Queen Anne Natural Health

Blood Deficiency

Blood deficiency is more prevalent in women than in men due to the menstrual cycle, but some men suffer from this as well. It arises from a number of conditions, including, but not limited to: heavy menstrual cycle, a history of hemorrhage, amenorrhea, or long term vegetarianism. Blood deficiency can underlie a number of physical symptoms including dizziness, pallor, fatigue, scanty or absent menstrual cycle, some types of numbness or skin rashes, dry skin and hair, brittle nails, chronic muscle spasms, slow to heal tendonitis and injuries, heart palpitations and specific types of insomnia. It is very important to stay well hydrated if you are blood deficient. 6-8 glasses of water are essential, as well as introducing fluids that have electrolytes in them. Organic chicken broth is another way to help hydrate the body while providing easy to assimilate nutrients.

If your practitioner has diagnosed you with Blood Deficiency, there are some simple foods and supplements that you can incorporate into your diet that will help your body to build more and stronger Blood. Be sure to check with your Naturopath or physician before starting supplementation to be sure the supplement is appropriate for your particular situation.

1) Certified Organic beef

2) Green leafy vegetables such as kale and chard

3) Black strap molasses

4) Dark colored fruits and vegetables like red grapes, raisins, berries, beets, etc.

5) Slow-cooked soups, stews and braised meats which are the best methods for extracting essential nutrients from bones, meats and vegetables

6) Seaweeds (be sure to use quality brands that ensure purity standards)

7) Organic Royal Jelly which is a wonderful tonic that is naturally high in amino acids, vitamins and enzymes

8) Iron supplements such as "Floradix" which is a gentle liquid tonic that helps support the blood.

9) Chlorophyll Supplements particularly barley grass (avoid spirulina as it tends to be too warming)

Ways to Increase Immune Function and Protect Oneself during Flu Season

There many things we can do to help support our body’s natural immune function. Certainly getting enough rest, fluids, and quality fresh food is essential. Acupuncture is also a good option, since one of the proven effects of this therapy is increased immunity, even when this isn't the focus of treatment. Regular acupuncture helps bring our bodies back into balance, and a body in balance has the ability to fight foreign contaminants such as bacteria and viruses. In Chinese Medicine terms “expel uninvited guests” such as wind cold, wind heat, wind damp, etc.

Aside from acupuncture, many Chinese herbs, including mushrooms, have been proven to increase immune function in several ways. There are herbs that are simply antibacterial and antiviral, helping our bodies to stave off infection when we come in contact with these agents. There are also herbs which increase the number of Killer T and Natural Killer white blood cells which attack microbes preventing us from getting sick, and helping us to recover from illness.

One of the key immune enhancing herbs in Chinese Medicine is Huang Qi, or Astragalus. The root of this plant tonifies the qi and blood of the entire body, especially the Spleen and increases the Wei, or Protective Qi. There are several classic herbal formulas that contain Huang Qi which can be used to prevent illness. There are also formulas, which when taken at the early stages of illness help the body recover quickly and decrease the severity of an illness. These formulas are important to have on hand in order to provide a quick means of protection. That way if you find yourself around people sick people, or if you will be traveling on airplanes, or simply have a tendency towards decreased immune function, you can give your body as much support as possible to keep from getting sick.

Five Phase System - Spring

Season: Spring

Direction: East

Climate: Wind

Yin Organ: Liver

Yang Organ: Gallbladder

Emotion: Anger

Sound: Shouting

Color: Green

Flavor: Sour

Movement: Upward

Tissue: Tendons

Virture: Kindness

Genmaicha

 

When the afternoon rolls around many of us feel that we need something to pick us up in order to finish the day. Often times we will head out for a coffee, knowing this will accomplish the task. While a little coffee is not a bad thing, it can give us an immediate burst of energy, but it will deplete us in the long run. In Chinese Medicine, coffee acts as a vigorous qi-mover. Strongly moving the qi in a body that is already in need of supplementation can waste the qi and blood and leave us more tired in the long run. This leads to the daily ritual of afternoon coffee and thus the cycle continues.

