Blood Nourishing Foods

In Chinese Medicine, Blood and Qi have a close interdependent relationship. Both Qi and Blood circulate around the body through the meridians and blood vessels activating and nourishing the tissues.
The quality of our Blood is a measure of the available nourishment circulating in our body. Blood nourishes our muscles, organs, brain – every part of us. Its quality depends on the quality of food we eat, as well as our ability to absorb nourishment.
Blood can be easily improved through diet. As all food forms the basis of Blood, it is recommended to eat well and widely although certain foods will have a stronger effect on the blood (see table below).

Avoid or reduce	Beneficial foods	Dietary habits, cooking methods and other advice
- Fatty foods or deep fried foods - Processed foods or foods with chemicals/additives - Non essential drugs	Meat or fish in regular, small amounts: Chicken and eggs, pork, lamb or beef, liver (organic), oysters, mussels, cuttlefish, sardines, herring Vegetables (preferably cooked): Carrots, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, beetroots, avocado, black beans, kidney beans, aduki beans, eggplant, glutinous rice Fruit: dates, lychee, grapes, raisins, cherries, figs, mulberries Sesame seed, molasses, Chinese angelica	- Chew foods well and eat slowly and in a relaxed environment - Eat foods that are good quality, especially when eating liver make sure it is organic - Rest for a while after eating, especially after your main meal of the day - Preferred cooking methods are steaming, boiling, stewing and stir-frying - Raw fruit and vegetables in small quantities only

Acupuncture for polycystic ovaries and PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)

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Acupuncture Helpful for Fibromyalgia, According to New Study

The June 2013 edition of the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies reports on a study that found acupuncture helpful with fibromyalgia symptoms, including reducing pain sensitivity ...

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is believed to affect between 3% and 5% of the population according to a survey in five European countries. Conventional therapies often have limited success in treating this complex and unexplained condition and the treatment strategy often consists in prescribing different medications for the varying symptoms in a trial and error approach. A vast majority of fibromyalgia sufferers tend to turn to complementary therapies to manage their symptoms. Acupuncture, in particular, has become a popular treatment choice and has shown to be an effective treatment modality.

What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and profound fatigue.  The pain is often described as a diffuse, aching or burning sensation and may change in intensity and change location although it is commonly more severe in parts of the body that are used the most. The accompanying fatigue may range from feeling tired to experiencing the exhaustion of a "flu like" illness.  It can come on suddenly, leaving the person feel completely drained, as if someone just "pulled the plug". While not all affected persons experience all associated symptoms, the following symptoms commonly occur together:

• chronic pain
• debilitating fatigue
• difficulty sleeping and unrefreshing sleep
• joint stiffness
• chronic headaches (ranging from ordinary headaches to migraines) and jaw pain
• hypersensitivity to smells, bright lights and loud noises 
• lack of concentration ("foggy or fuzzy head") and poor memory
• irritable bowel syndrome
• numbness or tingling in the fingers and feet
• poor circulation in hands and feet

Although fibromyalgia is not new, it can be difficult to diagnose as the condition cannot be identified through standard tests (X-rays, laboratory tests) but the widely accepted criteria for diagnosis are:
- pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of three months and
- pain on pressure in at least 11 of 18 designated tender points on the body

Most people report that their symptoms started after a physical or emotional trauma, a period of stress or overwork, sometimes accompanied by a bout of flu or other illness that the person didn't fully recover from although in some cases there appears to be no triggering event. Fibromyalgia affects more women than men and age may be a factor too. 

Eastern Perspective on Fibromyalgia

As with any other Western "disease" or pathology, Chinese medicine does not classify fibromyalgia as one specific disease pattern.  Rather it looks at the condition as a disruption of the flow of energy or Qi in the body which may be characterized by a stagnation or a deficiency of Qi in several areas (more commonly affecting the Liver, Spleen, Kidney and Heart meridians).

Treatment then aims to address the specific imbalance unique to each individual depending on the intensity and location of the pain, the person's constitution, emotional state, digestive health, sleeping patterns and an array of other signs and symptoms. Therefore, if several people presenting with fibromyalgia are treated with acupuncture, it is very likely that they would receive a different treatment involving the use of different acupuncture points and different lifestyle and dietary recommendations.

If you suffer from fibromyalgia, acupuncture may be able to ease your symptoms and help you get back your health and vitality.  Contact us for more information.

Not feeling a spring in your step this spring? That may be down to your Liver...

Hopefully colds and flus are now behind us and hayfever isn't in full swing yet so why are some of us feeling off in the early days of the Spring season?  The culprit may be your Liver meridian!  Chinese medicine considers each season to be a peak time for specific organs and functions and transitions from one season to the next are times when imbalances can show forth and when we can struggle through a little more than usual.  If your Liver isn't in tip top conditions it will be all the more vulnerable at this time of year and you could find a number of things more difficult.  Note that in Chinese medicine this encompasses your actual liver organ as well as other functions and physiological processes so don't rush to the doctor and have your liver functions checked out just yet!

