Fend Off Colds and Flus this Autumn

Gone is the Summer sunshine and warmth and as the weather gets colder, wetter and windier (especially of late), people are more likely to develop signs of colds (cough, sore throat, runny nose) or flu. The best way to treat a disease is to prevent it.  So, do something to boost your immune system now before you start showing any symptom. Chinese herbs such as Huang Qi (Astralagus) are used to strengthen Qi and to boost the immune system.

Acupuncture can help rebalance energy, regulate the Qi and stimulate the immune system. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture and herbal medicine in particular reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection and shorten the length of time one is ill. When you get sick with a cold or the flu, do not wait. Start acupuncture treatments in the early stages. It may help eliminate pathogenic influences.
Regular exercise of sufficient intensity (to warm you up, but not to make you sweat- not overdoing it) has been shown to reduce the incidence of the flu. Exercise such as Qi-gong, Tai-Chi, and Yoga can help reduce emotional and physical stress. It also strengthens the immune system and prevents disease from arising.

Keep a good diet. Make sure to eat a full balanced diet that is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Foods containing beta-carotene are thought to help boost your immune system and keep your mucous membranes and upper respiratory system healthy and harder to infect. Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, garlic and tomatoes are high in beta-carotene. Eating lots of them during the flu season may help you avoid illness, or recover sooner.

Drink water to prevent dehydration. Ample liquids can help your body flush the invaders and the debris from their battle with your immune system. Chicken soup is recommended because it adds extra water and expels mucous to help you get rid of the illness. Try to drink an 8-ounce glass of water every hour. This is very important to help your body recover from the flu.
Extra rest will help you save energy for battling the illness. This is particularly important if you became sick when you were already tired or run down. Get more sleep and take a nap in the afternoon; it will help you recover faster.

Diet can help alleviate rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a condition characterized by the fact that the immune cells, or lymphocytes, promote inflammation of the joints. The exact causes are still unknown and this chronic disease can lead to long-term joint damage resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.

Rheumatoid arthritis progresses in three stages. The first stage is persisting synovitis, the inflammation of the synovial lining of the joints causing pain, warmth, stiffness, swelling and redness. In the second stage, the rapid division and growth of cells causes the synovium to thicken to the extent that it is palpable as a "boggy" swelling around the joints and tendons. In the third stage, the inflamed cells release enzymes that will damage the underlying cartilage, causing it to thin.  Over time, the joint will lose its shape and alignment, eliciting more pain and loss of movement. Rheumatoid arthritis may at times last only for a while and go away; it may also go into remission and then flare up again, or it may continue indefinitely.

In Chinese Medicine, this condition is called Bi syndrome and is typically characterized into four types: Wind-Cold, Cold, Damp and Heat. During an initial consultation, including an assessment of the pulse and tongue, a diagnosis is made and your type of arthritis is determined. Specific acupuncture points are used and an appropriate diet is designed.

Green onions and ginger will help cases of Wind Bi. For Cold-Bi, black pepper and dry ginger are beneficial. Soy bean sprouts and pearl barley help cases of Damp-Bi while mung bean sprouts and winter melon are advised for Heat-Bi.

In addition, the following are useful for arthritis:

Helpful herbs and spices:

Black peppercorn, dill, fennel, coriander, marjoram, sage, saffron, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, onion, chives, garlic, horseradish (best if pickled in vinegar) and ginger root.  Of these foods, onion and garlic are especially helpful in reducing the formation of inflammation as they contain the bioflavonid quercetin.

Beneficial Foods:

Fish with ample Omega-3 such as trout, anchovy, sardines, salmon, tuna and butterfish, chicken

Angelica, cinnamon bark (these last two as part of a herbal treatment).  Pearl barley, tofu, celery and Chinese yam to help alleviate swollen joints.

You should also avoid any calcium inhibitors: excess meat or protein from any source (especially red meat, which tends to cause more inflammation), intoxicants (alcohol, tobacco, coffee), refined sugar and too many sweets, excess salt.  Also restrict foods in oxalic acid, such as rhubarb, cranberry, plum, chard, beet greens and spinach.

Arthritis relief with Acupuncture

A number of recent scientific studies have found evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture in both providing pain relief and improving function for people with arthritis.

