Bounding into Spring

Bounding into Spring

After this very snowy winter many are itching to move into the warmer months. Like the sugar maple sap, we feel our juices flowing as the days lengthen and the sunshine grows stronger. In the Chinese calendar, Spring actually begins at the time of our ground hog day. Although that change may be more noticeable outdoors in a southern latitude, our internal energy starts to shift then. By March, it can be surging, even though we’re still being plastered with snow. This can be a problem! Certainly wild cabin fever reliever parties can dispel a lot of pent up energy, but not always with the desired affect on our poor livers! Which brings me to the phase, or element, associated with springtime, which is wood and its organ the liver.
The Chinese character for wood depicts a sprout and connotes the unstoppable force of growing things. Picture dandelions pushing up between the cracks in a concrete sidewalk.
In energetic terms, the liver is seen as responsible for smooth flow of energy and circulation throughout the body. Unfortunately it also is the place where dammed up emotions tend to lodge. The backlog in the liver [imagine a stream with a tree fallen across and debris piling up] can create excess heat. So the bitter, cooling roots such as dandelion, yellow dock, and burdock are great spring tonics, as are the ever present dandelion greens. Our systems crave greens now more than ever! Roots help keep us grounded in the exhilaration of spring as we balance our excitement with pacing to keep us healthy through out the summer.
The flavor associated with the liver is sour, which astringes and tightens. The naturally fermented pickles, saurkrauts and kim chi the Good Tern Market carries are great ways to stimulate digestion. However, take care with too much sour [vinegary things, citrus, sour fruits] if your muscles and tendons tend to be tight and or stiff, especially after an injury, as it can exacerbate minor problems . Abi is happy to answer questions about Chinese dietary methods and herbs. Contact her at RedBirdAcupuncture.com or 594-4766.

 

how scientific is modern medicine?

Check this homeopath’s view!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/how-scientific-is-modern_b_543158.html

 

Gentle Approaches to Detox

Gentle Approaches to Detox
With the tendency to load up on rich foods during the winter months, many are anxious to cleanse their system come Spring time. Perhaps the aging New Year’s resolution is coming to the fore once again. In my view, there’s an overemphasis placed on clearing our system, whether it be the colon or liver. Spring comes slowly and teasingly to Maine and, as I have said before, raw foods are hard work for our digestion. Purging diets can tire our digestive system as well. A more gradual, tonifying, method better suits most of us, who tend to be a little worn down at the end of the winter. Something that is a tasty part of our diet will be more likely to be incorporated naturally and become a regular practice. Of course, regular movement practice, such as qigong, is a prime way to detoxify the year around.
In the Taoist tradition I study, one of the greatest detoxifiers is a combination of miso and basmati rice, cooked with a variety of vegetables, preferably of different colors, and from the root, stem, and leaves of plants. Your choice of protein can be included as well. Do be sure to use organic basmati rice, whether white or brown, as the cheap stuff from India is loaded with pesticides.
There are a number of high quality misos available at the Good Tern, in bulk below the dried fruits , and jarred to the right of the dairy cooler. It is a salted condiment originally from Asia, made from beans and sometimes grains as well, ranging from dark brown to light beige. The darker ones are better for cold weather, the sweeter, lighter ones for summer.
A bit of local kelp, or the related Kombu, or a Wakame are nice additions to a soup you can create according to your tastes. Seaweeds are slightly cooling and aid the body in eliminating excess fluids, which tend to accumulate with rich and sweet foods. For a simple soup you might precook the basmati rice with some seaweed, which also adds digestibility, [with beans as well], while lightly frying some vegetables such as onions, carrots, and a dark leafy green. Use your imagination here. Add plenty of water for a soup and simmer 15 minutes or so before adding miso. Take a little stock out of the pot to dissolve the miso in before mixing it back in. Avoiding much cooking at this point preserves the natural enzymes in this fermented food. Paul Pitchford, in his classic Healing with Whole Foods, recommends 2-3 Tablespoons of miso per 4 cups of water.
As far as other additions go, any kind of mushroom will help the body eliminate excess internal damp. Shiitake mushrooms in particular support the immune system with their natural interferon, and ability to improve cellular oxygenation. Parsley is a nice garnish, potent source of vitamins, and helps drain internal dampness, especially with bladder and/or kidney problems. If any upper respiratory congestion is lingering, the antibiotic, anti viral, and fungal properties of raw garlic would be a good addition. Chop finely!
Another gentle way to aid the body’s elimination process is through regular intake of [preferably freshly] ground flax seed. The seeds should be raw, and kept frozen or cool to protect the omega 3 oils in them. I like to add a tablespoon or 2 of ground flax seed to my morning cereal, after it has been cooked. It is a good thickener as well.
May your health flourish and the upsurge of Spring energy be relaxed! In addition to dietary recommendations; herbs and Qigong are an integral part of Abi Morrison’s Chinese medicine practice at the Center for Health and Healing, 17 Masonic St., in Rockland.