For many of us a nice alternative is tea, especially white or green tea. The caffeine content is much lower, and in addition, tea has benefit of being an antioxident.

There are many types of green tea available. A nice one to try is a Japanese green that is combined with roasted brown rice. Sometimes the rice pops in the roasting process giving the tea the appearance of being combined with tiny kernals of popcorn. Attractive, healthy, and tasty, give Genmaicha a try!

 

 

It is important to note that some people find tea, even green tea, to cause dryness or to raise the energy in the body causing palpitations and anxiety. Especially in the spring, when energy is already rising, it is important to pay attention to what is happening in your body. If your constitution is toward blood deficiency or dryness, or you have symptoms of yang rising, such as palpitations or dizziness, even green tea can be contraindicated. In this case, white tea may work better, or elimination of all caffeinated beverages may be necessary.

Protect Your Wind Gate

While the name "wind gate" refers specifically to a point on the Bladder channel of the upper back, we often use this term to talk about the entire back of the neck and upper back. This area is particularly vulnerable to invasion by wind leading to symptoms of colds and flus such as chills, body aches, nasal congestion, and cough. In the Springtime when the weather starts to turn warm we can be too quick to pull off the winter layers. Exposing the back of the neck and upper back to the elements, particularly the wind, we increase the likelihood of falling ill. Protect your "wind gate" by wearing a scarf, a high collar, or a turtle neck, and you will increase your chances of making it through the spring in good health.

Spring Detox

Around this time of year we start to get questions about fasting, detox diets and cleanses. Though it is a common temptation in the springtime to want to make a "fresh start" in our bodies, overly restrictive diets, flushes, enemas, and the like, are considered too extreme in Chinese Medicine. Often these types of detox protocols perpetuate imbalanced eating and elimination habits, which can damage the Spleen leaving the body weak in both qi and blood. Chinese medicine, on the other hand, is a system that encourages moderation rather than deprivation.

Chinese medicine views the body as a healthy ecosystem. Not only is it impossible to steralize this enviroment of all of its toxins, it is unwise. The body is far more adaptable than we give it credit for. As a responsive ecosystem each body has fine tuned processes designed for maintaining homeostasis. When we try to "clean" this system, we often do more damage than good . Most detoxes end up flushing out helpful bacteria and energy, forcing the body to scramble to re-establish healthy flora. In addition, detox protocols tend to stress the body by dumping massive amounts of toxins and debris into the blood stream, overwhelming the body's natural filtering systems while depriving the body of the healthy energy and nutrients that it needs.

This Spring, Allow Life to be a little Dirty!

Your body is not a dirty house that needs to be scrubbed clean. Your body is a harmonious synergistic entity that needs your support and love to carry you through this world the best it can. Instead of trying to create a pure environment in your body, give it more of what it needs; fresh whole foods, exercise, meditation, rest, playfullness and less of what it doesn't; caffeine, alcohol, chemical foods, stressful thoughts, guilt. By incorporating these simple changes, the spleen and other organs will become stronger and happier, and in turn, better able to function at their optimal level. Your body will thrive with an abundance of qi and blood and you will look and feel great!

Spring and Anxiety

Lately, we have noticed an increase in feelings of anxiety in our patients and friends, and even ourselves. Spring is a common time for anxiety. The energy of Spring is rushing upward. Just as bulbs are opening and the tulips are pushing up through the soil, so too is the energy of our bodies. When we are a little unrooted, or have a deficiency of blood or yin, our energy can rise too quickly, and in an uncontrolled way. This causes physical feelings of discomfort in the upper abdomen and chest such as heart palpitations, chest tightness, difficulty breathing and a "nervous" stomach. Acupuncture and herbs, and sometimes moxa, can help bring this energy back down into our dan tien, or belly. There is also a visualization I learned years ago that can help one feel more "rooted."

