Queen Anne Natural Health

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.

Medicinal Mushrooms are Immune Enhancing Chinese Herbs

Medicinal mushrooms have been a part of the Chinese Materia Medica for several thousand years. These mushrooms, including reishi, oyster, maitake, shitake, and many more, have a strong effect on increasing immune function.  For instance, Ling Zhi, or the reishi mushroom, has been studied for its immune enhancing effect, and has been found to increase T cell function. Classically, it is said that Ling Zhi tonifies Lung qi, transforms phlegm, and stops cough and wheeze. Additionally, it has been found to have a carcinostatic effect, meaning that it stops the growth of cancer cells. Nutritionally, mushrooms provide fiber while being low in fat and contain several groups of vitamins, particularly thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, ascorbic acid and Vitamin D.

Eating raw mushrooms is not advised, since some are toxic uncooked, and most do not break down enough in our digestive systems to offer much benefit this way. Mushrooms should always be cooked when used as food. A stronger concentrated extract (either capsule or liquid) will give you the most benefit for immunity.

Fungi Perfecti is a locally based producer of medicinal mushrooms and is considered the best source of organic, high quality mushroom extracts by most experts, including Bastyr University and Dr. Andrew Weil. Fungi Perfecti has a number of extract combinations that address a number of immune issues. A popular, general immune tonic is their Stamets 7 formula.

Fungi Perfecti

Childhood Ear Infections

Several years ago Jake Fratkin, OMD (Oriental Medicine Doctor), made waves throughout the pediatric community by declaring on a radio show that the cause of ear infections was antibiotics. Since that time, several studies have been done which indicate that he was right. The likelihood of a recurrent ear infection during the first six weeks after taking antibiotics is significant. Not only is a child more likely to get another ear infection within six weeks if they are given antibiotics, but the recovery time from an infection is the same whether antibiotics are given or not. Even the Washington State Department of Health has issued a statement that most ear infections clear on their own and that overuse of antibiotics leads to drug resistant bacteria. So why are medical doctors still giving antibiotics to children with ear infections? In some cases, they no longer are. More and more doctors and medical institutions are reserving antibiotic administration for extreme cases of infection as a last resort. Here in Seattle, Dr. David Springer of Wallingford Pediatrics received an award from Premera Blue Cross for his use of "evidence-based best practices" in avoiding and limiting antibiotic use for ear infections.

So if antibiotics aren't the answer, what do we do for ear infections? Chinese Herbal Medicine is an excellent choice for the prevention and treatment of ear infections. There are two key formulas which, when administered correctly, can alleviate pain within hours and eliminate the infection within only a couple of days. They are safe, they are effective, and they are easy to administer. Several companies have created liquid extracts of these classic Chinese formulas adding a touch of glycerin or stevia to mask the bitter flavor of the herbs so that they are more palatable to children. Two of the practitioners at Queen Anne Natural Health, Clarissa and Terri, have used them with their own children and have avoided any antibiotic use in these children. In addition to Chinese formulas, these practitioners have used garlic ear drops, which kill microbes and dry fluid when placed directly into the ear canal, and probiotics which help the immune system fight the infection. All three can be combined and your Chinese Medicine practitioner can help you determine the best course of treatment so you can avoid unnecessary, and potential harmful antibiotic overuse in your children.

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

Burdock Root

In Chinese Herbal Medicine, the small fruit of the Burdock plant is used. The root, however, is used in both Chinese Nutritional Therapy and Western Herbalism and this part of the plant can be used in cooking. Western Herbalists use Burdock root to treat skin conditions that are dry, such as dry eczema, psoriasis and dandruff. This root can be found in many asian grocery stores. It needs to be peeled, and soaked in a solution of vinegar or lemon juice to prevent discoloration (1 tea white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup water). Use this root chopped in stir frys, soups, or roasted with other root vegetables.

Stir-Fried Burdock and Carrot

from the book The Japanese Kitchen by Hiroko Shimbo

makes 4-6 servings as a side dish

2-3 Tb veggie oil

5 1/2 oz burdock, peeled, julienned in 2 1/2-in lengths (about 2 cups) and soaked in 1 c water and 1 tea vinegar

2 oz carrots, julienned in 2 1/2-in lengths (about 2/3 cups)

2 Tb sake (rice wine)

1 Tb mirin (sweet cooking wine)

1 Tb sugar

1 Tb shoyu (soy sauce)

1 tea tamari

2 Tb white sesame seeds, toasted

1/3 tea shichimi togarashi (seven spice powder) or red chili flakes

In a wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Drain the burdock, and cook it, stirring, until it is well coated with oil. Add the carrot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 3 Tb water, the sake, mirin, and sugar. Cook the mixture until almost all the liquid is absorbed, stirring all the time. Add the shoyu, and cook for 30 seconds. Season the mixture to taste with tamari. Add 1 Tb of the sesame seeds, add the seven-spice powder or red chili flakes, and give several large stirs. Transfer the vegetables to a platter, and let them cool to room temperature. The dish tastes better after a few hours, and can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for a day. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with the remaining 1 Tb white sesame seeds.

