Anxiety
using chinese medicine to treat Anxiety using chinese medicine to treat anxiety “I’ve had many patients with tons of chaos in their lives that was, of course, reflected into their physical body (digestive complaints, migraines, pain). As a therapist, trying to work through all of that can be challenging. When I’ve sent them to the team at Tao to Wellness, they started feeling better physically almost immediately, which made their emotional state more flexible to change, which got them faster results with me. I’m so grateful to the ladies at Tao to Wellness.” – Berkeley psychotherapist Chinese medicine works on all levels; the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. To us, all these are not just interconnected but rely on each other for solid health. People are sometimes surprised that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can work in the realm of emotional wellness. We actually work with all types of emotional fluctuations, not only anxiety, but depression, sadness, grief, heartbreak and fear to name a few. Utilizing Chinese medicine to support emotional wellness can enhance a patient’s life in many ways because we take into consideration the whole body, we look at the physical, the mental and the emotional. We are thorough in discovering your story and discussing at length your current health and past medical history. We also utilize diagnostic tools like the tongue and the pulse. All of these things help shape your unique treatment plan. Let’s take a deeper look, anxiety can manifest from different organ systems being out of balance, but mostly it stems from an acute imbalance of the Heart, but the imbalance is actually caused by other organ systems. The Heart regulates circulation, and is also the ruler of all mental and emotional processes. Because the body is interconnected, balancing only the Heart is not enough. For example, if the Liver is involved perhaps a patient has anger or irritability that essentially heats up the Heart, in turn causing the anxiety. If there is Spleen involvement, possibly there’s excessive worry or pensiveness that causes unrest in the Heart. And lastly, if a patient is constantly operating from a place of fear, it could very well be the Kidneys that are not communicating effectively with the Heart. Sometimes there’s just one scenario, sometimes all three are at play. Commonly, our anxiety patients possess additional symptoms as well. So again, what happens over time is the anxiety creates an imbalance, the long term imbalance of that organ creates other symptoms, making this imbalance louder. Let’s say the patient is experiencing a Heart and Liver imbalance– some additional symptoms that might occur are insomnia or trouble sleeping deeply, headaches especially along the Gall Bladder channel, PMS or menstrual cramps to name a few. And vice versa, let’s say a patient who has been experiencing a Heart imbalance with daily palpitations and dizziness, might start to have anxiety because of it. Thankfully with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine when we rebalance the organ, this diminish all the emotional and physical symptoms. How can acupuncture and chinese herbal medicine benefit? Brain chemistry stabilization Decrease in stress and cortisol Enhanced circulation to the Heart (the Ruler of Emotions) Decrease in inflammation overall, which relaxes the body and enhances flow of Qi and blood. An optimally functioning physical body that allows the emotions space to release, balance and heal. An additional practice that we love to incorporate with our patients is meditation. Quieting our “monkey mind” is key in any emotional balancing. Our minds are going a mile a minute with noise, replaying old conversations, rehearsing future conversations, strategizing life’s details, planning days, months, vacations, being upset or hurt about something that happened days or even months ago. We are also worried, fearful, annoyed, frustrated etc. Our minds never stop. Meditation can be a cleanse to your thoughts, a retreat from the noise and a way to train yourself and your reactions. If you are curious about how we can help, feel free to make an appointment or book a complimentary consultation. Book An Appointment
A Quick Fix for a Sore or Congested Throat!
