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).

Endometriosis and your Fertility

This post has moved to http://dao-vida.com/2020/01/30/endometriosis-and-your-fertility/

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. 

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

http://dao-vida.com/2012/10/10/acupuncture-ease-side-effects-chemotherapy/