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.

Clay Pot Miso Chicken

We recently found this recipe on www.epicurious.com and thought it would be a nice one to share. Not only does it utilize the Donabe pot which we have discussed, but it also includes many of the springtime foods from our food list. The only ingredients that may be more difficult to find are the burdock root, wood ear mushrooms and mirin, all of which can be found at Uwajimaya or other Asian markets in the Seattle area. 

 

Makes 4 generous (main course) servings

2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, with skin and bone

½ c wood ear  mushrooms

5cups water, divided

About 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1stalk burdock root (sometimes called gobo)

1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

1 and one 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, large caps quartered

1 and one ½ tablespoons finely chopped peeled ginger

1 and one ½ tablespoons finely chopped garlic

1/2 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

1/2 cup white miso (also called shiro miso)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 lb mustard greens, tough stems and ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped (8 cups)

Accompaniment: steamed rice

Garnish: chopped scallions

Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle. Pat chicken dry, then roast, skin side up, in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan until skin is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. While chicken roasts, soak wood ear mushrooms in 2 cups water until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain in a sieve, then rinse well and discard any hard pieces. Drain well, squeezing out excess water.

Transfer roasted chicken to a bowl and pour pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measure. Let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard fat. Add enough stock to bring total to 2 cups liquid. Reduce oven to 300°F and move rack to lower third. Peel burdock root, and, if more than 1-inch-thick, halve lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Transfer burdock root to a bowl, then add vinegar and 1 cup water.

Heat oil in a 7- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions until softened and beginning to brown. Add shiitakes, ginger, and garlic and sauté until garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mirin and boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute. Stir in miso and soy sauce, then stir in chicken, wood ear mushrooms, burdock (drained), stock mixture, and remaining 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any froth. Cover pot and braise in oven until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.

Stir in mustard greens and continue to braise, covered, 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls over rice.

Hot Pot

There are many versions of Hot Pot all over the world. In Switzerland it is called fondu, in Japan it is called Shabu-Shabu, or Sukiyaki. Within China, there are many different versions of this warm family dish. In all cases a pot of broth or oil is set in the center of the table on an open flame while the desired meat and vegetables are added and cooked quickly by the individual diners. A very simple, very healthy version comes from Japan and a lovely Springtime recipe follows.

The Donabe pot is traditionally used for this dish in Japan, as it can be put over an open flame. It can also be put on an electric burner and in the oven which makes it a wonderful tool for many types of Asian cooking. For those of us in Seattle, beautiful Donabe pots, as well as all of the ingredients for the following recipe can be found at Uwajimaya in the International District. Now is the perfect time to try this dish, as they have created a "hot pot" display near the entrance.  http://www.uwajimaya.com/

Springtime Hot Pot

Ingredients: (Include as few or as many as you desire)

konbu (dried kelp)
negi (Japanese leek)
shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves)
hakusai (Napa cabbage)
fresh shiitake mushrooms
fresh shimeji mushrooms
fresh enoki mushrooms                                                                                                                                                       kuzukiri (arrowroot starch noodles) or thin rice noodles
medium tofu                                                                                                                                                                          daikon radish (for grating)
ponzu (citrus, soy sauce and vinegar based condiment)                                                                                                  beef or pork sliced paper thin (Uwajimaya sells it already sliced and labeled “for sukiyaki” or “for hotpot”)                                                                                                                                                                                   garlic chili sauce, if desired

Preparation:

About two hours before dinner, soak two 2-inch pieces of konbu in a stockpot-full of cold water. About an hour before dinner, soak the kuzukiri noodles in a bowl of cold water. Now grate the daikon radish and cut all the other ingredients into bite-size pieces and artfully arrange on serving plates. Just before dinner, bring the stockpot with the konbu to a simmer -- but don't boil.

To serve:

Place the donabe on a portable burner on the dining table, surrounded by plates of ingredients. Gather your guests around. Arrange the first round of ingredients in the donabe, fill with the konbu broth, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, serve in bowls, topped with grated daikon and a hit of ponzu and garlic chili sauce. Eat. Repeat.

(This is a fairly traditional Japanese recipe, but I found it on www.japanesefoodreport.com)

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.