A Quick Fix for a Sore or Congested Throat! It has been a very difficult season so far for infections. COVID cases are on the rise, as are the flu, RSV and strep throat. If you find yourself with strep throat, you will be sent home with antibiotics and put on bed rest. If you find yourself with the flu or COVID, you will be put on bed rest and waiting for recovery. And unfortunately, we won’t be able to treat you in the office until you get better! So what can you do at home to accelerate your healing and get some relief? Here’s a little story….. I had an unfortunate case of strep throat while I was away from the office post Thanksgiving. I wasn’t able to swallow for two days and, unfortunately, the infection spread to my ear and I wasn’t able to hear for a few weeks. I took dozens of COVID at home tests all of them were negative. But I felt like someone took a Brillo pad to my throat. I went in to the doctor got a positive strep test and was sent home with antibiotics and was told I would feel better in 2 days. Unfortunately, I still felt sick. Western medicine had done its job, I had followed its path and now the path was at an end. I had the tools I needed to give myself some relief, and I wanted to do whatever I could to get better and the determination to see it through. So, I decided to write this story so I could share with you some tools and some products that can give you some relief while you are getting better. This is going to be part of a series where I will discuss various techniques and at home treatments that you can try to give you some relief. Please note that none of this is a substitute for an MD so please consult your MD if you have questions. How Do I Get Rid of a Sore or Congested Throat Quick? Watermelon Frost This product is awesome! You can use it for a sore throat, for oral ulcers, canker sores, even chronic bad breath. It’s very fascinating the way that it is made. It’s made is by placing watermelon with some salt into clay, earthenware jars. They allow them to sit for a period of time and, on the outside of the jars there is a white substance that is scraped off called “frost”. I managed to find this fascinating video on how it is made from seed to bottle. In this video, he makes it with the watermelon fruit but traditionally it is made with the rind as well. It is often combined with some other Chinese Herbs and made into a powder. The way you use it is you puff it into your mouth. Ever used dry shampoo on your hair? It’s kinda like that, for your mouth. What I did was puff it into the back of my throat, on my tonsils. It feels very refreshing, cooling and moisturizing. It gave me instant relief! It tasted terrible, but who cares? It made me feel better, when western medicine failed to give me any relief. To use on a sore throat, look into a mirror. It’s helpful if you have a flashlight and a tongue depressor handy. Open your mouth and say “Ah!” and gently puff the watermelon frost a couple of times onto your tonsils (those large circular glands in the back of your throat). Make sure that the bottle is relatively upright when you do that, b/c if its upside down it won’t come out. To use on a canker sore, apply about a pea sized amount to your palm and apply directly to your canker sore. You can order watermelon frost on amazon. Gargling with Salt Water or Apple Cider Vinegar This helps more if you have a lot of congestion on the throat than if you throat feels raw and dry. If your throat feels raw and dry, I would recommend the Watermelon Frost. This method is pretty simple. Combine a cup of warm water and 1 tbsp of salt, or warm water and 2 tbsp of vinegar and gargle for a few minutes. You can get a little creative and make some mint tea or throat coat tea and do this method as well. Gargle for 5-10 minutes. By the way, Little Apple Treats makes a fire cider vinegar that is awesome. Aside from making amazing vinaigrettes and marinades, it’s really helpful for colds and flus. It has ginger, turmeric, horseradish, and chili peppers which will also accelerate your healing. A chiropractor told me that he recommends gargling with warm water and fire cider vinegar as a prevention measure when exposed to infected individuals. All of their products are great and they make their vinegar with organic Gravenstein apples. Disclaimer: The information contained within this article is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
How to Attune to Summer through a Chinese medicine lens
Welcome Summer of 2021… finally! Needless to say, I think so many of us have been waiting for this moment, it looks like things are finally getting back to normal and hopefully they will stay that way, getting better and better with each passing day! So as we move into summer, how do we attune? Summer is a Yang season and is associated with the Heart, Pericardium, AKA “the Heart wrapper”, Small Intestine and the Triple Burner (a Chinese organ that closely resembles the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chakras). Summer is all about luxurious growth and variety. The outside heat and long hours boosts our body naturally and provide additional energy. Summer offers abundance in many forms, including the diet, so many choices with so many things in season! I’m currently munching on fresh strawberries from the farm down the street! Chinese medicine tips! Change up your diet or take a mineral supplement since minerals and oils are sweated out of the body during this season, their loss can cause weakness if they are not replaced by a varied diet. To be in harmony with the atmosphere of summer, awaken very early in the morning, preferably at sunrise. To be more comfortable, drink hot liquids and take warm showers to induce