Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture helps you to live in balance with nature. Most people are hiking the temperature up in their houses and offices, piling extra heavy blankets on the bed, and staying ‘out of the cold.’ To live in harmony with nature you should aim to get out in the cold! Experience the change of seasons and embrace the crispy air. Go for walks, or do early morning qigong. Worried that you might get too chilly? Try this heart warming recipe that will keep you nice and toasty from the inside out!
Caully Carrot Ginger Soup
5-10 organic carrots
1 stalk celery
½ head of cauliflower
5 cups Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, or water
2 inch piece of Ginger root
1 small onion
Pepper and salt to taste
Bring water/ broth to boil on a large deep pot. Meanwhile wash all vegetable and start peeling (or scrubbing) carrots and throw them in the pot. Then grate ginger directly into the pot. Next chop celery into bite size pieces and add them in. Then chop cauliflower and onion into small pieces and add them. Let boil for 15-20 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft. Then use a hand blender and blend everything into a smooth creamy soup (this is where having a deep pot is handy to prevent splashing!). Or you can use a standard blender or food processor. Serve with a dollop of fat free sour cream or fat free plain yogurt and enjoy!
~Think Vitality!~
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Top 10 ways to stay healthy and reverse the signs of aging
10. Stop smoking- smoking is one of the most toxic things we can do to our body; the sooner you quit the better
9. Eat right for your body type- metabolic typing; if you don’t know your type find out and live accordingly
8. Exercise daily- aerobic, and anaerobic we need them both
7. Spend time outside in nature- fresh air and sunshine, so pure and simple!
9. Eat right for your body type- metabolic typing; if you don’t know your type find out and live accordingly
8. Exercise daily- aerobic, and anaerobic we need them both
7. Spend time outside in nature- fresh air and sunshine, so pure and simple!
6. Buy most of your groceries from the perimeter of the grocery store- local grown produce and fresh meat
5. Get into your healthy BMI (body mass index) - for most people that means losing weight or getting taller!
4. Use meditation and relaxation- qi gong, tai chi, EFT, guided meditation; they’ve been around for thousands of years for a reason!
3. Get acupuncture, herbal medicine and/or other balancing therapies- time tested and proven to do the mind body and spirit good
2. Seek fine tuning of a professional- we can learn a lot from the internet but there are specialists who devote their life to health, and they can help you.
1. Think healthy thoughts! - The body follows the mind. Whether you think you are healthy or not… you’re right!
~Think Vitality!~
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Geez, its damp cold!
As I headed off to my clinic this morning I made sure to put on a couple extra layers because fall is in full swing. I just returned from a weekend in Edmonton, my home town, and every time I return to Victoria I notice how damp it actually is here. This brings up the concept of ‘dampness’ in Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.
Dampness is a condition that one can have in the body. Just like a rooms, towels, and sweater sleeve cuffs pulled out of the dryer too soon can be damp so can our bodies. It usually arises from improper digestion and assimilation of food or choosing the wrong food for our body types.
When we accumulate a lot of dampness in our systems it can cause many symptoms such as:
· Feeling of heaviness in the body, ‘brain fog,’ confusion
· Middle body weight gain, metabolic disorders
· Candida, fungal infections, yeast infections
· Gas, bloating, stomach discomfort, food sensitivities
· Allergies, depression, anxiety, frequent colds
Foods that cause dampness:
· Milk products (except yogurt)
· sugar and sweets
· white flour
· refined starch and highly processed starch products
· alcohol
· excess raw fruits (because of sugar) and vegetables
· excess mushrooms
· icy and cold beverages
· fatty, greasy and deep fried foods,
· excess fermented, yeast containing foods
· excess vinegar
If our spleen, stomach, and kidney systems are not working properly then we get dampness. By avoiding these foods we lessen the potential of creating this state of dampness.
If one comes in for acupuncture I would also work on the liver, spleen, kidney, lung, and bladder to make sure everything is in balance and drive out the excess dampness.
What else could you do? You can drink dandelion tea, it helps strengthen the liver and drain dampness. You can purchase dandelion tea; you don’t have to harvest it from your front lawn! Eat more that dry dampness such as garlic, onion, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, scallion, cayenne, basil, rosemary, dill, oregano, sage, parsley, cardamom, fennel, anise, clove, coriander, leek and chives.
Until next time, stay dry and…
~Think Vitality!~
Dampness is a condition that one can have in the body. Just like a rooms, towels, and sweater sleeve cuffs pulled out of the dryer too soon can be damp so can our bodies. It usually arises from improper digestion and assimilation of food or choosing the wrong food for our body types.
When we accumulate a lot of dampness in our systems it can cause many symptoms such as:
· Feeling of heaviness in the body, ‘brain fog,’ confusion
· Middle body weight gain, metabolic disorders
· Candida, fungal infections, yeast infections
· Gas, bloating, stomach discomfort, food sensitivities
· Allergies, depression, anxiety, frequent colds
Foods that cause dampness:
· Milk products (except yogurt)
· sugar and sweets
· white flour
· refined starch and highly processed starch products
· alcohol
· excess raw fruits (because of sugar) and vegetables
· excess mushrooms
· icy and cold beverages
· fatty, greasy and deep fried foods,
· excess fermented, yeast containing foods
· excess vinegar
If our spleen, stomach, and kidney systems are not working properly then we get dampness. By avoiding these foods we lessen the potential of creating this state of dampness.
If one comes in for acupuncture I would also work on the liver, spleen, kidney, lung, and bladder to make sure everything is in balance and drive out the excess dampness.