Western medicine defines arthritis as an inflammatory condition of the joints that is characterized by pain, swelling, heat, redness, and limitation of movement. In terms of Chinese medicine, arthritis can be linked to several patterns of disease, and acupuncture treatment will take into account both the root of the problem and its symptoms (for instance a prior exposure to cold that damaged joint, leading to an obstruction in the natural flow of Qi and blood and manifesting as pain in the joint).  The acupuncture diagnosis will also vary depending on the types of symptoms (heat, stiffness, sharp pain, dull ache) and the overall state of the individual. The treatment protocol is therefore tailored to the person's specific symptoms and general physical and emotional state and is likely to be different from person to person.

The use of acupuncture in combination with gentle exercise such as taichi or qigong can be a very effective way to treat and manage joint and musculoskeletal disorders including arthritis. If you would like to start a course of treatment for your arthritis or joint pain, or a free 15-minute consultation visit our website http://5element-acupuncture.com/contact.html for contact details in the Costa del Sol and Gibraltar.

Acupuncture can ease the side effects of breast cancer treatments

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Modern Life, Modern Illnesses

Some of the diseases found in the minds and bodies of Westerners have not been around that long or at least never been so prevalent in the population such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, interstitial cystitis, depression and certain types of cancer to name but a few.

The pace of modern life is quicker than for previous generations, and with increased responsibilities comes the expectations to be always available through email or phone.  In our environment, we are more exposed to chemicals and toxins than ever before.  Alongside better standards of living and more comfortable lives, hospital admittances due to food allergies are increasing thanks in part to synthetic food additives. Due to long hours working and commuting, people are getting less exercise and less sleep.

Anxiety and depression are becoming more common as our immune and nervous systems are more and more exhausted by our lifestyle.  However, each and every one of us can take better control of our own health to reverse some of our diseases or, better yet, prevent them altogether before they develop.  A few helpful steps would be to:

Control what goes in your body: Whenever possible choose local, organic foods that are in season. You can also find a list of foods best eaten organically because of high pesticide content, as well as foods with the lest pesticides on this link.  Also whenever possible, drink purified water and choose more natural products for clothing, bedding, furniture, and building materials.

Cleanse your body: Get acupuncture and use herbal medicine and teas to aid in your elimination of toxins through your sweat, urine, and bowels.

Make time for yourself: Work is important but so are you. Make time for exercise and make sure you enjoy doing it. Spend time having fun with people who make you happy. Get regular sleep. Go outdoors.

Healing Our Emotions

Even when an illness is seen as physical only, such as a state of chronic after an injury, there is always an emotional component, either around the event of the injury or our emotional response to the pain, whether it is anger, depression or even sadness. Although we may not be aware of it, our emotions have a direct effect on our bodies’ physiology. When we get angry we tend to tense up, which can contribute to muscle aches, pains, high blood pressure and in extreme situations a heart attack or stroke. Stress has an obvious effect on our bodies and many of us in times of stress will hold the tension in their neck and shoulders or in their abdomen.  Another example is the effect of immense grief: you may feel like there is a lump in your throat, your chest feels tight and heavy, your eyes begin to burn, and you have difficulty swallowing or breathing.

In some cases in order to “control” our emotions we bury them away, but these emotions do not just disappear. If these latent emotions are not addressed, they may lead to physical problems.  Chinese medicine has long acknowledged the effect of our emotions on health, qualifying them as causes of diseases alongside things like climate, epidemics or poor diet. An important part of the healing process consists in discovering the roots of our emotional response and transforming them.

Acupuncture and meditation can help us uncover hidden emotions and promote the healing process. Exercise helps by dispersing and balancing emotions, but is not enough to transform them and complex health conditions may require a combination of acupuncture, nutrition, exercise, meditation, lifestyle changes, and emotional work such as psychotherapy.

Foods best eaten organically

Whenever possible we should choose local, organic foods that are in season. However, if you find it difficult to go all organic, you may want to buy organic fruit and vegetables when the non-organic version tends to contain high levels of pesticides.  Below is a list of foods that are best eaten organically, as well as a list of foods that have lower pesticides level and tend to be "cleaner" than most.

Hayfever self help

Suffering from allergies?  Here is a good article with some tips on how to stimulate acupuncture points at home to help relieve symptoms: 7 Acupuncture Points to Help Allergy Sufferers This Spring

Spring, season for new beginnings

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th perfect for Winter

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Winter, time to reflect and rest

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