sudden sweating and to cool the body. (Quite opposite of what we normally think!) Don’t overdo raw, cold foods. Summer heat combined with too much cold food like salads and raw fruits can actually weaken the digestive organs, coldness causes contraction and interferes with digestion. Iced drinks and ice cream actually contract the stomach and stop digestion. So enjoy and practice moderation. Cooking tips! Use plenty of brightly colored summer fruits and vegetables. Cook lightly and regularly add a LITTLE spicy, pungent, or even fiery flavor, but not too much! When sautéing, use high heat for a very short time. Side note: olive oil is an unstable oil and under high heat can cause free radicals, try some new stable oils, like coconut (great for the thyroid and detoxifying the blood) or rice bran oil (GREAT oil that has become more popular lately, available at Trader Joe’s. Steam and simmer foods as quickly as possible. Use little salt and more water. Cooling fresh foods for summer are salads, sprouts (mung, soy and alfalfa), fruit, cucumber, tofu (not too much if you have estrogen dominance), flower and leaf teas (mint, chrysanthemum and chamomile), watermelon, lemons and limes. Last note: The hot flavored spices are also considered appropriate in the warmest weather, at first their effect is to bring warmth, but ultimately they bring body heat out to the surface to be dispersed. With heat on the surface, one’s body mirrors the summer climate and therefore will be less affected by it. Red and green hot peppers, cayenne red pepper, fresh ginger, horseradish, black pepper are all idea for this purpose, but if you are allergic to nightshades, do not use peppers, however black pepper is fine since it is not a nightshade. However, be mindful if too many dispersing foods are taken, then weakness and loss of yang will result, and the ability to stay warm and vital in the cooler seasons is lost. That’s all for now. Wishing you a wonderful, fun summer! In health, Christina
Natural Ways to Treat Allergies!
Allergies and Chinese Medicine: It is spring time, an exciting time for growth and transformation! The flowers are out, the weather is getting warmer, and we can finally go outside and enjoy the benefits of all the rain we have had in the winter. Then, there is the sneezing. The itchy eyes. The runny nose. The sinus headaches! With all this new growth in spring time, we also have a lot of pollen in the air, and with pollen comes allergies. Traditional Chinese Medicine views spring time as a time for transformation and growth. Spring is associated with the liver organ, which takes on characteristics of planning, vision, growth, and pursuit of one’s goals and dreams. Yet, we often see lung symptoms manifesting in the springtime. So, what does the liver have to do with allergies, which seem more related to lung? Allergies can be aggravated by the following factors – a congested liver, a congested lymphatic system, and an over-active immune system. When treating allergies, all these factors must be taken into consideration. In the autumn, where our lung dominates, our immune system is working hard to prevent illness, gathering what we need for winter and letting go of what we do not need. In the winter, our body’s energetic matrix tends to contract and rest – storing our energy in our liver as well as toxins accumulated from autumn and summer. In the spring time, where our liver dominates, our energetic matrix begins to expand and our immune system can be over-active. If we haven’t taken good care of our health in the autumn, then in the spring-time our immune systems are compromised again and allergies can result. Our immune system function needs to work properly to heal and to prevent it from over-responding to the new pollens and dusts that are present in the air in the spring months. This is one of the ways the lung and the liver share a relationship. One of the ways that allergies can be treated is through acupuncture. Acupuncture treats allergies by improving the immune system function and response, reducing inflammation, encouraging lymphatic drainage and stimulating your body’s natural healing response so that your body’s tissues can heal properly. It can be helpful to stop cough due to post-nasal drip by dilating the bronchi and inhibiting activity in the brain that causes cough. The acupuncturist will ask you questions about your health history, symptoms, and lifestyle and then feel your pulse and look at your tongue. The acupuncturist will then make an assessment to determine the root cause of your allergies. After the acupuncture treatment, I may also suggest an herbal formula to take to treat allergies as well as make lifestyle and dietary recommendations. What else can be done at home to treat allergies? First, the diet should be high in vegetables, leafy greens and protein. Sugar, trans fatty acids, dairy and alcohol can contribute to mucus formation, so it is important to avoid those as much as possible. The flavor of the liver and springtime is sour, so fermented foods such as sauerkraut, umeboshi plums and kimchi can be beneficial, or you can take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar a day. These are also helpful for detoxification of the liver. But please only eat the sour flavor in small amounts, because too much of the sour flavor can cause the body to retain dampness and phlegm instead of expelling it which can compromise those with impaired lymphatic drainage. Drinking an herbal tea consisting of nettles, butterbur, chrysanthemum blossoms, and raw local honey can be beneficial to alleviate allergies. Other ways of treating allergies are by encouraging lymphatic drainage are with dry skin brushing and sauna therapy. Purchase