What else could you do? You can drink dandelion tea, it helps strengthen the liver and drain dampness. You can purchase dandelion tea; you don’t have to harvest it from your front lawn! Eat more that dry dampness such as garlic, onion, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, scallion, cayenne, basil, rosemary, dill, oregano, sage, parsley, cardamom, fennel, anise, clove, coriander, leek and chives.
Until next time, stay dry and…
~Think Vitality!~
Sunday, November 9, 2008
It's Just in Your Head!
There is nothing worse then spending some good quality time with family and friends, laughing, and enjoying life when... all of a sudden you get a headache!
Headaches are one of those things that can really take enjoyment out of a nice moment and while I have seen many patients with mild to extremely severe headaches I never fail to notice how it affects quality of life.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine do an excellent job at reducing or eliminating headaches but it is crucial to determine what the 'root cause' of the pain is. Here are a couple:
These are just 4 types of of headaches and acupuncture points and herbs used differ for all of them. All headaches usually respond well to
One must never forget that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. So if you are feeling like your cranium is getting crushed and cranked and its making you crazy try food journalling.
Write down every single thing you eat or drink and how you are feeling throughout the day. I can almost guarantee that you will start to see patterns in when you get headaches, what foods and drink may trigger them, and how your stress level may affect them. Until next time...
~Think Vitality!~
Headaches are one of those things that can really take enjoyment out of a nice moment and while I have seen many patients with mild to extremely severe headaches I never fail to notice how it affects quality of life.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine do an excellent job at reducing or eliminating headaches but it is crucial to determine what the 'root cause' of the pain is. Here are a couple:
- Tension - usually affects the gallbladder, pain starts in the shoulders, rises up the neck and creeps around the corner to the temples, usually dull
- Blood deficiency- can be hormonal cycle related, can get light-headed when standing up too quickly, liver and spleen may be unbalanced, can feel exhausted
- Excess stomach energy- usually in the forehead, associated with high blood pressure, smoking, can affect vision, can have a bitter taste in the mouth and red face
- Dampness- usually described as having a heavy feeling in the head, like a wet towel wrapped around the head, can be affected by weather
These are just 4 types of of headaches and acupuncture points and herbs used differ for all of them. All headaches usually respond well to
- keeping well hydrated
- reducing caffeine
- eliminating sugar and highly processed foods
- getting adequate sleep
- acid/alkaline balancing the body
- exercising
One must never forget that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. So if you are feeling like your cranium is getting crushed and cranked and its making you crazy try food journalling.
Write down every single thing you eat or drink and how you are feeling throughout the day. I can almost guarantee that you will start to see patterns in when you get headaches, what foods and drink may trigger them, and how your stress level may affect them. Until next time...
~Think Vitality!~
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Happy Halloween! Coffin Cold?
It has been a daily question in the last couple of weeks “What do you think of the flu shot?” I always feel like someone is handing me a grenade without the pin and asking me to juggle! The flu shot seems to have people very polarized and with very strong opinions.
Consider if you got the flu, is there a potential that it would cause death?
If you are in fragile health, over the age of 65, suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, anaemia, cancer, immune system suppression, HIV, or kidney disease then the flu shot is a good preventative measure to protect you from the flu and its potential complications.
If you do not fall into that category and are of reasonable health then maybe you might want to consider other options. In the days of liabilities and lawyers I must stress to consult with your doctor and/or primary health care giver.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, Fall is when the body starts to wind down for the winter and draw its energy more inward. It is a time for more rest and recovery after a hard summer of expending energy and emptying peach cider bottles on the deck.
To naturally prevent cold and flu we must focus on the basics of good diet, sleep, exercise, and stress reduction. One big immune system suppressant culprit is sugar! At the first sign of cold or flu you should avoid all processed sugar. Another favourite of patients is to have spicy tea such as chai tea.
Here’s a good cold buster recipe:
2 cups of water
8 cardamom seed pods crushed
3 sticks of cinnamon, crushed
4 cloves
1 inch piece of ginger sliced thinly or grated
3 teaspoons of black tea (such as Darjeeling, or Ceylon)
3 tablespoons of crushed black pepper
Skim milk or skim milk powder
Honey to taste
Place water, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and ginger in a pot and bring to a boil.
Cover and lower heat to low setting and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add milk and honey and again bring to simmer.
Next, add the tea leaves, remove from heat and cover.
Let steep for 3 minutes and strain. Enjoy!
~Think Vitality!~
Consider if you got the flu, is there a potential that it would cause death?
If you are in fragile health, over the age of 65, suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, anaemia, cancer, immune system suppression, HIV, or kidney disease then the flu shot is a good preventative measure to protect you from the flu and its potential complications.
If you do not fall into that category and are of reasonable health then maybe you might want to consider other options. In the days of liabilities and lawyers I must stress to consult with your doctor and/or primary health care giver.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, Fall is when the body starts to wind down for the winter and draw its energy more inward. It is a time for more rest and recovery after a hard summer of expending energy and emptying peach cider bottles on the deck.
To naturally prevent cold and flu we must focus on the basics of good diet, sleep, exercise, and stress reduction. One big immune system suppressant culprit is sugar! At the first sign of cold or flu you should avoid all processed sugar. Another favourite of patients is to have spicy tea such as chai tea.
Here’s a good cold buster recipe:
2 cups of water
8 cardamom seed pods crushed
3 sticks of cinnamon, crushed
4 cloves
1 inch piece of ginger sliced thinly or grated
3 teaspoons of black tea (such as Darjeeling, or Ceylon)
3 tablespoons of crushed black pepper
Skim milk or skim milk powder
Honey to taste
Place water, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and ginger in a pot and bring to a boil.
Cover and lower heat to low setting and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add milk and honey and again bring to simmer.
Next, add the tea leaves, remove from heat and cover.
Let steep for 3 minutes and strain. Enjoy!
~Think Vitality!~
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