Meditation for Anxiety:

Stand in a quiet, comfortable position. Close your eyes and take a deep breath, in....and out. Relax the muscles in your face, your jaw, your ears. Let the space behind your eyes melt toward the floor. Slowly work your way down your body, allowing each part to let go. Do this from your shoulders, arms, hands to your ribs, stomach, hips. All the way down to your feet. Once you have reached your feet, imagine that there are roots, just like those beneath a tree, coming out of your feet. They grow away from your feet and push down into the earth where they spread out and grab on to the soil. Let yourself feel the strength and stability this provides.

Any time you are feeling the energy rising in your body, or your chest or stomach feeling tight and uncomfortable, try this visualizaton. Once you have practiced it a few times, it only takes a few minutes.

Fachen, sending forth and spreading out

In the springtime, together the heaven and earth bring forth life and the 10,000 things are enlivened. Go to sleep at night fall, and wake up at dawn. After waking up, walk around the courtyard with broad strides. Let down the hair and relax the body. Allow the will to be productive. Live and do not kill. Give and do not take away. Reward and do not punish. This resonates with the energy of spring. It is the way of nourishing life. To act in opposition to this injures the liver.....

From the Huang di Neijing

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a wonderful wintertime therapy as it disperses cold, eliminates damp and warms yang. It is one of the best methods for general health and well-being in the Chinese Medicine repertoire. Moxa used daily on the point ZuSanLi is said to prevent all illness and promote longevity. The sensation is generally one of warmth and relaxation, and very popular among patients of Chinese Medicine.

Moxibustion is a form of therapy that developed independently of acupuncture, and may actually pre-date it. There are areas in the northern, colder regions of China in which practitioners use moxibustion in lieu of acupuncture.

The moxa is made from the herb Ai Ye, or Mugwort, which is harvested and laid in the sun to dry. It is then crushed and passed through a sieve repeatedly until it maintains a fine, downy texture. In this form it is referred to as “moxa punk” and is formed into small cones.

The practitioner then places the cone on top of an acupuncture needle or directly onto the skin. The moxa is lit with a stick of incense and the warming and moving properties of the Ai Ye plant enter the point. A slice of ginger or garlic can also be placed between the moxa and the point, infusing the properties of these herbs into the body as well.

Moxa punk can also be made into rolls or small sticks which are placed in a metal tool called a Tiger Warmer. This tool is then moved along the course of a meridian, allowing the moxa to enter the body.

“When a disease cannot be treated by needling it should be treated with moxa.” - Ling Shu

Moxibustion is a wonderful wintertime therapy as it disperses cold, eliminates damp and warms yang. It is one of the best methods for general health and well-being in the Chinese Medicine repertoire. Moxa used daily on the point ZuSanLi is said to prevent all illness and promote longevity. The sensation is generally one of warmth and relaxation, and very popular among patients of Chinese Medicine.

Moxibustion is a form of therapy that developed independently of acupuncture, and may actually pre-date it. There are areas in the northern, colder regions of China in which practitioners use moxibustion in lieu of acupuncture.

The moxa is made from the herb Ai Ye, or Mugwort, which is harvested and laid in the sun to dry. It is then crushed and passed through a sieve repeatedly until it maintains a fine, downy texture. In this form it is referred to as “moxa punk” and is formed into small cones.

The practitioner then places the cone on top of an acupuncture needle or directly onto the skin. The moxa is lit with a stick of incense and the warming and moving properties of the Ai Ye plant enter the point. A slice of ginger or garlic can also be placed between the moxa and the point, infusing the properties of these herbs into the body as well.

Moxa punk can also be made into rolls or small sticks which are placed in a metal tool called a Tiger Warmer. This tool is then moved along the course of a meridian, allowing the moxa to enter the body.

“When a disease cannot be treated by needling it should be treated with moxa.” - Ling Shu

Ten Ways to Good Health

Less Alcohol, More Tea

Less Meat, More Vegetables

Less Salt, More Vinegar

Less Sugar, More Fruit

Less Eating, More Chewing

Less Words, More Action

Less Greed, More Giving

Less Worry, More Sleep

Less Driving, More Walking

Less Anger, More Laughing