a dry skin brush and make circular motions on all four limbs, abdomen and back in the direction of the heart. Trampolines and inversion tables can also encourage lymphatic drainage. Lymphatic drainage massages can also be helpful. Please drink plenty of water before and after a massage or sauna. As I mentioned, a properly functioning liver is essential to allergy prevention. If you want to do a liver cleanse, this is a good time of year to get started with that, but I recommend doing so with certain pre-cautions in mind first. We will discuss more on cleanses in more detail in another article. A properly functioning liver requires adequate sleep, mood regulation, a healthy diet, and adequate exercise. These are all areas that an acupuncturist can treat and make appropriate recommendations for. As with any illness, we need to be mindful of our health year-round and discussing our health care providers what the best ways to maintain our health are during certain parts of the year. An acupuncturist is highly trained in this area and can help you reach your health care goals so you can enjoy the spring season instead of suffering through it. Emily Edmonds is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist for Tao to Wellness in Berkeley, CA. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to see Emily Edmonds, please call our office (510)883-0383 or make an appointment through our website. Emily is in the office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 am – 2 pm and on Fridays from 8:30 am – 7pm.
Spring clean your lungs!
Spring clean your lungs! With these horrible Northern California fires, we need to protect your lungs. Here’s some foods that can help re-balance and support these billowy organs, admit all this smoke. Top Foods for lung health… Foods With Vitamin C Foods that contain high amounts of vitamin C help your lungs effectively transport oxygen throughout the body. Foods that are good sources of vitamin C and popular choices for lung health are: kiwifruit, oranges, red and green bell peppers, citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, vegetable and tomato juice, strawberries, broccoli, pineapples, mango and cantaloupe melon. Yum, yum and yum! Cruciferous Vegetables A cruciferous vegetable is any food that is a member of the cabbage family. They are generally packed with antioxidants that naturally help your body cleanse toxins. Some of the most popular choices for people pursuing lung health is broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Foods With Carotenoids Carotenoid is an orange antioxidant pigment that have been shown to cut the risks of developing lung cancer. Carotenoids are found in fruits and vegetables characterized with orange or red colors. Carrots are a great option because of the beta-carotene in them. This antioxidant is converted to vitamin A which can help reduce the incident of asthma. One of my favorite juices is Carrot, orange & ginger, a delicious powerhouse! Foods With Omega-3 Fatty Acids This fatty acid is crucial for your overall health. Preliminary studies suggest that foods that are rich in the fatty acid have beneficial effect on asthma. If you can’t get enough of it through fish, nuts or flaxseed, try taking one of the many supplements available. Grind flaxseeds and sprinkle over veggies, grains or in smoothies. Foods With Folate These foods are great for fighting the process of lung carcinogens and preventing forms of cancer. Some great choices include spinach, asparagus, beets, and lentils. Fresh squeezed spinach, beet and apple juice with a hint of ginger is absolutely delicious! Garlic Garlic has remained a staple for various natural health practices because of its anti-inflammatory properties. The high level of allicin reduces inflammation and fight infection. It destroys free radicals and may help to improve asthma. And it taste amazing in your food! Garlic can bring any recipe to a whole new level of delight. Berries Berries are one of the richest antioxidant fruits, containing the polyphenols anthocyanins and the flavonoids beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants protect your lungs from cancer, disease and infection. Berries are a wonderful addition in smoothies, salads, cereals & grains. Or just pop em straight into your mouth! Ginger This spice is incredibly easy to incorporate into your meal for an added flavor and health boost. The anti-inflammatory function clears your lungs of lingering pollution that could lead to health issues. Ginger tea is another lovely way to enjoy this tasty root. Turmeric This spice is similar to ginger in its lung health benefits with anti-inflammatory properties. As an added bonus the high amounts of curcumin can lead to the elimination of cancer cells. I sprinkle turmeric on practically everything I eat. I am particularly of fond of it in eggs, soups, chicken & veggie dishes. Grapefruit If you learn to enjoy the bitter taste of this fruit, you will benefit from the wealth of lung supporting vitamins and minerals in it. Flavonoids in the fruit are great for cleaning out lungs that have been effected by carcinogens. I didn’t develop a taste for grapefruits until my mid 30’s. Now i’m totally in love with them. Each time I eat one, I am filled with the knowing of how much my body loves them! For more foods… Much love, Amanda
Turn on the Turmeric