So how does this manifest you might ask....It may be a time however when you get more frequent headaches, when your joints get stiffer, when you feel more irritable or your digestion isn't as smooth.  The Liver function may also affect your susceptibility to develop allergies at this time of year, especially if they affect your eyes a lot (dry and irritated or itchy eyes).

Spring should be a time when the Liver and all its associated functions should thrive but before reaching that state it may struggle to finds its balance through the seasonal transition.  
Acupuncture can help balance your whole system and especially so your Liver so if you notice any of the following then acupuncture may be just what you need at this time:

You have more frequent headaches and other pains than normal: in Chinese medicine the Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi and when it fails to function properly we may experience sensations like pressure, tightness so tension headaches or even menstrual cramps may be more prominent at this time.  If you are experiencing one-sided headaches affecting the temple or eye area, that is also down to your lovely liver not feeling the love right now.

You feel tense, irritable or frustrated.  Chinese Medicine associates the Liver to a smooth flow of energy throughout the body and healthy tendons and ligament so poor response to stress, feeling physically tense, stiff in your muscles or joints, clenching your jaw, having a shallow breathing are all signs that the Liver isn't working optimally and at this time of year those signs may even be exacerbated.  If emotionally you fuse has become shorter and you find yourself more irritable and easily annoyed, that can also be down at least partly to one aspect of the Liver functions. 

You digestion is not at its best, more specifically you experience wind, bloating, heartburns or constipation.  These are all signs of "stuckness" from the Liver Qi not moving smoothly throughout your system.

Your eyes are dry and irritated.  The eyes are associated with the Liver system and many eye problems are attributed to the Liver in Chinese medicine so if you notice eye pain and fatigue, dry eyes, itchy and irritated eyes (one symptom of hayfever).

Staying Healthy this Winter

1. Eat for the season

To maintain your health in the cold months of winter, Chinese medicine recommends avoiding cold and raw foods, reducing salt to protect your kidneys, and increasing bitter flavors (like kale, for instance).  As much as possible, avoid raw vegetables, cold salads, and icy cold foods and drinks. Include foods like shiitake mushrooms and spices like turmeric and garlic as they will support your immune system.

Include seasonal foods in your diet, such as warming foods like leeks, onions, and turnips or iron-rich foods like spinach, broccoli, dried plums, oats, quinoa, sunflower and sesame seeds, walnuts, yams, squash, kale, garlic, scallions, and parsley. Hearty soups are a great way to warm and nourish during the winter months. It is also best to drink plenty of warm or hot drinks.

Photo by Brigitte Tohm from Pexels

A warming tea recipe: Astragalus and Codonopsis Chai (recipe by Methow Valley Herbs)

2 parts codonopsis root (Codonopsis pilosula)

2 parts astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus)

one part cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) 

one part ginger (Zingiber officinalis)

1/2 part cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)

1/4 part clove (Eugenia caryophyllata)

1/4 part peppercorns (cubeb berries are also nice)

Make big batches and store it in a jar. When you are ready to make the drink, use 1/2 cup of the total mixture and simmer for 40 minutes in a quart of water. (This can also be done in a crockpot overnight on low).  Then strain the tea off and pour it into a mug until the mug is 3/4 of the way full. Then add some type of milk for the last 1/4.

2. Early to bed, rise when the sun is up

Ancient Chinese medicine texts recommend to go to sleep early and wait to let the sun is up before rising from bed. Like some many other things in nature, it is time for us to hibernate and sleep longer so try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

3. Store your energy

The colder and darker months of winter urge us to slow down.  This is a time when all living things take a rest and replenish their energy reserves before bursting back to life in the spring.  Certain activities are especially in harmony with the energy of winter and although physical movement and exercise is essential for circulating Qi and Blood throughout the body, it is important to avoid perspiring excessively in winter.  At this time of year, favour moderate activity such as walking to nurture your energy reserves. It is also a good time of year for practicing taichi or qigong exercises. 

If you can, avoid energy-depleting activities, try not to overload your days and be sure you give yourself some personal time, away from other people but also from the more and more pervasive technologies in our lives (mobiles, tablets, laptops, TV, etc).  If you can, pick a day of the week to do your own "system restore", turn off the TV and limit your time on the phone or email.

4. Avoid cold and keep yourself warm

This may sound obvious but when the weather is sunny people often leave the house without dressing warmly.  Pay special attention to your waist as if this area gets cold you will be more likely to feel cold and have an achy or stiff back.  Chinese medicine puts special emphasis on the lower abdomen, considered the storehouse of the body's energy.

In addition, consider taking astragalus or ginseng.  They are considered to be adaptogens (natural substances that improve the body's resistance to physical and environmental stress), hence boosting immunity. 

Winter, time to reflect and rest

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http://dao-vida.com/2011/09/30/late-summer-earth/