cold (yin) seasons begin to dominate is to recede into the interior. Vitality retreats into the roots so that it may survive the harshness of fall storms and winter cold. Then, as the yang begins to ascend in spring, vitality moves outward and new growth resumes.
The deciduous trees teach us a lesson about how to live in harmony with the natural changes in the rhythm of life. When the conditions are favorable, they burst forth with life and grow. As the conditions become unfavorable, they retreat into the roots and wait. For us as people to live in this manner, following the nature of the universe, is a deep thing, perhaps the deepest thing in the world.
Yet the evergreens teach us a different lesson. They are able to preserve their vitality in an expressed state even through the harshest of winters. We see this reflected in the foliage that remains through the yin seasons. They maintain their vibrant color all year long. How is it that they can achieve this? By preserving their essence and following their own nature. Even in the dead stillness and frozen grip of winter the evergreens shine forth like it was a summer day. If we as people can learn to preserve our essence and not let our quiet be disturbed by the noise that surrounds us, maintain our center amidst the constant transformations that surround us, discover our true nature and not stray from it, this is an even deeper thing, beyond this world...
Acupuncture as preventive/ long term medicine: How do I know when its time for an acupuncture treatment?
Greetings folks,
In this post, I would like to address an issue that I feel those of us who are recipients of acupuncture should investigate. When using acupuncture as a form of preventative medicine-or perhaps the phrase "for maintenance of wellness" is a better way of putting it- how do we know when to come in for a treatment?
One of the challenges that we face is that we have become out of touch with our body and with our self. We live in a fast paced, high stress society that is becoming more and more cerebral and increasingly wired to electronics. We must learn to reconnect to our body, re-learn how to listen to its messages. Regarding a few simple practices that may help us to this end, please see my post about quiet sitting and/ or write me an email and ask for a copy of my free article "10 Easy Ways to Improve your Health" where this is given more in depth attention. For now, I just want to share a few obvious indicators that we can watch for. So...
I know it is time for me to get an acupuncture treatment because: something has changed!
- I had several headaches in the last week or two (it wasn't just a random headache), and that is not normal for me.
- I didn't sleep well last night, and come to think of it, I haven't been sleeping that well lately.
- My digestion/ elimination feels off, and it's not because I ate something bad. If it was from something I ate, I would probably know right away, and it would have cleared up within a couple days.
- I've been feeling really tired lately for no apparent reason. Or, I've been feeling really wired and energetic lately: I can't calm down.
- Come to think of it, I think I've been feeling stuck lately. This one particular emotion seems to keep coming up, even when there's no real reason that it should.
- I've been getting angry easily lately. I've been feeling anxious lately. I've been feeling tense/ wound up for no reason lately. I feel like I can't get over this emotion and it is starting to consume me.
- I keep getting sick lately. It's like I can't get over this bug or my immune system is down.
- I just feel a little off, I'm not sure exactly what it is. I just don't feel like myself.
- Everything is great. I noticed that the season changed and figured it's probably about time for my seasonal treatment.
When everything is going smoothly, I usually recommend people come in once every 1-3 months for a tune-up. This helps to ensure that things continue to flow smoothly, and when something comes up we may increase the frequency until it is cleared up. Often we will find that some seasons present us with no trouble, while others are more difficult.
Though we are accustomed to only seek medical care when something is wrong, we must learn to see and take note of the bigger picture of our lives when we make decisions that concern our health. We are used to taking in our cars for their tune-up and oil change every 3 months. How much more so should we care for our body, the one machine that we can't do without- the one that is irreplaceable if we run it in to the ground.
If we come to our practitioner for treatment of a specific issue, we will most likely set up some sort of schedule such as weekly treatment for 4-6 weeks (or maybe 10 sessions) and then re-evaluate. Though we may come in for shoulder pain (or anything else) we often notice that there are many beneficial subtle effects from the acupuncture- we feel more at ease, things that used to stress us out no longer do, other aches and pains seem to clear up, our system begins to function better. We feel more like ourself... These are good things.
Don't just live, live well
Keith Judelman, EAMP
www.HillsideAcupuncture.com
In this post, I would like to address an issue that I feel those of us who are recipients of acupuncture should investigate. When using acupuncture as a form of preventative medicine-or perhaps the phrase "for maintenance of wellness" is a better way of putting it- how do we know when to come in for a treatment?
One of the challenges that we face is that we have become out of touch with our body and with our self. We live in a fast paced, high stress society that is becoming more and more cerebral and increasingly wired to electronics. We must learn to reconnect to our body, re-learn how to listen to its messages. Regarding a few simple practices that may help us to this end, please see my post about quiet sitting and/ or write me an email and ask for a copy of my free article "10 Easy Ways to Improve your Health" where this is given more in depth attention. For now, I just want to share a few obvious indicators that we can watch for. So...
I know it is time for me to get an acupuncture treatment because: something has changed!
- I had several headaches in the last week or two (it wasn't just a random headache), and that is not normal for me.
- I didn't sleep well last night, and come to think of it, I haven't been sleeping that well lately.
- My digestion/ elimination feels off, and it's not because I ate something bad. If it was from something I ate, I would probably know right away, and it would have cleared up within a couple days.
- I've been feeling really tired lately for no apparent reason. Or, I've been feeling really wired and energetic lately: I can't calm down.
- Come to think of it, I think I've been feeling stuck lately. This one particular emotion seems to keep coming up, even when there's no real reason that it should.
- I've been getting angry easily lately. I've been feeling anxious lately. I've been feeling tense/ wound up for no reason lately. I feel like I can't get over this emotion and it is starting to consume me.
- I keep getting sick lately. It's like I can't get over this bug or my immune system is down.
- I just feel a little off, I'm not sure exactly what it is. I just don't feel like myself.
- Everything is great. I noticed that the season changed and figured it's probably about time for my seasonal treatment.
When everything is going smoothly, I usually recommend people come in once every 1-3 months for a tune-up. This helps to ensure that things continue to flow smoothly, and when something comes up we may increase the frequency until it is cleared up. Often we will find that some seasons present us with no trouble, while others are more difficult.
Though we are accustomed to only seek medical care when something is wrong, we must learn to see and take note of the bigger picture of our lives when we make decisions that concern our health. We are used to taking in our cars for their tune-up and oil change every 3 months. How much more so should we care for our body, the one machine that we can't do without- the one that is irreplaceable if we run it in to the ground.
If we come to our practitioner for treatment of a specific issue, we will most likely set up some sort of schedule such as weekly treatment for 4-6 weeks (or maybe 10 sessions) and then re-evaluate. Though we may come in for shoulder pain (or anything else) we often notice that there are many beneficial subtle effects from the acupuncture- we feel more at ease, things that used to stress us out no longer do, other aches and pains seem to clear up, our system begins to function better. We feel more like ourself... These are good things.
Don't just live, live well
Keith Judelman, EAMP
www.HillsideAcupuncture.com
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