Turn on the Turmeric Healthy Turmeric Smoothie, Turn on the Turmeric! I recall many years of patients telling me about their first signs of joint pain, it always seemed to be in the finger joints and usually the pointer or middle finger, a soreness or a feeling of stiffness. Well, I suppose my time has come. I’ve been having some finger joint soreness lately so I’m turning on the turmeric! I’ve been doing this morning ritual along with some extra fish oil before bed at night and it’s already helping! Turmeric is such a strong herb (anti-inflammatory and great for your liver) and strong tasting, but luckily chocolate pretty much hides the taste completely but keeps a yummy underlying kick! YUM! An interesting side note: In Chinese medicine, we call this herb “Yu Jin” and have a slightly bit of a different take on it. It’s great for pain (anti-inflammatory), menstrual cramps, for all aspects of the liver, for bleeding like nosebleeds, it can be emotionally calming and helps with jaundice and gall stones. From the Chinese Medicine Classic Text: Moves Qi and Blood, Relieves Pain Especially for pain do to Qi and Blood Stasis including hypochondriac pain, irregular menses, masses (especially in abdomen and hypochondriac region), traumatic injuries, and dysmenorrhea. Also for liver cirrhosis, enlarged liver and spleen Clear Heat and Cool Blood For bleeding due to Heat in the Blood including epistaxis, hematemesis, hematuria, and epistaxis during menses Clear the Heart, Open Orifices For Shen disturbances associated with Damp, Phlegm and Heat in the Heart with symptoms like disorientation, epilepsy, mania, anxiety, agitation, seizures, and derangement Treats Jaundice, Benefits the Gallbladder Treats Damp-Heat jaundice and gall stones INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric or 1/2 teaspoon of powdered, although fresh is better! 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder 1 tablespoon of raw cacao nibs (for antioxidants and a little crunch) ½ a zucchini (skin on or off) 1 cup spinach 1/2 banana ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 scoop of protein powder 2–3 cups water, coconut or almond milk Blend in a Vitamix or another equivalent and you are good to go! If you don’t feel sold just yet, here is a list of some of it’s super duper powerful benefits! https://www.healthbeckon.com/turmeric-benefits/ In Health, Christina Martin, L.Ac. Tao to Wellness Berkeley, CA Healthy Turmeric Smoothie, Turn on the Turmeric!
Feeling BBQ’ed out already? Awesome Black Bean Burgers!
Feeling BBQ’ed out already? Awesome Black Bean Burgers! Tao to Wellness In Chinese medicine, we LOVE protein… typically acupuncturists are meat eaters. Meat helps build blood, ground the body and the emotions and regulates the brain (hormones too!) with it’s essential amino acids. Buuuuut, in my older years I’m feeling like eating less and less meat and let’s face it SOY with it’s estrogenic qualities are not a good option, but beans are! These are pure YUM… INGREDIENTS: 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 1 large poblano pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 3 medium cloves garlic, minced 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon sauce 3/4 cup roasted cashews 1/2 cup finely crumbled feta or cotija cheese 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 whole egg 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Cheese as desired, such as pepper jack, cheddar, muenster, or Swiss (optional) 6 to 8 hearty hamburger buns, toasted (or forget the buns and just have it on lettuce!) Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spread black beans in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and roast until beans are mostly split open and outer skins are beginning to get crunchy, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. While beans roast, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and poblano and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add chipotle chili and sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Place cashews in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped into pieces no larger than 1/3-inch, about 12 short pulses. Add to bowl with onions and peppers. When beans are slightly cooled, transfer to food processor. Add cheese. Pulse until beans are roughly chopped (the largest pieces should be about 1/3 of a full bean in size). Transfer to bowl with onion/pepper mixture. Add mayonnaise, egg, and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Fold together gently but thoroughly with hands. Patty mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days at this stage. To cook on the grill: Light 2/3 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the medium-high setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Form bean mixture into 6 to 8 patties as wide as your burger buns and brush top sides with oil. Place on hot side of grill oiled-side down and cook without moving until first side is well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Brush tops of burgers with oil. Carefully flip and continue cooking until second side is browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer, topping with cheese if desired To cook indoors: Form bean mixture into 6 to 8 patties as wide as your burger buns. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 4 patties and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until well browned and crisp on first side, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer, adding cheese if desired. If cooking more than 4 burgers, cook in batches, keeping cooked burgers on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 200°F oven while second batch cooks. Spread top and bottom buns with chipotle mayonnaise or other condiments as desired. Add toppings to top or bottom bun as desired. Place patties on bottom buns, close burgers, and serve immediately. Enjoy! Christina Martin, L.Ac. Tao to Wellness Acupuncture Center Berkeley, California
Revitalize Your Body with Tao to Wellness: Embrace Spring Cleaning!