 

restorative winter foods

Restorative Winter Foods and Herbs from the Oriental Tradition

By the time this comes out, we will likely be into serious winter weather, and if the Farmer’s Almanac is correct, plenty of accompanying storms. In my last article on Fall dietary support, I mentioned facilitating the shift of the season and letting go [of summer warmth and perhaps more]. With the unseasonable warmth of November, our bodies may have been easily lulled into complacency, rather than cranking our internal thermostats.

This is a time of stoking our fires with warming spices such as ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, and pepper. Sounds like a chai-style tea, eh? You may feel drawn to the Yogi tea brand the coop carries, and you will find any number of other teas with these spices on the shelves. Other warming herbs and foods include lamb, chicken, rosemary, and cayenne.

In China, Winter is associated with the water phase, [or element], and the kidneys and bladder, which are particularly susceptible to [you guessed it!], cold. There are a few foods that especially boost the kidneys. Lamb, which is also a great blood tonic, is one. Walnuts are another. Any berry [as I have mentioned before!] but particularly Goji berries and rosehips are fantastic for the kidneys, and our essential energy that is so difficult to replenish.

Unfortunately, the holiday season is usually awash with overly sweet foods. I say awash, because the Chinese have a concept of dampness within the body that is associated with many health concerns, including respiratory illness, digestive complaints, excess weight, and some muscular and joint problems. An overload of sweets is sure to tax the system and adrenals overall, and will lead to an accumulation of internal dampness. Commonly dampness blocks circulation, so that the hands and feet tend to cold although the core is warm. So aim to treat yourself with the mildly sweet root vegetables and squashes available now, and steer away from the intensely refined flours and sugars of typical holiday cooking. By being easy on your digestion, you will stay a lot warmer and energetic. Plenty of dark leafy greens will help your colon manage the richer foods you crave. And provided they are local, they are much sweeter, now that they’ve been well frosted. Of course, you also need the healthy  [organic, free range] fats and oils to stay warm. Have a great winter, and get outside and soak up some vitamin D! For more information about herbs specific to your health concerns, contact Abi at 594-4766.

 

Fall wisdom from Chinese Medicine

A little belated with this article for the Good Tern Coop newsletter…

Welcoming Fall from an Oriental Dietary Perspective

Looking ahead from August, with the days shortening noticeably and the nights growing chilly, I relish the thought of meals with winter squash, sweet carrots, and beets. I get such a great satisfaction in raising some food and being able to get so many excellent locally grown crops. I enjoy storing these and other roots for the winter.

    At this moment, we span two seasons in the Oriental tradition: our fifth season, Late summer and Fall itself. The yellow color associated with Late Summer, which corresponds to the Earth element or phase, is evident not only in the Goldenrod and Black-Eyed Susans seen so commonly now, but in the fruits of our gardens: squashes, carrots, and some beans as well. Provided they are cooked sufficiently, these naturally sweet foods are all very nourishing to our digestion. The stomach and spleen/pancreas are the organs connected to the Earth element or phase. This is the time of year to bolster your system with lots of these readily available veggies. Sweet potatoes are another fabulous food for the digestion.

    By the time this is in print, we may well be full on into Fall, which is associated with the Metal element/phase and the Lungs. The Lungs are sensitive to cold and dry conditions, and easily overheat in reaction to cold. Many “colds” start with signs of cold such as chills and clear runny nose but quickly turn to symptoms indicative of heat such as scratchy, sore throat with thicker, colored mucous. There are many ways to support the lungs through dietary approaches, both preventatively while healthy, or if signs start to appear. Kale and collards are fantastic lung food. Their slightly bitter quality keeps the lungs cool in addition to being great for the bowels. If the inkling of a cold calls, lots of fresh garlic or ginger may well nip it in the bud. Many people swear by very heating concoctions of cayenne, and garlic for a cold. The traditional Chinese approach to throwing off a cold is a miso soup with scallions, a little milder and more palatable than raw garlic. Garlic is also helpful for coughs of all sorts due to its anti-viral and biotic properties. However, it needs to be raw for these benefits. Some like to chop it and spread it on toast. Another method is to take a tiny nibble with a bite of apple. [May I recommend an old time Maine variety such as the Snow, or Fameuse apple for late September?]

   Each of the seasons has an emotional quality associated with it. For obvious reasons, Fall is about grief and letting go. It is small wonder that someone grieving a major loss is susceptible to lung infections. As we scurry about readying for winter it’s important to take time to notice what we can let go of besides the warm weather and gardens. Having a bit of time to take in the natural world’s changes can facilitate our own, which makes maintaining good health so much easier! 

 

 

Office relocation December 1st!

With great anticipation I look forward to moving my office to the Center for Health and Healing, 17 Masonic Street, directly behind the courthouse. My space will be somewhat smaller, and cozier, with a waiting room adjacent on the second floor. I plan to continue drop-in community style treatments Mondays from 5-6 PM and Thursdays 11-noon. I will be in the good company of two homeopaths, a child therapist, and several bodyworkers of differing modalities.  I plan on offering a Taoist style 5 Element sounds qigong  at the center in January, tentatively on Tuesdays, from 5-6 starting January 12th. Hope to see you soon. Stay tuned for dates on the center’s December holiday party.