SPRING CLEANING for your body at Tao to Wellness! SPRING is the BEST time of year for a complete detoxification program. Why? Two reasons… In Spring, the Liver and Gall Bladder energy is at it’s highest making it easier to purge these organs on an energetic and physical level. It’s easier! There are a plentitude of fruits and vegetables available to help support total detoxification while you are avoiding allergenic foods during the active faze of the complete program. The Facts: At Tao to Wellness, we tell our patients that everyone (with the exception of children and the elderly) should consider a detoxification program once per year. We all have toxins and 75% of us do NOT have symptoms. You don’t need to have Western pathological symptoms (cirrhosis, hepatitis, fatty liver disease) of toxicity in the Liver in order to cleanse it. Every one of us has some degree of toxicity in our Livers. Just by driving on the freeways, living near the train, eating meats that are not organic and hormone fed or imbibing a nice glass of Cabernet Franc at the end of our work day… We’ve all got them! If we consider what a toxic Liver looks like in Chinese Medicine, the term would be stagnation, which everyone has to some degree. What that might look like symptomatically are any of the following: headaches, neck and upper back pain, PMS, trouble sleeping, high blood pressure, migraines, menstrual cramps, depression, irritability, anger or high stress issues. But like we said before, you don’t need to have any symptoms to have a toxic Liver. Let’s look at 3 tiers or Liver/Gall Bladder support: At the very least, drink a nice large glass of Lemon Water every morning. Chinese medicine promotes sour tasting food as conducive to liver health. The warm lemon water stimulates a sluggish liver, great as a “Good Morning” to your Liver. Consider supplementation for overall protection: Alpha lipoic acid (ALA): ALA, especially R-ALA, has been used to treat serious liver diseases. It is a natural substance that is the “rate-limiting factor for the production of energy from carbohydrates.” In other words, without alpha lipoic acid we could not obtain energy from the food we eat and we could not stay alive. Andrew Weil recommends the following dosage: Currently there are no established daily doses for supplementation. However, oral alpha-lipoic acid is reported to be well tolerated in doses up to 600 milligrams per day, and 200-300 mg a day is frequently used in Europe as a therapeutic adjunct in treating diabetic neuropathy. As a general antioxidant, a dosage of 20 to 50 mg daily is commonly recommended. Alpha-lipoic acid can be purchased in dosages ranging 30 mg to 100 mg tablets. Talk with your doctor about how much alpha-lipoic acid you should take, and follow package directions. Milk thistle and dandelion root: These two natural herbs are commonly used to protect and cleanse the liver. Milk thistle is the protector, and dandelion root is the cleanser. They can be taken separately, but many liver supplements contain both. These herbs can be taken regularly over time with or without obvious liver issues. B complex: All the Bs are helpful, especially B12, which has been used to help hepatitis patients. There are three types of B12: cyanocobalamin, hydroxycabalamin, and methylcobalamin. Of these three, experts agree that methylcobalamin is the most beneficial in sublingual form. We do carry the above products at Tao to Wellness… products that we LOVE and trust, stop by anytime and pick up some for your Spring Cleaning. Want more? The total Tao to Wellness Spring Cleaning program: You got it! We commonly prescribe a complete 2-3 week (depending on the patient) program. The program consists of omitting potential allergenic foods from your diet while supplementing with non-allergenic, protein shakes that are only available through licensed practitioners and other supplements to aid in the detoxification process. Talk with Megan or Nikole with questions about options and what would be best for you. Happy Spring from all of us at Tao to Wellness!
Spring is here! Foods to eat during this time of year!
Spring is here! Foods to eat during this time of year! It’s a new beginning, the time of year to rise early with the sun! In Chinese medicine, Spring is the season when the Liver and Gallbladder work to their optimal level. At Tao to Wellness, we tell our patients to eat naturally, eat less and cleanse the body of the fats and heavy foods of winter. If you are considering a detoxification program this is also a great time of year to do that as well. Call the Tao to Wellness and meet with one of us to discuss which program might be best for your body type. Your diet should be the lightest of the year and contain foods that emphasize Yang and the ascending, expansive qualities of spring. Cook food for a shorter period of time, but at higher temperatures. If cooking with oil, use rice bran or coconut oil. If cooking with water, light steaming or minimal simmering. Sweet and pungent flavors are appropriate as a means of creating a personal spring from within. Pungent cooking herbs are: basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill, bay leaf, turmeric, cardamom, cumin, ginger, black pepper, horseradish, mints, and lemon balm, garlic and all members of the onion family. Foods to eat during this time are: legumes, seeds or grains that are sweet and can be sprouted such as: amaranth, quinoa, rye, millet, alfalfa and mung beans; young beets, carrots and other sweet starchy vegetables, mustard greens, watercress, taro root cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, romaine lettuce, asparagus, radish leaves, citrus peel, celery, seaweeds, lettuce, cucumber, tofu (in small amounts), mushrooms, radishes, chestnuts, pine nuts, cabbage, turnip, kohlrabi, strawberries, peaches, cherries, blackberries, huckleberries, raspberries, dark grapes and plums. Switch from refined sugars to sweeteners like honey, stevia, unrefined cane juice granules, whole sugar cane, licorice root, barley malt, date sugar, molasses and rice syrup. Chlorophyll rich foods accelerate Liver rejuvenation; wheat or barley grass, wild blue green algae, parsley, kale, watercress, alfalfa, and collard greens. Spirulina is also a great supplement if you were never breastfed. Those who were not breastfed are more likely to develop immune deficiencies, allergies, difficulty with weight management, digestive disorders and asthma. It supplies the body with Omega 3’s and GLA. Eat less and eliminate foods high in saturated fats (with the exception of coconut oil), hydrogenated or poor quality fats, excesses of nuts and seeds, chemicals in food and water, drugs (including prescription), intoxicants and highly processed and refined foods. If you have any questions, remember we are always here to help. Give us a call at Tao to Wellness 510.883.0383
Are you a Wood element personality type?
Are you a Wood element personality type? In Chinese medicine, there are five different elements; Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element possesses certain properties which can coincide or align with a different personality type. Of course, we just aren’t just one type, most of us posses two, one being a little more dominate then the other. For example, you could be a Wood element with Fire element tendencies. Sometimes people can be three, but never four or all five. So, are you a Wood element? The Wood element possesses an energy that expands quickly, but can also build up under pressure. Wood element personalities tend to be ambitious and are explorers. They feel most content when they are traveling in some way. Whether it is traipsing around the globe or on an introspective journey of the inner self, that’s where the Wood personality is at their happiest. Wood element types can speedily assess most situations and spring into action. At their peak they can rush from one task to the next hardly taking a breath. Onlookers often feel exhausted just watching them in action. Wood element personality types can become extremely frustrated by a lack of action or banal tasks or challenges. When they become frustrated by not being able to progress their plans their energy becomes blocked leading to feelings of anger and negative emotions. Unless the Wood type can find a means of venting this frustration it can lead to headaches and emotional disorders. Physical activity can help to unblock the energy channels and reset things quickly. They frequently eat while doing other things and they tend to use stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol and even drugs to keep active or relax. In full flow, Wood element personalities can be inspirational to those around them. They can motivate co-workers and partners with their all-action approach and good sense of humor.