 

Trauma Resilience

    After a recent training with folks who have done Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing work, I’m excited to be learning new skills to pass on to patients to help people anchor treatments and get more out of them. The skills are based on the idea that our nervous systems can naturally heal from traumatic events given gentle attention to subtle, internal, felt sense. I love the emphasis on the incremental, gentle approach. The key piece is strengthening things that help us feel good inside, or at least neutral [in the worst of situations]. Of course, we’ve all heard that we need to focus on the positive, which isn’t so easy when we’re in pain. So a lot of time is spent on really building up one or more chosen good feeling[s], so it becomes a resource to go back to as needed, sort of like saving something to your hard drive. Any surgery would considered a “traumatic event” because we record it unconsciously in the reptilian, nonverbal part of our brains. Nonetheless, any pain condition can benefit from this approach. Certainly most of us have bravely coped with physical pain by learning to ignore it. By enhancing the relaxed, good feelings within, either with our attention, or the help of acupuncture, bodywork, or herbs, we develop the ability to pay a little more attention to the painful part. That in turn allows us to adjust our actions which keeps us from re-injuring a chronic limitation and notice what strengthens it. This usually includes more range of healthy motion with musculoskeletal concerns.

     The trainers of this “Trauma Resiliency”, who are long time therapists, have worked with vets, victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse, as well as abroad in the Congo, Sechuan, and Thailand with much success. They’ve honed their methods to make them quickly accessible to people regardless of their work or cultural background, by basing  them on new findings about brain and nervous system anatomy. I look forward to seeing how sharing these skills might help my patients.

 

greetings Chinese Medicine enthusiasts!

Just getting this off the ground with an article soon  to come out in the Summer issue of the Good Tern Coop newsletter. Soak up the sun when you can!

Summer Health with Chinese Medicine

Ah, sunshine, warm days, fresh local berries, and your favorite swim spot! This is the season we’ve all been waiting for! By the time this comes out, the first salad greens may be ready in your garden and the strawberries should be getting pink. Summer is a time to recharge our internal batteries in preparation for our long winter. Unfortunately, most of us are so busy making money for the long winter, and trying to enjoy the outdoors, that not much precious down time is left to recharge. Meals tend to be more on the run, and the long days don’t promote sleeping in.

       My aim in this short piece is to introduce a few basic concepts of Oriental eating habits and general practice that will assist your system in building strength and resilience to carry you through the whole year. The main theme is conservation of energy, such as the old maxim: it’s easier to keep warm than to get warm. Our bodies have an incredible ability to restore themselves given good food and rest. Acupuncture can provide the bit of reminder our system needs to reset this ability, but exercise, herbs, and diet are more important in the long run.

    Alas, even in the hottest weather, we may have chilly, and often quite damp climatic conditions that can be a drain on a tired system. Add some icy drinks or frozen food [ice cream!] and a summer cold can brew up. Iced drinks on a regular basis are generally not recommended, as they bring the temperature of the stomach down, which can lead to partial digestion. A more gentle way to cool the body is through cooling foods, which include most fruits, and especially blueberries and melons. Raw vegetables are quite cooling as well, but not so easily digested. A good way to balance the  [hopefully only occasional!] ice cream treat is to have some warm gingery or chai -like tea with it to rewarm the system.

   Proponents of raw food diets tout its high nutritional values, yet in practice, the abundance of vitamins is not readily available because of the work it takes to break down [or internally “cook”] something like a salad. With age, and heavy physical or mental work, our digestion becomes weaker and less able to glean the goodness from these “healthy” foods. Asparagus is a good example of a very cooling vegetable that is delicious cooked. As with any vegetable, a light steaming retains much of the vitamins but allows proper assimilation.

       Interestingly, both Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine use asparagus root as a nourishing tonic. Any kind of berry is very nourishing for our core energy or “Jing” as it is known in Chinese Medicine. Western Medicine recognizes the cancer fighting qualities of a number of berries as well. The Good Tern carries organic dried Goji berries, which are also extremely beneficial to the eyes.

     Chinese Medicine carefully tracks dampness within our body through tongue and pulse diagnosis, and acknowledges how climactic dampness can influence our body’s ability to cope. Many older people are aware of weather changes in their joints, and in Chinese Medicine, dampness is seen to have the potential to penetrate with windy and chilly conditions too. Sitting on a cold and/or damp surface such as concrete, rock, or even the ground can aggravate joint, urinary tracy, and even gynecologic problems. My elderly qigong teacher [91!] is even careful about going barefoot in southern California!

     Some foods that tend to create an excess of dampness in the body are dairy, any concentrated sweet, [even bananas!], beer, wheat, and any refined food. Some people notice they are sensitive to one of these foods. Perhaps their sinuses are stuffier, or joints ache more with them. Often with strengthening of the overall digestive system, people can once again enjoy foods that were previously problematic.

    In closing, take time to revel in the fresh local foods that abound this summer. Keep your feet warm and your head cool! See you at the summer solstice street fair, Main Street in Rockland, June 20th in the evening

 

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